(2020-07-25). [Editorial] COVID-19 and China: lessons and the way forward. thelancet.com China has largely controlled COVID-19. A country of 1 ∑4 billion people and a size similar to Europe or the USA now reports only clusters of cases rather than widespread community transmission. China has been widely criticised for its role and responsibilities during the pandemic because of censorship, transparency, and human rights concerns. But the rest of the world can still learn from China's successes in bringing its outbreak under control.
(2020-07-25). [Correspondence] Women's reproductive rights. thelancet.com I hope it is stating the obvious to suggest that it is despicable both to ban abortion and to impose it on women whether in the name of religion, in the service of a political ideology, or as a perceived demographic imperative.1 Forced birth and forced abortion are foul. They are an assault on the autonomy, dignity, and rights of women, and are a threat to their lives, health, and wellbeing. Examples of banning and forcing abortions are found throughout the world and across time (sometimes in the same place and at the same time, as seen in Nazi Germany).
(2020-07-24). WATCH Portland protesters battling federal police to sound of Star Wars' Imperial March. rt.com 
Chaotic scenes outside Portland's federal courthouse were given a snarky soundtrack by a demonstrator who showed up to the fracas armed with a stereo. The city has seen nightly clashes between police and protesters. | Footage taken by New York Times correspondent Mike Baker shows activists and federal agents fighting over control of a fence guarding the building in downtown Portland, which has been under siege by demonstrators for nearly two months. | Protesters used projectiles and laser pointers against federal law enforcement tasked with protecting the courthouse, who in turn deployed tear gas to keep the m…
(2020-07-24). Uprising: Mass Protests Rock the Nation. counterpunch.org In an act of political desperation, President Donald Trump ordered a contingent of federal law-enforcement officers to impose order in Portland, OR. Under the direction of Attorney General Bill Barr, agents from the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Bureau of Prisons were deployed to protect
(2020-07-24). From Portland to the World. mronline.org 
Since the end of May, demonstrators opposing police violence and white supremacy have thronged the streets of Portland, Oregon, clashing with law enforcement officers. Last week, aspiring autocrat Donald Trump escalated the situation by announcing that he would be sending federal agents around the country to assert his authority through acts of violence against protesters.
(2020-07-24). Oregon judge bans feds from arresting or using force against 'journalists & legal observers' at Portland protests. rt.com 
A judge has issued a temporary restraining order on federal agents deployed in Portland, ruling that they may not arrest, disperse or otherwise use force against reporters and legal observers covering ongoing protests there. | US District Court Judge Michael Simon
(2020-07-24). Portland's movement is fighting back! Defend Portland, Ore.! Defend People's Resistance! No Police State! workers.org 
Workers World Party Statement Despite the brutal attempt of the White House to crush the heroic Black Lives Matter movement by sending camouflaged federal agents — secret police — to Portland, Ore., Chicago and other U.S. cities, the movement and all who support it have been fighting back. The initial . . . |
(2020-07-24). UK-Russia Report: the Integrity Initiative Strikes Again! counterpunch.org On October 17th, 2019, Britain's Intelligence and Security Committee sent the final draft of its report on Russia to the ruling Tory government. In accordance with the Justice and Security Act 2013, passed by the Tory-Liberal coalition government (2010-15), the incumbent could withhold the report in the name of national security. On 29th, British MPs
(2020-07-24). 2020 Vision Will Show You What is True, if You Can Keep Your Sanity. counterpunch.org We've all been making jokes about how terrible 2020 has played out, but I think even those of us with a bit of an imagination for the absurd and ominous missed the mark as far as this ultimate level of governmental degeneracy we've been able to achieve. Dads backing up moms in Portland with leaf
(2020-07-24). Trump orders federal police to more cities. wsws.org The Trump administration is stepping up its unconstitutional moves toward dictatorial rule, tear gassing the mayor of Portland, Oregon and announcing the deployment of federal police to additional cities.
