(2020-08-08). Turkey's IHH aids thousands in Lebanon after blast. yenisafak.com Turkey's Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) on Saturday provided humanitarian aid for thousands who have been affected by Tuesday's massive explosion at Beirut port.In a statement, the IHH said rescue efforts are still underway for those still missing after the blast, which killed at least 154 people."The grain silos destroyed by the explosion were a vital artery for the supply of food in the country," IHH said, warning of a humanitarian crisis in Lebanon in case of failure to supply the country with enough quantities of flour within a short period of time.According to the statement, the IHH has launched a camp…
(2020-08-08). Red Roja's declaration on King Juan Carlos's flight from Spain. workers.org 
By Red Roja This is the Aug. 5 statement by the Red Roja (Red Network) organization regarding the escape of Spain's former King Juan Carlos I on Aug. 3 from Spanish territory where he faces charges of corruption. Translation and explanatory notes by Workers World Managing Editor John Catalinotto. The . . . |
(2020-08-08). Belarus elections may mark a key moment in European geopolitics. peoplesdispatch.org Five-time president Alexander Lukashenko is likely to win due to the lack of strong opposition candidates but the possibility of major protests remains. The country is a key part of both Russian and western strategies in the region…
(2020-08-08). Georgia highschoolers use social media to expose disastrous conditions as schools reopen. wsws.org Two students from Georgia's North Paulding High School were suspended after photos of hallways packed with crowds of unmasked students went viral on social media.
(2020-08-08). Coronavirus Is Being Tackled By Nicaragua's Community-Based Health System. popularresistance.org Nicaragua's Sandinista government is — like every other government — engaged in a struggle to limit the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on its people. But Nicaragua suffers two additional handicaps. One is that it is subject to US and European sanctions, which severely limit the aid it gets from abroad or from multilateral bodies. The other is its internal opposition, which aims to use the pandemic in its latest attempt to destabilize the government and turn opinion against it. To do so it employs a wide range of propaganda methods, at home and abroad. These were very evident in a recent article in t…
(2020-08-08). 'Russiagate' Hoax Unravels, but Their Anti-Russia Sanctions Don't. strategic-culture.org Eric ZUESSE | It was reported only on 'fringe' media (such as "Disobedient Media" now gone from the Web) until recently. However, the evidence that the entire "Russiagate" charge — that Russia's Government had "hacked" the Democratic National Committee in 2016 — is an Obama Administration hoax (which was continued into Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report), is now starting to come out into public view and be endorsed publicly by retired U.S. intelligence professionals who can't be fired. It's not yet published in any mainstream U.S. news media, however. So, in this place will be chronologically pre…
(2020-08-08). Turkey ready to rebuild Port of Beirut: Turkish VP. yenisafak.com Ankara is ready to send more medical assistance and food aid to help Lebanon during its time of need, Turkey's vice president said on Saturday.Fuat Oktay, who is visiting the Lebanese capital along with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, said all of Turkey's hospitals and air ambulances are at Lebanon's service, as the country deals with the devastating fallout of Tuesday's massive blast at the port of Beirut.He said Ankara has told Lebanon that it can use Turkey's Mersin port until the Beirut port is rebuilt."Turkey is ready to help rebuild the heavily damaged Beirut port and nearby buildings," the vice…
(2020-08-08). Italy approves new post pandemic aid package. yenisafak.com The new stimulus measures are the third tranche of a government plan aimed at supporting Italy's fragile economy brought to its knees by the strict lockdown imposed nationwide to stem the spread of coronavirus.In total, the three emergency decrees approved by the Italian government since March released funding to the tune of ‚Ǩ100 billion. | "The new decree aims at supporting workers, businesses, and local institutions," Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said at a press conference on Friday evening, detailing the new measures.The package includes an 18-week extension of public funding for workers un…
(2020-08-08). Russia reports more than 5,200 new coronavirus cases. yenisafak.com Russian authorities reported 5,212 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Saturday, pushing its national tally to 882,347, the fourth largest in the world.The official death toll rose to 14,854 after officials said 129 people had died across the country in the last 24 hours.
