Monthly Archives: May 2020

2020-05-13: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media! (Copy the text of the postee below, then paste it on social media and the story images will also appear.)

The Murder of Ahmaud Arbery—And Our Continuing Terror
Jesse Jackson | commondreams.org | 2020-05-13
People stand six feet apart before participating in a 2.23 mile walk for Ahmaud Arbery on May 8. Arbery was shot and killed while running in Brunswick, Georgia on Feb. 23. (Photo: Nicole Hester/Mlive.com) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/screen_shot_2020-05-13_at_12.06.02_pm.png …
commondreams.org/views/2020/05/13/murder-ahmaud-arbery-and-our-continuing-terror?cd-origin=rss

A Close Look at Efforts of Pro-NATO Propaganda Units Behind the Scenes of South Front Censorship
South Front | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-13
Pro-NATO propaganda units have broadcasted a new episode of their censorship excuse series. | On May 5th, the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab), published a new piece designed to label SouthFront as official Russian propaganda. ( LINK…
globalresearch.ca/efforts-pro-nato-propaganda-units-south-front-censorship/5712741

Russia Ready to Assist the US in the Taliban Peace Agreement
telesurenglish.net | 2020-05-13
Russia's Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov said his country is ready to help the United States and the Taliban overcome difficulties in implementing the Doha Peace Agreement. | RELATED: | At Least 14 People Killed in Afghanistan Hospital Attack | …
telesurenglish.net/news/Russia-Ready-to-Assist-the-US-in-the-Taliban-Peace-Agreement-20200513-0001.html

Soros Thinks That Germany Is A Greater Threat To His Plans Than COVID, Trump, Or China
Andrew Korybko | thealtworld.com | 2020-05-13
Billionaire philanthropist and infamous Color Revolution financier George Soros recently elaborated on his views of International Relations in the midst of World War C during an interview with the UK's "Independent", unexpectedly concluding that Germany's recent court ruling against the European Central Bank's purchase of national bonds poses an "existential threat" to the bloc and therefore also to his "precious" vision of an "open society", even more so than the alleged ones posed by COVID, Trump, or China that he previously fearmongered about. | International Relations are in the midst of multitudinous paradig…
thealtworld.com/andrew_korybko/soros-thinks-that-germany-is-a-greater-threat-to-his-plans-than-covid-trump-or-china

Fifty Years Ago: The Lessons of Kent State. Open Fire on Unarmed Student Anti-War Protesters
Donald Monaco | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-13
May 4, 2020 was the 50th anniversary of the Kent State University massacre that saw Ohio National Guardsmen open fire on a group of unarmed student anti-war protestors killing 4 and injuring 9 on campus. Not satisfied with the …
globalresearch.ca/lessons-kent-state/5712734

"Making It Up As They Go Along:" Boris Johnson and COVID-19
Kenneth Surin | counterpunch.org | 2020-05-13
As I write (the weekend of 9-10 May), the UK's death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic has reached 31,855. The UK, unlike the US, has started counting deaths in care homes. This toll is the highest in Europe, and the second in the world after the US. The UK has a fifth of the US's population, so translating the UK figure into US terms would amount to 160,000 US deaths from the virus (the US's death toll as of this weekend is a little more than 80,000).
counterpunch.org/2020/05/13/making-it-up-as-they-go-along-boris-johnson-and-covid-19/

Belgium to partially reopen schools, markets, museums & zoos from Monday
rt.com | 2020-05-13
Belgian schools will partially reopen and markets, museums and zoos will also be allowed to operate again from next Monday, PM Sophie Wilmes said on Wednesday. | With a population of 11.5 million, Belgium is among the European nations worst hit by Covid-19, but it began a phased easing of the restrictions at the start of May. Belgium has so far reported 53,981 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 8,843 deaths, according to Reuters. | Wilmes said the reopening of non-food shops this week had proceeded smoothly even if there were now queues outside some stores. "Improvements are coming, but we must be patient. We can…
rt.com/newsline/488561-belgium-reopen-schools-markets/

Survey on COVID-19 Economic Impacts: More than 50% of German Companies Expect Major Revenue Drop in 2020
Jastra Ilic | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-13
The coronavirus outbreak has caused a significant impact on European companies, confronting them with the worst market declines in the last few decades. As one of the most-affected countries in Europe, Germany is set to witness a significant collapse in …
globalresearch.ca/more-than-50-german-companies-expect-major-revenue-drop-2020/5712766

Communists lead class struggle at local level in France's "Red Cities"
Adrien Welsh | peoplesworld.org | 2020-05-13
France has a long tradition of electing communists locally. As Georges Marchais noted in his 1980 book L'espoir au present (Hope in the Present), "The French Communist Party has 28,000 elected officials–1,500 mayors, nearly 500 councilors. One in five French people lives in a communist-controlled municipality." Forty years later, the French Communist Party (PCF) has certainly faded, …
peoplesworld.org/article/communists-lead-class-struggle-at-local-level-in-frances-red-cities/

Georgia autopsy report shows Ahmaud Arbery shot three times
wsws.org | 2020-05-13
Reports also emerged Tuesday that the one of the men involved in the killing, a retired investigator for the local district attorney's office, helped prosecute Arbery in the past.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/05/13/arbr-m13.html

A 21st century lynching: Justice for Ahmaud Arbery!
Dianne Mathiowetz | workers.org | 2020-05-13
May 11– In the early afternoon of Feb. 23, shots rang out on the tree-lined streets of Satilla Shores, a predominantly white neighborhood bordering the port city of Brunswick on Georgia's Atlantic coast, some 40 miles north of Jacksonville, Fla. Afterward, a 25-year-old Black man, Ahmaud Arbery, lay dead on . . . | Continue reading A 21st century lynching: Justice for Ahmaud Arbery! at Workers.org…
workers.org/2020/05/48575/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-21st-century-lynching-justice-for-ahmaud-arbery

