Daily Archives: June 13, 2020

2020-06-13: News Headlines

Ali Abunimah (2020-06-13). European Court upholds right to boycott Israel. zcomm.org "Israel, an apartheid country, cannot forever prevent the truimph of justice and freedom for the Palestinian people."

Manuel Raposo (2020-06-13). A view of the USA from Portugal: 'Not a riot — rebellion! workers.org The author is a Portuguese left communist and editor of jornalmudardevida.net. This article was translated by WW Managing Editor John Catalinotto. Hundreds of demonstrators in Brazil gathered outside the office of Rio de Janeiro's governor on May 31, protesting the deaths of Black and favela youth at the hands of . . . |

Robert Glynne-Jones, Mark Harrison, Drostan Cheetham (2020-06-13). [Correspondence] NICE guideline for rectal cancer: already out of date. thelancet.com As members of a colorectal multidisciplinary team, some of whom have contributed to previous National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance1 and European Society of Medical Oncology guidelines in rectal cancer,2 we disagree with the current recommendations in the update to NICE guidance that was published in 2020: "offer preoperative radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy to people with rectal cancer that is cT1-T2, cN1-N2, M0, or cT3-T4, any cN, M0."3…

R Todd Stravitz, William M Lee (2020-06-13). [Correspondence] Acute liver failure — Authors' reply. thelancet.com We appreciate the additional insights provided by Sandro Vento and Francesca Cainelli regarding the incidence and diagnosis of acute liver failure in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Beyond the differences in known causal factors (viruses, drugs) between high-income countries and LMICs, the predominance of the indeterminate group in these regions is of concern to all. In our study,1 only 5% of patients remained indeterminate after thorough serological testing and review of history and available liver histology.

_____ (2020-06-13). Will there be another stock market crash in 2020? truepublica.org.uk The coronavirus restrictions have led to an unprecedented drop in economic activity. Because the UK's economy relies heavily on the services sector, it has suffered more than many European countries. However, the contraction is certainly global. Furthermore, the second Covid-19 wave has started too. For example, the US is seeing a rise in coronavirus hospitalisations, in …

Andre Vltchek (2020-06-12). It is all About Race: Awful Hypocrisy to Say it is Not! dissidentvoice.org While I am following closely various discussions on Western mass media and social media, simultaneously engaging in several direct exchanges, one overwhelming leitmotif that I see is clearly emerging: "What is happening in the United States (and the UK, France and other parts of Western Empire) is not really about the race. Let us protest …

M.K. Bhadrakumar (2020-06-12). Turkey's big bet has put Libya in center of a global power struggle. mronline.org The series of debilitating military setbacks that Libya's renegade general Khalifa Haftar suffered in recent months have spurred diplomatic activities over the conflict in the country. But the war is far from over.

Staff (2020-06-12). Georgia's Elections Were A Voter Suppression Horror Show. therealnews.com Georgia's primary election could be a warning for what's to come when Americans head to the polls in November.

Bill Hackwell (2020-06-12). Distortions and Attempts to Undermine the Cuban Medical Brigades Will Not Succeed. dissidentvoice.org Cuban medical brigade returning from Italy (Photo: Ismael Fransisco Gonzalez) Every evening for the past two and a half months the people of Cuba have come out on their streets and porches to applaud and cheer for the 3,000 members of the Henry Reeve medical brigades who are fighting the Covid-19 pandemic on the front …

Communist Party of Turkey (2020-06-12). Communist Party of Turkey: Justice for George Floyd! Solidarity with the uprising! liberationnews.org On behalf of the Communist Party of Turkey, we express our heartfelt support for the working people of the United States who took to the streets for protesting the brutal murder of George Floyd by racist policemen.

Philip Giraldi (2020-06-12). Russians "Stirring Up Trouble": An Obama Retread Sees Moscow's Hand in US Protests. globalresearch.ca If one ventures into the vast wasteland of American television it is possible to miss the truly ridiculous content that is promoted as news by the major networks. One particular feature of media-speak in the United States is the tendency …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-06-12). Europe's top human rights court overturns French conviction of BDS activists. peoplesdispatch.org A French court had convicted 11 BDS activists for 'incitement to economic discrimination' after they organized a boycott protest against Israel outside a supermarket in France during the Israeli invasion of Gaza in 2009-10…

Eddie Chambers (2020-06-12). Statues, Statues, They All Fall Down. progressive.org European monuments to historic slavers and colonizers are the latest victims of rising protests for justice.

WSWS (2020-06-12). Brazilian delivery workers strike in defense of their lives. wsws.org Delivery workers have been carrying out strikes and protests in Brazil since April, connected to delivery workers' strikes around the world in countries like Spain, Ecuador and Argentina.

