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EU targets ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox under censorship law

RT | September 1, 2026

The European Union has placed ChatGPT, Reddit and Roblox under the strictest tier of its online regulations, giving the US-based services four months to comply with rules denounced by Washington and leading tech figures as censorship.

The European Commission on Monday designated ChatGPT a Very Large Online Search Engine (VLOSE), while Reddit and Roblox were classified as Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) under the Digital Services Act (DSA). All three reported at least 45 million average monthly users in the EU, crossing the threshold for heightened oversight.

They now have until the end of December to comply with additional requirements, including assessing and mitigating “systemic risks” linked to illegal content, minors, users’ physical and mental well-being, fundamental rights, elections and public security. Violations of the DSA can carry fines of up to 6% of a company’s annual global turnover.

Brussels argues the law makes powerful platforms safer and more accountable. Critics, however, say its broad demands to police harmful content and mitigate vaguely defined societal risks pressure companies to suppress lawful speech to avoid punishment. … Full article

YouTube’s Account Enforcement Practices Face Possible FTC Lawsuit

By Dan Frieth | Reclaim The Net | August 31, 2026

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is investigating YouTube’s (Google’s) controversial moderation and account-enforcement policies, a probe that is now in its final stages, according to a report from Bloomberg.

The agency is reportedly considering a potential lawsuit, but no decision has been made. YouTube has not been accused of wrongdoing, and the inquiry may end without enforcement action.

The FTC’s inquiry, which began in 2025, is said to be looking into whether the video giant’s suspension of accounts and removal of content, as well as the way it informs users about these decisions, violates consumer protection laws.

The agency is also reportedly examining whether YouTube broke its own rules when it took down content or reduced its visibility.

Another question the FTC is reportedly trying to answer is if YouTube’s publicly available community guidelines are in line with how content is actually treated on the platform.

In other words, the probe may be looking into the difference between what YouTube says it does, and what it actually does, regarding content policing and censorship.

If the FTC decides to sue Google, it would test whether YouTube’s published rules and its actual enforcement practices diverged in ways that violated consumer-protection law.

But even if the FTC were to find that YouTube had in fact violated consumer-protection laws, the case would not necessarily be about restoring content or accounts that were taken down or giving a particular group of users the right to remain on the platform.

Rather, it would be about making sure that YouTube’s public rules and the way it enforces those rules are in sync. But this could give the government leverage to influence how YouTube does its content policing. … continue

The Israeli Blueprint That Put an Italian Mail Server on America’s Terror List

By Freddie Ponton | 21st Century Wire | August 31, 2026

For twenty-five years, a few dozen volunteers in Italy have run free email accounts, virtual private networks and Noblogs, a platform for activists who would rather not entrust their politics to Google or Meta. On 26 August 2026, the United States Treasury designated their collective, Autistici/Inventati, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, placing a volunteer-run mail service in the legal company of al-Qaeda and Islamic State.

Nobody was charged, and no court was asked to examine the evidence, yet under Executive Order 13224, Washington was able to freeze the collective’s assets after deciding that it had provided “material or technological support” to an act of terrorism. By the State Department’s own count, Autistici/Inventati, also known as A/I, supported 16,000 mailboxes, 1,500 websites and 10,000 blogs. Within forty-eight hours, autistici.org went dark, PayPal cut it off, and its Italian bank moved to close the account, placing that entire network at risk. Everyone else has until 25 September to sever ties or risk the reach of American sanctions, even though the government, as Reason noted, “hasn’t accused Autistici/Inventati of committing any crimes.” … continue

Greece inks $3.5bn arms deal with Israel for ‘multi-layered’ air defenses

The Cradle | August 31, 2026

Israel and Greece signed on 31 August an air defense agreement worth $3.5 billion, which will see Tel Aviv beef up Athens’ defenses and build a “multi-layered” system for the country.

According to the Israeli War Ministry, it is the largest-ever defense export deal with Greece and one of the biggest in Israeli history.

It has been dubbed the “Achilles Shield” agreement, referencing the Greek mythological figure Achilles.

It will see Israel export several air defense systems, including its David Sling, SPYDER, and BARAK MX, the War Ministry said.

It is the “largest defense export deal in the history of Israel-Greece relations, and one of the largest in the history of the State of Israel,” the War Ministry statement added… continue

Why Israel Can Brag About Murdering Western Aid Workers

By Nate Bear | ¡Do Not Panic! | August 28, 2026

The Israeli commander who gave the order to bomb the World Central Kitchen convoy in April 2024 which killed six aid workers – three Britons, an American-Canadian, a Pole, an Australian and a Palestinian – said yesterday he’s not sorry for ordering the strike and that the aid workers were “not innocent.”

Last week Israel (which originally lied and said the bombing was a mistake) said no one would be prosecuted for the murders.

The episode is astonishing.

Israel murdered the citizens of five of its supposed allies, using weapons and intelligence supplied by those countries, has refused to prosecute anyone, and the commander who ordered the bombing is now bragging about it.

This is Zionism.

This is what happens when you have swallowed the logic of an ethno-supremacist ideology that enables and forgives any action, no matter how heinous, because the action was undertaken by the most indulged and protected state in modern history. And obviously, this indulgence and protection flows directly from the fact that Israel is the so-called “Jewish state.” And Jewishness, objectively, is the most protected characteristic in the modern world. Grannies are prosecuted as terrorists not because they oppose genocide, but very specifically because they oppose the genocide committed by the Jewish state. Through cultural brainwashing, political infiltration, and using the shield of antisemitism to guard against all criticism, Israel can kill whoever it wants, whenever it wants, wherever it wants. And it can kill them in whatever quantities it desires. Because the killers are Jews, and we can’t criticise Jews because of antisemitism and the holocaust, which, through deep cultural programming has been instrumentalised to make Jews morally untouchable. Through this weaponisation of memory and elevation of unimpeachable Jewishness we end up with an inverted political morality: genocide is moral, anti-genocide is immoral. … continue

The exodus Israel cannot afford

New data: Israelis heading for the exits include doctors, engineers, tech workers, and high-income taxpayers on whom the occupation’s war economy depends.

