Daily Archives: July 31, 2020

2020-07-31: News Headlines

Richard D. Wolff (2020-07-31). The Consequences of Inequality Can Be Fatal. counterpunch.org Capitalism, as Thomas Piketty's Capital in the Twenty-First Century shows, relentlessly worsens wealth and income inequalities. That inherent tendency is only occasionally stopped or reversed when masses of people rise up against it. That happened, for example, in western Europe and the U.S. during the 1930s Great Depression. It prompted social democracy in Europe and

Marshall Auerback (2020-07-31). Every Step the EU Takes Toward Financial Unity Sows New Seeds of Its Potential Collapse. counterpunch.org Samuel Beckett's "Waiting for Godot" is a play featuring two characters waiting for a character, Godot, who never arrives. As such, it is a useful metaphor for the goings-on of the European Union (EU). Observers of the EU's evolution in the capital of Brussels have witnessed a Godot-like experience of the promised arrival of the

Brett Wilkins (2020-07-31). The Bologna Massacre, the 'Strategy of Tension' and Operation Gladio. counterpunch.org On the sweltering morning of August 2, 1980, a powerful explosion blew apart the central train station in Bologna, Italy, killing 85 people and wounding 200 more. To this day, it is uncertain exactly who is behind the deadliest terrorist attack in modern Italian history. It is clear that right-wing extremists including neo-fascists, Italian secret

T.J. Coles (2020-07-31). The Space Wars Have Begun. counterpunch.org "Space is now a distinct warfighting domain," says the U.S. Defense Space Strategy. Last week, corporate media repeated U.S. military propaganda: that Russia had "tested new technologies that could lead to so-called 'killer satellites'" (ABC); the U.S. and Britain "accused Russia of testing a weapon-like projectile in space that could be used to target satellites

Rob Urie (2020-07-31). Russiagate, Nazis, and the CIA. counterpunch.org The political success of Russiagate lies in the vanishing of American history in favor of a faàßade of liberal virtue. Posed as a response to the election of Donald Trump, a straight line can be drawn from efforts to undermine the decommissioning of the American war economy in 1946 to the CIA's alliance with Ukrainian fascists in 2014. In 1945 the NSC (National Security Council) issued a series of directives that gave logic and direction to the CIA's actions during the Cold War. That these persist despite the 'fall of communism' suggests that it was always just a placeholder in the pursuit of other objectiv…

yenisafak (2020-07-31). COVID-19 infections rise in Belgium's capital. yenisafak.com In a single day the number of Brussels municipalities in the coronavirus alarm zone more than doubled from four to 10, Belgium's Public Health Institute Sciensano announced on Friday. | At the same time, the country saw a 62% rise in new coronavirus cases on July 21-27 compared to the previous week. On average, some 371 people were infected by the virus daily. | This brings the total number of COVID-19 cases to 68,006 since the outbreak, out of which 9,840 lost their lives. | According to the latest figures, six new municipalities in the capital saw more than 20 new daily cases per 100,000 inhabitants, which is c…

yenisafak (2020-07-31). Virus cases, deaths mount in Central Asia, Eurasia. yenisafak.com More coronavirus cases and fatalities were reported in Central Asian and Eurasian countries on Friday.- KazakhstanKazakhstan reported 1,414 more COVID-19 cases, bringing its total so far to 89,078, while recoveries rose 1,702 to reach 59,517.A total of 793 virus patients have died in the Central Asian country so far, with nearly 30,000 still under treatment.- UkraineHealth Minister Maksym Stepanov said 1,090 more people tested positive for COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, raising the total count to 69,884.He said 20 more fatalities pushed the death toll up to 1,693, while recoveries increased by 622 to reach 36,7…

