Monthly Archives: July 2020

2020-07-03: News Headlines

Andrew Harmer, Anja Leetz, Ben Eder, Remco van de Pas, Sophie Gepp (2020-07-04). [Correspondence] Time for WHO to declare climate breakdown a PHEIC? thelancet.com At the opening plenary of the World Health Assembly in May, 2019, Richard Horton urged member states and the Secretariat of WHO to recognise climate change as a planetary emergency. A few days later, during a side event on air pollution, climate change, oceans, and health sponsored by the Government of Sweden, the Minister of Health for the Seychelles Jean Paul Adam argued that climate change has to be recognised as a public health emergency at the international level. Johan Giesecke1 once stressed that as public health emergencies of international concern (PHEICs) evolve into more complex forms, it becomes neces…

yenisafak (2020-07-03). Copenhagen's Little Mermaid labelled 'racist fish'. yenisafak.com Denmark woke up on Friday to the words "racist fish" scrawled across the base of the "Little Mermaid", the bronze statue honouring Hans Christian Andersen's famous fairy tale that perches on a rock in the sea off a pier in Copenhagen.Police said it had not yet identified the perpetrators. The 107-year-old sculpture, which is visited by one million tourists each year, has been vandalised before, including by anti-whaling campaigners and pro-democracy activists, twice suffering decapitation."We consider it vandalism and have started an investigation," a spokesman for the Copenhagen police said.Protesters of the Bla…

_____ (2020-07-03). UK Denies Venezuela Access To Its Gold For Food And Medicine. popularresistance.org The United Kingdom's High Court Thursday decided that opposition lawmaker Juan Guaido can access 31 tons of Venezuelan gold held in the Bank of England, which prevents President Nicolas Maduro's administration from using those resources to fight the pandemic. | The ruling about this monetary reserve valued at over US $ 1 billion occurs after months of disputes between Venezuela and the Bank of England, which denied the constitutionally constituted government access to its own resources | On May 14, the Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV) sued the Bank of England to obtain and sell the Venezuelan gold bars. | The Sout…

Ramzy Baroud (2020-07-03). Tearing Down the Idols of Colonialism: Why Tunisia, Africa Must Demand French Apology. counterpunch.org The visit by newly-elected Tunisian President Kais Saied to France on June 22 was intended to discuss bilateral relations, trade, etc. But it was also a missed opportunity, where Tunisia could have formally demanded an apology from France for the decades of French colonialism, which has shattered the social and political fabric of this North

South Front (2020-07-03). Video: Syria Prepares for Military Confrontation with Turkey in Northeast. globalresearch.ca The Syrian Army and the National Defense Forces have put their forces on high alert in response to the new round of aggressive actions by the Turkish Army and its proxies in northeastern Syria. | Several convoys of government forces, including …

Eric Zuesse (2020-07-03). Countries Ranked on "Democracy" in 2020. dissidentvoice.org NATO and its supporters and member-nations are hiding the fact that the predominant belief in many of these nations is that they're dictatorships that merely pontificate 'democracy' to other nations. NATO, which is America's propagandistically 'pro-democracy' military alliance against Russia and against China, polled the people in 53 countries — some of which are in …

RT (2020-07-03). Germany joins tiny host of European nations by making 'upskirting' punishable crime. rt.com German MPs have followed their UK and French colleagues, backing legislation that carries a fine or even a prison term for taking unsolicited photos under somebody's clothing. | The Bundestag voted in favor of a law on "improving privacy protection" this Friday, thus outlawing the practice. | From now on, anyone trying to film under somebody's clothing in order to see their underwear or private parts will face a fine or a maximum prison term of up to two years. Under existing laws, upskirting was deemed a minor offence punishable only by a small fine. | Minister Christine Lambrecht, who championed the legislat…

RT (2020-07-03). France to probe ex-PM & minister over handling of Covid-19 — prosecutors. rt.com France's former prime minister Edouard Philippe and its health officials will be the targets of a probe into the government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, prosecutors say. | Health minister Olivier Véran and his predecessor Agnès Buzyn will be investigated, along with Philippe, the attorney general said. | The probe comes after nine complaints were found to be admissible by the Court of Justice of the Republic "on the sole count of abstention from fighting a disaster." | | Edouard Philippe arrives for a meeting at the Elysee Palace. © Reuters / Christian Hartmann | Philippe resi…

