Presidential pre-candidate
proposes agrarian reform
in Colombia
October 16th, 3:11pm (Prensa Latina)
Colombia Humana's senator, Gustavo Petro, the
presidential pre-candidate of the Historic Pact,
affirmed today, that, for the country to be
modern, industrialized and peaceful,
this requires agrarian reform.
On Twitter, he noted that transformation Colombia
''needs must'' turn fertile land into an instrument
of production and turn the nation into an
agricultural and industrial power.
In addition, he said, the agrarian reform would allow
the removal of economic and mercantile pressure
on the agricultural frontier, which must not be
expanded any further, because it destroys
the forests, moors and waters.
The defense of the Amazon rainforest is vital for
humanity, in these times of climate change,
he underscored.
If fertile land becomes an instrument of democratized
production --- the peasantry becomes richer, the
domestic market grows and industrialization
is possible --- which is fundamental for
building democracy and peace,
he stated.
In his opinion, 'the extremist right-wing thinking
spokesperson --- of the interests of the cocaine
dollar launderers who appropriated the land,
expropriating the peasantry by blood and
fire, use the press to point out those
ideas as dangerous and populist.'
Petro referred in this sense, to the treatment given
by some press media, to an idea espoused now,
ofthe expropriation of unproductive land.
'Having unproductive fertile land is not capitalist, it is
feudal, pre-modern. This pre-modernity explains the
huge social inequality and permanent violence
in Colombia. Therefore, an agrarian reform
that democratizes, and makes fertile
land productive, is fundamental,'
he noted.
He highlighted that he is referring to 22 million hectares
of fertile land --- of which --- only six million are used
for production.
If the 16 million hectares in the hands of unproductive
landowners were cultivated for food, we would have
two million additional agricultural jobs, Petro
pointed out.
________________________________
US Throws Out Millions of Doses
of COVID Vaccine... as World
Goes Wanting
October 16th, 1:42pm (FNA)
The United States is wasting millions of COVID-19 vaccine
doses even as shortages plague many parts of the world.
At least 15mln doses were scrapped in the US between
March and September, according to one analysis of
Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
data. A separate investigation found 1mln doses
were discarded in ten states... between
December and July, The Guardian says.
States continue tossing unused shots. Louisiana has
thrown out 224,000 unused doses of the COVID
vaccines – a rate that has almost tripled since
the end of July, even as a deadly fourth wave
of the virus gripped the state. Some of the
lost doses, came from opening and not
finishing vials, but more than 20,000
shots... simply expired.
Thousands of doses are reportedly wasted each day in
Wisconsin. In Alabama, more than 65,000 doses have
been tossed; in Tennessee, it’s almost 200,000.
The wasted doses represent a small fraction of the
number of shots administered in these states – in
Louisiana, for instance, 4.4mln doses have been
given out successfully.
But the news comes as millions of people around the world
wait for their first doses. Only 1% of the populations of low
-income countries had received first shots, as of July,
compared with over half of those living in a
handful of high-income countries.
Many of the discarded doses came from pharmacies. In May,
two pharmacy chains had wasted more doses than US
states, territories and federal agencies combined,
for almost three-quarters of tossed doses. Now,
at least 7.6mln discarded doses come from
four major pharmacies: Walgreens, CVS,
Walmart and Rite Aid.
There are multiple reasons why doses have been wasted:
sometimes a vial is cracked or doesn’t contain as many
doses as promised; sometimes needles malfunction;
freezers break down or the power goes out.
Frequently, people don’t show up for appointments,
and the dose set aside for them in a vial, isn’t used.
But as vaccinations across the country have stalled...
after peaking in mid-April, a growing issue is simply
that the vaccines are expiring amid vaccine
''hesitancy'' in the US... which is more
widespread, than first imagined.
Before June, a little over 2mln doses had gone to waste,
NBC News reported. But over the summer, those
figures surged – alongside the virus itself –
sixfold.... as doses expired and
vaccinations flagged.
The Joe Biden administration has pushed to use the US
vaccine stockpile for boosters... sometimes clashing
with scientific agencies, on who needs the added
protection of an additional shot.
Officials are also working with vaccine manufacturers
to reduce the number of doses in each vial.
In the face of global inequities, it is not as simple
as states donating unused vaccines. The doses
already distributed to states, cannot be
repurposed internationally, because
of concerns around storing the
vaccines correctly.
Biden has vowed to vaccinate 70% of the world in the next
year, and has 'committed' to donate several million doses
for use abroad. But in the meantime, many countries are
struggling to provide shots to the most vulnerable and
those working on the frontlines of the pandemic...
while US citizens refuse the immunizations.
Manufacturers should also scale up production to address
global shortages, the administration has said. Moderna,
for instance, needs to “step up as a company” when it
comes to the global production of vaccines... David
Kessler, the Biden administration’s chief science
officer of the COVID-19 response, said
on Wednesday.
_____________________________
UN confirms sending of experts to
regional elections in Venezuela
October 15th, 4:29pm (Prensa Latina)
The United Nations (UN) confirmed that it will send a
Panel of Electoral Experts to Venezuela, for the
November 21st elections, according to a
report sent today.
In email circulated to the press, it was indicated that,
after completing a technical evaluation process, the
UN secretariat responded positively to the request
of the National Electoral Council of Venezuela, for
the deployment of this type of mission in the
regional and municipal elections.
