Daily Archives: September 4, 2019

2019-09-04: News Headlines

Kenn Orphan (2019-09-04). Apartheid Had Always Been the Plan. counterpunch.org What do wealthy capitalists do in response to the ever present threat of nuclear annihilation or a biosphere teetering on the edge of collapse? Why they build enormous, fortified bunkers deep underground, of course. Here they can live like the descendants of the mammals that survived the extinction of the dinosaurs in the late Cretaceous More

Stephen Lendman (2019-09-04). Hezbollah Won't Tolerate Israeli Aggression. globalresearch.ca Make no mistake. Israel is run by anti-democratic hardliners. Nuclear armed and dangerous, along with maintaining stockpiles of chemical, biological, and other banned terror weapons, Israel is a Middle East menace. | It's second only to the regional threat posed by …

Fabian Goldmann, Florian Zollman & Hans Blixi (2019-09-04). Sanctions and Double Standards. indybay.org Sanctions are war with other means-and not an alternative to war. The civilian population pays the price with their bodies and their lives. Export prohibitions on the most important revenues of a country cause impoverishment and suffering. That Iran has not attacked another country militarily in the last 100 years is mostly unmentioned in the media.

Arash Norouzi (2019-09-04). Israel: "Wiped off The Map". The Rumor of the Century, Fabricated by the US Media to Justify An All out War on Iran. globalresearch.ca Global Research Editor's Note | The following text by Arash Norouzi first published by the Mossadegh Project and Global Research in January 2007 confirms that the alleged "Wiped Off the Map" statement by Iran's (former) president was never made. | In the …

Max Blumenthal (2019-09-03). Meet the militantly pro-Israel Trump official directing the economic war on Iran. thegrayzone.com From her influential post at the Treasury Department, Sigal Mandelker has vowed to defend "our great partner, Israel" by sanctioning…

teleSUR (2019-09-03). US Imposes Sanctions on Iran Space Agencies. telesurenglish.net The United States has imposed sanctions on Iran's civilian space agency and two research organizations Tuesday, claiming they were being used to advance Tehran's ballistic missile program. | RELATED: | Iran Urges European Partners to Fulfill Nuclear Commitments | "The United States will not allow Iran to use its space launch program as a cover to advance its ballistic missile programs," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement. | He said Iran's Aug. 29 attempt to test a…

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.

Mazda Majidi (2019-08-31). Will Rouhani meet Trump? liberationnews.org Washington's foreign policy establishment is dominated by "Iran Hawks," headed by National Security Adviser John Bolton.

Michael T. Klare (2019-08-30). The Pentagon's New Missile Drive Is Bringing Armageddon Closer. thenation.com The Pentagon's New Missile Drive Is Bringing Armageddon Closer…

Aaron Maté (2019-08-30). Israel increases attacks on Iran allies amid deepening ties to UAE, Saudi. thegrayzone.com The recent Israeli bombings of Iranian-allied groups in Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria come amid deepening ties between Israel and the…

United Nations (2019-08-29). Thursday's Daily Brief: UN refugee agency on Venezuelan migrant crisis, dramatic resurgence' of measles in Europe, a UN News visit to former nuclear test site, Colombian law for disabled persons receives praise, Security Council on violence in Yemen. un.org A recap of Thursday's stories: 'No end in sight' to massive movement of Venezuelan migrants and refugees; 'Dramatic resurgence' of measles threatens Europe; Report from nuclear test site in Kazakhstan; UN expert welcomes new Colombian law for persons with disabilities; Security Council concerned over violent spams in Yemen.

United Nations (2019-08-29). 'Ground Zero': Report from the former Semipalatinsk Test Site in Kazakhstan. un.org Every year on August 29, at the initiative of Kazakhstan, the UN and its Member States mark the International Day against Nuclear Tests. This year, the Day coincides with the 70th anniversary of the first atomic bomb test at the Semipalatinsk test site in Kazakhstan. UN News travelled to the remote, eerily beautiful region, for this report.

