2020-08-07: News Headlines

Andrew Korybko (2020-08-07). Media Literacy, Not Intimidation & Censorship, Is The Best Way To Fight So-Called Propaganda. thealtworld.com The heated debate within Western governments about the best way to fight what they regard as "propaganda" has recently taken a disturbing turn towards intimidation of the outlets accused of peddling such information products and even discussions about their possible censorship, but if they were really sincere in combating this menace while staying true to their "democratic" principles, then they'd work on improving their citizens' media literacy so that they could make up their own minds about the veracity of the various articles that they come across expressing non-mainstream views on contentious topics. | One o…

Staff (2020-08-07). Headlines for August 7, 2020. democracynow.org Study Predicts U.S. Coronavirus Deaths Could Reach 300,000 by December, Georgia High Schoolers Suspended for Sharing Images of Unmasked Students in Crowded Halls, India's COVID-19 Cases Top 2 Million as WHO Warns of Worsening Outbreaks in Africa, Peru's Health System in Collapse as COVID-19 Death Toll Reaches 20,000, Congressional Talks on New Coronavirus Stimulus on Brink of Collapse, "Make Billionaires Pay Act" Would Tax Richest 0.001% to Fund Healthcare for Millions, Police Fire Tear Gas at Anti-Government Protesters as Anger Rages over Beirut Blast, New York Attorney General Files Suit to Dissolve NRA over Ex…

Staff (2020-08-07). "The World's Most Dangerous Man": Mary Trump on Her Uncle, President Trump, & Why He Must Be Ousted. democracynow.org "In my family, being kind was considered being weak," says Mary Trump, President Trump's niece, a clinical psychologist and author of "Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man." We spend the hour with Mary Trump, discussing her book the president doesn't want people to read, in which she describes his upbringing in a dysfunctional family that fostered his greed, cruelty and racist and sexist behaviors — which he is now inflicting on the world. Mary Trump also discusses the president's mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic, his long history of lies and misrepresentati…

RT (2020-08-07). AOC-narrated Green New Deal clip nominated for Emmy for… news analysis? rt.com Democratic socialist New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been nominated for an Emmy award for "news analysis" for a video envisioning how the implementation of the Green New Deal solves all the US' problems. | Ocasio-Cortez revealed the seven-and-a-half minute video she narrated, produced by the Intercept and illustrated by Molly Crabapple, was shortlisted for an Emmy for News and Analysis in the Editorial and Opinion category on Thursday. Initially published in April 2019, the clip outlines the environmental disasters facing the world and describes how the proposed 'Green New Deal' will solve…

Jeffrey St. Clair (2020-08-07). Roaming Charges: Every Which Way to Lose. counterpunch.org "And through the fog of the plague, most art withered into journalism." — Pete Hamill + Four years of Trump, the most precipitous collapse of the US economy in history and one killer pandemic later and we're right back to where we were in the late summer of 2016… Joe Biden's national polling lead is

Peoples Dispatch (2020-08-07). Leftist groups urge Danish government to receive more refugees. peoplesdispatch.org Leftist groups in Denmark have demanded the social democrat-led government to raise the country's refugee quota and receive at least 500 refugees annually, which was the case before 2016…

Paul Street (2020-08-07). Trump is Not Conceding: This is Happening Here. counterpunch.org Sorry, Trump's Not Conceding I have been hearing liberals and lefties fantasizing that Donald Trump is conceding the presidency to Joe Biden. The evidence for this curious thesis? 1. Biden's significant polling lead over Trump not just nationally but in the battleground states where the presidency is contested. 2. The real or rumored pulling of

PAI (2020-08-07). Working Families Party members are voting on whether to endorse Biden. peoplesworld.org NEW YORK (PAI)—The thousands of members of the Working Families Party, the progressive pro-labor group that has backed and campaigned for state and local candidates from coast to coast, are voting on whether to do the same thing for Joe Biden. The race is between Biden and neutrality in the presidential tilt, the party said …

Mark Gruenberg (2020-08-07). NEA chief talks politics, school safety and pandemic. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—Presumed Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden says "education is a civil and human right," National Education Association President Lily Eskelsen-Garcia reports. And it'll also be a top priority should he win the White House away from GOP incumbent Donald Trump, his spouse, Jill Biden, Ph.D., a past community college professor, declares. Besides, she adds, he …

RT (2020-08-07). 'Biden no longer worthy of the black vote': Trump pounces on 'Sleepy Joe' for controversial diversity statement. rt.com Donald Trump attacked Joe Biden by tweeting that he is "no longer worthy of the Black Vote," after his controversial statement. Now both presidential candidates are under fire for their comments on the African American community. | "After yesterday's statement, Sleepy Joe Biden is no longer worthy of the Black Vote!" the president tweeted Friday morning. He referenced the Thursday interview with the presumptive Democratic nominee, where he seemingly

RT (2020-08-07). 'It's okay when it comes out of Chuck Schumer's mouth?' Democrat senator says schools must reopen or economy suffers. rt.com Republicans and Democrats failed to reach a compromise on a Covid-19 economic relief bill, but one comment from Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-New York) about schools needing to reopen has some seeing hypocrisy on the left. | Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-California) and Schumer addressed the press after failed negotiations with Republicans on a potential relief bill. While many of their complaints about Republicans refusing to continue robust unemployment and other government programs was to be expected, one comment from Schumer went viral as it didn't seem to match the outrage shown to President Donald Trump when he mentioned…