yenisafak (2020-07-31). W.Balkans welcomes Muslim holiday amid COVID-19. yenisafak.com Muslims living in Western Balkan countries are welcoming the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha amid protective measures due to the coronavirus pandemic.While Muslims were saddened to face another holiday amid the COVID-19 measures, special prayers were performed with a limited congregation in most countries due to rising numbers of cases in the region.The historical Gazi Husrev Bey Mosque in Bosnia's capital Sarajevo opened its doors to believers 15 minutes before prayer time. | Meanwhile, in Serbia, morning prayers were held in houses, while the only mosque in the capital Belgrade did not hold the Eid prayer. | But…

sputniknews (2020-07-31). Huawei Urges Germany to Keep Tech Giant as 5G Provider Despite US Pressure, Reports Say. sputniknews.com Huawei's 5G rollout in Europe has been in doubt amid reports of the security risks that the Chinese tech firm's equipment allegedly poses – a claim promoted by the United States but vehemently denied by China.

RT (2020-07-30). Russian serviceman working in Crimea arrested for HIGH TREASON, accused of spying for Ukraine. rt.com A serviceman from Russia's Black Sea Fleet has been arrested by the country's Federal Security Service (FSB) on suspicion of working for Ukrainian military intelligence. | If found guilty of high treason, the detained soldier could In a statement

Caitlin Johnstone (2020-07-30). Op-Ed: The Exit Of 12,000 US Troops Is The Single Worst Event In German History. thealtworld.com Today's Caitlin Johnstone essay has been replaced with a National News Conglomerate op-ed by General Hank Hammerfist. NNC: Obey. | The Trump administration has begun slashing the US military presence in Germany from an almost satisfactory 36,000 troops to a practically microscopic 24,000. I think we can all agree that this is the single worst thing that has ever happened in the history of Germany, and arguably the universe. | While most Americans were until now unaware that their government had that many troops in a nation known predominantly for beer and bleak documentaries, pundits and politicians in the know h…

RT (2020-07-30). 'A momentary lapse of honesty?' WATCH US Defense Secretary Esper saying NATO must 'avoid PEACE in Europe'. rt.com US Defense Secretary Mark Esper seemingly mistook the word 'peace' for 'war' when he made a gaffe in the middle of a speech on the relocation of American troops in Europe. | Esper was delivering important news to reporters: the Pentagon has laid out a plan to withdraw nearly 12,000 American soldiers from its NATO ally Germany. | The blunder occurred just when Esper was arguing that Germany, as the "wealthiest country in Europe," can and should boost its defense spending. | I've said that very publicly, I've said that very privately to my counterparts as well — about the importance of NATO, any alliance, s…

RT (2020-07-30). EU targets Russian intelligence, Chinese, North Korean companies in first ever cybercrime-related sanctions batch. rt.com The European Union has imposed sanctions on six people and three entities, including a Russian military intelligence unit over their alleged involvement in various hacking activities, in the first ever such move from Brussels. | EU officials slapped the "Special Technologies" unit (GTsST) of the Russian military intelligence (also known as GRU) with sanctions, accusing it of being behind several high-profile cyber-attacks — including the infamous NotPetya virus that inflicted $10 billion worth of damage to the world economy in 2017. | The origins of that virus are still unclear. Yet, what is known for ce…

RT (2020-07-30). EU targets Russian intelligence, Chinese, North Korean companies in first ever cybercrime-related round of sanctions. rt.com The European Union has imposed sanctions on six people and three entities, including a Russian military intelligence unit, over their alleged involvement in various hacking activities, in the first ever such move from Brussels. | EU officials slapped the "Special Technologies" unit (GTsST) of the Russian military intelligence agency (also known as GRU) with sanctions, accusing it of being behind several high-profile cyber-attacks — including the infamous NotPetya virus that inflicted $10 billion-worth of damage to the world economy in 2017. | The origins of that virus are still unclear. What is known for…

RT (2020-07-30). Italian senators vote to lift ex-minister Salvini's immunity, open way for trial over migrant ship. rt.com The Italian Senate voted on Thursday to lift right-wing leader Matteo Salvini's immunity. The move clears the way for possible charges against the former interior minister for refusing to allow 164 migrants to get off a ship in Sicily last August. | The case from last August is the third involving a rescue ship standoff in which Italian prosecutors have sought kidnapping charges against Salvini. | During his 14 months as interior minister, Salvini repeatedly denied ships carrying rescued migrants access to Italy's ports. The policy resulted in numerous standoffs, leaving migrants stuck at sea for long weeks.

