Author Archives: Admin

2020-08-20: News Headlines

Andrew Korybko (2020-08-20). The Belarusian Labor Strike Movement Could Bring Down Lukashenko. globalresearch.ca Belarus' disproportionate budgetary dependence on five big businesses makes it extremely vulnerable to economic destabilization if the tiny percentage of the country's population employed in those companies join in the nationwide labor strike movement to remove Lukashenko. | "The Economic Factor …

Ben Norton (2020-08-20). USAID Document Exposes New US Plot to Overthrow Nicaragua's Elected Socialist Government. globalresearch.ca A disturbing new document outlines plans for a US regime-change scheme against Nicaragua's elected leftist government, overseen by USAID, to bring about a "market economy" and a purge of Sandinistas. | *** | A newly released document exposes a US government operation …

Ben Norton (2020-08-20). How the US Helped Push Lebanon to the Brink of Collapse, and Now Threatens More Sanctions. globalresearch.ca While the media blames the crisis in Lebanon solely on corruption, the US government unleashed a "maximum pressure" campaign to push regime change and crush Lebanese resistance with sanctions and aggressive hybrid warfare. | *** | As the people of Lebanon suffer …

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2020-08-20). The Assassination of Yasser Arafat was Ordered by The Israeli Cabinet: "We will Choose the Right Way and the Right Time to Kill Arafat." globalresearch.ca First published on November 19, 2013. | Author's Note | Who killed Hariri, Who killed Arafat? | According to the August 18, 2020 verdict by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) in The Hague Salim Ayyash was found guilty of killing Prime Minister …

Diana Johnstone (2020-08-20). Memoir of a World Watcher: Diana Johnstone. globalresearch.ca We discuss Diana Johnstone's memoir, "Circle in the Darkness": | Yugoslavia under Tito; bombing of Serbia; Camp Bondsteel; spook revelation journalism; | Paris in 1968; anti-war movement of the '60s; legacy of Charles de Gaulle; Europe occupied since WWII; | the Greens; …

Michael D. Yates (2020-08-20). "Your Economics Professor is almost Certainly a Charlatan: A review with commentary of My Mis-Education in 3 Graphics," a film by Mary Filippo. mronline.org Mary Filippo began in 2004 to audit economics classes in the hope that she could "learn something about globalization. Does it really help people in developing countries? What are its downsides?" She did not learn these things.

Monika Zgustova (2020-08-20). Prague's Fights Over Kundera: Biography From the Files of the Secret Police. counterpunch.org In 2008, while I was staying in Prague, a scandal broke out involving the Czech writer Milan Kundera, who has lived in Paris since 1975. Respekt magazine published an article claiming that Kundera had informed on a foreign spy of Czech extraction who was staying that night in the students' residence of which Kundera was

Staff (2020-08-20). The Tight Rope #DemConvention Watch Party Ro Khanna Zephyr Teachout Howie Hawkins. therealnews.com Cornel West and Tricia Rose bring you live coverage and commentary of the final night of the 2020 #DemConvention featuring Joe Biden's speech from Wilmington, Delaware and confirmed guests Congressman Ro Khanna, Zephyr Teachout, Howie Hawkins, and Angela Walker.

Stephen Lendman (2020-08-20). Trump Regime Unilaterally and Illegally Imposing Snapback Sanctions on Iran. globalresearch.ca Unanimously adopted Security Council Resolution 2231 that affirmed the JCPOA nuclear deal eliminated UN sanctions on Iran. | Its provisions and the P5+1 approved nuclear agreement are binding international and US constitutional law under the Supremacy Clause — Article VI, Clause …

Stephen Lendman (2020-08-20). Trump Regime Further Escalates War on China's Huawei. globalresearch.ca Chinese tech giant Huawei calls itself "an independent, privately-held company that provides information and communication technology (ICT)…connect(ing) over three billion people in (over) 170 countries." | The company is leading the race to roll out 5G technology, its market potential worth …

Stephen Lendman (2020-08-20). The Hariri Assassination: Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) Verdict. Fake Justice on Behalf of Israel. globalresearch.ca In May 2007, Security Council Resolution 1757 established the STL "on the outskirts of the Hague." | Ten SC members voted "yes," none "no," Russia, China, South Africa, Indonesia, and Qatar abstaining. | Five judges were involved in proceedings, Judge David Re…

Megan Cassella, Nicole Gaudiano, and Mackenzie Mays (2020-08-20). Teachers Unions Test Goodwill with Strike Threats, Hardball Negotiations. zcomm.org As schools prepare to open, in addition to safety measures, some unions are pressing for police-free schools, canceling rents and mortgages, and bans on new charter programs and standardized testing.

