Pakistan marchers threaten Islamabad blockade over Dutch cartoons

Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan protesters vow to blockade the city unless Dutch ties are cut over cartoon competition.

Islamabad, Pakistan - Hundreds of far-right protesters are marching on the Pakistani capital Islamabad, threatening to blockade the city unless the country cuts diplomatic ties with the Netherlands over a cartoon competition deemed to be blasphemous. Read more.

Al Jazeera

Gerelateerd,
- Wilders blaast cartoonwedstrijd af vanwege dreigementen - NOS
- Wat Wilders deed was ordinaire opruiing, geframed als vrijheid van meningsuiting - Trouw

Argentina's peso hits record low against US dollar

Argentina's currency, the peso, has hit a record low against the US dollar. President Mauricio Macri has asked the International Monetary Fund for an advance on a $50bn dollar bailout loan.

But there is growing concern about whether the country can meet its financial obligations. Al Jazeera's Paul Chaderjian reports.

Al Jazeera

Related,
- Argentina: IMF agrees to release funds (video) - teleSUR
- Statement by the IMF’s Managing Director on Argentina - IMF

- Argentina Asks The IMF For The Second Disbursement (video) - teleSUR
- Argentina burns reserves, asks for early IMF help as peso crashes - Reuters

India may face sanctions if it buys Russia's S-400 missiles: US

US might not offer waiver to India if it buys S-400 missile system from Russia, Pentagon official says.

The United States cannot guarantee India will be exempt from sanctions if it purchases weapons and defence systems from Russia, a top Pentagon official said. Read more.

Al Jazeera

Related,
- US threatens India with sanctions over S-400 defence system deal (video) - RT

Russia gives US intel on planned chemical weapons provocation in Syria

Moscow has briefed US diplomats on a plan by militants to stage a false flag chemical weapons attack in Syria's Idlib province meant to frame Damascus, the Russian ambassador in the US has said.

Anatoly Antonov, the Russian ambassador in Washington, confirmed to the media on Wednesday that he had met with the US special representative to Syria, James Jeffrey, and David M. Satterfield, acting assistant secretary of state for near eastern affairs. Read more + video.

RT

Related,
- US already drafted list of targets for potential strike in Syria – report - RT
- Idlib to become Syria's final battle with terrorists… if the West stays out of it (video) - RT

Syria Spurns US Offer to Pull Out Troops as Trade for Iran Withdrawal - Report

Syria turned down an offer from the US to withdraw their forces from Al Tanf, a US base in the southeast and the East Euphrates zone in exchange for three concessions from the Assad government, according to a report from Lebanese daily Al Akhbar.

Officials of "several US intelligence and security agencies" reportedly landed in a private UAE plane at Damascus International Airport in late June. They then took off in a convoy towards the center of Damascus for a meeting with the head of Syria's national security office, Major General Ali Mamlouk. Read more.

Sputnik

Related,
- Russia accuses Syrian rebels of planing Idlib chemical attack (video) - Al Jazeera
- Syria final showdown looming: What's the worst case scenario? (video) - RT

Turkey undoubtedly being targeted by economic hit men, US economist Perkins says

American economist and author John Perkins, best known for his book titled "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" told Anadolu Agency that he had no doubt "a developing economy like in Turkey" is being targeted by economic hit men, adding that they nowadays not only work for the U.S. but also for other governments.

Perkins underlined that the global financial order is being shaped according to the benefits of dominant powers, saying that these powers obtain major financial gains by promoting rivalry between two states. Read more.

Daily Sabah

Related,
- 'Economic hitmen target emerging economies like Turkey' - AA
- Currency crisis in emerging markets (video) - CaspianReport

Rabobank-econoom: Schaf dividendbelasting niet af

Econoom bij de Rabobank Nic Vrieselaar ziet niks in de maatregel van het kabinet om de dividendbelasting af te schaffen. "Ik zou het niet doen", zegt hij in het NPO Radio 1-programma 1 op 1.

Hoewel het beter gaat met de economie, merken we daar nog te weinig van in de portemonnee. Daarom moet het kabinet meer doen om de lonen te laten stijgen, zeggen economen van de Rabobank. Lees meer + audio.

NPO Radio1

Banks consume over three times more energy than Bitcoin, according to researcher

Bitcoin’s network energy consumption has become somewhat of a hot topic as the cryptocurrency grows in popularity. A clean energy researcher, however, says that naysayers are missing critical factors when making their claims.

Having the wrong conversation
According to Katrina Kelly-Pitou, the popular debate on whether or not Bitcoin’s 00 network electricity consumption is causing serious damage to our climate is not headed in the right direction. Kelly-Pitou is a clean energy technology researcher at the University of Pittsburg, Read more.

Bitcoinist

Related,
- Stop worrying about how much energy bitcoin uses - Conversation

Study finds 1 in 12 children taking multiple medications at risk

Teenage girls are most vulnerable to harmful drug-drug interactions

About one in five children regularly use prescription medications, and nearly one in 12 of those children are at risk for experiencing a harmful drug-drug interaction. Adolescent girls are at highest risk. Read more.

