Weekend Read: The SPLC fights an internal threat to our democracy
splcenter.org | 2019-08-03
In his recent testimony before Congress, Special Counsel Robert Mueller pointedly warned the nation about Russia's ongoing attempts to meddle in our nation's elections.
splcenter.org/news/2019/08/03/weekend-read-splc-fights-internal-threat-our-democracy

Weekend Read: The SPLC fights an internal threat to our democracy
splcenter.org | 2019-08-03
In his recent testimony before Congress, Special Counsel Robert Mueller pointedly warned the nation about Russia's ongoing attempts to meddle in our nation's elections.
splcenter.org/news/2019/08/03/weekend-read-splc-fights-internal-threat-our-democracy

A Major Conventional War Against Iran Is an Impossibility. Crisis within the US Command Structure
Prof Michel Chossudovsky | globalresearch.ca | 2019-08-03
What both the media and military analysts fail to acknowledge is that US CENTCOM's forward Middle East headquarters at the al-Udeid military base close to Doha de facto "lies in enemy territory". Since the May 2017 split of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Qatar has become a staunch ally of Iran…
globalresearch.ca/a-major-conventional-war-against-iran-is-an-impossibility-crisis-within-the-us-command-structure/5682514

Russian opposition figure detained ahead of Moscow protest
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2019-08-03
A leading opposition figure has been detained by Moscow police as she was heading to an unauthorised protest against the exclusion of independent and opposition candidates from the city council elections.Lyubov Sobol, who is one of the election hopefuls rejected from the ballot, was detained on Saturday in central Moscow and taken away in a police van.Activists intend to go ahead with the unauthorised protest (AP)The attempted rally comes a week after police detained nearly 1,400 protesters, beating some of them with truncheons.Despite repeated warnings that police would take active measures against a protest on…
thecanary.co/global/2019/08/03/russian-opposition-figure-detained-ahead-of-moscow-protest/

The Western Alliance is Falling Apart
Peter Koenig | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-08-03
Ever since Imran Khan became the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan in August 2018, the winds have changed. While his predecessors, though generally leaning eastwards, have often wavered between the US and the China orbit, Khan is in the process of clearly defining his alliances with the east, in particular China. This is for the …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/08/the-western-alliance-is-falling-apart/

Iran's Interests in China's One Belt One Road Policy
unitedEditor | uwidata.com | 2019-08-03
The Chinese economy has recently boosted its foreign exchange earnings and substantially increased its currency reserves. The increase in China's foreign exchange reserves and resources has provided the government with the opportunity to become one of the major actors in the supply of international relations and the global economy. China is one of the emerging …
uwidata.com/4707-irans-interests-in-chinas-one-belt-one-road-policy/

"Greater Israel": The Zionist Plan for the Middle East
Israel Shahak | globalresearch.ca | 2019-08-03
When viewed in the current context, the war on Iraq, the 2006 war on Lebanon, the 2011 war on Libya, the ongoing wars on Syria and Iraq, the war on Yemen, must be understood in relation to the Zionist Plan for the Middle East…
globalresearch.ca/greater-israel-the-zionist-plan-for-the-middle-east/5324815

War Is Hell. Why Are We Waging an Endless One?
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-08-03
| Friday, August 2, marked the 29th anniversary of Operation Desert Shield, the military action that heralded the onset of the Gulf War in Iraq. That conflict, shifting from one iteration to the next, never ended. | Desert Shield became Desert Storm, which then became a long, violent police action under the Clinton administration. During that period, sanctions against Iraq were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of children. Smal…
truthout.org/articles/war-is-hell-why-are-we-waging-an-endless-one/

1 dead, 5 injured in second Enbridge pipeline explosion this year
Olivia Rosane | nationofchange.org | 2019-08-03
A natural gas pipeline owned by Canadian company Enbridge exploded in Kentucky early Thursday, sending flames 300 feet into the sky, killing one woman and sending five people to the hospital, CBS News reported. The blast was so strong it showed up on radar. | "It was like an atomic bomb went off, basical…
nationofchange.org/2019/08/03/1-dead-5-injured-in-second-enbridge-pipeline-explosion-this-year/

United Church of Canada should Come Clean on Anti-Palestinian Accord
Yves Engler | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-08-03
Toronto church Trinity-St. Paul's shameful suppression of a Palestinian youth cultural event highlights anti-Palestinian rot festering in the United Church of Canada. It ought to also shine a light on a little discussed anti-Palestinian accord UCC leaders signed with Israel lobby groups five decades ago. Under pressure from B'nai B'rith and the Jewish Defence League …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/08/united-church-of-canada-should-come-clean-on-anti-palestinian-accord/

