Daily Archives: August 16, 2020

2020-08-16: News Headlines

RT (2020-08-16). Portland protesters hurl rocks at police on 80th night of BLM demonstrations, riot declared & 2 officers hospitalized (VIDEOS). rt.com The 80th night of Black Lives Matter protests in Portland turned violent, with police declaring yet another riot as demonstrators threw rocks and projectiles at officers and their vehicles. Police said two cops were hospitalized. | More than 200 people showed up to an anti-police brutality protest in East Portland on Saturday night. What began as peaceful demonstration later turned violent as protesters began moving into residential areas, throwing rocks and projectiles at police property and officers. | Portland Police eventually declared the demonstration a riot early on Sunday, arresting several people as t…

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

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 …

Jonathan Cook (2020-08-16). How the Israel-UAE Deal puts the Bogus Peace Industry Back in Business. dissidentvoice.org If there is one conclusion to draw from the agreement this week between Israel and the United Arab Emirates — with Israel temporarily "suspending" its threat to illegally annex parts of the West Bank, in return for "full normalisation" with the Gulf state — it is this: The peace industry is back in business. But this …

Manuela Solé (2020-08-15). Maduro Hails Russian COVID-19 Vaccine as Comms Minister Tests Positive. venezuelanalysis.com The South American nation has a 70 percent COVID-19 recovery rate.

A Guest Author (2020-08-15). U.S. mercenaries sentenced to 20 years for invasion attempt in Venezuela. workers.org Telesur published the following report Aug. 8. Venezuela's Attorney General Tarek William Saab reported Friday [Aug. 7] that the two former U.S. military officers, Luke Denmnan and Airan Berry, who participated in the failed invasion attempt in Venezuela [May 4], were sentenced to 20 years in prison. Former members of . . . |

_____ (2020-08-15). Iranian President Denies US Statements On Tankers Seizures. popularresistance.org Iran's President Hassan Rouhani Saturday announced that the U.S. lied about the seizure of four Iranian gasoline tankers headed towards Venezuela. | On Friday, the U.S. Justice Department announced that the country's authorities had confiscated four Iranian fuel tankers bound for Venezuela. | "We have successfully executed the seizure of four vessels, that were carrying a total of 1.116 million oil barrels. With the assistance of foreign partners, this seized property is now under U.S. custody," the U.S. Justice Department stated. | However, "non of the seized tankers were Iran-flagged. It was all just fake news,…

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.

Ben Norton (2020-08-14). Venezuelan Guaidó coup regime pledges to restore relations with Israel, decade after Hugo Chávez broke ties. thegrayzone.com The US-backed Venezuelan coup regime of Juan Guaidó is reestablishing ties with Israel and has opened a "virtual embassy" in…

Anand Naidoo (2020-08-14). The Heat: UAE-Israel agree to normalize relations. america.cgtn.com The UAE and Israel announce an historic peace deal establishing diplomatic relations after more than four decades.

Medea Benjamin and Ariel Gold (2020-08-14). Don't be Hoodwinked by Trump's UAE-Israel "Peace Deal" dissidentvoice.org "HUGE breakthrough today," crowed Donald Trump on twitter as he announced the new peace deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The deal makes the UAE the first Gulf Arab state and the third Arab nation, after Egypt and Jordan, to have diplomatic ties with Israel. But the new Israel-UAE partnership should fool …

RT (2020-08-14). DOJ confirms 'largest-ever US seizure of Iranian fuel' on 4 ships bound for Venezuela. rt.com The US has seized some 1.116 mn barrels of Iranian fuel aboard 4 ships headed for Venezuela, the Justice Department has confirmed, hinting at "assistance" from "foreign partners" and declining to reveal where the grab took place. | The agency hailed what it called the largest-ever US seizure of Iranian fuel in a The statement appeared to…

