(2020-06-16). Who deserves the Nobel Peace Prize in a time of pandemic? mronline.org 
A few weeks ago, I was talking to Noam Chomsky about the state of the world. At one point, Noam smiled and said that he is not aware of any German doctors in Italy, even though both countries are in the European Union; instead, Cuban and Chinese doctors went to Italy to help the Italians …
(2020-06-16). Systemic Racism and the Killing of Rayshard Brooks. counterpunch.org The killing of 27 year old Rayshard Brooks on Friday, June 12th, in Atlanta, Georgia, occurred less than three weeks after the murder of George Floyd. Both were killed by a white police officer. It seems that 18 days of protests over the May 25 murder of Floyd did not deter from this new heinous
(2020-06-16). Who Deserves a Nobel Prize During a Pandemic? counterpunch.org 
A few weeks ago, I was talking to Noam Chomsky about the state of the world. At one point, Noam smiled and said that he is not aware of any German doctors in Italy, even though both countries are in the European Union; instead, Cuban and Chinese doctors went to Italy to help the Italians
(2020-06-16). WATCH Iran's Zarif remove face mask with relief during Moscow talks with Lavrov, after taking it on & off repeatedly (VIDEO). rt.com 
Social distancing's no hurdle for talks between trusted allies, Russian FM Sergey Lavrov appeared to show as he arrived to meet Iran's Javad Zarif without a face mask. Zarif was more careful, but soon opted to remove his, too. | Zarif is one of the first high-ranking foreign visitors to land in Moscow and engage in face-to-face talks with Lavrov in the wake of the coronavirus lockdown. In recent months, the Russian foreign minister has held meetings only via video call. | When the two officials appeared before the journalists, Zarif was sporting a mask, which he merely removed for a brief photoshoot. Lavrov…
(2020-06-16). Israel's Illegal Annexation of Palestine. globalresearch.ca With Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promising to annex portions of the West Bank, liberal critics here in the US and across Europe are in a tizzy. They have been quick to point fingers blaming this crisis on Netanyahu and …
(2020-06-16). Video: Al-Qaeda Factions Create New Coalition in Idlib. globalresearch.ca Early on June 14, the Russian Aerospace Forces reportedly carried out airstrikes on positions of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham near the villages of al-Bara and Deir Sunbul in southern Idlib. Since the signing of the new de-escalation agreement with Turkey on …
(2020-06-16). Convicted US Spy, Sentenced in Moscow on Charges of Espionage. globalresearch.ca On Monday, a Moscow court sentenced US spy Paul Whelan to 16 years imprisonment. | Charged with espionage, he was caught red-handed in December 2018 and arrested after accepting a flash drive with sensitive information from an undercover Russian Federal Security …
(2020-06-16). The Big Plantation, The "Digital Billionaires", the Militarization of Law Enforcement, the Surveillance State. globalresearch.ca European Left-wing political scientists find difficult to understand that the colonial contradiction is at the heart of our present, they think it's a conceptual error, something anachronistic, that the joyful postmodernity — the one that delivers their Macs to them …
(2020-06-16). The Last Days of a Free Serbia? globalresearch.ca Although it may not seem this way, Serbia is in fact in a far more fragile condition than visitors may imagine. | Elections to the parliament will be held in several days, but the outlook of the country is not expected …
(2020-06-16). Spanish Nissan workers resist company's plans to shut down Barcelona plants. peoplesdispatch.org Nissan workers in Spain have been regularly staging demonstrations since May 4 against the company's plans to close its plants in Barcelona. These closures will affect around 3,000 direct jobs and 25,000 indirect jobs dependent on Nissan's operations. This is part of Nissan's global plan of reducing its workforce by around 20,000 people — 15% of the total.