_____ (2020-06-12). Court of Human Rights Deals Major Blow To Israel's War On Palestine Solidarity. popularresistance.org The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled unanimously that the French highest court's 2015 criminal conviction of activists with the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement advocating nonviolent boycotts of Israeli goods violated article 10 (freedom of expression) of the European Convention on Human Rights. | Reacting to the breaking news, Rita Ahmad from the Palestinian-led BDS movement said: | This momentous court ruling is a decisive victory for freedom of expression, for human rights defenders, and for the BDS movement for Palestinian freedom, justice and equality. It confirms a 2016 European U…

yenisafak (2020-06-13). Turkey rescues 381 asylum seekers in a week. yenisafak.com Turkey rescued 381 asylum seekers over the past week, the Turkish Coast Guard Command said on Saturday.Between June 5 and 11, a total of 381 asylum seekers were held or rescued in 14 incidents, the coast guard said on Twitter.Three smugglers were also arrested, it added, sharing four photos from the rescue operations where the Turkish teams in full protective gear were seen taking asylum seekers' temperature.Turkey has been one of the main routes for asylum seekers wanting to reach Europe, especially since Syria's civil war started in 2011.Turkey hosts nearly four million Syrians, more than any other country in t…

yenisafak (2020-06-13). Turkish Coast Guard rescues 93 asylum seekers. yenisafak.com The Turkish Coast Guard on Saturday rescued 93 asylum seekers who were pushed back by Greek forces into Turkish territorial waters, according to security sources.The asylum seekers of various nationalities initially set off for the Greek island of Lesbos (Midilli) from Ayvacik in Canakkale, northwestern Turkey.Their two rubber rafts were pushed back to Turkish territorial waters by the Greek Coast Guard, said the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.Turkey has been a key transit point for asylum seekers aiming to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fle…

yenisafak (2020-06-13). Fire on French nuclear submarine at Toulon extinguished. yenisafak.com A fire on a nuclear submarine docked at the French Mediterranean port of Toulon was extinguished early on Saturday morning, the Defence Ministry said.Some 100 firefighters had been called in to tackle the blaze on the Perle, which lasted 14 hours and ended at around 00: 50 a.m. (2250 GMT). the ministry said. It confirmed an earlier statement that no nuclear material was aboard when the fire broke out on Friday.Nobody was hurt and no nuclear materials or weapons were on board the vessel, which was in dry dock for repairs, authorities said on Friday.Toulon is France's biggest naval base and is home to most of its fl…

yenisafak (2020-06-13). Italy's PM says virus crisis should be opportunity to reform country. yenisafak.com Italy cannot afford to return to normality after the coronavirus emergency but should turn the crisis into an opportunity to reform the country, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Saturday."This is the time to work on a clear project to come out of the crisis," Conte said in the opening speech of a nine-day policy consultation in Rome."We must take advantage (of the situation) to turn the crisis into an opportunity, and remove all the obstacles that have slowed (Italy) down," he added.Conte said his coalition government was preparing a plan of reforms to simplify bureaucracy, push digital investments and green…

yenisafak (2020-06-13). Turkey arrests five FETàñ terror suspects. yenisafak.com At least five suspects were arrested for suspected links to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETàñ), the group behind the 2016 defeated coup, Turkish authorities said on Saturday.In a statement, the provincial security directorate in Turkey's western Denizli province said police carried out anti-terror operations to arrest the suspects, all of whom were wanted by Turkish authorities and had arrest warrants against them.They were found at FETàñ cell houses, and some were holed up in secret compartments built specially for hiding, the statement added.Two suspects were remanded in custody, one was…

RT (2020-06-12). Sweden and Poland only EU nations who STILL haven't reached Covid-19 peak — EU health watchdog. rt.com There are now just two European countries still headed for the height of their coronavirus outbreaks. Sweden — widely criticized for having chosen a different pandemic strategy — and Poland both expect a greater rise in numbers. | A paper published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) compares the number of coronavirus cases reported during a 14-day

RT (2020-06-12). Finland renames 'Negro Island' amid global anti-racism protests. rt.com Despite lacking a history of colonialism or slavery, Finland has nonetheless decided to do its bit in the anti-racism drive gripping the Western world, by changing the "racist" name of a small island. | The landmass in the Pyhaselka Lake in eastern Finland bore the name Neekerisaari — which translates as "Negro Island." It has been

