(2020-08-22). New York lawmakers denounce DSA as antisemitic after group challenges junkets to Israel. mronline.org 
At the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) convention in 2017, the group endorsed the BDS movement by an overwhelming majority. That resolution asserted that "socialists have a responsibility to side with the oppressed and are committed to their unconditional liberation."
(2020-08-22). Greece denying pushbacks despite evidence: Rights group. yenisafak.com In a recent interview with CNN, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis denied the accusations, saying: "They are an insult to the Greek Coast Guard that has saved tens of thousands of migrants and refugees."However, evidence and reports describing the abuses are too many to be ignored, Eva Cosse, a researcher at Human Rights Watch, said in a report.Cosse, after interviewing victims and witnesses, said that Greek authorities have been seen forcibly pushing back migrants and asylum seekers from Rhodes, Samos, and Symi islands in small inflatable boats.A victim from Syria, who used the pseudonym of Marwan, describ…
(2020-08-22). Global campaign frees Mahmoud Nawajaa. workers.org 
Mahmoud Nawajaa is free! An international campaign pressured Israel to release the general coordinator of the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement from detention. Armed Israeli forces charged into Nawajaa's home near Ramallah in occupied Palestine on July 30 and brutally seized him. He was illegally held without charges until . . . |
(2020-08-22). Palestine, Azerbaijan hail Turkey's natural gas find. yenisafak.com Palestine and Azerbaijan congratulated Turkey on Saturday for the discovery of major natural gas reserves in the Black Sea.Palestine's President Mahmoud Abbas congratulated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a phone call, Turkey's Communications Directorate said in a statement.He hailed Turkey's success as Palestine's success, while Erdogan reiterated Ankara's support for the Palestinian cause.The two leaders also discussed bilateral ties and regional developments, the statement said.Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov phoned his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu to congratulate him on the sig…
(2020-08-22). China & the US: 21st Century's "Great Game" zcomm.org The U.S. has dominated the Pacific Ocean—sometimes called an "American lake"—since the end of World War II. Suddenly Americans have a competitor, although it is a rivalry that routinely gets overblown.
(2020-08-22). First Person: Pakistan health worker commits to polio fight, despite COVID fears. news.un.org Despite suffering the after-effects of the COVID-19 virus, Husna Gul, a staff member with the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Pakistan, is committed to ensuring that as many children as possible are vaccinated against the devastating consequences of polio, which can cause muscle-wasting, paralysis and death.
(2020-08-22). Trump facing sharp drop in popularity: Vaezi. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 22 (MNA) — Iranian President's Chief of Staff Mahmoud Vaezi said that Trump is facing a sharp drop in popularity and approval in the last months of his administration.
(2020-08-22). Iranian envoy warns on weakening UN position. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 22 (MNA) — The Iranian Ambassador to France warned about undermining and weakening the international status of the United Nation in international bodies.
(2020-08-22). Iran COVID-19 update: 126 deaths, 2,028 cases in 24 hours. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 22 (MNA) — The Iranian Health Ministry announced 2,028 new cases of infection with the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, putting the total number of cases in the country at 356,792.
(2020-08-22). Armed Forces ready to nip any threat in bud. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 22 (MNA) — Commander of the Iranian Army Ground Force Brigadier General Kiomars Heidari highlighted the readiness of the Iranian Armed Forces to counter any threat.
(2020-08-22). IAEA chief to visit Tehran on Monday. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 22 (MNA) — Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi announced that he will visit Tehran on Monday to hold talks with Iranian officials.
(2020-08-22). Islamic Revolution lovers' presence in Syria defeated US. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 22 (MNA) — Deputy Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi said that the defeat of the US and its allies in Syria is due to the presence of the lovers of the Islamic Revolution.
(2020-08-22). Photo: China's Final Type 055 Destroyer Spotted Preparing for Possible Launch. sputniknews.com New reports from Chinese social media platforms Weibo and WeChat reveal that Beijing's eighth and final Type 055 destroyer may be ready for launch soon, as the stealth guided-missile destroyer was spotted receiving a new paint job at a Dalian shipyard.