The Canary (2020-08-14). Belarus authorities free hundreds detained after election protests. thecanary.co Belarusian authorities have released hundreds of people who were detained amid demonstrations contesting the results of the presidential election, in an attempt to assuage public anger over a brutal crackdown on peaceful protests.Scores of detainees were seen walking out of a jail in the capital, Minsk, at around midnight on 13 August. Early on 14 August, volunteers also saw at least 119 detainees being released in the nearby сity of Zhodino.Ambulances arrived to carry those who were apparently unable to walk on their own.Relatives and friends greet people released from a detention centre where protesters w…

teleSUR (2020-08-14). Venezuela: Caracas Mayor Dario Vivas Dies From COVID-19. telesurenglish.net Caracas Mayor Dario Vivas Friday passed at the age of 70, after 20 days hospitalized with COVID-19. | RELATED: | On July 19, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) president had said on Twitter that he had tested positive for the virus and was going into self-isolation. As reported, he died after respiratory and cardiac complications. | Venezuela's Prosecutor General Tarek William Saab announced the news and confessed being…

Scott Ritter (2020-08-14). Trump doesn't even need Israel-UAE peace deal to actually succeed — just keep it viable till election to mark up as a victory. thealtworld.com Trump announced that the US, Israel and the UAE have agreed to a plan that would trade …

Robert Koehler (2020-08-14). Learning from the hibakushas. zcomm.org Waging peace is more complex than waging war, but we've given ourselves no choice but to take on the challenge. At long last…

CJPME (2020-08-14). Israel-UAE Agreement Does Not End Threat of Israeli Annexation. globalresearch.ca In light of today's normalization agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) warns that the threat of Israeli annexation remains as urgent as ever. A widely reported statement published …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-08-14). US claims seizure of oil supplies bound for Venezuela, Iran contests claim. peoplesdispatch.org Iranian ambassador to Venezuela stated that the US claims of seizure of ships belonging to Iran was false and an attempt at "psychological warfare"

_____ (2020-08-14). US Seizes Iranian Oil From Four Tankers En Route To Venezuela. popularresistance.org The Trump administration has seized the cargo of four tankers it was targeting for transporting Iranian fuel to Venezuela, U.S. officials said Thursday, as it steps up its campaign of maximum pressure against the two heavily sanctioned allies. | Last month, federal prosecutors in Washington filed a civil forfeiture complaint alleging that the sale was arranged by a businessman with ties to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization. At the time, sanctions experts thought it would be impossible to enforce the U.S. court order in international waters. | A senior U.S. official…

sputniknews (2020-08-14). UAE-Israel Deal: How Breakthrough Agreement Could Help Keep Netanyahu in Power. sputniknews.com While the deal between Israel and the UAE has received mixed reaction, with Palestinians recalling their ambassador and Turkey threatening to follow suit, experts say that it is only a matter of time until more countries join the chorus for peace.

sputniknews (2020-08-14). Caracas Calls US, EU Joint Statement on Creation of Venezuelan Transitional Gov't 'Absurd'. sputniknews.com BUENOS AIRES (Sputnik) – Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said on Friday that a new joint statement by a group of concerned countries, including the United States and the European Union, in which Caracas was urged to create a transitional government, was absurd and dictated by Washington.

Staff (2020-08-14). Expert: Israel and UAE Deal Is Being Falsely Characterized as a Peace Deal. truthout.org In a deal brokered by the United States, Israel and the United Arab Emirates have agreed to fully normalize relations after years of secretly working together on countering Iran and other issues. Under the deal, Israel has also agreed to temporarily halt plans to annex occupied Palestinian territories in the West Bank, which had already been on hold due to international condemnation. We speak with Rashid Khalidi, the Edward Said professor of modern Arab studies at Columbia University, who says the…

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2020-08-14). Further Escalating Tensions, Trump Administration Seizes Alleged Iranian Fuel Bound for Venezuela. commondreams.org Iran's ambassador to Venezuela, Hojad Soltani, said that neither the ships nor their owners are Iranian but did not address whether the gasoline came from his country. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/bella_1.jpg

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2020-08-13). UN Chief: Pandemic Must Be Met With Commitment to Peace. commondreams.org "Covid-19 is a human tragedy, but we can mitigate the impacts by the choices we make." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/covid-commitment-lasting-peace.jpg

RT (2020-08-13). 'No change' of West Bank annexation plans after Israel-UAE deal, Netanyahu says. rt.com Israel is still committed to annexing parts of the occupied West Bank, PM Benjamin Netanyahu said, after a peace deal with the UAE was reached. As part of the deal, Tel Aviv agreed to suspend the annexation. | The revelation was made by Netanyahu in a televised speech on Thursday. | "There is no change in my plans to apply sovereignty over Judea and Samaria, withfull coordination with the US," Netanyahu said, referring to parts of the West Bank region by their biblical names. | The remark came shortly after the peace deal between the United Arab Emirates and Israel was unveiled. Among other things, it contains…