(2020-06-16). NATO's Colonization Of Ukraine Under Guise Of Partnership. popularresistance.org The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has designated Ukraine as an "Enhanced Opportunity Partner," making it one of six nations (the others being Georgia, Sweden, Finland, Australia, and Jordan) rewarded for their significant contributions to NATO operations and alliance objectives by having the opportunity for increased dialogue and cooperation with the alliance. | The main objective of this enhanced interaction is for NATO and Ukraine to develop operational capabilities and interoperability through military exercises which will enable Ukrainian military personnel to gain practical hands-on experience in…
(2020-06-16). Act On Dr. King's Call To Tackle Evils Of Racism, Economic Exploitation And War. popularresistance.org Martin Luther King, Jr. King called us to address "Three major evils—the evil of racism, the evil of poverty and the evil of war" to the consternation of the establishment. It is time to tell the truth about the US-Russian relationship and US complicity in driving the nuclear arms race if we are ever to reverse it as well as the race to weaponize space. Perhaps, by addressing the triple evils, we can fulfill King's dream and the mission envisioned for the United Nations, to end the scourge of war! At a minimum, we should be promoting UN Secretary-General António Guterres' call for a global ceasefire while o…
(2020-06-16). Macron pledges 200 mln euros to repatriate drug production to France. yenisafak.com President Emmanuel Macron said the French government would launch a new initiative this week to repatriate production of some pharmaceutical products to France, pledging to make 200 million euros available to fund production capacity."Everybody saw that during this crisis some commonly used drugs were no longer produced in France and Europe. So we must no longer just ask questions but draw the conclusions," Macron said at a Sanofi site near Lyon, central France.Macron cited paracetamol as a drug that would be produced again in France.
(2020-06-16). Germany has no detailed information about US troop withdrawals: FM. yenisafak.com Germany has not received any detailed information from the United States about troop withdrawals, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Tuesday during a visit to Warsaw. Maas also said U.S soldiers presence on German soil is key for German and U.S. defence. U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to cut the number of U.S. troops stationed in Germany, a senior U.S. official said earlier in June.
(2020-06-16). Norwegian Air to resume first foreign route after lockdown. yenisafak.com Norwegian Air will resume flights between Copenhagen and the Danish city of Aalborg from July 1, making it the carrier's first route outside Norway following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, it said in a statement on Tuesday.The budget airline is currently operating just seven aircraft on domestic routes in Norway and has furloughed or terminated the employment of some 7,300 staff, or about 90% of its staff following the novel coronavirus outbreak.
(2020-06-16). Lavrov: Russia, Turkey, Iran to hold summit on Syria. yenisafak.com Ankara, Moscow and Tehran agreed to hold a videoconference and then a face-to-face meeting on the Syrian settlement, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced on Tuesday.The presidents of the three countries will discuss Syrian issues in a videoconference and then will hold a summit in Tehran, Lavrov said at a news conference following a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif."Today, we confirmed the agreement of the three presidents of the Astana format countries that the summit will be held in Tehran within terms that will be determined considering the situation developing due to the c…
(2020-06-16). NATO concerned by Russia's growing presence in E.Med. yenisafak.com Russia's growing presence in the Eastern Mediterranean region is a cause for concern for NATO, the military alliance's chief said on Tuesday."NATO is also concerned about the increased Russian presence in the eastern Mediterranean in general, in Syria, but also, of course, in Libya. And we have to follow and monitor that very closely," Jens Stoltenberg said in response to a question in an online news conference ahead of the NATO defense ministers meeting on June 17-18.He said the situation in Libya was not on the meeting agenda, but could be discussed, adding: "It has a direct impact on the security of especially…
(2020-06-16). Turkey assessing damages from earthquake. yenisafak.com Emergency workers are carrying out relief work in Turkey's eastern province of Bingol after two powerful earthquakes hit the region.At least one person was killed and dozens injured after an earthquake on Sunday was followed by tremors on Monday.The country's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) has dispatched 148 vehicles and more than 1,000 personnel to the affected region.In the first stage, AFAD said 500,000 Turkish liras ($73,000) were sent to the Bingol Governorship to be used in emergency supplies.It said earthquake victims were provided with 4,308 tents, 7,200 sleeping bags, 3,300 beds and 2…
(2020-06-16). 'Turkey, India trade grows steadily'. yenisafak.com Trade volume between Turkey and India has posted a steady growth for the last two years, a business council head has said."Surpassing $8 billion trade volume, of which $7 billion are imports and $1.2 billion exports, we achieved our target last year," Tevfik Donmez, head of the Turkey-India Business Council of Turkey's Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK), told Anadolu Agency on Tuesday.The two countries set a bilateral trade volume target of $10 billion for 2020, and $25 billion for 2023, he said."Despite a 20-25% decrease in foreign trade in the first and second quarter of 2020, we believe we will catch up b…
(2020-06-16). EU failed to pursue independent policy against US: Zarif. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jun. 16 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Tuesday that Europeans have not been able to pursue an independent policy against the US regarding the Iran's arms embargo.
