(2020-09-03). Putin Didn't Fall for Lukashenko's Claim that Poland Intends to Annex Belarus' Grodno Region. globalresearch.ca Lukashenko's entirely speculative claim last week about Poland's supposed intention to annex Belarus' Grodno region was nothing more than an attempt to trick Putin into "pulling a Crimea" by compelling him to comply with Russia's CSTO mutual defense obligations to …
(2020-09-03). 'Dying to Fish': How Israeli Piracy Destroyed Gaza's Once Thriving Fishing Industry. counterpunch.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
(2020-09-03). Philippines: Trade unions call for release of vulnerable prisoners. fightbacknews.org The militant labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) went to the Supreme Court grounds on Wednesday, September 2, to amplify the call for the release of minor, sick, elderly and other vulnerable detainees. | "We urge the Supreme Court to decisively act on the urgent petition of kin of sick, elderly and other vulnerable detainees. The petition was filed on April 8, and no action has been taken by the Supreme Court since. We ask the Supreme Court this on humanitarian grounds in this time of pandemic," said Eleanor de Guzman, KMU secretary for human rights. | KMU cited the fragile state of prisons as basis for the relea…
(2020-09-03). Israel's Friends at the RNC: "Christian Zionists" Dictate the Agenda of the Republican Party. dissidentvoice.org 
It is difficult — and futile — to argue which American president has historically been more pro-Israel. While former President Barack Obama, for example, has pledged more money to Israel than any other US administration in history, Donald Trump has provided Israel with a blank check of seemingly endless political concessions. Certainly, the unconditional backing …
(2020-09-03). The Israel-UAE Deal isn't About Peace at All. counterpunch.org 
In some ways, the U.S.-brokered plan for mutual recognition between Israel and the United Arab Emirates is big news. For more than a quarter of a century, only two Middle Eastern countries — Egypt and Jordan — had officially recognized Israel. None of the Gulf monarchies did. So, it was a pretty big deal when
(2020-09-03). Interview with Spokane DSA chair seized by unidentified cops while on way to protest. liberationnews.org 
Logan was initially told the reason for his arrest was a warrant in Okanogan County, Washington, a place he has not been for nearly 20 years.
(2020-09-03). Lifting Embargo on American Non-lethal Arms to Cyprus Is Aimed Against Russia. US Militarization of the Eastern Mediterranean. globalresearch.ca Washington announced the lifting of the embargo to sell American-made non-lethal equipment to the Republic of Cyprus. US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, told Cypriot President Nikos Anastasiadis over the phone on Tuesday that Washington decided to lift the …
(2020-09-03). JCPOA Signatories in Vienna Reject Snapback Sanctions on Iran. globalresearch.ca Hegemon USA increasingly finds itself isolated on the world stage. | The harder it pressures, bullies, otherwise threatens and/or bludgeons other countries to bend to its will, the further its isolation longer-term. | On Tuesday, Joint Commission of the JCPOA signatories Russia, …
(2020-09-03). From Cotton to Brinjal: Fraudulent GMO Project in India Sustained by Deception. dissidentvoice.org Insecticidal Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) cotton is the first and only GM (genetically modified) crop that has been approved in India. It has been cultivated in the country for more than 20 years. In a formal statement to the Supreme Court of India, the Indian government has asserted that hybrid Bt cotton is an outstanding success. …
(2020-09-03). Afghanistan: Near-record violence risks derailing imminent talks between Government and Taliban. news.un.org The UN's top official in Afghanistan has warned that with the formal launch of direct peace negotiations imminent, near-record violence in the country is creating an atmosphere of mistrust that risks derailing long-sought talks between the Government and the Taliban.
