Daily Archives: August 3, 2020

2020-08-03: News Headlines

pip.hinman (2020-08-03). Former Reuters bureau chief speaks at free Julian Assange rally. greenleft.org.au

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-03). VP Sattari unveils 3 artificial intelligence system. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 03 (MNA) — The Vice President for Science and Technology, Sorena Sattari has unveiled three artificial intelligence system, namely 'Saha', 'Sahab' and 'Hooshio' on Sunday.

Ken Hammond (2020-08-02). Pompeo, Trump unleash new phase of aggression vs. China. liberationnews.org Pompeo openly called for regime change in China, saying that "if we don't change China, China will change us."

RT (2020-08-02). Trump will act on TikTok and other Chinese software companies 'in the coming days' — Pompeo. rt.com US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has vowed that President Donald Trump will take action "in the coming days" to deal with Chinese software companies that the White House claims are feeding data to Beijing. | Appearing on Fox News' 'Sunday Morning Futures' show, Pompeo claimed the practices of the Chinese tech companies currently in the administration's sights, including TikTok and WeChat, pose "true privacy issues for the American people." | "For a long time the US just said 'Well, goodness, if we're having fun with it, or if a company can make money off of it, we're going to permit that to happen,'" he expla…

The Canary (2020-08-02). Unite chief Len McCluskey fires warning shot over Labour antisemitism payout. thecanary.co The chief of Labour's biggest union backer said his organisation would "no doubt" review its financial support for the party in the wake of the decision to offer payouts to whistleblowers who accused the party of failing to tackle antisemitism.Payouts: General secretary of Unite Len McCluskey used an interview with the Observer to issue a warning to Labour leader Keir Starmer. It came after the party agreed to pay "substantial damages" to whistleblowers who contributed to a TV expose of its handling of antisemitism.McCluskey, an ally of former leader Jeremy Corbyn, said the payouts were "an abuse of member…

_____ (2020-08-02). Are Russia And US Different When It Comes To Election Meddling? popularresistance.org On this week's installment of "Scheer Intelligence," Robert Scheer challenges guest David Shimer on the fundamental conclusions of his new book, "Rigged: America, Russia and 100 Years of Covert Electoral Interference," regarding the "intentions" for US covert operations versus those of the Soviet Union/Russia. | Excerpted and lauded in the New York Times and elsewhere in the mainstream media, "Rigged" outlines covert operations in various countries by both nation-states, including American interference in 1970s Chile and post-World War II Italy, among others, but has been best reviewed for its deep dive into Russ…

Stephen Lendman (2020-08-02). Deteriorating Sino/US Relations: From Engagement to Containment and Confrontation. globalresearch.ca On Thursday during testimony before Senate Foreign Relations Committee members, Pompeo continued his militantly hostile war of words on China. See below. | *** | Commenting on his Chinaphobic remarks last week, former US diplomat who accompanied Richard Nixon on his 1972 …

_____ (2020-08-02). The Heart Of The Matter In The South China Sea. popularresistance.org When the USS Ronald Reagan and USS Nimitz carrier strike groups recently engaged in "operations" in the South China Sea, it failed to escape cynics that the US Pacific Fleet was doing its best to turn the infantile Thucydides trap theory into a self-fulfilling prophecy. | The pro forma official spin, via Rear Admiral Jim Kirk, commander of the Nimitz, is that the ops were conducted to "reinforce our commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, a rules-based international order, and to our allies and partners." | Nobody pays attention to these clichés, because the real message was delivered by a CIA operative posin…

yenisafak (2020-08-02). Top Iranian aide praises Turkey's Hagia Sophia move. yenisafak.com A senior advisor to Iran's supreme leader on Sunday congratulated Turkey for reopening the Hagia Sophia Mosque after 86 years as a museum."We congratulate the Turkish people for this important Islamic success," Ali Akbar Velayati, an aide to Ali Khamenei told Iranian state television.Velayati also criticized US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for recent comments urging Ankara to reconvert the Hagia Sophia into a museum."His ancestors converted all museums of the world into churches. The Hagia Sophia, which has been a mosque for 500 years, will remain as a mosque until the apocalypse," Velayati stressed.Ankara has…

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-02). Intelligence min. dismisses speculations on Sharmahd's arrest. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 02 (MNA) — Iranian Ministry of Intelligence has categorically dismissed any speculation on the arrest of the ringleader of a US-based terrorist group "Jamshid Sharmahd".

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-02). Army Ground Force signs MoU to receive geographical data. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 02 (MNA) — National Geography Organization and the intelligence branch of Iran Army's Ground Force signed an MoU to develop cooperation in the fields of science, education, and research interactions.