Dr. Pascal Sacré (2020-08-20). The COVID-19 Vaccine. The Imposition of Compulsory Vaccination with a Biometric Health Passport? globalresearch.ca The COVID-19 vaccine… | Is this THE final goal of this crisis, to impose a compulsory vaccination on everyone, with a biometric health passport and without it, the impossibility to move, to buy, to eat? | The near future will tell. | With …

Dr. Russell Blaylock (2020-08-20). Face Masks Pose Serious Risks to the Healthy. globalresearch.ca First published by GR on May 26, 2020 | "By wearing a mask, the exhaled viruses will not be able to escape and will concentrate in the nasal passages, enter the olfactory nerves and travel into the brain." — Russell Blaylock, …

Judge Andrew P. Napolitano (2020-08-20). All Spying All the Time: The Insatiable Appetite of the US Government to Spy on Everyone in America. globalresearch.ca During this summer of madness in Portland, Oregon, and sadness over COVID-19, two below-the-radar events occurred implicating the insatiable appetite of the United States government to spy on everyone in America. Regular readers of this column know that the feds …

Center For Food Safety (2020-08-20). 750 Million Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes Approved for Release in Florida Keys. globalresearch.ca The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District (FKMCD) yesterday approved the first-ever U.S. release of genetically engineered mosquitoes. Despite public outcry and scientific dispute over the human health and environment risks posed by this field trial, the approval permits the release …

Anthony Hall (2020-08-20). Was COVID-19 a Cover for an Anticipated or Planned Financial Crisis? globalresearch.ca A major sign of financial distress in the US economy kicked in in mid-September of 2019 when there was a breakdown in the normal operation of the Repo Market. This repurchase market in the United States is important in …

Julian Rose (2020-08-20). Planet in Crisis, Higher Values of Society Corrupted, The Expression of Moral and Ethical Values. globalresearch.ca One cannot fail to recognise the ubiquitous crisis in all forms of leadership that exists on the planet today. Qualities of wisdom, courage and statesmanship, once admired and emulated by aspiring people of principle, have been undermined and sterilised via …

Abayomi Azikiwe (2020-08-20). Privatization of Urban Areas? American Cities Need Bailouts Not More Usurious Bond Schemes. globalresearch.ca On August 14, the final abandoned home was demolished with the more than $265 million in Hardest Hit Funds initially designed to preserve neighborhoods as opposed to their destruction in the majority African American city of Detroit. (See

Rannie Amiri (2020-08-20). The Hariri Assassination: Israel 's Fingerprints. globalresearch.ca This incisive article by Rannie Amiri focussing on Israel's spy ring in Lebanon was first published by Global Research on July 23, 2010. The article also addresses the role of the UN sponsored Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) | Is it …

Jacob G. Hornberger (2020-08-20). The CIA Versus the Kennedys. globalresearch.ca Former Congressman Ron Paul and his colleague Dan McAdams recently conducted a

WSWS (2020-08-20). COVID-19 cases surge on college campuses as Yale administrator warns students to prepare for deaths. wsws.org Despite overwhelming scientific evidence and the most recent experiences of school like UNC-Chapel Hill and Notre Dame, many schools are still pushing forward with reopening plans.

Lauren Novosat (2020-08-20). University Greed in the Midst of a Global Pandemic. zcomm.org This is the way of the modern University administration—they are sneaky, they are greedy, and they care nothing for the health and safety of their students…

Staff (2020-08-20). Headlines for August 20, 2020. democracynow.org Kamala Harris Accepts Democratic Party's Nomination for Vice President, Hundreds of Wildfires Choke California, as Coronavirus Sidelines Prisoner Firefighters, U.S. Records Nearly 1,300 New Coronavirus Deaths as PPE Shortages Persist, NYC Teachers' Union Threatens Strike If Schools Reopen Without Safety Measures, New Zealand Deploys Troops to Enforce Quarantine; Zambian Vice President Positive for Coronavirus, Emails Reveal Swedish Epidemiologist Urged Coronavirus Spread to Attain Herd Immunity, Iran's Official COVID-19 Death Toll Passes 20,000 as Trump Pushes for New Sanctions, European Union Readies Sanctions A…

RT (2020-08-20). 'Loneliness epidemic': Half of American singles aren't looking for a relationship or even seeking casual dates, Pew poll shows. rt.com Half of single adults in the US aren't looking for casual dates, let alone a committed relationship, reflecting a trend toward more reclusive lifestyles in Japan and other developed nations, a new Pew Research Center poll showed. | Fifty percent of Americans who aren't in a relationship aren't seeking a

The Canary (2020-08-20). Williamson was warned of algorithm's impact on poorer pupils last month. thecanary.co Gavin Williamson was warned the exams algorithm would disadvantage poorer pupils around a month before it was axed, it has emerged as the embattled education secretary came under fresh scrutiny.Jon Coles, a former Department for Education director-general, issued a clear warning to Williamson that hundreds of thousands of students could receive the wrong grades, it became clear on Thursday as pupils learned their GCSE results.But Williamson pushed on with using the algorithm in England until he came under cross-party fire after nearly 40% of A-level students had their results downgraded.The Cabinet minister was h…