ScienceDaily

'Appalling politics' & 'phony science' is why Monsanto is still afloat – lawyer suing chemical giant

Monsanto has suppressed the facts about its 'probably carcinogenic' weed killer for years, pouring vast sums of money towards complicit 'democratic regimes', a lawyer suing the chemical giant in 16 cancer cases has told RT.

Monsanto has been barraged with fresh lawsuits lately, after a California jury ordered it to pay $39 million in compensation and $250 million in punitive damages to a groundskeeper in a landmark case a couple of weeks ago. Read more + video.

RT

Adam

"Adam" is an award-winning real-time-rendered short film, written and directed by Veselin Efremov, and created by the Unity Demo team 

It runs at 1440p on a GeForce GTX980. Learn more about the creation of "Adam", download the assets and the real-time version, and find complete credits list.

Watch the next episodes, written and directed by Neill Blomkamp, and created by Oats Studios:
- Adam Episode 2: The Mirror
- Adam Episode 3: The Prophet

Related,
- How Neill Blomkamp and Unity are shaping the future of filmmaking with Adam: The Mirror - Verge

U.S. Blockade Against Cuba

The latest sanctions on Cuba imposed by Trump’s administration have caused a significant drop in the number of U.S. citizens visiting the Caribbean island

teleSUR

Israeli Minister: Arab Lawmakers Should Be Tried for Treason After Turning to UN

Minister Yariv Levin said on Monday that Israeli Arab lawmakers who turned to the United Nations over the recently passed Jewish nation-state law should be tried for treason.

"Another move from the Joint List," Levin, the minister for tourism, told Army Radio. "In any normal country there's one definition for that – treason. I hope the judicial system tries them." Read more.

Haaretz

Related,
- Nation-state Law Requires International Intervention, Israeli-Arab Lawmaker Tells UN Rep - Haaretz

‘Patriot or warmonger?’ McCain’s track record comes under public scrutiny

The death of John McCain caused mixed feelings and triggered a heated debate over the American values represented by the Republican. While some commended McCain’s patriotism, others questioned his moral integrity.

Following the announcement of 81-year-old John McCain’s death, the public took to social media to express their condolences and share mixed feelings about the Republican’s life and deeds. Read more.

RT

Related,
- Sen. John McCain’s complicated moral legacy on torture - Vox
- John McCain was an extreme right-wing lifelong warmonger (video) - Ben Norton

- John McCain Went To Ukraine And Stood On Stage With A Man Accused Of Being An Anti-Semitic Neo-Nazi - Business Insider
- Did John McCain Meet with Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the Alleged Head of the Islamic State (ISIS, ISIL, Daesh)? - Global Research

- US Senator McCain’s hawkish stance led to the death of millions: Analyst - PressTV
- Arms giant Lockheed Martin's tribute to John McCain goes down... badly - RT

War Propaganda: Michel Chossudovsky

Full lecture

This video is an excerpt from Michel Chossudovsky's presentation to the Regina Peace Council, Regina, Sask. June 2018. Produced by Paul Graham.

Professor Michel Chossudovsky has been tracking and analyzing the trajectory of U.S. military planning for the last two decades and has been at the forefront of dissecting the propaganda describing these projects as ‘self defense’ or a ‘humanitarian intervention.’

In June of 2018 he delivered a speech to the Regina Peace Council outlining his research and appealing for the re-invigoration of an anti-war movement that would confront what he considers to be a hegemonic project of world conquest, orchestrated by the U.S. and its Western allies.

“We’re dealing with a diabolical agenda where the United States is intervening under the banner of ‘Responsibility to Protect’ or ‘Global War on Terrorism.’ In other words it is providing a legitimacy to a war of aggression, or a sequence of wars of aggression. And the public is led to believe somehow that these are humanitarian undertakings.”

Global Research

Erik Prince’s Push to Privatize the Afghanistan War

Former Blackwater CEO Erik Prince is now lobbying to deploy mercenaries instead of the US military in order to bring the 17-year war in Afghanistan to an end. 

We discuss the proposal with Antony Loewenstein, author of “Disaster Capitalism”

TRNN

Related,
- One Year On, Little to Show for Trump’s Afghanistan Strategy - Foreign Policy

Over 180 injured by IDF troops during protests – Gaza Health Ministry

Gaza's Health Ministry says over 180 people were injured by Israeli soldiers during protests on Friday. 50 of the wounded are said to have been hit with live ammunition.

Israel claims its actions were necessary to prevent the Israel-Gaza barrier being breached, and that demonstrators were throwing rocks & Molotov cocktails at its troops.

RT

Related,
- IDF to investigate soldiers who eliminated rioters - Arutz Sheva
- In first, IDF opens investigations into pair of deaths in Gaza border clashes - Times of Israel

Bolton calls on Al-Qaeda to stage more chemical attacks in Syria

In a move that was entirely predictable, the US administration is once again threatening to bomb Syria if there is a “chemical weapons attack”.

This was entirely predictable because that chemical attack script has been read out, with salty crocodile tears, fake concern, and mocked indignation by US talking heads over the years - since 2012, in fact, when former US President Obama himself drew his red line on Syria. Read more.

