2020-10-08: News Headlines

Eds. (2020-10-08). Using human rights to promote war: debunking UN's new Venezuela report. mronline.org Red Lines host Anya Parampil debunks a new report issued by the UN Human Right's Council which accuses Venezuela's government of "crimes against humanity". Transcript below.

Staff (2020-10-08). Rev. William Barber on Voter Suppression: Republicans Know They Can't Win If Everyone Casts a Ballot. democracynow.org During Wednesday's debate, Vice President Mike Pence refused to commit to a peaceful transition of power if Biden wins the election. Instead, he referenced the Trump administration's legal efforts to restrict mail-in voting. Rev. William Barber says 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." The Poor People's Campaign, of which Barber is co-chair, is leading a major voter mobilization effort to combat voter disenfranchisement. "They know they cannot win if everybody votes. They are…

Lucas Leiroz de Almeida (2020-10-08). Juan Guaidó Creates a Parallel Consulate in Brazil. globalresearch.ca A "parallel" Venezuelan Consulate in Brazil was condemned in a recent statement by Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza. In late September, supporters of the Venezuelan opposition leader, the self-proclaimed "interim president" Juan Guaidó, announced that they would form …

Gregory Elich (2020-10-08). Race, Militarism and the US Scheme to Control the Pacific. counterpunch.org Christine Hong's marvelous book, A Violent Peace: Race, U.S. Militarism, and Cultures of Democratization in Cold War Asia and the Pacific, arrives at a time when Washington's Indo Pacific Strategy is driving U.S. political, economic, and military confrontation in the Asia-Pacific, as the culmination of a long process that began in the immediate aftermath of the

Alan MacLeod (2020-10-07). UK Court Decision on Venezuela Gold Deals, Blow to Regime Change Efforts. One Billion Dollars of Country's Gold to be Released. globalresearch.ca A UK court ruled that the administration of Boris Johnson's position that Juan Guaidó is the legitimate ruler of Venezuela is far from equivocal, paving the way for over $1 billion of the country's gold to be released. | *** | A…

Andrew Korybko (2020-10-07). The Kyrgyz Compromise: Submitting to the Color Revolution or Pragmatic Move for Peace? globalresearch.ca The Kyrgyz government's decision to annul the results of the latest elections which were exploited as the "trigger event" for the preplanned Color Revolution against it might be interpreted by some as submitting to that regime change operation even though …

Joe Piette (2020-10-07). Philly protesters demand 'Stop racist police murders!'. workers.org Hundreds of activists gathered at the "Rocky Steps" in Philadelphia on Oct. 3 to hear speakers from Black Lives Matter Philly, Black Philly Radical Collective, Black Alliance for Peace and Mobilization4Mumia condemn the racist police murders of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Mya Hall and countless others. March leaders used the . . . |

Mohammed Amin (2020-10-07). Eastern Sudan rocked by protests and calls for independence. middleeasteye.net Eastern Sudan rocked by protests and calls for independence | A historically marginalised tribe leads unprecedented calls for the secession of eastern Sudan after a controversial peace deal | Wed, 10/07/2020 – 13: 16 | Workers at Port Sudan have closed its gates in protest at a peace deal between Khartoum and rebels described as unrepresentative of the local population in east Sudan (Reuters) | Eas…

RT (2020-10-07). 'You will never live in peace': DoJ announces terrorism indictments of 2 Islamic State 'Beatles' over US hostage killings. rt.com The US Justice Department has indicted two British Islamic State terrorists on charges related to the killing of several hostages, warning others in the group will be "pursued to the ends of the earth" if they harm any Americans. | Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh, two members of a "notoriously brutal" Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) cell nicknamed 'the Beatles' for their British accents, have been charged with eight terror-related counts stemming from the murder of four American hostages, Attorney General for National Security John Demers told reporters during a press conference on Wednesday. The…

sputniknews (2020-10-07). Taliban-Kabul Talks May Stall as 40 Years of War Have 'Broken Down Idea of a Nation' in Afghanistan. sputniknews.com As talks between the Afghan government in Kabul and the Taliban rebel group continue in Doha, Qatar, one expert recalls to Sputnik that there are many forces working against a peace deal, including the negotiators' lack of knowledge about anything but war.

