2020-07-13: News Headlines

Staff (2020-07-13). Headlines for July 13, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. & World Mark Record Number of New COVID-19 Cases, Trump Accuses CDC of Lying & Attacks Dr. Anthony Fauci , COVID-19 Death Toll at San Quentin State Prison Reaches Nine, JBS Meat Processing Workers Stage Wildcat Strike, 300 Workers Infected, 4 Die at Los Angeles Apparel Factory, Mexico's COVID-19 Death Toll Tops 35,000, Surpassing Italy as World's Fourth Highest, India, Hong Kong, Colombia Reimpose Lockdowns Amid New Surges, Trump & DeVos Threaten to Cut Funding If Schools Stay Closed During Pandemic, Trump Commutes Sentence of Friend & Adviser Roger Stone, Washington Rdskns to Change Name; Will the Chiefs Be…

Staff (2020-07-13). Congo Doesn't Need An Apology, It Needs Justice And Reparations. therealnews.com King Philippe expressed regret for King Leopold II's atrocities in the Congo, but Belgium continues to plunder its resources says human rights Kambale Musavuli.

Victor Grossman (2020-07-13). Has Germany finally had enough of U.S. bullying and militarism? peoplesworld.org BERLIN — Despite concern here about the continuing coronavirus danger, some still have an eye or an ear for new dangers on the international relations front. If they look and listen hard they are hearing an unusual tearing sound. It could be emanating from a recent development, the yet inconclusive but undeniable ripping apart of …

Gerald Sussman (2020-07-13). The Russiagate Spectacle: Season 2? counterpunch.org If it's an election year, there must be a Russiagate story. The Clintons and their neoliberal progeny, including the current standard bearer for corporate liberalism, have turned the Democratic Party into a branch office of the Deep State Inc., whose propaganda drones, the New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, and MSNBC act like hired guns for the Office of War Information.

The Canary (2020-07-13). The hopes of equal marriage rights in Russia crushed by constitutional amendment. thecanary.co Same-sex couples in Russia are frustrated by a recent constitutional amendment stipulating that marriage is between a man and a woman.The 1 July decision by voters to approve a series of constitutional proposals means they will not be allowed rights common for married couples.These include the right to refuse to give evidence against their partner in court, the right to inherit from each other automatically, and the right to see each other in hospitals that only allow visits by family members.One couple, Irina and Anastasia Lagutenko, held their own personal same-sex ceremony. They have a son Dorian, who was born…

Stephen Lendman (2020-07-13). China and Iran Deepening Bilateral Ties. A 25-Year Strategic Partnership. globalresearch.ca In contrast to endless US war on humanity, China, Russia, Iran, and other nonbelligerent nations on its target list for regime change pursue cooperative relations with other countries — hostility toward none. | For some time, China and Iran have been …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-13). Progressive youth in Frankfurt honor memory of victims of right-wing violence. peoplesdispatch.org The commemoration was held on the second anniversary of the verdict in the case of the racist murders committed by the neo-nazi group, National Socialist Underground (NSU), in Germany…

WSWS (2020-07-13). Far-right Vox party to launch fascist trade union in Spain. wsws.org Vox intends to exploit the reactionary role played by Spain's main unions, which support the austerity policies of the ruling Podemos and Socialist parties.

Evaggelos Vallianatos (2020-07-13). Power, Knowledge and Virtue. counterpunch.org I was working on a powerpoint presentation on the history of the Greek Revolution and came across the Memoirs of John Makriyiannis. This was an important fighter and leader who sacrificed everything for the cause of freeing Greece from its abominable Turkish tyrants. Makriyiannis was illiterate. However, he had a broad knowledge of Greek and European history.

WSWS (2020-07-13). Merkel in Brussels: Profits before lives and European great power politics. wsws.org The message was clear: despite the massive increase in infections and deaths, there would be no new lockdown.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-13). French researchers intensify s against neoliberal reforms in higher education. peoplesdispatch.org Researchers under the leadership of the Faculties and Labs in Struggle held s against the LPPR Bill and the Welcome to France program which will promote greater contractualization and commercialization of education…

WSWS (2020-07-13). Georgia Tech faculty, students and parents express opposition to school reopening. wsws.org The university reopening plans in Georgia come in the context of the Trump administration's reactionary push for the reopening of industries and businesses…

WSWS (2020-07-13). Greek government passes draconian anti- legislation. wsws.org The Bill was voted into law after thousands of workers ed in Athens and throughout Greece.