RT (2020-07-30). Russian & US scientists vow to fight Covid-19 PANDEMIC together amidst political animosity. rt.com Despite Moscow and Washington having been at odds over scores of international and bilateral affairs, Russian and US scientists managed to find a common language in jointly fighting a shared threat — the coronavirus pandemic. | The scientists have teamed up to cooperate in "all the areas related to the coronavirus, its nature, treatment and prevention measures," the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) said. | The RAS and US National Academies of Sciences, Medicine and Engineering inked an agreement on Thursday around working together on a wide range of Covid-related areas, such as epidemiology, virology, i…

RT (2020-07-30). Wife of Ukrainian rapper arrested after dismembered body parts found in apartment fridge. rt.com The wife of rapper Andy Cartwright has been arrested after his body parts were found in their St Petersburg apartment. She reportedly cut him into pieces, washed his organs, treated his limbs with salt and then refrigerated them. | Marina Kokhal claims the 30-year-old rapper died of a drug overdose. Saying she wanted to make him disappear so he wouldn't be remembered for dying an inglorious death, she has admitted to chopping up his body. | According to Saint Petersburg-based website 'Fontanka', the police were informed after 36-year-old Kokhal contacted a lawyer for advice, explaining that Cartwright had died…

RT (2020-07-30). Call of the Black Sea: Russian jet intercepts US spy planes for FOURTH TIME in just over a week (VIDEO). rt.com With summer heating up, it appears as though the US Air Force finds Russia's Black Sea particularly inviting, as the Russian military has intercepted American jets there for the fourth time in just over one week. | The US Air Force seemingly could not decide who should be next to enjoy the scenic splendors of the Black Sea shoreline, deciding to send two of its surveillance planes to watch over the area at the same time on Thursday. | The jets were promptly intercepted, however, by a Russian Su-27 fighter jet, which was scrambled to escort the "aerial targets" approaching the nation's border. | The planes were…

RT (2020-07-30). American pilots continue their love affair with the Black Sea! Russian jet intercepts US spy planes for 4th TIME in 9 days (VIDEO). rt.com With summer heating up, it appears as though the US Air Force finds Russia's Black Sea particularly inviting. The Russian military has intercepted American jets on a long haul trip for the fourth time in just over one week. | The US Air Force seemingly could not decide who should be next to enjoy the scenic splendor of the Black Sea shoreline – around 8,000km from home – where temperatures have hit the 90s degrees Fahrenheit this week, choosing to send two of its surveillance planes at the same time on Thursday to watch over the area. | Could it be that American 'top guns' are so determined to showcase the del…

RT (2020-07-30). Ex-US Marine sentenced to 9 years in Russian prison after drunken assault on two Moscow police officers. rt.com Texan Trevor Reed, a 29-year-old student and former US Marine, has been found guilty of attacking two police officers and handed a nine year jail sentence by a Moscow court, prompting media speculation about a "prisoner swap." | The former marine has been accused of attacking the officers last summer while drunk after attending a party. According to the prosecutors, some Moscow residents called the police when they saw a rowdy troublemaker arguing with two women. The drunk man, who turned out to be Reed, tried to resist arrest. | It was inside the police car that the man suddenly became aggressive and elbowed…

RT (2020-07-30). Russian authorities to investigate as Communist MP claims 39 ruling party politicians have dual citizenship or foreign residency. rt.com The speaker of Russia's State Duma (parliament) has ordered the Committee on Security and Anti-Corruption to determine which lawmakers have alternative citizenships or other residence permits, after a claim by an opposition MP. | A key part of Vladimir Putin's constitutional changes, approved in a national vote earlier this month,