(2020-08-07). Headlines for August 7, 2020. democracynow.org Study Predicts U.S. Coronavirus Deaths Could Reach 300,000 by December, Georgia High Schoolers Suspended for Sharing Images of Unmasked Students in Crowded Halls, India's COVID-19 Cases Top 2 Million as WHO Warns of Worsening Outbreaks in Africa, Peru's Health System in Collapse as COVID-19 Death Toll Reaches 20,000, Congressional Talks on New Coronavirus Stimulus on Brink of Collapse, "Make Billionaires Pay Act" Would Tax Richest 0.001% to Fund Healthcare for Millions, Police Fire Tear Gas at Anti-Government Protesters as Anger Rages over Beirut Blast, New York Attorney General Files Suit to Dissolve NRA over Ex…
(2020-08-07). Leftist groups urge Danish government to receive more refugees. peoplesdispatch.org Leftist groups in Denmark have demanded the social democrat-led government to raise the country's refugee quota and receive at least 500 refugees annually, which was the case before 2016…
(2020-08-07). USAF Vet Could Face '20 Days for 20 Bombs' for Protest Against US H-Bombs Stationed in Germany. counterpunch.org 
Hamburg, Germany With this week's commemorations of the US atomic massacres at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, there will be countless hours spent on speeches, sermons, hymns, and warnings; tons of ink spilled in op/eds, editorials and articles. All will solemnly promote the need to pursue a world without nuclear weapons. However, many of the same voices
(2020-08-07). Migrants Die In The Atlantic Ocean Trying To Reach Spain. telesurenglish.net About 50 migrants Thursday died in the Atlantic Ocean after their barges sank while trying to reach the Canary Islands in Spain. | RELATED: | Spanish outlets revealed that one of the boats broke down off the coast of Mauritania, and at least 40 people died. Also, 10 migrants died after another vessel shipwrecked near to the coast of Western Sahara. The only survivor told AFP that their boat broke down. | "For a l…
(2020-08-07). Neil deMause on Reopening Coverage, Nicole Porter on Covid and Prisons. fair.org 
Media…
(2020-08-07). Germans battle virus deniers, landlords, and the right wing. peoplesworld.org 
On Saturday, crowds came to Berlin from all over Germany for a parade, estimated at 17,000 to 20,000 by the police but over a million by some exuberant adherents. Many or most politicians, media, and a majority of Germans were debating over whether, how soon and with what anti-virus restrictions schools, vacation travel, and soccer …
(2020-08-07). Unregulated capitalism drives 'The Business of Drugs'. peoplesworld.org 
Much of the world is facing a crisis around the use and abuse of various sorts of substances. Headlines around the world show many deaths each day due to overdoses. In the U.S., approaches to this issue have typically involved prohibition, enforcement, and corrections. Other jurisdictions such as the Netherlands and Portugal have successfully tried …
(2020-08-07). Malta bans mass gatherings, makes masks mandatory as coronavirus cases surge. rt.com 
Malta banned mass gatherings and made it mandatory to wear masks in public on Friday. The move came as new coronavirus infections surged after having been reduced to zero for a week early in July. | Health authorities reported 49 new infections on Friday, the second highest daily number since the first case was detected in early March. Nine patients have died, Reuters reported. | The decision to reimpose controls represents a sharp turnaround for Malta, which depends on tourism for a third of its GDP. | The Mediterranean country has conducted the third-highest level of testing in the EU and had lifted restrict…
(2020-08-07). 'Scene from a post-apocalyptic movie': Russian rescue operations begin at the very epicenter of Beirut explosions. rt.com 
Rescue teams from Russia have begun their search operations at the ruins left by two massive explosions in Lebanon's capital Beirut, while survivors seek medical care in newly set-up emergency hospital tents. | Teams of Russian relief workers and their search dogs arrived in Beirut on Friday and quickly started looking for any survivors trapped under the enormous grain silos near the port, at the very epicenter of the blasts. The corn-filled silo — which sustained severe damage — has been credited with shielding some of the nearby area from the worst of the explosions. | Speaking to RT's Igor Zhdanov…
(2020-08-07). Fit for a king? Spanish ex-monarch Juan Carlos has fled to luxury Abu Dhabi hotel amid Saudi corruption scandal, report says. rt.com 
Juan Carlos, the former king of Spain, has reportedly been staying at a lavish hotel — one of the world's most expensive — in the United Arab Emirates, after fleeing his country amid mounting corruption allegations. | Juan Carlos, the former king of Spain, has reportedly been staying at a lavish hotel — one of the world's most expensive — in the United Arab Emirates, after fleeing his country amid mounting corruption allegations. | Ever since the ex-monarch made the surprise move of leaving Spain on Monday, without saying why or clarifying his route, speculation has been mounting througho…
(2020-08-07). Even senior Tories condemn government's 'unfair' lack of clarity on quarantine. thecanary.co 
Senior Tories have condemned the government for their "unfair" lack of clarity over the possible implementation of further quarantine restrictions.Chairperson of the 1922 Committee of backbench Tory MPs Graham Brady and former Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith have called for a "proper testing regime for air travellers" to be implemented as quickly as possible, and for regional air corridors to be considered.It comes as chancellor Rishi Sunak warned holidaymakers of the risk of travelling abroad during the coronavirus crisis amid concerns France may be the next nation to be added to the quarantine list.
