(2020-09-01). EU welcomes Qatar law reforms serving migrant workers. yenisafak.com The European Union welcomed Qatar's labor reforms on the employment of foreign workers."Once these reforms enter into force, Qatar will become the first country in the Gulf region to dismantle the kefala ("sponsorship") system governing the employment of migrant workers, which gives employers excessive control over them," Peter Stano, the bloc's lead spokesperson on foreign affairs wrote in a statement on Tuesday.The UN's International Labour Organization announced Sunday that Qatar had "effectively dismantled" the long-criticized employment scheme which obliged migrant workers to ask for their employer's permiss…
(2020-09-01). Who wants to overthrow President Lukashenko? thealtworld.com 
(2020-09-01). Qui veut renverser le président Loukachenko ? thealtworld.com La presse occidentale met en valeur Svetlana TikhanovskaàØa qu'elle présente comme vainqueur de l'élection présidentielle biélorusse et accable le président sortant Alexandre Loukachenko qu'elle accuse de violence, de népotisme et de trucage électoral. Cependant une analyse de ce pays atteste que la politique de son président correspond bien au souhait des citoyens. Derrière cette querelle fabriquée se dresse le spectre de l'EuromaàØdan ukrainien et d'une rupture provoquée avec la Russie. | Un des objectifs du coup d'État de l'EuromaàØdan (Ukraine, 2013-14) était de couper la route de la soie…
(2020-09-01). Babylon Berlin / Babylon Amerikka. counterpunch.org 
If you're still wondering if you'll vote for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in November—that is, if Trump doesn't crash the party in the next two months—you might watch the Netflix series, Babylon Berlin, which is set in Weimar Germany in the late 1920s. Based on the novels of German author Volker Kutscher, it was originally
(2020-09-01). COVID-19 and the Future of Autocrats. counterpunch.org 
The outbreak of COVID-19 initially looked like a gift to autocrats around the world. What better pretext for a state of emergency than a pandemic? It was a golden opportunity to close borders, suppress civil society, and issue decrees left and right (mostly right). Donald Trump in the United States, Viktor Orbán in Hungary, Rodrigo
(2020-09-01). In Turkey, unions and women's organizations call for defense of women's rights. peoplesworld.org 
Activists have called for an organized defense of women's rights in Turkey, where at least 15 women have been murdered in the last 10 days. Thirteen were killed by men and two died in suspicious circumstances. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government is trying to take Turkey out of the Istanbul Convention, which obliges signatories to …
(2020-09-01). As Covid-19 pandemic rolls on, Russia becomes fourth country to pass one million confirmed cases, joining Brazil, India & the US. rt.com 
As children head back to school, Russia's coronavirus case numbers continue to break records. On Tuesday, confirmed infections in nationwide reached seven figures, becoming the first European country to break the million mark. | Behind just the US, Brazil, and India, Russia is the fourth country in the world to break the milestone nobody wanted to get near. However, when compared to these other three countries, it at least seems to be on the right track. On August 31, the US reported 38,560 new cases, India 68,770, and Brazil 48,590. Russia has had less than 5,000 per day since August 15. | Despite being fourt…
(2020-09-01). Religious tension enters Belarus mix? Catholic Archbishop refused entry into country after criticising government on Polish TV. rt.com 
The head of the Catholic Church in Belarus has been refused entry into the country, despite being a Belarusian citizen. The right of citizens to enter the country without hindrance is protected by the country's constitution. | According to Yuri Sanko, the church's press secretary, Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz was refused the right to return to his homeland on Monday, after visiting Poland on a business trip. Kondrusiewicz, who was born in the village of Odelsk, located on the Western border, was forced to go back to Poland. | According to Article 30 of the Belarusian Constitution, "Citizens of the Republic…
(2020-09-01). French anti-terrorist unit in Mali kills civilian in bus incident. rt.com 
A French military unit deployed in the West African country of Mali has killed one civilian and injured two more on board a bus that approached its convoy. The anti-terrorist unit has been on alert after a recent roadside bombing. | The bus ignored visual warnings and kept going at high speed toward the convoy of troops assigned to Operation Barkhane, the French military said on Tuesday. The troops then fired a second warning volley into the ground, but the bullets ricocheted into the bus, injuring three people inside — one of them fatally. | The French army offered "sincere condolences" to the family of…
