Monthly Archives: July 2020

2020-07-31: News Headlines

Ramzy Baroud (2020-07-31). List of Israeli Targets Leaked: Tel Aviv Fears the Worst in ICC Investigation of War Crimes. counterpunch.org When International Court of Justice (ICC) Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, confirmed last December that the Court has ample evidence to pursue a war crimes investigation in occupied Palestine, the Israeli government responded with the usual rhetoric, accusing the international community of bias and insisting on Israel's 'right to defend itself.' Beneath the platitudes and typical Israeli

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-31). Activists worldwide demand immediate release of BDS coordinator Mahmoud Nawajaa. peoplesdispatch.org Mahmoud Nawajaa, general coordinator of the national committee of the BDS in Palestine, was arrested by the Israeli occupation forces early in the morning of July 30. His whereabouts remain unknown…

Tobita Chow (2020-07-31). The Democratic Platform on China Is a Failure of Imagination. thenation.com The Democratic Platform on China Is a Failure of Imagination…

Nick Pemberton (2020-07-31). Does The Left Stand With Uighurs? counterpunch.org As the American left forces itself to reckon with its neglect of the minority underclass in its central planning of democratic socialism, a similar reckoning should be happening in relation to China and its treatment of the Muslim minority population and its increasing reach in Africa. Under the guise of economic empowerment for the upper

T.J. Coles (2020-07-31). The Space Wars Have Begun. counterpunch.org "Space is now a distinct warfighting domain," says the U.S. Defense Space Strategy. Last week, corporate media repeated U.S. military propaganda: that Russia had "tested new technologies that could lead to so-called 'killer satellites'" (ABC); the U.S. and Britain "accused Russia of testing a weapon-like projectile in space that could be used to target satellites

Rob Urie (2020-07-31). Russiagate, Nazis, and the CIA. counterpunch.org The political success of Russiagate lies in the vanishing of American history in favor of a faàßade of liberal virtue. Posed as a response to the election of Donald Trump, a straight line can be drawn from efforts to undermine the decommissioning of the American war economy in 1946 to the CIA's alliance with Ukrainian fascists in 2014. In 1945 the NSC (National Security Council) issued a series of directives that gave logic and direction to the CIA's actions during the Cold War. That these persist despite the 'fall of communism' suggests that it was always just a placeholder in the pursuit of other objectiv…

yenisafak (2020-07-31). Bangladesh: Daily virus deaths hit monthly low. yenisafak.com "Since July 1 this is the lowest death record, and we hope that people will follow the social distancing guidelines during the holy Eid al-Adha so that the pandemic situation does not escalate further," Dr. Ayesha Akhter, a top government health official, told Anadolu Agency.The overcrowded South Asian country of 165 million people on June 30 saw its highest single-day new death total of 64.Since then deaths have totaled around 50 per day.However, after the seasonal monsoon rains and upstream onrush of water caused heavy floods and marooned nearly one-third of the country starting earlier this month, the number o…

yenisafak (2020-07-31). Virus cases, deaths mount in Central Asia, Eurasia. yenisafak.com More coronavirus cases and fatalities were reported in Central Asian and Eurasian countries on Friday.- KazakhstanKazakhstan reported 1,414 more COVID-19 cases, bringing its total so far to 89,078, while recoveries rose 1,702 to reach 59,517.A total of 793 virus patients have died in the Central Asian country so far, with nearly 30,000 still under treatment.- UkraineHealth Minister Maksym Stepanov said 1,090 more people tested positive for COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, raising the total count to 69,884.He said 20 more fatalities pushed the death toll up to 1,693, while recoveries increased by 622 to reach 36,7…

yenisafak (2020-07-31). Turkish, Omani leaders exchange holiday greetings. yenisafak.com Omani Sultan Haitham bin Tariq on Friday exchanged holiday greetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to the official Omani News Agency. | In a phone call, the sultan gave Erdogan greetings and best wishes for the four-day holiday of Eid al-Adha — starting today across much of the Muslim world — as well as progress and prosperity for the Turkish people. | For his part, Erdogan expressed sincere congratulations and good wishes for the sultan and prosperity for the Omani people.

sputniknews (2020-07-31). Huawei Urges Germany to Keep Tech Giant as 5G Provider Despite US Pressure, Reports Say. sputniknews.com Huawei's 5G rollout in Europe has been in doubt amid reports of the security risks that the Chinese tech firm's equipment allegedly poses – a claim promoted by the United States but vehemently denied by China.

sputniknews (2020-07-31). Sushant's Family Forcing Me to Testify Against Rhea: B-wood Actor's Friend Writes to Mumbai Police. sputniknews.com New Delhi (Sputnik): Budding young Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, who was said to be battling depression, allegedly committed suicide in mid-June in Mumbai. The incident has triggered a nationwide debate on nepotism in the film industry and the case has taken several new turns, with the controversy refusing to die down.

Ajamu Baraka (2020-07-30). No to the New Cold war with China. mronline.org The African radical, anti-imperialist, internationalist movement, sees the Chinese state and the Chinese people much differently than the U.S. state and its ruling class.

Staff (2020-07-30). Chomsky on Israel's Hindering of Palestinian Pandemic Response & Threat to Annex Occupied West Bank. democracynow.org Noam Chomsky says Israel's planned annexation of the occupied West Bank "basically formalizes" what has already been official policy over the last half-century, from both left-wing and right-wing parties in Israel. He compares Israel's treatment of Palestinians to anti-immigrant policies in the United States, and says the main goal of annexation is to take over as much territory while excluding its Palestinian inhabitants. "Israel does not want to bring Palestinian populations into the greater Israel they're constructing."