(2020-08-22). COVID Dampens Ganesha Festivities: Idol Sculptors Left in Lurch Over Celebration Curbs in India. sputniknews.com New Delhi (Sputnik): Drenched in a glorious past and cloaked with traditions and culture, festivals showcase the spirit of the Indian way of life. As celebrations and reminders of India's secularity, its 1.35 billion people get together in at least 36 annual festivals, most of which begin after Ganesha Chaturthi.
(2020-08-22). Iran Arms Embargo: America's Alleged 'Over the Top Ridiculousness' Added to US Isolation in UN Vote. sputniknews.com Last week, the UN Security Council rejected a draft resolution introduced by Washington to indefinitely extend a weapons embargo on Tehran envisioned by the 2015 Iran nuclear deal ahead of the embargo's expiration on 18 October.
(2020-08-22). Iranian Envoy to Russia Says Tehran-Moscow Military Cooperation 'Will Reach New Levels'. sputniknews.com The announcement comes as a UN embargo on weapons sales to the Islamic Republic is about to expire amid continuing opposition to the move by the United States.
(2020-08-22). U.S. Isolated From Double-Think & Arrogance on 'Snapback' Sanctions Against Iran. strategic-culture.org More than two years ago, in May 2018, the Trump administration unilaterally walked away from the international nuclear accord with Iran signed by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany. President Trump derided the deal as the "worst ever" and proceeded to re-impose crippling U.S. sanctions on Iran. | This week the United States
(2020-08-22). Philippines reports 4,933 coronavirus infections, 26 deaths. yenisafak.com The Philippines reported 4,933 infections of the new coronavirus on Saturday, the fifth straight day above 4,000, and 26 COVID-19 deaths.In a bulletin, the health ministry said total confirmed cases have increased to 187,249 while confirmed deaths have reached 2,966. The Philippines has the most infections in Southeast Asia, and second-highest number of deaths, behind Indonesia.
(2020-08-22). Iraqis burn party offices over attacks on protesters. yenisafak.com Angry protesters tore down the offices of Shia political parties in Iraq's southern province of Dhi Qar on Saturday in revenge for attacks on demonstrators.Protesters, escorted by bulldozers, demolished the offices of the Dawa Party and Badr Organization in the city of Nasiriyah, according to eyewitnesses."They first set fire to the buildings before destroying them," one of the witnesses told Anadolu Agency.On Friday, three protesters were injured when a blast struck near a protest camp in Nasiriyah.Four people, including two activists, were also shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Basra on Wednesday.Popular prot…
(2020-08-22). Pakistan congratulates Turkey over gas discovery. yenisafak.com Pakistan's president on Saturday congratulated Turkey over the natural gas discovery in the Black Sea."I must congratulate our friends, President @RTErdogan and the people of Turkey, on their biggest natural gas discovery in the Black Sea. Friends revel and rejoice in the happiness and prosperity of friends. Mashallah," Arif Alvi said in a Twitter post.The development remained one of the top trends "HayirliOlsunTurkiye– #PakGreetsTurkey" on Twitter and other social media sites, with users congratulating Ankara over historic discovery.On Friday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced some 320 billion cubic mete…
(2020-08-22). Protesters hold seventh anti-Kremlin march over detained governor. yenisafak.com Around 1,500 people marched through the streets of the Russian far eastern city of Khabarovsk on Saturday, marking the seventh consecutive weekend of protests after the region's governor was detained in early July.Residents of Khabarovsk, 6,110 km (3,800 miles) east of Moscow, have protested since the detention of Sergei Furgal, the region's popular governor, on July 9 in connection with murder charges which he denies.His supporters say the detention is politically motivated.People marched on Saturday with posters reading "Freedom to Furgal" and "Belarus – Khabarovsk is with you" – a sign of support for oppositio…
(2020-08-22). Turkey: Hot air balloons up in the skies after months. yenisafak.com Colorful hot air balloons dotted the skies of Pamukkale in southwestern Turkey on Saturday morning, as the popular tourist activity resumed after a pause of over five months due to the coronavirus pandemic.The UNESCO World Heritage Site in Denizli province is famous for its mineral-rich thermal waters and white travertine terraces.The balloon tours, which give visitors the chance to take in the area's natural splendor from up above, were grounded on March 15 as part of measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.Pamukkale's Kocacukur area swarmed with tourists on Saturday morning, who lined up for their balloon rides…
(2020-08-22). [Articles] The Community-Level Interventions for Pre-eclampsia (CLIP) cluster randomised trials in Mozambique, Pakistan, and India: an individual participant-level meta-analysis. thelancet.com The CLIP intervention did not reduce adverse pregnancy outcomes. Future community-level interventions should expand the community health worker workforce, assess general (rather than condition-specific) messaging, and include health system strengthening.
