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2020-08-03: News Headlines

Andre Vltchek (2020-08-03). Honestly, Americans couldn't care less about Hong Kong. dissidentvoice.org Hong Kong skyline taken from Kowloon site (Andre Vltchek) I just spent two weeks in the United States, investigating, analyzing the situation there. I worked in Washington D.C., Minneapolis, where Mr. George Floyd was murdered by deranged cops, in New York City and Boston. COVID-19 was at my tail, as the states kept opening and …

John Pilger (2020-08-03). Another Hiroshima is coming — unless we stop it now. zcomm.org Modern China's epic achievements, its defeat of mass poverty, and the pride and contentment of its people (measured forensically by American pollsters such as Pew) are willfully unknown or misunderstood in the West. This alone is a commentary on the lamentable state of Western journalism and the abandonment of honest reporting…

Juan Cole (2020-08-03). Iran's Khamenei: Not going to help Trump get Reelected by Negotiating. zcomm.org Khamenei said that even if Iran met all of Washington's demands, that would just encourage the insatiable American elite to start making new demands…

Vijay Prashad (2020-08-03). Trade and tensions between the U.S. and China. mronline.org The Donald Trump administration uses every mechanism to cut China out of the global supply chain, but nothing seems to be working as a resolute China is unwilling to back down and dismantle its technological gains.

Ramzy Baroud (2020-08-03). Human Rights Defenders: Palestinian Eyewitness Testimony of the Execution of Abdul Fattah al-Sharif by Israeli Soldier, Elor Azaria. counterpunch.org As illegal Jewish settlers increase their attacks on Palestinian civilians in the occupied city of Al Khalil (Hebron), the people of the Palestinian city continue to mount a campaign of popular resistance. One of the channels of resistance is Human Rights Defenders, "a grass-roots, non-partisan Palestinian organization, working to support nonviolent popular resistance through popular

WSWS (2020-08-03). Vote for SEP candidates in the Sri Lankan national elections! Fight for a workers' and peasants' government and socialist internationalism! wsws.org The SEP is the only party in the elections advancing an international socialist program to fight the crisis created by COVID-19, defend democratic rights and oppose imperialist war.

WSWS (2020-08-03). White House engineering a takeover of TikTok by Microsoft. wsws.org Under the White House's direction, Microsoft is preparing to acquire the video-sharing app TikTok in a forced-divestiture from its China-based company ByteDance.

WSWS (2020-08-03). Hong Kong delays legislative elections amid crackdown on democratic rights. wsws.org Beijing is driven above all by fears that renewed protests in Hong Kong could spread to the mainland.

Alys Samson Estapé (2020-08-03). 15 Lessons From 15 Years of BDS. zcomm.org Fifteen years on, and during a time of global uprising against an entire system of racist exploitation and oppression, the BDS movement continues learning, adapting and growing, making connections, and exposing and challenging Israeli apartheid…

WSWS (2020-08-03). The Invisible Man: A woman struck by an "unseen hand" wsws.org The Invisible Man feeds on the #MeToo mood, becoming the latest entry in what one critic calls "boom times for feminist revenge narratives."

WSWS (2020-08-03). Vietnam struggles to contain rapid resurgence of COVID-19. wsws.org After three months of no confirmed cases, Vietnam is witnessing a nationwide spread of the virus due to a new outbreak in the city of Da Nang.

The Canary (2020-08-03). TikTok planning London headquarters, according to reports. thecanary.co TikTok is planning to open a headquarters in London, according to reports, as the social media app continues to try and distance itself from China. | The move could put the UK at odds with US president Donald Trump as the video platform is at the centre of a row in the US over alleged links to the Chinese state and Trump is threatening to ban the app. | But reports suggest the UK is set to give the green light to a new headquarters for the service in London, with key executives relocating to the UK as part of the move. | TikTok declined to comment on its plans. | Last month, the app's head of public policy for Eu…

yenisafak (2020-08-03). 'Talks between India, Pakistan, China vital for peace in Kashmir'. yenisafak.com Former Indian government interlocutor Mohammad Mukhtar Ansari (MM Ansari) has said that India's last year's decision to annex Jammu and Kashmir was tantamount to breaching a sacred trust and understanding between the two sovereign states.In an exclusive conversation with Anadolu Agency a year after Indian government's last year Aug. 5 decisions, he said while the constitutional provision was rescinded to ensure faster development and containing militancy, the objectives have not been realized."The objective of restoring peace has therefore not been realized. Likewise, socioeconomic activities have also suffered d…

yenisafak (2020-08-03). One person is dying of COVID-19 every seven minutes in Iran: state TV. yenisafak.com One person is dying from COVID-19 every seven minutes in Iran, state television said on Monday, as the Health Ministry reported 215 new deaths from the disease and state media warned of a lack of proper social distancing.Health Ministry spokesman Sima Sadat Lari was quoted by the state TV as saying the 215 deaths in the past 24 hours took the combined death toll to 17,405 in Iran, and the number of confirmed cases rose by 2,598 to 312,035.State television showed several Iranians in a busy Tehran street without wearing face masks or social distancing.Some experts have doubted the accuracy of Iran's official corona…

