Tuesday, August 18, 2020

18 August - Blogs I'm Following - 3 of 5

10 pm MDT

China – Worst flooding in at least 71 years

Robert at Ice Age Now - 11 hours ago
Some claim it is the worst on record. See video. Authorities predict that the flood will peak on Monday afternoon. It is estimated that the water level of Chengdu’s Jintang County, which is located on the upper reaches of the Tuo River, will exceed the “safe level” by 3.85 meters and maximum peak discharge will ... Read more China – Worst flooding in at least 71 years The post China – Worst flooding in at least 71 years appeared first on Ice Age Now.

Hands off Lebanon: Macron’s Self-serving ‘New Pact’ Must Be Shunned

Ramzy Baroud at MintPress News - 11 hours ago
Devastated Lebanon is now receptive to another bout of ‘disaster capitalism’: the notion that a country must be on its knees as a prerequisite to foreign economic takeover, political and, if necessary, military intervention. The post Hands off Lebanon: Macron’s Self-serving ‘New Pact’ Must Be Shunned appeared first on MintPress News.

DARPA Launches Project CHARIOT in Bid to Shield Big Tech Profits

Raul Diego at MintPress News - 11 hours ago
DARPA announces a new type of cryptography to protect the Big Tech firm profits from the dawn of quantum computers and allow backdoor access into 3 trillion internet-connected devices. The post DARPA Launches Project CHARIOT in Bid to Shield Big Tech Profits appeared first on MintPress News.

China Deploys Its Stealth Fighters Near The Indian Border

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 11 hours ago
China's most advanced fighter jet, J-20, performs at the Chinese Air Force's "open day" event in Changchun, Northeast China's Jilin Province. This is the second time the stealth warplane opened its side missile bays and showcased its short-range combat missiles. They were first revealed at Airshow China 2018. Photo: IC *Forbes:* *Chinese Stealth Fighters Head West To Confront India* Two Chinese air force J-20 stealth fighters have appeared at an air base in China’s far west as the mountain stand-off between India and Chine enters its fourth month. The twin-engine J-20s are visible... more »

Baghdad and Erbil Agree On Security Cooperation In Disputed Areas

Joel Wing at MUSINGS ON IRAQ - 11 hours ago
Most of the violence in Iraq takes place in just two places, southern Kirkuk and northeast Diyala. These are the disputed territories of the Khanaqin and Hawija districts. In some of these areas there is a large empty space between the Kurds and federal forces which is being exploited by the Islamic State. Recently Baghdad and Irbil entered into talks to help close those gaps. The negotiations between the central and regional governments were initiated by the United States. That effort started in June. By the next month an initial agreement was made between Baghdad and Irbil.... more »

This Day In Iraqi History - Aug 18

Joel Wing at MUSINGS ON IRAQ - 11 hours ago
1933 Iraqi army held victory parade and given award by Prince Ghazi for massacring Assyrians in north Total 60 villages looted and destroyed Around 600 killed (Musings On Iraq review *The Tragedy of the Assyrian Minority in Iraq*) (Musings On Iraq review *State and Society in Iraq*) (Musings On Iraq review *Imagining The Nation, Nationalism, Sectarianism and Socio-Political Conflict in Iraq*) (Musings On Iraq review *The Chatham House Version and other Middle-Eastern Studies*) 1982 Iraq fired 27 SCUD missiles at Kharg Island Iran’s major oil port with little to no effect ... more »

Blaming COVID-19, Newfoundland developer cancels downtown Halifax hotel project

Zane Woodford at Halifax Examiner - 11 hours ago
A Newfoundland developer has cancelled its downtown Halifax hotel project following council’s concerns with a plan for an “Aboriginal” art gallery, but it says COVID-19 is to blame. Steele Hotels was proposing a new 12-storey JAG-branded hotel on Brunswick Street at Gottingen Street — a “very high-end brand,” with “VIP suites,” and valet parking. As […]

Video Showing Chinese 'Amphibious' Tank Sinking In 30 Seconds Goes Viral

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 11 hours ago
This version is better with audio.. @TibetPeople pic.twitter.com/FXFUF1mD11 — Man dar (@ahamasmi0) August 15, 2020 *Taiwan News:* *Video shows Chinese 'amphibious' tank sink in 30 seconds* Netizens poke fun at PLA tank built for Taiwan invasion as it sinks like rock TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Over the weekend, netizens got a kick out of watching a People's Liberation Army (PLA) tank, theoretically designed to spearhead an invasion of Taiwan, sink like a rock in less than 30 seconds. The Chinese government has repeatedly threatened that it will not rule out the use of force to invade ... more »

Chart: Adult-use cannabis sales remain steady even as unemployment bonus ends

Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier at Marijuana Business Daily - 11 hours ago
Though the U.S. government’s temporary lifeline to tens of millions of unemployed workers expired, sales of recreational marijuana products have proved resilient. The $600-a-week unemployment benefit ended July 31, and Congress failed to pass an extension before leaving for its August vacation. The weekly boost brought the disposable income of many recipients to near “normal” […] Chart: Adult-use cannabis sales remain steady even as unemployment bonus ends is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Women for Forests and Future Generations: Defending Communities from Pandemics and Climate Chaos -- WECAN webinar

Unknown at CENSORED NEWS - 11 hours ago
Dear Community, Please be invited to join the Women's Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN) on Thursday, August 27 for our upcoming dialogue, "Women for Forests and Future Generations: Defending Communities from Pandemics and

Is China Risking Losing Taiwan ‘Forever’ Due To Its Actions In Hong Kong?

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 11 hours ago
*CNBC: **China risks losing Taiwan ‘forever’ due to its actions in Hong Kong, says strategist* * “What has happened in Hong Kong has lost Taiwan for China forever,” said David Roche, president and global strategist at consultancy Independent Strategy. * Even though China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its rule, Roche said he doubts Beijing would go down that route for fear of worsening relations with the U.S. China may never “reunify” with Taiwan now that the central government in Beijing has tightened its control over Hong Kong, one strategist said on ... more »

China Unveils A New Weapons System Called 'Sky Thunder'

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 11 hours ago
A model of the Norinco YJ-6 at Airshow China in 2016. Source: Greg Waldron/FlightGlobal *The Guardian:* *China unveils 'Sky Thunder' weapons system amid growing tensions with Taiwan* *The 500kg missile system was revealed days after the highest-level US visit to Taiwan in four decades.* A new Chinese weapons system has been unveiled on state media amid growing tensions with Taiwan and the US. Chinese state TV ran reports over the weekend about the Tianlei 500, which translates as Sky Thunder, a 500kg precision-guided munitions dispenser and air-to surface missile. The Tianlei can... more »

WATCH: Viral ‘Basketball Cop’ Caught Beating Young Man Over Bicycle Infraction

Matt Agorist at The Free Thought Project - 11 hours ago
[image: basketball]The officer who became a viral sensation for playing basketball with kids instead of arresting him, is going viral again, this time for brutality.

‘Oumuamua: A Hydrogen Iceberg?

Paul Gilster at Centauri Dreams - 11 hours ago
Studies of interstellar interloper ‘Oumuamua move at lightning pace, to judge from a recent exchange on hydrogen ice. A study by Greg Laughlin and Darryl Seligman (both at Yale) just published in June, has now met a response from Thiem Hoang (Korea University of Science and Technology, Daejeon) and Harvard’s Avi Loeb. The issue is […]

Senate Panel Concludes Russia Interfered in 2016 US Election

AP News at Snopes.com - 11 hours ago
The report from the Republican-led panel lays out significant contacts between associates of President Donald Trump and Russian officials.