(2020-08-22). [Perspectives] Noni MacDonald: inspirational leader in Canadian and global health. thelancet.com It is not easy to pigeon-hole Noni MacDonald, Professor of Pediatrics at Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS, Canada. Paediatrician, infectious disease specialist, vaccinologist, founder of a paediatrics journal, the first woman in Canada to become Dean of Medicine, and passionate global health advocate, her career has been long and diverse. "My professional life has all been about confronting health problems. In my view, if you don't do something to solve the problem, you end up being part of the problem", she says.
(2020-08-21). NATO Poses a Threat to Belarus: Why Did Russia Reaffirm Its CSTO Support to Belarus but Not to Armenia? globalresearch.ca Russia's reaffirmation of its CSTO mutual defense obligations to Belarus was made in response to Lukashenko's claims that NATO poses a threat to Belarus, which Moscow evidently believes are at least credible enough to remind the alliance about its red …
(2020-08-21). On Fox, The Grayzone's Anya Parampil rips 'criminal neocons' in Biden & Trump camps. thegrayzone.com The Grayzone's Anya Parampil joins Tucker Carlson Tonight to address the revival of Iraq war neocons and militarists by both the Biden campaign and Trump White House.
(2020-08-21). The Covid-19 "Big Lie": Is This What You Want for Your Children? globalresearch.ca The Daily Mail has come out with an incisive review of a Kinder-garden in Thailand which has applied the model of social engineering imposed by the Royal Thai government. | Similar guidelines have been imposed by governments throughout the World. | Social …
(2020-08-21). Israel launches airstrikes against Gaza and threatens war. wsws.org Israel is preparing for war on the besieged Palestinian enclave, even as it ups the ante against Hezbollah in Lebanon and its primary target, Iran.
(2020-08-21). Israel's Blockade of 2 Million Palestinians in Gaza is making it Uninhabitable. zcomm.org Gantz, Netanyahu and others know for sure that Gazans have nothing to lose as life is unbearable under the ongoing 14-year siege, while peace on Israeli terms is a mirage…
(2020-08-21). In Further War Crime, Israelis cut Electricity to Gaza, Idling 50,000 Factory Workers. zcomm.org Source: Informed Comment The government of far right Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu cut off fuel for the sole power plant in the Gaza Strip, a small Palestinian territory surrounded on three sides by and blockaded by Israel. As a result, on Monday the Gaza Strip's sole power plant went dark, Al Jazeera reports. The
(2020-08-21). Drug Trafficking Militias Massacre Social Leaders in Colombia. globalresearch.ca In Colombia, a terrible wave of violence affects the people and especially traditional indigenous communities. According to United Nations data, more than 40 murders of social leaders have occurred this year alone. | Last Tuesday, August 18, three Indians of the …
(2020-08-21). Former US Allies Britain, France, Germany join Russia and China in Forcefully Rejecting Trump Iran Sanctions. commondreams.org The "Trump administration is perfectly capable of maintaining publicly that international UNSC sanctions on Iran have been restored even if no one goes along with Washington," writes Cole. (Photo: Brendan Smialowski / AFP) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/trump_alone.jpg …
(2020-08-21). Understanding India's low COVID-19 death rate. peoplesdispatch.org 
Contrary to the Narendra Modi government's claims, India's low case fatality rate in the COVID-19 pandemic is not because of any well-thought out strategy. It is rather due to a relatively young population and some statistical tricks…
(2020-08-21). Murders of women rising in Turkey; government does nothing. peoplesworld.org 
Nearly 250 women have been killed in Turkey so far this year, new statistics suggest, prompting a call for international solidarity from women's organizations in a bid to save lives. Four women were detained in Istanbul Thursday after they unveiled a banner in Taksim Square charging that the "patriarchal state" was responsible for the death …
(2020-08-21). A 75th anniversary salute to Vietnam's August Revolution. workers.org 