WSWS (2020-07-13). Trump commutes prison term for political crony Roger Stone. wsws.org Stone's convictions on perjury and other federal charges stemmed from the bogus anti-Russia campaign launched by the Democratic Party and sections of the military-intelligence establishment.

yenisafak (2020-07-13). 'Turkey stands with Azerbaijan amid clashes with Armenia'. yenisafak.com Turkish foreign minister on Monday strongly condemned a deadly attack by Armenian armed forces on Azerbaijani troops.Mevlàºt àáavu≈üoƒülu in a televised interview called on Armenia to "pull its head together" and noted that Turkey stands with Azerbaijan "with all it has".àáavu≈üoƒülu's remarks came shortly after three Azerbaijani soldiers were martyred and four others injured in a border clash with Armenian troops on Sunday.Regarding Turkey's recent decision to reconvert Istanbul's iconic Hagia Sophia into a mosque after serving decades as a museum, the…

yenisafak (2020-07-13). Births in Italy hit record low in 2019, population shrinks again. yenisafak.com The number of babies born in Italy hit a new record low in 2019, the population shrank and more Italians moved abroad, national statistics office ISTAT said on Monday.Italy's demographic crisis, with a dwindling population and ageing workforce, is one reason for its chronically stagnant economy, economists say — and the situation is getting worse.Births dropped by some 19,000 to 420,000 last year, the lowest level since the unification of Italy in 1861, ISTAT said, while deaths totalled 634,000.Bolzano, on the northern border with Austria, was the only Italian province in which births exceeded deaths in 2019, wh…

yenisafak (2020-07-13). Turkey requests FETàñ extraditions from 105 countries. yenisafak.com Turkey's Justice Ministry has requested the extradition of 807 members of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETàñ), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup, from 105 countries including the US, Germany, Romania, and Belgium.Following these requests, 116 FETàñ members in 27 countries were handed over to Turkey.Ankara sent a total of 856 extradition files to relevant states on 807 FETàñ members in 105 countries.To date, Turkey requested the extradition of 156 FETàñ members from the US and 257 others from the European Union states.Among the EU member states, the highest number of reque…

yenisafak (2020-07-13). South Africa mourns passing of Mandela's daughter. yenisafak.com Tributes and condolences have started pouring in to the Mandela family, following the death of Zindzi Mandela, South Africa's ambassador to Denmark and daughter to global icon Nelson Mandela."I offer my deep condolences to the Mandela family as we mourn the passing of a fearless political who was a leader in her own right," South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a statement on Monday.Ramaphosa said he is "deeply saddened" by the passing of Zindzi Nobutho Mandela, who passed away in the early hours of Monday, July 13, at a Johannesburg hospital at the age of 59.She was the youngest daughter of Ne…

yenisafak (2020-07-13). Turkey, EU share 'strategic interests, goals'. yenisafak.com Turkey shares many of the European Union's strategic interests and goals, the Turkish foreign minister said."As a candidate for EU membership, Turkey shares many of the bloc's strategic interests and goals. Our borders are Europe's and NATO's external borders and we, too, want to build state and societal resilience," Mevlut Cavusoglu wrote in an article for Politico.Addressing Turkey's significance for the EU, Cavusoglu said the country's diplomatic and security presence has defended Europe for generations."In the future too, Europe will be safe and prosperous with Turkey's contributions," he added.The foreign mi…

yenisafak (2020-07-13). German study shows low coronavirus infection rate in schools. yenisafak.com Very few of 2,000 school children and teachers tested in the German state of Saxony showed antibodies to COVID-19, a study found on Monday, suggesting schools may not play as big a role in spreading the virus as some had feared.Germany began reopening schools in May, though debate continues as to the role children may play in spreading the virus to vulnerable adults at home as well as to older teachers and school staff.The study by the University Hospital in Dresden analysed blood samples from almost 1,500 children aged between 14 and 18 and 500 teachers from 13 schools in Dresden and the districts of Bautzen and…

yenisafak (2020-07-13). Erdogan, Putin discuss Libya, Syria over phone. yenisafak.com President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed to maintain coordination for regional , security and stability.The presidents also discussed steps to be taken to strengthen economic relations, and cooperation against COVID-19.Libya has been torn by civil war since the ouster of late ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Libya's new government was founded in 2015 under a UN-led agreement, but efforts for a long-term political settlement failed due to the military offensive by warlord Khalifa Haftar's forces.The UN recognizes the Libyan government headed by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sar…

yenisafak (2020-07-13). US regrets foreign interference in Libya's economy. yenisafak.com The US Embassy in Libya on Monday regretted foreign interference in the Libyan economy. | "After several days of intense diplomatic activity aimed at allowing the National Oil Corporation [NOC] to resume its vital and apolitical work as a way of defusing military tensions, the US Embassy regrets that foreign-backed efforts against Libya's economic and financial sectors have impeded progress and heightened the risk of confrontation," the embassy said in a statement. | It noted that incursions by Russian Wagner mercenaries against NOC facilities and conflicting messages conveyed by warlord Khalifa Haftar's militia…

