(2020-08-14). Beirut blast death toll rises to 178, with 30 still missing. thecanary.co 
The death toll from last week's massive explosion in Lebanon's capital has risen to nearly 180. An estimated 6,000 people were injured and at least 30 are missing, the United Nations (UN) said on Friday 14 August.The explosion has affected operations at six hospitals, up from an initial three, and damaged more than 20 clinics in the parts of Beirut worst hit by the blast, the UN's humanitarian affairs agency said in a report. The report said: A preliminary rapid assessment within a 15-kilometre radius of the explosions has revealed that, out of 55 medical facilities, only half are fully operational and around 40%…
(2020-08-14). 'Magical Thinking' has Always Guided the US Role in Afghanistan. counterpunch.org 
"Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast." — The Queen of Hearts from Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland The best way for us to understand Afghanistan is to look at the record of American involvement going back four decades and to look at the record requires a reexamination of
(2020-08-14). Disaster in Lebanon seen as 'opportunity' by U.S. & Israel. liberationnews.org 
What the people of Lebanon need now is solidarity and an immediate and massive aid effort, proportionate to the damage done, and given to all without political strings.
(2020-08-14). The Politics of War: What is Israel's Endgame in Lebanon and Syria? counterpunch.org 
On August 4, hours before a massive explosion rocked the Lebanese capital, Beirut, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, issued an ominous warning to Lebanon. "We hit a cell and now we hit the dispatchers. I suggest to all of them, including Hezbollah, to consider this," Netanyahu said during an official tour of a military facility
(2020-08-14). The "Lesser-Evil" Syndrome: Noam Chomsky's Fall Into Self-Contradiction. dissidentvoice.org In a recent interview Noam Chomsky declared that there "was a big difference" between Hubert Humphrey and Richard Nixon in the 1968 presidential elections, a difference "you could count in several million corpses in Indochina." But, Chomsky added, "a lot of the young people on the left said, "I'm not going to vote for Humphrey. …
(2020-08-14). Turkey may suspend ties with UAE, withdraw ambassasdor. yenisafak.com After the United Arab Emirates' controversial deal to normalize ties with Israel, Turkey may downgrade its relations with the UAE, Turkey's president has said."We may take steps to suspend diplomatic ties with the UAE or withdraw our ambassador," Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters in Istanbul after Friday prayers.On Israel, Erdogan called its recent solidarity with Egypt and Greece and steps towards Palestine unacceptable.In signing a maritime pact last week, Athens and Cairo continued efforts to box in Ankara's territory in the Mediterranean based on small islands near Turkish shores, violating the interests of…
(2020-08-14). It Is Late, but It Is Early Morning If We Insist a Little. zcomm.org Nothing happens in Beirut and Lebanon that is transparent; plots of all kinds unravel against the ordinary hopes of the population…
(2020-08-14). Why 5G is the First Stage of a Tech War Between the U.S. and China. counterpunch.org The U.S. tech war on China continues, banning Chinese equipment from its network, and asking its Five Eyes partners and NATO allies to follow suit. It is a market and a technology denial regime that seeks to win back manufacturing that the U.S. and European countries have lost to China. International trade assumed that goods
(2020-08-14). Israel-UAE Agreement Does Not End Threat of Israeli Annexation. globalresearch.ca In light of today's normalization agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) warns that the threat of Israeli annexation remains as urgent as ever. A widely reported statement published …
(2020-08-14). UN chief welcomes Israel-UAE agreement. news.un.org The UN Secretary-General António Guterres has welcomed a joint statement by the leaders of the United States, Israel and the United Arab Emirates, which suspends Israeli annexation plans over parts of the occupied West Bank, something the UN has consistently called for.
(2020-08-14). France holds joint military exercises with Greece, threatening Turkey. wsws.org Mounting tensions between NATO powers threaten to blow up the alliance as the pandemic intensifies pre-existing conflicts over oil and strategic advantage.