Staff (2020-07-30). Headlines for July 30, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. COVID-19 Death Toll Tops 150,000 as Public Health Experts Call for "Reset" in Response, GOP Rep. Louie Gohmert Tests Positive for Coronavirus After Refusing to Wear Mask in Capitol, Brazil Records Record Daily Coronavirus Toll as Deaths Top 90,000, Mexico's Health Ministry Recommends Masks But Won't Require Them, Vietnam Reports First Coronavirus Cases in Months; Just 1,000 Pilgrims Join Hajj in Mecca, Oregon Governor Says Federal Agents Will Withdraw From Portland Amid Protests, Lawmakers Grill Big Tech CEOs Over Anticompetitive Practices, Extended Jobless Benefits Expiring as Lawmakers Fail to Break Stalem…

RT (2020-07-30). Ilhan Omar roasted for idea to replace police at schools with mental care workers; What if there's a shooting? people online ask. rt.com US Democratic Party Congresswoman Ilhan Omar was blasted on Twitter for proposing that police officers be swapped with mental health staff at schools. Many argued online that the idea would make the schools even less safe. | Omar tweeted that "over-policing doesn't make them safer — it criminalizes Black and brown students." Along with fellow Representative Ayanna Pressley, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Chris Murphy, she proposed a bill to replace police officers at schools with mental health professionals. | Over-policing our schools doesn't make them safer — it criminalizes Black and brown student…

Juan Cole (2020-07-30). US Bases in Qatar, UAE Go on Alert as Iran Fires Ballistic Missiles at Mock-Up of US Aircraft Carrier. commondreams.org There are some 11,000 US Air Force personnel at al-Udeid, which has been a major launching point for missions against the Taliban in Afghanistan and ISIL in Iraq and Syria. (Photo: Al-Udeid Air Base, Qatar. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / Alex Brandon) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/qa.jpg

Kathy Kelly (2020-07-30). Yemen: A Torrent of Suffering in a Time of Siege. dissidentvoice.org When evil-doing comes like falling rain, nobody calls out "stop!" When crimes begin to pile up they become invisible. When sufferings become unendurable, the cries are no longer heard. The cries, too, fall like rain in summer. — Bertolt Brecht, "When evil-doing comes like falling rain" [Wenn die Untat kommt, wie der Regen fà§llt] (1935), …

Subodh Varma (2020-07-30). Why is govt. unable to control COVID-19 surge in India. peoplesdispatch.org More testing but weak contact tracing, and no protection to workers is causing the surge but the Indian government led by prime minister Narendra Modi is living in la-la land…

Eliza Egret (2020-07-30). Israeli arms company in London is targeted as activists launch Palestine Action network. thecanary.co Activists targeted Israeli arms company Elbit Systems' UK headquarters early on 30 July. Elbit staff came to work to find the building covered in graffiti and splattered with paint. The action comes on the same day that a new network called Palestine Action has launched; join us; get mobilised; take action; end complicity in Israel's war crimes & apartheid regime —…

Staff (2020-07-30). COVID-19 Threatens Maryland Campaign To Bring Mass Transit To Black Neighborhoods. therealnews.com Third parties are required to gather just 5,000 e-signatures to gain ballot access during the pandemic, while a transit equity campaign in Baltimore, where 40% of residents don't have reliable internet access, is being forced to gather 10,000.

Special to People's World (2020-07-30). Japanese unions win 100 percent increase in coronavirus subsidy. peoplesworld.org Since the outbreak of coronavirus in Japan in February 2020, the Japanese Federation of Textile, Chemical, Food, Commercial, Service and General Workers' Unions (UA ZENSEN) and other IndustriALL Japanese affiliates have continuously engaged with the Japanese government to increase the amount of EAS, to ensure decent living conditions for their members under government confinement orders. …

RT (2020-07-30). Russian serviceman working in Crimea arrested for HIGH TREASON, accused of spying for Ukraine. rt.com A serviceman from Russia's Black Sea Fleet has been arrested by the country's Federal Security Service (FSB) on suspicion of working for Ukrainian military intelligence. | If found guilty of high treason, the detained soldier could In a statement

Mike Walter (2020-07-30). The Heat: AIIB 2020 meeting. america.cgtn.com China reinforces the importance of globalization and international cooperation. We will take a look at the annual meeting of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

RT (2020-07-30). We closed this 'den of spies' consulate: Pompeo takes hard stance on China during Senate hearing. rt.com The US secretary of state has taken a tough line on Beijing as he testified in the Senate by calling China nothing less than a "central threat of our times" and slamming the Chinese Houston consulate the US closed as a spies' den.

