2020-07-28: News Headlines

Ajamu Baraka (2020-07-28). China, Militarism and Bipartisan Games. globalresearch.ca Trump militarized Portland last week and then threatened to send federal police and military forces to Chicago and other Democrat Party-led cities. Then Democrats squealed in opposition. But it's phony. Both political parties are playing a cynical game designed to …

Gareth Porter (2020-07-28). How a Police Spy's Stunning Testimony Threatens the Official US-Israeli AMIA Bombing Narrative. globalresearch.ca Revelations by a former police spy upend the official story blaming Iran for the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, and suggest a cover-up by dirty war elements may have let the real culprits off the …

Aidan Jonah (2020-07-28). Who's behind the Canadian Think Tank Pushing for Sanctions against China and Iran? dissidentvoice.org The "independent" think tank, the Macdonald-Laurier Institute recently called for China and Iran to be severely punished for allegedly covering up the original outbreak and failing to respond to COVID-19 in time. This was done in ignorance of both Canada's PM Justin Trudeau and US President Donald Trump's failure to listen to military intelligence warning …

Vanessa Beeley (2020-07-28). Syria — challenging Caesar. thealtworld.com Conference of small businesses to combat sanctions and Caesar Law. | Two weeks ago, I attended a two day conference in Damascus, Syria. The initiative is the brainchild of Syrian businessman and entrepreneur, Dr. Hani Barakat who gathered together a selection of young and enterprising business people to discuss the obstacles facing the youth of Syria when they try to establish any kind of business initiative. | Their path to success has been harshly affected by the illegal US Coalition sanctions (and precedeing sanctions on Syria since 1979) and further impacted by the newly introduced and punitive Caesar Law [md…

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-07-28). China Is to Stay in Latin America and US Has No Choice but to Accept. globalresearch.ca China has been increasing its soft power in Latin America since it began heavily investing in the region since the mid-2000s. The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has taken an ineffective and aggressive approach to try and counter Beijing …

Peter Koenig (2020-07-28). China's Vision in a Post-COVID World. globalresearch.ca On 13 July an international newscast reported that the European Commission will discuss as a priority on how the EU should react to China's national security law for Hong Kong, a sovereign decision taken by Beijing to protect the citizens …

Ramzy Baroud (2020-07-28). "Feeding a Bedouin": Roy Oz and Israel's Outrageous Racism. dissidentvoice.org On July 11, a video footage which showed a popular Israeli TV celebrity demeaning Palestinian children from the Bedouin community in the Naqab area, went viral on social media. "Let's feed a Bedouin. Don't you want to feed a Bedouin?" Israeli Children TV host, Roy Oz, repeatedly asks his children, who were seated in the …

South Front (2020-07-28). Video: Israel Reinforces Troops Near Golan Heights Fearing Hezbollah Retaliation to Strikes on Syria. globalresearch.ca The Middle East is rapidly moving towards a new round of confrontation between the US-Israeli bloc and Iranian-led Shiite forces. | On July 26, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) deployed M109 Doher howitzers near the separation line with Lebanon. The deployment …

Stephen Lendman (2020-07-28). Heightened Tensions Along the Lebanese/Israeli Border. globalresearch.ca By its own admission, Israel's IDF conducted numerous airstrikes on Syrian targets in recent years. | Last week, Lebanon's Al-Manar television reported that an Israeli strike near Damascus International Airport killed Hezbollah fighter Ali Kamel Mohsen and four others. | In response, …

Tracy Keeling (2020-07-28). Vietnam's new anti-pandemic measure is cause for celebration. But there's a serious catch. thecanary.co Vietnam recently The announcement is cause for celebration.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-28). Jute mill workers protest in Bangladesh demanding arrears. peoplesdispatch.org Hundreds of workers employed at the Asha jute mill in Debidwar, Bangladesh, congregated at the Dhaka-Chattogram highway to demand the release of their pending wages. Workers also burnt tyres and raised slogans against the administration…