According to the report, a team of three experts will
arrive in the country in November to carry out a
follow up on the process... and provide the
Secretary General with an independent
and internal report on the general
development of the elections.
The text clarified that electoral experts do not issue
public statements evaluating the general manage-
ment of an electoral process, or its results.
It further explained that the panel is one of the
various types of electoral assistance the
United Nations can provide, at the
request of member states, as
opposed to its observation
missions, which require a
''specific mandate'': from
the Security Council or
the General Assembly.
____________________________
Argentina and Paraguay
to strengthen Mercosur
October 15th, 4:16pm (Prensa Latina)
In an effort to strengthen the Southern Common Market
(Mercosur), the foreign ministers of Argentina and
Paraguay, Santiago Cafiero & Euclides Acevedo,
held a meeting today, in which they reviewed
the bilateral and regional agenda.
According to a note from the Foreign Ministry, Cafiero
received Acevedo the day before, in a meeting,
in which, they shared views on the need to
strengthen Mercosur... with an emphasis
on the task that Paraguay will soon
carry out, as president pro
tempore of the bloc.
Both parties agreed that the review of the Common
External Tariff is a central element for the updating
of this regional alliance... taking into account the
requirements and needs of the member states,
based on consensus, in accordance with the
letter and spirit of the founding texts.
During the meeting, the officials resolved to open the
border crossings with the Argentine provinces of
Formosa, Misiones and Corrientes as soon as
possible, which will be opened progressively,
respecting sanitary regulations, and high-
lighted the joint work for an habilitation
of safe sanitary corridors.
On the other hand, they stressed the need to work together
against organized crime and drug trafficking, and agreed
to deepen cooperation for the exchange of technology
and experiences, to reinforce the shared
security agenda.
Other issues include the early realization of the Bilateral
Trade Monitoring Commission meeting, and a project to
interconnect the fibre optic networks of each country
to the points where international internet providers
are located.
__________________________________________
Russia, Venezuela intensify
economic and trade ties
October 15th, 3:24pm (Prensa Latina)
The 15th meeting of the Russia-Venezuela High Level
Intergovernmental Commission (CIAN) will conclude
on Friday, in Moscow, with the commitment to
expand bilateral alliances in economic
matters, and the signing of new
cooperation agreements.
The Venezuelan delegation is headed by Jorge Arreaza,
Minister of Industries and National Production, while
the Russian delegation is led by Deputy Prime
Minister, Yury Borisov.
Gathered since Thursday, at the President Hotel in Moscow,
both delegations have been reviewing the fulfillment of the
different bilateral collaboration projects, and the
prospects for new joint agreements.
On Wednesday, Venezuela's Deputy Minister of Economy
and Finance Hector Silva stressed in Moscow that
despite the unilateral coercive measures by the
United States and its allies, his country is
implementing initiatives to make
progress in trade and
investments.
Silva, who is also the president of the International Centre
for Productive Investment in Venezuela, addressed the
2nd Russia-Venezuela Business Meeting, which was
attended by representatives of private companies
and government institutions from both countries.
Silva highlighted the opportunities the Russian companies
have, to join the country's plans, in different spheres of
economic development, and commented on the
progress of joint cooperation, in the last
few years.
In this sense, he referred to the support provided by
the Eurasian nation in the fight against the Covid-19
pandemic, and highlighted that other positive signs
were the opening of an office of the state-owned
Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) in Russia... and
the establishment of a direct air route between
Moscow and Caracas... through the Conviasa
airline, to transfer passengers and cargo.
___________________________________
Venezuela condemns new attack
on its national electric system
October 14th, 11:51pm (Prensa Latina)
Venezuela, on Thursday, condemned a new attack on its
national electric system, affecting 30% of the power
service in Caracas, due to a series of fluctuations
in the national interconnected system.
In phone contact with Venezolana de Televisión, the Public
Works and Services Minister, Néstor Reverol, praised
the immediate reaction of the National Electricity
Corporation (CORPOELEC) crew, to recover
nearly the whole system in a few hours.
We should not rule out that it is one more attack
in the so-called electrical war, aimed at causing
a systematic violation of Venezuelans´ social
rights, Reverol stressed.
Reverol also said that special teams from the
Scientific and Criminal Investigations Corps
...alongside CORPOELEC´s General
Directorate of Security... roll out
investigations... to determine
the cause of the attack.
______________________________
Cuba to host Eurasian
Economic Commission
meeting
October 14th, 4:30pm (Prensa Latina)
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on Thursday
stressed that Havana will host, from November
4th to the 7th... the second session of the
Joint Commission for Collaboration with
the Eurasian Economic Commission.
The Cuban president participated virtually, today, in the
meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council,
consisting of the heads of State and Government,
from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia and
Kyrgyzstan, as well as Moldova, Uzbekistan
and Cuba, which have observer status.
In his speech, Diaz-Canel noted that the Joint Action Plan
will be signed in Havana, the implementation of which
will make it possible.. to intensify and systematize
collaboration between the Eurasian Economic
Union (EAEU) and Cuba, both at official
levels and in business circles.
'To cooperate is the key verb, when our agendas coincide
in one priority: the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic,
already considered the most complex health crisis
humanity has experienced in the last 100 years,'
he noted.
He pointed out that, in the case of Cuba, the crisis is
aggravated by the deliberate and opportunistic
tightening of the economic, commercial and
financial blockade... imposed more than
60 years ago, by the US Government.