Amazing: How Napoleon Beat His Enemies at the Battle of Marengo

Warfare History Network at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*Warfare History Network* *History, Europe* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2013%3Anewsml_GM1E9AK1O7Z01&share=true] The brilliant leader had done it again. *Key Point: *The new dictator had great plans to try and conquer Europe. Here is how he would win one of his first victories that might have been a terrible defeat. On March 17, 1800, Napoleon Bonaparte closeted himself in his study at the Tuileries Palace in Paris and ordered his private secretary, Louis Fauvelet de Bourrienne, to unroll a large map of Italy and lay it on the floor. Bonapar... more »

Five Reasons To Let Students Keep Their Cameras off During Zoom Classes

Tabitha Moses at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*Tabitha Moses* *Education, Americas* Students should feel comfortable and safe while learning online. As the 2020-21 school year gets underway – both at the K-12 and college level – many students find themselves attending online classes via Zoom or similar teleconferencing platforms. Although sticking with remote instruction may be the correct decision from the standpoint of public health, it is not without problems. As a researcher who studies behavior and the brain, I have found the evidence suggests that online instruction can pose a range of challenges for students if they ... more »

Did These Artists Predict Life Under Coronavirus Lockdown?

Rachel Hadas at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*Rachel Hadas* *Society, World* Good artists seem to be leaping over months, decades and centuries, to speak directly to us now. Pondering the now no-longer Dixie Chicks – renamed “The Chicks” – Amanda Petrusich wrote in a recent issue of the New Yorker, “Lately, I’ve caught myself referring to a lot of new releases as prescient – work that was written and recorded months or even years ago but feels designed to address the present moment. But good art is always prescient, because good artists are tuned into the currency and the momentum of their time.” That last phrase, “currenc... more »

How British Paratroopers Helped the Allies Win During D-Day

Warfare History Network at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*Warfare History Network* *History, Europe* [image: By War Office official photographer, Malindine E G (Lt), Spender H (Lt), Puttnam L (Lt) - http://media.iwm.org.uk/iwm/mediaLib//41/media-41467/large.jpgThis is photograph H 22785 from the collections of the Imperial War Museums., Public Domain, https://co] They took out the Nazi coastal batteries at Merville. *Key Point: *These brave British paratroopers were able to take down the battery. In doing so, they saved many lives. *Just boys facing danger, please God make them men; If they live through the danger, make them boys on... more »

Indigenous Mexicans Grow Their Own Food To Survive COVID-19

Jeffrey H. Cohen at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*Jeffrey H. Cohen* *Society, Americas* The Zapotec are surviving the pandemic by doing what they’ve always done when the Mexican government can’t, or won’t, help them: drawing on local Indigenous traditions of cooperation, self-reliance and isolation. While the coronavirus hammers Mexico, some Indigenous communities in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca are finding creative ways to cope. Oaxaca, one of Mexico’s poorest and most ethnically diverse states, is home to numerous Indigenous communities, including the Zapotec people. I have spent many years in the central valleys of O... more »

"Woke" Anti-Racism Was Pushed On America By Media Elites

Jarrett Stepman at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*Jarrett Stepman* *Politics, Americas* [image: Demonstrators take part in a protest against racial inequality and in support of the Black Lives Matter movement in Brooklyn, New York, U.S., August 16, 2020. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz] An in-depth analysis at Tablet magazine from Zach Goldberg shows that at the very least, America’s most elite media institutions have been the conduit for these ideas to become ubiquitous. “Fake news” isn’t the only media problem in 2020. An important analysis in media trends of the past decade shows how activist journalism is promoting radical racial “w... more »

President Moon Jae-in Has a North Korean Defector Problem

Daniel R. DePetris at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*Daniel R. DePetris* *Politics, Asia* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2020%3Anewsml_RC2E3H98SJR9&share=true] From the author: "For Moon, chucking paper into North Korea to simply embarrass the Kim dynasty and prove a point is a needless, counterproductive and ineffective exercise in futility. While it may make us feel good for a moment, it also complicates an already frozen reconciliation process on the Korean Peninsula." It’s not exactly unprecedented for North Korean defector groups operating in the South to send thousands of anti-Pyongyang l... more »

The Great 5G Technology Tussle Highlights Critical Infrastructure Shortcomings

Coby Goldberg at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*Coby Goldberg* *Security, Americas* [image: Reuters] The U.S. government wants the world to fear Chinese digital systems. But is it offering good alternatives? This week, my coworkers and I had an experience as common as it was disheartening: we tried to navigate Cisco WebEx. We had a meeting upcoming with government officials, who preferred not to use Zoom due to its security vulnerabilities. “WebEx is very minimalist,” my coworker observed wryly. That was an understatement. The platform lacked key features; it wasn’t a good faith alternative to Zoom. This may seem like a mund... more »

CDC Says Recovered Coronavirus Patients Have Protection for 3 Months

Ethen Kim Lieser at The National Interest - 11 hours ago
*Ethen Kim Lieser* *Public Health, Americas* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2020%3Anewsml_RC2JDI9ZKQ27&share=true] Here's what the latest information tells us. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is suggesting that individuals who have recovered from the novel coronavirus can safely interact with others for three months, according to a recent update from the agency. On its webpage, the CDC states that people should quarantine if they've been in close contact with someone who has the coronavirus, “excluding people who have had C... more »

Still Don’t Like Trump?

Navy Crawfish at 'Nox & Friends - 11 hours ago
This was sent to me by a friend. The original Facebook post was from Dawn Elmhorst McKenzie. Still don’t like your President? Do you dislike that he made cruelty to animals a FELONY? Do you dislike that he signed a law ending the gag-order on pharmacists that prevented them from sharing money-saving options on prescriptions? Do you dislike that he signed the Save Our Seas Act which funds 10 million per year to clean tons of plastic and garbage from the ocean? Do you dislike that he signed a bill for airports to provide breast-feeding stations for nursing moms? Do … Continue reading →

Trump’s Venezuela Regime Change Alliance Dwindles To 19 Nations

Kevin Zeese at PopularResistance.Org - 11 hours ago
The US State Department statement is notable because of the dwindling number of allied countries that are now “committed to the restoration of democracy in Venezuela.” What used to be a long list of more than 50 nations is now down to just 19. This is a far cry from the formerly extensive coalition of dozens of states that have heretofore unequivocally recognized and supported Guaidó. Thus, the list of partner states now includes Israel, along with some of the most servile allies of the US (and notable violators of human rights and democracy) such as Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, El S... more »

เหตุผลที่ "อเมริกา" อยู่เบื้องหลังการ "ชุมนุม"

Land Destroyer at Land Destroyer - 11 hours ago
*English Version Here: *Why is the US Funding Protesters to Attack Thailand's Military and Monarchy? *วันที่ 5 สิงหาคม 2563* (Tony Cartalucci - LD) วอชิงตันมองว่า ประเทศไทยในช่วงไม่กี่ปีที่ผ่านมามีความใกล้ชิดกับจีนมากเกินไป ปรากฎให้เห็นถึงรูปแบบการแทรกแซงของสหรัฐอเมริกาในการพยายามเปลี่ ยนระบอบการปกครองที่ปรากฏชัดอยู่บนท้องถนนของประเทศไทยในขณะนี้ การประท้วงมีเป้าหมายอย่างเปิดเผยการต่อต้านรัฐบาล ทหารและสถาบันกษัตริย์ คล้ายกับเหตุการณ์ความไม่สงบที่สหรัฐฯ หนุนหลังการประท้วงในฮ่องกงเมื่อไม่นานมานี้ #มันคือลัทธิล่าอาณานิคมแบบนีโอ – ปลุกปั่นขบวนการคลั่งประชาธิปไตย อันมีจุดมุ่งหมายในการทำ... more »

เหตุผลที่ "อเมริกา" อยู่เบื้องหลังการ "ชุมนุม"