RT

Related,
- Terrorists readying chemical attack to frame Damascus & provide pretext for US strikes – Russian MoD - RT

- Bolton: US to act 'very strongly' if Syria uses chemical arms - Al Jazeera
- Bolton told Russia the US will hit Syria if Assad uses chemical weapons: report - The Hill

- Bolton defends Israeli strikes in Syria against Iranian targets (video) - JPost
- Bolton and his Russian counterpart discuss arms control, Syria and Iran - Washington Post

- 'VS wil nieuwe aanvallen op Syrië uitvoeren bij gebruik chemische wapens' - NU
- VS wil nieuwe aanvallen op Syrië wanneer er chemische wapens worden gebruikt - DDS

Unidentified Helicopters Support Militants In Afghanistan: Russia

Russia’s Foreign Ministry says there is no reaction to these events from Afghan security and defense agencies or the US and NATO forces in Afghanistan.

Russia has recorded flights of unidentified helicopters delivering weapons to the Taliban and Daesh militants in Afghanistan, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Thursday. Read more.

TOLO

Related,
- Russia records unidentified helicopters delivering weapons to Taliban, IS in Afghanistan - TASS

- Envoy says Afghanistan has no plans to take part in Moscow talks - TASS
- Afghanistan expects Russia to help arrange talks with Taliban - TASS

How Israel Rules The World Of Cyber Security

U.S. intelligence agencies accuse Russia of hacking the 2016 presidential election, a Ben Ferguson travels to Tel Aviv to find out how Israel is on its way to becoming the world's top cyber superpower.

Vice News

DNC says suspected hack attempt turned out to be a security test

What the Democratic National Committee this week thought was an attempted hack of its valuable voter file turned out to be a security test organized by a state party, unbeknown to the national organization.

The committee on Tuesday alerted the FBI to a fake online portal it thought had been set up as an elaborate attempt to trick DNC staff into giving up their log-in credentials — through a hacking technique known as “phishing” — as a way to gain access to the party’s VoteBuilder database. Read more.

Washington Post

Related,
- DNC Backpedals After Cyberattack "Hack" Was Actually A Security "Test" - ZeroHedge
- Russian hackers not found… again: DNC retracts claim voter database targeted by cyber-attack - RT

- DNC cyberattack was not more Russian hackers, just a simulating phishing test (video) - Newsweek

- Poging tot hacking op Democraten was een test - Nieuwsblad
- Amerikaanse Democraten dan toch niet gehackt: “Het was maar een test” - HLN

Bots and Russian trolls influenced vaccine discussion on Twitter, research finds

New study discovers tactics similar to those used during 2016 US election

Social media bots and Russian trolls promoted discord and spread false information about vaccines on Twitter using tactics similar to those at work during the 2016 United States presidential election, according to new research led by the George Washington University. Read more.

ScienceDaily

Gerelateerd,
- ‘Russische propaganda joeg vaccinatie-debat aan’ - Foodlog

‘A good satellite does what it is told’: US warns Turkey & other allies against buying Russian S-400

Once again warning Turkey against buying Russian S-400 air-defense systems, the US State Department has gone a step further, to virtually threaten all its NATO and other allies with sanctions should they consider similar deals. Read more.

RT

Related,
- US ‘against’ Turkey purchasing S-400 missiles from Russia - Hürriyet
- Countries That Might Fall Victim to US Sanctions for Buying Russian S-400s - Sputnik

Duterte dismisses an offer to buy ‘utterly useless’ F-16 fighter jets

The outspoken president of The Philippines has dismissed an offer to buy U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets - saying buying them would be “utterly useless”. 

Rodrigo Duterte made the offer, signed by Washington's top brass, public during a military ceremony. Read more.

RT

Houthis: Saudi-UAE air raids kill dozens, including 22 children

Rebels say the combing targeted a camp for IDPs in Duraihami, an area which has seen intense clashes in recent weeks. 

Yemen's Houthi rebels say at least 22 children and four women have been killed by air raids on a camp for internally displaced people in the flashpoint region of Hodeidah. Read more.

Al Jazeera

De Volksbank wil privatiseren én de menselijke maat houden; gaat dat samen?

De Volksbank, voorheen SNS Reaal, is staatseigendom sinds ze in 2013 met overheidsgeld van de ondergang werd gered. Nu denkt de bank weer aan een zelfstandige toekomst.

Het ministerie van financiën beslist naar verwachting volgend jaar hoe de Volksbank op eigen benen kan staan, zei directievoorzitter Maurice Oostendorp tijdens de toelichting op de halfjaarcijfers van de bank. In 2013 is de bank genationaliseerd. Naast SNS horen de ASN Bank, Regiobank en BLG Wonen onder de paraplu van de Volksbank. Lees meer.

Trouw

Gerelateerd,
- AkzoNobel-topman in raad van commissarissen Volksbank - Commisarissen

ISIL claims attacks on security forces in Russia's Chechnya

At least five assailants reported killed and several police wounded in a string of attacks claimed by ISIL

A series of coordinated attacks against security forces hit Russia's volatile autonomous republic of Chechnya on Monday with authorities claiming to have killed at least five assailants - all of them children. Read more.

Al Jazeera

Related,
- Militants Attack Police Officers in Chechnya; ISIS Claims Responsibility - NY Times
- Police Neutralize Gunmen Plotting High-Profile Attacks in Chechnya - Kadyrov - Sputnik

De Staat - Make The Call, Leave It All

Lyric

Venezuela's Sovereign Bolivar, Economic Reforms Go Into Effect

The new Venezuelan currency has five fewer zeros compared to the Bolivar, which will coexist for retail operations or smaller amount.

