Daily Archives: June 30, 2020

2020-06-30: News Headlines

yenisafak (2020-06-30). Pompeo: US told Taliban not to attack Americans. yenisafak.com US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo had a video conference with Taliban Deputy and chief negotiator Mullah Baradar, the State Department said Tuesday.The two men discussed Monday the implementation of the US-Taliban peace agreement, according to a statement by spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus."The Secretary made clear the expectation for the Taliban to live up to their commitments, which include not attacking Americans," said Ortagus, who did not provide information about reports of Russian payments to Taliban militants for targeting American troops in Afghanistan.The New York Times reported late last week that a Russ…

WSWS (2020-06-30). Amazon workers in Germany strike against lack of coronavirus protection. wsws.org More than 2,000 Amazon workers are taking part in a 48-hour strike at six locations to protest the company's refusal to provide adequate protection from the virus.

yenisafak (2020-06-30). French healthcare workers protest for wages, resources. yenisafak.com Healthcare professionals in France took to the streets Tuesday to demand increased wages and resources.Marchers came out in the capital Paris and France's other major cities as talks on the Segur de la Sante, a program put forth by the government at the end of May to tackle disparities in the health sector, are set to end on Friday.Members of unions and hospital collectives were at the protests, which followed previous demonstrations staged a week ago that ended in violence when workers torched cars and furniture in Paris, some being arrested.With direct involvement from President Emmanuel Macron, Segur de la San…

Aaron Maté (2020-06-30). US claim of 'Russian Bounty' plot in Afghanistan is dubious and dangerous. thegrayzone.com Max Blumenthal breaks down the "Russian bounty" story's flaws and how it aims to prolong the war in Afghanistan —…

WSWS Repost (2020-06-30). Another anti-Russian smear from the New York Times. indybay.org Patrick Martin at the World Socialist Web Site describes the New York Time's ongoing aversion to facts. [Illustration shows how a current Google Search simply amplifies the propaganda.]…

South Front (2020-06-30). Video: Russian Private Military Contractors Took Control of Libya's Largest Oil Field. globalresearch.ca Washington is concerned by the growing Russian influence in Libya as Turkish-led forces are preparing to storm the port city of Sirte, controlled by the Libyan National Army. | On June 26, the US embassy in Libya released a statement claiming …

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-06-30). NATO's Appeasement to Turkey Is Pushing France Out of the Alliance. globalresearch.ca French President Emmanuel Macron created a stir last November when he said that NATO is experiencing a "brain death." This single comment created a flurry of reactions as Member States attempted to justify the existence of NATO. Macron's comments must …

Ricardo Vaz and Lucas Koerner (2020-06-30). Venezuela's Maduro Expels EU Ambassador Following New Sanctions. venezuelanalysis.com The Venezuelan president demanded "respect" from European countries.

James Bovard (2020-06-30). Bill Clinton's Serbian War Atrocities Exposed in New Indictment. counterpunch.org President Bill Clinton's favorite freedom fighter just got indicted for mass murder, torture, kidnapping, and other crimes against humanity. In 1999, the Clinton administration launched a 78-day bombing campaign that killed up to 1500 civilians in Serbia and Kosovo in what the American media proudly portrayed as a crusade against ethnic bias. That war, like most of the pretenses of U.S. foreign policy, was always a sham.

Scott Ritter (2020-06-30). New York Times Takes Anti-Russian Hysteria to New Level with Report on Russian 'Bounty' for US Troops in Afghanistan. globalresearch.ca The New York Times published an article claiming that Russia was paying out monetary bounties to the Taliban to kill US troops in Afghanistan. There's just one problem — none of what they reported was true. | As news reporting goes, …

_____ (2020-06-30). The Russia-Afghanistan Story Is Western Propaganda At Its Most Vile. popularresistance.org All western mass media outlets are now shrieking about the story The New York Times first reported, citing zero evidence and naming zero sources, claiming intelligence says Russia paid out bounties to Taliban-linked fighters in Afghanistan for attacking the occupying forces of the US and its allies in Afghanistan. As of this writing, and probably forevermore, there have still been zero intelligence sources named and zero evidence provided for this claim. | As we discussed yesterday, the only correct response to unsubstantiated claims by anonymous spooks in a post-Iraq invasion world is to assume that they are lyi…

sputniknews (2020-06-30). DoD Doesn't Know, But 'Unnamed Sources' Do? Officials Say Trump Knew About Bounty Claims for a Year. sputniknews.com Last Friday's New York Times piece citing anonymous intelligence officials on an alleged Russian plot to offer rewards to Taliban-linked militants to kill US and coalition troops in Afghanistan has been criticized and condemned from all sides, with Moscow, the White House and even the Taliban itself dismissing the newspaper's claims.

sputniknews (2020-06-30). Trump Not Briefed on 'Unverified' Intel Allegations of Russian Collusion With Taliban – O'Brien. sputniknews.com Groundless allegations that Russia offered reward money to Taliban militants for killing American soldiers, published in a recent article in The New York Times, have been denied by Moscow, the White House and the Taliban itself.

