Monthly Archives: October 2020

2020-10-21: News Headlines

Medea Benjamin, Nicolas J. S. Davies (2020-10-21). How Biden Flubbed Town Hall Foreign Policy Question. counterpunch.org Toward the end of Joe Biden's October 15 town hall session, a Trump supporter asked Biden the only foreign policy question of the night. "So peace is breaking out all over the world," the questioner claimed. "Our troops are coming home. Serbia is talking to Kosovo. And the Arabs and Israelis are talking peace, which

Shatha Hammad (2020-10-21). 'Paradise lost': How Israel turned the West Bank into a sewage dump for its settlements. middleeasteye.net 'Paradise lost': How Israel turned the West Bank into a sewage dump for its settlements | Untreated wastewater has destroyed the soil of Palestinian villages, causing their often ancient oilve trees to die | Wed, 10/21/2020 – 09: 14 | Residents and farmers say increasing quantities of sewage are being pumped onto their lands from the illegal settlements (MEE/Supplied) | Abdullah Maarouf typically t…

Eds. (2020-10-21). Capitalism, slavery, and economic white supremacy. mronline.org What is at stake when we talk about the economics of North American slavery? Over the last 75+ years it has been whether capitalism superseded slavery or whether capitalism and slavery were co-constituted, capitalism to some extent relying on slavery.

SRACC (2020-10-21). Houston Racist KPFT Coupster Bill Crosier & Supporters at KPFA & Pacifica. indybay.org Former Pacifica interim executive director Bill Crosier called the police on the Black staff at KPFT and now wants to institute corporate bylaws. He has opposed community Black and Brown programming at Houston and supported racist programmers. He and his corporate racist agenda is being supported by KPFA programmers and other programmers in Pacifica as well as "liberals" like Code Pink leader Jodie Evans. While these people complain about the corporatization of the state, they are supporting the corporatization of the Pacific bylaws and ending democratic governance to a hand picked corporate team that supported t…

Mark Hertsgaard (2020-10-21). Amy Coney Barrett Gets That Covid Is Infectious—but Not That Climate Change Is Real. thenation.com Amy Coney Barrett Gets That Covid Is Infectious—but Not That Climate Change Is Real…

Aaron Maté (2020-10-20). Chomsky: from nuclear weapons to Iran, Trump's worst threats are dangerously ignored. thegrayzone.com Noam Chomsky warns that the Trump administration poses a unique threat to humanity, and its most reckless policies are receiving far too little attention. Noam Chomsky discusses the White House's threats to the New START treaty, the last remaining accord limiting the US and Russia's nuclear weapons arsenals; its latest round of crippling sanctions and threats against Iran; the bipartisan US refusal to accept a Middle East Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone, which would terminate Israel's nuclear weapons program; and the silencing of …

Staff (2020-10-20). Headlines for October 20, 2020. democracynow.org Trump Continues Attack on Fauci as U.S. Coronavirus Cases Surge and Death Toll Mounts, SCOTUS Deadlock Hands Victory to Voters in Pennsylvania as Floridians Break Early Voting Record, Debate Commission Announces Changes Ahead of Final Presidential Face-Off, Evo Morales Celebrates Victory of MAS Party, Says He Will Return to Bolivia, Trump Admin to Remove Sudan from U.S. List of Terrorist States, At Least 15 People Killed as Nigerian Protests Against Police Violence Continue, WSJ: U.S. Held Talks with Syrian Intelligence About Missing U.S. Citizens, Palestinian Prisoner in Critical Condition After Nearly 3 Months…

Aseel Jundi (2020-10-20). Israeli takes its attacks on UNRWA schools to the United Nations. middleeasteye.net Israeli takes its attacks on UNRWA schools to the United Nations | Israeli ambassador to the UN accuses its Relief and Works Agency of using curricula inciting against Israel, the latest move in a long campaign against the body | Tue, 10/20/2020 – 19: 12 | Palestinian children fly kites at a school belonging to UNRWA in Gaza City on 12 March 2018 as a protest against US aid cuts (AFP) | Israel's am…

William Camacaro (2020-10-20). Decisive Victory of MAS in Bolivia: A Blow to Anti-Indigenous and Anti-Socialist Coups in the Americas. counterpunch.org Caracas. The decisive electoral victory of the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) in Bolivia may be a point of inflection on the continent that advances the construction of a new South American socialist bloc. After having been removed from power by a military coup with fascist, anti-Indigenous, and neoliberal elements a year ago, ex-president Evo Morales,

Kathy Kelly (2020-10-20). Afghanistan, Black Lives Matter, and Antiwar Activism. zcomm.org Interview on a variety of topics…

Martha Grevatt (2020-10-20). How do we defend reproductive justice? workers.org It appears likely that the Trump wing of the ruling class will ram through the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett, who is racist, pro-patriarchy, anti-woman, anti-LGBTQ2S+ and anti-worker. The Senate Judiciary Committee votes on the nomination Oct. 22, and the full Senate vote is expected before the . . . |

Al Neal (2020-10-20). Supreme Court to review 'Remain in Mexico' policy; migrants face terror-filled wait. peoplesworld.org For asylum seekers and refugees forced to stay in Mexico as their requests to enter the United States enter procedural limbo, their lives are minimized to being political and legal ping-pong balls, going back and forth over the new (incomplete) border wall with every court ruling or Trump administration executive order. On Monday, Oct. 19, …

MEE staff (2020-10-20). Israeli firm signs deal to transport UAE oil to Europe. middleeasteye.net Israeli firm signs deal to transport UAE oil to Europe | The deal would create a cheaper, faster way to get oil from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean by bypassing Egypt's Suez Canal via a 'land bridge' | Tue, 10/20/2020 – 21: 37 | EAPC oil storage containers are seen on the shore of Israel's southern city of Ashkelon on 27 January, 2015 (Reuters/File photo) | An Israeli pipeline company has announced a prelimi…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-10-20). Anti-fascists across the UK honor volunteers of the International Brigade. peoplesdispatch.org Around 2500 volunteers from Britain and Ireland participated in the Spanish Civil War supporting the Spanish Left and Republican forces against the fascist forces led by Francisco Franco…

David Schultz (2020-10-20). Amy Coney Barrett, Constitutional Precedent, and the Problem of Originalism. counterpunch.org Supreme Court Justice nominee Amy Coney Barrett is a threat to many constitutional precedents, including Roe v. Wade (abortion rights), National Federation of Business v. Sebelius, (Obamacare), and Obergefell v. Hodges (marriage equality). It may not simply be her ideology or pre-judged opinions that pose the problem, it is her constitutional interpretive method of Originalism that is the issue.

Kim Scipes (2020-10-20). Fighting Racism in the US Marine Corps. counterpunch.org By 1971, the Marine Corps had suffered racial outbreaks at every major Marine base in the world, except one. In Vietnam, some units were disarmed after coming out of the bush, as there had been firefights between white and Black Marines. A celebration of Martin Luther King's life by Black Marines at Chu Lai in April 1969, one year after his assassination, had been surrounded by tanks. Racial "relations" were terrible. (As was true in all the other branches, in Vietnam, the US and on bases in Europe.)

Umar A Farooq (2020-10-20). Keith Ellison faces mounting criticism over attendance at Yitzhak Rabin memorial. middleeasteye.net Keith Ellison faces mounting criticism over attendance at Yitzhak Rabin memorial | Minnesota attorney general has been accused of 'ignoring Palestinian voices' by agreeing to attend event honouring the legacy of late Israeli prime minister | Tue, 10/20/2020 – 18: 26 | Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is slated to appear at a memorial service for former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin (…

RT (2020-10-20). Televangelist Pat Robertson predicts Trump will win re-election and bring about THE END TIMES. rt.com Christian Broadcasting Network founder Pat Robertson has predicted that President Donald Trump will secure re-election, which he says will then lead to the end of the world. | "…The next thing is the election that's coming up in just a few weeks, at which time, according to what I believe the Lord told me, the president is going to be re-elected," Robertson prophesized during his show on Tuesday. The preacher then added that Trump's victory is "going to lead to civil unrest, and then a war against Israel and so forth…" | According to Robertson, the war's outcome has also already been pre-determined. "There…

RT (2020-10-20). Dying laughing: Facebook demonetizes satirical website Babylon Bee for 'inciting violence' with Monty Python joke. rt.com Facebook has demonetized Christian satire site the Babylon Bee, saying even after a manual review that an article which used a popular Monty Python bit to skewer Senate questioning of Trump's Supreme Court pick "incites violence." | The social media behemoth told Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon that it "stood by" the decision to not only remove the article but demonetize the Bee's entire page on Tuesday, insisting the piece — headlined "Senator Hirono Demands ACB Be Weighed Against a Duck To See if She Is a Witch" — "incites violence," Dillon revealed on Twitter. | So after a manual review, Facebook says…

RT (2020-10-20). France will dissolve pro-Hamas Muslim group, as Islamist crackdown continues — Macron. rt.com French President Emmanuel Macron has said that a Hamas-linked Muslim group connected with the beheading of a teacher in Paris will be disbanded. Macron also promised to take "concrete actions" against radical Islamist terrorism. | "We know what needs to be done," the president told reporters in Paris on Tuesday, announcing that a Muslim group connected to Palestinian Hamas militants would be broken up. The group is believed to be linked to the beheading of history teacher Samuel Paty by a teenage Chechen refugee last week. Prior to the killing, Paty had shown his class a caricature of the Prophet Mohammed. | A…

RT (2020-10-20). UAE wants to exchange embassies with Israel 'as soon as possible'. rt.com The United Arab Emirates wants its embassy in Tel Aviv to be opened "as soon as possible" and hopes Israel will reciprocate in Abu Dhabi, the Israeli Foreign Ministry has said, as rapprochement between the former foes continues. | The intention was announced in a letter from Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, delivered to his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi by a high-ranking UAE delegation which landed in Tel Aviv on Tuesday. | In the missive — which, according to Israeli media, was written in Hebrew — Zayed told the Israeli FM that the UAE had "full trust in your unequivocal s…

Nicolas J S Davies (2020-10-20). How Biden Flubbed the Town Hall Foreign Policy Question. progressive.org From praising Trump's deal with Israel to smearing China's president Xi Jinping, Biden's response wasn't just disappointing, it was incorrect.

WSWS (2020-10-20). Michigan sheriffs and police refuse to enforce state government ban on guns at polling places. wsws.org Police leaders announced Monday they would not enforce a recent order by the elected secretary of state aimed at preventing fascist militias from interfering with the November election.

WSWS (2020-10-20). Macron launches anti-Muslim police-state crackdown after terror attack in France. wsws.org Macron's policy is indistinguishable from the fascistic ravings of National Rally leader Marine Le Pen.

Refuse Fascism Bay Area (2020-10-20). Sunday 10/25: Mass Public Assembly to Protest & Demand: Trump/Pence Out Now! indybay.org Civic Center Plaza, Dr Carlton B Goodlett Place, San Francisco…

sputniknews (2020-10-20). US Legislation Seeks Congressional Oversight Over F-35 Exports. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – US Senators Bob Menendez and Dianne Feinstein said they introduced legislation to reassert congressional oversight over the exports of F-35 fighter jets and ensure that such deals do not undermine Israel's military superiority in the Middle East.

Tom Anderson (2020-10-20). NSPCC under fire for accepting donations from UK company implicated in the demolition of Palestinian homes. thecanary.co Campaigners are calling on the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) to stop accepting donations from UK company JCB. | JCB equipment used to demolish Palestinian homes: | Last week, The Canary

yenisafak (2020-10-20). Bosnia commemorates 1st president Izetbegovic's death. yenisafak.com Bosnia and Herzegovina this week commemorates the 17th death anniversary of Alija Izetbegovic, independent Bosnia's first president and one of the most important Muslim thinkers of the last century.Izetbegovic — a politician, writer, lawyer, and philosopher who came to international prominence during the bitter 1992-1995 Bosnian War — is commemorated every year on the anniversary of his death.Having struggled against fascism and Chetnik nationalists during World War II and later communism, Izetbegovic fought for the independence of Bosnia Herzegovina from Yugoslavia in the 1990s as well as to raise the religiou…

Paul Craig Roberts (2020-10-20). The New York Times Is Anti-White and Anti-American. thealtworld.com The vast majority of the New York Times's subscribers are white people. These are people who apparently are so emotionally and mentally weak and so full of guilt and self-loathing that they support a rabid anti-American propaganda organization that brands its readers "racists" and delegitimises the founding principles of the United States. | The US Defense Secretary, Espy, distracts us with the "Russian and Chinese enemies," while the worst enemy that the United States has ever had—The New York Times—carries on its deadly attack of deconstructing America. The New York Times' position is that America i…

Staff (2020-10-19). Jeremy Scahill: Trump Has Incited White Supremacists & Emboldened Police to Act Outside the Law. democracynow.org As the 2020 presidential campaign enters its final two weeks, we look at the past four years of the Trump presidency with investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill of The Intercept. His podcast "Intercepted" has just released the fourth chapter in a seven-part audio documentary titled "American Mythology," which critically examines the Trump presidency and places it within a larger historical context. Scahill says Trump has empowered white supremacist vigilantes and given permission to law enforcement to act extrajudicially to enforce a racist status quo, but he cautions that "Donald Trump is not an aberration of U…

Staff (2020-10-19). Trump Has Stoked White Supremacy and Led Police to Act Outside the Law. truthout.org As the 2020 presidential campaign enters its final two weeks, we look at the past four years of the Trump presidency with investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill of The Intercept. His podcast "Intercepted" has just released the fourth chapter in a seven-part audio documentary titled American Mythology, which critically examines the Trump presidency and places it within a larger historical context. Scahill says Trump has empowered white supremacist vigilantes and given permission to law enforcement to…

Maicol David Lynch (2020-10-19). Ohio student's research rescues memory of lynched Black man, Christopher Davis. peoplesworld.org Between 1865 and 1950, over 6,500 African Americans were lynched or massacred by white supremacist terrorists. Of those murders, 4,400 took place after the defeat of Reconstruction and restoration of the former slavocracy to power. More than 80% of lynchings occurred in the former Confederacy's 11 states, but over 300 took place in northern states. …

W. T. Whitney Jr. (2020-10-19). Socialists win big in Bolivia; Morales expected to return from exile. peoplesworld.org Luis Arce and David Choquehuanca, presidential and vice-presidential candidates, respectively, for Bolivia's Movement Toward Socialism Party (MAS), scored an overwhelming first-round election victory on Oct. 18. They won 53% of the vote, showing strength in cities and rural areas alike. MAS was formerly headed by deposed President Evo Morales. The Supreme Election Tribunal certified the …

Mohammad Ayesh (2020-10-19). Arabic press review: Tunisia investigates MP's Facebook post on French teacher beheading. middleeasteye.net Arabic press review: Tunisia investigates MP's Facebook post on French teacher beheading | Meanwhile, Arab financial support for the Palestinian government reportedly falls by 82 percent and Bahrainis protest against Israeli visit | Mon, 10/19/2020 – 14: 47 | A man holds a French flag as people gather in Paris on 18 October 2020, to remember teacher Samuel Paty, beheaded by an attacker (AFP) | <...

MEE staff (2020-10-19). Israel and UAE to discuss influx of Gulf tourists to Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque. middleeasteye.net Israel and UAE to discuss influx of Gulf tourists to Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque | A former Jordanian religious endowment minister tells MEE Amman is 'not interested nor aware nor part of these visits' coordination' | Mon, 10/19/2020 – 15: 43 | Flags of Israel and the United Arab Emirates (AFP) | An Israeli official said on Monday that Israel and the United Arab Emirates had set an agenda to discuss bringing th…

MEE and agencies (2020-10-19). UAE cabinet approves Israel normalisation deal. middleeasteye.net UAE cabinet approves Israel normalisation deal | First Emirati passenger flight lands at Tel Aviv as UAE government approves establishing relations | Mon, 10/19/2020 – 14: 45 | UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan (L) and his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi are pictured before their historic meeting in Berlin, 6 October (AFP) | The Emirati cabinet has approved an agr…

RT (2020-10-19). US Supreme Court agrees to hear Trump's appeal on border wall funding while reviewing legality of 'stay in Mexico' policy. rt.com The US Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal by Donald Trump's administration over a ruling that he overstepped his constitutional boundaries when funneling military funds to border wall construction. | The legal battle around Trump's 2016 campaign cornerstone — the US-Mexico border wall — continued on Monday when the Supreme Court agreed to hear his appeal. | Back in June, a lower court ruled that the Trump administration's decision to shift military money to construction of a border wall, after Congress had refused to appropriate funds for the project, was illegal. Trump took $2.5 billion from…

Global Research News (2020-10-19). Selected Articles: Where Are the Borders of the State of Israel? globalresearch.ca By Let no one say — without a vigorous challenge — that the so-called 'new normal' …

yenisafak (2020-10-19). Palestine slams Al-Aqsa visits under Israeli protection. yenisafak.com Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh has criticized visits by Arab delegations to Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque under Israeli police protection."Al-Aqsa Mosque shall be entered through the gate of its owners, not through the gate of the Israeli occupation," Shtayyeh said during the weekly cabinet meeting on Monday."It is sad to see some Arab delegations entering the compound through the Israeli gate, while worshippers are denied access to it to perform their prayers," he said.On Sunday, a delegation from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) visited Al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of Israeli forces.T…

WSWS (2020-10-19). Australian pseudo-left denies fascist danger in US presidential election crisis. wsws.org Socialist Alternative is attempting to chloroform the working class, insisting that the American ruling class would never resort to dictatorial rule.

One America News Network (2020-10-19). Video: "Don't be Afraid of the Virus": American Doctors Speak Out on Misinformation Surrounding the Coronavirus. globalresearch.ca A group of medical experts from around the country are speaking out against misinformation surrounding the coronavirus. | The doctors gathered on the Supreme Court steps in the nation's capitol Saturday October 17, 2020 to inform Americans not to be afraid …

Majdi Khaldi (2020-10-19). Where Are the Borders of the State of Israel? Why Do They Refuse to Demarcate Them? globalresearch.ca When you ask any Israeli government official or diplomat about the borders and map of the State of Israel, surely you will not get a clear answer. Successive Israeli governments, backed up by the Zionist movement worldwide, have ambitions to …

Raul Diego (2020-10-19). With an Eye on Nearby Iran, Israeli Weapons Fuel the Violence in Azerbaijan. mintpressnews.com Hoping to profit, protect an important source of oil, and to antagonize nearby Iran, Israel is selling drones and weapons to Azerbaijan, fueling the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.

_____ (2020-10-19). Embracing The Gifts Of Conflict For Social Change. popularresistance.org As a collective, we are living in unprecedented times. The triple pandemic of COVID-19, white supremacy, and capitalist-driven climate crisis has intensified survival fears and made the structural oppression we are living under more palpable and unbearable. We are coming face to face with the fact of our interdependence, and the stakes are high. Either we as a species learn to live well with each other and the earth now, or die trying. | As so many wise souls are reminding us, our liberation is bound together, and we need each other, now, more than ever.

Linda Pierce, Santa Cruz News Group (2020-10-19). Manu Koenig and Trail Now PAC Apologize for Anti-Semitic Cartoons Featuring John Leopold. indybay.org Manu Koenig, candidate for Santa Cruz County Supervisor in District 1, has apologized to the Jewish community following the public outcry over the publication of a series of cartoon caricatures considered to be anti-Semitic of his opponent incumbent Supervisor John Leopold, who is Jewish. In an email interview conducted on October 16, Manu Koenig stated: "I was so horrified to realize that the cartoon we had used in our campaign ad about the rail corridor could be considered anti-Semitic. That was not our intention but I now understand how it could be perceived that way given the catalogue of the artists' work. W…

_____ (2020-10-19). Two Deep Mysteries of the 1973 Arab-Israeli War. strategic-culture.org Eric S. MARGOLIS | Forty-seven years ago, Egypt and Syria launched a massive surprise attack on Israeli forces dug into fortifications along the Suez Canal and Golan Heights. The 'limited' Arab objective was to recapture both strategic areas that had been seized from the two Arab states in Israel's victorious 1967 War. | Re-armed with modern — but by no means top drawer — Soviet weapons, Egypt and Syria sought to drive the Israelis back, then wait for the great powers to impose a truce. It was a badly flawed strategy, which assured the heavily armed Israelis would control the military initiative with…

yenisafak (2020-10-19). Israel to face pressure from Democrats if Trump loses: advisor. yenisafak.com US President Donald Trump's loss in the upcoming presidential election would put pressure on Israel in the Middle East, one of his advisors said Monday.If Trump loses the election on Nov. 3 to his opponent Joe Biden, Israel will face pressure from the Democrats to make concessions in Judea and Samaria, Mike Evans, senior Evangelical Christian leader and advisor to Trump, told Israel National News in an interview."This is the most pro-Israel president in American history. But he's not doing so well in the polls," said Evans, who is also the founder of the Friends of Zion Heritage Center in Jerusalem.Evans said alt…

yenisafak (2020-10-19). Palestinian talks not condition for Arab ties: Israel. yenisafak.com A top Israeli intelligence official said on Monday that Israel's normalization with the Arab countries must not be conditioned with advancing negotiations with the Palestinians."The negotiations with the Palestinians must not be a condition or obstacle in front of continuing contacts for normalization with the region's states," Mossad chief Yossi Cohen told the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation.Israeli media reported earlier that Cohen was assigned with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to conduct secret contacts with heads of Arab states.Israel signed recently two normalization deals with the United Arab Emirates…

Staff (2020-10-19). Headlines for October 19, 2020. 18.224.45.15 U.S. COVID-19 Cases Surge as Trump Continues Unmasked Campaign Rallies, Cases Mounting Across Europe as New Restrictions Enacted, Top Palestinian Official Saeb Erekat in Critical Condition with COVID-19, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Accuses Trump of Inspiring, Incentivizing and Inciting Terrorism, White Supremacists Indicted for Arms Trafficking, Murder and Plotting to Bomb Synagogue, Death Toll in Nagorno-Karabakh Fighting Mounts as New Ceasefire Falls Apart, Kyrgyzstan Installs New President, Who Will Also Serve as Prime Minister, Alexei Navalny Calls on Trump to Denounce Use of Chemical Weapons, Car Bomb in…

Pip Hinman (2020-10-19). Sydney Black Lives Matter rally called for October 26. greenleft.org.au First Nations advocates and families of people who have died in custody are planning a Black Lives Matter protest in Sydney on October 26, reports Jim McIlroy.

2020-10-20: News Headlines

William Camacaro (2020-10-20). Decisive Victory of MAS in Bolivia: A Blow to Anti-Indigenous and Anti-Socialist Coups in the Americas. counterpunch.org Caracas. The decisive electoral victory of the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) in Bolivia may be a point of inflection on the continent that advances the construction of a new South American socialist bloc. After having been removed from power by a military coup with fascist, anti-Indigenous, and neoliberal elements a year ago, ex-president Evo Morales,

Martha Grevatt (2020-10-20). How do we defend reproductive justice? workers.org It appears likely that the Trump wing of the ruling class will ram through the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett, who is racist, pro-patriarchy, anti-woman, anti-LGBTQ2S+ and anti-worker. The Senate Judiciary Committee votes on the nomination Oct. 22, and the full Senate vote is expected before the . . . |

David Schultz (2020-10-20). Amy Coney Barrett, Constitutional Precedent, and the Problem of Originalism. counterpunch.org Supreme Court Justice nominee Amy Coney Barrett is a threat to many constitutional precedents, including Roe v. Wade (abortion rights), National Federation of Business v. Sebelius, (Obamacare), and Obergefell v. Hodges (marriage equality). It may not simply be her ideology or pre-judged opinions that pose the problem, it is her constitutional interpretive method of Originalism that is the issue.

Kim Scipes (2020-10-20). Fighting Racism in the US Marine Corps. counterpunch.org By 1971, the Marine Corps had suffered racial outbreaks at every major Marine base in the world, except one. In Vietnam, some units were disarmed after coming out of the bush, as there had been firefights between white and Black Marines. A celebration of Martin Luther King's life by Black Marines at Chu Lai in April 1969, one year after his assassination, had been surrounded by tanks. Racial "relations" were terrible. (As was true in all the other branches, in Vietnam, the US and on bases in Europe.)

RT (2020-10-20). Democrats fail to block Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court nomination as proposal to SHUT DOWN Senate falls through. rt.com Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer tried to adjourn the Senate until after the election, in order to stop the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the US Supreme Court. A Covid-19 relief bill remains nowhere in sight. | "I am forcing a vote tonight to adjourn the Senate until after the November election," Schumer (D-New York) tweeted on Monday, claiming the Republicans are "using an illegitimate process to jam through a Supreme Court nominee to rip away health care from millions." | | I am forcing a vote tonight to adjourn the Sena…

Refuse Fascism Bay Area (2020-10-20). Sunday 10/25: Mass Public Assembly to Protest & Demand: Trump/Pence Out Now! indybay.org Civic Center Plaza, Dr Carlton B Goodlett Place, San Francisco…

SRACC (2020-10-20). Houston Racist KPFT Coupster Bill Crosier & Supporters at KPFA & Pacifica. indybay.org Former Pacifica interim executive director Bill Crosier called the police on the Black staff at KPFT and now wants to institute corporate bylaws. He has opposed community Black and Brown programming at Houston and supported racist programmers. He and his corporate racist agenda is being supported by KPFA programmers and other programmers in Pacifica as well as "liberals" like Code Pink leader Jodie Evans. While these people complain about the corporatization of the state, they are supporting the corporatization of the Pacific bylaws and ending democratic governance to a hand picked corporate team that supported t…

yenisafak (2020-10-20). Bosnia commemorates 1st president Izetbegovic's death. yenisafak.com Bosnia and Herzegovina this week commemorates the 17th death anniversary of Alija Izetbegovic, independent Bosnia's first president and one of the most important Muslim thinkers of the last century.Izetbegovic — a politician, writer, lawyer, and philosopher who came to international prominence during the bitter 1992-1995 Bosnian War — is commemorated every year on the anniversary of his death.Having struggled against fascism and Chetnik nationalists during World War II and later communism, Izetbegovic fought for the independence of Bosnia Herzegovina from Yugoslavia in the 1990s as well as to raise the religiou…

Staff (2020-10-19). Jeremy Scahill: Trump Has Incited White Supremacists & Emboldened Police to Act Outside the Law. democracynow.org As the 2020 presidential campaign enters its final two weeks, we look at the past four years of the Trump presidency with investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill of The Intercept. His podcast "Intercepted" has just released the fourth chapter in a seven-part audio documentary titled "American Mythology," which critically examines the Trump presidency and places it within a larger historical context. Scahill says Trump has empowered white supremacist vigilantes and given permission to law enforcement to act extrajudicially to enforce a racist status quo, but he cautions that "Donald Trump is not an aberration of U…

Staff (2020-10-19). Jeremy Scahill: Trump's Xenophobia Is Horrific, But U.S. Immigration Policy Has Always Been Racist. democracynow.org In Part 2 of our discussion of the Trump era with The Intercept's Jeremy Scahill about his new seven-part audio documentary "American Mythology," he examines how Trump's xenophobic immigration policies have been a "methodical, surgical operation" to make life miserable for both current and prospective immigrants, including asylum seekers fleeing violence. He also notes that while Trump's policies have been particularly vicious, "this country has had a racist immigration policy for a very long time, and it's bipartisan."