Norman Solomon (2020-08-07). Why the Left Must Reject and Elect Biden at the Same Time. indybay.org We have to get rid of Trump…

Staff (2020-08-07). DNC Platform Condemns BDS But Not Israel's Occupation of Palestine. truthout.org Due to a series of decisions by the Democratic National Committee's (DNC's) platform committee, progressives are concerned that the Biden-led Democratic Party's foreign policy toward Israel and Palestine will more closely resemble that of Republicans than that of the Democratic rank-and-file. | There has already been much consternation among party activists over

Tracy Keeling (2020-08-07). Bolivians start huge mobilisation for the 'return of democracy and sovereignty'. thecanary.co Bolivians are currently engaged in massive protests and a general strike. They are

Matt Sedlar (2020-08-07). On Climate Policy, Biden's Advisers Reveal More Than His Proposals Do. cepr.net The Intercept See article on original site Last month, Joe Biden's presidential campaign released a sweeping climate proposal calling for 100 percent clean energy and net-zero emissions by 2050. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party is working to finalize its 2020 platform. As of now, the platform is more aggressive than the 2016 document, but somehow does …

Fight Back (2020-08-07). Washington DC deadlocked as 30 million have their unemployment benefits cut. fightbacknews.org San José, CA – Talks between Democrats and Republicans about extending economic aid remained deadlocked as of Thursday morning, August 6. In May, Democrats passed their HEROES act to extend the $600 additional unemployment benefit, known as FPUC, or Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, as well as other economic aid for renters, state and local government, and others. But Republican senators and the Trump administration did nothing, hoping that the COVID-19 pandemic would go away, and the economy would recover in short order. The Republicans have also been hampered by divisions in the Senate, where a large…

Danny Haiphong (2020-08-07). American left silence on China helps lay foundation for the U.S.' New Cold War. mronline.org When it comes to China, Democracy Now, Jacobin, The Nation and others on the imperial-minded U.S. 'left" are allies of white supremacy.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-08-07). National strike continues across Bolivia, demands grow for àÅñez to step down. peoplesdispatch.org Social movements and trade unions stress that their demand is no longer just democratic elections, but also the immediate removal of the entire coup-installed government…

Jeff Jurgens (2020-08-07). Meet the Candidates — Senator Ed Markey (D-MA). peaceaction.org Wednesday, August 5th 2020, Peace Action kicked off our new series of "Meet the Candidates" webinars with Senator Ed Markey (D-MA). Sen. Markey has provided steadfast leadership on issues of peace and justice and has been among our strongest allies in Congress. A long-time advocate for nuclear arms control and nonproliferation, he has stepped up …

Peace Action, PPC, & peace partners (2020-08-07). Friday 8/7: 75th Anniversary Hiroshima and Nagasaki Remembered Ceremony (PPC & Peace Action). indybay.org Online via livestream…

Faith In Action (2020-08-07). Thursday 8/6: Voting Rights Act 55th Anniversary: COVID19, Voter Suppression, Vote by Mail, & More. indybay.org Online via Twitter…

_____ (2020-08-07). The Policy Of Maximum Pressure Against Iran Has Failed. popularresistance.org Depending on what policy the United States adopts after the elections, Sahimi expects "the response to come at a later time and in a manner and at locations where neither Israel nor the US would expect." | Biden has pledged, if elected, to reverse course on Iran. Izadi believes a Biden Administration would change the Trump policy of maximum pressure. "Whether doing it through rejoining the nuclear agreement or coming up with some other policies, we have to wait and see," he says. | Parsi, who is familiar with the views of Biden's Iran advisors, says the new administration would likely call for "compliance for com…

Evelyn Leopold (2020-08-07). Is Netanyahu Serious About Annexing Jordan Valley? counterpunch.org On July 1, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised he would annex part of the Jordan Valley. He did not, but he may still do so before U.S. elections in November and while President Donald Trump is still in office. It could be his legacy. Trump's challenger, former vice president Joseph Biden, has joined the

Staff (2020-08-06). Headlines for August 6, 2020. democracynow.org Beirut Blast Destroys Grain Silo and Leaves 300,000 Homeless, Adding to Humanitarian Crisis, COVID-19 Deaths Surge in Florida and California as New York City Erects Quarantine Checkpoints, India Records Its Highest One-Day Coronavirus Toll, Facebook Removes Video from Trump's Account Citing COVID-19 Misinformation, Security Team Assigned to Family of Dr. Anthony Fauci Amid Death Threats, Gilead Accused of Neglecting Coronavirus Drug Research in Bid to Maximize Profits, Kodak Under Investigation for Insider Trading Tied to Massive Government Loan, Deutsche Bank Gave Trump Financial Records to New York Prosecutors…

Staff (2020-08-06). "The Beginning of Our End": On 75th Anniversary, Hiroshima Survivor Warns Against Nuclear Weapons. democracynow.org On the 75th anniversary of when the United States dropped the world's first atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, killing some 140,000 people, we speak with Hideko Tamura Snider, who was 10 years old when she survived the attack. "The shaking was so huge," she recalls. "I remember the sensation, the color and the smell like yesterday." Tamura Snider describes her harrowing journey through a shattered city, suffering radiation sickness following the attack, and her message to President Trump.

