Daily Archives: June 19, 2020

2020-06-19: News Headlines

Annelies Wilder-Smith, Steven W Lindsay, Thomas W Scott, Eng Eong Ooi, Duane J Gubler, Pamela Das (2020-06-20). [Comment] The Lancet Commission on dengue and other Aedes-transmitted viral diseases. thelancet.com The past 50 years have seen the emergence of epidemic arboviral diseases transmitted by the urban mosquito, Aedes aegypti. More than 120 countries are affected by frequent and cyclical dengue epidemics that result in an estimated annual 400 million infections and 100 million symptomatic cases.1 Chikungunya virus re-emerged in 2004 from east Africa and spread to Asia, the Pacific, the Americas, and Europe.2,3 Zika virus spread from sub-Saharan Africa through Asia and the Pacific to the Americas, where it caused a major outbreak associated with severe birth defects and neurological complications.

Peter Baker, Alan White, Rosemary Morgan (2020-06-20). [Comment] Men's health: COVID-19 pandemic highlights need for overdue policy action. thelancet.com The COVID-19 pandemic is shining a cruel light on the state of men's health globally. In 38 out of 43 countries for which provisional data were available, as of June 10, 2020, more men than women have died from COVID-19 despite a similar number of confirmed cases in each sex.1 In several countries, including the Netherlands, Dominican Republic, and Spain, about twice as many men as women have died from COVID-19.1 International Men's Health Week on June 15—21 is an opportune time to focus attention on this issue and the need for a new and systematic approach to improve the health of men generally.

RT (2020-06-19). EU Parliament meddles into US affairs as it condemns Trump's response to protests and declares 'BLACK LIVES MATTER'. rt.com A lengthy resolution by the European Union legislators denounced US President Donald Trump for wanting to use force against rioters and condemned the "appalling death of George Floyd" and arrests of journalists. | In a Condemning the "appalling death of George Floyd" — a Minneapolis,…

yenisafak (2020-06-19). Eight SNA soldiers martyred in YPG/PKK attack in N Syria. yenisafak.com At least eight soldiers of the Syrian National Army (SNA) were martyred in an attack carried out by the YPG/PKK terrorist group in Afrin, northwestern Syria.From Tal Rifat district, terrorists attempted to infiltrate front lines in Bassouta region in the south of Afrin province.The terrorist group continued to target Syrian National Army and civilian settlements in Afrin and Azaz provinces from Tal Rifat despite a Turkey-Russia deal that foresees their withdrawal from the region.On Oct. 9, 2019, Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate terrorists from northern Syria east of the Euphrates River in order…

yenisafak (2020-06-19). Russia to assess Arctic fuel spill damage by July 1. yenisafak.com Russia's environmental watchdog will finish its assessment of the damage done by last month's fuel spill in the Arctic city of Norilsk by July 1, it said on Friday.Some 21,000 tonnes of diesel leaked into rivers and subsoil on May 29 in Norilsk, home to mining giant Norilsk Nickel , in an incident that Greenpeace has compared to the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill off Alaska.

IMEMC & Agencies (2020-06-19). Russia Denies that Putin Tried to Block UN Security Council Recognition of Palestine. imemc.org Maria Zakharova, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, denied that President Vladimir Putin had blocked a 2016 UN Security Council's resolution that recognizes Palestinian statehood on the 1967 border lines. Zakharov's remarks came during a press briefing on Wednesday, in which she responded to claims by an Israeli online newspaper, Israel …

bne IntelliNews (2020-06-19). Russian Deputies Introduce Bill to Un-Ban the Excellent Telegram Messaging App. anti-empire.com Russian Duma deputies from the minority fraction Fair Russia have conceded defeat to reality and have introduced a bill to un-ban the popular messaging service Telegram that belongs to Russian tech whizz-kid Pavel Durov. | Three deputies — Fedot Tumusov, Dmitry Ionin and Alexander Terentyev — have submitted a draft bill to the Duma to terminate the attempts to outlaw Telegram. | The company and the Kremlin clashed after the widely used service refused a request by the Federal Security Service (FSB) to hand over digital keys so the security forces could eavesdrop on conversations on the service. | Tele…

ahtribune (2020-06-19). Foreign Troops: What Is Too Close for Comfort? ahtribune.com Tensions in the skies. RT presented a news story of the United States intercepting a fleet of Russian bombers off the Alaskan coast. Four Russian Tu-95 bombers, accompanied by Su-35 and MiG-31 fighters jets, flew from Siberia toward Alaska where they were shadowed by US F-22 fighters. The US and NORAD admitted that the Russian planes stayed in international airspace and did not enter American sovereign airspace. | http: //youtu.be/jmqgpkixULo | Siberia and Alaska are close. At its narrowest point the Bering Strait separates Russia and the US by only 88.5 km (55 mi), so it wouldn't take long upon leaving one coa…