RT (2020-06-12). 'We're Russia, we're together': WATCH aerobatic team paint the skies on Russia Day. rt.com In celebration of Russia Day, a group of daredevils took to the skies over the Moscow Region, sending a patriotic message to all Russians to stay strong and united in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. | The Perviy Polet (First Flight) squadron is the only aerobatic team in the country that uses propeller planes, including the iconic Yakovlev Yak-52 Soviet trainer aircraft. | Footage of the stunt, filmed by multiple cameras on the ground and on the wings of the planes, shows the team taking off from the airfield. Five machines fly in formation, writing "We're Russia! We're together!" with a trail of smok…

RT (2020-06-12). Bolton sparks rage with sudden claim to have evidence of Trump's 'transgressions' in promo press release for new book. rt.com Ex-national security advisor John Bolton has released a juicy teaser for his new book, claiming to have evidence of Donald Trump's foreign policy "transgressions" prompting many to ask why he kept the information from Congress. | In a press release advertising his new book on Friday, Bolton, who was fired by Trump in September 2019, accuses his former boss of more "Ukraine-like transgressions" which allegedly spanned "the full range of his foreign policy." | Trump was impeached by the US House of Representatives last year for "abuse of power" and "obstruction of Congress." Democrats accused him of withholding…

RT (2020-06-12). NATO declares Ukraine 'enhanced opportunities partner'. rt.com NATO declared Kiev one of the major contributors to the Alliance cause outside of the military bloc itself, adding Ukraine to the list of "Enhanced Opportunities Partners" — nations that were granted access to the NATO Partnership Interoperability Initiative (PII). | Launched in 2014, the program is aimed at "deepening connections built up between NATO and its partner forces." | Under the PII, nations that "made significant contributions to NATO-led operations and missions" get access to political consultation with NATO members, interoperability programmes and exercises and information sharing. Ukraine ma…

Khubaka, Michael Harris (2020-06-13). U.S. President Trump sparks renewed interest in Juneteenth Celebrations Globally. indybay.org "In 1535, the first enslaved Pan African were recorded in California. Spanish conquistadors brought enslaved Pan Africans for conquest and who were later breed with indigenous population (Afro-Latino) throughout "New Spain" and much, much later evolved into today's Republic of Mexico. Authentic Alta California History remains cloaked in slavery and secrecy that remains off limits for any principled dialogue as the California State Legislature prepares for a 2020 Juneteenth State Budget due next week.

Mahmut Geldi (2020-06-13). Lebanese Protesters Set Central Bank on Fire. anti-empire.com Demonstrators in Lebanon attempted to occupy the central bank in the capital Thursday after the country's currency sank to a record low against the US dollar. | As a result of the nation's economic crisis, the dollar rose to 6,000 Lebanese pounds from 4,000 in the last two days, prompting protesters to take to the streets in Beirut and many other cities. | twitter.com/BasedPoland/status/1271523775440392195 | They blocked roads to traffic with garbage containers and burning tires. | Forcing their way into the central bank on Hamra Street, they had to withdraw when security forces intervened. | Security for…

Andrey Areshev (2020-06-13). Russia and Europe: Two Different Histories. strategic-culture.org A considerable amount of baggage has become attached to the word "European" over the half-millennium that Europe has dominated the world. There's the geographical meaning — from the Atlantic to the Urals — but, because Europe is a peninsula on the western end of Asia, the frontier is subject to debate. Diplomats sometimes use the word to mean members of the European Union. But the most important meaning is the value-laden one — to be "European" is to be modern, civilised, rational, to hold "values", to be successful. To be powerful. Not to be "European" is to be none of these things, perhaps eve…

Andrey Areshev (2020-06-13). Russia Aiming to Realize Greater Eurasia Dream. strategic-culture.org The Russian role will be to balance the hegemonic powers, as a guarantor of a new union of non-aligned nations | Pepe ESCOBAR | Professor Sergey Karaganov is informally known in influential foreign policy circles as the "Russian Kissinger" — with the extra bonus of not having to carry a "war criminal" tag from Vietnam and Cambodia to Chile and beyond. | Karaganov is the dean of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at the National Research University Higher School of Economics. He's also the honorary chairman of Russia's Presidium of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy. | In December…

_____ (2020-06-13). UK backtracks — soft Brexit border controls with EU. truepublica.org.uk The United Kingdom will delay the introduction of border checks on imports from the European Union by as much as six months in a bid to avoid piling on the pain for British business and choking off vital food supplies. The UK government on Friday backtracked on plans to impose full border checks on EU imports on January …

yenisafak (2020-06-12). EU warns COVID-19 health crisis not over yet, urges vigilance. yenisafak.com The public health crisis caused by the COVID-19 epidemic in Europe is not over yet, the European Union's top health official warned on Friday, urging governments to remain vigilant and plough ahead with testing and tracing the population."This is not behind us yet. We need to be vigilant," EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides told EU health ministers in a videoconference, amid fears of a new surge in infections as EU states gradually reopen business and borders and after mass protests in recent days across the continent [ nL8N2DO589].