Iran, Georgia seek improvement of customs coop. amid coronavirus pandemic
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-05-13
TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA)

German Foreign Policy Is a CIA Front
Aidan O'Brien | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-13
On March 30 Germany declared the important Lebanese political group, Hezbollah, to be a "terrorist" organization and banned it from German soil. By doing so it gratuitously increased the tension in the eastern Mediterranean and exposed Berlin's lack of credibility …
globalresearch.ca/german-foreign-policy-cia-front/5712571

Trade exchange vol. between Iran, Germany to hike by 15% in coming months
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-05-13
TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA)

Merkel cites 'hard evidence' she was victim of 'Russian hackers', says it doesn't help mend ties with Moscow
rt.com | 2020-05-13
Germany's chancellor has lamented what she claimed was irrefutable proof of a Russian "hacking attack" on her Bundestag office but said she is working day and night to fix relations with Moscow despite the "painful" incident. | Chancellor Angela Merkel accused Russia of carrying out an online intrusion into her Bundestag constituency office back in 2015, as she spoke to MPs on Wednesday. | "I can honestly say that it hurts me," she said of the alleged hack attack, claiming…
rt.com/news/488541-merkel-russia-hacking-evidence/

Iran delivers homegrown corona diagnostic kits to Germany: IRICA
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-05-13
TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA)

Germany to keep quarantine requirement in place for non-EU visitors as border control measures relaxed from May 16
rt.com | 2020-05-13
German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has advised his country's states to keep quarantine restrictions in place for non-EU visitors as national border control measures are set to ease from May 16. | Berlin will begin relaxing national border controls implemented to curb the spread of Covid-19 from Saturday, with measures expected to be completely lifted by June 15. | As it stands, guidelines from Berlin are that anyone returning to Germany must spend 14 days in self-isolation when they re-enter the country. That rule will now be lifted for EU visitors. | Speaking on Wednesday, Seehofer said border crossings…
rt.com/news/488535-germany-easing-travel-restrictions/

78 Percent of Mountain Areas Are Undergoing a Snow Decline
telesurenglish.net | 2020-05-13
Italy's applied research center EURAC holds that the snow surface of the world's mountain areas has decreased by 78 percent as a result of global warming. | RELATED: | Hole in the Ozone Layer Over Arctic Is Closed, WMO Confirms | Using data from 2000 to 2018, this scientific institution created a map of global snow coverage using high-resolution satellite imagery, field measurements, and simulation models. | The result reveals a worrying situation because the duration of the snow s…
telesurenglish.net/news/78-Percent-of-Mountain-Areas-Are-Undergoing-a-Snow-Decline-20200513-0006.html

Poland to reopen hairdressers, restaurants on May 18 as 'epidemic contained to some extent'
rt.com | 2020-05-13
Poland will reopen restaurants and hairdressers on May 18 as it begins easing coronavirus-linked restrictions, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Wednesday. | "At least to some extent we have contained the epidemic, therefore we can gradually unfreeze the economy," Morawiecki told reporters. | The statement came a day after Poland saw its largest spike in coronavirus cases in a single day, Reuters reported. | Schools will partially reopen to provide day care for children in the first three years of primary school, the prime minister added.
rt.com/newsline/488556-poland-reopen-hairdressers-restaurants/

Spring cleaning takes on a new importance during COVID-19 pandemic
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org | 2020-05-13
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released reopening guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting public spaces, workplaces, businesses, schools and homes. Dr. Gregory Poland, a Mayo Clinic infectious diseases expert, suggests taking a practical approach to spring cleaning. If no one in your household has been infected, he says standard spring cleaning practices …
newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/spring-cleaning-takes-on-a-new-importance-during-covid-19-pandemic/

Flynn 'unmasking' documents show involvement of senior Obama administration officials, including Joe Biden
rt.com | 2020-05-13
A newly published list of US officials who were interested in National Security Agency (NSA) records on Trump adviser Michael Flynn includes President Barack Obama's chief of staff, as well as Vice President Joe Biden. | Biden is listed as requesting the unmasking on January 12, 2017, the same day the Washington Post published a story claiming that Flynn had misreported his conversations with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, based on leaked NSA information. | Flynn unmasking documents f… by
rt.com/usa/488579-flynn-unmasking-obama-administration/

'What are those white crosses?': Badges to 'scare off' coronavirus cause dress-code debate in Russian parliament
rt.com | 2020-05-13
With the Russian State Duma in session despite the Covid-19 pandemic, some MPs went beyond the obligatory face masks and rubber gloves, leaving their colleagues and citizens baffled by unusual means to fend off the virus. | "For several sessions in row, I've seen MPs wearing white crosses on their chests," Igor Molyakov of the Fair Russia party said on Wednesday, asking his colleagues to clarify the unusual accessory. State Duma deputies usually wear an official badge, which is shaped as a Russian tricolor. | Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin stepped up to educate his colleague and dispel the "white cross" mystery fo…
rt.com/russia/488587-covid-badge-state-duma/

Break or retirement? Russia's 'Angelina Jolie' of curling Anastasia Bryzgalova puts competitive career on hold
rt.com | 2020-05-13
Russian curling stunner Anastasia Bryzgalova who became a viral hit during the 2018 PyeongChang Games, drawing comparisons with Angelina Jolie, has put her competitive career on ice. | The 27-year-old curling star who is taking a break from competitions will focus on training mixed-double duets serving as a second team coach in the Russian national team. | READ MORE: Bryzgalova or Jolie? Hottest Russian curler takes up role of Tomb Raider (PHOTOS) | "I wanted to take a break right after the Winter O…
rt.com/sport/488576-curling-anastasia-bryzgalova-career-break/

