Monthly Archives: August 2020

2020-08-25: News Headlines

Andrew Korybko (2020-08-25). Can The US Stop Russia From 'Pulling A Crimea' In Belarus? thealtworld.com US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun is rushing to Moscow from 25-26 August in a desperate attempt to stop Russia from "pulling a Crimea" in Belarus after the ongoing Color Revolution there has thus far failed to depose Lukashenko amid his dangerous saber-rattling with NATO, though it remains to be seen if the US and Russia can succeed in reviving their "New Detente" by reaching a pragmatic "compromise" on a "political solution" to this crisis or whether the situation has already gone so far that its current trajectory of either pro-Western regime change or (re)unification with Russia is irreversible. | Ha…

yenisafak (2020-08-25). Turkey rescues 68 asylum seekers in Aegean. yenisafak.com At least 38 asylum seekers were rescued from a dinghy off the coast of Seferihisar in Turkey's western Izmir province, said the source, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.Separately, another 30 migrants were rescued off Izmir's Foca district.After routine checks, the asylum seekers were taken to the provincial migration authority.Turkey has been a key transit point for asylum seekers aiming to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.Earlier this year, the country opened the way to irregular migrants seeking to reach Europe, accusing th…

Mike Walter (2020-08-25). The Heat: Belarus protests. america.cgtn.com Protests continue in Belarus weeks after President Alexander Lukashenko claims a landslide victory in the latest election.

The Canary (2020-08-25). British Museum removes bust of its slave-owning founding father. thecanary.co The British Museum has removed a bust of its founding father, who was a slave owner, and said it wanted to confront its links to colonialism.Hartwig Fischer, the institution's director, revealed the likeness of Hans Sloane has been placed in a secure cabinet alongside artefacts explaining his work in the context of the British Empire.Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Fischer said: "We have pushed him off the pedestal. We must not hide anything. Healing is knowledge."The British Museum has moved a bust of its founding father due to his links to the slave trade (Tim Ireland/PA)The decision had been taken partly as a…

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-08-25). Newly Strengthened Albanian Political Power in North Macedonia Will Not Lead to a Greater Albania. globalresearch.ca North Macedonia conducted elections on July 15 that were originally scheduled for April 12 but were postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. On August 18, the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) and the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) reached …

Stephen Lendman (2020-08-25). Belarus Opposition, Made in the USA. globalresearch.ca Longstanding US plans earmarked Belarus for regime change, wanting pro-Western puppet rule in another nation bordering Russia. | There's nothing spontaneous about mass protests that erupt in nations the US wants transformed into client states. | They're most likely to occur in …

_____ (2020-08-25). Belarus's Options In The Midst Of A Color Revolution. popularresistance.org A "color revolution" is a media term for a movement based on legitimate grievances only to be co-opted into a regime-change operation backed by the US and confederates. There have been so many — Georgia in 2003, Ukraine in 2004, Kyrgyzstan in 2005 — that they have run out of colors. Belarus is amidst the "slipper" color revolution. Belarus shows that any small state with a mildly socialist system and independent foreign policy invites subversion by the Yankee hegemon and its collaborators. Even if Belarus had met the highest standards of democracy and efficiency, a western-backed color revolution migh…

Stephen Lendman (2020-08-25). Belarusian President Lukashenko Reelected by a 61.7% Majority. Reintegration into Russia? globalresearch.ca Despite ruling Belarus with an iron fist, most Belarusians support Alexander Lukashenko. | President since 1994, he was legitimately reelected by a 61.7% majority, according to the pro-Western election monitoring group Golos. | It published "data collected by US-backed civic youth …

GTGG (2020-08-25). Joint Statement by the Greens of Turkey and Greens of Greece on recent tension in Eastern Mediterranean Sea. zcomm.org "We, Greek and Turkish Greens, are both deeply concerned about the current build-up of tension in the Eastern Mediterranean."

Comitato No Nato No Guerra (2020-08-25). Appello Ai Leader Dei Nove Stati Con Armi Nucleari (Cina, Francia, India, Israele, Nord Corea, Pakistan, Regno Unito, Russia, Stati Uniti). globalresearch.ca Noi, persone di buona volontà di tutti i ceti sociali, di tutti i continenti, di credo e religioni diverse, richiamiamo la vostra attenzione sulla minaccia di una guerra nucleare totale che puà≤ scoppiare molto facilmente a causa di azioni deliberate …

Palmqvist S, Janelidze S, Quiroz YT, et al. (2020-08-25). Accuracy of Plasma P-tau217 for Distinguishing Alzheimer Disease From Other Neurodegenerative Disorders. jamanetwork.com This cross-sectional study compares the accuracy of plasma tau phosphorylated at threonine 217 (P-tau217) levels vs other plasma-, MRI-, CSF-, and PET-based markers for distinguishing Alzheimer from other neurodegenerative diseases in 3 cohorts in Arizona, Sweden, and Columbia with or at risk for dementia.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-25). Ehsan Hajsafi to join Greece's Aris Thessaloniki. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 25 (MNA) — A Greek website has reported that the Iranian midfielder, Ehsan Hajsafi, who plays for Tractor Sazi, will leave his team in case it loses the semi-final match at the Iranian Hazfi Cup.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-25). Iran-Russia coop. has wide capacities incl. arms trade. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 25 (MNA) — Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami pointed to the high potential of military cooperation between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-25). Jahangiri felicitates Independence Day of Ukraine. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 25 (MNA) — Iranian First Vice President Es'hagh Jahangiri congratulated the Independence Day of Ukraine on Tuesday.

_____ (2020-08-25). Who Benefits? The Navalny Case: Usual Suspects, Actual Culprits. popularresistance.org We are concerned about the recent news relating to the poisoning of Russian opposition leader, Alexey Navalny, and believe that it may be another attempt by certain interested parties to worsen the already strained US-Russia relations. | Even those who despise President Putin know that he is not insane. Why would Putin seek 'normal' relations with Europe [and, at the beginning at least, the United States] only to subvert those efforts by having people shot next door to the Kremlin (Nemtsov) or poisoned on airplanes or airports (Navalny)?