(2020-08-14). Saturday 8/15: SF Chinatown Walkway Weekends. indybay.org Chinatown, Grant Avenue from California to Washington Streets…
(2020-08-14). Iran brands UAE-Israel deal a stab in the back to 'all Muslims'. thecanary.co Iran has strongly condemned a historic deal establishing full diplomatic relations between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel. It's called the move a stab in the back to all Muslims. | A statement from the country's foreign ministry, reported by state TV on Friday 14 August, called the normalising of ties between the two countries a dangerous, "shameful" measure. Moreover, It warned the UAE against Israel interfering in the "political equations" of the Persian Gulf region. The statement said: The UAE government and other accompanying governments must accept responsibility for all the consequences of this ac…
(2020-08-14). Iran reports 169 more virus deaths, over 2,500 cases. yenisafak.com At least 169 more coronavirus-related fatalities have raised the death toll in Iran to 19,331, the Health Ministry said Friday.Some 2,501 more people tested positive for COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, pushing the overall count up to 338,825, according to ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari.She said more than 293,811 patients have recovered so far, while 3,956 are hospitalized in critical condition. Over 2.81 million tests have been conducted in Iran to date.Iran is struggling to contain the pandemic since February, when the first cases were confirmed in the holy city of Qom.The coronavirus pandemic has claimed…
(2020-08-14). Erdogan: Turkey may suspend ties with UAE over Israel deal. yenisafak.com President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that Turkey was considering closing its embassy in Abu Dhabi and suspending diplomatic ties with the United Arab Emirates over its accord to normalise ties with Israel.Erdogan was speaking to reporters in Istanbul after the Turkish Foreign Ministry said history will never forgive the "hypocritical behaviour" of the UAE in agreeing such a deal.
(2020-08-14). Muslim scholars slam UAE-Israel deal as 'high treason'. yenisafak.com The United Arab Emirates' (UAE) deal to normalize ties with Israel is tantamount to "high treason," a leading group of Muslim scholars said on Friday.In a statement, the International Union for Muslim Scholars (IUMS) urged the Muslim world to take a "decisive position against such concessions … and to exert efforts to preserve the full rights of the Palestinian people." | The group also rejected UAE's claim that the deal will halt Israel's annexation of more Palestinian territory, citing the Israeli premier's comments that he "achieved this agreement and others without any concession." | The deal to normalize U…
(2020-08-14). North Korea's Kim says no to foreign flood aid. yenisafak.com Addressing Political Bureau of the 7th Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, Kim said: "The situation, in which the spread of the worldwide malignant [COVID-19] virus has become worse, requires us not to allow any outside aid for the flood damage but shut the border tighter and carry out strict anti-epidemic work," state-run Korean Central News Agency reported.At least 39,296 hectares of land was marooned due to the ongoing rainy season and Kangwon, North and South Hwanghae provinces and Kaesong City were hit badly.At least 16,680 houses and over 630 public buildings were destroyed or inundated beside…
(2020-08-14). Syed Ali Geelani: Adamant fighter for Kashmiri rights. yenisafak.com In recognition of his lifelong struggle for Kashmiris, Pakistan on its 74th Independence Day on Friday, awarded veteran Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Geelani Nishan-e-Pakistan — country's highest civilian honor.Nelson Mandela, Fidel Castro, Queen Elizabeth II, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are also among the recipients of the prestigious award.In late June, the 90-year-old leader stepped down from the leadership of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), a forum of more than two dozen Kashmir-based pro-freedom parties.The Nishan-e-Pakistan award, on behalf of Geelani, was received by APHC leaders from Pa…
(2020-08-14). US declined Russia's help offer on vaccine: Report. yenisafak.com The US allegedly declined Russia's help offer over the coronavirus vaccine, Russian officials told CNN. | The officials, who spoke anonymously, said Thursday that they proposed "unprecedented cooperation" with the US' Operation Warp Speed, a governmental program that aims to begin delivering millions of doses of an effective virus vaccine by the end of 2020. However, they claimed the US "is not currently open" for cooperation. | The remarks came days after Russia announced Tuesday it had developed a coronavirus vaccine. | They added that Russia maintains its will to share information about the vaccine and allow t…
(2020-08-14). 'Turkey will respond to any harassment in Eastern Med'. yenisafak.com Turkey will respond to any Greek harassment of its energy exploration ship Oruc Reis in the Eastern Mediterranean, the country's foreign minister warned Friday."Greece should avoid maximalist policies in the region," Mevlàºt àáavu≈üoƒülu told a joint press conference with his Swiss counterpart Ignazio Cassis in Bern.The warning came on the same day as an EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting by video link at Athens' request on the Eastern Mediterranean issue.On France declaring it would boost its military presence in the region,àáavu≈üoƒülu said: "France s…
(2020-08-14). Beached Japanese cargo ship causes ecological disaster for Mauritius. wsws.org The MV Wakashio began leaking thousands of metric tons of fuel after it collided with a coral reef barrier near the southern coast of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean.