The Canary (2020-07-03). Germany agrees plan to phase out coal as energy source by 2038. thecanary.co German politicians have finalised the country's long-awaited phase-out of coal as an energy source, backing a plan that environmental groups say is not ambitious enough.Bills approved by both houses of parliament on 3 July envision shutting down the last coal-fired power plant by 2038 and spending some 40 billion euros to help affected regions cope with the transition.The plan is part of Germany's "energy transition", an effort to wean Europe's biggest economy off planet-warming fossil fuels and generate all of the country's considerable energy needs from renewable sources.Achieving that goal is made harder than…

The Canary (2020-07-03). Wales and Scotland hit out at UK government's 'shambolic' actions on quarantine. thecanary.co The UK government's handling of the easing of quarantine restrictions for international arrivals has been "shambolic", according to the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales.Following weeks of speculation, transport secretary Grant Shapps announced on 3 July that people returning to or visiting England from around 60 countries and overseas territories deemed to have low rates of coronavirus, such as Spain and France, will not need to self-isolate.His department was unable to convince the devolved administrations to sign off on the plan before it was made public.Grant Shapps said the announcement was good…

Brian Cloughley (2020-07-03). Britain's Disorder and Decline. counterpunch.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

_____ (2020-07-03). Bounty-Hunter Hoax to Kill U.S.-Russia Relations. strategic-culture.org Relations between the United States and Russia have already been badly wounded during recent years, largely as a result of baseless allegations such as Moscow interfering in American elections, colluding with President Donald Trump, or regarding other international developments, from the downing of a Malaysian airliner over Ukraine, to purported war crimes in Syria, to the alleged poisoning of British double-agent Sergei Skripal in England. | But the latest U.S. media effort claiming Russian military intelligence involvement in sponsoring Taliban assassins or "bounty hunters" to target American troops in Afghanis…

Lucas Koerner (2020-07-03). UK Court Denies Venezuela $1bn in Gold Needed to Fight Virus. globalresearch.ca The United Kingdom's High Court has blocked the Venezuelan government's effort to recover 31 tons of the nation's gold held by the Bank of England (BoE). | In a ruling handed down on Thursday, the court said it "unequivocally recognised opposition …

Rosemary Frei (2020-07-03). "No One Has Died from the Coronavirus" globalresearch.ca A high-profile European pathologist is reporting that he and his colleagues across Europe have not found any evidence of any deaths from the novel coronavirus on that continent. | Dr. Stoian Alexov called the World Health Organization (WHO) a "criminal medical …

John Feffer (2020-07-03). In the U.S., the Second Wave Is Already Here. zcomm.org While Europe and Asia track down three-digit infection spikes at worst, the U.S. is dealing with over 40,000 a day…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-03). Communist youth in Austria resist fascist mobilizations. peoplesdispatch.org On July 1, Wednesday, the Communist Youth of Austria (KJO) brought out a statement calling for resistance against the rising fascist and racist manifestations in Vienna and other Austrian cities. The statement by the Vienna committee of the KJO was made in the backdrop of an attack by right-wing Turkish nationalists against a Kurdish gathering in Vienna on June 24, and the clashes that followed it. Last week's events have also led to some diplomatic hostility between Austria and Turkey. | According to reports, a group called Grey Wolves comprising right-wing sections within the Turkish diaspora in Vienna was resp…

David Rosen (2020-07-03). White Nationalists on the Attack. counterpunch.org On Monday, June 22nd, Pvt. Ethan P. Melzer, 22, was charged with planning an ambush of members of his unit during an upcoming deployment with the help of an "occult-based neo-Nazi" group known as the "Order of the Nine Angles" and a related group known as the "RapeWaffen Division." Melzer was stationed in Vicenza, Italy, and

Andrew McCormick (2020-07-03). A Russian Bounty Is Bad. What's Shocking and Outrageous Is the War. thenation.com A Russian Bounty Is Bad. What's Shocking and Outrageous Is the War.

_____ (2020-07-03). Trump Used Looted Venezuelan Public Money To Build Border Wall. popularresistance.org Since the United States initiated a coup attempt against Venezuela's elected leftist government in January 2019, up to $24 billion worth of Venezuelan public assets have been seized by foreign countries, primarily by Washington and member states of the European Union. | President Donald Trump's administration has used at least $601 million of that looted Venezuelan money to fund construction of its border wall with Mexico, according to government documents first reviewed by Univision. | During his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump insisted countless times that he would "make Mexico pay" to build a gargantuan wall…