_____ (2020-08-25). Germany Begins A Universal-Basic-Income Trial For Three Years. popularresistance.org Germany is about to become the latest country to trial a universal basic income, starting a three-year study of how it affects the economy and recipients' well-being. | As part of the study, 120 people will receive ‚Ǩ1,200, or about $1,430, each month for three years — an amount just above Germany's poverty line — and researchers will compare their experiences with another group of 1,380 people who will not receive the payments. | The study, conducted by the German Institute for Economic Research, has been funded by 140,000 private donations. | All participants will be asked to compl…

_____ (2020-08-25). The Irresistible Rise Of The Civilization-State. popularresistance.org A specter is haunting the liberal West: the rise of the "civilization-state". As America's political power wanes and its moral authority collapses, the rising challengers of Eurasia have adopted the model of the civilization-state to distinguish themselves from a paralyzed liberal order, which lurches from crisis to crisis without ever quite dying nor yet birthing a viable successor. Summarising the civilization-state model, the political theorist Adrian Pabst observes that "in China and Russia the ruling classes reject Western liberalism and the expansion of a global market society. They define their countries a…

sputniknews (2020-08-25). Man United's Harry Maguire Out of England Squad After Guilty Verdict in Assault on Police. sputniknews.com Manchester United captain Harry Maguire was earlier arrested on Mykonos after he, according to police, punched an officer after Maguire's sister was "stabbed by an Albanian thug". Maguire has denied any wrongdoing.

sputniknews (2020-08-25). Streets Outside Charite Hospital in Berlin, Where Alexey Navalny is Being Treated – Video. sputniknews.com Last week, Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny fell ill on a plane heading to Moscow from Tomsk, causing the aircraft to conduct an emergency landing in Omsk, where Navalny was transferred to hospital. Later, he was transported to Berlin to receive treatment in the Charite clinic.

sputniknews (2020-08-25). India, China, Pakistan Set to Participate in Wargames in Russia Next Month. sputniknews.com New Delhi (Sputnik): Russia is set to host at least 18 countries, including member-states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) for the bilateral and multilateral military exercises that were delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The participating nations will have to follow COVID-19 protocols during their stay.

sputniknews (2020-08-25). Ankara Counts on Cooperation With Russia After Large Gas Find in Black Sea. sputniknews.com ANKARA (Sputnik) – Turkey counts on cooperation with Russia after the discovery of what is believed to be the country's largest gas field in the Black Sea, Finance Minister Berat Albayrak said on Tuesday.

yenisafak (2020-08-25). What you need to know about the coronavirus right now. yenisafak.com Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus right now: Patients reinfectedTwo European patients were confirmed to have been re-infected with the coronavirus, according to regional public broadcasters, raising concerns about immunity.The news follows a report this week by researchers in Hong Kong about a man there who had been re-infected four and a half months after recovering.Broadcasters said on Tuesday a patient in the Netherlands and another in Belgium had also been re-infected with the virus.Dutch broadcaster NOS cited virologist Marion Koopmans as saying the patient in the Netherlands was an older per…

yenisafak (2020-08-25). EU to aid Turkish Cypriot community with $37M. yenisafak.com The European Commission adopted on Tuesday a ‚Ǩ31.6 million ($37.4 million) aid program for the Turkish community on the…

yenisafak (2020-08-25). Greece says wants dialogue with Turkey but will defend sovereign rights. yenisafak.com Greece is ready for a dialogue to help dissolve tensions with Turkey over energy resources in the Eastern Mediterranean but the country will also defend its sovereign rights, its foreign minister said on Tuesday.After meeting his German counterpart Heiko Maas in Athens, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias also said that Turkey continues with "provocations" and "violations of international law" despite calls by its neighbours and allies to de-escalate tensions.Dendias said the issue doesn't only concern the two NATO allies but the European Union as a whole.

yenisafak (2020-08-25). Lebanese c.bank says can't use obligatory reserve to finance trade. yenisafak.com The Lebanese central bank cannot use its obligatory reserve to finance trade once it reaches its minimum threshold, governor Riad Salameh was quoted as saying on Tuesday, after an official source said the central bank could only sustain subsidies on basic goods for three months.In an interview with the French edition of the Saudi-owned Arab News, Salameh also said he supported a proposal by French President Emmanuel Macron to send experts from the French central bank, Bank of France, to audit the Lebanese central bank.The Lebanese central bank's intention is for depositors to recuperate their money, Salameh said,…

yenisafak (2020-08-25). Germany: Turkey favors dialogue to resolve East Med issues. yenisafak.com Turkey favors dialogue to resolve its tensions with Greece in the Eastern Mediterranean over maritime boundaries and energy exploration, Germany's foreign minister said in Athens on Tuesday.Turkey and Greece are playing with fire in the Eastern Mediterranean and "any spark could lead a disaster," Heiko Maas told a joint news conference with his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias.Maas said after his visit to Greece he will head to the Turkish capital Ankara to meet with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu.This week Turkey and later Greece sent out conflicting alerts on energy exploration and military exercises i…

yenisafak (2020-08-25). Russia parliament orders probe into possible foreign link to alleged Navalny poisoning. yenisafak.com The speaker of Russia's lower house of parliament on Tuesday ordered one of its committees to probe whether foreign forces were behind the alleged poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny in a bid to fuel tensions in Russia."The State Duma security committee will be instructed to analyse what happened in order to understand whether this was an attempt on the part of foreign states to harm the health of a Russian citizen to fuel tensions inside Russia, as well as to formulate fresh accusations against our country," speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said in a statement.The Kremlin said earlier on Tuesday it saw no need…

