Daily Archives: August 16, 2020

2020-08-16: News Headlines

The Canary (2020-08-16). Teenagers taking legal action against Ofqual amid A-level results anger. thecanary.co A-level students who feel let down by a "ridiculous and insane" marking system are launching legal action against England's exam regulator Ofqual.Thousands of teenagers were left angered after almost 40% of predicted grades were downgraded by the regulator's "moderation" algorithm, leaving many missing out on their first-choice universities."The Government is playing politics with our futures": Student Curtis Parfitt-Ford has launched a legal bid against Ofqual to "force them to come up with a fairer system".Despite getting the grades he was predicted, he said he couldn't stand by and watch his friends and…

Paul Antonopoulos (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

Philip Giraldi (2020-08-16). The United Arab Emirates and Israel Join Hands: Great for Trump but More Bad News for the Middle East. globalresearch.ca The decision made this week by the United Arab Emirates and Israel to establish full diplomatic relations as part of a commitment to normalize the interaction between the two countries was characteristically announced by President Donald Trump because he is, …

South Front (2020-08-16). Evolution of US-Israel Relations During Trump Presidency. globalresearch.ca Preferential treatment for Israel has long been a prerequisite for success in the corridors of power in Washington, where ambitious politicians long ago learned to fear the wrath of 'the Israel lobby', and at the same time yearn for the …

South Front (2020-08-16). Video: Israeli-UAE Peace Deal Marks Tectonic Shift in Middle Eastern Balance of Power. globalresearch.ca The Middle East is on the brink of the new tectonic shift in the regional balance of power. The previous years were marked by the growth of the Iranian and Hezbollah influence and the decrease of the US grip on …

Stephen Lendman (2020-08-16). Trump Vows Unilateral Imposition of Snapback Sanctions on Iran. globalresearch.ca On Friday, the Trump regime was dealt a humiliating Security Council defeat. | Bullying, bribes, and threats failed this time, perhaps indicative of more US setbacks ahead. | Its attempt to extend an arms embargo on Iran indefinitely was supported by only …

Stephen Lendman (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 …

Dr. Gary G. Kohls (2020-08-16). Distance Learning Plan (DLP) Destroys Education, Based on Flawed Covid Figures: Letter to Superintendents of Public Schools in Minnesota. globalresearch.ca Minnesota's superintendents of public schools have been placed in a difficult position, one that the folks at the CDC and the Minnesota Department of Health (DOH) have put them in with their Distance Learning Plan 2.0. | I would like to …

Anthony Hall (2020-08-16). Lockdowns, Coronavirus, and Banks: "Following the Money". Devastating Economic and Social Impacts. globalresearch.ca It usually makes sense to follow the money when seeking understanding of almost any major change. The strategy of following the money in our current convergence of crises in late summer of 2020 leads us directly to the lockdowns. The …

Robert F. Kennedy Jr (2020-08-16). Video: 'Do Not Trust the Medical or the National Security Establishment!": Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. globalresearch.ca Nephew of President John F. Kennedy, son of Robert F. Kennedy, and tireless crusader against the tyranny of the mainstream medical establishment, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. joins today's Liberty Report to discuss his startling discoveries about who really killed his …

Vicente Cruz (2020-08-16). Sunday 8/23: The Oakland Greens present "The People's Education System" indybay.org ZOOM Event…

_____ (2020-08-16). Campus Workers Sue UNC System Over Unsafe Working Conditions. popularresistance.org North Carolina university employees are suing the UNC System, saying working conditions are unsafe as tens of thousands of students return to campuses during the coronavirus pandemic. | "Essential workers across UNC System campuses continue to report to work with inadequate protective equipment to ensure their safety," the UE150, NC Public Service Workers Union said in a statement Monday. | Some university employees, including housekeepers and other campus workers, are provided one or two masks per week and many don't have access to face shields or gowns, according to the union.

yenisafak (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…

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2020-08-15). COVID-19 Coronavirus "Fake" Pandemic: Timeline and Analysis. globalresearch.ca On January 30, a far-reaching decision was taken by the WHO without the support of expert opinion at a time when the coronavirus outbreak was limited to Mainland China. 150 confirmed cases outside China, when the decision was taken, 6 in the US, 3 in Canada, 2 in the UK, etc. In early March, 430 cases in the US.