Ben Aris (2020-06-19). Economic Ministry Forecasts Russia Won't Climb Back to Pre-Lockdown Levels Until Late 2022. anti-empire.com Russia's Ministry of Economy has released a fresh forecast for 2019-2022. The ministry said there will be no V-shaped recovery: after a 5% plunge in 2020, real GDP will only recover starting in mid-2022. The Ministry of Economy predicts GDP growth of 2.8% in 2021 and 3% in 2022. | The Urals price stays below the base budget price of $42, at which point the Russian budget breaks even. Urals will average $31.1 per barrel this year, rising to $35.4 in 2021 and only in 2022 will it return to the breakeven price of $42.2 when Russia Inc. goes back into profit. | That means the Ministry of Finance will rely on the Nati…

_____ (2020-06-19). Defending History or Double Standard? strategic-culture.org There is no equivalence between Western imperialists, colonizers and racists and Soviet war heroes. But there is a clear double standard in how demolishing the latter statues is somehow acceptable to Western governments. Because it fits a geopolitical agenda of rewriting the history of World War II to demean Russia. | (Click the image to enlarge)…

Eric A. Gordon (2020-06-19). 'Proud': Episodes of the long march for LGBTQ rights in France. peoplesworld.org Timed for release during LGBTQ Pride Month, the 2018 French "episodic cinema" Proud (Fiertés in French) is now available for a wider viewing in the United States opening on June 19 in virtual cinema in select cities though Kino Marquee. Proud consists of three episodes, each about 50 minutes in duration, focusing on the evolution …

Pierre Dardot (2020-06-19). The Gilets Jaunes and the Invention of the Future. zcomm.org The politics of the Gilets Jaunes are often misunderstood or overlooked, yet the movement should be a point of reference for struggles across Europe…

_____ (2020-06-19). New Alliance Against China: D-10 Countries Threatened By China Unite Against It. popularresistance.org In late May, Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom floated the idea of creating a new international platform—D10, or Democracy 10 alliance. The D10 is to comprise the Group of Seven (G7) states and three others; it will be discussed formally at the G7 meeting in June. The proposed members of the alliance are the G7 countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.K. and the U.S.), along with Australia, India and South Korea. The purpose of this alliance is not entirely for mutual benefit. The agenda, Boris Johnson suggests, is to attack China. | Many of the states in the D10 have been hi…

yenisafak (2020-06-19). EU extends sanctions on Russia: Merkel. yenisafak.com EU leaders have agreed to extend diplomatic and economic sanctions against Russia for another six months, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Friday. | Speaking at a news conference in Berlin, after a videoconference meeting of EU leaders, Merkel criticized Russia for not taking sufficient steps to implement the 2015 Minsk agreement, aimed at ending the conflict in eastern Ukraine. | "In today's European Council meeting we decided to extend these sanctions for another six months," Merkel said. | The sanctions were first imposed in 2014 in response to Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea and were later expand…

yenisafak (2020-06-19). EU must pay full $6.5B to Turkey: Top Hungary diplomat. yenisafak.com The EU should respect its commitment to Turkey and pay the entire sum of ‚Ǩ6 billion ($6.5 billion) promised under a 2016 deal to stem irregular migration, Hungary's foreign minister said Friday."Turkey has a crucial role in stopping illegal migration," which is why "the EU should pay the ‚Ǩ6 billion it previously promised to Turkey," Szijjarto said in streaming video on Facebook, speaking after a high-level videoconference with his counterparts from Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Poland, and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.Szijjarto was referring to the 2016 Turke…

yenisafak (2020-06-19). Russia comes out of pandemic with minimal loss: Putin. yenisafak.com Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that Russia is coming out of the coronavirus pandemic "with minimal losses".At the same time, a lot of problems related to the pandemic remain on the agenda, Putin said at a video-conference with the country's government members."The most important thing is that this situation [of pandemic] united us all, this is a fact, and it allowed us to get out of this situation with minimal losses," he said.He recalled there are some regions where the daily growth in COVID-19 cases is still high."We are now talking about positive trends and positive examples. But we must not f…