RT (2020-07-30). EU targets Russian intelligence, Chinese, North Korean companies in first ever cybercrime-related sanctions batch. rt.com The European Union has imposed sanctions on six people and three entities, including a Russian military intelligence unit over their alleged involvement in various hacking activities, in the first ever such move from Brussels. | EU officials slapped the "Special Technologies" unit (GTsST) of the Russian military intelligence (also known as GRU) with sanctions, accusing it of being behind several high-profile cyber-attacks — including the infamous NotPetya virus that inflicted $10 billion worth of damage to the world economy in 2017. | The origins of that virus are still unclear. Yet, what is known for ce…

RT (2020-07-30). EU targets Russian intelligence, Chinese, North Korean companies in first ever cybercrime-related round of sanctions. rt.com The European Union has imposed sanctions on six people and three entities, including a Russian military intelligence unit, over their alleged involvement in various hacking activities, in the first ever such move from Brussels. | EU officials slapped the "Special Technologies" unit (GTsST) of the Russian military intelligence agency (also known as GRU) with sanctions, accusing it of being behind several high-profile cyber-attacks — including the infamous NotPetya virus that inflicted $10 billion-worth of damage to the world economy in 2017. | The origins of that virus are still unclear. What is known for…

RT (2020-07-30). Ex-US Marine sentenced to 9 years in Russian prison after drunken assault on two Moscow police officers. rt.com Texan Trevor Reed, a 29-year-old student and former US Marine, has been found guilty of attacking two police officers and handed a nine year jail sentence by a Moscow court, prompting media speculation about a "prisoner swap." | The former marine has been accused of attacking the officers last summer while drunk after attending a party. According to the prosecutors, some Moscow residents called the police when they saw a rowdy troublemaker arguing with two women. The drunk man, who turned out to be Reed, tried to resist arrest. | It was inside the police car that the man suddenly became aggressive and elbowed…

RT (2020-07-30). Russian & US scientists vow to fight Covid-19 PANDEMIC together amidst political animosity. rt.com Despite Moscow and Washington having been at odds over scores of international and bilateral affairs, Russian and US scientists managed to find a common language in jointly fighting a shared threat — the coronavirus pandemic. | The scientists have teamed up to cooperate in "all the areas related to the coronavirus, its nature, treatment and prevention measures," the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) said. | The RAS and US National Academies of Sciences, Medicine and Engineering inked an agreement on Thursday around working together on a wide range of Covid-related areas, such as epidemiology, virology, i…

RT (2020-07-30). Wife of Ukrainian rapper arrested after dismembered body parts found in apartment fridge. rt.com The wife of rapper Andy Cartwright has been arrested after his body parts were found in their St Petersburg apartment. She reportedly cut him into pieces, washed his organs, treated his limbs with salt and then refrigerated them. | Marina Kokhal claims the 30-year-old rapper died of a drug overdose. Saying she wanted to make him disappear so he wouldn't be remembered for dying an inglorious death, she has admitted to chopping up his body. | According to Saint Petersburg-based website 'Fontanka', the police were informed after 36-year-old Kokhal contacted a lawyer for advice, explaining that Cartwright had died…

RT (2020-07-30). American pilots continue their love affair with the Black Sea! Russian jet intercepts US spy planes for 4th TIME in 9 days (VIDEO). rt.com With summer heating up, it appears as though the US Air Force finds Russia's Black Sea particularly inviting. The Russian military has intercepted American jets on a long haul trip for the fourth time in just over one week. | The US Air Force seemingly could not decide who should be next to enjoy the scenic splendor of the Black Sea shoreline – around 8,000km from home – where temperatures have hit the 90s degrees Fahrenheit this week, choosing to send two of its surveillance planes at the same time on Thursday to watch over the area. | Could it be that American 'top guns' are so determined to showcase the del…

RT (2020-07-30). Call of the Black Sea: Russian jet intercepts US spy planes for FOURTH TIME in just over a week (VIDEO). rt.com With summer heating up, it appears as though the US Air Force finds Russia's Black Sea particularly inviting, as the Russian military has intercepted American jets there for the fourth time in just over one week. | The US Air Force seemingly could not decide who should be next to enjoy the scenic splendors of the Black Sea shoreline, deciding to send two of its surveillance planes to watch over the area at the same time on Thursday. | The jets were promptly intercepted, however, by a Russian Su-27 fighter jet, which was scrambled to escort the "aerial targets" approaching the nation's border. | The planes were…

RT (2020-07-30). Russian authorities to investigate as Communist MP claims 39 ruling party politicians have dual citizenship or foreign residency. rt.com The speaker of Russia's State Duma (parliament) has ordered the Committee on Security and Anti-Corruption to determine which lawmakers have alternative citizenships or other residence permits, after a claim by an opposition MP. | A key part of Vladimir Putin's constitutional changes, approved in a national vote earlier this month,

Staff (2020-07-30). Opinion: List of Israeli Targets Leaked: Tel Aviv Fears the Worst in ICC Investigation of War Crimes. imemc.org By Ramzy Baroud — Palestine Chronicle: When International Court of Justice (ICC) Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, confirmed last December that the Court has ample evidence to pursue a war crimes investigation in occupied Palestine, the Israeli government responded with the usual rhetoric, accusing the international community of bias and insisting on …

Staff (2020-07-30). Opinion: Abdul Fattah Al-Sharif's Execution by an Israeli Soldier. imemc.org ÔøºBy Ramzy Baroud for Palestine Chronicle: As illegal settlers increase their attacks on Palestinian civilians in the occupied city of Al-Khalil (Hebron), the people of the Palestinian city continue to mount a campaign of popular resistance. One of the channels of resistance is Human Rights Defenders (HRD), "a grassroots, non-partisan Palestinian …

Philip Giraldi (2020-07-30). Foreign Interference in Elections: Is It Real or Just Political Noise? thealtworld.com While claims of Russian interference in elections are fairly common, they are difficult to prove in any serious way. | A recently concluded British Parliamentary inquiry has determined that Russia may have

Reese Erlich (2020-07-30). Foreign Correspondent: Trump's Desperate, Last-Ditch Effort to Hike Tensions with Iran. progressive.org This might be the final stretch for his failed policy of 'maximum pressure.'