yenisafak (2020-08-25). More than 20 FETàñ suspects get jail terms in Turkey. yenisafak.com A Turkish court on Tuesday handed down jail terms to 24 FETàñ suspects in a case related to the infiltration of the armed forces.The sentences range from one-and-a-half years to 15 years. A total of 33 suspects stood trial.Three suspects benefited from the remorse law and their sentence was reduced to three years.Four suspects were acquitted and one was let off without a charge.FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the…

yenisafak (2020-08-25). Pakistani charity builds school in southeastern Turkey. yenisafak.com A Pakistani charity has helped establish a school for Syrian children in southeastern Turkey.The primary school, which opened on Monday in the Gaziantep province near the Syrian border, has been funded by Pakistan's Baitussalam Welfare Trust with the support of Kuwait's Said association, said Ali Sahin, the chairman of Turkey-Pakistan Inter-parliamentary Friendship Group."Thanks for my Pakistani brothers for being in Gaziantep," he tweeted.The project is part of the "100 philanthropists in the 100th year" campaign which marks the centenary of Gaziantep's liberation.Gaziantep Governor Davut Gul said nearly 500,000…

yenisafak (2020-08-25). Turkey reports 1,500-plus coronavirus cases in a day. yenisafak.com Turkey on Tuesday confirmed 1,502 new cases of the novel coronavirus, while the number of tests conducted exceeded 6.5 million.On Twitter, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said 887 patients recovered from COVID-19 over the past day, pushing the total count of recoveries to 238,795.Meanwhile, the death toll in the country reached 6,163, as 24 more people lost their lives.Health care professionals run 98,231 more tests to diagnose the disease over the last 24 hours, pushing the tally beyond 6.5 million.Since it originated in China last December, the coronavirus has claimed around 814,500 lives in 188 countries and re…

Tony Cartalucci (2020-08-25). "Poisoned" Kremlin Critic Flown to Germany as German-Russian Nord Stream 2 Nears Completion. globalresearch.ca The perfectly timed poisoning of unpopular, ineffective Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny and the involvement of Germany comes as Washington sought to place maximum pressure on Berlin to cancel the German-Russian Nord Stream 2 pipeline. | *** | Russian opposition figure Alexey …

Paul Craig Roberts (2020-08-25). Is the Russian Government as Insouciant as the American People? thealtworld.com Something is wrong in the Russian government and in the governments of former Soviet Republics. | The president of Ukraine stood aside and disarmed his police and Putin went off to the Olympics, while Washington-financed "Maidan protests" overthrew the Ukrainian government. Now it seems to be happening again in Belarus. | One would think that after Ukraine, Belarus and Russia would clamp down on their traitorous internal oppositions financed and led by Washington. But no. They continue to permit a Washington-funded operation to overthrow themselves. | The Russian and Belarus governments permit oppositions that ar…

Andrew Korybko (2020-08-24). Did Lukashenko's Gun Stunt Help or Harm His Image? globalresearch.ca Color Revolution-beleaguered Belarusian President Lukashenko surprised the world on Sunday after exiting a helicopter that landed on his palace grounds while dressed in body armor and holding an AK -47, which was a risky soft power stunt that could either …

_____ (2020-08-24). U.S. Govt-Funded Coda Story Smears American Journalists Who Undermine New Cold War Propaganda. strategic-culture.org With backing from the US government's regime-change arm, an Operation Mockingbird-style website called Coda Story is attacking American journalists who have punctured Washington's sensationalist narratives against China. | Ben NORTON | A shadowy neoconservative website called Coda Story has launched a smear campaign against American journalists who challenge new cold war propaganda. But what this publication has not disclosed is that it is funded by the US government, backed by the European Union, linked to the NATO war alliance, and part of a larger network of regime-change outfits that are bankrolled by Western…

Staff (2020-08-24). Headlines for August 24, 2020. democracynow.org Raging California Wildfires Displace 120,000, Burn 1.2 Million Acres, FDA Approves Blood Plasma Treatment as U.S. COVID-19 Death Toll Tops 176,000 , Countries Grapple with Second Wave, as South Korea Warns Country Is in "Grave Situation", House Passes Bill to Halt Changes at USPS as Fears Mount over Mail-in Ballots, House Passes Bill to Provide Emergency Funding for USCIS as Agency Plans Major Staff Cuts, Belarus Protests Continue Demanding Resignation of President Lukashenko, At Least 17 Killed in Colombia Over Deadly Weekend, At Least 14 People Killed in Twin Bombings in the Philippines, U.S. Troops Withdraw fr…

Rick Sterling (2020-08-24). Diana Johnstone's "Circle in the Darkness" Gives an Insider's View Into Media Manipulation. mintpressnews.com A pillar of the antiwar movement, Diana Johnstone provides critical insights from her time working in Associated Press and AFP newsrooms in the US and Europe and much more.

Prof. Juan Cole (2020-08-24). Trump Walks Alone: Former US Allies Britain, France, Germany Join Russia and China in Forcefully Rejecting Trump Iran Sanctions. globalresearch.ca

Roger D. Harris (2020-08-24). The Tribulations of Triangulation: Few Options for Belarus Amid a Color Revolution. mintpressnews.com Belarus shows that any small state with a mildly socialist system and independent foreign policy invites subversion by the Yankee hegemon and its collaborators.