We live in tumultuous times, and it is during times like this that we as socialists must look to the struggles and successes of our predecessors to give us inspiration to continue our struggle. As a Vietnamese-American, I take heart in remembering the struggles of my people in their fight . . . |
(2020-08-21). Long live the memory of Ka Randy! workers.org 
By the Communist Party of the Philippines Workers World is reprinting the following statement from the Communist Party of the Phillipines that condemns the murder of Randall Echanis on Aug. 10. Since the 2016 presidential election in the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte has carried out numerous assassinations of peace activists and . . . |
(2020-08-21). US ready 'to block Russia & China' if they disregard Iran sanctions, Pompeo warns, as Washington pushes for UN 'snapback'. rt.com 
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday that the United States is prepared to block Russia and China if they refuse to reimpose UN sanctions on Iran. | The statement came a day after Britain, France and Germany — who are still party to the Iranian nuclear agreement — joined Beijing and Moscow in Speaking to Fox News, Pompeo said Washington was disappointed its allies did not support the US effort to trigger a "snapback" of U…
(2020-08-21). Philippines mounts diplomatic protest over China's seizure of fishing equipment in ongoing row over disputed shoal. rt.com 
The Philippines foreign ministry has accused China's coastguard of illegally seizing fishing equipment near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea. The move has sparked a fresh row with Beijing. | Manila lodged a diplomatic protest on Friday over the "illegal confiscation" in May of floating devices used to catch fish. The ministry also "resolutely objected" to China issuing radio challenges to Philippines aircraft conducting maritime patrols in areas of the sea claimed by Manila, AFP reported. | Beijing said the coastguard's actions "are understandable" as they carried out law enforcement activities. China's…
(2020-08-21). Russian doctors say Moscow protest leader Navalny's condition has stabilized – he CAN be flown to Germany at family's request. rt.com 
Anti corruption activist Alexey Navalny, who remains in an artificially induced coma at a Siberian hospital, can be transferred to Germany within hours, his doctors have said, agreeing to family requests for treatment abroad. | Given the seriousness of Navalny's condition, he must be transferred to the airport with extreme care, the doctors of the Omsk clinic where the Moscow protest leader is hospitalized told the media on Friday. | An aircraft ambulance, dispatched by a German NGO to transport the activist, landed at the local airport earlier in the day. However, his doctors noted that while it will certainl…
(2020-08-21). 'Purely a medical decision': Anti-corruption activist Navalny won't be allowed to fly until his doctor allows it, says Kremlin. rt.com 
There are no obstacles preventing Moscow protest leader Alexey Navalny from flying abroad for treatment other than receiving permission from his doctor, according to Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov. | Navalny was taken to a hospital in the Siberian city of Omsk on Thursday morning, after becoming ill on a flight from Tomsk to Moscow. Members of his team believe the activist has been poisoned, and have arranged to fly him to the European Union. His associates have appealed to the Kremlin to allow him to be evacuated to a German specialist hospital, but Moscow insists the decision to let him go must be mad…
(2020-08-21). Fighting Russia has become an existential necessity for NATO, if tensions are reduced alliance has no purpose — Russia FM Lavrov. rt.com 
Confrontation with Russia has become the sole reason for NATO's existence, and this encourages instability in Europe, creating artificial dividing lines on the continent. That's according to Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov. | The veteran diplomat told the Moscow daily Trud that everyone knows there are no real threats to security in Europe but that NATO needs to invent them in order to keep itself relevant. Lavrov also drew attention to the fact that Russia has repeatedly proposed measures to reduce tensions and reduce the risk of incidents on the continent. | "Now, just like during the Cold War, fighti…
