(2020-10-15). OPCW Syria whistleblower and ex-director attacked by U.S., UK, France at UN. mronline.org 
Ian Henderson, a veteran OPCW inspector who challenged a cover-up of his organization's investigation of an alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria, recently testified before the United Nations Security Council.
(2020-10-15). How the Christian Right Won the Culture Wars. counterpunch.org 
The likely appointment of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court may mark the end of this round of the culture wars. For half-a-century, the U.S. has been a battleground over "moral" and sexual values. Key issues like abortion, health care (i.e., the ADA), gay rights and the meaning of "family" have been contested. With Barrett's appointment,
(2020-10-14). The Show Trial of Julian Assange Is an Attack on the Right to Dissent. globalresearch.ca Wikileaks' ascendancy has led to a revolution in publishing and politics that has been felt across the world, and was synonymous with the hope of the Arab spring. But a crackdown is now in full swing. The sudden, shocking ascendancy …
(2020-10-14). Ten Reasons Why The Assange Trial Threatens Freedom Of Speech. popularresistance.org At the end of the hearings that seek to extradite journalist Julian Assange to the United States, on October 1, his defense team should have felt triumphant. Because with more than 30 witnesses and testimonies, throughout the whole month of September, they gave a beating to the prosecution representing the U.S. | If the case in London were decided solely on justice, as it should in a state based on law, this battle would have been won by Assange. | However, this "trial of the century" is, above all, a political trial, and there remains the feeling that the ruling was made beforehand, regardless of the law.
(2020-10-14). Dahlia Lithwick: Amy Coney Barrett May Claim Neutrality, But Her Record Is "Extremely Conservative" democracynow.org 
In the second day of confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, the federal judge's refusal to answer basic questions on voter intimidation and whether a president can delay elections did her "no favors" and was part of an aim to "present herself as neutral; she's an open book; whatever she was before, whatever she ruled on the bench before, is immaterial," says Dahlia Lithwick, senior legal correspondent and Supreme Court reporter for Slate.com. "There are some issues that don't need to be approached with an open mind. … She could have allayed a lot of fears."
(2020-10-14). Making the Supreme Court Safe for Democracy: Samuel Moyn on Reforming an Undemocratic Institution. democracynow.org 
As Republicans race to confirm President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett prior to Election Day and cement a conservative majority on the top court for a generation or more, calls are growing for Joe Biden to increase the number of justices on the Supreme Court if elected president. But Yale legal scholar Samuel Moyn argues that beyond "packing the court" and other measures commonly proposed to rebalance the Supreme Court's ideological makeup, the institution as a whole must be weakened in order to safeguard democracy. "This country was founded on minority rule and the rejection of democracy, and t…
(2020-10-14). Can Trump Delay Election or Reject Peaceful Transition of Power? Amy Coney Barrett Refuses to Say. democracynow.org 
Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett faced 11 hours of questioning in the Senate Tuesday but refused to provide clarity about her views on the Affordable Care Act, Roe v. Wade, voting rights and even if President Trump could delay the election. Republicans are racing to confirm the 48-year-old federal judge before Election Day, which would give conservatives a commanding 6-3 majority on the high court. We air highlights from the marathon session.
(2020-10-14). Headlines for October 14, 2020. democracynow.org White House Pursuing "Herd Immunity" Strategy Condemned by WHO as "Unethical", Trump Holds Packed Campaign Rallies in Defiance of Social Distancing Orders, "Potential Safety Concern" Halts Clinical Trial of Eli Lilly Antibody Treatment, Amy Coney Barrett Won't Commit to Recusing Herself If 2020 Election Is Decided by SCOTUS, FBI Says Far-Right Anti-Government Group Plotted to Kidnap Virginia Governor, More Witnesses Corroborate Claims of Extrajudicial Killing by U.S. Marshals, Trailing in Polls, Trump Appeals to White Suburban Women and Farmers, Supreme Court Will Allow Trump Admin to Halt Census Count a Month Ea…
(2020-10-14). Trump's Weaponization of the National Security State. counterpunch.org 
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Trump's most vocal loyalist and a serial violator of the Hatch Act, carried out the president's order to release Hillary Clinton's emails sent through her home server between 2009 and 2012. Trump said that he was "not happy" with the way the secretary was "running the State Department" and that he should "get them out." Pompeo immediately announced he would do so on Trump's network, Fox News.
