(2020-09-12). [Editorial] Global collaboration for health: rhetoric versus reality. thelancet.com The 75th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) opens on Sept 15, 2020. Being held remotely for the first time, the meeting will inevitably be dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic, but other issues on the agenda that have resonance for global health include the climate crisis, peace, disarmament, and humanitarian assistance. Underpinning this year's agenda is the UN theme of multilateralism, under the banner "The future we want, the United Nations we need: reaffirming our collective commitment to multilateralism".
(2020-09-12). Historic Afghan talks present 'major opportunity' for peace: UN Secretary-General. news.un.org The first ever direct talks between Afghan Government representatives and the Taliban which began on Saturday, present "a major opportunity" to finally realise the "long-held aspirations" of the people, for a peaceful future, the UN chief has said.
(2020-09-12). US 'doesn't seek to impose' democracy on Afghanistan. yenisafak.com After 19 years of American invasion in the name of fighting terrorist groups and democratizing Afghanistan, which led to the shattering of latter's political institutions, the US on Saturday announced that it is no longer interested in exporting democracy to the war-weary country.US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's remarks came in the beginning of intra-Afghan peace talks between the Afghan government and Taliban insurgents in the Qatari capital Doha.The historic talks aim to end nearly two decades of armed insurgency in Afghanistan amid pressure from US President Donald Trump's administration ahead of elections…
(2020-09-12). Sunday 9/13: Sharat G. Lin on the Rise and Fall of U.S.-China Relations. indybay.org Online…
(2020-09-12). Palestinian Authority: Bahrain-Israel deal 'betrayal'. yenisafak.com The Palestinian Authority on Friday condemned Bahrain's move of normalizing relations with Israel. | "The Palestinian leadership strongly rejects and condemns the American-Bahraini-Israeli tripartite declaration on the normalization of relations between the occupying state of Israel and the Kingdom of Bahrain," the Palestinian Authority said in a statement. | The statement called the move "a betrayal of Jerusalem, Al-Aqsa and the Palestinian cause". | The statement added that Bahrain's step blows up the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative and the resolutions of Arab and Islamic summits. | The Palestinian groups, including…
(2020-09-12). Netanyahu welcomes normalization with Bahrain. yenisafak.com Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday welcomed US President Donald Trump's annoucement of reaching a normalization deal between Israel and Bahrain. | In a news conference broadcast by the Israeli KAN TV, Netanyahu said that it took Israel 29 days to reach the agreement with Bahrain.Netanyahu also confirmed that other Arab countries will establish ties with Israel. "It is a new phase of peace," he added. | The Bahraini official news agency said that during a phone call between Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Trump both sides agreed to establish full diplomatic ties between Tel Aviv and Ma…
(2020-09-12). Egypt's al-Sisi hails Bahrain, Israel normalization. yenisafak.com Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi on Friday said he considered the normalization agreement between Israel and Bahrain a step toward peace in the region."I value this important step towards establishing stability and peace in the Middle East, and in a way that achieves a just and permanent settlement for the Palestinian cause," al-Sisi tweeted thanking the parties involved in implementing this "historic step".Israel and Bahrain agreed to establish full diplomatic relations on Friday in a second breakthrough between Israel and its Arab neighbors after it normalized ties with the United Arab Emirates last mont…
(2020-09-11). Why is the US Government Using Stolen Cash To Pay Doctors in Venezuela? thealtworld.com The US government is using cash stolen from the Venezuelan government as part of a hearts and minds campaign on behalf of opposition figure Juan Guaidó. | MPN— Venezuelan doctors currently fighting COVID-19 are receiving funding from an unlikely source: U.S. backed coup leader Juan Guaidó. Health workers, who sometimes earn less than $20 per month, are receiving $100 dollars monthly from the self-declared president of Venezuela. Where is Guaidó getting all this money from? The U.S. government, who, in turn, is using the billions of dollars it has confiscated from Venezuela to fund his latest political stunt.