By Kamran Yeganegi | The Cradle | August 31, 2026

In the early hours of 7 October 2023, an Israeli journalist identified only as Asaf booked flights for himself, his wife, and their two daughters. The next day, carrying only hand luggage, the family boarded a flight to Berlin. What began as an emergency exit became permanent. Two years later, they had not returned. … continue

Israeli rabbi calls for Palestinians’ expulsion from occupied West Bank

MEMO | August 31, 2026

An Israeli rabbi has called for Palestinians to be expelled from the occupied West Bank, claiming that non-Jews have no national rights in what he described as the “land of Israel,” Anadolu reports.

In footage published Sunday by Al Jazeera English, Menachem Ben Shahar is heard telling a group that Arabs who refuse to accept Jewish sovereignty should leave the territory.

Ben Shahar also said that even a 5-year-old child “loses his right to exist” if the child’s parents are considered “enemies,” according to the broadcaster. … Full article

IOF razes several homes, seizes over 37 dunums of land in West Bank

Palestinian Information Center – August 31, 2026

WEST BANK – The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) demolished on Monday several homes in the al‑Saqi area of Birzeit, north of Ramallah, citing construction without permits.

According to local sources, Israeli bulldozers demolished two apartment buildings belonging to the Karim al‑Nabali family, reducing them to rubble.

Each building consisted of four floors, with each floor measuring about 250 square meters.

Meanwhile, the Israeli occupation army issued a new military order seizing 37.481 dunums of Palestinian land in Beitunia, west of Ramallah in the central West Bank, to expand a military site established on the city’s land near the illegal Beit Horon settlement.

Such military orders effectively strip Palestinian landowners of their right to access and use their property by placing it under direct army control, according to the Wall and Colonization Resistance Commission on Monday.

In separate incidents, a horde of extremist Jewish settlers removed and stole several gates installed by Palestinian farmers at the entrances of their agricultural lands in the Abu Najim and Khalayel al-Luz areas, southeast of Bethlehem.

In southern Nablus, Israeli bulldozers continued, for the second day, to uproot olive trees and level land in the al‑Harayek area of Beita town as a prelude to building a settler road.

West Bank: While Protecting Colonizers, Army Shoots Four Palestinians

IMEMC | August 31, 2026

Israeli forces, protecting illegal colonizers, shot four Palestinian citizens and injured others, on Sunday, in the village of Al-Mughayyir, northeast of Ramallah in the central occupied West Bank.

Media sources reported that a group of colonizers stormed Al-Mughayyir village on Sunday evening, accompanied by occupation soldiers.

Colonizers attacked citizens’ vehicles and attempted to storm the home of the citizen, Shaaban Abu Aliya, among others, before residents confronted them.

Occupation forces, providing protection for the invading settlers, opened fire with live rounds, rubber-coated steel rounds, and tear gas canisters, resulting in several injuries.

At least four citizens sustained injuries from live ammunition, several others suffered inhalation injuries, and some were shot with rubber-coated steel rounds.

Among those shot with live rounds, two citizens were shot in the legs, one was shot in the chest, and one was shot in the abdomen; they were transported to the hospital for medical treatment. … Full article

Five Gaza fishermen injured in Israeli attacks

Palestinian Information Center – August 31, 2026

GAZA – Five Palestinian fishermen sustained bullet injuries on Monday morning following Israeli attacks on their boats off the coast of Gaza City.

According to local sources, two fishermen, Ahmad al‑Sharafi and Ahmad al‑Sheikh, were injured when Israeli gunboats opened machinegun fire on a small fishing boat near the shores of Gaza City.

Earlier, an Israeli quadcopter dropped a bomb on a small fishing boat near Gaza Port, injuring three fishermen.

The Israeli occupation army has systematically destroyed fishing boats and gear belonging to Gaza fishermen, effectively denying them the ability to exercise their profession and secure a livelihood.

Five Palestinians killed, others wounded in Israeli attacks in Gaza

Palestinian Information Center – August 31, 2026

GAZA – Five Palestinian civilians were martyred and several others were injured in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip on Monday.

According to media sources, an Israeli drone bombed a car in Gaza City’s Tal al-Hawa neighborhood, killing three citizens.

Earlier, two young men were killed and others were wounded when Israeli aircraft targeted a group of citizens south of the municipal park in the west of Gaza City.

In northern Gaza, a teenager was injured when an Israeli drone dropped a bomb in Beit Lahia town. … Full article

Araghchi accuses Netanyahu of deceiving US over war on Iran

Al Mayadeen | August 31, 2026

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of practicing deception and duplicity, describing him as a “serpent.”

Araghchi stated that Netanyahu openly boasts in Hebrew about having deceived the US administration and pushed it into waging a war on Iran on behalf of “Israel”.

In a post on X, the Iranian foreign minister also pointed to Netanyahu’s contempt toward Washington, noting that “Netanyahu explicitly laughs about how he ‘influenced’ America through 1,000 hours of airtime on U.S. networks”.

Araghchi added, highlighting what he called a stark contradiction in Netanyahu’s positions: “In English, he praises POTUS’ leadership.” … continue

Over 1,000 Israeli soldiers killed in Iran’s retaliatory strikes: Armed Forces spokesman

Press TV – August 31,2026

The spokesman for the Iranian Armed Forces says at least a thousand Israeli soldiers have been killed in the Islamic Republic’s retaliatory attacks targeting military installations, strategic sites and intelligence centers across the occupied territories.

Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi stated on Monday that thousands more Israeli military personnel were also wounded during the joint US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran, which began late in February.

Evidence suggests that the United States also lost hundreds of servicemen, while thousands of its troops were injured during the latest round of Iranian drone and missile attacks on US regional bases in July, he further noted.

Brigadier General Shekarchi condemned both Washington and Tel Aviv for their dishonesty regarding military casualties and for obscuring the real statistics.

He noted that the US had only disclosed the deaths of its troops in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars years after they had occurred, and only subsequently returned the remains to their families. … Full article

Iran’s Kharg Island oil operations continue despite bombing, NIOC says

Al Mayadeen | August 31, 2026

Oil operations at Iran’s Kharg Island have not stopped, the chief executive of the National Iranian Oil Company, Hamid Bovard, told Nour News on Monday.

Bovard rebuked claims by US President Donald Trump in a social media post that the country’s main oil terminal had been destroyed, saying  “the tweets by Trump are laughable, and the situation in Kharg is calm,” according to the agency.

He confirmed that the island, which handles 90% of Iran’s oil exports, had been subjected to repeated bombing by US and Israeli forces in the past, but that oil sector workers “did not allow operations to stop for even a single moment.”

Bovard added that contractors are currently working to rebuild and upgrade storage tanks and marine piers.

Earlier, Trump posted an artificial intelligence-generated video that he said showed Iran’s Kharg Island “leveled to rubble,” during US strikes that targeted Iran’s Larak Island the previous day. … Full article

Trump threatens to take action against South Korea for refusing to take part in war on Iran

Press TV – August 31,2026

US President Donald Trump has threatened to downgrade its ties with South Korea over Seoul’s refusal to participate in the US-Israeli war on Iran.

In an interview with Fox News released on Sunday, Trump threatened that Washington may decide to reconsider the scope of US military presence in South Korea.

“We have very little help from other countries, and we help other countries; we spend billions and billions of dollars helping NATO and other countries, South Korea as an example.”

He added he would be a “fool” if he did not punish Seoul for refusing to do as it was told by the US.

“When they are not willing to do anything for you, you can’t be a fool and help them.” … Full article

Iranian Army targets US base in UAE in response to Larak attack

Al Mayadeen | August 31, 2026

The Iranian Army said Monday that it had targeted the US military presence at Al Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates with suicide drones, describing the operation as a response to the US attack on Larak Island in southern Iran.

According to a statement issued by the Iranian Army’s Public Relations Department, the drones targeted positions used by US forces and helicopter units at the base, which serves as an important support and air-transport hub for foreign military forces.

The operation comes following US attacks on Iranian territory and a series of Iranian retaliatory operations against US military positions across the region. […]

Iranian forces also reported a separate success over the Strait of Hormuz. Mehr News Agency, citing a statement from the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), reported that the IRGC had shot down a US MQ-9 drone over the strategic waterway. … Full article

Bessent Threatens ‘Financial Violence’ as US Plans New Iran Sanctions

Sputnik – 31.08.2026

Treasury Secretary warns of severe consequences for those continuing business with Tehran.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the US is preparing to sanction another bank in its escalating campaign to clamp down on Iran-related transactions, warning of severe consequences for those who continue doing business with Tehran.

“This is going to be financial violence if we have to,” Bessent told the Associated Press. “We are showing people that we know who you are, you know who you are, and this has got to stop.”

Bessent did not name the bank that would face sanctions this week.

Earlier this week, the US Treasury issued a proposed rule that would, if finalized, sever the Emirati branches of Banque Misr, Egypt’s second-largest bank, from access to the US financial system.

Bessent added that he plans to meet with G20 counterparts in Asheville, North Carolina, to encourage cooperation against Iran, noting that “all options are on the table” in terms of sanctioning Beijing for its continued purchases.

The Treasury’s first official action in this campaign of economic pressure was the proposed rulemaking on Friday, which stops short of imposing full sanctions on the Egyptian bank—a move that appeared to signal the administration’s reluctance to penalize major trading partners that do business with Iran, including China and India.

Bessent spoke with the AP ahead of Group of 20 meetings where he will huddle individually with his counterparts from the world’s major and developing economies. … Full article

Arab states call US sanctions on Iran unrealistic: Report

Press TV – August 31, 2026

Leaders of the Arab Persian Gulf states have reportedly told Washington that sanctions imposed on Iran by the US Treasury Secretary are “unrealistic” and difficult for the countries to accommodate, citing their geographic proximity and close ties with Iran.

Officials from the Persian Gulf states formally conveyed to the US side that the directive issued by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, as part of an economic war against Iran, was “not realistic” and could not be tolerated given their geographic circumstances, neighboring status and proximity to Iran.

The regional newspaper Rai al-Youm reported that Western diplomatic circles believe the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar are unlikely to show the same willingness as European countries to comply with decisions and memoranda issued by the US Treasury Department.

According to the report, some foreign governments, including Qatar, may not adhere to US threats of economic sanctions, viewing them as unrealistic and evidence of the continued escalation of tensions in the region.

Such measures, the report said, could also undermine efforts to pursue scenarios aimed at reducing regional tensions. … continue

Ex-Pakistani envoy: Trump’s economic war on Iran to ‘backfire like his bombing campaign’

Press TV – August 31,2026

A former Pakistani ambassador says US President Donald Trump’s latest economic pressure campaign against Iran could prove ineffective, citing Washington’s multiple strategic miscalculations concerning the Islamic Republic.

