(2020-07-16). Headlines for July 16, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. Army Deploys to Houston as Hospital Beds Fill to Capacity, Florida Coronavirus Cases Top 300,000 as Miami Hospitals Run Out of ICU Beds, Alabama's Republican Governor Mandates Masks After Record COVID-19 Death Toll, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp Greets Maskless Donald Trump, Bans Local Mask Mandates, Oklahoma Governor Tests Positive for COVID-19, Won't Require Masks in Public, White House Backs Down After Adviser Peter Navarro Attacks Dr. Anthony Fauci, India Posts Record Coronavirus Toll; Cases Explode in Nairobi Maternity Hospital , Members of Remote Amazon Tribe Test Positive for Coronavirus, President Trump Gu…
(2020-07-16). Georgia governor bans mask mandates. 'Ignore the science and survive the best you can,' Savannah mayor complains. rt.com 
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has prohibited cities from forcing residents to wear masks in public, voiding requirements put in place by some local governments. The move led to one mayor hurling incendiary accusations at Kemp. | The ban on mandatory face coverings was part of a new executive order which extended state measures purportedly put in place to fight the spread of coronavirus. Although Kemp has encouraged voluntary mask-wearing, his order made it clear that cities and counties could not coerce people into donning a face covering. The move voids orders adopted by at least 15 local governments across the…
(2020-07-16). EU court of justice strikes down data-sharing pact with US over snooping fears. thecanary.co 
The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has ruled an agreement that allows big tech companies to transfer data to the United States is invalid.It said national regulators need to take tougher action to protect the privacy of users' data.The ruling to invalidate Privacy Shield will complicate the transfer of a lot of data outside the EU and it could require regulators to vet any new transfers due to concerns the US government can snoop on people's data for national security reasons.Companies such as Facebook routinely move data between servers around the world (Dominic Lipinski/PA)It will no longer simpl…
(2020-07-16). US-NATO Seek to Exclude Russia from the Mediterranean. In Libya, Russia is on the Side of Haftar. globalresearch.ca Russia is conducting "military intimidation" in the Mediterranean according to RAND in a newly published
(2020-07-16). Video: Turkish Proxies in Syria Went Out of Control, Attack Joint Turkish-Russian Patrol. globalresearch.ca On July 14th and 15th, Syrian Army artillery units and warplanes of the Russian Aerospace Forces conducted extensive strikes on positions of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Turkistan Islamic Party and other radical groups in northern Lattakia and southern Idlib. The …
(2020-07-16). Instability in the Caucasus: Turkey Supports Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh Dispute with Armenia. globalresearch.ca The conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia has become increasingly serious. Both countries claim the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh and between the late 1980s and early 1990s there was a war between them to decide the control of the region. Tens of …
(2020-07-16). Towards a Totalitarian Regime? European Commission Adopts GMO Vaccine to Combat Non Existent Covid-19 Virus. globalresearch.ca In a decision which will shock many, the European Commission has taken a big step towards its ambition to subject its citizens to a totalitarian regime in which DNA altering technology forms the centre piece of mass control and unapologetic …
(2020-07-16). Every Billionaire Is A Predator: Notes From The Edge Of The Narrative Matrix. thealtworld.com Step 2: Buy up all news media. | Step 3: Structure outlets to elevate voices who defend the status quo. | Step 4: Smear non-plutocratic media who don't protect the status quo as crazy conspiracy theorists and Russian propaganda. | Step 5: Dominate the narrative about what's going on in the world. | ~ | Mainstream news is just advertising. You watch advertisements for maintaining the plutocratic status quo, then you watch advertisements between those advertisements for useless crap to make plutocrats even richer. It's all just different layers of marketing. When I was getting my journalism degree they used to talk…
(2020-07-16). UK's Huawei ban is a bid to nullify Chinese lead in telecom. peoplesdispatch.org Newsclick's Prabir Purkayastha talks about the decision of the United Kingdom to ban Huawei from its 5G network. He explains how technological development may suffer due to the decision and also the challenges before Huawei in overcoming restrictions by both the UK and the US…