Frances Madeson (2020-08-24). African Asylum Seekers Jailed in Louisiana Stop Eating in Protest. counterpunch.org In the Mankon language, spoken in northwest Cameroon, mughu is a word for hell. Northwest Cameroon was home to more than a dozen of the 48 African asylum seekers now confined in Louisiana at Pine Prairie ICE Processing Center, where COVID has taken a firm grip. Along with men from Uganda, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, and Burkino

Chris Gilbert (2020-08-24). The Spanish State's "Nationalization" of Clinics Resembles Privatization. counterpunch.org We hear it throughout the English-language press, both mainstream and progressive: "The Covid-19 crisis led Spain to nationalize its private clinics!" It would be great if it were true. Moreover, since governments like to say that we are "at war" with the coronavirus, shouldn't a war involve more than just confining people in their houses,

RT (2020-08-24). 'Deal with them': After two weeks of protests in Belarus, Lukashenko orders officials to fire teachers who backed opposition. rt.com Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has ordered that all school teachers who do not support the "state ideology" be removed from their jobs, telling Education Minister Igor Karpenko that they need to be "dealt with." | Belarusian society is currently going through a turbulent period following mass unrest caused by the presidential election results of August 9, which were deemed by many to have been falsified. | According to the official numbers, incumbent Lukashenko won 80% of the vote, with opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya gaining just 10%. Following the closing of polling stations, tens of t…

RT (2020-08-24). Russian newspaper reports more international flight destinations set to re-open but authorities quickly pour cold water on idea. rt.com Russians hoping to hit a warm foreign beach before the summer heat subsides saw their hopes dashed on Monday as media reports promising the re-opening of more international flight routes were refuted by authorities. | A glimpse of hope for travelers appeared when Moscow daily Izvestia published a report citing sources, including one in "a major Russian airline," saying more countries were set to join the UK, Turkey and Tanzania on the list of accessible destinations. | According to the newspaper, Russian aviation authorities had been considering several cities in France, Hungary, Egypt, Cyprus, Jordan, Malta a…

RT (2020-08-24). Germany's Merkel calls on Russia to investigate how Navalny was allegedly poisoned & hold perpetrators accountable. rt.com Just hours after Berlin's Charite clinic announced that it believes stricken Moscow protest leader Alexey Navalny is a victim of poisoning, the German government has told Moscow to find those responsible. | The unprecedented statement, signed by Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, called on Russian authorities to conduct a "transparent and comprehensive" investigation into the circumstances around the anti-corruption campaigner's illness. | "According to a statement from the team of doctors at Charite, data from clinical studies indicates that Alexey Navalny was poisoned," it reads. The m…

RT (2020-08-24). Atlantic writer Jemele Hill fails at history discourse as her 'US-Nazis' comparison incites online uproar. rt.com Twitter posts from the Atlantic writer Jemele Hill caught fire from the online community after she unfavorably compared the United States to Nazi Germany without citing any specifics. | Hill prefixed her controversial Sunday tweet by saying that she has been reflecting on a racial history book called 'Caste' by Isabel Wilkerson. The pundit said that via this text she reached the conclusion that people who are "of the opinion that the United States wasn't nearly as bad as Nazi Germany" are "wrong." | Been reading Isabel Wilkerson's new book, "Caste," and if you were of the opinion that the United States wasn't…

RT (2020-08-24). Turkey's Erdogan accuses Greece of 'sowing chaos it can't escape from' in Mediterranean. rt.com Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused neighboring Greece of "sowing chaos" in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, contested by the two nations based on overlapping natural resources claims. | Speaking after a cabinet meeting on Monday, Erdogan blasted Athens for broadcasting maritime navigational and weather advisories, known as Navtex, in areas of Mediterranean claimed by Ankara. | Greece has declared its own Navtex unlawfully and in a spoiled manner…With this approach, Greece has sown a chaos that it will not be able to escape from. | Turkey's president also claimed that the Greek activities…

RT (2020-08-24). Doctor who treated Alexey Navalny in Omsk claims he received threats online directed at himself & his children. rt.com The deputy chief medic at the clinic in Siberia where Moscow protest leader Alexey Navalny was hospitalized last week says he received "dozens of threats" on social media, some of the more sinister ones even targeting his family. | However, Dr Anatoly Kalinichenko says he bears no ill will toward Navalny, who was flown to Berlin on Saturday, and is recovering at the German capital's Charite Clinic. | Doctors there claim to have discovered poison in his system, contradicting the diagnosis from the hospital in Omsk. | "I received several dozen threats of physical nature [on social media] — against me person…

RT (2020-08-24). Russia to develop new spacesuit as designer attacks SpaceX for 'Hollywood superhero costumes' more about PR than safety. rt.com Russia's National University of Science and Technology (MISIS) plans to develop a spacesuit for the crew of the new Russian spacecraft 'Oryol.' which is projected to begin manned missions in 2025. | Its designer ruled out simply purchasing kit from abroad, making a point of lashing America's SpaceX for having poor quality equipment which he said was created with PR in mind, rather than safety. | "This is a very serious enterprise with a glorious history," said Vladimir Pirozhkov, the head of the MISIS engineering center, noting the importance of Russia making their own space technology. | Also on rt.com

RT (2020-08-24). Airfields made from ice? New Russian technology promises to allow military transporters to touch down inside Arctic Circle. rt.com Russia's Ministry of Defense is considering making military airfields out of ice within the Arctic Circle, after developing a new technology that enables heavy aircraft to land without the need for an asphalt runway. | The Bauman Moscow State Technical University has created a system that uses special chemical re-agents to change the structure of ice, enabling planes to touch down. In the future, heavy military transport aircraft such as the Ilyushin Il-76 will be able to land inside the Arctic Circle, despite weighing around 100,000kg when empty. | Speaking at the Army-2020 forum, Evgeny Storozhuk, Bauman's v…

RT (2020-08-24). 'We found no cholinesterase inhibitors in Navalny's blood': Omsk's chief toxicologist comments on statement from Berlin's Charite. rt.com Doctors who cared for Moscow protest leader Alexey Navalny in Siberia last week found no cholinesterase inhibitors in his blood during their tests. That's according to the Omsk region's top toxicologist. | Alexander Sabayev told journalists on Monday evening that the anti-corruption activist was examined for a wide range of narcotics, synthetic substances, psychedelic drugs and medical substances and the results were negative. | "When Alexey Navalny was admitted to the in-patient clinic, he was examined for a wide range of narcotics, synthetic substances, psychedelic drugs and medical substances, including cho…

The Canary (2020-08-24). Belarus detains three leading opposition activists amid continuing protests. thecanary.co Belarusian authorities have detained three leading opposition activists who've helped spearhead a wave of protests demanding the resignation of the country's authoritarian ruler.The opposition's Co-ordination Council said its members Sergei Dylevsky and Olga Kovalkova were detained by police in the capital, Minsk. Later in the day, the opposition also reported the detention of Alexander Lavrinovich, the leader of striking workers at a major industrial plant.Show of force: The move signals president Alexander Lukashenko's determination to stifle the massive demonstrations that have entered their third week.