Staff (2020-08-06). Revealed: How U.S. Gov't & Hollywood Secretly Worked Together to Justify Atomic Bombings of Japan. democracynow.org On the 75th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing, when the United States became the only country ever to use nuclear weapons in warfare, we look at how the U.S. government sought to manipulate the narrative about what it had done — especially by controlling how it was portrayed by Hollywood. Journalist Greg Mitchell's new book, "The Beginning or the End: How Hollywood — and America — Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb," documents how the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki triggered a race between Hollywood movie studios to tell a sanitized version of the story in a major motion picture.

Mark Gruenberg (2020-08-06). Progressives score big wins in Missouri and Michigan. peoplesworld.org ST. LOUIS—Progressive candidates, running on causes such as Medicare For All, the $15 minimum wage, workers' rights, and the Green New Deal, scored impressive wins in the August 4 Democratic primaries in Missouri and Michigan. Next battle up: Minnesota. The biggest win came in St. Louis, where Cori Bush, in her second try for the …

_____ (2020-08-06). Document Exposes US Plot To Overthrow Nicaragua's Elected Government. popularresistance.org A newly released document exposes a US government operation to overthrow the democratically elected socialist government in Nicaragua. | The plot is administered by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), a regime-change vehicle that uses the pretense of "humanitarian aid" to advance Washington's aggressive foreign-policy interests. | The document (PDF) details the creation of a new "task order" called Responsive Assistance in Nicaragua (RAIN) and its plan for "Nicaragua's transition to democracy"…

_____ (2020-08-06). Document Exposes US Plot To Overthrow Nicaragua's Elected Governmentt. popularresistance.org A newly released document exposes a US government operation to overthrow the democratically elected socialist government in Nicaragua. | The plot is administered by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), a regime-change vehicle that uses the pretense of "humanitarian aid" to advance Washington's aggressive foreign-policy interests. | The document (PDF) details the creation of a new "task order" called Responsive Assistance in Nicaragua (RAIN) and its plan for "Nicaragua's transition to democracy"…

Fight Back (2020-08-06). Coalition to March on the DNC responds to Biden's decision to stay home. fightbacknews.org Milwaukee, WI – While Joe Biden shelters himself from COVID-19 and the movement for Black lives in Milwaukee, the Coalition to March on the Democratic National Convention (DNC) will be in the streets. Regardless of whether Biden comes to Milwaukee or not, the Democrats will hear from the people on the front lines fighting police crimes, especially the families who have lost loved ones to killer cops. | "Our main goal as a group is to defeat Donald Trump. He is the key figure in promoting racist killings of Black, Latino and indigenous people, whether by vigilantes or the police," said Ryan Hamann, one of the co-…

Justin Podur (2020-08-06). America's Wars on Democracy in Rwanda and the DR Congo. zcomm.org Joe Emersberger interviewed Justin Podur regarding his new book about a conflict few understand thanks to, among other things, "Africanist" scholars.

RT (2020-08-06). Democrats drifting to extreme left because they are 'owned by George Soros,' claims former House speaker Gingrich. rt.com The Democrat Party continues to drift radically leftward, and its leadership will never rebuke militant elements like Antifa, because it's controlled by billionaire leftist George Soros, former US House speaker Newt Gingrich said. | "All of these Democrats are now basically owned by the left," Gingrich said on Wednesday in an interview on Fox News. "They are not going to pick any fights. They are owned by people who are financed by George Soros." | Gingrich made his comments after Democrats in a US Senate hearing on Tuesday refused to directly criticize the conduct of Antifa, whose members have been accused of…

RT (2020-08-06). Biden says Latinos are 'incredibly diverse,' UNLIKE BLACK VOTERS. rt.com Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden took time out from a question asked by a Latina reporter to state that while black voters all think alike (with "notable exceptions"), Latino voters are "incredibly diverse" in opinion. | In the midst of answering a question on whether he would extend protected status for Venezuelan immigrants during a Wednesday town hall, Biden veered off on a self-congratulatory tangent touting his supposed knowledge of the Latino community. | What you all know but most people don't know, unlike the African American community with notable exceptions, the Latino community is an i…

The Tricontinental (2020-08-06). Dossier 31: 'The Politic of Blood': Political Repression in South Africa. mronline.org In his famous speech from the dock in April 1964, Nelson Mandela spoke of 'revolutionary democracy' rooted in precolonial forms of collective deliberation and decision making.

Martin Hart-Landsberg (2020-08-06). Seeking peace on the Korean Peninsula. mronline.org Although the date drew little notice in the U.S. media, July 27, 2020 marked the 67th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice Agreement, an agreement that ended the fighting but not the war between the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea).

