2020-07-14: News Headlines

Electromagnetic Sense Ireland (2020-07-14). "Thank You for Calling" Documentary: Unspoken Health Impacts of the Worldwide Mobile Phone Industry. globalresearch.ca Mobile telephony has quickly established itself worldwide as an irreplaceable communication technology. Similar to smoking, however, possible fatal consequences can only become apparent after decades of constantly increased exposure to radiation. | The documentary THANK YOU FOR CALLING by Klaus Scheidsteger …

yenisafak (2020-07-14). Masks to be mandatory in enclosed public spaces in next weeks: Macron. yenisafak.com Wearing masks will be compulsory in all enclosed public spaces in the next weeks in France, where there are signs that COVID-19 is returning somewhat, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday.In a television interview on National Day, Macron also said he wished that COVID-19 testing be available for everyone.

yenisafak (2020-07-14). Turkey's opposition leader backs Hagia Sophia's mosque reconversion. yenisafak.com Hagia Sophia should be opened for worship — as the government decided last week — but it should be "closed to politics," a Turkish opposition leader said Tuesday."The trust of Sultan Mehmet [the Conqueror] will be completely opened for worship. An expectation of our nation has been met," Meral Aksener told her Good (IYI) Party parliamentary group, referring to the leader who conquered Istanbul in 1453 and made Hagia Sophia a mosque."Hagia Sophia should be opened for worship, but it should be closed to politics," she added.Aksener said that Hagia Sophia is being opened to worship in line with the natio…

yenisafak (2020-07-14). Turkish parliament to mark anniversary of defeated coup. yenisafak.com Turkey's parliament on Wednesday will mark the fourth anniversary of the 2016 defeated coup by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).The commemorative ceremony will launch with Parliament Speaker Mustafa Sentop's visit to the July 15 Democracy Martyrdom Monument at 10.00 a.m. (0700GMT) in Ankara.President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will also attend a commemorative ceremony in parliament at 12.00 noon (0900GMT).Honoring the thousands of members of the public who took to the streets four years ago against the coup bid, athletes coming from all 81 of Turkey's provinces will keep a "Democracy Watch" in front of the Ju…

yenisafak (2020-07-14). Turkey: Frescoes in Hagia Sophia will not hinder prayer. yenisafak.com Turkey's top religious body said Tuesday the frescoes in Hagia Sophia will not hinder prayer.The iconic monument was first built as a church in the Byzantine period. It has Christian mosaics, including one of Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus in its main hall. It became a mosque after Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II conquered Istanbul in 1453.On Friday, a Turkish court annulled a 1934 Cabinet decree that had turned the Hagia Sophia into a museum, paving the way for its use again as a mosque after 85 years.The administration of the mosque was given to Turkey's Religious Affairs Directorate.In a statement, the directorate said:…

yenisafak (2020-07-14). Turkey's Karpowership signs 5-year power deal with Sierra Leone. yenisafak.com Karpowership, one of the world's largest operators of floating power plants, has agreed a 5-year deal to provide electricity to Sierra Leone's state power utility, the Turkish company said on Tuesday.Karpowership – part of the Karadeniz Energy Group – already supplies around 80% of the West African nation's electricity via two powerships anchored off the capital Freetown under a contract signed in 2018.The vessels are dual-fuel powered using either heavy fuel oil or liquefied natural gas (LNG).The new agreement will add 5 megawatts (MW) to current production. Karpowership will generate an average of 63 MW during…

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-14). Ancient artifacts to be returned from Austria. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 14 (MNA) — Iran's head of International Affairs of Police and Director General of Interpol said on Tuesday that some Iranian ancient artifacts have been delivered to Iran's representative at the country's embassy in Vienna.

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-14). Iran, Russia discuss customs coop. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 14 (MNA) — Iranian Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali held talks with Deputy Head of Federal Customs Service of Russia Vladimir Vladimirovich Ivin on the customs cooperation through videoconference.

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.

RT (2020-07-13). EU 'preparing measures' against China over Hong Kong, but diplomats say economic sanctions 'unlikely'. rt.com The European Union is preparing countermeasures in response to Beijing's new security law on Hong Kong, the EU's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said on Monday. However, diplomats indicated that the likely steps will not amount to economic sanctions. | They have noted "broad support" for action among EU member states, they said, but believed tough measures were not being discussed in any detail, Reuters reported. The cited problem is resistance from China's closest trade partners in Europe, such as Hungary and Greece. | "We have agreed … to develop a coordinated EU response to show support for Hong Kong…

RT (2020-07-13). 'Black Forest Rambo': German police in manhunt for suspect who disarmed four officers & fled into the wild armed 'with a bow'. rt.com German police have launched a huge manhunt involving hundreds of officers, special forces and helicopters, to locate a man who'd earlier disarmed four of their colleagues, in a brazen broad daylight attack. | The suspect is "violent and armed with several firearms," police in the southwestern German state of Baden Wuertemberg were warning, urging people in the town of Oppenau, not far from the border with France, to stay at home. People were also being urged to avoid forest areas as well as not to take any hitchhikers in the area, under any circumstances. | Mit einem Groàüaufgebot von Einsatzkrà§ften…

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.

teleSUR (2020-07-13). Poland: Andrzej Duda Wins Presidency Elections After Tight Race. telesurenglish.net Poland's electoral authorities Monday made official the victory of ultraconservative Andrzej Duda in the recent elections, by a narrow majority of votes. | RELATED: | Duda received the 51.21 percent of the votes, while the Warsaw Mayor Rafa Trzaskowski got the 48.79 percent. | The National Electoral Commission released the results after counting over 99 percent of the country's voting districts. | After five years in power, Duda was confident of being re-el…

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.

teleSUR (2020-07-13). COVID-19: Global Cases Reach 13 Million. telesurenglish.net Global COVID-19 cases reached 13 million on Monday according to data registered by the John Hopkins University. | RELATED: | As worldwide death toll ascended to 570,776 fatalities, United States; Brazil; India; Russia, and Peru are among the hardest-hit countries. | Today Tedros Adhanom, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), remarked during a press briefing that "too many countries are headed in the wrong direction." | The officia…

teleSUR (2020-07-13). Spain: Over 4,600 Health Workers on Strike in Madrid. telesurenglish.net After unsuccessful negotiations with the government of the Madrid Comunity, over 4,600 doctors, nurses, and pharmacy personnel, who are in the process of training as specialists, began on Monday an indefinite strike to against exploitation they suffer in hospitals. | RELATED: | On their strike's first day, they staged s in the morning in their hospitals before attending a demonstration at the regiona…

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…