Philip Giraldi (2020-07-30). Foreign Interference in Elections: Is It Real or Just Political Noise? thealtworld.com While claims of Russian interference in elections are fairly common, they are difficult to prove in any serious way. | A recently concluded British Parliamentary inquiry has determined that Russia may have

South Front (2020-07-30). Video: Turkey Shifts Focus to Southern Libya Amid Stalemate Near Sirte. globalresearch.ca Turkey is looking for opportunities to shift the current balance of power in Libya after its proxies failed to break the Libyan National Army defenses and capture the port city of Sirte in northern Libya in an off-the-cuff advance. | Turkish…

WSWS (2020-07-30). UK coronavirus infections and death rates increase as Johnson blames Europe. wsws.org The Tories' aim is to divert attention from the resurgence of coronavirus infections in the UK due to their own criminal policies.

Newsclick (2020-07-30). Study says Instagram algorithm prioritizes scantily-clad men and women. peoplesdispatch.org According to a study carried out by European Data Journalism Network and AlgorithmWatch, pictures which featured under-dressed people had a greater chance of being featured in newsfeeds on the platform…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-30). US announces withdrawal of around 12,000 troops from Germany. peoplesdispatch.org US president Donald Trump has said that Germany needs to pay for its own defense and stop taking advantage of the US. Germany called the move senseless and harmful for NATO…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-30). Workers march in Berlin protesting layoffs at major department store chain. peoplesdispatch.org The management of the Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof in Germany has decided to close 50 branches of its department stores chain by the end of this year. This may lead to the loss of 5,000 jobs…

WSWS (2020-07-30). Corporate press promotes Susan Rice as Biden running mate. wsws.org The former Obama national security advisor is identified with illegal wars, drone missile assassinations and an aggressive posture towards both Russia and China.

Dafna Tachover (2020-07-30). Wireless Radiation: Russian Government Recommends Banning Wi-Fi and Cell Phones in Primary Schools. globalresearch.ca On July 17th, 2020, the

Caitlin Johnstone (2020-07-30). The Real Deep State Power Grab: Notes From The Edge Of The Narrative Matrix. thealtworld.com the new cold war agendas against China and Russia. All analysts who've been staring transfixed by Covid anxiety waiting for Bill Gates to usher in the New World Order have completely missed this story due to a misguided collective decision to fixate on this virus. | The virus will certainly play a part in many ways, but the real large-scale power agendas at work revolve around the US-centralized empire's increasingly urgent campaign to

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-30). Turkish parliament approves new social media law raising fears of censorship and harassment. peoplesdispatch.org The Turkish parliament on July 29, Wednesday, passed an amendment to the country's internet law making it compulsory for social media sites to appoint a legal representative in Turkey and implement all court orders on an immediate basis. The law will become effective from October 1. | According to the new law, any social media platform based abroad which has at least a million users must assign at least one legal representative in Turkey, preferably a Turkish citizen. The contents of social media sites such as Facebook, TikTok and others can be scrutinized by the courts and failure to implement court orders would…

_____ (2020-07-30). Human Rights Fraud From Ukraine To Nicaragua. popularresistance.org Current Western human rights industry practice has nothing to do with establishing the truth. Increasingly in recent years, US and allied elites have sought to legitimize illegal aggression by exploiting human rights motifs in their attempts to recolonize the majority world. | In any given crisis, human rights NGOs funded by the US and allied corporate elites and governments deploy sensationalist false claims, for example of police murdering peaceful protestors, so as to create a cognitive limbo of doubt and suspicion aimed at disabling opposition to the West's recolonization campaigns. Over the medium and long t…

WSWS (2020-07-30). Germany: "Voluntary military service in Homeland Security"—an invitation to neo-Nazis. wsws.org The term "Homeland Security" ("Heimatschutz"), which appears eleven times in a short advertising text on the Ministry of Defence website, is a battle cry of the extreme right.

