Daily Archives: September 2, 2020

2020-09-02: News Headlines

Vijay Prashad (2020-09-02). The U.S. is determined to make Julian Assange pay for exposing the cruelty of its war on Iraq. mronline.org On September 7, 2020, Julian Assange will leave his cell in Belmarsh Prison in London and attend a hearing that will determine his fate.

Caitlin Johnstone (2020-09-02). Russiagate Or Impeachment, Bec ause Those Were False Things. indybay.org Caitlin Johnstone writes about the end of illusions. | "Peace is not everything, but without it, everything becomes nothing" (Willy Brandt). You can have peace or the US empire. You can't have both.

Lucas Leiroz de Almeida (2020-09-02). NATO Begins Provocative Military Exercises on Russian Border. globalresearch.ca Once again, NATO is operating dangerous and bold military maneuvers in regions close to the European Russian border. This time, the country hosting the tests is Estonia, a Baltic State that in recent decades has been characterized by a strong …

Staff (2020-09-02). Headlines for September 2, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. Refuses to Join Global Effort to Develop COVID-19 Vaccine, NIH Panel: No Evidence Convalescent Plasma Works Despite FDA Approval, Florida Cuts Ties to Quest Diagnostics over Delay in COVID-19 Tests, Faced with Possible Teacher Strike, NYC Delays Reopening Schools Until Sept. 21, Russia Surpasses 1 Million COVID Cases; India Becomes New Epicenter, Trump Travels to Kenosha But Never Says Name of Jacob Blake, Trump Spreads Conspiracy Theories About Biden, "Dark Shadows" & Thugs on Airplanes, Sheriff Deputies in L.A. Shoot Dead Black Bicyclist Stopped over Alleged Bike Violation, Over 50 Black Former Franchise O…

The Tricontinental (2020-09-02). Dossier no. 32: One hundred years of the communist movement in India. mronline.org Through their self-effacing work, the communists have galvanised hundreds of millions of people into action in order to bring about far-reaching changes in society.

Farooque Chowdhury (2020-09-02). Forging Unity within the Working Class. dissidentvoice.org In its desperate race to survive its series of crises, capitalism keeps clinging onto its old tool of dividing the working class. But, since commencing its political fight, the working class has uplifted a different call: Workers of the world unite! More than one hundred years ago, the proletariat in Russia trampled over all the …

Patrick Bond (2020-09-02). Wallerstein Expanded the South African Independent Left's Horizons. counterpunch.org (World-systems sociologist Immanuel Wallerstein was born in 1930 and died on August 31 last year. As part of the Hong Kong-based Global University for Sustainability's tribute, several South Africans remembered his role here.) In introducing The Essential Wallerstein in 2000, Immanuel Wallerstein wrote, I credit my African studies with opening my eyes both to the

RT (2020-09-02). US healthcare priciest in the world, with huge gap between cost and quality, research reveals. rt.com Despite being the most expensive in the world, US healthcare lags behind many European and Asian countries in terms of quality of services, a study by a top medical magazine says. | A This puts America in the same basket with countries such as Saudi Arabia, the Central A…

RT (2020-09-02). Starbucks barista fired for making 'poisonous drink with BLEACH' & wishing a 'few dead cops' in TikTok VIDEO. rt.com An employee at an Indianapolis Starbucks has been given the pink slip after filming himself preparing a toxic "Blue Lives Matter" drink containing bleach, as well as what the worker joked was the "blood of innocent black men." | A video posted to TikTok this week shows a barista holding a plastic cup labeled "Blue Lives Matter," as the worker calmly narrates: "First, we're going to start with bleach all the way to the third line," he says, pouring liquid into the cup. The employee then adds ice — "because cops love ice," of course — before mixing in a thick red substance he dubs "a little blood of in…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-09-02). Health workers face off against host of obstacles in Palestine. peoplesdispatch.org Shatha Odeh of the Palestinian Health Work Committees talks about the state of health workers in Palestine, as well as the situation of health infrastructure and the impact of occupation…

yenisafak (2020-09-02). Hamas chief to visit Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. yenisafak.com "Haniyeh will meet Lebanese officials from the presidency, government, parliament and parties," Maher Salah, the head of Hamas' Diaspora Office, told Anadolu Agency. | He reiterated his movement's support to the Lebanese people in their current crisis in the wake of the Beirut port blast. | Salah added the Hamas leader, who arrived in Lebanon on Tuesday, will also meet Palestinians in Lebanon and in the refugee camps. | "Our people in the camps have a distinguished history in the resistance for the liberation of Palestine," he said, adding that Haniyeh's talks in Lebanon will focus on the rights and interests of…

