Daily Archives: September 10, 2020

2020-09-10: News Headlines

Roger Harris (2020-09-10). The Current Impasse in Belarus and the Peace Alternative. counterpunch.org Back in the 1970s, the left and even many liberals were clear that Nixon's dropping napalm on Vietnamese villages was an abomination. By the 1990s, some thought Bill Clinton's bombing of Yugoslavia was, perhaps, humanitarian. Fast forward to the present, there is sentiment that the US has a global "responsibility to protect" the less enlightened

_____ (2020-09-10). Lee Camp: Liberal Media Attacks Me And A Tribute To Kevin Zeese. popularresistance.org A liberal media criticism outlet recently published an article where they used one of my jokes as evidence of a grand Russian plan to subvert the 2020 US elections. Also, my memories of a great man, lawyer, & activist — Kevin Zeese. Rest in power.

Lucas Leiroz de Almeida (2020-09-10). NATO Begins Military Maneuvers in the Barents Sea. globalresearch.ca NATO has stepped up its activities in the neutral waters of the Barents Sea, raising tensions in the Arctic region. In just one day, Russian pilots escorted three military planes, one Norwegian and two British. One of the British planes …

yenisafak (2020-09-10). Greece: 400 kids relocated from gutted Moria camp. yenisafak.com Some 400 unaccompanied children from a Greek refugee camp gutted in a fire a day earlier were transferred to the city of Thessaloniki, authorities said on Thursday.The children were moved to the port city on three flights, hours after a deadly fire forced thousands of migrants and refugees to flee the Moria camp on the Eastern Aegean island of Lesbos on Wednesday morning.According to Greece's Migration and Asylum Ministry, the transport started in the late hours of Wednesday and was completed on Thursday.The process was coordinated by the ministry's Special Secretariat for Unaccompanied Minors and funded by the E…

Marshall Auerback (2020-09-10). Why Herd Immunity is a Distraction. counterpunch.org There has been a spectrum of actions taken by governments to address near-term prevention of the spread of COVID-19. The extremes have ranged from total lockdowns (e.g., Italy, Belgium and Spain); to legal enforcement of quarantines and contact tracing (e.g., Canada and Germany); to much lighter forms of restriction (e.g., Denmark and Norway); to even more minimal restrictions, but with extensive testing and tracing (e.g., Taiwan and South Korea). There have also been some clearly incompetent policies, notably in the United States, where the country's public health infrastructure has been eviscerated not just by…

RT (2020-09-10). US sanctions Ukrainian lawmaker who published Biden-Poroshenko tapes for 'Russian influence' in presidential election. rt.com Ukrainian parliamentarian Andrii Derkach has been sanctioned by the US, and his publication of alleged phone calls between the Ukrainian president and the US vice president declared 'Russian interference' in the US election. | Derkach "has been an active Russian agent for over a decade, maintaining close connections with the Russian Intelligence Services," the US Treasury Department

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-09-10). Power Balance in the East Mediterranean Is Changing as France Sends Nuclear-powered Aircraft Carrier. globalresearch.ca The delicate power balance in the East Mediterranean is changing dramatically and quickly as states begin to cooperate to contain and contract Turkish ambitions in the region. Turkey's drive to secure and control gas and oil supplies has seen its …

Stephen Lendman (2020-09-10). Navalny Poisoned by Novichok Hoax Timed Ahead of Russian Elections? globalresearch.ca Germany's failure to disclose novichoking medical evidence it claims about Alexey Navalny's condition strongly indicates there is none. | Notably his August 20 illness happened ahead of Russian regional and local elections at 83 locations, scheduled for September 11 — …

Steve Watson (2020-09-10). Sweden Close to Victory Over Coronavirus; Never Had a Lockdown or Mask Mandate. globalresearch.ca As the rest of Europe and the world remains under the grip of draconian rules and the threat of new lockdowns, Sweden, which allowed its citizens to remain free throughout the entire pandemic, has pretty much declared victory over the …

