Daily Archives: June 23, 2020

2020-06-23: News Headlines

yenisafak (2020-06-23). Floyd protests bring down symbols of West's brutal past. yenisafak.com Amid continued protests over the killing of George Floyd in police custody, historical monuments in both the US and Europe are being targeted due to their links to the West's history of slavery and colonialism.Floyd, 46, an unarmed black man, died after being pinned down on May 25 by a white police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota after reportedly attempting to use a counterfeit $20 bill.His last words, "I can't breathe," became a slogan for worldwide protests.His death has prompted weeks of mass protests across both the US and Europe, and spurred calls for works honoring racist figures to be removed.- USSculptu…

The Canary (2020-06-23). Virus numbers surge globally as many nations ease lockdowns. thecanary.co The number of global coronavirus (Covid-19) cases has continued to surge in many large countries which have been lifting lockdowns, including the US, even as new infections stabilise or drop in parts of western Europe.In the UK, Department of Health figures for 22 June

Melvin Goodman (2020-06-23). Trump, Bolton, and Pompeo: Loathsome Peas in a Pod. counterpunch.org For nearly a year and a half, from April 2018 to September 2019, the Trump administration was in the hands of a "war cabinet." With Mike Pompeo as Secretary of State, and John Bolton as National Security Adviser, Donald Trump created one of the most aggressive foreign policy teams in the history of the presidency. Bolton and Pompeo were fixated on going to war against Iran; were contemptuous toward our European allies and the entire European Community; and were opponents of arms control and disarmament.

yenisafak (2020-06-23). Spain pushes clean energy decree to speed renewable rollout. yenisafak.com Spain's cabinet approved on Tuesday a decree aimed at smoothing the rollout of renewable energy generation, with measures to combat speculation in the market, cut red tape and overhaul an outdated auction system to reassure investors and lower prices.Spain wants to make use of rich natural resources including prodigious sunlight both to reduce pollution and create jobs, in response to the devastation the coronavirus has wrought on an economy that relies heavily on tourism and cars.It follows plans being developed by the European Union (EU) to use low-carbon investments to battle the downturn. Spain is working on…

yenisafak (2020-06-23). Indonesian Muslim scholars worried by Europe Islamophobia. yenisafak.com Indonesian Muslim intellectuals have voiced their concerns following a recent report on mounting Islamophobia in western countries.A report published Sunday by the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA), a think tank based int eh Turkish capital Ankara, outlined the discrimination and xenophobia that many Muslims face in European countries. The European Islamophobia Report 2019 recounted many Islamophobic developments that occurred last year in both Europe and across the world."The elections to the European parliament and to several national parliaments saw a further rise in popularity of…

yenisafak (2020-06-23). French StopCovid app led to 1.8 million activations as of June 22. yenisafak.com France's state-supported "StopCovid" contact-tracing app has been downloaded by 1.9 million people, roughly 2% of the population, leading to 1.8 million activations as of June 22, digital affairs minister Cedric O said on Tuesday.The "StopCovid" smartphone app, which was launched on June 2, warns users if they have come into contact with anyone infected with the coronavirus to help to contain the epidemic as France emerges from lockdown.

yenisafak (2020-06-23). 'France's hypocritical, ill-conceived strategy jeopardizing Libya's political stability'. yenisafak.com Recently, France, an ally of warlord Haftar, accused [1] Turkey of thwarting cease-fire efforts by breaking a UN arms embargo.Until December last year, Haftar maintained a military edge over the legitimate government of Libya thanks to significant support from a number of countries, including Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Russia and France. Turkey signed a military pact with the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) in November 2019, and since then it has provided significant military support, first and foremost armed drones and air defense systems, which have shifted the balance on the ground i…