(2020-09-01). Zuckerberg to donate $300 million to ensure Covid-safe US elections as Facebook hunts for Russian disinformation. rt.com 
Mark Zuckerberg has said he will donate $300 million to help ensure a "secure" election process amid the Covid-19 pandemic, while Facebook remains on the prowl for alleged "foreign interference" from Russia. | Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan announced on Tuesday that they will donate the hefty pile of cash to "two non-partisan organizations" — the Center for Tech and Civic Life and the Center for Election Innovation & Research. The donation will help with the highly controversial mail-in voting system and go towards ensuring safety measures at polling stations. | "There will be historic levels of v…
(2020-09-01). Coronavirus cases in Europe surge past 4 MILLION, but account for only 16% of global number — AFP tally. rt.com 
The number of Covid-19 cases in Europe has surpassed 4 million, according to the latest tally by the AFP news agency using official government sources. The total number of cases on the continent now stands at 4,006,077. | Europe surged past the four million mark on Tuesday, but at the same time, its share in the global number of cases has fallen to just 16 percent — down from almost 40 percent back in May when the total number of infections was around half of the current number. | Since the onset of the pandemic, more than 216,000 people in Europe have died due to Covid-19, while more than 2.2 million hav…
(2020-09-01). Self-flying fighter jets? Russian aerospace giants MiG & Sukhoi discuss UNMANNED 6th generation fighter jet project. rt.com 
Russia's most famous aircraft manufacturers, MiG and Sukhoi, are discussing the possibility of cooperating to develop the country's sixth-generation jet fighter. The fifth-generation Sukhoi is due to be delivered this year. | Anatoly Serdyukov, the industrial director of the Rostec aviation complex, told Moscow business daily RBK that everything is under discussion, refusing to rule out a collaboration of the industry heavyweights. | "Perhaps it will be so, a fighter produced by MiG – Sukhoi," he said. "But while everything is at the discussion stage, it is too early to talk about the details." | Also on rt.co…
(2020-09-01). Facebook Hires an Israeli Censor. thealtworld.com Israel's defenders both in the political realm and in the media have long used every weapon available to stifle any criticism of Israeli racism and its oppression of the Palestinians. In particular, the use of "anti-Semitism" as something like a tactical discussion stopper in deliberations about the Middle East has long been a staple of both American and European politics. It is freely employed to end all dispute while also condemning those accused of the crime to being somehow outside the pale, monsters who are consigned forever to derision and obscurity. But the Israelis and, to be sure, many diaspora Jews know…
(2020-09-01). Opposition claims victory in Montenegro's parliamentary elections. peoplesdispatch.org Though the final results are yet to be declared formally, it is most likely the end of the three-decade rule of the Democratic Party of Socialists and its leader Milo Djukanovic…
(2020-09-01). Russia-Sanctions-Gate: Trump Sanctions Three Russian Research Institutes. globalresearch.ca Russia won the race to develop a vaccine for COVID-19. On August 11, its Sputnik V was registered for use by the Russian Ministry of Health. | Development of the vaccine followed 20 years of research, what its scientists called another …
(2020-09-01). There's a Problem with the Belarus Protest Movement: Svetlana Tikhanovskaya. globalresearch.ca Politologist Georgii Bovt gave an
(2020-09-01). Amid mounting domestic crisis, US imperialism lashes out at Russia and China. wsws.org In a dizzying array of threats and open clashes, Washington has inflamed, on an almost daily basis, conflicts that could rapidly spiral out of control.
(2020-09-01). Britain's Coming Winter of Discontent — What It Looks Like. truepublica.org.uk By TruePublica Editor: The summer recess is over — and now we are staring at reality — like a loaded gun at Russian roulette. Our future is now made up of trigger pulls, of 'ifs.' What if Covid comes back just as bad, what if we have a really cold winter and the NHS is …
(2020-09-01). Incidence of Malformations After Early Pregnancy Exposure to Modafinil in Sweden and Norway. jamanetwork.com This pharmacoepidemiology study uses Scandinavian birth registry data to estimate the association between modafinil use during early pregnancy and major congenital malformations among infants born in Norway and Sweden between 2005-2006 and 2016-2017.
(2020-09-01). Belarus must stop torturing protesters and prevent enforced disappearances. news.un.org Independent UN human rights experts on Tuesday called on Belarus to stop torturing detainees and bring to justice police officers who have reportedly humiliated and beaten protestors in their custody, as mass demonstrations over the disputed 9 August presidential election continue for a fourth week.