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-08-13). Palestinian Rights Advocates Refuse to Applaud Israel-Trump-UAE Deal That Upholds 'Ongoing, Devastating Apartheid'. commondreams.org "The Trump administration hit upon the Nobel Peace Prize-winning idea that you can supposedly solve the Israel-Palestine conflict by pretending Palestinians don't exist." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-963302842_1.jpg

yenisafak (2020-08-13). Landmine blast kills 5 from single family in Afghanistan. yenisafak.com A landmine blast in Afghanistan's Kandahar province on Thursday killed at least five civilians and injured six others, all members of a single family, officials confirmed.Jamal Nasir, spokesman for the local police command, told Anadolu Agency the incident took place in the province's Panjwai district. He said women and children are among the dead and wounded.There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, apparently aimed at the family members of a local police commander.Condemning the attack, President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani urged the Taliban to respond positively to calls for peace and to stop pl…

Ricardo Vaz (2020-08-13). Venezuelan Oil Output Remains at Historic Lows as Sanctions Continue to Bite. venezuelanalysis.com US sanctions have caused the Caribbean nation to lose three oil supertankers.

news.un (2020-08-13). UN rights experts express 'outrage' at Belarus police violence against peaceful protesters. news.un.org UN human rights experts on Thursday, strongly criticized the level of violence being used by security forces across Belarus against peaceful protesters and journalists, following five days of demonstrations over the disputed presidential election.

news.un (2020-08-13). 'Urgent need' to stop erosion of nuclear order, major UN disarmament forum hears. news.un.org The lack of trust and cooperation among States, and the diminished faith in "the very multilateral institution that was designed to maintain global peace and security", must be overcome, a high-level UN official told a prominent disarmament conference on Thursday.

RT (2020-08-12). UN human rights chief condemns use of violence in Belarus against protesters, after '6,000 people detained in 3 days'. rt.com The United Nations human rights chief, Michelle Bachelet, on Wednesday condemned the use of violence by the Belarusian authorities to quash peaceful protests. | After President Alexander Lukashenko claimed a landslide victory in Sunday's election, Bachelet said police were reported to have used excessive force, firing rubber bullets, using water cannon, and throwing stun grenades, Reuters reports. | "Reports suggest that [approximately] 6,000 people have been detained in the last three days, including bystanders, as well as minors, suggesting a trend of massive arrests in clear violation of international human…

news.un (2020-08-12). Amid COVID-19, UN commitment to peace 'more urgent than ever'. news.un.org COVID-19 threatens not only hard-won development and peacebuilding gains, but also "risks exacerbating conflicts or fomenting new ones", the UN chief reminded the Security Council on Wednesday, during a briefing on the challenges to achieving sustainable peace, while pandemics ravage communities worldwide.

Lucas Leiroz de Almeida (2020-08-12). Guyana Geopolitics: Washington's New Game Plan Against Venezuela. globalresearch.ca Having gained its political independence a few decades ago, Guyana is a small South American country with little international relevance. Without major economic or geopolitical projections, the country has agriculture and mining as its main activities, not being a fully …

Martha Hubert (2020-08-12). Saturday 8/15: Love, Peace and Justice. indybay.org Highland Avenue Bridge @ Arlington, over the San Jose Ave. exit/entrance to Interstate 280, in the Bernal/Mission/Noe/Glen Park vicinity.

_____ (2020-08-12). Remembering Hiroshima And Nagasaki By Shutting Down A Nuclear Base. popularresistance.org At around 6: 45 AM on Monday, demonstrators arrived at the Main Gate and formed a vigil line along the roadway. At around 7: 05 AM, four "peacekeepers" entered the roadway and stopped traffic, while behind them, six demonstrators set themselves and their banners on the roadway. | Three of the demonstrators carried a banner stating, "Hiroshima Nagasaki Never Again!" Two demonstrators held a blue painted banner stating, "No More Genocide in My Name." One demonstrator carried a banner, "Peace Walk Nuclear-Free World, Black Lives Matter."