As the Far Right Goes Global, So Do Anti-BDS Bills
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-08-03
| Israeli politics have moved into uncharted territory over the past several months, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu found himself unable to form a coalition large enough to claim victory in last spring's elections. However, even as the Israeli state enters into political turmoil at home, it is becoming increasingly immune to criticism from the internat…
truthout.org/articles/as-the-far-right-goes-global-so-do-anti-bds-bills/

A $32mn nothingburger: Justice Dept bill comes due for Russiagate costs
rt.com | 2019-08-03
Nearly two years of fruitlessly hunting for collusion between US President Donald Trump's campaign and the Russian government cost the country $31.7 million, the Justice Department has revealed. | …
rt.com/usa/465706-mueller-investigation-cost-justice/

US Defense Official Wants to Deploy Missiles to Asia
telesurenglish.net | 2019-08-03
U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper stated on stated on Saturday that he is in favor of deploying ground-launched, intermediate-range missiles in Asia relatively soon, a day after the United States withdrew from a landmark arms control treaty. | RELATED: | China Vows to Retaliate if Trump Imposes New Tariffs | These comments by Esper come just a day after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to slap new sanctions against China. | "Yeah, I would like to," Esper said, when asked whether h…
telesurenglish.net/news/US-Defense-Official-Wants-to-Deploy-Missiles-to-Asia-20190803-0005.html

Trump escalates trade war with China
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2019-08-03
San José, CA – On Thursday, July 31, President Trump tweeted that he would be imposing new tariffs, or taxes, on the $300 billion of Chinese goods not covered by his 25% tariffs. U.S. stocks took an immediate dive, giving up all of their 300-point gain to drop 280 points for the day. They continued to fall on Friday, leading to the worst week for U.S. stocks all year. | Despite what Trump says, tariffs are taxes that are paid by U.S. importers. Up to now, most of the Chinese goods placed under heavy tariffs have not been consumer goods. But the new tariffs mainly hit consumer goods such as cell phones, consumer e…
https://www.fightbacknews.org/2019/8/3/trump-escalates-trade-war-china

Humanitarian crisis in Maxmur refugee camp
susan_p | greenleft.org.au | 2019-08-03
The Maxmur (Makhmour) refugee camp, in Iraqi Kurdistan (Bashur/Southern Kurdistan), is home to over 13,000 Kurdish refugees and is located in a town 60 kilometres south-west of the capital, Erbil. Many of the camp's residents were forced to flee their homes in 1993-1994 as the Turkish state pursued a brutal campaign of aggression against the Kurdish people, destroying thousands of villages and displacing hundreds of thousands of people. | In August 2014, as ISIS was overrunning large parts of Iraq and Syria, the terrorist organisation targeted Maxmur as a step to advancing on Erbil. ISIS invaded and occupied the…
greenleft.org.au/content/humanitarian-crisis-maxmur-refugee-camp

Rashida Tlaib defends Democratic Party collaboration with Trump on immigration
wsws.org | 2019-08-03
The Democratic congresswoman, a member of the DSA, demands "more training" for agents inflicting gross human rights violations.
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/08/03/tlai-a03.html

US scrapping of INF treaty heightens threat of nuclear war
wsws.org | 2019-08-03
The formal abrogation of the treaty declared on Friday sets the stage for the testing and deployment of medium-range missiles against both Russia and China.
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/08/03/inft-a03.html

Workers Struggles: Asia, Australia and the Pacific
wsws.org | 2019-08-03
The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature.
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/08/03/labo-a03.html

Trump's trade war measures hit the financial markets
wsws.org | 2019-08-03
In its analysis of the latest turn in the trade war, the South China Morning Post said China had to decide either to a walk away from the negotiations or make major concessions to the US.
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/08/03/trad-a03.html

Affossato il Trattato Inf, in arrivo nuovi euromissili
Manlio Dinucci | globalresearch.ca | 2019-08-03
Il segretario di stato Mike Pompeo ha annunciato ieri, dopo sei mesi di sospensione, il definitivo ritiro degli Stati uniti dal Trattato sulle Forze nucleari intermedie (Inf), accusando la Russia di averlo ´deliberatamente violato, mettendo a rischio i supremi interessi …
globalresearch.ca/affossato-il-trattato-inf-in-arrivo-nuovi-euromissili/5685497

Canadians have a Right to Know if their Wine Was Made on Stolen Land
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-08-02
Dimitri Lascaris discusses the decision of a Canadian federal court to ban wine from illegal Israeli colonies to be labelled as "made in Israel." This issue reaches far beyond Canada, as many states debate these issues around the world…
therealnews.com/stories/canadians-have-a-right-to-know-if-their-wine-was-made-on-stolen-land

No, Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard Is Not "Assad Apologist"
Sarah Abed | globalresearch.ca | 2019-08-02
With nearly two dozen declared candidates competing for the 2020 Democratic Presidential primary field and the opportunity to run against Donald Trump in the general election, it's no surprise that candidates are trying their best to "destroy" their opponents during …
globalresearch.ca/no-democratic-congresswoman-tulsi-gabbard-not-assad-apologist/5685451

Russian assets in America: A field guide
rt.com | 2019-08-02
While the media likes to make a fuss about shady 'Russian hackers' and 'Russian bots' subverting democracy, did you know that America is actually full of Russian assets plying their trade openly? We find the worst of the worst. | …
rt.com/usa/465690-russian-assets-in-america-guide/

Tulsi finally shows she's had it with MSM 'Assad apologist' smear
rt.com | 2019-08-02
Democratic presidential hopeful Tulsi Gabbard slammed MSNBC — and mainstream media in general — for dredging up her meeting with Syrian President Bashar Assad every time she goes on TV, calling the endless repetition "propaganda." | …
rt.com/usa/465618-tulsi-loses-patience-assad-apologist/

Syria's "Opposition" Fails to Represent Syrians
Steven Sahiounie | globalresearch.ca | 2019-08-02
The Syrian population residing in Syria is suffering from having barely survived eight years of war. They didn't leave for camps in Turkey, Jordan or Lebanon, or they are those who have returned to Syria from having been in camps. …
globalresearch.ca/syrian-opposition-fails-represent-syrians/5685456

'La vacuna contra el unilateralismo': el Movimiento de Países No Alineados se reúne en Venezuela para resistir contra la tiranía del dólar
Anya Parampil | thegrayzone.com | 2019-08-02
Cobertura de The Grayzone desde la conferencia ministerial del Movimiento de Países No Alineados (Mnoal), donde representantes de más de…
thegrayzone.com/2019/08/02/movimiento-de-paises-no-alineados-venezuela-dolar/

Guardianship System Eased, but Saudi Arabia Still Oppresses Women
Medea Benjamin | counterpunch.org | 2019-08-02
The Saudi government announced it will be eliminating part of the male guardianship system, finally granting women the right to obtain passports and travel (if 21 years of age or over), and obtain family identification cards without the need for male authorization. The change comes in the context of the bad publicity that Saudi Arabia…
counterpunch.org/2019/08/02/guardianship-system-eased-but-saudi-arabia-still-oppresses-women/

Guardianship System Eased, but Saudi Arabia Still Oppresses Women
Medea Benjamin | dissidentvoice.org | 2019-08-02
The Saudi government announced it will be eliminating part of the male guardianship system, finally granting women the right to obtain passports and travel (if 21 years of age or over), and obtain family identification cards without the need for male authorization. The change comes in the context of the bad publicity that Saudi Arabia …
dissidentvoice.org/2019/08/guardianship-system-eased-but-saudi-arabia-still-oppresses-women/

Philippines Deadliest Place for Land Activists: Global Witness
telesurenglish.net | 2019-08-02
The Philippines is the deadliest country for environmentalists and activists, Global Witness said after a new report revealed 30 murders transpired last year. | RELATED: | Philippines: 13th Journalist Murdered Since Duterte Took Power | Eighteen percent of the world's 164 environment-related deaths took place in the Philippines, the international watchdog…
telesurenglish.net/news/Philippines-Deadliest-Place-for-Land-Activists-Global-Witness-20190802-0009.html

Philippines Deadliest Place for Land Activists: Global Witness
telesurenglish.net | 2019-08-02
The Philippines is the deadliest country for environmentalists and activists, Global Witness said after a new report revealed 30 murders transpired last year. | RELATED: | Philippines: 13th Journalist Murdered Since Duterte Took Power | Eighteen percent of the world's 164 environment-related deaths took place in the Philippines, the international watchdog…
telesurenglish.net/news/Philippines-Deadliest-Place-for-Land-Activists-Global-Witness-20190802-0009.html

Update: Devonia Inman's Chance to Prove His Innocence
Murderville, GA | theintercept.com | 2019-08-02
More than eight years after DNA evidence revealed the state of Georgia sent the wrong man to prison for murder, Inman may have a chance to prove his innocence.
theintercept.com/2019/08/02/update-devonia-inmans-chance-to-prove-his-innocence/