(2020-09-01). Are We Deliberately Trying To Provoke A Military Crisis With Russia? globalresearch.ca A dangerous vehicle collision between U.S and Russian soldiers in Northeastern Syria on Aug. 24 highlights the fragility of the relationship and the broader test of wills between the two major powers. | According to
(2020-09-01). Joint Commission determined to preserve JCPOA. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 01 (MNA) — Russia's Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov said that the Joint Commission on JCPOA is determined to preserve the Nuclear Deal.
(2020-09-01). 'Russia remains ready to facilitate US-Iran direct dialogue'. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 01 (MNA) — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday that Russia is ready to help the United States and Iran to have a direct dialogue.
(2020-09-01). Powerful Magnitude 6.5 Earthquake Strikes Northern Chile – EMSC. sputniknews.com Early readings of the Tuesday phenomenon from the European-Mediterranean Seismological Center (EMSC) recorded a magnitude 6.5 earthquake off the shore of Atacama, Chile.
(2020-09-01). US Homeland Security, FBI Say No Cyber Attacks on Voter Registration Databases Took Place. sputniknews.com A Russian newspaper earlier in the day alleged that hackers had stolen and posted data from millions of American voters.
(2020-09-01). Russia's Su-57 Fighter Will Reportedly Get 'Invisibility Cloak'. sputniknews.com Since mass production of the Sukhoi Su-57 began last year, developers have announced a number of add-ons for the fifth-generation fighter, ranging from new hypersonic missiles to plans to allow it to control swarms of drones.
(2020-09-01). US Government Lifts Restrictions on Cyprus Non-Lethal Defence Exports, Imports. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The US government is lifting restrictions related to the export and import of non-lethal defence articles to and from Cyprus, State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said.
(2020-09-01). US Army Holds Live-Fire Rocket Artillery Drills Less Than 70 Miles From Russian Border. sputniknews.com The US Army announced on Monday the beginning of live-fire drills involving rocket artillery in Estonia, less than 70 miles from Russian territory. The move comes just days after large Russian naval exercises in the Bering Sea, near Alaska.
(2020-09-01). US Congress hails Turkey's coronavirus aid to Maryland. yenisafak.com The US-based Turkish American National Steering Committee (TASC) said US Congressional Record recognized the contribution of the committee and Turkey in fight against coronavirus."US Congressional Record recognizes TASC and Republic of Turkey in fight against COVID-19 in Maryland and the United States," the TASC tweeted late Monday."@RepDavidTrone @StateMaryland We Turkish Americans stands with American people. Be Negative on COVID, Stay Positive on Life," the commitee added.Trone addressed the House of Representatives to express his gratitude for the "generosity" of Turkish Americans and their "gracious" suppor…
(2020-09-01). Turkey reiterates negotiation for fair share in E.Med. yenisafak.com Turkey is in favor of negotiations for fair share of resource in the Eastern Mediterranean, the country's foreign minister said on Tuesday.Addressing a joint news conference with his Algerian counterpart Sabri Boukadoum in the capital Ankara, Mevlàºt àáavu≈üoƒülu said if armaments on the Meis island exceed limits determined by agreements, Greece will be loser.In July, after Athens objected to Ankara's seismic survey in an area south of the island of Meis, or Kastellorizo, German diplomatic efforts helped defuse tensions between Turkey and Greece.But Greece's controversial move to…
(2020-09-01). Millions return to work and school in France. yenisafak.com Amid strict health protocols schools and offices, opened in France on Tuesday after months of restrictions to stem the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.Wearing masks, nearly 12.4 million children walked to schools, the first time since March. An estimated 25.5 million people also returned to work from their offices in the country.Masks have been made compulsory for all students over the age of 11, which means those studying in middle school and above.Since the lockdown enforced by the pandemic, students have not been inside classrooms. Many of them studying form home lacked the necessary technology — computers or…
(2020-09-01). US, UK, Norway welcome initial peace deal in Sudan. yenisafak.com The US, the UK and Norway said Wednesday that they welcome the peace agreement between Sudan's government and a rebel alliance, describing it as "the first step in a long process to rebuild hope and stability for conflict-affected communities in Sudan.""The peace agreement lays a foundation for sustainable peace and stability in Darfur and other conflict-affected areas that is critical for Sudan's democratic transition," a joint statement by the Troika countries said.They said they "recognise the concessions all have made to conclude these negotiations" and "call on all parties to implement the agreement in good…
(2020-09-01). Germany sees economy recovering faster than expected in 2020. yenisafak.com Germany expects the economic devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to be less severe than originally feared this year, but it sees a weaker rebound for Europe's largest economy next year due to sluggish foreign demand.Presenting the government's updated forecasts on Tuesday, Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said the economy was doing better than expected and was recovering quickly from the coronavirus shock thanks to a strong response from the state."Overall, we can say that at least for now, we are dealing with a V-shaped development," Altmaier told reporters, adding that he did not expect authorities to im…
(2020-09-01). Mass protests in Belarus continue as conflict between Russia and NATO intensifies. wsws.org The Kremlin has responded to the growing intervention by the imperialist powers in Belarus by stepping up its support for the Lukashenko regime.