yenisafak (2020-08-03). Turkey regrets US firm's signing oil deal with YPG/PKK. yenisafak.com Turkey Monday denounced a US firm's signing a deal with YPG/PKK-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to extract, process and produce oil in northeastern Syria."We deeply regret the US support to this step, disregarding international law, violating territorial integrity, unity and sovereignty of Syria, as well as being considered within the scope of financing terrorism. This act, which cannot be justified by any legitimate motive, is utterly unacceptable" the Foreign Ministry said in a written statement.Turkey's remarks came after media reports that the US-based company Delta Crescent Energy LLC signed a contract wi…

yenisafak (2020-08-03). Eat before you die! Try out these mouth-watering Turkish Eid | dishes. yenisafak.com After celebrating Eid al-Ahda, the Muslim holiday of Sacrifice, we've tried out Turkish cuisine once more. And once more, we have fallen in love with the luscious flavors.As we have every year during Eid, we invite you to try out the unique flavors of Turkey's diverse cities. This year, we are pleased to share two new recipes with you and your family.Lamb neck soup (Gerdan Paàßasƒ±) from the Adana provinceINGREDIENTS2 pieces lamb neck 5 garlic cloves5 tablespoons oil3 tablespoons flour3 tablespoons butter1 lemonStale bread2 liters water 1 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon red pepper1 dessert spoon…

yenisafak (2020-08-03). What you need to know about the coronavirus right now. yenisafak.com Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus right now: Early August "decisive" for VietnamVietnam is in the midst of a "decisive" fight against the coronavirus, the prime minister said, with the focus on the central city of Danang where infections have appeared in four factories.Authorities are battling several new clusters of infection linked to the city, a tourism hotspot, after going more than three months without detecting any domestic transmission.State of emergency, curfew in MelbourneAustralia's second-biggest city, Melbourne, entered its first day of tougher restrictions to contain the spread of a r…

yenisafak (2020-08-03). Vietnam says it has no plans for widespread lockdown. yenisafak.com Vietnam has no plans for a widespread lockdown and will only put areas considered epicentres under strict quarantine, the government's spokesperson said on Monday."We will only implement social distancing in areas considered virus epicentres, and will not pursue a widespread lockdown," Mai Tien Dung, the government's spokesman, told a monthly press conference on Monday.Dung said selective lockdown measures would allow the government to achieve the dual goals of containing the virus and boosting the economy at the same time."If there's an infection in a hamlet, we will lock down that hamlet only, not the whole dis…

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-03). 'US unilateral anti-Iranian sanctions unfair'. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 03 (MNA) — Naming the unilateral US sanctions against Iran 'unfair', the Austrian Ambassador to Iran Stefan Schulz voiced readiness of 250 Austrian firms for establishing economic relations with Iran.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-03). Police bust 400kg of drugs in Yazd province. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 26 (MNA) — The police forces of Yazd province in central Iran have seized 401 kilograms of illicit drugs in two separate operations.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-03). Oil industry activities on track despite sanctions: Zanganeh. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 03 (MNA) — Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh says Iran's oil industry activities have been going on strongly in the past two years since the US pulled out of the nuclear deal and reimposed sanctions.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-03). Iran exports 2nd non-oil cargo to Oman via Sirik port. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 03 (MNA) — Governor of Sirik said on Monday that the second shipment of Iran's non-oil goods was exported via Sirik Port Complex to the Sultanate of Oman.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-03). Iran registers 2,598 COVID-19 cases in 24 hours. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 03 (MNA) — The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has infected 2,598 people and claimed 215 lives in Iran in the past 24 hours, a senior health official said.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-03). Drive-in movie theater in Qeshm Island. en.mehrnews.com QESHM, Aug. 03 (MNA) — Qeshm Island, southern Iran, has launched its first drive-in movie theater to help cinema aficionados watch their favorite movies while observing health protocols during the coronavirus pandemic.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-03). PCR certification mandatory for Iraqis entering Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 03 (MNA) — Iraqi ministry of transport has made it mandatory for all Iraqis aimed at traveling to Iran to take Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests to diagnose infection by the lethal respiratory coronavirus before taking the trip.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-03). Ulyanov reacts to Dubowitz's remarks on Iran nuclear deal. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 03 (MNA) — Russia's Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov said that the atomic opportunities were given to Iran by NPT are absolutely legitimate.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-03). 'Exodus' to participate at Intl. Human Rights FilmFest. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 03 (MNA) — Bahman Kiarostami's documentary 'Exodus' will be screened at the fourth edition of the Taiwan International Human Rights Film Festival in September 2020.

Ken Hammond (2020-08-02). Pompeo, Trump unleash new phase of aggression vs. China. liberationnews.org Pompeo openly called for regime change in China, saying that "if we don't change China, China will change us."

