(2021-10-08). Were Pandora Papers a Controlled Leak?—Misión Verdad's William Serafino Comments. orinocotribune.com The Pandora Papers are a controlled leak that does not take aim at the system that privileges US and UK interests, explained William Serafino, a researcher at the Samuel Robinson Institute. | For Serafino, a Venezuelan political scientist, this new case of the Pandora Papers, that recently linked world political leaders and celebrities accused of trying to hide their fortunes in infamous tax havens, constitutes a controlled leak in that "it touches intermediate sectors of the transnational elite" but does not point out "the true root of the problem, which is the system of incentives and privileges that the United…
(2021-10-08). Nobel Committee Gets Peace Prize Wrong Yet Again. warisacrime.org The Nobel Committee has yet again awarded a peace prize that violates the will of Alfred Nobel and the purpose for which the prize was created, selecting recipients who blatantly are not "the person who has done the most or best to advance fellowship among nations, the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and the …
(2021-10-08). Filipina Journalist Maria Ressa Wins Nobel Peace Prize After Facing Years of Threats & Arrests. democracynow.org 
The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded Friday morning to Filipina journalist Maria Ressa and Russian newspaper editor Dmitry Muratov for their work to "safeguard freedom of expression." Ressa has repeatedly been arrested by the government of Rodrigo Duterte for the groundbreaking work of her news site Rappler, which has exposed Duterte's deadly war on drugs that has killed tens of thousands. "The Nobel Peace Prize committee realized a world without facts means a world without truth," said Ressa today after winning the prize. We reair a 2019 interview when Ressa came into the Democracy Now! studio.
(2021-10-08). Headlines for October 8, 2021. democracynow.org Pfizer-BioNTech Requests Emergency Use Authorization for Vaccine for Children Aged 5-11, COVID Deaths in Russia Top 900/Day; Venezuela Accuses IMF of Withholding Pandemic Funds, Senate Cmte. Says Trump Repeatedly Asked DOJ for Help Overturning Election Loss, Senate Votes to Lift Debt Ceiling Until Early December, Minneapolis Police Joke About "Hunting Activists" During 2020 Racial Justice Uprising, Nobel Peace Prize Goes to Journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov, WSJ: U.S. Military Secretly Training Taiwanese Forces for Possible Conflict with China, Gunmen Kill 2 School Teachers in Kashmir Amid Mounting Attac…
(2021-10-08). Defeat or Victory? The War on Afghanistan (2001-2021). globalresearch.ca
(2021-10-08). The American "System of Governance" is a Lethal Slaveowners' Monstrosity. counterpunch.org "No Change" Joe: "That Patience Has Been Rewarded for More Than 240 Years" Who can ever forget the brilliant oratory of Joe "Nothing Would Fundamentally Change" Biden two nights after Election Day last November? "Democracy is sometimes messy," Joe "No Empathy, Give Me a Break" Biden said two months before Donald Trump's wild-eyed marauders would
(2021-10-08). SPD, Greens and FDP discuss social cuts, herd immunity and war in German coalition talks. wsws.org Talks on forming a new coalition government are taking place behind closed doors, while all parties intend to continue and intensify the hated policies of the outgoing grand coalition government.