(2020-09-11). Greenpeace Displays Giant Banner Against Amazon Deforestation. telesurenglish.net Greenpeace unfolded a giant banner at the headquarters of the European Commission (EC) in Brussels to denounce the deforestation of the Amazon and criticize the trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and Mercosur, which has not yet entered in force. | RELATED: |
(2020-09-11). US govt & Democrat-tied troll farm boosts Bolivian coup regime, meddles in Mexico, Venezuela. thegrayzone.com Red Lines host Anya Parampil speaks with The Grayzone's Ben Norton about US troll farm CLS Strategies that boosted Bolivia's coup regime and sought to destabilize leftist Venezuelan and Mexican governments. Ben Norton joined Red Lines to discuss his recent piece, "U.S. govt-linked PR firm ran fake news networks for right-wing Latin American regimes." He …
(2020-09-11). The Neverending Holocausts of the Neoliberal Order. dissidentvoice.org 
Biochemist, writer, humanitarian activist, and artist, Gideon Polya has had a selection of his essays gathered into a compendium titled US-Imposed Post-9/11 Muslim Holocaust & Muslim Genocide (Korsgaard Publishing, 2020). The compendium is important because it brings to the forefront, for anyone who cares an iota for peace and social justice, the horrible crimes of …
(2020-09-11). Venezuela's Maduro Announces Capture of Alleged US Spy Planning Explosion. sputniknews.com Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced on Friday that a US spy who had been targeting the country's oil refineries for an attack has been captured.
(2020-09-11). Venezuela says it captured 'US spy' targeting two oil refineries with 'heavy, specialized' weapons. rt.com 
President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela has announced the capture of "an American spy" with heavy weapons and money near two refineries in the state of Falcon. The man is said to be a Marine who worked for the CIA in Iraq.
(2020-09-11). Peter Maybarduk on Covid Treatments, Kia Rahnama on the Right to Protest. fair.org 
Media…
(2020-09-11). Remembering Frank 'Big Black' Smith. workers.org 
by Ida Robinson Ida Robinson is a co-founder with Families with a Future. She is an ex-prisoner, ex-fugitive and a current activist working with women and LGBTQ2S+ people. This is an edited version of her talk during the Aug. 29 WWP webinar, "Black Lives Matter: Justice for Peaceful Soledad Prisoners." . . . |
(2020-09-11). Afghan Government Set to Begin Historic Peace Talks With Taliban on Saturday. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – After months of delays, the Afghan government and the Taliban will open "historic" peace talks in the Qatari capital of Doha on Saturday, with the hope that the negotiations will bring the country's long-running conflict to a conclusion.
(2020-09-11). Qatar set to host Afghan government-Taliban talks again. yenisafak.com Qatar is set to host another round of talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban on Saturday to end the ongoing war in the country.In a statement, the Afghan Presidency said negotiations with the Taliban would begin in Qatar's capital Doha.The Afghan delegation, headed by former chief of the intelligence service Masoom Stanikzai, includes 21 members from various political parties and groups.President of the Supreme Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah, acting Foreign Minister Hanif Atmar, Minister of State for Peace Affairs Sayed Sadat Mansoor Naderi and the president's Special Represent…
(2020-09-11). Venezuela: Commission Announces Contingency Plan for Fuel Supply. telesurenglish.net The government entity denounced in a communiqué the negative impact of the unilateral coercive measures imposed by the government of the United States on the Venezuela people and economy, and especially the sanctions in the past two years on Venezuela's oil industry by U.S. President Donald Trump. | RELATED: | With the goal of suffocating the economy, Washington's punitive measures and actions against Venezuela, and particularly aga…
(2020-09-11). 'Reducing Troops Not The Same As Ending Wars'. popularresistance.org The U.S. military's announcement Wednesday that thousands of troops will soon withdraw from Iraq was met with skepticism by peace activists, who were quick to note that a reduction in troop strength is not the same thing as ending the war. | U.S. Central Command (CETCOM) commander Gen. Frank McKenzie said Wednesday that the number of U.S. troops in Iraq will be reduced from 5,200 to 3,000 during the month of September, but critics said this should not be seen as President Donald Trump fulfilling his campaign promise in 2016 to end the nation's wasteful overseas wars.
(2020-09-11). Belarus: UN chief deeply concerned over use of force against peaceful protesters. news.un.org Secretary-General António Guterres on Friday expressed deep concern over the continued use of force against peaceful protestors in Belarus and detention of those exercising their legitimate democratic rights.
