(2021-08-12). Biden Must Call Off the B-52s Bombing Afghan Cities. dissidentvoice.org 
American flag is lowered as U.S. soldiers leave Helmand province, southern Afghanistan, May 2, 2021. Photo: Afghan Ministry of Defense Press Office. Nine provincial capitals in Afghanistan have fallen to the Taliban in six days — Zaranj, Sheberghan, Sar-e-Pul, Kunduz, Taloqan, Aybak, Farah, Pul-e-Khumri and Faizabad — while fighting continues in four more — Lashkargah, …
(2021-08-12). Military Situation In Afghanistan On August 12, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On August 12, Taliban captured Ghazni city the capital of Ghazni province | On August 12, clashes between the Afghan Army and Taliban continued inside the city of Lashkar Gah | On August 12, clashes between the Afghan Army and Taliban continued to the west and south of Herat city | On August 12, clashes between the Afghan Army and Taliban continued inside the city of Farah | On August 11, Taliban captured Kandahar prison in west of the city | 217 Taliban militant…
(2021-08-12). US intelligence warns Kabul could fall within one month. wsws.org The new dire predictions of the collapse of Washington's puppet government in Afghanistan came as the Taliban increased the number of provincial capitals under its control to nine.
(2021-08-12). Thousands of People Flee Violence in Afghanistan. telesurenglish.net The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that conflict in different parts of Afghanistan has driven tens of thousands of people away from their homes. | RELATED: | They are part of the nearly 390,000 people displaced by hostilities this year, with a massive spike since May. Many of them fled to Kabul and other large cities. Most of the displaced in the capital city are staying with families and fr…
(2021-08-12). The Heat: Afghanistan crisis. america.cgtn.com 
"Everything is moving in the wrong direction." That's the assessment of U.S. Intelligence, as the Taliban retakes 11 of 34 provincial capitals in a matter of days. The United Nations reports more than a thousand civilians have been killed in the fighting in the last …
(2021-08-12). The Taliban Takes Over Herat City Despite Fierce Resistance From Government Forces, Locals (Videos). southfront.org 
File image. | On August 12, the Taliban finally took over Herat, Afghanistan's largest city, according to the France-Press Agency (AFP). | An unnamed Afghan security official told the agency that government forces and administration officials had retreated from the northwestern city. | Afghan sources shared on social media several videos showing Taliban fighters at the center of Herat and near the city's main Police Headquarters. One of the videos shows dozens of prisoners who were released from Herat p…
(2021-08-12). Israel's siege of Occupied Palestinian civilians is halving Gaza patients' survival rates. juancole.com 
By Maya Abuali | — ( Middle East Monitor) — Lacking in 60 per cent of appropriate medicine and treatment protocols as a result of the siege, Gaza's already deficient cancer care is slipping further into chaos as restrictions grow harsher. Beyond dealing with the Gaza Strip's already uninhabitable living conditions, Palestinian cancer patients in …
(2021-08-12). The Murder of the "Menacing" Water Technician: On the Shadow Wars in the West Bank. dissidentvoice.org 
There is an ongoing, but hidden, Israeli war on the Palestinians which is rarely highlighted or even known. It is a water war, which has been in the making for decades. On July 26 and 27, two separate but intrinsically linked events took place in the Ein al-Hilweh area in the occupied Jordan Valley, and …
(2021-08-12). Jordan's Shrinking Role in Palestine's Liberation Effort. towardfreedom.org The landlocked country is playing an increasingly insignificant role in the dispute, even though the peace process would be incomplete without the kingdom's input. In fact, until the 1970s, Jordan was an indispensable player, having hosted thousands of Palestinian refugees. Jordan seems to be trapped by its own security restrictions and has largely ceded the peace process to its rivals, including Egypt.
