(2020-08-16). Israeli-Emirati Peace Deal Is a Major Blow to Turkey's Regional Ambitions. globalresearch.ca Yesterday, one of the most unexpected geopolitical manoeuvres took place that no one was expecting. U.S. President Donald Trump went
(2020-08-16). Turmoil in Belarus, Another US Color Revolution Attempt? globalresearch.ca Time and again, the CIA, National Endowment for Democracy (NED), International Republican Institute (IRI), National Democratic Institute (NDI), and USAID have been involved in US schemes to replace independent governments with pro-Western puppet ones. | Tactics include violent and non-violent labor …
(2020-08-16). Tehran-Vienna flights resumed on Sat. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 16 (MNA) — Abbas Bagherpour, the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Austria, announced on Saturday the resumption of flights from Tehran to Vienna by Iran Air.
(2020-08-16). Russia's proposal on UNSC summit with Iran remains on table. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 16 (MNA) — Despite Trump's refusal to support Moscow's proposal for an online conference of leaders of the UNSC states, Germany, and Iran, the Russian deputy foreign minister stressed that the proposal remains on the table.
(2020-08-16). Belarus: Imperialists Run The Same Tired Old Script. popularresistance.org The Western establishment narrative managers always follow the same patterns. Just like they fixated on Hong Kong protests, while ignoring those in US-aligned France or Israel, now they're cheering on protests in Belarus. | Imperialist pundit and Obama administration Cold Warrior Michael McFaul recently tweeted the following: | "Belarusians, inside and outside of the country, have reached out to me this week to ask why the West is so indifferent to their courageous fight for democracy. I can't explain. Can you?" | I am not highlighting this tweet because it is remarkable…
(2020-08-16). Putin tells Belarusian leader Lukashenko Russia ready to help militarily if necessary. yenisafak.com Russian President Vladimir Putin told Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko in a phone call on Sunday that Moscow stood ready to provide help in accordance with a collective military pact if necessary, the Kremlin said in a statement.The Kremlin said in the same statement that external pressure was being applied to Belarus. It did not say by who.Belarus has been rocked by a week of street protests after protesters accused Lukashenko of rigging a presidential election last Sunday.
(2020-08-16). Screen addiction causes children to lose ability to draw. yenisafak.com The normalization of technology has rendered some children incapable of drawing a simple picture, and the number keeps rising daily, according to a Turkish child development specialist.The new school year in Turkey will begin with remote classes Aug. 31. Aysenur Bekaroglu believes screen addiction in children is much more pronounced when learning is primarily dictated by a device."But this is the best of a bad lot," she said. "Rather than children being left uneducated, online education is the best option."Bekaroglu said schools are not only a center for education but a place to socialize, where children have pee…
(2020-08-15). Maduro Hails Russian COVID-19 Vaccine as Comms Minister Tests Positive. venezuelanalysis.com The South American nation has a 70 percent COVID-19 recovery rate.