Staff (2020-10-19). Trump Has Stoked White Supremacy and Led Police to Act Outside the Law. truthout.org As the 2020 presidential campaign enters its final two weeks, we look at the past four years of the Trump presidency with investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill of The Intercept. His podcast "Intercepted" has just released the fourth chapter in a seven-part audio documentary titled American Mythology, which critically examines the Trump presidency and places it within a larger historical context. Scahill says Trump has empowered white supremacist vigilantes and given permission to law enforcement to…

Maicol David Lynch (2020-10-19). Ohio student's research rescues memory of lynched Black man, Christopher Davis. peoplesworld.org Between 1865 and 1950, over 6,500 African Americans were lynched or massacred by white supremacist terrorists. Of those murders, 4,400 took place after the defeat of Reconstruction and restoration of the former slavocracy to power. More than 80% of lynchings occurred in the former Confederacy's 11 states, but over 300 took place in northern states. …

W. T. Whitney Jr. (2020-10-19). Socialists win big in Bolivia; Morales expected to return from exile. peoplesworld.org Luis Arce and David Choquehuanca, presidential and vice-presidential candidates, respectively, for Bolivia's Movement Toward Socialism Party (MAS), scored an overwhelming first-round election victory on Oct. 18. They won 53% of the vote, showing strength in cities and rural areas alike. MAS was formerly headed by deposed President Evo Morales. The Supreme Election Tribunal certified the …

Mohammad Ayesh (2020-10-19). Arabic press review: Tunisia investigates MP's Facebook post on French teacher beheading. middleeasteye.net Arabic press review: Tunisia investigates MP's Facebook post on French teacher beheading | Meanwhile, Arab financial support for the Palestinian government reportedly falls by 82 percent and Bahrainis protest against Israeli visit | Mon, 10/19/2020 – 14: 47 | A man holds a French flag as people gather in Paris on 18 October 2020, to remember teacher Samuel Paty, beheaded by an attacker (AFP) | <...

MEE and agencies (2020-10-19). UAE cabinet approves Israel normalisation deal. middleeasteye.net UAE cabinet approves Israel normalisation deal | First Emirati passenger flight lands at Tel Aviv as UAE government approves establishing relations | Mon, 10/19/2020 – 14: 45 | UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan (L) and his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi are pictured before their historic meeting in Berlin, 6 October (AFP) | The Emirati cabinet has approved an agr…

MEE staff (2020-10-19). Israel and UAE to discuss influx of Gulf tourists to Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque. middleeasteye.net Israel and UAE to discuss influx of Gulf tourists to Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque | A former Jordanian religious endowment minister tells MEE Amman is 'not interested nor aware nor part of these visits' coordination' | Mon, 10/19/2020 – 15: 43 | Flags of Israel and the United Arab Emirates (AFP) | An Israeli official said on Monday that Israel and the United Arab Emirates had set an agenda to discuss bringing th…

RT (2020-10-19). US Supreme Court agrees to hear Trump's appeal on border wall funding while reviewing legality of 'stay in Mexico' policy. rt.com The US Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal by Donald Trump's administration over a ruling that he overstepped his constitutional boundaries when funneling military funds to border wall construction. | The legal battle around Trump's 2016 campaign cornerstone — the US-Mexico border wall — continued on Monday when the Supreme Court agreed to hear his appeal. | Back in June, a lower court ruled that the Trump administration's decision to shift military money to construction of a border wall, after Congress had refused to appropriate funds for the project, was illegal. Trump took $2.5 billion from…

MBNJSD (2020-10-19). How Biden Flubbed Town Hall Foreign Policy Question. dissidentvoice.org Toward the end of Joe Biden's October 15 town hall session, a Trump supporter asked Biden the only foreign policy question of the night. "So peace is breaking out all over the world," the questioner claimed. "Our troops are coming home. Serbia is talking to Kosovo. And the Arabs and Israelis are talking peace, which …

Global Research News (2020-10-19). Selected Articles: Where Are the Borders of the State of Israel? globalresearch.ca By Let no one say — without a vigorous challenge — that the so-called 'new normal' …

yenisafak (2020-10-19). Palestine slams Al-Aqsa visits under Israeli protection. yenisafak.com Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh has criticized visits by Arab delegations to Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque under Israeli police protection."Al-Aqsa Mosque shall be entered through the gate of its owners, not through the gate of the Israeli occupation," Shtayyeh said during the weekly cabinet meeting on Monday."It is sad to see some Arab delegations entering the compound through the Israeli gate, while worshippers are denied access to it to perform their prayers," he said.On Sunday, a delegation from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) visited Al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of Israeli forces.T…

WSWS (2020-10-19). Australian pseudo-left denies fascist danger in US presidential election crisis. wsws.org Socialist Alternative is attempting to chloroform the working class, insisting that the American ruling class would never resort to dictatorial rule.

One America News Network (2020-10-19). Video: "Don't be Afraid of the Virus": American Doctors Speak Out on Misinformation Surrounding the Coronavirus. globalresearch.ca A group of medical experts from around the country are speaking out against misinformation surrounding the coronavirus. | The doctors gathered on the Supreme Court steps in the nation's capitol Saturday October 17, 2020 to inform Americans not to be afraid …

Majdi Khaldi (2020-10-19). Where Are the Borders of the State of Israel? Why Do They Refuse to Demarcate Them? globalresearch.ca When you ask any Israeli government official or diplomat about the borders and map of the State of Israel, surely you will not get a clear answer. Successive Israeli governments, backed up by the Zionist movement worldwide, have ambitions to …

Raul Diego (2020-10-19). With an Eye on Nearby Iran, Israeli Weapons Fuel the Violence in Azerbaijan. mintpressnews.com Hoping to profit, protect an important source of oil, and to antagonize nearby Iran, Israel is selling drones and weapons to Azerbaijan, fueling the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.

_____ (2020-10-19). Embracing The Gifts Of Conflict For Social Change. popularresistance.org As a collective, we are living in unprecedented times. The triple pandemic of COVID-19, white supremacy, and capitalist-driven climate crisis has intensified survival fears and made the structural oppression we are living under more palpable and unbearable. We are coming face to face with the fact of our interdependence, and the stakes are high. Either we as a species learn to live well with each other and the earth now, or die trying. | As so many wise souls are reminding us, our liberation is bound together, and we need each other, now, more than ever.

Linda Pierce, Santa Cruz News Group (2020-10-19). Manu Koenig and Trail Now PAC Apologize for Anti-Semitic Cartoons Featuring John Leopold. indybay.org Manu Koenig, candidate for Santa Cruz County Supervisor in District 1, has apologized to the Jewish community following the public outcry over the publication of a series of cartoon caricatures considered to be anti-Semitic of his opponent incumbent Supervisor John Leopold, who is Jewish. In an email interview conducted on October 16, Manu Koenig stated: "I was so horrified to realize that the cartoon we had used in our campaign ad about the rail corridor could be considered anti-Semitic. That was not our intention but I now understand how it could be perceived that way given the catalogue of the artists' work. W…

_____ (2020-10-19). Two Deep Mysteries of the 1973 Arab-Israeli War. strategic-culture.org Eric S. MARGOLIS | Forty-seven years ago, Egypt and Syria launched a massive surprise attack on Israeli forces dug into fortifications along the Suez Canal and Golan Heights. The 'limited' Arab objective was to recapture both strategic areas that had been seized from the two Arab states in Israel's victorious 1967 War. | Re-armed with modern — but by no means top drawer — Soviet weapons, Egypt and Syria sought to drive the Israelis back, then wait for the great powers to impose a truce. It was a badly flawed strategy, which assured the heavily armed Israelis would control the military initiative with…

yenisafak (2020-10-19). Palestinian talks not condition for Arab ties: Israel. yenisafak.com A top Israeli intelligence official said on Monday that Israel's normalization with the Arab countries must not be conditioned with advancing negotiations with the Palestinians."The negotiations with the Palestinians must not be a condition or obstacle in front of continuing contacts for normalization with the region's states," Mossad chief Yossi Cohen told the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation.Israeli media reported earlier that Cohen was assigned with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to conduct secret contacts with heads of Arab states.Israel signed recently two normalization deals with the United Arab Emirates…

yenisafak (2020-10-19). Israel to face pressure from Democrats if Trump loses: advisor. yenisafak.com US President Donald Trump's loss in the upcoming presidential election would put pressure on Israel in the Middle East, one of his advisors said Monday.If Trump loses the election on Nov. 3 to his opponent Joe Biden, Israel will face pressure from the Democrats to make concessions in Judea and Samaria, Mike Evans, senior Evangelical Christian leader and advisor to Trump, told Israel National News in an interview."This is the most pro-Israel president in American history. But he's not doing so well in the polls," said Evans, who is also the founder of the Friends of Zion Heritage Center in Jerusalem.Evans said alt…

Staff (2020-10-19). Headlines for October 19, 2020. 18.224.45.15 U.S. COVID-19 Cases Surge as Trump Continues Unmasked Campaign Rallies, Cases Mounting Across Europe as New Restrictions Enacted, Top Palestinian Official Saeb Erekat in Critical Condition with COVID-19, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Accuses Trump of Inspiring, Incentivizing and Inciting Terrorism, White Supremacists Indicted for Arms Trafficking, Murder and Plotting to Bomb Synagogue, Death Toll in Nagorno-Karabakh Fighting Mounts as New Ceasefire Falls Apart, Kyrgyzstan Installs New President, Who Will Also Serve as Prime Minister, Alexei Navalny Calls on Trump to Denounce Use of Chemical Weapons, Car Bomb in…

Pip Hinman (2020-10-19). Sydney Black Lives Matter rally called for October 26. greenleft.org.au First Nations advocates and families of people who have died in custody are planning a Black Lives Matter protest in Sydney on October 26, reports Jim McIlroy.

_____ (2020-10-18). On Contact: Resistance And Militancy. popularresistance.org On the show this week, Chris Hedges talks to former Baltimore Black Panther leader Eddie Conway about the nature of resistance, white supremacy and the rise of the a new black militancy. | The book, The Brother You Choose, is a conversation between Eddie Conway and Paul Coates. Conway reflects on state repression and the hard road of resistance in a state that stops at nothing to crush resistance movements.

MEE and agencies (2020-10-18). Bahraini opposition to normalisation with Israel continues to delay full peace deal. middleeasteye.net Bahraini opposition to normalisation with Israel continues to delay full peace deal | Israeli delegation in Manama accompanied by US officials only signed a declaration establishing diplomatic relations | Sun, 10/18/2020 – 10: 30 | Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank have condemned Bahrain's decision to normalise relations with Israel (Reuters) | Continued opposition in Bahrain to the n…

_____ (2020-10-18). Bolivia Elections: All You Need To Know. popularresistance.org Bolivia – According to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, over 7.031.294 people are expected to vote out of the country's estimated population of 11.428.245 citizens. | On October 18, the Plurinational State of Bolivia will carry its first presidential elections after a coup that forced former left-wing Indigenous president Evo Morales to resign on November 10, 2019. Following the coup, Bolivia has faced continued turmoil, political instability, and killings and persecution of progressive leaders promoted by the de facto government of Jeanine Àñez, who tried to change the election date several times to cling to powe…

Bigots Forced to Flee (2020-10-18). Large San Francisco Counter-Protest Overwhelms Tiny Proud Boys Rally. indybay.org On Saturday, October 17, 2020, labor union members, anti-police brutality campaigners, advocates for release of prisoners affected by COVID-19, and leftists from Oakland and San Francisco came together to form a counter-demonstration against a rally by the far-right Proud Boys.

Marjorie Cohn (2020-10-18). Barrett Is Poised to Become the Most Radical Right-Wing Member of Supreme Court. zcomm.org Barrett's answers — and refusals to answer — confirm that she will be the most radical right-wing member of the Court.

MEE and agencies (2020-10-18). Coronavirus: Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat on ventilator in critical condition. middleeasteye.net Coronavirus: Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat on ventilator in critical condition | Israeli hospital said Erekat's condition deteriorated overnight and that he was also being treated for a bacterial infection | Sun, 10/18/2020 – 13: 47 | Saeb Erekat's negotiating days date back to the earliest public negotiations with Israel in 1991 at the Madrid Conference (AFP) | Palestinian negotiator…

Sudip Bhattacharya (2020-10-18). The Story is US Imperialism. counterpunch.org As we continue to battle the police and those who depend on their "protection" in the U.S., including the major businesses who donate to anti-racist initiatives all the while continuing to reap gargantuan profits off our labor and limited consumer choices, there are thousands of Bolivians also standing up against a far-right wing government and

MEE and agencies (2020-10-18). US predicts further Israeli-Arab rapprochement even if Trump loses election. middleeasteye.net US predicts further Israeli-Arab rapprochement even if Trump loses election | Middle East envoy says normalisation deals have bipartisan support in Washington and are designed to bear long-term fruit | Sun, 10/18/2020 – 20: 19 | US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin at a press conference with Bahrain's Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani (R) and Israel's Meir Ben Shabbat, in Manama, Bahrain, 18…

RT (2020-10-18). Chicken company targeted by boycotters over Sen. Perdue's 'racist' Kamala remarks despite ZERO affiliation. rt.com Perdue Farms has struggled to distance itself from Sen. David Perdue (R-Georgia) after he 'mispronounced' Kamala Harris' name in a 'racist' way, triggering a wave of outraged calls for a boycott of a totally unrelated firm. | Twitter users have scolded the Georgia senator for his remarks at a Friday Trump campaign rally where he appeared to mock Harris' name, poor humor some are chalking up to racism. | "The most insidious thing that Chuck Schumer and Joe Biden are trying to perpetrate, and Bernie and Elizabeth and Kamala — Kah-ma-la or Kah-mah-la or Kamalamalamala, I don't know…" Perdue said. | Perdue…

RT (2020-10-18). 'Still think Antifa is just an idea?' Black conservative activist gets tooth knocked in clashes during free speech rally (VIDEOS). rt.com Conservative protesters in San Francisco accuse Antifa activists of violently attacking their rally. Police officers were injured at the event as well. | A "free speech rally" was held at the United Nations Plaza on Saturday. Some demonstrators wore red 'Make America Great Again' Trump campaign hats and carried pro-police 'Thin Blue Line' flags, as well as US flags. The activists came to decry what they call censorship of conservative views and stories by social media giants, like San Francisco-based Twitter. | Counter-protesters rushed to the scene as well, quickly outnumbering their rivals. Carrying makeshif…

RT (2020-10-18). Israel, Bahrain formalize diplomatic relations during joint US-Israeli visit to Gulf state. rt.com Bahrain has become the fourth Arab nation to formally establish diplomatic ties with Tel Aviv as officials from both states signed a joint communique on the issue during a visit by a high-level US-Israeli delegation to Manama. | The development comes after Bahrain and Israel struck a US-brokered deal on normalization of relations in Washington in mid-September. Now, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's national security adviser, Meir Ben-Shabbat, and the US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin flew to the Bahraini capital at the helm of a high-level joint delegation to finalize the issue. | Also on rt.com…

RT (2020-10-18). Top Palestinian official Saeb Erekat evacuated to Israel for urgent treatment over Covid-19 complications. rt.com Secretary General of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) Saeb Erekat has been urgently transported to Israel due to breathing problems. He contracted Covid-19 two weeks ago. | Erekat, 65, was evacuated from his home in Jericho in the West Bank to the Hadassah Medical Center campus in West Jerusalem's Ein Kerem neighborhood after his condition worsened on Sunday, the PLO Negotiations Affairs Department

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-18). 16th Int'l Resistance FilmFest safeguards Resistance Movement. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 18 (MNA) — The countries of the region and the Islamic Ummah consider the issue of Palestine as their main priority and will fight for the liberation of the Holy Quds and occupied Palestinian territories.

William Cohn (2020-10-18). Amy Coney Barrett: Just Another Pro-Corporate Villain on the Court. commondreams.org Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett is sworn in on the first day of her Supreme Court confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill on October 12, 2020 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Alex Edelman-Pool/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-10-18). Israel's plans for thousands of new illegal settler homes condemned. peoplesdispatch.org Israel had earlier announced the construction of nearly 5,000 new illegal homes for settlers in the occupied West Bank. According to settlement watchdog Peace Now, this makes the total number of houses approved this year at over 12,000…

Dennis J Bernstein (2020-10-18). Structural Racism in Liberal Armor: Newsome's Veto of Domestic Workers' Rights Bill. zcomm.org "We won't stop because we are unstoppable now and we can say the domestic workers are invincible and we are strong and we will not stop until he signs SB1257 and gives us the rights we deserve as essential workers."

Kim Scipes (2020-10-18). Fighting Racism in the USMC. zcomm.org By 1971, the Marine Corps had suffered racial outbreaks at every major Marine base in the world, except one…

_____ (2020-10-18). A Corporate Megafishery Set The Stage For Violent Conflict In Mi'kma'ki. popularresistance.org Today across the country, people awoke to reeling images of violence and racism carried out against Mi'kmaq fishers. Many people are asking key questions such as why the RCMP has not pro-actively intervened and defended Mi'kmaq leadership and fishers, what are the economic realities of the fisheries in Mi'kma'ki, and what conservation considerations are at play. | There are a lot of moving parts to the conflict that is ongoing in St Mary's Bay, Nova Scotia: It is a highly-charged situation, borne out of generations of colonialism, decades of government mishandling and neglect, and months of growing racially-motiv…

_____ (2020-10-18). Whose Great Reset? The Fight for Our Future — Technocracy vs. the Republic. strategic-culture.org People living in the western world are in the greatest fight for the future of pluralist and republican forms of governance since the rise and fall of fascism 75 years ago. As then, society had to be built up from a war. Today's war has been an economic war of the oligarchs against the republic, and it increasingly appears that the coronavirus pandemic is being used, on the political end, as a massive coup against pluralist society. We are being confronted with this 'great reset', alluding to post-war construction. But for a whole generation people have already been living under an ever-increasing austerity regim…

2020-10-19: News Headlines

Staff (2020-10-19). Jeremy Scahill: Trump Has Incited White Supremacists & Emboldened Police to Act Outside the Law. democracynow.org As the 2020 presidential campaign enters its final two weeks, we look at the past four years of the Trump presidency with investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill of The Intercept. His podcast "Intercepted" has just released the fourth chapter in a seven-part audio documentary titled "American Mythology," which critically examines the Trump presidency and places it within a larger historical context. Scahill says Trump has empowered white supremacist vigilantes and given permission to law enforcement to act extrajudicially to enforce a racist status quo, but he cautions that "Donald Trump is not an aberration of U…

Staff (2020-10-19). Jeremy Scahill: Trump's Xenophobia Is Horrific, But U.S. Immigration Policy Has Always Been Racist. democracynow.org In Part 2 of our discussion of the Trump era with The Intercept's Jeremy Scahill about his new seven-part audio documentary "American Mythology," he examines how Trump's xenophobic immigration policies have been a "methodical, surgical operation" to make life miserable for both current and prospective immigrants, including asylum seekers fleeing violence. He also notes that while Trump's policies have been particularly vicious, "this country has had a racist immigration policy for a very long time, and it's bipartisan."

Staff (2020-10-19). Headlines for October 19, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. COVID-19 Cases Surge as Trump Continues Unmasked Campaign Rallies, Cases Mounting Across Europe as New Restrictions Enacted, Top Palestinian Official Saeb Erekat in Critical Condition with COVID-19, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Accuses Trump of Inspiring, Incentivizing and Inciting Terrorism, White Supremacists Indicted for Arms Trafficking, Murder and Plotting to Bomb Synagogue, Death Toll in Nagorno-Karabakh Fighting Mounts as New Ceasefire Falls Apart, Kyrgyzstan Installs New President, Who Will Also Serve as Prime Minister, Alexei Navalny Calls on Trump to Denounce Use of Chemical Weapons, Car Bomb in…

Staff (2020-10-19). Trump Has Stoked White Supremacy and Led Police to Act Outside the Law. truthout.org As the 2020 presidential campaign enters its final two weeks, we look at the past four years of the Trump presidency with investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill of The Intercept. His podcast "Intercepted" has just released the fourth chapter in a seven-part audio documentary titled American Mythology, which critically examines the Trump presidency and places it within a larger historical context. Scahill says Trump has empowered white supremacist vigilantes and given permission to law enforcement to…

Maicol David Lynch (2020-10-19). Ohio student's research rescues memory of lynched Black man, Christopher Davis. peoplesworld.org Between 1865 and 1950, over 6,500 African Americans were lynched or massacred by white supremacist terrorists. Of those murders, 4,400 took place after the defeat of Reconstruction and restoration of the former slavocracy to power. More than 80% of lynchings occurred in the former Confederacy's 11 states, but over 300 took place in northern states. …

MEE and agencies (2020-10-19). UAE cabinet approves Israel normalisation deal. middleeasteye.net UAE cabinet approves Israel normalisation deal | First Emirati passenger flight lands at Tel Aviv as UAE government approves establishing relations | Mon, 10/19/2020 – 14: 45 | UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan (L) and his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi are pictured before their historic meeting in Berlin, 6 October (AFP) | The Emirati cabinet has approved an agr…

MEE staff (2020-10-19). Israel and UAE to discuss influx of Gulf tourists to Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque. middleeasteye.net Israel and UAE to discuss influx of Gulf tourists to Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque | A former Jordanian religious endowment minister tells MEE Amman is 'not interested nor aware nor part of these visits' coordination' | Mon, 10/19/2020 – 15: 43 | Flags of Israel and the United Arab Emirates (AFP) | An Israeli official said on Monday that Israel and the United Arab Emirates had set an agenda to discuss bringing th…

Mohammad Ayesh (2020-10-19). Arabic press review: Tunisia investigates MP's Facebook post on French teacher beheading. middleeasteye.net Arabic press review: Tunisia investigates MP's Facebook post on French teacher beheading | Meanwhile, Arab financial support for the Palestinian government reportedly falls by 82 percent and Bahrainis protest against Israeli visit | Mon, 10/19/2020 – 14: 47 | A man holds a French flag as people gather in Paris on 18 October 2020, to remember teacher Samuel Paty, beheaded by an attacker (AFP) | <...

W. T. Whitney Jr. (2020-10-19). Socialists win big in Bolivia; Morales expected to return from exile. peoplesworld.org Luis Arce and David Choquehuanca, presidential and vice-presidential candidates, respectively, for Bolivia's Movement Toward Socialism Party (MAS), scored an overwhelming first-round election victory on Oct. 18. They won 53% of the vote, showing strength in cities and rural areas alike. MAS was formerly headed by deposed President Evo Morales. The Supreme Election Tribunal certified the …

RT (2020-10-19). US Supreme Court agrees to hear Trump's appeal on border wall funding while reviewing legality of 'stay in Mexico' policy. rt.com The US Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal by Donald Trump's administration over a ruling that he overstepped his constitutional boundaries when funneling military funds to border wall construction. | The legal battle around Trump's 2016 campaign cornerstone — the US-Mexico border wall — continued on Monday when the Supreme Court agreed to hear his appeal. | Back in June, a lower court ruled that the Trump administration's decision to shift military money to construction of a border wall, after Congress had refused to appropriate funds for the project, was illegal. Trump took $2.5 billion from…

MBNJSD (2020-10-19). How Biden Flubbed Town Hall Foreign Policy Question. dissidentvoice.org Toward the end of Joe Biden's October 15 town hall session, a Trump supporter asked Biden the only foreign policy question of the night. "So peace is breaking out all over the world," the questioner claimed. "Our troops are coming home. Serbia is talking to Kosovo. And the Arabs and Israelis are talking peace, which …

Global Research News (2020-10-19). Selected Articles: Where Are the Borders of the State of Israel? globalresearch.ca By Let no one say — without a vigorous challenge — that the so-called 'new normal' …

yenisafak (2020-10-19). Palestine slams Al-Aqsa visits under Israeli protection. yenisafak.com Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh has criticized visits by Arab delegations to Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque under Israeli police protection."Al-Aqsa Mosque shall be entered through the gate of its owners, not through the gate of the Israeli occupation," Shtayyeh said during the weekly cabinet meeting on Monday."It is sad to see some Arab delegations entering the compound through the Israeli gate, while worshippers are denied access to it to perform their prayers," he said.On Sunday, a delegation from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) visited Al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of Israeli forces.T…

WSWS (2020-10-19). Australian pseudo-left denies fascist danger in US presidential election crisis. wsws.org Socialist Alternative is attempting to chloroform the working class, insisting that the American ruling class would never resort to dictatorial rule.