(2020-06-16). E3 claims Initiating Dispute Resolution Mechanism out of good faith. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jun. 16 (MNA) — France, Germany, and the United Kingdom claimed that Initiating Dispute Resolution Mechanism was out of good faith.
(2020-06-16). VIDEO: Iranian, Russian foreign ministers meet in Moscow. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jun. 16 (MNA) — Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met and held talks with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, on Tuesday in Moscow. Zarif arrived in the Russian capital on Tuesday morning after a two-day visit to Turkey.
(2020-06-16). VIDEO: Russia, Iran sign declaration on enhancing role of intl. law. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jun. 17 (MNA) — Moscow and Tehran signed a declaration today on enhancing the role of international law.
(2020-06-15). Germany's Social Democrats, Greens and Left Party organise police violence against peaceful demonstrators. wsws.org The police attacks are part of an effort to criminalise anti-capitalist tendencies.
(2020-06-15). Israel owns 90 nuclear warheads: Report. yenisafak.com Israel is believed to possess between 80 and 90 nuclear warheads, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said on Monday. | In a report, SIPRI said Israel continues to pursue a policy of ambiguity regarding its nuclear program. | It said that the number of nuclear warheads in Israel rose to 90, up from 80 warheads in 2019. | "The nine nuclear-armed states—the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, Israel and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea)—together possessed an estimated 13,400 nuclear weapons at the start of 2020," the S…
(2020-06-15). Statues also die as racist memorials come down in Europe. peoplesworld.org 
PARIS—The first week of European and particularly French and Francophone protests in the wake of the U.S. Black Lives Matter movement concerned parallel police actions against French minorities, including the death on his birthday of Adama Traoré, held down by three French cops in a hold similar to that executed on George Floyd. Traoré was …
(2020-06-15). Atlanta Police shoot and kill Rayshard Brooks as protests demanding racial justice continue worldwide. mronline.org 
"This is not the first time a black man has been killed for sleeping," said Rev. James Woodall, state president of the Georgia NAACP.
(2020-06-15). Atlanta killing ruled as 'homicide' as protests against police violence in the US grow. peoplesdispatch.org The killing of Rayshard Brooks in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 12 has been characterized as a 'homicide' in a post-mortem report by the Medical Examiner's Office…
(2020-06-15). Protests erupt in Atlanta, Georgia after police fatally shoot fleeing man. wsws.org The Atlanta police chief resigned after officers killed Rayshard Brooks in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant Friday night.