(2020-08-15). Popular Viral Video Firm Sues Facebook over Russian Propaganda Label. thealtworld.com 
The company behind In The Now, Soapbox and Waste-Ed is taking on media giant Facebook, who it claims is falsely labeling it as Russian state-controlled propaganda. | MPN— On online media company is suing social media giant Facebook for falsely smearing it as a Russian state-controlled propaganda outlet. Maffick, the owner of In The Now, Soapbox and Waste-Ed, has filed a lawsuit against Facebook in a Northern California district court for defamation, intentional interference and violating section 43(a) of the Lanham Act, unjustly causing them economic and reputational harm, claiming that Facebook's actions re…
(2020-08-15). Belarus' Lukashenko to move air assault brigade to country's western border amid protests & NATO activity in Poland, Lithuania. rt.com 
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has said an air assault brigade will be moved to the country's border, amid massive anti-government protests that the leader has dubbed a "color revolution" directed by foreign agents. | Speaking to state media on Saturday, Lukashenko said he was "worried" that NATO was carrying out military exercises in Poland and Lithuania, regarding it as an arms build-up on Belarus' borders. | The president said that Belarus "cannot calmly observe this" and do nothing, adding that he has ordered the transfer of an airborne brigade from Vitebsk to Grodno. | Lukashenko also slammed f…
(2020-08-15). 'Nobody wants to marry her': Veteran Russian nationalist Zhirinovsky compares Belarus' Lukashenko to an unwanted bachelorette. rt.com 
Prominent Russian politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky has compared Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to an unwanted girl looking for someone to marry, claiming that he is courting Russia, Poland, the EU, and the US. | Zhirinovsky, the leader of Russia's right-wing LDPR, explained that Lukashenko is in a "difficult situation," like "a girl of marriageable age" who is entirely undesired. | Belarus is currently in a state of turmoil following the presidential election on August 9, which resulted in a landslide victory for Lukashenko. The vote is widely regarded both in Belarus and abroad as being neither free…
(2020-08-15). Chuck Norris appears in bizarre YouTube video threatening to make Belarusian President Lukashenko 'cry'. rt.com 
Hollywood star Chuck Norris has filmed himself making a thinly veiled threat against Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko, who is facing intense protests following accusations of election fraud. | Update: The original video is no longer available on YouTube due to a copyright claim. | In the clip, posted on YouTube, Norris did not mention Lukashenko by name. Instead, he referred to him as "Sasha Zero-Percent," which is a play on 'Sasha Three-Percent', the nickname opposition activists used to mock the president for his supposedly low approval rating. | Norris also used the phrase "Mister Cockroach," a term…
(2020-08-15). 'We won't allow banditry on our continental shelf': Erdogan says Turkey won't back down amid Mediterranean standoff. rt.com 
Turkey will not bow to international pressure and "banditry" in the contested waters of the eastern Mediterranean, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said, promising to continue oil and gas exploration as planned. | Turkey's Oruc Reis survey vessel will continue its work between Cyprus and the Greek island of Crete until August 23 despite mounting pressure and threats of sanctions, Erdogan said on Saturday. | We will never bow to banditry on our continental shelf. We will not back down against the language of sanctions and threats. | Ankara's goal is to protect its "rights and interests," Erdogan stressed, add…
(2020-08-15). Holiday at home? Irish tourism boss resigns after getting caught on vacation in Italy. rt.com 
The head of Ireland's tourism development authority (Fáilte), Michael Cawley, has resigned after ignoring his own agency's advice to opt for domestic 'staycations' and heading off on holiday to Italy instead. | The resignation was announced on Saturday by Cawley himself, who said he decided to step down because he didn't want to "allow this issue to become a distraction from the important work of Fáilte Ireland in rebuilding the Irish tourism industry." | Cawley's sojourn to Italy ignores government advice to avoid non-essential travel abroad during the Covid-19 pandemic. Quite ironically, Cawley's agen…
(2020-08-15). Navalny's regional organizer arrested as Khabarovsk protests enter sixth week. rt.com 
The Khabarovsk regional coordinator for Moscow protest leader Alexey Navalny has been detained for participating in an unapproved demonstration, as crowds rallied for a sixth weekend in a row. | Alexey Vorsin, a regular fixture at Khabarovsk protests, was Khabarovsk residents have been protesting every day since July 11, after hugely popular regional governor Sergey Furgal was arrested on suspicion of ordering t…
(2020-08-15). 'Come on, don't do this': Yahoo slammed for shoddy story accusing RUSSIA of antifa.com prank of Joe Biden. rt.com 
The latest chapter in the conspiracy theory blaming Russia for 'meddling' in US elections accuses Moscow of somehow redirecting the website Antifa.com to Joe Biden's website, thanks to some major internet illiteracy at work. | On Wednesday, Republican activist Matthew Foldi pointed out that typing Antifa.com in one's browser redirected to Biden's campaign page, just as the Democrat candidate and his freshly chosen running mate Kamala Harris were about to do their first joint public appearance. | | üö®ü…
(2020-08-15). Open wide, Adolf! Daughter of Kremlin spokesman posts photo of HITLER'S TEETH on Instagram. rt.com 
So Hitler didn't escape to South America to run a bar with Elvis? On Friday, the daughter of the Kremlin press secretary posted a photo of his remains, in storage at the Federal Security Service's (FSB) secret archives in Moscow | On her popular Instagram account, Elizaveta Peskova shared photographs of the dental remains of Adolf Hitler and his wife, Eva Braun. | Peskova, whose father Dmitry Peskov has been the spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin since 2012, wrote that her friend and history fan Pierre Malinovsky requested to see the artifact, as not everyone believes that Hitler died in 1945.