Staff (2019-08-29). Remembering Legendary Peace Activist Frances Crowe, Who Died at 100 After Decades of Resisting War. democracynow.org The legendary peace activist Frances Crowe died this week at the age of 100 in Northampton, Massachusetts. Over the past seven decades, Frances had been arrested countless times while protesting war, nuclear weapons, nuclear power and the construction of new pipelines. She is survived by her two sons, a daughter and an international community of peace activists. We revisit a 2005 interview of Frances Crowe by Amy Goodman and recognize her lifetime of advocacy.

unitedEditor (2019-08-28). G7 Summit: Critical Outcomes. uwidata.com In the French city of Biarritz, a three-day summit featuring the heads of state from 7 of the world's largest economies (Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Canada, the USA, France and Japan) has come to a close. The hottest topics of discussion were trade relations, a nuclear deal with Iran, the protests in Hong Kong, the …

Staff (2019-08-28). Airstrikes in Lebanon, Syria & Iraq Mark Dangerous Escalation in Decades-Long Israeli Aggression. democracynow.org Tensions are mounting across the Middle East following a series of Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq. Lebanese President Michel Aoun likened the recent Israeli attacks to a "declaration of war." Israeli drones bombed targets in Lebanon on both Monday and Tuesday. Meanwhile, some Iraqi lawmakers are calling on the United States to fully withdraw its troops following a series of Israeli air raids conducted by Israel. Israel has only claimed responsibility for an attack on Syria Saturday, which they said targeted an Iranian-operated base that was preparing to launch a drone assault on Israel. We speak wi…

Staff (2019-08-27). Headlines for August 27, 2019. democracynow.org Oklahoma Wins Case Against Johnson & Johnson as Court Finds Pharma Giant Fueled State's Opioid Crisis, Brazil Rejects G7 Amazon Aid Amid Mounting Environmental Disaster, Prosecutors Investigate After Gov't Ignored Warnings About Planned Amazon Fires, Trump Dismisses Wind Power Again at G7 as WH Walks Back Comments on Kim Jong-un, Lebanon Says Air Attacks Over Weekend Amount to "Declaration of War" from Israel, U.N. Says Floods in Sudan a "Humanitarian Emergency" as Death Toll Tops 60 People, Iran Sentences Journalist and Activist Marzieh Amiri to 10 Years & 148 Lashes, 19 States and D.C. Sue to Block Trump's Term…

unitedEditor (2019-08-26). The End of the Greater Middle East Project: The Case of Kurdistan. uwidata.com Donald Trump's victory in the 2016 presidential elections has had dire implications for the American "Greater Middle East" project which has guided US foreign policy in the Middle East since it was first put forward in 2003. Trump's reorientation toward internal US problems (migration, economy, protectionism), the emergence of new geopolitical rivals (China and Iran) …

Staff (2019-08-26). Mysterious Russian Nuclear Missile Accident Sparks Fears of Cover-Up & "Chernobyl Redux" democracynow.org Questions are swirling over a mysterious nuclear accident in northern Russia on August 8. Seven people, including five nuclear scientists, died in an explosion, which caused a radiation spike in the surrounding area — and possibly as far as Scandinavia. U.S. experts suspect the explosion was caused during a test of a nuclear-powered cruise missile. Russia initially denied a radiation leak, but earlier today its state weather agency confirmed radioactive isotopes have been found in test samples in the city of Severodvinsk near the military test range. Norway's nuclear test ban monitor now believes two explos…

Staff (2019-08-26). Unreported Deaths, Child Cancer & Radioactive Meat: The Untold Story of Chernobyl. democracynow.org Following a mysterious nuclear accident in Russia that left seven dead, we look back at the 1986 nuclear disaster in Chernobyl. It sent a cloud of radioactive fallout into Russia, Belarus and over a large portion of Europe, but the death toll from Chernobyl remains unknown. Chernobyl is considered the worst nuclear accident in history, but Kate Brown, an MIT professor of science, technology and society, says much of what we understand about the disaster is inaccurate. Her new book, "Manual for Survival: A Chernobyl Guide to the Future," chronicles the devastating and underreported impact of radiation on tens of t…