John Stanton (2020-07-28). The United States Faces Irreparable Damage in a Cold or Hot Conventional War with China and its Allies. counterpunch.org Overall, the decline in U.S. warfighting advantages does not mean China can win a war that the United States is willing to fight. By 2025, a war could be a military standoff, with major weapon-platform losses on both sides, in addition to losses in cyberspace and space. Yet neither side would fare so much worse

Sina Toossi (2020-07-28). The Beginning of the U.S.-Iran Hot War? globalresearch.ca "Americans should not blame others in vain," Iranian general Esmail Gha'ani has

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-28). Will killing of two protesters spur another round of massive anti-government protests in Iraq. peoplesdispatch.org Anti-government protests have resumed intermittently in capital Baghdad and few other Iraqi cities due to regular power outages afflicting ordinary citizens during this time of intense summer…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-28). Israel shells southern Lebanon. peoplesdispatch.org Israeli forces shelled areas in southern Lebanon on July 27, Monday, leading to the destruction of a house whose residents narrowly escaped harm. Israel claimed that the shelling was to stop Hezbollah fighters trying to infiltrate the Shebaa Farm area along the border under Israeli control. The claim was denied by Hezbollah in an official statement, which called the shelling a one-sided attack on Lebanon. | Israel claimed that on Monday, several Hezbollah fighters tried to enter the Shebaa Farm area, which is claimed by Lebanon but under Israeli occupation since 1967. According to Israel, its forces opened fire t…

Sonali Kolhatkar (2020-07-28). Trump is Daring Us to Stop Him. counterpunch.org President Donald Trump's recent reelection campaign advertisement is straight out of the plot of a horror movie. Just days after he deployed federal officers to the streets of Portland, Oregon, his campaign released a 30-second television spot featuring an elderly white woman watching on her television the news of activists demanding a defunding of police.

Maria Arshad (2020-07-28). Living and Working in the Time of the Pandemic in Pakistan. zcomm.org People in Pakistan desperately hope and long for a return to normality, but as the writer Arundhati Roy already noted: nothing could be worse than a return to the normality because that normality was unjust to its core.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-28). Protesters march in Manila against new anti-terror law, pandemic mismanagement. peoplesdispatch.org Across the Philippines, thousands marched on Monday, July 27, in protest against the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte and the recently passed anti-terror law. The protest march came hours before Duterte's state of the nation speech. The protests were organized by various social movements, representing the causes of women, farmers, workers and students, along with religious groups, business leaders and academics. | The protests were held despite the pre-emptive arrests by authorities across. According to CNN Philippines, at least 34 people suspected of participating in the protests were arrested early i…

William Hughes (2020-07-28). Two Rebels Against the Establishment: Oliver Stone and Edward Snowden. counterpunch.org Film director Oliver Stone is in a class by himself. He has dared to go into the political mine fields where only a few other Hollywood-based moviemakers have ventured. Perhaps, the fact that the talented Stone was a Vietnam War U.S. Army veteran (1967-68), toughened him up to take on the Establishment. Earlier in his

_____ (2020-07-28). Killing Democracy In The United States. popularresistance.org I fear that it either can't or won't end because, as Martin Luther King, Jr., pointed out in 1967 during the Vietnam War, the United States remains the world's greatest purveyor of violence — and nothing in this century, the one he didn't live to see, has faintly proved him wrong. Considered another way, Washington should be classified as the planet's most committed arsonist, regularly setting or fanning the flames of fires globally from Libya to Iraq, Somalia to Afghanistan, Syria to — dare I say it — in some quite imaginable future Iran, even as our leaders invariably boast of having the world's greatest fir…

_____ (2020-07-28). Consequences Of 'New' US- South China Escalation Unclear. popularresistance.org Predicting US policy and actions in the South China Sea in the last stages of a dying administration is a crapshoot. Indeed, some think this may only be an election-year ploy to unite the country against the "China threat." While the language will last beyond a change in US administrations, its implementation will vary with these changes. | Most affected countries, including China, will probably wait for the next US administration to change their approach — if they decide to do so. All Southeast Asian countries, including China's main protagonist, Vietnam, have been relatively muted in their responses to Po…

