2019-09-25: News Headlines

Staff (2019-09-25). Headlines for September 25, 2019. democracynow.org Pelosi Launches Impeachment Inquiry Against President Trump, IPCC: World Must Cut Greenhouse Emissions or Face Catastrophic Sea Level Rise, Bolsonaro Faces Condemnation For Defending Deforestation of Amazon in U.N. Speech, Trump Denounces Iran, Venezuela & Calls for Countries to Embrace Nationalism at U.N., Pakistani PM Demands World to Address Crisis in Kashmir, U.K. Parliament Reconvenes After Court Declares Boris Johnson's Parliament Suspension Illegal, Egyptian Authorities Arrest At Least 900 Following Anti-Government Protests, Spain to Exhume Body of Former Dictator Francisco Franco from State Mausoleum, Nig…

Daniel Falcone (2019-09-25). Trump's Iran Policy: A Q&A With Richard Falk. thenation.com Legal scholar Richard Falk on Iran, Saudi Arabia, and American interests abroad.

The Canary (2019-09-25). Hinkley nuclear power station costs increase by up to £3bn. thecanary.co The cost of building the new nuclear power station at Hinkley is estimated to increase by between £1.9bn and £2.9bn.French energy giant EDF said the plant in Somerset will now cost between £21.5bn and £22.5bn.The company said the cost increases reflect "challenging ground conditions" which made earthworks more expensive than anticipated.Work is well under way at the site, and EDF said it expects the plant to begin generating power at the end of 2025 (Ben Birchall/PA)Action plan targets have been revised and extra costs are needed to implement the completed functional design, which has been…

commondreams (2019-09-25). Activists Disrupt US and Israeli Officials at NYC Event Calling for War with Iran. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Jon Rainwater (2019-09-25). Take Action to Avoid War with Iran. peaceaction.org photo credit Dear Groundswell Readers, We have to keep pushing Congress this week if we want to avoid war with Iran. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said recently that the U.K. might join a U.S.-led military effort in the Gulf. When other nations step up to join the "coalition of the willing" it's often a bad sign. …

South Front (2019-09-25). Why Patriot Missiles Are Useless. globalresearch.ca Missile strikes that shut down a half of Saudi oil production not only marked a new round of escalation in the Persian Gulf, but also revealed the limitations of the Kingdom's air defense. Over the past years, Saudi Arabia, the …

Bahman Fozouni (2019-09-25). US-Iran Relations: Bolton's "Maximum Pressure" Policy Is The Illegitimate Child Of Diplomacy. globalresearch.ca The September 14 strikes against Saudi Arabia's Khurais oilfield and Abqaiq processing facility, which the U.S. government quickly pinned on Iran, as well as President Trump's decision to substantially increase sanctions against Iran in response, are sobering reminders that the …

WSWS (2019-09-25). European powers endorse US war provocations against Iran. wsws.org Berlin, London and Paris endorsed US allegations that the recent attack in Saudi Arabia was an Iranian act of war, without providing any concrete evidence whatsoever.

United Nations (2019-09-25). At UN, Iran proposes 'coalition for hope' to pull Gulf region from 'edge of collapse'. un.org The Gulf region is "on the edge of collapse", Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told world leaders on Wednesday at the annual high-level segment of the United Nations General Assembly, saying that "a single blunder can fuel a big fire".

Paul Antonopoulos (2019-09-25). Why Doesn't India Follow China's Iranian Oil Policy? globalresearch.ca Iran's ambassador to India claimed that the U.S. urges New Delhi to suspend its Iranian oil purchases, worth about $5 billion a year, through the threat of sanctions. The Iranian ambassador also called for India to become more active in …

Eoin Higgins, staff writer (2019-09-25). In UN Address, Rouhani Says Iran "Will Never, Ever Forget" Crimes of Trump Sanctions. commondreams.org Iranian president said U.S. has attempted a "silent killing of a great nation." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/rouhani_3.jpg

Staff (2019-09-25). Trump Lashes Out at Iran, China & Venezuela in Nationalist Address to U.N. General Assembly. democracynow.org On Tuesday, President Trump made his third address to the United Nations General Assembly amid simmering tensions in the Middle East over recent attacks on Saudi Arabian oil facilities, which the United States blames on Iran. Tehran denies the allegations. Trump also lashed out at China and Venezuela. We speak with Vijay Prashad, director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research and chief editor of LeftWord Books. His latest article for Salon is headlined "World leaders gather at the UN in the face of war, climate catastrophe & global worker exploitation."