South Front (2020-09-02). Video: Israeli Missiles Target Iran-Hezbollah backed Forces in Southern Syria. globalresearch.ca Late on August 31, air defense forces of Syria were activated to repel Israeli missile strikes on the countryside of the Syrian capital of Damascus and the southern part of the country. According to reports, Israeli missiles targeted positions of …

Stephen Lendman (2020-09-02). US Seeks Anti-China Alliance, Flashpoint Taiwan Strait. globalresearch.ca Sino/US relations are more fraught with dangers than at any time since Nixon's 1972 meeting with Mao in Beijing — followed by formal normalization of relations by Jimmy Carter and Deng Xiaoping in 1979. | Growing mistrust and friction define bilateral …

WSWS (2020-09-02). US-China conflict over TikTok intensifies as Trump's forced divestiture deadline approaches. wsws.org The drive to force the Chinese-owned video sharing app to be sold to a US company was countered by Beijing's imposition of export restrictions on software components of the platform.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-09-02). Barring US, all parties reiterate commitment to Iran nuclear deal. peoplesdispatch.org Delegates from Iran, Russia, China, the UK, France and Germany said the deal was a key component in the global nuclear non-proliferation architecture. They also rejected US bids to trigger snapback sanctions…

Brian S. Willson (2020-09-02). North Korea and the "Axis of Evil" globalresearch.ca "Over a period of three years or so we killed off – what – twenty percent of the population [of North Korea]" (General Curtis Lemay)…

CGTN (2020-09-02). Reality Check of Nine Allegations on the South China Sea. dissidentvoice.org Recently, the U.S. side announced a policy statement regarding its position on maritime claims in the South China Sea and smeared China on many occasions. It is important that we list U.S. false allegations vis-à -vis the facts to debunk the falsehoods and let people know the truth.

_____ (2020-09-02). Trump Must Back Iraq Withdrawal Promise With Action. strategic-culture.org Ron PAUL | Earlier this month, while meeting with the Iraqi Prime Minister, President Trump reaffirmed his intent to remove all US troops from Iraq. "We were there and now we're getting out. We'll be leaving shortly," the president told reporters at the time. | Although President Obama should never have sent US troops back into Iraq in 2016, it is definitely well past time to remove them as quickly as possible. | Over the weekend, the Administration announced it would be drawing down troops currently in Iraq from 5,200 to 3,500. That's a good start. | One big roadblock to finally leaving Iraq alone is President T…

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-02). VIDEO:Courage of captured Yemeni fighter against Saudi forces. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 02 (MNA) — A Yemeni fighter who has been captured by Saudi mercenaries continues to resist against them which is unparalleled and unique of its kind.

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-02). 473 tons of illicit drugs busted in Iran in 6 months. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 02 (MNA) — Some 473 tons of different kinds of illicit drugs have been seized by Iran's ant-narcotics police forces, in the first 6 months of the current Iranian calendar year (started March 20, 2020).

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-02). Foreign Ministry to safeguard Iran's national interests. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 02 (MNA) – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that the Foreign Ministry makes every effort to protect Iran's national interests.

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-02). Brazil attaches importance to boosting ties with Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 02 (MNA) — Considering the relations with Iran as an important issue for Brazil, the Brazilian envoy told Hossein Amir-Abdollahian that his country welcomes expanding relations and cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

yenisafak (2020-09-02). N.Korean troops, vehicles seen preparing for huge parade, US think-tank says. yenisafak.com Masses of North Korean troops and vehicles have been practicing for a major military parade despite the country's ongoing coronavirus restrictions, satellite imagery released by a U.S. think-tank shows.Commercial satellite imagery analysed by 38 North, a think-tank that specialises in North Korea, showed formations of troops and vehicles at the Mirim Parade Training Ground, in the suburbs of the capital city of Pyongyang on Monday."North Korea has been widely expected to hold a major military parade on October 10 this year to mark the 75th anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea," the 38 North report said. "Th…

yenisafak (2020-09-02). Israel arrests Jordanian who swam into coastal city. yenisafak.com Israeli police on Wednesday detained a Jordanian citizen who arrived in the coastal resort city of Eilat by swimming, the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation said.Israeli police evacuated the beach of people, it said.Israeli police said it deployed forces in Eilat over a "suspicion of a security incident."There was no comment from Jordanian authorities on the incident.