(2021-08-12). Cuba, China, Latin America and the World. globalresearch.ca
(2021-08-12). Cuba Supports China, Rejects US Attempt to Politicize Origin of COVID-19. orinocotribune.com Cuba lashed out at attempts to politicize studies about the origin of COVID-19, as the United States continues its attempts to link China with the spread of the virus. | On Wednesday, August 11, Cuban Foreign Affairs Minister Bruno Rodríguez commented on the positions of some Western powers regarding the origin of COVID-19, mainly that of the United States in relation to China. In a message posted on Twitter, the Cuban Foreign Affairs Minister rejected the "attempts to politicize, single out, and stigmatize studies about the origin" of the new coronavirus pandemic, and praised the responsible and transparent cont…
(2021-08-12). Nicaragua: Encuesta confirma al FSLN como favorito a elecciones. cubadebate.cu Una encuesta publicada la víspera en Managua confirmó al gobernante Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional (FSLN) como favorito de cara a las elecciones generales del 7 de noviembre próximo.El estudio realizado solo en Managua reveló que el índice de predisposición política favorece al partido rojinegro, con el 62,7 por ciento.
(2021-08-12). Targeting Cuba and China: Disinformation Against Communism. orinocotribune.com By Kim Petersen — Aug 10, 2021 | — Mike Pompeo, former US secretary of state on how the United States conducts its business | One of the filters in the Propaganda Model propounded by professors Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky was stoking a fear of communism. [1] The establishment's anti-communism has never abated in the United States. The elitists require a populace fearful of communism to protect their own misbegotten wealth accumulation. Thus, the bugaboo of communism must be op…
(2021-08-12). Asesinato de Jovenel MoàØse: Premeditación, participación de los EEUU y complicidad del personal de seguridad. cubadebate.cu El informe preliminar elaborado por las autoridades haitianas deja asentadas sus presunciones sobre el magnicidio: la premeditación de los mercenarios colombianos en el plan de asesinato, la participación de dos empresas con sede en EE.UU. y la complicidad del personal de seguridad del mandatario en los hechos porque, cuando se ejecutó el asalto a la residencia de MoàØse, "la puerta principal estaba abierta".
(2021-08-12). Turkish combat drone maker to build research center, assembly plant in Ukraine. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Turkish Bayraktar TB2 combat drones — used with deadly effect in Nagorno-Karabakh, Iraq, Syria and Libya — are now being employed by Ukraine for the war in the Donbass. Turkey's Baykar intends to invest in creating scientific center, drone production in Ukraine The Turkish manufacturer of drones Baykar is developing an investment project to build a …
(2021-08-12). Military Situation In Syria On August 12, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On August 11, Russia reported that Idlib militants violated the ceasefire regime in Greater Idlib 27 times: 14 — in Idlib province, 5 — in Latakia province, 4 — in Hama province, 4 — in Aleppo province | On August 12, heavy clashes between SAA and former rebels were reported in Daraa city | On August 11, heavy clashes between SDF and Turkish-backed forces were reported near Tal Tamar | On August 11, SAA artillery shelled positions of Turkish-backe…
(2021-08-12). U.S.-Made GPS In Service With Russian Aerospace Forces In Syria. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | The Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) are using American-made GPS systems during their combat missions in Syria. | The revelation was made by Russian politician Soviet Air Force veteran Colonel Viktor Alksnis, on his Facebook page. | He drew attention to recently-released photographs of the cockpit of a Su-34 Fullback fighter-bomber in Syria. This is also the case of the Su-25SM3 fighter jets. | Experts later confirmed that the photo shows a U.S.-manufactured GPS receiv…
(2021-08-12). Turkish Army Kicks Off Operation In Syria's Greater Idlib To Uncover Smuggling Tunnels (Photos). southfront.org 
A Turkish army tank stationed near the Syrian border, in Suruc, Turkey, Sept. 3, 2016. (AP Photo) | On August 12, the Turkish military kicked off a combing operation in the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib, according to Syrian opposition sources. | A fairly large force of the Turkish Armed Forces was reportedly deployed in the outskirts of the town of Atimah which is located in the northern part of Greater Idlib right on the border line with Turkey. | Opposition sources said that the force will comb the border lin…
(2021-08-12). Daraa Rebels Attacked Syrian Army, Intelligence Posts Ahead Of Russian Delegation Visit (Videos, Photos). southfront.org 
Illustrative image. | Early on August 12, local fighters in the northern countryside of Daraa attacked positions of the Syrian military and intelligence. | The fighters attacked posts of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in the center of the town of Nawa with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. Some fighters also targeted an army checkpoint located on the road leading to the nearby town of Tasil. | At the same time, local fighters in Jasim attacked the town's cultural center, where a force of the General Intellige…
(2021-08-12). Nearly 1.4 billion covered by health insurance in China. ecns.cn China's healthcare plans had covered 1.36 billion residents by the end of last year after the country worked for decades to create a sturdier insurance safety net in the world's most populous nation, a white paper said on Thursday.
