(2021-07-31). 'Lab-leak' theory used to divert attention, says U.S. scholar. ecns.cn The U.S. lab-leak theory is a distraction from the country's history of far worse leaks, Mario Cavolo, a senior fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, one of China's top independent think tanks, said in his article titled "West still barking up the conspiracy tree."
(2021-07-31). Biggest threat to Western democracy comes from within, not China: U.S. media. ecns.cn
(2021-07-31). WHO tracing COVID-19 in China for 2nd time contradicts 1st report. ecns.cn There is a huge amount of data to support the natural origin of SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, said David Hayman, professor of infectious disease ecology at Massey University in New Zealand.
(2021-07-31). Deadly attack on Israeli-operated ship off Oman coast was carried out by drone, US Navy says. rt.com 
The attack that killed two people aboard an Israeli-operated vessel off the coast of Oman in the Arabian Sea on Thursday, is believed to have been a drone strike, US Navy's Fifth Fleet, which operates in the region, has said. | American explosives experts, who have examined the Mercer Street product tanker, have discovered "clear visual evidence that an attack had occurred" on the ship, the Fifth Fleet said, in a statement on Saturday. | "Initial indications clearly point to a (drone)-style attack," it stated, without elaborating on how such a conclusion was reached. | Two US warships — nuclear-powered ai…
(2021-07-31). Japan records highest COVID-19 daily case number, a foreseeable disaster. wsws.org Coinciding with the Olympics, Tokyo has seen three consecutive days of record-breaking daily cases, which are now approaching 4,000.
(2021-07-31). Palestinian Activist: The Problem is not Ignorance of Israeli Occupation's Brutality, it is Inaction. juancole.com "I am tired of reporting the same brutality every day, of thinking of new ways to describe the obvious." Those are the words of Mohammed El-Kurd, the renowned Palestinian activist from East Jerusalem. He and his family are threatened with expulsion from their homes. They have committed no crime, but are being kicked out solely …
(2021-07-31). Is Russia Helping Syria or Stripping it of its Few Remaining Resources? juancole.com 
By Scott Lucas | — All the standard public relations ploys were in evidence for the recent meeting between Syria's leader Bashar al-Assad and Russian envoy Alexander Lavrentiev in Damascus. More than 230 officials from 30 federal executive bodies, five Russian regions, and the Russian defence ministry had trekked to the Syrian capital. There were …
(2021-07-31). NATO's residue: Turkish, Afghan defense chiefs discuss Kabul airport. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Turkey's defense chief's visits this year include ones to Turkey's Azerbaijan satrapy and to conquered territory in Iraq, Libya and Syria. Turkish, Afghan defense ministers discuss Kabul airport In a phone call on July 30, Turkish and Afghan defense ministers discussed the security of Hamid Karzai International Airport, Turkish authorities said. In a statement, the …
(2021-07-31). Azerbaijan, Turkey, Pakistan: mutual aggression pact. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com [See: Rehearsal for war with Armenia, Greece and India: Turkey inaugurates NATO-backed bloc from Balkans to Chinese border ] Pakistan always supports Azerbaijan — ambassador Pakistan has always supported Azerbaijan — both during the war [2020 Karabakh war] and afterwards," [said] the ambassador [Bilal Haye]. ==== Pakistan delighted with Azerbaijan's victory during 44-day Karabakh war …
(2021-07-31). Modi government calls exposure of its use of Pegasus to spy on political opponents "fake news" wsws.org India's far-right Narendra Modi-led government has used the Pegasus spyware to illegally surveil opponents across the political spectrum, from left-wing activists to senior opposition leaders.
(2021-07-31). Women farmers hold 'parliament' in India. peoplesdispatch.org A contingent of women farmers from Delhi's neighboring states gathered on Monday, 26 July at Jantar Mantar in the national capital for a 'Kisan Sansad' or farmers' parliament. The action also marked the completion of eight months of the farmers' agitation against the Center's controversial farm laws.
(2021-07-31). Venezuela Won Its Second Weightlifting Olympic Medal. telesurenglish.net On Saturday, Venezuelan weightlifter Keydomar Vallenilla won the second silver medal for his country in Tokyo 2021 Olimpic Games after lifting 387kg. | RELATED: | Vallenilla competed in the 96Kg category in the modality of clean and jerk where started with 172Kg and finished de competition after lifting 210Kg in the jerk. | The gold medal winner was the Qatari Fares Elbakh, who established two new Olympic records,…
(2021-07-31). Criminalization of Free Speech: Craig Murray's Jailing is the Latest Move to Snuff out Independent journalism. globalresearch.ca Craig Murray, a former ambassador to Uzbekistan, the father of a newborn child, a man in very poor health and one who has no prior convictions, will have to hand himself over to the Scottish police on Sunday morning. He …
(2021-07-31). Israel Offers 3rd Pfizer Dose to Elderly Residents, But How Many Will Take It? sputniknews.com In the first day of the campaign on Friday, Maccabi, one of Israel's major healthcare organisations, registered more than 10,000 requests to get the American jab. Authorities are encouraging all of the country's 1.3 million people aged 60 and over to get another shot but the lack of urgency might keep many at home.