(2020-07-24). Russia resuming flights to Turkey. yenisafak.com Russia on Aug. 1 will resume flights to Turkey, officials announced Friday.After flights were suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak, service will resume from three Russian cities — the capital Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and Rostov-on-Don — Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova told a news conference in Moscow.Flights to Turkey will start with the capital Ankara and the metropolis of Istanbul from Aug. 1, and then add the coastal resort destinations of Antalya, Bodrum, and Dalaman on Aug. 10.Flight service to the UK and the East African nation of Tanzania is also restarting.Passengers coming to Rus…
(2020-07-24). Turkey: Hotel occupancy rate down by half in H1. yenisafak.com The hotel occupancy rate across Turkey was 33.4% in the first half of 2020, during the peak period of the coronavirus pandemic, down 47.3% from the same period last year, a hotel association said on Friday.The sector's revenue per available room (RevPAR) and average daily rate (ADR) for rooms also posted decreases, according to the Turkish Hotel Association (TUROB).RevPAR stood at ‚Ǩ19.2 ($21.1), down 56%, while ADR for rooms dropped by 16.6% to ‚Ǩ57.7 year-on-year in January-June period.In Europe on average, the hotel occupancy rate was 21.6% and RevPAR was ‚Ǩ…
(2020-07-24). 'Digital security for social media should be on G20 agenda'. yenisafak.com Turkey is urging the G20 digital economy ministers to tackle the issue of digital security for social media platforms.The recent hacking of high-profile Twitter accounts "clearly shows that global technology giants can be an enormous problem," Mustafa Varank, Turkey's technology and industry minister, said in his speech at the virtual G20 Digital Economy Ministers meeting this week. | In the face of various motives "to use these accounts to spread global disorder, we should put this issue on our agenda," he told the closed-door gathering in remarks released late Thursday. | Last week, several prominent Twitter ac…
(2020-07-24). European Shares Shrivel Amid US-China Consulate War. sputniknews.com China's Foreign Ministry ordered Washington to close down the US Consulate in the city of Chengdu, with the tit-for-tat move coming days after US officials moved to shutter the Chinese Consulate in Houston, Texas amid allegations that its employees were engaged in systemic espionage and theft of US intellectual property.
(2020-07-23). Trump Administration Deploys Federal Forces into Major U.S. Cities. globalresearch.ca The repressive U.S. state's chickens have come home to roost with President Donald Trump announcing federal troops will be deployed to several U.S. cities. This comes after federal agents reportedly disappeared protesters last week off the streets of Portland, Oregon….
(2020-07-23). Defund the Police State, Before It's Too Late. globalresearch.ca The American police state is currently making its boldest test run to date in Portland, Oregon, escalating violence and lawlessness against the peaceful population of an American city. The people of Portland have responded with increased resistance, but support from …
(2020-07-23). MSNBC's Joe Scarborough calls Portland protests 'peaceful'… despite footage of escalating violence. rt.com 
Joe Scarborough has called protests in Portland "peaceful for the most part," less than a day after the mayor was tear-gassed in the face amid escalating violence following more than two months of demonstrations. | On his Morning Joe show Thursday, Scarborough railed against the deployment of federal agents to the city of Portland, saying they have launched "deeply disturbing attacks" against "peaceful protests, for the most part." | The MSNBC host has no doubt seen footage of federal agents arresting protesters and proceeding to throw them into unmarked vans — but perhaps he missed the videos of demonstr…
(2020-07-23). Influential DC-based Ukrainian think tank hosts neo-Nazi activist convicted for racist violence. strategic-culture.org 
Moss ROBESON | The influential Washington-based U.S.-Ukraine Foundation (USUF) The webinar featured an appearance by Diana Vynohradova (Kamlyuk), a sieg-heiling neo-Nazi decorated with white supremacist tattoos. Vynohradova was convicted of participating i…
(2020-07-23). Secret police in Portland violated human rights of peaceful protesters. indybay.org Videos showing U.S. Federal secret police(with no badges and riding in unmarked vehicles)inflicting massive violence on mostly peaceful protesters are running viral across the Globe. Yet the Federal governing regime brazenly avows that this will be the "new normal" in major cities from now on…
(2020-07-23). Feminist groups protest rising femicide and violence against women in Turkey. peoplesdispatch.org The murder of Pinar Gultekin, a 27-year-old university student, has brought thousands to the streets in protest. They are demanding an end to femicide and other forms of violence against women…
(2020-07-23). The Federal Response to Protests Extends Far Beyond Portland. thenation.com The Federal Response to Protests Extends Far Beyond Portland…
(2020-07-23). U.S. Navy veteran speaks out about being attacked by Trump's secret police in Portland this past weekend. nationofchange.org It isn't about me getting beat up. It's about focusing back on the original intention of all of these protests, which is Black Lives Matter.