Staff (2020-10-07). 19 Years After US Invasion, Afghanistan's Civil War Rages Despite Peace Talks. truthout.org The United States invaded Afghanistan 19 years ago today, sparking the nation's longest-running war that has cost tens of thousands of lives and the U.S. about $2 trillion. While the U.S. originally ousted the Taliban as part of a broader anti-terrorism campaign, the Taliban and other militants have waged a bloody and arguably successful insurgency for nearly two decades. Despite billions of dollars in U.S. aid, and years of state-building and counterterrorism operations obscured by mission dr…

Paul Dobson (2020-10-07). UN Human Rights Council Passes Dual Venezuela Resolutions. venezuelanalysis.com One resolution extends UN cooperation and has Caracas' consent, while the other extends a controversial Washington-backed mission.

Nicolas J S Davies (2020-10-07). Screen Shot 2020-10-07 at 1.03.34 PM.png. progressive.org The pretend peacemaker has repeatedly endangered the nation and world.

Granma (2020-10-07). Cuba Says: Doctors, Not Bombs. globalresearch.ca In a letter sent to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, the World Peace Council formally registered the candidacy of Cuba's Henry Reeve International Contingent of Doctors Specialized in Disaster Situations and Serious Epidemics for the Nobel Peace Prize. | Emphasizing the great …

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-07). Parl. consultation peaceful way to resolve Karabakh conflict. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 07 (MNA) — The Chairman of the Executive Council of the World IPU in Iran's Parliament, in his letter to the IPU President, named Parliamentary consultations as a proper way for a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

_____ (2020-10-06). Shutting Down AFRICOM, International Solidarity And The US Elections. popularresistance.org October 1, 2020, marked the twelfth anniversary of AFRICOM, the United States military's presence in Africa. An international day of action was organized to call for AFRICOM to be shut down and for the US to stop interfering in Africa. Ajamu Baraka, a human rights defender and the national organizer of the Black Alliance for Peace, which coordinated the day of action, speaks about the history of AFRICOM and its impact on the continent. He also discusses why it's necessary to be anti-imperialist and to have an internationalist perspective, the changing power dynamics in the world, the upcoming elections in the Uni…

Alan MacLeod (2020-10-06). Abraham Accord: Experts Warn Trump Peace Deal a Precursor to War with Iran. thealtworld.com Experts warn that the Accord is motivated by a desire to secure a united front against Iran for a potential future war — a conflict that would likely make Iraq and Afghanistan look mild by comparison. | MPN— On paper at least, last month's U.S.-sponsored agreements between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain were all about peace. But behind the headlines, a darker, much more worrying picture of regional alliances, weapons deals, destabilization campaigns, and messianic prophecies emerge. | The Abraham Accord, as it is known, is likely to expand the power of Gulf dictatorships and increase the…

WSWS (2020-10-06). Grayzone questions US intelligence claim of "Russian influence campaign" run by PeaceData. wsws.org An article published by Grayzone shows that the website PeaceData—which US intelligence claims was part of a Russian misinformation campaign—was likely a false flag operation aimed at linking left-wing websites with the Moscow government.

Eds. (2020-10-06). Revolutionary organization in Venezuela. mronline.org Venezuelan grassroots organizations continue fighting for the socialist project despite very tough conditions. Here is a look at five examples.

news.un (2020-10-06). DR Congo's fragile detente 'could yet unravel', Security Council warned. news.un.org Planning for a drawdown of the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is well underway, but much work still remains to be done to put the country firmly on the path to long-term stability and sustainable development, the Security Council heard today.