Iran to give harsh response to any military escapade by US: Envoy
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-05-13
TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA)

Russia, S Arabia agree to stabilize oil market
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-05-13
TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA)

Russia BANS usage of ventilators suspected of causing deadly fires killing six Covid-19 patients
rt.com | 2020-05-13
Russia has indefinitely suspended the usage of Aventa-M artificial lung ventilation machines. The recently produced ventilators are suspected of causing two deadly fires in the past week, killing six people. | The ventilators, made in Ural's Instrument Making Plant, have been manufactured since April 1, 2020, in response to Russia's ever-growing number of Covid-19 patients. | According to Russia's health watchdog Roszdravnadzor, the ventilators were used to provide medical care to patients at the S. I. Spasokukotsky City Clinical Hospital in Moscow and St. George's Hospital in St. Petersburg, where fires occur…
rt.com/russia/488552-russia-ban-ventilator-fire/

Chechen leader Kadyrov BANNED from Instagram AGAIN, loses account with 1.4 MILLION followers
rt.com | 2020-05-13
For many in the 21st century, losing social media access would be a devastating blow. However, for Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, it's just another day. For the third time in three years, Kadyrov has been banned from Instagram. | According to Instagram's owners, Facebook, the ban was in relation to US sanctions against the Chechen leader. | Since 2017, Kadyrov has been sanctioned by the United States under the terms of the Magnitsky Act. Signed by President Barack Obama in 2012, and later expanded in 2016, the Magnitsky Act enables the US government to sanction foreign government officials implicated in allege…
rt.com/russia/488533-kadyrov-banned-instagram-again/

Holding Healthcare Hostage: The Making of a Ventilator Crisis
Tony Cartalucci | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-13
When coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) began dominating headlines, it was accompanied by fears of potential shortages of critical medical equipment including personal protective equipment (PPE) and ventilators. | Nations like Russia had large stockpiles of affordable ventilators on hand

Iran, Russia stress coop. in fight against coronavirus
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-05-13
TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA)

Conflict between Russia, Iran over Syria psychological war: Nasrallah
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-05-13
TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA)

Only Three Countries Control Over 80% of Global Diamond Reserves
Justinas Baltrusaitis | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-13
Only three countries are in control of more than three quarters of the world's diamond reserves globally. Data gathered and calculated by Learnbonds.com indicates that Russia, Congo, and Botswana combined account for at least 80.6% of the world diamond reserves….
globalresearch.ca/only-three-countries-control-over-80-global-diamond-reserves/5712816

Ulyanov reacts to US allegations of Moscow's support for JCPOA
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-05-13
TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA)

Russian Arctic sea route shipping exceeds 10 million tons in Q1
rt.com | 2020-05-13
Freight transportation via Russia's Northern Sea Route (NSR) grew 4.5 percent year-on-year from January to April, exceeding 10 million tons, the Federal Agency for Maritime and River Transportation, Rosmorrechflot, said. | The agency's representative, Nikolai Monko, earlier told TASS that the growth of freight transportation would be moderate in 2020. | According to Rosmorrechflot, 31.5 million tons were transported in 2019, up from 21.1 million tons in the previous year. Transit carriages rose by almost 41.9 percent last year to 697,200 tons. Cargo handling was mainly conducted at the ports of Sabetta (20.5 m…
rt.com/business/488519-northern-sea-route-freight/

NASA quietly buys additional Soyuz seat as SpaceX prepares for historic manned space flight
rt.com | 2020-05-13
NASA has inked a deal with Russia's space agency Roscosmos to allow a US astronaut to travel into space aboard a Soyuz rocket in the fall, even as SpaceX gears up for its first manned launch later this month. | "A contract was signed today on providing a seat for a US astronaut onboard a Soyuz MS manned spaceship to be launched to the ISS in the autumn of 2020," Roscosmos told Tass on Tuesday. | Though the agency refused to disclose the sum Washington paid for the seat, calling it "a commercial secret," NASA spokespeople told reporters the deal was valued at $90.25 million, which includes the cost of the fligh…
rt.com/news/488494-nasa-roscosmos-deal-soyuz/

Russia may start talks with Iran in future over selling armament to country: Kabulov
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-05-13
TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA)

US anti-ISIS chief says his goal in Syria is to create a 'quagmire' for Russia, not battle terrorism
rt.com | 2020-05-13
James Jeffrey, the US special envoy for Syria and defeating the Islamic State, has made quite a frank confession of how he sees his job and that of US troops there: to create a new Vietnam or Afghanistan for Moscow. | "Our military presence, while small, is important for overall calculations. So we urge the Congress, the American people, the president to keep these forces on, but again this isn't Afghanistan, this isn't Vietnam, this isn't a quagmire," Jeffrey said on Tuesday, during a video event hosted by the Hudson Institute. | My job is to make it a quagmire for the Russians. | Asked why the American publ…
rt.com/news/488491-us-syria-russia-quagmire/

Lavrov slams US' baseless accusations against Russia, China amid coronavirus pandemic
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-05-13
TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA)

