2020-08-11: News Headlines

Staff (2020-08-11). Headlines for August 11, 2020. democracynow.org Lebanese Gov't Steps Down in Wake of Catastrophic Beirut Explosion and Mounting Protests, Trump Mulls Barring Americans from Reentry into U.S.; Coronavirus Cases Rise in Kids, Russia Approves First COVID-19 Vaccine; New Zealand Goes Back into Lockdown, Unrest in Chicago Sparked by Police Shooting Leads to 100+ Arrests, 16 People Arrested in Portland, OR Protests, Including Hate Crime Survivor Demetria Hester, Belarus in Turmoil as Lukashenko Cracks Down on Protests, Opposition Candidate Flees to Lithuania, Bolivia Protests Against Interim Right-Wing Gov't Intensify; Union Calls for General Strike, Fires in Brazil…

Special to People's World (2020-08-11). Portugal mourns death of leading cultural worker Fernanda Lapa. peoplesworld.org The well-known actress and director Fernanda Lapa, a major personality in Portuguese culture and theater, died at the age of 77 on August 6 in Cascais, not far from her home. The Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) issued a moving statement of mourning. Born in Lisbon in 1943, Fernanda …

The Canary (2020-08-11). Coronavirus vaccine registered in Russia, says Putin. thecanary.co Russian president Vladimir Putin says a coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine developed in the country has been registered for use and one of his daughters has already been inoculated.Putin emphasised that the vaccine underwent the necessary tests and has proven efficient, offering a lasting immunity from coronavirus.However, scientists have been sounding the alarm that the rush to start using the vaccine before Phase 3 trials — which normally last for months and involve thousands of people — could backfire.Speaking at a government meeting, Putin emphasised that the vaccine has undergone proper testing and p…

Patrick Cockburn (2020-08-11). The Rise of Nationalism Has Led to the Increased Repression of Minorities. counterpunch.org We live in an era of resurgent nationalism. From Scotland to Sri Lanka, from China to Brazil, governments rely on nationalism as a source of communal identity and a vehicle for common action. In countries where religious identity appears to dominate, as with Islam in Turkey and Hinduism in India, religion has bonded with nationalism.

_____ (2020-08-11). Democracy — We've had the Russia Report, now where is the America Report? truepublica.org.uk By Rob Woodward — TruePublica: The long-awaited Russia report was published with a call for "immediate action" by the government and intelligence services to tackle the threat from just one country — Russia. The reality was that while Russia may have been meddling at the edges of Britain's democracy, America has been actively involved in …

Jordan Schachtel (2020-08-11). Sweden Debunks the Covid Hysteria: No Lockdown, No Masks, No Vaccine. globalresearch.ca Here in the United States, we have become inundated with tales of COVID-19 doom and gloom. In America, the mainstream narrative is rife with hopelessness. | We are told that there is simply no way to stop this virus without repetitive …

Michael J. Matt (2020-08-11). Video: The Great Reset: Covid-19 and the WEF Plan to Impose A New World Order. globalresearch.ca Michael J. Matt takes a look at some good news regarding the Covid recovery rate before exploring what's really going on with the global pandemic. | To understand this, he takes us to Switzerland—to the World Economic Forum—where the movers and …

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-11). Russia 1st country to register COVID-19 vaccine, says Putin. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 11 (MNA) — According to President Vladimir Putin, Russia has become the first country in the world to register a vaccine against COVID-19.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-11). Iran, Russia discuss on broadening bilateral media coop. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 11 (MNA)- Spokespersons of Iranian and Russian Foreign Ministry discussed about ways to expand bilateral cooperation in the field of media and to counter unrealistic atmosphere created by western states through video conference on Tue.

_____ (2020-08-11). If Trump Wins, Russia Did It, If Biden Wins, It Was China And Iran. popularresistance.org Mass media throughout the western world are uncritically passing along a press release from the US intelligence community because that's what passes for journalism in a world where God is dead and everything is stupid. | The press release, from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and authored by National Counterintelligence and Security Center Director William Evanina, claims that Russia wants Donald Trump to win re-election in November and is pushing to advance than goal, while China and Iran are doing the same with Joe Biden. What this completely unsubstantiated narrative means, of course, is th…