The monetary measures announced by the Venezuelan government, as part of the Recovery, Growth and Economic Prosperity Program, went into effect Monday, as the circulation of the Sovereign Bolivar began around the country. Read more + video.

teleSUR

Related,
-Venezuela launched new currency,'Sovereign Bolívar' pegged to energy cryptocurrency 'Petro' (video) - teleSUR

- Venezuela lops five zeros off its currency in bid to tackle hyperinflation (video) - Independent
- Venezuela is pegging its economic recovery to a cryptocurrency that’s widely considered a scam (video) - CNBC

- Venezuela Changes Oil Policy To Combat Smuggling (video) - teleSUR
- Morales Slams US "Invasion" (video) - teleSUR

Pieter Omtzigt: Nederland doneerde sinds 2015 uitrusting (oa 313 voertuigen) aan gewapende groepen in Syrie

Nederland doneerde sinds 2015 uitrusting (oa 313 voertuigen) aan gewapende groepen in Syrie. De overdrachtsbewijzen zijn staatgeheim. Het onderzoek ernaar is nu ook geheim verklaard.

Ik wil kunnen controleren wat de regering gedaan heeft. Daarom deze vragen aan Blok en Rutte... Lees meer.

Twitter

Gerelateerd,
- Rutte stuurde 313 voertuigen naar Syrische rebellen, verklaart bonnetjes tot staatsgeheim - Geenstijl

Two thirds of Russians believe secret groups conspiring to rewrite history & harm nation

About two thirds of Russians think there are certain groups seeking to rewrite the history of their country in a bid to undermine traditional values and promote tolerance to “non-traditional” sexual relations.

Russian state-run public opinion research center VTSIOM reported on Monday that a recent poll had shown that 66 percent of the country’s population believe in the existence of “a group of individuals” who see their goal as rewriting Russia’s history and falsifying historical facts. The ultimate objective of this alleged group is to harm the Russian nation and undermine its greatness, Russians believe. Read more.

RT

Yanis Varoufakis: “We should have been allowed to go bankrupt“

BILD meets Yanis Varoufakis – the man who was THE symbol of the Greek left-wing government’s resistance against the targets set by the bailout troika for the broke state of Greece.

From late January to early July 2015, Varoufakis – professor of economics, motorcyclist, and prominent baldhead – was minister of finance at the side of radically left-wing head of government, Alexis Tsipras. Europe’s left was eating out of his hand. The rest was scared to watch the show that he pulled off: a loud and complete refusal. In early July 2015, it was over for Varoufakis. His former buddy, Alexis Tsipras, advised him to step down. Read more + video.

Bild

Gerelateerd,
- Varoufakis: ‘Griekenland nog steeds niet gered maar wel geruïneerd’ - Joop
- Varoufakis: Grieks economisch gat dieper en nog net zo zwart als voor financiële steun - Volkskrant

- Griekenland staat financieel weer op eigen benen, en nu? - NOS
- Griekenland betaalt Nederlandse miljardenlening vanaf 2020 terug - NU

Turkey & Qatar seal currency swap deal to cut US dollar transactions

Qatar and Turkey have inked a currency swap agreement to boost liquidity and provide financial stability, Qatar’s central bank said, days after Doha pledged $15 billion of direct investment into Turkish markets.

The deal, which aims to boost cooperation between the countries, was clinched on Friday. The agreement will set up a two-way currency exchange line and facilitate exchange of trade between the nations, according to the Qatari central bank statement. Read more.

RT

Related,
- Turkey lira crisis: Turkey and Qatar sign currency swap agreement as US sanctions bite (video) - Express

Japan & China slashing US sovereign debt is Washington's worst nightmare

Latest figures from the US Treasury Department show that Russia and Turkey are not the only countries to dump US debt bonds. Washington’s second-biggest creditor, Japan, is doing the same.

Tokyo dumped $82.9 billion, or seven percent of its US Treasuries holdings, over the twelve months ending in June - the latest month for which data is available. Read more.

RT

Possible Wolverines? US plans to revolutionize warfare through bio-enhanced soldiers

Captain America, Deadpool, Wolverine: three fictional characters with superhuman bodies boosted for combat. Such stories, however, may soon become reality through US military trials currently proposed to revolutionize warfare. Read more.

RT

De Staat - Witch Doctor

Lyric

The Technocratic Global Government of the Future Is Here

Truthsteam Media

Related,
- Asgardia
- 'Space kingdom' Asgardia wants IQ tests for wannabe citizens - Independent

- Asgardia: The Real Space Nation (video) - Full Frontal on TBS
- De ruimtenatie Asgardia (video) - Niburu.co

Police question Netanyahu in 11th interrogation over graft probes

PM faces investigators at his official residence for final questioning over Bezeq corruption allegations, before expected recommendation of bribery charges 

Police investigators rolled into the Prime Minister’s Residence Friday morning to interrogate Benjamin Netanyahu in the high-profile Bezeq graft probe, known as Case 4000, in what is expected to be his last questioning over allegations of bribery. Read more.

