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2020-10-13: News Headlines

_____ (2020-10-13). How Azerbaijan Is Lobbying Washington to Sanitize Its War. strategic-culture.org Documents reveal a flurry of activity to convince beltway elites that Armenia is the aggressor and the U.S. should favor Azerbaijan. | Barbara BOLAND | As conflict heats up over Nagorno-Karabakh, a tiny Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan, a covert battle is taking place on Capitol Hill to win the hearts and minds of lawmakers in Washington. | Since hostilities began on September 27, hundreds of lives have been lost as Azerbaijani drones have flown within 20 miles of Yerevan, Armenia's capital, and an Armenian strike was carried out on a military base in Azerbaijan's second city, Ganja. | "The next targets could be…

Alan MacLeod (2020-10-12). In Afghanistan, American Troops Patrol the Same Routes Their Fathers Did. thealtworld.com Thousands of US soldiers continue to pace and patrol exactly the same routes as their predecessors did in 2001, fighting a seemingly endless conflict that both the American and Afghan public have long since soured on. | MPN— Nineteen years ago last week the United States invaded Afghanistan, a country halfway around the world that few in America had heard of and even fewer knew anything about. Today, thousands of U.S. soldiers and many more private military contractors continue to pace and patrol exactly the same routes as their predecessors did in 2001, fighting a seemingly endless and pointless conflict th…

Stephen Sefton (2020-10-12). On How Julian Assange Is Made Invisible. telesurenglish.net Over thirty years ago, the moral philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre noted that an inability to engage competing rationalities critically disables the proponents of the moral and intellectual tradition failing to do so. That kind of fundamental, banal critical failure has always characterized the societies of the Western imperialist powers, in every sphere of intellectual and moral life. | RELATED: | It may have been les…

Fidel Narváez (2020-10-12). El 'juicio del siglo' contra Julian Assange: 10 razones para salvar el futuro del periodismo. thegrayzone.com El ex diplomático ecuatoriano que le dio asilo político a Julian Assange informa sobre la audiencia de extradición del periodista de WikiLeaks, y explica por qué es "el caso más importante contra la libertad de expresión de toda una generación". Por Fidel Narváez Read this article in English here. Nota del editor: Fidel Narváez fue el consul de Ecuador en el Reino Unido entre 2010 y 2018. Ayudó a darle el asilo político a Julian Assange, y se comunicaba regularmente …

Fidel Narváez (2020-10-12). Julian Assange faces the 'trial of the century': 10 reasons why it threatens freedom of speech. thegrayzone.com The Ecuadorian diplomat who gave Julian Assange political asylum reports from the extradition hearing against the WikiLeaks journalist, and explains why it is "the most important case against the freedom of expression in an entire generation." By Fidel Narváez Translated by Ben Norton Puedes leer este artículo en español aquí. Editor's note: Fidel Narváez served as Ecuador's consul in the UK from 2010 until July 2018. He helped get Julian Assange political asylum, and regularly communicated with the WikiLeaks publisher …

Ron Ridenour (2020-10-12). The Tortured Trial of Julian Assange. counterpunch.org Most people might be excused for not knowing it, because the story is mainly ignored, or is shamelessly misreported in the corporate media when it does get any attention. A courageous Australian journalist, abandoned by his own country, is being railroaded by a British court towards extradition to the US where he could face life

MEE staff (2020-10-12). Turkey asked to halt deportation of Turkmen activist. middleeasteye.net Turkey asked to halt deportation of Turkmen activist | Dursoltan Taganova is at risk of arbitrary detention and torture if deported, human rights campaigners have warned | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 12: 28 | Social media picture of Dursoltan Taganova (Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights) | Human rights organisations have condemned plans by Turkish authorities to deport an activist to Turkmenistan, where they fear she w…

Sophia Purdy-Moore (2020-10-12). Nigerian government officially disbands notorious police unit, but the fight against police brutality is far from over. thecanary.co The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) is a unit of the Nigerian Police Force. Over the years, evidence has mounted of SARS units unlawfully arresting and detaining young people across the country. That evidence includes accounts of kidnapping, extrajudicial executions, stealing property and extorting money. | Since 2016, Amnesty International has documented at least 82 cases of torture, ill-treatment and extrajudicial executions by SARS. In a