(2020-07-16). Azerbaijani group slams 'pro-Armenian' US lawmakers. yenisafak.com Calling Representatives Adam Schiff, Brad Sherman, Judy Chu, TJ Cox and Senator Andreas Borgeas "pro-Armenian" on Twitter, the community accused the lawmakers of "supporting invasion and ethnic cleansing of Azerbaijan by Armenia."The community urged "all" friends of Azerbaijan to condemn such remarks.The members of the Congress described the tension between the two countries as "provocation of Azerbaijan," claiming Armenia is suffering the violence.On Sunday, the Armenian army attempted to attack Azerbaijani positions with artillery fire in the northwestern Tovuz border region and withdrew after suffering losses…
(2020-07-16). Italy imposes travel ban on 3 more Balkan nations. yenisafak.com Italy on Thursday imposed a travel ban on three more Balkan nations due to the coronavirus pandemic, the country's heath minister said.Italy's list of high-risk countries now contains 16 nations with new additions; Kosovo, Serbia, and Montenegro, Health Minister Roberto Speranza said on Facebook.Travelers, who had been in these countries in the last 14 days, will not be able to enter Italy.The list of restricted countries included Armenia, Bahrein, Bangladesh, Brazil, Bosnia Herzegovina, Chile, Kuwait, North Macedonia, Moldova, Oman, Panama, Peru, Dominican Republic, Serbia, Montenegro, and Kosovo.Since originati…
(2020-07-16). EU regulators to probe Alexa, Siri and other voice assistants. yenisafak.com EU competition regulators are seeking information from 400 companies to establish if there are problems in the market for voice assistants such as Alexa and Siri and other internet-connected devices that could lead to antitrust cases.The European Commission has opened similar inquiries in the past into sectors such as e-commerce, pharmaceuticals, financial services and energy that led to cases against companies and eventually hefty fines.Amazon's Alexa, Apple's Siri and Alphabet's Google Assistant are among the most popular voice assistant devices."It sends an important message to powerful operators in these mark…
(2020-07-16). Facebook studying EU court ruling on data transfer. yenisafak.com Facebook said on Thursday it was looking at the implications of a European court ruling that deemed a transatlantic data transfer deal invalid because of concerns about U.S. surveillance.The ruling effectively ends the privileged access companies in the United States had to personal data from Europe and puts the country on a similar footing to other nations outside the 27-country bloc."Like many businesses, we are carefully considering the findings and implications of the decision of the Court of Justice in relation to the use of Privacy Shield and we look forward to regulatory guidance in this regard," Eva Nagle…
(2020-07-16). Top Iraqi diplomat meets French counterpart in Baghdad. yenisafak.com Iraq's foreign minister met with his French counterpart in the capital Baghdad on Thursday and discussed Daesh/ISIS militants of French origin, who are currently held in Iraqi prisons."The reason for our visit to Baghdad is to support the Iraqi government which is currently facing dangers," France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told reporters at a joint news conference with his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein."We support Iraqi security forces against Daesh/ISIS terrorist group. We will not compromise against the enemy," Le Drian added.The two sides also discussed French companies' investments in Iraq and th…
(2020-07-16). Relations with Turkey 'on solid ground': Russia. yenisafak.com Relations of Russia and Turkey are "based on solid ground" and have "positive interdependence," Russia's deputy foreign minister said on Thursday.The two countries are working together on long-term projects, including the construction of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant and the TurkStream gas pipeline, Alexander Grushko said in an interview with Russia's Interfax news agency."If you look at the content of bilateral relations, including the economy, energy, and humanitarian ties, it is hard not to see that they are based on a solid ground," he asserted."There are clearly elements of positive interdependence here. Pr…
(2020-07-16). Spain to cull 93,000 mink at a farm hit by coronavirus. yenisafak.com Health authorities have ordered the culling of all 93,000 mink at a farm in eastern Spain to prevent human contagion after discovering that most of the animals there had been infected with the coronavirus.The farm in the village of La Puebla de Valverde in the region of Aragon, 200 km (125 miles) east of Madrid, came to the attention of the authorities after the wife of one of its workers tested positive in May.Joaquin Olona, head of the Aragon agriculture department, told reporters on Thursday that seven farm workers had subsequently tested positive, including the woman's husband.Authorities initially ordered th…