Staff (2020-06-30). Trump Is Either Lying or Out of the Loop on Afghanistan. Both Are Bad. truthout.org The corporate media has been straining at its collective leash since the weekend, firing a volley of barks our way about Russian intelligence agents paying the Taliban to kill U.S. soldiers, and my God, did Donald Trump know? The high dudgeon in these reports is unmistakable; one CNN It's a story that has everything, if you l…

WSWS (2020-06-30). Merkel, Macron promote EU militarism amid growing conflicts with Washington. wsws.org The leaders of Germany and France called for stepped-up military spending and austerity to ensure Europe's ability to wage war independently from Washington.

WSWS (2020-06-30). Germany: Police powers stepped up after "Stuttgart's Night of Violence" wsws.org The violence does not emanate from the population, but from the police against the population—especially against workers and young people.

WSWS (2020-06-30). Italy hands Fiat Chrysler a multi-billion-euro bailout. wsws.org The €6 billion corporate bailout for Fiat is to be financed by social austerity targeting working people in Italy and attacks on jobs and wages at Fiat Chrysler internationally.

James O'Neill (2020-06-30). The MH17 Show Trial Destroys What Remains of Dutch Credibility. dissidentvoice.org On 17 July 2014 a Malaysian airlines flight MH 17 was shot down while transiting Ukrainian airspace, en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. All 298 passengers and crew on board were killed. The Netherlands had the largest number of casualties, followed by Australia, Malaysia, and a small smattering of other nationalities. In 2020 a …

_____ (2020-06-30). Restrictive Immigration Boomerangs Against The United States. popularresistance.org The European Union has prepared a preliminary draft of its new border regulations, outlining who can visit after July 1, and that this list depends on how the countries of origin of the prospective travelers are dealing with the new coronavirus. People from the U.S., at this point, will be excluded. "This viewpoint is a severe blow for U.S. prestige in the world and a rejection of the management of the virus in the U.S. on the part of President Trump," the Times added. Among the acceptable travelers for the European Union are those from Cuba, the country against which the U.S. began to build economic, financial,…

yenisafak (2020-06-30). Merkel's mission for EU presidency: 'Make Europe strong again'. yenisafak.com Chancellor Angela Merkel aims to strengthen a divided European Union and help its hard-hit economy recover from the coronavirus pandemic when Germany takes over the rotating presidency of the 27-member bloc on Wednesday.Critics have in the last three months raised questions about the future of the bloc as national borders shut and each state resorted, at least initially, to national policies to tackle COVID-19, which has killed more than 100,000 people in the EU.Merkel, who helped steer the EU through its debt and migrant crises, has stressed the need for solidarity in overcoming the COVID-19 crisis."During the G…

yenisafak (2020-06-30). Libya pushes back at Macron's remarks on Turkey. yenisafak.com Libya on Tuesday pushed back recent statements by French President Emmanuel Macron on Turkey's role in the north African country."We hoped to hear from President Macron a position that states his rejection of [Khalifa] Haftar's 14 months of aggression against Tripoli," the nation's capital, said Mohamed Taher Siala, Libya's foreign minister, referring to an eastern-based warlord who has attacked the government. | Siala made the comments in response to Monday statements by Macron claiming the Turkish role in the Libyan crisis posed a "threat to Africa and Europe." | Last week, Macron also called Turkey's support f…

yenisafak (2020-06-30). Macron underlines fight against terror in Sahel summit. yenisafak.com France's president on Tuesday said his country would step up its fight against terrorism in Africa's Sahel Region."When France engages, it is Europe that engages with it," Emmanuel Macron said upon his arrival in the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott before taking part in the G5 Sahel Summit."It is also our desire to Europeanize the fight against terrorism in the Sahel," he said.The Nouakchott Summit, that brought together the heads of state of G5 Sahel members Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger, as well as France and Spain, follows the conclusions of a previous summit last January in Pau, France.At the…