(2020-09-11). Colombia: Ex-FARC Combatant Assassinated in Antioquia. telesurenglish.net John Jairo Davila Aguirre, demobilized member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People's Army (FARC-EP) and signer of the 2016 Peace Accords, was assassinated in the municipality of Remedios in the Colombian department of Antioquia. | RELATED: | Davila Aguirre, who led a productive project in his territory, had been kidnapped Thursday by non-identified individuals, presumably members of an illegal armed group,…
(2020-09-11). China, India agree to disengage troops on contested border. yenisafak.com China and India said they had agreed to de-escalate renewed tensions on their contested Himalayan border and take steps to restore "peace and tranquillity" following a high-level diplomatic meeting in Moscow.Chinese State Councillor Wang Yi and Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar met in Moscow on Thursday and reached a five-point consensus, including agreements the current border situation is not in their interests and that troops from both sides should quickly disengage and ease tensions, the two countries said in a joint statement.The consensus, struck on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation m…
(2020-09-11). Israel, Bahrain fully normalize diplomatic relations. yenisafak.com The latest agreement was finalized during a telephone call between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Bahrain King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, according to a joint US-Bahrain-Israel statement published on Twitter by US President Donald Trump.The statement hailed the agreement as a "historic breakthrough" that it said would further peace in the region."Opening direct dialogue and ties between these two dynamic societies and advanced economies will continue the positive transformation of the Middle East and increase stability, security and prosperity in the region," it said.Addressing reporters in the Oval…
(2020-09-10). Venezuela Backs Bolivia's Morales and Ecuador's Correa Following Court Rulings. venezuelanalysis.com The Maduro government recently launched the Simon Bolivar International Institute to strengthen international solidarity.
(2020-09-10). Venezuela launches Simón Bolívar Institute for Peace and Solidarity among Peoples. peoplesdispatch.org The Simón Bolívar Institute for Peace and Solidarity among Peoples was launched on September 6, with the presence of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The Institute was created to strengthen the international relations between Venezuela, Latin America and the world. The launch event was held virtually and broadcasted on YouTube through the institute's official account. Around 106 political and social leaders from across the globe joined the video conference. | International activists and intellectuals including Laura Capote, a Colombian activist and member of the ALBA Movements Secretariat, Vijay Prashad, exec…
(2020-09-10). New: Simón Bolívar Institute For Peace And Solidarity Among Peoples. popularresistance.org Caracas, VZ – On Sunday, September 6, 205 years since the publication of the Jamaica Letter, the Simón Bolívar Institute for Peace and Solidarity among Peoples was inaugurated as a new space for the research, dissemination, debate, solidarity and strengthening of international relations. | The inauguration took place via YouTube on the Institute's Spanish and English channels. | "Our institute is formally inaugurated today, but the truth is that it already existed. The peoples have raised their voices in favor of Venezuela, and we at the same time have raised our voices for humankind's great causes," said the Pre…
(2020-09-10). The Current Impasse in Belarus and the Peace Alternative. counterpunch.org 
Back in the 1970s, the left and even many liberals were clear that Nixon's dropping napalm on Vietnamese villages was an abomination. By the 1990s, some thought Bill Clinton's bombing of Yugoslavia was, perhaps, humanitarian. Fast forward to the present, there is sentiment that the US has a global "responsibility to protect" the less enlightened
(2020-09-10). Kevin Zeese: The Passing Of A Warrior For Peace And Justice. popularresistance.org Having met Kevin Zeese during the Occupy movement in September of 2011, by Merwin's metric we passed unknowing the day that had finally come for Kevin nine times. Nine times we, (Kevin, Margaret Flowers -his loving partner, and I) were engaged in the struggle in one way or another. Occupy DC, Occupy the EPA, Hands Up Don't Shoot, Justice Mondays at the Department of Justice to name a few and lastly only hours before his transition — the fight to stop the desecration of Moses African Cemetery in Bethesda, Maryland.
(2020-09-10). Foreign Correspondent: Trump Plays Both Sides Against the Middle. progressive.org Is he a hawk? Is he a peacenik? The President keeps us guessing.