During the meeting, the Cuban president informed EAEU
member states of the progress achieved by Cuban
scientists and doctors in the fight against
the disease.
The EAEU is an international organization founded in 2015
for regional economic integration. Among its objectives
are to promote the free movement of goods, services,
capital and labour.
________________________________________
Paraguay State Violated the
Indigenous People's Rights:
UN Says
October 14th, 3:48pm (teleSUR)
For over 10 years, authorities allowed companies to
use banned agrochemicals that affected the local
ecosystems and population.
On October the 13th, the United Nations Human Rights
Committee (OHCHR) ruled against the Paraguayan
State for allowing the pollution of the ancestral
lands of the Ava Guarani Indigenous people.
During the last decades, the Paraguayan authorities have
allowed large companies to contaminate the resources
of the Campo de Agua'e community, which represents
a violation of the human rights of the Indigenous
population.
Using banned agrochemicals --- those companies, have
caused the death of breeding animals, the destruction
of crops, and the pollution of the water. Herbicide
spraying has also caused health conditions
related to diarrhea, vomiting, respiratory
problems, and headaches.
As a result of the OHCHR ruling, the Paraguayan State is
obliged to adopt protective measures for the population.
"These should include: formal investigations and effective
sanctions against those responsible for the pollution, as
well as the restoration of the environment," the Campo
de Agua'e community's attorney, Hugo Valiente,
explained.
The OHCHR ruling, which also recommended that the
Paraguayan State compensate the victims, states
that the notion of "home" should be understood
within the context of the ''special relationship''
Indigenous peoples keep with their territories.
Failure to protect their lands, means direct
harm --- against their culture, traditions,
identity, and existence.
The Campo Agua'e community filed an environmental
damage complaint to the Paraguayan authorities 12
years ago. The investigations into what happened,
however, have not progressed... so far.
___________________________________
Australia sends donation of
medical supplies to Cuba
October 13th, 1:43pm (Prensa Latina)
A donation of medical supplies to Cuba left by air
from the city of Brisbane, and it will arrive in
Havana.. in the next few days, the island's
Ambassador to Australia, Ariel Lorenzo,
informed on Wednesday.
The donation, consisting of more than 26,000 syringes
and needles, expendable material, multivitamins,
nutritional supplements... and other medical
supplies, is part of the solidarity campaign
in Australia towards our country, the
diplomat told Prensa Latina.
This new gesture, Lorenzo stressed, has a special value
because it takes place in a difficult context - marked by
the great difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic
and - the tightening of the US blockade.
The organization and logistics of the operation has been
assumed by the Australia-Cuba Business Council, an
entity created in 2015 to foster economic ties and
bilateral cooperation.
Companies, businessmen, the state branches of the
Australia-Cuba Friendship Society, the foundation
that has been working for years with the William
Soler Pediatric Cardiocentre and many other
friends in solidarity with the island, have
contributed to the donation.
_________________________________
Cuba, Russia, are
strategic partners,
top Russian leader says
October 13th, 12:52pm (Prensa Latina)
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov
assured that Moscow will continue its
assistance to Cuba as a strategic
partner, and his country will
send more humanitarian
aid to the island before
the year ends.
Borisov, who is visiting Havana as a special envoy
of the President of the Russian Federation,
Vladimir Putin, stressed that despite the
difficult situation caused by the Covid-
19 pandemic and the tightening of the
economic, commercial, and financial
blockade imposed by the US against
Cuba, the strategic partnership
between the two nations...
remains an unshakable
priority for Russia.
The top leader reaffirmed that Cuba is one of Russia's
priority foreign economic partners in Latin America
and the Caribbean, hence, his visit to the island
is aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation.
On Tuesday, Borisov met with Cuban Deputy Prime
Minister Ricardo Cabrisas, his counterpart on the
Cuba-Russia Intergovernmental Commission,
and, shortly afterwards, he held a fraternal
meeting with President Miguel Diaz-Canel.
______________________________
Mikdad Says Syria is Keen to Offer
All Possible Assistance to Lebanon
October 13th, 7:53am (al Manar)
Syria's Foreign Minister, Faysal Mikdad... expressed
Damascus’ keenness on offering the most possible
assistance to Lebanon, in order to overcome the
difficulties and challenges the country has
been passing through.
Mikdad made the remarks in a meeting with his
Lebanese counterpart, Abdallah Buo Habib, on
the sidelines of the high-level meeting of
Non-Aligned Movement countries.
Bou Habib thanked Syria for the assistance
it offers to Lebanon, regarding
energy resources.
The two sides also discussed the return of Syrian
refugees to their homeland, as Mikdad stressed
that all Syrian citizens are welcomed in
their country.
The top Syrian diplomat called on international
organizations to play their role and assume
their duty towards Syrian refugees.
Source: Agencies
_________________________________
Destabilizing march
in Holguin, Cuba,
denied permit
October 12th, 8pm (Prensa Latina)
The municipal government of the Cuban city of
Holguin, on Tuesday, disapproved the holding
of a demonstration it described as illegal,
and whose promoters have ties with
subversive organizations, that
seek to destabilize the
constitutional order
of the island.
Yunior Torres, mayor of the Administration Council
of the town, and the head of Holguin province,
responded to a counter-revolutionary call
slated for November 20th, and then
moved to five days earlier.