(2021-10-08). The Glasgow Climate Agenda: Global Warming to 2⁰C and Beyond. globalresearch.ca
(2021-10-08). Kanal Istanbul: Turkey about to open Black Sea wide open to NATO warships. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Erdogan has repeatedly asserted that the new canal will not be subject to terms of the 1936 Montreux Convention which limit the size of warships entering the Black Sea and the duration of their stay there. Soon NATO will be able to move a veritable armada into the sea. ==== Kanal Istanbul project now at …
(2021-10-08). CrossTalk | Military accountability? warisacrime.org "The Biden administration's decision to leave Afghanistan was correct and long overdue. However, the way America's longest war ended is a different question. It was a botched affair. The generals will most likely never be held to account. But a lone Marine lieutenant colonel does face a court martial. Is this justice? CrossTalking with Medea …
(2021-10-08). UN pushes NATO role in Sahel war. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com NATO Studying 'Options' to Bolster Africa Anti-Jihadi Force, UN Says NATO is studying options to bolster support for the multinational G5 Sahel Joint Force in the troubled three-borders region of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, where a surge in jihadis violence has cost thousands of lives, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a letter seen …
(2021-10-08). How to Avert Afghanistan's Food and Economic Crises. counterpunch.org Afghanistan's humanitarian situation is spiraling into catastrophe. Millions of Afghans are now facing severe economic stress and food insecurity in the wake of the Taliban's August takeover, set off by widespread lost income, cash shortages, and rising food costs. Officials with the UNand several foreign governments are warning of an economic collapse and risks of worsening acute malnutrition and outright
(2021-10-08). Beware of Any War On Terror Fought by a Terrorist Nation. counterpunch.org January 6 was a day that will live on in infamy, an unparalleled assault on the precious vital organs of our exceptional democracy that this great nation is still reeling to recover from, or at least so I'm told. According to the mainstream media and heavy hitters in both parties, this thing was worse than
(2021-10-08). Another Missile, Drone Attack Targets Saudi Arabia's Southern Region. southfront.org 
Illustrative image, source: the Houthis media wing | Late on October 7, the Saudi-led coalition announced that it had intercepted a ballistic missile and two suicide drones which were launched from Yemen, allegedly by the Houthis (Ansar Allah). | In a statement, the coalition said that the missile and drones were heading towards the city of Khamis Mushait in the southern Saudi province of 'Asir. | "We take operational measures to protect civilians from violations and futile attempts," the statement reads. | Usually, ballistic m…
(2021-10-08). Turkey Continues To Deploy Syrian Militants In Libya Despite Recent Reports Of Near Pullout. southfront.org 
illustrative image. | Turkey is preparing to deploy around 330 Syrian militants in Libya despite recent reports of a near Turkish withdrawal from the war-torn country, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on October 8. | The London-based monitoring group said that the Syrian militants entered Turkey on two batches over the last few days. The militants will be replacing some 420 others who recently returned to Syria after completing their deployment in Libya. | According to the SOHR, which has been monitoring…
(2021-10-08). Taliban Lacks Necessary Finances To Deliver Functioning Government. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size imageAfghanistan has little economic prospects after 20 years of war. | Written by Paul Antonopoulos, independent geopolitical analyst | The U.S. could not vanquish the Taliban, failed to defeat Al-Qaeda, and were unsuccessful in leaving behind a pluralistic, tolerant and economically-sustainable Afghan state. Washington failed to induce good governance in Afghanistan and to stop Pakistan's multifaceted support for the Taliban. After twenty years of war with the U.S., the Taliban now confronts the hard challenge of governing and managing the economy. | Formal legal incomes make up a small p…
(2021-10-08). HMS Queen Elizabeth Leads 16 More International Warships Into South China Sea On "Freedom Of Navigation Patrol" southfront.org 
A British aircraft carrier has led warships from Britain, America, Canada, The Netherlands, Japan and New Zealand into the disputed…
(2021-10-08). Article 5: U.S. dispatches warplanes for NATO interoperability drills in Black Sea. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com U.S. F-15E Strike Eagles arrive in Greece for Castle Forge U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft from the 336th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, arrived at Larissa Air Base, Greece, in support of operation Castle Forge, a U.S. Air Forces Europe-Air Forces Africa-led joint, multi-national training event. Castle Forge …