yenisafak (2020-07-30). England excess deaths highest in Europe amid virus. yenisafak.com England had the highest level of excess deaths in Europe over the first half of 2020, according to new statistics published by the UK's official statistics agency on Thursday."While England did not have the highest peak mortality, it did have the longest continuous period of excess mortality of any country compared, resulting in England having the highest levels of excess mortality in Europe for the period as a whole," the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.Spain was the European country with the highest peak, and Bergamo in northern Italy was the European local authority posting the highest peak.Edwin Mor…

yenisafak (2020-07-30). Europe prepares for possible second wave of COVID-19. yenisafak.com European countries have started to prepare for a possible second wave of the novel coronavirus.As one of the worst-affected countries in Europe, Italy extended its state of emergency on Wednesday until Oct. 15. from the previously declared July 31.So far, some 35,129 people have lost their lives in the country, according to data from the US-based Johns Hopkins University, while 246,776 have contracted with the virus.Fears have also mounted again in Spain, another European nation hit hard by the pandemic, as the number of infections continues to rise every day. After the state of emergency came to an end in the co…

yenisafak (2020-07-30). German economy narrows by over 10% in Q2. yenisafak.com Germany's economy posted a contraction of 10.1% in the second quarter of 2020, the country's statistical authority said on Thursday.The prices and calendar adjusted gross domestic product (GDP) narrowed by 10.1% in the April-June period, after 2% decrease in the first quarter of this year, figures released by the Federal Statistical Office showed.The country's GDP was ‚Ǩ768 billion ($844.8 billion) in the second quarter, down from ‚Ǩ846.9 billion ($931.6 billion) in the same quarter last year.The GDP per capita was ‚Ǩ9,238 in the second quarter, falling from &…

yenisafak (2020-07-30). Greece ready to discuss maritime borders with Turkey. yenisafak.com Greece is seeking to hold talks on delimitation of maritime boundaries with Turkey, an official said Thursday.At a weekly news conference in Athens, government spokesman Stelios Petsas stressed the importance of open communication channels with Turkey, especially when tensions escalated, referring to the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.He went on to say Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis held a phone talk with Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiadis over the arrival of Turkish seismic vessel — Barbaros Hayrettin Pasa to the Turkish Cypriot side of the island.Turkey is a guarantor nation for the Turkish Re…

yenisafak (2020-07-30). Russian, Turkish diplomats to discuss Libya in Moscow. yenisafak.com Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Alexey Zaytsev, deputy spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said that the delegations from the two countries will discuss "different aspects of the Libyan crisis," including disposition of the warring sides at the moment of the cease-fire declaration.Zaytsev recalled that the previous rounds of consultations on Libya were held in Turkey — In Istanbul in June and in Ankara in July.Asked about violations of arms embargo on Libya by Russia, he said "allegations are groundless" and that countries accusing Russia "directly involved in arms supplies to the Libyan warring…

sputniknews (2020-07-30). EU Warns Critical Supply Shortages May Hinder Future COVID-19 Immunization Campaigns. sputniknews.com The European Union is warning its member states that there is a looming risk of a shortage of critical equipment that would be needed to administer mass COVID-19 vaccinations. | EU Warns Critical Supply Shortages May Hinder Future COVID-19 Immunization Campaigns…

sputniknews (2020-07-30). Italy's Matteo Salvini Could Face Jail After Senate Votes to Strip Him of Immunity. sputniknews.com The coronavirus pandemic has seen a collapse in the support base for the nationalist Lega Nord party and now its leader, Matteo Salvini, is facing legal problems after being stripped of political immunity. The former government minister could, however, potentially benefit from being put back in the limelight.

sputniknews (2020-07-30). Trump Asks Why US Should Protect a Germany that 'Pays Russia Billions of Dollars for Energy'. sputniknews.com The Pentagon pressed forward with plans to withdraw nearly 12,000 personnel from Germany on Wednesday, with some of the troops to be redeployed to other European NATO nations while others are sent home. At the moment, there are about 36,000 US troops stationed in the Central European country. American troops have been on German soil since 1945.

sputniknews (2020-07-30). Airbus Q2 Earnings Reveal Planemaker Lost Over Half of Revenues to €8.32bn, Cites Impact of COVID-19. sputniknews.com The news follows quarterly earnings from the European aerospace giant's US rival, which revealed major profit losses and rising debt as the aviation industry struggles with the coronavirus pandemic, which has seen demand for aircraft and travel services badly impacted in recent months.