In an article that appeared on Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper on Saturday, Maleeha Lodhi, a former envoy to the US, the UK, and the United Nations, said Trump’s declaration of his so-called “economic war” against Iran “is likely to backfire just like his bombing campaign failed to force Iran to surrender.”

Her remarks concerned US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s announcing new coercive economic measures last week under what Washington had termed as “Economic D-Day.” The announcement, Lodhi added, “also exposed the limits of US military options.” […]

The article went on to point to the global resistance in the face of the campaign, including Qatar’s describing the sanctions as unilateral and calling for mediation and China’s rejection of Washington’s approach. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said Beijing “will take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard its own interests” from “illegal unilateral sanctions” and warned of retaliation if such sanctions were imposed, it mentioned as a case in point.

“The US expectation that countries will fall in line assumes they will give preference to ingratiating themselves with Washington over their own economic interests. This will turn out to be another miscalculation,” she wrote. – Full article

NATO creating new Arctic front against Russia – Lavrov

RT | August 31, 2026

NATO is seeking to turn the Arctic into a new “hotbed” of tensions with its active military buildup in the region, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned. The bloc’s activities sow an atmosphere of distrust and risk a potentially dangerous armed confrontation not only with Moscow but with other nations as well, he warned in an article published by Arctic.ru on Monday.

The US-led military bloc ramped up its military activities in the Far North earlier this year by launching the Arctic Sentry initiative. The move was touted as a response to US President Donald Trump’s effort to annex the Danish autonomous territory of Greenland on the grounds that it was allegedly under threat from Russia and China.

Both Moscow and Beijing have repeatedly dismissed the accusations, with China arguing that the US was merely using the claims as a pretext for its own military buildup in the Arctic. Russia has also maintained that, although it has no stake in the feud over Greenland, it would defend its interests in the broader Arctic.

In his Monday article, Lavrov stated that Russia is mainly interested in “preserving the Arctic as an area of peace and cooperation” while accusing NATO of “driving the region towards militarization.”

“Intensive military preparations are underway in close proximity to our northern borders. NATO is conducting large-scale military exercises involving non-regional countries and introducing new components of its command-and-control system,” the minister said. … continue

Hydrocarbon Reserves in Russia’s Far East Comparable to World’s Largest Basins – Rosnedra

Sputnik – 30.08.2026

MOSCOW – The Russian Far East’s hydrocarbon reserves are comparable in volume to the world’s largest oil and gas basins, Russian Federal Agency for Mineral Resources (Rosnedra) head Oleg Kazanov said in an interview Sputnik ahead of the Eastern Economic Forum.

“The Far East’s hydrocarbon resource volumes are comparable to the world’s largest provinces,” he said.

The Persian Gulf basin is the world’s largest oil and gas province. Other major basins are the West Siberian, Mexican, Permian and Venezuelan.

Kazanov said that Russia’s Far East is often called a geological “gray spot.” He argued this was not entirely accurate since more than 7,800 mineral deposits have been discovered there.

At the same time, much of the territory is indeed less explored than Western Siberia. The main reasons are remoteness, lack of infrastructure, challenging climate and terrain, and the historical priority of investment in Western Siberia, the Rosnedra head said.

The Eastern Economic Forum will be held in Vladivostok from September 1-4. Sputnik is a general media partner of the forum.

Excess Winter Deaths Cover Up

By Paul Homewood | Not A Lot Of People Know That | August 25, 2026

For more than a decade, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published annual reports detailing excess winter mortality in England & Wales. In other words, how many more people had died in winter on average, compared to the rest of the year.

Or at least they did until 2022, when their final report was published, which told us that excess winter deaths in 2021/22 had amounted to 13,400.

After that, the publications ceased, ostensibly with no explanation whatsoever. It took a Freedom of Information request to elicit the reason… continue

IRGC strikes two US airbases in Jordan over Larak aggression

Al Mayadeen| August 31, 2026

Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps Aerospace Force struck technical, maintenance and fighter jet infrastructure at two US-operated airbases in Jordan, King Hussein and Al-Azraq, using a combined ballistic missile and drone operation.

The IRGC said the attacks caused “heavy damage” and were launched in direct response to the US strike on Larak Island.

The IRGC warned that “aggression and crime” will not remedy the enemy’s desperation over its weakening control of the Strait of Hormuz, and that every shot fired at Iran will be met with a more crushing response.

The operation follows Sunday’s US strike on Larak Island, the first known US military attack against Iran since late July, which the IRGC said killed and wounded “several of our fighters and compatriots.” … continue

Iraq committed to full US withdrawal deadline – media

RT | August 30, 2026

Iraq is committed to a full withdrawal of US-led coalition forces by the end of September, UK-based Saudi daily Asharq Al-Awsat reported on Saturday, citing an Iraqi official.

US forces have been in the country for 23 years since the 2003 invasion and subsequent smaller-scale operations against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS).

Reports that US and other foreign troops could remain after September “contradict what was agreed upon between the previous Iraqi government and the US administration,” Asharq Al-Awsat cited the official as saying.

The comments followed media reports suggesting that Washington was only planning a drawdown, rather than a full withdraw by the end of the September deadline. … continue

Finland’s Nuclear Moves Will Bring ‘Commensurate’ Response – Russian MFA

Sputnik – 30.08.2026

Finland’s decision to abandon its policy of military non-alignment after joining NATO “not only fails to strengthen its national security but, on the contrary, significantly increases the risks for it in this area,” Artem Studennikov, Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s First European Department, tells Sputnik.

According to Studennikov, Russia will take effective measures in response to Finland’s decision to overturn its Cold War-era ban on nuclear weapons, allowing NATO allies to import, transport and store nuclear devices on Finnish territory.