(2020-08-07). Cyprus Is No Longer a Tax Haven for Russia's Oligarchs. globalresearch.ca Moscow announced the unilateral termination of the transnational agreement with Cyprus on the avoidance of double taxation. Effectively, Cyprus will no longer be a tax haven for Russia's rich. Russia seems to be moving in this direction without compromise so …
(2020-08-07). Workers Struggles: Europe, Middle East & Africa. wsws.org The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to
(2020-08-07). Video: Russian S-300 Air Defense System Spotted in Libya? globalresearch.ca Russia has deployed an advanced S-300 air defense system to Libya to support the forces of Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar against the Turkish military and its proxies, local media reported on August 5. | According to photos surfacing online, the supposed …
(2020-08-07). Pompeo Warned Moscow in July Call Against Alleged Bounties on US Soldiers – Report. sputniknews.com Unnamed US officials told the New York Times on Friday that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo gave a vague warning to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov last month that Russia should refrain from offering bounties to Taliban fighters to kill US soldiers in Afghanistan, as the Times has claimed was happening.
(2020-08-07). Belarus arrests 33 Russian military contractors ahead of presidential elections. wsws.org The arrest of 33 Russian military contractors in Belarus makes clear that the long-standing ally of Moscow has become a new hotspot in the growing conflict between the United States and Russia.
(2020-08-07). Fascist death squads preparing to carry out mass murder in Germany. wsws.org Police officers, former military officers and far-right operatives engaged in a vast conspiracy to hoard large quantities of munitions and weaponry, establish safe houses, identify political opponents, and procure the necessary materials to secretly dispose of dead bodies.
(2020-08-07). Facebook Removes Foreign Pro-Trump Troll Farms. telesurenglish.net Facebook and Instagram Thursday took action to prevent their platforms from being used by U.S. President Donald Trump's supporters to promote his reelection campaign. | RELATED: | A Romania-based troll farm pushed pro-Trump content under the names of "Black People Vote For Trump" on Instagram and "We Love Our President" on Facebook. | The content published in those fake accounts and pages was allegedly managed by U.S. ci…
(2020-08-07). Thousands march across Turkey to denounce violence against women. peoplesdispatch.org Thousands of women marched in different cities in Turkey on Wednesday, August 5, demanding that the government take strong steps to stop the violence against women and asking it to not withdraw from the Istanbul convention. | Wednesday's protests were part of the ongoing movement that started last month after the brutal murder of a 27-year-old woman, Pinar Gultekin. Protests were held in several cities across Turkey including Istanbul, Izmir, Ankara, Adana and Antalya. In Izmir, the women carried out a sit-in when the police used force and detained several of the protestors. | Hundreds of protestors gathering in…
(2020-08-07). 'Untimely' to go on screen at two intl. film festivals. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 07 (MNA) — Iranian feature 'Untimely', directed by Pouya Eshtehardi, will be screened at "ONE Country ONE Film" in France and "Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival (RIIFF)" in the US.
(2020-08-07). Non-nuclear attack could trigger nuke response: Russia. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 07 (MNA) — In a possible warning to the US and Western allies, Russia announced Friday it will consider any missile attack as being nuclear in nature, and so will result in a nuclear response.
(2020-08-07). US Selectively Omits 'Complicity' in Libyan War While 'Angling' Against Russia, China in Africa. sputniknews.com As hue and cry rises in US media over whether Russian security contractors are involved in the Libyan civil war, one activist told Sputnik the US has no room to judge, since it created the chaos in Libya and deploys its own mercenaries around the globe.
(2020-08-07). US State Department Says Behind Russian, Iranian Text Campaign. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The State Department stands behind text messages sent to Russians, Iranians, and others advertising multi-million dollar rewards for information about foreign actors who interfere in US elections, a spokesperson said.