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-30). Iran, Georgia discuss economic coop. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 30 (MNA) — Iranian Ambassador to Tbilisi Javad Ghavam Shahidi met and held talks with Georgian Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Natia Turnava on the expansion of economic cooperation.

_____ (2020-07-30). CIA Fabricated Russiagate 'Evidence', Says Former NSA Tech Chief. strategic-culture.org Bill Binney has now laid out, in this speech, the evidence that he wants to present in court against Barack Obama's CIA, that it defrauded Americans to believe in "Russiagate" (the allegation that Russia 'hacked' the computers of Hillary Clinton and Democratic Party officials and fed that information to Wikileaks and other organizations). Binney cites evidence, which, if true, conclusively proves that Russiagate was actually created fraudulently by the CIA's extensive evidence-tampering, which subsequently became covered-up by the Special Counsel Robert Mueller, in his investigations for the Democratic Party's fi…

Staff (2020-07-29). Rev. Warnock of Ebenezer Baptist Church on Legacy of John Lewis & Ongoing Fight for Voting Rights. democracynow.org We look at the life and legacy of late civil rights icon and Georgia Congressmember John Lewis, who is being mourned across the U.S. and who became the first Black politician to lie in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. "The irony of this moment is that even as we celebrate and honor John Lewis, the patron saint of voting rights, he hailed from the state which in many instances is ground zero for voter suppression," says Rev. Dr. Raphael Warnock, who serves as senior pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, was with Lewis in the final days of his life and will preside over his memorial service. "In recen…

Aidan O'Brien (2020-07-29). Has anything changed since 1840? Trade, imperialism, Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta megacity. mronline.org In modern times, China has been the ultimate challenge for imperialists: it's independence being an enigma to Europeans and Americans. From Marco Polo to Mike Pompeo, China has been a mystery to Christian crusaders.

Eds. (2020-07-29). An ultra-parasitical global financial system that enjoys unwavering protection. mronline.org During the evolution of the pandemic in Europe, the financial system has received little attention in the media. It was only at the end of February/beginning of March that a very sharp fall in the stock markets made the front page of newspapers and television broadcasts.

Kenneth Surin (2020-07-29). The UK's Russia Report on the "Londongrad Laundromat" counterpunch.org The UK parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), drawn from MPs and peers of all parties, last week published its report on possible Russian interference in UK politics. The report's release had been delayed by 9 months after it had been blocked by Boris "BoJo" Johnson in the run-up to the December 2019 general election.

The Canary (2020-07-29). US officials claim Russia is behind the spread of virus disinformation. thecanary.co US officials say Russian intelligence services are using a trio of English-language websites to spread disinformation about the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.The officials alleged Russian operatives have acted in seeking to exploit a crisis the US is struggling to contain ahead of the presidential election in November.Two Russians who have held senior roles in Moscow's military intelligence service known as the GRU have been identified as responsible for the effort to reach American and western audiences, according to the US government officials, who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.The i…

RT (2020-07-29). Lukashenko 'demands answers' as KGB chief briefs him on 'Russian mercenaries' detained in Belarus. rt.com Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko has ordered a thorough probe into what he called an "emergency situation" as security chief confirmed arrests of 32 suspected 'Wagner' private military recruits in a televised briefing. | Lukashenko on Wednesday told the head of the Belarusian National Security Service, the KGB, to launch a transparent and unbiased probe into the incident, which the media has been quick to tie to the upcoming presidential election. | "If these are indeed Russian citizens… we must immediately contact the Russian officials and demand that they explain what is going on," Lukashenko said…