“As for specific response measures to the decisions taken in Helsinki, these fall within the competence of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. The new security situation will, of course, be taken into account in our military planning. I can only say that no one should doubt that such measures will be taken; they will be commensurate with the threats and effective,” he said.

Finnish lawmakers voted to overturn the ban on nuclear weapons in June, allowing NATO’s nuclear deterrent to be deployed in the Nordic region and bringing nuclear weapons directly to Russia’s doorstep.

Russia, which shares a roughly 1,336 km border with Finland, previously warned that such a move would be seen as a direct threat, and the response could include an increased military presence. along the Finnish border.

Finland’s opposition condemns government’s military pact with Israel as ‘historic shame’

Press TV – August 30, 2026

Finland’s opposition parties have condemned the ruling party’s government for extending military cooperation with the Israeli regime.

According to a report by Finland’s national public broadcasting company (Yle) on Saturday, the government had quietly signed a memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on military cooperation with Israel, extending military ties until 2034.

The MoU covers research, development and procurement of military equipment and was proposed by Finland in early 2024, when the previous five-year agreement was due to expire. […]

Finland has already established several major military links with Israel, including a more than €300 million deal for the David’s Sling air-defense system approved shortly before October 2023.

Yle also revealed that the new memorandum created a joint coordination group between Finland and Israel that is expected to meet at least once a year.

Finnish arms corporation Patria has also worked with Israeli companies on military systems for armored vehicles, including Rafael’s Trophy active protection system and Israeli anti-tank weapons. … Full article

Trump’s Stolen Venezuelan Crude Oil Sent to Israel

By Kurt Nimmo | Another Day in the Empire | August 30, 2026

… The United States sold much of the pilfered oil to Vitol, a Geneva-based energy and commodity trading firm, and also Trafigura, a Singaporean‑based multinational commodities company. The theft and sale of oil have raised concerns about transparency and accountability, especially regarding the management and distribution of its proceeds. […]

Swiss company Vitol is involved in shipping Venezuelan oil to Israel, which is used in part to fuel its apartheid and ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and attacks on Shia communities in southern Lebanon. Vitol’s Saras refinery in Sarroch, Sardinia, Italy provided 17% of Israel’s imports of oil and refined products.

“At a time when Palestinians are being slaughtered, ethnically cleansed, and deprived of the most basic necessities,” declared Maren Mantovani with the Palestinian-led BDS movement, “any company fueling Israel’s genocide, apartheid and military occupation is deeply complicit and must be held accountable—as should its executives and board members, according to international law.”

In February, it was reported the first shipment of heisted oil went to Israel. The shipment was not the result of a decision made by Venezuela or its Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), but rather as “an indirect consequence of the reconfiguration of the global energy market orchestrated by Washington,” writes Misión Verdad for the Orinoco Tribune.

On February 10, Bloomberg Línea, a Spanish and Portuguese language news website, reported the oil cargo was transported to the Bazan Group, an oil refining and petrochemicals company located in Haifa Bay, Israel. It is the largest refinery in Israel. … Full article

No Matter Who Is In Power, Israel Will Stay Genocidal.

By Justin K.P. | The Dissident | August 29, 2026

There is a possibility that Benjamin Netanyahu will no longer be Prime Minister of Israel following the upcoming elections in October, with the opposition party Yashar led by former IDF Chief of the General Staff Gadi Eisenkot leading in many polls.

But removing Netanyahu and replacing him with Gadi Eisenkot will not change Israel’s genocidal nature.

In fact, it was Gadi Eisenkot who invented the Israeli military doctrine that functioned as the blueprint for the Genocide in Gaza, called the Dahiya Doctrine.

This Doctrine was invented by Eisenkot when he was Chief of Northern Command during the Israeli assault on Lebanon in 2006.

“What happened in the Dahiya quarter of Beirut in 2006 will happen in every village from which Israel is fired on… We will apply disproportionate force on it (village) and cause great damage and destruction there. From our standpoint, these are not civilian villages, they are military bases… This is not a recommendation. This is a plan. And it has been approved”, Eisenkot said, referring to the doctrine in 2008. … continue

Masked Israeli occupiers attack Palestinian woman, NBC News crew in occupied West Bank

MEMO | August 30, 2026

Masked Israeli occupiers attacked and injured a Palestinian woman and three members of an NBC News team in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, the US broadcaster reported, Anadolu reports.

The journalists were interviewing Aida Ahmed Abdullah, 51, and her family in the Palestinian town of Jalud, near Nablus, when the attack occurred.

Abdullah told the team that Israeli occupiers had forced her family from their home. She and the journalists were walking down a hill toward the house when a vehicle with Israeli license plates reversed toward them, according to video footage of the incident.

At least four masked men then got out of the vehicle and attacked Abdullah and the journalists with sticks and rocks, NBC News reported.

International correspondent Matt Bradley said he was struck twice in the arm and later treated at a nearby clinic.

“They jumped out, beat us, then jumped back in the car,” Bradley said.

A cameraman and producer working with Bradley were also injured and received treatment following the attack.

Abdullah was taken for medical treatment by the Palestinian Red Crescent. Her injuries were not life-threatening, according to a joint statement from the Israeli army and Israel Border Police cited by NBC News. … Full article

Israeli troops ‘stood by and watched’ as settlers carried out new West Bank pogrom

The Cradle | August 30, 2026

No arrests have been made over the latest settler attack on the Palestinian town of Qusra in the occupied West Bank over the weekend, Hebrew media confirmed on 30 August – while Palestinian families are still trapped and settlers and occupation troops remain in the area.

According to Israeli reports, the Israeli army “stood by” and “allowed” the attack to take place.