yenisafak (2020-06-12). Families' sit-in against PKK terror continues in SE Turkey. yenisafak.com A sit-in in southeastern Turkey by families pleading for the return of their children kidnapped by the YPG/PKK terror group has entered its 284th day.The protest started on Sept. 3, 2019, in Diyarbakir province outside the office of the opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), a party accused by the government of having links to the YPG/PKK.Solmaz Ovunc, whose son was abducted five years ago, said she has been staging a sit-in for 284 days and that she will continue the sit-in until the return of her son."HDP took my son and handed him over to the PKK. The PKK did not come and take my son from the neighborhood…

Fight Back (2020-06-12). Stock market tanks as reality sinks in. fightbacknews.org San José, CA – On Thursday, June 11, reality finally caught up with Wall Street. For weeks there was a huge gap between the economy, where millions upon millions of people had lost their jobs and livelihood, and the soaring stock market which had turned positive for the year. But today reality seems to have sunk in, sending the headline Dow Jones Industrial Average down more than 1800 points, or almost 7%. The broad S&P 500 index fell almost 6%, and the technology-heavy NASDAQ fell more than 5%. Stock market from Asia to Europe also fell. | The day before, on June 10, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell gave a ve…

Gary Younge (2020-06-12). What Black America Means to Europe. zcomm.org Many have attempted to claim that `things are better here' for black people than in the US. This ignores both Europe's colonial past and its own racist present…

Scott Ritter (2020-06-12). NATO's Call on 'Like-minded Nations' to Stand Up to the Rise of China Is Just a Desperate Bid for Global Relevance. globalresearch.ca As the influence of the US and Europe wanes in the face of a new geopolitical reality, their Cold War progeny, NATO, seeks to redefine itself as a global player. The problem is NATO is not capable of even stepping …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-06-12). Austrian communists criticize government bailout to private airline. peoplesdispatch.org On June 9, Tuesday, Austrian leftist groups, including the Party of Labour of Austria (PdA) and the Communist Youth of Austria (KJO), criticized the government's bailout to the private sector Austrian Airlines (AUA), a subsidiary of the Germany-based Lufthansa Group. The conservative Austrian People's Party (àñVP)-Green-led government in the country has issued EUR 150 million (USD 170 million) as direct state aid, and EUR 300 million (USD 340 million) worth of loans to the airline. | Responding to the move, KJO stated "Once again, àñVP and Greens prove which side they really are on. While there are…

Dr. Sucharit Bhakdi (2020-06-12). COVID-19 , "Global False Alarm". Leaked German Government Report. globalresearch.ca We bring to the attention of our readers details concerning the Leaked Report of Germany's Ministry of Interior. | What is at stake is a …

Daniele Pozzati (2020-06-12). German Official Leaks Ministry of Interior Report Denouncing Corona as 'A Global False Alarm'. globalresearch.ca Germany's federal government and mainstream media are engaged in damage control after a
| Wir machen unsere Leser auf die Zusammenfassung dieses wichtigen durchgesickerten Berichts aufmerksam, der …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-06-12). Luxembourg government accused of abusing emergency powers. peoplesdispatch.org On June 10, Thursday, the Communist Party of Luxembourg (KPL) accused the government in the country of abusing the emergency powers in place to tackle the COVID-19 crisis. The Luxembourg government has threatened a military takeover of an inter-municipal waste recycling plant run by waste management company Sidor in Leudelange after the plant authorities refused to dispose of medical waste they are not authorized to handle. The plant management was concerned about the safety of the workers as they do not have a permit to handle hospital-specific waste. | KPL stated that the threat of an army takeover by the gover…

WSWS (2020-06-12). Washington steps up strategic bomber flights threatening Russia, China. wsws.org As social anger grows over police brutality and the COVID-19 pandemic, the danger that the ruling elite will try to suppress class conflict with external wars is rising.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-06-12). Serbian communists file lawsuit against election commission. peoplesdispatch.org The New Communist Party of Yugoslavia (NKPJ) and the League of Communist Youth of Yugoslavia (SKOJ) have accused the election commission of discrimination after it rejected their registration for the parliamentary elections scheduled on June 21…