Eds. (2020-08-06). Bolivia begins the week with an indefinite general strike and roadblocks. mronline.org In the early hours of this Monday morning, the indefinite general strike and roadblocks began throughout Bolivia, called by the Central Obrera Boliviana (COB) and the organizations that constitute the Unity Pact, which demand that the Supreme Electoral Tribunal respect the election date established by law for September 6.

Mark Gruenberg (2020-08-06). GOP fiddles as jobless cavalcade continues and pandemic rages. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—Congressional Republicans fiddled and made no moves to help the unemployed, as the cavalcade of jobless workers continued in the week ending August 1. And the fiddling may come back to haunt them in November, polls show. In those seven days ending August 1, another 984,192 people sought state jobless benefits, the Bureau of Labor …

RT (2020-08-06). 'Virtue signaling her way to reelection': Michigan governor roasted online after declaring racism 'PUBLIC HEALTH crisis'. rt.com Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer was accused of pandering to those engaged in identity politics, after she declared racism a "public health crisis" and said that everyone is plagued by unconscious bias. | The executive order signed by Whitmer on Wednesday mandates implicit bias training for all state employees. The ultimate goal is to build "a more inclusive and unbiased state that works for everyone," the Democrat governor said. | Implicit, unconscious bias exists within each of us, and, as public servants, we have a duty to understand how our bias can impact the lives of others. | Another measure rolled ou…

RT (2020-08-06). 'The Moscow consensus': as West's centuries-long hegemony comes to an end, Russia & other emerging markets have ideas of their own. rt.com Russians and Americans often seem like they are talking over each other. Both sides have their own view of the world, and increasingly, are able to agree on very little. | The Western view is that Russia is our enemy. It is trying to destabilize the international order and undermine democracy so that its president, Vladimir Putin, can re-establish the USSR for the benefit of his corrupt cronies. Against him stand those of the civilized world, who believe in the values of democratic individual freedoms, justice and the rule of law. | Is that a fairly accurate picture of how many governments and commenters see R…

Noam Chomsky (2020-08-06). A Message to the Swing State. zcomm.org Trump is waging a war on truth, decency, our planet, and on working people. If Biden wins, we'll be at his door on day one, demanding the kinds of structural reforms that advance racial, economic, and environmental justice. But before that, we have to #VoteTrumpOut in swing states…

WSWS (2020-08-06). Two incumbent House members defeated in primary voting. wsws.org A total of seven representatives, three Democrats and four Republicans, have been denied renomination so far this year.

teleSUR (2020-08-06). US Senate Hearing Unveils Trump's Plans Against Venezuela. telesurenglish.net The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday held a hearing to discuss Donald Trump administration's policy towards Venezuela. The U.S. Special Representative for Venezuela Elliot Abrams was summoned to answer questions about it. | RELATED: | At the meeting, Republican Senator Mitt Romney and other Democratic lawmakers referred to the failure of the U.S. actions carried out to prompt a government change i…

teleSUR (2020-08-06). DR Congo: Ebola Cases Raise to 74. telesurenglish.net The World Health Organization (WHO) Thursday announced that 74 Ebola virus cases have been recorded in the latest outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). | RELATED: | On June 25, DRC authorities announced the end of the tenth Ebola outbreak, which had been hitting the North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri provinces since August 2018. | In those territories, the WHO registered 3,463…

Collective 20 (2020-08-06). Raise, Don't Stabilize and Don't Reduce Social Costs. zcomm.org We seek radical social transformation. But short of that, our actions should not only force elites to respond to our demands they should also expand democracy and plant the seeds of a new future in the present…

WSWS (2020-08-06). Florida governor admits state unemployment system purposefully designed to pay out "least number of claims" wsws.org Republican governor Ron DeSantis had previously claimed nearly all applicants had been paid and blamed jobless workers for incorrectly filling out forms.

George Ochenski (2020-08-06). An Unbelievably Disastrous State of Affairs. counterpunch.org Like most of the rest of the U.S. population, Montanans are wondering how we're going to get out of the very serious and growing problems afflicting our state and nation right now. They are also, on an increasing basis, growing very angry that our Republican president and his snarling pack of enablers are ignoring the

sputniknews (2020-08-06). Trump Says Biden 'Totally Disparaged and Insulted Black Community'. sputniknews.com The president referred to an earlier video of Biden, where the former vice president used the word "junkie" towards a reporter and claimed the Latino community is more diverse than the black one.

sputniknews (2020-08-06). Daesh 'Exploited' COVID-19 Restrictions, Ramped Up Attacks in Iraq – IG Report. sputniknews.com Daesh forces stepped up attacks in Iraq during the holy month of Ramadan while also managing to exploit COVID-19 restrictions that have impacted Iraqi security forces, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and US-led coalition forces, according to a new report issued from the US Department of Defense Inspector General's Office.