John Catalinotto (2019-09-24). U.S. sends troops to Gulf region, threatens new war. workers.org Sept. 22 — The Pentagon announced Sept. 20 that it will "deploy additional U.S. troops and missile defense equipment to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates." This deployment is allegedly in response to a missile attack the weekend before that stopped half of Saudi daily oil production and temporarily . . . | Continue reading U.S. sends troops to Gulf region, threatens new war at Workers.org

Staff (2019-09-24). Trump Unleashed Crisis in the Strait of Hormuz by Scuttling the Iran Deal. therealnews.com Foreign correspondent Reese Erlich untangles the complexities, analyzes what we face, and what the future may bring.

Melvin Goodman (2019-09-24). The Central Role of the Whistleblower. counterpunch.org The fortuitous emergence of a courageous whistleblower in the Trump White House and Harvard Professor Jill Lepore's pathetically ill-informed review of Edward Snowden's recent book, "Permanent Record," are important reminders of the central and difficult role of whistleblowers in any successful effort to restore our democracy. The information provided by whistleblowers is key to the work of congressional oversight; investigative journalism; and informed political debate. Whistleblowers contributed to the knowledge of the crimes of the intelligence community during the Vietnam War and the exposure of Iran-contra,…

Robert Fisk (2019-09-24). As Netanyahu's Power in the Middle East Wanes, Trump Has to Find His Own Way to Deal with Iran. counterpunch.org There is an extraordinary irony in the fate of both Benjamin Netanyahu and Iran. The first has been captaining the Titanic, in the words of one Israeli academic, through the past couple of days. The second — a rather better captain, it might be said — has been captaining a couple of tankers in and out of the More

Timothy Alexander Guzman (2019-09-24). Why a War Against Iran Will be the "Nail in a Coffin" for U.S. Hegemony in the Middle East. globalresearch.ca First published in July 2019 | President Donald Trump was recently interviewed on Fox Business and was asked about Iran's President Hassan Rouhani's statement calling the White House "Mentally Retarded" and if the U.S. was going to have a war …

Elijah J. Magnier (2019-09-24). Hot and Cold Tensions, What Iran and the US Offer Their Allies: Tehran's Multiple Messages. globalresearch.ca The alternately hot and cold tension between the US and Iran is evolving on the Middle Eastern stage where Tehran is hitting its enemies (on its own and with the help of its allies) without causing the death of a …

Chandra Muzaffar (2019-09-24). Iran: Neither Military Action Nor Economic Sanctions. counterpunch.org It would be utterly immoral of the United States to launch a military attack upon Iran if it is true that one of the missiles that destroyed an oil refinery in Saudi Arabia on the 14th of September 2019 had a casing bearing a number that suggested that the weapon was manufactured for NATO forces. More

Ahmed Abdulkareem (2019-09-24). Saudis Blame Iran for Aramco Strikes But Retaliate by Bombing Yemeni Civilians. mintpressnews.com The Saudi-led Coalition has used systematic economic strangulation as a weapon of war. This, to the many in Yemen who celebrated the Aramco attack, is sufficient justification for targeting the heart of Saudi Arabia's economy.

United Nations (2019-09-24). Kazakhstan continues to push for a nuclear-free world. un.org Kazakhstan, the Central Asian country which has renounced nuclear weapons, continued on Tuesday to urge the international community to make a nuclear-free world reality.