Deirdre Griswold (2020-08-02). Virus statistics reveal class truth. workers.org The following is a digest of articles on COVID-19 by Deirdre Griswold that appeared in Workers World from April to June, 2020. April 14 — Because China is the most populous country in the world, and also the first to become infected with the COVID-19 virus, it is revealing to . . . |

RT (2020-08-02). Multiple bomb blasts at jail compound in Afghanistan, 1 killed and 20 injured – officials. rt.com At least one person was killed after a series of bombs exploded outside a jail compound in the city of Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan. Clashes broke out between police and attacking militants who made their way inside the jail. | One major car-bomb explosion was followed by two smaller blasts near the prison complex, provincial council member Sohrab Qaderi said, according to Reuters. | A large police force was deployed to counter the militants, who took up position outside the compound and have since made their way inside the complex. | Afghanistan's TOLO news agency quoted a spokesman for the Nangarhar prov…

RT (2020-08-02). Members of Congress returning to DC from Lewis funeral in Georgia won't have to follow quarantine rule made for everybody else. rt.com Politicians who attended the funeral of Congressman John Lewis in Georgia won't have to worry about Washington's new quarantine rules as they return to the city because they're deemed too essential to lock down. | A 'Who's Who' of Democrat politicians attended Thursday's funeral in Atlanta, despite a state ban on gatherings of more than 50 people. Some 50

RT (2020-08-02). Two guards stabbed during Georgia prison riot. Purported footage of violent uprising spreads on social media (VIDEOS). rt.com Two guards have been injured in a riot at Georgia's Ware State Prison, local media reported. Purported videos of the chaotic rebellion show inmates covered in blood, holding tasers, and even frog-marching handcuffed prison staff. | The situation is now under control and the facility, located near Waycross, has been put on lockdown, according to local media, citing a statement from the Georgia Department of Corrections. | "Two staff members received minor, non-life-threatening injuries and there are no reported inmate injuries at this time," the statement read. | Local reports also shared a statement from the W…

RT (2020-08-02). 'North Korea TV can learn from them': Netanyahu lashes out at Israeli media over 'one-sided' coverage of protests. rt.com Israeli media is not reporting on the protests against him, but taking part in them, PM Benjamin Netanyahu said as he launched several attacks on the country's press, which he insisted was acting "North Korea-style." | The demonstrations, which have been underway for months in Israel, are "being fueled especially by the media who have enlisted themselves [to the protests] in a manner the like of which I can't remember," Netanyahu The…

RT (2020-08-02). Yemen's Houthi rebels say they've downed a US-made spy drone. rt.com The Houthi rebels' air defense has shot down a US-made drone over the Jizan Region of Yemen near the border with Saudi Arabia, their spokesman, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, announced. | The small RQ20 Puma hand-launched UAV was hit "by an appropriate weapon," he added. | Saree didn't specify if the drone belonged to Saudi Arabia, which has been waging a US-supported military campaign against the Houthis since 2015, or any other party. | The rebels, who control much of the country, including capital Sanaa, have been shooting down UAVs (unarmed aerial vehicles) quite frequently. The most prominent target they…

RT (2020-08-02). Syria says US 'stealing' oil after American energy firm signs deal with Kurdish rebels. rt.com The Syrian government has accused the US of "stealing" the country's oil reserves, which Washington claimed to be protecting from terrorists. American lawmakers admitted that a deal has been signed with Kurdish rebels. | When President Donald Trump pulled US troops out of Syria last October, it was not the full withdrawal promised in his anti-interventionist campaign speeches. Instead, a contingent was left behind in areas of north Syria controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, ostensibly to protect the region's oilfields from Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) terrorists. | Also on rt.com

_____ (2020-08-02). Are Russia And US Different When It Comes To Election Meddling? popularresistance.org On this week's installment of "Scheer Intelligence," Robert Scheer challenges guest David Shimer on the fundamental conclusions of his new book, "Rigged: America, Russia and 100 Years of Covert Electoral Interference," regarding the "intentions" for US covert operations versus those of the Soviet Union/Russia. | Excerpted and lauded in the New York Times and elsewhere in the mainstream media, "Rigged" outlines covert operations in various countries by both nation-states, including American interference in 1970s Chile and post-World War II Italy, among others, but has been best reviewed for its deep dive into Russ…

South Front (2020-08-02). Video: That Sinking Feeling: Ukrainian Naval and Coastal Forces. globalresearch.ca In few areas are Russia's and Ukraine's divergent fortunes as evident as in naval armaments. Whereas the Russian Navy has overcome the malaise of the 1990s and went on to introduce new classes of warships, including state-of-the-art missile frigates, attack …

South Front (2020-08-02). Video: Turkey Cries Foul About Deployment of Egyptian Troops in Idlib. What's Going On? globalresearch.ca The Egyptian military has deployed about 150 troops on the frontline in the Syrian region of Greater Idlib to support forces of the Damascus government, Turkish sources claimed on July 30. | "The troops were later deployed in the Khan al-Asal …

Stephen Lendman (2020-08-02). Deteriorating Sino/US Relations: From Engagement to Containment and Confrontation. globalresearch.ca On Thursday during testimony before Senate Foreign Relations Committee members, Pompeo continued his militantly hostile war of words on China. See below. | *** | Commenting on his Chinaphobic remarks last week, former US diplomat who accompanied Richard Nixon on his 1972 …