(2020-08-13). Hong Kong Elections Postponed: And where aren't they? dissidentvoice.org Today, the Western press went absolutely mental again, radically schizophrenic. Hong Kong leader, Carrie Lam, declared that the September 6 elections in SAR would be postponed by one year. Right away, she offered a rational explanation: "We have 3 million voters going out in one day across Hong Kong, such flow of people would cause …
(2020-08-13). Lukashenko Has No One To Blame But Himself For Belarus' Color Revolution Unrest. thealtworld.com It was entirely predictable that the Color Revolution unrest that Lukashenko himself earlier kindled by partially laying the blame for this regime change attempt on Russia, which he did in a misguided attempt to co-opt this movement and use it as a post-election pretext for accelerating his pro-Western pivot, would ultimately end up backfiring after the rioters' real Western patrons thought that they could intensify their pressure upon him in order to squeeze more concessions out of the geopolitically confused Belarusian leader. | Maidan In Minsk: | Belarusian President Lukashenko is being portrayed in po…
(2020-08-13). How the US helped push Lebanon to the brink of collapse, and now threatens more sanctions. thegrayzone.com While the media blames the crisis in Lebanon solely on corruption, the US government unleashed a "maximum pressure" campaign to…
(2020-08-13). Headlines for August 13, 2020. democracynow.org Kamala Harris and Joe Biden Make First Appearance as Running Mates, U.S. Records Highest Coronavirus Death Toll of Summer, NJ Schools Allowed to Reopen as NY Educators Call for Delay to Start of School Year, Florida Sheriff Bans Deputies from Wearing Masks as Coronavirus Cases Spike, New WH Coronavirus Task Force Chief Is Radiologist Who Favors Herd Immunity, New Zealand Imposes New Lockdown as Coronavirus Spreads for First Time in Months, Argentine Doctor Warns of Spike in COVID-19 Deaths as Hospitals Hit Capacity, India Records Record Coronavirus Deaths as Ex-President with COVID-19 Placed on Ventilator, House…
(2020-08-13). Was Kamala Harris a Progressive Prosecutor? A Look at Her Time as a DA & California Attorney General. democracynow.org 
As Senator Kamala Harris makes history as the first woman of color on a major party ticket, we host a debate on her record as California attorney general and San Francisco district attorney, when she proudly billed herself as "top cop" and called for more cops on the street. San Francisco Deputy Public Defender Niki Solis says Harris was the state's most progressive DA and advocated for "so many policies and so many alternatives to incarceration." Law professor Lara Bazelon says Harris was on the wrong side of history for often opposing criminal justice reform, though her record did change as a senator. "Her o…
(2020-08-13). The Case Against Trump Is "Open and Shut": Kamala Harris Slams President's Handling of Pandemic. democracynow.org 
As Kamala Harris, the first woman of color on a major presidential ticket, hits the campaign trail with Joe Biden for the first time, we play an extended excerpt of her address, in which she blasts President Trump's handling of the economy, immigration, racial justice and the coronavirus pandemic. "The case against Donald Trump and Mike Pence is open and shut," Harris says. "Just look where they've gotten us: more than 16 million out of work; millions of kids who cannot go back to school; a crisis of poverty, of homelessness, afflicting Black, Brown and Indigenous people the most."
(2020-08-13). Ilhan Omar defeats Corporate Democrat, Israel Lobbies in Overwhelming Primary Victory. zcomm.org Although the Israel lobbies put a lot of money into defeating Omar, the issues on which she won, of progressive policing and health care, were largely disconnected from the geopolitical ones where her straight talk had attracted so much vitriol to her…
(2020-08-13). Racism revoked: Georgia shop apologizes for saying it would charge only white customers $20 to book appointments. rt.com 
A vintage clothing store in Savannah, Georgia has backed down from a plan to charge only white customers a $20 fee to book appointments to shop, saying it had been slammed with both negative feedback and threats of lawsuits. | Civvies on Broughton announced the new fee on Monday, as it was reopening by appointment only, after being shut down because of Covid-19. The refundable whites-only $20 deposit was introduced because the shop's mostly white staff and owners didn't feel comfortable "upholding a digital financial barrier which could prohibit BIPOC [black, indigenous and other people of color] from shopping…
(2020-08-13). Freedom Rider: TikTok and the War on China. mronline.org 
Every charge that Trump and his minions make against Chinese companies is true for US corporations, which have been spying on Americans and the rest of the world for decades.