(2021-07-31). Venezuela — Chávez, el imprescindible. globalizacion.ca Hugo Chávez, el gran ´hombre de acción e ideas ª, como definió el Comandante Fidel Castro a quien además se refirió como el mejor amigo de Cuba, ha devenido, con el palpitar del inconmensurable corazón de nuestros Pueblos, en la esencia…
(2021-07-31). Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham Voices Support To Daraa Rebels, Vows To Keep Shelling Government-Held Areas. southfront.org 
File image. | Al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the de-facto ruler of the northwestern Syrian region of Greater Idlib, has voiced its support for former rebels in Daraa. | The southern governorate experienced unrest in the last few days. An operation by the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) to secure the southern part of Daraa city, known as Daraa al-Balad, provoked former rebels who attacked dozens of army posts and checkpoints. | Greater Idlib factions, led by HTS, stepped up their artillery and rocket strikes on governm…
(2021-07-31). Attack On Israeli-Operated Fuel Tanker In Arabian Sea Was Response To Recent Strikes On Syria — Report. southfront.org 
The recent attack on an Israeli-operated fuel tanker in the Arabian Sea was a response to the July 21 Israeli…
(2021-07-31). Military Situation In Syria On July 31, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On July 30, Russia reported that Idlib militants violated the ceasefire regime in Greater Idlib 27 times: 14 — in Idlib province, 6 — in Latakia province, 6 — in Hama province, 1 — in Aleppo province | On July 30, SAA artillery shelled positions of Turkish-backed forces in Banin and Deir Sonbol | On July 30, artillery of Turkish-backed forces shelled SDF positions in Tokhar and al-Jat | On July 30, artillery of Turkish-backed forces shelled SDF posi…
(2021-07-31). Why Is No One Talking About Whistleblower Daniel Hale? dissidentvoice.org Daniel Hale, a former US air force intelligence analyst, leaked information about how trigger happy the US military was when it came to drones and innocent civilians in Afghanistan. Aaaaaand for having a conscience, he's been slapped with a 4 year prison sentence! As RT's Polly Boiko explains.
(2021-07-31). Workers Struggles: Asia, Australia and New Zealand. wsws.org Contract doctors strike in Malaysia; Sri Lankan nurses hold island-wide protests; QUBE port terminal workers strike in Australia.
(2021-07-31). [Correspondence] Ethnic disparities in COVID-19: increased risk of infection or severe disease? thelancet.com Rohini Mathur and colleagues found that Black and Asian ethnic groups were more likely to have adverse COVID-19 outcomes compared with the White population, even after accounting for differences in sociodemographic, clinical, and household characteristics.1 These findings are timely and striking, in light of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities' recent report,2 which has been criticised for suggesting that the "claim the country is still institutionally racist is not borne out of evidence".
(2021-07-31). A 'New Cold War' has already started, but Russia & China are winning against a 'weakening' West, says former Kremlin adviser. rt.com 
The Soviet Union might have lost the first Cold War, but Russia is ahead in the rematch with the US and, this time, has every chance of coming out on top. That's according to one well-known Moscow scholar, Sergey Karaganov. | Speaking to Russian newspaper Argumenty I Fakty, the academic argued that Moscow is now much stronger than it was during the late Soviet period, and the West has weakened in that time. | Karaganov has been one of Russia's top foreign-policy theorists for decades, and has also advised President Vladimir Putin in the past. He is currently the head of the World Economy and International Affa…
(2021-07-31). Domestic vaccines can offer Delta protection. ecns.cn Amid rising concerns over the COVID-19 Delta variant's spread in China, virus experts and vaccine developers reaffirmed that domestic vaccines can provide protection against the highly transmissible strain.