Abdul Rahman (2020-08-02). COVID-19 shows the need to rebuild public health systems in Central Asian countries. peoplesdispatch.org Most of the countries in central Asia have been reluctant to reimpose restrictions due to the economic fallout. This has led to a massive jump in the total number of new infections and deaths in late June and July…

Joseph Thomas (2020-08-02). UK's Stunning Hypocrisy over Hong Kong. globalresearch.ca Further evidence the UK hides behind "human rights" rather than stands for them was demonstrated when London laced sanctions on Hong Kong after the passing of a security law aimed at combating overt foreign interference in the special administrative region …

IMEMC News (2020-08-02). Army Abducts A Mother, Her Son And Daughter, In Hebron, After Colonists Attempted to Kidnap A Child. imemc.org Israeli soldiers abducted, on Saturday evening, a Palestinian mother along with her son and daughter after they helped free a child after she was assaulted by illegal colonialist settlers who tried to kidnap her. According to human rights activist and a volunteer with the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights …

Telesur (2020-08-02). Malaysia: Former Prime Minister Najib Razak Found Guilty in Fraud Trial. globalresearch.ca Malaysia's High Court Tuesday found former Prime Minister Najib Razak guilty of abuse of power, money laundering, and criminal violation of trust during the trial against him for a multi-million dollar defalcation. | The court ruled that the US$10 million transfer …

_____ (2020-08-02). The Heart Of The Matter In The South China Sea. popularresistance.org When the USS Ronald Reagan and USS Nimitz carrier strike groups recently engaged in "operations" in the South China Sea, it failed to escape cynics that the US Pacific Fleet was doing its best to turn the infantile Thucydides trap theory into a self-fulfilling prophecy. | The pro forma official spin, via Rear Admiral Jim Kirk, commander of the Nimitz, is that the ops were conducted to "reinforce our commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, a rules-based international order, and to our allies and partners." | Nobody pays attention to these clichés, because the real message was delivered by a CIA operative posin…

_____ (2020-08-02). The Russians Are(n't) Coming! popularresistance.org In America's Emerald City these days, if there's even a hint of a war-wind-down, imperial-deescalation, or military budget-cuts, Washington's (non-dribbling) Wizards have a ready response: Russia! Indeed, these military's magicians have a far-simpler and more effective playbook than the city's aptly-named NBA franchise. Since President Donald Trump's election year, basketball's Wizards are a meager 148-162; the Wizards of Warfare are essentially undefeated — not a single war hath ended. The first-place War Wizards rely on two go-to moves to maintain militarism…

yenisafak (2020-08-02). Turkish president greets Muslim leaders' Eid al-Adha. yenisafak.com The president of Turkey on Sunday spoke over the phone with his counterparts from Afghanistan and Indonesia on the occasion of the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha.According to a statement by Turkey's Directorate of Communications, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and Joko Widodo exchanged greetings for Eid, one of the two most important Muslim holidays.The leaders underscored their commitment to improve bilateral relations and strengthen cooperation on regional issues.Most of the Muslim-majority countries around the world, including Turkey, are observing the four-day holiday that started on Friday.

yenisafak (2020-08-02). Philippines' confirmed coronavirus cases exceed 100,000. yenisafak.com The Philippines on Sunday reported 5,032 additional coronavirus infections, its largest single-day increase on record, taking the country's confirmed cases to 103,185.In a bulletin, the Department of Health also said the Southeast Asian country's coronavirus death toll had jumped by 20 to 2,059.President Rodrigo Duterte was scheduled to meet key cabinet members on Sunday to discuss a call by medical frontliners' groups to put the capital Manila, which accounts for the bulk of infections, back under a stricter lockdown, his spokesman said.

yenisafak (2020-08-02). Turkey-Azerbaijan joint military drills continue. yenisafak.com Joint military exercises, which began on July 29 with the participation of Turkey and Azerbaijan's air and ground forces, are continuing."Another stage of the Azerbaijani-Turkish Live-Fire Joint Large-Scale Tactical Exercises held in our country in accordance with the Agreement on Military Cooperation was conducted," Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said on Sunday."According to the plan, the efficiency and coordination of tasks, the organization of interoperability, the logistic support in the course of combat operations, as well as the effectiveness of military personnel activity and the use of weapons and military…

yenisafak (2020-08-02). Doctors plight mounting in Bangladesh amid pandemic. yenisafak.com The misery of doctors and frontline staff in the war against the novel coronavirus is surging in Bangladesh with at least 92 physicians having died due to the disease.The country reported 2,199 more infections as of Saturday with 21 additional deaths as the virus shows no indication of slowdown, according to the health ministry data.Deaths related to COVID-19 now stand at 3,132 and total infections stand at 240,000.Infections among doctors are raging and have already spread across the country as authorities allegedly failed to stop cases by taking proper measures even after the first COVID-19 case was detected Ma…

yenisafak (2020-08-02). India's interior minister tests positive for coronavirus, hospitalised. yenisafak.com India's Interior Minister Amit Shah said on Sunday that he had tested positive for coronavirus and had been admitted to hospital.Amit Shah, a close aide to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and one of the country's most powerful politicians, heads a key ministry that has been at the forefront of managing India's coronavirus outbreak."I request all of you who came in contact with me in the last few days to isolate yourselves and get tested," Shah said in a tweet.