_____ (2020-08-11). Prince Peter Kropotkin and the Murder of the Liberator Tsar. strategic-culture.org Why did London host a convention of anarchists in July 1881 less than three months after they had murdered the Liberator Tsar of Russia? | The International Anarchist Congress of London, from July 14 to July 20, 1881 was highly unusual in many ways, though it has almost totally been forgotten by history, save as a curiosity. | It was the last such gathering to be held for more than a quarter of a century until the International Anarchist Congress of Amsterdam in August 1907. During that time, there were four other unsuccessful attempts to call international congresses, in Geneva in 1882, in Paris in 1889, in Chic…

Staff (2020-08-10). Headlines for August 10, 2020. democracynow.org Lebanon Unrest Mounting as Death Toll from Catastrophic Port Blast Tops 200, Trump Signs Executive Orders After Coronavirus Bill Stalls, Dems Say They Are Unconstitutional , U.S. COVID-19 Cases Top 5 Million, with More Evidence of Infections in Children and Teens, Coronavirus Surging Across India, Brazil as Europe and Cuba Reimpose Containment Measures, Hong Kong Arrests Media Tycoon Jimmy Lai Under National Security Law, Protesters Take to Streets of Belarus, Accuse Officials of Fraud After Lukashenko Claims 80% of Vote, Mauritius in State of "Environmental Emergency" as Tanker Leeches Fuel into Protected Areas,…

Juan Cole (2020-08-10). How Did Americans Become Such Wimps? commondreams.org A procession of demonstrators marched in front of the statue of the Republic with trade union flags and banners calling for struggle on December 19, 2019, the fifteenth day of a national strike. (Photo: Samuel Boivin/NurPhoto/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/france_strikes.jpg

Vijay Prashad (2020-08-10). The Internationalist Lenin. Self-determination and anti-colonialism. mronline.org In 1913, Lenin published an article in Pravda with a curious title, 'Backward Europe and Advanced Asia'.[1] The opening of the article accepts the paradoxical nature of the title, for it is Europe—after all—that has advanced it forces of production and it is Asia that has had its forces of production stifled.

Gerald Sussman (2020-08-10). Biden's Ukrainegate Problem. counterpunch.org Joe Biden's role in the Ukraine regime change, as Victoria Nuland put it, was to "midwife" the new government into existence and thereby incorporate another eastern European satellite into America's orbit. This is what the neocons call "democracy promotion." His efforts in Ukraine, however, proved disastrous.

RT (2020-08-10). 'It's not brotherly': Russian Foreign Ministry condemns neighboring Belarus for violent police attacks on journalists. rt.com Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has criticized Belarusian law enforcement agencies for their "disproportionate actions" against Russian journalists working in Minsk, covering Sunday's controversial election. | While reporting on Sunday's hotly contested Belarusian presidential election – in which incumbent Alexander Lukashenko officially won 80 percent of the vote – several Russian media personnel were detained. Among them were multiple journalists from TV Rain, Maxim Solopov from Riga-based Meduza, and Semyon Pegov, a Russian war correspondent and founder of the WarGonzo project. Earlier,…

RT (2020-08-10). Belarus on the brink? Unloved in Moscow, a pariah again in the West & facing protests at home, Lukashenko is running out of road. rt.com Alexander Lukashenko will likely ride out the gathering storm across Belarus. However, he cannot remain the president forever. Which means Russia needs to work out a realistic long term strategy toward its closest ally. | There is little that Russia's leaders like less than political instability. The 2016 Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation uses the word 'stability' no fewer than 24 times, and the term has appeared regularly in the speeches of Russia's President Vladimir Putin throughout the 21 years he has been either president or prime minister. Given a choice between revolution and the status q…

RT (2020-08-10). One KILLED during massive protests in Minsk as demonstrators clash with Belarus police. rt.com A protester in Minsk has died from injuries caused by an explosive device he tried to throw at police, Belarusian authorities said, as mass demonstrations against the results of the presidential election continued. | The Interior Ministry of Belarus confirmed the death of a man in Minsk on Monday evening, after a clash with riot police that tried to remove the barricade set up by protesters across Pritytsky Avenue, in the western part of the capital. | "One of the protesters tried to throw an unidentified explosive device at law enforcement officers. It exploded in his hand" and caused "injuries incompatible w…

RT (2020-08-10). Police shoot grenades and tear-gas at protesters against presidential election results in Belarus. rt.com Demonstrators in Minsk and other cities in Belarus continuing to protest against the reelection of President Alexander Lukashenko have been met with tear gas and flash-bang grenades, as police seek to disperse and arrest them. | On Monday evening, protesters gathered in small groups around the Victory Square, the epicenter of last night's rallies, which is surrounded by various public buildings. A strong police presence was documented in the area. More than a hundred opposition supporters assembled at a nearby hotel and police were arresting some of them, local media reported. | Elsewhere in Minsk, crowds bloc…