(2020-07-23). Cities challenge Trump's dispatch of federal law enforcement officers. peoplesworld.org 
OAKLAND, Calif. — Outrage is growing throughout the country over Donald Trump's use of federal law enforcement against protesters in Portland, Oregon, and his threats to dispatch federal officers to other U.S. cities. On July 20, Trump told reporters he might send federal "law enforcement" to cities he claimed were experiencing heightened violence, naming cities …
(2020-07-23). Stand with the resistance in Portland! fightbacknews.org Protesters grabbed off the streets by federal agents who refuse to identify themselves, placed unmarked vehicles, and taken to undisclosed locations. These same agents nearly killed a young man holding part of a sound system at a demonstration. This is the outrageous reality in Portland today, were Trump has deployed a paramilitary police force to carry out a wave of repression. The good news is that the resistance in Portland has been nothing short of heroic, as thousands have taken to the streets in a powerful display of opposition. | The Trump administration has repeatedly stated that it is deploying federal a…
(2020-07-23). Portland's Mayor Tear-Gassed By Militarized US Police. popularresistance.org The mayor of Portland, Oregon was tear-gassed by U.S. government agents as he stood outside a federal courthouse during another night of protests against the presence of federal police sent by President Donald Trump to quell the city's ongoing unrest. | Mayor Ted Wheeler, a Democrat, appeared slightly dazed and coughed and said Wednesday night it was the first time he'd been tear-gassed. | He put on a pair of goggles someone handed him and drank water but did not leave his spot at the front of the protest and continued to take tear gas as the demonstration raged — with protesters lighting a large fire betwe…
(2020-07-23). What Are Trump And His Goons Up To? popularresistance.org First and foremost, it is a political stunt to capture the law and order crowd and press on divides between the coastal cities and inland voters. But it's also more sinister than that. The use of federal forces is designed to weaken local accountability by freezing out local government that constituents can reach. Portland's mayor might not even have opposed some "help" from the feds, but he wasn't asked. In other words, this wasn't mutual aid. This was indeed an invasion. An alphabet soup of federal agencies have been employed to crack down on police brutality protests, including the National Guard, the US Marsh…
(2020-07-23). Federal Agents Retreat To Portland Base As Protesters Control Streets. popularresistance.org The DHS officers dispatched by the president to put down the demonstrations have instead become prisoners of the building they are ostensibly there to defend. | "The feds don't have control of the streets," said a woman holding a sign "100% not a terrorist", who gave her name only as Shannon. "I think they're more scared than us. They're hiding in there. They don't know what they're doing." If the intent was to intimidate the protesters into abandoning the few square blocks of downtown Portland under their control, it backfired spectacularly. | Residents of a city with a long history of radical street protest wer…
(2020-07-23). New Civil Rights Lawsuit Filed Against Federal Law Enforcement. popularresistance.org The Western States Center, the First Unitarian Church of Portland, two state representatives and an ACLU legal observer are listed as plaintiffs in the lawsuit, which alleges the federal government has violated protesters' 10th Amendment rights. It was filed Tuesday in federal court. | The 10th Amendment delineates the separation of powers between federal and state governments. | "The power to engage in ordinary law enforcement is one of the long-recognized powers that belong to the states and to their municipalities," said Cliff Davidson, an attorney with Snell & Wilmer, the firm filing the lawsuit. | The W…
(2020-07-23). In another night of unrest in Portland, tear gas hits mayor. yenisafak.com The mayor of the U.S. city of Portland, Ted Wheeler, was stung by tear gas early on Thursday morning after he joined demonstrators protesting against racial injustice and police brutality.Protests have rocked Portland every night for weeks, with security forces often tear-gassing and clubbing demonstrators.Visiting the protest site, Wheeler was jeered at by some demonstrators who called on him to resign and chanted "Shame on You". They said he should have done more to protect Portland's citizens.However, as he stood amongst the crowd outside Portland's Justice Center, Wheeler, who was wearing a face mask, was him…
(2020-07-23). Portland mayor cheers protesters & joins them to face tear gas, gets calls to resign anyway (VIDEOS). rt.com 
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler failed to win over a crowd of angry anti-police protesters despite rooting for their cause. But rather than seeing him as an ally against federal agents, some said he's part of the problem and has to go.