(2020-09-03). Ecuador Continues To Contract Debt Amid Social Discontent. telesurenglish.net Ecuador's President Lenin Moreno Wednesday announced that his country will receive a US$2 billion loan from China, besides the US$6.5 billion that was negotiated with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). | RELATED: | "During this year, we are also going to receive US$2 billion from the People's Republic of China," Moreno said and acknowledged that his administration reached a technical agreement with the IMF i…
(2020-09-03). Britain's Coming Winter of Discontent — What It Looks Like. truepublica.org.uk By TruePublica Editor: The summer recess is over — and now we are staring at reality — like a loaded gun at Russian roulette. Our future is now made up of trigger pulls, of 'ifs.' What if Covid comes back just as bad, what if we have a really cold winter and the NHS is …
(2020-09-03). How the Israel-UAE Deal Could Leave Jordan Out in the Cold. globalresearch.ca With the signing of the
(2020-09-03). Lebanon struggles to rebuild after Beirut blasts. peoplesdispatch.org Lebanon has a new prime minister in Mustapha Adib but to many, he is part of the same corrupt and inefficient old leadership that created the crisis in the country…
(2020-09-03). Lithuania Blocks the Development of Its Own Economy. globalresearch.ca Admittedly, a lot of good happened over the last years in Lithuania, but unfortunately we have also see political leadership that is not interested in developing their own country. | Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
(2020-09-03). Kerala rises against political murder of communist youth activists. peoplesdispatch.org Tens of thousands of people took part in the protest against the murder of two Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) activists Haq Muhammed and Mithilaj in the Indian State of Kerala.
(2020-09-03). Pakistan, Kashmir, and the Necessity of Dumping the Old and Embracing the New. globalresearch.ca The rapidly shifting geopolitical realities, every new emerging international security situation, and (especially) current circumstances in South Asia behoove Pakistan to treat the Kashmir issue as its top priority — and thankfully Islamabad is doing that.
(2020-09-03). Deputy fired and arrested for assaulting handcuffed woman on video. nationofchange.org "His actions are unacceptable, and I will not have it from any of my deputies."
(2020-09-03). Israel Hits the Jackpot in UAE Investment Deal. "Betrayal of the Palestinian Cause" globalresearch.ca Monday, the …
(2020-09-03). India Implodes Its Own New Silk Road. globalresearch.ca This article was originally published on There was a time when New Delhi was proudly selling the notion of establishing its own New Silk Road — from the Gulf of Oman to the intersection of Central and …
(2020-09-03). Some reflections on Occupied Iraq. zcomm.org The continued Occupation and denial of Iraq's sovereignty remains a crime…
(2020-09-03). Russiagate Or Impeachment, Because Those Were Fake 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.
(2020-09-03). US Punishes ICC For Investigating Potential War Crimes. popularresistance.org The Trump administration has sought to weaken or abandon various international agencies since 2016. Now it's taking aim at the International Criminal Court, a global tribunal that investigates and prosecutes war crimes, torture and genocide. | Claiming the ICC's investigation into alleged war crimes by U.S. forces in Afghanistan poses a national security threat, President Donald Trump issued an executive order on June 11 effectively criminalizing anyone who works at the ICC. Its lawyers, judges, human rights researchers and staff could now have their U.S. bank accounts frozen, U.S. visas revoked and travel to the…
(2020-09-03). This Public US University Has Seen Grades Soar Despite COVID-19. popularresistance.org If anywhere was going to take a pummeling from the coronavirus, you'd think it would be a place like Georgia State University in downtown Atlanta. | Georgia State is not a glamorous flagship university — that would be the University of Georgia in Athens, the spiritual home of the Bulldogs, REM and the B-52s. It's more of a workhorse public institution, with a large population of students who come from low-income households and have to work at least one paying job outside their studies to make ends meet.
(2020-09-03). Putin "Can't Afford to See Belarus Fall" as Protests Calling for Lukashenko's Ouster Enter 4th Week. democracynow.org 
Mass protests entered their fourth week in Belarus to demand the ouster of authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, who claimed victory in the country's August 9 election that critics say was rigged. But Lukashenko shows no sign of backing down, and authorities have responded to protests with violence and arrests. Sadakat Kadri, a human rights lawyer and writer, says Russian President Vladimir Putin is invested in keeping Lukashenko in power. "He can't afford to see Belarus fall," Kadri notes.