2020-08-02: News Headlines

Ken Hammond (2020-08-02). Pompeo, Trump unleash new phase of aggression vs. China. liberationnews.org Pompeo openly called for regime change in China, saying that "if we don't change China, China will change us."

Deirdre Griswold (2020-08-02). Virus statistics reveal class truth. workers.org The following is a digest of articles on COVID-19 by Deirdre Griswold that appeared in Workers World from April to June, 2020. April 14 — Because China is the most populous country in the world, and also the first to become infected with the COVID-19 virus, it is revealing to . . . |

South Front (2020-08-02). Video: That Sinking Feeling: Ukrainian Naval and Coastal Forces. globalresearch.ca In few areas are Russia's and Ukraine's divergent fortunes as evident as in naval armaments. Whereas the Russian Navy has overcome the malaise of the 1990s and went on to introduce new classes of warships, including state-of-the-art missile frigates, attack …

South Front (2020-08-02). Video: Turkey Cries Foul About Deployment of Egyptian Troops in Idlib. What's Going On? globalresearch.ca The Egyptian military has deployed about 150 troops on the frontline in the Syrian region of Greater Idlib to support forces of the Damascus government, Turkish sources claimed on July 30. | "The troops were later deployed in the Khan al-Asal …

Stephen Lendman (2020-08-02). Deteriorating Sino/US Relations: From Engagement to Containment and Confrontation. globalresearch.ca On Thursday during testimony before Senate Foreign Relations Committee members, Pompeo continued his militantly hostile war of words on China. See below. | *** | Commenting on his Chinaphobic remarks last week, former US diplomat who accompanied Richard Nixon on his 1972 …

Abdul Rahman (2020-08-02). COVID-19 shows the need to rebuild public health systems in Central Asian countries. peoplesdispatch.org Most of the countries in central Asia have been reluctant to reimpose restrictions due to the economic fallout. This has led to a massive jump in the total number of new infections and deaths in late June and July…

Joseph Thomas (2020-08-02). UK's Stunning Hypocrisy over Hong Kong. globalresearch.ca Further evidence the UK hides behind "human rights" rather than stands for them was demonstrated when London laced sanctions on Hong Kong after the passing of a security law aimed at combating overt foreign interference in the special administrative region …

IMEMC News (2020-08-02). Army Abducts A Mother, Her Son And Daughter, In Hebron, After Colonists Attempted to Kidnap A Child. imemc.org Israeli soldiers abducted, on Saturday evening, a Palestinian mother along with her son and daughter after they helped free a child after she was assaulted by illegal colonialist settlers who tried to kidnap her. According to human rights activist and a volunteer with the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights …

Telesur (2020-08-02). Malaysia: Former Prime Minister Najib Razak Found Guilty in Fraud Trial. globalresearch.ca Malaysia's High Court Tuesday found former Prime Minister Najib Razak guilty of abuse of power, money laundering, and criminal violation of trust during the trial against him for a multi-million dollar defalcation. | The court ruled that the US$10 million transfer …

_____ (2020-08-02). Are Russia And US Different When It Comes To Election Meddling? popularresistance.org On this week's installment of "Scheer Intelligence," Robert Scheer challenges guest David Shimer on the fundamental conclusions of his new book, "Rigged: America, Russia and 100 Years of Covert Electoral Interference," regarding the "intentions" for US covert operations versus those of the Soviet Union/Russia. | Excerpted and lauded in the New York Times and elsewhere in the mainstream media, "Rigged" outlines covert operations in various countries by both nation-states, including American interference in 1970s Chile and post-World War II Italy, among others, but has been best reviewed for its deep dive into Russ…

_____ (2020-08-02). The Heart Of The Matter In The South China Sea. popularresistance.org When the USS Ronald Reagan and USS Nimitz carrier strike groups recently engaged in "operations" in the South China Sea, it failed to escape cynics that the US Pacific Fleet was doing its best to turn the infantile Thucydides trap theory into a self-fulfilling prophecy. | The pro forma official spin, via Rear Admiral Jim Kirk, commander of the Nimitz, is that the ops were conducted to "reinforce our commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, a rules-based international order, and to our allies and partners." | Nobody pays attention to these clichés, because the real message was delivered by a CIA operative posin…