The New Arab (2020-09-10). France Asserts Itself in Iraq as US Withdraws. Macron's Trip to Baghdad. globalresearch.ca As the United States continues to drawdown its presence in Iraq more than French President …

Jonas Dringelis (2020-09-10). Baltic States at the Epicenter of NATO Military Exercises. globalresearch.ca The Baltic States have become the scene of NATO military actions especially aimed at provoking Russia and Belarus. | At the end of September, this year's largest military exercise "Sword 2020" will take place in Latvia. | Approximately 1000 Vidzeme Brigade bodyguards …

news.un (2020-09-10). Belarus: Ensure 'full respect' for workers' rights during protests, ILO urges President Lukashenko. news.un.org Voicing deep concern over detention and arrests of trade unionists in Belarus, the head of the UN International Labour Organization (ILO) called on President Alexander Lukashenko to ensure a climate free from violence and intimidation against peacefully protesting workers.

Marwa Osman (2020-09-10). French Neocolonialism—MES EP.71. thealtworld.com Emmanuel Macron returned to Paris after a three-day journey to Beirut and Baghdad during which he played the role of a modern-day Lawrence of Arabia, promising sovereignty to the long-suffering citizens of Lebanon and Iraq. But can he do it alone? Better yet, how does he plan to do it? To discuss this issue with us from Beirut is Mohamad Kleit, journalist and photographer. | If you follow my twitter account, you must have seen the video that I leaked last week of former US ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell elaborating about how the US bullies its allies into submission. If you haven't seen it yet, here's is y…

yenisafak (2020-09-10). Norway may have to tighten COVID-19 restrictions, PM says. yenisafak.com Norway is going to stop easing coronavirus curbs for the moment and could be forced to bring back tougher measures following a recent rise in the number of cases, Prime Minister Erna Solberg said on Thursday.Norway went into lockdown in mid-March and quickly saw a sharp fall in new cases, then began a gradual easing of restrictions in May."The government is considering tighter measures," Solberg told a news conference."We can't open up any more at this time … In case of a rise in the number of infections without a known source, or local outbreaks that are not contained, we will consider tighter restrictions loc…

yenisafak (2020-09-10). Turkey to post $1.9B current account deficit: Survey. yenisafak.com Turkey's current account balance is projected to post a deficit of $1.9 billion in July, an Anadolu Agency survey found on Thursday.The Turkish Central Bank is set to announce the country's current account balance for July on Friday, Sept. 11.The estimates of a group of 24 economists range between $800 million and $2.8 billion.The year-end current account balance is forecast to register a gap of $23.6 billion.Turkey's current account balance in June saw a deficit of $2.93 billion, up from $2.8 billion in the same month last year.The country's new economic program, unveiled last September, forecast a current-accou…

yenisafak (2020-09-10). 'We must be tough with Erdogan government': Macron. yenisafak.com French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday said Europe must be "open and tough" with Turkey's (President Recep Tayyip) Erdogan government."There should be a common attitude on Turkey. Europe should have a common policy on energy and strategic issues," said Macron ahead of Med7 summit, the EU Mediterranean countries meeting which excluded Turkey."Turkey is no longer a partner in the Mediterranean region," also said the French president, claiming NATO ally Turkey had some unacceptable encounters with a French ship off the coast of Libya.Macron said Turkey should clarify its intentions and avoid unilateral actions…

Ben Norton (2020-09-09). U.S. sanctions Russian Research Institute that developed COVID-19 Vaccine. mronline.org The U.S. Commerce Department blacklisted a Russian research institute that helped create the world's first COVID-19 vaccine.