(2020-08-15). Show him the money? Putin's income grew by $15k in 2019, rising almost 13%. rt.com 
Russian President Vladimir Putin's declared income grew by 1.1 million rubles ($15,000) in 2019, increasing his yearly net earnings to 9.7 million ($133,000). | The president also declared the ownership of two apartments (though only one is currently in use), three Russian-made vehicles (two GAZ-M21 and a Lada Niva), and a 'Skif' trailer (also made in Russia). | All of Putin's property is located inside the country. In 2015, he famously claimed that he doesn't know his salary, which is considerably lower than the official salary of $400,000 for the president of the US. "They just give it to me, and I put it aw…
(2020-08-15). Protesters gather at site of activist's death amid calls for Belarus leader to quit. thecanary.co 
Thousands of demonstrators in Belarus gathered at the spot in the capital where a protester died in clashes with police, calling for authoritarian president Alexander Lukashenko to resign after 26 years in power.It was the seventh consecutive day of large protests against the results of the 9 August presidential election, in which election officials say Lukashenko won a sixth term in office. Opposition supporters believe the figures have been manipulated.Despite harsh police action against the protesters, including the detention of some 7,000 people, the demonstrations have swelled into the largest and most susta…
(2020-08-15). The Birth of a Global Nation: What Makes a Modern Rhodes Scholar? dissidentvoice.org 
Clinton, Talbott, Rice In my previous article, I discussed the role of the Brookings Institute's founder Strobe Talbott as an integrated part of the puzzle behind Russia Gate and also his indoctrination as a Rhodes Scholar in Oxford alongside his room mate Bill Clinton in 1966. I addressed the rise of the Rhodes Trust in …
(2020-08-15). Activists in Denmark demand a consent based law against rape. peoplesdispatch.org Hundreds of people demonstrated in Copenhagen on August 14, Friday, to demand that the government draft a consent law to ensure proper legal protection for rape victims. The gathering was organised by around 24 groups including Everyday Sexim Project, Women's Council, Denmark's Social Democratic Youth (DSU), Socialist Youth Front (SUF), Red Green Youth etc. The participants in the march wore masks and gloves adhering to COVID-19 safety protocol. | According to Arbejderen.dk (The Worker), the demonstrators demanded that the government should immediately announce and submit proposals for a new consent-based rape la…
(2020-08-15). "Putin's govt. is depending on IMF and financial institutions to escape the crisis" peoplesdispatch.org Roman Kononenko of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation talks about how the country's establishment has responded to the crisis of capitalism and its response to US imperialism…
(2020-08-15). Turkey, Syria, and the Kurds. zcomm.org For over two decades, Kurdish leader Abdullah àñcalan has been held in the Turkish prison on ƒ∞mralƒ± Island. In this op-ed for Jacobin, he calls for a "democratic nation project" able to unite citizens of different ethnic backgrounds and cultural traditions.
(2020-08-15). Russia showed its seriousness on defending intl. law: envoy. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 15 (MNA) — Iranian Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali said that Russia's vote against the unprincipled and destructive US resolution shows its determination to uphold international law and oppose unilateralism.
(2020-08-15). California Judicial Council vote to end ban on evictions is a ticking time bomb. indybay.org Frances Hailman, Eleanor Walden & Lynda Carson Are Organizers At Tenant's Rally To Help Save The Section 8 Program In Berkeley Years Ago:…
(2020-08-15). Trump on Pardoning Edward Snowden: 'I'm Going to Look at It'. sputniknews.com Edward Snowden, a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) employee who became a whistleblower, revealing the illegal spying practices conducted by US intelligence agencies, has been living in Russia since 2013. He is wanted in the United States on charges of espionage and treason.