yenisafak (2020-09-02). Saudi Arabia allows UAE-Israel flights to use its airspace. yenisafak.com Saudi Arabia announced Wednesday its approval of the UAE's request to allow Emirati flights to and from Israel to cross its airspace.According to a statement by the Saudi Civil Aviation Authority, Riyadh has approved the request received from its counterpart in the UAE which includes that the Kingdom gives a passage to the flights coming to the Abu Dhabi and departing from there to all countries.On Monday, the first Israeli commercial flight landed in the UAE as a first manifestation of the agreement to normalize ties between the two countries.The Monday's Israeli plane crossed Saudi airspace, thereby the flying…

yenisafak (2020-09-02). Israeli army demolishes 2 Palestinian homes. yenisafak.com The Israeli army on Wednesday demolished two homes and two agricultural facilities south of the occupied West Bank, citing a lack of building permits.Eyewitnesses told Anadolu Agency that an Israeli military force razed two homes in the village of al-Janab in the Hebron province.The Israeli army also brought down a room used as a store for agricultural tools and animal feed, and a pool for collecting rain in the Wadi al-Awar area in southern Hebron.Israel blocks Palestinians from building in Area C, which it seeks to annex.Under the 1995 Oslo Accords, the West Bank was divided into 3 Areas: A, B and C.Area A repr…

Robert Delaney (2020-09-02). US Seeks Formal Alliance Similar to NATO with India, Japan and Australia. globalresearch.ca Washington's goal is to get countries in the Indo-Pacific region to work together as a bulwark against 'a potential challenge from China', says the US official- He says the four nations are expected to meet in Delhi sometime this autumn…

Simon Watkins (2020-09-02). What the UAE-Israel Deal Really Means for the Middle East. globalresearch.ca The announcement on 13 August that Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will normalise relations, around the same as Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he was suspending plans to annex more areas of the West Bank …

Ian Urbina (2020-09-02). The Disturbing Story Behind the Beirut Port Explosion. thenation.com The Disturbing Story Behind the Beirut Port Explosion…

Vijay Prashad (2020-09-01). The US is determined to make Julian Assange pay for exposing the cruelty of its war on Iraq. peoplesdispatch.org With Julian Assange's extradition trial set to begin on September 7, Vijay Prashad discusses Assange's heroic work in exposing US war crimes and the heavy price he has paid for it…

Staff (2020-09-01). Headlines for September 1, 2020. democracynow.org Trump Heads to Kenosha, WI After Defending White Teen Who Killed Two People, Cops Who Kill, Biden Blames Trump for Recent Violence as Trump Defends Violent Supporters in Portland, Progressive Groups Call on Biden to Ban Fossil Fuel Interests from Campaign and Admin, KY Prosecutors Offer Breonna Taylor's Ex-Boyfriend Plea Deal to Name Taylor in Drug Case, Trump's Newest Pandemic Adviser Reportedly Pushing "Herd Immunity" Strategy, Honduran Man Dies of COVID-19 in ICE Jail, Reports: Hamas and Israel Reach Deal to Cease Hostilities, Imprisoned Turkish Human Rights Lawyer Dies After 7-Month Hunger Strike, EPA Rolls B…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-09-01). Hamas announces ceasefire with Israel. peoplesdispatch.org On Monday, August 31, the Palestinian resistance group Hamas announced that it had reached a ceasefire with Israel that would end the recent hostilities in Gaza. Since August 6, Israel had been continuously attacking Gaza. It had bombed the region from the air, shelled it with tanks, and attacked Palestinian fishermen off the Gaza coast. Israel claimed the attacks were in response to Hamas and other Palestinian groups firing rockets and incendiary balloons. | The Israeli offensive was taking a heavy toll on people in Gaza. The attacks had deliberately targeted the civilian population. Israel had closed off the fi…

Ramzy Baroud (2020-09-01). "Dying to Fish": How Israeli Piracy Destroyed Gaza's Once Thriving Fishing Industry. dissidentvoice.org On August 16, the Israeli navy declared the Gaza sea a closed military zone. A few days later, a group of Gaza fishermen decided to take their chances by fishing within a mere two or three nautical miles off the Gaza shore. No sooner had they cast their nets, Israeli navy bullets began whizzing all …

yenisafak (2020-09-01). Coronavirus deaths continue to rise in Palestine, Oman. yenisafak.com The coronavirus pandemic claimed seven lives in Palestine and another four in Oman, local health authorities said on Tuesday.In a statement, the Palestinian Health Ministry said it had recorded seven COVID-19 fatalities, 552 cases, and 282 recoveries.The ministry figures pushed the total numbers of cases to 30,490, including 180 deaths. The tally covers the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem.In the Gulf state of Oman, the Health Ministry registered four deaths, 206 cases, and 214 recoveries from the virus.The total number of cases rose to 85,928, including 689 deaths and 8,124 recoveries.Since it origi…