Some of the illegal settlers who participated in Saturday’s pogrm had their photos published online as well as in the media, but Tel Aviv has taken no measures against them, Israel’s Channel 12 said.

Dozens of settlers had attacked one of the besieged homes on Saturday, where Palestinian civilians have been trapped for weeks. […]

Hebrew reports on Sunday coincided with confirmation that Israeli police are holding in custody a UK activist who was abducted by armed settlers on 29 August.

Settlers reportedly handed the activist over to Israeli police, which said they have arrested the British man – identified as Finn Joughin – and are investigating settler claims that he “assaulted a minor.”

Video footage shows the activist attempting to block a Jewish settler child and other settlers from harassing locals in the West Bank town of Umm al-Kheir, where attempts to establish illegal outposts remain ongoing. … Full article

Israeli terrorism is getting worse because Western leaders are cowards, hypocrites

By Robert Inlakesh | Al Mayadeen | August 30, 2026

Israeli terrorism against civilians across the occupied West Bank has recently triggered condemnation from Western leadership – this shallow rhetoric is overshadowed by their actions, which are driven by a cowardly refusal to push back against the Zionist lobby.

Condemnations and statements of concern have been recently issued by US, UK, and EU officials alike, in what appears at first glance to be pushback against Israeli settler violence and expansionism in the occupied West Bank.

In fact, what we are witnessing is the continuation of a decades-long tradition of hollow statements that act to save face by pretending as if the settlers themselves are somehow rogue elements that can be judged independent of the rest of the Zionist project.

In reality, settlement expansion is a regime project, as the violence of the settlers themselves is too.

The Zionist armed forces are hand in glove with the settlers, to the point that military units such as the ‘Desert Frontier’ have been set up to integrate the settler militias into the occupation forces. … continue

Israel provides covert intelligence, security assistance to Sudan’s RSF militia: Report

The Cradle | August 30, 2026

The leadership of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a militia accused of genocide in Sudan, has maintained secret, high-level security and intelligence contacts with Israel since before the start of the civil war in 2023, Africa Intelligence reported on 28 August.

According to the report, RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, secretly visited Tel Aviv in May 2025 and February 2026 for meetings with the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s Africa Division and Israeli intelligence officers.

Hemedti was joined by his two brothers, Abdul Rahim, the RSF’s second-in-command, and Algoney, on both trips.

Links between the RSF, which is fighting against the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and Israel have emerged previously. … continue

Araghchi urges Japanese to hold government accountable over US actions

Al Mayadeen| August 30, 2026

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has called on the Japanese people to hold their government accountable for the United States’ use of military assets stationed in Japan in operations against Iran.

Speaking to Japan’s Kyodo News Agency on Saturday, Araghchi said, “The peace-loving people of Japan should ask their government to be held accountable for the crimes committed by the United States.”

F-16 fighters stationed in Japan deployed in US war on Iran

Earlier, the UK-based UK Defence Journal reported that F-16 fighter jets stationed at the US air base in Misawa, in Japan’s Aomori Prefecture, had been deployed to the Middle East to participate in the war on Iran in March and April.

Referring to the possible role of the fighter jets in US military operations against Iran, Araghchi stressed the Japanese government’s responsibility regarding the use of military facilities and capabilities stationed in Japan against the Islamic Republic. […]

Elsewhere, Araghchi accused elements within the US government and actors aligned with “Israel” of attempting to manipulate energy markets and influence oil prices to serve their own interests.

According to Araghchi, US government elements were using media outlets to influence energy prices for personal gain while seeking to keep US President Donald Trump involved in a “losing war”. He also accused actors aligned with “Israel” of promoting the continuation of the war through overly optimistic assessments of the situation.

“Our intelligence shows major efforts to game energy markets. U.S. Govt elements use gullible media to influence prices for personal gain and keep POTUS mired in a losing war. Israel-aligned actors also promote war with rosy assessments. U.S. consumers feel the real bottom line,” Araghchi wrote in a post on X on Saturday. … Full article

No Ship Passes Hormuz Without Iran’s Permission — Foreign Ministry

Sputnik – 30.08.2026

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, stated that the Strait of Hormuz remains completely closed. Claims by the US that ships can pass freely are “absolutely not true,” Gharibabadi said.

“If any ship passes through it, it is definitely with the coordination and permission of Iran.”

Iran reached understanding with Oman on passage arrangements, he added, but the strait will not open until the United States fulfills its commitments.

Iran has demonstrated readiness through an agreement with Oman regarding the Strait of Hormuz in meetings with Qatari and Pakistani mediators, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi confirmed.

Implementation of commitments rests with the United States, which has suspended them, he added. … Full article

Funding crisis forces UNRWA to shut schools, sparking alarm in Lebanon

Palestinian Information Center – August 30, 2026

Palestinian refugees in Lebanon fear that recent UNRWA’s school closures and relocations are not isolated moves, but the start of a gradual reduction in the agency’s educational network.

UNRWA’s decision to close Rafah School in Tripoli and al‑Bireh School in Burj al‑Barajneh refugee camp has renewed the debate over the future of Palestinian education in Lebanon, particularly amid UNRWA’s funding crisis and mounting pressure on its essential services.

The Palestinian Democratic Youth Union (Ashad) in Lebanon said that shutting down two UNRWA schools in quick succession sets a “dangerous precedent,” warning that “continuing down this path will push Palestinian education into a deeper crisis.” … Full article

From Nabatieh to Mansouri: Israel’s Artillery and Warplanes Pound Southern Lebanon

Al-Manar | August 30, 2026

Israeli occupation forces launched a fresh wave of heavy artillery shelling and airstrikes across southern Lebanon on Sunday, targeting the Zawtar River corridor, the Ali al-Taher heights, and the outskirts of multiple towns in what appears to be a systematic campaign of bombardment despite a nominal ceasefire agreement.