Land Destroyer at Alt Thai News Network ATNN - 11 hours ago
*English Version Here: *Why is the US Funding Protesters to Attack Thailand's Military and Monarchy? *วันที่ 5 สิงหาคม 2563* (Tony Cartalucci - LD) วอชิงตันมองว่า ประเทศไทยในช่วงไม่กี่ปีที่ผ่านมามีความใกล้ชิดกับจีนมากเกินไป ปรากฎให้เห็นถึงรูปแบบการแทรกแซงของสหรัฐอเมริกาในการพยายามเปลี่ ยนระบอบการปกครองที่ปรากฏชัดอยู่บนท้องถนนของประเทศไทยในขณะนี้ การประท้วงมีเป้าหมายอย่างเปิดเผยการต่อต้านรัฐบาล ทหารและสถาบันกษัตริย์ คล้ายกับเหตุการณ์ความไม่สงบที่สหรัฐฯ หนุนหลังการประท้วงในฮ่องกงเมื่อไม่นานมานี้ #มันคือลัทธิล่าอาณานิคมแบบนีโอ – ปลุกปั่นขบวนการคลั่งประชาธิปไตย อันมีจุดมุ่งหมายในการทำ... more »

War on Humanity SITREP: "COVAX" is new WHO Weapon to blast 'vaccine nationalism' in last-ditch call for global pact

greencrow at Greencrow As The Crow Flies - 12 hours ago
[image: US Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) (L) talks with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) during a rally with fellow Democrats before voting on H.R. 1, or the People Act, on the East Steps of the US Capitol on March 08, 2019 in Washington, DC. (AFP photo)] *Gay GateZ Puppet **World Health Organization * *(WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus* * Pushes Global Vaccine* When the rubber hits the road on international issues...you can always count *on PressTV* to give you a bit more "truthiness" than just about any other news source. More of an understanding of the diabolical machination... more »

Biden's Cabinet Will Suck-- But, As In All Things, Not As Badly As Trump's... And Looking Ahead To The 2022 Midterms

DownWithTyranny at DownWithTyranny! - 12 hours ago
In 2008, John McCain's first choice for a running mate was Joe Lieberman, one of the only Democrats who could make a credible argument that *he* was the more conservative Joe among Dems, not Biden. They were both detestable senators and Lieberman was eventually kicked out of the party by the grassroots, even with the Democratic establishment sticking with him through his trials and tribulations. But McCain was talked out of selecting him by one of today's top #NeverTrumps, Steven Schmidt, who thought-- incorrectly, as he would tell you himself now-- that Sarah Palin would be the b... more »

Asteroid 2020 QG flew past Earth at just 0.02 LD on August 16 -- the closest NEO flyby on record

A newly-discovered asteroid designated 2020 QG flew past Earth at just 0.02 LD / 0.0000623 AU (9 319 km / 5 791 miles) on August 16, 2020. This is now the closest near-Earth object to flyby Earth so far this year and the closest on record. Valid 15:38 UTC on...... Read more »

What, After All, Is the Coup Against Trump?

adam at LaRouchePAC Feed - 12 hours ago
[image: The two have merged.] Barbara Boyd *Sitrep: USA, August 17, 2020* In rhetoric, the term, “bathos,” signifies false pathos. “Pathos,” as defined by Plato, is a sophistical appeal to the emotions, rather than arguments based on the search for truth. In “bathos,” this appeal becomes so crude that it is mawkish. It is abruptly so vulgar that it is almost comical. As we head into the Democratic Party’s virtual convention this week, that term, “bathos,” jumps to mind. In prime time, the reality of the social carnage these Democrats have wrought over the past four years is suppo... more »

Snapback Sanctions On Iran Isn’t Open-And-Shut Case

M. K. BHADRAKUMAR at OrientalReview.org - 12 hours ago
The Iran nuclear issue moves to centerstage of international security with US President Donald Trump’s remarks Saturday that Washington “will be doing a snapback” against Iran — announcing Washington’s intention to push for restoration of all pre-2015 UN sanctions against Iran. Trump added, “You will be watching it next week.” […]

Mexican Corruption Scandal; Video Showing Piles of Cash Changing Hands Goes Viral

Newsfeed at The Rio Times - 12 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, known as AMLO, who has made combating graft his top issue, said the public should see all evidence linked to bribes allegedly paid to lawmakers that led to the passage of reforms he opposed. An unverified video showing piles of cash being handed to […] The post Mexican Corruption Scandal; Video Showing Piles of Cash Changing Hands Goes Viral appeared first on The Rio Times.

Colombia Gets US$5 Billion for Rural Development, Backs U.S. Candidate for IADB Head

Newsfeed at The Rio Times - 12 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - The United States and Colombia will work together to bring new investment to rural areas of the South American country, officials said on Monday, as Colombia’s president reiterated his support for the U.S. candidate to lead the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB). The investment initiative will harness up to U$5 billion […] The post Colombia Gets US$5 Billion for Rural Development, Backs U.S. Candidate for IADB Head appeared first on The Rio Times.

Flag-waving Thousands Demonstrate Against Argentina’s Latest Quarantine Extension

Newsfeed at The Rio Times - 12 hours ago
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - Thousands of demonstrators across Argentina's main cities defied social distancing rules to answer calls to protest against a government announcement last Friday to extend containment measures in the Buenos Aires region until August 30th, and to condemn a controversial reform of the judicial branch. Demonstrators in the Argentine capital shouting […] The post Flag-waving Thousands Demonstrate Against Argentina’s Latest Quarantine Extension appeared first on The Rio Times.

Trump Administration Opens ANWR for Oil, Gas Leasing; Green Groups to Challenge

Bob Adelmann at rss - 12 hours ago
[image: trump-administration-opens-anwr-for-oil-gas-leasing-green-groups-to-challenge] Energy Secretary David Bernhardt signed a Record of Decision on Monday to open a tiny part of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to leasing. Environmentalists immediately declared war on the decision.

Chinese-owned wind farm in Devils River, Texas threatens power grid and more

Bonner Cohen, Ph. D. at CFACT - 12 hours ago
Houston-based GH America Energy is a wholly owned subsidiary of Chinese Guanghui Industry Investment Group. The post Chinese-owned wind farm in Devils River, Texas threatens power grid and more appeared first on CFACT.

Day by day Lukashenko fades. Belarus moves closer to dangerous power vacuum (Video)

Alex Christoforou at The Duran - 12 hours ago
The Duran Quick Take: Episode 635.

As Citizens Face Felonies For It, Cop Leaves K-9 in Hot Patrol Car Until it Dies and is NOT Charged

Matt Agorist at The Free Thought Project - 12 hours ago
[image: hot]As citizens face felony animal cruelty charges for the same acts, a Long Beach cop escaped any charges after leaving his K-9 in a hot car until it died.

Vaccine Fundamentalism—War Metaphors in the Covid-19 Response, Vaccine Policy, and Public Health, Part 2

Joyce Ghen at Children's Health Defense - 12 hours ago
War metaphors in public health and vaccine fundamentalism have led to a situation where vaccine-injured individuals and families are themselves seen as enemies by the very public health systems that are meant to serve them. The post Vaccine Fundamentalism—War Metaphors in the Covid-19 Response, Vaccine Policy, and Public Health, Part 2 appeared first on Children's Health Defense.

Dr. Fauci: What About the Immune System?

Joyce Ghen at Children's Health Defense - 12 hours ago
Dr. Fauci has kept us informed about therapies being used to treat COVID-19, but has convinced us, repeatedly, that a vaccine is the only way out of this mess and that we all must wait for a vaccine to be quickly brought to market. However, if there is no cure for COVID-19, how did the 2,446,799 COVID-19 patients recover from the illness? The post Dr. Fauci: What About the Immune System? appeared first on Children's Health Defense.

Where’s the missing evidence?