According to the response published on the Holguin
government's website, 'no legitimacy is recognized
in the reasons given for the march,' whose
organizers are related to subversive
organizations and agencies that
are financed by the US, with
the intention of promoting
changing the political
system in Cuba.
The document states: Article 56 of the Constitution
of the Republic of Cuba, stipulates... among its
requirements, for the exercise of the right to
demonstrate the lawfulness and 'respect
for public order, and compliance with
the precepts under the law.'
'This reaffirms.... that the announced march,
whose organizational scheme is conceived
simultaneously for other territories of the
country, is a provocation: as part of the
strategy of regime change for Cuba,
as tested in other countries'.
Torres' response also refers to the fact that,
immediately after its announcement, the
march received public support from
US legislators, political operators
and the media that encourages
actions against the Cuban
people, and attempts to
destabilize Cuba and
urges for military
intervention.
The Constitution stipulates in its article four that
the socialist system is irrevocable, therefore
any action taken against it, is illegal.
_________________________________________
Venezuelans commemorate
Indigenous Resistance Day
October 12th, 3:37pm (Prensa Latina)
The celebration of Indigenous Resistance Day, began today,
with the hoisting of the national flag in the Foro Libertador
Monumental Complex of the National Pantheon
in Caracas.
Remigio Ceballos, Sector Vice President for Citizen Security
and Peace, stated that '529 years later we ratify that we are
irrevocably free and independent and reject illegal
coercive measures, our People is ennobled by
the legacy of our father, Simon Bolivar.'
The senior official stressed in his speech that the Bolivarian
nation bases its moral heritage and its values of justice,
freedom and peace, on the doctrine of El Libertador.
'It is the same libertarian route... the one we follow, and will
always follow together with our President Nicolás Maduro.
Let us celebrate today, the ancestral and anti-colonialist
spirit of our indigenous peoples', he pointed out.
He added that this is not a day to celebrate an invasion,
a colonization, the day of Hispanity, nor to remember
the Spainish kingdom, but to remember the
indigenous peoples exterminated
by the colonizers.
On October 10th, 2002 -- by presidential decree number
2,028, Venezuela commemorates October 12th as the
Day of Indigenous Resistance, in recognition of the
perseverance, struggle for their dignity, cultural
and the human diversity, of the original
inhabitants of America.
_______________________________________
Brazil Leader Accused of
"Crimes Against Humanity"
for Amazon Deforestation
October 12th, 1:28pm (FNA)
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was accused on Tuesday
of "crimes against humanity" at the International Criminal
Court (ICC) for his alleged role in the destruction of the
Amazon, the first case seeking to explicitly link
deforestation to loss of life.
Planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from burning
& industrial-scale agriculture in the Amazon are higher
than the total annual emissions of Italy or Spain.
Deforestation in the region already releases more
CO2 than the rest of the Amazon can absorb,
CBS News reported.
AllRise, an environmental law organization, filed the official
complaint at The Hague-based court on Tuesday morning.
They asked for legal proceedings against Bolsonaro and
his administration for actions "directly connected to the
negative impacts of climate change around the world".
The complaint accuses the Brazilian leader of waging
a widespread campaign resulting in the murder of
environmental defenders and of endangering the
global population through emissions caused
by deforestation.
It harnesses the growing field of climate attribution science,
which allows researchers to prove a link between extreme
weather events, on the one hand, and global heating and
environmental degradation, on the other.
The team behind it said that Bolsonaro's administration had
sought to "systematically remove, neuter, and eviscerate
laws, agencies and individuals that serve to protect
the Amazon".
It said that Bolsonaro was responsible for approximately
400,000 hectares (about 1,500 square miles) of lost
rainforest each year, and that he had presided
over monthly deforestation rates that had
accelerated by up to 88% since taking
office on January 1st, 2019.
Bolsonaro's office did not respond to
a request for a comment, from AFP.
The team of experts estimated that emissions attributable to
the Bolsonaro administration due to rampant deforestation
will cause over 180,000 excess heat-related deaths globally
this century.
"In the last few years, climate science has come a long way
in being able to provide evidence of specific causal
relationships between emissions of greenhouse
gases and the consequences that arrive
globally as a result," Rupert Stuart
Smith, from the University of
Oxford's Sustainable Law
Program, told AFP.
While there have been at least three other complaints by
indigenous groups against Bolsonaro at the ICC since
2016, organizers say this one is the first to highlight
the clear link between forest loss and global
human health.
"What's happening in Brazil — mass deforestation — we
want to understand the causal link to global climate,"
AllRise founder Johannes Wesemann told AFP, adding,
"It is exactly what the Rome Statute defines as a crime
against humanity: the intentional destruction of the
environment and environmental defenders."
The point of the complaint was "not to speak on behalf of
any Brazilian, but rather to show the global gravity of
mass deforestation", noted Wesemann.
Lawyer Nigel Povoas, who has led prosecution of some
of the most notorious international criminals, said the
complaint was levelled against several individuals
within Bolsonaro's administration.
"We're focusing on the most senior actors responsible,"
he told AFP, adding, "We're saying as a result of the
state policy that they are pursuing... they are
knowingly aiding and abetting perpetrators
on the ground committing crimes such
as murder, persecution and other
inhumane acts."
The ICC has no obligation to consider complaints filed
to the prosecutor by individuals or groups, and does
not comment on them... until the prosecutor
announces that it has started a preliminary
examination into a specific matter.