(2021-08-12). The Eviction Crisis Is A Race And Gender Wage Gap Issue. popularresistance.org For Congresswoman Cori Bush (D-MO), sleeping away from the comfort of a bed is an unfortunately familiar feeling. Years ago, Bush had to live out of her car for a time with her two young children, all while working a full-time job. Her experience as an unhoused person drove her to take bold action on July 30, as the federal eviction moratorium was about to expire. "Many of my Democratic colleagues chose to go on vacation early today rather than staying to vote to keep people in their homes," Bush tweeted. "I'll be sleeping outside the Capitol tonight. We've still got work to do."
(2021-08-12). Myanmar: 5 Youths Jumped From Building To Escape Repression. telesurenglish.net On Wednesday, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported that two pro-democracy activists died and three others were seriously injured when they jumped from a building in Yangon to avoid capture by the Myanmar police. | RELATED: | "The fleeing activists apparently got trapped on the rooftops of the old buildings… There was a five-store building blocking their path on one side and an eight-store building on the other, and they must have r…
(2021-08-12). The Danger of Anti-China Rhetoric. asia-pacificresearch.com
(2021-08-12). "There Just Isn't Enough Supply": Vaccine Gap Between Rich & Poor Countries Fuels Indonesia's COVID Crisis. democracynow.org 
As the World Health Organization warns over 100 million more people will be infected with COVID-19 by early next year as the Delta variant continues to rapidly spread, we look at Indonesia, which has become the epicenter of the pandemic in Asia. Over the past 28 days, Indonesia has recorded 43,000 deaths, more than anywhere else in the world. More than half of the deaths have occurred in the past two months as the Delta variant overwhelmed hospitals across the country. Sana Jaffrey, director of the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict in Jakarta, says the public debate is largely focused on whether to protec…
(2021-08-12). Australia Faces the Painful Reality of a Changing Geopolitical Landscape. dissidentvoice.org Relations between Australia and China have sunk to the lowest point since diplomatic recognition was accorded to the People's Republic of China as one of the first acts of the new Australian government in November 1972. This action caused great consternation in the opposition Liberal party, who were completely unaware of similar moves by then …
(2021-08-12). Average life expectancy in China rises to 77.3 yrs: white paper. ecns.cn
(2021-08-12). China has over 1 mln medical, health institutions: white paper. ecns.cn The number of medical and health institutions in China skyrocketed from 170,000 in 1978 to over 1 million in 2020, according to a white paper.
(2021-08-12). China lifts nearly 99 mln rural poor out of poverty in 8 yrs: white paper. ecns.cn By the end of 2020, China had lifted all the 98.99 million rural residents living below the current poverty line out of poverty after eight years of efforts, according to a white paper.
(2021-08-12). The US continues to obstruct China. indybay.org The United States has again demonstrated its willingness to tighten the approach towards Beijing in the economic sphere.
(2021-08-12). Behind the 'China Panic' in Australia. greenleft.org.au Chris Slee reviews David Brophy's new book, which looks behind the fear campaign about China, and the issues of human rights, the US-Australia alliance and economic rivalries.