(2020-08-07). Students Suspended for Taking Pictures of Crowds in Georgia School's Reopening. truthout.org A high school in Paulding County, Georgia, is facing steep criticism for how it has handled reopening its schools after several images on social media revealed a lack of social distancing and mask-wearing among the student body. | But rather than addressing these concerns or taking precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the district instead appears to be disciplining students that have shared these images on social media. | Hannah Watters, a 15-year-old student at North Paulding High…
(2020-08-07). Top Turkish officials due in Lebanon after huge blast. yenisafak.com Turkey's top officials will visit Lebanon's capital on Saturday following a massive deadly explosion shaking Beirut this week, according to Turkish authorities.Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu are expected to meet Lebanese President Michel Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Hassan Diab, the office of the vice president said on Friday.A fire at a warehouse at the Port of Beirut led to a huge blast on Tuesday causing massive material damage in several neighborhoods of the capital. At least 154 people were killed and around 5,000 others injured in tragic in…
(2020-08-07). Putin and Lukashenko discuss Belarus' detention of 33 Russians: Kremlin. yenisafak.com Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin expressed confidence on Friday that tensions over the detention of 33 Russian citizens in Minsk can be resolved, the Kremlin said.The arrests further strained relations between the two traditional allies, already soured this year by a dispute over oil, in the run-up to a presidential election in Belarus on Sunday, seen as Lukashenko's toughest political challenge in years.The two leaders spoke by telephone, the Kremlin added.
(2020-08-07). Turkey's first martyred pilot: Cengiz Topel. yenisafak.com The first martyr of the Turkish Air Force, Pilot Captain Cengiz Topel, was remembered on Friday, 56 years after his plane was shot down on Aug. 7, 1964, during a warning flight on Greek Cypriot soldiers opening fire on Turkish civilians on the island.Topel was among the Turkish civilians' first line of defense against the Greek Cypriot soldiers, amid attacks that would escalate over the coming decade until Turkey's peace intervention against a Greek Cypriot coup attempting to topple the internationally recognized government of the Republic of Cyprus.Topel's legacy lives on both in Turkey and the Turkish Republic…
(2020-08-07). Lebanon to probe Beirut blast for foreign interference. yenisafak.com The president of Lebanon on Friday said the causes of a massive explosion in the capital Beirut's port had yet to be determined, without ruling out the possibility of foreign interference.Michel Aoun said in a press conference in the presidential palace that he asked French President Emmanuel Macron to provide photos of the blast via satellite.He added that if such photos were not available with France, he would ask other countries, without naming them.Aoun said the investigation into the blast would include port officers and that no legal cover would be offered to any person found to be responsible.A fire at a w…
(2020-08-07). Mosques in Germany receive threat letters. yenisafak.com At least two mosques in the central German state of Hesse received threat letters this week, local Muslim community representatives said on Friday. | Suspected neo-Nazis sent threat letters to mosques in the small town of Fuerth and the nearby district Wahlen, Salih Ozkan, a representative of the Turkish-Muslim umbrella group DITIB, told local media. | He said the letters contained threats of violence against Muslims, and were signed by a group calling itself "NSE 2020". | He called on the police to carry out a serious investigation and provide greater protection for the mosques. | It was not immediately clear wh…
(2020-08-07). Russia offers to supply Philippines with COVID-19 vaccine. yenisafak.com Russia is willing to supply a coronavirus vaccine to the Philippines, or team up with a local firm to mass produce it, its ambassador to Manila said on Friday, as infections in the Southeast Asian nation surge.Russia is expecting regulatory approval for its first potential COVID-19 vaccine this month, with doses to be administered to frontline health workers first.But the frenetic race globally to develop a COVID-19 vaccine is raising some concern that speed could compromise safety and that some countries could be putting national prestige before solid science."We are ready to supply vaccines to the Philippines,"
(2020-08-07). Turkey rushes to help Lebanon amid deadly explosion. yenisafak.com Turkey got mobilized both with state-run aid organizations and charity foundations to heal the wounds of the Lebanese capital Beirut, which was rocked with a catastrophic explosion on Tuesday.A massive blast took place in a warehouse containing explosives at the Port of Beirut, causing widespread damage in several surrounding suburbs of the capital, leaving at least 154 people dead and injured thousands.Following the incident, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a phone call extended his condolences to his counterpart Michel Aoun and the Lebanese people, noting that Turkey stands by Lebanon and is ready to provide…
(2020-08-07). 'Fluctuations in macroeconomic indicators don't reflect Turkey's reality'. yenisafak.com Fluctuations in macroeconomic indicators do not reflect the reality of the Turkish economy, the country's industry and technology minister said on Friday.Turkey's economy is on the path of production, employment, and innovation, Mustafa Varank wrote on Twitter."We will take Turkey to the levels it deserves with steps to boost the investment appetite for development," he said.His remarks came after the Turkish lira lost ground to other currencies.Late Thursday, the dollar/lira exchange rate hit an all-time high of over 7.30.After the Central Bank took steps Friday to tighten liquidity conditions, the exchange rate…
(2020-08-07). Turkey seizes 28,000 packets of smuggled cigarettes. yenisafak.com Turkish security forces on Friday seized more than 28,000 packets of smuggled cigarettes hidden in two trucks in the country's southeast, according to security sources.Provincial gendarmerie forces stopped the trucks in the Ceylanpinar district of Sanliurfa province as part of anti-smuggling efforts, said the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.They searched the trucks and found 28,040 packets of contraband cigarettes.Police arrested two suspects, who were later remanded in custody by a court.* Writing by Gozde Bayar…
(2020-08-07). Another PKK terrorist surrenders to Turkish forces. yenisafak.com One more PKK terrorist surrendered to security forces in southeastern Turkey, the National Defense Ministry said on Friday. | The PKK terrorist fleeing from the shelter areas in northern Iraq surrendered to the border post in the Cizre district of Sirnak province, the ministry said on Twitter. | "While the operations of the Turkish Armed Forces against the PKK terrorist group continue without slowing down, escapes from the organization continue," the statement added. | On Monday, the Turkish Interior Ministry announced that a total of 123 terrorists have turned themselves in to Turkish security forces in 2020.