_____ (2020-07-28). US — China Conflict Puts Allies In Crossfire. popularresistance.org US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is calling for "an alliance of democracies" to confront China. It amounts to a new Cold War in which nations are being forced to side either with Washington or Beijing. | It's a classic tyrannical power-play by Washington. Such polarized demarcation of the planet as designated by Washington is impossible in a global economy which is highly integrated, from consumer and financial markets to supply chains. | A news report this week once again underscores how even the American military is reliant on China for supplies of rare earth metals used in its weapon systems. | Indeed, the en…

yenisafak (2020-07-28). Israel turning mosques into synagogues, bars. yenisafak.com In 1743, the Ottoman-era ruler of Palestine, Zahir al-Umar al-Zaydani, built a mosque in his name in the northern city of Tiberias. | The Umari Mosque remained a magnet point for worshippers until 1948 when it was abandoned following the Nakba, a term used by the Palestinians to describe the creation of the state of Israel on the rubble of Palestine. | One of the landmarks of Tiberias, the mosque, also known as the Zaydani mosque, was built on the Mameluke architecture, with a big dome and a minaret. | "Like most Palestinians, the Tiberias residents have fled to Syria and Lebanon following the Nakba," Kamal Khati…

yenisafak (2020-07-28). Swedish activist cycles for Gaza. yenisafak.com A Swedish activist is cycling 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles) to raise funds for Palestinian children.Benjamin Ladraa, on the eighth day of her journey, told Anadolu Agency that the campaign aimed at raising funds for 3,000 children in Palestine who have lost their limbs due to Israel's attacks."We are helping them with prosthetic legs, rehabilitation and with mental health care through this fundraiser," he added.The bike ride started from the Swedish city of Gothenburg and will end in Abisko in Sweden, Ladraa said.Ladraa — along with 12 people– started the 33-day journey on July 20."Today is Day 8 and we have c…

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-28). Taliban declare ceasefire on Muslim feast. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 28 (MNA) — Taliban announced a three-day cease-fire in Afghanistan on Tuesday during the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha, starting from July 31.

RT (2020-07-28). Dems, media allies cry foul after GOP leader 'hijacks' Barr hearing with video showing violent side of protests. rt.com A US House hearing meant by Democrats to excoriate Attorney General William Barr got off to a rocky start Monday as ranking Republican Jim Jordan showed a video montage of violent protests raging across the country. | The video began with clips of more than a dozen media outlets and Democrat leaders describing the wave of anti-racism demonstrations as "peaceful protests," followed by the widow of retired St Louis police captain David Dorn speaking about the murder of her husband by a looter on June 2. Video of rioting, looting and arson then begins to play with the widow's speech continuing. | Immediately a…

RT (2020-07-28). 'Scumbags!' Russian boxer & kickboxer suspects in sickening 1-punch KO killing of man defending disabled person in Siberia (VIDEO). rt.com A Russian ex-boxer and a female world champion kickboxer have been filmed partaking in a mass brawl in which a man was killed with a sickening one-punch knockout while allegedly defending a disabled person in Barnaul, Siberia. | Former boxer Mikhail Startsev, 38, and kickboxer Liliya Vorogushina were filmed fighting in a city parking lot on Monday, which began with the duo and another woman approaching and then beating a man with his own walking stick, according to In the footage, Star…

_____ (2020-07-28). Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic, the U.S. War Machine Presses On. strategic-culture.org Jeff MACKLER | That Russia paid the Taliban financial bounties to kill 18 U.S. and "coalition" soldiers in Afghanistan is in dispute to say the least. Both Democrats and Republicans cite various and conflicting official U.S. intelligence agencies on the veracity of this latest New Cold War episode. The July 9 New York Times reported, "The C.I.A. — as well as analysts at the National Counterterrorism Center — expressed medium or moderate confidence in that conclusion. The National Security Agency, which puts greater stock in surveillance intercepts, was more skeptical, officials have said." | As with t…