Al-Manar’s correspondent on the ground reported that Israeli artillery shelling targeted the course of the Zawtar River, with simultaneous strikes pounding the Ali al-Taher heights. Israeli warplanes also carried out a series of airstrikes on Wadi al-Salouqi and Tell Ali al-Taher in the Nabatieh district areas that have witnessed near-daily bombardment in recent weeks.

Artillery fire also struck the outskirts of Mansouri and Bayt al-Sayyad, while the Doha Kfar Rumman area was subjected to intermittent shelling throughout the day. … Full article

Hezbollah’s Options in Resisting and Why It Decided to Stop Responding

By Robert Inlakesh | Palestine Chronicle | August 29, 2026

As Israel continues to ramp up its destruction of south Lebanon, critics ask why Hezbollah suddenly stopped responding and whether the group is again out of options. The tactical pause on the Lebanese organization’s part will not last, and its options are more numerous than some may expect. … continue

Iraqi Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada sets conditions to put weapons under state control

Press TV – August 29, 2026

The Iraqi Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada resistance group says it will begin handing over its weapons as part of a government plan to place all arms under state control, but only on the condition that its demands, including the withdrawal of US forces, are met.

In a statement on Saturday, the group said its response to efforts aimed at regulating weapons and ensuring they fall under state authority was conditional on the complete withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraqi soil, territorial waters, and airspace; an outright ban on the use of Iraqi airspace to attack neighboring countries; and legislation to protect the rights of Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) fighters.

Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada also called for full federal control over Iraqi territory, stronger air defense through the deployment of sophisticated missile systems operated solely by Iraqi personnel, and the withdrawal of Peshmerga forces—the official armed forces of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)—as well as Turkish troops from areas in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region in northern Iraq, “to divest Ankara of any excuses to launch further attacks.”

Other conditions included placing the border regions of the Kurdistan region under Iraqi army control and forcing separatist anti-Iran Kurdish groups out of the area.

The group further demanded an end to US control over Iraq’s financial and economic institutions… continue

Why the Iran War is about to Escalate over The Coming Months

By Robert Inlakesh | Palestine Chronicle | August 28, 2026

Nothing is in place to ensure an Israeli-US victory against the Iranians, but Tel Aviv is not backing down and seeks to complete its mission aimed at dealing an enormous blow to Iran’s economy.

This week, the US Trump administration decided to impose another batch of sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran, in what it has labeled ‘Operation Economic Outcast’. Yet, this measure’s viability is about to expire and could end up backfiring tremendously, as all the chips are now in place for Tehran to drag Washington deeper into a fiery regional inferno.

Since April 8, when the US and Iran both agreed to a two-week-long ceasefire, American President Donald Trump has been playing a game designed to manipulate oil markets and has attempted just about every tactic known to man in order to simply off-put the economic iceberg that the global economy is heading straight towards. … continue

German establishment figures call for ban on country’s most popular party

RT | August 29, 2026

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and Baden-Wurttemberg Governor Cem Ozdemir have called for the opposition Alternative for Germany (AfD) party to be banned. The two establishment politicians claim that the country’s most popular party poses a threat to Germany’s constitutional order and democracy.

The AfD is the largest opposition force in the Bundestag and enjoys the support of 28% of respondents, according to recent surveys.

The right-wing party advocates tougher immigration controls while also calling for an end to Germany’s green policies. It is also highly critical of Berlin’s support for Ukraine and sanctions against Russia.

In an opinion piece published by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung on Friday, Pistorius and Ozdemir drew parallels between the modern-day AfD and Adolf Hitler’s National Socialist party.

“Today, we are once again facing a threat to democracy from the extreme right,” the politicians, who represent the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the Green Party, respectively, claimed.

In making their case for outlawing the right-wing party, Pistorius and Ozdemir argued that a powerful faction within the AfD espouses the idea of ‘remigration’, thus calling into question the “inviolability of human dignity” enshrined in the German constitution. … continue

Federal GRANITE Act Targets Foreign Censorship Orders in US

Foreign censors have discovered that sending threatening emails to US platforms is cheap. Michael Rulli’s bill would make the next step considerably more expensive.

By Christina Maas | Reclaim The Net | August 29, 2026

It’s not every day that the US Congress is moved to act by the UK’s speech regulators – but there’s a first time for everything, and that time is now. And that regulator is Ofcom.

But Ofcom – or rather, its overreach – has managed to bring about the introduction of a new bill, the first of its kind at the federal level, even if not the first attempt to produce legislation that would deal with this problem.

The bill is called GRANITE, and the full name is even more interesting: Guaranteeing Rights Against Novel International Tyranny and Extortion Act. The man behind it is Republican Rep. Michael Rulli of Ohio, who introduced it on August 27, 2026, as H.R. 10174. … continue

New York Social Media Law Survives X Lawsuit

By Cindy Harper | Reclaim The Net | August 29, 2026

A New York law that opponents say was designed to strong-arm social media companies into censoring speech (under the guise of “transparency”) has survived a First Amendment challenge.

US District Judge John Cronan on Aug 26, 2026, dismissed X’s lawsuit against the “Stop Hiding Hate Act.” … continue

US designates Palestinian refugee in Germany ‘terrorist’ over human rights activism

Press TV -August 29, 2026

The US has designated Zaid Abdulnasser, a 30-year-old stateless Palestinian refugee based in Berlin, as a terrorist and imposed sanctions on him over his advocacy for Palestinians imprisoned by the Israeli regime, a report says.