The Canary (2020-08-20). Record GCSE grades 'likely to prompt more students than ever to attend college'. thecanary.co More students than ever are likely to progress to A-levels and vocational courses following steep rises in the GCSE pass rates for maths and English, college leaders have said.Nearly three in four (71.2%) entries in England received a grade 4 or above — broadly equivalent to a C or above — in English this year, compared with 61.8% last year, according to data published by exams regulator Ofqual.The pass rate for maths has increased by 7 percentage points. Two in three entries received a grade 4 or above, compared with 59.6% in 2019.(PA Graphics)David Hughes, chief executive of the Association of College…

Prof. Juan Cole (2020-08-20). In Further War Crime, Israelis Cut Electricity to Gaza, Idling 50,000 Factory Workers. globalresearch.ca The government of far right Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu cut off fuel for the sole power plant in the Gaza Strip, a small Palestinian territory surrounded on three sides by and blockaded by Israel. As a result, on Monday …

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-08-20). Berlin Dismisses Washington's Threats: The Construction of the Nord Stream 2 Gas Pipeline with Russia Will Proceed. globalresearch.ca Although the U.S. can threaten Germany, now during the American election campaign, threats cannot prevent the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline between Russia and Germany. It is interesting to observe how for the first time this century …

South Front (2020-08-20). Video: In Mysterious Incident US Military Lost Two MQ-9 Reapers over Idlib. globalresearch.ca The shaky stability established in Syria after the end of the Turkish attack on the Syrian Army in Idlib in February and March of 2020 has collapsed. | Just a day after the confrontation between the US military and the Syrian …

_____ (2020-08-20). Defund The Police Movement Can Learn From Corrupt Gun Trace Task Force. popularresistance.org "I Got A Monster" is a page turner that's as hard to put down as it is disturbing. What's more, it could not be more relevant to our times. Through extensive reporting, authors Baynard Woods and Brandon Soderberg show that repressive police tactics — like throwing civilians into unmarked cars and fabricating and planting evidence — are more than recent national news topics. They have been used for years against Black communities. | Immaculately researched, the authors use court documents, wiretaps, interviews, and body camera footage to recreate the unraveling of one of the greatest police scandals of…

_____ (2020-08-20). Detroit Teachers Vote Overwhelmingly To Authorize Safety Strike. popularresistance.org During an emergency special meeting Wednesday, members of the Detroit Federation of Teachers (DFT) voted to authorize a potential safety strike aimed at pressing the Detroit Public Schools Community District to implement basic science-based safety protocols before schools reopen during the continuing coronavirus pandemic. | The vote authorizes the DFT executive board to call a safety strike if the union and the school district do not reach an agreement. Members voted 91 percent in favor of authorizing a safety strike.

The Canary (2020-08-20). 2019 saw record levels of annual loss from the Greenland Ice Sheet, study finds. thecanary.co The annual ice mass loss from Greenland in 2019 broke the previous record melt in 2012 by 15%, a new study suggests. | The Greenland Ice Sheet is one of the largest contributors to sea level rise, and is associated with about 0.76mm per year, out of the total of about 3.5mm per year rise in global mean sea level from 2005 to 2017, researchers say. | Using the satellite missions Grace (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) and its follow-on mission Grace-FO, experts have been able to quantify ice mass loss by tracking changes in gravity. | Ingo Sasgen from the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar…

The Canary (2020-08-20). Contact tracing apps 'unlikely to contain Covid-19 spread without support'. thecanary.co Contact tracing apps are unlikely to be effective in reducing the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19) unless there is a large-scale uptake by the population and it is supported by other public health control measures, scientists have said. | Their findings, published in the journal Lancet Digital Health, are based on a review of data from 15 scientific studies published between January and mid-April this year. | The researchers, led by University College London, also said evidence on the effectiveness of automated contact tracing systems is limited and there is an "urgent need for further evaluation of these apps".

yenisafak (2020-08-20). UN health body weighs in on Africa schools reopening. yenisafak.com As schools re-open in many African states, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday stressed the need to continue preventive measures against coronavirus.In a media briefing, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, Africa director of WHO, said the issue needs to be addressed with the same urgency that we have seen in opening up economies and businesses.Moeti said the WHO's advice is to weigh the risks, to use the data on COVID-19 cases in the community to guide decisions on re-opening schools "and to put in place measures to enable physical distancing […] as well as ensuring students wear masks and are able to wash their…

yenisafak (2020-08-20). 'About 75% patients feel COVID-19 effects months after recovering'. yenisafak.com Almost three-quarters of patients have reported symptoms of COVID-19 three months after recovering, according to a new study in the UK.The study of 110 patients was carried out by North Bristol NHS Trust as part of its Discover project, which aims to identify the long-term effects of the virus — "Long COVID."A total of 81 patients out of 110 — almost 74% — experienced symptoms, including breathlessness, excessive fatigue, and muscle aches, after 12 weeks, the research found.Although the majority had recovered from the initial symptoms, such as a high fever, cough, and losing their sense of smell…