One America News Network (2020-10-19). Video: "Don't be Afraid of the Virus": American Doctors Speak Out on Misinformation Surrounding the Coronavirus. globalresearch.ca A group of medical experts from around the country are speaking out against misinformation surrounding the coronavirus. | The doctors gathered on the Supreme Court steps in the nation's capitol Saturday October 17, 2020 to inform Americans not to be afraid …

Majdi Khaldi (2020-10-19). Where Are the Borders of the State of Israel? Why Do They Refuse to Demarcate Them? globalresearch.ca When you ask any Israeli government official or diplomat about the borders and map of the State of Israel, surely you will not get a clear answer. Successive Israeli governments, backed up by the Zionist movement worldwide, have ambitions to …

Raul Diego (2020-10-19). With an Eye on Nearby Iran, Israeli Weapons Fuel the Violence in Azerbaijan. mintpressnews.com Hoping to profit, protect an important source of oil, and to antagonize nearby Iran, Israel is selling drones and weapons to Azerbaijan, fueling the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Eric Margolis (2020-10-19). Two Deep Mysteries of the 1973 Arab-Israeli War. globalresearch.ca Forty-seven years ago, Egypt and Syria launched a massive surprise attack on Israeli forces dug into fortifications along the Suez Canal and Golan Heights. The 'limited' Arab objective was to recapture both strategic areas that had been seized from the …

_____ (2020-10-19). Embracing The Gifts Of Conflict For Social Change. popularresistance.org As a collective, we are living in unprecedented times. The triple pandemic of COVID-19, white supremacy, and capitalist-driven climate crisis has intensified survival fears and made the structural oppression we are living under more palpable and unbearable. We are coming face to face with the fact of our interdependence, and the stakes are high. Either we as a species learn to live well with each other and the earth now, or die trying. | As so many wise souls are reminding us, our liberation is bound together, and we need each other, now, more than ever.

Linda Pierce, Santa Cruz News Group (2020-10-19). Manu Koenig and Trail Now PAC Apologize for Anti-Semitic Cartoons Featuring John Leopold. indybay.org Manu Koenig, candidate for Santa Cruz County Supervisor in District 1, has apologized to the Jewish community following the public outcry over the publication of a series of cartoon caricatures considered to be anti-Semitic of his opponent incumbent Supervisor John Leopold, who is Jewish. In an email interview conducted on October 16, Manu Koenig stated: "I was so horrified to realize that the cartoon we had used in our campaign ad about the rail corridor could be considered anti-Semitic. That was not our intention but I now understand how it could be perceived that way given the catalogue of the artists' work. W…

Refuse Fascism Bay Area (2020-10-19). Sunday 10/25: Mass Public Assembly to Protest & Demand: Trump/Pence Out Now! indybay.org Civic Center Plaza, Dr Carlton B Goodlett Place, San Francisco…

yenisafak (2020-10-19). Palestinian talks not condition for Arab ties: Israel. yenisafak.com A top Israeli intelligence official said on Monday that Israel's normalization with the Arab countries must not be conditioned with advancing negotiations with the Palestinians."The negotiations with the Palestinians must not be a condition or obstacle in front of continuing contacts for normalization with the region's states," Mossad chief Yossi Cohen told the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation.Israeli media reported earlier that Cohen was assigned with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to conduct secret contacts with heads of Arab states.Israel signed recently two normalization deals with the United Arab Emirates…

yenisafak (2020-10-19). Israel to face pressure from Democrats if Trump loses: advisor. yenisafak.com US President Donald Trump's loss in the upcoming presidential election would put pressure on Israel in the Middle East, one of his advisors said Monday.If Trump loses the election on Nov. 3 to his opponent Joe Biden, Israel will face pressure from the Democrats to make concessions in Judea and Samaria, Mike Evans, senior Evangelical Christian leader and advisor to Trump, told Israel National News in an interview."This is the most pro-Israel president in American history. But he's not doing so well in the polls," said Evans, who is also the founder of the Friends of Zion Heritage Center in Jerusalem.Evans said alt…

Pip Hinman (2020-10-19). Sydney Black Lives Matter rally called for October 26. greenleft.org.au First Nations advocates and families of people who have died in custody are planning a Black Lives Matter protest in Sydney on October 26, reports Jim McIlroy.

_____ (2020-10-18). On Contact: Resistance And Militancy. popularresistance.org On the show this week, Chris Hedges talks to former Baltimore Black Panther leader Eddie Conway about the nature of resistance, white supremacy and the rise of the a new black militancy. | The book, The Brother You Choose, is a conversation between Eddie Conway and Paul Coates. Conway reflects on state repression and the hard road of resistance in a state that stops at nothing to crush resistance movements.

MEE and agencies (2020-10-18). Bahraini opposition to normalisation with Israel continues to delay full peace deal. middleeasteye.net Bahraini opposition to normalisation with Israel continues to delay full peace deal | Israeli delegation in Manama accompanied by US officials only signed a declaration establishing diplomatic relations | Sun, 10/18/2020 – 10: 30 | Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank have condemned Bahrain's decision to normalise relations with Israel (Reuters) | Continued opposition in Bahrain to the n…

_____ (2020-10-18). Bolivia Elections: All You Need To Know. popularresistance.org Bolivia – According to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, over 7.031.294 people are expected to vote out of the country's estimated population of 11.428.245 citizens. | On October 18, the Plurinational State of Bolivia will carry its first presidential elections after a coup that forced former left-wing Indigenous president Evo Morales to resign on November 10, 2019. Following the coup, Bolivia has faced continued turmoil, political instability, and killings and persecution of progressive leaders promoted by the de facto government of Jeanine Àñez, who tried to change the election date several times to cling to powe…

Bigots Forced to Flee (2020-10-18). Large San Francisco Counter-Protest Overwhelms Tiny Proud Boys Rally. indybay.org On Saturday, October 17, 2020, labor union members, anti-police brutality campaigners, advocates for release of prisoners affected by COVID-19, and leftists from Oakland and San Francisco came together to form a counter-demonstration against a rally by the far-right Proud Boys.

Marjorie Cohn (2020-10-18). Barrett Is Poised to Become the Most Radical Right-Wing Member of Supreme Court. zcomm.org Barrett's answers — and refusals to answer — confirm that she will be the most radical right-wing member of the Court.

MEE and agencies (2020-10-18). US predicts further Israeli-Arab rapprochement even if Trump loses election. middleeasteye.net US predicts further Israeli-Arab rapprochement even if Trump loses election | Middle East envoy says normalisation deals have bipartisan support in Washington and are designed to bear long-term fruit | Sun, 10/18/2020 – 20: 19 | US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin at a press conference with Bahrain's Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani (R) and Israel's Meir Ben Shabbat, in Manama, Bahrain, 18…

MEE and agencies (2020-10-18). Coronavirus: Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat on ventilator in critical condition. middleeasteye.net Coronavirus: Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat on ventilator in critical condition | Israeli hospital said Erekat's condition deteriorated overnight and that he was also being treated for a bacterial infection | Sun, 10/18/2020 – 13: 47 | Saeb Erekat's negotiating days date back to the earliest public negotiations with Israel in 1991 at the Madrid Conference (AFP) | Palestinian negotiator…

Sudip Bhattacharya (2020-10-18). The Story is US Imperialism. counterpunch.org As we continue to battle the police and those who depend on their "protection" in the U.S., including the major businesses who donate to anti-racist initiatives all the while continuing to reap gargantuan profits off our labor and limited consumer choices, there are thousands of Bolivians also standing up against a far-right wing government and

RT (2020-10-18). Chicken company targeted by boycotters over Sen. Perdue's 'racist' Kamala remarks despite ZERO affiliation. rt.com Perdue Farms has struggled to distance itself from Sen. David Perdue (R-Georgia) after he 'mispronounced' Kamala Harris' name in a 'racist' way, triggering a wave of outraged calls for a boycott of a totally unrelated firm. | Twitter users have scolded the Georgia senator for his remarks at a Friday Trump campaign rally where he appeared to mock Harris' name, poor humor some are chalking up to racism. | "The most insidious thing that Chuck Schumer and Joe Biden are trying to perpetrate, and Bernie and Elizabeth and Kamala — Kah-ma-la or Kah-mah-la or Kamalamalamala, I don't know…" Perdue said. | Perdue…

RT (2020-10-18). 'Still think Antifa is just an idea?' Black conservative activist gets tooth knocked in clashes during free speech rally (VIDEOS). rt.com Conservative protesters in San Francisco accuse Antifa activists of violently attacking their rally. Police officers were injured at the event as well. | A "free speech rally" was held at the United Nations Plaza on Saturday. Some demonstrators wore red 'Make America Great Again' Trump campaign hats and carried pro-police 'Thin Blue Line' flags, as well as US flags. The activists came to decry what they call censorship of conservative views and stories by social media giants, like San Francisco-based Twitter. | Counter-protesters rushed to the scene as well, quickly outnumbering their rivals. Carrying makeshif…

RT (2020-10-18). Top Palestinian official Saeb Erekat evacuated to Israel for urgent treatment over Covid-19 complications. rt.com Secretary General of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) Saeb Erekat has been urgently transported to Israel due to breathing problems. He contracted Covid-19 two weeks ago. | Erekat, 65, was evacuated from his home in Jericho in the West Bank to the Hadassah Medical Center campus in West Jerusalem's Ein Kerem neighborhood after his condition worsened on Sunday, the PLO Negotiations Affairs Department

RT (2020-10-18). Israel, Bahrain formalize diplomatic relations during joint US-Israeli visit to Gulf state. rt.com Bahrain has become the fourth Arab nation to formally establish diplomatic ties with Tel Aviv as officials from both states signed a joint communique on the issue during a visit by a high-level US-Israeli delegation to Manama. | The development comes after Bahrain and Israel struck a US-brokered deal on normalization of relations in Washington in mid-September. Now, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's national security adviser, Meir Ben-Shabbat, and the US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin flew to the Bahraini capital at the helm of a high-level joint delegation to finalize the issue. | Also on rt.com…

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-18). 16th Int'l Resistance FilmFest safeguards Resistance Movement. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 18 (MNA) — The countries of the region and the Islamic Ummah consider the issue of Palestine as their main priority and will fight for the liberation of the Holy Quds and occupied Palestinian territories.

William Cohn (2020-10-18). Amy Coney Barrett: Just Another Pro-Corporate Villain on the Court. commondreams.org Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett is sworn in on the first day of her Supreme Court confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill on October 12, 2020 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Alex Edelman-Pool/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-10-18). Israel's plans for thousands of new illegal settler homes condemned. peoplesdispatch.org Israel had earlier announced the construction of nearly 5,000 new illegal homes for settlers in the occupied West Bank. According to settlement watchdog Peace Now, this makes the total number of houses approved this year at over 12,000…

Dennis J Bernstein (2020-10-18). Structural Racism in Liberal Armor: Newsome's Veto of Domestic Workers' Rights Bill. zcomm.org "We won't stop because we are unstoppable now and we can say the domestic workers are invincible and we are strong and we will not stop until he signs SB1257 and gives us the rights we deserve as essential workers."

Kim Scipes (2020-10-18). Fighting Racism in the USMC. zcomm.org By 1971, the Marine Corps had suffered racial outbreaks at every major Marine base in the world, except one…

_____ (2020-10-18). A Corporate Megafishery Set The Stage For Violent Conflict In Mi'kma'ki. popularresistance.org Today across the country, people awoke to reeling images of violence and racism carried out against Mi'kmaq fishers. Many people are asking key questions such as why the RCMP has not pro-actively intervened and defended Mi'kmaq leadership and fishers, what are the economic realities of the fisheries in Mi'kma'ki, and what conservation considerations are at play. | There are a lot of moving parts to the conflict that is ongoing in St Mary's Bay, Nova Scotia: It is a highly-charged situation, borne out of generations of colonialism, decades of government mishandling and neglect, and months of growing racially-motiv…

_____ (2020-10-18). Whose Great Reset? The Fight for Our Future — Technocracy vs. the Republic. strategic-culture.org People living in the western world are in the greatest fight for the future of pluralist and republican forms of governance since the rise and fall of fascism 75 years ago. As then, society had to be built up from a war. Today's war has been an economic war of the oligarchs against the republic, and it increasingly appears that the coronavirus pandemic is being used, on the political end, as a massive coup against pluralist society. We are being confronted with this 'great reset', alluding to post-war construction. But for a whole generation people have already been living under an ever-increasing austerity regim…

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-18). VIDEO: US police pepper sprays protesters in Portland. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 18 (MNA) — Using pepper spray, US Police Officers clashed with anti-racist protesters who marched in the streets in Portland.

sputniknews (2020-10-18). Will Sudan Become the Fifth Arab League State to Normalise Ties With Israel? sputniknews.com The US is reportedly pushing Sudan to normalise ties with Israel: the chances the African country would become the next to conclude a peace pact with the Jewish state after the UAE and Bahrain are high, according to political researcher Mohammad Fawzi, who has weighed up the potential consequences of the move.

sputniknews (2020-10-18). Voting Ends at Most Polling Stations in Bolivia, Supreme Electoral Tribunal Reports. sputniknews.com LA PAZ (Sputnik) – Voting in Bolivia's presidential election has wrapped up at most polling stations, the head of Bolivia's Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE), Salvador Romero, told journalists on Sunday afternoon.

The Canary (2020-10-18). Government adviser on Islamophobia calls for unity in the wake of France attack. thecanary.co Everyone should "work together" to counter extremism following an attack on a history teacher in France, the government's Islamophobia adviser has said. | History teacher Samuel Paty was beheaded near Paris on Friday 16 October. Paty had previously been threatened for discussing caricatures of Islam's Prophet Mohammed with his class, according to French police. | The suspect, an 18-year-old Chechen refugee unknown to intelligence services, was shot dead by police. | "We must not play into their hateful rhetoric": | Qari Asim MBE, imam of Makkah Mosque and government adviser on Islamophobia, spoke out agai…

Jon Queally, staff writer (2020-10-18). From 'Twelve More Years!' to 'Lock Her Up!' Trump Whips Proto-Fascist Michigan Crowd Into Frenzy. commondreams.org "Trump held a Nazi rally in Michigan. There is no other way to describe it." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Kenny Stancil, staff writer (2020-10-18). 'As American as Apple Pie': #MyNameIs Hashtag Celebrates Beauty of Diversity After David Perdue's Racist Attack on Kamala Harris. commondreams.org "Let's build an inclusive America," said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wa.). | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Robert Freeman (2020-10-18). Judge Trump's Worthiness by Either Past or Future. commondreams.org The president encourages white supremacist groups and rationalizes right-wing terrorism when it is carried out against peaceful, legitimate protests of police brutality. (Photo: Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

2020-10-18: News Headlines

Bigots Forced to Flee (2020-10-18). Large San Francisco Counter-Protest Overwhelms Tiny Proud Boys Rally. indybay.org On Saturday, October 17, 2020, labor union members, anti-police brutality campaigners, advocates for release of prisoners affected by COVID-19, and leftists from Oakland and San Francisco came together to form a counter-demonstration against a rally by the far-right Proud Boys.

Sudip Bhattacharya (2020-10-18). The Story is US imperialism. counterpunch.org As we continue to battle the police and those who depend on their "protection" in the U.S., including the major businesses who donate to anti-racist initiatives all the while continuing to reap gargantuan profits off our labor and limited consumer choices, there are thousands of Bolivians also standing up against a far-right wing government and

Linda Pierce, Santa Cruz News Group (2020-10-18). Manu Koenig and Trail Now PAC Apologize for Anti-Semitic Cartoons Featuring John Leopold. indybay.org Manu Koenig, candidate for Santa Cruz County Supervisor in District 1, has apologized to the Jewish community following the public outcry over the publication of a series of cartoon caricatures considered to be anti-Semitic of his opponent incumbent Supervisor John Leopold, who is Jewish. In an email interview conducted on October 16, Manu Koenig stated: "I was so horrified to realize that the cartoon we had used in our campaign ad about the rail corridor could be considered anti-Semitic. That was not our intention but I now understand how it could be perceived that way given the catalogue of the artists' work. W…

The Canary (2020-10-18). Government adviser on Islamophobia calls for unity in the wake of France attack. thecanary.co Everyone should "work together" to counter extremism following an attack on a history teacher in France, the government's Islamophobia adviser has said. | History teacher Samuel Paty was beheaded near Paris on Friday 16 October. Paty had previously been threatened for discussing caricatures of Islam's Prophet Mohammed with his class, according to French police. | The suspect, an 18-year-old Chechen refugee unknown to intelligence services, was shot dead by police. | "We must not play into their hateful rhetoric": | Qari Asim MBE, imam of Makkah Mosque and government adviser on Islamophobia, spoke out agai…

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-17). VIDEO: Gaza fires rocket to Zionist town. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 17 (MNA) — The Palestinian Information Center (PIC), on Twitter, released footage illustrating the moment when a rocket was fired from Gaza to the adjacent Zionists town.

Freedom Socialist Party Bay Area (2020-10-17). Saturday 10/17: Socialist and Labor Contingent to Protest Proud Boys. indybay.org Mission High School steps (3750 18th St. near Dolores), San Francisco…

_____ (2020-10-17). The U.S. Did Not Defeat Fascism in WWII, It Discretely Internationalized It. strategic-culture.org Gabriel ROCKHILL"The U.S. has established itself as the mortal enemy of all people's government, all scientific-socialist mobilization of consciousness everywhere on the globe, all anti-imperialist activity on earth." | — George Jackson | One of the founding myths of the contemporary Western European and American world is that fascism was defeated in WWII by liberal democracies, and particularly by the United States. With the subsequent Nuremburg trials and the patient construction of a liberal world order, a bulwark was erected—in fits and starts, and with the constant threat of regression—agai…

WSWS (2020-10-17). Democrats let Amy Coney Barrett sail through Supreme Court confirmation hearings. wsws.org In the course of the hearings, the Democrats deliberately downplayed the connection between the rush to confirm and install Barrett on the Supreme Court and Trump's conspiracy to carry out an election coup.

Thomas Magstadt (2020-10-17). Supreme Court: A superstore for the super-rich? nationofchange.org This is America, after all, where rich white men can buy whatever they want, including members of Congress and Supreme Court justices.

_____ (2020-10-17). Members Of Secwépemc Unity Camp Shut Down Trans Mountain Pipeline. popularresistance.org Canada – Several people were arrested on Thursday (Oct. 15) at the Trans Mountain construction site on Mission Flats in Kamloops. | Members of the We, the Secwépemc Unity Camp to Stop the Trans Mountain Pipeline walked across Canadian Pacific Railway tracks and onto the Trans Mountain site. There, at least two protesters sat on an excavator and called for others opposed to the pipeline expansion project to help stop the work being done. | When Trans Mountain employees told protesters they were violating a B.C. Supreme Court injunction prohibiting the obstruction of access to Trans Mountain's worksites and that th…

Staff (2020-10-17). Black Civil Rights Leaders Fear Barrett "Invites a Return to a Racist Past" truthout.org After four days of confirmation hearings, Black leaders of five major civil rights organizations are lining up in opposition to the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme court and the "deeply flawed" process Senate Republicans are using to secure her confirmation just weeks ahead of a contentious presidential election. | Testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, Kristen Clarke, president of the National Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law, said Barrett…

Mariah Kreutter (2020-10-17). Dianne Feinstein Was Harder on Preteen Climate Activists Than She Was on Amy Coney Barrett. commondreams.org Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., speaks as the Senate Judiciary Committee hears from legal experts on the final day of the confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, on October 15, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Susan Walsh-Pool/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

WSWS (2020-10-17). Who is Barry County, Michigan Sheriff Dar Leaf? wsws.org The extent of Leaf's political connections to the fascist groups remain unclear, but his own political history highlights the rise of the far right into the mainstream of US politics and the danger posed by these fascists in the coming period.

WSWS (2020-10-17). Role of Virginia fascists in conspiracy to kill Northam and Whitmer comes into focus. wsws.org Many questions remain as to the possible role of Virginia Boogaloo members and other fascist groups in the expanding plot against Democratic governors.

teleSUR (2020-10-17). Bolivia: TSE Suspended The Quick-Vote Count. telesurenglish.net The Bolivian Supreme Electoral Court (TSE) Saturday decided to withdraw the new quick-count system, the Preliminary Results Dissemination System (Direpre) to avoid mistrust and confusion during Sunday's elections. | RELATED: | TSE President Salvador Romero said that the Electoral Court has carried out tests and simulations for Direpre over the last few weeks, but he "wants to inform the country that the results of t…

WSWS (2020-10-17). Student council at Leipzig University opposes invitation to German right-wing extremist professor Jà∂rg Baberowski. wsws.org It is particularly cynical for Baberowski to speak on the issue of peace in light of his trivialisation of the Holocaust and the arson attacks by neo-Nazis on refugee centres.

_____ (2020-10-17). The US Did Not Defeat Fascism In WWII. popularresistance.org One of the founding myths of the contemporary Western European and American world is that fascism was defeated in WWII by liberal democracies, and particularly by the United States. With the subsequent Nuremburg trials and the patient construction of a liberal world order, a bulwark was erected—in fits and starts, and with the constant threat of regression—against fascism and its evil twin in the East. American culture industries have rehearsed this narrative ad nauseum, brewing it into a saccharine ideological Kool-Aid and piping it into every household, shack and street corner with a TV or smartphon…

GBD 2019 Demographics Collaborators (2020-10-17). [Global Health Metrics] Global age-sex-specific fertility, mortality, healthy life expectancy (HALE), and population estimates in 204 countries and territories, 1950—2019: a comprehensive demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. thelancet.com Over the past 20 years, fertility rates have been dropping steadily and life expectancy has been increasing, with few exceptions. Much of this change follows historical patterns linking social and economic determinants, such as those captured by the GBD Socio-demographic Index, with demographic outcomes. More recently, several countries have experienced a combination of low fertility and stagnating improvement in mortality rates, pushing more populations into the late stages of the demographic transition.

Staff (2020-10-17). 12 States Have Racist Laws Denying Cash Aid to Families Having Another Child. truthout.org New Jersey passed the country's first "family cap" law of recent decades in 1992. The state halted the policy in its 2019 and 2020 budgets, but it remained on the books until Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation in late September to National and state lawmakers began pushing for family caps in the early 1990s, and House Repu…

Jon Queally, staff writer (2020-10-17). 'Well That Is Incredibly Racist,' Says Kamala Harris Campaign After David Perdue's Dogwhistle Attack at Trump Rally. commondreams.org "This kind of vile, race-baiting trash talk is what President Trump has unleashed from sitting Republican members of the Senate," said Perdue's Democratic challenger, Jon Ossoff, in response. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Staff (2020-10-16). Deeply Troubling: Kristen Clarke on How Rush to Confirm Barrett Endangers Voting & Civil Rights. democracynow.org The Senate confirmation hearing for President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett ended Thursday with Republicans on the Judiciary Committee scheduling a vote on her nomination for October 22, with a full Senate vote to follow shortly thereafter — less than two weeks before the presidential election, in which the Supreme Court could play a decisive role. The right-wing judge's confirmation looks all but assured, after four rushed days of questioning in which Barrett refused to state her position on abortion rights, gay marriage, the Affordable Care Act, voting rights, climate change, and even if…

Staff (2020-10-16). Preserving Roe: West Virginia Mom Tells Abortion Story in Heartfelt Speech Against Amy Coney Barrett. democracynow.org The Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony this week from Crystal Good, who spoke about her experience of having an abortion and expressed concerns that Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation to the Supreme Court would limit access to safe, affordable care. During three days of hearings, Judge Barrett has repeatedly refused to answer questions about her views on abortion and the future of Roe v. Wade, despite her public record opposing reproductive rights. "If confirmed, Judge Barrett will be a fifth vote to eviscerate the important protections that have been afforded by Roe v. Wade," says Kristen Clarke, president…

Staff (2020-10-16). Dark Money & Barrett Nomination: The Link Between Big Polluters & the War on ACA, Roe & LGBT Rights. democracynow.org During confirmation hearings this week for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island opted not to ask the judge any questions. Instead, he gave a 30-minute presentation on how right-wing groups, including the Federalist Society and Judicial Crisis Network, use dark money to shape the nation's judiciary. We air excerpts from his presentation and get reaction from Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

Staff (2020-10-16). Headlines for October 16, 2020. democracynow.org COVID-19 Hospitalizations on the Rise Across U.S. as Confirmed Cases Hit 8 Million, French Police Raid Homes of Government Officials in Probe of Failed Coronavirus Response, WHO Finds Remdesivir Fails to Prevent COVID-19 Deaths, World Health Organization Warns Many Will Have to Wait Until 2022 for Vaccine, Senate on Track to Confirm Far-Right Supreme Court Nominee Amy Coney Barrett on Oct. 26, Joe Biden Defends 1994 Crime Bill and Calls for More Police Funding, President Trump Refuses to Disavow Far-Right Anti-Semitic QAnon Conspiracy Theory, Trump Celebrates Apparent Extrajudicial Killing by U.S. Marshals Carryi…

MEE staff (2020-10-16). Israel bans Palestinian singer Mohammed Assaf from entering Jerusalem, Gaza. middleeasteye.net Israel bans Palestinian singer Mohammed Assaf from entering Jerusalem, Gaza | Israel has imposed a travel ban on Assaf, revoking his entry permit, which he earned as an UNRWA ambassador | Fri, 10/16/2020 – 12: 12 | Palestinian "Arab Idol" winner Mohammed Assaf described the Israeli travel ban as "a continuation of the policies of oppression" (AFP/file photo) | Israel has imposed an entry ban on Mohammed Assaf,…

sputniknews (2020-10-16). Israeli Forces Launch Retaliatory Strikes on Gaza Strip – Reports. sputniknews.com Explosions were reported in the Gaza Strip early Saturday morning local time, hours after a rocket was launched from the Palestinian territory into Israel.