_____ (2020-07-03). World Rebukes US Over Iran. popularresistance.org Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday sought to reassert America's waning influence on the world stage, challenging the U.N. Security Council to extend a U.N. arms embargo that is due to expire in October. Instead, America's top diplomat received a scolding from friends and foes alike in the 15-nation council, which roundly criticized Washington for withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal two years ago without a clear plan to limit Tehran's nuclear activities. | On a day when the European Union pointedly excluded the United States from a "safe list" of countries permitted to travel to the 27-member bloc, the c…

yenisafak (2020-07-03). EU grants conditional clearance to COVID-19 antiviral remdesivir. yenisafak.com The EU executive said the drug, produced by Gilead Sciences Inc, was the first medicine authorised in the European Union for treating COVID-19 following a "rolling review" begun by the European Medicines Agency at the end of April.The agency reviews data as they become available on a rolling basis, while development is still ongoing.The Commission said on Wednesday it was in negotiations with Gilead to obtain doses of remdesivir for the 27 European Union countries.However, that may prove difficult after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced it had secured all of Gilead's projected production…

yenisafak (2020-07-03). Macron names Jean Castex as prime minister in government overhaul. yenisafak.com French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday named Jean Castex, a top civil servant and local mayor who orchestrated France's exit from its coronavirus lockdown, as prime minister in a high-stakes cabinet reshuffle.Castex will be tasked be forming the next government, the Elysee Palace said in a short statement. He replaces Edouard Philippe, who resigned earlier on Friday.

yenisafak (2020-07-03). Turkey accuses France of committing crimes in Libya. yenisafak.com Turkey's ruling party spokesman on Friday accused France of committing crimes in civil war-torn Libya."France has committed crimes in Libya," said Omer Celik, spokesman for the Justice and Development (AK) Party.Celik said as France's crimes have surfaced with mass graves, it is posing as a human rights defender to get away with the crimes by blaming Turkey.Recalling France's colonial history, he said: "France is guilty.""[France] cannot cover those mass graves by excessive attacks on Turkey or on our president."Libya has been torn by civil war since the ouster of late ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The country's…

yenisafak (2020-07-03). As tourists trickle back to resorts, Greeks have modest expectations. yenisafak.com Shops shuttered and streets abandoned, the island of Rhodes is pinning its hopes on a trickle of tourists to salvage what is left of a holiday season decimated by the coronavirus pandemic.One of Greece's busiest resort islands, the cobbled streets of the imposing medieval city of Rhodes town were empty this week. At this rate, only a few hotels will open this year, locals say."We have never experienced anything like this, not at least for the past 50 to 60 years," said Manolis Markopoulos, head of the hoteliers association in Rhodes.Greece opened its regional airports, including in Rhodes, to travellers this week…

yenisafak (2020-07-03). Russia reports less than 7,000 cases for 8th day in row. yenisafak.com Russia on Friday reported less than 7,000 new coronavirus for the eight consecutive day.A total of 6,718 cases were reported over the past 24 hours, raising the tally to 667,883, with active cases making up about a third of the total, the country's emergency task force said in a daily report.The virus claimed 176 lives over the last 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 9,859 while recoveries went up by 8,915 to reach 437,893, it added.Earlier this week, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said the country will continue increasing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests despite declining case numbers, to "identify new…

yenisafak (2020-07-03). Russia to reopen embassy in Libya. yenisafak.com Russia has decided to reopen its embassy in Libya, the Interfax news agency cited Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying on Friday.Lavrov said a ceasefire in the Libyan conflict, proposed by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi alongside Libya's eastern commander Khalifa Haftar in Cairo on June 6, fitted into decisions taken at an international conference in Berlin regarding the situation in the North African country.Lavrov was speaking at the start of a meeting with the speaker of Libya's pro-Haftar eastern parliament, Aguila Saleh.

yenisafak (2020-07-03). Close to 50 organized crime suspects remanded in Turkish custody. yenisafak.com As many as 49 people in Turkey were remanded in custody on Friday for their alleged links to organized crime.On June 26, Turkish security forces had arrested 75 suspects in the western Izmir province during an operation against an organized crime group.The suspects were sent to the Izmir Courthouse.Forty-nine of them were remanded in custody by the court for their alleged involvement in organized crime, including drug trafficking and forming a crime syndicate.While 21 of the suspects were released by the court under judicial control, five others were released.* Writing by Fahri Aksut…

yenisafak (2020-07-03). Erdogan says Turkey to 'keep a close watch' on developments in Libya. yenisafak.com "Work between Turkey and Libya's legitimate government must continue very seriously and decisively," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday.Erdogan also underlined that Ankara wants to "keep a close watch" on the developments in Libya as he informed that Turkish defense minister arrived in the civil-war-torned northern African country on Friday.Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Guler arrived in Libya to review the activities carried out under a memorandum of understanding between the two countries.Following the military ceremony at the Mitiga International A…