(2020-07-16). India's Muslims vs Modi: Dirilis Ertugrul and Israel's Fauda locked in fierce soft power battle. yenisafak.com Two international hit television dramas, one produced by Turkey and the other by Israel, have captured the interest of large audiences in India after the country began to implement stay-at-home orders to curb the spread of coronavirus.During quarantine, Turkish television series "Resurrection: Ertugrul," known as the Muslim Game of Thrones, glued Indian audiences to the small screen, while interest in the Israeli Netflix show "Fauda" skyrocketed.The Israeli political TV series "Fauda" (Arabic for "chaos") is attracting mostly right-wing nationalists in India. The spy thriller is based on the story of an Israeli u…
(2020-07-16). Singing Out & Standing Up For Freedom! Group Yorum Banned & Repressed By The Government. indybay.org This documentary is about Group Yorum band from Turkey and their music of struggle against the system. They have been banned and repressed by the government.
(2020-07-15). German anti-Semitism chief must resign, say Jewish and Israeli scholars. zcomm.org As Israel moves towards annexing large parts of the occupied West Bank, the scholars say that "the need for loud international criticism and opposition is only growing," but Klein keeps "chilling the public and political debate in Germany and beyond."
(2020-07-15). German Green Party programme: Police-state repression and militarism. wsws.org Germany's Green Party presented a draft party programme in Berlin on 26 June entitled "To care and protect …"
(2020-07-15). Can romance transcend class? Hochschild's 'Rebel Cinderella' in review. peoplesworld.org 
Can romance transcend class? The answer, based on Adam Hochschild's latest book, Rebel Cinderella: From Rags to Riches to Radical, the Epic Journey of Rose Pastor Stokes, seems to be yes—for a while. Hochschild, author of King Leopold's Ghost and Spain in Our Hearts, tells the life story of Rose Pastor Stokes, a Jewish woman born into poverty in …
(2020-07-15). Hagia Sophia and the Catastrophe of Symbolism. counterpunch.org 
As a Muslim, I find Erdogan's "decree" to change the status of Hagia Sophia (or Ayasofya in Turkish) from a museum to a masjid extremely disturbing. Yes, it is true that Turkey is a sovereign state, so it can do whatever it wants within its borders. But these actions have severe consequences. Hagia Sophia was
(2020-07-15). For Russian Experts, Taliban Bounty Report Just Doesn't Make Sense. anti-empire.com 
From the very start of the American-led invasion of Afghanistan almost 19 years ago, Russian experts were shaking their heads and However, the Kremlin warmly welcomed the occupation. It provided intelligence and
(2020-07-15). 'Unfair competition': Moscow blasts US move to enable sanctioning of Nord Stream 2 and TurkStream pipelines. rt.com 
The US' decision to remove sanctions exemption for the two pipelines under construction to deliver gas to Europe and Turkey is a textbook example of "unfair competition" through political means, Moscow has said. | The move, which allows the further sanctioning of Russian natural gas projects, has clearly shown the "weakness of the American system," Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday. | "This is the use of political pressure for sake of unfair competition," Zakharova stated. "Except for raw power, they don't have any effective tools." | Earlier in the day, US Secretary of St…
(2020-07-15). 'Persecution of Orthodox Christians': Patriarch Kirill calls upon Montenegro authorities to stop crackdown on the Church. rt.com 
The head of the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill has urged Montenegro authorities to repeal a "discriminative" religious law and stop "large-scale and purposeful persecution" of the canonical denomination. | "I call upon the civil authorities of Montenegro to repeal the discriminatory law that has brought division and schism into the Montenegrin society, to put an end to the persecution against the Orthodox Church, to stop the attempts to create in her place some other church structure," the Patriarch said in his address to the Balkan country. | The ongoing tensions have been sparked by a controversia…
(2020-07-15). 'Persecution of Orthodox Christians': Moscow Patriarch Kirill calls on Montenegrin authorities to stop crackdown on Church. rt.com The head of the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill has urged Montenegrin authorities to repeal a "discriminative" religious law and stop "large-scale and deliberate persecution" of the faith. | "I call upon the civil authorities of Montenegro to repeal the discriminatory law that has brought division and schism into Montenegrin society, to put an end to persecution against the Orthodox Church, (and) to stop the attempts to create in her place some other church structure," the Patriarch said in an address to the Balkan country. | The ongoing tensions have been sparked by a controversial law, adopted by P…