(2020-08-15). Russia starts production of 1st coronavirus vaccine. yenisafak.com Russia has started production of its first COVID-19 vaccine, the Health Ministry said on Saturday.Initial batches of the vaccine will be earmarked for immunizing doctors and health workers, before going to the general public.Russia officially registered the world's first coronavirus vaccine, developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, on Tuesday.The announcement drew skepticism worldwide as Russia plans to continue the third phase of trials along with the vaccine's production and use.However, Alexander Gintsburg, head of the Gamaleya Research Institute, defended the approach, s…
(2020-08-15). 'Israel-UAE deal null and void for Turkey'. yenisafak.com Turkey again lambasted on Friday a recent deal between the UAE and Israel to normalize ties between the two countries, saying the agreement is null and void for Turkey."This step, which ignores the rights of Palestinians, has already been condemned in the conscience of the peoples of the region, especially the Palestinians," Communications Director Fahrettin Altun said on Twitter.Altun stressed that the agreement had clearly shown "those who are behind the wave of instability that took the region for a long time," as well as those who had been "using the Palestinian people's righteous cause for their own interes…
(2020-08-15). Who is the spymaster suing Saudi crown prince? yenisafak.com He obtained a BA in the Arabic language and literature from Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University, a bachelor of science in security sciences in 1979 from King Fahd Security College, and a Master of Science in computer science from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals.He also obtained a PhD in computer engineering and artificial intelligence in 1998 from the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom.He is a former Saudi minister and intelligence officer who currently lives in exile in Canada and Riyadh is seeking to arrest him over charge of wasting public money.- CareerWhen King Salman bin Abdu…
(2020-08-15). 'Go Home, Racists!': BLM Counterprotesters Shout Down White Nationalists in Stone Mountain, Georgia. commondreams.org "Hundreds of workers from across Georgia took a stand against racism and won." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/blm-stone-mountain.jpg …
(2020-08-15). [Correspondence] Interference in scientific research on COVID-19 in Turkey. thelancet.com Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), as it was later named, was first identified in Wuhan, China, on Jan 7, 2020.1 Over the following months, the virus rapidly spread throughout the world. The disease, COVID-19, was characterised as a pandemic by WHO on March 11, 2020. On the same day, the Turkish Ministry of Health reported the first case in Turkey.2 According to the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data platform, which analyses the genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2, the disease reached Turkey mainly through Iran, with whom Turkey has strong commercial and touristic ties, and…
(2020-08-15). Real Life Heroes: the Syrian film-maker cleaning COVID wards in the UK. news.un.org Hassan Akkad, an award-winning Syrian film-maker, fled the war in his country four years ago and now lives as a refugee in the United Kingdom. Following the outbreak of COVID-19, he decided to help those affected by the pandemic, by becoming a cleaner at a London hospital.
(2020-08-14). Headlines for August 14, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. Records 1,000+ Daily Coronavirus Deaths Again as 2,000+ Quarantined at Schools, Georgia Governor Drops Lawsuit over Atlanta Mask Mandate, CDC Director Warns U.S. Risks Worst Fall in Public Health History, Senate Adjourns Without Deal on New Coronavirus Aid as Millions Face Hunger and Eviction, Coronavirus Cases Surge in India, Peru, Spain, France and Elsewhere, Israel to Normalize Relations with United Arab Emirates Despite Palestinian Protest, Unexploded Missile Found at U.N.-Run School as Israel Attacks Gaza Strip, Trump Admits He's Undermining the U.S. Postal Service to Thwart Mail-in Voting, USPS Confirm…
(2020-08-14). Interception, no solution to address migrants crossing English Channel. news.un.org Intercepting boats full of migrants attempting to cross the English Channel, is not the solution to deter them from attempting to reach the United Kingdom, UN agencies have stressed, warning that deployment of large naval vessels to block small, flimsy dinghies could lead to fatal incidents.