yenisafak (2020-08-20). 'Efforts to block Turkish energy ships will pay price'. yenisafak.com Anybody who tries to block Turkish energy exploration in its coastal waters will regret it, said the head of a Turkish political party on Thursday."Anyone who dares to confront our navy and research ships in the [Eastern] Mediterranean or the Aegean will pay the heaviest price," Devlet Bahceli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), said in a written statement.Bahceli reiterated that Turkey's rightful actions are in line with international law, adding that they "upended global plans."Greece, France, Egypt, and other countries have moved to deprive Turkey of Mediterranean energy resources and box it in,…

yenisafak (2020-08-20). Cuba to begin clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccine. yenisafak.com Cuba will begin the first stage of a clinical trial for a COVID-19 vaccine Aug. 24, officials said Wednesday.The Finlay Vaccine Institute registered a clinical trial for one of its candidates at the Cuban Public Registry of Clinical Trials. The SOBERANA 01 trial is on phase I and II and involves 676 volunteers between the ages of 19 and 80."Achieving an effective vaccine against COVID-19 is a priority for our entire science and innovation system at BioCubaFarma. Today we see how solid and accelerated progress has been made in this project in the Finlay Institute," said Eduardo Martínez, president of the BioCubaFa…

Global Research News (2020-08-20). Selected Articles: Was COVID-19 a Cover for an Anticipated or Planned Financial Crisis? globalresearch.ca We hope that by publishing diverse view points, submitted by journalists and experts dotted all over the world, the website can serve as a reminder that no matter what narrative we are presented with, things are rarely as cut and …

Zoà´ Carpenter (2020-08-20). School Reopenings Are Only Going to Get More Chaotic. thenation.com School Reopenings Are Only Going to Get More Chaotic…

Andrew Korybko (2020-08-19). Lukashenko Just Hinted at a 'Phased Leadership Transition' in Belarus. globalresearch.ca Belarusian President Lukashenko's announcement that presidential elections will follow a planned constitutional referendum possibly paves the way for a "phased leadership transition" in the Color Revolution-beleaguered former Soviet Republic, one which opens up an opportunity for Russia to protect its …

Andrew Korybko (2020-08-19). The Fake News About Iran & the Taliban Aims to Achieve Three Strategic Objectives. globalresearch.ca The CNN report earlier this week alleging that Iran paid bounties to the Taliban to kill US troops aims to reinforce the narrative that Tehran supports "terrorists", portray the country as an obstacle to peace in Afghanistan, and lastly prompt …

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2020-08-19). Covid-19: Lockdown of the Global Economy of Planet Earth. Diabolical Project: The Closing Down of 193 National Economies Is Not "A Solution" globalresearch.ca Planet Lockdown. Devastating economic and social consequences. | We are living one of the most serious crises in modern history. | According to Michel Chossudovsky, the coronavirus pandemic is used as a pretext and a justification to close down the global …

Staff (2020-08-19). Return to Sender: Amid National Outcry, Trump's Postmaster General Drops Plans to Gut USPS — For Now. democracynow.org After massive public outcry against cuts to mail service ahead of November's election, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has announced he will suspend changes to the U.S. Postal Service until after the election, when a record number of voters are expected to cast ballots by mail. President Trump has admitted he's working to undermine the USPS in order to make it harder to vote by mail in November. We speak with Lisa Graves, executive director of the policy research group True North Research, who says Louis DeJoy is "the most partisan person, in 100 years at least, to head…

Rick Sterling (2020-08-19). Keep It Real: "Circle in the Darkness: Memoirs of a World Watcher". Review of Diana Johnstone's Book. globalresearch.ca Diana Johnstone has written a compelling and insightful book. It is mostly a review and analysis of significant events from the past 55 years. It concludes with her assessment of different trends that are being debated on the Left today …

Margaret Kimberley (2020-08-19). You can't understand capitalism without race. mronline.org The centrality of race in the devilment of capitalism continues to be resisted by "the sort of hardline, orthodox folks who only look at class, alongside the sort of liberals and so-called racial multiculturals who have the misconception that race no longer matters," said Charisse Burden-Stelly, professor of Africana Studies and Political Science at Carleton College.

Anthony Cartalucci (2020-08-19). The Complete Guide: US Government Role in Thailand's "Student Protests" thealtworld.com Virtually every aspect of "student protests" in Thailand are funded and backed by the US and aimed at destabilizing a key partner of China, reversing Thai-Chinese relations, and advancing Washington's Beijing containment policy. | Thailand is a key partner of China's and has pivoted toward Beijing at Washington's expense; | Protesters are backed by pro-US billionaire-led opposition parties; | US-backed billionaire-led opposition vowed months ago to "take to the streets;" | US government funds core protest leader Anon Nampa via National Endowment for Democracy (NED); | US also funds orgs trying to "rewrite" Thaila…

Staff (2020-08-19). DSA-backed challenger has a shot at Baltimore's city council. therealnews.com Educator Franca Muller Paz saw the way COVID-19 impacted her students and that inspired her third party run.

Catherine Henchek, CPS parent and member of Parents 4 Teachers (2020-08-19). In Chicago, teacher-community solidarity forces district to put safety first. liberationnews.org The school district's turnaround shows what can happen when unions and community members work together.

