Daily Archives: August 28, 2020

2020-08-28: News Headlines

A Guest Author (2020-08-28). On socialist Vietnam's response to COVID-19. workers.org By Dr. Ngo Thanh Nhan and Merle Ratner This slightly edited co-written article was presented as a talk by Dr. Ngo Thanh Nhan on Aug. 20 to a Workers World Party webinar on "COVID can be defeated: Cuba, China, Venezuela & Vietnam lead the way." The presentation began with a . . . |

Every Protest Needs a Dance (2020-08-28). Leap of Peace, Day of Mourning near Golden Gate Bridge. indybay.org Mourning two pandemics, COVID and racism, and calling out police for brutality…but first, the dance of peace.

_____ (2020-08-28). When Is a Peace Deal Not a Peace Deal? When It Is a War Deal. strategic-culture.org President Trump called it "historical" citing previous peace agreements in the region (the last one being between Jordan and Israel in 1994) while his son-in-law, awkwardly, heaped praise on him in a White House moment which made the president look like a belligerent tyrant of an African state and Jared Kushner his overpaid media consultant flown in for the event. | And yet, the only thing really which can be trumpeted as "historical" is the level of how far Trump, Nethanyahu and MbZ in the UAE are prepared to go in pulling off a great sham and deceiving us all about what this "peace deal" really is. The problem…

yenisafak (2020-08-28). Foreign missions condemn rights abuses in Zimbabwe. yenisafak.com In a joint statement issued Friday, the envoys urged Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa to walk the talk, after pledging two years ago to work with all citizens."It is in this spirit that the Heads of Mission express their deep concern with the current political, economic, social, and health crisis that most Zimbabweans are facing today."The Heads of Mission stand by the people of Zimbabwe in their desire for a peaceful and prosperous democracy," the joint statement read.The mission heads noted that the government was criticizing almost everyone including the Catholic Bishops for raising their voices against h…

Vijay Prashad (2020-08-27). Why Cuban Doctors Deserve the Nobel Peace Prize. counterpunch.org Five years ago, I read the story of Dr. Félix Báez, a Cuban doctor who had worked in West Africa to stop the spread of Ebola. Dr. Báez was one of 165 Cuban doctors of the Henry Reeve International Medical Brigade who went to Sierra Leone to fight a terrible outbreak in 2014 of a disease first detected in 1976. During his time there, Dr. Báez contracted Ebola.

RT (2020-08-27). DOJ launches civil rights investigation into Jacob Blake shooting, urges 'everyone to act peacefully'. rt.com A federal civil rights investigation has been opened into the shooting of Jacob Blake by a police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The incident sparked protests that quickly escalated into riots in which two people were killed. | According to the Department of Justice, prosecutors from the US Attorney's Office and the Civil Rights Division will oversee the proceedings, with the investigation carried out by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and involving Wisconsin's justice department, among other local authorities. | U.S. Department of Justice Confirms Federal Civil Rights Investigation Into Shooting of Mr. Ja…

RT (2020-08-27). Minnesota governor calls in National Guard as looters tear up Minneapolis over rumors of police shooting (VIDEOS). rt.com Governor Tim Walz has mobilized the Minnesota National Guard in response to widespread looting in Minneapolis, reportedly sparked by false allegations that the city's police had shot and killed a black man earlier in the day. | Restaurants, shops, and other businesses were vandalized and robbed in Minneapolis hours after a murder suspect shot himself after being confronted by police. A rumor spread alleging that the man had been killed by law enforcement officers, leading to rioting in the city, according to reports. | Citing the chaos in downtown Minneapolis, Waltz declared a 'peacetime emergency' and said he…

RT (2020-08-27). 'Fiery but mostly peaceful': CNN mocked for ridiculous caption of Kenosha riots destruction. rt.com Online vigilantes lined up to spew vitriol at CNN and their reporter, who described the chaos in the riots-plagued Kenosha as "mostly peaceful" protests, while showing viewers exactly the opposite. | CNN's Omar Jimenez went live from a troubled neighborhood in Kenosha, Wisconsin, telling viewers that protests — sparked by the death of African American Jacob Blake — were "largely peaceful" during the day, but that "things began to get a little bit more contentious" when night fell. | As he spoke, buildings and vehicles burned in the background, with the scenes of destruction and chaos running contrary…