RT (2020-08-10). KGB of Belarus says it stopped 'assassination' plot against opposition candidate Tikhanovskaya. rt.com Belarusian security services said that opposition politician Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who called for annulling the presidential election, was targeted in an assassination plot. The opposition denied asking for police protection. | Tikhanovskaya has contested the results of Sunday's election, which officially saw her getting 10 percent of the vote to the incumbent Alexander Lukashenko's almost 80 percent. Protests that erupted after the results were announced saw 3,000 people detained by police. | KGB chairman Valery Vakulchik told reporters on Monday that the security service intercepted a phone call talking ab…

RT (2020-08-10). Greece to require coronavirus test for entry from Sweden, Spain & 3 other states. rt.com Visitors to Greece arriving from Sweden, Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic will need proof they have tested negative for the coronavirus to gain entry, the government has said. | Tightening controls after a recent spike in coronavirus infections, the government said on Monday the requirement will go into effect from August 17. The required test cannot be older than 72 hours prior to entry. | On Sunday, Greece reported its highest daily tally of coronavirus infections, 203 cases, since the start of the outbreak, Reuters reports. | The government in Athens also moved to suspend public gather…

RT (2020-08-10). Face masks become mandatory in Paris amid W. Europe heatwave. rt.com Face masks became compulsory in tourist hotspots in Paris on Monday amid warnings of a resurgence of coronavirus cases. | The requirement came as France along with much of Western Europe sweltered in a heatwave, with temperatures soaring above 35 degrees Celsius (95 F), AFP reports. The heat sent crowds flocking to beaches at the weekend despite health warnings about the risk of infection. | In the Paris region, people aged 11 and over are now required to wear masks in crowded areas and tourist hotspots. These include the banks of the Seine River and more than 100 streets in the French capital. | Several Frenc…

RT (2020-08-10). Millions of tourists & overcrowded hospitals: Crimea advertises for doctors as hospitals struggle to cope with Covid-19 infections. rt.com With the summer holiday season in full swing, some tourists seem to have taken coronavirus with them to the coast. That's prompted Crimea to search for more doctors as infections in crowded resorts are overloading local hospitals. | With Russia's international borders partially closed, the Black Sea peninsula is experiencing a mass influx of travelers looking to have a domestic warm-weather beach holiday. In July, 1.43 million tourists visited Crimea, and hotels and boarding houses reported that they were 80 percent occupied. | According to official data, Crimea recorded 32 new cases of Covid-19 on Saturday, a…

RT (2020-08-10). Rules for thee but not for me: Pompeo denounces proposed Russian law as 'burdensome' limitation on US propaganda outlets. rt.com US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has voiced his opposition to a proposed Russian rule that would require labeling of propaganda content, saying it would burden "independent" information work by outlets such as Voice of America. | "This decree will impose new burdensome requirements that will further inhibit RFE/RL's and VOA's ability to operate within Russia," Pompeo Pompeo called VOA and its sist…

RT (2020-08-10). Slovakia expels 3 staff at Russian embassy, Moscow 'will retaliate'. rt.com Slovakia has expelled three staff at the Russian embassy in Bratislava, the Slovak Foreign Ministry said on Monday. | "According to information from the Slovak intelligence services, their activities were in contradiction with the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations," Reuters quoted a ministry spokesman as saying in an emailed statement. | Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Monday it will respond in kind to Slovakia's expulsion of Russian diplomats, RIA Novosti reported. | The diplomatic workers were declared persona non grata on August 6, according to Slovak media.