Al Neal (2020-10-16). Trump's Labor Dept. probes Microsoft in search of 'reverse racism' in hiring. peoplesworld.org In the eyes of the Trump administration, workers, their families, their health, and their safety are not worth defending. Workers are expendable cogs in the vast capitalist machine. They serve only one purpose: background actors for the various television ads portraying Trump's failures as victories as he aims to win (steal) re-election. The U.S. Dept. …

Paul Street (2020-10-16). The Coup Already Underway. counterpunch.org This might be a good time for Americans to stop masochistically worshipping at the feet of their nation's authoritarian Constitution. A proto-fascistic genocidal racist maniac and anti-science eco-exterminist determined to kill two million more Americans with COVID-19 sits in the White House thanks in no small part due to the absurdly venerated 1788 United States

Miko Peled (2020-10-16). A Historical Reckoning: Oxford Study Challenges Israel's Claims Concerning Palestinian Refugees. mintpressnews.com Pro-Israel institutions and spokespeople like to claim that the Palestinian refugee issue has passed some imaginary statute of limitations, but as a comprehensive new Oxford study shows, it "has since become even stronger."

Liberation Staff (2020-10-16). Indonesian trade union FSEBUMI supports Denver activists: "Racism must be fought with the power of solidarity" liberationnews.org Federasi Serikat Buruh Militan (FSEBUMI) is a trade union who firmly believe in the working class struggle and the power of solidarity. We also believe in internationalism and we are against racism.

Richard D. Wolff (2020-10-16). How Fascism Has Converged With Capitalism to Redefine Government. counterpunch.org The looming election has brought forward intensifying debates over a capitalism in crisis, rising nationalism and state power, and the possibility of a renewed fascism. Polarized politics and ideologies alongside long-accumulated social problems and movements shape the objects and tones of debate. Can fascism happen here; is it underway? Or can current capitalism avoid a return to fascism? Such questions reflect the high stakes of the election and this moment in history.

Randall Scott (2020-10-16). Chester County, PA activists hold "Skate for Black Lives" event. liberationnews.org Dozens came out to Skate for Black Lives on October 10 at the skatepark in Downingtown, Penn. The event was organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation and Chester County Stands Up. Attendees brought handmade Black Lives Matter signs to show support for the national uprising against racism. The event was planned after skateboarder …

MEE staff (2020-10-16). Informal Arab delegation visits Al-Aqsa with Israeli protection: Report. middleeasteye.net Informal Arab delegation visits Al-Aqsa with Israeli protection: Report | The visit was reportedly the first of its kind to the holy site since Bahrain and the UAE signed a normalisation deal with Israel last month | Fri, 10/16/2020 – 15: 00 | The delegation reportedly performed prayers inside the 7th century Dome of the Rock Mosque (Screengrab) | An informal Arab delegation reportedly visited the Al-Aqsa Mosq…

MEE and agencies (2020-10-16). European countries 'deeply concerned' over Israeli settlement construction. middleeasteye.net European countries 'deeply concerned' over Israeli settlement construction | Israel approved the construction of more than 2,000 new illegal West Bank settlement homes on Wednesday | Fri, 10/16/2020 – 14: 13 | A Palestinian man confronts a member of the Israeli security forces as Palestinian farmers trying to access their lands to harvest olives in the West Bank village of Burqah were prev…

Romana Rubeo and Ramzy Baroud (2020-10-16). Zionist War on Palestinian Festival in Rome is Ominous Sign of Things to Come. dissidentvoice.org A Zionist-led war on a Palestinian cultural festival in Rome has exposed the fragility of the Italian political system when it comes to the conversation on Palestine and Israel. The sad truth is that, although Italy is not often associated with a 'powerful' pro-Israel lobby as is the case in Washington, the pro-Israel influence in …

Stephen Lendman (2020-10-16). Turkish and Israeli Weapons Fueling Conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. globalresearch.ca Weapons-makers — aka merchants of death and mass destruction — fuel conflicts when occur. | The US by far dominates the global arms trade. | According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the US accounted for 36% of major conventional …

Staff (2020-10-16). Outnumbered on Supreme Court Nomination, Democrats Campaign for ACA. truthout.org Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee know that, barring something unexpected, they lack the votes to block President Donald Trump from installing his third justice in four years on the Supreme Court and creating a 6-3 conservative majority. | They also know that, in a normal year, by mid-October Congress would be out of session and members home campaigning. But 2020 is obviously no normal year. So, while the rest of Congress is home, Democratic Judiciary members are trying something very differe…

Staff (2020-10-16). West Virginia Mom Tells Her Abortion Story in Speech Against Amy Coney Barrett. truthout.org The Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony this week from Crystal Good, who spoke about her experience of having an abortion and expressed concerns that Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation to the Supreme Court would limit access to safe, affordable care. During three days of hearings, Judge Barrett has repeatedly refused to answer questions about her views on abortion and the future of Roe v. Wade, despite her public record opposing reproductive rights. "If confirmed, Judge Barrett will be a…

Staff (2020-10-16). Barrett Is Poised to Become the Most Radical Right-Wing Member of Supreme Court. truthout.org During her Supreme Court confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Amy Coney Barrett refused to say that voter intimidation is illegal, that armed poll watchers are intimidating, that voter discrimination exists, whether the president could deny someone the right to vote based on race or that Congress has a constitutional duty to protect the right to vote. | She refused to affirm that Medicare is constitutional; that married couples should not lose their right to contrace…

Ruth Conniff (2020-10-16). Amy Coney Barrett Is Not Pro-Life. commondreams.org Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett. (Photo by Tom Williams-Pool/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Dennis Bernstein (2020-10-16). Structural Racism in Liberal Armor: Newsome's Veto Domestic Workers' Rights Bill. counterpunch.org On Thursday October 1st, self-professed Liberal Governor Gavon Newsome vetoed SB 1257, the Health and Safety for All Workers Act. The governor's action, say advocates for the three-hundred thousand domestic workers directly impacted by the veto, is reckless and racist at its very core. The workers are overwhelming women of color, already living at the

Joe Dyke (2020-10-16). Israel Stops Granting Visas to UN Human Rights Employees. globalresearch.ca Israel has stopped granting any visas to employees at the United Nations' human rights agency, effectively forcing the body's top staff to leave, Middle East Eye can reveal. | In February, Israel announced it was suspending ties with the United Nations …

Lawrence Davidson (2020-10-16). American Jewish Progressives Declared Irrelevant. counterpunch.org The Dangers of Ideological Boundaries Ha'aretz is an Israeli newspaper and news outlet. It is considered to be the country's most liberal paper and, at least in its English presentation, often reflects "liberal Zionist" sentiments, such as questioning Israeli settlement and occupation policies. Still, the paper can get things seriously wrong, because Zionism, Israel's official ideology,

Peoples Dispatch (2020-10-16). Palestinian administrative detainee on 'verge of death' as his hunger strike nears 90 days. peoplesdispatch.org Israeli human rights group B'Tselem says more than 350 Palestinians are currently being held under the illegal colonial-era policy of administrative detention adopted by the state of Israel…

WSWS (2020-10-16). Stalinist apologetics and intellectual charlatanry: A response to Teo Marasigan. wsws.org The WSWS is posting Dr. Joseph Scalice's reply to Teo Marasigan, an apologist for the Maoist Communist Party of the Philippines and its founder Jose Maria Sison. Sison has slandered Scalice as a CIA agent in response to his lecture detailing the CPP's support for the fascistic Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and explaining its roots in the reactionary politics of Stalinism.

Ryan Grim (2020-10-16). Amy Coney Barrett's Take on Voting Rights Act Exposes Her Entire Legal Philosophy as a Lie. zcomm.org Barrett claims to defer to the original meaning of statutes, but when it comes to the Voting Rights Act, that deference is out the window…

Arthur Persyko (2020-10-16). Tuesday 10/20: Fighting Fascism. indybay.org us02web.zoom.us/j/84065571772?pwd=cWg1YX…

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-16). Five EU states urge a halt to settlements in occupied lands. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 16 (MNA) — After the United Nations and European Union, France, Germany, Britain, Italy and Spain are deeply concerned about the Israeli regime's plans to build new settler homes in the occupied West Bank.

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-16). VIDEO: Israeli police raid in a wedding ceremony sparks anger. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 16 (MNA) — Zionist police brutally attacked an Orthodox wedding ceremony for breaking the lockdown rules, injuring several people in front of children and arresting several others including the groom.

Steve Fraser (2020-10-16). Donald Trump Is America's First Conspiracist President. thenation.com Donald Trump Is America's First Conspiracist President…

2020-10-17: News Headlines

Freedom Socialist Party Bay Area (2020-10-17). Saturday 10/17: Socialist and Labor Contingent to Protest Proud Boys. indybay.org Mission High School steps (3750 18th St. near Dolores), San Francisco…

WSWS (2020-10-17). Role of Virginia fascists in conspiracy to kill Northam and Whitmer comes into focus. wsws.org Many questions remain as to the possible role of Virginia Boogaloo members and other fascist groups in the expanding plot against Democratic governors.

GBD 2019 Demographics Collaborators (2020-10-17). [Global Health Metrics] Global age-sex-specific fertility, mortality, healthy life expectancy (HALE), and population estimates in 204 countries and territories, 1950—2019: a comprehensive demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. thelancet.com Over the past 20 years, fertility rates have been dropping steadily and life expectancy has been increasing, with few exceptions. Much of this change follows historical patterns linking social and economic determinants, such as those captured by the GBD Socio-demographic Index, with demographic outcomes. More recently, several countries have experienced a combination of low fertility and stagnating improvement in mortality rates, pushing more populations into the late stages of the demographic transition.

Staff (2020-10-16). Headlines for October 16, 2020. democracynow.org COVID-19 Hospitalizations on the Rise Across U.S. as Confirmed Cases Hit 8 Million, French Police Raid Homes of Government Officials in Probe of Failed Coronavirus Response, WHO Finds Remdesivir Fails to Prevent COVID-19 Deaths, World Health Organization Warns Many Will Have to Wait Until 2022 for Vaccine, Senate on Track to Confirm Far-Right Supreme Court Nominee Amy Coney Barrett on Oct. 26, Joe Biden Defends 1994 Crime Bill and Calls for More Police Funding, President Trump Refuses to Disavow Far-Right Anti-Semitic QAnon Conspiracy Theory, Trump Celebrates Apparent Extrajudicial Killing by U.S. Marshals Carryi…

Staff (2020-10-16). Preserving Roe: West Virginia Mom Tells Abortion Story in Heartfelt Speech Against Amy Coney Barrett. democracynow.org The Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony this week from Crystal Good, who spoke about her experience of having an abortion and expressed concerns that Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation to the Supreme Court would limit access to safe, affordable care. During three days of hearings, Judge Barrett has repeatedly refused to answer questions about her views on abortion and the future of Roe v. Wade, despite her public record opposing reproductive rights. "If confirmed, Judge Barrett will be a fifth vote to eviscerate the important protections that have been afforded by Roe v. Wade," says Kristen Clarke, president…

Staff (2020-10-16). Dark Money & Barrett Nomination: The Link Between Big Polluters & the War on ACA, Roe & LGBT Rights. democracynow.org During confirmation hearings this week for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island opted not to ask the judge any questions. Instead, he gave a 30-minute presentation on how right-wing groups, including the Federalist Society and Judicial Crisis Network, use dark money to shape the nation's judiciary. We air excerpts from his presentation and get reaction from Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

Staff (2020-10-16). Deeply Troubling: Kristen Clarke on How Rush to Confirm Barrett Endangers Voting & Civil Rights. democracynow.org The Senate confirmation hearing for President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett ended Thursday with Republicans on the Judiciary Committee scheduling a vote on her nomination for October 22, with a full Senate vote to follow shortly thereafter — less than two weeks before the presidential election, in which the Supreme Court could play a decisive role. The right-wing judge's confirmation looks all but assured, after four rushed days of questioning in which Barrett refused to state her position on abortion rights, gay marriage, the Affordable Care Act, voting rights, climate change, and even if…

MEE staff (2020-10-16). Israel bans Palestinian singer Mohammed Assaf from entering Jerusalem, Gaza. middleeasteye.net Israel bans Palestinian singer Mohammed Assaf from entering Jerusalem, Gaza | Israel has imposed a travel ban on Assaf, revoking his entry permit, which he earned as an UNRWA ambassador | Fri, 10/16/2020 – 12: 12 | Palestinian "Arab Idol" winner Mohammed Assaf described the Israeli travel ban as "a continuation of the policies of oppression" (AFP/file photo) | Israel has imposed an entry ban on Mohammed Assaf,…

sputniknews (2020-10-16). Israeli Forces Launch Retaliatory Strikes on Gaza Strip – Reports. sputniknews.com Explosions were reported in the Gaza Strip early Saturday morning local time, hours after a rocket was launched from the Palestinian territory into Israel.

Miko Peled (2020-10-16). A Historical Reckoning: Oxford Study Challenges Israel's Claims Concerning Palestinian Refugees. mintpressnews.com Pro-Israel institutions and spokespeople like to claim that the Palestinian refugee issue has passed some imaginary statute of limitations, but as a comprehensive new Oxford study shows, it "has since become even stronger."

Randall Scott (2020-10-16). Chester County, PA activists hold "Skate for Black Lives" event. liberationnews.org Dozens came out to Skate for Black Lives on October 10 at the skatepark in Downingtown, Penn. The event was organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation and Chester County Stands Up. Attendees brought handmade Black Lives Matter signs to show support for the national uprising against racism. The event was planned after skateboarder …

Al Neal (2020-10-16). Trump's Labor Dept. probes Microsoft in search of 'reverse racism' in hiring. peoplesworld.org In the eyes of the Trump administration, workers, their families, their health, and their safety are not worth defending. Workers are expendable cogs in the vast capitalist machine. They serve only one purpose: background actors for the various television ads portraying Trump's failures as victories as he aims to win (steal) re-election. The U.S. Dept. …

MEE staff (2020-10-16). Informal Arab delegation visits Al-Aqsa with Israeli protection: Report. middleeasteye.net Informal Arab delegation visits Al-Aqsa with Israeli protection: Report | The visit was reportedly the first of its kind to the holy site since Bahrain and the UAE signed a normalisation deal with Israel last month | Fri, 10/16/2020 – 15: 00 | The delegation reportedly performed prayers inside the 7th century Dome of the Rock Mosque (Screengrab) | An informal Arab delegation reportedly visited the Al-Aqsa Mosq…

MEE and agencies (2020-10-16). European countries 'deeply concerned' over Israeli settlement construction. middleeasteye.net European countries 'deeply concerned' over Israeli settlement construction | Israel approved the construction of more than 2,000 new illegal West Bank settlement homes on Wednesday | Fri, 10/16/2020 – 14: 13 | A Palestinian man confronts a member of the Israeli security forces as Palestinian farmers trying to access their lands to harvest olives in the West Bank village of Burqah were prev…

Richard D. Wolff (2020-10-16). How Fascism Has Converged With Capitalism to Redefine Government. counterpunch.org The looming election has brought forward intensifying debates over a capitalism in crisis, rising nationalism and state power, and the possibility of a renewed fascism. Polarized politics and ideologies alongside long-accumulated social problems and movements shape the objects and tones of debate. Can fascism happen here; is it underway? Or can current capitalism avoid a return to fascism? Such questions reflect the high stakes of the election and this moment in history.

Liberation Staff (2020-10-16). Indonesian trade union FSEBUMI supports Denver activists: "Racism must be fought with the power of solidarity" liberationnews.org Federasi Serikat Buruh Militan (FSEBUMI) is a trade union who firmly believe in the working class struggle and the power of solidarity. We also believe in internationalism and we are against racism.

Paul Street (2020-10-16). The Coup Already Underway. counterpunch.org This might be a good time for Americans to stop masochistically worshipping at the feet of their nation's authoritarian Constitution. A proto-fascistic genocidal racist maniac and anti-science eco-exterminist determined to kill two million more Americans with COVID-19 sits in the White House thanks in no small part due to the absurdly venerated 1788 United States

Romana Rubeo and Ramzy Baroud (2020-10-16). Zionist War on Palestinian Festival in Rome is Ominous Sign of Things to Come. dissidentvoice.org A Zionist-led war on a Palestinian cultural festival in Rome has exposed the fragility of the Italian political system when it comes to the conversation on Palestine and Israel. The sad truth is that, although Italy is not often associated with a 'powerful' pro-Israel lobby as is the case in Washington, the pro-Israel influence in …

Stephen Lendman (2020-10-16). Turkish and Israeli Weapons Fueling Conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. globalresearch.ca Weapons-makers — aka merchants of death and mass destruction — fuel conflicts when occur. | The US by far dominates the global arms trade. | According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the US accounted for 36% of major conventional …

Staff (2020-10-16). West Virginia Mom Tells Her Abortion Story in Speech Against Amy Coney Barrett. truthout.org The Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony this week from Crystal Good, who spoke about her experience of having an abortion and expressed concerns that Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation to the Supreme Court would limit access to safe, affordable care. During three days of hearings, Judge Barrett has repeatedly refused to answer questions about her views on abortion and the future of Roe v. Wade, despite her public record opposing reproductive rights. "If confirmed, Judge Barrett will be a…

Staff (2020-10-16). Barrett Is Poised to Become the Most Radical Right-Wing Member of Supreme Court. truthout.org During her Supreme Court confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Amy Coney Barrett refused to say that voter intimidation is illegal, that armed poll watchers are intimidating, that voter discrimination exists, whether the president could deny someone the right to vote based on race or that Congress has a constitutional duty to protect the right to vote. | She refused to affirm that Medicare is constitutional; that married couples should not lose their right to contrace…

Staff (2020-10-16). Outnumbered on Supreme Court Nomination, Democrats Campaign for ACA. truthout.org Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee know that, barring something unexpected, they lack the votes to block President Donald Trump from installing his third justice in four years on the Supreme Court and creating a 6-3 conservative majority. | They also know that, in a normal year, by mid-October Congress would be out of session and members home campaigning. But 2020 is obviously no normal year. So, while the rest of Congress is home, Democratic Judiciary members are trying something very differe…

Ruth Conniff (2020-10-16). Amy Coney Barrett Is Not Pro-Life. commondreams.org Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett. (Photo by Tom Williams-Pool/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

WSWS (2020-10-16). Stalinist apologetics and intellectual charlatanry: A response to Teo Marasigan. wsws.org The WSWS is posting Dr. Joseph Scalice's reply to Teo Marasigan, an apologist for the Maoist Communist Party of the Philippines and its founder Jose Maria Sison. Sison has slandered Scalice as a CIA agent in response to his lecture detailing the CPP's support for the fascistic Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and explaining its roots in the reactionary politics of Stalinism.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-10-16). Palestinian administrative detainee on 'verge of death' as his hunger strike nears 90 days. peoplesdispatch.org Israeli human rights group B'Tselem says more than 350 Palestinians are currently being held under the illegal colonial-era policy of administrative detention adopted by the state of Israel…

Dennis Bernstein (2020-10-16). Structural Racism in Liberal Armor: Newsome's Veto Domestic Workers' Rights Bill. counterpunch.org On Thursday October 1st, self-professed Liberal Governor Gavon Newsome vetoed SB 1257, the Health and Safety for All Workers Act. The governor's action, say advocates for the three-hundred thousand domestic workers directly impacted by the veto, is reckless and racist at its very core. The workers are overwhelming women of color, already living at the

Joe Dyke (2020-10-16). Israel Stops Granting Visas to UN Human Rights Employees. globalresearch.ca Israel has stopped granting any visas to employees at the United Nations' human rights agency, effectively forcing the body's top staff to leave, Middle East Eye can reveal. | In February, Israel announced it was suspending ties with the United Nations …

Lawrence Davidson (2020-10-16). American Jewish Progressives Declared Irrelevant. counterpunch.org The Dangers of Ideological Boundaries Ha'aretz is an Israeli newspaper and news outlet. It is considered to be the country's most liberal paper and, at least in its English presentation, often reflects "liberal Zionist" sentiments, such as questioning Israeli settlement and occupation policies. Still, the paper can get things seriously wrong, because Zionism, Israel's official ideology,

Ryan Grim (2020-10-16). Amy Coney Barrett's Take on Voting Rights Act Exposes Her Entire Legal Philosophy as a Lie. zcomm.org Barrett claims to defer to the original meaning of statutes, but when it comes to the Voting Rights Act, that deference is out the window…

Arthur Persyko (2020-10-16). Tuesday 10/20: Fighting Fascism. indybay.org us02web.zoom.us/j/84065571772?pwd=cWg1YX…

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-16). Five EU states urge a halt to settlements in occupied lands. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 16 (MNA) — After the United Nations and European Union, France, Germany, Britain, Italy and Spain are deeply concerned about the Israeli regime's plans to build new settler homes in the occupied West Bank.

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-16). VIDEO: Israeli police raid in a wedding ceremony sparks anger. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 16 (MNA) — Zionist police brutally attacked an Orthodox wedding ceremony for breaking the lockdown rules, injuring several people in front of children and arresting several others including the groom.

Steve Fraser (2020-10-16). Donald Trump Is America's First Conspiracist President. thenation.com Donald Trump Is America's First Conspiracist President…

Staff (2020-10-15). Amy Coney Barrett Won't Say Climate Change Is Real; Forgets 1st Amendment Protects Right to Protest. democracynow.org We air highlights from the second day of questioning of President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, who faced eight hours of questions on Wednesday about her views on issues ranging from climate change to voting rights to gay marriage and abortion, as Republicans race to confirm her ahead of the election and secure a 6-3 majority on the Supreme Court for conservatives.

MEE staff (2020-10-15). Middle East Eye Palestine reporter Maha Hussaini nominated for Rory Peck award. middleeasteye.net Middle East Eye Palestine reporter Maha Hussaini nominated for Rory Peck award | Hussaini, who has been covering Gaza for MEE since 2018, is among the finalists for the Martin Adler Prize | Thu, 10/15/2020 – 15: 26 | Maha Hussaini reporting on the ground in besieged Gaza (Supplied) | Middle East Eye freelance correspondent Maha Hussaini on Thursday was named among the finalists for a top journalism award, the…

_____ (2020-10-15). How Hitler Found His Blueprint For A German Empire. popularresistance.org Native peoples in the United States continue to struggle for justice. While this year brought some important victories, such as Washington's NFL team finally dropping its racist name and logo, and a landmark win in the Supreme Court for Native rights in McGirt v. Oklahoma, the difficult work of recognizing and redressing the country's legacy of oppressing its first inhabitants continues. | Efforts by Native and allied activists to spread observance of Indigenous Peoples' Day as an alternative to Columbus Day is an important part of this work.

Jeffrey St. Clair (2020-10-15). Bully on the Bench: the Legacy of Scalia. counterpunch.org The mythologizing of Antonin Scalia began only a few hours after his leathery heart stopped beating in West Texas and Satan swept his soul to the 8th Circle of the Inferno, where corrupt barrators are imprisoned for eternity. Here, strapped to a sparking electric chair, Scalia's torments will be supervised by the demon Malacoda, who, Dante informs us, regularly "makes a trumpet of his ass."

MEE staff (2020-10-15). Sudan moves to normalise relations with Israel under US pressure, says report. middleeasteye.net Sudan moves to normalise relations with Israel under US pressure, says report | The Trump administration allegedly told Khartoum that Sudan would be removed from the state sponsors of terrorism list in exchange | Thu, 10/15/2020 – 15: 22 | Chairman of Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (L) speaks with Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok during a reception ceremony in the capital Kh…

MEE staff (2020-10-15). Israel's Knesset approves UAE normalisation deal despite opposition from Arab Joint List. middleeasteye.net Israel's Knesset approves UAE normalisation deal despite opposition from Arab Joint List | Lawmakers overwhelmingly supported the deal despite opposition from the third largest political bloc in Israel's parliament | Thu, 10/15/2020 – 10: 39 | In a statement, the Joint Arab List said 'This approach ensures the continuation of the conflict, suffering and bloodshed' (AFP) | The Arab Joint List, the third largest…

Caleb Granger (2020-10-15). Movement wins arrest of Texas cop who killed Jonathan Price. liberationnews.org The brutal, racist killing of Jonathan Price struck a nerve not only in Wolfe City, but throughout the state of Texas.

MEE correspondent (2020-10-15). Iranian press review: Conservatives hail new North Korea ballistic missile as 'role model'. middleeasteye.net Iranian press review: Conservatives hail new North Korea ballistic missile as 'role model' | Meanwhile, senior IRGC commander 'confirms' Israeli former minister's 'collaboration' with Tehran, and political rivalries deepen amid new wave of coronavirus | Thu, 10/15/2020 – 12: 52 | A screen grab taken from a KCNA broadcast on 10 October 2020 shows what appears to be a new North Korean int…

Mark Gruenberg (2020-10-15). Add voting rights to list of questions ducked by Barrett. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—Add voting rights, both at the polls and who has the right to vote, to the list of key issues which U.S. Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett is ducking. And as for the presidential election this fall, "occasions where courts decide elections should be [cases] where courts protect the right to vote," she said—and …

David Rosen (2020-10-15). How the Christian Right Won the Culture Wars. counterpunch.org The likely appointment of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court may mark the end of this round of the culture wars. For half-a-century, the U.S. has been a battleground over "moral" and sexual values. Key issues like abortion, health care (i.e., the ADA), gay rights and the meaning of "family" have been contested. With Barrett's appointment,

Eds. (2020-10-15). Anti-Chinese racism sets stage for New McCarthyism. mronline.org More than a dozen young visiting scholars from China had their visas abruptly terminated in a letter from administration of the University of North Texas (UNT), Denton, on August 26, in a letter dated …August 26!