(2021-08-12). U.S. Army missile defense system "to fight highly capable adversaries such as Russia and China" antibellum679354512.wordpress.com US Army's critical missile defense system will play role at Project Convergence The U.S. Army's critical missile defense system will play a small role at the service's major campaign of learning this fall — Project Convergence — in order to focus on the system's progress through a challenging initial operational test, the head of Army …
(2021-08-12). Washington In No Rush To Assign Ambassador To Beijing. southfront.org 
Illustrative ImageU.S. Ambassador to China position remains vacant for the longest time in history. | Written by Paul Antonopoulos, independent geopolitical analyst | Qin Gang, China's new ambassador to Washington, arrived in the United States at the end of July and officially began his career as an ambassador. In the context of tense Sino-U.S. relations, the role of the two countries' ambassadors is becoming a key lever to normalize relations and protect national interests. However, since former Ambassador Terry Branstad lef…
(2021-08-12). Eleven COVID-19 patients die in Russian hospital after oxygen pipe bursts. wsws.org The horrific incident gives a sense of the large number of preventable deaths in the pandemic that are the direct result of the disastrously underfunded and run-down social infrastructure.
(2021-08-12). UNHCR objects to renewed U.S. expulsion flights of migrants under public health restrictions. ecns.cn The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) expressed concern on Wednesday over the resumption of the U.S. practice of flying non-Mexican asylum seekers and migrants to southern Mexico after expelling them under a U.S. health law regulation implemented last year amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
(2021-08-12). Sri Lankan president opposes lockdowns, as Delta variant spreads. wsws.org The government's removal of virtually all remaining limited restrictions has added fuel to the pandemic, which is now accelerating with the highly-infectious Delta variant.
(2021-08-12). US Civil Rights Groups Escalate Pressure on Biden to Keep Prisoners at Home Amid Pandemic. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik), Barrington M. Salmon – A coalition of criminal justice activists is upping its campaign to prevent the Biden administration from forcing thousands of inmates to return to prison as COVID-19 infections continue to surge, Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM) President Kevin Ring said.
(2021-08-12). Dear CIA Director Burns: Don't Listen to the Israelis on Iran— They just want you to fight a war for them. juancole.com Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — Jonathan Lis at Haaretz reports that the Israeli government of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is lobbying the US to get on a war footing with Iran. The Israelis will try to convince CIA director William Burns of their position on Iran in his meetings there on Wednesday. Lis makes 3 …
(2021-08-12). Russia and Venezuela to implement energy security joint projects. mronline.org 
Russia's Rostec will provide "advanced technology" and train Venezuelan personnel to recover the country's sanctions-hit power facilities.
(2021-08-12). Texas governor says anyone who defies state ban on mask mandates will be taken to court. rt.com 
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has asked an appeals court to strike down a masking requirement imposed by a country judge and promised more lawsuits against officials who rebel against his ban on mask mandates. | Abbot and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced that they had filed a petition asking the 5th Court of Appeals to strike down an order by Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins, who instructed businesses, public schools, child daycare centers and government offices to require indoor mask-wearing. | The governor banned Texas officials from imposing any form of a mask mandate in May, under the threat of a f…
(2021-08-12). Senator Rand Paul accused of 'insider trading' after he belatedly reveals wife invested in pharma firm in early days of Covid-19. rt.com 
Senator Rand Paul was accused of "insider trading" after he revealed that his wife bought stock in the firm that makes antiviral drug remdesivir in early 2020, disclosing the purchase more than a year after the reporting deadline. | The Kentucky Republican acknowledged the stock buy on Wednesday in a Senate filing, the Washington Post According to the filing, the senator's wife invested b…
(2021-08-12). BREAKING: Russian Top Hypersonic Scientist Detained On High-Treason Charges. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On August 12, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) detained Professor Alexander Kuranov in Moscow. He is one of Russian top hypersonic scientists and is suspected of passing state secrets to foreign countries in recent years. | The Moscow court confirmed that the FSB had sent a request for his arrest for two months. A preventive measure will be chosen by the court later on August 12. Cases of treason are classified as "secret": the court considers them in closed doors, only the senten…