yenisafak (2020-09-09). Thousands receive Turkish aid following Beirut blast. yenisafak.com Turkey's Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) has sent aid to 30,000 people in Lebanon following last month's Beirut port explosion.In a statement on Wednesday, the IHH said the aid delivery is still underway."So far, 30,000 beneficiaries have received aid from the IHH," the statement said.Aid has also been delivered to three health centers in the Lebanese capital, which lacks sufficient medicine and medical supplies.On Aug. 4, a huge explosion in the port of Beirut rocked the city, killing 191 people and injuring over 6,000 people, while dozens remain missing.The blast caused damage estimated at $15 billion, acc…

Matthew J.L. Ehret (2020-09-09). Rhodes Scholar Talbott's Hand Revealed in Russia Gate. dissidentvoice.org It has recently come to light that the primary source of the Steele Dossier and Mueller Investigation is none other than Igor Danchenko — a veteran Brookings Institute employee from Ukraine who not only hadn't been to Russia for decades but who admitted to the FBI in January 2017 that the entire Steele dossier was …

Ramzy Baroud (2020-09-09). Cheap Mediterranean Natural Gas Could Spell the End for the NATO Alliance. mintpressnews.com It's a strange and unprecedented spectacle when countries like Israel, Greece, Egypt, Libya, Turkey, and others lay claims over the Mediterranean, while NATO scrambles to stave off an outright war, among its own members.

Roger D. Harris (2020-09-09). Belarus: A Catalyst for Regime Change and the Peace Alternative. mintpressnews.com Opposition elements in Belarus have long planned to use the September 9 presidential election as a catalyst for regime change, and thanks to broad and genuine discontent with president Lukashenko, they might just succeed.

RT (2020-09-09). Kremlin rubbishes suggestion Putin & Lukashenko will discuss Belarus-Russia unification, as poll shows most Russians are opposed. rt.com Contrary to some Western speculation, the upcoming meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko has nothing to do with the two countries merging, according to the Kremlin. | The comments come as a poll suggests only 17 percent of Russians want Belarus to become part of their country. | Speaking to journalists, Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov called the suggestion "absolute nonsense." "No mergers, acquisitions, or so on can happen as a result of the visit," he said. | Peskov also rejected the idea that the countries were close to joining a currency u…

RT (2020-09-09). Pelosi warns London there will be 'absolutely no chance' of UK-US trade deal if it violates Brexit protocol on Northern Ireland. rt.com Any violation the Good Friday Agreement by London will make a trade deal between the UK and the US totally impossible, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi has warned. | Pelosi issued a strongly-worded statement on Wednesday after British authorities admitted that their new 'Internal Market Bill' could violate international law in a "limited way." The bill would allow the UK to circumvent its Brexit withdrawal agreement with Brussels, particularly in relation to the protocol on Northern Ireland. | "The Good Friday Agreement is the bedrock of peace in Northern Ireland and an inspiration for t…

RT (2020-09-09). Moscow to vaccinate 40,000 volunteers with 'Sputnik V' as Russian capital begins 3rd phase trial of pioneering coronavirus vaccine. rt.com Volunteers in Moscow have started to receive doses of Sputnik V, the world's first registered Covid-19 vaccine. The formula, developed by Russian scientists, is entering the third stage of clinical trials. | According to Anastasia Rakova, the city's deputy mayor for social development, the first volunteers were vaccinated on Wednesday. This week's trial participants are part of a wide-ranging final test phase, and the capital is looking observe Sputnik V's effect on 40,000 of the city's residents. | "The number of applicants is growing daily," Rakova said. "More than 35,000 Muscovites have already applied."

Peoples Dispatch (2020-09-09). Students protest in Hungary as Orban loyalists take control of another university. peoplesdispatch.org Students of University of Theatre and Film Arts and their supporters have mounted a strong resistance against the hand over of the university administration to loyalists of prime minister Viktor Orban…

WSWS (2020-09-09). Jan Kuciak murder case: Slovakian court acquits alleged masterminds. wsws.org The court based the acquittal of millionaire Marián Koƒçner and co-defendant Alena Zsuzsová on a lack of evidence, despite a key witness providing incriminating testimony.