yenisafak (2020-06-19). Two wanted Daesh terrorists caught in SE Turkey. yenisafak.com Two women, both Russian citizens, who were wanted by Interpol for being members of the Daesh terrorist group, were arrested in Turkey's southeast in a joint operation by Turkish security and intelligence units on Friday.After being tipped off that a group of terrorists from Syria's war zones were entering Turkey illegally, an operation was conducted in coordination with the prosecutor's office in Kilis province.In the joint operation by police and the National Intelligence Organization, two women were apprehended in the central district of Kilis.The suspects were identified by the initials S.K (29) and R.E. (33),…

yenisafak (2020-06-19). Spain increases coronavirus death toll to over 28,000. yenisafak.com Spain reported on Friday a total of 28,313 coronavirus deaths as of Thursday, after adjusting its database to avoid duplications and errors, a health ministry official said.The death toll series had not been updated since June 7, when Spain reported 27,136 deaths, while the country was implementing a new methodology for logging deaths and cases.

yenisafak (2020-06-19). Turkey's 'Tortum Waterfall' prepares for tourist boom. yenisafak.com Environmental planning around Tortum Waterfall in Turkey's eastern Erzurum province is underway to attract more visitors.Located on Erzurum-Artvin highway in northeastern Turkey, in the Uzundere district of Erzurum, Tortum is the country's biggest waterfall.Around 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) above the sea level, it is a natural wonder, with its water falling from a height of approximately 50 meters (164 feet).The waterfall attracts tourists both from Turkey and abroad.It is also nominated for UNESCO World Heritage List.With a collaborative effort of the governorate and the mayorship of Erzurum, the provincial autho…

yenisafak (2020-06-19). Turk Telekom uses yuan for trade with China. yenisafak.com Turkey's telecommunications giant Turk Telekom took the first step to trade in local currencies through a new mechanism provided by Turkey and China's new swap agreement on Friday.The GSM firm used Chinese yuan for import payments after the swap agreement, which removed the obstacles for using local currencies in bilateral trade instead of a third country's currencies, Turk Telekom said in a press release.Earlier, the Turkish Central Bank announced that the first usage of the Chinese yuan funding under the swap agreement signed with China was realized on Thursday.According to the bank, Turkish companies in variou…

yenisafak (2020-06-19). Turkey's Borsa Istanbul up 0.99% at close. yenisafak.com Turkey's benchmark stock index rose by 0.99% to 113,611.89 points at the closing session of Friday.Borsa Istanbul's BIST 100 index started the day at 111,327.92 points. It has earned 1,117.27 points from Thursday's close of 110,939.66 points.The price of one ounce of gold was $1,731.80 by market close, down from $1,722 at the previous close, according to data from Borsa Istanbul's Precious Metals and Diamond Markets.The price of Brent crude oil was around $42.60 per barrel as of 6 p.m. (1500GMT) on Friday.Exchange Rates Thursday Friday | USD/TRY 6.8580 6.8440 | EUR/TRY 7.6970 7.6850 | GBP/TRY 8.5420 8.5290…

yenisafak (2020-06-19). Turkey neutralizes three terrorists in N. Iraq operation. yenisafak.com Turkish army on Friday neutralized three terrorists as part of Operation Claw-Tiger in northern Iraq, security sources said.Operation Claw-Tiger is being carried out in line with Turkey's legitimate defense rights arising from the international law, and is oriented against the PKK and other terrorist elements that have recently escalated harassment and attacks on Turkish security posts and base areas, threatening the security of border and civilians.The operation is continuing successfully.Operation Claw-Tiger, launched right after Operation Claw-Eagle, has been destroying terrorist targets in Haftanin, northern…

yenisafak (2020-06-18). Black EU lawmaker claims harassment by Brussels police. yenisafak.com A Black member of the European Parliament claims that she was harassed by the Brussels police.Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana, a 71-year-old German lawmaker said that police brutally handled her near the Northern Railway Station of Brussels on Tuesday."It would not happen to white members of European Parliament "she said while participating in a debate on the anti-racism on Wednesday.The European Parliament's plenary session had been discussing anti-racism in the wake of protests ragging many cities across the globe following the death of George Floyd in the US.She said the incident happened when she saw nine police…

South Front (2020-06-18). Video: Idlib Militants Attack Turkish-Russian Patrols as Turkey Shifts Focus to Northern Iraq. globalresearch.ca On June 16, a joint convoy of the Turkish Army and the Russian Military Police became the target of a new IED attack during a patrol along the M4 highway in southern Idlib. The explosion damaged a BTR-82A armored personnel …