South Front (2020-07-30). Video: Turkey Shifts Focus to Southern Libya Amid Stalemate Near Sirte. globalresearch.ca Turkey is looking for opportunities to shift the current balance of power in Libya after its proxies failed to break the Libyan National Army defenses and capture the port city of Sirte in northern Libya in an off-the-cuff advance. | Turkish…

Stephen Lendman (2020-07-30). Military Escalation, Dangerous Crossroads in US-China Relations: Mike Pompeo Goes Wild. globalresearch.ca Until this year, Trump hailed what he called "tremendous progress in our relationship" with China — boasting about an "outstanding" bond between him and President Xi Jinping. | He claimed that a "giant trade deal" in the making would enhance …

WSWS (2020-07-30). Australian SAS planted weapons on murdered civilians in Afghanistan. wsws.org Several soldiers said that the framing of unarmed civilians as Taliban insurgents, with planted radios or weapons, "happened on numerous occasions."

news.un (2020-07-30). COVID-19: UN chief outlines path to sustainable, inclusive recovery in Southeast Asia. news.un.org Tackling inequality, bridging the digital divide, greening the economy, and upholding human rights and good governance will be critical for Southeast Asia to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN Secretary-General said on Thursday.

Dan Liu, Pengfei Cui, Shaoqing Zeng, Siyuan Wang, Xinxia Feng, Sen Xu, Ruyuan Li, Yue Gao, Ruidi Yu, Ya Wang, Yuan Yuan, Huayi Li, Xiaofei Jiao, Jianhua Chi, Jiahao Liu, Yang Yu, Xu Zheng, Chunyan Song, Ning Jin, Wenjian Gong, Xingyu Liu, Guangyao Cai, Chunrui Li, Qinglei Gao (2020-07-30). [Research Paper] Risk factors for developing into critical COVID-19 patients in Wuhan, China: A multicenter, retrospective, cohort study. thelancet.com We provide comprehensive front-line information about different severity of COVID-19 and insights into different risk factors associated with critical COVID-19 between sexes. These results highlight the significance of dividing risk factors between sexes in clinical and epidemiologic works of COVID-19, and perhaps other coronavirus appearing in future.

WSWS (2020-07-30). Corporate press promotes Susan Rice as Biden running mate. wsws.org The former Obama national security advisor is identified with illegal wars, drone missile assassinations and an aggressive posture towards both Russia and China.

WSWS (2020-07-30). Australian government signs up to US offensive against China. wsws.org The joint AUSMIN statement by top Australian and US officials broadcast all the Trump administration's incendiary and unproven allegations against China.

Mike Head (2020-07-30). Dangerous Crossroads: Australian Government Signs Up to US Military, Diplomatic and Economic Confrontation with China. globalresearch.ca Despite evident nervousness about the possibility of economic retaliation from Beijing, Australia's government this week scrambled to satisfy the demands of the Trump administration to fully commit to the escalating US military, diplomatic and economic confrontation with China. | The joint …

Michael T. Klare (2020-07-30). What Would It Take to Avert Military Escalation With China in the South China Sea? thenation.com What Would It Take to Avert Military Escalation With China in the South China Sea?

Matthew Ehret-Kump (2020-07-30). China and Iran to Sign Comprehensive Economic and Security Deal. Reviving Atoms for Peace. globalresearch.ca With the new revelations of an impending

Pepe Escobar (2020-07-30). The heart of the matter in the South China Sea. thealtworld.com The battle for the contested maritime region is over before the shooting even begins and China has won | When the USS Ronald Reagan and USS Nimitz carrier strike groups recently engaged in "operations" in the South China Sea, it failed to escape cynics that the US Pacific Fleet was doing its best to turn the infantile The pro forma official spin, via Rear Admiral Jim Kirk, commander of the Nimitz, is that the ops were conducted to "reinfo…

Caitlin Johnstone (2020-07-30). The Real Deep State Power Grab: Notes From The Edge Of The Narrative Matrix. thealtworld.com the new cold war agendas against China and Russia. All analysts who've been staring transfixed by Covid anxiety waiting for Bill Gates to usher in the New World Order have completely missed this story due to a misguided collective decision to fixate on this virus. | The virus will certainly play a part in many ways, but the real large-scale power agendas at work revolve around the US-centralized empire's increasingly urgent campaign to

WSWS (2020-07-30). India set to surpass two million COVID-19 cases within days. wsws.org While the government claims that it is mounting a "successful battle," the virus is rampaging across the India, with half a million new infections in the past 12 days.

WSWS (2020-07-30). Indonesia passes 100,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases. wsws.org While case numbers and fatalities surge, the Widodo administration is nevertheless pushing on with an increasingly aggressive economic reopening.

2020-07-30: News Headlines

Ajamu Baraka (2020-07-30). No to the New Cold war with China. mronline.org The African radical, anti-imperialist, internationalist movement, sees the Chinese state and the Chinese people much differently than the U.S. state and its ruling class.

Staff (2020-07-30). Chomsky on Israel's Hindering of Palestinian Pandemic Response & Threat to Annex Occupied West Bank. democracynow.org Noam Chomsky says Israel's planned annexation of the occupied West Bank "basically formalizes" what has already been official policy over the last half-century, from both left-wing and right-wing parties in Israel. He compares Israel's treatment of Palestinians to anti-immigrant policies in the United States, and says the main goal of annexation is to take over as much territory while excluding its Palestinian inhabitants. "Israel does not want to bring Palestinian populations into the greater Israel they're constructing."