Tony Cartalucci (2020-09-09). Thailand's "Youth Protests" Made in USA. Undermine Thailand Relations with China. globalresearch.ca Imagine the reaction if the Russian government funded programs and events for years inside the US to create youth groups indoctrinated in support of Moscow's interests — particularly in regards to voting in US elections and the shaping of the …

news.un (2020-09-09). Greece: Devasting fire compounds overcrowding and COVID-19 challenges in refugee camp. news.un.org UN agencies have offered support to Greek authorities on Wednesday after a major fire ripped through an overcrowded refugee camp overnight, destroying dwellings and forcing thousands to flee, many reportedly suffering from smoke inhalation.

_____ (2020-09-09). The South China Sea: What's Really at Issue. strategic-culture.org The South China Sea is basically China's export waterway to Africa and to Europe (among other markets), but in order for

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-09). Iran among priorities of Kazakhstan's foreign policy. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 09 (MNA) — Askhat Orazbay, the ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Tehran named Iran as one of priorities of his country's foreign policy.

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-09). Iranian "I love You" story published in Baku. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 09 (MNA) — The Iranian story book "I Love You" written by Farhad Hassanzadeh published in the September edition of a magazine in the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2020.

sputniknews (2020-09-09). Pompeo: 'Substantial' Chance Alleged Navalny 'Poisoning' Ordered by 'Senior Russian Officials'. sputniknews.com Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny fell ill on 20 August, flying from Tomsk to Moscow. After receiving initial treatment in the Russian city of Omsk, he was transferred to the Charite hospital in Berlin. Later, Germany announced that Navalny had been "poisoned" with a Novichok group nerve agent, without providing medical data.

yenisafak (2020-09-09). Turkey reiterates support for Turkish Cypriots. yenisafak.com Turkey's vice president Wednesday reiterated Turkey's support for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), the decades-long divided Mediterranean island. "We desire an island where the Turkish Cypriots produce, progress, and increase the level of welfare," Fuat Oktay told a webinar organized by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' (TRNC) Economic Organizations Platform.Oktay added that Turkey's view of the TRNC has never been the product of a desire for gain.Cyprus has been divided into a Turkish Cypriot government in the north and Greek Cypriot administration in the south since a 1974 military coup ai…

yenisafak (2020-09-09). Lukashenko: New presidential election on the table. yenisafak.com The president of Belarus said on Wednesday that the country could hold a new presidential poll in the coming years.In an interview with several Russian news outlets, including the state-funded RT (Russia Today), Alexander Lukashenko cited plans to amend the constitution, including clauses on presidential elections."If we change the constitution, we must draw up presidential elections. And also, I'm inclined to do this, to hold presidential elections. I'm not ruling it out," he said.Lukashenko said that while it was too early to speak on the specifics, a referendum on constitutional amendments would first be neces…

yenisafak (2020-09-09). Another family reunites with son kidnapped by PKK in SE Turkey. yenisafak.com One more family on Wednesday reunited with their son kidnapped by the PKK terrorist organization in southeastern Turkey.An aggrieved family's longing has come to an end after Erdal Cetin, who was abducted and taken to the mountains by the terrorists five years ago when he was only 13 years old, surrendered to the Turkish security forces in the southeastern Mardin province.Cetin's family joined a sit-in against the YPG/PKK terror group in the southeastern city of Diyarbakir, outside the office of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), which the government accuses of having links to the terrorist organization.So far,…

yenisafak (2020-09-09). EU secures 300M doses of COVID-19 vaccine. yenisafak.com The European Union has secured 300 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine from medical firms BioNTech and Pfizer. | The European Commission announced on Wednesday that it had concluded talks on buying the potential vaccine with Germany- and US-based companies working together on developing the serum. | The EU would buy 200 million doses under the envisaged agreement with an option of getting further 100 million doses if the vaccine proves to be safe and effective against COVID-19. | This is the sixth agreement the bloc has managed since the EU Commission announced its Vaccine Strategy in June. | The EU executive body…