(2020-09-03). The Heat: Shinzo Abe's resignation. What's the impact? america.cgtn.com 
Japan's Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, announced last Friday that he is stepping down after leading his country for almost eight years. Abe, who is 65 years old, says he is resigning because of ill health. He will remain in office until a successor is named. …
(2020-09-03). UN sends 65 trucks with aid to Idlib, Syria. yenisafak.com The UN on Thursday dispatched 65 trucks with humanitarian aid to northwestern Syria, where millions of people remain in need of assistance due to internal conflict.The trucks crossed over into Syria's Idlib province from the Cilvegozu border gate in Turkey's southern Hatay province.Some 1,625 tons of basic food supplies will be distributed among residents of Idlib and nearby rural areas.Syria has been ravaged by a civil war since early 2011, when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protesters.Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and more than 10 million displaced, according to UN estimates.
(2020-09-03). Montenegro: Muslims threatened with genocide. yenisafak.com Muslims living in Montenegro were threatened with genocide after the Sunday general election results showed the country's future policy leaning more towards Russia and Serbia. | Elections resulted in the long-governing Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) winning majority of the votes. But it lost majority in the National Assembly to the opposition For the Future of Montenegro alliance, led by the Democratic Front (DF), leaning more towards Russia and Serbia. | The DF is known for its anti-NATO stance and closeness to the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC). | Those who gathered around the churches sang Serbian nationa…
(2020-09-03). Montenegro: Pro-Russia, pro-West parties win nearly same number of seats. yenisafak.com Montenegro's Sunday general election results blink an eye to the country's future policy in terms of its either Euro-Atlantic integration or tendency to lean more towards Russia and Serbia.Elections resulted in the long governing Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) winning the majority of the votes but losing in the majority in the National Assembly to the opposition wing.President Milo Djukanovic's pro-Western DPS, which ruled the country for 30 years, won 30 seats at the parliament, while the opposition For the Future of Montenegro alliance led by the Democratic Front (DF), leaning more towards Russia and Serb…
(2020-09-03). International Criminal Court condemns US sanctions on its officials. peoplesdispatch.org The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a press release on Wednesday, September 2, condemning the sanctions announced by the US against Fatou Bensouda, chief prosecutor of ICC, and Phakisa Mochochoko, her aide and director of the ICC's Jurisdiction, Complementary and Cooperation Division. Both are investigating allegations of war crimes committed by US personnel in Afghanistan. | The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, announcing the imposition of economic sanctions on Bensouda and Mochochoko on Wednesday, said that "the United States will not tolerate ICC's reckless targeting" of its personnel. | The sanct…
(2020-09-03). Groups Sue Trump Administration To Protect Clean Water. popularresistance.org Washington, D.C. — American Indian and Alaska Native federally recognized Tribes and environmental groups, represented by Earthjustice, sued the Trump administration over its attempt to weaken clean water protections. The rule changes proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency would force states and Tribes to accept damaging and unwanted pipelines and other fossil fuel projects on their lands. The EPA reverses its long-standing interpretation of Section 401 of the Clean Water Act in a move that is contrary to the language, purpose, and intent of the statute.