_____ (2020-08-27). For Democracy And Transparency In The Plurinational State Of Bolivia. popularresistance.org We are witnessing the systematic destruction of democracy at the hands of the de facto government of Jeanine AnÃÉez and its allied forces of repression in the streets, on the highways, and the communities across Bolivia. | Through this letter, the members of the Progressive International demand that you take urgent action within your mandate to restore the fundamental rights of the Bolivian people to peace, protest, and democratic self-determination. In our message to you, we emphasize the urgency of your action to protect the integrity of the electoral process in the Plurinational State, to prevent…

yenisafak (2020-08-27). US' Pompeo pays surprise visit to Oman. yenisafak.com US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Oman Thursday for an unannounced stopover."Arrived in Oman and will meet with Omani Sultan Haitham bin Tarik Al Said," Pompeo wrote on his Twitter account.Before Oman, Pompeo paid a visit Israel, Sudan, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during his Mideast tour."I look forward to discussing efforts to build unity among the Gulf Cooperation Council and build on the momentum to advance regional peace and prosperity," Pompeo added.Although his visit was not announced by the State Department, some media reports revealed that Pompeo is visiting two countries within…

commondreams (2020-08-27). 'Climate Denial Is Not a Victimless Crime' – Greenpeace Response to Hurricane Laura. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2020-08-27). Citing 'Unbreakable Commitment,' Harris Vows Biden Would Never Place Conditions on US Military Aid to Israel. commondreams.org "Unconditional military aid to Israel," one critic wryly noted, "puts Biden/Harris far to the right of notorious peacenik George H.W. Bush." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/biden_bibi.jpg

Bianca Mugyenyi (2020-08-27). Venezuela's Foreign Minister Slams Canadian Actions. commondreams.org "Those who believe Canada should support a rules-based international order rather than the US empire, must continue to press Ottawa," writes Mugyenyi. (Photo: Creative Touch Imaging Ltd./NurPhoto via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/handsoffvenezuela.jpg

A Guest Author (2020-08-26). Socialist Cuba: a global leader in the fight against COVID-19. workers.org By Rosemari Mealy This is a slightly edited talk given at a Workers World Party webinar on Aug. 20 on "COVID can be defeated: Cuba, China, Venezuela and Vietnam lead the way." Cuban doctors battle COVID-19. I would like to thank Workers World for the opportunity to participate in this webinar. . . . |

calvin deutschbein (2020-08-26). COVID can be defeated Cuba, China, Venezuela and Vietnam lead the way. workers.org As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage uncontrollably in the U.S., it must be understood that it doesn't have to be this way. Many countries around the world, especially those building socialism, have been able to effectively combat the pandemic, using the tools of a planned economy and robust national . . . |

calvin deutschbein (2020-08-26). COVID can be defeated / Cuba, China, Venezuela and Vietnam lead the way. workers.org As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage uncontrollably in the U.S., it must be understood that it doesn't have to be this way. Many countries around the world, especially those building socialism, have been able to effectively combat the pandemic, using the tools of a planned economy and robust national . . . |

yenisafak (2020-08-26). Pakistan's Imran Khan phones Afghan head of peace talks. yenisafak.com Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday telephoned Abdullah Abdullah, the Afghan government representative who will lead talks with the Taliban aimed at ending the 19-year war in Afghanistan.Khan said bilateral relations between the countries are based on commonalities of faith and culture, according to a statement from his office.The phone call came after a Taliban delegation held talks Tuesday with Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and spy chief Lt. Gen. Faiz Hameed."Highlighting Pakistan's positive contribution to the Afghan peace process, the prime minister stressed that the Afghan le…

Manuela Solé (2020-08-26). Venezuelan Special Forces Agents Arrested for Extrajudicial Killings. venezuelanalysis.com Popular movements protested the assassination of two young journalists from a community TV station last Friday.

WSWS (2020-08-26). Police riot in Detroit against peaceful protesters. wsws.org On Saturday night, the Detroit Police Department went on a rampage against peaceful protesters, arresting 44 after tear-gassing and beating people in the streets for unlawful assembly.