RT (2020-10-15). Arab League head DENOUNCES Israel's approval of over 2,000 new settlement units in occupied West Bank. rt.com Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit has condemned Israel's move to approve the construction of around 2,000 new housing units in the settlements of the occupied West Bank. | In comments released on Thursday, Aboul Gheit

Staff (2020-10-15). Lindsey Graham Called Out for Illegal Campaign Soliciting in Senate Building. truthout.org Locked in a tight race with Democratic opponent Jamie Harrison, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham on Wednesday urged South Carolinians who are "excited about Judge Barrett" to contribute to his reelection campaign — a blatant violation of Speaking to reporters following the third day of confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee…

Staff (2020-10-15). Amy Coney Barrett Says Climate Change Is a "Very Contentious Matter" truthout.org We air highlights from the second day of questioning of President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, who faced eight hours of questions on Wednesday about her views on issues ranging from climate change to voting rights to gay marriage and abortion, as Republicans race to confirm her ahead of the election and secure a 6-3 majority on the Supreme Court for conservatives. | TRANSCRIPT: | This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form. | AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now! I'

Staff (2020-10-15). Graham Tells Democrats, "Y'all Have a Good Chance of Winning the White House" truthout.org During the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) seemed to acknowledge that President Donald Trump, his own party's nominee, was far from guaranteed to win a second presidential term. | Graham made the comment while speculating on how Americans will vote this year based on judicial nominations to the Supreme Court made by presidents belonging to each party. | "Republicans generally look at people of a disposition like Judg…

LaShawn Warren (2020-10-15). Amy Coney Barrett Hearing Reveals Senate's Misplaced Priorities. commondreams.org Most people in America believe the next president should fill the Supreme Court vacancy. (Photo: Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Angela Simmons (2020-10-15). The Supreme Could Put the LGBTQ Community at Risk for Decades. telesurenglish.net With less than 20 days before the election, President Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled senate are holding the vote for a second COVID-19 relief package hostage. | RELATED: | This policy tool would also free nearly a billion dollars for countries suffering from the pandemic. Why? So he can rush through a vote on his Supreme Court nominee in time to steal yet another election as the Republicans did in 200…

2020-10-16: News Headlines

GBD 2019 Demographics Collaborators (2020-10-17). [Global Health Metrics] Global age-sex-specific fertility, mortality, healthy life expectancy (HALE), and population estimates in 204 countries and territories, 1950—2019: a comprehensive demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. thelancet.com Over the past 20 years, fertility rates have been dropping steadily and life expectancy has been increasing, with few exceptions. Much of this change follows historical patterns linking social and economic determinants, such as those captured by the GBD Socio-demographic Index, with demographic outcomes. More recently, several countries have experienced a combination of low fertility and stagnating improvement in mortality rates, pushing more populations into the late stages of the demographic transition.

RT (2020-10-16). Greta Thunberg mocks US Supreme Court nominee as eco-activists paint judge's refusal to OPINE on climate change as DISQUALIFYING. rt.com Child enviro-prodigy Greta Thunberg is ripping US Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett for declining to give her opinions about the cause of climate change, likening the judge's restraint to lacking a view on gravity. | "To be fair, I don't have any views on climate change, either," Thunberg said on Thursday on Twitter, mocking Barrett's answers in her Senate confirmation hearing. "Just like I don't have any views on gravity, the fact that the earth is round, photosynthesis nor evolution. But understanding and knowing their existence really makes life in the 21st century so much easier." | To be fair, I don…

Staff (2020-10-16). Headlines for October 16, 2020. democracynow.org COVID-19 Hospitalizations on the Rise Across U.S. as Confirmed Cases Hit 8 Million, French Police Raid Homes of Government Officials in Probe of Failed Coronavirus Response, WHO Finds Remdesivir Fails to Prevent COVID-19 Deaths, World Health Organization Warns Many Will Have to Wait Until 2022 for Vaccine, Senate on Track to Confirm Far-Right Supreme Court Nominee Amy Coney Barrett on Oct. 26, Joe Biden Defends 1994 Crime Bill and Calls for More Police Funding, President Trump Refuses to Disavow Far-Right Anti-Semitic QAnon Conspiracy Theory, Trump Celebrates Apparent Extrajudicial Killing by U.S. Marshals Carryi…

Staff (2020-10-16). Dark Money & Barrett Nomination: The Link Between Big Polluters & the War on ACA, Roe & LGBT Rights. democracynow.org During confirmation hearings this week for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island opted not to ask the judge any questions. Instead, he gave a 30-minute presentation on how right-wing groups, including the Federalist Society and Judicial Crisis Network, use dark money to shape the nation's judiciary. We air excerpts from his presentation and get reaction from Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

Staff (2020-10-16). Preserving Roe: West Virginia Mom Tells Abortion Story in Heartfelt Speech Against Amy Coney Barrett. democracynow.org The Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony this week from Crystal Good, who spoke about her experience of having an abortion and expressed concerns that Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation to the Supreme Court would limit access to safe, affordable care. During three days of hearings, Judge Barrett has repeatedly refused to answer questions about her views on abortion and the future of Roe v. Wade, despite her public record opposing reproductive rights. "If confirmed, Judge Barrett will be a fifth vote to eviscerate the important protections that have been afforded by Roe v. Wade," says Kristen Clarke, president…

Staff (2020-10-16). Deeply Troubling: Kristen Clarke on How Rush to Confirm Barrett Endangers Voting & Civil Rights. democracynow.org The Senate confirmation hearing for President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett ended Thursday with Republicans on the Judiciary Committee scheduling a vote on her nomination for October 22, with a full Senate vote to follow shortly thereafter — less than two weeks before the presidential election, in which the Supreme Court could play a decisive role. The right-wing judge's confirmation looks all but assured, after four rushed days of questioning in which Barrett refused to state her position on abortion rights, gay marriage, the Affordable Care Act, voting rights, climate change, and even if…

MEE staff (2020-10-16). Israel bans Palestinian singer Mohammed Assaf from entering Jerusalem, Gaza. middleeasteye.net Israel bans Palestinian singer Mohammed Assaf from entering Jerusalem, Gaza | Israel has imposed a travel ban on Assaf, revoking his entry permit, which he earned as an UNRWA ambassador | Fri, 10/16/2020 – 12: 12 | Palestinian "Arab Idol" winner Mohammed Assaf described the Israeli travel ban as "a continuation of the policies of oppression" (AFP/file photo) | Israel has imposed an entry ban on Mohammed Assaf,…

MEE staff (2020-10-16). Informal Arab delegation visits Al-Aqsa with Israeli protection: Report. middleeasteye.net Informal Arab delegation visits Al-Aqsa with Israeli protection: Report | The visit was reportedly the first of its kind to the holy site since Bahrain and the UAE signed a normalisation deal with Israel last month | Fri, 10/16/2020 – 15: 00 | The delegation reportedly performed prayers inside the 7th century Dome of the Rock Mosque (Screengrab) | An informal Arab delegation reportedly visited the Al-Aqsa Mosq…

Paul Street (2020-10-16). The Coup Already Underway. counterpunch.org This might be a good time for Americans to stop masochistically worshipping at the feet of their nation's authoritarian Constitution. A proto-fascistic genocidal racist maniac and anti-science eco-exterminist determined to kill two million more Americans with COVID-19 sits in the White House thanks in no small part due to the absurdly venerated 1788 United States

Al Neal (2020-10-16). Trump's Labor Dept. probes Microsoft in search of 'reverse racism' in hiring. peoplesworld.org In the eyes of the Trump administration, workers, their families, their health, and their safety are not worth defending. Workers are expendable cogs in the vast capitalist machine. They serve only one purpose: background actors for the various television ads portraying Trump's failures as victories as he aims to win (steal) re-election. The U.S. Dept. …

Liberation Staff (2020-10-16). Indonesian trade union FSEBUMI supports Denver activists: "Racism must be fought with the power of solidarity" liberationnews.org Federasi Serikat Buruh Militan (FSEBUMI) is a trade union who firmly believe in the working class struggle and the power of solidarity. We also believe in internationalism and we are against racism.

Richard D. Wolff (2020-10-16). How Fascism Has Converged With Capitalism to Redefine Government. counterpunch.org The looming election has brought forward intensifying debates over a capitalism in crisis, rising nationalism and state power, and the possibility of a renewed fascism. Polarized politics and ideologies alongside long-accumulated social problems and movements shape the objects and tones of debate. Can fascism happen here; is it underway? Or can current capitalism avoid a return to fascism? Such questions reflect the high stakes of the election and this moment in history.

Miko Peled (2020-10-16). A Historical Reckoning: Oxford Study Challenges Israel's Claims Concerning Palestinian Refugees. mintpressnews.com Pro-Israel institutions and spokespeople like to claim that the Palestinian refugee issue has passed some imaginary statute of limitations, but as a comprehensive new Oxford study shows, it "has since become even stronger."

Randall Scott (2020-10-16). Chester County, PA activists hold "Skate for Black Lives" event. liberationnews.org Dozens came out to Skate for Black Lives on October 10 at the skatepark in Downingtown, Penn. The event was organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation and Chester County Stands Up. Attendees brought handmade Black Lives Matter signs to show support for the national uprising against racism. The event was planned after skateboarder …

MEE and agencies (2020-10-16). European countries 'deeply concerned' over Israeli settlement construction. middleeasteye.net European countries 'deeply concerned' over Israeli settlement construction | Israel approved the construction of more than 2,000 new illegal West Bank settlement homes on Wednesday | Fri, 10/16/2020 – 14: 13 | A Palestinian man confronts a member of the Israeli security forces as Palestinian farmers trying to access their lands to harvest olives in the West Bank village of Burqah were prev…

Romana Rubeo and Ramzy Baroud (2020-10-16). Zionist War on Palestinian Festival in Rome is Ominous Sign of Things to Come. dissidentvoice.org A Zionist-led war on a Palestinian cultural festival in Rome has exposed the fragility of the Italian political system when it comes to the conversation on Palestine and Israel. The sad truth is that, although Italy is not often associated with a 'powerful' pro-Israel lobby as is the case in Washington, the pro-Israel influence in …

Freedom Socialist Party Bay Area (2020-10-16). Saturday 10/17: Socialist and Labor Contingent to Protest Proud Boys. indybay.org Mission High School steps (3750 18th St. near Dolores), San Francisco…

Stephen Lendman (2020-10-16). Turkish and Israeli Weapons Fueling Conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. globalresearch.ca Weapons-makers — aka merchants of death and mass destruction — fuel conflicts when occur. | The US by far dominates the global arms trade. | According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the US accounted for 36% of major conventional …

Staff (2020-10-16). Outnumbered on Supreme Court Nomination, Democrats Campaign for ACA. truthout.org Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee know that, barring something unexpected, they lack the votes to block President Donald Trump from installing his third justice in four years on the Supreme Court and creating a 6-3 conservative majority. | They also know that, in a normal year, by mid-October Congress would be out of session and members home campaigning. But 2020 is obviously no normal year. So, while the rest of Congress is home, Democratic Judiciary members are trying something very differe…

Staff (2020-10-16). West Virginia Mom Tells Her Abortion Story in Speech Against Amy Coney Barrett. truthout.org The Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony this week from Crystal Good, who spoke about her experience of having an abortion and expressed concerns that Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation to the Supreme Court would limit access to safe, affordable care. During three days of hearings, Judge Barrett has repeatedly refused to answer questions about her views on abortion and the future of Roe v. Wade, despite her public record opposing reproductive rights. "If confirmed, Judge Barrett will be a…

Staff (2020-10-16). Barrett Is Poised to Become the Most Radical Right-Wing Member of Supreme Court. truthout.org During her Supreme Court confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Amy Coney Barrett refused to say that voter intimidation is illegal, that armed poll watchers are intimidating, that voter discrimination exists, whether the president could deny someone the right to vote based on race or that Congress has a constitutional duty to protect the right to vote. | She refused to affirm that Medicare is constitutional; that married couples should not lose their right to contrace…

Joe Dyke (2020-10-16). Israel Stops Granting Visas to UN Human Rights Employees. globalresearch.ca Israel has stopped granting any visas to employees at the United Nations' human rights agency, effectively forcing the body's top staff to leave, Middle East Eye can reveal. | In February, Israel announced it was suspending ties with the United Nations …

Lawrence Davidson (2020-10-16). American Jewish Progressives Declared Irrelevant. counterpunch.org The Dangers of Ideological Boundaries Ha'aretz is an Israeli newspaper and news outlet. It is considered to be the country's most liberal paper and, at least in its English presentation, often reflects "liberal Zionist" sentiments, such as questioning Israeli settlement and occupation policies. Still, the paper can get things seriously wrong, because Zionism, Israel's official ideology,

Ryan Grim (2020-10-16). Amy Coney Barrett's Take on Voting Rights Act Exposes Her Entire Legal Philosophy as a Lie. zcomm.org Barrett claims to defer to the original meaning of statutes, but when it comes to the Voting Rights Act, that deference is out the window…

Arthur Persyko (2020-10-16). Tuesday 10/20: Fighting Fascism. indybay.org us02web.zoom.us/j/84065571772?pwd=cWg1YX…

Steve Fraser (2020-10-16). Donald Trump Is America's First Conspiracist President. thenation.com Donald Trump Is America's First Conspiracist President…

Staff (2020-10-15). Amy Coney Barrett Won't Say Climate Change Is Real; Forgets 1st Amendment Protects Right to Protest. democracynow.org We air highlights from the second day of questioning of President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, who faced eight hours of questions on Wednesday about her views on issues ranging from climate change to voting rights to gay marriage and abortion, as Republicans race to confirm her ahead of the election and secure a 6-3 majority on the Supreme Court for conservatives.

MEE staff (2020-10-15). Middle East Eye Palestine reporter Maha Hussaini nominated for Rory Peck award. middleeasteye.net Middle East Eye Palestine reporter Maha Hussaini nominated for Rory Peck award | Hussaini, who has been covering Gaza for MEE since 2018, is among the finalists for the Martin Adler Prize | Thu, 10/15/2020 – 15: 26 | Maha Hussaini reporting on the ground in besieged Gaza (Supplied) | Middle East Eye freelance correspondent Maha Hussaini on Thursday was named among the finalists for a top journalism award, the…

_____ (2020-10-15). How Hitler Found His Blueprint For A German Empire. popularresistance.org Native peoples in the United States continue to struggle for justice. While this year brought some important victories, such as Washington's NFL team finally dropping its racist name and logo, and a landmark win in the Supreme Court for Native rights in McGirt v. Oklahoma, the difficult work of recognizing and redressing the country's legacy of oppressing its first inhabitants continues. | Efforts by Native and allied activists to spread observance of Indigenous Peoples' Day as an alternative to Columbus Day is an important part of this work.

Jeffrey St. Clair (2020-10-15). Bully on the Bench: the Legacy of Scalia. counterpunch.org The mythologizing of Antonin Scalia began only a few hours after his leathery heart stopped beating in West Texas and Satan swept his soul to the 8th Circle of the Inferno, where corrupt barrators are imprisoned for eternity. Here, strapped to a sparking electric chair, Scalia's torments will be supervised by the demon Malacoda, who, Dante informs us, regularly "makes a trumpet of his ass."

MEE staff (2020-10-15). Israel's Knesset approves UAE normalisation deal despite opposition from Arab Joint List. middleeasteye.net Israel's Knesset approves UAE normalisation deal despite opposition from Arab Joint List | Lawmakers overwhelmingly supported the deal despite opposition from the third largest political bloc in Israel's parliament | Thu, 10/15/2020 – 10: 39 | In a statement, the Joint Arab List said 'This approach ensures the continuation of the conflict, suffering and bloodshed' (AFP) | The Arab Joint List, the third largest…

MEE staff (2020-10-15). Sudan moves to normalise relations with Israel under US pressure, says report. middleeasteye.net Sudan moves to normalise relations with Israel under US pressure, says report | The Trump administration allegedly told Khartoum that Sudan would be removed from the state sponsors of terrorism list in exchange | Thu, 10/15/2020 – 15: 22 | Chairman of Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (L) speaks with Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok during a reception ceremony in the capital Kh…

Caleb Granger (2020-10-15). Movement wins arrest of Texas cop who killed Jonathan Price. liberationnews.org The brutal, racist killing of Jonathan Price struck a nerve not only in Wolfe City, but throughout the state of Texas.

Mark Gruenberg (2020-10-15). Add voting rights to list of questions ducked by Barrett. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—Add voting rights, both at the polls and who has the right to vote, to the list of key issues which U.S. Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett is ducking. And as for the presidential election this fall, "occasions where courts decide elections should be [cases] where courts protect the right to vote," she said—and …

David Rosen (2020-10-15). How the Christian Right Won the Culture Wars. counterpunch.org The likely appointment of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court may mark the end of this round of the culture wars. For half-a-century, the U.S. has been a battleground over "moral" and sexual values. Key issues like abortion, health care (i.e., the ADA), gay rights and the meaning of "family" have been contested. With Barrett's appointment,

Eds. (2020-10-15). Anti-Chinese racism sets stage for New McCarthyism. mronline.org More than a dozen young visiting scholars from China had their visas abruptly terminated in a letter from administration of the University of North Texas (UNT), Denton, on August 26, in a letter dated …August 26!

MEE correspondent (2020-10-15). Iranian press review: Conservatives hail new North Korea ballistic missile as 'role model'. middleeasteye.net Iranian press review: Conservatives hail new North Korea ballistic missile as 'role model' | Meanwhile, senior IRGC commander 'confirms' Israeli former minister's 'collaboration' with Tehran, and political rivalries deepen amid new wave of coronavirus | Thu, 10/15/2020 – 12: 52 | A screen grab taken from a KCNA broadcast on 10 October 2020 shows what appears to be a new North Korean int…

RT (2020-10-15). Arab League head DENOUNCES Israel's approval of over 2,000 new settlement units in occupied West Bank. rt.com Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit has condemned Israel's move to approve the construction of around 2,000 new housing units in the settlements of the occupied West Bank. | In comments released on Thursday, Aboul Gheit

Ruth Conniff (2020-10-15). Amy Coney Barrett Is Not Pro-Life. progressive.org Trump's Supreme Court nominee has no regard for Americans protected by the Affordable Care Act.

Staff (2020-10-15). Lindsey Graham Called Out for Illegal Campaign Soliciting in Senate Building. truthout.org Locked in a tight race with Democratic opponent Jamie Harrison, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham on Wednesday urged South Carolinians who are "excited about Judge Barrett" to contribute to his reelection campaign — a blatant violation of Speaking to reporters following the third day of confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee…

Staff (2020-10-15). Graham Tells Democrats, "Y'all Have a Good Chance of Winning the White House" truthout.org During the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) seemed to acknowledge that President Donald Trump, his own party's nominee, was far from guaranteed to win a second presidential term. | Graham made the comment while speculating on how Americans will vote this year based on judicial nominations to the Supreme Court made by presidents belonging to each party. | "Republicans generally look at people of a disposition like Judg…

Staff (2020-10-15). Amy Coney Barrett Says Climate Change Is a "Very Contentious Matter" truthout.org We air highlights from the second day of questioning of President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, who faced eight hours of questions on Wednesday about her views on issues ranging from climate change to voting rights to gay marriage and abortion, as Republicans race to confirm her ahead of the election and secure a 6-3 majority on the Supreme Court for conservatives. | TRANSCRIPT: | This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form. | AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now! I'

LaShawn Warren (2020-10-15). Amy Coney Barrett Hearing Reveals Senate's Misplaced Priorities. commondreams.org Most people in America believe the next president should fill the Supreme Court vacancy. (Photo: Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Angela Simmons (2020-10-15). The Supreme Could Put the LGBTQ Community at Risk for Decades. telesurenglish.net With less than 20 days before the election, President Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled senate are holding the vote for a second COVID-19 relief package hostage. | RELATED: | This policy tool would also free nearly a billion dollars for countries suffering from the pandemic. Why? So he can rush through a vote on his Supreme Court nominee in time to steal yet another election as the Republicans did in 200…

splcenter (2020-10-15). Sounds Like Hate: Meet the women behind the podcast investigating the proliferation of hate and extremism in modern America. splcenter.org &nbsp…

Dr. T. P. Wilkinson (2020-10-15). Annual Alpine Crucifixions. "The Fourth Industrial Revolution" globalresearch.ca Sometimes it can be useful to be brief. Last year, the wave of worry, promoted by the Swedish Alberich, without at least the artistic virtue of her deceased compatriot, Birgit Nilsson, stimulated predictions of imminent Gà∂tterdà§mmerung. This virtually Wagnerian …

splcenter (2020-10-15). Fight to Vote: Florida's poll tax keeps mother from voting for a better future. splcenter.org &nbsp…

news.un (2020-10-15). Invest in rural women, help them build resilience to future crises, urges UN chief. news.un.org Rural women play a critical role in agriculture, food security and managing land and natural resources, yet many suffer from "discrimination, systemic racism and structural poverty", the UN chief said on Thursday.

Ramona du Houx (2020-10-15). In CA, Latino farming communities hardest by COVID-19 and environmental injustice. indybay.org The California Latino community has been disproportionately infected by the coronavirus. Latinos make up 39 percent of the population in the state, but account for 56 percent of COVID-19 infections and 46 percent of deaths. That's three times the rate as Whites. State officials say, many employers have not reliably provided protective equipment to workers or implemented social distancing or mask wearing rules. This is systemic racism. Too often, they live in neighborhoods that are located near oil industry operations in California, one of America's top crude oil and gas producing states. Gov. Newsom needs to addr…

Pablo Guisado-Vasco, Sofia Valderas-Ortega, Maria Maravillas Carralón-González, Ana Roda-Santacruz, Lucia González-Cortijo, Gabriel Sotres-Fernández, Eva María Martí-Ballesteros, José Manuel Luque-Pinilla, Elena Almagro-Casado, Félix J. La Coma-Lanuza, Ruth Barrena-Puertas, Esteban Javier Malo-Benages, María José Monforte-Gómez, Rocío Diez-Munar, Esther Merino-Lanza, Lorena Comeche-Casanova, Margarita Remirez-de-Esparza-Otero, María Correyero-Plaza, Manuel Recio-Rodríguez, Margarita Rodríguez-López, María Dolores Sánchez-Manzano, Cristina Andreu-Vázquez, Israel John Thuissard-Vasallo, José María Echave-Sustaeta María-Tomé, Daniel Carnevali-Ruiz (2020-10-15). Clinical characteristics and outcomes among hospitalized adults with severe COVID-19 admitted to a tertiary medical center and receiving antiviral, antimalarials, glucocorticoids, or immunomodulation with tocilizumab or cyclosporine: A retrospective observational study (COQUIMA cohort). thelancet.com In a real-clinical setting, inhibition of the calcineurin inflammatory pathway, NF-Œ∫Œí, could reduce the hyperinflammatory phase in COVID-19. Our findings might entail relevant implications for the therapy of this disease and could boost the design of new clinical trials among subjects affected by severe COVID-19.

2020-10-15: News Headlines

David Rosen (2020-10-15). How the Christian Right Won the Culture Wars. counterpunch.org The likely appointment of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court may mark the end of this round of the culture wars. For half-a-century, the U.S. has been a battleground over "moral" and sexual values. Key issues like abortion, health care (i.e., the ADA), gay rights and the meaning of "family" have been contested. With Barrett's appointment,

Caleb Granger (2020-10-15). Movement wins arrest of Texas cop who killed Jonathan Price. liberationnews.org The brutal, racist killing of Jonathan Price struck a nerve not only in Wolfe City, but throughout the state of Texas.

Ramona du Houx (2020-10-15). In CA, Latino farming communities hardest by COVID-19 and environmental injustice. indybay.org The California Latino community has been disproportionately infected by the coronavirus. Latinos make up 39 percent of the population in the state, but account for 56 percent of COVID-19 infections and 46 percent of deaths. That's three times the rate as Whites. State officials say, many employers have not reliably provided protective equipment to workers or implemented social distancing or mask wearing rules. This is systemic racism. Too often, they live in neighborhoods that are located near oil industry operations in California, one of America's top crude oil and gas producing states. Gov. Newsom needs to addr…

Pablo Guisado-Vasco, Sofia Valderas-Ortega, Maria Maravillas Carralón-González, Ana Roda-Santacruz, Lucia González-Cortijo, Gabriel Sotres-Fernández, Eva María Martí-Ballesteros, José Manuel Luque-Pinilla, Elena Almagro-Casado, Félix J. La Coma-Lanuza, Ruth Barrena-Puertas, Esteban Javier Malo-Benages, María José Monforte-Gómez, Rocío Diez-Munar, Esther Merino-Lanza, Lorena Comeche-Casanova, Margarita Remirez-de-Esparza-Otero, María Correyero-Plaza, Manuel Recio-Rodríguez, Margarita Rodríguez-López, María Dolores Sánchez-Manzano, Cristina Andreu-Vázquez, Israel John Thuissard-Vasallo, José María Echave-Sustaeta María-Tomé, Daniel Carnevali-Ruiz (2020-10-15). Clinical characteristics and outcomes among hospitalized adults with severe COVID-19 admitted to a tertiary medical center and receiving antiviral, antimalarials, glucocorticoids, or immunomodulation with tocilizumab or cyclosporine: A retrospective observational study (COQUIMA cohort). thelancet.com In a real-clinical setting, inhibition of the calcineurin inflammatory pathway, NF-Œ∫Œí, could reduce the hyperinflammatory phase in COVID-19. Our findings might entail relevant implications for the therapy of this disease and could boost the design of new clinical trials among subjects affected by severe COVID-19.

WSWS (2020-10-15). US press reports confirm killing of Portland anti-fascist was targeted police assassination. wsws.org Trump raised the killing of Reinoehl as a great achievement during the first presidential debate with former Vice President Joe Biden. The Democratic candidate made no objection.

pip.hinman (2020-10-15). Cashless welfare card entrenches racism, poverty, corruption. greenleft.org.au &nbsp…

Staff (2020-10-14). Can Trump Delay Election or Reject Peaceful Transition of Power? Amy Coney Barrett Refuses to Say. democracynow.org Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett faced 11 hours of questioning in the Senate Tuesday but refused to provide clarity about her views on the Affordable Care Act, Roe v. Wade, voting rights and even if President Trump could delay the election. Republicans are racing to confirm the 48-year-old federal judge before Election Day, which would give conservatives a commanding 6-3 majority on the high court. We air highlights from the marathon session.