_____ (2020-08-06). The DNC Convention Is the Election. strategic-culture.org For nearly a year it has been my primary thesis that the DNC nominating convention would determine the fate of the presidential election here in the states. These four days may, in fact, be more dramatic than any Democratic convention since 1860 when incumbent James Buchanan was tossed aside to ensure a lawyer with railroad ties from Illinois, Stephen Douglas, squared off against Republican Abraham Lincoln. | Lincoln was also a railroad lawyer from Illinois. Just sayin'. | The convention is less than two weeks away and serious questions about the Democrats' strategy should be plain to see for anyone who pays even…

Staff (2020-08-06). New Sanders Bill Would Tax "Obscene" Pandemic Windfall of Billionaires. truthout.org Sen. Bernie Sanders plans to introduce legislation Thursday that would heavily tax the "obscene wealth gains" America's billionaires have accumulated during the Covid-19 crisis to help fund the U.S. recovery from the pandemic and resulting economic collapse. | In a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday, Sanders said "if we taxed 60 percent of the windfall gains these billionaires made from March 18th until August 3rd, we could raise over $420 billion." | "That's enough revenue to allow Medicare to pay…

yenisafak (2020-08-06). Ebola cases in DR Congo rise to 74 in latest outbreak. yenisafak.com At least 74 Ebola virus cases have been recorded in the latest outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the World Health Organization announced Thursday.So far there are 74 cases, with 70 confirmed and four probable, 32 deaths and 28 recoveries from the 11th Ebola virus outbreak in Mbandaka, Equateur province, the WHO African Region tweeted.For several months, the DRC has been battling with several diseasing including, Cholera, Ebola, Measles.Last month the WHO office in the Central African country said that a total of 12,959 people have been vaccinated since the start of the 11th Ebola outbreak in ear…

Eoin Higgins, staff writer (2020-08-06). Biden Says He Won't Stand in Way of Possible Future Prosecution of Trump. commondreams.org "I will not interfere with the Justice Department's judgment of whether or not they think they should pursue the prosecution of anyone that they think has violated the law." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/biden_time.jpg

Robert C. Koehler (2020-08-06). Election Theft and the Reluctant Democracy. commondreams.org Board of Election employees and volunteers wearing PPE (personal protective equipment) assist voters at the Brooklyn Museum polling site for the New York Democratic presidential primary on June 23, 2020. (Photo: Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/election_funding.jpg

Lisa Newcomb, staff writer (2020-08-06). Republican Gov. DeWine Tests Positive for Covid-19 as Virus Sweeps Across Ohio Ahead of Trump Visit. commondreams.org The announcement comes as teachers and parents criticize the state's school reopening plans. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1058491072-dewine_comp.jpg

Joan Walsh (2020-08-06). No Matter Who Biden Chooses as VP, It Will Be a Bittersweet Win for Women. thenation.com No Matter Who Biden Chooses as VP, It Will Be a Bittersweet Win for Women…

Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (2020-08-06). Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS): To Nancy Pelosi — Did Russia Hack the DNC Emails? globalresearch.ca The lack of detail demanded by Pelosi may simply mean the absence of credible evidence of Russian interference as well as the absence of Clapperesque officials to conjure it up. | *** | MEMORANDUM FOR: Speaker Nancy Pelosi | FROM: Veteran Intelligence Professionals …

Peter Bolton (2020-08-06). Establishment Democrats are getting cocky. That could mean 2016 all over again. thecanary.co Polls on the upcoming 2020 presidential election in the US show presumptive Democratic Party nominee Joe Biden

D.D. Guttenplan (2020-08-06). Biden, Just Say Yes on Medicare for All! thenation.com Biden, Just Say Yes on Medicare for All!

Jennifer Epps-Addison (2020-08-06). Why We're Demanding No Cops for Veep. thenation.com Why We're Demanding No Cops for Veep…

Robert L. Borosage (2020-08-06). The Complete Dysfunction of the GOP Is on Full Display. thenation.com The Complete Dysfunction of the GOP Is on Full Display…

Alan MacLeod (2020-08-05). Backed by Millions from Pro-Israel Interests, Antone Melton-Meaux Takes Aim at Ilhan Omar. thealtworld.com A little-known union-busting attorney from Minnesota is raking in millions in campaign donations, mostly from out of state, in his attempt to unseat anti-war Rep. Ilhan Omar. | MPN— Some of the most committed pro-Israel and anti-Palestinian groups are flooding the Democratic primaries in an attempt to unseat Rep. Ilhan Omar. | On the surface, there are five candidates Democrats vying to be the congressional representative for Minnesota's 5th district. But, in reality, it is a two-horse race, with two candidates raising millions, mostly from out of state, in this unusually hotly contested primary. One's prese…

Staff (2020-08-05). The End of Big Tech? Calls Grow to Break Up Facebook, Amazon for "Mob-Like" Behavior, Monopoly Power. democracynow.org Calls are growing to break up the Big Tech giants, with a handful of companies controlling more and more of the technology industry, crowding out or acquiring would-be competitors and exercising vast power over the U.S. economy. Lawmakers grilled the CEOs of Amazon, Apple, Google and Facebook during a hearing last week on whether their companies are guilty of stifling competition, in a scene reminiscent of the 1994 hearing of tobacco executives who claimed cigarettes were not addictive. This came just days after Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos reportedly made $13 billion in a single day, even as the coronavirus pandemic ha…

Staff (2020-08-05). "Despair and Destruction": Doctor in Beirut Describes Harrowing Scenes After Massive Port Explosion. democracynow.org As Beirut reels from a massive explosion that killed at least 100 people and injured thousands, we get an on-the-ground update from pediatrician and writer Dr. Seema Jilani, who treated her own daughter for injuries after the blast. "It was extremely packed because we're just coming out of a four-day lockdown," says Jilani. "Everybody was out." Lebanon's Prime Minister Hassan Diab called the explosion a "national catastrophe."