Staff (2019-09-24). Headlines for September 24, 2019. democracynow.org Greta Thunberg and Youth Activists Take On World Leaders at U.N. Climate Action Summit, Trump Admin Tells U.N. to Drop Term "Reproductive Health and Rights", Trump Ordered Hold on Ukrainian Aid Before Call with President Zelensky About Bidens, U.K. Supreme Court: Boris Johnson's Suspension of Parliament Is Unlawful, U.K., France & Germany Say Iran Responsible for Saudi Oil Attacks as Trump Addresses UNGA, Afghanistan: At Least 40 Civilians Killed by U.S.-Afghan Attack, Haiti: Senator Shoots AP Photographer in Face During Anti-Gov't Protests, Video of Blindfolded Prisoners in Xinjiang Adds to Fears of Mass Human R…

Staff (2019-09-23). Headlines for September 23, 2019. democracynow.org 4 Million Take to the Streets for Global Climate Strike, Trump Admin Ignored CBP Report Linking Climate Change and Increased Migration, Honduran Woman and 21-Month-Old Son Die While Attempting to Reach U.S., New Deal Would Force Asylum Seekers to Return to El Salvador Despite Obvious Dangers, Calls for Impeachment Grow as Trump Acknowledges Ukraine Phone Call About Bidens, U.S. to Send Troops to Saudi Arabia, Impose Iran Sanctions, as Rouhani Heads to UNGA with Peace Plan, Arab Parties in Israel Back Benny Gantz in Bid to End Netanyahu's Rule, Egyptians Take to Street in Rare Protest Against President Sisi, Gov't…

Mnar Muhawesh (2019-09-23). How Holes in the Burning Saudi Oil Fields Narrative Could Draw the US Into a War With Iran. mintpressnews.com It is inconceivable to the United States that a "rag-tag" force like Yemen's Houthis might, with home-made weapons, outdo the hundred-billion-dollar might and sophistication of the state-of-the-art systems Washington has lavished upon the Saudis.

Yves Engler (2019-09-23). Canada's Role in US Empire. dissidentvoice.org While France, Germany, Russia and China seek detente, Canada is increasingly part of the US-Saudi Arabia-Israeli axis stoking conflict with Iran. Canada recently seized and sold $30 million worth of Iranian properties in Ottawa and Toronto to compensate individuals in the US who had family members killed in a 2002 Hamas bombing in Israel and …

Gary D. Barnett (2019-09-23). The War That Could Change the World. dissidentvoice.org It is tempting to say that war with Iran is inevitable, and that may certainly be so, but this terrible situation has become a political and media game. A deadly game to be sure, but a game nonetheless. The people who cling to the notion that they have "leaders" to protect them are little more …

Bob Dreyfuss (2019-09-23). Iran Has Called Washington's Bluff. thenation.com Iran Has Called Washington's Bluff…

unitedEditor (2019-09-23). Erdogan & Trump, Iran and Saudi Arabia, Turkish military operations in Northern Iraq. uwidata.com Erdogan — Trump Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan held a telephone conversation with his American counterpart Donald Trump. The two leaders discussed bilateral relations and ongoing geopolitical problems. Turkey and the US had previously come to an agreement on the creation of a safe zone in the Syrian north-east along the border with Turkey. Despite recent …

RT (2019-09-22). Didn't he learn what deterrence is? Cruz insists Iran wants to nuke American cities, puzzles Twitter. rt.com Ted Cruz insists Tehran's dream is to nuke American cities and that the Iran nuclear deal is to blame for the attack on Saudi oil facilities. The argument was mocked for making no sense, but the hawkish senator doubled down. | The Texas legislator, one of the most vocal cheerleaders of Donald Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign against Tehran, took to the pages of the New York Post on Friday to warn the public of the imminent danger. More international sanctions against Iran may soon be dropped under the 2015 nuclear deal, which means Tehran is drawing closer to obtaining nuclear weapons which "could incinerat…