(2020-08-31). Is Russia Backtracking on China's "Belt and Road" (BRI)? Moscow's Balancing Act Between China and India. globalresearch.ca The critical assessment of China's Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) last month by the influential Director of the Russian Academy of Sciences' Institute of Far Eastern Studies coupled with India's eagerness all summer to court the Eurasian Great Power into …
(2020-08-31). US Sanctions Russian Research Institute that Developed COVID-19 Vaccine. globalresearch.ca Russia won the race to develop the first vaccine against the novel coronavirus. The United States has responded by slapping sanctions on a Russian research facility involved in creating it. | The US government has blacklisted several Russian scientific institutes, including …
(2020-08-31). Rescuers Penalized For Saving Lives At The World's Deadliest Border. popularresistance.org Humanitarian organizations are being penalized for fulfilling responsibilities abandoned by European governments at the world's deadliest border, activists have warned after an eventful weekend in the Mediterranean. | Late on Friday, the Louise Michel rescue ship was alerted by a charity reconnaissance plane Moonbird to a boat carrying 130 refugees in distress inside Malta's search-and-rescue zone. | The ship, funded by street artist Banksy and run by a seasoned team of rescuers, had already picked up 89 people in previous operations and so, unable to bring everyone on board, the crew waited for hours into Saturd…
(2020-08-31). UN sends 16 truckloads of aid to Syria's Idlib. yenisafak.com The UN on Monday sent 16 truckloads of humanitarian aid to northwestern Syria where millions of people are in need of assistance due to internal conflict.The trucks carrying supplies entered Idlib province through the Cilvegozu border gate in Turkey's south.The aid will be distributed among residents of Idlib, and nearby rural areas.Syria has been ravaged by civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protesters.Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and more than 10 million displaced, according to UN estimates.Idlib falls within a de-escalation zone forged under an ag…
(2020-08-31). Greece Builds New Anti-Migrants Fence on Its Border With Turkey. telesurenglish.net Greece's Public Order Minister Michalis Chrisochoidis Monday announced that his country will allocate 63 million euros for the construction of the fence of about 30 kilometers long and five meters high that will be installed in the southern part of the land border with Turkey. | RELATED: | Intended to contain the entry of migrants and refugees into Greek territory, the upper part of the fence will have barbed wire. Seve…
(2020-08-31). Belarusian Communists say EU is backing a 'coup' in their country. peoplesworld.org 
Communists in Belarus have called for international support and solidarity to stop a "bloody coup" to remove President Alexander Lukashenko from power. The Communist Party of Belarus (CPB) warned of serious consequences if plans being pressed by the U.S., EU, and their NATO allies are successful, drawing comparisons to the so-called "color revolutions" seen in …
(2020-08-31). Russia on course to replace Germany as Europe's leading economy & enter global top five this year — Putin's economic advisor. rt.com 
For a long time now, officials in Moscow have spoken of a desire to see Russia become the world's fifth largest economy, measured by purchasing power parity. The Kremlin believes 2020 will be the year it finally happens. | Putin's chief economic advisor Maxim Oreshkin said on Monday that estimates from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and post-pandemic GDP projections suggest Russia is poised to meet the target. His comments came as the Ministry of Economic Development revised its estimate of the decline in Russia's economy in 2020 from 5% to 3.9%. | While that's a significant fall, it's not as drastic as…
(2020-08-31). Russiagate without end: US appeals court REVERSES earlier decision to end Flynn criminal case. rt.com 
A full-bench US federal appeals court has reversed an earlier decision to dismiss the 'Russiagate' case against former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, returning it to the judge who refused to let the charges be dropped. | In a 8-2 ruling on Monday, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Judge Emmet Sullivan, and sent the case back to him for review. Sullivan had been ordered by a three-judge panel in June to drop the case against Flynn immediately, but hired an attorney and asked for an en banc hearing instead. | Flynn's attorney Sidney Powell said the split was "as expected" based on the tone of…