RT (2020-08-19). The second coming of the Soviet Union? Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine will one day reunite, says Moscow professor. rt.com Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine will "sooner or later" reunify into a single state, as they share a common Orthodox-Slavic culture, according to Vladimir Sokolov, Professor at Moscow's RANEPA university. | Sokolov, who teaches in the Department of Civil Service and Recruitment Policy, believes the three neighboring countries will reunite, prompted by the "general decline of Western values." | Read more | | In a…

2020-08-19: News Headlines

Catherine Henchek, CPS parent and member of Parents 4 Teachers (2020-08-19). In Chicago, teacher-community solidarity forces district to put safety first. liberationnews.org The school district's turnaround shows what can happen when unions and community members work together.

The Canary (2020-08-19). Hapless Hancock defends cabinet colleague Williamson over exam fiasco. thecanary.co Calls for education secretary Gavin Williamson to quit over the A-level grades fiasco are a distraction at a time when he is focused on getting children back to school next month, a Cabinet colleague has said.Health secretary Matt Hancock said all ministers are "trying to do their best" in unprecedented circumstances "and I know that is true of Gavin Williamson".Hancock also acknowledged calls to increase student places at medical schools and promised that the government is working on the problem.Williamson is under intense pressure after he was forced to abandon the algorithm-based system for awarding A-level an…

yenisafak (2020-08-19). Philippines work on use of saliva for COVID-19 testing. yenisafak.com Researchers in Philippines are working to see the possible use of saliva as a sample for coronavirus testing.Maria Rosario Vergeire, a health department official, said Wednesday Filipino researchers were working on the "method of collecting saliva samples for almost a month now," daily Phil Star reported.The archipelago nation Wednesday reported 4,650 new cases and 111 deaths due to the virus. The national death toll climbed to 2,795 after fresh fatalities, while the number of total infections hit 173,774."That is being studied by our lab experts' panel. We forwarded it to our laboratory experts' panel to study a…

Aaron Talley (2020-08-19). This Is What Dystopia Looks Like. thenation.com This Is What Dystopia Looks Like…

Ajamu Baraka (2020-08-18). Trump or Biden: Any Difference for the Global South? globalresearch.ca Congress decided to go on vacation while millions of U.S. workers are in economic limbo and while the United States continues to engage in criminal activity, such as when it seized four Iranian oil tankers that were on their way …

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2020-08-18). Video: "The House Cat Flu" is Coming. The Meow Apocalypse… globalresearch.ca This article was first published on April 18, 2020 | The following episode of the Simpsons was released in 2010. | It is a satire. But at the same time it reveals the unspoken truth. The writer of the script is an …

Staff (2020-08-18). Headlines for August 18, 2020. democracynow.org Virtual DNC Kicks Off with Calls for Unity, Speeches by Michelle Obama and Bernie Sanders, UNC Switches to Remote Classes After 177 Students Contract COVID-19, Indigenous Groups in Brazil Protest Gov't Inaction on Coronavirus; South Korea Outbreak Grows, Postmaster General Agrees to Testify as Fears Mount over USPS Changes That Could Threaten Election, Special Tribunal Delivers Verdict over 2005 Killing of Ex-Lebanese PM Rafik al-Hariri, Mapuche Protesters Demand Hunger-Striking Leader Be Released, Spanish Royal Family Confirms Exiled Former King Juan Carlos Is in UAE, Trump Admin Finalized Plan to Open Alaska's…

Mondialisation (2020-08-18). Desastre ambiental segundo Marx: faces da crise capitalista (II). globalresearch.ca Continuando a análise comeàßada na primeira parte deste artigo —

Mike Whitney (2020-08-18). CODENAME: Operation Virus Identification 2019; the Elitist Plan to Remake Society. globalresearch.ca Everything we were originally told about the Coronavirus has turned out to be wrong. | In fact, it's not a "novel" one-of-a-kind infection at all, but a member of a larger family of which there have been many iterations in the …

calvin deutschbein (2020-08-18). At North Carolina colleges, 'Safe Jobs Save Lives'. workers.org Chapel Hill, N.C. At 2: 15 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 14 — as the first week of in-person classes at the University of North Carolina wound to a close — the independent student newspaper, the Daily Tarheel, made the announcement: "BREAKING: Carolina Housing reported two COVID-19 clusters today." UE 150 organized . . . |

A Guest Author (2020-08-18). Colonialism intensifies pandemic school crisis for Puerto Ricans. workers.org By Lorraine Liriano Chávez This slightly edited talk was given at the Aug. 6 Workers World Party webinar, "War on the Working Class: the Socialist Response," which featured education workers. Lorraine Liriano Chávez Puerto Rico faces the life-threatening decision of the reopening of schools in the midst of rising COVID-19 . . . |