(2020-07-15). Polish president Duda duped by Russian prankster duo posing as UN chief. rt.com 
Polish President Andrzej Duda has become the latest victim of the famous Russian prankster duo 'Vovan and Lexus'. The leader sensed something was off when the pair, posing as the UN chief, raved about traditional Polish liquor. | Supposedly calling the freshly re-elected Duda to congratulate him on his "impressive victory" in the country's recent election, one of the pranksters posed as none other than UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. | Duda, who only narrowly managed to snatch victory in a very tight race, was apparently so glad to hear from the high-ranking UN official that he apparently did not immedi…
(2020-07-15). Putin & Merkel agree in phone call that Minsk agreements on E. Ukraine conflict 'have no alternatives'. rt.com 
Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed implementing the Minsk agreements to peacefully solve the conflict in eastern Ukraine in a phone call on Wednesday. | Putin "emphasized the counter-productivity of Ukrainian attempts to distort the substance" of the agreements amid Kiev's statements about the need to review them, according to the Kremlin press service. "He underscored that Kiev's course toward selective fulfillment of its obligations brings the negotiations process to a stalemate." | Both sides condemned recent statements made by Ukrainian officials that the Minsk c…
(2020-07-15). Another day, another statue: Sitka council rules to remove monument to first Russian governor of Alaska. rt.com 
The city council in Sitka, Alaska has decided to remove a statue of Alexander Baranov, the explorer and first governor of Russian Alaska. The resolution lists a number of serious accusations against the man. | Baranov worked for the Russian American Company, which was the vehicle for the Russian government's effort to expand into the Americas. For almost three decades he was the de facto governor of Russian colonies on the continent. Sitka — called Novoarkhangelsk by its Russian founders — served as his capital. | On Tuesday, Sitka's city council decided it no longer wanted a statue of Baranov to gre…
(2020-07-15). Russia to blame for landmines found in Libya, says US Africa Command in another self-serving 'bombshell'. rt.com 
As warring Libyan factions seek aid from Turkey and Egypt, AFRICOM is blaming Russia for landmines that were found near Tripoli in yet another alarmist 'intelligence assessment' aimed at getting US troops sent back to Africa. | On Wednesday, AFRICOM posted four photos of booby-trapped debris found between Tripoli and Sirte last month, as the Libyan National Army (LNA) retreated before the Turkish-backed Government of National Accord (GNA). The landmines used to rig the explosives were "assessed to have been introduced into Libya by the Wagner Group," a mercenary outfit AFRICOM insists is acting on behalf of th…
(2020-07-15). Elections signal post-socialist Poland's descent into reaction and repression. fightbacknews.org On July 12, Poland completed its second round of elections to decide who will be president and whether the far-right, chauvinistic, racist PiS would have full powers of the Sejm – Poland's equivalent to the House of Representatives. Sadly, despite being incredibly close and potentially contested, the official reports show Andrzej Duda getting 51% of the vote, while his opponent Rafal Trzaskowski achieved 49% of the vote. Duda is the candidate that represented the Prawo I Sprawiedliwosc (in English, the Law and Justice party). His opponent, Trzaskowski, represented the right-centrist party known as the Civil Platf…
(2020-07-15). French activists protest against Macron's research privatization bill. peoplesdispatch.org The research community in France led by Faculties and Labs in Struggle is protesting against the controversial LPPR (Pluriannual Research Programming Law) bill and the 'Welcome to France' program introduced by the government…
(2020-07-15). French activists protest against Macron's research privatisation bill. peoplesdispatch.org The research community in France led by Faculties and Labs in Struggle is protesting against the controversial LPPR (Pluriannual Research Programming Law) bill and the 'Welcome to France' program introduced by the government…
(2020-07-15). German state intelligence agency deletes data of right-wing extremists. wsws.org There are close links between Germany's secret services, its government and the right-wing extremist milieu not only in Saxony, but throughout the country.