(2021-07-31). U.S. Fears of China Nuclear Expansion… Déjà Vu of Soviet Missile Gap Hype. strategic-culture.org China is providing the equivalent scaremongering of the Soviet "missile gap" in order to sustain America's militarist-dependent capitalist economy. | Media reports from the U.S. this week — regurgitated by the European press — highlighted concerns that China is embarking on a massive scale-up of underground silos for launching nuclear weapons. | Hundreds of silos are alleged to be under construction in the western regions of Xinjiang and Gansu, according to U.S. media reports citing commercial satellite data. American military officials and State Department diplomats are quoted as saying they are "de…
(2021-07-31). Slamming China Won't Save Fossil Capitalism From Itself. strategic-culture.org By Byeve OTTENBERG | Only the mentally impaired now doubt the reality of climate change. Only the ideologically blind question that human burning of fossil fuels has caused it. In just a few weeks, we had once-in-millennium floods in Germany and Belgium, a once-in-a-millennium heat wave in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia. Fires. Melting Arctic ice and permafrost. Mudslides in India. Floods in the New York City subway. Record floods in China, with a year's worth of rain falling in a single day in Zhengzhou. | The planet is burning and the arsonists are in charge, as one environmentalist once observed. S…
(2021-07-31). Military Situation In Afghanistan On July 31, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On July 30, Taliban captured Karokh district in Herat province | On July 30, clashes between the Afghan Army and Taliban were reported in the Lashkar Gah area | On July 31, clashes between the Afghan Army and Taliban continued to the west and south of Herat city | On July 31, clashes between the Afghan Army and Taliban continued to the west and south of Kandahar city | 131 Taliban militants were killed and 143 others were wounded as a result of Afghan Army operatio…
(2021-07-31). Craig Murray's jailing is the national security state's latest assault on independent journalism. thegrayzone.com Former British diplomat and independent journalist Craig Murray is the first person imprisoned in the UK over media contempt in 50 years. This article was originally published at Jonathan Cook's blog. Craig Murray, a former ambassador to Uzbekistan, the father of a newborn child, a man in very poor health and one who has no prior convictions, will have to hand himself over to the Scottish police on Sunday morning. He becomes the first person ever to be imprisoned on …
(2021-07-31). 'New Form' of Ice Cream 'Terrorism'. zcomm.org How Ben & Jerry's has Exposed Israel's anti-BDS Strategy…
(2021-07-31). Craig Murray's jailing is the latest move in a battle to snuff out independent journalism. dissidentvoice.org 
Craig Murray, a former ambassador to Uzbekistan, the father of a newborn child, a man in very poor health and one who has no prior convictions, will have to hand himself over to the Scottish police on Sunday morning. He becomes the first person ever to be imprisoned on the obscure and vaguely defined charge …
(2021-07-31). Iran: Deadly Repression of Khuzestan Protests: Hundreds Arrested; At Least 9 Deaths, Including a Child (HRW). juancole.com 
( Human Rights Watch) — (Beirut) — The rising death toll and mass arrests raise grave concerns about the Iranian authorities' response to recent protests in Khuzestan and other provinces, Human Rights Watch said today. The authorities should immediately and unconditionally release peaceful protesters, provide information about deaths, and allow an independent international investigation into …
(2021-07-31). In Video: Another US Supply Convoy Vaporized By Iraqi 'Resistance' Forces. southfront.org 
File image. | On July 30, a convoy moving logistic supplies and armored vehicles for the US-led coalition came under attack in central Iraq. | A heavy explosive device hit one of the convoy's trucks as it was passing in the province of Babylon. The truck was carrying what appears to be a mine resistant ambush protected vehicle, most likely of the US military. | Saryat Qasim al-Jabbarin [The Breaker of Titans Company], a pro-Iranian group, claimed responsibility for the attack. The newly-founded group also re…
(2021-07-31). Military Situation In Yemen On July 31, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | The Liaison and Coordination Officers' Operations Room (loyal to Ansar Allah) reported 136 ceasefire violations in al-Hudaydah during the past 24 hours | On July 30, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 3 airstrikes on the Abdiyah district | On July 30, Saudi-led coalition warplanes conducted 2 airstrikes on the Khab and Shaaf district | On July 31, clashes between Ansar Allah and Saudi-led forces continued north of Nate districts | On July 31, clashes between Ansar Allah…
(2021-07-31). Houthis Share Footage, More Details On Operation Evident Victory In Al-Bayda (18+). southfront.org 
Screen grab from combat footage released by the Houthis. | On July 31, the Houthis (Ansar Allah) shared more details on the results of the In a press conference, Brig. Gen. Yahya Sari, a spokesman for the Yemeni group said that a total of 380 square kilometers, including the distr…
(2021-07-31). COVID-19 vaccine urgency as delta variant continues to spread. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Viruses constantly change through mutation, and new variants of viruses are expected to occur. Multiple variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 have been documented, including a highly transmittable form of COVID-19 known as the delta variant. The delta variant, which was first seen in December 2020 in India, is spreading globally. It's more contagious than the previous strains that have been detected in the U.S. It's also causing more severe illness.Dr. Melanie Swift, co-chair of Mayo Clinic's…
(2021-07-30). News on China | No. 61. dissidentvoice.org China is looking out for delivery workers, people hit by weather disasters, and students.