yenisafak (2020-06-23). Italian cities see bicycle boom after COVID-19 lockdown. yenisafak.com Italy has seen a surge in bicycle sales since the government ended its coronavirus lockdown as people steer clear of public transport and respond to government incentives to help the environment.Some 540,000 bikes have been sold nationwide since shops across the country reopened in early May, according to sector lobby Ancma, a 60% increase in the first month compared to the same period in 2019.To keep people off metros and buses and avoid road congestion, the government has offered to contribute up to 500 euros ($562.70) for city-dwellers who buy traditional or "pedal-assisted" electrical bicycles.The subsidy, wh…

yenisafak (2020-06-23). Turkish students commemorate anniversary of Korean war. yenisafak.com Yunus Emre Institute in Seoul has prepared a memorial video with Turkish students living in South Korea on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Korean War.In a written statement, the Yunus Emre Institute said the video also included Sude Kaya Surenoglu, the granddaughter of Korean War veteran Rafet Surenoglu and currently a student at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.Speaking in Korean, Turkish students in the video said: "Today is the 70th anniversary of the Korean War, which displayed South Korea's struggle to become a strong democratic country. As Turkey, exactly 70 years ago from today, we proudly…

yenisafak (2020-06-23). Trials with Oxford COVID-19 vaccine start in Brazil. yenisafak.com Trials will count on 2,000 health workers volunteers in Sao Paulo and 1,000 people in Rio de Janeiro.Brazil's health regulator Anvisa approved human clinical trials for this potential vaccine, developed by Oxford and supported by AstraZeneca Plc, earlier in June. Brazil, where the disease is still rife, is the first country outside the United Kingdom to start testing the Oxford vaccine.Researchers expect to launch the vaccine by year-end.

sputniknews (2020-06-23). Norway's Oldest Party Favours Joining EU. sputniknews.com Despite having twice opted out of the European Community and the European Union following referendums in 1972 and 1994, Norway is seeing a shift in both public opinion and party politics toward Brussels.

_____ (2020-06-23). Report: Economic implications of Covid-19 and Brexit 2021. truepublica.org.uk By TruePublica Editor: Best for Britain is a non-profit organisation whose mission is to keep campaigning for the closest possible future relationship with Europe. They commissioned a report, which was put together by the Social Market Foundation to analyse the double whammy effect of the pandemic and Brexit (both with and without a deal) on …

RT (2020-06-22). Statue Wars come for JESUS as activist claims Christ and Virgin Mary are 'white supremacy'. rt.com It began with Confederate generals and quickly escalated to Columbus and former US presidents; now the monument-removal crusade has come for Jesus, with racial activist Shaun King insisting the depictions are 'racist propaganda.' | "Yes, I think the statues of the white European they claim is Jesus should also come down," King tweeted on Monday. "They are a form of white supremacy. Always have been." | He also argued that all "murals and stained glass windows of white Jesus, and his European mother, and their white friends should also come down," calling them "a gross form [of] white supremacy… tools of oppr…

RT (2020-06-22). Pussy Riot co-founder Pyotr Verzilov jailed for 15 days on 'hooliganism' charges, activist says he was set up by police. rt.com Pyotr Verzilov, a controversial Russian shock artist and co-founder of 'punk' art collectives Pussy Riot and Voina – along with ex-wife Nadezhda Tolokonnikova – has been jailed for 15 days for "swearing in public." | The penalty comes the day after Verzilov said police questioned him about last year's Moscow protests, specifically over allegedly using violence against a law enforcement officer. | On Sunday evening, the activist was released, but after a street altercation he was again detained, taken to a police station, and kept overnight. Cops accused him of "repeatedly expressing obscene language." | On Mon…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-06-22). Health workers across Belgium demand structural refinancing of healthcare. peoplesdispatch.org Health workers hit the streets in several Belgian cities on Thursday June 18 demanding the structural refinancing of healthcare, along with increased staff, employment guarantees, and better wages. Mobilizations were carried out in Brussels, Liège, Charleroi, Ghent, Hasselt, Sint-Truiden, Namur, and others. According to reports, 1,500 people staged a protest in front of the university hospital in Leuven (UZ Leuven). The Workers Party of Belgium (PTB/PVDA) also expressed solidarity with the health workers' protest. | The PTB/PVDA stated, "the white coats have already succeeded in getting the government to swallow…