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2020-08-15). Michel Chossudovsky: Biographical Summary. globalresearch.ca There are a number of deliberate "errors" and omissions in Michel Chossudovsky's wikipedia entry. Defamatory statements. | The same applies to the wikipedia entry for Global Research which has been merged with Chossudovsky's entry. The objective is to smear GR. …

_____ (2020-08-15). Uphold Palestinian Struggle In All Its Forms. popularresistance.org Fifty years ago, Palestinian intellectual Ghassan Kanafani put forward a clear position about the boycott of Israel. Kanafani was, at the time, not only an esteemed novelist and short story writer. He was also one of the leading spokespeople of the Palestinian armed revolution, representing the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. | "Our boycott of Israel is not based on an emotional position, but rather, it comes from the nature of our confrontation against this enemy. Boycott is in itself a statement," Kanafani wrote. | His remarks came in response to a debate between Israeli and Palestinian students…

Lin Liangduo (2020-08-15). China's Message to Donald: What Do You Want from Us? globalresearch.ca Translated from Chinese for Global Research; first published in January 2020. | Enough is enough. Enough hypocrisy for this one world. | What do you want from us, anyway? What Do You Really Want from Us? | When we were the sick man …

Michael Welch (2020-08-15). Prisoners' Justice Day in Canada. globalresearch.ca "Solitary is used against prisoners who continue to resist against the oppressive environment within the system, and it is used to extremes that are hard for anyone to believe possible in a modern-day society. It is used to wear us …

Michael Welch (2020-08-15). Prisoners' Justice Day in Canada, The Rights of Prison Inmates. The Prison Reform Movement. globalresearch.ca "Solitary is used against prisoners who continue to resist against the oppressive environment within the system, and it is used to extremes that are hard for anyone to believe possible in a modern-day society. It is used to wear us …

WSWS (2020-08-15). Hawaii schools to reopen August 17 as opposition grows. wsws.org In a fight for their lives and those of thousands of students, educators and parents oppose the new reopening plan that has students and teachers reporting to school sites for in-person instruction for one week prior to full distance learning.

WSWS (2020-08-15). Form independent rank-and-file safety committees of educators, parents and students! wsws.org We are launching the Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee to unite all those opposed to the unsafe reopening of schools and provide the necessary leadership to prepare for a nationwide general strike to halt the reopening of schools.

WSWS (2020-08-15). For a general strike against the reopening of German schools! wsws.org By demanding a return to face-to-face teaching amid rising coronavirus infection rates, German state governments of all stripes are putting the health and lives of countless teachers, students and parents at risk.

WSWS (2020-08-15). Brazilian teachers report 36 COVID-infected schools after one week of classes in Manaus. wsws.org Virtually all Brazilian states and capitals have ongoing plans to reproduce the homicidal model of school reopenings in Manaus.

Labor Video Project (2020-08-15). Fisher KIPP Malcom X Academy Room & Land Grab To Bust Up Public School. indybay.org The KIPP charter run by Doris Fisher and her family who own the GAP corporation are suing the San Francisco Unified School District to grab more rooms from the Malcom X Academy in Hunters Point/Bay View for their KIPP privately run school. These white corporate billionaires and millionaires on the KIPP board want to destroy the Malcom X Academy public School.

sputniknews (2020-08-15). UAE, Israeli Companies Sign 'Strategic Commercial Agreement' to Cooperate On Coronavirus Research. sputniknews.com On Thursday, US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had reached a "historic peace agreement" on establishing full diplomatic ties. Under the deal, expected by the US president to be signed in three weeks, Tel Aviv has agreed to postpone its plans on sovereignty extension over the West Bank.

sputniknews (2020-08-15). Ariane 5 Rocket Heads to Space to Deliver Two Satellites Into Orbit – Video. sputniknews.com The launch has been postponed several times since July due to both weather conditions and red signals on the main stage's liquid hydrogen fuel tank during countdown.