Joyce Ghen at Children's Health Defense - 12 hours ago
An emergency order by Governor Evers of Wisconsin ordering the wearing of masks has given rise to a most unsatisfactory investigation. A clause in the order reads states that if 95% of Wisconsinites wear a face covering in publish 500+ lives could be saved. But where is the research behind this, and what is its provenance. The post Where’s the missing evidence? appeared first on Children's Health Defense.

Democracy in Peril

Ron Clutz at Science Matters - 12 hours ago
Yoram Hazony explains the dire situation in USA, with global implications in his essay The Challenge of Marxism at The Quillette. Excerpts in italics with my bolds. We don’t know what will happen for certain. But based on the experience of recent years, we can venture a pretty good guess. Institutional liberalism lacks the resources […]

Lack of Human Capital is Holding Back Latin America’s Growth

WASHINGTON, Aug 18 (IPS) - In 1990, Latin America's average GDP per capita was a little over a quarter of the United States' income level, while emerging and developing Asian countries' GDP per capita was only 5 percent. In 2019, Asian countries had grown fourfold, but Latin America was still at the same level. Read the full story, “Lack of Human Capital is Holding Back Latin America’s Growth”, on globalissues.org →

Call for Urgent Action by 300 World Leaders on Global Education Emergency In Face of Covid19

NEW YORK, Aug 18 (IPS) - We write to call for urgent action to address the global education emergency triggered by COVID-19. With over 1 billion children still out of school because of the lockdown, there is now a real and present danger that the public health crisis will create a COVID generation who lose out on schooling and whose opportunities are permanently damaged. While the more fortunate have had access to alternatives, the world's poorest children have been locked out of learning, denied internet access, and with the loss of free school meals - once a lifeline for 300 mil... more »

ISDS Enables Making More Money from Losses

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Aug 18 (IPS) - With the Covid-19 contagion from late 2019 spreading internationally this year, governments have responded, often in desperation. Meanwhile, predatory international law firms are encouraging multimillion-dollar investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) lawsuits citing Covid-19 containment, relief and recovery measures. Read the full story, “ISDS Enables Making More Money from Losses”, on globalissues.org →

We Must Prioritize Local Solutions to Global Problems

KAMPALA, Uganda, Aug 18 (IPS) - World Humanitarian Day is the perfect time to refresh our push to localize humanitarian aid for COVID-19 and all the challenges we face. Celebrating #RealLifeHeroes! Read the full story, “We Must Prioritize Local Solutions to Global Problems”, on globalissues.org →

Should Vietnam Take China To Arbitration Over the South China Sea?

mvalencia at Lawfare - 12 hours ago
A Vietnamese fishing boat in the South China Sea near the shore of Hoi An. (Jean-Pierre Bluteau, https://flic.kr/p/NmUrEr; CC BY-NC 2.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/) Some analysts are predicting that Vietnam will soon file a complaint against China under the U.N. Law of the Sea Convention (UNCLOS) dispute settlement mechanism regarding China’s actions in the South China Sea. For *Lawfare*, Peter Dutton wrote that because “Vietnam knows it cannot prevail in a standoff with China, international litigation may be an increasingly attractive option to alter trends t... more »

COVID-19 and the Chance to Reform U.S. Refugee Policy

sdenney at Lawfare - 12 hours ago
Refugees on a boat crossing the Mediterranean Sea from the Turkish coast to the Greek island of Lesbos in 2016. (Mstyslav Chernov, https://tinyurl.com/y2pdb9nt; CC BY-SA 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en) *Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on *Order from Chaos*.* COVID-19 has exposed the underlying fault lines in societies around the world and in modern globalization. Yet by revealing long ignored flaws, it presents a rare chance to reform. Unsurprisingly, refugees — the vast majority of whom live deeply precarious lives — have been among t... more »

Our History is the Future: The Dakota Access Pipeline and the Long Tradition of Resistance

barovsky at The New Dark Age - 12 hours ago
A US district court ruled on July 6 that the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) must be shut down and emptied of oil, pending a full environmental review of the project. In March, the same court found the US Army Corps had wrongfully approved the pipeline in 2016. The Army Corps failed to assess the DAPL’s potential to cause devastating oil spills. Responding to the ruling, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Chairman Mike Faith said: “This pipeline should have never been built here. We told them that from the beginning.”

THE CRAZY AND THE WRONG: What do QAnon adherents believe?

bob somerby at the daily howler - 12 hours ago
*TUESDAY, AUGUST 18, 2020Plus, a larger question:* What the heck is QAnon? Almost surely, many people who watched Meet the Press this Sunday remain completely unsure. As we noted yesterday, the program ended with a full segment about The Creature With the Strange Name. But what the Sam Hill *is* QAnon? This is the way it was described in two attempts by Chuck Todd: TODD (8/16/20): *When we come back, those fringe believers in the QAnon conspiracy theory*: Are they really on the fringe anymore? [...] TODD: Welcome back. This week, we saw the rise of something called QAnon. If you... more »

Taiwan Closes Massive Deal To Buy F-16s From Lockheed Martin

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 12 hours ago
A US Air Force F-16 Viper takes off from Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, on July 27, 2020. *CNN:* *US finalizes sale of 66 F-16 fighters to Taiwan as China tensions escalate* Hong Kong (CNN)Taiwan will receive 66 new American-made F-16 fighter jets in the biggest arms sale to the self-governing island in years. The deal finalized on Friday comes as China has been increasing pressure on the island, which Beijing considers to be an inseparable part of its territory. Friday's announcement was made on the website of United States Defense Department, under the contacts updated s... more »

Trump to Pardon Women’s Suffrage Leader Susan B. Anthony

AP News at Snopes.com - 12 hours ago
President Donald Trump said he would sign "a full and complete pardon" on the 100-year anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment.

Quadrennial Follies: Pandemic Edition

Karen Garcia at Sardonicky - 12 hours ago
I've been offline for a second entire week this month, due to a combination of a tropical storm, neglected infrastructure and the typically shoddy customer service from the Spectrum monopoly. So I apologize for the radio silence and for my inability to moderate and publish the handful of reader comments that were lost in the ether for the past seven days. Not that I was totally disconnected from the world of manufactured opinion, consent and news, mind you. I still was able to get NPR (National Public Radio), so I learned on the morning after the big event that Joe Biden had chosen... more »

Heh

Peter at Bayou Renaissance Man - 12 hours ago
In the light of my earlier post this morning about education, this cartoon tickled my funny-bone. Click the image to be taken to a larger version at the "Pearls Before Swine" Web page. I don't know where Stephan Pastis got his gifts of inspired punnery and barbed wit, but IMHO he's one of the best cartoonists out there today. I visit "Pearls Before Swine" every day for a dose of laughter. Peter

Israeli Fighter Pilots Carry Out Their First Joint Exercises With The Luftwaffe Over Germany

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 13 hours ago
German air force Bundeswehr Eurofighter and Israeli Air Force F-16 jets fly in formation over the Fuerstenfeldbruck airbase in commemoration of the 1972 Olympic Games assassination attempt in Fuerstenfeldbruck, Germany, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020. (Sven Hoppe/dpa via AP) *Times of Israel:* *Israel Air Force prepares to train with Luftwaffe over Germany for first time* Monday exercise will be air force’s only international drill in 2020; Israeli aircraft to fly over Munich to mark 1972 Olympics massacre, and over Dachau to commemorate Holocaust. The Israeli Air Force will take part in ... more »

Escaping Paternalism Book Club: My Response to Questions

Bryan Caplan at Econlib - 13 hours ago
Thank to everyone who’s participated in the Escaping Paternalism Book Club. I just left my review on Amazon, and encourage readers to do the same. I’m also happy to take one last round of questions on Escaping Paternalism, and suspect that Rizzo and Whitman are up for an encore as well. If you have any remaining […] The post Escaping Paternalism Book Club: My Response to Questions appeared first on Econlib.