_____ (2020-08-02). The Russians Are(n't) Coming! popularresistance.org In America's Emerald City these days, if there's even a hint of a war-wind-down, imperial-deescalation, or military budget-cuts, Washington's (non-dribbling) Wizards have a ready response: Russia! Indeed, these military's magicians have a far-simpler and more effective playbook than the city's aptly-named NBA franchise. Since President Donald Trump's election year, basketball's Wizards are a meager 148-162; the Wizards of Warfare are essentially undefeated — not a single war hath ended. The first-place War Wizards rely on two go-to moves to maintain militarism…

yenisafak (2020-08-02). Turkish president greets Muslim leaders' Eid al-Adha. yenisafak.com The president of Turkey on Sunday spoke over the phone with his counterparts from Afghanistan and Indonesia on the occasion of the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha.According to a statement by Turkey's Directorate of Communications, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and Joko Widodo exchanged greetings for Eid, one of the two most important Muslim holidays.The leaders underscored their commitment to improve bilateral relations and strengthen cooperation on regional issues.Most of the Muslim-majority countries around the world, including Turkey, are observing the four-day holiday that started on Friday.

yenisafak (2020-08-02). Philippines' confirmed coronavirus cases exceed 100,000. yenisafak.com The Philippines on Sunday reported 5,032 additional coronavirus infections, its largest single-day increase on record, taking the country's confirmed cases to 103,185.In a bulletin, the Department of Health also said the Southeast Asian country's coronavirus death toll had jumped by 20 to 2,059.President Rodrigo Duterte was scheduled to meet key cabinet members on Sunday to discuss a call by medical frontliners' groups to put the capital Manila, which accounts for the bulk of infections, back under a stricter lockdown, his spokesman said.

yenisafak (2020-08-02). Turkey-Azerbaijan joint military drills continue. yenisafak.com Joint military exercises, which began on July 29 with the participation of Turkey and Azerbaijan's air and ground forces, are continuing."Another stage of the Azerbaijani-Turkish Live-Fire Joint Large-Scale Tactical Exercises held in our country in accordance with the Agreement on Military Cooperation was conducted," Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said on Sunday."According to the plan, the efficiency and coordination of tasks, the organization of interoperability, the logistic support in the course of combat operations, as well as the effectiveness of military personnel activity and the use of weapons and military…

yenisafak (2020-08-02). Doctors plight mounting in Bangladesh amid pandemic. yenisafak.com The misery of doctors and frontline staff in the war against the novel coronavirus is surging in Bangladesh with at least 92 physicians having died due to the disease.The country reported 2,199 more infections as of Saturday with 21 additional deaths as the virus shows no indication of slowdown, according to the health ministry data.Deaths related to COVID-19 now stand at 3,132 and total infections stand at 240,000.Infections among doctors are raging and have already spread across the country as authorities allegedly failed to stop cases by taking proper measures even after the first COVID-19 case was detected Ma…

yenisafak (2020-08-02). Does all of India approve of the Kashmir annexation move? yenisafak.com Describing Aug. 5, when India annexed Jammu and Kashmir region, a day of "betrayal" and "blackest day", a pro-India Kashmiri politician said people were seething with anger against the move.A member of Indian parliament, representing Kashmiri's oldest political party the National Conference (NC), Hassnain Masoodi said oppressive machinery has prevented people to show their anger in streets."The disapproval continues. The state may choose not to see the anger but it is there. Oppressive machinery in place does not allow people to exercise their right to demonstrate and hold meetings. Hundreds of people are still j…

yenisafak (2020-08-02). India's interior minister tests positive for coronavirus, hospitalised. yenisafak.com India's Interior Minister Amit Shah said on Sunday that he had tested positive for coronavirus and had been admitted to hospital.Amit Shah, a close aide to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and one of the country's most powerful politicians, heads a key ministry that has been at the forefront of managing India's coronavirus outbreak."I request all of you who came in contact with me in the last few days to isolate yourselves and get tested," Shah said in a tweet.

yenisafak (2020-08-02). Indonesia reports 1,519 new coronavirus infections, 43 deaths. yenisafak.com Indonesia reported 1,519 new coronavirus infections on Sunday, bringing the total to 111,455, data from the country's COVID-19 task force showed.The data also showed 43 new COVID-19 related deaths, bringing the toll to 5,236.

yenisafak (2020-08-02). Top Iranian aide praises Turkey's Hagia Sophia move. yenisafak.com A senior advisor to Iran's supreme leader on Sunday congratulated Turkey for reopening the Hagia Sophia Mosque after 86 years as a museum."We congratulate the Turkish people for this important Islamic success," Ali Akbar Velayati, an aide to Ali Khamenei told Iranian state television.Velayati also criticized US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for recent comments urging Ankara to reconvert the Hagia Sophia into a museum."His ancestors converted all museums of the world into churches. The Hagia Sophia, which has been a mosque for 500 years, will remain as a mosque until the apocalypse," Velayati stressed.Ankara has…

yenisafak (2020-08-02). Iran's stock market surges past key level to record high, as analysts warn of bubble. yenisafak.com Iran's main stock index broke through the key 2 million point mark for the first time ever on Sunday, state media reported, amid warnings that the market is overheating.The Tehran Stock Exchange's benchmark TEDPIX index gained 46,844 points in early trading, the official IRNA news agency said, up 2.4%.The index closed at 1,961,649 on Saturday after surging by over 57,325 points, or 3.01%, on the day, according to the Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE) website.Iran's clerical rulers have been encouraging ordinary Iranians to invest in local stocks to boost the country's economy, which has been hard hit by the reimpositio…