Staff (2020-07-30). Headlines for July 30, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. COVID-19 Death Toll Tops 150,000 as Public Health Experts Call for "Reset" in Response, GOP Rep. Louie Gohmert Tests Positive for Coronavirus After Refusing to Wear Mask in Capitol, Brazil Records Record Daily Coronavirus Toll as Deaths Top 90,000, Mexico's Health Ministry Recommends Masks But Won't Require Them, Vietnam Reports First Coronavirus Cases in Months; Just 1,000 Pilgrims Join Hajj in Mecca, Oregon Governor Says Federal Agents Will Withdraw From Portland Amid Protests, Lawmakers Grill Big Tech CEOs Over Anticompetitive Practices, Extended Jobless Benefits Expiring as Lawmakers Fail to Break Stalem…

RT (2020-07-30). Ilhan Omar roasted for idea to replace police at schools with mental care workers; What if there's a shooting? people online ask. rt.com US Democratic Party Congresswoman Ilhan Omar was blasted on Twitter for proposing that police officers be swapped with mental health staff at schools. Many argued online that the idea would make the schools even less safe. | Omar tweeted that "over-policing doesn't make them safer — it criminalizes Black and brown students." Along with fellow Representative Ayanna Pressley, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Chris Murphy, she proposed a bill to replace police officers at schools with mental health professionals. | Over-policing our schools doesn't make them safer — it criminalizes Black and brown student…

Kathy Kelly (2020-07-30). Yemen: A Torrent of Suffering in a Time of Siege. dissidentvoice.org When evil-doing comes like falling rain, nobody calls out "stop!" When crimes begin to pile up they become invisible. When sufferings become unendurable, the cries are no longer heard. The cries, too, fall like rain in summer. — Bertolt Brecht, "When evil-doing comes like falling rain" [Wenn die Untat kommt, wie der Regen fà§llt] (1935), …

Subodh Varma (2020-07-30). Why is govt. unable to control COVID-19 surge in India. peoplesdispatch.org More testing but weak contact tracing, and no protection to workers is causing the surge but the Indian government led by prime minister Narendra Modi is living in la-la land…

Mike Walter (2020-07-30). The Heat: AIIB 2020 meeting. america.cgtn.com China reinforces the importance of globalization and international cooperation. We will take a look at the annual meeting of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

Ramzy Baroud (2020-07-30). List of Israeli Targets Leaked: Tel Aviv Fears the Worst in ICC Investigation of War Crimes. dissidentvoice.org When International Court of Justice (ICC) Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, confirmed last December that the Court has ample evidence to pursue a war crimes investigation in occupied Palestine, the Israeli government responded with the usual rhetoric, accusing the international community of bias and insisting on Israel's 'right to defend itself.' Beneath the platitudes and typical Israeli …

news.un (2020-07-30). COVID-19: UN chief outlines path to sustainable, inclusive recovery in Southeast Asia. news.un.org Tackling inequality, bridging the digital divide, greening the economy, and upholding human rights and good governance will be critical for Southeast Asia to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN Secretary-General said on Thursday.

Michael T. Klare (2020-07-30). What Would It Take to Avert Military Escalation With China in the South China Sea? thenation.com What Would It Take to Avert Military Escalation With China in the South China Sea?

Dan Liu, Pengfei Cui, Shaoqing Zeng, Siyuan Wang, Xinxia Feng, Sen Xu, Ruyuan Li, Yue Gao, Ruidi Yu, Ya Wang, Yuan Yuan, Huayi Li, Xiaofei Jiao, Jianhua Chi, Jiahao Liu, Yang Yu, Xu Zheng, Chunyan Song, Ning Jin, Wenjian Gong, Xingyu Liu, Guangyao Cai, Chunrui Li, Qinglei Gao (2020-07-30). [Research Paper] Risk factors for developing into critical COVID-19 patients in Wuhan, China: A multicenter, retrospective, cohort study. thelancet.com We provide comprehensive front-line information about different severity of COVID-19 and insights into different risk factors associated with critical COVID-19 between sexes. These results highlight the significance of dividing risk factors between sexes in clinical and epidemiologic works of COVID-19, and perhaps other coronavirus appearing in future.

WSWS (2020-07-30). Corporate press promotes Susan Rice as Biden running mate. wsws.org The former Obama national security advisor is identified with illegal wars, drone missile assassinations and an aggressive posture towards both Russia and China.

Sina Toossi (2020-07-30). The Beginning of the U.S.-Iran Hot War? zcomm.org President Trump remains committed to escalating against Iran even as the U.S. battles a worsening pandemic, an economic depression, and internal discord not seen in decades…

Tom Clifford (2020-07-30). The Gulf War, 30 Years and Counting. counterpunch.org The consequences are still reverberating three decades on, obviously in Iraq and the Middle East but also further afield, after Saddam Hussein became the first Arab leader to invade another Arab nation. On Thursday, August 2, 1990, at about 2am, 100,000 Iraqi troops and 700 tanks smashed through Kuwaiti border posts. Saddam then announced that the emir of Kuwait had been deposed and the emirate was now Iraq's nineteenth province.