RT (2020-08-10). Russian watchdog says Apple abused dominance of mobile app market, orders US tech giant to stop restricting competition. rt.com Apple has been found guilty of exploiting its app market dominance by Russia's Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS). The investigation began after leading anti-virus software developer Kaspersky Lab lodged a complaint last year. | The Russian company insisted that Apple's policy in the parental control applications market for mobile devices with its iOS operating system was unfair. | Monday's ruling follows criticism from Telegram founder Pavel Durov over the predatory practices of Silicon Valley's kingpins. "Apple and Google impose an insane 30 percent sales tax on all digital goods sold on every mobile phone i…

_____ (2020-08-10). How Socialists Won Our Democratic Rights. popularresistance.org The myth of modern democracy is that it was handed down from on-high. In fact, the ruling class resisted extending the franchise at every turn — and it was socialists who fought them for the right to vote. | Since the advent of the modern state, ruling classes have tried to restrain the voting power of workers and those not "well-born." Contrary to the mainstream story that capitalism naturally gave rise to democracy, establishment powers in nineteenth-century Europe restricted the vote for as long as they possibly could. Only when faced with mass mobilization — or when continent-wide war wiped out wo…

South Front (2020-08-10). Lebanon: President Macron Pushes "Neo-expansionism" globalresearch.ca The current geopolitical position of France is shaped by a variety of factors. As one of the key actors in the Mediterranean region, Paris is now primarily a European leader in countering Turkey's expansionist policy. Relations between the two countries …

Russell Pearce (2020-08-10). Not Just a Bad President, Trump is a "Holmesian Bad Man." Act Accordingly. aclu.org "If you want to know the law, you must look at it as a bad man does, who cares only for the material consequences," wrote legendary Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, "Not as a good one, who finds his reasons for conduct, whether inside the law or outside of it, in the vaguer sanctions of conscience." , , Donald Trump is a Holmesian bad man, and an even worse president, pushing the bounds of corruption and authoritarianism, unbound by norms, the rule of law, a sense of shame, or even care for others. To deal with such a bad man and bad president — one who truckles to adversaries like Russian P…

news.un (2020-08-10). Belarus: UN chief following post-election developments 'with great concern'. news.un.org The UN Secretary-General has appealed for restraint in Belarus, where ongoing clashes between police and demonstrators continue following disputed elections held on Sunday.

Jon Miltimore (2020-08-10). Masks Aren't Helpful in Beating COVID-19: Europe's Top Health Officials. globalresearch.ca Denmark boasts one of the lowest COVID-19 death rates in the world. As of August 4, the Danes have suffered 616 COVID-19 deaths, That's less

Herman Michiel (2020-08-10). European radical left makes itself superfluous. zcomm.org If the radical left doesn't want to make itself superfluous, it has to completely resource itself, develop a strategy and stick to it…

G2MIL (2020-08-10). Video: The NATO Conquest of Eastern Europe. globalresearch.ca General Dwight Eisenhower was the first NATO supreme allied commander. | After assuming that post in 1951, General Eisenhower wrote about NATO's goal: | "If in 10 years, all American troops stationed in Europe for national defense purposes have not been returned …

Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya (2020-08-10). Plans for Redrawing the Middle East: The Project for a "New Middle East" globalresearch.ca Towards the balkanization (division) and finlandization (pacification) of the Middle East…

WSWS (2020-08-10). Georgia teachers and students force temporary closure of North Paulding High School over COVID-19 outbreak. wsws.org The cluster of COVID-19 cases at the school emerged as a direct consequence of the decision to reopen schools for in-person instruction amid a surge in infections.

WSWS (2020-08-10). German government continues to boost military spending and cover for fascists. wsws.org The billion-euro armament projects are aimed at expanding Germany's ability to make war, including the upgrading of the elite KSK force, which is riddled with fascists.

Douglas M. Poland (2020-08-10). The Fight for Democracy in Wisconsin. progressive.org State Republicans have set out to reverse the state's progressive legacy—by commandeering its mechanisms of governance.

Prof. John Ryan (2020-08-10). Ukraine's Complex Historical Background and The Contemporary Era. globalresearch.ca Ukraine has a complex historical background and most people have little knowledge of this. The western part of Ukraine known as Galicia has an especially complex history. Going back for more than a thousand years, this region had been settled …

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-10). Iran, Azerbaijan set roadmap for development of coop. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 10 (MNA) — Iranian Minister of Labor, Cooperatives and Social Welfare announced that Iran and Republic of Azerbaijan have set a roadmap for the development of cooperation between the two countries.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-10). VIDEO: Police, protesters clash in Belarus. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 10 (MNA) — Riot police clashed with protesters in Belarus overnight following a declared 80.23 percent victory for long-time president Alexander Lukashenko in Sunday's elections.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-10). Iranian animation 'Crab' competing at Animafest Cyprus. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 10 (MNA) — Iranian short animation 'Crab' directed by Shiva Sadegh Asadi is present at the international competition film program of the 19th Countryside Animafest Cyprus, the official animation event of the country, August 9-12.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-10). Beirut Blast to change political arrangement in Lebanon. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 10 (MNA) — Iranian ex-ambassador to Germany said that It seems when the Beirut tensions end, the political arrangement of the forces in Lebanon will change and some political groups will turn to Hezbollah.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-10). Swiss financial channel to facilitate cereals, pharmaceutical. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 10 (MNA) — Chairman of Iran-Switzerland Joint Chamber of Commerce said that Swiss financial channel with the Islamic Republic of Iran will facilitate trade of cereals and pharmaceuticals.