yenisafak (2020-09-01). EU welcomes Qatar law reforms serving migrant workers. yenisafak.com The European Union welcomed Qatar's labor reforms on the employment of foreign workers."Once these reforms enter into force, Qatar will become the first country in the Gulf region to dismantle the kefala ("sponsorship") system governing the employment of migrant workers, which gives employers excessive control over them," Peter Stano, the bloc's lead spokesperson on foreign affairs wrote in a statement on Tuesday.The UN's International Labour Organization announced Sunday that Qatar had "effectively dismantled" the long-criticized employment scheme which obliged migrant workers to ask for their employer's permiss…

Steve Sweeney (2020-09-01). In Turkey, unions and women's organizations call for defense of women's rights. peoplesworld.org Activists have called for an organized defense of women's rights in Turkey, where at least 15 women have been murdered in the last 10 days. Thirteen were killed by men and two died in suspicious circumstances. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government is trying to take Turkey out of the Istanbul Convention, which obliges signatories to …

Thierry Meyssan (2020-09-01). Who wants to overthrow President Lukashenko? thealtworld.com

| The Western press highlights Svetlana Tikhanovskaya as the winner of the Belarusian presidential election and accuses outgoing President Alexander Lukashenko of violence, nepotism and election rigging. However, an analysis of this country shows that the policies of its president correspond to the wishes of its citizens. Behind this fabricated quarrel lies the spectre of Ukrainian Euromaidan and a provoked rupture with Russia. | One of the objectives of the Euromaidan coup (Ukraine, 2013-14) was to cut the Silk Road in Europe. China reacted by changing its route and passing it through Belarus. From the…

RT (2020-09-01). WATCH: US Navy sends own ship to watery grave during live-fire exercise at close of RIMPAC naval games. rt.com The amphibious cargo ship the USS Durham was blown to smithereens with a firestorm of ordinance from multiple ships in a striking conclusion to the Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2020 naval event held recently off Hawaii. | The Charleston-class vessel entered US Navy service on January 1, 1969 and met its explosive end on Saturday, August 30. | A barrage of Harpoon, Exocet, and Hellfire missiles, and rounds from five-inch guns from various ships from the US, Australia, Brunei and Canada concluded the naval exercise off the coast of Hawaii. The US Navy shared a video of the firestorm farewell. | | Th…

RT (2020-09-01). Joe Rogan podcast fans cry 'censorship' as many episodes with conservative guests did not make it to Spotify. rt.com The Joe Rogan Experience, one of the most popular podcasts in the world, finally landed on Spotify, as part of a lucrative, exclusive deal. Now fans are wondering why some episodes featuring conservative guests are missing. | One of the Spotify-excluded guests, Mikhaila Peterson, the daughter of prominent self-help author Jordan Peterson, tweeted on Tuesday about her episode not being on the platform. She called the situation "straight up censorship," and pointed out that some other episodes were also nowhere to be found. | This is straight up censorship. This is absolutely ridiculous. My episode with Joe is #…

RT (2020-09-01). Religious tension enters Belarus mix? Catholic Archbishop refused entry into country after criticising government on Polish TV. rt.com The head of the Catholic Church in Belarus has been refused entry into the country, despite being a Belarusian citizen. The right of citizens to enter the country without hindrance is protected by the country's constitution. | According to Yuri Sanko, the church's press secretary, Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz was refused the right to return to his homeland on Monday, after visiting Poland on a business trip. Kondrusiewicz, who was born in the village of Odelsk, located on the Western border, was forced to go back to Poland. | According to Article 30 of the Belarusian Constitution, "Citizens of the Republic…

RT (2020-09-01). Self-flying fighter jets? Russian aerospace giants MiG & Sukhoi discuss UNMANNED 6th generation fighter jet project. rt.com Russia's most famous aircraft manufacturers, MiG and Sukhoi, are discussing the possibility of cooperating to develop the country's sixth-generation jet fighter. The fifth-generation Sukhoi is due to be delivered this year. | Anatoly Serdyukov, the industrial director of the Rostec aviation complex, told Moscow business daily RBK that everything is under discussion, refusing to rule out a collaboration of the industry heavyweights. | "Perhaps it will be so, a fighter produced by MiG – Sukhoi," he said. "But while everything is at the discussion stage, it is too early to talk about the details." | Also on rt.co…