Innovation Travels

Alberto Mingardi at Econlib - 13 hours ago
5th in a #ReadWithMe series. Henry Robinson Palmer was a trained engineer. As Matt Ridley writes: “In 1826 he was appointed to oversee the extension to a dock in east London. Having finished the excavation and construction of the locks he turned his attention to the buildings. He seems to have hit upon the […] The post Innovation Travels appeared first on Econlib.

Newest Info Reveals Very Good News About Coronavirus Immunity- The Marvelous Immune System

Penny at Penny for your thoughts - 13 hours ago
*Ah, yes, our immune system. Always poo pooed by the pharmaceutical profiteers. Of course it's soooo inconvenient and unprofitable for them that we naturally have this system, that protects us from so much disease. Particularly viruses and bacteria. Without which there would be no life on this planet. Just fact. No fear porn. As has been my goal here at the blog all along.* * The information featured below feels like a follow up to yesterday's report:** What if Covid Herd Immunity, No Vaccine Required, is Closer Then We Think? * *The latest: **New studies reveal very good news ab... more »

Study Suggests Greenland’s Ice Sheet Has Melted Beyond Return

Paul Homewood at NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT - 13 hours ago
By Paul Homewood This story has been doing the rounds around all of the gullible media, it seems. Greenland’s ice sheet is the second largest body of ice in the world, but global warming has been causing it to melt rapidly in decade prior to now. Despite efforts to halt the heating of […]

The Postman speaks: Save the Post Office!

David Brin at CONTRARY BRIN - 13 hours ago
Amid outcry over Republican efforts to wreck the U.S. Postal System, scientist/science-fiction author David Brin -- author of the popular novel “The Postman” -- offers a few tools and perspectives. Some of these may be of use to those fighting to save America. See also this Monday's interview in Entertainment Weekly about that prescient novel’s pertinence to these troubled times... and the rise of neo-feudalism that it predicted, along with deliberate efforts by enemies of our Great Experiment to burn down our one American institution that predates even the Revolution. *The Po... more »

Major flooding leaves 65 people dead, more than 220 000 affected, and 40 000 homes hit - Sudan

Major flooding from prolonged heavy rains in Sudan has left at least 65 fatalities and 220 000 people affected, a UN spokesman said at a briefing on Monday, August 17, 2020.​ 17 of the country's 18 states have been impacted, with around 40 000 houses damaged...... Read more »

The Specter of a Fascist Coup by Trump Haunts the U.S. – There’s Worse to Worry About

Roger D. Harris at MintPress News - 13 hours ago
Spreading faster than COVID-19 among those on the portside, warnings of a fascist-style coup by Trump are rampant this presidential campaign season. The post The Specter of a Fascist Coup by Trump Haunts the U.S. – There’s Worse to Worry About appeared first on MintPress News.

Remington 597 Rifle: Proved Tried and True for a Reason

Richard Douglas at The National Interest - 13 hours ago
*Richard Douglas* *Security, Americas* This is one firearm that you can't go wrong with. The Remington 597 is a gun you’ve seen before. Remington has served American firearm customers since 1816 and has offered the 597 since 1997. It’s still in production to this day, and for a good reason. If you don’t know it already, read on to find out why this rifle, chambered in .22LR, is still a viable option for many gun owners. *Accuracy* Grouping-wise, you can’t go wrong with the 597. At twenty-five yards, target practice can get you 1-inch spreads and many of the rifles come with sco... more »

Why U.S.-South Korea Joint Military Exercises Keep Getting Scaled Back

Mark Episkopos at The National Interest - 13 hours ago
*Mark Episkopos* *Security, Asia* [image: https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?id=tag%3Areuters.com%2C2018%3Anewsml_RC1F5A2BC9C0&share=true] Drills are reduced in size and the plan to transfer operational control to Seoul is delayed. What is the issue? South Korea and the United States are pressing on with joint annual military exercises despite concerns over the coronavirus, reaffirming Washington’s security commitment to the Republic of Korea (ROK) at a time of simmering military tensions and ongoing regional uncertainty on the Korean peninsula. Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff ... more »

XB-70: The Fastest Bomber Never Built

Caleb Larson at The National Interest - 13 hours ago
*Caleb Larson* *Security, * [image: Reuters] Zip fuel was a dead end. Its exhaust was toxic. *Here's What You Need To Remember: *The jet was designed to exceed the speed of the B-58 and fly at Mach 3. This blisteringly high speed was to be achieved by six turbojet engines that produced a massive 28,000 pounds of thrust each, with an afterburner. Despite the bomber's significant size, weight was kept to a minimum by making extensive use of light-weight honeycomb paneling and titanium. The XB-70 Valkyrie strategic bomber program was intended to be the backbone of the United States... more »

US Elections: Absentee Voting by Mail (ballot requested) vs Universal Mail-in (ballot not requested)

miningawareness at Mining Awareness + - 13 hours ago
The media has made no effort, that we have seen, to explain the differences in voting by mail. Thus, people … Continue reading →

From 2011-2015 The Number Of US Mail Collection Boxes Was Reduced By More Than 12,000 – OIG Audit

miningawareness at Mining Awareness + - 13 hours ago
Don’t use it, you lose it. If you don’t patronize a business or service and it disappears, don’t be surprised. … Continue reading →

Hey parents! Are you sharenting too much?

Suzanne Rent at Halifax Examiner - 13 hours ago
News 1. Halifax police board votes to strike committee to define defunding Halifax board of police commissioners finally passed a motion to create a committee that will define the concept of defunding the police. As Zane Woodford reports, after weeks of confusion, the board passed this motion on Monday. It’s more specific than a motion […]

Michelle Obama Warns at DNC That Trump is ‘In Over His Head’

AP News at Snopes.com - 13 hours ago
The former first lady outlined dire stakes for the election ahead and declared President Donald Trump the "wrong president for our country."

America's Military And Intelligence Agencies Knew About Iranian Bounties On American Troops For Years

War News Updates Editor at War News Updates - 13 hours ago
A US Army soldier and a military working dog in Afghanistan. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Shane Hamann *Business Insider:* *'Bring us American heads': Iran flaunted bounties on US troops in propaganda leaflets* * The US's military and intelligence agencies knew about Iranian bounties on American troops for years. * Iranian-linked forces flaunted the payments through leaflets distributed throughout Afghanistan, a former senior US official with direct knowledge of this propaganda told Insider. * "They weren't hiding it: 'If you bring us American heads, we will pay you,'" the offi... more »

For The Foreseeable Future

Owen Gray at Northern Reflections - 13 hours ago
Bill Morneau is gone. What are we to make of it? Aaron Wherry writes that it's hard to work your way through the weeds: Whenever something interesting happens around Parliament Hill, it is tempting to imagine that the participants are playing three-dimensional chess — maybe the purported differences over policy were just a cover story for the fact that it's really about WE; maybe this is all meant to distract from Trudeau's own problems — but that sometimes assumes a degree of cunning that is not otherwise in evidence. There were several leaks leading up to Morneau's resignati... more »

"How It Really Is"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 13 hours ago

Sweden shows that lockdowns aren't the best answer to COVID19

trinko at Conversations about the obvious - 13 hours ago
When the China virus hit Sweden told folks that this was going to be a long haul and that people were going to die. Gatherings of over 50 people were banned and social distancing was encouraged but restaurants and stores stayed open. This allowed people who wanted to to shelter in place but it meant that young people who were no more at risk than they would be in a bad flu season to keep on keeping on. Sweden's economy did shrink although significantly less than the shrinkage of countries with sever lockdowns. Did more Swedes die? It's unclear. The death rate per million of Swede... more »