'Example of infodemic': Moscow slams FT & NYT reports that put Russian Covid-19 death toll 70 percent higher than official data
rt.com | 2020-05-13
Russia's Foreign Ministry will send letters to the Financial Times and New York Times demanding they retract reports which claim the actual death toll from Covid-19 in the country is much higher than the official figures. | The editors-in-chief of those outlets will be handed the letters on Thursday through the Russian embassies in the UK and the US, ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said during a briefing. | Moscow will also address the UN, OSCE and UNESCO on the situation, as the reports in the FT and NYT represent "an example of that very 'infodemic' that the UN General Secretary, Antonio Guterres, urged…
rt.com/russia/488577-coronavirus-death-toll-russia-nyt/

Swedish PM says face masks for Covid-19 offer 'false sense of security' to wearers
rt.com | 2020-05-13
The Prime Minister of Sweden Stefan Lofven has advised against wearing face masks to ward off Covid-19, as they may lead people to assume they are safe from the virus when there is still a risk of transmission. | Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Lofven said donning masks could lead the wearer to neglect social distancing guidelines and become complacent about safety precautions. | "There is a risk of a false sense of security, that you feel you can't be infected if you have a face mask," he said. He advised those displaying even very mild symptoms to stay at home, stay socially distant, and to cont…
rt.com/news/488567-sweden-pm-face-masks-coronavirus/

Failure to halt COVID-19 spread leads to mass deaths in Swedish elder care homes
wsws.org | 2020-05-13
Sweden's high fatality rate is due to official opposition to a lockdown and mass testing, and to decades-long austerity policies that devastated health care and other key services.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/05/13/swed-m13.html

Iranian, Turkish researchers carry out 22 joint projects
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-05-13
TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA)

Iranian photographer goes to Kharkiv Fest in Ukraine
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-05-13
TEHRAN, May 14 (MNA)

UK's Health Ministry says confirmed Covid-19 death toll has risen by 494 to 33,186
rt.com | 2020-05-13
A total of 33,186 people who tested positive for the new coronavirus have died in the United Kingdom, a rise of 494 in a 24-hour period, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday. | Those figures reflect the situation as of 5pm (1600 GMT) on May 12. Including deaths due to suspected cases, Britain's fatality count is over 40,000, according to Reuters. | Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday that increasing rates of infection in other countries which have relaxed some rules to tackle the coronavirus outbreak were a warning to Britain not to move too fast. | "It is very notable that in some other countries…
rt.com/newsline/488546-uk-confirmed-rises-johnson/

The US military is hell-bent on trying to overpower China
Vijay Prashad | peoplesdispatch.org | 2020-05-12
On April 1, Admiral Philip Davidson–the head of the US Indo-Pacific Command–told the US Congress that he would like $20 billion to create a robust military cordon that runs from California to Japan and down the Pacific Rim of Asia. His proposal–titled "Regain the Advantage"–pointed to the "renewed threat we face from Great Power Competition. … Without a valid and convincing conventional deterrent, China and Russia will be emboldened to take ac…
peoplesdispatch.org/2020/05/12/the-us-military-is-hell-bent-on-trying-to-overpower-china/

Germany Wants to Replace Poland's "Patriotic Government" with "Europhile Puppets"?
Andrew Korybko | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-12
The former Polish Minister of Defense accused Germany of conspiring with a few other foreign actors to replace the patriotic Polish government with Europhile puppets, arguing that the country's latest political controversy over the date of its presidential elections is …
globalresearch.ca/germany-wants-replace-patriotic-polish-government-europhile-puppets/5712637

NATO Chief Urges Berlin to 'Protect Peace and Freedom' by Stationing US Nukes
sputniknews.com | 2020-05-12
The appeal comes as leaders from the SPD, Germany's second-largest party and member of Chancellor Merkel's governing coalition, demand the withdrawal of US nuclear weapons from the country's airbases.
sputniknews.com/military/202005121079280137-nato-chief-urges-berlin-to-protect-peace-and-freedom-by-stationing-us-nukes/

Germany: Far-Right Encourages Radical Anti-Confinement Protests
telesurenglish.net | 2020-05-12
Germany's Julius Gumbel Research Center (EJGF) Director Gideon Botsch Tuesday warned that far-right groups are benefiting from the potential radicalization of protests against confinement and physical distancing measures. | RELATED: | Germany to Fine up to $54 Million to Online Hate Speech | "While the mobilization effect goes far beyond the far-right's world, the Alternative for Germany party (AfD) is a major promoter of radical protests," Botsch said. | "The warming dynamic has been…
telesurenglish.net/news/Germany-Far-Right-Encourages-Radical-Anti-Confinement-Protests-20200512-0004.html

2nd virus wave in Denmark is 'unlikely' says expert, as govt plans increased testing
rt.com | 2020-05-12
Denmark is "very unlikely" to be hit by a second wave of coronavirus, the country's chief epidemiologist said on Tuesday. Kare Molbak made the statement after the government laid out plans for increased testing and a contact tracing system. | The Nordic country, which has suffered 533 coronavirus-related deaths, was the first in Europe to relax its coronavirus lockdown almost a month ago. The infection rate and the number of deaths have continued to drop. Denmark began the second phase of relaxing its lockdown this week, which will include reopening restaurants and shopping malls. | "No country has seen an act…
rt.com/newsline/488426-denmark-wave-unlikely-testing/

The Transformation of Societies on the Occasion of Covid-19 Heralds the Militarisation of Europe
Thierry Meyssan | thealtworld.com | 2020-05-12

| We reproduce a discussion between Thierry Meyssan and a group of students. He explains that the political responses to Covid-19 have no medical purpose. A partially identifiable transnational group seized the opportunity provided by the epidemic to try to impose a profound transformation of European societies, just as it had used the attacks of 11 September 2001 to transform the United States. There is still time to oppose the hierarchisation of the world to come. | Question: Who do you think manufactured Covid-19? | Thierry Meyssan : My analysis is exclusively political. I don't give an opinion on me…
thealtworld.com/thierry_meyssan/the-transformation-of-societies-on-the-occasion-of-covid-19-heralds-the-militarisation-of-europe