(2020-07-15). Jack Charlton, Soccer and Ireland's Working Class. counterpunch.org Of course, we knew Jack Charlton was human. We knew he was mortal, that he didn't create the world. But to us, in Ireland, it just looked that way. Ireland in the 1980s was bleak. The most common reason, for people in their 20s, to meet friends in a bar was to wish them well
(2020-07-15). Protests erupt in Serbia over official handling of COVID-19 pandemic. wsws.org A week of protests has followed President Aleksandar Vučić's announcement that a curfew would be re-imposed in Serbia amid a rapid resurgence of COVID-19.
(2020-07-15). Skin Rash Should Be Added to Official Coronavirus Symptom List, Researchers Say. sputniknews.com Study authors say that although COVID-19 is seen as a disease that primarily affects the respiratory system, rashes have been reported as symptoms in some severe cases in which patients were hospitalised in China and Europe. The Covid Symptom Study is the first to gather data about skin rashes in milder cases of COVID-19.
(2020-07-15). Apple escapes $15B EU fine. yenisafak.com The European Court of Justice on Wednesday annulled a European Commission decision ordering Apple to pay back ‚Ǩ13 billion ($14.8 billion) plus interest for evading taxes in Ireland. | The European Commission decided in 2016 to impose a record high punishment on the US tech giant. | According to the EU body, Ireland had given Apple "tax sweetheart deals" since 1991, and this "treatment allowed Apple to pay an effective corporate tax rate of 1% on its European profits in 2003 down to 0.005% in 2014." | This practice could be considered state aid which put Apple in an unfairly advantaged position…
(2020-07-15). France: Protesters confront Macron, chant 'Resign!'. yenisafak.com An evening stroll late Tuesday by first couple Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron through Paris's Tuileries Gardens included …
(2020-07-15). Germany's Merkel discusses Ukraine agreement in call with Putin: spox. yenisafak.com German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed implementing the Minsk agreement to peacefully solve the conflict in eastern Ukraine in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, her spokesman Steffen Seibert said.Merkel and Putin also talked about the arms embargo against Iran and the current situation in Libya, Seibert said.
(2020-07-15). Russia completes 1st phase of COVID-19 vaccine trials. yenisafak.com Two Russian medical research centers completed the first phase of COVID-19 candidate vaccine trials on Wednesday.Two groups of 18 volunteers were discharged from hospitals after separately taking part in 28-day clinical trials in the First Moscow State Medical University and the Main Military Clinical Burdenko Hospital.Before being released, they had a medical checkup and passed a blood test to study the development of an immune response to the novel coronavirus, the officials of both medical establishments told reporters.The preliminary findings show that the vaccines are safe and well-tolerated, no serious comp…
(2020-07-15). Turkey-Russia air travel resumes Wednesday: Minister. yenisafak.com Air travel between Turkey and Russia will resume today, Turkey's transport and infrastructure minister announced on Wednesday."As of today, we have agreed to resume flights with Russia," Adil Karaismailoglu told Anadolu Agency.He said Turkey has restarted flights with 31 countries since June 11 as part of its post-pandemic normalization process.Negotiations are also ongoing to resume air travel with 20 other countries, according to the ministry.