(2021-10-08). Central Syria Insurgency: Russian Airstrikes Killed, Wounded 44 ISIS Terrorists In Week. southfront.org 
Russian Su-25 attack aircraft take off from the Khmeimim airbase in Syria © Dmitriy Vinogradov / Sputnik | Warplanes of the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out more than 200 airstrikes on ISIS terrorists in Syria's central region in the first week of October, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on October 8. | According to the London-based monitoring group, the Russian airstrikes targeted hideouts of the terrorist group in the outskirts of Ithriyah, Resafa and other areas in the Hama-Aleppo-Raqqa triangle,…
(2021-10-08). COVID Queries: The speed of vaccine development. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Q: How can I be expected to trust the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine when it was developed so rapidly? A: We hear this question frequently, and we can understand how it may seem like the development of the vaccine was quick. The speed was a result of many pharmaceutical companies simultaneously investing significant resources into quickly developing a vaccine because of the world-wide impact of the pandemic. The emergency situation warranted an emergency response,…
(2021-10-08). Never Having to Say You're Sorry: War Without Apologies. counterpunch.org The anniversary of the 9/11 attacks was marked by days of remembrances — for the courageous rescue workers of that moment, for the thousands murdered as the Twin Towers collapsed, for those who died in the Pentagon, or in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, fighting off the hijackers of the commercial jet they were in, as well as
(2021-10-08). In Defense of Andrew Wiggins. counterpunch.org Andrew Wiggins, 26, the Golden State Warriors smooth small forward, had a valid reason to fear the Covid-19 vaccine. He had once had an allergic reaction to Tylenol so severe that he started carrying an Epipen. Presumably this was known to the Warriors front office. After Wiggins's unwillingness to get vaccinated became known to the
(2021-10-08). Revolutionizing the Cities: 10 Years of Housing, Self-Management, and Communes in Venezuela. orinocotribune.com By Alba Movimientos — Oct 5, 2021 | Ten years ago we gathered in the Ezequiel Zamora Park (or El Calvario) of Caracas—as part of a public dialogue alongside Commander Hugo Chávez—and began an ongoing process of urban revolution that has allowed the people of Venezuelan to recover previously abandoned or underutilized lands. Today, millions of houses have been built on these lands, thousands of units have been constructed by people's power, many of which are now self-managed by the community. The right to housing for working families is fully protected, in stark contrast to a past in which people…
(2021-10-08). International Observers Take Part In Venezuelan Electoral Drill. telesurenglish.net On Thursday, Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE) President Pedro Calzadilla announced that the Latin American Council of Electoral Experts (CEELA) and the Carter Center will send observers to the electoral drill to be held on Sunday. | RELATED: | Around 3,232 public officials will participate in this drill, which will be held from 7: 00 a.m. to 4: 00 p.m. (local time) at 1,336 polling stations located in 333 municipalit…
(2021-10-08). Anti-Iran and Anti-Venezuela Agents Conspire. orinocotribune.com Two prominent individuals working against Iran and Venezuela met this week to continue their conspiracies against the governments of their respective countries. | The Venezuelan coup plotter and fugitive Leopoldo López and the US journalist of Iranian descent Masih Alinejad held a meeting on Tuesday, October 7, within the framework of the so-called Oslo Freedom Forum, held in the US state of Florida. | Alinejad and López, who are known for their illegitimate actions against their governments, advocated strengthening their cooperation in their "struggle for freedom"—a euphemism for defending Washington's int…
(2021-10-08). Following xenophobic attacks, hundreds of Venezuelans return from Chile. peoplesdispatch.org A group of 200 Venezuelans voluntarily returned to their country from Chile with the assistance of the socialist government of President Nicolás Maduro, following the xenophobic attacks in Chile's Iquique last month…
(2021-10-07). Stop Calling the Military Budget a 'Defense' Budget. counterpunch.org It's bad enough that mainstream news outlets routinely call the Pentagon budget a "defense" budget. But the fact that progressives in Congress and even many antiwar activists also do the same is an indication of how deeply the mindsets of the nation's warfare state are embedded in the political culture of the United States. The
(2021-10-07). U.S.-NATO Offensive Unravels in Afghanistan: The Longest Foreign War in U.S. History. globalresearch.ca
(2021-10-07). Whistleblower Warns Facebook a Threat to Children and Democracy. indybay.org