Zero Hedge (2020-06-18). USAF Paints Fighter Jet Russian Color Scheme to Prepare for Dogfights. globalresearch.ca A General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon at Hill Air Force Base, located in northern Utah, recently had an exterior makeover paint scheme that mimics the Russian Sukhoi Su-57 stealth fighter, reported The 576th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron painted …

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-06-18). France's Call on NATO to Stop Ignoring the "Turkey Problem". Further Divides the Alliance. globalresearch.ca The Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, and this calls to question why NATO still exists today. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, NATO has militarily intervened in many sovereign countries such as Yugoslavia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, while also expanding …

Voces en Lucha (2020-06-18). Daniel Gallardo and the Spanish walls. peoplesdispatch.org Prisons drag themselves through the humidity of this world, | walking the gloomy road of the courts: | They search for a person, they search for a people, | they chase them, absorb them, devour them. | Miguel Hernández | Spain has a long history of jails and penitentiary centers and thousands of social and political prisoners have passed through their walls. Not all of them survived. Since ancient times, punishment has been part of stratified societies, but the concept of ‚Äã‚Äãprison that we know today is a relatively modern idea. In the 16th century, prisons where prisoners o…

RT (2020-06-18). Serbia will reject EU membership without some yield on Kosovo deal, Vucic says, as he meets Lavrov. rt.com President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday he would reject European Union membership for Serbia if it does not receive concessions in return for recognizing Kosovo and dropping attempts to stop it joining the UN. | No resolution of Serbia's future relationship with its breakaway province will be possible without Moscow's consent, Vucic said after meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Belgrade, according to Reuters. | "In reply to a possible offer [to Serbia] to recognize Kosovo and that Kosovo enters the UN, and we receive nothing in return, except EU membership, our answer would be 'No,'" Vucic s…

RT (2020-06-18). ÔªøNATO launches PROBE into France-Turkey naval standoff over Libya after Paris complains. rt.com NATO is looking into a run-in between the French and Turkish navies, the alliance's chief Jens Stoltenberg has said. The incident occurred when a French vessel attempted to check a ship suspected of smuggling arms to Libya. | "We have made sure that the NATO military authorities are investigating the incident to bring full clarity into what happened," NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg said on Thursday. | France has publicly called out fellow NATO member Turkey for its actions, claiming that Ankara's frigates were acting "extremely aggressive" towards one of its naval vessels.The French ship tried to check a "

RT (2020-06-18). Berlin's threats will 'not be left unanswered' Russian ambassador says, after Germany links Chechen ex-militant's murder to Moscow. rt.com The Russian envoy to Germany, Sergey Nechaev, has blasted Berlin for blaming the murder of a former Chechen insurgent leader on a Russian "state entity". Such accusations lack proof and only hurt bilateral relations, he said. | "We consider the accusations leveled against the Russian authorities to be baseless and unsupported by evidence," Nechaev said in a statement, commenting on the latest indictment issued by the German prosecutors in relation to a high-profile murder that took place in Berlin's Tiergarten Park last August. | A 40-year-old man, Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, was shot by a suspect identified as a…

RT (2020-06-18). Russian Deputy PM believes Covid-19 second wave can be avoided, Moscow denies lockdown to resume in fall. rt.com The dreaded second wave of coronavirus in Russia can be avoided if safety measures are observed, according to Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova, who has fronted the country's response to the pandemic. | Read more | | Meanwhile, Moscow's Department of Education has firmly denied media reports that self-isolation rules will again be introduced in the capital on September 20. The department slammed such speculation as provocative and untrue. | "The depart…

RT (2020-06-18). Putin: 75 years after WW2, new global crisis calls for victorious anti-Nazi coalition to work together again. rt.com In 1945, they defeated Hitler and Imperial Japan. Now, 75 years on, Vladimir Putin believes that the present global health and economic crisis requires the Second World War allies to unite once more. | In a lengthy op-ed, first published in American foreign policy journal 'The National Interest' on Thursday, the Russian president discusses the reasons behind the rise of Adolf Hitler. He also outlines the benefits of…