Staff (2020-10-14). Making the Supreme Court Safe for Democracy: Samuel Moyn on Reforming an Undemocratic Institution. democracynow.org As Republicans race to confirm President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett prior to Election Day and cement a conservative majority on the top court for a generation or more, calls are growing for Joe Biden to increase the number of justices on the Supreme Court if elected president. But Yale legal scholar Samuel Moyn argues that beyond "packing the court" and other measures commonly proposed to rebalance the Supreme Court's ideological makeup, the institution as a whole must be weakened in order to safeguard democracy. "This country was founded on minority rule and the rejection of democracy, and t…

Staff (2020-10-14). Dahlia Lithwick: Amy Coney Barrett May Claim Neutrality, But Her Record Is "Extremely Conservative" democracynow.org In the second day of confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, the federal judge's refusal to answer basic questions on voter intimidation and whether a president can delay elections did her "no favors" and was part of an aim to "present herself as neutral; she's an open book; whatever she was before, whatever she ruled on the bench before, is immaterial," says Dahlia Lithwick, senior legal correspondent and Supreme Court reporter for Slate.com. "There are some issues that don't need to be approached with an open mind. … She could have allayed a lot of fears."

Staff (2020-10-14). Headlines for October 14, 2020. democracynow.org White House Pursuing "Herd Immunity" Strategy Condemned by WHO as "Unethical", Trump Holds Packed Campaign Rallies in Defiance of Social Distancing Orders, "Potential Safety Concern" Halts Clinical Trial of Eli Lilly Antibody Treatment, Amy Coney Barrett Won't Commit to Recusing Herself If 2020 Election Is Decided by SCOTUS, FBI Says Far-Right Anti-Government Group Plotted to Kidnap Virginia Governor, More Witnesses Corroborate Claims of Extrajudicial Killing by U.S. Marshals, Trailing in Polls, Trump Appeals to White Suburban Women and Farmers, Supreme Court Will Allow Trump Admin to Halt Census Count a Month Ea…

Joe Dyke (2020-10-14). EXCLUSIVE: Israel stops granting visas to UN human rights workers. middleeasteye.net EXCLUSIVE: Israel stops granting visas to UN human rights workers | OHCHR foreign employees left in limbo amid Israeli crackdown on rights monitors | Wed, 10/14/2020 – 14: 00 | The UN's OHCHR writes regular reports highlighting alleged Israeli rights abuses in the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and the besieged Gaza Strip (Reuters/File) | Israel has stopped granting any visas to employees at the United Nation…

Ramzy Baroud (2020-10-14). Despite Ambiguity in International Law, Palestinians are Winning the 'Legitimacy War'. counterpunch.org 'International law' remains one of the most discussed terms in the context of the Israeli occupation of Palestine. It is almost always present, whether the discussion pertains to the Israeli wars and siege on Gaza, the expansion of illegal Jewish settlements in the West Bank or the encroaching apartheid throughout Israel and the Occupied Territories.

MEE and agencies (2020-10-14). Israel approves new West Bank housing, just weeks after 'peace' deals with UAE, Bahrain. middleeasteye.net Israel approves new West Bank housing, just weeks after 'peace' deals with UAE, Bahrain | Gulf normalisation agreements were initially advertised as hinging on a freeze in settlement construction | Wed, 10/14/2020 – 12: 40 | New apartments buildings under construction in the Beit El settlement in the occupied the West Bank (AFP) | Israel has approved the construction of new homes in its il…

T.P. Wilkinson (2020-10-14). Annual Alpine Crucifixions. dissidentvoice.org Morgen in Riesengebirge, by Caspar David Friedrich Sometimes it can be useful to be brief. Last year, the wave of worry, promoted by the Swedish Alberich, without at least the artistic virtue of her deceased compatriot, Birgit Nilsson, stimulated predictions of imminent Gà∂tterdà§mmerung. This virtually Wagnerian kitsch was further dramatised by the pretensious performers of troupes apocalyptical …

Mark Gruenberg (2020-10-14). Barrett dodges questions, refuses to say Trump can't delay election. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—Duck, dodge, and weave. Frustrating Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats, that was the common "response" federal appellate judge Amy Coney Barrett produced on issue after issue during the second day of the panel's hearings on her nomination to the vacant seat on the U.S. Supreme Court. On everything from revisiting the legality of gay marriage to …

MEE and agencies (2020-10-14). Lebanon and Israel hold unprecedented talks on disputed maritime border. middleeasteye.net Lebanon and Israel hold unprecedented talks on disputed maritime border | The two countries, technically at war, are seeking to settle a maritime border dispute and clear the way for oil and gas exploration | Wed, 10/14/2020 – 11: 14 | Vehicles of the UN peacekeeping force UNIFIL are pictured in the southernmost area of Naqoura, by the border with Israel, where talks between Israel and Leb…

Hajira Asghar (2020-10-14). 81 Days on hunger strike: Movement grows to free Palestinian political prisoner Maher al-Akhras. liberationnews.org A rally gathered in Ramallah this week in solidarity with Maher al-Akhras, a Palestinian political prisoner who after 81 days on hunger strike is now feared to be near death. The 49-year-old father of six was arrested by Israeli forces in July. Al-Akhras' lawyers have put forth several appeals to Israel's High Court for his …

Gabriel Rockhill (2020-10-14). Liberalism and Fascism: Partners in Crime. counterpunch.org Time and again we hear that liberalism is the last bulwark against fascism. It represents a defense of the rule of law and democracy in the face of aberrant, malevolent demagogues intent on destroying a perfectly good system for their own gain. This apparent opposition has been deeply engrained in contemporary so-called Western liberal democracies through their shared origin myth.

MEE staff (2020-10-14). Pompeo encourages Saudi Arabia to normalise ties with Israel. middleeasteye.net Pompeo encourages Saudi Arabia to normalise ties with Israel | US Secretary of State thanks kingdom for assisting in normalisation deals between two Gulf Arab countries and Israel | Wed, 10/14/2020 – 17: 50 | Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo deliver remarks at State Department (AFP) | US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Saudi Arabia to normalise…

Royal Thomas II (2020-10-14). NJ business owner continues months long "All Lives Matter" standoff with anti-racist protestors. liberationnews.org In Oaklyn, New Jersey, a huge sign reading "ALL LIVES MATTER God Bless & Protect Our Police Officers" has hung over the front side of Lakeview Custom Coach since July. Anti-racist residents of the area have been mobilizing regular protests in response to express their rejection of the owner's message and support of the Black …

Workers World Party (2020-10-14). Answer to fascist threat? Working class struggle! workers.org The following are lightly edited remarks from Workers World Party's Oct. 8 webinar on the recent election debates, with WWP's First Secretary Larry Holmes in New York City, leading comrade Teresa Gutierrez in San Antonio, and comrade moderator Ted Kelly in Philadelphia. Tune in Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 . . . |

PAI (2020-10-14). Federal workers' unions slam racist Trump order to end diversity training. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON (PAI)—The two largest unions for federal workers, the Government Employees (AFGE) and the Treasury Employees (NTEU) are slamming GOP Oval Office occupant Donald Trump's order dismantling government-wide diversity education programs. NTEU President Tony Reardon and AFGE President Everett Kelley—who is Black—bluntly said Trump's ban is racist. "Trump's order to prohibit the use of federal …

RT (2020-10-14). Merriam-Webster labels 'sexual preference' OFFENSIVE after uproar over LGBTQ terminology during SCOTUS confirmation hearing. rt.com Merriam-Webster has been accused of politicizing its dictionary after it flagged the term 'sexual preference' as offensive, mirroring a complaint leveled against Amy Coney Barrett during her SCOTUS confirmation hearing. | The curious edit was spotted hours after Barrett was lambasted for using the phrase "sexual preference" to refer to LGBTQ Americans' sexual orientations as she answered questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. | Democratic Senator Mazie Hirono berated the conservative Supreme Court nominee for using the term, claiming that it was "offensive and outdated." The senator alleged…

W. T. Whitney Jr. (2020-10-14). Poverty, racism, and inequality merge with COVID-19 to create 'syndemic'. peoplesworld.org The writer is a retired pediatric physician. It didn't seem to fit. The website of the Colombian Communist Party on Oct. 5 published a medical doctor's reflections on re-characterizing a disease. Félix León Martínez, MD, quoted extensively from an editorial appearing in the famous British medical journal Lancet. He and Lancet editor Richard Horton, MD, …

Rep. Ron Paul (2020-10-14). Can the US Federal Reserve End Racism? Eliminate Disparities in Income, Employment and Wealth? globalresearch.ca House Financial Services Chair Maxine Waters and Senator Elizabeth Warren have introduced the Federal Reserve Racial and Economic Equity Act. This legislation directs the Federal Reserve to eliminate racial disparities in income, employment, wealth, and access to credit. | Eliminating racial …

WSWS (2020-10-14). Day two of hearing for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett: Democrats maintain silence on White House plot to overturn election. wsws.org At Tuesday's hearing, the Democrats adopted a posture of cringing respect for the far-right judge, echoing Biden's remark in last month's presidential debate that she is "a very fine woman."

CounterPunch News Service (2020-10-14). An Open Letter to Judge Amy Coney Barrett, From Your Notre Dame Colleagues. counterpunch.org October 10, 2020 Dear Judge Barrett, We write to you as fellow faculty members at the University of Notre Dame. We congratulate you on your nomination to the United States Supreme Court. An appointment to the Court is the crowning achievement of a legal career and speaks to the commitments you have made throughout your

James O'Neill (2020-10-14). Controversy Over the Alleged Abortion Views of Amy Coney Barrett Misses Wider Issues. dissidentvoice.org The nomination to the United States Supreme Court of Amy Coney Barrett has raised again the issue of access to abortion, legalised in the United States in the decision in Roe v Wade 410 US 113 (1973) 47 years ago. If Ms Barrett is confirmed as a member of the Supreme Court it will make …

WSWS (2020-10-14). Michigan Supreme Court overturns governor's executive orders on COVID-19 pandemic. wsws.org The rulings coincide with the demands of the ruling elite that workers return to work under dangerous conditions so that profitability can be restored.

_____ (2020-10-14). Packing the Court: Why Joe Biden Can't Commit. strategic-culture.org The latest issue roiling the U.S. presidential race is the Supreme Court and what to do if it bucks the wishes of the ruling party. The reason is the Amy Coney Barrett nomination, which, assuming it goes through, could result in a 6-3 conservative majority lasting well into the 2030s. | Since this would spell doom for a Biden-Harris administration, Democrats have come up with what they think is a perfect solution. It's called packing the court, and it entails expanding "the Supremes" from nine to fifteen members in order to fill the ranks with liberals guaranteed to toe the party line. | It's neat, clean, and con…

sputniknews (2020-10-14). Barrett Says Can Not Opine if US President Can Pardon Himself Without Knowing Pardon Scope. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – US Supreme Court nominee Amy Barrett said during her confirmation hearing that she can not opine on whether the US president can pardon himself for committed crimes without her going through the judicial process to decide on the issue, but emphasised that no one is above the law.

Staff (2020-10-14). SCOTUS Must Be Weakened to Safeguard Democracy, Says Legal Scholar. truthout.org As Republicans race to confirm President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett prior to Election Day and cement a conservative majority on the top court for a generation or more, calls are growing for Joe Biden to increase the number of justices on the Supreme Court if elected president. But Yale legal scholar Samuel Moyn argues that beyond "packing the court" and other measures commonly proposed to rebalance the Supreme Court's ideological makeup, the institution as a whole must be weakened in o…

Staff (2020-10-14). Trump Has Cut the Census Short. As a Census Worker, I Can See Who Will Suffer. truthout.org The Supreme Court effectively approved the Trump administration's request to cut the 2020 census short in a ruling issued Tuesday in response to an emergency request made last week by the Justice Department. Hours later, The…

Steven Hill (2020-10-14). Here's One Good Way to Reform a Battered US Supreme Court. commondreams.org Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett puts her mask on during her Senate Judiciary Committee on the third day of her Supreme Court confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill on October 14, 2020 in Washington, DC. Barrett was nominated by President Donald Trump to fill the vacancy left by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg who passed away in September. (Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Robert Reich (2020-10-14). How to Save Democracy From GOP Sabotage. commondreams.org The Constitution doesn't prevent increasing the size of the Supreme Court in order to balance it. (Photo: Peoples World/flickr/cc) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Askiah Adam (2020-10-14). The Palestinian Struggle Betrayed. globalresearch.ca The Abraham Accord signed recently between Israel on the one hand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain on the other, is touted as a peace deal. They were not at war. There was peace between them and much …

John V. Walsh (2020-10-14). Anti-Chinese Racism Sets Stage for New McCarthyism. globalresearch.ca More than a dozen young visiting scholars from China had their visas abruptly terminated in a

WSWS (2020-10-14). Civil war elections in Bolivia. wsws.org àÅñez is using her state position to outlaw the MAS opposition and mobilize fascistic forces among the military against the working masses.

Dale Ho (2020-10-14). Let People Vote: Our Fight for Your Right to Vote During 2020. aclu.org 2020 has been an unprecedented year in many ways; a pandemic during a presidential election being one of them. Not unique to 2020, however, is politicians' and states' systematic efforts to suppress voting and disenfranchise Americans. But the ACLU, along with our affiliates and partners across the country, have been hard at work defending your right to vote. This year, we have won 27 victories in 20 states and Puerto Rico that will safeguard the voting rights of millions of Americans this November. Together, these states are home to more than 154 million Americans and wield 247 votes in the Electoral College.

news.un (2020-10-14). Talks begin to resolve disputed Lebanon-Israel maritime border. news.un.org The UN Secretary-General has welcomed the launch of ground-breaking discussions on Wednesday, over the disputed maritime border between Lebanon and Israel in the eastern Mediterranean, following a framework agreement between the two nations at the beginning of the month.

Staff (2020-10-14). Texas Is Limiting Ballot Drop-Off Locations. Activists Are Pushing Back. truthout.org Despite a last-minute ruling restricting absentee voting in Texas, voting rights advocates in the state's hardest hit communities of color are redoubling their efforts to get out the vote amid one of the most severe voter suppression campaigns in the state in recent election cycles. | Texas counties remain blocked from setting up multiple ballot drop-off locations after a federal appeals court on Monday

Futher Column, By Abby Zimet, Staff Writer (2020-10-14). All You Fascists Bound To Lose. commondreams.org www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Paul Craig Roberts (2020-10-14). White Americans Are More Demonized Than Jews In Nazi Germany. thealtworld.com After 55 years of special privileges and special pleading for black Americans, where do we stand? Integration has failed. Black Americans, or more correctly, those who speak for them, want black-only towns, black-only college dorms, black-only dining halls, and a black national anthem. Except for the black anthem, that's what they had a half century ago prior to "affirmative action." | How is it that when blacks demand segregation, it is not racism? | As Lawrence Stratton and I demonstrated in our book The New Color Line (1), racial quotas were strictly prohibited by the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Nevertheless, the l…

The Alternative World (2020-10-13). Trump's new Iran sanctions hurt civilians and threaten war. thealtworld.com Grayzone- Pushback with Aaron Maté | Weeks before the U.S. election, the Trump administration has imposed crushing new sanctions that sever Iran from the global financial system and further threaten the import of humanitarian goods. The Israeli government and the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a pro-regime change think tank, reportedly lobbied White House officials for the new move. | Assal Rad of the National Iranian American Council discusses how the sanctions target Iranian civilians, and threaten an outbreak of military conflict. | Guest: Assal Rad, Research Fellow at the National Iranian American Cou…

Staff (2020-10-13). Packing the Courts: How Republicans Spent Decades Installing Judges to Cement Minority Rule. democracynow.org Amid Senate confirmation hearings for Amy Coney Barrett, we look at how conservatives have used dark money to push to seat her on the Supreme Court before the November 3 election, following a decades-long project by conservatives to install right-wing judges across the federal judiciary. "There's no doubt that what we're facing is, increasingly, rule by a minority," says former Senate Judiciary Committee staffer Lisa Graves, executive director of True North Research. "When people say that the court needs to be packed, it really needs to be unpacked."

John Winstead (2020-10-13). "Hate and racism" behind Trump administration's Columbus Day proclamation. liberationnews.org The Trump administration caused outrage by releasing yesterday a proclamation marking Columbus Day. The proclamation claimed that, "Christopher Columbus's intrepid voyage to the New World ushered in a new era of exploration and discovery." Trump bemoaned that "Sadly, in recent years, radical activists have sought to undermine Christopher Columbus's legacy. These extremists seek to replace …

Staff (2020-10-13). Tearing down Columbus statues is just the first step. therealnews.com As Christopher Columbus statues come down across the U.S., and his legacy is being reevaluated, the real story must be told. We talk about how Columbus' actions continue to impact Indigenous, Black and Brown communities today through genocide and colonization, and what we can do to fix it.

Celebrating Indigenous Peoples' Day (2020-10-13). Junipero Serra Statue Attacked in Bay Area. indybay.org Last night, the statue of Junipero Serra was defaced and covered in red paint to signify the colonial violence and genocide that has been and continues to be enacted upon the Indigenous people of this land, specifically in this context by spanish imperialism and the catholic church.

Staff (2020-10-13). To Decolonize Indigenous Lands, We Must Also Abolish Police and Prisons. truthout.org The movement to decolonize Indigenous lands is intimately connected to the movement to abolish police and prisons. As the idea of decolonization is discussed among wider circles, we must recognize this interconnectedness, especially in the midst of a resurgent Black Lives Matter movement that calls for the defunding — and, in fact, the dismantling — of police. | Both decolonization and abolition are not simply seeking an end result. Instead they are continuous creative processes: an ima…

MEE staff (2020-10-13). Palestinian leaders call for Israel to release prisoner on 80th day of hunger strike. middleeasteye.net Palestinian leaders call for Israel to release prisoner on 80th day of hunger strike | The Israeli Supreme Court rejected Maher al-Akhras' petition for release on Tuesday, as right groups warn he is 'on the verge of death' | Tue, 10/13/2020 – 12: 54 | Maher al-Akhras with one of his children before his arrest in July by Israeli forces (Screengrab)
| Several Palestinian political figures have raised the ala…

2020-10-14: News Headlines

Staff (2020-10-14). Can Trump Delay Election or Reject Peaceful Transition of Power? Amy Coney Barrett Refuses to Say. democracynow.org Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett faced 11 hours of questioning in the Senate Tuesday but refused to provide clarity about her views on the Affordable Care Act, Roe v. Wade, voting rights and even if President Trump could delay the election. Republicans are racing to confirm the 48-year-old federal judge before Election Day, which would give conservatives a commanding 6-3 majority on the high court. We air highlights from the marathon session.

Staff (2020-10-14). Making the Supreme Court Safe for Democracy: Samuel Moyn on Reforming an Undemocratic Institution. democracynow.org As Republicans race to confirm President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett prior to Election Day and cement a conservative majority on the top court for a generation or more, calls are growing for Joe Biden to increase the number of justices on the Supreme Court if elected president. But Yale legal scholar Samuel Moyn argues that beyond "packing the court" and other measures commonly proposed to rebalance the Supreme Court's ideological makeup, the institution as a whole must be weakened in order to safeguard democracy. "This country was founded on minority rule and the rejection of democracy, and t…

Staff (2020-10-14). Headlines for October 14, 2020. democracynow.org White House Pursuing "Herd Immunity" Strategy Condemned by WHO as "Unethical", Trump Holds Packed Campaign Rallies in Defiance of Social Distancing Orders, "Potential Safety Concern" Halts Clinical Trial of Eli Lilly Antibody Treatment, Amy Coney Barrett Won't Commit to Recusing Herself If 2020 Election Is Decided by SCOTUS, FBI Says Far-Right Anti-Government Group Plotted to Kidnap Virginia Governor, More Witnesses Corroborate Claims of Extrajudicial Killing by U.S. Marshals, Trailing in Polls, Trump Appeals to White Suburban Women and Farmers, Supreme Court Will Allow Trump Admin to Halt Census Count a Month Ea…

Staff (2020-10-14). Dahlia Lithwick: Amy Coney Barrett May Claim Neutrality, But Her Record Is "Extremely Conservative" democracynow.org In the second day of confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, the federal judge's refusal to answer basic questions on voter intimidation and whether a president can delay elections did her "no favors" and was part of an aim to "present herself as neutral; she's an open book; whatever she was before, whatever she ruled on the bench before, is immaterial," says Dahlia Lithwick, senior legal correspondent and Supreme Court reporter for Slate.com. "There are some issues that don't need to be approached with an open mind. … She could have allayed a lot of fears."

Ramzy Baroud (2020-10-14). Despite Ambiguity in International Law, Palestinians are Winning the 'Legitimacy War'. counterpunch.org 'International law' remains one of the most discussed terms in the context of the Israeli occupation of Palestine. It is almost always present, whether the discussion pertains to the Israeli wars and siege on Gaza, the expansion of illegal Jewish settlements in the West Bank or the encroaching apartheid throughout Israel and the Occupied Territories.

MEE and agencies (2020-10-14). Lebanon and Israel hold unprecedented talks on disputed maritime border. middleeasteye.net Lebanon and Israel hold unprecedented talks on disputed maritime border | The two countries, technically at war, are seeking to settle a maritime border dispute and clear the way for oil and gas exploration | Wed, 10/14/2020 – 11: 14 | Vehicles of the UN peacekeeping force UNIFIL are pictured in the southernmost area of Naqoura, by the border with Israel, where talks between Israel and Leb…

T.P. Wilkinson (2020-10-14). Annual Alpine Crucifixions. dissidentvoice.org Morgen in Riesengebirge, by Caspar David Friedrich Sometimes it can be useful to be brief. Last year, the wave of worry, promoted by the Swedish Alberich, without at least the artistic virtue of her deceased compatriot, Birgit Nilsson, stimulated predictions of imminent Gà∂tterdà§mmerung. This virtually Wagnerian kitsch was further dramatised by the pretensious performers of troupes apocalyptical …

Gabriel Rockhill (2020-10-14). Liberalism and Fascism: Partners in Crime. counterpunch.org Time and again we hear that liberalism is the last bulwark against fascism. It represents a defense of the rule of law and democracy in the face of aberrant, malevolent demagogues intent on destroying a perfectly good system for their own gain. This apparent opposition has been deeply engrained in contemporary so-called Western liberal democracies through their shared origin myth.

RT (2020-10-14). Merriam-Webster labels 'sexual preference' OFFENSIVE after uproar over LGBTQ terminology during SCOTUS confirmation hearing. rt.com Merriam-Webster has been accused of politicizing its dictionary after it flagged the term 'sexual preference' as offensive, mirroring a complaint leveled against Amy Coney Barrett during her SCOTUS confirmation hearing. | The curious edit was spotted hours after Barrett was lambasted for using the phrase "sexual preference" to refer to LGBTQ Americans' sexual orientations as she answered questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. | Democratic Senator Mazie Hirono berated the conservative Supreme Court nominee for using the term, claiming that it was "offensive and outdated." The senator alleged…

Rep. Ron Paul (2020-10-14). Can the US Federal Reserve End Racism? Eliminate Disparities in Income, Employment and Wealth? globalresearch.ca House Financial Services Chair Maxine Waters and Senator Elizabeth Warren have introduced the Federal Reserve Racial and Economic Equity Act. This legislation directs the Federal Reserve to eliminate racial disparities in income, employment, wealth, and access to credit. | Eliminating racial …

James O'Neill (2020-10-14). Controversy Over the Alleged Abortion Views of Amy Coney Barrett Misses Wider Issues. dissidentvoice.org The nomination to the United States Supreme Court of Amy Coney Barrett has raised again the issue of access to abortion, legalised in the United States in the decision in Roe v Wade 410 US 113 (1973) 47 years ago. If Ms Barrett is confirmed as a member of the Supreme Court it will make …

_____ (2020-10-14). Packing the Court: Why Joe Biden Can't Commit. strategic-culture.org The latest issue roiling the U.S. presidential race is the Supreme Court and what to do if it bucks the wishes of the ruling party. The reason is the Amy Coney Barrett nomination, which, assuming it goes through, could result in a 6-3 conservative majority lasting well into the 2030s. | Since this would spell doom for a Biden-Harris administration, Democrats have come up with what they think is a perfect solution. It's called packing the court, and it entails expanding "the Supremes" from nine to fifteen members in order to fill the ranks with liberals guaranteed to toe the party line. | It's neat, clean, and con…

John V. Walsh (2020-10-14). Anti-Chinese Racism Sets Stage for New McCarthyism. dissidentvoice.org More than a dozen young visiting scholars from China had their visas abruptly terminated in a letter from administration of the University of North Texas (UNT), Denton, on August 26, in a letter dated …August 26! The letter informed the students that they could return to campus from their lodgings to pick up belongings, but …

Askiah Adam (2020-10-14). The Palestinian Struggle Betrayed. globalresearch.ca The Abraham Accord signed recently between Israel on the one hand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain on the other, is touted as a peace deal. They were not at war. There was peace between them and much …

Ramona du Houx (2020-10-14). In CA, Latino farming communities hardest by COVID-19 and environmental injustice. indybay.org The California Latino community has been disproportionately infected by the coronavirus. Latinos make up 39 percent of the population in the state, but account for 56 percent of COVID-19 infections and 46 percent of deaths. That's three times the rate as Whites. State officials say, many employers have not reliably provided protective equipment to workers or implemented social distancing or mask wearing rules. This is systemic racism. Too often, they live in neighborhoods that are located near oil industry operations in California, one of America's top crude oil and gas producing states. Gov. Newsom needs to addr…

The Alternative World (2020-10-13). Trump's new Iran sanctions hurt civilians and threaten war. thealtworld.com Grayzone- Pushback with Aaron Maté | Weeks before the U.S. election, the Trump administration has imposed crushing new sanctions that sever Iran from the global financial system and further threaten the import of humanitarian goods. The Israeli government and the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a pro-regime change think tank, reportedly lobbied White House officials for the new move. | Assal Rad of the National Iranian American Council discusses how the sanctions target Iranian civilians, and threaten an outbreak of military conflict. | Guest: Assal Rad, Research Fellow at the National Iranian American Cou…

Staff (2020-10-13). "Let the People Decide!" Protests at Amy Coney Barrett Hearing Decry GOP Power Grab, Attack on ACA. democracynow.org Hundreds protested outside the Senate Monday against the confirmation hearing for President Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Judge Amy Coney Barrett. At least 21 were arrested after staging a sit-in to oppose the Senate pushing through Barrett's nomination in the middle of the presidential election. Senate Democrats warn the federal judge's record suggests she would overturn the Affordable Care Act and threaten reproductive rights if she takes the seat left vacant by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. "Trump and the Republicans are trying to execute a power grab," says Ana María Archila, co-executive director of…

Staff (2020-10-13). Packing the Courts: How Republicans Spent Decades Installing Judges to Cement Minority Rule. democracynow.org Amid Senate confirmation hearings for Amy Coney Barrett, we look at how conservatives have used dark money to push to seat her on the Supreme Court before the November 3 election, following a decades-long project by conservatives to install right-wing judges across the federal judiciary. "There's no doubt that what we're facing is, increasingly, rule by a minority," says former Senate Judiciary Committee staffer Lisa Graves, executive director of True North Research. "When people say that the court needs to be packed, it really needs to be unpacked."