Manuela Solé (2020-10-06). Venezuela to Begin Clinical Trials of Russian Covid-19 Vaccine. venezuelanalysis.com The first batch of the Sputnik V vaccine was delivered by the Russian Investment Fund to the South American nation.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-10-06). Greek trade unionists, peace activists protest visit of NATO Secretary General. peoplesdispatch.org NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg's visit to Greece and Turkey comes in the backdrop of escalating tensions between the two countries over maritime and energy rights in the Eastern Mediterranean region…

Ricardo Vaz (2020-10-06). Venezuelan gov't wins appeal on gold reserves held in the UK. peoplesdispatch.org The Venezuelan government secured a legal victory on Monday in its battle to regain access to gold stored in the Bank of England (BoE). | On Monday, the English Court of Appeal ruled in favor of the Venezuelan Central Bank (BCV) concerning the control over 31 tons of gold stored in London, overturning a previous High Court In July, Judge Nigel…

sputniknews (2020-10-06). 'Persistent Eye in the Sky': Spy Drones Deployed Abroad Are Being Modified to Police US Cities. sputniknews.com Spy drones developed for use in US foreign wars have begun appearing over US cities as police forces and defense contractors push for new, lucrative contracts. One peace activist told Sputnik that the fights against their use abroad and their use at home should never have been separate, and are intricately linked to the Black Lives Matter movement.

sputniknews (2020-10-06). The Fight for Venezuela's Gold; COVID Now Airborne; Police Repression of the Movement. sputniknews.com The UK's attempt to cripple Venezuelan resources gets rejected by the courts, but what will happen next?

Alan MacLeod (2020-10-05). UK Court Decision on Venezuela Gold Deals Blow to Regime Change Efforts. thealtworld.com A UK court ruled that the administration of Boris Johnson's position that Juan Guaidó is the legitimate ruler of Venezuela is far from equivocal, paving the way for over $1 billion of the country's gold to be released. | MPN— A United Kingdom court has handed the Venezuelan government of Nicolas Maduro a major win today, overturning a previous ruling from a lower court that legitimized the British government's decision to freeze Venezuelan government gold reserves held in the Bank of England. The English Court of Appeal ruled that the Conservative administration of Boris Johnson's position that Juan Guaidó i…

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2020-10-05). Peace Groups Blockade Creech Air Force Base to Protest 'Illegal and Inhumane Remote Killing' by US Drones. commondreams.org One CodePink protester said she hopes the week-long protest "will teach the soldiers that they must take control of and understand the consequences of their actions." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/screech_0.jpg

_____ (2020-10-05). UK Court Rules Favorably For Returning Venezuela's Gold. popularresistance.org London – A tug-of-war over $1 billion worth of Venezuelan gold stored at the Bank of England took a new turn on Monday as the English Court of Appeal overturned an earlier High Court ruling on who the UK recognised as Venezuela's president. | The Court of Appeal granted the Nicolas Maduro-backed Banco Central de Venezuela's (BCV) appeal and set aside July's High Court judgement, which had found that Britain's recognition of opposition leader Juan Guaidó as "constitutional interim president of Venezuela" was conclusive.

Walter Smolarek (2020-10-05). Venezuelan government makes progress in battle to rescue $1 billion in stolen gold. liberationnews.org Venezuela secured a significant legal win in a UK court today as the revolutionary government led by President Nicolás Maduro continues its battle with coup leader Juan Guaidó over control of the country's assets abroad. A British appeals court overturned a previous decision and ruled today that it was not conclusive that Guaidó's phony administration …

Ricardo Vaz (2020-10-05). Venezuelan Gov't Wins Appeal on Gold Reserves Held in the UK. venezuelanalysis.com The English Court of Appeal overturned a ruling "unequivocally" recognizing opposition leader Guaido as the country's legitimate leader.

Manuela Solé (2020-10-05). Venezuela Announces New Fuel Scheme as Iranian Gasoline Arrives. globalresearch.ca A second Iranian convoy of tankers is arriving in Venezuela this week with over 800,000 barrels of gasoline. | Forest, Faxon and Fortune ships will be discharging the fuel shipments in the El Palito and Paraguana refinery ports over the coming …

Rob Okun (2020-10-05). An Election Letter to White Male Boomers. counterpunch.org Dear Fellow White Male Boomers, We need your help to end the presidency of tax cheat Donald Trump. Even as he uses every dirty trick he can to become dictator-in-chief, white male baby boomers must help defeat him. I went to college with a lot of guys who marched for peace and justice. Guys like

sputniknews (2020-10-05). Russian Foreign Ministry Calls Sudan Peace Agreement 'Important Step' for Reconciliation. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The Russian Foreign Ministry on Monday called the recent signing of a peace deal between the Sudanese government and several rebel groups an "important step" toward national reconciliation in the African country.