yenisafak (2020-09-09). Russia welcomes Serbia, Kosovo economic normalization. yenisafak.com Russia welcomes an agreement signed between Belgrade and Pristina on economic normalization in Washington, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday.Russia considers the agreement as a step in the interests of a general settlement, Lavrov said, speaking at a news conference with his Kazakh counterpart Mukhtar Tleuberdi in Moscow."We believe that this was done in the interests of a settlement, and we have no reason to doubt that the Serbian leadership continues supporting the full implementation of the UN Security Council resolution 1244. We will firmly support Serbia in the steps it considers neces…

yenisafak (2020-09-09). Turkey: Restoration of Walls of Diyarbakir begins. yenisafak.com Restoration of the ancient walls of Diyarbakir in southeastern Turkey — on UNESCO's World Heritage List since 2015, and dating back as far back as 5,000 years — are set to bolster the magnificent structures.On Aug. 10, restoration began of some of the walls' most important sections, including Ben-u Sen, the Seven Brothers, Selcuklu, and Nur.The restoration focuses on strengthening the walls' structure on the principle of minimal interference.Stretching six kilometers long, the Walls of Diyarbakir make up one of the largest city walls in the world.The walls are located in central Diyarbakir, some 100 k…

yenisafak (2020-09-09). Restoration of Walls of Diyarbakir begins in Turkey. yenisafak.com Restoration of the ancient walls of Diyarbakir in southeastern Turkey — on UNESCO's World Heritage List since 2015, and dating back as far back as 5,000 years — are set to bolster the magnificent structures.On Aug. 10, restoration began of some of the walls' most important sections, including Ben-u Sen, the Seven Brothers, Selcuklu, and Nur.The restoration focuses on strengthening the walls' structure on the principle of minimal interference.Stretching six kilometers long, the Walls of Diyarbakir make up one of the largest city walls in the world.The walls are located in central Diyarbakir, some 100 k…

Staff (2020-09-08). Headlines for September 8, 2020. democracynow.org Record-Breaking Wildfires and Heat Scorch California, Rochester Protests Continue as Mayor Promises Changes After Police Killing of Daniel Prude, Major Drug Companies Pledge to Not Rush COVID-19 Vaccine as U.S. Cases Top 6.3 Million, India Becomes Second Most Infected Country; Spain First European Country to Surpass 500,000 Cases, Belarusian Opposition Leader Resists Expulsion at Border with Ukraine After Reports of Abduction, Alexei Navalny Out of Induced Coma as He Continues Recovery from Poisoning, Extradition Hearing Resumes for Julian Assange in U.K., Hundreds of Rohingya Refugees Arrive on Dry Land After Mo…

WSWS (2020-09-08). Protesters condemn show trial of Julian Assange at the Old Bailey. wsws.org Longstanding supporters were joined by others who had travelled from across the UK and from Switzerland, France, Portugal, the United States and Australia.

yenisafak (2020-09-08). UN sends 38 truckloads of aid to Idlib, Syria. yenisafak.com The UN on Tuesday sent 38 trucks with humanitarian aid to northwestern Syria, where millions of people remain in need of assistance due to internal conflicts. The trucks carrying supplies entered Idlib province through the Cilvegozu border gate in Turkey's south. The aid will be distributed among residents of Idlib and nearby rural areas.Syria has been ravaged by a civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protesters. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and more than 10 million displaced, according to UN estimates.Idlib falls within a de-escalation zone forged und…

news.un (2020-09-08). Alexei Navalny poisoning must get independent probe, says UN's Bachelet. news.un.org UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet on Tuesday urged Russia to carry out or cooperate with a rapid and transparent criminal investigation into the poisoning of opposition activist Alexei Navalny.