yenisafak (2020-06-30). Belgium expresses regrets for brutal DR Congo rule. yenisafak.com Belgium's king on Tuesday expressed his "deepest regrets" over the country's brutal colonial rule over the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)."I would like to express my deepest regrets for these injuries of the past, the pain of which is now revived by the discrimination still too present in our societies," King Philippe wrote in a letter to President Felix Tshisekedi on the 60th anniversary of the DRC's independence."I will continue to fight all forms of racism. I encourage the reflection that has been initiated by our parliament so that our memory is definitively pacified."He said global challenges demand tha…

yenisafak (2020-06-30). France's oldest nuclear power plant shuts down. yenisafak.com France's oldest power plant Fessenheim went offline at midnight on Monday after 40 years of operation, the state-owned energy company EDF announced.France has 56 nuclear reactors currently in operation which provide 75% of the country's energy consumption, making the nation the world's biggest consumer of nuclear energy.The development of Fessenheim was welcome news for residents of the region, previously fairly devoid of industry or any commerce. The location was an attractive one for its proximity to Germany: Fessenheim is a commune located directly on the border, in the Haut-Rhin Department in the Grand Est re…

yenisafak (2020-06-30). US urges UN to extend Iran arms embargo. yenisafak.com US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged the UN Security Council (UNSC) to extend Tuesday an arms embargo against Iran and warned that ending it would risk stability in the Middle East."Iran will hold a sword of Damocles over the economic stability of the Middle East, endangering nations like Russia and China that rely on stable energy prices," Pompeo told a virtual UNSC session.The ban on arms transactions with Iran is set to expire Oct. 18, under terms of a 2015 nuclear deal.Pompeo said Iran could directly move to buy Russian fighter jets and upgrade its submarine fleet if the embargo expires and Tehran would be…

yenisafak (2020-06-30). Spain braces for slow economic recovery post-pandemic. yenisafak.com As Spain saw new daily infections rise by 301 on Tuesday, the county's central bank released an annual report suggesting that the economy will not recover from the health crisis until late 2022.The Health Ministry reported a spike in deaths adding nine to the total. The nationwide death toll has hit 28,355.The central bank's 238-page annual report not only predicts that economic recovery will take years, but that women, low-income workers and young people will bear the brunt of the economic crisis."Spain's economy faces the COVID-19 crisis with inequality significantly higher than before the financial crisis of 2…

yenisafak (2020-06-30). Turkey: Pandemic pushed up demand for 3D printers. yenisafak.com The demand for 3D printers is on the rise amid the coronavirus pandemic as they are being used to produce safety gear such as shield masks, according to a leading Turkish manufacturer.Emre Akinci, general manager of Zaxe, told Anadolu Agency that the demand continued to spike in the months of May and June."We are facing a demand beyond expectations," said Akinci.Stating that users without technical knowledge can also use 3D printers easily, Akinci said: "There are websites that offer 3D content."He said that various design models such as toys, car spare parts and accessories can be downloaded for free from these…

yenisafak (2020-06-30). Istanbul Photo Awards 2020 winners announced. yenisafak.com The jury of the Istanbul Photo Awards 2020, organized by Anadolu Agency, have announced the winners.Anadolu Agency organized the annual contest for the 6th time. This year, the selection was made using a specifically designed online platform developed by Anadolu Agency's tech team.The international jury convened on June 24-25 to decide the first three winners in four categories: single news, story news, single sports and story sports.Sponsored by Turkey's flag carrier Turkish Airlines, the winners of the contest presents a summary of the events worldwide in 2019, from Hong Kong to Gaza.- News categoryIn the Singl…

yenisafak (2020-06-30). Istanbul conference urges special UN envoy on Kashmir. yenisafak.com A conference in Turkey called on Tuesday for the secretary-general of the UN to appoint a special envoy to resolve the dispute surrounding Kashmir and for it to start mediation efforts on holding a UN-sanctioned plebiscite in the region.In a 13-point joint declaration issued at the end of a virtual two-day international conference on Kashmir hosted by Istanbul University, the participants demanded an "early, just and durable resolution" in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.Welcoming recent remarks by Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Ankara is "in favor of resolving the Kashmir issue by t…

en.mehrnews (2020-06-30). Iranian envoy submits credential to Austrian President. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 01 (MNA) — Iran's new ambassador to Austria submitted his credentials to the Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen in a ceremony held At the Austrian Presidential Palace on Tuesday.