The Canary (2020-08-15). Appeals will be free but there'll be 'no U-turn' on grading system, says Gavin Williamson. thecanary.co Schools in England will be able to appeal against A-level and GCSE grades free of charge, according to education secretary Gavin Williamson. | His announcement came amid further criticism of the government's handling of the exams system, after thousands of pupils in England had their results downgraded. | "Deluge" of appeals: | Williamson told the Times: I do not want a youngster to feel they are in a situation where there is a strong and legitimate case for grounds for appeal, but an appeal is not made on grounds of cost. | That would be a real, shocking injustice. | You will have obviously a large number…

yenisafak (2020-08-15). Harris not likely to change Indo-US relations; Experts. yenisafak.com The first American of Indian origin to be featured on a major US national ticket as a vice presidential candidate will not change US-Indian relations if Democrats take the White House, according to experts. | Kamala Harris, whose mother was Indian, and was born and raised in the US, was named as the running mate to presumptive US Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. | The decision delighted those in India and experts see her nomination as important. | "The Indian American community feels being represented," Sylvia Mishra, a Washington-based researcher and expert on India and US relations told Anadolu Agen…

yenisafak (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…

yenisafak (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…

yenisafak (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…

Robert Bridge (2020-08-15). Letters from Melbourne: A 'Ghost Town Police State' Under Brutal COVID Lockdown. globalresearch.ca The citizens of Australia's second most populous city are suffering under the harshest lockdown conditions of all Western democracies. Their voices need to be heard. | In the last several weeks, Melbourne has introduced shockingly draconian anti-Covid measures, imposed on the …

Anna Peeters, Greg Mullins, Denise Becker, Liliana Orellana, Patricia Livingston (2020-08-15). [Correspondence] COVID-19's impact on Australia's health research workforce. thelancet.com The COVID-19 pandemic has seen health and medical research promoted as countries establish resilient health systems and rapidly responsive prevention, detection, and treatment methods. However, the pandemic will probably negatively affect the capacity and outcomes of the health and medical research sector itself.1…

Hasan Bayram, Nurdan Kà∂ktàºrk, Osman Elbek, Oƒüuz Kƒ±lƒ±nàß, Abdullah Sayƒ±ner, Elif Daƒülƒ±, Turkish Thoracic Society (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…

Jill Hanass-Hancock (2020-08-15). [Commentary] Understanding the vulnerability of people with disabilities to HIV: Who is at risk? thelancet.com The latest Lancet HIV paper by Pierre De Beaudrap and colleagues illustrates why we need disability-focused research to address vulnerabilities of those who have been left behind in the response to HIV and AIDS [1].

Dipender Gill (2020-08-15). [Commentary] Leverage of genetic variants proxying smoking intensity to explore the broad health consequences of smoking. thelancet.com The recent explosion in large-scale genetic association study data and genotyped biobanks offers an unprecedented opportunity to leverage natural genetic variation for inferring causal effects using the Mendelian randomization paradigm [1, 2]. In this approach, genetic variants are used to proxy modification of an exposure and study its effect on an outcome [1]. The random allocation of genetic variants means that such associations are relatively devoid of the confounding and reverse causation bias that can hinder causal inference in observational research [1].

Michael P Dunne, Franziska Meinck (2020-08-15). [Comment] Childhood adversity and death of young adults in an affluent society. thelancet.com Adversity in childhood can induce health, social, and economic problems that persist throughout the adult years and might be fatal. Systems for child protection, poverty alleviation, and family support are designed to minimise harm, and it is reasonable to expect that the impact of adversity should be lowest in affluent countries that have comprehensive social services. However, research from high-income countries has shown startling links between childhood adversity and premature death. Brown and colleagues1 in the USA, for example, followed up 17‚Äà000 adults who self-reported multiple adversi…