Rania Khalek (2020-10-11). Aaron Maté On Western Countries Attacking OPCW Syria Testimony At The UN. thealtworld.com OPCW whistleblower Ian Henderson and former OPCW director José Bustani, who testified before the UN Security Council, were attacked by the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Germany during two UN Security Council meetings in which they provided testimony. | Bustani was blocked from reading his prepared statement on the OPCW's cover-up of what they uncovered when investigators examined the scene of an alleged chemical attack in Douma, Syria, in April 2018. | Henderson was accused of being part of a "disinformation exercise," even though he was personally involved as an investigator, and physicist Ted Posto…

Staff (2020-10-11). Assange Faces Extradition for Exposing US War Crimes. truthout.org Three weeks of testimony in Julian Assange's extradition hearing in London underscored WikiLeaks's extraordinary revelation of U.S. war crimes in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantánamo Bay. But the Trump administration is seeking to extradite Assange to the United States to stand trial for charges under the Espionage Act that could cause him to spend 175 years in prison. | Assange founded WikiLeaks during the Bush administration's "war on terror," which was used as a pretext to start two illegal wars and carry out a wides…

sputniknews (2020-10-10). Saudi Coalition Destroys Explosive Drone Launched by Houthis Towards Saudi Arabia – SPA. sputniknews.com Attacks involving drones or missiles are frequently reported by the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthi rebel group, as Yemen continues to be engulfed in an armed conflict between government forces led by the president, Hadi, and Houthi militants.

WSWS (2020-10-09). After the Assange hearing—the fight against imperialism. wsws.org What took place at London's Old Bailey was a process of vicious retribution against a journalist who exposed the barbarism of the ruling class before the world.

pip.hinman (2020-10-09). Greg Barnes: 'The government must act to help Julian Assange'. greenleft.org.au

Jonathan Cook (2020-10-09). George Monbiot's Excuses for Not Speaking Out Loudly in Defense of Assange Simply Won't Wash. counterpunch.org Faced with a barrage of criticism from some of his followers, George Monbiot, the Guardian's supposedly fearless, leftwing columnist, offered up two extraordinarily feeble excuses this week for failing to provide more than cursory support for Julian Assange over the past month, as the Wikileaks founder has endured extradition hearings in a London courtroom. The

Jeffrey St. Clair (2020-10-09). Roaming Charges: A Fly in the Anointment. counterpunch.org A return to normalcy, you say? Normalcy brought us the Iraq War, torture, assassination by drone, 607 billionaires & 600k homeless, the gutting of welfare, warrantless wiretaps, militarized police, the war on drugs, globalized fracking, the destruction of the Gulf of Mexico & an atmospheric C02 level of 411.08 ppm and rising. Screw normalcy.

2020-10-12: News Headlines

Ron Ridenour (2020-10-12). The Tortured Trial of Julian Assange. counterpunch.org Most people might be excused for not knowing it, because the story is mainly ignored, or is shamelessly misreported in the corporate media when it does get any attention. A courageous Australian journalist, abandoned by his own country, is being railroaded by a British court towards extradition to the US where he could face life

Rania Khalek (2020-10-11). Aaron Maté On Western Countries Attacking OPCW Syria Testimony At The UN. thealtworld.com OPCW whistleblower Ian Henderson and former OPCW director José Bustani, who testified before the UN Security Council, were attacked by the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Germany during two UN Security Council meetings in which they provided testimony. | Bustani was blocked from reading his prepared statement on the OPCW's cover-up of what they uncovered when investigators examined the scene of an alleged chemical attack in Douma, Syria, in April 2018. | Henderson was accused of being part of a "disinformation exercise," even though he was personally involved as an investigator, and physicist Ted Posto…

Staff (2020-10-11). Assange Faces Extradition for Exposing US War Crimes. truthout.org Three weeks of testimony in Julian Assange's extradition hearing in London underscored WikiLeaks's extraordinary revelation of U.S. war crimes in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantánamo Bay. But the Trump administration is seeking to extradite Assange to the United States to stand trial for charges under the Espionage Act that could cause him to spend 175 years in prison. | Assange founded WikiLeaks during the Bush administration's "war on terror," which was used as a pretext to start two illegal wars and carry out a wides…

sputniknews (2020-10-10). Saudi Coalition Destroys Explosive Drone Launched by Houthis Towards Saudi Arabia – SPA. sputniknews.com Attacks involving drones or missiles are frequently reported by the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthi rebel group, as Yemen continues to be engulfed in an armed conflict between government forces led by the president, Hadi, and Houthi militants.