WSWS (2020-06-22). Responding to mass protests against police brutality, Germany's Left Party appeals for a police state. wsws.org Germany's Left Party has responded with open hostility to the mass protests against police violence that have spread around the world following the police murder of George Floyd.

yenisafak (2020-06-22). Turkey sends 6 truckloads of aid to Idlib, Syria. yenisafak.com Two Turkish charities on Monday sent six trucks carrying humanitarian aid to Idlib, northwestern Syria, where millions of people are in need of assistance due to internal conflict in the country.Truckloads of supplies, including flour, clothing and dry food, by Adana Dosteller and Eskisehir Gunisigi charities, entered Idlib through the Yayladagi border crossing of Turkey's southern Hatay province.The aid will be distributed among families living in tents in Idlib.Syria has been ravaged by a civil war since early 2011, when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protesters.Hundreds of thousands of people h…

yenisafak (2020-06-22). UN dispatches 36 trucks carrying aid to Idlib, Syria. yenisafak.com The UN on Monday dispatched a total of 36 trucks carrying humanitarian aid for needy people in Idlib city of northwestern Syria.Truckloads of supplies entered the Syrian city through the Cilvegozu border crossing of Turkey's southern Hatay province.The aid will be distributed among residents of Idlib and nearby rural areas.Syria has been ravaged by a civil war since early 2011, when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protesters.Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and more than 10 million displaced, according to UN estimates.Idlib falls within a de-escalation zone forged under an agreement…

sputniknews (2020-06-22). Riot Police Deployed in the Hague Against Anti-Lockdown Protesters, Hundreds Arrested. sputniknews.com As thousands of people gathered in central Hague on Sunday to voice concerns over the government's COVID-19 restrictions, agents in riot gear, mounted police units and water cannon were sent to disperse the crowd.

yenisafak (2020-06-22). Syrians confirm death of missing relatives by photos. yenisafak.com Hundreds of thousands of Syrians searching for their relatives have stepped up their efforts after the US adopted the Caesar Act, a law which imposes sanctions on the Syrian regime for war crimes.Families, who have long given up on ever finding their relatives, click on web links where photos of people killed in regime prisons are posted, in a desperate attempt to confirm the death of their loved ones.Imaduddin Rasit, the founding member of a France-based association monitoring Syrian casualties of war and prisoners, said more than 6,000 photos of people tortured to death were shared on the internet.The photos we…

Mark Gruenberg (2020-06-22). Voter suppression looms over the 2020 election. peoplesworld.org ATLANTA—You've heard or read about a wide range of ways the right wing is suppressing the votes of people it hates, but this takes the cake: Postage stamps, or lack of them, for absentee voters in the entire state of Georgia. It's as bad as having one polling place for a county with 767,000 people …

RT (2020-06-22). Merkel calls Stuttgart looting & attacks on police 'abhorrent'. rt.com Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel was stunned by brutal attacks on police and large-scale looting in Stuttgart over the weekend, calling the actions of the rioters — who numbered in the hundreds — "abhorrent." | "Whoever has done this has turned against their city, against the people with whom they live and against the laws that protect us all," Merkel's spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said about the disturbances in the capital of southwest Germany's Baden-Wurttemberg state. | Earlier on Monday, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier called for the perpetrators to be "prosecuted and punished with al…

RT (2020-06-22). Macron accuses Turkey of playing 'dangerous game' in Libya, calls its standoff with French ship example of NATO 'brain death'. rt.com French President Emmanuel Macron has denounced Ankara's 'dangerous game' of meddling in Libya and said the illegal targeting of a French frigate by a Turkish ship proved correct his comments about 'brain death' of NATO. | "Turkey is playing a dangerous game in Libya and is violating all of its commitments made at the Berlin conference," Macron said on Monday, referring to the January meeting co-sponsored by Ankara and Moscow. | Describing the situation in Libya as "intolerable," Macron called for "an end to foreign interference and the unilateral acts of those who wish to gain new positions by favoring war."