yenisafak (2020-07-13). Turkey: Oil refiner Tupras tops industrial enterprises. yenisafak.com The energy giant Tupras reclaimed the title of biggest industrial enterprise in Turkey in a list announced by the Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO) on Monday.According to the 2019 survey, oil refiner Tupras retained the leadership with production-based sales worth 87.95 billion Turkish liras ($14.48 billion) in the list of Turkey's Top 500 Industrial Enterprises.International auto manufacturer Ford was the second-biggest company with production-based sales of 37.07 billion Turkish liras ($6.52 billion), followed by automaker Toyota in the third place with 25.85 billion Turkish liras ($4.55 billion).Oyak-Renault,…

yenisafak (2020-07-13). Turkey's coup museum draws half a million visitors. yenisafak.com Since it opened in Turkey last year, some half a million people have visited a museum detailing the July 15, 2016 defeated coup attempt by the terrorist group FETO.On the third anniversary of the defeated coup, the July 15 Memorial Museum honoring the sacrifices paid to uphold democracy in Turkey opened in the heart of Istanbul.FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.Turkey accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military…

yenisafak (2020-07-13). Three more migrant bodies pulled out of lake in eastern Turkey. yenisafak.com Rescue workers on Monday recovered bodies of three more irregular migrants from a lake in Turkey's eastern Van province after a boat carrying them sank late last month.Turkish teams continue efforts to recover bodies from the Lake Van where a boat carrying up to 60 people sank on June 28.So far, a total of 29 bodies have been recovered from the lake.Earlier this month, three suspects were remanded in custody over the sinking of a migrant boat in eastern Turkey.Since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, the number of irregular migrants arriving in Turkey has declined.However, more than 21,000 migrants have reach…

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-13). Armenia, Azerbaijan must resolve differences fully: Spox. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 13 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyyed Abbas Mousavi said on Mon. that the two countries of Armenia and Azerbaijan Republic must settle their differences fully over the disputed region.

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-13). IAEA BoG anti-Iran resolution hits JCPOA process: Jalali. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 13 (MNA) — on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of JCPOA, Iranian ambassador to Moscow called the recent anti-Iran resolution of the 3 European countries another strike to the implementation process of the JCPOA.

_____ (2020-07-13). How The Pentagon Failed To Sell Afghan Government's Bunk 'Bountygate' Story. popularresistance.org The New York Times dropped another Russiagate bombshell on June 26 with a sensational front-page story headlined, "Russia Secretly Offered Afghan Militants Bounties to Kill U.S. Troops, Intelligence Says." A predictable media and political frenzy followed, reviving the anti-Russian hysteria that has excited the Beltway establishment for the past four years. | But a closer look at the reporting by the Times and other mainstream outlets vying to confirm its coverage reveals another scandal, not unlike Russiagate itself: the core elements of the story appear to have been fabricated by Afghan government intelligence…

The Canary (2020-07-13). UK coronavirus healthcare worker deaths among highest — Amnesty International. thecanary.co The UK is among the countries to have recorded the highest number of health and social care worker deaths during the coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis, according to a report by Amnesty International. | The human rights organisation said that at least 540 frontline staff have died after contracting the virus in England and Wales. The figure is second only to Russia, which has recorded 545 deaths. | Figures from 79 countries: | Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that 268 deaths involving coronavirus among social care workers were registered in England and Wales between 9 March and 25 May.

Mike Whitney (2020-07-12). Looks Like Sweden Was Right After All. globalresearch.ca Why is the media so fixated on Sweden's coronavirus policy? What difference does it make? | Sweden settled on a policy that they thought was both sustainable and would save as many lives as possible. They weren't trying to 'show anyone …

RT (2020-07-12). Azerbaijan says 3 of its soldiers killed in border clash with Armenian troops, sparking fears of new escalation. rt.com At least three soldiers have been killed in a border clash between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Baku has said. It is the latest flareup in a decades-old conflict between the two states. | The clash happened on the Armenian-Azeri border on Sunday at about midday local time, both sides confirmed. | The Azeri side said Armenian military broke a ceasefire agreement and shelled its positions with artillery, prompting retaliation. It