Staff (2019-08-26). Headlines for August 26, 2019. democracynow.org World Leaders Pledge Amazon Help as Trump Sends Mixed Signals About China at G7 Summit, Iran's Foreign Minister Zarif Makes Surprise Appearance at G7 to Hold Talks with European Officials, Protesters Call Out G7 Leaders over Corporate Ties, Climate Inaction and Inequality, Wildfires Continue to Consume Amazon as Public Outrage Grows, Police Deploy Water Cannons, Fire a Live Warning Shot at Hong Kong Protesters, Attacks in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq Add to Mounting Tensions in Middle East, EU Countries Say They Will Relocate Migrants Stranded on Ship After 2-Week Standoff, 200,000 Rohingya Refugees March for "Genocid…

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 …

2019-09-04: Social Media Postees

Hezbollah Won't Tolerate Israeli Aggression
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2019-09-04
Make no mistake. Israel is run by anti-democratic hardliners. Nuclear armed and dangerous, along with maintaining stockpiles of chemical, biological, and other banned terror weapons, Israel is a Middle East menace. | It's second only to the regional threat posed by …
globalresearch.ca/hezbollah-wont-tolerate-israeli-aggression/5687992

Apartheid Had Always Been the Plan
Kenn Orphan | counterpunch.org | 2019-09-04
What do wealthy capitalists do in response to the ever present threat of nuclear annihilation or a biosphere teetering on the edge of collapse? Why they build enormous, fortified bunkers deep underground, of course. Here they can live like the descendants of the mammals that survived the extinction of the dinosaurs in the late Cretaceous…
counterpunch.org/2019/09/04/apartheid-had-always-been-the-plan/

Israel: "Wiped off The Map". The Rumor of the Century, Fabricated by the US Media to Justify An All out War on Iran
Arash Norouzi | globalresearch.ca | 2019-09-04
Global Research Editor's Note | The following text by Arash Norouzi first published by the Mossadegh Project and Global Research in January 2007 confirms that the alleged "Wiped Off the Map" statement by Iran's (former) president was never made. | In the …
globalresearch.ca/israel-wiped-off-the-map-the-rumor-of-the-century-fabricated-by-the-us-media-to-justify-an-all-out-war-on-iran/21188

Sanctions and Double Standards
Fabian Goldmann, Florian Zollman & Hans Blixi | indybay.org | 2019-09-04
Sanctions are war with other means-and not an alternative to war. The civilian population pays the price with their bodies and their lives. Export prohibitions on the most important revenues of a country cause impoverishment and suffering. That Iran has not attacked another country militarily in the last 100 years is mostly unmentioned in the media.
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/09/03/18825920.php

Meet the militantly pro-Israel Trump official directing the economic war on Iran
Max Blumenthal | thegrayzone.com | 2019-09-03
From her influential post at the Treasury Department, Sigal Mandelker has vowed to defend "our great partner, Israel" by sanctioning…
thegrayzone.com/2019/09/03/pro-israel-sigal-mandelker-fbi-americans-iran/

US Imposes Sanctions on Iran Space Agencies
telesurenglish.net | 2019-09-03
The United States has imposed sanctions on Iran's civilian space agency and two research organizations Tuesday, claiming they were being used to advance Tehran's ballistic missile program. | RELATED: | Iran Urges European Partners to Fulfill Nuclear Commitments | "The United States will not allow Iran to use its space launch program as a cover to advance its ballistic missile programs," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement. | He said Iran's Aug. 29 attempt to test a…
telesurenglish.net/news/US-Imposes-Sanctions-on-Iran-Space-Agencies-20190903-0015.html