Joe Biden wants to tax the 60% of Americans who don't go to college to pay for degrees in gender studies for rich white folk

trinko at Conversations about the obvious - 13 hours ago
Joe Biden has jumped on the "free" college band wagon. While Biden has been avoiding real journalists he's been talking to rappers like Cardi B. He told her: "If I get elected president, anybody with a family [that makes] less than 125 grand, you’re going to get free education," he said. "And everybody gets free community college." So the 60% of Americans who don't go to college--plumbers, carpenters, electricians, union workers, etc--will be taxed under Biden to pay for rich folk to get degrees in gender studies. Joe's for that because he wants to use your tax dollars to bribe pe... more »

Trump isn't assaulting the Post Office

trinko at Conversations about the obvious - 13 hours ago
A key component of the Democrat's plan to steal the 2020 election is to send millions of ballots to people who don't exist--they've either died or moved-- so that they can use those ballots themselves. But if the Post Office can't deliver those fake ballots the Democrat's scheme might be at risk. The first thing to realize is that Trump has no direct control over the Post Office. He nominates members of the Post Office board who have to be approved of by the Senate. Further there is a requirement that a certain percentage of member of the board have to be of each party. The suppo... more »

Mortgage Delinquencies Jump by Most Ever. 60-Day Delinquencies Hit Highest Level Ever. Record 16% of FHA Mortgages Delinquent. What a Mess

Yves Smith at naked capitalism - 14 hours ago
A spike in mortgage delinquencies says more bad results are coming, particularly with no new stimulus in sight.

U.S. Air Force Announces Guard Locations to Receive F-35 and F-15EX Aircraft

Peter Suciu at The National Interest - 14 hours ago
*Peter Suciu* *Security, Americas* [image: Reuters] But Air National Guard pilots shouldn’t get too excited just yet. Out with the old and in with the new. Last week, the United States Air Force announced which of the Air National Guard bases will receive some shiny new aircraft to replace the aging F-15C Eagles. The two “lucky” bases are Jacksonville Air National Guard Base, Florida, which will receive F-35A Lightning II fighters in 2024; while Kingsley Field, Oregon, will host the Air Force’s first F-15EX formal training mission; and a unit at the Portland Air National Guard B... more »

Does China Already Control the South China Sea Militarily?

Kris Osborn at The National Interest - 14 hours ago
*Kris Osborn* *Security, * An interesting interactive illustration from a prominent think tank appears to raise the question as to the extent to which China already controls the majority of the South China Sea. An interesting interactive illustration from a prominent think tank appears to raise the question as to the extent to which China already controls the majority of the South China Sea. The map, presented by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), shows China’s fighter jet, bomber, radar and missile reach across the South China Sea, demonstrating that v... more »

Why the U.S. Navy Wants a Fully Automated Robotic Warship

Peter Suciu at The National Interest - 14 hours ago
*Peter Suciu* *Security, * These vessels were designed to be highly flexible with easily swappable modules for different mission objectives, whereupon return to the United States the ships could be refitted for a new mission with different modules for such tasks as minesweeping, convoy escort and fire support. Last month, the U.S. Navy awarded L3Harris a $35 million contract to design and fabricate a prototype Medium Unmanned Surface Vehicle (MUSV), which is expected to be delivered for testing by the end of 2022. This is one of the latest efforts by the Department of Defense (Do... more »

China's Xi Jinping Isn’t Adolf Hitler, But He Might Be Kaiser Wilhelm

Douglas Bulloch at The National Interest - 14 hours ago
*Douglas Bulloch* *Cyber Security, Asia* From the author: "If we are going to make historical comparisons, therefore, China’s sense of nursed grievance, historical destiny, rapid militarisation and the sheer scale of its strategic vision map very closely onto Wilhelmine Germany, where Nazi Germany is better left as a warning of what they might become, should their plans fail." Historical analogies only ever go so far. No two periods or people are really that alike. But although history can’t tell us anything much about what might happen next, it will always serve as a reservoir o... more »

45 'Foreign Aircraft': Russia Claims to Have Detected Spy Aircraft Near its Border

Peter Suciu at The National Interest - 14 hours ago
*Peter Suciu* *Security, Eurasia* [image: Reuters] It is unclear if these were the same aircraft in both incidents. The skies near Russia must be quite crowded if recent news reports are to be believed. The Russian Defense Ministry’s Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper reported last week that Russian radar tracked forty-five foreign aircraft that were alleged to have conducted air reconnaissance near the state borders. The paper’s infographics showed that these included thirty-five foreign “spy planes” as well as eleven drones. All the flights conducted by the foreign aircraft were track... more »

Chinese Navy Seen Near Pakistani Warships Offshore of Karachi

Peter Suciu at The National Interest - 14 hours ago
*Peter Suciu* *Security, Asia* [image: Reuters] Why China would be interested in a Cold War-era French submarine design still remains a mystery. According to a news report from The Times Now, satellite imagery showed a Pakistan Navy *Agosta-90B* Type submarine docked next to Chinese warships near Karachi earlier this year. The *Hashmat*-class submarine is a diesel-electric boat based on the French *Agosta 70Alpha*-class design, which has been widely exported to navies around the world. It is unclear if the submarine was the PNS/M *Hashmat* (S135) or its sister ship PNS/M Hurmat... more »

Symposium: We Asked the World’s Top Experts What America’s North Korea Policy Would Look Like If Joe Biden Wins

Harry J. Kazianis, John Dale Grover, Steph Umbert at The National Interest - 14 hours ago
*Harry J. Kazianis, John Dale Grover, Steph Umbert* *Security, Asia* Over 40 top analysts and thinkers from across the globe share their insight on what a Biden victory in the upcoming election may mean for America's North Korea policy. With less than three months to go until Election Day and a potential change of presidential administration, the Center for the National Interest’s Korean Studies team decided to ask dozens of the world’s top experts a simple question: If Joe Biden wins come November, what do you expect his North Korea policy to look like? Below you will find link... more »

Joseph S. Nye: How a Joe Biden Administration Could Negotiate with North Korea

Joseph S. Nye Jr. at The National Interest - 14 hours ago
*Joseph S. Nye Jr.* *Security, Asia* A new administration taking a new approach could try a negotiated package, although the prospects are not good, but, if it fails, the U.S. and South Korea should not panic. *Editor's Note:* As Election Day rapidly approaches, and with it a potential change of presidential administration, the Center for the National Interest’s Korean Studies team decided to ask dozens of the world’s top experts a simple question: If Joe Biden wins come November, what do you expect his North Korea policy to look like? The below piece is an answer to that questi... more »

Wargames Show Stealth F-35s Make Everything Better (And Bad for the Enemy)

Kris Osborn at The National Interest - 14 hours ago
*Kris Osborn* *Security, Americas* Even less sophisticated fighters get a boost. *Here's What You Need To Remember: *As sixty enemy fighters closed in on a U.S. Air Force 4th Generation fighter aircraft, blinding the jet with electronic warfare attacks, an experienced pilot faced unseen life-threatening attackers closing in. Yet, in a life-saving flash, the endangered 4th pilot was told to “turn around” by an F-35 operating in the vicinity who radioed an instant warning. The 5th-Gen, multi-role stealth fighter then used its long-range sensors and weapons to “kill” the enemy airc... more »

Coming Soon: AI Top Gun-Style Fighter on Fighter Dog Fights in the Sky?