(2021-07-30). China Upgrades Measures To Contain COVID-19 Resurgence. telesurenglish.net Nanjing, a mega-city with a population of more than 9.3 million in eastern China, has launched the third round of all-inclusive nucleic acid testing to contain the latest COVID-19 resurgence that first emerged at the Nanjing Lukou International Airport. | RELATED: | On July 20, nine airport cleaners tested positive for the virus. By Thursday, the Jiangsu Province's capital city had reported 184 locally transmitted cas…
(2021-07-30). Chinese President Xi Is The Pride Of The Communist Party Of China. oneworld.press Everything that President Xi has done so far has been with China's sovereign interests in mind, which in turn elevated its role in the international system and thereafter enabled it to advance its vision of creating a community of common destiny for mankind through BRI in order to restore peace, justice, and equality to International Relations.
(2021-07-30). Bolivia to Investigate OAS Secretary for Supporting 2019 Coup. telesurenglish.net Former members of the Bolivian Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) will initiate a judicial process against the Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary Luis Almagro for the damages caused by the audit that discredited the results of the presidential election in 2019. | RELATED: | In that year, Bolivians went to the polls to choose a president among candidates Evo Morales (Movement Towards Socialism), Carlos Mesa (City Community), Israel…
(2021-07-30). The U.S. Committed Cliocide (Destruction of History) in Iraq, and even Returning Gilgamesh Can't Fix it. juancole.com Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — The US government has returned 17,000 archeological artifacts to Iraq, many of them over 4,000 years old. This, according to Al Jazeera The objects and tablets were looted from the country during the chaos of the Bush administration's rule of that country and were smuggled into the U.S., then sold …
(2021-07-30). Race for gold continues in Tokyo as the pandemic worsens. peoplesworld.org 
The dramatic twists and turns, leaps, bounds, and dives, happening within the barren Olympic village and spectator-less stadiums are, marred by the worsening situation in the cities hosting thousands of athletes, coaches, staff, and media. Ever since Tokyo got the nod to host the 2020 Summer Olympic Games—a bidding war between other cities starting in …
(2021-07-30). Another Israeli Spy Story: When Will It End? globalresearch.ca
(2021-07-30). "New Form" of Ice Cream "Terrorism": How Ben & Jerry's has Exposed Israel's anti-BDS Strategy. dissidentvoice.org 
Ben & Jerry's decision to suspend its operations in the occupied Palestinian West Bank is an event that is proving critical to Palestinian efforts, which ultimately aim at holding Israel accountable for its military occupation, apartheid and war crimes. By responding to the Palestinian call for boycotting apartheid Israel, the ice cream giant has delivered …
(2021-07-30). Actions demand NY close groups backing settler genocide in Palestine. liberationnews.org 
Many arch-racist settlers are actually Americans with dual U.S.-Israeli citizenship, whose real "home" is Long Island.
(2021-07-30). Israeli forces open fire on Palestinians protesting against illegal Nablus settlement. peoplesworld.org
(2021-07-30). Cuba Thanks Vietnam and Sister Nations for their Solidarity. telesurenglish.net The president, on behalf of Cuba, expressed gratitude and appreciation to the governments and peoples who help the island. | "Solidarity with Cuba increases in the face of difficult times. Our gratitude and thanks to the governments and peoples who help us. #ACubaPonleCorazón," tweeted the president and quoted an article from the Granma newspaper summarizing the contributions made to Cuba by different governments around the world. | RELATED: |
(2021-07-30). Syria Shows Its Mettle — Olympians Ghada Shouaa to Hend Zaza. globalresearch.ca
(2021-07-30). Tensions Escalating in East Asia with US Freedom of Navigation Operations. globalresearch.ca
(2021-07-30). Pegasus and the Threat of Cyberweapons in the Age of Smartphones. towardfreedom.org Pegasus can compromise a phone without the user having to click on a single link.
(2021-07-30). Blinken's Single-point Agenda in Delhi — China. asia-pacificresearch.com
(2021-07-30). 'You're Counting it Wrong': Readers Blast New York Times for Putting US at top of Olympic Medal Rankings. orinocotribune.com 
The New York Times claims the US is leading in the Tokyo Olympics, deliberately using the total medals won as its methodology. Numerous readers quickly pointed out that gold medals matter more, both officially and traditionally. | On the fifth day of the 2020 Olympics, the US paper of record showed a chart captioned "here's where the medal count stands now," showing the US in first place with a total of 30, ahead of China with 27 and Japan with 22. | It's Day 5 of