RT (2020-08-01). Iran says leader of US-based 'terror group' arrested in intelligence operation. rt.com Iran has nabbed the alleged ringleader of a group of Iranian exiles in California accused of carrying out terrorist attacks against the Islamic Republic, the country's ministry of intelligence announced. | The leader of Tondar (Persian for 'thunder'), identified as Jamshid Sharmahd, was captured in an intelligence operation, state media reported on Saturday. The US-based group seeks the overthrow of the Iranian government and the return of the country's monarchy that ruled the country prior to the Revolution and the fall of the Shah in 1979. | Sarmahd was apprehended while "leading armed and sabotage operation…

Tom Coburg (2020-08-01). A UK-funded contractor is providing intelligence support to Trump's protester-attacking paramilitaries. thecanary.co Paramilitary units deployed by Donald Trump to the US city of Portland, in response to Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests, have been identified. Interestingly, intelligence for one of the units is handled by a multinational corporation that recently won a UK contract to manage NHS data. | Federal units identified: | Units engaging with protesters in Portland have been identified in a New York Times video. They

WSWS (2020-08-01). Department of Homeland Security assembles intelligence reports on US journalists covering Portland protests. wsws.org Such reports have been traditionally used to share information regarding wanted criminals or terrorists across federal and local law enforcement agencies.

WSWS (2020-08-01). Department of Homeland Security assembles "intelligence reports" on US journalists covering Portland protests. wsws.org Such reports have been traditionally used to share information regarding wanted criminals or terrorists across federal and local law enforcement agencies.

Dana Drugmand (2020-08-01). Fossil fuel industry engaging in 'pervasive fraud' that threatens global economy, report warns. nationofchange.org Warning of an impending financial implosion driven largely by fossil fuel industry deception, a recent report calls on fossil fuel insiders and other potential whistleblowers to help expose and prosecute this fraud. According to this new report from the National Whistleblower Center (NWC) published July 23, fossil fuel executives' deception on the financial risks of climate …

yenisafak (2020-08-01). Iran arrests head of US-based anti-regime group. yenisafak.com "Jamshid Sharmahd, the ringleader of the Tondar terrorist organization, was arrested by Iranian security forces," the Iranian Intelligence Ministry said in a written statement that did not contain more details of the arrest.Tehran accuses the US-based pro-monarchy organization, known in English as Kingdom Assembly of Iran, of conducting attacks and sabotage acts in Iran, including an April 2018 terror attack in the city of Shiraz that killed 14 people and injured 215 others.Sharmahd, who was based in the US state of California, was also reportedly responsible for anti-Iran media coverage. | * Writing by Zehra Nur…

sputniknews (2020-08-01). Russian Foreign Intelligence Chief Hopes Incident in Belarus Resolved for Friendly Ties. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russia's Foreign Intelligence Chief Sergey Naryshkin said on Saturday he hoped the incident of Minsk's detention of 33 Russian nationals will be resolved in the interest of fraternal relations between the two countries.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-01). Enemies cannot believe Sharmahd arrested inside Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 02 (MNA) — Iran's Intelligence Minister said that some enemies do not believe that Jamshid Sharmahd, the ringleader of a terror group supported by the US, has been arrested inside Iran.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-01). Intelligence forces dismantle intl. drug smuggling band in NW. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 01 (MNA) — Iran's Intelligence forces have identified and dismantled an international drug smuggling band in West Azarbaijan Province, northwest Iran.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-01). Iran dismantles US-based terrorist group. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 01 (MNA) — Iran's Ministry of Intelligence announced on Saturday that its forces have dismantled a US-based terrorist group.

_____ (2020-08-01). The Sprit of Apollo-Soyuz Is Alive… With the Russia/China Space Alliance. strategic-culture.org Forty five years ago, Cold Warriors in the Pentagon and CIA shook their fists angrily at the stars- and for good reason. | On July 17, 1975 the first international handshake was occurring in space between Russian Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov and American astronaut Thomas Stafford as the first official act kicking off the historic

teleSUR (2020-07-31). Venezuela Requests Italy To Extradite Former PDVSA President. telesurenglish.net Venezuela's Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ) declared admissible the extradition request submitted to Italy against PDVSA former president Rafael Ramirez. | RELATED: | Ramirez must return to Venezuela to be subjected to criminal proceedings, for the alleged commission of fraudulent embezzlement and evasion of the bidding procedure. | In the request, Venezuelan authorities committed to judging Ramírez only for…

_____ (2020-07-31). Supreme Court Just Made The Case For Medicare For All. popularresistance.org This July, the Supreme Court of the United States decided that President Trump, who does not have a uterus, was quite right to object to Obama-era rules under the Affordable Care Act that allowed Americans who do have uteri access to free birth control through their employer-provided health insurance plans. | Specifically, NPR reports, the Supreme Court upheld a Trump administration rule that "would give broad exemptions from the birth control mandate to nonprofits and some for-profit companies that object to birth control on religious or moral grounds."

Lisa Newcomb, staff writer (2020-07-31). In 'Disheartening' Ruling, US Supreme Court Halts Citizen Initiative to Fund Education in Idaho. commondreams.org The order is the latest in a string of opinions overruling lower court orders to relax state election procedures due to Covid-19 | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/reclaim_education.jpg

Binoy Kampmark (2020-07-31). Julian Assange's Political Indictment: Old Wine in Older Bottles. counterpunch.org The book of hours on Julian Assange is now being written. But the scribes are far from original. Repeated rituals of administrative hearings that have no common purpose other than to string things out before the axe are being enacted. Of late, the man most commonly associated with WikiLeaks' publication project cannot participate in any

Asad Ismi (2020-07-31). Journalism Under Attack in Assange Case. globalresearch.ca In a letter to the New York Times in 1970, British historian Arnold Toynbee said the United States "has become the world's nightmare." It turned out they were just getting started. Through its many wars, covert operations and economic destabilizations, …

Derek Royden (2020-07-31). Mike Pompeo and the push for two Cold Wars. nationofchange.org If there was ever a time to embrace the kind of international cooperation the left has always called for, it's during a global pandemic.