(2020-10-14). Barrett dodges questions, refuses to say Trump can't delay election. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—Duck, dodge, and weave. Frustrating Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats, that was the common "response" federal appellate judge Amy Coney Barrett produced on issue after issue during the second day of the panel's hearings on her nomination to the vacant seat on the U.S. Supreme Court. On everything from revisiting the legality of gay marriage to …
(2020-10-14). Pompeo encourages Saudi Arabia to normalise ties with Israel. middleeasteye.net 
Pompeo encourages Saudi Arabia to normalise ties with Israel | US Secretary of State thanks kingdom for assisting in normalisation deals between two Gulf Arab countries and Israel | Wed, 10/14/2020 – 17: 50 | Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo deliver remarks at State Department (AFP) | US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Saudi Arabia to normalise…
(2020-10-14). Merriam-Webster labels 'sexual preference' OFFENSIVE after uproar over LGBTQ terminology during SCOTUS confirmation hearing. rt.com 
Merriam-Webster has been accused of politicizing its dictionary after it flagged the term 'sexual preference' as offensive, mirroring a complaint leveled against Amy Coney Barrett during her SCOTUS confirmation hearing. | The curious edit was spotted hours after Barrett was lambasted for using the phrase "sexual preference" to refer to LGBTQ Americans' sexual orientations as she answered questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. | Democratic Senator Mazie Hirono berated the conservative Supreme Court nominee for using the term, claiming that it was "offensive and outdated." The senator alleged…
(2020-10-14). Controversy Over the Alleged Abortion Views of Amy Coney Barrett Misses Wider Issues. dissidentvoice.org The nomination to the United States Supreme Court of Amy Coney Barrett has raised again the issue of access to abortion, legalised in the United States in the decision in Roe v Wade 410 US 113 (1973) 47 years ago. If Ms Barrett is confirmed as a member of the Supreme Court it will make …
(2020-10-14). An Open Letter to Judge Amy Coney Barrett, From Your Notre Dame Colleagues. counterpunch.org October 10, 2020 Dear Judge Barrett, We write to you as fellow faculty members at the University of Notre Dame. We congratulate you on your nomination to the United States Supreme Court. An appointment to the Court is the crowning achievement of a legal career and speaks to the commitments you have made throughout your
(2020-10-14). Michigan Supreme Court overturns governor's executive orders on COVID-19 pandemic. wsws.org The rulings coincide with the demands of the ruling elite that workers return to work under dangerous conditions so that profitability can be restored.
(2020-10-14). Day two of hearing for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett: Democrats maintain silence on White House plot to overturn election. wsws.org At Tuesday's hearing, the Democrats adopted a posture of cringing respect for the far-right judge, echoing Biden's remark in last month's presidential debate that she is "a very fine woman."
(2020-10-14). Packing the Court: Why Joe Biden Can't Commit. strategic-culture.org The latest issue roiling the U.S. presidential race is the Supreme Court and what to do if it bucks the wishes of the ruling party. The reason is the Amy Coney Barrett nomination, which, assuming it goes through, could result in a 6-3 conservative majority lasting well into the 2030s. | Since this would spell doom for a Biden-Harris administration, Democrats have come up with what they think is a perfect solution. It's called packing the court, and it entails expanding "the Supremes" from nine to fifteen members in order to fill the ranks with liberals guaranteed to toe the party line. | It's neat, clean, and con…
(2020-10-14). Barrett Says Can Not Opine if US President Can Pardon Himself Without Knowing Pardon Scope. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – US Supreme Court nominee Amy Barrett said during her confirmation hearing that she can not opine on whether the US president can pardon himself for committed crimes without her going through the judicial process to decide on the issue, but emphasised that no one is above the law.