Staff (2020-08-05). Headlines for August 5, 2020. democracynow.org Massive Explosion Tears Through Beirut, Leaving Hundreds Missing and Thousands Injured, Lebanon's PM Says 2,700 Tons of Ammonium Nitrate Sparked "National Catastrophe" in Beirut, Mississippi Becomes Biggest U.S. Coronavirus Hot Spot as Governor Mandates Masks, Georgia Prisoners Live-Stream Video from Prison Uprising Amid Coronavirus Outbreak, Chicago Schools Cancel September Classes as Union Threatens Strike over Coronavirus Safety, U.N. Warns Coronavirus School Closures Have Impacted Over 1 Billion Students, Brazil COVID-19 Deaths Approach 100,000 as Infections Surge in India, Black Lives Matter & Ferguson Activ…

Staff (2020-08-05). Journalist Rami Khouri: Beirut Explosion Follows Years of Lebanese Gov't Incompetence & Corruption. democracynow.org The explosion in the Port of Beirut, which killed at least 100 people and injured about 4,000 others, is the latest blow to Lebanon, which already faces an economic, political and public health crisis amid the coronavirus pandemic. The blast is believed to have been triggered by 2,700 tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate inexplicably left unattended in a warehouse for six years. Journalist Rami Khouri says it's further proof of "the cumulative incompetence, corruption, lassitude, amateurism and uncaring attitude by successive Lebanese governments" that have failed the country. "It's the ruling political elit…

Staff (2020-08-05). Trump Has A Path To Victory. It's Voter Suppression. therealnews.com The real threat facing the 2020 election isn't Russian interference or voter fraud, it's the GOP's massive voter suppression effort, argues journalist Greg Palast.

John Catalinotto (2020-08-05). Republicans sabotage as negotiations delay pandemic relief package. workers.org Aug. 3 — Talks between the Republican administration and its majority Republican Senate with the Democratic Party House and Senate leaders have failed so far to reach agreement. This impasse holds up the emergency relief, which Republicans call CARES-2, beyond the date when vital unemployment supplements expired and the rent . . . |

Editor (2020-08-05). Workers World Party salutes Fidel Agcaoili. workers.org Fidel Agcaoili Workers World Party sends its deepest condolences and firm solidarity to the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, the Communist Party of the Philippines and the world proletarian movement on the death of an extraordinary Filipino revolutionary, Fidel Agcaoili, on July 23. Fidel's deep, lifelong dedication to organizing . . . |

RT (2020-08-05). Gaffe-smothered Biden laughs off the idea he should take a cognitive test. rt.com Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has mocked an interviewer who asked him if he would take a cognitive test, and also dismissed Donald Trump's challenge to do so. | "Why the hell would I take a test?" the 77-year-old politician asked, during a Tuesday Yahoo News interview after confirming that he has not taken one. Biden then used his catchphrase "come on, man" to mock the very idea, adding that it is like asking the interviewer, Errol Barnett, if he has been taking cocaine before the interview. | Biden concluded by saying he believes that Barnett was trying to "goad" him during the interview, but…

RT (2020-08-05). Biden's wife says he WILL debate Trump, as his campaign blames right wingers for 'imaginary controversy'. rt.com Joe Biden's wife confirmed in a Fox News interview that he will go through with plans for debates with President Donald Trump, ignoring the advice of some political strategists and media outlets such as CNN. | "Oh yes, he will," Jill Biden told Fox's Dana Perino on Tuesday. "I think they've already, I think it's three debates they've decided on. So yes, he will be there." She added that her husband, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, will make up his own mind rather than being swayed by those who are urging him to skip the debates. | Jill Biden's comments echoed those of Biden campaign spokes…

RT (2020-08-05). Biden backs out of attending Democratic convention on Covid-19 fears, will instead accept presidential nomination VIRTUALLY. rt.com Joe Biden won't be traveling to Milwaukee as planned to accept the Democratic presidential nomination – he and other scheduled speakers at the party's national convention will give their speeches remotely, due to Covid-19 fears. | "From the very beginning of this pandemic, we put the health and safety of the American people first," Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez said Wednesday. | "We followed the science, listened to doctors and public health experts, and we continued making adjustments to our plans in order to protect lives. That's the kind of steady and responsible leadership America deserv…

RT (2020-08-05). NYC setting up quarantine CHECKPOINTS to monitor visitors from 34 states, de Blasio says. rt.com New York City is setting up checkpoints at bridges, tunnels and train stations to crack down on visitors from 34 states attempting to elude a statewide mandatory two-week Covid-19 quarantine, Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced. | De Blasio warned visitors that the city would be tightening its surveillance of new arrivals at "key entry points" during a press conference on Wednesday. Visitors "will be reminded that [quarantine] is required, not optional," he told reporters, adding that failure to self-isolate can net violators a $10,000 fine. | Mayor de Blasio says, "starting today," NYC will put COVID checkpoin…