2020-08-24: News Headlines

Andrew Korybko (2020-08-24). Did Lukashenko's Gun Stunt Help or Harm His Image? globalresearch.ca Color Revolution-beleaguered Belarusian President Lukashenko surprised the world on Sunday after exiting a helicopter that landed on his palace grounds while dressed in body armor and holding an AK -47, which was a risky soft power stunt that could either …

Rick Sterling (2020-08-24). Diana Johnstone's "Circle in the Darkness" Gives an Insider's View Into Media Manipulation. mintpressnews.com A pillar of the antiwar movement, Diana Johnstone provides critical insights from her time working in Associated Press and AFP newsrooms in the US and Europe and much more.

Prof. Juan Cole (2020-08-24). Trump Walks Alone: Former US Allies Britain, France, Germany Join Russia and China in Forcefully Rejecting Trump Iran Sanctions. globalresearch.ca

Roger D. Harris (2020-08-24). The Tribulations of Triangulation: Few Options for Belarus Amid a Color Revolution. mintpressnews.com Belarus shows that any small state with a mildly socialist system and independent foreign policy invites subversion by the Yankee hegemon and its collaborators.

Frances Madeson (2020-08-24). African Asylum Seekers Jailed in Louisiana Stop Eating in Protest. counterpunch.org In the Mankon language, spoken in northwest Cameroon, mughu is a word for hell. Northwest Cameroon was home to more than a dozen of the 48 African asylum seekers now confined in Louisiana at Pine Prairie ICE Processing Center, where COVID has taken a firm grip. Along with men from Uganda, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, and Burkino

Chris Gilbert (2020-08-24). The Spanish State's "Nationalization" of Clinics Resembles Privatization. counterpunch.org We hear it throughout the English-language press, both mainstream and progressive: "The Covid-19 crisis led Spain to nationalize its private clinics!" It would be great if it were true. Moreover, since governments like to say that we are "at war" with the coronavirus, shouldn't a war involve more than just confining people in their houses,

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-08-24). Despite Threats, the U.S. Will Not Sanction India over Its Relations with Russia. globalresearch.ca After Russia, the U.S. is the second largest arms exporter to India. As a major Washington defense partner, New Delhi signed two $3.5 billion arms purchase agreements earlier this year. However, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Clarke Cooper reiterated Washington's …

Stephen Lendman (2020-08-24). Growing US Isolation on the World Stage. globalresearch.ca Russia's Sergey Lavrov is right about hegemon USA, saying the following on Saturday: | The Trump regime's "intention is to do everything possible in order not to be bound by any international multilateral obligations," adding: | "When the US decides that China …

Kester Kenn Klomegah (2020-08-24). Belarus and the Lessons from Sudan. Comparative Analysis of "Color Revolutions" globalresearch.ca The political development unfolding in Minsk, with high possibility to spill over and spread throughout the former Soviet republic of Belarus is sensitive and delicate. | The first information that emerged about opposition rallying against elected President Alexander Lukashenko was worrying …

WSWS (2020-08-24). This week in history: August 24-30. wsws.org 25 years ago: US and NATO bomb Bosnian Serbs On August 30, 1995, the United States and NATO launched Operation Deliberate Force against Serb-inhabited regions of Bosnia. They were the largest bombing raids in Europe since WWII.

Mondialisation (2020-08-24). Video: The Face Mask Imposed by France's Police State. Breathing is a Fundamental Human Right. globalresearch.ca Numerous scientific studies reveal that the face mask is detrimental to a person's health. | According to Dr. Russell Blaylock: by wearing a face mask, "the exhaled viruses will not be able to escape and will concentrate in the nasal passages, …

WSWS (2020-08-24). The CumEx fraud in Germany: Organised crime with government support. wsws.org The tax authorities, government and judiciary closed their eyes as banks and shareholders helped themselves to €31.8 billion in public funds between 2001 and 2016.

FreiheitsFreund (2020-08-24). Video: Big Anti-Corona Demonstration in Berlin. Example for the Rest of the World. globalresearch.ca According to confirmation from the police of Berlin, Germany, it has been confirmed that between 500,000 and 1 million peaceful protesters (mostly without masks) demonstrate against the Corona rules. | Watch the video below. | * | Note to readers: please click the …

Staff (2020-08-24). Headlines for August 24, 2020. democracynow.org Raging California Wildfires Displace 120,000, Burn 1.2 Million Acres, FDA Approves Blood Plasma Treatment as U.S. COVID-19 Death Toll Tops 176,000 , Countries Grapple with Second Wave, as South Korea Warns Country Is in "Grave Situation", House Passes Bill to Halt Changes at USPS as Fears Mount over Mail-in Ballots, House Passes Bill to Provide Emergency Funding for USCIS as Agency Plans Major Staff Cuts, Belarus Protests Continue Demanding Resignation of President Lukashenko, At Least 17 Killed in Colombia Over Deadly Weekend, At Least 14 People Killed in Twin Bombings in the Philippines, U.S. Troops Withdraw fr…

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-24). No deal can legitimize the Zionist regime: Khaled al- Qaddumi. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 24 (MNA)— Hamas' Representative in Iran said that the Israeli regime still is in intense need of recognition by minor countries in the region despite support from super powers, the UN secretary-general and Europeans.