(2020-10-14). SCOTUS Must Be Weakened to Safeguard Democracy, Says Legal Scholar. truthout.org As Republicans race to confirm President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett prior to Election Day and cement a conservative majority on the top court for a generation or more, calls are growing for Joe Biden to increase the number of justices on the Supreme Court if elected president. But Yale legal scholar Samuel Moyn argues that beyond "packing the court" and other measures commonly proposed to rebalance the Supreme Court's ideological makeup, the institution as a whole must be weakened in o…
(2020-10-14). Trump Has Cut the Census Short. As a Census Worker, I Can See Who Will Suffer. truthout.org The Supreme Court effectively approved the Trump administration's request to cut the 2020 census short in a ruling issued Tuesday in response to an emergency request made last week by the Justice Department. Hours later, The…
(2020-10-14). How to Save Democracy From GOP Sabotage. commondreams.org The Constitution doesn't prevent increasing the size of the Supreme Court in order to balance it. (Photo: Peoples World/flickr/cc) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/oligarchy_1_1.jpg …
(2020-10-14). Here's One Good Way to Reform a Battered US Supreme Court. commondreams.org Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett puts her mask on during her Senate Judiciary Committee on the third day of her Supreme Court confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill on October 14, 2020 in Washington, DC. Barrett was nominated by President Donald Trump to fill the vacancy left by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg who passed away in September. (Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/amy_coney_barrett.jpg …
(2020-10-14). Whistleblowers: Colorado meatpacking plant used threats and lies to keep potentially infected workers on the job. wsws.org Two former health screeners at the JBS beef processing facility in Greeley, Colorado after a coronavirus outbreak have blown the whistle on flagrant violations of basic safety measures by management.
(2020-10-14). Skills For Revolutionary Survival: Communications. popularresistance.org Face the facts. We are tied to our devices in ways that are incredibly useful for organizing, but that also expose us to isolation should the state and companies take away these technologies. Cell phones and the internet rely on corporate infrastructure and is subject to both government surveillance and service denial. What do we do when social media bans anti-capitalists and anti-colonialists? What do we do when our cell phones fully become monitoring devices we willingly keep by our side, all to the benefit of state intelligence services?
(2020-10-13). "Let the People Decide!" Protests at Amy Coney Barrett Hearing Decry GOP Power Grab, Attack on ACA. democracynow.org 
Hundreds protested outside the Senate Monday against the confirmation hearing for President Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Judge Amy Coney Barrett. At least 21 were arrested after staging a sit-in to oppose the Senate pushing through Barrett's nomination in the middle of the presidential election. Senate Democrats warn the federal judge's record suggests she would overturn the Affordable Care Act and threaten reproductive rights if she takes the seat left vacant by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. "Trump and the Republicans are trying to execute a power grab," says Ana María Archila, co-executive director of…
(2020-10-13). Packing the Courts: How Republicans Spent Decades Installing Judges to Cement Minority Rule. democracynow.org 
Amid Senate confirmation hearings for Amy Coney Barrett, we look at how conservatives have used dark money to push to seat her on the Supreme Court before the November 3 election, following a decades-long project by conservatives to install right-wing judges across the federal judiciary. "There's no doubt that what we're facing is, increasingly, rule by a minority," says former Senate Judiciary Committee staffer Lisa Graves, executive director of True North Research. "When people say that the court needs to be packed, it really needs to be unpacked."
(2020-10-13). The Race for Arizona State House District 20. aclu.org 
The outcome of the race for the House in Arizona District 20 could determine important policies during the next legislative session., , If the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, abortion could become illegal in Arizona., , Judy Schwiebert pledged to support legislation that keeps abortion safe and legal. Shawnna Bolick and Anthony Kern pledged to vote to prohibit abortion care except in rare cases. | IssueShawnna BolickJudy SchwiebertAnthony Kern | Has pledged to support legislation that keeps abortion safe and legal. | No | Yes | No |
(2020-10-13). Palestinian leaders call for Israel to release prisoner on 80th day of hunger strike. middleeasteye.net 
Palestinian leaders call for Israel to release prisoner on 80th day of hunger strike | The Israeli Supreme Court rejected Maher al-Akhras' petition for release on Tuesday, as right groups warn he is 'on the verge of death' | Tue, 10/13/2020 – 12: 54 | Maher al-Akhras with one of his children before his arrest in July by Israeli forces (Screengrab)
| Several Palestinian political figures have raised the ala…
(2020-10-13). The Race for Arizona State House District 23. aclu.org 
The outcome of the race for the House in Arizona District 23 could determine important policies during the next legislative session., , If the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, abortion could become illegal in Arizona. , , Eric Kurland pledged to support legislation that keeps abortion safe and legal. John Kavanagh and Joseph Chaplick pledged to vote to prohibit abortion care except in rare cases. | IssueEric, KurlandJoseph, ChaplickJohn, Kavanagh | Has pledged to support legislation that keeps abortion safe and legal. | Yes | No | No | Source: Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona Candida…
(2020-10-13). Senate Dems raise threat to health care as Barrett hearings open. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—-The latest Republican dog-and-pony show, officially called Senate committee hearings on Amy Coney Barrett's nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court, opened Oct. 12 with the panel's Democrats stating should she join the other justices, health care for at least 130 million people would be changed for the worse or killed. That threat to the 10-year-old …
(2020-10-13). Leading Democrat urges Biden to appoint Muslim federal judges if elected. middleeasteye.net 
Leading Democrat urges Biden to appoint Muslim federal judges if elected | Representative Grace Meng's call comes amid Supreme Court nomination of Amy Coney Barrett, whose form of Catholicism has been a point of contention among Democrats | Tue, 10/13/2020 – 15: 55 | Representative Grace Meng is using her influence among Democrats to push for the appointment of Muslim judges to the federal bench (AFP) | The vi…
(2020-10-13). The Heat: Supreme Court battle and US presidential race. america.cgtn.com 
The US Supreme Court battle begins in Washington. Judge Amy Coney Barrett appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee to formally introduce herself to the American people.