RT (2019-09-22). Yemeni children considered covering themselves in oil? Lee Camp bashes US reactions to Saudi refinery attacks & Yemen bombings. rt.com Washington and Riyadh were quick to blame Tehran for attacks on Saudi oil facilities. Despite the lack of proof and history of lies told by the accusers, the US media eagerly took their claims at face value, Lee Camp says. | Last weekend's attacks were claimed by the Yemeni Houthi rebels, but the US and Saudi Arabia accused Iran instead, providing the charred remains of supposed Iranian weaponry and vague allegations as proof. | Despite painting Donald Trump as a habitual liar for years, his accusations against Iran appear to be A-OK for the mainstream media, the host of comedy show Redacted Tonight said. The…

RT (2019-09-22). NOT 'the last thing millennials will see'! US military apologizes for 'Area 51 raid' meme with B-2 stealth bomber. rt.com A US military unit was forced to apologize to UFO fans and alien enthusiasts for a tweet that suggested the government is ready to use B-2 nuclear-capable bombers to protect the secrets held inside the classified Area 51 facility. | Jumping on the hype train headed for the secretive air force base in Nevada desert, the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) flexed its meme muscles on Friday by tweeting a photo of a B-2 stealth bomber, accompanied by a chilling warning: | The last thing #Millennials will see if they attempt the #area51raid today. | In case anyone wanted to see the tweet in ques…

Aaron Maté (2019-09-22). US troops in Saudi Arabia defend hegemony, not security. thegrayzone.com The Trump administration is sending US troops to Saudi Arabia as it continues to threaten Iran. Col. Lawrence Wilkerson, former…

Phil Rockstroh (2019-09-21). A Careless Bully at the KFC at the End of Empire. dissidentvoice.org Will Trump go to war with the Iranians or the homeless? Or both? Trump is a coward. The nation of Iran has the means and the will to fight. Do you recall the will displayed by Iranians when repelling foreign invaders when Iraq attempted to invade Iran as a de facto US proxy force? Conversely, …

Jason Ditz (2019-09-20). Pentagon Presents Trump With a Wide Range of Potential Targets to Strike in Iran. theantimedia.com Trump will be joined by national security officials when he is presented with a wide range of military options by the Pentagon.

Aaron Maté (2019-09-20). Instead of threats, Trump can easily defuse Iran crisis he created. thegrayzone.com The Trump administration continues to threaten Iran after blaming it, without evidence, for the recent bombing of Saudi oil facilities….

Joshua Cho (2019-09-20). Media Omit Context Behind Latest North Korean Missile Tests. fair.org by Joshua Cho | In his 2004 book North Korea: Another Country, historian Bruce Cumings described the irony of corporate media's perpetual narrative of North Korea as an unhinged or devious adversary of the US with hostile nuclear ambitions: Almost always, media discussion of North Korea assumes that Washington is in a position of original innocence, and the North is assiduously trying to obtain and then to use "weapons of mass destruction"—the ubiquitous media trope for the arsenals of American enemies since the Cold War ended. Yet the American record in Northeast Asia since the 1940s is one of consistent us…

unitedEditor (2019-09-19). Challenges and Opportunities toward Iran in the Convention on the legal status of the Caspian Sea. uwidata.com Negotiations for the Caspian Sea legal regime began almost immediately after the collapse of the former Soviet Union, but at the beginning of the process there were no negotiations on a single text. Prior to that, Iran and the Soviet Union used this sea commonly, though in practice the Soviet Union, by using its power …

Staff (2019-09-19). Headlines for September 19, 2019. democracynow.org U.S. Secretary of State Blames Iran for "Act of War" Against Saudi Oil Facility, WaPo: Whistleblower Reported "Troubling" Promise from Trump to Foreign Leader, Trump Names Robert O'Brien as Fourth National Security Adviser, U.S.-Backed Forces Kill 30 Afghan Civilians; Taliban Truck Bomb Kills 20, Thousands Fall Ill as Indonesian Fires Spread Toxic Haze, Thousands Lose Power as Hurricane Humberto Lashes Bermuda, Youth Activist Greta Thunberg to U.S. Lawmakers: Listen to Climate Scientists, University of California to Divest from Fossil Fuel Companies, Israeli Election Challenger Gantz Rejects Call to Join Netanyah…

Medea Benjamin (2019-09-18). Will Americans Let Trump Start World War III for Saudi Arabia and Israel? mintpressnews.com If the U.S. military, or Israel or Saudi Arabia, had a viable plan to attack Iran without triggering a wider war, they would have done so long ago.