sputniknews (2020-08-10). Videos: Chaos Erupts in France's Cannes Following False Reports of Shooter. sputniknews.com Multiple videos shared on social media Monday documented mass chaos erupting in France's Cannes moments after an unidentified individual yelled out "gunshot" in the streets, a move which ultimately prompted false reports of an active-shooter situation.

sputniknews (2020-08-10). Tehran Claims European Insurers Responsible for Compensation of Downed Ukraine Jet. sputniknews.com The head of Iran's Central Insurance Organization is arguing that European insurance companies, rather than Tehran, should be responsible for covering costs related to the Ukrainian International Airlines (UIA) plane downed shortly after takeoff by Iranian military personnel on January 8.

yenisafak (2020-08-10). SunExpress beefing up German flights to Turkish resorts. yenisafak.com With tourists flocking to several popular Turkish coastal resorts again, Turkish-German joint venture SunExpress is adding capacity to ferry German holidaymakers.The Turkish-German carrier is offering a 15% capacity rise in Antalya flights and 20% rise in Izmir flights this month, said a Monday statement by SunExpress, a joint venture of Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa, the countries' flag carriers.The move follows last week's decision by Germany to lift travel warnings for the Turkish resort cities of Antalya, Izmir, Mugla (including Fethiye), and Aydin. The move came as Turkish resorts and destinations nationwid…

yenisafak (2020-08-10). Eurasia countries report new COVID-19 cases. yenisafak.com Coronavirus cases and fatalities continued to rise across Eurasian and Central Asian countries on Monday.- UkraineHealth Minister Maksym Stepanov said 1,008 more people tested positive for the virus over the past 24 hours, bringing the tally to 81,957.He said 25 more fatalities raised the death toll to 1,922 while recoveries increased by 387 to reach 44,359. | Stepanov urged the public to strictly follow the government's COVID-19 restrictions, which have been extended until Aug. 31. | – KazakhstanKazakhstan reported 741 more virus cases, raising the total to 99,442, as recoveries rose by 250 to reach the total of…

yenisafak (2020-08-10). Russian tourists return to sunny Turkish beaches. yenisafak.com After Turkey and Russia negotiated a resumption of flights between the two countries, Russian tourists once again chose the resort city of Antalya for their "safe vacation" amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.Turkey ranked first among countries visited by Russian nationals for tourism last year with nearly 7 million tourists coming to the country. This year, in line with measures taken to curb the spread of the coronavirus, Turkey once again began to host Russian tourists.After five months of pause, tourists from Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport took off for Turkey's Antalya province where they landed…

yenisafak (2020-08-10). Turkish expert weighs in on importance of face masks. yenisafak.com The slight discomfort that comes from wearing a mask on a hot summer day is a small price to pay for protecting oneself from the coronavirus, Turkey's pandemic task force member has said. Dr. Afsin Emre Kayipmaz, a member of Turkey's Coronavirus Scientific Advisory Board, told Anadolu Agency that a rise in coronavirus cases was witnessed after the four-day Eid al-Adha holiday as people used the opportunity to flock to beaches and attend wedding ceremonies, flouting social distancing rules.Cases have risen 1.3 times compared to May when lockdown was still imposed in many parts of the country, Turkey's Health Minis…

yenisafak (2020-08-10). Ancient bathhouse, gymnasium unearthed in Izmir, Turkey. yenisafak.com Archeologists have unearthed a Roman bathhouse and gymnasium, as part of excavations in Turkey's western province of Izmir.The excavations were carried out by researchers from the Izmir Katip Celebi University in the ancient Smyrna city's Ikicesmelik area.Experts found the remains of a building from the 2nd century, which was used for physical, social and cultural activities.The structure is believed to be from the era of Roman Emperor Hadrian.Akin Ersoy, head of the excavation team, told Anadolu Agency on Monday that bathhouses and gymnasiums were common in the Roman era.Bathhouses, he said, were used as social…