(2020-08-31). A spanner in the works? Former Khabarovsk governor Furgal can't be charged with murder-for-hire as he was already cleared in 2004. rt.com 
The former governor of Russia's Far Eastern Khabarovsk Region, Sergey Furgal, cannot be charged for one of the murders he is accused of ordering, as he was already found to be innocent during the original investigation. | That was back in 2004, long before Furgal took the helm in Khabarovsk, fourteen years later. He's accused of ordering three murders in the mid-2000s, one of which was unsuccessful. One of the men killed was Evgeny Zori, a businessman who was shot in the center of Khabarovsk following a protracted conflict with Furgal, who at the time was involved in buying and selling scrap metal. | According…
(2020-08-31). Pets for debts? Russia's MPs to vote on banning bailiffs from seizing domestic animals — MP labels practice 'outrageous cruelty'. rt.com 
Russian parliamentarians will soon vote on new legislation that would ban debt collectors and bailiffs from seizing pets to pay off arrears, according to the bill's author, MP Vladimir Burmatov of the governing 'United Russia.' | Soon after politicians return from their summer vacation on September 9, they will be presented with a list of animals that should be deemed off-limits for debt collectors. According to Burmatov, the legislation would protect all pets not used for entrepreneurial activity. | As things stand, farm animals such as cattle and deer are protected from seizure, but cats and dogs are not.
(2020-08-31). Sri Lanka and Turkey: an Interview with the Turkish Ambassador, R. Demet Şekercioğlu. counterpunch.org 
As a part of my series on talking to the foreign diplomats in Sri Lanka for our newly initiated talk show; The New Normal, I have had an opportunity to sit with newly appointed Turkish Ambassador to Sri Lanka. In this exclusive interview she has detailed with me about diplomatic relationship between Sri Lanka and
(2020-08-31). EU Supports US Coup Plot Against Belarus, Imposes Illegal Sanctions. globalresearch.ca Nearly always, EU countries are subservient to Washington's geopolitical agenda — no matter how unlawful. | Support by Britain, France, Germany (the E3), and Brussels for Iran's right to buy and sell conventional arms once the UN embargo on the practice …
(2020-08-31). Mustapha Adib is Lebanon's new PM. peoplesdispatch.org Mustapha Adib, Lebanon's ambassador to Germany, has won the support of the major political blocs but is part of an establishment whose credibility is at a historic low following the Beirut blasts…
(2020-08-31). Lebanon Blast: Damages Surpass at Least 3 Billion Dollars. telesurenglish.net The World Bank reported on Monday that in the aftermath of the Beirut's blast, damages could be around $3.8 to 4.6 billion as housing and culture are the sectors more severely affected. | RELATED: | The joint report between the World Bank Group (WBG), the United Nations (UN), and the European Union (EU) is a rapid assessment of the damages and needs. | The study estimates the losses of around $2.9 to $3.5 billion.
(2020-08-31). Video: Robert F Kennedy Jr. in Berlin: COVID-19 Is Destroying Us All, Making the Powerful Elites More Powerful!! globalresearch.ca By the Children's Health Defense Team | Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. spoke to hundreds of thousands in the streets of Berlin, Germany, August 29, 2020. | With Groàüer Stern Square and the Siegesà§ule Monument as a backdrop, Mr. Kennedy talked about …
(2020-08-31). The Dissolution of Liberal Universalism. strategic-culture.org For a long time, the towns and cities of Europe (and the rest of the world) grew organically around the social, economic and political needs of the people. The result was the well-known, and much-loved, forms of ancient city, town and village, built from wood, brick or stone. This pattern remained unchanged for centuries. Then came two 'World Wars'. | In their wake arose the initial, liberal-globalist push, and concomitantly, the bland, de-cultured "internationalist style" of architecture (the forerunner to today's identity-and-gender-blurring politics). The two impulses were connected: They both arose out from t…