Maud Sarlieve, a human rights and international criminal
lawyer, announced that were the Bolsonaro complaint
to be pursued, it would send a clear message to
individuals such as CEOs of fossil fuel
companies: "Beware".
"The law is now allowing us to go after those who are
ruthlessly and knowingly pursuing policies which
clearly result in environmental destruction and
an impact on civilian population," she added.
_______________________________________
Cuban National Ballet
participates in dance
event in Venezuela
October 11th, 6:50pm (Prensa Latina)
The Cuban National Ballet (BNC)... is taking part in the
Solidarity Dance Meeting of Bolivarian and Caribbean
Countries, which currently unites 15 Latin American
companies, through the art of movement.
Based in Venezuela..... the initiative organized by the
Association for the Art of Dance in Zulia, Venezuela,
pays tribute the 200th anniversary of the Battle of
Carabobo... and responds to the concept of
regional integration, cooperation and
fraternity among peoples.
The event is directed by dancer, choreographer and
contemporary dance teacher Marisol Ferraria and
is supported by the Bolivarian Mayor's Office of
Maracaibo, and the Ministry of People's
Power for Culture.
On Cuba's side, the BNC confirmed a tribute to prima
ballerina assoluta and founder of the Cuban ballet
school, Alicia Alonso, with the dance creations
'ParAlicia,' 'Valsette' and 'Tarde en la siesta,'
while the company's historian Miguel
Cabrera, will give the lecture
'Saludo a danza solidaria.'
Until October 17th, the event hosts the talents of prominent
Latin American dance troupes ...such as the Ballet of the
Americas and Immigrants of Venezuela, the National
Contemporary Dance Company of Argentina,
Barrorojo Arte Escenico dance company
in Mexico and the National Ballet
of Paraguay.
The event is available on digital platforms and the
YouTube channel of the Association for the Art of
Dance, in Zulia, Venezuela.
______________________________________
Venezuela Condemns Imperialism
At Non-Aligned Countries Summit
October 11th (teleSUR)
On Monday, Venezuela’s Foreign Affairs Minister Felix
Plasencia condemned imperialism and colonialism
during the opening session of the ministerial
summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM),
which is taking place in Belgrade, Serbia.
He recalled that Venezuela has always embraced the policy
of non-alignment and rejected the logic of imperialism and
colonialism. Referring to the creation of the NAM in 1961,
Plasencia stressed, that this organization has served
"as a counterweight against hegemonic, colonialist,
and imperialist interests."
The Venezuelan diplomat then recalled that decolonization is
a historically unfinished task because "there is still much to
do." Before the ministers of the NAM countries, Plasencia
denounced the dire consequences generated by the U.S.
arbitrary and illegal sanctions against Venezuela.
“Amid the pandemic, they exacerbate the difficulties
and undermine national efforts to address this
multi-dimensional emergency,” he said adding
that the Venezuelan people have been facing
a pandemic that deepens the gaps between
the countries of the North & the countries
of the South, a pandemic that "does not
distinguish between the rich and
the poor."
In 1961, Belgrade, then the capital of Yugoslavia, hosted the
first conference of the NAM countries which met to ratify
their sovereign will at a time when the United States was
pressuring developing countries to align with its policy
of aggression against the communist countries.
"The Non-Aligned Movement was established during the era
of decolonization by numerous developing countries, many
of which had recently won their independence, that didn't
want to opt for one or other military-political blocs of the
Cold War and instead, chose to pursue an independent
foreign policy," the AA agency recalled.
Currently, the NAM has 120 members, among which are
countries such as the Bahamas, Barbados, Bolivia,
Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Honduras,
Jamaica, Nicaragua, Peru,
and Venezuela.
_________________________________________
Non-Aligned Countries Call
for Equity in Vaccination
October 11th, (teleSUR)
"The vaccine disparity is very large," Azerbaijan President
Aliyev said, during the opening of the commemorative
meeting of the 60th Anniversary of the NAM's
first conference.
On Monday, the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)
President Ilham Aliyev criticized developed
countries whose nationalism prevents a
more equal distribution of COVID-19
vaccines in the world.
Besides asking countries to adopt a more supportive
attitude in the fight against the pandemic, he also
recalled that the NAM is an example of multi-
lateralism that brings together 120 nations
with different policies, history,
and cultures.
Through a virtual speech, the United Nations Secretary
General, Antonio Guterres, highlighted the role of NAM
countries in the fight against COVID-19, and defended
the need for a global plan to save lives.
"We want to see a high percentage of vaccination among
the citizens of all countries. It is important that the
strategy we have becomes a reality," he said.
At the commemorative ceremony, Serbian President
Aleksandar Vucic, recalled the motivations and
values that united those who founded NAM
decades ago.
"The main idea ... was peace, which is the basis of political or
economic cooperation," he said and ratified that his country,
which aspires to join the European Union... is committed to
respecting international law & promoting tmultilateralism.
In Belgrade, ministerial delegations from over one hundred
countries are meeting, to ratify the commitment that 25
States adopted in 1961, when they founded a "third
way" between the two opposing Cold War blocs.
Since then, the Non-Aligned Movement has set
as its objectives, the support for colonial
liberation and the reduction of the gap
between developed and developing
countries.
This international movement, NAM, now
encompasses 120 nations and includes
Russia, plus 16 other countries,
as observers.