Staff (2020-07-28). Headlines for July 28, 2020. democracynow.org Senate Republicans Unveil Plan to Slash Unemployment Benefits as Pandemic Rages, Moderna Late Stage Vaccine Trial Starts, as Trump's NSA Tests Positive for Coronavirus, WHO: COVID-19 "Most Severe Global Health Emergency" as Global Death Toll Tops 654,000, AG Barr and National Guardsman to Testify Before Congress with Battling Narratives, John Lewis Lies in State in Capitol Rotunda as He Is Honored by Fellow Lawmakers, 100s of DNC Delegates to Oppose a Party Platform Without Medicare for All, DNC Members Vote to Support Israel's Illegal Annexation of West Bank, "Free Them All!": Immigrant Rights Activists Chain Th…

Susan Price (2020-07-28). Indonesia's new mining law puts profit ahead of people and planet. greenleft.org.au The dominance of coal as a fuel is supported by conflicting interests of government officials with close t…

_____ (2020-07-28). The Beginning Of The US-Iran Hot War? popularresistance.org Washington, DC — "Americans should not blame others in vain," Iranian general Esmail Gha'ani has declared, "this is a fire they have lit and today has engulfed them." Gha'ani, a veteran military commander who heads the Quds Force, the branch of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) responsible for extraterritorial operations, was speaking about the massive fire that has overtaken a U.S. navy vessel in San Diego. | Gha'ani chose his words carefully. He skirted suggesting that Iran had a role in the blaze, instead saying it was the "result of the actions and crimes of the American government" and wa…

_____ (2020-07-28). Vietnam Veteran Sprayed With Chemical Weapon In Portland Protest. popularresistance.org Federal troops were filmed pepper spraying an elderly Vietnam War veteran who was attending a protest in Portland over the weekend. | The veteran, Mike Hastie, was standing several feet from a line of federal troops and shouting at them about his time in Vietnam when a troop rushed him from his side and sprayed pepper spray in his face. | Mr Hastie was rebuking the troops for following orders he believes are unlawful rather than upholding an oath to the US Constitution. | He continued yelling at the federal troops as they walked away despite having the pepper spray in his eyes.

sputniknews (2020-07-28). Hezbollah Denies Claims of Failed Attempt to 'Infiltrate' Israel Amid Lebanon Border Clash Reports. sputniknews.com Armed clashes were reported on 27 July along the border between Israel and Lebanon, with a source in the Lebanese Security Service saying they occurred after a detachment of Hezbollah fighters purportedly attempted to destroy an Israeli military convoy.

yenisafak (2020-07-28). Cinaralti: Istanbul's historical tea garden. yenisafak.com A decades-old Istanbul tea garden on the shore of the iconic Bosphorus Strait is a frequent stop for both locals and tourists under its nearly 1,000-year-old sycamore tree.Located in the Cengelkoy neighborhood on the Asian side of the city, the ancient namesake branches straddling Cinaralti Cay Bahcesi (Under the Sycamore Tea Garden) shelter customers from the city's hustle and bustle as they enjoy the cool sea breeze with a soothing cup of tea.Over its nearly half-century in service, Cinaralti became a gathering place for family and friends, rather than a more commercial venue, as customers are allowed to bring…

yenisafak (2020-07-28). China suspends Hong Kong treaties with 3 countries. yenisafak.com China on Tuesday announced the suspension of Hong Kong's extradition treaties with the UK, Canada, and Australia, local media reported.Speaking at a news conference in Beijing, China's Foreign Minister Spokesman Wang Wenbin said: "China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region suspends extradition treaties and judiciary assistance treaties with Canada, Australia, and the UK in response to their previous interference in China's internal affairs," according to CGTN broadcaster.Earlier, the UK, Canada, and Australia suspended extradition agreements with Hong Kong after China implemented the law that makes it a crim…