(2020-09-10). Peace through weapons sales to the UAE. nationofchange.org If the American people really want to pursue peace in the Middle East and instead use our taxes to build up U.S. infrastructure, healthcare, education and address the climate crisis, then we must immediately pressure our Congressional representatives to make sure that the U.S.-UAE weapons sales deal does not go through.
(2020-09-10). Belarus: Ensure 'full respect' for workers' rights during protests, ILO urges President Lukashenko. news.un.org Voicing deep concern over detention and arrests of trade unionists in Belarus, the head of the UN International Labour Organization (ILO) called on President Alexander Lukashenko to ensure a climate free from violence and intimidation against peacefully protesting workers.
(2020-09-10). Israel-UAE Deal: The Emiratis Are Now Under Israel's Thumb. globalresearch.ca The "peace deal" between the UAE and Israel announced last month cannot be interpreted solely through the lens of normalisation; it is much more than that. What occurred on …
(2020-09-10). Work to achieve a culture of peace amid COVID-19 upheaval: UN Secretary-General. news.un.org As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to upend economies and societies, while also threatening to erode trust in public institutions and democracy, it is critical that people everywhere continue to pursue peace.
(2020-09-09). As Trump Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize, Here Are Some of Its Worst Winners. mintpressnews.com While there have been some worthy winners in its 119-year history, the Nobel Peace Prize has very often been handed to some of the world's worst warmongers and war criminals.
(2020-09-09). India Lost Its Last Chance To 'Save Face' Before China. thealtworld.com India could have followed the Chinese Defense Ministry's suggestion to investigate the first-ever firearm discharge near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in almost half a century, which could have helped New Delhi "save face" before Beijing by de-escalating this extremely dangerous situation that it's entirely responsible for provoking, but it declined doing so since it's seemingly more important for Modi to "save face" before his domestic audience even if it leads to a disastrous "war by miscalculation" with China. | India Ignored A Priceless Opportunity For Peace | The security situation between India and China…
(2020-09-09). India-China Relations: India Ignored A Priceless Opportunity For Peace. globalresearch.ca India could have followed the Chinese Defense Ministry's suggestion to investigate the first-ever firearm discharge near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in almost half a century, which could have helped New Delhi "save face" before Beijing by de-escalating this …
(2020-09-09). Julian Assange Hearing: Day Three. popularresistance.org Paul Rogers, Emeritus Professor of Peace Studies at Bradford University, took the stand by video link to testify about Julian Assange's political views and how they factor into the Trump administration's prosecution of Assange for publishing. | Rogers reviewed Assange's speeches, including an anti-war speech in 2011 in London and a speech to the UN following the release of Iraq and Afghan war logs, as well as Mairead Maguire's nomination of Assange for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019. LINKs. Rogers concluded that Assange's views don't fall into traditional liberal or conservative belief systems but are rather more…
(2020-09-09). Conviasa retorna a venezolanos varados en México y EEUU. mppre.gob.ve El Consorcio Venezolano de Industrias Aeronáuticas y Servicios Aéreos (Conviasa), trasladó a Venezuela a más de 50 connacionales que se encontraban varados en México y Estados Unidos a la espera de un vuelo para volver a su Patria. Con estrictos protocolos de bioseguridad para prevenir la propagación del COVID-19, los connacionales abordaron el vuelo V09704 […] | Publicado en la Cancillería de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela
(2020-09-09). Venezuela y Angola acuerdan fomentar la hermandad entre sus capitales. mppre.gob.ve Durante un fructífero encuentro este martes entre Joana Lina Ramos, gobernadora de Luanda, capital de la República de Angola, y Marlon Peña Labrador, embajador de Venezuela en dicho país africano, formalizaron acuerdos con el objetivo de trabajar en pro de fomentar la hermandad de las capitales que constituyen ambas naciones. En el desarrollo de la […] | Publicado en la Cancillería de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela
(2020-09-09). 'Reducing Troops Not the Same as Ending Wars': Peace Activists Say Trump Drawdown in Iraq Not Nearly Enough. commondreams.org "Trump is trying to convince voters that is now following through on a campaign promise that he failed to keep in four years and will not fulfill with half measures," says CodePink's Medea Benjamin. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/mosul2.jpg …
(2020-09-09). Remembering Kevin Zeese, Tireless Fighter For Our Democracy. popularresistance.org Defending Rights & Dissent was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Kevin Zeese over the weekend. Over his life, he was on the frontlines of many causes—whistleblower protections, election integrity, single payer healthcare, net neutrality, reforming our criminal justice system, environmental justice, and peace. He was the press secretary for Ralph Nader's 2004 presidential campaign and in 2006 ran for Senate in Maryland with the backing of both the Green and Libertarian Parties.