Lawrence Davidson (2020-07-30). An Attack on Edward Said's Legacy. counterpunch.org I traveled to Israel and the Occupied Territories in the early 2000s with the progressive group Faculty for Israeli-Palestinian Peace. We made an effort to gain insight into most of the players in the conflict, and so a series of interviews was arranged with members of the Israeli right wing. I remember that one of

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-30). Rights groups demand release of activist Mohammad Amin in Pakistan. peoplesdispatch.org The 26-year-old activist was forcibly picked up from his residence in Karachi on July 14 and remains missing. Rights groups have blamed security forces for harassing his family and demanded his immediate release…

yenisafak (2020-07-30). Greece ready to discuss maritime borders with Turkey. yenisafak.com Greece is seeking to hold talks on delimitation of maritime boundaries with Turkey, an official said Thursday.At a weekly news conference in Athens, government spokesman Stelios Petsas stressed the importance of open communication channels with Turkey, especially when tensions escalated, referring to the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.He went on to say Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis held a phone talk with Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiadis over the arrival of Turkish seismic vessel — Barbaros Hayrettin Pasa to the Turkish Cypriot side of the island.Turkey is a guarantor nation for the Turkish Re…

yenisafak (2020-07-30). Pakistanis take livestock to 'cow wash' ahead of Eid. yenisafak.com The days leading up to the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha are busy for Uzair Dawood, the owner of a motorcycle wash in Pakistan's southern city of Karachi – not for fixing vehicles, but washing cattle.Eid al-Adha falls on Saturday in the South Asian nation, and like Muslims across the world, Pakistanis purchase cattle to sacrifice on the occasion as a religious obligation."It is very busy day just a day before Eid and we don't have time for a bike wash," Dawood told Reuters as he busied himself lathering a cow with soap before using the pressure hose to clean the animal.Sacrificial animals are treated with deference…

yenisafak (2020-07-30). Russian, Turkish diplomats to discuss Libya in Moscow. yenisafak.com Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Alexey Zaytsev, deputy spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said that the delegations from the two countries will discuss "different aspects of the Libyan crisis," including disposition of the warring sides at the moment of the cease-fire declaration.Zaytsev recalled that the previous rounds of consultations on Libya were held in Turkey — In Istanbul in June and in Ankara in July.Asked about violations of arms embargo on Libya by Russia, he said "allegations are groundless" and that countries accusing Russia "directly involved in arms supplies to the Libyan warring…

sputniknews (2020-07-30). 'China Not Strategic Threat to India', Beijing's Ambassador to New Delhi Assures. sputniknews.com New Delhi (Sputnik): Bilateral relations between India and China have touched a new low after a violent face-off between the armies of the two countries on 15 June, resulting in the death of 20 Indian soldiers.

sputniknews (2020-07-30). Border Tensions: Why India Won't Become Washington's Bulwark Against China. sputniknews.com The US foreign policy establishment is deluding itself if it plans to use the India-China border conflict to pit New Delhi against Beijing while the US State Department is ramping up tensions with the People's Republic, says Suvam Pal, a Beijing-based Indian journalist and author.

sputniknews (2020-07-30). 'She Handled This Very Well': 105-Year-Old Indian Woman Recovers From COVID-19 in 9 Days. sputniknews.com COVID-19 is considered to be particularly dangerous for the elderly, who are seen as one of the high-risk groups and are advised to be particularly cautious, sticking to enhanced social distancing guidelines and even self-imposed quarantines.

sputniknews (2020-07-30). Smuggled 10th Century Statue of Lord Shiva to Return to India From the UK After 22 Years. sputniknews.com New Delhi (Sputnik): The exquisite statue of Lord Natesh Shiva, the king of dancers, was in the possession of a private collector in London, who returned the idol to the High Commission of India in the UK in 2005. It was stolen in February 1998 from India's Ghateshwar Temple in Baroli, Rajasthan state.

sputniknews (2020-07-30). Iranian Satellite Once Derided as 'Tumbling Webcam in Space' Snaps Pics of US's Largest Mideast Base. sputniknews.com The images were reportedly obtained amid the ongoing massive war games in southern Iran involving multiple branches of the armed forces, including elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) formations.

sputniknews (2020-07-30). Trump Asks Why US Should Protect a Germany that 'Pays Russia Billions of Dollars for Energy'. sputniknews.com The Pentagon pressed forward with plans to withdraw nearly 12,000 personnel from Germany on Wednesday, with some of the troops to be redeployed to other European NATO nations while others are sent home. At the moment, there are about 36,000 US troops stationed in the Central European country. American troops have been on German soil since 1945.

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-30). Police bust over 1 ton illicit drugs in Iran's Mirjaveh. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 30 (MNA) — The police forces of the Sistan and Baluchestan province have confiscated 1,105 kilograms of illicit drugs in the southeastern borders.

_____ (2020-07-30). Foreign Interference in Elections: Is it Real or Just Political Noise? strategic-culture.org A recently concluded British Parliamentary inquiry has determined that Russia may have The Parliament's Intelligence and Security…

_____ (2020-07-30). CIA Fabricated Russiagate 'Evidence', Says Former NSA Tech Chief. strategic-culture.org Bill Binney has now laid out, in this speech, the evidence that he wants to present in court against Barack Obama's CIA, that it defrauded Americans to believe in "Russiagate" (the allegation that Russia 'hacked' the computers of Hillary Clinton and Democratic Party officials and fed that information to Wikileaks and other organizations). Binney cites evidence, which, if true, conclusively proves that Russiagate was actually created fraudulently by the CIA's extensive evidence-tampering, which subsequently became covered-up by the Special Counsel Robert Mueller, in his investigations for the Democratic Party's fi…

