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Uprising’s guest expert Robert Jensen, sitting in for Maya Rockeymoore – he’s an author and a professor of Journalism at the University of Texas at Austin, analyzes today’s news headlines:

Turkey and Australia have jumped headfirst into the US-led war against the Islamic State rebel group controlling parts of Northern Iraq and Syria. Turkey’s government yesterday gave itself new powers to join the war. As per an AP report, this means being able to, “launch military incursions into Syria and Iraq, and to allow foreign forces to use its territory for possible operations against the Islamic State.” Hours later, Australia decided to send ground troops to Iraq. Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced this morning that a cabinet vote, “authorized the deployment of Australian special forces into Iraq to advise and assist Iraqi forces.” Click here for an article about Turkey, and here for an article about Australia.

The latest jobs report for the month of September is out today and news media are euphorically reporting that the jobless rate has dropped to a new low of 6%. Many sectors of the economy added tens of thousands of jobs in the last few months although the report fails to capture the quality of those jobs – whether they pay a living wage, are stable, full-time, permanent, or include benefits and pensions. The jobs report is considered a gauge for whether the Federal Reserve should raise base interest rates, which have hovered around zero for some time now. The report’s optimistic outlook is also expected to boost the popularity of President Obama and the Democratic Party ahead of this November’s mid-term elections. Click here for a Reuters article about the story.

And finally, unrest in Ferguson, Missouri continues with several more arrests taking place last night. Police are refusing to release details of the arrests. Residents protesting the killing of Michael Brown, as well as the police response to protests, have filed a lawsuit seeking $60 million over “wanton and excessive force” by law enforcement. Meanwhile, residents seem determined to regain political power, with thousands of new voters having registered in the past few months. Ferguson’s population which is 70% black, is represented by a white mayor and a City Council that has 5 white council members out of 6. Missouri’s Republican Party seems worried at the prospect of black residents turning out to vote, with a spokesperson calling it “disgusting,” “completely inappropriate,” and accusing voters of “injecting race into this conversation.” Click here for a Huffington Post article, and here for a Think Progress article about the story.