Matt Purple (2020-06-18). America: Too Weak to Rein in Its Own Empire. anti-empire.com A grievous blow to international security has just been dealt. President Donald Trump has announced that American troops are to be withdrawn from…Germany. Yes, Germany. Why are American troops in Germany? Because we have to fight them over there so we don't fight them here, you see, and there are few generators of terrorism and chaos in the world today quite like the Berlin club circuit. | The real surprise isn't that we're pulling troops out of Germany; it's that they're still there 75 years after World War II ended. And according to the White House, they aren't even all being withdrawn, just a quarter of them…

Andrei Martyanov (2020-06-18). Yeah, the Russians Have Carrier-Killing Missiles, but Can They Actually Hit the Ships? (Answer: Yes). anti-empire.com Anti-ship cruise missiles of operational-tactical purpose (RCC OTN) 3M55, 3M45 and 3M70 missile systems "Onyx", "Granite" and "Volcano" are rightfully considered the pride of the Russian Navy. However, there is an opinion that their outstanding flight range (500—700 km) is not provided by reliable target designation, and therefore is useless in practice. | In other words, it is generally accepted that the means of destruction available to Russia (which the media refer to only as "killer aircraft carriers") are almost meaningless in modern conditions. And all due to the fact that the Navy does not have the t…

Sheren Khalel (2020-06-18). The Empire Declares a "Maximum Pressure" War of Economic Strangulation on Devastated Syria. anti-empire.com The United States has imposed a sweeping set of new sanctions against any country, individual or entity that provides support to the Syrian government – a campaign that experts warn may devastate the lives of ordinary Syrians trying to survive and rebuild after nine years of war. | The Caesar Act, passed in Congress

Abayomi Azikiwe (2020-06-18). Ballots, Bullets and the African American Struggle in Georgia. globalresearch.ca Continuing problems with voter suppression and the brutal execution of Rayshard Brooks in Atlanta highlights racism and national oppression in the contemporary South | *** | "This is why I say it's the ballot or the bullet. It's liberty or it's death. …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-06-18). Irish housing rights group demands ban on evictions during COVID-19 crisis. peoplesdispatch.org A Day of Action was observed on June 17 on the call of the Community Action Tenants Union of Ireland. The COVID-19 lockdown has worsened the plight of tenants and homeless people in Irish cities…

Caoimhghin àì Croidheáin (2020-06-18). Redrawing the Cultural Cityscape: The Destiny of Colonial Monuments in Ireland. globalresearch.ca "Symbols are what unite and divide people. Symbols give us our identity, our self-image,our way of explaining ourselves to others. Symbols in turn determine the kinds of stories we tell; and the stories we tell determine the kind of history …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-06-18). US imposes new sanctions on Syria under Caesar Act. peoplesdispatch.org The US administration announced a new set of political and economic sanctions against Syria on June 17, Wednesday, under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection act. The act was enacted in the US in December 2019 and made part of the National Defence Authorisation act for the year 2020. | The Caesar act asks the government of Syria and its allies, Russia and Iran, to halt military operations aimed at retaking territories captured by armed militias and rebel forces supported by Turkey and the US in Syria. The Syrian government has rejected the act, saying that it cannot allow such a division of the country. | The exe…

WSWS (2020-06-18). Moscow court sentences ex-US Marine to 16 years for espionage. wsws.org The case of Paul Whelan, which has unfolded against the background of heightened military tensions between the US and Russia and a hysterical anti-Russia campaign in the US media, is extremely murky.

_____ (2020-06-18). US Trails World In Coronavirus Response And Almost Everything Else. popularresistance.org Data from around the world on how nations are handling Coronavirus makes clear that, as in most things (this claim is documented below), the United States is exceptionally awful. Among wealthy countries, only Sweden, which has chosen to intentionally allow the disease to spread, has done worse. A handful of countries in Latin America and the Middle East are doing worse than the United States, though some are doing better. As in many world rankings, as documented below, the United States looks fair to middling as a third-world country, but off-the-charts terrible as a wealthy country — much less as a country…

yenisafak (2020-06-18). Russia: Almost 500 doctors die from COVID-19. yenisafak.com Almost 500 doctors died due to the novel coronavirus in Russia, contracting it at work, the country's Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare announced on Thursday.Russia was not fully prepared for the COVID-19 outbreak, with problems in the beginning, including lack of protective means, head of the service Alla Samoylova said at a video-conference in Moscow.Authorities have so far managed to fix most of them, and the complaints about security flaws are "rather rare" now, Samoylova added."As of today, we say the spread of the virus is not over yet. More than half a million people in Russia are ill, over 7,…

yenisafak (2020-06-18). Turkey: Lockdown set for university, high school exams. yenisafak.com There will be a general lockdown on June 20 and 27 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., said a ministry statement.People taking the exam and using public transport to get there as well as relatives dropping off the students will be exempt.Municipalities will take necessary measures to prevent disruption in public transportation, with more service offered as needed, the statement said.During the lockdown, bakeries, markets, grocery stores, and butchers will remain open, it said.