US conducts ground launch cruise missile test
Ian Gamble | liberationnews.org | 2019-09-02
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.
liberationnews.org/us-conducts-ground-launch-cruise-missile-test/

Will Rouhani meet Trump?
Mazda Majidi | liberationnews.org | 2019-08-31
Washington's foreign policy establishment is dominated by "Iran Hawks," headed by National Security Adviser John Bolton.
liberationnews.org/will-rouhani-meet-trump/

The Pentagon's New Missile Drive Is Bringing Armageddon Closer
Michael T. Klare | thenation.com | 2019-08-30
The Pentagon's New Missile Drive Is Bringing Armageddon Closer…
thenation.com/article/inf-treaty-pentagon-nuclear-weapons-russia-china/

Israel increases attacks on Iran allies amid deepening ties to UAE, Saudi
Aaron Maté | thegrayzone.com | 2019-08-30
The recent Israeli bombings of Iranian-allied groups in Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria come amid deepening ties between Israel and the…
thegrayzone.com/2019/08/30/israel-attacks-iran-uae-saudi/

US-Iran: 5 Points of Concord Over 40 Years of Confrontation
unitedEditor | uwidata.com | 2019-08-29
The U.S. and Iran are locked in a tough confrontation for forty years. They do not have direct diplomatic relations and are engaged in a major ideological war, playing an important role on the geopolitical map of the world at the same time. Nonetheless, although Tehran and Washington have turned into two hostile camps over …
uwidata.com/5142-us-iran-5-points-of-concord-over-40-years-of-confrontation/

Thursday's Daily Brief: UN refugee agency on Venezuelan migrant crisis, dramatic resurgence' of measles in Europe, a UN News visit to former nuclear test site, Colombian law for disabled persons receives praise, Security Council on violence in Yemen
United Nations | un.org | 2019-08-29
A recap of Thursday's stories: 'No end in sight' to massive movement of Venezuelan migrants and refugees; 'Dramatic resurgence' of measles threatens Europe; Report from nuclear test site in Kazakhstan; UN expert welcomes new Colombian law for persons with disabilities; Security Council concerned over violent spams in Yemen.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/08/1045261

'Ground Zero': Report from the former Semipalatinsk Test Site in Kazakhstan
United Nations | un.org | 2019-08-29
Every year on August 29, at the initiative of Kazakhstan, the UN and its Member States mark the International Day against Nuclear Tests. This year, the Day coincides with the 70th anniversary of the first atomic bomb test at the Semipalatinsk test site in Kazakhstan. UN News travelled to the remote, eerily beautiful region, for this report.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/08/1045221

Remembering Legendary Peace Activist Frances Crowe, Who Died at 100 After Decades of Resisting War
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-29
The legendary peace activist Frances Crowe died this week at the age of 100 in Northampton, Massachusetts. Over the past seven decades, Frances had been arrested countless times while protesting war, nuclear weapons, nuclear power and the construction of new pipelines. She is survived by her two sons, a daughter and an international community of peace activists. We revisit a 2005 interview of Frances Crowe by Amy Goodman and recognize her lifetime of advocacy.
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/29/remembering_legendary_peace_activist_frances_crowe

G7 Summit: Critical Outcomes
unitedEditor | uwidata.com | 2019-08-28
In the French city of Biarritz, a three-day summit featuring the heads of state from 7 of the world's largest economies (Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Canada, the USA, France and Japan) has come to a close. The hottest topics of discussion were trade relations, a nuclear deal with Iran, the protests in Hong Kong, the …
uwidata.com/5103-g7-summit-critical-outcomes/