yenisafak (2020-07-28). Floods, coronavirus hobble two of India's poorest states. yenisafak.com The Brahmaputra river in the northeastern state of Assam is flowing above the "danger level" in many places, while heavy rains that began this week in Bihar in the east will last until Wednesday, officials say.Since the start of the monsoon season on June 1, Assam has received 15% more rainfall than a 50-year average and Bihar 47% more, according to the country's weather department.The floods in Assam, where at least nine one-horned rhinos have drowned in an inundated national park, have so far affected 5.7 million people, more than 45,000 of whom are still sheltered in makeshift relief centres.In Bihar, floods h…

yenisafak (2020-07-28). Iran records 235 more deaths from COVID-19. yenisafak.com Iran on Tuesday confirmed 235 more fatalities from the novel coronavirus, bringing the nationwide death toll to 16,147, according to an official. | A further 2,667 people tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, raising the overall count to 296,273, Health Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said. | She said more than 257,019 people have so far recovered and been discharged from hospitals, adding that 3,902 patients remain in critical condition. | Over 2.38 million tests have been conducted in the country to date, Lari added. | The alarming surge in daily fatalities has sent shockwaves across Iran as t…

yenisafak (2020-07-28). 'Nothing new' in French FM's visit to Lebanon: Diab. yenisafak.com This came in his speech during a meeting of the Lebanese Supreme Council of Defense at the presidential palace, east of the capital Beirut, to discuss security developments in the country. | "Le Drian's visit brought nothing new, and the French minister lacks information regarding the government's path of reform in Lebanon," Diab said in a statement shared on his Twitter account. | The French foreign minister stipulated reforms in order to provide aid to Lebanon, through the International Monetary Fund (IMF), "which confirms that the international decision so far is not to assist Lebanon," Diab said. | He went…

yenisafak (2020-07-28). Nukes guarantee N. Korea's safety, future: Kim Jong-un. yenisafak.com North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un has said the country's nuclear capabilities will permanently guarantee its "national security and future," according to media reports on Tuesday.His remarks came at an event in the capital Pyongyang on Monday night to mark the 67th anniversary of the end of the 1950-1953 Korean War, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported.They were a clear signal that North Korea has no intention of giving up its nuclear weapons and views them as an essential means of deterrence."Thanks to our reliable and effective self-defense war deterrence, there will no longer be war on this land and our na…

yenisafak (2020-07-28). Pakistan discovers | very own Ertugrul Ghazi. yenisafak.com Hold onto your hats ladies and gentleman! Pakistan now has its very own Ertugrul Ghazi, the father of the founder of the Ottoman Empire.Hardcore Pakistani fans of the series were shocked when they discovered the doppelganger of Engin Altan Dàºzyatan, who stars as the famous leader in the globally-acclaimed Turkish TV series Resurrection: Ertugrul, in their very own backyard.Mustafa Hanif is a Pakistani Youtuber from Karachi who shot to fame on social media after it was discovered that he bears a striking resemblance to the titular character of the show, which also airs on PTV. "My name is Mustafa and many pe…

yenisafak (2020-07-28). Turkey, Uzbekistan vow to boost trade volume. yenisafak.com Turkey and Uzbekistan will increase their bilateral trade volume up to $5 billion, the top Turkish diplomat said on Tuesday after meeting Uzbekistan's deputy foreign minister.Mevlut Cavusoglu shared his picture with Uzbekistan's Sardor Umurzakov on Twitter and wrote the two countries will further cooperate in every field particularly transportation and defense industry."Had a fruitful meeting," with Umurzakov, who is also the minister of investments and foreign trade, Cavusoglu added."Will continue to support Uzbek brothers in fight against #Covid," Cavusoglu wrote.Earlier this year, at a news conference in the c…

yenisafak (2020-07-28). Re-globalization is hallmark of post-COVID-19 world: Spanish FM. yenisafak.com Turkey and Spain have decided to extend their Alliance of Civilization agenda for further 15 years to address issues like xenophobia and discrimination in societies.At the end of her first visit outside the European Union (EU) after the COVID-19 lockdown, Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha González Laya told Anadolu Agency in an exclusive conversation in Ankara that both countries have agreed to invest a little bit more in redefining a positive agenda of Alliance of Civilization for the next 15 years and diversify it further to combat extremism.In the wake of tragic events of 9/11 both countries had set up the agen…