yenisafak (2020-06-18). UK's Johnson, France's Macron to discuss coronavirus, Brexit: spox. yenisafak.com Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron will most likely talk about the global fight against the novel coronavirus and Britain's future relationship with the European Union at talks later on Thursday."President Macron is visiting London to mark an important event in the shared history of our two countries and to commemorate the sacrifices made during the Second World War," Johnson's spokesman told reporters."But it is also an opportunity for the PM and the president to discuss a range of other issues and I expect them to talk about the global fight against coronavirus and also for our fu…

yenisafak (2020-06-18). EU 'strongly' urges Israel not to annex West Bank. yenisafak.com EU strongly urges Israel to refrain from the annexation of any occupied Palestinian territory, the bloc's foreign policy chief said on Thursday. | Josep Borrell was speaking at the plenary session of the European Parliament. | It would be a "serious violation of international law" if the Israeli government decided unilaterally to annex any parts of the West Bank, he said. | The majority of EU member states can only accept "a negotiated two-state solution, based on international parameters". | Borrell said he had recently informed the new Israeli ministers on foreign affairs and defense, Gavriel Ashkenazi and Benj…

yenisafak (2020-06-18). Merkel urges EU compromise on COVID-19 recovery package. yenisafak.com German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called on EU member states to reach a quick compromise on the COVID-19 economic recovery package, and warned that the bloc is facing the biggest challenge since its foundation.Addressing lawmakers in parliament on Thursday, a day before a key summit of European leaders via videoconference, Merkel said the coronavirus crisis has deepened inequality within the EU, indicating the bloc was vulnerable."Cohesion and solidarity in Europe have never been as important as they are now," she stressed, adding that no country can withstand this crisis alone.Merkel urged EU members, which ex…

yenisafak (2020-06-18). Turkey denies harassing French vessel in Mediterranean. yenisafak.com The allegations were baseless, and the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) have been a major contributor to the NATO military alliance for the past seven decades, said a senior Turkish official, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media."The Turkish Armed Forces has the experience to tell the difference between hazardous moves, harassment, friendly activities, cooperation, solidarity, and coordination," he added. | Rebuffing foreign press reports quoting France's military as saying the Turkish navy harassed a French warship, the official said such one-sided coverage of a simple issue — w…

yenisafak (2020-06-18). Russia revises sharply higher coronavirus death toll among medics. yenisafak.com Russia has revised steeply higher, to nearly 500, the number of medical workers who have died after contracting COVID-19, illustrating the severe toll the pandemic has taken on its frontline doctors and nurses.The Health Ministry had reported on May 26 that 101 medics had died from the coronavirus, a figure that was much lower than an unofficial tally of 444 deceased medical workers compiled online by Russian doctors.Alla Samoylova, the head of a Russian healthcare watchdog, updated the official figure on Thursday to 489, the TASS news agency reported, some 6.4% of the overall nationwide death toll.Russia, which…

yenisafak (2020-06-18). Russian maneuvers in Libya poses risk: US AFRICOM. yenisafak.com US Africa Command (AFRICOM) revealed new evidence of active Russian aircraft in Libyan airspace Thursday, saying it poses a risk for all civilians."Russia's sustained involvement in Libya increases the violence and delays a political solution," AFRICOM head of operations US Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Bradford Gering said in a statement. "Russia continues to push for a strategic foothold on NATO's southern flank and this is at the expense of innocent Libyan lives."Two images of MiG-29 and Su-24 Russian aircrafts flying through Libya was shared by the command.In late May, AFRICOM reported at least 14 MiG-29s and sever…

yenisafak (2020-06-18). Turkey fully prepared for high school entrance exam. yenisafak.com Turkey has taken all preventive measures against coronavirus prior to the high school entrance exam (LGS) which will take place on Saturday, the education minister said Thursday."The number of examination centers has been increased to around 18,000 from 13,000 because we want the students to be comfortable," Ziya Selcuk told Anadolu Agency Editors' Desk.The number of invigilators has also been increased to 353,000 from 148,000 to provide better assistance to students, he added.He said separate centers have been allocated for children who are quarantined due to coronavirus.Prior to entering the examination hall, s…