(2020-09-03). The US Expeditionary Kleptocracy. popularresistance.org Of course, a desperate US military — and its Washington masters — had an expedient solution for the ethno-sectarian strife they'd catalyzed: consider it the Lebanon formula. So America's orientalist ambassadors — most, staggeringly young Republican stalwarts with no knowledge of the Mideast — imported France's imperial Levantine blueprint. Essentially, this meant sectarian quotas and preferences for political office: a Kurdish president, Sunni parliamentary speaker, and Shia prime minister. The French have actually added the term for this disastrous recipe — libanisation — to t…
(2020-09-03). CIA's Addiction to Afghanistan War. strategic-culture.org Afghanistan's geography is a double edged sword. Being in the exact middle of the Old World has made it a target for conquest over and over again. Watch the video and read more in the
(2020-09-03). Putin Wants Belarus Dictator to Retain Power — But the Masses Are Still Rising. truthout.org Mass protests entered their fourth week in Belarus to demand the ouster of authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, who claimed victory in the country's August 9 election that critics say was rigged. But Lukashenko shows no sign of backing down, and authorities have responded to protests with violence and arrests. Sadakat Kadri, a human rights lawyer and writer, says Russian President Vladimir Putin is invested in keeping Lukashenko in power. "He can't afford to see Belarus fall," Kadri not…
(2020-09-03). Watchdog orders Netflix to block 'Cuties' film in Turkey. yenisafak.com Turkey's broadcasting watchdog said on Thursday it will order Netflix to block access local to the soon-to-be-released film "Cuties" on grounds that it contains images of child exploitation.The ruling came ahead of the Sept. 9 international release of the French film on the U.S. online streaming service. It followed recent media reports of Turkish government interference in a separate planned Netflix series featuring a gay character.The plot of "Cuties" centres on an 11-year-old Muslim girl who "starts to rebel against her conservative family's traditions when she becomes fascinated with a free-spirited dance cr…
(2020-09-03). Akdamar Church to hold mass with COVID-19 measures. yenisafak.com Akdamar Church in Turkey's eastern province of Van will host the 8th special mass Sunday amid precautionary measures due to COVID-119. | The mass, which gathers thousands of local and international tourists in Van, will be held with a limited number of visitors this year as part of virus measures, Van Governor Mehmet Emin Bilmez told Anadolu Agency. | The mass will be aired live. A team of 25 people will come from Istanbul to perform the ritual for which all necessary measures are in place, Bilmez added. Other visitors will not be allowed to the island during the mass, he underlined. | The 1,100-year-old Akdamar…
(2020-09-03). Merkel says response to Navalny poisoning depends on Russia. yenisafak.com Speaking at a news conference with the Swedish Prime Minister, she said she had nothing further to add to her statement on Wednesday when she condemned the attempted murder of a Russian opposition figure and demanded Moscow's help.
(2020-09-03). UN calls for probe into rights violations in Kashmir. yenisafak.com The UN has again called on India to probe alleged cases of forced disappearance and mass graves in Jammu and Kashmir. In a letter this week addressed to the Indian government, at least nine UN rapporteurs also asked New Delhi to reconsider the closure of the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) in the disputed region."We urge [India]…and local authorities in Jammu and Kashmir to undertake prompt, thorough and impartial investigations into all alleged enforced disappearances…and take measures to identify the remains in each of the thousands of unmarked graves," said the letter, which was posted to the governme…
(2020-09-03). US advances WHO exit, reallocating funds, personnel. yenisafak.com The US announced Thursday it began to take additional measures to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO), reallocating funds and staff from the global health authority.State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said "the next steps" include the "redirection of American resources" following US President Donald Trump's announcement of an exit in May.Funds that were supposed to be appropriated to the WHO by the end of the fiscal year that concludes in September will instead be given to other UN organizations."In addition, through July 2021, the United States will scale down its engagement with the WHO, t…
(2020-09-03). Netflix India's 'Bad Boy Billionaires' show on hold following court order. yenisafak.com The release of a Netflix series on four Indian tycoons facing fraud allegations has been put on hold following a state court order, two sources said on Thursday, in the latest legal tussle faced by the U.S. streaming giant in a key market.The "Bad Boy Billionaires: India" documentary series about liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya, Subrata Roy of the Sahara group, founder and former head of Satyam Computer Services Ramalinga Raju and jeweller Nirav Modi was set for release this week.The Araria district court in eastern Bihar state last week ordered a stay on its release after the Sahara group argued it would damage Roy's…