yenisafak (2020-07-03). 'Top-level visit shows importance EU attaches to Turkey'. yenisafak.com EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell's upcoming visit to the Turkish capital reflects the importance the EU places on its relations with Turkey, the bloc's chief foreign policy spokesperson said on Friday. | Borrell will meet Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Monday in Ankara, Peter Stano confirmed. | The top diplomats will "discuss the overall relations and in particular the recent developments and tensions in our relations between the EU and Turkey, and between Turkey and individual member states," Stano explained. | He stressed that "the trip and the exchanges are the expressions of the importance…

yenisafak (2020-07-03). Growing number of mercenaries to Sirte deepens conflict in Libya: Analysis. yenisafak.com By Ferhat Polat – The writer is a researcher at the TRT World Research CentreOver the past two months, there has been a drastic change on the ground in Libya as forces loyal to the internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) have pushed Haftar's self-declared Libyan National Army (LNA) to the borders of the coastal city of Sirte, some 450 km east of Tripoli, and Al-Jufra airbase in central Libya.Since January this year, Turkey has intervened determinedly in the Libyan conflict, providing air support, weapons, and technical assistance to the UN-backed government, and this Turkish support has rec…

yenisafak (2020-07-03). Erdogan dispels accusations about Hagia Sophia. yenisafak.com Turkey's president said Friday that accusations against the country about Hagia Sophia directly target its sovereignty.Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of a mosque in Istanbul, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey will always protect the rights of Muslims and the minorities living in the country.A Turkish court is about to announce its verdict on converting the 6th-century structure to a mosque.The Hagia Sophia was used as a church for 916 years. In 1453, it was converted into a mosque by Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II when the empire conquered Istanbul.Following the restoration work during the Ottoman era and…

yenisafak (2020-07-03). Turkey condoles with Myanmar over deadly landslide. yenisafak.com The Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Turkey was deeply saddened that the landslide at a jade mining site in northern Myanmar has resulted in loss of at least 162 lives, while more than 54 were injured and unknown number of people went missing."We extend our heartfelt condolences to the relatives of those who lost their lives and to the friendly people of Myanmar, wish speedy recovery to those injured, and hope that the missing will be safely found soon," the ministry added.The landslide in the state of Kachin was caused by heavy rains, triggering a "muddy wave" which buried the miners collecting…

Tina Gerhardt (2020-07-02). Ende Gel√§nde: 'When Laws Fail, It Is time for Blockades!'. commondreams.org Activists from "Ende Gel√§nde" have invaded the Garzweiler open-cast mine and occupied a lignite excavator. A banner with the inscription "System relevant? Mumpitz!" was attached to the excavator. The activists are behind it. (Photo: David Young/picture alliance via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/ende_gellende_coal_germany.jpg

Lee Camp (2020-07-02). Lee Camp: How the Media Used the Bounty Scandal to Stop the 'Threat' of Peace in Afghanistan. mintpressnews.com This is not a column defending Donald Trump. | Across my career, I have said more positive words about the scolex family of intestinal tapeworms than I have said about Donald Trump. (Scolex have been shown to read more.) | No, this is a column about context. When The New York Times reports anonymous sources from the intelligence community say Russia paid Taliban fighters to kill American soldiers, context is very important. | Some of that context is that

_____ (2020-07-02). US Media Used To Stop The 'Threat' Of Peace. popularresistance.org This is not a column defending Donald Trump. | Across my career I have said more positive words about the scolex family of intestinal tapeworms than I have said about Donald Trump. (Scolex have been shown to read more.) | No, this is a column about context. When The New York Times reports anonymous sources from the intelligence community say Russia paid Taliban fighters to kill American soldiers, context is very important. | Some of that context is that Mike Pompeo said, "I was the CIA director — We lied, we cheated, we stole. We had entire training courses." So we know for certain that U.S. intelligence ag…

_____ (2020-07-02). History Provides Clues Into Israel's West Bank Annexation. popularresistance.org Palestine has been annexed, occupied, stolen, and Palestinians have been dispossessed, exiled, caged, detained, subjected to an apartheid regime, and killed by the state of Israel for over seven decades. Every few years the world wakes up to protest some aspect of Israeli apartheid, occupation, or a massacre, and then it returns safely to its deep slumber. | Every so often, Israel manages to awaken the angst of the European Union and other international organizations with some announcement or another, a murderous attack on Palestinians, a declaration of annexation or "sovereignty," and then, as if under the influ…