(2020-10-13). Democrats Have Been a Minority on the Supreme Court Since 1970. counterpunch.org 
National polls have shown that most citizens do not wish her, or anyone, to be appointed until after the presidential election. A few Democrats have argued that if Barrett is appointed, seats should be added to the Supreme Court to balance its philosophical views. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence both asked their Democratic opponents
(2020-10-13). Scheer Intelligence: Wrestling Back Privacy From The Jaws Of Big Tech. popularresistance.org Over the course of just a few decades, technology has come to play a role in nearly every single aspect of our lives. While there have been undeniable benefits to technological advances, one of the main concerns that has grown alongside its presence in daily life is how tech companies collect, use and profit from our data in ways we're often unaware of. James Steyer, a professor at Stanford University and the founder and CEO of Common Sense Media, a leading consumer advocacy group that promotes safe media and technology for families, joins Robert Scheer on this week's installment of "Scheer Intelligence" to discu…
(2020-10-13). Democrats silent on Trump's election coup plans as confirmation hearings begin on Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett. wsws.org Besides her potential role in an election coup d'etat, Barrett will shift the Supreme Court further to the right, gutting abortion rights, reversing protections for gays, attacking the separation of church and state, lifting restrictions on guns and blocking federal regulation of business.
(2020-10-13). The Supreme Court to Decide Whether Chicago Can Keep Cars Locked Up When Debtors File for Bankruptcy. aclu.org
(2020-10-13). Amy Coney Barrett Refuses to Answer If Trump Can Delay the Election or Not. truthout.org During confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, Judge Amy Coney Barrett, President Donald Trump's nominee to sit on the Supreme Court, refused to answer a question regarding the president's ability to unilaterally delay federal elections set to commence next month. | When asked by the committee's ranking chair, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California), whether "the Constitution gives the president of the United States the authority to unilaterally delay an election un…
(2020-10-13). Protests at Amy Coney Barrett Hearing Rail Against GOP Power Grab. truthout.org Image Credit: Twitter: @CPDAction | Hundreds protested outside the Senate Monday against the confirmation hearing for President Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Judge Amy Coney Barrett. At least 21 were arrested after staging a sit-in to oppose the Senate pushing through Barrett's nomination in the middle of the presidential election. Senate Democrats warn the federal judge's record suggests she would overturn the Affordable Care Act and threaten reproductive rights if she takes the seat left vacant by the l…
(2020-10-13). Civil Rights Advocates Warn Supreme Court Order—a Victory for Trump—Will Result in 'Irreversible Damage to 2020 Census'. commondreams.org Justice Sonya Sotomayor issued a dissent warning the "harms caused by rushing this year's census count are irreparable" and that "respondents will suffer their lasting impact for at least the next 10 years." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/census_0_1.jpg …
(2020-10-13). Democratic Party House antitrust report calls for breakup of big tech monopolies. wsws.org The Democrats have mounted their antitrust initiative as a means of persuading the tech firms to work more closely with their faction of the political and intelligence establishment.