Times of Israel

Related,
- Israeli Police Again Question PM on Corruption Allegations - NY Times
- “Crime Minister” Netanyahu interrogated by police! (video) - PressTV

What does IDF closing Black Friday war crimes probe mean for ICC?

The good news for Israel is the ICC Prosecution is taking its time and not rushing to conclusions like the UNHRC.

So much action happened and so many Palestinian civilians died tragically on Black Friday, August 1, 2014, that it is hard to distill the issues. Read more.

JPost

Weed firms fume as government rolls with cannabis research but stubs out exports

The Volcani Center's medical marijuana research is part of Israel's bid to be a world leader in medical cannabis, though businesses are angry over Netanyahu's exports freeze 

The State of Israel’s official marijuana plants grow in four squat, unassuming greenhouses in the city of Rishon LeZion. About 100 marijuana plants grow in carefully controlled conditions, grown exactly to specifications for ongoing medical research. Read more.

Times of Israel

Related,
- Police chief calls for more cannabis clubs where drug can be used and traded safely - Guardian

Bomb that killed 40 children in Yemen was supplied by the US

(CNN) The bomb used by the Saudi-led coalition in a devastating attack on a school bus in Yemen was sold as part of a US State Department-sanctioned arms deal with Saudi Arabia, munitions experts told CNN.

Working with local Yemeni journalists and munitions experts, CNN has established that the weapon that left dozens of children dead on August 9 was a 500-pound (227 kilogram) laser-guided MK 82 bomb made by Lockheed Martin, one of the top US defense contractors. Read more + video.

CNN

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- US condemned for supplying bombs to Saudis - PressTV
- Saudi-led coalition defends deadly Yemen bus attack - NewArab

- Lockheed Martin receives bloody images instead of cool weapons photos in failed Twitter campaign - RT

US creates Iran Action Group to ‘change regime’s behavior’

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has formed a special group that will co-ordinate Washington's policy on Iran, that's as it continues to pressure the country with sanctions. 

The head of the new group, Brian Hook, says the US is prepared to punish any country trading with Iran. Read more.

RT

Related,
- US forms ‘Iran Action Group’ to run aggressive policy toward Tehran (video) - PressTV
- Trump administration forms new team to promote pressure policies against Iran - Washington Post

- 1953 Iran coup – a crime authored in London and Washington - RT

Qatari emir vows $15bn Turkey investment after Erdogan meeting

Qatar pledges to make direct investment in Turkey, currently hit by currency crisis amid a diplomatic standoff with US.

The Turkish lira rallied from record lows on Wednesday after Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said Qatar was standing by its "brothers in Turkey" as he announced a $15bn investment into the country's financial markets and banks. Read more + video.

Al Jazeera

Related,
- Turkish lira rallies as Qatar makes $15bn loan pledge - Guardian
- Germany, Qatar vow support for Turkey amid US pressure - PressTV

- World financial markets suffer as US-Turkey ties decline, Washington vows to keep sanctions (video) - RT

UN Report Finds ISIS Given “Breathing Space” in US-Occupied Areas of Syria

By maintaining an ISIS pocket in the territory it occupies, the U.S. can continue to justify its illegal presence in the country for the long-term, ultimately substituting Iran for ISIS as its new regional boogeyman.

NEW YORK — A recent report from the UN Security Council’s Sanctions Monitoring Team has found that many of the places in Syria where the terror group Daesh (ISIS) continues to operate, recuperate and extract oil for profit are in areas of the country occupied by the United States. Read more.

MintPress

Related,
- 'Islamic State': Up to 30,000 fighters still in Syria and Iraq, UN says (video) - DW
- Islamic State may still have 30,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria, even after setbacks - Washington Post

- Syria warns of Saudi plots as Daesh 're-emerges' - PressTV
- UN warns terror group rising in Syria again (video) - PressTV

Syria, UN delegation discuss redeployment of peacekeepers to occupied Golan

A delegation of UN commanders has visited Damascus for talks with Syrian Defense Minister Ali Abdullah Ayyoub on the redeployment of the world body’s peacekeepers to the volatile demilitarized zone along the Israeli-occupied side of Syria’s Golan Heights.

In a meeting in Damascus on Tuesday, the two sides discussed coordination between the Syrian government and the world body’s command on the resumption of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF)’s mission along the ceasefire line between Syria and Israel based on the 1974 armistice, Syria’s official SANA news agency reported. Read more.

PressTV

Related,
- Defense Minister, UN delegation discuss coordination on redeployment of UNDOF in disengagement zone - SANA

Geo-economics of the Istanbul Canal

BAKU - After being elected into another term in June 2018, President Erdogan of Turkey is getting ready to construct an ambitious new waterway on the European side of Istanbul.

The canal will be the third megaproject in the city after a new continent-crossing bridge was completed in 2016 and the world’s largest airport will be finished by the end of the year.

Yet, the government’s vision for a new canal also carries extensive geo-economic consequences for the Black Sea domain.

Soundtrack: Crypto by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

CaspianReport

Left 2.0: Wagenknecht launches ‘Stand Up’ movement against German establishment

The leader of Germany's Left Party is launching a new political movement called 'Stand Up.' One of the new group's self-proclaimed goals is to defend the interests of those who feel ignored by the current government.