_________________________________________
Venezuela and Turkey Sign
3 Cooperation Agreements
October 9th, (teleSUR)
The agreements offered a follow-up to a meeting
held between representatives of both nations
on Sept. 20th, to boost bilateral cooperation.
On Saturday, Venezuela's Foreign Affairs Minister
Felix Plasencia, signed three cooperation
agreements with his Turkish counter-
part, Mevlut Cavusoglu... to
strengthen bilateral ties.
The agreements are connected with the development
of Turkey's Cooperation and Coordination Agency
(TIKA), Venezuela's Simon Bolivar Institute for
Peace and Solidarity, and the Centre for
Strategic Research, belonging to the
Turkish Foreign Affairs Ministry.
In a press conference, Cavusoglu expressed his
government's support for the talks between
the Bolivarian government and opposition,
while highlighting the importance of the
subnational elections to take place in
Venezuela, next month.
He also reiterated Turkey's rejection of the economic
unilateral sanctions hampering the Venezuelan
people's welfare and development.
The recent agreements offered a follow-up to the
meeting held between Plasencia and Cavusoglu
on Sept. 20th, to boost cooperation actions in
the cultural and educational areas.
The talks also conceived the construction of a hospital
in Venezuela, for the treatment of COVID-19 patients
and an academic cooperation deal.
Plasencia will continue his trip to Serbia's capital,
Belgrade, where he will participate in a meeting
to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the
founding of the Non-Aligned Movement
(NAM).
___________________________________
Complete Blackout in Lebanon
as Two Biggest Power Stations
Reportedly Shut Down Over
Fuel Shortage
October 9th, 2:20pm (Sputnik)
A major power station in Lebanon is to resume operations
tomorrow, two days after it ground to a halt due to a lack
of fuel at a time of constant power cuts and economic
collapse. Zahrani power plant will be back in service
starting tomorrow morning after the entire cargo
aboard the tanker is unloaded into its tanks,
EDL said in a statement.
The state electricity company did not refer to Deir Ammar
power station which also went offline on Friday because
it ran out of fuel.
Lebanon's power outage caused by a shortage of fuel
is set to continue for several days, Reuters reported
on Saturday, citing official sources.
The two biggest power stations in Lebanon, have stopped
working due to a shortage of fuel, reportedly leaving the
Middle Eastern country in complete darkness.
"The Lebanese power network completely stopped working
at noon today, and it is unlikely that it will work until next
Monday, or for several days", an official source
told Reuters.
According to Sky News, energy production at al Zahrani
and the Deir Ammar power stations, has dropped to
below 200 megawatts.
Electricité du Liban (EDL), the country's electricity company,
is reportedly trying to come up with a solution for the
problem and manually restart the public network.
Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA) later reported that
electricity was partially restored in some regions of the
country... due to supplies of fuel from emergency
reserves. The power, it said, would "gradually"
return in the coming hours.
EDL is trying to solve the issues in the absence of the EDL's
national control centre, which was severely damaged in last
year's deadly Beirut port explosion that claimed at least 218
lives, injured over 7,000, and left more than half of the
capital's infrastructure damaged.
In late September, EDL warned about the risk of a complete
power outage prompted by the fuel shortage, saying that
it is out of options to tackle the issue.
Lebanon has suffered massive economic problems due to
the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and the devastating
explosion in the port of the capital Beirut. The crisis
has prompted the shortage of fuel, further leading
to a lack of gasoline for automobiles and diesel
for power generators... causing outages to
become the new normal in the country.
As Lebanon continues to be mired in a massive
economic crisis, energy ministers from other
Middle Eastern countries have reportedly
agreed to deliver Egyptian gas and
Jordanian electricity to the
nation, via Syria.
____________________________
Yellow Vests Activists Hold
New Round of Anti-Gov
Rallies in Paris
October 9th, 2:10pm (Sputnik)
The rallies are taking place for the 13th consecutive
Saturday. Thousands of people are expected to
take to the streets of the French capital,
to hold demonstrations.
Sputnik is live from Paris, France, as "Yellow Vests"
activists are hitting the pavement to rally against
social and economic injustice... as well as
mandatory COVID-19 passes.
On July 12th, French President Macron announced
a series of new restrictions to contain the spread
of COVID-19.
Starting in August, French restaurants, bars,
shopping centres, airplanes... and long-
distance trains, require a special pass
indicating that a person has... either
been vaccinated, or has a negative
test result for COVID-19.
The move caused widespread consternation in French
society, with protests against the measure rocking
the country every other Saturday since mid-July.
The so-called "Yellow Vests" movement, gained
momentum in 2018 after demonstrators held a
series of rallies against fuel tax hikes. In the
years since, the group has grown into a
large-scale movement, with the
demonstrations frequently
resulting in violence
between activists
and the police.
Follow Sputnik's live feed to find out more!
https://sputniknews.com/
_____________________________
Brazil surpasses
600,000 Covid-19 deaths
October 9th, 9am (Reuters)
Brazil has become the second country in the world
to pass 600,000 Covid-19 deaths, the country’s
Health Ministry said.
The South American country registered 615 new
deaths on Friday, as well as 18,000 cases in
the previous 24 hours.
The country with a 213 million population has also
recorded over 21.5 million cases of the deadly
virus, so far.
Despite the high number of affected, there are now
signs... that infections and Covid-related deaths in
Brazil are finally declining, as the country ramps
up vaccinations, after a slow start.