Mark Gruenberg (2020-08-14). Philly school board backtracks on reopening plans. peoplesworld.org PHILADELPHIA—Listening to parents, teachers, school administrators and their unions—all worried about the safety of the kids as well as themselves—the Philadelphia Board of Education voted 7-1 not to reopen brick-and-mortar schools in September. Instead, it accepted the superintendent's compromise plan to delay reopening until November 17, have teachers teach the first semester through the Internet, …

Adrian Treves — John Laundré (2020-08-14). Science Does Not Support the Claims About Grizzly Hunting, Lethal Removal. counterpunch.org As the Montana Governor's Grizzly Bear Advisory Council (GBAC) works to finalize its recommendations regarding the future of grizzly bear management in Montana, it would be well-advised to follow its own guiding principle: "the best available science should inform decisions in all aspects of grizzly bear management and conservation." A close look at what that

Anthony Cartalucci (2020-08-14). Thai PM Right to Question Protest Funding. thealtworld.com The notorious US National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is funding virtually every aspect of Thailand's current "student protests" aimed at removing current government. | Only through repetitive propaganda across the Western media and their local partners in Thailand can current protests appear "student led," "leaderless," and "organic." | An article published by the Bangkok Post titled, "PM: Who is financing student rallies?," would repeat Thailand's elected prime minister's questions, but Bangkok Post's reporters themselves have categorically failed to either ask or answer the same question. | Despite claiming…

RT (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…

RT (2020-08-14). More than a third of Americans would not want a Covid-19 vaccine if offered — poll. rt.com According to a new poll, 35 percent of Americans will choose not to get vaccinated for the novel coronavirus when the option becomes available — and that number turns out to be similar along all major demographics. | Only 60 percent of US citizens want to get the vaccine, a Friday NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist The numbers don't seem to shift dramatically when breaking the statistics down by political af…

The Canary (2020-08-14). Pressure over A-level grades mounts as Gavin Williamson faces calls to resign. thecanary.co Pressure is mounting on the government over its handling of the exams system after thousands of pupils in England had their results downgraded.It comes as protesters gathered outside Downing Street on 14 August calling for education secretary Gavin Williamson to be sacked.Prime minister Boris Johnson has insisted that he has confidence in Williamson and described the system as "robust".Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has faced calls to resign (Stefan Rousseau/PA)On 14 August, Robert Halfon, the Conservative chairman of the Commons Education Committee, expressed concern that the model used by Ofqual to modera…

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-08-14). Trump Targets TikTok Social Media Platform, Escalates Trade War Between the U.S. and China. globalresearch.ca U.S. President Donald Trump has issued an executive order that could ban TikTok from the U.S. if it is not purchased by an American company. On August 6, Trump's executive order banned U.S. financial transactions with Chinese company ByteDance, owner …

Peter Koenig (2020-08-14). IMF and WEF — From Great Lockdown to Great Transformation. The Covid Aftermath. globalresearch.ca The World Economic Forum's (WEF) Great Global Reset is being

Peter Koenig (2020-08-14). Bill Gates and the Depopulation Agenda. Robert F. Kennedy Junior Calls for an Investigation. globalresearch.ca Robert F Kennedy Jr, an avid Defender of Children's Rights and anti-vaccination activist, has launched a petition sent to the White House, calling for "Investigations into the 'Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation' for Medical Malpractice & Crimes Against Humanity"

Peter Koenig (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.

Stephen Lendman (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 …

Tony Cartalucci (2020-08-14). Thailand Prime Minister Questions Protest Funding. globalresearch.ca Only through repetitive propaganda across the Western media and their local partners in Thailand can current protests appear "student led," "leaderless," and "organic." | An article published by the Bangkok Post titled, "PM: Who is financing student rallies?," would repeat Thailand's …

Project Censored (2020-08-14). Episode 102 — White Fragility, Cancel Culture, and Over Policing with Darren Kawaii. projectcensored.org On today's episode, Nicholas Baham II (Dr. Dreadlocks), Janice Domingo, and Nolan Higdon host University of Los Angeles' Jeff Share. Along The Line is a non-profit, education-based podcast that provides listeners…