(2020-08-13). Fed-up women health workers lead strike of 3.5 million across India. workers.org 
Workers around the world are demonstrating against their governments' policies in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. From South America to Asia, political protests and strikes are taking place. In many countries, health workers are in the lead, as they are on the front lines in this massive medical crisis. They . . . |
(2020-08-13). Teaching Torture: The Death and Legacy of Dan Mitrione. counterpunch.org 
In the pre-dawn darkness of Monday, August 10, 1970, Dan Mitrione's bullet-ridden body was discovered in the back seat of a stolen Buick convertible in a quiet residential neighborhood of Montevideo, the Uruguayan capital. He had just turned 50, and he had recently started a new dream job, although it was thousands of miles from his home in Richmond, Indiana. Who was Dan Mitrione, and what work was he doing in Uruguay that led him to such an early and violent end? |
(2020-08-13). DOJ accuses Yale of racial discrimination against WHITE and ASIAN applicants after 2-year-long probe. rt.com 
A Department of Justice investigation has found that Yale University is discriminating against white and Asian applicants, in violation of federal civil rights law, but the school calls the accusation "meritless." | "Yale's race discrimination imposes undue and unlawful penalties on racially-disfavored applicants, including in particular Asian-American and white applicants," Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband
(2020-08-13). Three rockets fall inside Iraqi base housing US troops. rt.com 
Three unguided projectiles have landed on the premises of Al-Balad military airbase, which houses US troops, Iraqi authorities confirmed. No information on damage or potential casualties was immediately available. | The military compound, located some 80 km (50 miles) north of the capital Baghdad, came under attack on Thursday. At least three projectiles landed on its premises, yet did not cause any "significant" damage, Iraq's Security Media Cell has said, promising to provide further detail to the public later.
(2020-08-13). 'No change' of West Bank annexation plans after Israel-UAE deal, Netanyahu says. rt.com 
Israel is still committed to annexing parts of the occupied West Bank, PM Benjamin Netanyahu said, after a peace deal with the UAE was reached. As part of the deal, Tel Aviv agreed to suspend the annexation. | The revelation was made by Netanyahu in a televised speech on Thursday. | "There is no change in my plans to apply sovereignty over Judea and Samaria, withfull coordination with the US," Netanyahu said, referring to parts of the West Bank region by their biblical names. | The remark came shortly after the peace deal between the United Arab Emirates and Israel was unveiled. Among other things, it contains…
(2020-08-13). Palestine recalls ambassador from UAE after it establishes diplomatic ties with Israel. rt.com 
The Palestinian ambassador to the UAE is being recalled over Abu Dhabi's decision to establish diplomatic ties with Israel, which Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has called "treason." | The ambassador was recalled from Abu Dhabi on Thursday in response to the deal between Israel and the UAE, which became the first Gulf Arab state to officially establish diplomatic relations with Tel Aviv. | Abbas has called on the UAE to reverse Thursday's decision, which formalizes years of sub rosa rapprochement between Israel and the oil-rich state, and urged other Arab nations not to follow its example "at the expense…
(2020-08-13). Biden praises 'historic step' of Israel-UAE deal, but claims credit goes to Obama admin and doesn't mention Trump AT ALL. rt.com 
Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden praised the "historic" decision by the United Arab Emirates to normalize relations with Israel, claiming part of the credit for himself and not mentioning President Donald Trump even once. | "Today, Israel and the United Arab Emirates have taken a historic step to bridge the deep divides of the Middle East," Biden said in a statement on Thursday. "The UAE's offer to publicly recognize the State of Israel is a welcome, brave, and badly needed act of statesmanship." | | Biden statement on the Isra…
(2020-08-13). Extensive foreign interference in Belarus attempting to 'destabilize' country, but it's not coming from Moscow – Russian MFA. rt.com 
The Russian Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman said on Thursday that Moscow has seen evidence of outside meddling in the unrest currently engulfing neighboring Belarus. But Maria Zakharova said Russia is not one of the guilty parties. | The diplomat told a briefing that "unprecedented pressure" is being exerted by individual foreign actors. She insisted that their goal is to destabilize the situation and split society in the landlocked Eastern European country. | At the same time, however, Zakharova emphasized that Moscow is concerned about the violence witnessed on the streets of Belarusian cities and towns since…
(2020-08-13). Erdogan warns of 'high price' if Turkish ships are attacked, after French planes buzz Ankara's flotilla. rt.com 
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened reprisals if anyone attacks the ship surveying disputed waters in the Mediterranean for oil and gas, after two French jets flew nearby during an exercise with the Greek fleet. | "We said that if you attack our Oruc Reis you will pay a high price, and they got their first answer today," Erdogan said on Thursday in a speech in Ankara, without offering any details as to what might have happened. | The vessel, named after a 16th-century Ottoman pirate, started survey work earlier this week near the island of Kastellorizo, which belongs to Greece but is located…