RT

Turkish President Erdoğan vows to boycott US electronic goods, including iPhone

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has vowed Turkey will boycott U.S. electronic goods in retaliation to U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to double tariffs on aluminum and steel on Turkey amid a deepening crisis between the two sides over the continued detention of American pastor Andrew Brunson.

“We will boycott American electronic goods. If they have iPhone, there is Samsung on the other side. We have Vestel Venüs in our country. We will adopt these measures,” Erdoğan said... Read more.

Hürriyet

Related,
- US-Turkey get deeper into tariff spat over American pastor detention (video) - RT

- Trump signs defense spending bill to delay F-35 delivery to Turkey - Hürriyet
- US sanctions hurting its own reputation, Turkish FM says after meeting Russia's Lavrov - Hürriyet

- Turkish Lira rebounds to help global shares regain footing - Hürriyet
- Turkey to continue taking steps within free market rules: Albayrak - Hürriyet

- 'America and Trump are hurting ordinary Turkish people' - Al Jazeera
- Apple of Discord: Turks smash their iPhones amid Ankara's economic spat with USA (video) - RT

teleSUR English Removed From Facebook for Second Time

This is the second time the teleSUR English page has been taken down by Facebook moderators.

teleSUR English's page has been removed from Facebook for the second time this year without any specific reason being provided. It should be noted that the first time this occurred back in January 2018, Facebook did NOT provide any explanation in spite of our best efforts to understand their rationale. This is an alarming development in light of the recent shutting down of pages that don't fit a mainstream narrative. Read more.

teleSUR

Related,
- Facebook's anonymous censors take down Latin America's Telesur, and nothing can stop them (video) - RT
- New terms of censorship: Facebook bans news outlets critical of US establishment (video) - RT

- Five examples that show internet censorship is as much a threat to the left as the right - RT

Facebook schakelt ex-woordvoerder van de Navo in om inhoud en accounts te screenen

Facebook besteedt voortaan een deel van haar censuurbeleid uit aan een ex-Navo-woordvoerder. 

Eind juli schrapte Facebook 32 pagina’s en accounts die volgens de sociale mediareus betrokken waren bij ‘coordinated inauthentic behavior’. Wie er achter zat, wist Facebook niet te vertellen. Eén van die pagina’s was die van de Shut it down-coalition. Dat is een collectief dat vorig weekend acties organiseerde tegen een nieuwe bijeenkomst van neonazi’s, één jaar na de mars in Charlottesville die het leven kostte aan één antifascistische tegenbetoogster. Lees meer.

De Wereld Morgen

Gerelateerd,
- A Four Person NATO-Funded Team Advises Facebook On Flagging "Propaganda" - ZeroHedge
- Banning users & throttling posts: Facebook leans on NATO think tank to ‘sort out the Russian bots’ (video) - RT

Exposing Media Censorship While The Mainstream Cries Wolf!

In this video, Luke Rudkowski of WeAreChange gives you the latest breaking news on the medias attempt to silence certain voices while at the same time saying it is they who are being attacked by the current presidential administration and they are the ones in danger.

Luke exposes this media censorship by the mainstream as they huff, puff, and cry wolf to try and take out independent personalities such as Gavin Mcinnes

WeAreChange

Trump signs $716 bn defence authorization bill

US President Donald Trump on Monday signed the $716 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into law.

The bill for the fiscal year 2019 was named after Republican Senator John Mccain, a former Republican presidential nominee and one of Trump's leading critics within the party, Xinhua reported. Read more.

Business Standard

Related,
- Trump signs defense bill but snubs the senator the legislation is named after — John McCain (video) - Washington Post

Google tracks your movements, like it or not

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google wants to know where you go so badly that it records your movements even when you explicitly tell it not to.

An Associated Press investigation found that many Google services on Android devices and iPhones store your location data even if you’ve used a privacy setting that says it will prevent Google from doing so. Read more.

AP

Related,
- Yes, The Big G is following you: Google admits it tracks users when location history is turned off - RT

'We won't let Washington dictate to us with whom we can do business' - German economy minister

Washington cannot dictate trade rules to others, Germany’s economy minister said, adding that his country should be more assertive and defy American sanctions – particularly by investing more in Iran. Read more.

RT

Related,
- German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier lashes out at Trump tariffs, sanctions - NBC
- Turkish finance minister says appreciates support over U.S. tariffs - Reuters

- Germany's Anti-Trump Strategy Begins to Take Shape - Spiegel
- Altmaier kritisiert US-Wirtschaftspolitik scharf - Produktion

Wanneer verliest het zwarte goud zijn glans?

Dat de toekomst ongewis is, weten oliebedrijven als geen ander. Leiden kelderende olieprijzen binnen twintig jaar tot financiële malaise? Of verdient bijvoorbeeld Shell nog honderd jaar goed geld met olie?

Wat moet je als oliebedrijf in een wereld die langzaam maar zeker afstapt van fossiele brandstoffen? Dan moet je nieuwe manieren verzinnen om geld te verdienen. Zoals Gerald Schotman, directeur van de NAM, eerder zei tegen de Volkskrant: ‘Olivetti kan ook niet alleen typemachines blijven maken.’ Lees meer.

