(2020-08-04). Armenia's Risky Tovuz Strategy Dramatically Backfired. thealtworld.com The latest clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan occurred along their shared border in Tovuz, north of Nagorno-Karabakh. Both sides blame one another but a compelling argument can be made that Armenia was the aggressor. Azerbaijan has no dispute with Armenia over this territory and has nothing to gain by destabilizing this strategy region through which important international energy pipelines and the BTK railway pass. The Mingachevir Dam is also located nearby, and if Armenia attacked it during another war, then the consequences would be disastrous for the millions of Azerbaijanis downstream. | It's actually…
(2020-08-04). The Pandemic Reveals a Europe More United Than the United States. counterpunch.org 
During the Trump era, America increasingly seems like a motley collection of states brought together for reasons of territorial contiguity and little else. The conservative South is ravaged by a pandemic. The liberal Northeast waits patiently for elections in November to oust a tyrant. A rebellious Pacific Northwest faces off against federal troops sent to
(2020-08-04). Lithuania's Alleged Involvement in 2014 Ukraine Maidan Coup. globalresearch.ca New scandalous information about the 2014 Maidan coup d'état in Ukraine has emerged that implicates Lithuania's important role in instigating the violent events. David Zhvania, a former Member of the Ukrainian Parliament, revealed on his
(2020-08-04). Europeans Are Waking Up to Government COVID Tyranny. Why Are We Still Asleep? globalresearch.ca Tens of thousands of Germans marched through Berlin on Saturday, proclaiming a "Day of Freedom" and demanding an end to government-mandated face masks and "social distancing." The UK and Netherlands also saw large protests against their governments' tyrannical actions in …
(2020-08-03). Poland's "Lublin Triangle" Will Create Lots of Trouble for Russia-Belarus Relations. globalresearch.ca Poland's ambitions to restore its long-lost Great Power status in Europe received a fresh impetus following the establishment of the so-called "Lublin Triangle" between itself, Lithuania, and Ukraine that de-facto aims to revive the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth as the core of …
(2020-08-03). Former president Medvedev warns Russia set to make it harder for migrants to get work permits as Saudi-style system on cards. rt.com 
In a surprise move, Russia may tighten visa rules for foreign workers. Former President Dmitry Medvedev says the measure is being considered in response to law and order issues exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. | He told a meeting in Moscow that the possibility of moving to the system favored in Saudi Arabia, where the employer is fully responsible for labor migrants, is being discussed. | "[The expert community] proposes changing the order of entry for migrant workers to Russia," Medvedev explained, the TASS news agency reported. "This means giving such permission to a foreign citizen only in the case of an u…
(2020-08-03). Brexit to blame? Britons miffed after poll shows most EU citizens WOULD NOT help UK in a crisis. rt.com 
A new YouGov survey suggests it's a case of unrequited love between the UK and EU member states. A majority of European participants said they'd be unwilling to help Britain in a crisis — much to the annoyance of many Britons.
(2020-08-03). France won't ratify extradition treaty with Hong Kong, Foreign Ministry says. rt.com 
Paris has decided not to ratify an extradition agreement with Hong Kong after China's central government in Beijing imposed a new national security law on the city. "In light of the latest developments, France won't proceed with the ratification" of the 2017 extradition agreement with Hong Kong "as it stands," AP quoted the French Foreign Ministry's spokesperson as saying in a written statement on Monday. | Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the US suspended their extradition treaties with Hong Kong last month amid fears that the central Chinese government was infringing on the city's freedoms and loca…
(2020-08-03). Poland's top court confirms Duda as president, declares complaints insufficient to void election results. rt.com 
The Supreme Court of Poland on Monday upheld the re-election of President Andrzej Duda. The court decided that complaints about the validity of the presidential election did not necessitate a rerun. | The ruling paves the way for Duda to take the oath of office before both chambers of parliament on Thursday, AP reports. The court evaluated some 6,000 election complaints from voters as well as from the team of the candidate that Duda faced in a runoff, the liberal Warsaw mayor Rafal Trzaskowski. | Duda won 51.03 percent of the vote and Trzaskowski 48.97 percent in the July 12 election. | Ninety-two alleged viol…
(2020-08-03). Russia could produce MILLIONS of Covid-19 vaccines every single month by 2021 — Trade & Industry Minister. rt.com 
Production of Russia's homegrown coronavirus vaccine is due to begin in September, and by the start of 2021, the country could be creating several million doses a month. That's according to Russia's Minister of Trade and Industry. | Denis Manturov told news agency TASS that the vaccine will be produced in three Russian regions – Vladimir, Yaroslavl and Moscow Oblast – with a view to a widespread immunization campaign starting in October. | Moscow's Gamalei Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, which led the research of the domestic drug, has partnered with companies Generium, R-Pharm, and Binnopharm, wit…
(2020-08-03). Putin signs law legalizing Bitcoin & other cryptocurrencies, lifting them out of Russian legal 'grey-zone'. rt.com 