(2020-08-13). $600 billion: Despite Covid-19 crisis & falling oil prices, Russia's gold & foreign exchange reserves reach all-time high. rt.com 
The value of Russia's gold and foreign currency holdings has risen by almost $9 billion in a week. This means it's sitting on $600 billion in forex reserves — an all-time record beating August 2008's previous high of $598 billion. | That was just before the global financial crisis, or 'Great Recession', which wreaked havoc worldwide towards the end of the 2000s. Back then, the slush fund started to dwindle rapidly, due to the economic crisis, and lost over $100 billion in value in the following three months. | Lightning's unlikely to strike twice, however, as Russia's transformed its holdings in the inte…
(2020-08-13). Lebanon parliament grants sweeping powers to military in Beirut. thecanary.co 
Lebanon's parliament has approved a state of emergency in Beirut in its first session since the explosion in the city last week.It has granted the military sweeping powers amid rising anger and political uncertainty in the capital.The blast that killed more than 170 people and injured at least 6,000 others changed the face of the city and forced the government to resign.People walk past debris from destroyed buildings in Beirut (Felipe Dana/AP)Before resigning, the government declared a state of emergency in Beirut that granted the military sweeping powers including the power to declare curfews, prevent public ga…
(2020-08-13). The environmental legacy of Kamala Harris, Biden's newly-announced running mate. peoplesworld.org 
Former Vice President Joe Biden made a historic announcement Tuesday when he named California Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate in the 2020 presidential election. Harris is now the first Black woman and the first person of Indian descent to run for national office for a major political party in the U.S., the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) …
(2020-08-13). The Brookings Hand Behind Russiagate Points Back to Rhodes Trust Coup on America. dissidentvoice.org 
An incredible report on Real Clear Politics by Paul Sperry on July 24 has revealed a new dimension to the Russiagate frenzy that contaminated American politics for the last four years. While all claims of Russian collusion between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin have been thoroughly debunked over recent months, it was believed that …
(2020-08-13). Palestinian Rights Advocates Refuse to Applaud Israel-Trump-UAE Deal That Upholds 'Ongoing, Devastating Apartheid'. commondreams.org "The Trump administration hit upon the Nobel Peace Prize-winning idea that you can supposedly solve the Israel-Palestine conflict by pretending Palestinians don't exist." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-963302842_1.jpg …
(2020-08-13). What if the Beirut Explosion Was an Attack? globalresearch.ca On August 11, 3 Israeli battle tanks crossed a technical fence on the Israeli-Lebanese contact line, the official Lebanese News Agency reported. | According to the Lebanese side, Israeli forces broke through the technical fence in the town of Mays al-Jabal …
(2020-08-13). Is Joe Biden Cognitively Impaired? President Kamala Harris? globalresearch.ca If elected president in November, Joe Biden will be age-78 when entering office in January. | His political career since 1972 as US senator, vice president, and presidential aspirant elevated him to national prominence with high public name recognition. | He's only …
(2020-08-13). Landmine blast kills 5 from single family in Afghanistan. yenisafak.com A landmine blast in Afghanistan's Kandahar province on Thursday killed at least five civilians and injured six others, all members of a single family, officials confirmed.Jamal Nasir, spokesman for the local police command, told Anadolu Agency the incident took place in the province's Panjwai district. He said women and children are among the dead and wounded.There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, apparently aimed at the family members of a local police commander.Condemning the attack, President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani urged the Taliban to respond positively to calls for peace and to stop pl…
(2020-08-13). South Asian governments ignore millions of monsoon flood victims. wsws.org While the suffering of flood-hit people mount amid the monsoon rains, South Asian governments refuse to provide them necessary assistance.
(2020-08-13). US Color Revolutions: From Eastern Europe to Egypt, Iran, Now Lebanon. globalresearch.ca It is necessary to study, how US color-techniques are applied for regime-change in Egypt (Tahrir) — Iran (Green Movement) and now Lebanon (Cedar Revolution + "Day of Rage"). | The US engineering of these all-but-spontaneous undercover "Color …
(2020-08-13). Will Trump-MBS Shore Up Iraq's Corrupt Ruling Families in Return for Keeping US Troops? Iraq-Iran Relationship in Crisis? globalresearch.ca Iraq's new Prime Minister Mustafa al Khadimi's, decision to make Saudi Arabia rather than Iran his first destination abroad contradicted with what all his predecessors had done. It was designed to send a clear message indicating that he has …