RT (2020-08-18). Comedian posts satirical tweet claiming convicted RAPIST will speak at Republican convention and internet goes wild. rt.com Convicted Stanford University rapist Brock Turner will speak at the Republican National Convention! It's a comedy bit, not the truth, but in 2020, social media can perhaps be forgiven for losing its ability to tell the difference. | Comedian Jena Friedman announced the disgraced student athlete as RNC 'special guest' on Twitter on Tuesday, provoking a firestorm of responses as a good portion of her audience took it seriously. Would the Republicans seriously invite a registered sex offender — even one with a Stanford University pedigree — to address their convention? | BREAKING NEWS: Brock Turner, Sta…

RT (2020-08-18). Leaky bubble? Michigan college puts students on campus arrest with mandatory Covid-19 tracking app, while staff get to leave. rt.com Michigan's Albion College is requiring incoming students to install a tracking app on their phones that warns the school if they leave campus. The 'Covid bubble' plan lets teachers come and go as they please, however. | The draconian rules, which mandate that students remain within the Albion campus' 4.5-mile perimeter throughout the entire 14-week semester, are part of Albion's plans to create a 'Covid bubble' protecting its entire student body, the Washington Free Beacon reported on Monday. | While Albion claimed students are being restricted to campus in order "to reduce the risk of transmission between the…

The Canary (2020-08-18). Education Secretary resists calls to resign over GCSE and A-level grades U-turn. thecanary.co Education secretary Gavin Williamson has resisted calls to resign over his handling of A-level and GCSE grades in England, but he has apologised to thousands of students for the distress caused.The government announced a U-turn on Monday when it said students would be able to receive grades based on their teachers' estimates following anger over the downgrading of thousands of A-level grades.But Williamson has repeatedly refused to say whether he would consider resigning from his position.The minister said there had been "broad political consensus" across all parties that a standardisation model was needed for te…

Tamba Franàßois Koundouno (2020-08-18). 'Palestine Is a Red Line', Morocco-Israel Relations, Netanyahu's "Normalization" Machine? Moroccan Writers Boycott UAE, Israel. globalresearch.ca Five Moroccan authors have announced their decision to boycott an Emirati literary prize in objection to the UAE's "normalization" deal with Israel, Spanish newspaper According to the report, the Moroccan writers all expressed their dismay and disappointment …

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-08-18). Poland and Lithuania Are Escalating Events in Belarus as They Did with Maidan. globalresearch.ca On August 9, presidential elections were held in Belarus with five candidates bidding to be head of state. According to the Central Election Commission, the incumbent president, Alexander Lukashenko, won in the first round with over 80% of the …

Philip Giraldi (2020-08-18). Managing the Narrative: Corporations and Government Use Internet to Control Information. globalresearch.ca Some Americans continue to believe that when they go to the internet they will get a free flow of useful information that will guide them in making decisions or coming to conclusions about the state of the world. That conceit …

Rep. Ron Paul (2020-08-18). Anthony Fauci Is Out, Sidelined by Trump. Common Sense Might be Returning. Enter Dr. Scott Atlas to the Coronavirus Task Force. globalresearch.ca It is now official: the media has confirmed that Dr. Anthony Fauci has been "sidelined" by Trump. This is nothing new. Fauci has not been fired as head of the NIASD. It is unclear whether this new appointment will trigger …

Rep. Ron Paul (2020-08-18). Anthony Fauci Is Out, "Sidelined" by Trump. Enter Dr. Scott Atlas to the Coronavirus Task Force. globalresearch.ca It is now official: Dr. Anthony Fauci has been "sidelined" by president Trump. This is nothing new. | Dr. Fauci has not been fired as head of the NIAID. Moreover, it is unclear whether this new appointment will trigger a significant …

Stephen Lendman (2020-08-18). "Fake News": Iran Paid Taliban to Kill US Troops… Big Lies Take a Life of Their Own. globalresearch.ca When repeated ad nauseam, Big Lies take on a life of their own. | Before the television age arrived, famed actor/humorist Will Rogers once said: "All I know is what I read in the papers." | He might have added that mind …

Stephen Lendman (2020-08-18). Trump Gives Chinese Parent Company 90 Days to Divest from TikTok. globalresearch.ca US cold war on China risks turning hot if bipartisan hardliners in Washington push things too far. | Their hostile actions are all about wanting China's development, growth, and prominence on the world stage undermined. | Since Trump took office, scores of …

teleSUR (2020-08-18). President Piñera Launches Bidding to Set up 5G Network in Chile. telesurenglish.net Chile's President Sebastian Piñera launched the first bidding process to install the 5G technology in the country, which is one of the first Latin American nations to develop this network. | RELATED: | "The 5G application will be prioritized in essential sectors such as health, education, transportation, and natural disaster control," Piñera said. | Chile will allocate between US$2.65 billion and US$3 billion to dou…

WSWS (2020-08-18). Workers Struggles: The Americas. wsws.org Colombian Federation of Education Workers conducted a 48-hour strike August 12 and 13 against plans for a rotating reopening of the country's schools that teachers say is unsafe.