Digital financial assets, including cryptocurrencies, will be permitted to —Åirculate legally in Russia soon, but if you're planning to go shopping with bitcoin, or other variants, forget it. They won't be legal tender. | According to the new rules, due to come into force in January 2021, Russian citizens will be allowed to buy and sell bitcoin and other digital denominations. Until now, various cryptocurrencies have been in a "grey zone," as the state did not recognize their existence, but no penalties for mining or buying them existed either. | The law signed by President Vladimir Putin on Friday…
(2020-08-03). Spain plans to roll out its Covid-19 tracing app in September. rt.com 
Authorities in Spain aim to roll out a contact-tracing app across the country in September. They said on Monday that a pilot showed it could detect almost twice as many potential infections as human trackers during a simulated outbreak on La Gomera, an island next to the tourist hotspot of Tenerife in the Canary archipelago. | Spain used a new system developed by Google and Apple, which holds data on individual devices to ensure privacy, to build an app that it tested in July, Reuters reports. | Now the government aims to offer it to regional health authorities who could have it ready by mid-September, and fro…
(2020-08-03). American Troops to Leave Germany: Is It Goodbye or Just Auf Wiedersehen? globalresearch.ca The continued presence of tens of thousands of American military personnel in Europe seventy-five years after the end of the Second World War is rarely questioned either by politicians or the mainstream media. Currently there is little recollection of how, …
(2020-08-03). This week in history: August 3-9. wsws.org 25 years ago: Croatia launches ethnic cleansing of Serbs On August 4, 1995, the Croatian Army launched Operation Storm, one of the last major campaigns of the Bosnian War. It was orchestrated by Croatian President Franjo Tudjman against the Serbian-inhabited Krajina region, which in 1991, during the initial breakup of Yugoslavia, had declared its independence from Croatia.
(2020-08-03). European economy collapses as EU bails out the super-rich. wsws.org Eurostat economic figures for the second quarter of 2020 show that Europe saw its deepest and most sudden economic collapse in history.
(2020-08-03). Pulling US Troops Out of Germany: Trump Adjusts the Military Furniture. globalresearch.ca One noisy theme in the Donald Trump Disruption Show in an otherwise chaotic assemblage of messages has remained fairly constant: winding back US troop commitments. The US has fought its complement of wars, bloodied and bloodying. Time to up stakes …
(2020-08-03). Reviving Soviet-era Confrontation with the United States, Russia Exposes Its Weakness in Africa. globalresearch.ca In her weekly media briefing July 23, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticized United States support for educational programs, media and NGOs in Africa. In addition, Zakharova said | "the allocation of grants fits into the White House's efforts to promote …
(2020-08-03). The Spirit of Apollo-Soyuz Is Alive… With the Russia/China Space Alliance. globalresearch.ca Forty five years ago, Cold Warriors in the Pentagon and CIA shook their fists angrily at the stars- and for good reason. | On July 17, 1975 the first international handshake was occurring in space between Russian Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov and …
(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.
(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.
(2020-08-03). French PM Castex urges vigilance as COVID-19 'is not on holiday'. yenisafak.com Prime Minister Jean Castex urged France on Monday to remain as vigilant as possible against COVID-19, which has shown signs of a resurgence in the country, as the virus was "not on holiday"."We must not let our guard down," Castex told reporters in Lille, where masks are now compulsory in many of the northern city's pedestrian areas and parks."The virus is not on holiday, and neither are we," he said, adding it was vital that France avoided another nationwide shutdown.The southern city of Nice on Monday also made wearing masks outdoors compulsory in many areas, including parts of the Promenade des Anglais, a popu…
(2020-08-03). Nobel laureate, former N.Ireland party leader John Hume dies. yenisafak.com Nobel peace laureate and former leader of Irish nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDPL) John Hume has died on Monday, according to a statement from his former party."We are deeply saddened to announce that John passed away peacefully in the early hours of the morning after a short illness," a statement from the SDLP said.Hume was born in Northern Ireland in 1937 and he was regarded as an important figure in recent political history in the region.Hume, as the leader of the SDLP, was one of the key architects of the 1998 Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement that ended decades of sectarian violence in North…
(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…
(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…
(2020-08-03). We're Talking About Human Life Here. Unsafely Reopening Schools Is No Solution at All. commondreams.org Schoolchildren wearing protective mouth masks and face shields attend a course in a classroom at Claude Debussy college in Angers, western France, on May 18, 2020 after the country eased Covid-19 lockdown measures. (Photo: Damien Meyer/AFP via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/gettyimages-12134174981.jpg …
(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…
(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…
(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
(2020-08-02). Mask madness is causing Kens & Karens everywhere to beat the cr*p out of each other (VIDEOS). rt.com 