John Winstead (2020-10-13). "Hate and racism" behind Trump administration's Columbus Day proclamation. liberationnews.org The Trump administration caused outrage by releasing yesterday a proclamation marking Columbus Day. The proclamation claimed that, "Christopher Columbus's intrepid voyage to the New World ushered in a new era of exploration and discovery." Trump bemoaned that "Sadly, in recent years, radical activists have sought to undermine Christopher Columbus's legacy. These extremists seek to replace …

Staff (2020-10-13). Tearing down Columbus statues is just the first step. therealnews.com As Christopher Columbus statues come down across the U.S., and his legacy is being reevaluated, the real story must be told. We talk about how Columbus' actions continue to impact Indigenous, Black and Brown communities today through genocide and colonization, and what we can do to fix it.

Celebrating Indigenous Peoples' Day (2020-10-13). Junipero Serra Statue Attacked in Bay Area. indybay.org Last night, the statue of Junipero Serra was defaced and covered in red paint to signify the colonial violence and genocide that has been and continues to be enacted upon the Indigenous people of this land, specifically in this context by spanish imperialism and the catholic church.

Staff (2020-10-13). To Decolonize Indigenous Lands, We Must Also Abolish Police and Prisons. truthout.org The movement to decolonize Indigenous lands is intimately connected to the movement to abolish police and prisons. As the idea of decolonization is discussed among wider circles, we must recognize this interconnectedness, especially in the midst of a resurgent Black Lives Matter movement that calls for the defunding — and, in fact, the dismantling — of police. | Both decolonization and abolition are not simply seeking an end result. Instead they are continuous creative processes: an ima…

Rayhan Uddin (2020-10-13). Saudi-funded MBC's removal of Palestinian show raises questions over normalisation with Israel. middleeasteye.net Saudi-funded MBC's removal of Palestinian show raises questions over normalisation with Israel | The acclaimed historical drama was reinstated after backlash over fears of further Palestinian erasure from Arab broadcasts | Tue, 10/13/2020 – 15: 01 | 'The Palestinian Exodus' is among the most famous Arab historical dramas about the Palestinian struggle (Screengrab) | Saudi-funded TV channel MBC tempora…

Mark Gruenberg (2020-10-13). Senate Dems raise threat to health care as Barrett hearings open. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—-The latest Republican dog-and-pony show, officially called Senate committee hearings on Amy Coney Barrett's nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court, opened Oct. 12 with the panel's Democrats stating should she join the other justices, health care for at least 130 million people would be changed for the worse or killed. That threat to the 10-year-old …

ACLU (2020-10-13). The Race for Arizona State House District 20. aclu.org The outcome of the race for the House in Arizona District 20 could determine important policies during the next legislative session., , If the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, abortion could become illegal in Arizona., , Judy Schwiebert pledged to support legislation that keeps abortion safe and legal. Shawnna Bolick and Anthony Kern pledged to vote to prohibit abortion care except in rare cases. | IssueShawnna BolickJudy SchwiebertAnthony Kern | Has pledged to support legislation that keeps abortion safe and legal. | No | Yes | No |

Source: Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona C…

Shatha Hammad (2020-10-13). Love that transcends prison walls: Palestinian women tell stories of defiance. middleeasteye.net Love that transcends prison walls: Palestinian women tell stories of defiance | In Palestine, relationships thrive despite years-long separations and physical barriers | Tue, 10/13/2020 – 10: 52 | "Thirty eight Eids passed without Abdel Karim," Jinan Samara said after reuniting with her fiance, Abdel Karim, 18 years later (MEE/Shatha Hammad) | Abdel Karim Makhdar and Jinan Samara sit side by side o…

Aranxta Calles (2020-10-13). San Diego protesters stand in solidarity with Denver activists against police repression. liberationnews.org On Oct. 10, members of the San Diego branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation organized a rally in solidarity with the anti-racist organizers arrested under false charges in Denver, Colorado. The organizers are facing decades in prison simply for leading the struggle for justice for Elijah McClain. Different organizations also came out to …

Kathryn Shihadah (2020-10-13). How a Black Evangelical Denomination was Duped into "Blessing" Israel. mintpressnews.com "There are more than 40 million Black Americans, they spend more than $1.3 trillion a year, so we're a measurable market, a measurable group of people, easily identified, and we think we can also contribute to the advancement of Israel." – Glenn Plummer, Bishop of Israel…

MEE staff (2020-10-13). Leading Democrat urges Biden to appoint Muslim federal judges if elected. middleeasteye.net Leading Democrat urges Biden to appoint Muslim federal judges if elected | Representative Grace Meng's call comes amid Supreme Court nomination of Amy Coney Barrett, whose form of Catholicism has been a point of contention among Democrats | Tue, 10/13/2020 – 15: 55 | Representative Grace Meng is using her influence among Democrats to push for the appointment of Muslim judges to the federal bench (AFP) | The vi…

Kathy Durkin (2020-10-13). Viral capitalism: Racist, sexist bosses kill jobs. workers.org Another 1.3 million people filed for unemployment benefits during the week of Sept. 28, adding to the ranks of the 12 million workers still jobless due to the pandemic. They and their families have lost health insurance, not provided by this ruthless capitalist government. Evictions and homelessness are on the . . . |

ACLU (2020-10-13). The Race for Arizona State House District 23. aclu.org The outcome of the race for the House in Arizona District 23 could determine important policies during the next legislative session., , If the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, abortion could become illegal in Arizona. , , Eric Kurland pledged to support legislation that keeps abortion safe and legal. John Kavanagh and Joseph Chaplick pledged to vote to prohibit abortion care except in rare cases. | IssueEric, KurlandJoseph, ChaplickJohn, Kavanagh | Has pledged to support legislation that keeps abortion safe and legal. | Yes | No | No | Source: Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona Candida…

MEE staff (2020-10-13). Palestinian leaders call for Israel to release prisoner on 80th day of hunger strike. middleeasteye.net Palestinian leaders call for Israel to release prisoner on 80th day of hunger strike | The Israeli Supreme Court rejected Maher al-Akhras' petition for release on Tuesday, as right groups warn he is 'on the verge of death' | Tue, 10/13/2020 – 12: 54 | Maher al-Akhras with one of his children before his arrest in July by Israeli forces (Screengrab)
| Several Palestinian political figures have raised the ala…

Anand Naidoo (2020-10-13). The Heat: Supreme Court battle and US presidential race. america.cgtn.com The US Supreme Court battle begins in Washington. Judge Amy Coney Barrett appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee to formally introduce herself to the American people.

Nick Licata (2020-10-13). Democrats Have Been a Minority on the Supreme Court Since 1970. counterpunch.org National polls have shown that most citizens do not wish her, or anyone, to be appointed until after the presidential election. A few Democrats have argued that if Barrett is appointed, seats should be added to the Supreme Court to balance its philosophical views. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence both asked their Democratic opponents

RT (2020-10-13). Blast from the past: 5.4-ton British WW2 bomb explodes underwater while being defused by Polish sappers. rt.com A massive 'Tallboy' bomb dropped during a British Royal Air Force attack on a Nazi warship in 1945 has exploded underwater while being defused in northern Poland. No one was hurt, but buildings ashore were shaken by the blast. | Navy sappers were trying to neutralize the 5.4-ton device — found last year at the bottom of the Piast Canal, which connects the Baltic Sea with the Oder River — by burning out its explosives, but something went wrong and the bomb detonated. | Fatalities and injuries were avoided because the divers were already at a "safe distance" when the device went off, military spokesman…

WSWS (2020-10-13). Democrats silent on Trump's election coup plans as confirmation hearings begin on Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett. wsws.org Besides her potential role in an election coup d'etat, Barrett will shift the Supreme Court further to the right, gutting abortion rights, reversing protections for gays, attacking the separation of church and state, lifting restrictions on guns and blocking federal regulation of business.

Nusrat Choudhury (2020-10-13). The Supreme Court to Decide Whether Chicago Can Keep Cars Locked Up When Debtors File for Bankruptcy. aclu.org

Staff (2020-10-13). Protests at Amy Coney Barrett Hearing Rail Against GOP Power Grab. truthout.org Image Credit: Twitter: @CPDAction | Hundreds protested outside the Senate Monday against the confirmation hearing for President Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Judge Amy Coney Barrett. At least 21 were arrested after staging a sit-in to oppose the Senate pushing through Barrett's nomination in the middle of the presidential election. Senate Democrats warn the federal judge's record suggests she would overturn the Affordable Care Act and threaten reproductive rights if she takes the seat left vacant by the l…

Staff (2020-10-13). Amy Coney Barrett Refuses to Answer If Trump Can Delay the Election or Not. truthout.org During confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, Judge Amy Coney Barrett, President Donald Trump's nominee to sit on the Supreme Court, refused to answer a question regarding the president's ability to unilaterally delay federal elections set to commence next month. | When asked by the committee's ranking chair, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California), whether "the Constitution gives the president of the United States the authority to unilaterally delay an election un…

Common Dreams staff (2020-10-13). Civil Rights Advocates Warn Supreme Court Order—a Victory for Trump—Will Result in 'Irreversible Damage to 2020 Census'. commondreams.org Justice Sonya Sotomayor issued a dissent warning the "harms caused by rushing this year's census count are irreparable" and that "respondents will suffer their lasting impact for at least the next 10 years." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Najib Farraj (2020-10-13). Israeli Army Orders Closure of 3,000 Dunums of Land on Olive Harvest Season. globalresearch.ca The Israeli occupation army issued 63 military orders to close areas and lands planted with olives in separate parts of the West Bank, coinciding with the start of the olive harvest season in the Palestinian territories. | The olive harvest season, …

Fight Back (2020-10-13). Tampa activists rally against anti-protest bill. fightbacknews.org Tampa, FL – On October 10, members of the Tampa Bay Community Action Committee and others rallied at Tampa City Hall to protest Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' proposed anti-protest bill. On September 21, DeSantis released the proposed legislation called "Combatting Violence, Disorder and Looting and Law Enforcement Protection Act." If the bill is signed into law, it would legalize running over protesters with cars, and would make marching on the street a felony offense. Governor DeSantis' anti-protest bill is a direct response to protests during the George Floyd uprising, the Black Lives Matter movement…

WSWS (2020-10-13). Questions mount about Trump's ties to Michigan fascist plotters. wsws.org Today, Eric Trump was scheduled to speak at Hudson Valley Guns in New Huron, Michigan, where one of the 13 men arrested last Thursday for plotting to kidnap and murder Gretchen Whitmer was employed.

_____ (2020-10-13). Olive Branches and Nuclear Bombs in Israel. strategic-culture.org According to the Christian website

Peoples Dispatch (2020-10-13). Reports chronicle continuing violence and discrimination against Rohingya community. peoplesdispatch.org On October 12, Monday, international human rights groups, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, claimed to have gained

Staff (2020-10-13). Barrett Could Well Be the Decider in a 2020 Replay of "Bush v. Gore" truthout.org If Americans want transparency — as they should — they've got it. Judge Amy Coney Barrett's record of attacks on civil rights, workers' rights, anti-discrimination measures and consumer protections is crystal clear. Though she's just 48 years old, she has a phenomenally large legal footprint. And, as Democratic senators repeatedly pointed out Monday, on day one of the Senate Judiciary Committee Hearings, her record does not bode well for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and many of the rights w…

commondreams (2020-10-13). Patriotic Millionaires Launch Virtual Roadshow "Tax the Rich. Save America" Featuring Over a Dozen Members of Congress. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Joan Walsh (2020-10-13). Amy Coney Barrett Displays Her Twisted Views on Voting Rights. thenation.com Amy Coney Barrett Displays Her Twisted Views on Voting Rights…

David Hearst (2020-10-12). Ismail Haniyeh interview: Full transcript. middleeasteye.net Ismail Haniyeh interview: Full transcript | Hamas's leader talks to MEE about Arab normalisation with Israel, the Gaza siege, Palestinian politics and the US elections | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 18: 28 | Ismail Haniyeh, 58, is the chairman of the political bureau of the Palestinian movement Hamas, and the de facto ruler of the besieged Gaza Strip (AFP) | Editor's note: David Hearst, editor-in-chief of Middle…

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2020-10-12). 'Deep Sense of Despair': UNRWA Chief Says Palestinians Suffering Dual Pandemics of Covid-19 and Poverty. commondreams.org "In Gaza, people are going through the garbage," said Philippe Lazzarini. "More people are fighting to provide one or two meals a day to their families." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

2020-10-13: News Headlines

Staff (2020-10-13). Packing the Courts: How Republicans Spent Decades Installing Judges to Cement Minority Rule. democracynow.org Amid Senate confirmation hearings for Amy Coney Barrett, we look at how conservatives have used dark money to push to seat her on the Supreme Court before the November 3 election, following a decades-long project by conservatives to install right-wing judges across the federal judiciary. "There's no doubt that what we're facing is, increasingly, rule by a minority," says former Senate Judiciary Committee staffer Lisa Graves, executive director of True North Research. "When people say that the court needs to be packed, it really needs to be unpacked."

The Alternative World (2020-10-13). Trump's new Iran sanctions hurt civilians and threaten war. thealtworld.com Grayzone- Pushback with Aaron Maté | Weeks before the U.S. election, the Trump administration has imposed crushing new sanctions that sever Iran from the global financial system and further threaten the import of humanitarian goods. The Israeli government and the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a pro-regime change think tank, reportedly lobbied White House officials for the new move. | Assal Rad of the National Iranian American Council discusses how the sanctions target Iranian civilians, and threaten an outbreak of military conflict. | Guest: Assal Rad, Research Fellow at the National Iranian American Cou…

Staff (2020-10-13). "Let the People Decide!" Protests at Amy Coney Barrett Hearing Decry GOP Power Grab, Attack on ACA. democracynow.org Hundreds protested outside the Senate Monday against the confirmation hearing for President Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Judge Amy Coney Barrett. At least 21 were arrested after staging a sit-in to oppose the Senate pushing through Barrett's nomination in the middle of the presidential election. Senate Democrats warn the federal judge's record suggests she would overturn the Affordable Care Act and threaten reproductive rights if she takes the seat left vacant by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. "Trump and the Republicans are trying to execute a power grab," says Ana María Archila, co-executive director of…

Celebrating Indigenous Peoples' Day (2020-10-13). Junipero Serra Statue Attacked in Bay Area. indybay.org Last night, the statue of Junipero Serra was defaced and covered in red paint to signify the colonial violence and genocide that has been and continues to be enacted upon the Indigenous people of this land, specifically in this context by spanish imperialism and the catholic church.

Aranxta Calles (2020-10-13). San Diego protesters stand in solidarity with Denver activists against police repression. liberationnews.org On Oct. 10, members of the San Diego branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation organized a rally in solidarity with the anti-racist organizers arrested under false charges in Denver, Colorado. The organizers are facing decades in prison simply for leading the struggle for justice for Elijah McClain. Different organizations also came out to …

Kathryn Shihadah (2020-10-13). How a Black Evangelical Denomination was Duped into "Blessing" Israel. mintpressnews.com "There are more than 40 million Black Americans, they spend more than $1.3 trillion a year, so we're a measurable market, a measurable group of people, easily identified, and we think we can also contribute to the advancement of Israel." – Glenn Plummer, Bishop of Israel…

Anand Naidoo (2020-10-13). The Heat: Supreme Court battle and US presidential race. america.cgtn.com The US Supreme Court battle begins in Washington. Judge Amy Coney Barrett appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee to formally introduce herself to the American people.

Nick Licata (2020-10-13). Democrats Have Been a Minority on the Supreme Court Since 1970. counterpunch.org National polls have shown that most citizens do not wish her, or anyone, to be appointed until after the presidential election. A few Democrats have argued that if Barrett is appointed, seats should be added to the Supreme Court to balance its philosophical views. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence both asked their Democratic opponents

Fight Back (2020-10-13). Tampa activists rally against anti-protest bill. fightbacknews.org Tampa, FL – On October 10, members of the Tampa Bay Community Action Committee and others rallied at Tampa City Hall to protest Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' proposed anti-protest bill. On September 21, DeSantis released the proposed legislation called "Combatting Violence, Disorder and Looting and Law Enforcement Protection Act." If the bill is signed into law, it would legalize running over protesters with cars, and would make marching on the street a felony offense. Governor DeSantis' anti-protest bill is a direct response to protests during the George Floyd uprising, the Black Lives Matter movement…

Najib Farraj (2020-10-13). Israeli Army Orders Closure of 3,000 Dunums of Land on Olive Harvest Season. globalresearch.ca The Israeli occupation army issued 63 military orders to close areas and lands planted with olives in separate parts of the West Bank, coinciding with the start of the olive harvest season in the Palestinian territories. | The olive harvest season, …

_____ (2020-10-13). Olive Branches and Nuclear Bombs in Israel. strategic-culture.org According to the Christian website

Peoples Dispatch (2020-10-13). Reports chronicle continuing violence and discrimination against Rohingya community. peoplesdispatch.org On October 12, Monday, international human rights groups, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, claimed to have gained

David Hearst (2020-10-12). Ismail Haniyeh interview: Full transcript. middleeasteye.net Ismail Haniyeh interview: Full transcript | Hamas's leader talks to MEE about Arab normalisation with Israel, the Gaza siege, Palestinian politics and the US elections | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 18: 28 | Ismail Haniyeh, 58, is the chairman of the political bureau of the Palestinian movement Hamas, and the de facto ruler of the besieged Gaza Strip (AFP) | Editor's note: David Hearst, editor-in-chief of Middle…

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2020-10-12). 'Deep Sense of Despair': UNRWA Chief Says Palestinians Suffering Dual Pandemics of Covid-19 and Poverty. commondreams.org "In Gaza, people are going through the garbage," said Philippe Lazzarini. "More people are fighting to provide one or two meals a day to their families." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

teleSUR (2020-10-12). October 12 Declared Black and Indigenous Liberation Day. telesurenglish.net The Black and Indigenous Liberation Movement (BILN) declared this October 12 as Black and Indigenous Liberation Day, in contrast to the other names and types of the commemoration of the date that remembers the beginning of the European conquest of America in 1492. | RELATED: | The BILN describes itself as "a coalition of solidarity-based organizations committed to anti-racist and anti-colonial struggles in six cou…

Staff (2020-10-12). Indigenous Children Could Be in Danger With an Amy Coney Barrett Nomination. truthout.org President Donald Trump's nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge Amy Coney Barrett, is raising red flags for supporters of a federal law designed to preserve Native American families and culture. | The Indian Child Welfare Act is not currently before the nation's top court, but there is a very real possibility it could end up there. | The constitutionality of the 1978 law — which aims to keep Native American children from being adopted or placed in foster care outside their families, t…

David Hearst (2020-10-12). Hamas's Haniyeh: 'No mercy' for Arab states who betray Palestinian cause. middleeasteye.net Hamas's Haniyeh: 'No mercy' for Arab states who betray Palestinian cause | Speaking to MEE, Ismail Haniyeh decries UAE 'normalisation' deal with Israel, and hails 'positive' talks with Fatah | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 09: 33 | History will show no mercy to the Arab nations that recognise Israel, Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, has told Middle East Eye. | Asked about the recent "normalisation"

Nadda Osman (2020-10-12). Gal Gadot to play Cleopatra – and the backlash has started. middleeasteye.net Gal Gadot to play Cleopatra – and the backlash has started | Critics say the role should have been given to a person of colour in order to be historically accurate and representative | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 12: 47 | "> | The film was Gadot's idea and will be directed by Patty Jenkins and scripted by Laeta Kalogridis (AFP) | Israeli actor Gal Gadot's announcement that she will sta…

Sameena Rahman (2020-10-12). Barrett confirmation hearings begin: Far right looks to lock in stranglehold over Supreme Court. liberationnews.org Today marks the beginning of the confirmation hearings of President Trump's nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett before the Senate Judiciary Committee headed by Republican Lindsey Graham. This nomination for the Supreme Court position, recently vacated by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, comes less than a month away from the presidential election and a potentially …

Staff (2020-10-12). Trump's narcissism has become a monster Republicans can't control. therealnews.com Jim Zogby talks about the impact of Trump's COVID-19 diagnosis on the Supreme Court, the stimulus package, and potential violence leading up to the election.

Gabriel Rockhill (2020-10-12). Fascism: Now You See It, Now You Don't! counterpunch.org "We need to understand that, contrary to what we are told by the U.S. media, fascism is not an extreme development, limited in time and place, that occurred a long time ago. Quite the contrary. Fascism is extended, generalized, and exists everywhere." — Vicente Navarro Only one country in the world has, in recent history:

G. Dunkel (2020-10-12). Trial finds fascists 'Guilty!' in Greece. workers.org A blow to neo-Nazi organizations — particularly in Europe, but also throughout the world — was dealt in Athens, Greece, on Oct. 7. After 400 court sessions, over 100 witnesses and five years of prosecution, the fascist Golden Dawn political party was convicted of being run as a "criminal enterprise." . . . |

MEE staff (2020-10-12). Israel-UAE deal: Vast majority of Arabic social media posts on pact negative, says report. middleeasteye.net Israel-UAE deal: Vast majority of Arabic social media posts on pact negative, says report | Report says posts were 'part of an organised campaign' by pro-Palestinian groups to denounce the deal | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 11: 40 | Representatives of Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed a normalisation agreement in Washington, DC on 15 September (AFP) | A study of Arabic-language social media conducted b…

Editor (2020-10-12). Rich get richer, poor get poorer — and sicker. workers.org "The rich get richer and the poor get poorer." The old cliché is still true — obscenely true. In six months, March to September — when the working class was clobbered by COVID, mass unemployment and a rise in white supremacy — the rich got richer. Specifically, the collective wealth . . . |

Ramzy Baroud (2020-10-12). Dying Alone: When We Stopped Caring for Palestinian Prisoners. dissidentvoice.org "No one cares about the prisoners." Over the past few years, I have heard this phrase — or some variation of it — uttered many times by freed Palestinian prisoners and their families. Whenever I conduct an interview regarding this crucial and highly sensitive topic, I am told, repeatedly, that 'no one cares.' But is …

Mohammad Ayesh (2020-10-12). Arabic press review: Germany seeks to support Arab-Israel normalisation process. middleeasteye.net Arabic press review: Germany seeks to support Arab-Israel normalisation process | Meanwhile, an Israeli pop singer performs religious rituals at a synagogue in Dubai, and Kuwait is set to spend $4bn on businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 16: 04 | German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, currently on a visit to Riyadh, tells a Saudi paper that his country seeks to 'bene…

RT (2020-10-12). Holocaust denial content banned by Facebook following longstanding criticism. rt.com Facebook has expanded its hate speech policy to prohibit any content that "denies or distorts the Holocaust." The social media platform explained the move by the rise in ant-Semitism around the globe. | The decision "marks another step in our effort to fight hate on our services," Monika Bickert, Facebook vice president of content policy, said in a statement released on Monday. | The restrictions are being imposed due to a "well-documented rise in anti-Semitism globally and the alarming level of ignorance about the Holocaust, especially among young people," Bickert explained. | She also referred to a recent su…

RT (2020-10-12). White House Chief of Staff Meadows bashed for refusing to speak to press with a mask on in hectic exchange. rt.com Amid multiple confirmed cases of Covid-19 inside the White House, Chief of Staff Mark Meadows was blasted online for taking off his face mask and then refusing to speak to reporters in an overall frantic encounter. | Mark Meadows was approached by Capitol reporters on Monday, just outside Judge Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court confirmation hearing. | In a somewhat hectic exchange with the press Meadows decided to "pull away" the stationary microphone to supposedly get "more than ten feet away" from the reporters and be able to more safely speak to them without a face mask. | A disapproving "Oh" could be heard…

Areeb Ullah (2020-10-12). UK to investigate claims JCB machinery used by Israel to demolish Palestinian homes. middleeasteye.net UK to investigate claims JCB machinery used by Israel to demolish Palestinian homes | JCB says it has no legal responsibility regarding how its machinery is used – but the British government is looking into whether the company violated OECD regulations | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 14: 36 | Palestinians block a JCB drill from entering the village of Khan al-Ahmar in the occupied West Bank in 2018 (AFP) | The Briti…

MEE staff (2020-10-12). Israel's cabinet approves normalisation deals ahead of visits to UAE, Bahrain. middleeasteye.net Israel's cabinet approves normalisation deals ahead of visits to UAE, Bahrain | An Israeli delegation will fly to Bahrain and the UAE later this week, as Netanyahu hints at future meeting with Emirati crown prince Mohammed bin Zayed | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 14: 42 | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed (AFP) | The Israeli cabinet approved on Monday the Abrah…

Nick Pemberton (2020-10-12). Social Media Demonization Is Another Moral Panic. counterpunch.org In his debate against Kamala Harris, Mike Pence zeroed in on the words "American people". He wanted to shift responsibility away from a failing administration and onto the people themselves. Harris was at her strongest when she slammed this approach as making the American people sacrificial. There is no term more fascist than "essential worker"—death

WSWS (2020-10-12). The Green Party of Canada chooses a new leader—multiple political frauds for the price of one. wsws.org Anamie Paul, the candidate favoured by the Green Party establishment, narrowly prevailed over the "eco-socialist," Palestinian-rights activist, and one-time Wall Street lawyer, Dimitri Lascaris.

teleSUR (2020-10-12). US Senate Hearing for Trump's Supreme Court Nominee Kicks Off. telesurenglish.net The Republican-led Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday began a confirmation hearing for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, as Republicans push for a final floor vote amidst a raging partisan battle over the open seat at the high court. | RELATED: | The Republican leader nominated the conservative federal appellate judge last month to replace late Justice Ruth Bader Gi…

Matthew M. Heidtmann (2020-10-12). Howard Zinn Was Right: We Need To Stop Obsessing Over The Supreme Court. dissidentvoice.org The death of Supreme Court Justice and liberal icon Ruth Bader Ginsburg left a gaping hole on America's highest court. The question over her replacement has quickly become a hotly contested issue which will define the coming weeks and perhaps even months. Mere days after Ginsburg's death, Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett, a federal judge …

Women's March (2020-10-12). Saturday 10/17: Alameda: Women's March for Saving the Supreme Court Seat Now! indybay.org Alameda City Hall, 2263 Santa Clara Ave, Alameda, CA 94501 | NOTE: Masks and Social Distancing…

sputniknews (2020-10-12). Netizens Clash Online as Senate Confirmation Hearings for Barrett Go On. sputniknews.com As netizens proceeded to express their opinions on Barrett's nomination, issues like the fate of the Affordable Care Act and even the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court ended up being brought into the equation.

sputniknews (2020-10-12). Over 20 Arrested During Demonstrations Held Amid Barrett's Confirmation Hearings – Reports. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – More than 20 demonstrators were arrested in Washington DC during the Senate judiciary committee's confirmation hearings of US President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Judge Amy Coney Barrett, Fox News reports.