(2020-06-15). Moscow protest leader Navalny faces community service & large fine if found guilty of libeling elderly WWII veteran. rt.com 
Russian authorities have opened a defamation case against Alexei Navalny, after he called a World War II veteran a "traitor" for expressing his support for Russia's proposed constitutional changes. | The protest leader has been accused of posting "deliberately false information" by the Russian Investigative Committee, and he is said to have "pursued the goal of spreading slander among a wide range of people." | On June 2, the nationalist Kremlin critic shared a video published by RT which featured various Russian people — including an Olympian, a doctor, and a mother. In the clip, the participants shared…
(2020-06-15). Poland Is Likely to Receive Germany-based American Soldiers to Pressurise Russia. globalresearch.ca According to American media, U.S. President Donald Trump plans to withdraw 9,500 American soldiers from Germany. U.S. troop numbers in Germany will be reduced to about 25,000 at a time when Warsaw insists on the strengthening of American military presence …
(2020-06-15). Turkey's Big Bet Has Put Libya in Center of a Global Power Struggle. counterpunch.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. Haftar's dream of capturing Tripoli from the internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj has been
(2020-06-15). Ireland: 3 Parties Will Rule, Left-Wing Sinn Fein Pushed Aside. telesurenglish.net The two main right-wing parties in Ireland, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, along with the Green Party, agreed Monday to govern in coalition with a rotating prime minister, leaving Sinn Fein out despite their big win in the polls in February. | RELATED: | The agreement covers the next five years, with Leo Varadkar (Fine Gael ) and Micheal Martin (Fianna Fail) alternately holding the head of government. Varadkar, who has bee…
(2020-06-15). Interview: Stacey Abrams Breaks Down Georgia's (Latest) Election Meltdown. thenation.com 
"When you break the machinery of democracy for some, you break it for everyone, and that's really what we saw."
(2020-06-15). N. Macedonia to hold elections on July 15 to back EU membership bid. rt.com 
Political parties in North Macedonia agreed on Monday to hold parliamentary elections on July 15, despite a persistent level of coronavirus infections. Nevertheless, the move is seen as a crucial step for the landlocked Balkan country's EU membership bid. | The newest NATO member's elections will also be a test of support for the pro-EU policies of the Social Democrats of former Prime Minister Zoran Zaev. After talks with Kristijan Mickoski, the head of the main opposition and nationalist VMRO-DPMNE party, Zaev said the country needed a functional government. | "We cannot bear a bigger crisis than this with a…
(2020-06-15). WATCH Russian jets 'intercept' US strategic bombers over Baltic Sea. rt.com 
US B-52H strategic bombers have again been spotted near Russian borders, forcing its Baltic Sea Fleet's Su-27 fighter jets to take to the skies and monitor their actions, the Russian Defense Ministry has said. | Video released by Moscow showed all stages of the 'intercept' — from the pilot in full gear rushing towards his jet to the Su-27s gaining on the American nuclear-capable bombers and "foreign surveillance planes" above the neutral waters. | NATO aircraft have frequently been spotted close to Russian airspace above Baltic and Black Sea frontiers in recent years. The flights, which Moscow deems provo…
(2020-06-15). High stakes in the battle for Sirte. thealtworld.com With Algeria engaging in the search for a political solution in Libya, Haftar could be on his way out | A desperate race is on between the rival political and military alliances in Libya, with each side trying to improve its position on the ground maximize its gains to strengthen its hand in any future negotiations. The current battle for the central city of Sirte between the Turkish-backed forces of the Government of National Accord (GNA) and Gen. Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) — supported by Egypt, the UAE and France — will be crucial in determining the outcome. | Sirte is an invaluable…
(2020-06-15). Fascistic candidates gain in Republican Party. wsws.org Marjorie Taylor Greene's campaign produced an ad last week in which she brandished an assault rifle and warned "antifa" demonstrators to "stay the hell out of northwest Georgia."
(2020-06-15). 100 Years Ago: Far-Right Coup against Germany's Weimar Republic. The March 1920 Kapp Putsch against Social Democracy. globalresearch.ca A century ago, on 13 March 1920, a far-right coup d'etat was implemented against the nascent Weimar Republic, known as the Kapp Putsch, which stood as an early warning signal for the Nazi Party's rise. The author here had intended …
(2020-06-15). This week in history: June 15-21. wsws.org 25 years ago: Chechen rebels release hostagesOn June 20, 1995, Chechen rebel gunmen released the last of more than 1,000 people held hostage for five days in the Russian city of Budyonnovsk and returned to Chechnya under an agreement negotiated with Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin. At least 120 people died during the government's siege of the hospital, most of them killed when Russian troops tried to storm the building.