(2021-10-07). Colombia: A Threat to Latin America. orinocotribune.com In Colombia, state terrorism has deepened and is open. Social leaders, indigenous people, peasants, teachers, settlers are assassinated every day. The rich in Colombia hold on to power and maintain their model of accumulation by means of discriminatory violence against activists and their organizations. According to data from Global Witness, a Human Rights NGO based in London, 65 environmentalists have been murdered in 2020 alone. INDEPAZ reports that 126 social leaders have been assassinated in 2021, adding to the list of 1241 social leaders assassinated after the signing of the peace accords. This same year 72…
(2021-10-07). Japan and Russia Agree to Move Forward on Peace Treaty. telesurenglish.net At a press conference, Kishida reported that during a telephone conversation with Putin, the two agreed to resolve the issue of the status of four islands now controlled by Russia. | RELATED: | The head of government said he expressed his desire to develop relations between Tokyo and Moscow which are mutually beneficial. At the same time, Putin declared his intention to continue dialogue on a variety of bilateral issues. | Japan and Ru…
(2021-10-07). Aliyev awards Azerbaijani troops for serving NATO in Afghanistan. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Azerbaijani peacekeepers serving in Afghanistan awarded —Azerbaijani servicemen acted within the NATO/U.S.-led peacekeeping forces in Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, and South Sudan from September 1999. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on awarding servicemen of the Defence Ministry on October 6, Azertag has reported. Under the order, the servicemen, who represented Azerbaijan at a high …
(2021-10-07). Peace groups protest another arms fair in the UK. peoplesdispatch.org Peace groups in the UK protested against the conduct of the Defence Procurement Research Technology and Exportability (DPRTE) event at Farnborough, and denounced the country's decision to join a new trilateral security alliance, AUKUS…
(2021-10-07). The Best Speech I Never Gave. counterpunch.org Prices convey information, especially the price of zero. There is often more latent intelligence signaled by prices than by the claimed good intentions of political zealots—even those on the side of peace and liberty. On the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, I tromped to the National Mall in Washington to make a speech on
(2021-10-07). Never Having to Say You're Sorry. tomdispatch.com The anniversary of the 9/11 attacks was marked by days of remembrances — for the courageous rescue workers of that moment, for the thousands murdered as the Twin Towers collapsed, for those who died in the Pentagon, or in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, fighting off the hijackers of the commercial jet they were in, as well as for those who fought in the forever wars that were America's response to those al-Qaeda attacks. For some, the memory of that horrific day included headshaking over the mistakes this country made in responding to it, mistakes we live with to this moment. Among the more prominent heads being…
(2021-10-07). What Is A Keyword Warrant? Inside The Personal Data On Google Searches That Is Sent To Feds. moguldom.com The U.S. government has reportedly been issuing secret keyword warrants for use against internet users who have looked up specific phrases and names. Federal investigators and law enforcement agencies in the U.S. are reportedly issuing Google, Microsoft and Yahoo with keyword warrants that require them to provide the IP addresses and other personally identifiable information about users …
(2021-10-07). Full-scale war between Belarus & Ukraine now looking more likely than a conflict with Russia, says MP from Kiev's ruling party. rt.com 
The threat of an all-out conflict with neighboring Belarus is now becoming a more likely scenario for Ukraine than a mooted Russian 'invasion' of the country, a member of Kiev's governing 'Servant of the People' party has claimed. | Parliamentarian Yegor Chernev wrote on Tuesday that relations with Minsk have deteriorated so far that a war is looming larger than the purported threat of an invasion ordered by Moscow. The claims come amid heightened tensions between Ukraine and embattled Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, and despite an ongoing political conflict with Russia over gas transit fees. | "A larg…
(2021-10-07). Iran Closes Its Airspace to Azerbaijani Military, Warns Russia to be Wary of Geopolitical Changes in Caucasus. globalresearch.ca
(2021-10-07). Cuban Researcher Gets Unesco-L'Oréal Prize For Women in Science. telesurenglish.net On Thursday, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the cosmetics company L'Oréal awarded the "Young Talent Prize for Women in Science" to Cuba's Tropical Medicine Institute Pedro Kouri (IPK) researcher Gladys Gutierrez for her investigation on the transmission and evolution of the Zika virus. | RELATED: | "We learned of this award with immense pleasure. Many congratulat…