RT (2020-08-24). Atlantic writer Jemele Hill fails at history discourse as her 'US-Nazis' comparison incites online uproar. rt.com Twitter posts from the Atlantic writer Jemele Hill caught fire from the online community after she unfavorably compared the United States to Nazi Germany without citing any specifics. | Hill prefixed her controversial Sunday tweet by saying that she has been reflecting on a racial history book called 'Caste' by Isabel Wilkerson. The pundit said that via this text she reached the conclusion that people who are "of the opinion that the United States wasn't nearly as bad as Nazi Germany" are "wrong." | Been reading Isabel Wilkerson's new book, "Caste," and if you were of the opinion that the United States wasn't…

sputniknews (2020-08-24). Brother of Harry Maguire to Stand Trial After Brawl with 'Albanian Thugs' Who 'Stabbed' Sister. sputniknews.com Harry Maguire and members of his family were arrested on the Greek Island of Mykonos on Friday. Maguire currently plays for Manchester United after leaving Leicester in an £80 million deal last year.

sputniknews (2020-08-24). Belarusian Opposition's Own Election Monitoring Appears to Show Lukashenko Won 61% of the Vote. sputniknews.com Belarus was engulfed in a wave of protests following the August 9th presidential election in which incumbent Alexander Lukashenko comfortably secured a sixth term. Opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya refused to accept the results, accused Lukashenko of fraud, and demanded that he begin negotiations on a 'peaceful transition of power'.

sputniknews (2020-08-24). Watch Iran's Defence Minister Get Acquainted With S-400 During Arms Expo in Russia. sputniknews.com With the United Nations arms embargo on Iran set to expire in October, US officials and media have speculated that Tehran may buy Russian military hardware, including the S-400, once restrictions run out. Iran already has some advanced air defence capabilities of its own, including a system which downed a $220 million US drone in 2019.

sputniknews (2020-08-24). ARMY-2020: Developers Reveal Mission, Capabilities of Three Brand New Russian Drones. sputniknews.com Several new Russian drone designs were presented at the ongoing ARMY-2020 arms expo outside Moscow this week.

sputniknews (2020-08-24). Analysis of Black Boxes Reveals Downed Ukraine Jet Struck by Iranian Missiles 25 Seconds Apart. sputniknews.com Analysis of the black boxes of the Ukrainian passenger plane downed on January 8 by Iranian forces shows that it was hit by two missiles 25 seconds apart and that passengers were alive for some time following the first blast, Iran's Civil Aviation Organization revealed on Sunday.

_____ (2020-08-24). U.S. Govt-Funded Coda Story Smears American Journalists Who Undermine New Cold War Propaganda. strategic-culture.org With backing from the US government's regime-change arm, an Operation Mockingbird-style website called Coda Story is attacking American journalists who have punctured Washington's sensationalist narratives against China. | Ben NORTON | A shadowy neoconservative website called Coda Story has launched a smear campaign against American journalists who challenge new cold war propaganda. But what this publication has not disclosed is that it is funded by the US government, backed by the European Union, linked to the NATO war alliance, and part of a larger network of regime-change outfits that are bankrolled by Western…

_____ (2020-08-24). Democracy — We've Had the Russia Report, Now Where Is the America Report? strategic-culture.org Rob WOODWARD | The long-awaited Russia report was published with a call for "immediate action" by the government and intelligence services to tackle the threat from just one country — Russia. The reality was that while Russia may have been meddling at the edges of Britain's democracy, America has been actively involved in centrally funding the breakdown of democracy, the rule of law and the British way of life. So where is the America Report? | The Russia Report cited 'open source' studies which pointed to "pro-Brexit or anti-EU stories on RT and Sputnik, and the use of 'bots' and 'trolls', as evidence of R…

The Canary (2020-08-24). Belarus detains three leading opposition activists amid continuing protests. thecanary.co Belarusian authorities have detained three leading opposition activists who've helped spearhead a wave of protests demanding the resignation of the country's authoritarian ruler.The opposition's Co-ordination Council said its members Sergei Dylevsky and Olga Kovalkova were detained by police in the capital, Minsk. Later in the day, the opposition also reported the detention of Alexander Lavrinovich, the leader of striking workers at a major industrial plant.Show of force: The move signals president Alexander Lukashenko's determination to stifle the massive demonstrations that have entered their third week.

Staff (2020-08-24). Pelosi Warns Trump Against "Cutting Corners" on New Unproven Vaccine From UK. truthout.org A new report suggests President Donald Trump may push for an unproven vaccine for coronavirus from the United Kingdom to be made available in the United States just one month before voters are set to decide if he deserves another term in office. |

yenisafak (2020-08-24). Turkish, Azerbaijani parliament heads talk over phone. yenisafak.com Turkey's Parliament Speaker Mustafa Sentop Monday held a phone talk with his Azerbaijani counterpart Sahibe Gafarova.According to the Turkish Parliament Speaker's Office, Gafarova congratulated Sentop on Turkey's recently announced discovery of major natural gas reserves in the Black Sea."I conveyed, on my own behalf and on behalf of all members of Milli Majlis [Azerbaijan's parliament], the sincere congratulations to Mr. Sentop and all Turkish people on the discovery of a large gas field in Black Sea," Gafarova said on Twitter.Last Friday Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Turkey has found som…

yenisafak (2020-08-24). Protests gather over 20,000 people in Minsk. yenisafak.com Over 20,000 people took part in weekend's protests in Belarusian capital of Minsk, the Interior Ministry said Monday. | "Citizens gathered in Minsk and other regional centers to participate in the previously announced protest action. The maximum number of participants was recorded in the capital — about 20,000 people. In Brest and Grodno – no more than 3,000 people," ministry's spokeswoman Olga Chemodanova said in a post on Telegram. | According to Chemodanova, "some individuals and Internet resources" actively encouraged citizens to organize mass events without mentioning that some of them are punishable u…

yenisafak (2020-08-24). Putin, Lukashenko discussed Belarus crisis on phone. yenisafak.com Russian President Vladmir Putin and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko spoke by telephone on Monday and discussed the situation in Belarus, the Belta news agency reported.The Belarusian state-run agency also reported the two leaders had agreed that Belarusians would take part in Phase Three trials of Russia's coronavirus vaccine.Belarus would be the first foreign country to receive deliveries of the vaccine, Belta added.