EU supports Orbán's dictatorial measures in Hungary
wsws.org | 2020-05-12
Although similar to Hitler's "Enabling Act," which consolidated the Nazi dictatorship in Germany in 1933, Orbán's Emergency Law enjoys the support of the European Union.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/05/12/orba-m12.html

Last Process: 50 Postees: 2020-05-14 01:21 GMT (21:21 EST)

2020-05-12: News Headlines

Dianne Mathiowetz (2020-05-13). A 21st century lynching: Justice for Ahmaud Arbery! workers.org May 11— In the early afternoon of Feb. 23, shots rang out on the tree-lined streets of Satilla Shores, a predominantly white neighborhood bordering the port city of Brunswick on Georgia's Atlantic coast, some 40 miles north of Jacksonville, Fla. Afterward, a 25-year-old Black man, Ahmaud Arbery, lay dead on . . . |

Andrew Korybko (2020-05-12). Germany Wants to Replace Poland's "Patriotic Government" with "Europhile Puppets"? globalresearch.ca The former Polish Minister of Defense accused Germany of conspiring with a few other foreign actors to replace the patriotic Polish government with Europhile puppets, arguing that the country's latest political controversy over the date of its presidential elections is …

Staff (2020-05-12). Headlines for May 12, 2020. democracynow.org Dr. Fauci to Warn Lawmakers of "Needless Suffering and Death" If Lockdowns End Too Soon, European Countries Report New Spikes as They Reopen Economies, Trump Makes False Claim About Testing Capacity, Tells Reporter Weijia Jiang to "Ask China" About Coronavirus, PA Plant Canceled Trump Visit over Concern for Worker Health, New Study Finds Hydroxychloroquine Does Not Help COVID-19, Can Cause Heart Attacks, China Threatens "Countermeasures" for U.S. Journalist Visa Restrictions, Meatpacking Union Condemns Reopening of Factories Amid Pandemic, India Starts to Ease Lockdown as Cases Mount, Coronavirus Cases Mount in W…

RT (2020-05-12). 'Europe needs a break': EU may open borders closed by Covid-19 lockdowns for tourism as industry faces 'grave danger'. rt.com The European Union is considering opening borders for tourists as part of a plan to roll back coronavirus-related lockdown measures. But leisure travel will be allowed only between states with similar Covid-19 situations. | On Wednesday, the EU is expected to present a three-phase plan — which has been seen and leaked by

RT (2020-05-12). 'I feel terrible': Bill Gates says he warned Trump of pandemic threat in 2016, regrets not doing more. rt.com Microsoft founder and multi-billionaire Bill Gates said he tried to warn President-elect Donald Trump of the dangers of a major viral outbreak soon after the 2016 race, but feels guilty for not being more vocal. | "I chose, when I met with people all the way up to the top, in Europe, in the US, around the world, to talk about this pandemic risk," he told the Wall Street Journal in an interview published on Monday, explaining that he even made the case to the US president during a December 2016 meeting at Trump Tower. | I feel terrible. The whole point of talking about it was that we could take action and minim…

RT (2020-05-12). 2nd virus wave in Denmark is 'unlikely' says expert, as govt plans increased testing. rt.com Denmark is "very unlikely" to be hit by a second wave of coronavirus, the country's chief epidemiologist said on Tuesday. Kare Molbak made the statement after the government laid out plans for increased testing and a contact tracing system. | The Nordic country, which has suffered 533 coronavirus-related deaths, was the first in Europe to relax its coronavirus lockdown almost a month ago. The infection rate and the number of deaths have continued to drop. Denmark began the second phase of relaxing its lockdown this week, which will include reopening restaurants and shopping malls. | "No country has seen an act…

RT (2020-05-12). New study says herd immunity is a myth and countries relying on it, including Sweden, chose the wrong strategy. rt.com Herd immunity may be an unrealistic tactic for dealing with Covid-19, new research has warned, calling into question the strategy of several countries — such as Sweden — who shied away from quarantine measures in its favor. | Europe is a long way from reaching the levels of exposure required for herd immunity, according to a new study published by the Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI). Belgium tops the list, with just 6.2 percent of its population exposed to Covid-19 so far, and Sweden — with no enforced lockdown measures — is even lower down the list at just 2.

RT (2020-05-12). 'Current health crisis revealed ideological bankruptcy of our leaders': Marine Le Pen slams govt as France eases quarantine. rt.com The head of the French right-wing opposition party National Rally, Marine Le Pen, has blasted the government for its "series of failures" as it began to relax the Covid-19 quarantine restrictions. | "This health crisis has revealed the ideological bankruptcy with which our leaders have been leading our country: the bankruptcy of the profit logic in public policy, the bankruptcy of ultra-liberalism, Europeanism, and globalism," Le Pen told RFI radio. | We've seen an uninterrupted series of inconsistencies and failures since the start of the crisis, and this is still the case with transport management! But that…

RT (2020-05-12). Turkey says 5 states forming 'alliance of evil' as they denounce Ankara's policies in E. Mediterranean, Libya. rt.com Turkey accused Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, France and the United Arab Emirates of seeking to form an "alliance of evil" on Tuesday, after they issued a joint declaration denouncing Ankara's policies in the eastern Mediterranean and Libya. Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said the five countries were pursuing "regional chaos and instability." | The foreign ministers of the five countries held a teleconference on Monday to discuss the situation in the eastern Mediterranean — where Turkey has been drilling for potential hydrocarbon deposits in an offshore area where Cyprus has exclusive economic righ…