Staff (2020-07-29). AG Bill Barr Grilled by House Lawmakers on Protest Crackdown, Voter Suppression & Pandemic Failures. democracynow.org We play highlights from Attorney General William Barr's grilling by the House Judiciary Committee over how he sent militarized federal forces to confront Black Lives Matter protesters, and his opposition to voting by mail, and get response from a close friend of Congressmember John Lewis who is now running for Senate. "In spite of the machinations of Donald Trump and those who do his bidding, including the attorney general, the good news is that we're seeing a multiracial coalition of people pouring out into American streets," responds Rev. Dr. Raphael Warnock, "saying that we're concerned about the soul of our d…

Staff (2020-07-29). Rev. Warnock of Ebenezer Baptist Church on Legacy of John Lewis & Ongoing Fight for Voting Rights. democracynow.org We look at the life and legacy of late civil rights icon and Georgia Congressmember John Lewis, who is being mourned across the U.S. and who became the first Black politician to lie in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. "The irony of this moment is that even as we celebrate and honor John Lewis, the patron saint of voting rights, he hailed from the state which in many instances is ground zero for voter suppression," says Rev. Dr. Raphael Warnock, who serves as senior pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, was with Lewis in the final days of his life and will preside over his memorial service. "In recen…

Eva Bartlett (2020-07-29). Impressions From An Informal Meeting With Asma al-Assad, Syria. thealtworld.com I had been sitting in a small entrance room for what seemed less than a minute when the door opened and Syria's first lady, Her Excellency Asma al-Assad, greeted me with a warm smile, welcoming me inside a slightly larger sitting room. In official meetings I had had over the years in Syria, I was accustomed to a secretary or assistant escorting me into the meeting room. Asma al-Assad, however, does things up close and personal. | Over the years in Syria, I had heard from people I encountered that she and President Assad routinely meet with their fellow Syrians in crowded venues, mixing and engaging with the peopl…

Aidan O'Brien (2020-07-29). Has anything changed since 1840? Trade, imperialism, Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta megacity. mronline.org In modern times, China has been the ultimate challenge for imperialists: it's independence being an enigma to Europeans and Americans. From Marco Polo to Mike Pompeo, China has been a mystery to Christian crusaders.

Melvin Goodman (2020-07-29). Trump's War on the Environment and Its Inhabitants. counterpunch.org Trump's climate denial has made the United States an environmental "pariah state" in a global community committed to addressing the problem of climate change. Trump's withdrawal from the Paris accord made the United States the only nation in the world to reject the climate accord. The two original outliers—Syria and Nicaragua—have joined, and Nicaragua stayed out initially because the agreement didn't go far enough. Trump has undermined the rich legacy of the Obama administration in the environmental field, which included getting the world's other major polluters—particularly China and India[mda…

Eds. (2020-07-29). Forget basic income—In Canada, the new normal should bring a public housing revolution. mronline.org "I had like $500 left in my account," my friend Jordan excitedly tells me. "I was seriously fucked for rent." Like millions of others, Jordan had entered his final few weeks of eligibility for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), the government's $2,000 per month unemployment program.

PAI (2020-07-29). Jewish Labor Committee remembers coronavirus dead on traditional mourning day. peoplesworld.org BOSTON —Nineteen hundred and fifty years ago, in the year 70 CE (AD for non-Jews), the Romans conquered Jerusalem, destroyed the Second Temple, sacked and burned the city, slew tens of thousands of people and drove all but a few of the rest into exile. Ever since then, Jews worldwide have honored their dead on …

Kenneth Surin (2020-07-29). The UK's Russia Report on the "Londongrad Laundromat" counterpunch.org The UK parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), drawn from MPs and peers of all parties, last week published its report on possible Russian interference in UK politics. The report's release had been delayed by 9 months after it had been blocked by Boris "BoJo" Johnson in the run-up to the December 2019 general election.

The Canary (2020-07-29). US officials claim Russia is behind the spread of virus disinformation. thecanary.co US officials say Russian intelligence services are using a trio of English-language websites to spread disinformation about the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.The officials alleged Russian operatives have acted in seeking to exploit a crisis the US is struggling to contain ahead of the presidential election in November.Two Russians who have held senior roles in Moscow's military intelligence service known as the GRU have been identified as responsible for the effort to reach American and western audiences, according to the US government officials, who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.The i…

RT (2020-07-29). Bye Bye Benjamin! Russia & China speed up de-dollarization process: most trade no longer conducted in greenbacks. rt.com After years of talking about abandoning the US dollar, Russia and China are doing it for real. In the first quarter of 2020, the share of the dollar in trade between the countries fell below 50 percent for the first time.

RT (2020-07-29). India to allow foreign universities to open campuses in country. rt.com India on Wednesday approved a plan to allow foreign universities to open campuses in the country. The move is part of efforts to boost education to strengthen the economy as it struggles with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. | Politicians affiliated with the left as well as PM Narendra Modi's ruling party have opposed several attempts by previous administrations to open up the sector to overseas institutions. However, many government officials have been pushing the move as more than 750,000 Indian students study abroad. | The country will allow "entry of top world ranked universities to open campuses in…

RT (2020-07-29). 'They never tell you there WERE people there': Seth Rogen stirs hornet's nest after saying Israel 'makes no sense'. rt.com Jewish actor Seth Rogen has courted controversy after saying that Israel's existence "doesn't make sense," and that young Jews are misled to believe the state was created peacefully, without displacing thousands of Palestinians. | "If it is truly for the preservation of Jewish people, it makes no sense, because again, you don't keep something you're trying to preserve all in one place especially when that place has proven to be… pretty volatile," Rogen told comedian Mark Maron on his 'WTF' podcast on Monday. | Rogen — who has been promoting his upcoming movie, 'An American Pickle,' a comedy-drama which…