(2021-08-12). Russia Begins Reconstruction Of Trans-Siberian Baikal-Amur Mainline. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | The reconstruction of the eastern branch of the Baikal-Amur Mainline (BAM) is beginning and the railroad should be put into operation by the end of 2024, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced on August 11th. | This road will increase the transport capabilities of Eastern Siberia, increase the throughput of the mainline and the volume of transit traffic, Shoigu said."Today we have laid the stone, symbolizing the beginning of the reconstruction of th…
(2021-08-12). Iran Fired Warning Shot At US Combat Drone Over Strait Of Hormuz (Video). southfront.org 
Launch of a missile of the Mersad air defence missile system (Photo: irna.ir / Hossein Heidarpour) | Iran's air defenses had fired a warning shot at a US General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper combat drone that was flying over the Strait of Hormuz, the Iranian Nour News reported on August 12. | The semi-official news agency shared what it said was footage from a control room of the Iranian Air Defense Force as the warning shot was fired at the drone. | Military observers revealed that the footage shared by the Nour News were origina…
(2021-08-12). "First World White Privilege": Indian Journalist Slams U.S. Anti-Vaxxers as World's Poor Lack Access. democracynow.org 
The official COVID-19 death toll in India is reported to be around 429,000, but many researchers believe it is at least five times higher. India experienced a devastating wave of infections in April and May, and less than 10% of the population has been fully vaccinated. "When we watch what's happening in the U.S. … it is astounding that people who have access to vaccines are choosing not to get jabbed," says Barkha Dutt, an award-winning Indian television journalist and author. "It's anti-science. It's self-indulgent. It's a very First World white privilege."
(2021-08-12). Military Situation In Yemen On August 12, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | The Liaison and Coordination Officers' Operations Room (loyal to Ansar Allah) reported 173 ceasefire violations in al-Hudaydah during the past 24 hours | On August 11, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted an airstrike on the Sarwah district | On August 11, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted an airstrike on the Khab and Shaaf area | On August 11, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted an airstrike on the Dhaher district | On August 12, clashes between Ansar Allah an…
(2021-08-12). Indefinite hunger strike by workers at Talema Electronics plant in Tamil Naidu, India. peoplesdispatch.org The protesting workers have complained that the ongoing COVID-19 crisis has been used by the administration as a pretext to delay wage revision…
(2021-08-12). Facts reveal U.S. failing in COVID-19 response: report. ecns.cn Furthermore, the "virus origin-tracing terrorism" that emerged in the country should be investigated as this is an attempt to manipulate "global public opinion," the authors said.
(2021-08-12). Sharing Mayo Clinic: When the answer was something other than COVID-19. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org This story came in a note to the Sharing Mayo Clinic blog from Susan Fox, who wanted to share her experience finding an answer to distressing symptoms with help from the COVID-19 Nurse Line, even when the answer was something other than COVID-19. _______________________________________ I'm a 68-year-old woman in Wisconsin and have been a patient with Mayo Clinic for many years. Despite extreme caution, my husband and I both contracted COVID-19 last November. We both recovered slowly, and when…
(2021-08-12). Confederated Salish And Kootenai Win The Day. popularresistance.org "In September 2018, I made my first official trip as assistant secretary-Indian affairs to the homelands of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. The purpose of the trip was to learn about the irrigation project on the Flathead Reservation. I learned about the challenges with rate setting, aging infrastructure, the differing needs of Indian and non-Indian water users, water rights, the history behind the project and the need for a fair and just water claims settlement with the federal government."
(2021-08-12). Workers at Motherson plant in southern India mount indefinite strike for decent food, better conditions. wsws.org The Maoist-led union at Motherson's plant in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu only sanctioned the strike to contain growing worker opposition over poverty wages and a brutal work regime.