yenisafak (2020-09-08). Dozens of abandoned migrants rescued in Sahara. yenisafak.com Drivers abandoned four trucks carrying the migrants from Nigeria, Togo, Mali and Ghana with no food or water about 230 km (143 miles) north of the Sahara crossroad town of Niger's Dirkou after spotting military vehicles.Three days later, an IOM rescue team found the group, which included children, by chance on Sept. 3. Many were dehydrated, injured and in need of immediate medical assistance.Spokesman Paul Dillon told Reuters it was not unusual for smugglers, who tend to take payment upfront from people desperate to reach Europe, to abandon their passengers if they fear they will be intercepted."Sometimes smuggle…

Eds. (2020-09-08). 850 thousand Insulin kits from Russia arrived in Venezuela (bypassing U.S. sanctions). mronline.org This Friday, a shipment of 850 thousand vials of 4 types of insulin from Russia arrived in Venezuela, being the 8th and 9th delivery within the framework of the Strategic Trade Alliance signed in 2019 between Russia and Venezuela in the International Economic Forum of St. Petersburg.

Anthony Cartalucci (2020-09-08). Thailand's "Youth Protests" Made in USA. thealtworld.com US repeats "soft power" strategy targeting youths used to destroy North Africa and the Middle East amid the "Arab Spring" in 2011 to target China-friendly nations in Asia today. | Imagine the reaction if the Russian government funded programs and events for years inside the US to create youth groups indoctrinated in support of Moscow's interests — particularly in regards to voting in US elections and the shaping of the US government itself. | It would be considered up to and including an act of war, with Russian-funded organizations in the US dismantled, those involved jailed for sedition and even treason, a…

RT (2020-09-08). Another breakthrough? New Russian drug means fewer Covid-19 patients need ventilators, has significantly reduced mortality. rt.com A new Russian medicine being used on Covid-19 patients has reduced the mortality rate by up to five times, according to its developer, Oleg Rosenberg, of Surfactant-BL. The drug is most commonly used to treat severe lung lesions. | Speaking to Moscow newspaper Izvestia, Rosenberg noted that his creation has not only improved the chances of coronavirus patients staying alive, but it has also kept them off ventilators. | "Patients who are treated with Surfactant are reliably less likely to be transferred to an intensive care unit for mechanical ventilation, and mortality among them is 3-5 times lower," he said,…

RT (2020-09-08). Lukashenko says US behind Belarus protests, exploiting small newly emerged class of 'young bourgeois' who 'want power'. rt.com The Belarusian president believes that protests which have rocked the country are organized by Washington using Russian-designed messaging app Telegram and backboned by a class of "young bourgeois" that has emerged in Belarus. | Alexander Lukashenko, who has been under pressure since a disputed election last month, told Russian journalists on Tuesday that the alleged US interference is effectively a dry-run for a future attempt to destabilize Russia. The president officially won 80 percent of the vote in the August poll, but the opposition says the contest was rigged. | "We asked [Lukashenko] who is interested…

RT (2020-09-08). 'Matter of concern & regret': EU anxious at Serbian, Kosovan promises to open embassies in Jerusalem. rt.com A pledge by Belgrade and Pristina to the US that they would move their diplomatic missions in Israel to Jerusalem has sparked concern in Brussels, which warned the move could put the pair's European prospects at risk. | "Any diplomatic steps that would call in question the EU common position on Jerusalem are a matter of serious concern and regret," the EU's Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, Peter Stano,

RT (2020-09-08). Lukashenko says he won't talk to opposition's Coordination Council as Tikhanovskaya's representative in Minsk 'disappears'. rt.com Alexander Lukashenko has no plans to negotiate with the opposition's Coordination Council, accusing them of wanting a 'catastrophe' for the country by cutting ties with Moscow, and destroying the health and education systems. | He was speaking to Russian journalists who arrived in Minsk on Tuesday for Lukashenko's first interview since he was officially declared the winner of a disputed election last month. | "I won't talk to the opposition's Coordination Council because I don't know who these people are. They are no opposition. What they suggest will be a catastrophe for Belarus and the Belarusian people," th…