yenisafak (2020-08-02). Flights between Turkey, Iraq suspended over coronavirus. yenisafak.com Iraq reopened Baghdad and southern airports last week for international travel after months of closure caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

yenisafak (2020-08-02). Teen suicides trigger debate on online gaming in Pakistan. yenisafak.com Saad*, 18, was found hanging from a ceiling fan at his residence in southwestern Pakistan earlier this month.His brother says the teenager committed suicide after missing a task on a famous online video game.Over the next few days, three other youths reportedly committed suicide across the country for the same reason, triggering a debate on the psychological impact of the online games.Following the incidents, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), a state-run regulatory authority, which was already pressured by a series of complaints from parents, slapped a ban on several online games. But the ban was qu…

yenisafak (2020-08-02). Russia's coronavirus cases surpass 850,000. yenisafak.com Russia reported 5,427 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Sunday, bringing its nationwide tally to 850,870, the fourth largest caseload in the world.Russia's coronavirus taskforce said 70 people had died over the last 24 hours, pushing the official death toll in the country of around 145 million people to 14,128.

yenisafak (2020-08-02). Saudi Arabia says dozens of soldiers killed in clashes. yenisafak.com Saudi forces suffered dozens of casualties amid clashes in the country's southwest, according to news reports on Sunday by an outlet aligned with Yemeni Houthi rebels.Clashes broke out with Houthi forces in the city of Najran, the Ansarullah news website reported.Saudi authorities have yet to comment.Yemen has been beset by violence and chaos since 2014, when Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including Sanaa. The crisis escalated in 2015 when a Saudi-led military coalition launched a devastating air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi territorial gains.Tens of thousands of Yemenis are since believed to…

yenisafak (2020-08-02). Eid al-Adha: Turkey donates meat to needy Gazans. yenisafak.com Palestinian authorities on Sunday began distributing meat from livestock sacrificed with donations from Turkey on the Muslim Eid al-Adha festival to hundreds of families in need in the Gaza Strip.During the four-day holiday, the Ministry of Foundations and Religious Affairs aims to provide as many as 4,500 families with meat, Eshref Ismail, the director of the projects department at the ministry, told Anadolu Agency.The Turkiye Diyanet Foundation is financing the initiative.Most of the Muslim-majority countries around the world, including Turkey, are observing the four-day holiday that started on Friday.On Eid al…

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-02). Iran COVID-19 update: 2,685 new cases, 208 deaths. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 02 (MNA) — The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has infected 2,685people in Iran in the past 24 hours, increasing the total cases to 309,437, said Health Ministry Spokesperson Sima Lari on Sunday.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-02). Promoting missile capability, defense ministry's top priority. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 02 (MNA) — Iranian Minister of Defense said that improving and promoting the missile capacity of the country is the main and top priority of his ministry.

RT (2020-08-02). Members of Congress returning to DC from Lewis funeral in Georgia won't have to follow quarantine rule made for everybody else. rt.com Politicians who attended the funeral for congressman John Lewis in Georgia won't have to worry about Washington's new quarantine rules as they return to the city because they're deemed too essential to lock down. | A Who's Who of Democrat politicians attended Thursday's funeral in Atlanta, despite a state ban on gatherings of more than 50 people. Fifty

RT (2020-08-02). Two guards stabbed during Georgia prison riot. Purported footage of violent uprising spreads on social media (VIDEOS). rt.com Two guards have been injured in a riot at Georgia's Ware State Prison, local media reported. Purported videos of the chaotic rebellion show inmates covered in blood, holding tasers, and even frog-marching handcuffed prison staff. | The situation is now under control and the facility, located near Waycross, has been put on lockdown, according to local media, citing a statement from the Georgia Department of Corrections. | "Two staff members received minor, non-life-threatening injuries and there are no reported inmate injuries at this time," the statement read. | Local reports also shared a statement from the W…

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-02). Intelligence min. dismisses speculations on Sharmahd's arrest. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 02 (MNA) — Iranian Ministry of Intelligence has categorically dismissed any speculation on the arrest of the ringleader of a US-based terrorist group "Jamshid Sharmahd".