Edward Curtin (2020-07-31). Psychological Warfare: The CIA Then and Now: Old Wine in New Bottles. globalresearch.ca "And as the flames climbed high into the night | To light the sacrificial rite | I saw Satan laughing with delight | The day the music died" | — Don McLean, "American Pie" | Important article written in January 2019 focussing on psychological warfare. …

_____ (2020-07-31). It's Not Assange Who Should Be Facing Prosecution. popularresistance.org On 27 July two court hearings took place — one in the UK, the other in Spain. Both concerned WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. From their proceedings, it became clear that it's not Assange who should be facing prosecution, but the current office holder of the US presidency and his associates. At the 27 July 'administrative hearing' at Westminster magistrates court, Judge Vanessa Baraitser stated that the prosecution had failed to present its latest 'superseding indictment'. That superseding indictment was first made public on 24 June, just prior to the last court hearing, though the prosecution failed to su…

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2020-07-30). Video: Covid-19 and the Censorship of Medical Doctors. LancetGate and the Suppression of Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ). globalresearch.ca Medical doctors at an event in front of the US Supreme Court are accused of making false statements. | The video of their press conference was removed by Youtube and Facebook. They are accused by CNN of spreading "fake science" | The …

Staff (2020-07-30). Democracy Delayed Is Democracy Denied. therealnews.com Stir Crazy! Episode 73: Today we are joined by TRNN reporter Aman Azhar, journalist Justine Barron, TRNN visual producer Andrew Corkery, and TRNN editorial director Lisa Snowden-McCray. Hosted by Kim Brown.

RT (2020-07-30). Russian serviceman working in Crimea arrested for HIGH TREASON, accused of spying for Ukraine. rt.com A serviceman from Russia's Black Sea Fleet has been arrested by the country's Federal Security Service (FSB) on suspicion of working for Ukrainian military intelligence. | If found guilty of high treason, the detained soldier could In a statement

RT (2020-07-30). EU targets Russian intelligence, Chinese, North Korean companies in first ever cybercrime-related sanctions batch. rt.com The European Union has imposed sanctions on six people and three entities, including a Russian military intelligence unit over their alleged involvement in various hacking activities, in the first ever such move from Brussels. | EU officials slapped the "Special Technologies" unit (GTsST) of the Russian military intelligence (also known as GRU) with sanctions, accusing it of being behind several high-profile cyber-attacks — including the infamous NotPetya virus that inflicted $10 billion worth of damage to the world economy in 2017. | The origins of that virus are still unclear. Yet, what is known for ce…

RT (2020-07-30). We closed this 'den of spies' consulate: Pompeo takes hard stance on China during Senate hearing. rt.com The US secretary of state has taken a tough line on Beijing as he testified in the Senate by calling China nothing less than a "central threat of our times" and slamming the Chinese Houston consulate the US closed as a spies' den.

Stephen Lendman (2020-07-30). Military Escalation, Dangerous Crossroads in US-China Relations: Mike Pompeo Goes Wild. globalresearch.ca Until this year, Trump hailed what he called "tremendous progress in our relationship" with China — boasting about an "outstanding" bond between him and President Xi Jinping. | He claimed that a "giant trade deal" in the making would enhance …

Caitlin Johnstone (2020-07-30). The Real Deep State Power Grab: Notes From The Edge Of The Narrative Matrix. thealtworld.com the new cold war agendas against China and Russia. All analysts who've been staring transfixed by Covid anxiety waiting for Bill Gates to usher in the New World Order have completely missed this story due to a misguided collective decision to fixate on this virus. | The virus will certainly play a part in many ways, but the real large-scale power agendas at work revolve around the US-centralized empire's increasingly urgent campaign to

Michael T. Klare (2020-07-30). What Would It Take to Avert Military Escalation With China in the South China Sea? thenation.com What Would It Take to Avert Military Escalation With China in the South China Sea?

_____ (2020-07-30). CIA Fabricated Russiagate 'Evidence', Says Former NSA Tech Chief. strategic-culture.org Bill Binney has now laid out, in this speech, the evidence that he wants to present in court against Barack Obama's CIA, that it defrauded Americans to believe in "Russiagate" (the allegation that Russia 'hacked' the computers of Hillary Clinton and Democratic Party officials and fed that information to Wikileaks and other organizations). Binney cites evidence, which, if true, conclusively proves that Russiagate was actually created fraudulently by the CIA's extensive evidence-tampering, which subsequently became covered-up by the Special Counsel Robert Mueller, in his investigations for the Democratic Party's fi…