(2020-09-09). In Memoriam: Kevin Zeese Is Irreplaceable. truthout.org Kevin Zeese was a major constant reliable presence in the movement for peace and justice. He used writing, editing, online and all other forms of communication. He organized events, protests, occupations. He risked arrest. He ran for office. He was an attorney and used the courts and shared his expertise. He thought independently. He acted collaboratively. He maintained good relations with those he disagreed with — even those he disagreed with over that most disagreeable of topics in a collapsing oligarchy: elections. | K…
(2020-09-09). Belarus: A Catalyst for Regime Change and the Peace Alternative. mintpressnews.com 
Opposition elements in Belarus have long planned to use the September 9 presidential election as a catalyst for regime change, and thanks to broad and genuine discontent with president Lukashenko, they might just succeed.
(2020-09-09). US the 'main driver' of South China Sea militarization, top Chinese diplomat says. rt.com 
Washington is directly intervening into maritime and territorial disputes in the troubled South China Sea region and becoming the main driver of militarization there to suit its own agenda, a senior Chinese diplomat has said. | Speaking during a video conference with foreign ministers at an ASEAN summit on Wednesday, State Councilor Wang Yi accused the US of fuelling tensions in the region for the sake of its own political gain. | "Peace and stability is China's greatest strategic interest in the South China Sea. It is also the common strategic aspiration of China and ASEAN countries," the diplomat said. | Ch…
(2020-09-09). Pelosi warns London there will be 'absolutely no chance' of UK-US trade deal if it violates Brexit protocol on Northern Ireland. rt.com 
Any violation the Good Friday Agreement by London will make a trade deal between the UK and the US totally impossible, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi has warned. | Pelosi issued a strongly-worded statement on Wednesday after British authorities admitted that their new 'Internal Market Bill' could violate international law in a "limited way." The bill would allow the UK to circumvent its Brexit withdrawal agreement with Brussels, particularly in relation to the protocol on Northern Ireland. | "The Good Friday Agreement is the bedrock of peace in Northern Ireland and an inspiration for t…
(2020-09-09). Activists discuss latest attacks on Venezuela. greenleft.org.au 
Organised by the Melbourne-based Venezuelan Solidarity Campaign and the Latin American Solidarity Network (LASNET)…
(2020-09-09). Forum discusses latest attacks on Venezuela. greenleft.org.au Organised by the Melbourne-based Venezue…
(2020-09-09). Distrust of public institutions, health inequities could push more countries into conflict, UN political affairs chief warns. news.un.org The erosion of trust in public institutions, unequal access to health care and tensions around delicate peace negotiations, are among the risks amplified by COVID-19, which if not mitigated, could push more countries into violence, the UN political affairs chief told the Security Council on Wednesday.
(2020-09-09). Attacks on education during times of conflict must stop: UN chief. news.un.org Education is a fundamental human right and an essential driver for peace and development, yet armed attacks targeting teachers, students and education facilities are on the rise, with some 11,000 incidents reported between 2015 and 2019, the UN Secretary-General said on Wednesday.
(2020-09-09). How to Save a Dying Republic: Lincoln and the Greenbacks. strategic-culture.org While some onlookers have found themselves cheering on this impending meltdown of the "great American empire", I think it is wiser to take a more measured approach to the tragedy now unfolding in America and across the entire trans-Atlantic Community. After all, what would we expect to see under conditions of dissolution of the union into civil war and economic collapse? Would the danger of war go away? Would economic injustice disappear as the Eurasian multipolar alliance swept the world to restore peace and win-win development on everyone? | I tend to think that this is overly simplistic wishful thinking and it…