Mazda Majidi (2019-09-17). Will the U.S. start a war for Saudi Arabia? liberationnews.org We are facing an extremely dangerous situation with a real possibility of the U.S. bombing Iran.

Reese Erlich (2019-09-17). Foreign Correspondent: What Trump's Missteps on Iran Have Wrought. progressive.org The United States has become a high-tech Bluebeard.

unitedEditor (2019-09-17). Why Iran's Khamenei pushes for higher birthrate? uwidata.com Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has again called on compatriots to have more children while calling on authorities to help families increase the population amid crippling economic sanctions, high unemployment and staggering inflation rates. Inspired by the size of the population in China and India, Khamenei urged for advancing Iran's national power by doubling its …

Ian Gamble (2019-09-02). US conducts ground launch cruise missile test. liberationnews.org On Aug. 18, less than three weeks after scrapping the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty, the U.S. launched a ballistic cruise missile from San Nicholas Island, CA.

Paul Kawika Martin (2019-07-18). Diplomacy Instead of a Disaster in Iran. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — July 18, 2019 — In response to reports of the U.S. shooting down an Iranian drone, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "Because of the Trump administration's policy of maximum provocation towards Iran, America stands on the precipice of another blunderous …

Paul Kawika Martin (2019-06-28). Most Senators Oppose War with Iran Without Congressional Approval. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — June 28, 2019 — In response to the Senate voting 50-40 in favor of an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to block funding for military action against Iran without congressional approval, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement: "Because …

Peace Action (2019-06-25). Peace Action Endorses Ilhan Omar for Congress. peaceaction.org Washington, DC — June 25, 2019 — Peace Action has announced its endorsement of Ilhan Omar for Congress in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District. Peace Action is a national grassroots organization working to advance nuclear disarmament, promote government spending priorities that support human needs, encourage real security through international cooperation and human rights, and support nonmilitary …

Peace Action (2019-06-24). Peace Action Endorses Kara Eastman for Congress. peaceaction.org Washington, DC — June 24, 2019 — Peace Action has announced its endorsement of Kara Eastman for Congress in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District. Peace Action is a national grassroots organization working to advance nuclear disarmament, promote government spending priorities that support human needs, encourage real security through international cooperation and human rights, and support nonmilitary …

Jon Rainwater (2019-06-20). Striking Iran Now Could Spark a Major War. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — June 20, 2019 — In response to reports that the Trump administration is considering strikes on Iran in response to the downing of a U.S. surveillance drone, Jon Rainwater, Executive Director of Peace Action, released the following statement: "The United States has stumbled into a perilous situation. If, for example, the U.S. …

Peace Action (2019-06-17). Peace Action Endorses Ayanna Pressley for Congress. peaceaction.org Washington, DC — June 17, 2019 — Peace Action, the nation's largest grassroots peace organization, and its affiliate Massachusetts Peace Action, endorsed Ayanna Pressley for Massachusetts' 7th district. Peace Action is a national grassroots organization working to advance nuclear disarmament, promote government spending priorities that support human needs, encourage real security through international cooperation and …

Jon Rainwater (2019-06-17). Sending More Troops to the Middle East is Adding Fuel to the Fire. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — June 17, 2019 — In response to the Trump administration's decision to send an additional 1,000 troops to the Middle East amidst escalating tensions with Iran, Jon Rainwater, Executive Director of Peace Action, released the following statement: "Rather than pursuing diplomatic off ramps to avert conflict with Iran, the Trump administration is …