Staff (2020-10-12). Protesters Block the Entrance to Senate Building During First Barrett Hearing. truthout.org Dozens of demonstrators blocked the entrance to the Hart Senate Office Building Monday morning to protest the Republican-controlled Senate Judiciary Committee's decision to hold the first confirmation hearing for President Donald Trump's right-wing Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett with less than a month to go before the pivotal November election. | Chanting "Whose court? Our court!" and "Let the people decide," the protesters gathered minutes before Barrett's first confirmation hearin…

Caren Holmes (2020-10-12). The Campaign to "Kill" the BDS Movement Against Israel Extends Far and Wide. globalresearch.ca Israel is facing declining public support in the United States and sees the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions campaign as a key threat to its legitimacy. That's why Israel is enlisting the US government, American university administrators, and even tech companies …

Fight Back (2020-10-12). Students and youth webinar launching campaign for police accountability. fightbacknews.org Tampa, FL – On October 9, student and youth activists held a webinar to launch a national campaign to fight for police accountability, on and off campus, under the headline, "Students and Youth Demand Police Accountability." The main organizations represented were New Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), AnakBayan USA, and the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. | Normally, SDS and other student groups host their conventions around this time of year. Instead, with the White House refusing to respond to the pandemic and with coronavirus cases on the rise, these student groups took to Zoo…

WSWS (2020-10-12). A timeline of the fascist conspiracy to kidnap and kill Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. wsws.org The conspiracy to target Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer for kidnap and assassination unfolded over a six-month period. The numbers in the text refer to the locations highlighted on the map.

Robert Koehler (2020-10-12). What Comes Next is Up to Us. counterpunch.org What if we stopped separating the looming national chaos into separate categories —racism, climate change, war, vote suppression, election theft, pandemic, science denial, white supremacy, police brutality, etc. — and tried looking at it all at once? This may be the legacy of Donald Trump, our first corkscrew-in-chief: He has popped the cork on who

WSWS (2020-10-12). Trump supporter killed by Pinkerton agent during dueling Denver, Colorado protests. wsws.org Despite the fact the shooter was employed by one of the most notorious security agencies in US history, far-right media outlets and personalities tried to paint the killing as the latest example of "BLM/Antifa" violence.

James Goodman (2020-10-12). 'Sheer Cruelty, Racism, and Disregard'. progressive.org Trump's immigration policy is all about sowing fear and division.

news.un (2020-10-12). Greater equality a 'prerequisite' for overcoming global crises: Bachelet. news.un.org In reviewing, assessing and acknowledging the effects of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, enslavement and colonialism, the groundbreaking Durban World Conference of 2001, represented a "milestone" in the common fight against racism, xenophobia and related intolerance, the UN human rights chief said on Monday.

Phoebe Sorgen & WiRED members (2020-10-12). Big Telecom + Berkelely Cops vs Neighbors + Activsts = fascism? indybay.org In the dark of night Oct 5, police backed AT&T in clash with Berkeley, Ca neighborhood over 4/5G antennas. Local cops do AT&T's bidding, forcefully removing Berkeley residents who were protecting the public commons from illegal wireless "small" cell installations.

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-12). Illegal sanctions amid pandemic sign of genocide: Namaki. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 12 (MNA) — Iranian Health Minister Saeid Namaki said that illegal sanctions amid pandemic are a sign of genocide that targets ordinary people.

commondreams (2020-10-12). Trump Once Again Uses Antisemitic "Puppet Master" Trope. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Paul Craig Roberts (2020-10-12). Western Civilization Has Surrendered to Barbarians. thealtworld.com Last June Cambridge University college Gonville and Caius announced that it was taking down a window commemorating Sir Ronald Fisher, the creator of modern statistics. The window allegedly "gave offense" because Fisher also headed up Cambridge University's eugenics research program, which has, through accusation and Third Reich genetic experiments, come to be associated with racism. The removed window says nothing about eugenics and depicts a mathematical model that Fisher devised. Nevertheless, newspaper headlines, such as The Guardian's, described the w…

Chris Gelardi (2020-10-12). It's Time for Italian Americans to Give Up on Columbus. thenation.com It's Time for Italian Americans to Give Up on Columbus…

2020-10-12: News Headlines

David Hearst (2020-10-12). Ismail Haniyeh interview: Full transcript. middleeasteye.net Ismail Haniyeh interview: Full transcript | Hamas's leader talks to MEE about Arab normalisation with Israel, the Gaza siege, Palestinian politics and the US elections | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 18: 28 | Ismail Haniyeh, 58, is the chairman of the political bureau of the Palestinian movement Hamas, and the de facto ruler of the besieged Gaza Strip (AFP) | Editor's note: David Hearst, editor-in-chief of Middle…

Gabriel Rockhill (2020-10-12). Fascism: Now You See It, Now You Don't! counterpunch.org "We need to understand that, contrary to what we are told by the U.S. media, fascism is not an extreme development, limited in time and place, that occurred a long time ago. Quite the contrary. Fascism is extended, generalized, and exists everywhere." — Vicente Navarro Only one country in the world has, in recent history:

David Hearst (2020-10-12). Hamas's Haniyeh: 'No mercy' for Arab states who betray Palestinian cause. middleeasteye.net Hamas's Haniyeh: 'No mercy' for Arab states who betray Palestinian cause | Speaking to MEE, Ismail Haniyeh decries UAE 'normalisation' deal with Israel, and hails 'positive' talks with Fatah | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 09: 33 | History will show no mercy to the Arab nations that recognise Israel, Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, has told Middle East Eye. | Asked about the recent "normalisation"

Nick Pemberton (2020-10-12). Social Media Demonization Is Another Moral Panic. counterpunch.org In his debate against Kamala Harris, Mike Pence zeroed in on the words "American people". He wanted to shift responsibility away from a failing administration and onto the people themselves. Harris was at her strongest when she slammed this approach as making the American people sacrificial. There is no term more fascist than "essential worker"—death

WSWS (2020-10-12). The Green Party of Canada chooses a new leader—multiple political frauds for the price of one. wsws.org Anamie Paul, the candidate favoured by the Green Party establishment, narrowly prevailed over the "eco-socialist," Palestinian-rights activist, and one-time Wall Street lawyer, Dimitri Lascaris.

Women's March (2020-10-12). Saturday 10/17: Alameda: Women's March for Saving the Supreme Court Seat Now! indybay.org Alameda City Hall, 2263 Santa Clara Ave, Alameda, CA 94501 | NOTE: Masks and Social Distancing…

WSWS (2020-10-12). Trump supporter killed by Pinkerton agent during dueling Denver, Colorado protests. wsws.org Despite the fact the shooter was employed by one of the most notorious security agencies in US history, far-right media outlets and personalities tried to paint the killing as the latest example of "BLM/Antifa" violence.

Caren Holmes (2020-10-12). The Campaign to "Kill" the BDS Movement Against Israel Extends Far and Wide. globalresearch.ca Israel is facing declining public support in the United States and sees the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions campaign as a key threat to its legitimacy. That's why Israel is enlisting the US government, American university administrators, and even tech companies …

WSWS (2020-10-12). A timeline of the fascist conspiracy to kidnap and kill Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. wsws.org The conspiracy to target Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer for kidnap and assassination unfolded over a six-month period. The numbers in the text refer to the locations highlighted on the map.

Robert Koehler (2020-10-12). What Comes Next is Up to Us. counterpunch.org What if we stopped separating the looming national chaos into separate categories —racism, climate change, war, vote suppression, election theft, pandemic, science denial, white supremacy, police brutality, etc. — and tried looking at it all at once? This may be the legacy of Donald Trump, our first corkscrew-in-chief: He has popped the cork on who

Phoebe Sorgen & WiRED members (2020-10-12). Big Telecom + Berkelely Cops vs Neighbors + Activsts = fascism? indybay.org In the dark of night Oct 5, police backed AT&T in clash with Berkeley, Ca neighborhood over 4/5G antennas. Local cops do AT&T's bidding, forcefully removing Berkeley residents who were protecting the public commons from illegal wireless "small" cell installations.

Chris Gelardi (2020-10-12). It's Time for Italian Americans to Give Up on Columbus. thenation.com It's Time for Italian Americans to Give Up on Columbus…

MEE and agencies (2020-10-11). Israel will oppose Qatar F-35 warplane sale to ensure 'military superiority'. middleeasteye.net Israel will oppose Qatar F-35 warplane sale to ensure 'military superiority' | Qatar has formally asked to buy US fighter jet, also sought by the United Arab Emirates | Sun, 10/11/2020 – 11: 33 | Israel received F-35 fighter jets in 2016 and has opposed their sale to other countries in the region (AFP) | Israel will oppose the sale of American F-35 fighter jets to Qatar to ensure its own m…

MEE staff (2020-10-11). Most Arab citizens do not earn enough to live on: Survey. middleeasteye.net Most Arab citizens do not earn enough to live on: Survey | Arab Opinion Index also says more than 60 percent believe Israel and United States are biggest threats to the Arab world's security | Sun, 10/11/2020 – 13: 03 | A man receives subsidized food items in Egypt (Reuters) | The majority of citizens in Arab countries believe they do not earn enough for their family's needs, according to a survey across 13 co…

RT (2020-10-11). 'Our region is not Switzerland,' Israeli minister says amid concerns Qatar may buy F-35 jets from US. rt.com Israel will oppose any deal to sell US-made F-35 fighter jets to Qatar, the country's intelligence minister said. Doha has reportedly already submitted a formal request to Washington to greenlight such a deal. | Speaking to Israeli Army Radio on Sunday, Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen said Tel Aviv would firmly oppose the sale of the 5th-generation stealth jets to the Gulf state. | "Our security and military superiority in the region are the most significant things for us," Cohen stressed. | Our region has still not turned into Switzerland. | Qatar's formal request for the jets was reported on Wednesday by Reu…

Peter Koenig (2020-10-11). Palestine: Anniversary of the Death of a Child — 30 September 2000. globalresearch.ca Palestine under siege for 72 years. A UK-prompted UN decision in 1947 allowed David Ben-Gurion, then the head of the Jewish Agency, to proclaim on May 14, 1948, the establishment of the State of Israel. | The United Nations Partition …

Abdel Bari Atwan (2020-10-11). The Saudi campaign against the Palestinians. thealtworld.com A concerted effort is underway to prepare public opinion for normalization with Israel | In June 2006, about a week after Israel's assault on Lebanon began, a Saudi delegation visited Washington and met with President George Bush Jr., who made an exception to receive them at the White House on a Sunday. The delegation was led by the then foreign minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal, and included the national security advisor and former ambassador to Washington, Prince Bandar bin-Sultan, and the serving ambassador and ex-intelligence chief, Prince Turki al-Faisal. | The day after that meeting, the three princes sent a…

Elijah Magnier (2020-10-11). Négociations ardues en vue entre le Liban et Israà´l. thealtworld.com En plus de la division interne qui règne entre les membres des différents groupes politiques de la société libanaise, le pays se prépare à entamer une négociation indirecte avec Israà´l au sujet d'un conflit frontalier datant de plusieurs décennies. Après neuf ans de discussions indirectes, les deux parties se sont mises d'accord sur une feuille de route négociée par le président du Parlement libanais, Nabih Berri. Les négociations en vue d'établir des frontières définitives devraient commencer dans la semaine du 14 octobre dans la ville libanaise limitrophe de Naqoura, au siège de la Force intérimaire des…

Elijah Magnier (2020-10-11). Difficult negotiations between Lebanon and Israel ahead. thealtworld.com Amid the domestic split between members of different political groups in Lebanese society, the country is preparing to start an indirect negotiation with Israel, pursuing a decades-old border dispute. After nine years of indirect discussion, both sides have agreed on a road map negotiated by the Lebanese Speaker Nabih Berri. The negotiations over the final borders are expected to begin in the week starting 14 October in the neighbouring Lebanese city of Naqoura at the headquarters of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and under its auspices. The negotiation is far from being a Lebanese normalisa…

sputniknews (2020-10-11). Portland Police Make Sweeping Arrests Minutes After Protest Begins. sputniknews.com Demonstrations across Portland, Oregon have continued through the year, beginning with the death of George Floyd and other African American men at the hands of United States law enforcement. The protests have emerged in opposition to what they claim is inherent racism within the police force.

sputniknews (2020-10-11). Grazia Magazine's 'Diversity Champion' Gets Booted Over Anti-Semitic Remarks, Media Say. sputniknews.com After her online remarks were revealed, Stephanie Yeboah reportedly issued an apology, admitting to making "very ignorant" comments about Jewish community.

sputniknews (2020-10-11). 'There Are Advantages': Israel Touts its Own Antibody Cocktail as Better Than Trump's. sputniknews.com During President Donald Trump's treatment at Walter Reed military hospital, he received an experimental polyclonal antibody cocktail created by the US biotechnology company Regeneron.

Staff (2020-10-11). Several GOP State Legislators Up for Reelection Have Nice Words for the KKK. truthout.org QAnon — the far-right conspiracy theory that falsely claims President Trump is battling "deep state" Satan-worshiping pedophiles who are running a global child sex-trafficking ring and plotting against him — made headlines recently when adherent Marjorie Taylor Greene

Tom Coburg (2020-10-11). Greek neo-Nazis provoked civil war, seven years later they're finally declared criminals. thecanary.co A Greek court has But there remain unanswered questions about the role of the police. And why earlier warnings that GD hoped to provoke a civil war in Greece as part of a "

Kaamil Ahmed (2020-10-10). Two killed as wildfires rage through Lebanon, Syria. middleeasteye.net Two killed as wildfires rage through Lebanon, Syria | Firefighters have been tackling hundreds of fires in both countries, while blazes in Israel prompt evacuations | Sat, 10/10/2020 – 15: 52 | A man watches as wildfires burn in Lebanon (Reuters) | At least two people have been killed in forest fires burning through Syria and Lebanon, state media and officials said. | Hundreds of hectares have burned…

Gloria Rubac (2020-10-10). Amid claims of racism, another federal execution set. workers.org The federal government has just set its eighth execution for 2020. U.S. Attorney General William Barr directed the Federal Bureau of Prisons to schedule the execution of Orlando Cordia Hall for Nov. 19 in Terre Haute, Ind. If carried out, this would place federal executions ahead of those by the . . . |

The Canary (2020-10-10). Police investigate Brexit campaigner Darren Grimes over controversial David Starkey interview. thecanary.co A police investigation has been launched into Brexit campaigner Darren Grimes over a controversial interview he published in which historian David Starkey said slavery was not genocide because there are "so many damn blacks" still around.In a statement, Metropolitan Police confirmed that "on 4 July, the Metropolitan Police Service was passed an allegation from Durham Police of a public order offence relating to a social media video posted online on 30 June."The matter is currently being investigated."No arrests have been made, the force added.Dr David Starkey faced significant backlash over his comments in the in…

Abdul Rahman (2020-10-10). Israel's man in Washington. peoplesdispatch.org It's election season in the United States and one aspect of president Donald Trump's record that is not up for debate is his role in sustaining and strengthening the Israeli occupation of Palestine. Trump has left no stone unturned to win the support of pro-Zionist groups in his country by subordinating US foreign policy interests to that of Israel. | Trump's use of US power, including its military and financial resources, has helped Israel achieve some of its long-term diplomatic and strategic goals. This includes recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and the "normalization" of the relationship with Arab…

sputniknews (2020-10-10). Joe Biden Says Voters 'Don't Deserve' to Know His Stance on Supreme Court Packing. sputniknews.com The issue of court packing – an idea supported by many in the Democratic party – has been one of those most acute for Democratic candidate Joe Biden and his campaign, as he has consistently been reluctant to outline his position on extending the number of Supreme Court judges.

WSWS (2020-10-10). Democrats and corporate media cover-up Trump's role in Michigan coup plot. wsws.org The silence of the Democratic Party and corporate media is giving Trump an opening to move forward with his plot to use fascist militia to overturn the outcome of the election.

Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II (2020-10-10). Republicans Know They Can't Win If Everyone Casts a Ballot. zcomm.org The Republican Party's voter suppression efforts ahead of the November election, aimed primarily at Black and Brown voters, amount to "surgical racism with surgical precision."

Jessica P Cerdeña, Marie V Plaisime, Jennifer Tsai (2020-10-10). [Viewpoint] From race-based to race-conscious medicine: how anti-racist uprisings call us to act. thelancet.com The brutalisation of Jacob Blake and murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, and countless others—coupled with horrifying statistics about the disproportionate burden of COVID-19 on Black and Brown communities—have forced the USA and the world to reckon with how structural racism conditions survival. Although clinicians often imagine themselves as beneficent caregivers, it is increasingly clear that medicine is not a stand-alone institution immune to racial inequities, but rather is an institution of structural racism.

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2020-10-09). 'Be Afraid—Be Very Afraid': Methane Ruling Seen as Ominous Sign With Barrett Poised to Join Supreme Court. commondreams.org The judge delivered a "puzzling and unsupported conclusion that the Bureau of Land Management can't limit methane waste because that would reduce greenhouse gas pollution." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Ramzy Baroud (2020-10-09). Despite Ambiguity in International Law, Palestinians are Winning the 'Legitimacy War'. dissidentvoice.org 'International law' remains one of the most discussed terms in the context of the Israeli occupation of Palestine. It is almost always present, whether the discussion pertains to the Israeli wars and siege on Gaza, the expansion of illegal Jewish settlements in the West Bank or the encroaching apartheid throughout Israel and the Occupied Territories. …

Amiad Horowitz (2020-10-09). Right wing fuses anti-Semitism with anti-communism in its conspiracy theories. peoplesworld.org It's hard for anyone reading any reactionary publication to avoid the name George Soros. Many right-wingers claim that Soros, a billionaire Jewish businessman, is funding radical leftists. They claim that Soros pays Black Lives Matter protesters, and some say he helps coordinate leftist activities around the world. Of course, anyone who does the slightest bit …

Eve Ottenberg (2020-10-09). Fascism's Twisted Take on Climate Change. counterpunch.org The climate catastrophe has caught fascism's evil eye. First it spawned eco-fascism, a creed founded on lies about immigrants and population control. More people migrating to first world countries, eco-fascists say, means more people with outsized carbon footprints. Better for those immigrants to stay home, having less climate impact, than coming here to indulge in

John Wojcik, C.J. Atkins (2020-10-09). Trump attacks Michigan Gov. Whitmer after white supremacist kidnapping plot foiled. peoplesworld.org Shortly after a dangerous group of white supremacist terrorists were charged in a plot to kidnap Michigan's Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and put her on trial for "treason," President Trump came out with his own attack on her. The apparent motive behind the kidnapping scheme was the dislike the kidnappers had of the governor's quick and …

Joshua Cho (2020-10-09). Evidence-free 'lab leak' speculation boosts Trump's Xenophobic approach to Coronavirus. mronline.org Ever since the outbreak of COVID-19 was first detected in Wuhan, China has been the target of relentless hostile and racist media coverage, depicting the country as a uniquely nefarious source of disease (FAIR.org, 3/24/20, 5/7/20).

John Wojcik (2020-10-09). To Biden and Harris: Don't keep your best policies packed away. peoplesworld.org The Biden-Harris campaign is doing a good job of presenting a small-d democratic alternative to the neo-fascist Trump and his followers in and around the White House and Republican Party. The good job the Dems are doing in this respect was reflected in the Trump-Biden and the Pence-Harris debates. Both Biden and Harris, however, missed …

Shatha Hammad (2020-10-09). Israel's school demolition order leaves Palestinian children in limbo. middleeasteye.net Israel's school demolition order leaves Palestinian children in limbo | The EU-supported project in Ramallah has seen daily intimidation by settlers and serves 50 students | Fri, 10/09/2020 – 10: 03 | Palestinian children from the primary school in Ras al-Tin, eastern Ramallah, that is facing demolition (Shatha Hammad) | An Israeli court rejected on Thursday an appeal against the demolition of an E…

Mohammad Ersan (2020-10-09). Under US pressure, Jordan hit by furore over Palestinian ex-prisoner's deportation. middleeasteye.net Under US pressure, Jordan hit by furore over Palestinian ex-prisoner's deportation | Hamas member's attempt to appeal to King Abdullah for her husband creates controversy when her line is cut on the radio | Fri, 10/09/2020 – 14: 37 | Ahlam Tamimi speaks to reporters upon her arrival at Queen Alia international airport in Amman on 18 October 2011 (AFP) | The Jordanian government and a popular rad…

MEE staff (2020-10-09). Palestinians outraged by Saudi prince's barbed criticism of leadership. middleeasteye.net Palestinians outraged by Saudi prince's barbed criticism of leadership | Ex-Saudi spy chief's rant prompts suspicions Riyadh is clearing the way for Israeli normalisation | Fri, 10/09/2020 – 13: 26 | Bandar bin Sultan during an interview with Al-Arabiya channel (Screengrab) | Palestinians have reacted furiously to comments by top Saudi royal, Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, a former Saudi spy chief and…

Robert Penner (2020-10-09). Killer cop let off the hook for a third time in Milwaukee. liberationnews.org Liberation News eyewitness to massive state repression of protest against racist police terror.

Ramzy Baroud (2020-10-09). Black Lives Should Always Matter: Delinking Social Justice from Seasonal US Politics. counterpunch.org After viewing the first US Presidential debate on September 29, one is left with no doubt about the degenerating political discourse among America's ruling elites. Following the debate between US President, Donald Trump, and Democratic Presidential nominee, Joe Biden, most analyses focused mainly on the personal insults and name-calling, which, deservedly, earned the event the

_____ (2020-10-09). Systemic Racism At Wells Fargo & Microsoft. strategic-culture.org Rod DREHER | Here's a letter the US Labor Department sent to Wells Fargo recently. (I had to screenshot it in parts, which is why it's broken up here): | The Labor Department sent a similar letter to Microsoft: | There is no chance at all that a Biden administration Labor Department would investigate major corporations for anti-white discrimination. Keep that in mind. Naturally, there has been negative press coverage.

RT (2020-10-09). DOJ slaps Yale with lawsuit over 'at least 50 years' of discrimination, claiming it put WHITE & Asian applicants at disadvantage. rt.com The US Department of Justice has sued Yale University for racial discrimination in its admissions process, arguing the school deliberately put Asian and white applicants at a disadvantage for decades. | Filed in the US District Court in Connecticut on Thursday, the

Marlee Kokotovic (2020-10-09). Texas Supreme Court denies mail-in ballot application request form Houston. nationofchange.org "It is disappointing that the Court has sided with political forces seeking to limit voter access this November."

sputniknews (2020-10-09). 'Data Speaks': Dr Fauci Calls Supreme Court Nomination Event at White House COVID-19 'Superspreader'. sputniknews.com On 2 October, US President Donald Trump announced that just a few days following a White House event where the president revealed his Supreme Court nominee, he and the first lady, Melania Trump, had contracted the coronavirus disease. At least 37 White House staffers and "other contacts" have reportedly tested positive for COVID-19.

Bill Moyers, Lisa Graves (2020-10-09). Will Amy Coney Barrett Stand by Her Man? He's Betting a Second Term On It. commondreams.org Amy Coney Barrett (R), President Donald Trump's nominee for associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, listens as Trump speaks during an announcement ceremony at the White House on September 26, 2020 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Chen Mengtong/China News Service via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2020-10-09). Warning Fundamental Rights and American Lives at Stake, 5,000+ Lawyers Urge Senate to Reject Barrett. commondreams.org "Rushing to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett will cause irreparable damage to the public's faith in the Supreme Court, the rule of law, and our democracy." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…