(2020-06-15). Irish parties agree coalition deal. yenisafak.com Ireland's Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Green parties struck a deal to form a new coalition government on Monday that if ratified by grassroots members will end a months-long political deadlock, a government spokesman said.The agreement must be approved over the coming 10 days or so by members from each party, with the smaller Greens requiring two-thirds support, a higher bar than the larger two historic rival parties and which could yet scupper the deal.The parties want the new government in place before the end of June as the fractured parliament cannot pass any new laws, including those to uphold a 6.5 billion eu…
(2020-06-15). Turkey, Russia to continue talks for truce in Libya. yenisafak.com Turkey will continue talks with Russia to reach a lasting cease-fire in Libya, said Turkey's foreign minister on Monday.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin have "agreed to continue working together to establish a lasting cease-fire in Libya," Mevlut Cavusoglu told a joint press conference alongside his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif, who is visiting the Turkish capital Ankara.Libya's government, which enjoys recognition by the UN, has been under attack by warlord Khalifa Haftar's forces since April 2019, with more than 1,000 killed in the violence.After launching a counter…
(2020-06-15). Turkey: Gov't budget balance posts $14B gap in Jan-May. yenisafak.com The Turkish central government registered a budget deficit of 90.1 billion Turkish liras (some $14 billion) in January-May, the country's Treasury and Finance Ministry reported Monday.Turkey's budget revenue reached 389.1 billion Turkish liras ($60.8 billion) in the first five months of the year, up 12% year-on-year.Budget expenditures rose 15.7% on an annual basis to hit 479.2 billion Turkish liras (74.9 billion) from January to May — marking a 90.1 billion Turkish lira (some $60.8 billion) gap.The budget balance, excluding interest payments, posted a deficit of 25.1 billion Turkish liras ($4 billion) in the fi…
(2020-06-15). Turkey's indigenous electric train to serve by year-end. yenisafak.com First Turkish-made electric train, with its tests to be conducted on Aug. 30, will start serving before the end of this year, transport and infrastructure minister said on Monday."Aluminum body production, painting, sandblasting tests of the train set were put into operation in 2019," Adil Karaismailoglu said during his visit to the Turkish Wagon Industry (TUVASAS) plant in the country's northwestern province of Sakarya.The design and operating speeds of the first train set produced were planned as 176 kilometers per hour (109.3 miles per hour), and 160 km/h (99.4 mi/h), respectively."We work on domestic-made hig…
(2020-06-15). Three European countries call for more cooperation between Iran, IAEA. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jun. 15 (MNA) —Three European countries have called for more cooperation between Iran and the IAEA, following a recent meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors.
(2020-06-15). India joins EU maritime coalition in Persian Gulf: Report. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jun. 15 (MNA) — India has joined European Union [EU]'s maritime coalition in the Persian Gulf.
(2020-06-15). 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.
(2020-06-14). Calls Mount for 'Radical Changes in Policy and Policing' and the Arrest of Fired Atlanta Officer Who Killed Rayshard Brooks. commondreams.org Local activists and an attorney for the family of Rayshard Brooks, a 27-year-old black man shot and killed by an Atlanta police officer Friday night, are calling for the officer to be arrested and charged along with demanding "radical" reforms to policing in Georgia's capital city. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-12198359531.jpg …
(2020-06-14). Putin Condemns 'Mayhem and Rioting' at US Anti-Racism Protests. telesurenglish.net Russian President Vladimir Putin criticized Sunday the violence and mayhem during the anti-racism protests in the United States. | RELATED: | "If this fight for natural rights, legal rights, turns into mayhem and rioting, I see nothing good for the country," Putin said in an interview with Rossiya-1 television, adding that in his country they "have never supported this." | The Russian president said he supports U.
(2020-06-14). US State Propaganda Outlets Censor Black Lives Matter Protests. popularresistance.org With a budget that hovers around $100 million, RFE/RL broadcasts to something like to 22 countries in 26 languages. And the same censorship regime extends to just about every RFE/RL language division. | I've looked at about a dozen of them. Most have no coverage of the protests at all. A couple — like the Russian and Afghanistan division — do have a tiny protest stories, but they are given very little attention. | In the case of RFE/RL's Russian coverage, the protests are presented from the most reactionary perspective possible: denying racism and blaming the violence on organized armed anarchist comm…