Volkskrant

Noam Chomsky: Donald Trump is a Distraction

While Donald Trump works to distract the public, his administration is working to dismantle every aspect of government that benefits the people.

Anonymous

Germany cracking down on armed far-right Reichsbürger

Germany's government has said it confiscated firearms from hundreds of members of the Reichsbürger scene. Authorities have identified some 2,000 more people who identify with Germany's most idiosyncratic far-right group.

The head of Germany's domestic security agency on Saturday hailed efforts to disarm members of the far-right Reichsbürger scene and other groups who reject the German state, but warned the group's threat level still remains critically high. Read more.

DW

New US Sanctions on Russia and Iran Raise Tensions, May Backfire

The US has imposed a new round of sanctions on Russia over the Skripal poisoning in Britain, despite the absence to date of evidence. This follows the reimposition of Iran sanctions following Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. The sanctions will further bleed the targeted countries, but could they backfire?

We speak to journalist and best-selling author Max Blumenthal. Read more.

TRNN

US recognition of Israel’s claim over the Golan Heights

BAKU - President Trump handed Prime Minister Netanyahu a significant win when he recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and relocated the US Embassy there. 

Now, Israeli lobbying groups in Washington are pushing Republican lawmakers for the recognition of Israel’s claim over the Golan Heights. Such an act would mark the most significant validation of forcefully acquired land since 1945, and it would have a dramatic impact on the interpretation of international law.

Soundtrack:
Decisions Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

CaspianReport

Explosion at Salisbury military hardware factory kills one

Police said another man is badly injured after incident at Chemring Countermeasures

One person has been killed and another has been left in a critical condition after an explosion at a military hardware factory near Salisbury, police have said. Read more.

Guardian

Related,
- 1 killed in explosion at military factory in Salisbury - RT
- Explosion at Salisbury military hardware factory leaves one dead - BBC

US Senate calls Julian Assange to testify on Russian 'meddling'

The US Senate Intelligence Committee has requested that persecuted WikiLeaks editor Julian Assange testify before committee staff. The committee is investigating alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election. Read more.

RT

Related,
- Senate Intelligence Committee calls on Assange to testify (video) - CNN
- US Senate Calls On Julian Assange To Testify - ZeroHedge

- ‘Amerikaanse senaat wil Assange horen in Ruslandonderzoek’ - NRC

Debunking A Century of War Lies

In the modern age of democracy and volunteer armies, a pretense for war is required to rally the nation around the flag and motivate the public to fight. That is why every major conflict is now accompanied by its own particular bodyguard of lies.

From false flag attacks to dehumanization of the “enemy,” here are all the examples you’ll need to help debunk a century of war lies. Read more.

Corbett Report

AP Investigation: US allies, al-Qaida battle rebels in Yemen

ATAQ, Yemen (AP) — Again and again over the past two years, a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia and backed by the United States has claimed it won decisive victories that drove al-Qaida militants from their strongholds across Yemen and shattered their ability to attack the West.

Here’s what the victors did not disclose: many of their conquests came without firing a shot. Read more + video.

AP

Related,
- Study finds US, Saudi collusion with al-Qaeda in Yemen under US supervision - PressTV
- Saudi Arabia Doesn't Defeat Al-Qaida Terrorists - They Bribe Them to Stop Fighting - Haaretz

- Are U.S. and al-Qaida fighting on the same side in Yemen? (video) - PBS
- Yemen conflict: Al-Qaeda seen at coalition battle for Taiz - BBC

Europe: World must hold end of bargain with Iran

The European Union says the international community has an obligation to maintain economic relations with Iran, despite the United States’ unilateral withdrawal from a multilateral deal with the Islamic Republic that could hamper such relations.

Referring to a 2015 deal between Iran and originally six world powers, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said during a trip to Wellington, New Zealand, on Tuesday that Iran was in compliance with its obligations under the agreement, which warranted reciprocal commitment. Read more.

PressTV

Related,
- Trump warns EU over decision to protect Iran trade - PressTV
- Trump says anyone trading with Iran will not trade with US as sanctions come into force - RT

- Rouhani: US not trustworthy for negotiations after quitting nuclear deal - PressTV
- China’s petro-yuan oil contracts surge as US sanctions hit Iran - RT

Saudi Arabia Expels Canadian Ambassador Over Rights Criticism

BEIRUT, Lebanon — Saudi Arabia expelled the Canadian ambassador on Monday and announced a freeze on “all new business” between the two countries in response to Canadian complaints about the arrests of two Saudi rights activists.

In a series of uncharacteristically aggressive statements on its Twitter feed, the Saudi Foreign Ministry declared the Canadian ambassador, Dennis Horak, persona non grata and gave him 24 hours to leave the kingdom. Read more.

NY Times

Related,
- Saudi Arabia expels Canadian ambassador, freezes new trade deals - Al Arabiya
- Saudi suspends scholarships to Canada, transfers thousands to other countries - Al Arabiya

- Saudi Arabia Feud With Canada Explained (video) - RT
- Tensions rising between Saudi Arabia, Canada over human rights - PressTV

- Did Saudis threaten Canada with 9/11-style attack? Some believe they did… - RT

QAnon rukt op in Amerika: complotgekkies of wakkere patriotten?