(2021-10-07). Teamsters for a Democratic Union convention looks forward to defeat of old guard. fightbacknews.org Chicago, IL — Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU) held its annual convention from October 1-3 in Chicago. Rank-and-file union activists from around the country traveled there to plan out the next steps for the upcoming international union election. TDU is supporting the reformer O'Brien-Zuckerman slate against the other slate, which is backed by the Hoffa old guard within the Teamsters union. | The O'Brien-Zuckerman slate, also known as the OZ Teamsters United slate, has gained a lot of momentum since announcing their intent to run. Ballots for the international union election are being mailed out on Oc…
(2021-10-07). Commodity Markets In Africa To Remain Volatile Amid COVID-19. telesurenglish.net Commodity markets in Africa are expected to remain volatile in the coming months following the persistence of COVID-19 constraints in the supply chain and other global economic pressures, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) warned. | RELATED: | This came during the UNECA's Price Watch session with African finance ministers, Stephen Karingi, Director of Regional Integration and Trade Division at the ECA, told African financ…
(2021-10-07). Barbados Confers 'Order of Freedom' Award To Kenya's President. telesurenglish.net In an official ceremony held in Bridgetown on Wednesday, Barbados' Governor Sandra Mason conferred the "Order of Freedom" award to Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta for promoting global trade and strengthening cooperation between African and Caribbean countries. | RELATED: | "This honor is a great sign of the growing collaboration between Kenya and Barbados," Kenyatta stated, adding that he will continue fighting…
(2021-10-07). Palestinian actress uses Israeli film awards to denounce 'ethnic cleansing'. middleeasteye.net 
Palestinian actress uses Israeli film awards to denounce 'ethnic cleansing' | Juna Suleiman, winner of best actress at Ophir film awards for role in 'Let It Be Morning', says happiness is impossible 'when there are active efforts to erase Palestinian identity' | Thu, 10/07/2021 – 15: 00 | Still from a wedding scene in 'Let It Be Morning', directed by Eran Kolirin (Dori Media Group/ Les Films du Poisson) | A…
(2021-10-07). Tomgram: Karen Greenberg, Apologies All Around (Unfortunately, Not). warisacrime.org This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. To receive TomDispatch in your inbox three times a week, click here. Just in case you didn't realize it, the lost war in Afghanistan was their fault, not ours. If we had any fault at all, as Secretary of Defense and former Iraq War commander Lloyd Austin pointed out at …
(2021-10-07). New Wave Of Russian Airstrikes Hits Greater Idlib As Syrian Army Continues To Shell The Region (Video). southfront.org 
Early on October 7, warplanes of the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out four airstrikes on the northwestern Syrian region of…
(2021-10-07). Stuff and nonsense: The musings of Gina Rinehart. greenleft.org.au Australia's richest person, Gina Rinehart, warns that unless the federal government restrains its pandemic spending, the country will end up like Sri Lanka. Michael Cooke and Lionel Bopage argue that this is neoliberal nonsense.
(2021-10-07). UK Conservative Party conference: Letting the virus rip and waging class war. wsws.org Johnson et al can get away with mass murder only because they are shielded from mounting public anger by a Labour Party and trade unions that serve the interests of the major corporations and the super-rich no less faithfully than the Tories.
(2021-10-07). US Knows It Could Lose A War Against China, So Why Is It Provoking It? southfront.org 
Illustrative ImageAmerica may need to accept it's no longer No.1, or risk dragging the world into a catastrophic conflict… | Written by Johanna Ross, journalist based in Edinburgh, Scotland. | The drums of war are beating. Countless films and books have been produced on the subject of war with China, but it seems now, we are closer than ever before to some kind of military conflict. | The fact that such a military confrontation would be catastrophic and devastating for all parties concerned seems so blatantly obvious that it needn't be said; and yet because the American military establishment is actually discus…
(2021-10-07). Saturday 10/9: Battle Lines in the U.S. Culture Wars. indybay.org This event in online…
(2021-10-07). The Iran-Azerbaijan Standoff Is a Contest for the Region's Transportation Corridors. strategic-culture.org 
By Pepe ESCOBAR | The last thing the complex, work-in-progress drive towards Eurasian integration needs at this stage is this messy affair between Iran and Azerbaijan in the South Caucasus. | Let's start with the Conquerors of Khaybar — the largest Iranian military exercise in two decades held on its northwestern border with Azerbaijan. Zangezur is one of the strategic areas in the competition for connectivity routes in West Asia and the South Caucasus. | Among the deployed Iranian military and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) units there are some serious players, such as the 21st Tabriz Infant…