John McEvoy (2020-06-12). 'The United Kingdom lies': Venezuelan government lambasts UK response to 'reconstruction' plans. thecanary.co Venezuelan foreign minister Jorge Arreaza has accused the UK government of lying in its response to an

yenisafak (2020-06-12). UK won't extend Brexit transition period: Minister. yenisafak.com The UK on Friday confirmed to the EU that it will not extend the Brexit transition period. | Michael Gove, minister for the Cabinet Office, wrote on Twitter that he chaired a "constructive" EU Joint Committee meeting with European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic. | "I formally confirmed the UK will not extend the transition period the moment for extension has now passed. On 1 January 2021 we will take back control and regain our political economic independence," he wrote. | This came after Scottish and Welsh first ministers sent a joint letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, requesting an extension to c…

yenisafak (2020-06-12). UK to introduce EU border controls in stages from 2021. yenisafak.com Britain said on Friday it would introduce border controls in stages on European Union goods after the end of the Brexit transition period, to try to soften the blow for companies already battling the coronavirus pandemic.Reversing an original plan to impose full border controls on imports coming into Britain from the EU from next year, the government said it would introduce the changes in stages up until July 1, 2021, giving firms more time to deal with paperwork.Companies have long called on the government to give them more clarity about what new border checks will be in force at the end of this year, when the s…

yenisafak (2020-06-12). Turkey calls on Germany to lift travel warning. yenisafak.com Turkish foreign minister on Friday called on Germany to lift travel warning for Turkey.Speaking to German weekly Der Spiegel, Mevlut Cavusoglu commented on Germany's decision to lift travel warning for EU countries while extending it for all other countries until Aug. 31."It is hard to understand scientific reasons behind this decision," said Cavusoglu, and called on Berlin to also lift its travel warning for Turkey, which has successfully managed the pandemic process."German tourists are most warmly welcome. All kinds of hygiene measures will be taken against COVID-19 from the moment the German tourists start th…

yenisafak (2020-06-12). UNHCR urges Greece to investigate refugee pushbacks. yenisafak.com The UN Refugee Agency on Friday urged Greece to investigate multiple reports of pushbacks by Greek authorities at the country's sea and land borders, possibly returning migrants and asylum seekers to Turkey.UNHCR spokesman Babar Baloch said at a twice-weekly UN press briefing that allegations of people being turned back had increased since March.He said reports indicate that several groups of people may have been summarily returned after reaching Greek territory."UNHCR has continuously addressed its concerns with the Greek government and has called for urgent inquiries into a series of alleged incidents reported…

yenisafak (2020-06-12). Turkish economy sees total turnover down 20.9% in April. yenisafak.com The Turkish economy's total turnover saw an annual decrease of 20.9% in April, the nation's statistical institute reported on Friday.The Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) said turnover in industry slipped 24.9% during the same period.On the services side, the turnover index declined 23.9% and the figure in trade fell 17.4% year-on-year.The construction sector's turnover dropped 19.6% on a yearly basis in the same month.The official report also revealed that Turkey's seasonally and calendar-adjusted total turnover index

yenisafak (2020-06-12). Turkish stocks down 0.87% at Friday's opening. yenisafak.com Turkey's benchmark stock index started the day at 108,201.50 points on Friday, down by 0.87% or 953.91 points from previous close.At Thursday's close, Borsa Istanbul's BIST 100 index was down 0.57% at 109,155.41 points, with a daily trading volume of 16.1 billion Turkish liras ($2.4 billion).The US dollar/Turkish lira exchange rate stood at 6.8400 as of 9.30 a.m. local time (0630GMT) Friday, compared to 6.8220 at Thursday's close.The euro/Turkish lira exchange rate dropped to 7.7320 from 7.7610, and one British pound traded for 8.6270 Turkish liras, down from 8.6550 at the previous close.One barrel of Brent crude…

yenisafak (2020-06-12). Turkey's current account posts $5.06B gap in April. yenisafak.com Turkey's current account balance posted a $5.06 billion gap in April, widening from a $469 million deficit in the same month last year, the Turkish Central Bank announced on Friday.According to the balance of payments figures released by the bank, the country's 12-month rolling deficit totaled $3.3 billion.The figure beat market expectation of $4.1 billion deficit in the month as the coronavirus' impact started to be felt in earnest in mid-March and April.An Anadolu Agency survey on Thursday showed that a group of 16 economists' projections ranged from $2.2 billion to $5.2 billion for the fourth month of this yea…

yenisafak (2020-06-12). Turkey: COVID-19 narrows retail sales volume in April. yenisafak.com Turkey's retail sales volume shrank 19.3% on an annual basis in April due to coronavirus crisis, the country's statistical authority said on Friday.Food, drinks and tobacco sales in April grew 12.5% compared to the same month last year, according to TurkStat.Non-food