(2020-09-03). Thailand reports first domestic coronavirus case in 100 days. yenisafak.com Thailand on Thursday reported its first local coronavirus transmission in more than 100 days, officials said, after a man who was recently imprisoned failed a routine test at a Bangkok jail.The man, 37, tested positive on Wednesday during scheduled weekly testing, the Department of Corrections said in a statement, adding that he had not travelled abroad or been in close contact with a known positive case.The man, a former nightclub DJ, has since been hospitalized and prisoners who came into contact with him have been isolated.All of Thailand's cases in the past three months have been imported and detected in quar…
(2020-09-03). Turkey: Family reunites with son kidnapped by PKK. yenisafak.com One more family on Thursday reunited with its son kidnapped by the PKK terrorist organization in southeastern Turkey.An aggrieved family's longing has come to an end as Erkan Akkus, abducted and took to the mountains by the terrorists four years ago, surrendered to the Turkish security forces.The Akkus family was known for joining a sit-in protest against the YPG/PKK terror group in the southeastern city of Diyarbakir, outside the office of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), which the government accuses of having links to the terrorist organization.The protest began on Sept. 3 last year in Diyarbakir when Fevzi…
(2020-09-03). Ertugrul's Dogan Alp sends message to Pakistani fans in Urdu. yenisafak.com Turkish actor Cavit àáetin Gàºner, who played Dogan Alp in the globally-popular historical drama "Resurrection: Ertugrul," posted an Instagram story apologizing to disappointed fans for canceling a planned visit to his "second home" Pakistan.The Turkish actor revealed that he was forced to postpone the trip after the entire travel plan, which was organized by a Pakistani lawyer living in Turkey, turned out to be a scam."I apologize to the Pakistanis. In Turkey, I met a man named Musawair Abbasi, who was a lawyer, and we talked and agreed on a business plan. However, later I found out that the business…
(2020-09-03). Russian FM praises 3rd round of Syrian peace talks. yenisafak.com Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov praised on Thursday the results of the third round of the Syrian peace talks in Geneva."Not everything was resolved, not everything was agreed upon, but in general, we consider the meeting fruitful and meaningful," Lavrov said at a meeting with UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen in Moscow.He urged Pedersen to step up efforts in repatriation of Syrians who want to return, saying it will help ease "the unbearable burden borne by the refugees host countries, primarily Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey".In turn, Pedersen joined Lavrov's assessments, saying he did not expect "mira…
(2020-09-03). Alleged poisoning of Russian opposition leader a 'grave concern', says chemical weapons watchdog. news.un.org The allegation that Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned by a Cold War-era nerve agent is "a matter of grave concern", the head of the UN-backed Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said on Thursday.
(2020-09-03). Israeli forces attack a 68-year-old Palestinian man using brutal knee-to-neck tactic. thecanary.co Once again, Israeli forces have been caught on camera using the brutal knee-to-neck tactic. This time it was to restrain a 68-year-old Palestinian man. | On 1 September, Khairy Hanoun was savagely attacked after a demonstration in the northern West Bank. He was protesting against the confiscation of his land. Video Bulldozing land: | Hanou…
(2020-09-03). Facebook's Business Model Thrives on the Virality of Hate. counterpunch.org A recent Wall Street Journal (WSJ) article, "Facebook's Hate-Speech Rules Collide With Indian Politics," has blown the lid off Facebook's unholy alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the right-wing ruling party in India. In the August 14 article, WSJ reporters Newley Purnell and Jeff Horwitz detail how Ankhi Das, Facebook's high-flying public policy director
(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.
(2020-09-02). Jeff Bezos' Ex-Wife MacKenzie Scott Becomes World's Richest Woman. sputniknews.com Scott has boosted her bank account as shares of Amazon, where she owns a 4 percent stake, surged due to high demand for home deliveries amid the coronavirus pandemic.
(2020-09-02). The U.S. is Determined to Make Julian Assange Pay for Exposing the Cruelty of Its War on Iraq. counterpunch.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. After a long period of isolation, he was finally able to meet his partner—Stella Moris—and see their two sons—Gabriel (age three) and Max (age one)—on August 25. After the visit, Moris said that he