RT (2020-07-12). German officials furious after meatpacker behind Covid-19 outbreak that placed 600,000 people on lockdown requests salary refund. rt.com A German meat processing factory at the center of a local Covid-19 outbreak that put two neighboring districts on quarantine has requested government support. The move angered German officials, including the agriculture minister. | "I don't have much sympathy with this," Agriculture Minister Julia Kloeckner told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper, commenting on a request by the Toennies meat factory in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Companies in Germany are entitled to "labor cost refunds" if they were forced to go on lockdown by the health authorities but still had to pay their employees. | Also on rt.com

RT (2020-07-12). Poland's President Andrzej Duda slightly ahead of his rival in tight runoff — exit polls. rt.com Poland's President Andrzej Duda appears to have just about managed to snatch victory from his opponent, Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski, in an incredibly tight race, with exit polls showing he's just one percent ahead. | Duda has gained just over 50 percent of the vote, while his opponent secured 49.6 percent, according to the first exit poll results published by the Polish media. | In the first round, his advantage over Trzaskowski was much more noticeable and accounted for more than 10 percent. He still fell short of the overall majority that would have allowed him to win outright as he gained only 43.7 perce…

RT (2020-07-12). Group seeking truth behind great Soviet mystery, the Dyatlov Pass deaths, rejects official probe that blamed avalanche. rt.com A group dedicated to solving the mysterious deaths of nine hikers in 1959 has blasted the results of a new investigation into the case, which concluded they were crushed by an avalanche or had succumbed to the blistering cold. | The demise of nine fit, young university students in the Urals has puzzled many for more than six decades. Their empty tent was found to have been cut open from the inside with a sharp object, and their bodies — some naked, others shoeless or half-dressed — were scattered nearby, several with skull fractures, facial damage, and massive internal injuries, on a slope that local…

RT (2020-07-12). US-Russian relations 'remain at almost-rock bottom:' Unbefitting of leading nuclear powers — Kremlin. rt.com The "terrible" state of relations between the US and Russia is not what other nations expect from the two countries with the world's biggest nuclear arsenals, President Putin's spokesman has said. | "Our relationship remains at almost-rock bottom. The situation is terrible both in bilateral aspects and in terms of our responsibility for multilateral affairs, first of all, in arms control and strategic stability," Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with Russian TV. | He noted that "shy" expert contacts between the two nations have been failing to preserve strategic arms control agreements, like the now-defunct…

RT (2020-07-12). The wet set: WATCH passengers sheltering under umbrellas as 'rain' falls INSIDE airborne plane. rt.com A bizarre accident occurred aboard a Russian passenger jet, when travelers were showered with water dripping from its ceiling. The 'rain' turned out to be pretty hard, as some passengers had to hide under umbrellas. | Footage of the leaky situation emerged online over the weekend, promptly going viral on Russian-language social media. The video shows the passengers trying to take shelter from the water dripping from the plane's ceiling. | Some of the travelers came well prepared and whipped out umbrellas, while others apparently got wet and grumpily commented about the leak, berating the plane and the compa…

The Canary (2020-07-12). Poland holds momentous presidential election run-off. thecanary.co Voting is under way in Poland's knife-edge presidential election. It's set to be a run-off between the conservative incumbent Andrzej Duda and liberal, pro-European Union (EU) Warsaw mayor Rafal Trzaskowski.Duda is backed by the ruling right-wing party and the government, as he seeks a second five-year term. Meanwhile, Trzaskowski, a former European Parliament politician, is running for the main opposition Civic Platform party.A close race: Latest polls show that the race may be decided by a very small margin. Both sides are calling to some 30 million eligible voters to cast their ballots. Turnout is expec…

The Canary (2020-07-12). Following evictions in France, refugees risk hypothermia and worse in Channel crossings. thecanary.co Refugees rescued after their boat capsized were among several groups to have tried to cross the English Channel on 11 July.The four individuals were spotted by a passing passenger ferry and were picked up by the French navy. They were found to have severe hypothermia and were taken to the French port of Calais.Nowhere to go: French authorities say they are now safe and well, but repeated warnings about the dangers of crossing the narrow strait. Meanwhile, evictions are leaving refugees with few other options.Crossings have continued as risk to refugees in the French camps considerably worsened in the wake…