yenisafak (2020-08-24). Italy begins testing potential COVID-19 vaccine on volunteers. yenisafak.com Italy kicked off human trials of a potential COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, joining a global effort to develop a response to the virus which has shown signs of resurging in Europe.Rome's Lazzaro Spallanzani institute, a hospital specializing in infectious diseases will conduct trials on 90 volunteers over the coming weeks, with the hope a vaccine may be available by spring of next year.Francesco Vaia, health director of the Spallanzani hospital, told Reuters the first patient will be monitored for four hours before being allowed to go home where he will be kept under observation for 12 weeks."We will see if it produ…

yenisafak (2020-08-24). France reports highest daily rise in coronavirus cases. yenisafak.com France confirmed on Monday a spike of 4,897 new coronavirus cases over the last 24 hours, the highest single-day figure since the start of the outbreak.The death toll in France currently stands at 30,513 with overall cases at 242,899, according to the Health Ministry.A total of 4,709 people remain in hospital — 383 of those in intensive care.Health Minister Olivier Veran said in a statement that France has achieved the ability to test 700,000 people per week — roughly 1% of the French population."We have just exceeded our objective of 700,000 tests carried out each week, precisely 725,000," Veran told Le Journa…

yenisafak (2020-08-24). Germany says protection of Kremlin critic Navalny is necessary. yenisafak.com Personal protection of Alexei Navalny is necessary since the Russian opposition politician was possibly the target of a poison attack, a German government spokesman said on Monday."Because there is a certain probability of a poison attack, protection is necessary", Steffen Seibert said at a regular news conference.Navalny, a long-time opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, fell ill on Thursday after what his allies believe was a poisoning and was airlifted to Germany for treatment on Saturday.

yenisafak (2020-08-24). Putin, Netanyahu discuss UAE-Israel deal over phone. yenisafak.com Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu exchanged views on the controversial "n…

yenisafak (2020-08-24). Hong Kong documents man twice infected by COVID-19. yenisafak.com Researchers in Hong Kong Monday claimed to have proved that a man was infected by COVID-19 for a second time after having recovered from the illness. | It is the first such case documented by a team of researchers at the University of Hong Kong. The man, 33, an IT worker, recovered from coronavirus and later was released from hospital in April, according to rthk.com. However, he again tested positive for the virus when he returned from Spain the following month. | According to the university research team, the "genetic sequencing showed the virus strains contracted by him in April and August were clearly differen…

yenisafak (2020-08-24). Turkey's floods death toll hits seven. yenisafak.com The death toll from flooding in Turkey's Black Sea province of Giresun rose to seven, said the country's interior minister Monday.Answering the questions of journalists in the disaster area, Suleyman Soylu said search and rescue teams are still searching for nine missing people, including two gendarmerie personnel.Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), in a statement, said some 988 personnel and 288 vehicles were deployed in the rescue efforts.According to reports, 157 people have been rescued so far. At least 12 people have been injured due to the heavy flooding.The floodwaters demolished 1…

yenisafak (2020-08-24). Turkey delivers 12 off-road vehicles to Somalia. yenisafak.com Turkey has delivered 12 off-road vehicles to Somalia as part of bilateral military and financial cooperation agreements, the National Defense Ministry said on Monday.In a statement, it said the vehicles, which are meant for use over rough terrain, were supplied for the Somali 3rd (Eagle) Infantry Battalion.They were handed over to Somalia's chief of defense force on Aug 22.The two countries are longstanding partners, engaging in close cooperation in different fields.

yenisafak (2020-08-24). Turkey arrests 35 FETàñ-linked terror suspects. yenisafak.com At least 35 people were arrested on Monday for their alleged links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETàñ), the terror group behind the 2016 defeated coup in Turkey.The Istanbul prosecutor's office carried out an investigation into the infiltration of FETàñ members in the Naval Academy and Vocational Schools in 2013.The suspects took an exam for the navy and their candidate numbers were determined as those belonging to members of the terror group.Candidates with the said number were awarded high passing grades by FETàñ members in the examination board.The prosecutors issued warrants fo…

Michael Kelly (2020-08-24). University Administrations Should Take Responsibility for Potential Campus Outbreaks. commondreams.org Residents of the Somerville and Medford communities protest outside of Tufts University President Anthony Monaco's house in Medford, MA on Aug. 18, 2020. (Photo: David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/collegereopeningprotest.jpg

RT (2020-08-23). WATCH: Lukashenko makes dramatic landing at Minsk residence carrying ASSAULT RIFLE & in tactical gear, as protesters line streets. rt.com Just when you thought things in Belarus couldn't get anymore surreal, they did. As crowds of protestors gathered near his residence in Minsk on Sunday evening, a defiant Alexander Lukashenko landed by helicopter, ready for action. | The bizarre footage, posted by a Telegram channel close to Lukashenko's press service, shows the President dressed in a tactical vest and carrying an AK assault rifle. It appears that Lukashenko – in power for 26 years – is channelling Salvador Allende, the former Chilean President deposed in a 1973 CIA-backed coup. | In one video, Lukashenko is seen flying over Minsk while speakin…