teleSUR (2020-08-18). Mexico: 98 Percent of Children Will Study From Home. telesurenglish.net Mexico's Education Secretary Esteban Moctezuma Monday announced that the Learn at Home II program is ready to serve 98 percent of elementary and middle school students. | RELATED: | "We developed a fair strategy for children that considers their socioeconomic conditions and the region in which they live," he said, recalling that face-to-face classes were suspended on March 23. | At that time, the Education Secretary (S…

Elijah J. Magnier (2020-08-18). USA to Iraq: We Will Withdraw but Without Being Humiliated. globalresearch.ca Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi is preparing to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House, about issues that are burdening Iraq. The country is struggling with a stifling economic crisis, the Coronavirus pandemic, the US military presence that …

Prof. Sam Ben-Meir (2020-08-18). Spontaneous Lines: The Art of Rita Blitt. A Yes to Life, A Yes to the World… Art is Life. globalresearch.ca Rita Blitt: Around and Round (Tra Publishing, 2020), looks back at the long and prolific career of this notable American artist. If Blitt's work is about anything then it is about the exuberance, the joy, the …

teleSUR (2020-08-18). Scientists Determine The Order Of COVID-19 Symptoms. telesurenglish.net Researchers from the University of Southern California (USC) Monday identified the likely order in which COVID-19 symptoms appear, a finding that could help both patients and doctors to better handle the disease. | RELATED: | The study was led by doctoral candidate Joseph Larsen with faculty advisors Peter Kuhn and James Hicks from the USC Michelson Convergent Science Institute in Cancer (CSI-Cancer). | Specialists conclu…

Califf RM, Hernandez AF, Landray M. (2020-08-18). Weighing the Benefits and Risks of Proliferating Observational Treatment Assessments. jamanetwork.com This Viewpoint discusses the role of observational study designs and data in the rapid stand-up of an evidence base for managing the COVID-19 pandemic, proposing ways to position observational research as a foundation for rapid follow-on randomized evaluation without premature overinterpretation of its findings.

Richard Falk (2020-08-18). Interpreting the UAE/Israel Agreement on Suspending Annexation. globalresearch.ca Any comment on regional implications of the Agreement is, of course, highly speculative as the real reasons for such an initiative are rarely disclosed by those with the power of decision. In this case the uncertainties are magnified by some …

Jorge Arreaza (2020-08-18). Venezuela, and Trump's Irrational Electoral Policy. globalresearch.ca Elections always have an interesting effect on public policy, in particular if the person in charge of designing and implementing a certain policy is up for reelection. In politics, it is logical that an incumbent candidate decides to show successful …

Richard Silverstein (2020-08-18). Former Lebanese Interior Minister Blames Israel for Beirut Attack. globalresearch.ca A former Lebanese Interior Minister has publicly This operation in Beirut was carried out by Israel in a clear and explicit manner," Machnouk said, adding: "It is clear we are looking at a …

Yanis Iqbal (2020-08-18). The Hunger Crisis in Guatemala. globalresearch.ca A report released by Oxfam in July 2020

Robert F. Kennedy Jr (2020-08-18). Video: The Great Vaccine Debate! Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. vs Alan Dershowitz. globalresearch.ca Don't miss this historic debate between Children's Health Defense Chairman Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz. | With the current COVID crisis dominating headlines at national and local levels, the topic of vaccines is now front …

Mori M, Krumholz HM, Allore HG. (2020-08-18). Using Latent Class Analysis to Identify Hidden Clinical Phenotypes. jamanetwork.com This JAMA Guide to Statistics and Methods summarizes latent class analysis, a statistical technique that estimates the probability of patients belonging to a discrete group that shares specific combinations of observed variables, and explains how the technique is used and can be interpreted in observational research.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-08-18). Rights groups demand justice for murdered Baloch student. peoplesdispatch.org A final year student of Karachi University, 23-year-old Hayat Baloch Hayat, was allegedly killed by Pakistan's Frontier Corps personnel after being accused of involvement in a roadside bomb explosion…

teleSUR (2020-08-18). US: Los Angeles to Test All Students and Teachers for COVID-19. telesurenglish.net Los Angeles Unified School District superintendent Austin Beutner announced a COVID-19 testing plan for students and school personnel, as learning activities would resume this fall. | RELATED: | "Extraordinary circumstances call for extraordinary actions, and while this testing and contact tracing effort is unprecedented, it is necessary and appropriate," Beutner said. | The testing program would start on Monday, August 24, an…

imperial.ac.uk (2020-08-18). Effective test and trace could reduce R by up to 26%. imperial.ac.uk Test and trace could reduce the effective reproduction number, the R number, by up to 26% if carried out quickly and effectively, new research finds.