More than 70% of Brazilians have received a first dose
while about 46% are fully immunized, compared to
65% in the US, which passed 600,000 deaths
in June.
Meanwhile, Brazil's Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga
said on Friday, the country has already acquired, or
is in advanced talks to secure, around 350 million
vaccine doses, for 2022.
__________________________________
Nearly 140 Countries Agree on
Global Corporate Tax Rate Deal
October 8th, 10pm (teleSUR)
The new deal, which stipulates where corporations
should be taxed and for how much, is expected to
start implementation, in 2023.
A group of some 136 countries recently reached
an agreement on corporate tax rates, with the
Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD) announcing the move
on Friday.
According to CNBC, the agreement stipulates a global
minimum corporate tax rate of 15 percent, although
small businesses, apparently, won’t be “hit with
the new rates.”
“The landmark deal, agreed by 136 countries and
jurisdictions representing more than 90 percent
of global GDP, will also reallocate more than
USD 125 billion of profits from around 100
of the world’s largest and most profitable
MNEs to countries worldwide, ensuring
that these firms pay a fair share of tax
wherever they operate and generate
profits,” OECD said in a statement.
Aside from establishing a minimum corporate rate...
the agreement also forces companies to pay taxes
where they operate --- instead of only when they
are headquartered, the media outlet notes.
U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen lauded
the agreement as ------ “a once-in-a-generation
accomplishment for economic diplomacy.”
“International tax policymaking is a complex issue,
but the arcane language of today’s agreement
belies how simple and sweeping, the stakes
are: When this deal is enacted, Americans
will find the global economy a much
easier place to land a job, earn a
living, or scale a business,” a
statement released by
Yellen said.
_________________________________
South Africa workers demand
employment protection
October 8th, 1:53pm (PressTV)
Amid the pressures of the rolling COVID-19 pandemic
lockdowns, members of the biggest union federation
in South Africa, have come out into the streets - to
demand living wages for the working class.
Not only have workers faced retrenchments, but
corruption cases among top officials, have
exacerbated the situation, as well.
In one incident, at the time the pandemic erupted,
the Health Minister was replaced amid charges
of corruption, in which millions of dollars
meant to help curtail the virus... was
siphoned off for personal luxuries.
Workers say the private sector has equally shown
growth, despite the apparent slowdown. Auditing
firm PWC, has described 2020 as a “banner year”
for South Africa’s mining sector which is a main
-stay of the economy. Yet workers - often those
earning the lowest - had to endure cuts to
their salaries. Government departments
meanwhile... have frozen all
salary increases.
With Municipal elections scheduled next month,
workers are shoring up support to have their
voices heard --- and to garner the best from
whoever takes over local administrations.
As many sit at home without jobs, they have
vowed to come out to the streets in the
coming days, again, until their
demands are met.
_____________________________________
Infrastructure development
advances... in South Africa
October 7th, 4:27pm (Prensa Latina)
Development of new infrastructures in South
Africa has made good progress, based on
plans conceived 15 months ago,
minister, Patricia de Lille,
revealed today.
In statements to the press before the second South
African Sustainable Infrastructure Development
Symposium (Sidssa), the high official recalled
that, during the first meeting, in 2020,
around 62 projects were presented.
These initiatives, in which significant progress is
being made today, she added, involved both the
national private and state sectors.
For the second symposium, beginning this week,
she said, the Government will present 55 new
projects to the market, with the purpose of
raising funds... to enter the
construction process.
These proposals, which cover various sectors, imply
employment opportunities estimated at 548,000
new jobs, she added.
South Africa is currently struggling to recover from
the indirect effects of the Covid-19 pandemic,
which, at times, made it necessary to
reduce national economic activity.
Yesterday, the Reserve Bank revealed that the boom
in commodity prices, among other factors, has
favored the recovery of the South
African economy.
In this regard, the Bank's head of research, Chris
Loewald, said the country's gross domestic
product has shown a solid improvement
in recent months... although it has had
a lower performance than expected..
when assessed sector by sector.
______________________________
Uruguayan government agrees
on funds for land colonization
October 7th, 4:15pm (Prensa Latina)
The coalition of parties in the government of Uruguay,
reached an agreement today to allocate budget items
to irregular settlements, without leaving the National
Colonization Institute (INC) without funds.
The conflict arose... from the decision of the country's
president, Luis Lacalle Pou, to divert US$30 million
from the INC to a trust fund for housing for more
than 200,000 people occupying land in
precarious conditions.
Critics of this transfer of resources, including members of
the coalition itself, pointed out that it was a ridiculous
amount to face a social problem that requires,
according to studies, at least
US$ 1.2 billion.
Some senators of the ruling National Party (PN), Cabildo
Abierto and the Colorado Party, joined the observation
of the opposition, Frente Amplio, that the intention
was to 'rob Peter to pay Paul'.
At least the PN legislators Sergio Botana, Carlos Cammy
and Jorge Gandini, opposed the original proposal of the
President.. who summoned them to back down in their
positions, and triggered a tense internal negotiation.
______________________________________
Cuba has suffered the
consequences of
terrorism, for
decades
October 6th, 9:11pm (Prensa Latina)
In the defense of its independence, sovereignty and
dignity, Cuba has suffered the consequences of
terrorist acts, for decades, Cuba's Permanent
Representative to the United Nations, Pedro
Luis Pedroso, recalled on Wednesday.
On his official Twitter account, the diplomat underscored
how those actions killed 3,478 people and injured more
than 2,000.