(2020-07-15). Turkey neutralizes over 17,000 terrorists since July 2015. yenisafak.com Turkish security forces have neutralized more than 17,000 terrorists since July 2015, the country's defense minister said on Wednesday."Turkey is determined to end the terrorism and our campaigns against terrorists will continue with the same precision," Hulusi Akar reiterated during a memorial ceremony to honor martyrs of defeated 2016 coup.Since the beginning of 2020, 1,900 terrorists have been neutralized, Akar added.The ceremony was also attended by the chiefs of land, air and naval forces as well as chief of general staff.The Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orche…
(2020-07-15). Erdogan hails 'heroes emerging on 2016 coup bid night'. yenisafak.com With Turkey marking the fourth anniversary of defeated 2016 coup on Wednesday, the nation's leader acclaimed "the heroes emerging across the country on the night of coup bid" to defend the nation."Sometimes, a single hero changes the fate of the whole nation. On July 15, millions of heroes emerged from all corners of our country and left a mark on the nation's future," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a ceremony at parliamentary complex.Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETàñ) and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.Fighter j…
(2020-07-15). Turkey's medical COVID-19 aid arrives in Kyrgyzstan. yenisafak.com Kyrgyzstan received medical supplies sent by Turkey to contribute to the country's fight against the novel coronavirus, Turkey's deputy foreign minister said on Wednesday.A Turkish cargo plane carrying the supplies landed in the capital Bishkek, Yavuz Selim Kiran said in a tweet."The medical aid Turkey sent to Kyrgyzstan as an expression of solidarity on the instructions of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reached Bishkek on a Turkish Airlines cargo plane named Ayasofya [Hagia Sophia]," the minister said.Turkey has sent medical aid to nearly 140 countries to help them combat the coronavirus pandemic.Since it origin…
(2020-07-15). Kenya's memorial forest honors Turkish martyrs. yenisafak.com A special plantation was opened in Kenya on Wednesday to honor the martyrs of Turkey's 2016 defeated coup.The July 15 Martyrs Memorial Forest, located in the Ngong Hills area on the outskirts of Kenya's capital Nairobi, was inaugurated on the fourth anniversary of the July 15, 2016 defeated coup in Turkey.A number of Kenyans and Turks joined Turkish Ambassador Cemil Ahmet Miroglu and other Turkish and Kenyan officials at the ceremony."We are planting these trees to honor the spirits of our martyrs. We are very happy that our Kenyan friends are supporting us today, and this forest will always be a symbol of our fr…
(2020-07-15). Turkish Foreign Ministry marks 2016 defeated coup. yenisafak.com Turkey's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday shared a video to mark the fourth anniversary of the 2016 defeated coup."Four years ago an attempted military coup perpetrated by FETO terrorist organization was stopped by the Turkish nation. Turkish people united against the traitors and protected their democracy. Turkish people's #VictoryofDemocracy," read a tweet by the ministry along with the video.The video revolves around a young Turkish pupil studying abroad, who delivers a powerful response to his professor's remarks on coup attempts around the world.The professor says: "According to an article, there have been 236…
(2020-07-15). Three more migrant bodies recovered from lake in eastern Turkey. yenisafak.com Turkish teams continue efforts to retrieve bodies from Lake Van, where a boat carrying up to 60 people sank on June 28.So far, a total of 36 bodies have been pulled out of the lake.Recovery operations are underway.A total of five suspects have been remanded in custody over the sinking.Since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, the number of irregular migrants arriving in Turkey has declined.However, more than 21,000 migrants have reached Van so far this year, according to Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu.Of them, 16,000 were denied entry but 4,500 managed to enter illegally, Soylu added.Turkey has been a key tr…
(2020-07-15). VIDEO: Virtual trip to Bozqush mount. in E. Azarbaijan. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 15 (MNA) — Mountain Bozqush is a 3,306 meters volcanic mountain 20 km south of Sarab and north of Mianeh, East Azarbaijan Province, Iran, that separates Iranian plateau from the Caucasus. In Azerbaijani language, Bozqush means grey bird.
(2020-07-15). Borrell urges Europe to do more to satisfy Iran with JCPOA. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 15 (MNA) — European Union Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell on Wed. called on Europe to do more to win satisfaction of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).