WSWS (2020-10-09). After the Assange hearing—the fight against imperialism. wsws.org What took place at London's Old Bailey was a process of vicious retribution against a journalist who exposed the barbarism of the ruling class before the world.

pip.hinman (2020-10-09). Greg Barnes: 'The government must act to help Julian Assange'. greenleft.org.au

Jonathan Cook (2020-10-09). George Monbiot's Excuses for Not Speaking Out Loudly in Defense of Assange Simply Won't Wash. counterpunch.org Faced with a barrage of criticism from some of his followers, George Monbiot, the Guardian's supposedly fearless, leftwing columnist, offered up two extraordinarily feeble excuses this week for failing to provide more than cursory support for Julian Assange over the past month, as the Wikileaks founder has endured extradition hearings in a London courtroom. The

Jeffrey St. Clair (2020-10-09). Roaming Charges: A Fly in the Anointment. counterpunch.org A return to normalcy, you say? Normalcy brought us the Iraq War, torture, assassination by drone, 607 billionaires & 600k homeless, the gutting of welfare, warrantless wiretaps, militarized police, the war on drugs, globalized fracking, the destruction of the Gulf of Mexico & an atmospheric C02 level of 411.08 ppm and rising. Screw normalcy.

_____ (2020-10-08). OPCW Syria Whistleblower and Ex-OPCW Chief Attacked by U.S., UK, France at UN. strategic-culture.org At the UN Security Council, the US, UK and France were confronted with testimony from OPCW whistleblower Ian Henderson and ex-OPCW chief Jose Bustani that challenged the rationale for their bombing of Syria in April 2018. They responded by attacking and silencing the witnesses. Aaron Maté recaps the extraordinary events.

Media Lens (2020-10-08). 'None of It Reported': How Corporate Media Buried the Assange Trial. globalresearch.ca One of the most imposing features of state-corporate propaganda is its incessant, repetitive nature. Over and over again, the 'mainstream' media have to convince the public that 'our' government prioritises the health, welfare and livelihoods of the general population, rather …

MEE correspondent (2020-10-08). Iranian press review: Revolutionary Guard equips speed boats with suicide drones. middleeasteye.net Iranian press review: Revolutionary Guard equips speed boats with suicide drones | Meanwhile, the Shahrvand daily interviews a former death row inmate and Iran sets new record for daily coronavirus deaths | Thu, 10/08/2020 – 13: 01 | This handout photo provided by Iran's IRGC official website via SEPAH News on 23 September 2020 shows speed boats carrying drones during a ceremony in Iran…

Gordon Duff (2020-10-08). NEO: Will it be Biden and Putin, Making the New World? thealtworld.com The current situation between Armenia and Azerbaijan has shown the world the dangers of secret pacts and ancient grudges, as a new "August 1914" moves toward reality. | As early as 2012, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Israel and the Gulf States began arming al Qaeda and ISIS, deploying them against both Syria and Iraq. | Other nations aided as well, not just the US, France and Britain. There was also Georgia, Azerbaijan, Romania and, above all, Ukraine. | We will cover the backstory on this but what is clear is this, the Trump era replacement for NATO, where supposed enemies work in concert seamlessly, presents challenges…

Aaron Maté (2020-10-07). OPCW Syria whistleblower and ex-OPCW chief attacked by US, UK, France at UN. thegrayzone.com At the UN Security Council, the US, UK and France were confronted with testimony from OPCW whistleblower Ian Henderson and ex-OPCW chief Jose Bustani that challenged the rationale for their bombing of Syria in April 2018. They responded by attacking and silencing the witnesses. Aaron Maté recaps the extraordinary events. Ian Henderson, a veteran OPCW inspector who challenged a cover-up of his organization's investigation of an alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria, recently testified before the United Nations Security Council. …