The Canary (2020-06-22). Anne Sacoolas's diplomatic immunity claim an absurdity — diplomacy expert. thecanary.co An expert on diplomacy has described the diplomatic immunity claim from Harry Dunn's alleged killer as a "palpable absurdity".Anne Sacoolas claimed diplomatic immunity after the teenager died in a crash outside a US military base in Northamptonshire on 27 August 2019.Ivor Roberts, a former British ambassador in Serbia, Ireland and Italy, said it was "wholly illogical … to waive immunity for a member of staff" at RAF Croughton and "not to do so for a member of his or her household".Ivor Roberts said the immunity claimed by Anne Sacoolas was a 'palpable absurdity' (Chris Bacon/PA)Sacoolas's claim to immunity is s…

Andrew Korybko (2020-06-22). US Media Propaganda Claiming that Putin Supported "Left-Wing Terrorists" globalresearch.ca Politico's scandalous "report" alleging that Putin secretly supported and even possibly organized the left-wing terrorist activities of the "Baader-Meinhof Group" during his time with the KGB in East Germany is pure propaganda which is intended to serve the purpose of …

Lital Khaikin (2020-06-22). The Rhetoric of Democracy-building in Ukraine. NATO and the Militarization of Eastern Europe. globalresearch.ca Buying Freedom on the Free Market | Obscured by the mythology of pursuing economic and political autonomy, Ukraine plays the latest role in a long, unfolding process of western corporate, political and military interests establishing the "territorial integrity" not of independent …

_____ (2020-06-22). US blows OECD tax reforms to bits. truepublica.org.uk By Alex Cobham — Tax Justice Network: Boom. The US has blown up 'BEPS 2.0', the OECD's tax reform process with the Financial Times reporting that US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin has written to four European finance ministers to say that the US was "unable to agree even on an interim basis, changes to global …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-06-22). Demonstrators in Tunisia demand freedom for George Abdallah and other revolutionaries in jail. peoplesdispatch.org Abdallah, a prominent Lebanese communist leader, has been languishing in a prison in France for the last 35 years. The demonstrations in Tunisian capital Tunis on Saturday were part of the International Week of Action between June 15-22…

WSWS (2020-06-22). Germany: Trial begins in murder of CDU politician Walter Làºbcke. wsws.org The 46-year-old neo-Nazi Stephan Ernst is accused of having shot Kassel District President Walter Làºbcke on his terrace on the night of June 2, 2019.

Shaan Sachdev (2020-06-22). Trump Gets One Right: U.S. Should Pull its Troops from Germany. progressive.org The President's pledge to reduce troops in Germany faces resistance from war hawks on both sides of the aisle.

Dr. Jacques R. Pauwels (2020-06-22). June 22, 1941: Nazi Germany Attacks the Soviet Union. globalresearch.ca War against the Soviet Union was what Hitler had wanted from the beginning. He had already made this very clear on the pages of Mein Kampf, written in the mid-1920s. Furthermore, as a German historian has recently convincingly demonstrated, it …

Nino Pagliccia (2020-06-22). Canada's UN Security Council Loss Shows Its "Foreign Policy Weaknesses" globalresearch.ca India, Ireland, Mexico, Norway, and Kenya after a second round, won the June 17 elections at the 74th United Nations Assembly for five non-permanent seats on the UN Security Council for a two-year term starting on January 1, 2021. | The …

Nino Pagliccia (2020-06-22). Canada's UN Security Council Loss Shows Its Foreign Policy Weaknesses and Might Embolden a Reform Movement. counterpunch.org India, Ireland, Mexico, Norway, and Kenya after a second round, won the June 17 elections at the 74th United Nations Assembly for five non-permanent seats on the UN Security Council for a two-year term starting on January 1, 2021. The biggest loser was Canada in its competition with Ireland and Norway for two seats available.