(2020-07-23). Defending the US Against Looming Presidential Dictatorship. counterpunch.org At least Vladimir Putin is gaining his dictatorial powers democratically. He got elected by a solid majority of Russians, and then he went to the Russian Duma and asked for a constitutional change to allow him to continue to be elected through 2030. Here in the US, we have created a presidential dictatorship through sleight
(2020-07-23). Paramilitary-Style Tactics in Portland Mirror Decades of U.S. Violence on the Border & Abroad. democracynow.org 
The harrowing scenes of paramilitary-style units in the streets of American cities like Portland has shocked mainstream America, but award-winning independent journalist Todd Miller, who has reported on border security and immigration for over a decade, says it's a reflection of how the U.S. has operated around the world. We also speak with Cecilia Menjívar, UCLA sociology professor, who says the image of unmarked vans snatching people from the streets "brings back memories to Latin Americans who lived through disappearances of families and friends and co-workers."
(2020-07-23). Defend Portland! Defend People's Resistance! No Police State! workers.org 
Despite the brutal attempt of the White House to crush the heroic Black Lives Matter movement by sending camouflaged federal agents ‚àí secret police ‚àí to Portland, Chicago and other U.S. cities, the movement and all who support it have been fighting back. The initial response to the threat of . . . |
(2020-07-23). As Trump threatens secret police deployment nationwide, Democrats debate expanding surveillance powers and new money for DHS. mronline.org 
The rogue deployment of secret federal police forces in Portland, Oregon, has added a new complication to negotiations over reauthorizing the Trump administration's vast surveillance powers and appropriating new money for the Department of Homeland Security.
(2020-07-23). US Space Force accuses Russia of testing 'weapon-like' anti-satellite device in orbit. rt.com 
The Pentagon has accused Moscow of testing a new space weapon, insisting that such "aggression" validates the importance of the US's Space Force. In reality, however, Russia merely used a scanning device on its own satellite. | The latest Cold War-style 'Russians are coming' scare was
(2020-07-23). Questioning status of Russian territory (Crimea, for example) could now be punished with jail time, according to proposed law. rt.com 
Russian politicians have passed an amendment to anti-extremism laws, designating those who violate the country's "territorial integrity" as extremists, with offenders facing the possibility of a jail term. | The approved legislation follows hot on the heels of the recently signed constitutional amendments, which made it illegal for the country to give any Russian land away to another nation. | Some Western experts have speculated that the change to the constitution was aimed at protecting Crimea, re-absorbed by Russia following a referendum in 2014, and the Kuril Islands, long-claimed by both Moscow and Tokyo.
(2020-07-23). Labour letter calling to revoke RT's license is 'devastating' proof of UK war on free press — Afshin Rattansi. rt.com 
A letter from a high-ranking Labour MP demanding regulators carry out an "urgent" review of RT's media license amounts to political interference and further proves an ongoing assault on the free media, said RT's Afshin Rattansi. | The letter, sent Wednesday by Labour's Shadow Media Secretary Jo Stevens MP to the regulator Ofcom, called for an immediate review of RT's license and a meeting with the agency's head, Dame Melanie Dawes. As justification, Stevens cited Tuesday's parliamentary report on alleged 'Russian influence' in UK politics, even though it offered little to no evidence for any such meddling. | A…
(2020-07-23). Rolling coal, Russian style: WATCH truck casually driving while cargo burns & EXPLODES. rt.com 
A garbage truck which somehow caught fire in the central Russian city of Tolyatti was filmed cruising through the streets with open flames and smoke billowing out of the back as pieces of the cargo appeared to be exploding. | The bizarre incident occurred on Thursday afternoon, with footage emerging on Russian social media shortly afterwards. The video shows a large MAZ dump truck with thick black smoke billowing from its container while on the road. | The truck's cargo emitted flames and its contents repeatedly made explosive noises, yet the unshaken driver of the vehicle continued on like nothing was happ…
(2020-07-23). Free press? Labour letter demands RT UK's license gets REVOKED in light of 'damning' Russia report that gave NO examples or proof. rt.com An evidence-free parliamentary report accusing RT UK of being an instrument of 'Russian influence' in Britain is already being quoted as a pretext to ban the broadcaster, in a letter sent to Ofcom by a Labour shadow minister. | Labour MP Jo Stevens demanded that "Ofcom urgently reviews RT's licence" and requested an urgent meeting with Dame Melanie Dawes of the regulatory agency to "discuss my concerns about the broadcaster," in a letter sent Wednesday. | Stevens — signed as the Shadow secretary of state for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport — said the review was needed given the "troubling revelatio…