On Tuesday, in his speech at the Sixth Committee of the
General Assembly... Pedroso also illustrated how his
country has historically been a victim of terrorism.
The diplomat recalled one of the most horrendous terrorist
attacks committed against Cuba: the mid-air explosion
off the coast of Barbados, of a Cubana de Aviacion
aircraft, which killed 73 people.
Unfortunately, the permanent representative
said, that crime went unpunished.
Pedroso also condemned the terrorist attack against
the Cuban embassy in Paris on July 28th, the result
of a brutal campaign: inciting to hatred, violence
and hostile acts, promoted with total impunity
on digital platforms from the United States.
This is an open violation of International Law and the
Charter of the United Nations, the Cuban diplomat
stressed.
Furthermore, a little over a year ago, the Cuban embassy
in Washington was the victim of another terrorist attack
when an individual fired 32 projectiles from a semi-
automatic rifle against the diplomatic
headquarters, he said.
Such an action endangered the lives of the 10
officials who were in the building, and, so far,
the US government has not spoken on the
matter, the representative said.
___________________________________
Going for Broke:--- Could
'Gimmicky' Trillion-Dollar
Coin Save USA From
Debtpocalypse?
October 6th, 8:02pm (Sputnik)
The showdown between the Democrats and Republicans
over the debt ceiling, shows no signs of abating, with
neither side willing to back down, in spite of an
October 18th deadline, by which time, the
Treasury expects the USA, to run out of
money. Amid the chaos, officials have
explored the idea... of minting a
trillion-dollar coin --- to stop
the US from going broke.
Last week, officials told The Washington Post that the
White House has been ''exploring'' the possibility of
staving off defaulting on America’s gargantuan
$28+ trillion in debt even if Congress fails
to agree on the debt ceiling, by taking
advantage of a legal loophole that
allows the Treasury to mint
platinum coins, in any
denomination
it likes.
The sum involved? One trillion dollars.
Treasury chief Janet Yellen dismissed the idea as
a “gimmick” on Tuesday, telling CNBC that the
minting of a trillion-dollar coin --- would be
“equivalent to asking the Federal Reserve
to print money to cover deficits, that
Congress is unwilling to cover by
issuing debt.”
In Yellen’s professional opinion, the idea
“compromises the independence of the
Fed, conflating monetary and
fiscal policy.”
However, former United States Mint director Philip
Diehl has assured Axios that legally speaking, the
coin could be created “within hours” if Yellen
signed off on the idea.
Everything Old is New Again
The concept of issuing a $1 trillion coin... is not a new
invention, and was first floated in 2011, when the US
was facing another debt ceiling crisis, back when
America’s debt stood at "just" $14.7 trillion,
roughly half of what it is today.
The Obama White House looked into the idea but
ultimately rejected it in 2013, after both the
Federal Reserve and Treasury deemed
it unfeasible.
The idea behind the coin is simple and based on the
US government’s propensity to spend significantly
more than it collects in revenue on programmes
...ranging from Medicare and Medicaid, to
pensions and government services,
to the US’s annual $700 billion+
defence budget --- to maintain
Washington’s global empire.
In theory, the president could order the Treasury to
mint the coin, after which it would be deposited in
the Federal Reserve and - hey presto - the US
government would get another trillion
dollars to spend and the debt crisis
would be temporarily averted.
Nothing is Free
While creating the coin might be tempting due to its
perceived ability to forestall a global economic
crisis, some economists fear that one major
possible downside may be hyperinflation,
since... as any economics 101 textbook
will tell you, increasing the amount of
money circulating in an economy
without raising the amount of
goods produced... inevitably
leads to a rise in prices
on said goods.
Up to this point, thanks to the dollar’s status as the
de facto world reserve currency, the United States
has faced faced fewer inflationary penalties that
most other major economies would, by printing
large quantities of paper money not tied to
actual goods.
Nevertheless, American consumers have felt the pinch
of inflation gradually eating away at real wages over
the decades, with $1 dollar in 1944, the year the
Bretton Woods financial system was created...
worth over $15.50 today. And, while prices for
goods, salaries, taxes, and other things have
risen to accompany the shrinking real value
of the dollar --- such growth has not been
commensurate with the actual inflation
rate. This is one of the myriad of
reasons why the average wage
earner in the USA, in the early
post-war period, and through
the 1950s and 1960s, could
afford to buy a home and
a car on a single salary,
but can longer afford
to do so today.
In addition to causing inflation at home, the minting of
the coin could have an impact on the US’ reputation
abroad, particularly among credit agencies and
holders of US Treasury obligations.
In her interview with CNBC, Treasury Secretary Yellen
warned that a default on America’s obligations would
have a “catastrophic” impact on US Treasury bills’
status as “the safest asset on the planet.”
If Washington were to go around creating new trillions of
dollars in new money, out of thin air, global confidence
already shaken by the America’s massive pile of debt,
combined with antagonisms created by US sanctions
policies against competitor economies, may very
well reach a breaking point.
How Would a Trillion Dollar Coin Even Look?
Media outlets and internet users have had a field day
speculating on what a trillion dollar coin might
actually look like.
But the reality is that the coin’s physical appearance
doesn’t really matter, since it wouldn’t circulate –
instead it would be immediately deposited into
the Federal Reserve, after being minted.
___________________________________
Anti-Iran, anti-Venezuela