_____ (2020-06-22). Lawyers Press Downing Street To Publish Russia Report. truepublica.org.uk By James Ball and Isobel Koshiw: Lawyers acting for the Bureau of Investigative Journalism have written to Number 10 urging it to publish a long-overdue report by parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) into Russian interference in the UK. The report by the ISC, parliament's watchdog on intelligence matters, had been cleared for release by the …

Laura Roth (2020-06-22). Municipalist Politics and the Specter of Emancipation. zcomm.org The past decade saw the rise of a new emancipatory politics, embodied in Spain's municipalist movement. But to build the new, one must first overcome the old.

WSWS (2020-06-22). NATO grants Ukraine enhanced status as US steps up military aid. wsws.org Amid the most profound economic crisis since the Great Depression, the imperialist powers are responding to the growing class tensions by escalating their drive to war.

yenisafak (2020-06-22). Germany arrests suspected Assad regime torturer. yenisafak.com German police arrested a Syrian former secret service employee on suspicion of crimes against humanity, officials said on Monday. | Alaa M., who arrived in Germany as a refugee in 2015, was arrested in the central state of Hesse on Friday, the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office said in a statement. | The suspect worked for the military intelligence as a doctor, and he was strongly suspected of torturing inmates in 2011 at an Assad regime prison in the city of Homs. | The prosecutors accused the Assad regime of using brutal force to suppress the political opposition, torturing and murdering many of them in prisons…

yenisafak (2020-06-22). Muslim bloc to address situation in Kashmir. yenisafak.com The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) "upon the request of Pakistan" will hold an emergency meeting at the level of foreign ministers over the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry on Monday.Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will also participate in the Emergency Meeting of the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir, where "possible joint actions within the OIC concerning the ongoing problems regarding human rights and freedoms in Kashmir will be discussed," said the statement.Additionally, foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Niger, Pakistan and Saudi Arab…

yenisafak (2020-06-22). No new coronavirus deaths in Netherlands as cases fall. yenisafak.com The Netherlands registered 69 new coronavirus cases on Monday, and no deaths from the disease, the country's health authorities said in their daily update.It was the first 24-hour period with no new deaths registered by the National Institute of Health (RIVM) since March 9.Dutch cases have declined gradually since reaching a peak at the start of April. Lockdown measures have been gradually phased out, though social distancing rules remain in place.

yenisafak (2020-06-22). Putin visits huge army church ahead of vote on extending his rule. yenisafak.com President Vladimir Putin visited a huge new Orthodox Christian cathedral dedicated to the military on Monday as Russia prepares to vote on reforms that could let him stay in power until 2036.Putin, 67, addressed hundreds of soldiers to commemorate Russia's remembrance day following a prayer ceremony led by Patriarch Kirill, head of the Orthodox Church, at the Patriot cathedral, which opened earlier this month."We have gathered here outside the walls of the main cathedral of the Russian armed forces to remember the heroes of the past with deep respect," he said.The lavishly decorated cathedral, some 55 km (34 mile…

yenisafak (2020-06-22). Tourist visits to Turkey drop in January-May period. yenisafak.com By Aysu BicerANKARA (AA) – Turkey received more than 4.2 million foreign visitors during the first five months of this year, according to new data released by the Culture and Tourism Ministry on Monday.Due to the pandemic, the number of foreigners visiting the country plummeted 66.35% in the January-May period on an annual basis, according to the data.Turkey's historic metropolitan city of Istanbul was the top destination for tourists, hosting 54.86% of all visitors — around 2.3 million.This is followed by the northwestern Edirne province with 13.27% or nearly 570,000 foreign visitors in the same period.The Medi…