Een mysterieuze club van Amerikaanse complotdenkers timmert aan de weg en laat zich steeds vaker zien. Wat is QAnon?

Voor de een zijn het volslagen gekkies, voor de ander puzzelaars die doorgronden wat de meesten van ons niet kunnen of willen begrijpen. Feit is dat QAnon, de jongste Amerikaanse beweging van complotdenkers, steeds prominenter in beeld komt. Letterlijk, op de laatste bijeenkomst van Donald Trump, deze week in Florida. Lees meer.

AD

Gerelateerd,
- Q, waar blijft de storm? - Bovendien
- Het mooie verhaal van ‘Q’.. Hoopvol of afleiding? - WantToKnow

The Saudi-US Agenda Behind Destroying Yemen

Part 2

A Saudi-led airstrike has killed dozens in Yemen’s port city of Hodeida amid UN warnings of another catastrophic cholera outbreak. 

Professor Isa Blumi of Stockholm University and author of “Destroying Yemen,” discusses the motives and impact of the unrelenting US-backed assault.

TRNN

Related,
- Saudi Coalition Bombs Fish Market & Hospital in Hodeida Killing Scores of Civilians - Mintpress

Medisch onderzoek in de tang van multinationals: ‘Geld gaat boven kwaliteit’

De jacht op onderzoeksgeld maakt artsen wanhopig. Sinds de overheid de geldkraan heeft dichtgedraaid, hebben ze moeite om hun wetenschappelijk onderzoek te bekostigen en zijn ze genoodzaakt hun hand op te houden bij de industrie. Die afhankelijkheid zorgt voor grote frustraties onder artsen. ‘De winst van een behandeling staat voorop, niet de genezing van een patiënt.’

Eindeloos formulieren invullen, onderzoeksvoorstellen van tientallen pagina’s indienen en protocollen schrijven: artsen worden opgeslokt door de administratieve ballast die met een subsidieaanvraag gemoeid gaat. Lees meer.

FTM

Netherlands facing the driest summer ever

If the sun keeps shining in the Netherlands, it'll further test the land of dykes and canals.

It's experiencing its driest summer ever, which is causing problems for a country with a delicate balancing act when it comes to water. Al Jazeera's Fleur Launspach explains.

Al Jazeera

Tens of thousands attend Druze-led protest against Nation-State Law

"The state did not see us as equals," said Sheik Mowafaq Tarif, the spiritual leader of the Druze community in Israel.

We want equality!” chanted tens of thousands of people at an unprecedented demonstration led by the Druze community in protest against the Nation-State Law at Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square on Saturday night. Read more.

JPost

Related,
- Mass protest in Israel over ‘discriminating’ nation-state law (video) - RT
- 'We Need Equality': Tens of Thousands Attend Druze Rally Against Nation-state Law (paywall) - Haaretz

- Druze Rally Against Israel’s Nation-state Law: 'We’re Here to Tell Jews It’s Patriotic to Protest' (paywall) - Haaretz

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro Survives Drone Attack

Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez confirmed the attack late Saturday, shortly after video of the incident began surfacing on social media.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro has survived an apparent attack on his life during a military parade celebrating the 81st anniversary of the Bolivarian National Guard in the capital, Caracas. Read more.

teleSUR

Related,
- Venezuelan president Maduro targeted with drone bombs (video) - RT
- Venezuela's Maduro target of drone 'attack,' but unharmed: government - Reuters

- Attempt Against President Of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro Moros (video) - teleSUR
- Video claimed to show mid-air explosion of drone used in attack on Maduro (video) - RT

- US has nothing to do with alleged attack on Maduro – Bolton - RT

- Iran slams assassination attempt against Venezuela's president - PressTV
- Turkey condemns attack targeting Venezuelan President Maduro - Hurriyet

Saudi Arabia planned to invade Qatar last summer - Rex Tillerson's efforts to stop it may have cost him his job

THIRTEEN HOURS BEFORE Secretary of State Rex Tillerson learned from the presidential Twitter feed that he was being fired, he did something that President Donald Trump had been unwilling to do. Following a phone call with his British counterpart, Tillerson condemned a deadly nerve agent attack in the U.K., saying that he had “full confidence in the U.K.’s investigation and its assessment that Russia was likely responsible.”

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders had called the attack “reckless, indiscriminate, and irresponsible,” but stopped short of blaming Russia, leading numerous media outlets to speculate that Tillerson was fired for criticizing Russia. Read more.

Intercept

Related,
- Rex Tillerson stopped Saudi and UAE from 'attacking' Qatar - Al Jazeera

- Defence minister: Saudi, UAE intended to invade Qatar - Al Jazeera
- Trump Warned Saudis Off Military Move on Qatar (video) - Bloomberg

Brazil: Many alarmed over boost to pesticide use in agriculture

A Brazilian government commission has recommended easing restrictions on the use of pesticides to aid the country’s agricultural industry.

Congress will debate the issue shortly. But families in rural areas say the pesticides already in use are contaminating air, food and water, causing death and disease. Already, four of the 10 most commonly used pesticides in Brazil are banned in Europe.

Al Jazeera's Daniel Schweimler reports from the northeastern state of Ceara.

Al Jazeera