The US Treasury Department placed Abdulnasser on its sanctions list on Wednesday, meaning financial institutions dealing with him could face pressure from Washington and potentially cut ties with his accounts, according to a report by Drop Site.

Because international payment networks rely heavily on US banks and dollar transactions, Abdulnasser said the measures could “completely paralyze” him financially.

“I was frightened. The authorities did not contact me beforehand; they just put me on the list,” Abdulnasser told Drop Site in an interview.

Abdulnasser, who has a six-month-old child, said he believes the move is part of a wider effort to restrict Palestinian human rights advocacy. … continue

Trump’s push to deport Pro-Palestinian activists faces court defeat

Al Mayadeen | August 29, 2026

A federal judge on Friday ruled that laws used by US President Donald Trump’s administration to revoke visas and pursue deportation proceedings against noncitizen college students over their pro-Palestinian advocacy and criticism of “Israel” are unconstitutional.

US District Judge Noel Wise in San Jose, California, sharply criticized the US State Department and US Department of Homeland Security for using provisions of federal immigration law to pursue deportation against noncitizens for expressing views the government sought to suppress. … continue

Two Palestinians, including child, injured by Israeli army fire in occupied West Bank

MEMO | August 29, 2026

Two Palestinians, including a child, were injured by Israeli army fire in the city of Al-Bireh in the central West Bank on Saturday, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, Anadolu reports.

The society said in a statement that its crews treated two people wounded by live ammunition in the Al-Amari refugee camp in Al-Bireh.

One of those injured was a 15-year-old child, while the other, a young man, was shot in the foot, it said, adding that both were transferred to a hospital. … Full article

Two Palestinian sisters wounded in settler attack in West Bank

Palestinian Information Center – August 29, 2026

RAMALLAH – Two Palestinian sisters were injured on Saturday after being assaulted by extremist Jewish settlers in the town of Silwad, northeast of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.

Two sisters, Mona and Alia Hamed, aged 75 and 65, were injured after settlers launched a brutal attack on them while they were picking figs in their grove, according to local sources.

The settlers also stole the sisters’ mobile phones and their car key before fleeing the area.

Up to 3,000 people forcibly disappeared in Gaza during Israeli war: Rights group

MEMO | August 29, 2026

Between 2,500 and 3,000 people are estimated to have been subjected to enforced disappearance in the Gaza Strip during Israel’s war, a Palestinian rights group said Saturday, on the eve of the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, Anadolu reports.

The Palestinian Center for Missing and Forcibly Disappeared Persons issued the estimate based on an analytical study of a sample of 317 cases, saying the findings showed indicators warranting an investigation into the possibility of a broader pattern of enforced disappearances in Gaza.

The center said its study was based on reports submitted by families of missing people and cases documented in the field and did not represent all cases of missing or forcibly disappeared people in Gaza. … continue

Three Gazans killed, others wounded in fresh Israeli attacks

Palestinian Information Center – August 29, 2026

GAZA – Three Palestinian citizens were martyred and several others were wounded in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip on Saturday.

According to media sources, an Israeli strike on an electric delivery bike killed two young men and injured several others in Gaza City’s Tel al‑Hawa neighborhood, with casualties transferred to nearby al‑Quds Hospital.

In the eastern area of al‑Musaddar village in central Gaza, an Israeli drone strike killed farmer Mohamed al‑Attar as he was working his swath of land.

The attack happened as Israeli armored vehicles advanced into the area.

In another incident, several civilians were wounded, one seriously, in an Israeli strike on a tent in al‑Ard al‑Tayiba displacement camp in Khan Yunis.

Three others were injured when an Israeli drone bombed a medicine warehouse inside Shuhada al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al‑Balah, central Gaza.

Meanwhile, widespread military activity, including shooting incidents, artillery shelling, drone overflights, and demolitions, was reported across Gaza today.

UNIFIL records 1,030 projectiles fired by ‘Israel’ in southern Lebanon

Al Mayadeen | August 29, 2026

The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said Friday that it had recorded 1,030 projectiles fired in southern Lebanon in the period from August 21 to 27.

“Despite lower levels of violence than earlier this year, the situation in south Lebanon remains fragile,” the peacekeeping force said in a post on X, detailing that “from 21 to 27 August, peacekeepers recorded 1,030 projectile trajectories, an average of 147 per day”.

UNIFIL added that the current situation continues to weigh heavily on civilians, as homes and vital infrastructure have been damaged while local communities struggle to recover. … Full article

Maariv: ‘Israel’ Fears Iranian Retaliation Over Attack on Ali Al-Taher in Southern Lebanon

Al-Manar | August 29, 2026

‘Israel’ fears that a large-scale attack on the Ali Al-Taher Heights in southern Lebanon could trigger Iranian missile or drone retaliation and potentially reignite wider fighting, the Israeli newspaper Maariv reported, citing an Israeli security source.

The source said such concerns, coupled with US pressure for ‘Israel’ to continue withdrawing from southern Lebanon, have led the Israeli army to carry out limited operations in the area rather than launch a major offensive.

According to the report, the source acknowledged the difficulty of maintaining long-term control over Lebanese territory, saying that “Israel has no option but to withdraw from southern Lebanon.”

Maariv further reported claims that Israeli forces have surrounded an alleged underground command-and-control Hezbollah facility in the Ali Al-Taher Heights, in Nabatieh district, for more than two months, purportedly “trapping dozens of Hezbollah resistance fighters and an unspecified number of Iranian Revolutionary Guard personnel inside.”

The source claimed that Israeli occupation forces control the access routes to the alleged facility and have been targeting the area from the ground and air.

Despite this, the source said Tel Aviv does not intend to withdraw from the surrounding area or allow those allegedly inside the facility to leave.