RT (2020-07-29). Lebanon reinforces new Covid-19 lockdown measures after spike in new cases. rt.com The Lebanese government has decided to reinforce coronavirus lockdown measures after a spike in new cases. The country of some six million people has recorded a total of 3,879 cases of Covid-19, including 51 deaths. | Lebanon had gradually lifted lockdown measures and in early July opened Beirut airport to commercial flights, after a closure of more than three months. However, after new cases increased, the government ordered a nationwide lockdown from July 30 until August 3, coinciding with the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, Naharnet quoted Information Minister Manal Abdel Samad as saying. | The lockdown will…

RT (2020-07-29). WATCH: Protesters lay siege to NYPD police commissioner's home after viral van 'kidnapping' incident. rt.com Angry protesters have swarmed the NYPD commissioner's home on West 73rd street in Manhattan, in response to the arrest of a protester who was bundled into an unmarked van on Tuesday. | Furious that one of their own had been arrested in such a way, the protest march, which the 'kidnapped' woman was part of, made its way to NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea's home in the early hours of Wednesday morning, as eyewitness video from the scene purports to show. | "This is a raid, Commissioner Shea"

RT (2020-07-29). NYPD weighs in on viral protester 'kidnapping' video, says arrestee suspected of vandalizing cop cameras. rt.com The New York Police Department has addressed a viral video clip showing officers forcing an activist into an unmarked vehicle, insisting the protester was suspected of vandalism as critics deemed the arrest a lawless "kidnapping." | In footage that circulated on social media on Tuesday, plainclothes officers were seen cramming a woman into the back of an unmarked van as a crowd of angry demonstrators looks on in shock, with uniformed police swooping in to secure the area as the vehicle leaves the scene. The video has driven a wave of criticism directed at the NYPD, with many claiming the woman was 'kidnapped i…

RT (2020-07-29). Veteran diplomat becomes new US envoy for Arctic as Washington seeks greater role in region. rt.com The Trump administration on Wednesday named a special envoy for the Arctic, filling a post that had been vacant for more than three years. Washington is seeking a greater role in the region, trying to blunt growing Russian and Chinese influence there. | The State Department's appointment of veteran career diplomat Jim DeHart to be US coordinator for the Arctic came just a week after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo vowed enhanced US engagement in the Arctic, speaking during a visit to Denmark, AP reported. | The US opened a consulate in the semi-autonomous Danish territory of Greenland earlier this year as part…

RT (2020-07-29). Blow to go! Latest Russian plan to eliminate drink-driving — installing alcohol locks on all newly produced cars. rt.com Get ready for a new sensation: breathing into your car before it starts. In a bid to make roads safer, Russia's is planning to introduce 'alcolocks,' which require a driver to prove their sobriety before a vehicle moves. | According to Moscow business daily Kommersant, the Ministry of Industry and Trade is developing a plan to introduce alcohol locks en-masse. The technology, known as an 'ignition interlock device,' is already set to become mandatory in the European Union from 2022. | The locks work by making it impossible to start a car when alcohol above a certain threshold is detected in the driver's breath…

RT (2020-07-29). Lukashenko 'demands answers' as KGB chief briefs him on 'Russian mercenaries' detained in Belarus. rt.com Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko has ordered a thorough probe into what he called an "emergency situation" as security chief confirmed arrests of 32 suspected 'Wagner' private military recruits in a televised briefing. | Lukashenko on Wednesday told the head of the Belarusian National Security Service, the KGB, to launch a transparent and unbiased probe into the incident, which the media has been quick to tie to the upcoming presidential election. | "If these are indeed Russian citizens… we must immediately contact the Russian officials and demand that they explain what is going on," Lukashenko said…

The Canary (2020-07-29). Turkish parliament approves social media law with strict new powers. thecanary.co Turkey's parliament has approved a law that gives authorities greater power to regulate social media despite growing concerns over censorship.The law requires major social media companies such as Facebook and Twitter to keep representative offices in Turkey to deal with complaints against content on their platforms.If a social media company refuses to designate an official representative, the legislation mandates steep fines, advertising bans and bandwidth reductions.With a court ruling, bandwidth would be reduced by 50% and then by 50% to 90%. Bandwidth reductions mean social media networks would be too slow to…

yenisafak (2020-07-29). Group of European MPs say 'no' to W.Bank annexation by Israel. yenisafak.com A group of European MPs from the UK, France, Ireland, and Belgium have released a statement on Wednesday to reject the "illegal plan" of Israel's annexation of part of the occupied West Bank.Convened by Stephen Kinnock, a British MP and the co-chair of the Britain-Palestine All-Party Parliamentary Group, the lawmakers agreed to challenge and seek to deter Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's controversial plan.Prompting parliamentary colleagues from Europe and the US to sign their statement to oppose the proposed annexation, the group also appealed the public members to forward it to their local MPs.- 'No…

Ramzy Baroud (2020-07-29). 'Feeding a Bedouin': Roy Oz and Israel's Outrageous Racism. counterpunch.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

Ramzy Baroud (2020-07-29). List of Targets Leaked: Israel Fears Worst in ICC War Crimes Investigation. mintpressnews.com The fact that a "secret list" exists is an indication that Tel Aviv understands that this era is different and that international law, which has failed Palestinians for over 70 years, may, for once, deliver a small measure of justice.