RT (2020-08-23). Huge crowds gather on streets of Minsk as Belarus opposition keeps up pressure on Lukashenko to leave office (VIDEOS). rt.com A huge demonstration is underway in Minsk, marking the third week of anti-government rallies. Protestors are demanding the resignation of Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko, saying his re-election was rigged. | Sources on the ground say the crowd numbers in the tens of thousands, with the opposition estimating there are over 100,000 participants. Protesters gathered earlier in the city's Independence Square for a minutes silence in memory of those killed during clashes with law enforcement agencies during earlier rallies. |

RT (2020-08-23). Russian FM Lavrov says some Belarus opposition figures seek 'bloodshed,' want to turn country into second Ukraine. rt.com Some within the Belarusian opposition want to see "bloodshed" in the country, Sergey Lavrov has claimed, adding that exiled candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya appears to be appealing more to a Western audience than a domestic one. | Speaking at an educational youth forum on Sunday, the Russian Foreign Minister touched upon the ongoing unrest in neighboring Belarus. The country is enduring a wave of mass protests triggered by contested elections. | "The Belarusian people will decide for themselves how to get out of this situation," Lavrov said, adding that there are "clear signs" that the situation there is "stab…

RT (2020-08-23). Moscow protest leader Navalny made 'guest of Merkel' in Berlin, transported to hospital by military – German media report. rt.com Prominent Russian anti-corruption campaigner Alexey Navalny was officially made "the guest of the chancellor" when he was airlifted to Berlin for medical treatment and transported in a military ambulance truck. | The motorcade carrying Navalny, whom Bild newspaper described as "the patient the world is watching," included several emergency vehicles, police buses and patrol cars. | The activist, who remained in a medically induced coma during the journey, was transported to Berlin's renowned Charite hospital inside a Bundeswehr intensive care ambulance truck. The vehicle had military markings and a special lice…

RT (2020-08-23). Americans criticizing Biden may be 'unwittingly' spreading 'Kremlin disinformation', top Russiagate peddler warns. rt.com US citizens may "unwittingly" become Russian agents and spread "disinformation" about Joe Biden, Senator Mark Warner has warned, urging the intelligence community to be more vocal and tell the public what to do. | According to the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, one should be particularly vigilant about the Russian trolls, lurking around the social media feeds, as Kremlin is allegedly once again seeking to prop up President Donald Trump and help him secure re-election in November. | Speaking to NBC News' "Meet the Press" on Sunday, the Senator warned that if one is not careful enough, he can…

Ellen Brown (2020-08-23). From Lockdown to Police State: The "Great Reset" Rolls Out. dissidentvoice.org Mayhem in Melbourne On August 2, lockdown measures were implemented in Melbourne, Australia, that were so draconian that Australian news commentator Alan Jones said on Sky News: "People are entitled to think there is an 'agenda to destroy western society.'" The gist of an August 13th article on the Melbourne lockdown is captured in the …

Eliza Egret (2020-08-23). Anti LGBTQI+ sentiment in Poland is spreading at an unprecedented rate. thecanary.co Poland's LGBTQI+ community is finding itself increasingly unsafe as homophobic sentiment spreads around the country at an unprecedented rate. | Under right-wing President Andrzej Duda, the queer community has become a new scapegoat. Duda won his presidential campaign in July by arousing anti-LGBTQI+ and

Frances Madeson (2020-08-23). Tapping the Enormous Electoral Potential of Low Income Voters. zcomm.org What impact could 34 million poor nonvoters make if they started participating in elections? According to a new report commissioned by the Poor People's Campaign, it could be massive and warrants the deployment of significant 2020 campaign resources.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-23). Iran is Russia's strategic partner: Russian Defense Min. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 23 (MNA) — The Russian Defense Min. Sergey Shoygu referred to the join strategical, regional and international goals and interests between Tehran and Moscow, underlining the developing mutual defense cooperation between the two sides.

sputniknews (2020-08-23). Bayern Wins UEFA Champions League Final for Sixth Time: How They Claimed Five Others. sputniknews.com On Sunday night, Bayern Munich defeated French League 1 winner PSG with a total score of 1-0 in the 2020/21 UEFA Champions League Final.

The Canary (2020-08-23). Leaked dossier reveals chaotic worst-case scenario if no-deal Brexit and coronavirus coincide. thecanary.co The military may be drafted in to airdrop food to the Channel Islands under emergency plans drawn up by the government to protect the UK if a second coronavirus wave coincides with a no-deal Brexit. | A Cabinet Office "reasonable worst-case scenario" document, leaked to the Sun newspaper, also discusses using the Navy to stop British fishermen clashing with illegal European fishing boat incursions. | No-deal chaos: | The document says parts of the UK may face power and petrol shortages if thousands of lorries are stranded in Dover. Meanwhile, shortages of medicines caused by port blockages could lead to a…

yenisafak (2020-08-23). Austrian leaders condemn attack against Jewish community in Graz. yenisafak.com Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and other senior government politicians said they were shocked over an attack on a Jewish community leader in the southern city of Graz on Saturday, and ordered tighter security at Jewish institutions around Austria.An unknown assailant attacked the Graz Jewish community's president, Elie Rosen, with a wooden club on the premises of their synagogue, which was twice targeted by acts of vandalism in the past week, the community said in a statement late on Saturday.Rosen took shelter in his car and was unhurt. The attacker then fled, according to the statement.Police in Styria, the…

yenisafak (2020-08-23). Greek Police release Man United's Maguire from custody. yenisafak.com The captain of England's Manchester United, Harry Maguire, was released from police custody Saturday after his arrest in Greece."Harry has pleaded not guilty to the charges. It would be inappropriate for the player or club to comment further while the legal process takes its course," Manchester United said in a statement."Following the appearance in court today we note the adjournment of the case to allow the legal team to consider the case file," it added.Also, a court date has been set on Aug. 25 for Maguire, who can be represented by his lawyer.On Thursday, Maguire and two others were involved in a brawl with…