Kris Osborn at The National Interest - 14 hours ago
*Kris Osborn* *Security, Americas* Instead of merely following pre-determined navigational “waypoints” established through GPS, something which has been underway for quite some time, drones and even fighter-jets will be able to receive new input, perform in-flight analytics and then make impactful decisions autonomously. What if an armed, artificial-intelligence-enabled attack drone detects an enemy fighter jet, uses long-range sensors to confirm the target before attacking with a precision-guided air-to-air missile? What if an unmanned fighter or advanced drone, operated with v... more »

The U.S. Navy's New Drone Network Will Make Sailors Safer

Kris Osborn at The National Interest - 14 hours ago
*Kris Osborn* *military, Americas* [image: Reuters] USVs could also potentially bring unprecedented electronic warfare possibilities. *Here's What You Need To Remember: *“USVs have greater potential payload capacity and endurance than comparably sized unmanned systems in other domains. They are able to use higher-density energy sources than UUVs (hydrocarbons instead of batteries), and, unlike UAVs, they do not need to burn fuel merely to maintain their vertical position; if desired, they can move relatively slowly for days or weeks without refueling.” The U.S. Navy is moving qu... more »

Disparities

Norma at Collecting My Thoughts - 14 hours ago
I wish every preacher, politician, prophet and prognosticator could read (or re-read) THE UNPRECEDENTED EXPANSION OF THE GLOBAL MIDDLE CLASS: AN UPDATE (2017) by the Brookings Institution, non-profit organization devoted to independent research and policy solutions. https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/global_20170228_global-middle-class.pdf Just as an aside, some conservatives consider Brookings part of the “deep state,” i.e. certainly not a Trump supporter. I commented on that document at my blog in May 2017. I’d forgotten the eye opening research and concl... more »

The Progressive Racism of the Ivy League

Patrick J. Buchanan at rss - 14 hours ago
[image: the-progressive-racism-of-the-ivy-league] If the definition of racism is deliberate discrimination based on race, color or national origin, Yale University appears to be a textbook case of “systemic racism.”

Untitled

Jenna Orkin at From the Wilderness' Peak Oil Blog - 14 hours ago
From Jenna Orkin Death Valley reaches 130 degrees, hottest temperature in U.S. in at least 107 yearss Scientists See Signs of Lasting Immunity to Covid-19, Even After Mild Infections Greenland's Melting Ice Sheet Has 'Passed The Point of No Return', Scientists Say New Covid Cases in Nursing Homes Soar Past Peak Levels Postal Service plans to remove 671 high-volume mail processing machines The NYPD Is Withholding Evidence From Investigations Into Police Abuse 49 People Shot In 72 Hours As Wave Of Gun Violence Continues In NYC NYC IS DEAD FOREVER. HERE'S WHY New Zealand Prime Minister... more »

ISDS enables making more money from losses

bilaterals.org - 14 hours ago
18-Aug-2020 Predatory international law firms are encouraging multimillion-dollar investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) lawsuits citing Covid-19 containment, relief and recovery measures.

AfCFTA could boost Dubai-Africa trade by 10% over next 5 years

bilaterals.org - 14 hours ago
18-Aug-2020 The AfCFTA will offer a huge opportunity for UAE investors who will be able to do business on a single set of trade and investment rules across the African continent.

Libre-échange : Le marché européen encore inaccessible aux PME locales

bilaterals.org - 14 hours ago
18-Aug-2020 Les grandes entreprises, filiales des multinationales s'arrogent la part du lion sur le gain fiscal lié au démantèlement tarifaire. Les PME accusent les barrières non tarifaires et le manque de financement.

Zone africaine de libre échange : Le premier échange commercial en janvier 2021

bilaterals.org - 14 hours ago
18-Aug-2020 Les négociations au sujet du protocole sur le commerce des marchandises ainsi que les concessions tarifaires devraient reprendre grâce à la mise en place d'une plateforme virtuelle.

Cops Arrest Man for Having “Their Feelings Hurt” by His Satire Police Facebook Page

Matt Agorist at The Free Thought Project - 14 hours ago
[image: satire]A man's satire police department page has led to him being charged and arrested after his lawyer says police had "their feelings hurt."

Isolating the Elderly Is Bad for Their Health

zedie at SOMEONE SOMEWHERE - 14 hours ago
Isolating the Elderly Is Bad for Their Health – WSJ https://www.wsj.com/articles/isolating-the-elderly-is-bad-for-their-health-11595261640?mod=e2fb

The Politics of Plato and Aristotle

Unknown at The Conservative Socrates - 14 hours ago
The essence of Platonic politics is that all political systems are flawed; in the *Republic*, five types of regimes are examined—Aristocracy, Timocracy, Oligarchy, Democracy, and Tyranny—and flaws are found in all of them. The essence of Aristotelian politics is that the nature of the regime is inconsequential; as long as the kingdom is stable, and a leisured life of metaphysical contemplation for the intellectual elite is possible, the regime can be tolerated. When Plato becomes the tutor of the tyrant of Syracuse, he makes heroic efforts to get the tyrant to accept his moral and ... more »

Protests held against US forces for killing Syrian soldier

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 14 hours ago
[image: Protests held against US forces for killing Syrian soldier] BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:30 P.M.) – Two demonstrations were held in the Al-Hasakah Governorate on Tuesday to protest the U.S. presence in northeastern Syria and demand justice for the killing of one Syrian Arab Army (SAA) soldier in the Al-Qamishli countryside. According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), one of the demonstrations was held in the town of Tal Al-Dahab, which is where the soldier was killed by the U.S. Coalition forces on Monday. Continue reading Protests held against US forces for killing Syrian soldie... more »

Israel unveils new force to fight Hezbollah and Hamas

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 14 hours ago
[image: Israel unveils new force to fight Hezbollah and Hamas] BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:00 P.M.) – The Israeli army revealed the date of the formation of the “Shabah Unit 99” and the details of its tasks, which were previously announced by the Chief of Staff, Aviv Kochavi. The Israel-based Walla newspaper reported, “The unit will fight against Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah in Lebanon, and it is multi-tasked and designated to cross the border and attack deep into enemy territory in several fronts,” noting that the army has established a new and developed ground maneuver system for ... more »

New photos show aftermath of US attack on Syrian Army post

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 14 hours ago
[image: New photos show aftermath of US attack on Syrian Army post] BEIRUT, LEBANON (2:30 P.M.) – On Monday, the U.S. Coalition forces and Syrian Arab Army (SAA) exchanged gunfire in the northern countryside of the Al-Hasakah Governorate. According to the Syrian Arab Army, their checkpoint at the town of Tal Al-Dahab was targeted by a U.S. Coalition helicopter, in addition to gunfire from their ground troops. As a result of this incident at the Rasho checkpoint, at least one Syrian Arab Army soldier was killed and two others were wounded. Continue reading New photos show aftermath ... more »

Update: International Tribunal delivers verdicts for Rafic Hariri assassination

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 14 hours ago
[image: Update: International Tribunal delivers verdicts for Rafic Hariri assassination] BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:50 P.M.) – The International Tribunal for Lebanon delivered their verdicts for the Rafic Hariri assassination, which took place on February 14th, 2005, in Beirut. The sentencing session was attended by Rafik Hariri’s son, former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, and the family of the former MP and Minister Basil Fuleihan, who spent time with Hariri. The members of the court and the attendees began the session by observing a moment of silence in memory of the victims of the... more »

International tribunal says no evidence Hezbollah or Syrian leadership were behind Rafic Hariri assassination

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 14 hours ago
[image: International tribunal says no evidence Hezbollah or Syrian leadership were behind Rafic Hariri assassination] BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:30 P.M.) – The Special Tribunal for Lebanon announced their findings after a long investigation into the assassination of the former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri. According to the Tribunal’s findings, there was no direct evidence that leaders of Hezbollah or Syria had anything to do with the assassination of Rafic Hariri. Furthermore, the Tribunal said the assassination was likely carried out for political reasons, but they were unable to... more »

Russian Air Force launches first attack this month over northwestern Syria

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 14 hours ago
[image: Russian Air Force launches first attack this month over northwestern Syria] BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:00 P.M.) – The Russian Air Force launched their first strikes of the month over northwestern Syria, targeting a number of areas inside the Idlib Governorate. According to reports from northwestern Idlib, the Russian Air Force targeted the positions of Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) and their allies in the western part of the Idlib Governorate on Tuesday. The reports said the Russian Air Force concentrated their strikes on the positions of the jihadist groups behind Monday’s attack ag... more »