_____ (2020-08-26). Might Belarus Become The Next Syria? popularresistance.org There are signs that Russia is intervening in the Belarusian crisis (finally!) | First and foremost, we can see a truly radical change in Lukashenko's policies: if his initial instinct was to unleash brutal repression of both the violent rioters and the peaceful demonstrators, now he has made a 180 and the outcome is quite amazing: on Sunday there were large anti-Lukashenko demonstrations yet not a single person was detained. Not one. Even more amazing is this: the Polish-run Nexta Telagram channel (which is the main medium used by the Empire to overthrow Lukashenko) initially called for a peaceful protest, but a…

sputniknews (2020-08-26). Russia, Iran, Turkey Issue Joint Statement on Syria Condemning Israeli Attacks, US Theft of Oil. sputniknews.com The statement was formulated on the sidelines of the meeting of the Syrian Constitutional Committee, a United Nations-facilitated negotiating platform aimed at reconciling the Syrian government and the opposition and establishing an enduring peace in the war-torn country.

yenisafak (2020-08-26). Protesters rounded up in Belarus; Nobel-winning writer due for questioning. yenisafak.com Belarusian police have rounded up dozens of protesters heading home from peaceful demonstrations, rights groups said on Wednesday, after days in which the authorities exercised comparative restraint towards mass anti-government rallies.The country's most celebrated writer, Nobel Prize-winner Svetlana Alexievich, was expected to appear for questioning later on Wednesday in a criminal investigation into an opposition council, two of whose leaders were jailed this week.President Alexander Lukashenko has faced more than two weeks of mass demonstrations against his 26-year rule since an election which his opponents sa…

yenisafak (2020-08-26). Pompeo in UAE says hopeful to build on UAE-Israel accord momentum. yenisafak.com U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made a short visit to the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday as part of a Middle East tour following a U.S.-brokered deal on normalising relations between Israel and the UAE announced on Aug. 13."Excited to arrive in the United Arab Emirates and congratulate the Emirati people on the historic Abraham Accords— the most significant step toward peace in the Middle East in over 25 years. Hopeful we will‚ÄØ build on this momentum towards regional peace," Pompeo said on Twitter, referring to the UAE-Israel agreement aimed at normalising relations.Pompeo visited…

commondreams (2020-08-26). Heavy Weaponry Used in Libya To Disperse Peaceful Protesters Demanding Economic Rights. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Lucas Leiroz de Almeida (2020-08-25). Alliance Between Venezuela and Iran Evolves into the Military Sphere. globalresearch.ca The alliance between Venezuela and Iran seems to be taking new directions. The ties between the two countries began to strengthen in an economic sphere when, in the first half of 2020, Tehran started sending oil ships to Venezuela, circumventing …

RT (2020-08-25). CBS News whitewashes Kenosha destruction as mostly 'peaceful protests' as city smolders in aftermath. rt.com To some in the mainstream media, the wave of arson and destruction that swept over Kenosha, Wisconsin was nothing more than "peaceful protest" that "gave way to clashes." Don't believe your lying eyes, they may as well have said. | The Wisconsin city of Kenosha burned for a second night in a row on Monday, as rioters defied a police curfew and torched local businesses and law enforcement buildings. Some were armed, and even as Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers called in the National Guard, furniture shops, car lots, correctional facilities, and random vehicles were razed to the ground by the mob. | Also on rt.com

news.un (2020-08-25). Israel's accord with United Arab Emirates an opportunity to unlock progress on wider Middle East peace efforts, UN envoy says. news.un.org The recent agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates has the potential to change dynamics across the Middle East, the UN's top envoy in the region told the Security Council on Tuesday, urging Palestinian and Israeli leaders to re-engage in efforts to resolve their protracted conflict.

_____ (2020-08-25). White Flight or Fight? Either Way, the American Dream Is Turning Into a Nightmare. strategic-culture.org Amid rampant violence, urban decay and racial strife across much of the ultra-Liberal heartland, more and more Whites are migrating to the suburbs and rural areas. However, as disaffection for the pale-face tribe continues to climb, this demographic is facing some unexpected hurdles along the road. | For even the most progressive liberal, the daunting problems plaguing America's inner cities — homelessness, homicide, racial tensions and of course Covid lockdowns — is becoming too much to bear. Now, an increasing number of Americans are pulling up stakes out of Dodge for some semblance of peace and sec…