yenisafak (2020-06-22). Turkish training plane crashes, 2 pilots survive. yenisafak.com According to Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), the Hurkus aircraft crashed during a test flight in Ankara's Beypazari district at around 12.30 p.m. local time (0930GMT).The two military pilots — one active duty, one retired — were taken to the hospital for health checks, said a TAI statement.Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), gendarmerie, and health teams went to the crash scene after learning of the incident.The cause of the crash is unknown and will be investigated, said the statement.Based in Ankara, TAI serves the aerospace and defense industries by manufacturing unmann…

yenisafak (2020-06-22). Turkish security forces nab explosives belonging to PKK. yenisafak.com Security forces in southeastern Turkey seized explosives and ammunition on Monday belonging to the PKK/YPG terror organization.According to the local authorities in Hakkari province, the forces located and launched an operation on a hideout of the terror group. Searching the area, the local gendarmerie forces seized at least five handmade explosives totaling 8.5 kilograms (18 pounds), nine detonators, four rocket launchers, cables and other explosive materials they found buried underground.The explosives were destroyed at the scene.In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK — listed as a te…

sputniknews (2020-06-22). Statues of French Philosopher Voltaire and Colonial Leader Lyautey Defaced in Paris. sputniknews.com France is among the former colonial powers facing questions over the honouring of historical figures which stand in its prominent cities. The French Empire was deeply involved in the global slave trade as were some of its most famous personalities.

sputniknews (2020-06-22). Schools Uniforms Could Disappear in UK to Prevent Coronavirus Spread, MP Warns. sputniknews.com The government of the United Kingdom is looking to send students back to school as lockdown measures introduced to prevent the spread of coronavirus begin to loosen. Certain measures are being introduced to ensure the safety of pupils and stop classrooms becoming outbreak centers.

en.mehrnews (2020-06-22). Iran to send black box of Ukrainian plane to France: Zarif. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jun. 22 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif held phone talk with his Canadian counterpart Francois-Philippe Champagne and said that the Islamic Republic will send the black box of the Ukrainian plane to France in the upcoming days.

RT (2020-06-21). Confusion reigns after Pussy Riot co-founder detained in Moscow – Pyotr Verzilov says he was questioned over 2019 protests. rt.com Pyotr Verzilov, a controversial Russian shock artist and co-founder of 'punk' art collectives Pussy Riot and Voina along with ex-wife Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, says police have questioned him over last year's Moscow protests. | The activist was detained at a rented apartment in the Russian capital on Sunday. Between two and 10 people forced their way into the flat and Verzilov "disappeared" afterwards, according to MediaZona — an alternative media outlet created as a spin off from Pussy Riot — which cited eyewitnesses. Footage circulating online shows the door of the flat badly damaged in the aftermath…

en.mehrnews (2020-06-21). VIDEO: Anti-racism protests in the Netherlands. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jun. 22 (MNA) — In the wake of the police killing of George Floyd in the US that has fueled the Black Lives Matter movement around the globe, the Netherlands in recent weeks has seen protests across the country against police violence and racism.

RT (2020-06-21). 'Just blame the Russians!' Moscow's deputy UN envoy mocks Nikki Haley over blaming US unrest on Russia. rt.com The only task US officials seemingly have is finding a way of pinning the blame for literally any incident on Moscow, Russia's deputy UN envoy jokingly said as former US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley did just that. | The ex-UN envoy apparently decided to jump on the bandwagon of Russia bashers and put all the blame for the massive riots gripping the US following the murder of an African American by a cop on Moscow. | Haley stated in a Twitter post that "playing up" the "allegations" of police abuse in America has been the new tactics of Russian intelligence apparently hell bent on disrupting yet another US…

Finian Cunningham (2020-06-21). Russia Can Play Crucial Role in Calming China-India Conflict. thealtworld.com Russia is the only power with bona fides and credibility as an honest broker for resolving the India-China conflict. | The timing of a Russia-India-China summit next week could not be more apt following a deadly skirmish in the disputed Himalayan region which resulted in dozens of military casualties. | The summit