RT (2020-05-12). Estonian MPs pass 'Huawei law' for telecom security reviews. rt.com Estonia's parliament approved on Tuesday a new Electronics Communications Act to ensure security reviews for telecom gear needed in the development of future networks. The act, dubbed by lawmakers the 'Huawei law' in reference to the Chinese telecommunications company, leaves detailed implementation to the government and includes intelligence services among the reviewing authorities. | EU and NATO member Estonia shares the US government's security worries over new 5G networks, Reuters said. Washington has accused Huawei of spying on the West, allegations it denies. | The act did not mention any companies by na…

RT (2020-05-12). 'It couldn't have happened,' says head of Chinese lab accused by US of leaking Covid-19. rt.com A Chinese virologist in charge of the lab pinpointed by US officials as the likely source of the Covid-19 pandemic says he is certain no virus could have escaped from his facility. | "Our lab not only has a high level of biosafety infrastructure, we also have established a set of rigorous biosecurity protocols to ensure the lab operates safely and efficiently," Yuan Zhiming the head of the National Biosafety Laboratory (NBL), told a Chinese newspaper. | The NBL operates several laboratories including the so-called 'Wuhan P4 Lab', which was completed in 2015 in cooperation with France and is the only publicly k…

RT (2020-05-12). Test or 2-week quarantine: Iceland plans to ease restrictions on international visitors' arrivals. rt.com Iceland expects to start easing restrictions for visitors arriving from overseas no later than June 15, the government said on Tuesday. | Under a plan still being developed by the authorities, travelers would be given a choice between a test for Covid-19 upon arrival in Iceland or a two-week quarantine, Reuters reported. | "Iceland's strategy of large-scale testing, tracing and isolating have proven effective so far," Tourism Minister Thordis Kolbrun Reykfjord Gylfadottir said in a statement. | Iceland has reported three new Covid-19 infections in May.

The Canary (2020-05-12). How the four UK nations and Ireland are approaching lockdown. thecanary.co Despite the UK government's preference for a "four nations approach" towards softening the lockdown, clear differences have emerged between the countries. | The devolved governments in the north of Ireland, Scotland and Wales have diverged from England, notably in keeping the "stay at home" slogan after prime minister Boris Johnson unveiled his new "stay alert" message on Sunday. | Here is a look at how the four UK nations — and the Republic of Ireland — differ in their approach to exiting the restrictive regime which was imposed across the board on 23 March. | — England | Everyone has a role to…

RT (2020-05-12). Norway dipping into its massive piggy bank to battle Covid-19 crisis. rt.com Norway is set to withdraw $41 billion from its sovereign wealth fund to cushion the blow to the economy from the coronavirus crisis that has resulted in falling oil prices and the highest unemployment in the country in 75 years. | Known officially as the Government Pension Fund, it is the world's biggest wealth fund, worth over $1 trillion. The government announced on Tuesday that it will have to sharply increase spending from the fund, to avoid "sharper downturn and to help healthy companies through the crisis." | According to the Finance Ministry's mid-year fiscal review, the revised budget calls for the use…

RT (2020-05-12). Russian border may not open fully UNTIL 2021 — Tourism Union. rt.com With countries around the world beginning to loosen their anti-coronavirus measures, many people are starting to ask one thing: when can I travel again? If you're planning to come to Russia, you might need to wait until next year. | According to a letter written by President of the Russian Tourist Industry Union (PCT) Andrey Ignatiev and President of the Russian Hotel Association (RGA) Gennady Lamshin, it might take until January 1, 2021 for passage through Russia's border to get back to normal. | The letter, which was sent to Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov and the head of Russia's Federal…

RT (2020-05-12). PROPAGANDA has diminished the Soviet Union's role in victory over fascism — Russian foreign minister. rt.com The White House shocked the internet on May 8 when it posted a now-infamous tweet declaring the USA and the UK as the victors of World War II, omitting the USSR. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov believes propaganda is to blame. | Speaking at a press conference, Lavrov recalled how, at the Holocaust Forum in January, US Vice President Mike Pence forgot that the Soviets liberated Auschwitz. | "To be frank, it doesn't surprise me to hear such things," he said, following an online meeting of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers. "It's not because we suspect that any particular politician is deliberately obscuring hi…

RT (2020-05-12). Fire erupts at Saint Petersburg Covid-19 hospital after ventilator malfunctions, 5 dead. rt.com Five patients have perished in a major fire at a Saint Petersburg hospital on Tuesday morning with 150 people evacuated to safety. The facility has been designated to treat patients with coronavirus. | Emergency services were alerted to the blaze at the Saint George Hospital in Russia's second city at around 6: 30am local time. Plumes of smokes were observed coming from the building's sixth floor. | Officials told local media that there were five fatalities. Citing sources, local reporters said the victims were receiving artificial lung ventilation. | The institution was repurposed to care for coronavirus su…

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-12). The 'See-No-Evil' Phase of Russiagate. strategic-culture.org The media spinfest following the collapse of this conspiracy theory suggests our troubled republic simply cannot accept its errors, leaving us unable to learn from them. | Patrick LAWRENCE | The long, destructive conspiracy theory known as Russiagate, the mother of them all, at last evaporates into thin air. No shred of it remains as of back-to-back disclosures over the past couple of weeks. Where does this leave us? What is to come of this momentous turn of events? | Among those not inclined toward hysteria or copious quaffs of Democratic Party Kool—Aid, it has long been a question how those who concocted…