PKK claims Turkish helicopter shot down along Iraqi border

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 14 hours ago
[image: PKK claims Turkish helicopter shot down along Iraqi border] BEIRUT, LEBANON (12:30 P.M.) – The “popular defense forces” of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) issued a statement on Monday that it claimed their troops had shot down a Turkish helicopter along the Iraqi-Turkish border strip. The Media Center of the “Kurdistan People’s Defense Forces” (HPG) issued a statement about the recent operations carried out by the Karela forces in the Haftanin area against the Turkish Army, confirming that it shot down a Turkish helicopter and injured another and forced it to withdraw. Co... more »

Lebanese President says it’s ‘impossible’ that Hezbollah caused explosion at Beirut Port

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 14 hours ago
[image: Lebanese President says it’s ‘impossible’ that Hezbollah caused explosion at Beirut Port] BEIRUT, LEBANON (12:10 P.M.) – The Lebanese President, Michel Aoun, ruled out on Monday that the Beirut Port explosion was caused by a warehouse filled with Hezbollah’s weapons. President Aoun indicated in an interview with the Italian “Corriere della Sera”, as reported by Reuters, that the investigation will include all possibilities despite his assurance that the explosion was not caused by a weapons warehouse belonging to Hezbollah. The Lebanese President said that Hezbollah was not... more »

US Coalition issues statement about clash with Syrian Army

News Desk at AMN – Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز - 14 hours ago
[image: US Coalition issues statement about clash with Syrian Army] BEIRUT, LEBANON (12:00 P.M.) – The U.S. Coalition has denied launching any raids on the Syrian Arab Army’s (SAA) positions in the Al-Qamishli countryside, despite reports of a helicopter opening fire on the SAA troops in Tal Al-Dahab. According to the U.S. Coalition, their troops opened fire on the Syrian Army’s checkpoint in self-defense. “The coalition forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces, while conducting a routine security patrol related to anti-ISIS operations near the village of Tal Al-Dahab in Syria, enco... more »

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Sues Facebook and Their Fact-Checkers

James Allard at OYE Alternative News - 14 hours ago
The post Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Sues Facebook and Their Fact-Checkers appeared first on OYE Alternative News.

Should we 'Recapitalize' the military industrial complex?

Bruce K. Gagnon at Organizing Notes - 15 hours ago
I've been working on a speech I will be giving in late September to Nebraskans for Peace. I will talk about STRATCOM (Strategic Command) which is headquartered at Offutt AFB in Omaha. I have been watching videos of speeches by the present and past commanders of STRATCOM. STRATCOM's mission includes Dominant intelligence, space surveillance and reconnaissance, electronic attack, nuclear command & control, 'Missile defense' and more. They made the point that the biggest task today is to integrate all of these warfare systems into one big operational capability. They brag that ST... more »

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JR at GREENIE WATCH - 15 hours ago
*Get Serious: More C02 Isn’t Making Earth ‘Uninhabitable’* *Once again I feel I have to bring up the generally forgotten point that only a small part of the world is average in temperature -- and the tropics are ALREADY much warmer than the global average. Yet people live in the tropics perfectly well.I myself was born into a place -- Far North Queensland -- with an average temperature that was wildly above the global average. 100 degree F temperatures were common and temperatures in the 90s were experienced for at least half the yearWe tended to drink a lot of beer but ... more »

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jonjayray at EDUCATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL - 15 hours ago
*Are teachers essential or not?* When the COVID-19 pandemic began, everyone was sent home—everyone except essential workers. Health care workers continued to take care of patients. Police and firefighters continued to patrol streets and fight fires. Grocery store workers continued to stock shelves. Even workers in meatpacking plants, where some outbreaks occurred, continued to do their jobs. They continued to work because they were “essential.” Their jobs were so important to the lives of others that we asked them to take additional risk to continue providing their goods or service... more »

Stonehaven Derailment–Latest Rainfall Data

Paul Homewood at NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT - 15 hours ago
By Paul Homewood More information is emerging of the amount of rain which fell in the Stonehaven area on the day of the accident, which surprisingly Network Rail and the Met Office have been strangely quiet about. One report from CNN states: Inverbervie station, the closest reporting weather station averages […]

"Economic Fantasy Update AM 8/18/20"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 15 hours ago
*"Economic Fantasy Update AM 8/18/20"* Chronicling the most enormous fraud and theft in human history, down the rabbit hole of psychopathic greed and insanity... Deceptive resemblances to reality by these arch-criminals are total lies. Only the consequences are real, to YOU, never *them.* ○ *"The more I see of the moneyed classes, * *the more I understand the guillotine."* - George Bernard Shaw ○ *8/18/20* *○* Gregory Mannarino, *AM* *8/18/20:* *“The Dollar Is Getting Slammed Again, Watch For Engineered Crisis”* - https://traderschoice.net/ ○ ○ *MarketWatch Market Su**mmary, Live Updates* ... more »

"Covid-19 Pandemic Updates PM 8/18/20"

CoyotePrime at Running 'Cause I Can't Fly - 15 hours ago
*"Covid-19 Pandemic **Updates PM 8/18/20" * *- Frequently **Updated* Please visit these sites often for the very latest information. ○ *8/18/20* By Sanam Yar and Ian Prasad Philbrick *U.N.C. goes online after outbreaks: *The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill became the first big university to move in-person classes online after new coronavirus outbreaks. Just one week into the semester, 177 students had tested positive, and hundreds of others were in quarantine because of possible exposure. U.N.C. officials identified four clusters of infections in student housing facilitie... more »

Pro-US "Milk Tea Alliance" Role in Thai Protests Admitted by Reuters

Land Destroyer at Alt Thai News Network ATNN - 15 hours ago
Common denominator of online "Milk Tea Alliance" isn't "democracy," it's US government funding. *August 18, 2020 *(Tony Cartalucci - ATN) - China is one of the most important economic, political, and military partners of virtually every nation in Asia-Pacific. It is driving economic growth and infrastructure development at an unprecedented pace and is poised to irreversibly displace US 'primacy' in the region. To counter this the US has not only openly waged a trade war with China while pursuing a campaign of political subversion within China itself - in Hong Kong and Xinjiang ... more »

Pro-US "Milk Tea Alliance" Role in Thai Protests Admitted by Reuters

Land Destroyer at Land Destroyer - 15 hours ago
Common denominator of online "Milk Tea Alliance" isn't "democracy," it's US government funding. *August 18, 2020 *(Tony Cartalucci - ATN) - China is one of the most important economic, political, and military partners of virtually every nation in Asia-Pacific. It is driving economic growth and infrastructure development at an unprecedented pace and is poised to irreversibly displace US 'primacy' in the region. To counter this the US has not only openly waged a trade war with China while pursuing a campaign of political subversion within China itself - in Hong Kong and Xinjiang ... more »

Glancing-blow expected after weak B1.2 solar flare

A weak solar flare measuring B1.2 at its peak erupted on August 16, 2020, producing a coronal mass ejection (CME). Consensus model results suggest an arriving glancing blow on August 20 -- producing unsettled to active geomagnetic field conditions, with a chance for...... Read more »

CHD Legal Team Led by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Sues Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg

Ragnar at 'Nox & Friends - 15 hours ago
and Three of Facebook’s So-Called “Fact-Checkers” …for Government-Sponsored Censorship, False Disparagement and Wire-Fraud From the Children’s Health Defense: Excerpts: Children’s Health Defense (CHD) filed a lawsuit on Monday in San Francisco Federal Court charging Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, and three fact-checking outfits with censoring truthful public health posts and for fraudulently misrepresenting and defaming CHD. CHD is a non-profit watchdog group that roots out corruption in federal agencies, including Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organ... more »

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