en.mehrnews (2020-06-30). German envoys signals end of his tenure in Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jun. 30 (MNA) — Michael Klor-Berchtold pointed to the ending of his tenure in Iran as the ambassador of Germany.

en.mehrnews (2020-06-30). Leaders of Astana Process to hold virtual meeting. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jun. 30 (MNA) — Kremlin Spokesman announced on Tuesday that the Iranian, Russian, and Turkish presidents will hold a videoconference on the Syrian crisis tomorrow.

en.mehrnews (2020-06-30). US seeking to change Iran's Establishment: Russian envoy. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jun. 30 (MNA) — Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya criticized the US Secretary of State's anti-Iranian statement at a Security Council meeting on Tuesday.

_____ (2020-06-30). Britain's Disorder and Decline. strategic-culture.org The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is no longer united, as most recently illustrated by the vastly dissimilar tactics to control the Covid-19 pandemic taken by England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. This follows the differences of opinion in each region concerning the disastrous Brexit decision to quit the European Union, as Scotland, for example, strongly

_____ (2020-06-30). This Russia-Afghanistan Story Is Western Propaganda at Its Most Vile. strategic-culture.org It really is funny how the most influential news outlets in the western world will uncritically parrot whatever they're told to say by the most powerful and depraved intelligence agencies on the planet, and then turn around and tell you without a hint of self-awareness that Russia and China are bad because they have state media.

RT (2020-06-29). 'Not just an African issue': Female genital mutilation victim shares harrowing story with RT as practice ON THE RISE in Germany. rt.com An activist and victim of female genital mutilation (FGM) living in Berlin told RT "big action" is needed to tackle the issue in Germany, which has seen a rapid rise in women and girls forced to undergo the torturous procedure. | Artist and activist Fatou Mandiang Diatta underwent the dangerous procedure in her native Senegal when she was about four or five years old. | I remember how my mum asked me not to cry. Her face was so serious in front of me. I remember two ladies — one was holding my hand and the other one my legs. And there was a third one who did something quite painful… | Having been so yo…

sputniknews (2020-06-29). 'This Whole Thing is Garbage': Afghan War Vet Dismisses Shaky 'Russian Bounties' Claims. sputniknews.com On Friday, the New York Times reported on a US intelligence report claiming Russian operatives were offering the Taliban bounties to assassinate US soldiers in Afghanistan. However, as US lawmakers demand answers and action, one expert says serious skepticism about the report's veracity is missing, which threatens the increasingly fragile peace.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-06-29). Anti-racism groups protest vilification of immigrants in Glasgow. peoplesdispatch.org In the aftermath of a stabbing incident in Glasgow, right-wing groups in the United Kingdom have been trying to whip up anti-immigrant sentiments. Anti-racism groups have insisted that the city welcomes refugees…

RT (2020-06-29). 'Enough of European colonialism': Maduro says EU envoy to be expelled after block sanctions 11 Venezuelan officials. rt.com Venezualan President Nicolas Maduro has expelled the EU ambassador to the country, giving the diplomat 72 hours to pack up and leave, after Brussels imposed sanctions on Venezuelan officials, including on members of parliament. | Maduro's decision to banish Isabel Brilhante Pedrosa comes after the European Council decided to spap a flurry of punitive sanctions on about a dozen of high-ranking Venezuelan officials. | The 11 Venezuelans that have been hit in the latest crackdown include lawmaker Luis Parra, who replaced opposition figurehead Juan Guaido at the helm of the National Assembly in January. | "I have…

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-06-29). –°riminal Roots of Kosovo Further Exposed by Thaàßi's Indictment in The Hague. globalresearch.ca Serbian President Aleksandar Vuƒçiƒá was due to meet Kosovo leader Hashim Thaàßi on Saturday at the White House. This was at the behest of US envoy for Kosovo-Serbia negotiations, Richard Grenell, after his much-publicized success in organizing the meeting. However, …

Andre Vltchek (2020-06-29). Some Italian Thinkers Are Now Resisting Lies About the Soviet Union and World War II. globalresearch.ca Lying about world history is one of the main weapons of the Western imperialists, through which they are managing to maintain their control of the world. | European and North American countries are inventing and spreading a twisted narrative about almost …