RT (2020-05-12). Russia becomes world's second hardest-hit country with 230,000+ confirmed Covid-19 cases, surpassing Spain & UK. rt.com With 10,899 more coronavirus infections reported across the country on Tuesday morning, Russia now trails only the United States in terms of people known to have contracted Covid-19. | Nationwide, 232,243 confirmed cases have been discovered since the start of the outbreak, national disease response officials said. This figure is higher than those recorded by Spanish (227,436), British (224,332) and Italian (219,814) authorities. | However, it's worth noting that Russia has over twice the population of those countries and has carried out far more tests. | At the same time, Russia has had considerably fewer dea…

RT (2020-05-12). Six big lies you have been told about 'Russiagate'. rt.com Russian 'meddling' in the 2016 US presidential election has become an article of faith, not just among Democrats but many Republicans as well, thanks to the endless repetition of vague talking points, none of which hold water. | It all began with the Democratic National Committee (DNC) claiming in June 2016 that Russia hacked their computers, after

RT (2020-05-12). Oil is back in demand as drivers return to the roads. rt.com Oil demand is on the rise as countries across the globe begin easing lockdown restrictions and commuters head back to work. | From China and Spain to the United States, people are gradually returning to driving their cars as countries and US states re-open for business. People feel safer commuting in their own vehicles than they do using public transportation as social distancing is still on their minds despite the re-opening of economies.The uptick in commuter driving and expectations of increased road trips at the expense of flying for vacations this summer is set to support a gradual recovery of oil demand…

RT (2020-05-12). Spanish govt orders 2-week quarantine for incoming travelers on May 15-24. rt.com The government in Madrid has ordered a two-week quarantine for all travelers coming into Spain from May 15 in a bid to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. | Incoming travelers will have to remain indoors and will only be allowed to go outside for grocery shopping, health center visits and in "situations of need," according to an official order published on Tuesday. | The quarantine has been enforced for all travelers entering the country between May 15 and at least May 24, when the state of emergency is due to end. | The quarantine order can be extended jointly with possible state of emergency extensions…

teleSUR (2020-05-12). Hondurans Stranded in Spain Ask to Return to Their Country. telesurenglish.net At least 235 Honduran citizens with few economic resources are trapped in Spain and living in a very critical situation. | RELATED: | "Most came to work in Spain but lost their jobs because their immigration status was irregular," Honduran Pablo Jose Perez said on behalf of the group. | "They have been without pay for more than two months and they no longer have money. They need to return to Honduras because they have their families…

WSWS (2020-05-12). While coronavirus spreads, lockdowns lifted across Europe. wsws.org The mass return to work underway across Europe is in line with the criminal policy being pursued by the Trump administration in the United States.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-12). EU must take decisive action to maintain JCPOA balance: envoy. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 12 (MNA) — Iranian Ambassador to Brussels Ghoamhossein Dehghani said on Tue. that the European Union [EU], as one of parties to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [JCPOA] that benefits from all its aspects, must take decisive action to maintain balance of JCPOA.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-12). Envoy urges EU for 'practical support' to JCPOA, multilateralism. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 12 (MNA) — Iran's Ambassador to Croatia called on the European countries for a change of approach and adopting practical support to multilateralism and the 2015 nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

WSWS (2020-05-12). EU supports Orbán's dictatorial measures in Hungary. wsws.org Although similar to Hitler's "Enabling Act," which consolidated the Nazi dictatorship in Germany in 1933, Orbán's Emergency Law enjoys the support of the European Union.

Frances Madeson (2020-05-12). 'You Got to Move' Brings Resistance Back to the Spotlight. progressive.org New short films extracted from the 1985 original offer organizers and teachers tools for political education.

RT (2020-05-12). France launches probe into sex assault claim against 94yo ex-President d'Estaing. rt.com An investigation has been launched into former French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing after a German journalist accused the ex-leader — who is in his 90s — of repeatedly groping her after an interview in 2018. | French prosecutors decided to go ahead with the probe on Monday, following a complaint from Ann-Kathrin Stracke, a reporter for the German public broadcaster WDR, alleging the statesman grabbed her behind several times while posing for a photograph in his office in Paris after the December 2018 interview. | I was standing to his left, and while taking the photo, he put his hand on my lef…

sputniknews (2020-05-12). NATO Chief Urges Berlin to 'Protect Peace and Freedom' by Stationing US Nukes. sputniknews.com The appeal comes as leaders from the SPD, Germany's second-largest party and member of Chancellor Merkel's governing coalition, demand the withdrawal of US nuclear weapons from the country's airbases.

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-12). France's Earlier Detection of COVID-19 Raises Questions on Global Origin. strategic-culture.org The emergence of Covid-19 was first reported by the authorities in China on December 31, as acknowledged by the World Health Organization. But that emergence does not necessarily mean the pandemic originated in China. | By January 30, 2020, a WHO situation report

John Spohr (2020-05-12). Antifascists demand that May 8 become a holiday in Germany. indybay.org The real goal is a nationwide public holiday anyway, as demanded in the petition. The Berlin Senate could also lobby for such a gesture, that May 8 is considered the day of liberation from National Socialism.

WSWS (2020-05-12). Rising number of COVID-19 deaths in Germany's retirement and care homes. wsws.org As the German government is effectively ending its coronavirus lockdown, reports about people dying of COVID-19 in retirement and care homes are increasing.