(2020-07-23). Pivot to 'green': Russian gas & nuclear energy giants Gazprom and Rosatom to start producing 'clean' hydrogen. rt.com 
Russia's move away from hydrocarbons took another step forward this week, as the country's Ministry of Energy announced a roadmap to start producing clean hydrogen by 2024. | Natural gas giant Gazprom — the largest company in Russia — and state-owned nuclear energy corporation Rosatom were both named in a federal plan focused on developing clean hydrogen. | With much of the world planning to pivot away from oil and gas in the near future, the country's government is looking ahead to a more diversified energy sector. The international 'green' trend is a significant threat to the Russian economy, which…
(2020-07-23). Three Russian air traffic control officers found guilty of criminal negligence in death of French oil-giant Total's CEO. rt.com 
A Moscow court has ruled that a violation of safety rules by two air traffic controllers and their superior at the city's Vnukovo airport resulted in the deadly 2014 crash that killed businessman Christophe de Margerie. | The 63-year-old Frenchman had worked for Total for forty years, rising to the top of the company. Just hours before his death, he had conducted a meeting with then Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. | The verdict comes more than six years after the tragedy in which a Dassault Falcon 50EX business jet, with de Margerie and a three-member crew on board, collided with a snowplow during take…
(2020-07-23). EU negotiator says Brexit trade deal agreement is "unlikely" thecanary.co 
The Brussels and UK chief negotiators have aired mixed messages over the likelihood of a post-Brexit trade deal following the conclusion of their latest London-round of talks. The European Union's chief negotiator Michel Barnier said a deal looked "unlikely" and that the two sides remained at a stalemate.The UK take: David Frost, the UK's chief negotiator, meanwhile confirmed there was a continued impasse but struck a more hopeful tone in his media appearance following intensified discussions. He said an "agreement can still be reached in September" but called for the EU to recognise it was in discussions…
(2020-07-23). Brandon Lewis tries to defend Russia-linked Tory donations. thecanary.co 
A Cabinet minister has defended accepting donations from wealthy individuals with links to Russia and president Vladimir Putin, insisting the benefactors are "British citizens".It comes after the Times reported that 14 Cabinet ministers and members of Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), which published its long-awaited report into Russian interference in British democracy this week, had taken money from figures linked to Russia.The committee's report warned that unnamed Kremlin-linked figures had given money to UK political parties in a move that could see them deployed to "assist" Moscow.The…
(2020-07-23). Media Silent as Trump Declares Wars. globalresearch.ca Donald Trump's attacks on Venezuela, Syria and Iran are criminal, but Joe Biden vows to be even worse. | The corporate media in this country can endlessly repeat lies about Russia paying Taliban bounties, but ignore important information that is …
(2020-07-23). Racial Politics in Georgia and the Presidential Elections. globalresearch.ca A contested gubernatorial election in 2018 involving Republican Secretary of State Brian Kemp and former Georgia State House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams highlighted problems related to voter suppression based upon the national oppression of the African American people. | Hundreds of …
(2020-07-23). German defence minister propagates rearmament, militarism and war. wsws.org With the revival of German militarism, the militaristic traditions that are historically linked above all to the Soldateska of the Kaiserreich (Imperial Empire) and the Wehrmacht (armed forces of Nazi Germany) are inevitably returning.
(2020-07-23). Video: Germany's COVID-19 Extra-Parliamentary Inquiry. globalresearch.ca Germany — The COVID-19 Extra-Parliamentary Inquiry Committee Conference, 03rd July 2020 | "We will not be delayed any longer. We citizens have the power. We are doing it", with these words Heiko Schà∂ning announced the Extra-Parliamentary Corona Investigation Committee (ACU) on …
(2020-07-23). Little Apples Will Grow Again: the EU, Ireland and the Apple Tax Case. counterpunch.org Last Wednesday there was a collective sigh of relief from the Irish government. The EU's General Court had ruled against the EU Commission in their case against Ireland/Apple. The Court found that the 0.005% corporate tax rate that Apple had availed of here in Ireland did not constitute illegal state aid. Thus, Ireland would not
(2020-07-23). The "Russia Report": Deep State Reinforcing Delusion to Spread Fear and Seize Power. globalresearch.ca The "Russia report" is an action plan for the intelligence agencies to hand MI5 direct control over the mechanisms of British democracy, and give the government legal power to control social media. | Nobody in the mainstream will tell you this. …
(2020-07-23). Britain's Russia Report: Propaganda for authoritarianism and war. wsws.org British politics is ever more closely mirroring US politics, where conflicts within the ruling class are fought out through the prism of anti-Russian hysteria, with anti-democratic and militarist implications.