The efficacy of mandatory mask rules is debatable, but a series of viral videos provide ample evidence that the guidelines have helped make 2020 one of the most absurd and painfully idiotic years in recent memory. | Mid-flight fisticuffs over maskless passengers: | The latest incident in the saga of mask-related assaults kicked off on a flight from Amsterdam to Ibiza. Two passengers on the KLM flight reportedly became physical after refusing to wear masks during the journey to Spain. Passengers and crew worked together to restrain the two men, who reportedly had been drinking. | Footage of the insane m…
(2020-08-02). U.S. Troop Removal From Germany: a NATO-Skeptic POTUS Always Wins. strategic-culture.org 
Is there any good reason why Germany is still occupied by the United States? After 75+ years one could make a strong argument that the Nazi threat is over. Donald Trump would seem to agree with this sentiment and directly stated that he wants to continue to reduce the number of American soldiers on the territory of today's friendlier tolerant and geopolitically submissive Deutschland. The logic by which U.S. forces are stationed across the globe has been called into question many times and very often has no sellable answer. Trump himself agrees with the dubious nature of the need to have an American army base in…
(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). 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 …
(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 …
(2020-08-02). Leaving No Roma behind during a pandemic, and beyond: a UN Resident Coordinator's Blog. news.un.org Roma people in Europe face widespread discrimination in many areas of life, including housing and health. In this opinion piece, Francoise Jacob, the UN Resident Coordinator in Serbia, explains how the UN is helping Roma communities, many of which have no access to safe water or electricity, to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.
(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.
(2020-08-02). VIDEO: Protests in Germany against COVID-19 restrictions. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 02 (MNA) — 18 police officers were injured during protests in Germany against the COVID-19 curbs. Several of the protesters were also arrested.
(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.
(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.
(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…
(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…
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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…
(2020-08-01). Eid al-Adha: Aid distributed to 4,000 families in Gaza. yenisafak.com A Turkish charity on Saturday distributed meat to nearly 4,200 families in need in the Gaza Strip on the Muslim Eid al-Adha festival.Nearly 25,000 people will receive the meat distributed by Turkey's Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) for the holiday, also known as the feast of sacrifice.A total of 37 cattle were slaughtered by the IHH in the Gaza Strip, media manager at IHH's Gaza Office, Muhammad es-Shurefa, told Anadolu Agency.Most Muslim-majority countries around the world are observing the four-day holiday starting on Friday.On Eid al-Adha, one of the two main yearly Muslim holidays, people who can afford…
(2020-08-01). If she's keen on Turkey, this may be why: Research says it's Russian women's favorite place for extramarital holiday fling. rt.com 
Are you thinking what she's thinking? Some women were undoubtedly overjoyed when it was announced that flights to Turkey are back on. A study revealed the country is the most popular infidelity destination for Russians. | Specialists from the psychological training website 'Know Yourself' analyzed women's online communities, telegram chats, and popular forums, and identified 16 different resort locations where women admitted to cheating on their spouse. | The psychologists discovered that Russian women cheat on their husbands in Turkey more than any other resort location, ahead of Crimea and Sochi, as well as…
(2020-08-01). As rain falls & holiday season begins, Khabarovsk protests start to peter out. But thousands still march in support of ex-governor. rt.com 
Residents of the Far Eastern Russian city of Khabarovsk took to the streets for the 22nd day in a row, as thousands of locals protested against the arrest of former Governor Sergey Furgal, accused of ordering killings in the 2000s | But the crowd was significantly smaller than in previous weeks. Around 3,500 people
(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…
(2020-08-01). Moscow slams Polish claims that it planted explosives on late President Kaczynski's plane as 'endless fantasy-making'. rt.com 
Polish allegations that Russia planted TNT aboard the ill-fated plane of former President Lech Kaczynski are a figment of their imagination, Moscow has said, advising Warsaw to listen to the pilots' communications again. | "Reality has firmly intertwined with fiction, turning it into an endless fantasy-making process," Maria Zakharova, Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, This investigati…
(2020-08-01). Wife arrested on suspicion of murder after Ukrainian rapper Cartwright's corpse found chopped into pieces in fridge. rt.com 
The wife of Ukrainian rapper Andy Cartwright, who dismembered her deceased husband and placed his body parts in their apartment fridge, has been detained on suspicion of murder. | She had Russia's Investigative Committee charged Marina Kokhal with murder and believes she killed her husband during a quarrel, although how is unknown. She then cut up the body "in order to hide the traces of the crime," investigators said. Kokhal maintains that she did not kill the artist, whose…