(2020-10-12). El 'juicio del siglo' contra Julian Assange: 10 razones para salvar el futuro del periodismo. thegrayzone.com El ex diplomático ecuatoriano que le dio asilo político a Julian Assange informa sobre la audiencia de extradición del periodista de WikiLeaks, y explica por qué es "el caso más importante contra la libertad de expresión de toda una generación". Por Fidel Narváez Read this article in English here. Nota del editor: Fidel Narváez fue el consul de Ecuador en el Reino Unido entre 2010 y 2018. Ayudó a darle el asilo político a Julian Assange, y se comunicaba regularmente …
(2020-10-12). On How Julian Assange Is Made Invisible. telesurenglish.net Over thirty years ago, the moral philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre noted that an inability to engage competing rationalities critically disables the proponents of the moral and intellectual tradition failing to do so. That kind of fundamental, banal critical failure has always characterized the societies of the Western imperialist powers, in every sphere of intellectual and moral life. | RELATED: | It may have been les…
(2020-10-12). Julian Assange faces the 'trial of the century': 10 reasons why it threatens freedom of speech. thegrayzone.com The Ecuadorian diplomat who gave Julian Assange political asylum reports from the extradition hearing against the WikiLeaks journalist, and explains why it is "the most important case against the freedom of expression in an entire generation." By Fidel Narváez Translated by Ben Norton Puedes leer este artículo en español aquí. Editor's note: Fidel Narváez served as Ecuador's consul in the UK from 2010 until July 2018. He helped get Julian Assange political asylum, and regularly communicated with the WikiLeaks publisher …
(2020-10-12). The Tortured Trial of Julian Assange. counterpunch.org Most people might be excused for not knowing it, because the story is mainly ignored, or is shamelessly misreported in the corporate media when it does get any attention. A courageous Australian journalist, abandoned by his own country, is being railroaded by a British court towards extradition to the US where he could face life
(2020-10-12). Indigenous Children Could Be in Danger With an Amy Coney Barrett Nomination. truthout.org President Donald Trump's nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge Amy Coney Barrett, is raising red flags for supporters of a federal law designed to preserve Native American families and culture. | The Indian Child Welfare Act is not currently before the nation's top court, but there is a very real possibility it could end up there. | The constitutionality of the 1978 law — which aims to keep Native American children from being adopted or placed in foster care outside their families, t…
(2020-10-12). Trump's narcissism has become a monster Republicans can't control. therealnews.com 
Jim Zogby talks about the impact of Trump's COVID-19 diagnosis on the Supreme Court, the stimulus package, and potential violence leading up to the election.
(2020-10-12). Barrett confirmation hearings begin: Far right looks to lock in stranglehold over Supreme Court. liberationnews.org 
Today marks the beginning of the confirmation hearings of President Trump's nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett before the Senate Judiciary Committee headed by Republican Lindsey Graham. This nomination for the Supreme Court position, recently vacated by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, comes less than a month away from the presidential election and a potentially …
(2020-10-12). White House Chief of Staff Meadows bashed for refusing to speak to press with a mask on in hectic exchange. rt.com 
Amid multiple confirmed cases of Covid-19 inside the White House, Chief of Staff Mark Meadows was blasted online for taking off his face mask and then refusing to speak to reporters in an overall frantic encounter. | Mark Meadows was approached by Capitol reporters on Monday, just outside Judge Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court confirmation hearing. | In a somewhat hectic exchange with the press Meadows decided to "pull away" the stationary microphone to supposedly get "more than ten feet away" from the reporters and be able to more safely speak to them without a face mask. | A disapproving "Oh" could be heard…
(2020-10-12). Howard Zinn Was Right: We Need To Stop Obsessing Over The Supreme Court. dissidentvoice.org The death of Supreme Court Justice and liberal icon Ruth Bader Ginsburg left a gaping hole on America's highest court. The question over her replacement has quickly become a hotly contested issue which will define the coming weeks and perhaps even months. Mere days after Ginsburg's death, Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett, a federal judge …
(2020-10-12). US Senate Hearing for Trump's Supreme Court Nominee Kicks Off. telesurenglish.net The Republican-led Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday began a confirmation hearing for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, as Republicans push for a final floor vote amidst a raging partisan battle over the open seat at the high court. | RELATED: | The Republican leader nominated the conservative federal appellate judge last month to replace late Justice Ruth Bader Gi…