(2020-08-14). Imperialists Run The Same Tired Old Script Day After Fucking Day. thealtworld.com 
Imperialist pundit and Obama administration cold warrior Michael McFaul recently "Belarusians, inside and outside of the country, have reached out to me this week to ask why the West is so indifferent to their courageous fight for democracy. I can't explain. Can you?" | I am not highlighting this tweet because it is remarkable (except for the extremely dubious claim that anyone ever reaches out to Michael McFaul). I am highlighting it because it is completely unremarkable. | New on…
(2020-08-14). Writing at a time of plague: Boccaccio, Dante, Petrarca, Chaucer. peoplesworld.org 
The Black Plague was the most devastating pandemic ever recorded, resulting in the deaths of between 75-125 million people. It peaked in Europe between 1347 and 1351, having come on Italian merchant ships from Asia via the Silk Road. In fact, the idea of quarantine originates in plague-stricken 14th-century Italy, when ships arriving in Venice …
(2020-08-14). 'You're being used as cannon fodder': Lukashenko urges people to STAY HOME, blames protests on foreign meddling. rt.com 
President Aleksandr Lukashenko has called upon Belarusian citizens to not "go into the streets" and to avoid protests, blaming foreign agents for stoking the unrest that has gripped the country after the controversial election. | "Don't go out into the streets now! Understand that you and your children are being used as cannon fodder," Lukashenko said Friday, during a meeting with the country's National Security Council. | They've already come here in large numbers from Poland, the Netherlands, Ukraine, from this 'Open Russia' — [Russian opposition figure Alexey] Navalny and so on and so forth. The aggres…
(2020-08-14). Belarus hands over 32 'Russian mercenaries' KGB accused of 'planning riots' — ignoring Ukraine's extradition demand. rt.com 
A fortnight after their arrest raised eyebrows, and ignoring Ukrainian attempts to extradite most of them, the authorities in Belarus have released 32 Russian citizens they accused of attempting to undermine state security. | The KGB claimed the men were fighters from the Wagner private military contractor company who arrived in the country to prepare for mass riots. Moscow said the 33 detainees — one is a Belarussian citizen and hasn't been transferred to Russia — were indeed security personnel, but Minsk was only the transit point to their final destination. Russia had closed almost all internation…
(2020-08-14). EU does not accept Belarus election results, preparing sanctions — Foreign policy chief Borrell. rt.com The European Union is refusing to recognize election results in Belarus and is preparing sanctions over the 'rigged' vote and the heavy-handed police response to protests, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has confirmed. | The EU "doesn't accept election results" in Minsk, Borrell tweeted on Friday evening, adding that work has begun on "sanctioning those responsible for violence [and] falsification" of the vote. | Concluded good and constructive Eastern Med: Full solidarity w/ Greece&Cyprus; calling Turkey for immediate dee…
(2020-08-14). Thousands of workers march to Belarus parliament from Minsk tractor factory as protests intensify (VIDEOS). rt.com 
Demonstrators left the protest-hit Minsk Tractor Works and headed towards government facilities in the center of the capital shortly after the country's prime minister arrived at the factory to talk to workers. | The march on Friday comes amid a wave of anti-government protests in Belarus. The plant, also known by the abbreviation MTZ, is one of the biggest employers in the Belarus capital, giving jobs to some 15,000 people. A significant part of the staff took to the streets of Minsk chanting "Leave" to incumbent President Aleksandr Lukashenko and calling on workers from other plants to join them. | The march…
(2020-08-14). Trump says he HOPES Russian Sputnik V vaccine works, but US will soon roll out one too. rt.com 
President Donald Trump has expressed the hope that the world's first registered Covid-19 vaccine from Russia will work, but he says the US could have its own ready very soon, after a lengthier trial process. | Production of Russia's Covid-19 vaccine has already begun, and 500 million doses are expected to have been made within the next 12 months. The jab, dubbed 'Sputnik V', is supposed to offer protection from the coronavirus for up to two years. | Asked about the rapidly developed vaccine at a Friday press conference, Trump said he hoped the vaccine would be effective, but claimed the US may soon have good n…
(2020-08-14). FBI lawyer pleads GUILTY to altering email evidence in Trump spying scandal. rt.com 