RT (2020-09-01). 'I Like to Move It' DJ Erick Morillo found dead at his Florida home, days before court appearance. rt.com Authorities say the cause of 49-year-old Erick Morillo's death is still being investigated, but there are no immediate signs of foul play. | Police found Morillo after responding to a 911 call at his home. The news of Morillo's death comes just one month after he was charged for sexual battery with no personal injury due to an alleged incident with another musician at his home in December. | Morillo's accuser said she worked a private party with him and later went to his home where she claims she was assaulted. Morillo denied having any sort of sexual intercourse with the woman. | Morillo's most significant hi…

RT (2020-09-01). As Covid-19 pandemic rolls on, Russia becomes fourth country to pass one million confirmed cases, joining Brazil, India & the US. rt.com As children head back to school, Russia's coronavirus case numbers continue to break records. On Tuesday, confirmed infections in nationwide reached seven figures, becoming the first European country to break the million mark. | Behind just the US, Brazil, and India, Russia is the fourth country in the world to break the milestone nobody wanted to get near. However, when compared to these other three countries, it at least seems to be on the right track. On August 31, the US reported 38,560 new cases, India 68,770, and Brazil 48,590. Russia has had less than 5,000 per day since August 15. | Despite being fourt…

RT (2020-09-01). Zuckerberg to donate $300 million to ensure Covid-safe US elections as Facebook hunts for Russian disinformation. rt.com Mark Zuckerberg has said he will donate $300 million to help ensure a "secure" election process amid the Covid-19 pandemic, while Facebook remains on the prowl for alleged "foreign interference" from Russia. | Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan announced on Tuesday that they will donate the hefty pile of cash to "two non-partisan organizations" — the Center for Tech and Civic Life and the Center for Election Innovation & Research. The donation will help with the highly controversial mail-in voting system and go towards ensuring safety measures at polling stations. | "There will be historic levels of v…

RT (2020-09-01). 'We are not a vassal state': Philippines's Duterte won't stop infrastructure projects with US-sanctioned Chinese firms. rt.com The Philippines will not be cowed by a US blacklist on Chinese companies and will continue doing business with the sanctioned firms, a spokesman for President Rodrigo Duterte said, insisting Manila will not bow to a foreign power. | Duterte won't halt ongoing projects with Chinese businesses despite the American blacklist, spokesman Harry Roque told reporters on Tuesday, arguing infrastructure is a national priority and that the Philippines won't subordinate its own interests to those of Washington. | "The president declared last night that the Americans can blacklist Chinese companies in their territories in…

RT (2020-09-01). India accuses China of new 'provocative actions' on border amid de-escalation talks. rt.com New Delhi has accused Beijing of new provocations in a disputed border region just as the two nations were holding talks on de-escalation in the very same area. China has not commented on the accusations so far. | The Chinese troops "engaged in provocative action" on Monday, Indian Foreign Ministry's Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said in a statement. He did not provide any further details, only adding that Indian forces had prevented an attempt to "unilaterally alter the status quo." | The incident came just as both Chinese and Indian commanders held talks to ease tensions in the disputed area following the l…

Michael Kramer (2020-09-01). British soldier arrested for protesting war on Yemen. workers.org Aug. 30 — Lance Corporal Ahmed Al-Babati, an active duty British soldier since 2017 and member of the 14th Signal Regiment, was arrested Aug. 24 in London while protesting the British government's support for Saudi Arabia and its criminal war against Yemen. Lance Corporal Ahmed Al-Babati protests war on Yemen . . . |

Yanis Iqbal (2020-09-01). Venezuela and Palestine: A Revolutionary Alliance. zcomm.org If this Venezuelan opposition comes to power with the help of American imperialists, the current pro-Israel and rightward shift in the political dynamics of Latin America will get further consolidated…

Philip Giraldi (2020-09-01). Facebook Hires an Israeli Censor. thealtworld.com Israel's defenders both in the political realm and in the media have long used every weapon available to stifle any criticism of Israeli racism and its oppression of the Palestinians. In particular, the use of "anti-Semitism" as something like a tactical discussion stopper in deliberations about the Middle East has long been a staple of both American and European politics. It is freely employed to end all dispute while also condemning those accused of the crime to being somehow outside the pale, monsters who are consigned forever to derision and obscurity. But the Israelis and, to be sure, many diaspora Jews know…

WSWS (2020-09-01). Sri Lankan SEP thanks those who supported its defence campaign. wsws.org The SEP was singled out over its ongoing demands for withdrawal of the military from the North and East and its fight for the unity of Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim workers on a socialist and internationalist program.