yenisafak (2020-07-28). Turkey rebuffs US call to release Osman Kavala. yenisafak.com Turkey responded on Tuesday to a US call to release Osman Kavala, saying the judicial process was still ongoing and that Washington's call was not consistent with principles of law.Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said in a written statement that everybody must respect the judicial process in Turkey led by independent courts, adding that Kavala had been acquitted of charges in February before being re-arrested over accusations on another crime.Aksoy went on to say that the US was using the legal process as an excuse not to extradite Fetullah Gulen, the US-based leader of the Fetullah Terrorist Organi…

yenisafak (2020-07-28). Turkey renovates health center in Cameroon. yenisafak.com Turkey has renovated a health facility in Cameroon, which had become non-operational due to a lack of finances, an official statement said on Tuesday.The state-run Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) said the center, which opened in 2003, is up and running again after the repairing of medical equipment.The health center in Foumban province of the Central African country is now expected to serve 8,000 people annually. TIKA also drilled a well to supply clean water to the center, and others in the region.The care center's opening ceremony was attended by Ayse Sarac, Turkey's ambassador to Cameroon, M…

yenisafak (2020-07-28). Turkey plans to reopen all schools as long as virus keeps receding. yenisafak.com Turkey plans to reopen schools nationwide on Aug. 31, to get students back into classrooms and free up working parents, assuming a recent stabilisation in coronavirus cases holds.Teachers and administrators are preparing on-site health precautions, but two government sources told Reuters that the daily infection rate may need to dip below the more than 900 seen recently to allow them to execute what they called Plan A.Schools shifted to distance education in March, when Turkey identified its first case and began restricting movement.Much of the economy reopened on June 1, after the school year ended, but masks an…

yenisafak (2020-07-28). Turkish Red Crescent to provide Eid meat to 4M people. yenisafak.com The Turkish Red Crescent (Kizilay) is set to send aid to over 4 million needy people around the world during the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha."As part of our 2020 Eid al-Adha campaign, we will carry the meat we obtain from donations of our citizens to more than 4 million people," the Turkish Red Crescent Chairman Kerem Kinik told Anadolu Agency in an interview.The majority of Muslim countries around the world will mark the first day of the Eid Al-Adha, or Feast of the Sacrifice, on Friday.As part of the holiday festivities, the charity will sacrifice animals in 17 countries, including Turkey, he said.Referring…

sputniknews (2020-07-28). China's Proposed New Assault Carrier May Launch Drones From Electromagnetic Catapult. sputniknews.com New details have emerged in Chinese media about the proposed Type 076 landing helicopter dock (LHD), a unique variant of that type of warship that would combine a helicopter carrier, a catapult aircraft launching system and a docking area for amphibious landing craft. Sputnik was among the first to report on the new warship.

sputniknews (2020-07-28). Gaming is Not a Crime: Hilarious Memes Flood Twitter Over Speculations of Ban on PUBG in India. sputniknews.com New Delhi (Sputnik): The Indian government last month banned 59 Chinese apps over security concerns. The government has issued a list of 250 apps which might be banned in the near future over the same reasons. After the TikTokers, it is the gamers who are going to be hit hard with the ban as the list includes PubG.

sputniknews (2020-07-28). India Imposes Prohibitive Orders Around Ambala Airbase Ahead of Rafale Jets' Arrival. sputniknews.com New Delhi (Sputnik): The much-anticipated first batch of five Rafale jets took off from France on Monday, beginning their 7,000 km journey to India. The three single-seater and two twin-seater fighter jets will touch down at the Ambala Airbase in Punjab, close to Ladakh and the Pakistani border, on Wednesday.

sputniknews (2020-07-28). US Navy Slams Iranian Military Drills in Strategic Strait of Hormuz as 'Irresponsible and Reckless'. sputniknews.com At the same time, Washington has repeatedly ignored Tehran's calls for the US to stop sending its carriers to the Gulf and its warnings that such actions only contribute to the escalation of tensions in the region, not to security.