Former FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith, an important player in the 'Russiagate' investigation into President Donald Trump, is the first person to plead guilty in US attorney John Durham's probe of what's been dubbed 'Spygate.' | Clinesmith was a member of the FBI General Counsel's Office (GCO) assigned to work on the Crossfire Hurricane probe — the name given to the investigation of claims into Trump's ties with Russia during the 2016 election. His attorney, Justin Shur, told the AP news agency on Friday that Clinesmith intends to plead guilty to one count of making a false statement. | An FBI lawyer pled gul…
(2020-08-14). Russia unveils new firearm 'Poloz', designed specifically for the police. rt.com 
Russian cops will soon have a brand new sidearm. The Central Scientific Research Institute for Precision Machine Engineering has developed a new pistol, designed specifically for Russia's Police and National Guard. | Based on the Army's semi-automatic pistol 'Udav', the new handgun dubbed 'Poloz' is accurate at a range of up to 50 meters, and can operate in temperatures ranging from -50 to +50 degrees celsius. | "This compact model is smaller and lighter than the standard army handgun and can be used as a concealed carry weapon," said Albert Bakov, CEO of the Research Institute. " It is convenient, reliable an…
(2020-08-14). Spain bans OUTDOOR smoking and shuts nightclubs & discos as Covid-19 cases spike. rt.com 
Madrid has rolled out a new set of anti-coronavirus measures, shutting down some public venues and banning smoking in the street without social distancing. It comes as some 3,000 new cases of Covid-19 are being reported daily. | The new nationwide restrictions were announced on Friday by Spain's Health Minister Salvador Illa. The official didn't give a precise timeframe for when the restrictions would come into force, saying only that it would be within the next few days. | Young people must be particularly careful, Illa stressed, urging them to show "discipline" and follow "the measures, just like older peopl…
(2020-08-14). Belarus authorities free hundreds detained after election protests. thecanary.co 
Belarusian authorities have released hundreds of people who were detained amid demonstrations contesting the results of the presidential election, in an attempt to assuage public anger over a brutal crackdown on peaceful protests.Scores of detainees were seen walking out of a jail in the capital, Minsk, at around midnight on 13 August. Early on 14 August, volunteers also saw at least 119 detainees being released in the nearby сity of Zhodino.Ambulances arrived to carry those who were apparently unable to walk on their own.Relatives and friends greet people released from a detention centre where protesters w…
(2020-08-14). Turkey may suspend ties with UAE, withdraw ambassasdor. yenisafak.com After the United Arab Emirates' controversial deal to normalize ties with Israel, Turkey may downgrade its relations with the UAE, Turkey's president has said."We may take steps to suspend diplomatic ties with the UAE or withdraw our ambassador," Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters in Istanbul after Friday prayers.On Israel, Erdogan called its recent solidarity with Egypt and Greece and steps towards Palestine unacceptable.In signing a maritime pact last week, Athens and Cairo continued efforts to box in Ankara's territory in the Mediterranean based on small islands near Turkish shores, violating the interests of…
(2020-08-14). The Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic: The Real Danger is "Agenda ID2020" globalresearch.ca WHO has most likely received orders from "above", from those people who also manage Trump and the "leaders" (sic) of the EU, European Union. The final decision to go ahead NOW with COVID-19 pandemic, was taken in January 2020 at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos – behind very much closed doors.
(2020-08-14). Workers Struggles: Europe, Middle East & Africa. wsws.org The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature.
(2020-08-14). All Vaccines Are Unsafe. Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 Vaccine Now Available. globalresearch.ca On August 11, Russia registered the first vaccine for use against COVID-19, named Sputnik V. More on this development below. | *** | Toxins in vaccines make them hazardous to human health. | Time and again, they cause diseases they're promoted as protection …
(2020-08-14). Strikes spread in Belarus as EU, Washington step up pressure. wsws.org Belarusian workers across key industries have walked off the job in defiance of the government's brutal crackdown.