RT (2020-08-05). Former nurse defeats veteran congressman in another victory for the left wing of the Democratic party. rt.com Cori Bush has unseated Democratic Party congressman William Lacy Clay, defeating a political dynasty that has represented its district in St Louis, Missouri, for more than half a century. | The race ended on Tuesday night, though far from a landslide, with Bush, a former nurse,

RT (2020-08-05). Former acting AG Yates says she signed bogus FISA requests to spy on Trump campaign because it's not her job to do fact-checking. rt.com Former acting attorney general Sally Yates continued clinging to the possibility that President Donald Trump colluded with Russia to get elected in 2016, testifying in the Senate that she couldn't opine on whether he's guilty. | Asked on Wednesday by Louisiana Republican John Kennedy whether Trump violated the law by somehow colluding with Russia, Yates said the investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller found

Eds. (2020-08-05). A tale of two Chomskys: Cancel culture vs. neoliberal hegemonic soft power. mronline.org Noam Chomsky has been writing about the lack of democracy under neoliberal hegemony for decades, which is why I was so surprised that he signed the recent Harper's Letter.

commondreams (2020-08-05). Ocasio-Cortez, Vel√°zquez Call for Investigation Into Possible Martin Act Violations by New York Hedge Funds. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Stephen Lendman (2020-08-05). US War on Chinese Enterprises. globalresearch.ca US war on China's rising prominence on the world stage is a bipartisan affair. | It won't likely miss a beat if Biden succeeds Trump in January. | US hostility toward China by Republicans and Dems differs only or largely in style …

commondreams (2020-08-05). PFAW Congratulates Rashida Tlaib on Primary Win. commondreams.org ______________________________…

commondreams (2020-08-05). People's Action Cheers Rep. Rashida Tlaib's Defeat of Challenger in Heated Michigan Primary. commondreams.org ______________________________…

WSWS (2020-08-05). From Medicare-for-All to "Masks-for-All": Bernie Sanders and the incredible shrinking "political revolution" wsws.org Under conditions of the greatest political, economic, social, and health catastrophe in US history, Sanders' proposal amounts to less than a Band-Aid for a bullet wound.

WSWS (2020-08-05). New York educators oppose city and state school reopening plans. wsws.org Teachers in New York are determined to prevent the unsafe reopening of schools by the Democratic mayor and governor.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-08-05). Syria criticizes US deal with SDF over its oil fields. peoplesdispatch.org Syrian oil fields in the north-eastern part of the country have been under the control of the Kurdish-led rebel group, Syrian Democratic Forces, since the defeat of ISIS in 2017…

Matt Sedlar (2020-08-05). The Big Tech Hearings Could Be a Model for Corporate Accountability. cepr.net The American Prospect See article on original site In 2018, Democrats ran and won on a platform to hold President Trump and his cronies accountable. Many observers expected to be treated to a full schedule of oversight programming in the succeeding Congress, with a nearly endless stream of smug incompetents being caught in their lies …

WSWS (2020-08-05). US teachers defy threats to cut funding for schools that delay in-person learning. wsws.org Republican-controlled legislatures in several states are moving to cut funding and outsource the jobs of teachers if schools do not open with full in-person learning.

_____ (2020-08-05). Water Wars and America's Fate. strategic-culture.org India versus China, Egypt versus Ethiopia, Israel versus the Palestinians — the Water Wars are already here with U.S., yet American and European policymakers remain disastrously blind to them. This is certain to have catastrophic consequences for the wealthy, arrogant and ludicrously complacent elites of the West. | The problem is particularly acute in the United States: Indeed, it has been growing for half a century but has reached such enormous dimensions in the 21st century that neocon imperialist Republican, neoliberal imperialist Democratic and Green policymakers are all oblivious to it. | How can this…

Lisa Newcomb, staff writer (2020-08-05). 'Don't Let Anyone Fool You,' Says Sanders. Primary Wins Show Progressives 'Transforming American Politics'. commondreams.org Sen. Bernie Sanders maintains progressive candidates won because they campaigned "not only against Trump, but for an agenda that works for the working families of this country." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/screen_shot_2020-08-05_at_3.02.38_pm.png

Jeffrey D. Sachs (2020-08-05). Beware Biblical Literalists Like Pompeo Seeking War With China. commondreams.org U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo admitted on Wednesday that he was on the phone call between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensy in July, in which Trump asked Zelensky to investigate 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden's son. (Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/gettyimages-11336864281.jpg

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-08-05). New Report Accuses Trump of 'Intentional Disregard' and Attack on Democracy Throughout Failed Covid-19 Response. commondreams.org A new report from government watchdog Common Cause details at least seven months of failures by the Trump administration to confront the coronavirus pandemic as a national emergency and to contain the virus. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/intentional_disregard.jpg

Robert Reich (2020-08-05). How Mitch McConnell's republicans are destroying America. nationofchange.org Time and again, they've shown that they only care about their wealthy donors and corporate backers.

WSWS (2020-08-05). House Speaker Pelosi signals readiness to cut unemployment benefits. wsws.org Congress continues to quibble over a new bill as the crisis deepens for millions of workers and their families.