The Canary (2020-08-18). Estimates of plastic in Atlantic 'massively underestimated'. thecanary.co Estimates of how much plastic has been dumped in the Atlantic Ocean have been "massively underestimated", experts say. | The mass of so-called invisible microplastics found in the upper waters of the Atlantic is around 12-21m tonnes, new research suggests. | But the figure only represents three types of the most common types of plastic litter in a limited size range. | According to a study published in Nature Communications, it is comparable in magnitude to estimates of all plastic waste that has entered the Atlantic over the past 65 years — 17m tonnes. | This suggests the supply of plastic to the ocean has…

The Canary (2020-08-18). Students will receive final GCSE grades on Thursday despite U-turn. thecanary.co GCSE students will receive their final grades on Thursday despite the government's U-turn on grading, exam boards have pledged. | All schools and colleges will receive their pupils' GCSE grades from the exam boards ahead of results day, the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) has said. | Exam boards said they have been "working hard" to provide schools and colleges with students' centre assessment grades, which are based on teachers' estimates, or the moderated grades if they are higher. | The announcement comes amid confusion about how GCSE results day would run following the U-turn. | JCQ confirms exam centr…

Fight Back (2020-08-18). Philippines: Killings of rights defenders continue amid COVID-19 spike, economic recession. fightbacknews.org Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from Labor NGO: Ecumenical Institute for Labor Education and Research (EILER). | Rampant harassment and terroristic acts by the state towards the people made it clear that the Duterte administration does not aim to resolve all the crises brought out by the pandemic, according to Labor NGO Ecumenical Institute for Labor Education and Research (EILER). | EILER firmly stands with all the peasant rights defenders and demands accountability for the brutal killings of Randall "Ka Randy" Echanis, 72; Reken Remasog, 24, and Zara Alvarez, 39. | Ka Randy was a…

Dr. Binoy Kampmark (2020-08-18). Google's Open Letter: Fighting Australia's News Media Bargaining Code. globalresearch.ca Tech giants tend to cast thin veils over threats regarding government regulations. They are also particularly concerned by those more public spirited ones, the sort supposedly made for the broader interest. Google has given us an example of this in …

commondreams (2020-08-18). Researchers' Plan To Release Genetically Engineered American Chestnut Trees in Forests Will Set Dangerous Precedents If Approved. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Shane Quinn (2020-08-18). US Firestorming of Tokyo Rivaled the Hiroshima Bombing. globalresearch.ca Featured image: Charred remains of Japanese civilians after the firebombing of Tokyo on the night of 9—10 March 1945. (Source: Ishikawa K≈çy≈ç / Wikimedia Commons) | In the early hours of 10 March 1945, as America's heavy aircraft dropped over 1,600 …

R.C.A. Achterbergh, E. Hoornenborg, A. Boyd, L. Coyer, S.J.A. Meuzelaar, A.A. Hogewoning, U. Davidovich, M.S. van Rooijen, M.F. Schim van der Loeff, M. Prins, H.J.C. de Vries (2020-08-18). [Original Research] Changes in mental health and drug use among men who have sex with men using daily and event-driven pre-exposure prophylaxis: Results from a prospective demonstration project in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. thelancet.com Mental health disorders are prevalent among those initiating PrEP. We did not find increases in mental health disorders during PrEP use, but rather a decrease in sexual compulsivity and drug use disorders. The initial prevalence of mental health disorders in our study point at the continuous need to address mental health disorders within PrEP programs.

Lauren Novosat (2020-08-18). Money Becomes King: University Greed in the Midst of a Global Pandemic. counterpunch.org Students around the nation prepare to return to campus amid the COVID-19 pandemic and are met with empty promises of safety: social distancing in the classroom, a hybrid education system with in-person and online teaching, an overwhelming feeling that the return to campus will be just as lonely as the long trek home in early

Sasha Abramsky (2020-08-18). Trump's Attacks on Science Will Hasten Climate Catastrophe. thenation.com Trump's Attacks on Science Will Hasten Climate Catastrophe…

Alan MacLeod (2020-08-17). Julian Assange Court Case Delayed Again in Bizarre Circumstances. globalresearch.ca "I have never in my career faced so much difficulty attempting to trial monitor as in Julian Assange's case." — Rebecca Vincent, Director of International Campaigns for Reporters Without Borders. | *** | There were bizarre scenes at Westminster Magistrates' …

Eduardo Campos Lima (2020-08-17). Missionaries Gain Access to Amazon's Indigenous Peoples, Despite Pandemic. globalresearch.ca When the first COVID-19 cases hit Brazil in March, the government agency in charge of protecting the country's Indigenous peoples, the National Indigenous Foundation, ordered all civilians to leave the Indigenous reservations. Only essential workers, such as health care personnel …

Andre Vltchek (2020-08-17). Anti-Racist Uprising Infiltrated by Extreme-Right Hooligans. globalresearch.ca The city of Minneapolis is where it all began. It is where the last drop fell on the surface of a proverbial overflowing lake, causing the dam to burst, consequently starting to destroy the foundations of the empire. | A death …

Andrew Korybko (2020-08-17). Russian-Belarusian Relations: Back to Being Brothers? Crimea 2.0 Is Unlikely. globalresearch.ca Several recent developments in Russian-Belarusian relations — in particular, Belarus' return of 32 suspected Wagner mercenaries to Russia, Belarusian opposition leader Tsepkalo's departure from Russia, and the two phone calls between Presidents Putin and Lukashenko — hint that bilateral ties …