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-12). Spring cleaning takes on a new importance during COVID-19 pandemic. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released reopening guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting public spaces, workplaces, businesses, schools and homes. Dr. Gregory Poland, a Mayo Clinic infectious diseases expert, suggests taking a practical approach to spring cleaning. If no one in your household has been infected, he says standard spring cleaning practices …

en.mehrnews (2020-05-12). Iranian futsal winger Tayyebi on Benfica's radar. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA) — According to a report, Portugal's S.L. Benfica is trying to sign with Iranian futsal player Hossein Tayyebi for the next season.

teleSUR (2020-05-12). Covid-19: Russia Is Second Most Affected Country in the World. telesurenglish.net The COVID-19 pandemic recorded more than 10,000 cases in Russia in the last 24 hours, for a total of 232,000 people who tested positive for the illness, making Russia the second most affected country in the world in terms of the number of infections. | RELATED: | The number of infections in Russia is only exceeded by the United States, according to the Johns Hopkins University balance sheet, updated on Tuesday. | "In the last…

WSWS (2020-05-12). Russian court keeps historian of Stalinist massacres jailed amid COVID-19 outbreak. wsws.org The vendetta against Dmitriev is part of the campaign by Russia's state and ruling oligarchy to suppress all efforts to uncover the truth about the crimes of Stalinism.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-12). Arms embargo on Iran to expire on Oct.: Ulyanov. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 12 (MNA) — Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Mikhail Ulyanov said the restrictions on the supply of 7 categories of weapons to Iran will expire on October 18.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-05-12). Serbian housing rights collective organizes relief work for COVID-19. peoplesdispatch.org Serbian housing rights collective Zdru≈æena Akcija Krov nad Glavom (Joint Action Roof Over Your Head) has initiated a relief campaign for the distribution of food and other essentials to people in distress…

en.mehrnews (2020-05-12). Serbian president calls for expanding economic relations with Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 12 (MNA) — Serbian President received the credential of Iran's new ambassador to Belgrade Rashid Hassanpour on Tuesday and emphasized on promoting cooperation with the Islamic Republic in various fields, especially economy and trade.

sputniknews (2020-05-12). Back to Normal? Scenes of Daily Life in Europe as Countries Start Lifting Coronavirus Restrictions. sputniknews.com We all have been missing many things during the quarantines that have been imposed in our countries as part of measures to fight the coronavirus pandemic. Undoubtedly, walking in parks and meeting up with friends in cafes and pubs are what many people are most eager to do now that restrictions are partially lifted.

sputniknews (2020-05-12). Germany's BNA to Make Final Decisions on Nord Stream 2 Pipeline Before 24 May – Sources. sputniknews.com BERLIN (Sputnik) – The German Federal Network Agency (BNA) intends to make a final decision before 24 May regarding the request of Nord Stream 2 AG, the operator of the Nord Stream 2, on whether to absolve the pipeline from the EU Gas Directive, BNA representative Fiete Wulff has said.

sputniknews (2020-05-12). Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov Holds Press Conference After CIS Foreign Ministers' Meeting – Video. sputniknews.com The regular meeting of foreign ministers of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) took place on Tuesday via teleconference amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

sputniknews (2020-05-12). Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov Hospitalised with COVID-19. sputniknews.com Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has confirmed that he has contracted the coronavirus. He has become the latest top Russian figure to come down with COVID-19. Last week, Russia's Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova tested positive for the virus, but said she was manifesting mild symptoms.

sputniknews (2020-05-12). Ex-Russian Public Health Chief Slams Reports on Russia's Low COVID-19 Death Toll as Hype. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Allegations that the death toll from the coronavirus in Russia may be significantly lower than official statistics are motivated by malevolence and unprofessional hype, former Russian Chief Sanitary Doctor Gennadii Onish—Åhenko, who is now a lawmaker of parliament's lower house, said on Tuesday.

sputniknews (2020-05-12). Russia to Consider Caracas' Request for Help in Probe of Invasion If Asked – Lavrov. sputniknews.com MOSCOW(Sputnik) – Russia will consider Venezuela's request for help in investigation of a naval incursion if it receives such request, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday .

sputniknews (2020-05-12). Russia, Turkey Carry Out 10th Joint Patrolling in Syria's Idlib — MoD. sputniknews.com SARAQIB, Syria (Sputnik) – The Russian and Turkish military on Tuesday conducted the tenth joint patrol along the M4 highway in Syria's northern Idlib de-escalation zone, the Russian Defence Ministry's centre for the reconciliation of the warring parties in Syria said in a statement on Tuesday.

sputniknews (2020-05-12). Russian Federal Security Service Detains Man Planning to Set Gov't Buildings on Fire in Tver Region. sputniknews.com The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) on Tuesday announced the prevention of a terrorist attack in the city of Kimry, in Tver Region.

yenisafak (2020-05-12). EU signs contract with Philips on ventilators. yenisafak.com Dutch electronics giant Philips signed a contract with the European Commission to supply medical ventilators to EU hospitals, the company and EU officials said, in a deal that comes as most EU countries reached the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak.Other companies have signed similar contracts with the European Union as part of a joint procurement scheme the Commission launched in March on behalf of 25 EU states.But no ventilator has yet been delivered under the scheme.Last week, Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides told EU governments at a video conference that a new contract had been signed with Philips "which has…

yenisafak (2020-05-12). Belgian air carrier to cut jobs, fleet. yenisafak.com Brussels Airlines will reduce its staff, fleet and destinations due to the negative impact of novel coronavirus pandemic, the Belgian carrier announced on Tuesday.According to the restructuring plan, 1,000 employees will be dismissed, which amounts to 25% of its total staff.They will also reduce their fleet by 30% or 16 aircraft, leaving only 38 carriers with the airline.The cuts in staff and planes will also lead to a reduction in the number of destinations the company flies to, leaving only 56 instead of the previous 78.Twenty of the canceled destinations were short-distance European towns.The company claims to…

Last Process: 50 Citations: 2020-05-13 02:37 GMT (22:37 EST)