Morning Star (2020-06-29). Ukrainian unions demand resignation of lawmaker who wants to sterilize the unemployed. peoplesworld.org Ukrainian trade unions have demanded the resignation of Member of Parliament Galina Tretyakova following a sickening speech in which she said that poor people should be sterilized to reduce the country's welfare bill. Tretyakova, a member of President Vladimir Zelensky's Servants of the People Party, made the remarks at a seminar in the Kiev School …

The Canary (2020-06-29). Johnson faces storm over exit of civil service chief Sedwill. thecanary.co Boris Johnson suggested Mark Sedwill still had "a lot to offer" as he faced a storm over the resignation of the country's top senior civil servant.Sedwill is standing down from his role as both cabinet secretary and the UK's national security adviser amid reports he was being undermined by Johnson's allies.The prime minister played down the "negative briefing" and said he did not attach the "utmost credence" to the reports.Former mandarins have criticised the shake-up, which will see Sedwill's role as national security adviser filled by the PM's Europe adviser David Frost — a political appointment rather tha…

RT (2020-06-29). Greece won't allow direct flights from UK, Sweden until July 15. rt.com Direct flights from Britain and Sweden to Greece will not be allowed until July 15, Greek authorities said on Monday. They will also use EU guidelines to determine which countries were considered at high risk of spreading the novel coronavirus. | British holidaymakers are a primary market for the Greek tourism sector, which is facing a plunge in bookings due to the pandemic. | Greece reopened its main airports in Athens and Thessaloniki to more international flights on June 15, and will reopen all others on July 1. While flights from most European destinations will be permitted from that date. "The whole proce…

RT (2020-06-29). German, French leaders discuss EU recovery as Berlin prepares to take over bloc's presidency. rt.com German Chancellor Angela Merkel met with French President Emmanuel Macron for talks on Monday, as the European Union attempts to get economies back on track and restore freedom of movement between states while not sparking a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. | Germany will take over the 27-nation bloc's presidency on July 1. Europe can overcome the challenges even though the coronavirus continues to be a threat, Merkel said at the weekend, adding that EU economic recovery measures need to be passed as quickly as possible. | Merkel and Macron met at a German government villa outside Berlin, AP reported.

RT (2020-06-29). WH spokeswoman says 'no intelligence consensus' on Russia bounty story, tells NYT & WaPo to 'return Pulitzers' for misreporting. rt.com The New York Times and the Washington Post should give up their journalistic accolades for selling rumors as scoops, the White House's Kayleigh McEnany said, pointing at holes in their story about Russian bounties for the Taliban. | The secretary has unleashed a scathing rebuke at the media, accusing the Times and the WaPo of peddling scandalous speculations about US President Donald Trump allegedly doing nothing after having been briefed about Russia paying the Taliban to kill US soldiers in Afghanistan. | Speaking at the White House on Monday, McEnany said that her boss had never received a briefing on the i…

RT (2020-06-29). 'We don't leave our people behind': Lavrov speaks to RT about evacuation of Russians stranded abroad over coronavirus. rt.com The coronavirus pandemic prompted an unprecedented rescue operation, with tens of thousands of Russian citizens stranded abroad. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has praised his officials for their efforts in bringing people home. | The country had previous experience in bringing back people home in big numbers— after the devastating 2004 tsunami in Thailand, for instance — yet this year's operation was on an far larger scale, Lavrov Sometimes t…

_____ (2020-06-29). The Roaring First-Timers From the Moscow V-Day Parade 2020. strategic-culture.org The 2020 Moscow Victory Day Parade took place in Moscow's Red Square on June 24, 2020 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of both the capitulation of Nazi Germany in the Second World War and the historic Moscow Victory Parade of 1945. Some of the military equipment were demonstrated to the broad public for the first time ever. Below is a brief guide to these magnificent first-timers.

WSWS (2020-06-29). This week in history: June 29-July 5. wsws.org 25 years ago: British Tory crisis deepens following John Major electoral victoryOn July 4, 1995, British Prime Minister John Major was reelected as leader of the Conservative Party against Secretary of State for Wales John Redwood. Major was saved from defeat at the hands of his Thatcherite opponents only through the intervention of his main pro-European opponent, Michael Heseltine. In the cabinet reshuffle that followed the election, Heseltine was named both deputy prime minister and first secretary of state, giving him virtually as much power within the government and the Tory Party as the prime minister himsel…

Sandipan Talukdar (2020-06-29). Light from black hole collisions detected for first time. peoplesdispatch.org It was first identified by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory of the National Science Foundation, along with the European Virgo Detector on May 21, 2019, and has been named as S190521g…