_____ (2020-07-12). The Fall of Plahotniuc and a New Hope for Moldova. strategic-culture.org In June 2019, the small landlocked nation of Moldova found itself in a life or death struggle between two opposing futures: Oligarchs like the notorious Vladimir Plahotniuc had worked diligently for years to bring this nation into the hull of the collapsing NATO-EU Titanic while nationalists sought to re-align Moldova's future with the new emerging Multipolar Alliance led by China and Russia. | The greatest moment of decision (until now) occurred in June 2019 when elections resulted in a three-way split between a pro-Russian Socialist Party, the pro-EU ACUM and another pro-western Democratic Party run by the arch…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-12). Indictment of Kosovo establishment for war crimes has major implications for region. peoplesdispatch.org Recently, the Specialist Prosecutor's Office announced that it had filed indictments with the Kosovo Specialist Chambers against Kosovo president Hashim Thaci, former parliamentary speaker Kadri Veseli and others on charges of war crimes…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-12). Tens of thousands of Greeks agitate against law curbing s. peoplesdispatch.org Over the past few weeks, s have been held across Greece against a law introduced by the New Democracy government that will impose strict restrictions on demonstrations. The Communist Party of Greece and leftist trade unions have been in the forefront of these s.

teleSUR (2020-07-12). Russia Successfully Completes COVID-19 Vaccine Trial. telesurenglish.net Russia's health authorities Sunday announced that the country has successfully concluded the clinical trial of a vaccine against COVID-19 in a group of volunteers, becoming the first country to successfully complete this fase. | RELATED: | "At this stage, the safety of the vaccine was demonstrated. It corresponds to the safety of vaccines that are currently on the market, " First Moscow State Medical University Sechenov's Institute o…

sputniknews (2020-07-12). s in Belgrade Waning, Coronavirus Can Be Defeated, Serbian President Says. sputniknews.com BELGRADE (Sputnik) – Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic downplayed the Sunday against COVID-19 lockdown measures, held in front of the parliament building in Belgrade, saying that less than 500 people participated.

sputniknews (2020-07-12). Mick Schumacher Loses Podium in Formula 2 Race as Fire Extinguisher Goes Off in Cockpit – Video. sputniknews.com Schumaher had to stop the car and step outside to solve the problem with the out-of-control device. The racer now has the chance to regain his position in a week in Hungary.

sputniknews (2020-07-12). Senate Judiciary Chairman Graham Says Mueller Will Be Called to Testify About Russia Investigation. sputniknews.com The statement comes after former special counsel Robert Mueller published an op-ed supporting the prosecution of Roger Stone, who was convicted following his investigation into alleged US-Russia collusion.

sputniknews (2020-07-12). Air Defence Systems Repel Militant Drone Attacks on Hmeimim Airbase, Russian Military Says. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Militants in Syria have attempted to launch a drone attack on the Khmeimim airbase, although the unmanned flying vehicles were shot down by air defence systems, Rear Admiral Alexander Shcherbitsky, the head of the Russian Defence Ministry's centre for Syrian reconciliation, said on Sunday.

yenisafak (2020-07-12). Casualties feared in Azerbaijan-Armenia border clash. yenisafak.com Casualties are feared as an armed conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia broke out in the border region on Sunday, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said.In a statement it said that Armenian army fired at positions held by Azerbaijan in the Tovuz region.The conflict continues, it said, adding that the situation is in control of Azerbaijani army.Additional information would be provided to the public in due course, the ministry added. There are no diplomatic relations between the two neighboring countries.*Writing by Dilara Hamit in Ankara…

yenisafak (2020-07-12). Iran reports 194 more fatalities from coronavirus. yenisafak.com A further 2,186 people tested positive for COVID-19, raising the overall count to 252,720, Health Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said.She added that a total of 219,993 people have so far recovered and been discharged from hospitals, adding that 3,359 patients remain in critical condition.Iran's Khuzestan, Razavi Khorasan, West Azerbaijan and Mazandaran provinces are in the red zone, the most serious indicator. The capital Tehran, Fars, Kerman, Alborz, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Golestan, Bushehr, Hormozgan and East Azerbaijan provinces are among the high-risk regions.Since originating in China last Decembe…

yenisafak (2020-07-12). UK examining infrastructure to smooth flow of EU trade: Gove. yenisafak.com Britain is looking at developing infrastructure in south-east England to stop the major freight crossing to France becoming blocked when the transition deal with the European Union expires at the end of the year, Cabinet Secretary Michael Gove said."There will be specific pieces of infrastructure that we put in place in order to smooth the flow of traffic," he told the BBC's Andrew Marr.He said the British government would be saying more about the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland later this month.

yenisafak (2020-07-12). Hungary imposes border checks, quarantine to prevent spread of virus. yenisafak.com Hungary has imposed new restrictions on cross-border travel as of next Wednesday in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus after a surge in new cases in several countries, Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff said on Sunday.Under the new rules, Hungarian nationals returning from high risk countries listed as "yellow" and "red" will have to go through health checks at the border and will have to go into quarantine. The same applies to foreigners coming from "yellow" countries, but their entry will be banned from "red" countries.Countries in the Balkans and neighbouring Ukraine belong to the red cat…