October 2018
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EU Polystyrene Ban: Sign Petition
The European Parliament Environment Committee just voted for a bunch of great changes to strengthen a law on plastic pollution — but they also added a dangerous loophole. We can influence this process now, and a strong EU law will reduce plastic pollution from our shores, no matter what happens with Brexit. Continue reading
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The United States Did It Again: Its Warplanes Use White Phosphorous Munitions in Syria By Peter Korzun
The US-led coalition used white phosphorus (WP) munitions while delivering air strikes against the Syrian province of Deir Ez-Zor on Oct. 13. The attack resulted in civilian casualties. Last month, WP munitions were also used by two US Air Force (USAF) F-15s in an attack on the town of Hajin in Deir-ez-Zor. The Syrian government… Continue reading
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Brazil: Order and Progress was Never a Civilian Slogan By T.P. Wilkinson
The apparent victory of Jair Bolsonaro in the 2018 Brazilian presidential elections has been analysed as the return of some kind of fascism to Brazil: electing dictators where they previously had to enter office in tanks. However, Brazilians, unlike Portuguese, did not remove their dictators from power. The Brazilian military gave way to its civilian… Continue reading
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Did Saudis, CIA Fear Khashoggi 9/11 Bombshell? Finian Cunningham
The macabre case of missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi raises the question: did Saudi rulers fear him revealing highly damaging information on their secret dealings? In particular, possible involvement in the 9/11 terror attacks on New York in 2001. Continue reading
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‘We Are Afraid’: Anti-Bolsonaro Voters, Journalists Targeted in Wave of Political Violence Across Brazil, Activists Call for Action
According to Agencia Publica, Bolsonaristas have been behind at least 50 separate attacks targeting left-wing activists and groups since Sep 30. Thousands of activists, women and young Brazilians marched in Sao Paulo Thursday to protest against right-wing presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro, who won the first round of the Brazilian presidential election on Oct. 7. Continue reading
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Police still not investigating Leave campaigns, citing ‘political sensitivities’
The Metropolitan Police has stalled the launch of any criminal investigation into three pro-Brexit campaigns – citing “political sensitivities”, openDemocracy can reveal today. Despite being handed their first dossier of evidence of potential crimes committed by pro-Leave groups over five months ago, the police force has made no progress nor logged a formal case into… Continue reading
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Did Israeli spy firm help Trump win presidency?
A report in The New York Times this week reveals details of a multimillion dollar scheme by a now defunct Israeli spy firm to use social media manipulation and fake online identities in a sophisticated effort to sway the 2016 election in favor of Donald Trump. Continue reading
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Brazil’s Neo-Liberal Fascist Road to Power By James Petras
The decisive electoral victory of far-right Brazilian presidential candidate, Jair Bolsonaro startled politicians and analysts of the traditional parties of the left and right. The possible implications for the present and near future raises a number of fundamental questions whether it represents a ‘model’ for other countries or is the result of the specific circumstances… Continue reading
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Grenfell Tower: Survivors and bereaved give evidence—“We will not be silenced anymore” By Paul Bond
The Inquiry is separating evidence about the night’s events from submissions on wider issues concerning the responsibility for the fire of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) and the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO)—which managed the building on its behalf. These are scheduled for Phase Two of the Inquiry, which will… Continue reading
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IRR News (25 September – 10 October)
10 October 2018 — IRR Institute of Race Relations weekly digest – Against Racism, for Social Justice Against the backcloth of austerity, and amidst warnings that universal credit and deep cuts to the welfare budget will massively increase poverty and reliance on food banks, it’s perhaps not surprising to learn that the use of force… Continue reading
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Facebook carries out massive purge of oppositional pages By Andre Damon
On Thursday, Facebook removed some of the most popular oppositional pages and accounts on the world’s largest social media network, in a massive and unconstitutional assault on freedom of expression. Continue reading
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Pages purged by Facebook were on blacklist promoted by Washington Post By Andre Damon
Media outlets removed by Facebook on Thursday, in a massive purge of 800 accounts and pages, had previously been targeted in a blacklist of oppositional sites promoted by the Washington Post in November 2016. Continue reading
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Facebook Deleted 58 More Independent Media Pages Last Night
Facebook has essentially been removing pages of dissenting voices. Whether they are on the left or the right, it doesn’t seem to matter. If there is anything remotely extreme in their position, or it is sufficiently discordant with the mainstream voice, they appear to be getting targeted. The fact that Twitter goes along with it… Continue reading
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‘Land of censorship & home of the fake’: Alternative voices on Facebook and Twitter’s crackdown
12 October 2018 — RT Alternative voices online are incensed after Facebook and Twitter closed down hundreds of political media pages ahead of November’s crucial midterm elections. Facebook says they broke its spam rules, they say it’s censorship. Continue reading
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The Claim That CCTV Shows the Salisbury Poisoning Suspects in the Vicinity of Mr Skripal’s House is Deeply Misleading
The images and timeline released by the Metropolitan Police on September 5th, when they formally accused two men of the attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal, contain a number of problems and oddities. Continue reading
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US-funded “Disinformation Oversight” of Bio Weapons Prevention Programmes in Georgia
The Richard Lugar Lab is fast becoming a topic of household conversation in both Georgia and the Russian Federation, because increasing numbers of people care that it is not a public health facility, as claimed, but a threat to the population and humanity as we know it. Continue reading
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After 70 Years of Abuse, a Definition of Anti-Palestinian Racism by Stuart Littlewood
What is the matter with the Palestine solidarity movement? Since 1948 (and before that, even) the Palestinians have been viciously abused and dispossessed while the perpetrators and their supporters have continually played the anti-Semitism card. Continue reading
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On Naval Blockades and A Hard Days War By Christopher Black
On the 22nd of October 1962 the US 2nd Fleet began the blockade of Cuba, an action that immediately threatened the world with nuclear war and annihilation. Those of us old enough to remember President Kennedy’s statement on live television will never forget the fear we all felt as the images of mushroom clouds swept… Continue reading
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Britain is More of a Fake State than Anything Else By Grete Mautner
Blatant lies have been a feature of the British political system for a long while. Whitehall’s tried and tested ways of manipulating the general public are used to distract attention from crucial topics. But what’s even more curious is that inside the Whitehall bunkers where they come up with their own definitions for such manipulations,… Continue reading
The New Dark Age 