CounterCurrents: Agrochemicals And The Cesspool Of Corruption: Dr. Mason Writes To The US EPA, Civilian Toll Mounts As Mosul Offensive Enters Second Week

Dear Friend,

The assault on Mosul has entered second week. A horrific humanitarian disaster is unfolding there. UN human rights spokesman Rupert Colville told a UN meeting Geneva that Iraqi security forces had discovered the bullet-riddled bodies of 70 civilians in the village of Tuloul Naser, near Mosul, on October 20. It was also reported that 50 former police officers being held outside the city had also been killed. People are fleeing from the city. There are also report that ISIS terrorists are fleeing into Syria. 

Sabia Rigby reports from Calais refugee camp In Calais in France which the French and English police are  taking down leaving thousands of refugees totally homeless and stateless.  

Dr Nayvin Gordon delves into US history and explores why the police in US is behaving the way it is. He believes that it is a legacy of the slave system. He asks the whites to join the blacks in their resistance against police brutality. He writes "Whites will not be free from killer cops until Blacks are also free." 

The Dalits in India is facing the same kind of racial discrimination that the blacks are facing in USA and elsewhere. Dalits and Muslims  constitue 17% & 13% of the population. That means that together one in three Indians is a ‘Dalim’ – Dalit Indian Muslim. Yet these two are the most powerless and oppressed communities in the largest democracy in the world. Mirza Yawar Baig puts forward some practical solutions for the upliftment of the 'Dalim'. 

Emminent Indian journalist and author, Ms. Rana Ayyub’s talk at the Indian Cultural Centre, Doha on October 22nd was allegedly cancelled by the Embassy of India, Doha, at the very last minute allegedly under pressure from Government of India. 

The CAG report on Vizhinjam Transit Harbour has come out. The report says that the project will put a heavy burden on the government and ultimately on the people and will help only the project developer Gautam Adani, one of the biggest beneficiary of present day crony capitalism that is prevailing in India.  The communist government which came to power promising development without environmental destruction is presiding over one of the greatest environmentally destructive deveoplment projects in Kerala. K.P Sasi, son of K. Damodaran who was one of the founders of the communist party in Kerala writes sarcastically "Poor Karl Marx. He spent years in writing Das Capital. It still remains as the most powerful critique of capitalism. But he did not imagine that    Communists in Kerala will interpret it differently much later in history using his name. If there is any communist in Kerala holding on to communist values, it is time to tell these leaders enough is enough. Do not shame th
e word
communism!"

And also more stories from around the world. 

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In Solidarity

Binu Mathew
Editor
www.countercurrents.org





Civilian Toll Mounts As Mosul Offensive Enters Second Week
by Bill Van Auken 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/10/26/civilian-toll-mounts-as-mosul-offensive-enters-second-week/

With the US-led offensive to retake Mosul from the Islamic State (ISIS), there are increasing reports of death and suffering on the part of Iraqi civilians caught up in the fighting and facing retribution from both ISIS and troops and militias loyal to Baghdad.





Report from the Refugee Camp In Calais, France–“The Jungle”
by Sabia Rigby 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/10/26/report-from-the-refugee-camp-in-calais-france-the-jungle/

Sabia Rigby reports from Calais as police are dismantling a camp where refugees wait to cross into Britain. Most of those aiming to claim asylum are from Afghanistan and Syria. The camp has become an impromptu village of sorts, where residents take care of each other. Despite the independent nature of the camp and its non-interference with most of French life, many French citizens and commentators have been angered by the presence of the camp and have pressured the government to dismantle it.





Journalist Rana Ayyub’s Talk In Doha Cancelled Allegedly Under Pressure From Government Of India
by Shamim Zakaria 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/10/26/journalist-rana-ayyubs-talk-in-doha-cancelled-allegedly-under-pressure-from-government-of-india/

Emminent Indian journalist and author, Ms. Rana Ayyub’s talk at the Indian Cultural Centre, Doha on October 22nd was allegedly cancelled by the Embassy of India, Doha, at the very last minute. Alleging stifle of freedom of expression at the behest of the Government of India, Rana took to social media to vent her irk and made the news public today.





How A Communist Should Read The CAG Report On Vizhinjam Transit Harbour
by K P Sasi 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/10/26/how-a-communist-should-read-the-cag-report-on-vizhinjam-transit-harbour/

Poor Karl Marx. He spent years in writing Das Capital. It still remains as the most powerful critique of capitalism. But he did not imagine that one Pinarayi Vijayan and one Thomas Isaac will interpret it differently much later in history using his name. If there is any communist in Kerala holding on to communist values, it is time to tell these leaders enough is enough. Do not shame the word communism!





Dr Jill Stein Green Party Alternative To Xenophobic Maverick  Donald Trump And Serial War Criminal Hillary Clinton
by Dr Gideon Polya 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/10/26/dr-jill-stein-green-party-alternative-to-xenophobic-maverick-donald-trump-and-serial-war-criminal-hillary-clinton/

For humane, anti-racist, pro-peace, pro-environment, pro-human rights American voters the Green Party candidate Dr Jill Stein ticks all boxes. However,  as controversially argued over the Ralph Nader Green Party candidacy in the 2000 George Bush versus Al Gore presidential race, support for Stein might decrease Democrat votes (by wooing Bernie Sanders supporters) and deliver victory for Trump






An Alternate Narrative On Hillary Clinton And Donald Trump
by Matt Peppe 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/10/26/an-alternate-narrative-on-hillary-clinton-and-donald-trump/

As the U.S. prepares for its latest electoral spectacle in a few weeks, I offer sample bios for the two presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, based on what they may look like if they were running for office in Cuba.  






Exposing Murderous Police Can Enlighten White People
by Dr Nayvin Gordon 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/10/26/exposing-murderous-police-can-enlighten-white-people/

What is needed is a total transformation to an egalitarian society, free of racial hierarchy.  Such a transformation can begin with a body blow to the core of the system, when white people in larger and larger numbers see the need to join the movement against racist police murder. Whites will not be free from killer cops until Blacks are also free.






When The Voiceless Get A Voice
by Mirza Yawar Baig 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/10/26/when-the-voiceless-get-a-voice/

If there’s one overwhelming sign that numbers mean nothing and organization means everything, it is the plight of Dalits and Muslims in India. Dalits and Muslims are officially 17% & 13% of the population. That means that together one in three Indians is a ‘Dalim’ – Dalit Indian Muslim. Yet these two are the most powerless and oppressed communities in the largest democracy in the world.





Agrochemicals And The Cesspool Of Corruption: Dr. Mason Writes To The US EPA
by Colin Todhunter 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/10/26/agrochemicals-and-the-cesspool-of-corruption-dr-mason-writes-to-the-us-epa/

In her recent open letter to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), campaigner Dr Rosemary Mason documents what amounts to a cesspool of corruption surrounding sections of the agrochemicals industry and the regulation of glyphosate (as found in Monsanto’s herbicide Roundup).





Protest Against Harold Koh, Former Top Legal Advisor to Hillary Clinton At The University Of Illinois

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/10/26/protest-against-harold-koh-former-top-legal-advisor-to-hillary-clinton-at-the-university-of-illinois/

Harold Koh, Former Top Legal Advisor to Hillary Clinton & Legal Architect of U.S. Crimes against Humanity – Not Welcome! Protest Koh’s speech at the University of Illinois College of Law, Champaign! A protest meeting is on Friday