Airstrikes in Lebanon, Syria & Iraq Mark Dangerous Escalation in Decades-Long Israeli Aggression
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-28
Tensions are mounting across the Middle East following a series of Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq. Lebanese President Michel Aoun likened the recent Israeli attacks to a "declaration of war." Israeli drones bombed targets in Lebanon on both Monday and Tuesday. Meanwhile, some Iraqi lawmakers are calling on the United States to fully withdraw its troops following a series of Israeli air raids conducted by Israel. Israel has only claimed responsibility for an attack on Syria Saturday, which they said targeted an Iranian-operated base that was preparing to launch a drone assault on Israel. We speak wi…
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/28/israel_airstrikes_lebanon_syria_iraq

Headlines for August 27, 2019
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-27
Oklahoma Wins Case Against Johnson & Johnson as Court Finds Pharma Giant Fueled State's Opioid Crisis, Brazil Rejects G7 Amazon Aid Amid Mounting Environmental Disaster, Prosecutors Investigate After Gov't Ignored Warnings About Planned Amazon Fires, Trump Dismisses Wind Power Again at G7 as WH Walks Back Comments on Kim Jong-un, Lebanon Says Air Attacks Over Weekend Amount to "Declaration of War" from Israel, U.N. Says Floods in Sudan a "Humanitarian Emergency" as Death Toll Tops 60 People, Iran Sentences Journalist and Activist Marzieh Amiri to 10 Years & 148 Lashes, 19 States and D.C. Sue to Block Trump's Term…
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/27/headlines

The End of the Greater Middle East Project: The Case of Kurdistan
unitedEditor | uwidata.com | 2019-08-26
Donald Trump's victory in the 2016 presidential elections has had dire implications for the American "Greater Middle East" project which has guided US foreign policy in the Middle East since it was first put forward in 2003. Trump's reorientation toward internal US problems (migration, economy, protectionism), the emergence of new geopolitical rivals (China and Iran) …
uwidata.com/5067-the-end-of-the-greater-middle-east-project-the-case-of-kurdistan/

Headlines for August 26, 2019
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-26
World Leaders Pledge Amazon Help as Trump Sends Mixed Signals About China at G7 Summit, Iran's Foreign Minister Zarif Makes Surprise Appearance at G7 to Hold Talks with European Officials, Protesters Call Out G7 Leaders over Corporate Ties, Climate Inaction and Inequality, Wildfires Continue to Consume Amazon as Public Outrage Grows, Police Deploy Water Cannons, Fire a Live Warning Shot at Hong Kong Protesters, Attacks in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq Add to Mounting Tensions in Middle East, EU Countries Say They Will Relocate Migrants Stranded on Ship After 2-Week Standoff, 200,000 Rohingya Refugees March for "Genocid…
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/26/headlines

Mysterious Russian Nuclear Missile Accident Sparks Fears of Cover-Up & "Chernobyl Redux"
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-26
Questions are swirling over a mysterious nuclear accident in northern Russia on August 8. Seven people, including five nuclear scientists, died in an explosion, which caused a radiation spike in the surrounding area — and possibly as far as Scandinavia. U.S. experts suspect the explosion was caused during a test of a nuclear-powered cruise missile. Russia initially denied a radiation leak, but earlier today its state weather agency confirmed radioactive isotopes have been found in test samples in the city of Severodvinsk near the military test range. Norway's nuclear test ban monitor now believes two explos…
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/26/aug_8_russia_nuclear_accident

Unreported Deaths, Child Cancer & Radioactive Meat: The Untold Story of Chernobyl
Staff | democracynow.org | 2019-08-26
Following a mysterious nuclear accident in Russia that left seven dead, we look back at the 1986 nuclear disaster in Chernobyl. It sent a cloud of radioactive fallout into Russia, Belarus and over a large portion of Europe, but the death toll from Chernobyl remains unknown. Chernobyl is considered the worst nuclear accident in history, but Kate Brown, an MIT professor of science, technology and society, says much of what we understand about the disaster is inaccurate. Her new book, "Manual for Survival: A Chernobyl Guide to the Future," chronicles the devastating and underreported impact of radiation on tens of t…
www.democracynow.org/2019/8/26/kate_brown_chernobyl_manual_for_survival