Why Did the UK Commander of HM Montrose Refrain from Firing on Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC)? Who in Iran Gave Orders to Capture the "Stena Impero"?
Elijah J. Magnier | globalresearch.ca | 2019-08-02
The US officially asked Europe, in particular the UK, France, Germany and Italy, to provide a naval force to patrol and protect ships sailing in the Straits of Hormuz, even if the command and control is handled by the Europeans …
globalresearch.ca/why-did-the-uk-commander-of-hm-montrose-refrain-from-firing-on-irans-revolutionary-guards-irgc-who-in-iran-gave-orders-to-capture-the-stena-impero/5685433

The MEK: Illusion vs. Reality
Robert Fantina | counterpunch.org | 2019-08-02
The oddly named People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (known as the MKO or MEK), whose sole purpose is the overthrow of the people's government of Iran, has been busy. Some of their members, who seem to be mainly elderly, are technologically savvy, and use social media to further their disgraceful cause. But they don't just…
counterpunch.org/2019/08/02/the-mek-illusion-vs-reality/

Ship of Fools: Britain, America and the Iranian Oil Tanker Incidents
T.J. Coles | counterpunch.org | 2019-08-02
Taking over from Britain's colonial role in exploiting the country, the US has bullied and tried to intimidate Iran for decades. The ongoing pretext for strangling Iran economically is that Iran is developing nuclear weapons. The UN's International Atomic Energy Agency repeatedly finds no evidence for this repeated US-led lie. Then-US President Barack Obama's Task…
counterpunch.org/2019/08/02/ship-of-fools-britain-america-and-the-iranian-oil-tanker-incidents/

Coming to Terms with the Past by Honoring Historical Truth: The Case of Fulbright University Vietnam
Mark Ashwill | counterpunch.org | 2019-08-02
No man in the whole world can change the truth. One can only look for the truth, find it and serve it. -Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) Thanks to a Google Alert, I learned that Dam Bich Thuy, founding president of Fulbright University Vietnam (FUV), was at Carthage College, a small liberal arts institution in Wisconsin, to deliver…
counterpunch.org/2019/08/02/coming-to-terms-with-the-past-by-honoring-historical-truth-the-case-of-fulbright-university-vietnam/

The Rise of China and the Decline of American Power
Christopher Black | globalresearch.ca | 2019-08-02
The imperialist powers have a long history of colonialism in China, of reducing its people to beggars in their own land. The British, the French, the Germans, the Americans, the Japanese, all are guilty of crimes against China that cannot …
globalresearch.ca/china-conclusion-american-power/5685416

A Mother, Six Newborns Die Every Two Hours in Yemen
Daily Sabah | globalresearch.ca | 2019-08-02
As the world approaches the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), mothers and children continue to bear the brunt of the ongoing Saudi-led war in Yemen. The brutal conflict continues to cost the lives …
globalresearch.ca/mother-six-newborns-die-every-two-hours-yemen/5685436

UAE Withdrawal from Yemen. Turning Point. Did the Ansar Allah Just Win the Yemeni War?
Andrew Korybko | globalresearch.ca | 2019-08-02
The announcement that the UAE is in the process of a large-scale military drawdown in Yemen has been met with rapturous applause by the Ansar Allah's supporters who believe that this unofficially acknowledges their victory in the conflict, but these …
globalresearch.ca/did-ansar-allah-really-just-win-yemeni-war/5685403

Prohibiting Maintenance of Tanker Off Yemeni Coast, Saudis Risk Explosion and Environmental Disaster
Ahmed Abdulkareem | mintpressnews.com | 2019-08-02
mintpressnews.com/maintenance-fso-safer-tanker-yemen-saudi-arabia-oil-spill/261112/

As Trump Fans the Flames of Anti-Abortion Rhetoric, Kansas Offers a Cautionary Tale
Jordan Smith | theintercept.com | 2019-08-02
Threats against abortion providers have often been condoned by the state. Perhaps nowhere does history more clearly illustrate this point than in Wichita.
theintercept.com/2019/08/02/anti-abortion-violence-kansas/

MSNBC paid me millions to 'keep quiet' on Iraq: Jesse Ventura to RT's Lee Camp
rt.com | 2019-08-02
Former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura told RT's Lee Camp that his anti-war views were so unpopular at MSNBC, the network paid him something to the tune of ten million dollars to "keep quiet." | …
rt.com/usa/465691-msnbc-millions-jesse-ventura-iraq/

Palestinian refugees in Lebanon struggle for justice
Liberation Staff | liberationnews.org | 2019-08-02
This guest statement on the Lebanese government's recent restrictions on work permits for Palestinian and Syrian refugees is by Al-Awda, the Palestine Right to Return Coalition.
liberationnews.org/palestinian-refugees-in-lebanon-struggle-for-justice/