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-02). Army Ground Force signs MoU to receive geographical data. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 02 (MNA) — National Geography Organization and the intelligence branch of Iran Army's Ground Force signed an MoU to develop cooperation in the fields of science, education, and research interactions.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-02). Govt. to set up work group to remove production barriers. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 02 (MNA) — Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that the government will establish a special workgroup for removing production barriers.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-02). 2nd round of Iran-Ukraine talks to be held in Oct. in Tehran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 02 (MNA) — Iranian Ambassador to Ukraine announced that the second round of talks between Iran and Ukraine over the issue of the Ukrainian aircraft's crash will be held in October 2020 in Tehran.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-02). Zarif stresses need to update document on Iran-Russia coop. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 02 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Minister in his meeting with with Chairman of the Russian Duma's Foreign Affairs Committee stressed the need to update the document of long-term cooperation between the two countries.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-02). Sunflower farm in NE Iran. en.mehrnews.com BOJNURD, Aug. 02 (MNA) — Some 15,000 hectares of farms in North Khorasan province, northeast Iran, are under cultivation of oily seeds, producing some 70,000 tons of different seeds including sunflower and rapeseed on an annual basis.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-02). Police seize over 631 kg of narcotics in central Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 03 (MNA) — The police forces of Isfahan Province have seized over 631kg of illicit drugs in Nain County.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-02). Minister urges nation to observe health protocols in Muharram. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 02 (MNA) — Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli has called on the Iranian nation to fully observe anti-coronavirus health protocols during Muharram rituals.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-02). Iranian Film Week to open in Japan. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 03 (MNA) — The third Iranian Film Week, organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Iran in Japan, is set to open in the Japanese city of Minato.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-02). Austria seeking cultural, economic ties with Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 02 (MNA) — Austrian Ambassador to Iran Stefan Schulz said that Austria seeks to expand cultural and economic relations with Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province in Iran.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-02). Tehran, Seoul to launch humanitarian trade: Yonhap. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 02 (MNA) — A South Korean source has claimed that Tehran and Seoul have agreed to establish a working group on mutual humanitarian trade, according to Yonhap.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-02). Yemen military shoots down US drone. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 02 (MNA) — The Spokesman for Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, informed on Sunday that the Yemeni military forces have shot down an American spy drone.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-02). Saudi fighter jets bombed Yemen 598 times last month. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 03 (MNA) — The fighter jets of Saudi-led coalition have bombed Yemen 598 times last month, A Yemeni military source said.

The Canary (2020-08-02). Unnamed Conservative MP arrested after rape accusation from former parliamentary aide. thecanary.co A Conservative MP has been arrested after a former parliamentary aide accused him of rape, sexual assault and coercive control, according to reports. | The ex-minister, who's not been named, is alleged to have assaulted and raped a woman. The abuse allegedly took place during a relationship, the Sunday Times and Mail on Sunday reported. | The investigation comes days after former Conservative MP Charlie Elphicke was convicted at Southwark Crown Court in a separate case of sexually assaulting two women, one of them a parliamentary worker. | Released on bail: | The Metropolitan Police said it received alleg…

ANSWER Indiana (2020-08-01). Black Lives Matter Coalition calls for termination of 21 officers involved in 2019 drowning of Keshawn Stewart. liberationnews.org We demand an end to the war on Black America!

Caoimhghin àì Croidheáin (2020-08-01). We Need to Talk about Romanticism. dissidentvoice.org Satire on Romantic Suicide (1839) by Leonardo Alenza y Nieto (1807—1845) Introduction Why do we need to talk about Romanticism? What is Romanticism? And how does it affect us in the 21st century? The fact is that we are so immersed in Romanticism now that we cannot see the proverbial wood for the haunted-looking trees. …

RT (2020-08-01). 'Caspian Sea Monster': Unique Soviet Cold War-era flying ship to become main attraction at military theme park in Russia (VIDEO). rt.com A one-of-a-kind bizarre ekranoplan vehicle, which looks like a plane but is actually a military super ship, has arrived in the city of Derbent on the Caspian Sea. It will eventually be the highlight of its 'Patriot Park.' | Built in the Soviet Union in 1986, 903 Lun became the first and only missile-carrying ekranoplan in the world. It joined the Caspian Flotilla in the early 1990s and remained in service for a decade. | The 74-meter vehicle used the lift generated by the ground effect of its huge wings to fly several meters above the water surface. Despite closely resembling a plane, Lun was classified as a s…

RT (2020-08-01). USSR's unique Cold War-era flying ship 'Caspian Sea Monster' to become main star of military theme park in Russia (VIDEO). rt.com A one-of-a-kind and bizarre-looking ekranoplan vehicle, which looks like a plane but is actually a military super ship, has arrived in the city of Derbent on the Caspian Sea where it will be the highlight of Patriot Park. | Built in the Soviet Union in 1986, 903 Lun became the first and only missile-carrying ekranoplan in the world. It joined the Caspian Flotilla in the early 1990s and remained in service for a decade. | The 74-meter vehicle used the lift generated by the ground effect of its huge wings to fly several meters above the water surface. Despite closely resembling a plane, Lun was classified as a s…

RT (2020-08-01). Fuel truck rams into plane at Russia's largest airport on the day international flights resume (VIDEO). rt.com The resumption of international flights in Russia after the hiatus caused by Covid-19 has been marred by an accident at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport, where a fuel truck collided with an Airbus A321. | The truck crashed into a plane belonging to Russia's top air carrier, Aeroflot, early on Saturday. It happened on a remote parking lot, and no crew or passengers were on board the Airbus, which was preparing for a flight to the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Sheremetyevo Airport's press service said. | Both the plane and the truck suffered damage in the collision. Photos and videos from the scene published by RT's R…

Anand Naidoo (2020-08-01). The Heat: China's Navigation System & U.S. Politics. america.cgtn.com China charts its own course with a new satellite navigation system. And, the surge of COVID-19 cases in the United States. Why health experts say it may only get worse in the weeks ahead.