(2020-08-21). Former US Army Green Beret indicted for 'conspiring with RUSSIAN SPIES'. rt.com 
A former member of the US Army Special Forces has been charged with providing classified information to Russian intelligence for over 15 years and faces life in prison, the Department of Justice has announced. | Peter Rafael Dzibinski Debbins, 45, was arrested in Gainesville, Virginia on Friday and charged with "conspiracy to provide US national defense information to agents of a foreign government," He allegedly made contact with agents of the R…
(2020-08-21). Syrian NHS cleaner's plea on Channel-crossing refugees beamed onto White Cliffs of Dover. thecanary.co 
An emotional plea for compassion for refugees crossing the English Channel has been beamed onto the White Cliffs of Dover.The landmark was lit up with a giant video of NHS cleaner Hassan Akkad, a Syrian refugee who crossed to Britain several years ago.He highlighted the "terrifying and devastating" journeys that so many people are undertaking to reach the UK by boat. He also blamed the government for using the crisis as a distraction from the coronavirus pandemic.The giant projection is the latest stunt by Led By Donkeys, a group of activists famed for their giant billboards of politicians' tweets. | A message fr…
(2020-08-21). Bigger bombs don't end wars. workers.org 
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the United States atomic bombing of Japan, the first and only use of nuclear weapons for warfare. On Aug. 6, 1945, the U.S. military dropped the "Little Boy" atomic device from a B-29 called Enola Gay onto the city of Hiroshima. Three days . . . |
(2020-08-21). China and the US: the 21st Century's "Great Game" counterpunch.org 
From 1830 to 1895, the British and Russian empires schemed and plotted over control of Central and South Asia. At the heart of the "Great Game" was England's certainty that the Russians had designs on India. So wars were fought, borders drawn, and generations of young met death in desolate passes and lonely outposts. In
(2020-08-21). How Israel Wages War on Palestinian History. counterpunch.org 
When the Palestinian actor Mohammed Bakri made a documentary about Jenin in 2002 — filming immediately after the Israeli army had completed rampaging through the West Bank city, leaving death and destruction in its wake — he chose an unusual narrator for the opening scene: a mute Palestinian youth. Jenin had been sealed off from
(2020-08-21). Palestine burning in fire of Zionist regime's impudence. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 21 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said that innocent Palestine is still burning in the fire of the Zionist regime's impudence and incursion and the treason of certain Arab rulers.
(2020-08-21). 'Palestine is Still the Issue': UN Vote Exposes, Isolates Canada. commondreams.org Protesters hold a giant Palestinian flag as they walk across University Avenue during a demonstration in Toronto, Canada, December 9, 2017. (Photo by Giordano Ciampini/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/palestinecanada.jpg …
(2020-08-21). 'Palestine is Still the Issue': UN Vote Exposes, Isolates Canada. counterpunch.org The notion that 'Canada is better', especially when compared with US foreign policy, has persisted for many years. Recent events at the United Nations have, however, exposed the true nature of Canada's global position, particularly in the matter of its blind and unconditional support for Israel. On June 17, Canada lost its second bid for
(2020-08-21). "Palestine is Still the Issue": UN Vote Exposes, Isolates Canada. dissidentvoice.org The notion that 'Canada is better', especially when compared with US foreign policy, has persisted for many years. Recent events at the United Nations have, however, exposed the true nature of Canada's global position, particularly in the matter of its blind and unconditional support for Israel. On June 17, Canada lost its second bid for …