James Zogby (2020-08-05). The Democratic Party Is Setting the Stage for a Letdown. thenation.com The Democratic Party Is Setting the Stage for a Letdown…

Staff (2020-08-04). Headlines for August 4, 2020. democracynow.org Concerns Mount over Politicization of COVID-19 Vaccine, as Trump Lashes Out at "Pathetic" Dr. Birx, WHO Warns There May Never Be a Coronavirus "Silver Bullet", Trump Threatens to Sue Nevada After It Expands Voter Access, Leaked Video Shows George Floyd Pleaded for His Life, Cooperated with Police, Before He Was Killed, Video Shows LAPD Shot Peaceful Protester in the Head as He Held His Arms in the Air, Prosecutor Clears Arkansas Officers Who Pushed Black Man into the Ground for 6.5 Minutes Before He Died, Census Bureau Cuts Short Collection Efforts by One Month, Mexican Man Dies After Falling from Border Wall, Me…

Staff (2020-08-04). Public Health vs. Politics: White House Scrapped Nationwide COVID-19 Testing Plan to Hurt Blue States. democracynow.org As the U.S. coronavirus death toll passes 155,000, there is still no national testing program, with widespread shortages and delays hampering efforts to contain the pandemic. This continues months after President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner launched a White House task force with the goal of establishing a national testing plan. We speak to investigative reporter Katherine Eban, whose explosive Vanity Fair report chronicles Kushner's fumbling efforts and the sudden decision to abandon the project on political grounds. "The participants expected that at any moment in early April, the plan would be announced,"

Staff (2020-08-04). "Release Them All": Calls Grow to Stop Jailing Immigrants as Transfers & Deportations Spread COVID. democracynow.org The U.S. government continues to hold tens of thousands of asylum seekers and immigrants in detention centers and jails, ignoring the advice of medical experts as the coronavirus continues to spread. ICE has also continued to transfer and deport people — including those who are infected — making it a global superspreader. We speak with Luis Angel Reyes Savalza, an immigration attorney and co-director of Pangea Legal Services in San Francisco, who himself is undocumented and recently got arrested at a protest outside the mansion of California Governor Gavin Newsom demanding the release of people in sta…

RT (2020-08-04). Trump RUINED our Venezuela coup and botched 'winning play,' cries Democrat senator before getting ROASTED online. rt.com The Democratic Party's gripes with President Trump are many, yet the latest may be the most bizarre to date. One senator argued that Trump's brash personality bungled a perfectly good, American-style coup in Venezuela. | If Senator Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut) had his way, opposition leader Juan Guaido would be occupying the Presidential Palace in Caracas right now, after the successful ousting of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Despite the weight the US threw behind Guaido last year, the young upstart's planned coup was a failure, and Murphy blames Trump for that loss. | 2/ In early 2019, an opportunity…

RT (2020-08-04). Trump RUINED our Venezuela coup and botched 'winning play,' cries Democrat Senator & gets ROASTED online. rt.com The Democratic Party's gripes with President Trump are many, yet the latest may be the most bizarre to date. One Senator argued that Trump's brash personality bungled a perfectly good, American-style coup in Venezuela. | If Senator Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut) had his way, opposition leader Juan Guaido would be occupying the Presidential Palace in Caracas right now, after the successful ousting of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Despite the weight the US threw behind Guaido last year, the young upstart's planned coup was a failure, and Murphy blames Trump for that loss. | 2/ In early 2019, an opportunity…

Dean Baker (2020-08-04). We Need an Economic Survival Package Not Another Stimulus. counterpunch.org There continues to be enormous confusion about what we should be trying to accomplish in the next pandemic relief package. This is best demonstrated by Republicans' obsession with getting people back to work, with a mixture of cuts to unemployment benefits and return to work bonuses. Ignoring the questionable economic logic (there is zero evidence

Shawn Fremstad — Nicole Rodgers (2020-08-04). COVID Stimulus Checks Shouldn't Penalize One-Parent Households. counterpunch.org Both the HEROES Act passed by the House in May and Senate Republicans' HEALS Act announced this week would provide a new round of stimulus in the form of one-time cash payments to most Americans, but with some major differences. One of these differences is in how the bills treat one-parent households with children, the

Anand Naidoo (2020-08-04). The Heat: Race for the White House. america.cgtn.com Just three months away from the presidential election in the U.S., what does it look like for the two major candidates? On November 3, millions of Americans will choose to either re-elect President Donald Trump or elevate former Vice-President Joe Biden. For now, the polls suggest …

RT (2020-08-04). Media ramps up campaign to get Biden out of debates with Trump, offering various excuses other than their candidate's failing mind. rt.com Media outlets from the New York Times to CNN and Newsweek have offered Joe Biden various reasons over the past several days to skip debates with President Donald Trump. None mentions Biden's fading ability to speak coherently. | A New York Times opinion piece on Monday suggested that presidential debates should be scrapped altogether because they've "never made sense as a test for presidential leadership." | We didn't need the debates to tell us that Trump had chosen to be the P.T. Barnum of American politics. For him, it was (and still is) all about the show, about distracting the public from reality. | CNN p…