(2020-08-07). Russia Needs a New Gorbachev. thenation.com Russia Needs a New Gorbachev…
(2020-08-06). EU to mobilize over ‚Ǩ33 million to support Lebanon. yenisafak.com The European Union is mobilizing over ‚Ǩ33 million for Lebanon after Tuesday's deadly explosion at Beirut's port, the head of the EU Commission told Lebanon's premier over the phone on Thursday.According to a readout of the phone call issued by the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen told Hassan Diab the bloc will provide further support depending on the ongoing humanitarian needs assessment.The EU's long-term support to help with the city's reconstruction also discussed during the phone call.The 27-member bloc Wednesday announced that it activated its "Civil Protection Mechanism" and send…
(2020-08-06). Apocalyptic Scenes from the Site of the Deadly Beirut Blast. mintpressnews.com 
A massive explosion rocked Beirut on Tuesday, flattening much of the city's port, damaging buildings across the capital and sending a giant mushroom cloud into the sky. More than 100 people are feared dead and thousands injured, with bodies buried in the rubble, officials said. | It was not clear what caused the blast, which struck with the force of a 3.5 magnitude earthquake, according to Germany's geosciences center GFZ, and was heard and felt as far away as Cyprus more than 200 kilometers (180 miles) across the Mediterranean. Lebanon's interior minister said it appeared that a large cache of ammonium nitrate i…
(2020-08-06). Ireland and Slavery: Debating the 'Irish Slaves Myth'. counterpunch.org 
Over recent months, social media in Ireland and the United States has been saturated with claims and counterclaims about 'Irish slaves' and a broader controversy about Irish complicity in the transatlantic slave trade. The timing of the 'debate' is far from coincidental: a series of false and malicious assertions that the American far Right have
(2020-08-06). Austria's Foreign Ministry warns against travel to Spain except Balearic & Canary islands. rt.com 
Austria's Foreign Ministry has warned against trips to Spain except for the Balearic and Canary Islands. The measure will take effect from Monday, and people returning to Austria will be required to present a negative test for coronavirus. | The measures are the latest blow to Spain's tourism-dependent economy. Britain, Germany and Switzerland recently warned their citizens against summer holidays on Spanish beaches or at least in certain regions of the country. | New coronavirus cases in Spain have started rising again and hit a post-lockdown record of 1,772 new infections on Wednesday, Reuters reports. | The…
(2020-08-06). Belarus president claims he was INTENTIONALLY infected with Covid-19. rt.com 
Days after the puzzling announcement that he's been fighting Covid-19 without leaving his post, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko told a Ukrainian journalist that someone had intentionally infected him with the virus. | The extraordinary claim appeared in the 2.5-hour-long interview Lukashenko gave to the popular Ukrainian journalist Dmitry Gordon. | We're leaning towards [the version] that someone planted the coronavirus on me. I'm now looking into when it might've happened. | Lukashenko added that he won't name his suggestions publicly for now. | The president also revealed that he ignored doctors' p…
(2020-08-06). 'He won't hold onto power until 2036': Lukashenko '100% guarantees' that Putin won't be Russia's leader for life. rt.com 
The leader of Russia's number one ally has told Ukrainian TV that he doesn't believe Vladimir Putin will remain in the Kremlin for another 16 years, a prospect made possible by recent constitutional changes. | Putin "will never be president until 2036, I guarantee you one hundred percent," Belarus' Aleksandr Lukashenko told Kiev-based journalist Dmitry Gordon. "[Putin] will not hold onto power with his half-dead hands, he will find a way for a person, or people, to come to power who will continue the development of Russia along its current path." | The Russian president is currently 67, a decade younger than A…