Peter Koenig (2020-07-02). Russia Did It Again — Chasing the Bounty Hunters. globalresearch.ca Russia did it again. This time Moscow is accused of "paying to kill Americans". How criminal! | Such things only Americans would do — Washington, the Pentagon, CIA…. Because killing and have killed is in their mindset and bloodstream. That's what …

RT (2020-07-02). Mueller report redactions unlikely to be revealed before presidential election after Supreme Court agrees to hear Trump appeal. rt.com The US Supreme Court agreed to hear the Trump administration's bid to keep parts of prosecutor Robert Mueller's report on alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election redacted, likely ensuring the material won't sway 2020 votes. | Tuesday's Supreme Court decision hands congressional Democrats at least a temporary defeat in their effort to force disclosure of secrets that they hope can be used to damage President Donald Trump politically. The case won't be heard until the court's next term, which begins in October, so it won't likely be decided until after the November 3 election. | The Democrat-controlled US…

Andrea Germanos, staff writer (2020-07-02). As Pandemic Soars in US and Brazil, Red Cross Federation Chief Slams Trump and Bolsonaro for Anti-Science Responses. commondreams.org The remarks from International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies president Francesco Rocca for lawmakers to heed science came as Trump said the coronavirus is "going to sort of just disappear." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/icrc-covid-brazil-us.jpg

Alan MacLeod (2020-07-02). "Russia is Paying the Taliban": Afghan Bounty Scandal Comes at Suspiciously Important Time for US Military Industrial Complex. globalresearch.ca The latest scandal, like others before it, is based on scant testimony by anonymous officials and has had the effect of pushing liberal opinion on US foreign policy into a far more hawkish direction. | *** | Based on anonymous intelligence …

Stephen Lendman (2020-07-02). Historic Constitutional Changes in Russia. globalresearch.ca In January during an address to Russian lawmakers, Vladimir Putin proposed long overdue changes to the country's out-of-date Constitution. | They include what Sputnik International called "a heavy focus on social and organizational/governance issues" — notably guaranteeing a living wage and …

Marshall Auerback (2020-07-02). We Won't Have a Truly Global Economy Until People Start Taxing It That Way. counterpunch.org Major talks between the United States and the European Union to establish a shared tax framework for multinational companies broke down on the issue of seeking to secure an agreement on digital taxation. Big tech, which is heavily a U.S. creation, has long been in the sights of European economies, as their profits and revenues have

Leonid Savin (2020-07-02). US Begins Active Militarisation Of Space. thealtworld.com On 19 June, the unclassified section of the Pentagon's new space defence strategy was The publicly available document is short in length, but it clearly shows the position and intentions of the US military with regards to space — to achieve and retain US military superiority. | In the spirit of previous strategies and doctrines, Russia, China, Iran and North Korea, none of whic…

RT (2020-07-02). 'Solidarity is a test': Merkel wants EU to show resolve as Germany takes over bloc's 6-month presidency. rt.com German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged European Union leaders on Thursday to reach agreement on a multi-billion-euro coronavirus recovery fund, calling for resolve, as Berlin took the helm of the bloc. | The EU's chief executive Ursula von der Leyen joined the chancellor via video link. She warned that the next six months were crucial, after the region had reacted slowly to the coronavirus and was now facing a severe economic downturn. | "In such times, solidarity is a test," Merkel said. Italy and Spain, the EU countries most affected by the novel coronavirus, have questioned the value of the union in the cris…

RT (2020-07-02). Russia's chief of general staff discusses European security & arms control with NATO military committee head. rt.com Russia's Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov has discussed security in Europe and arms control during a telephone call with Chairman of the NATO Military Committee Sir Stuart Peach, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. | They discussed European security and arms control, the ministry said on Thursday. Also on the agenda were "the issues of the fight against the spread of Covid-19, and measures to prevent incidents during military activity," the statement added. | This was the second contact between Gerasimov and Peach. In late November, they met in Baku, Azerbaijan, to discuss the prevention of incid…

RT (2020-07-02). France ordered to pay up after epilepsy drug manufactured by coronavirus vaccine firm Sanofi caused birth defects. rt.com A French court has ordered the state to compensate three families whose children suffered birth defects due to the anti-epilepsy medication Dépakine. The drugmaker, Sanofi, is currently racing to certify a vaccine for Covid-19. | Dépakine is the brand name for sodium valproate, an ingredient used in the treatment of epilepsy, bipolar disorder, and migraines. However, it is known to

RT (2020-07-02). India to be compensated by Italy for fishermen shot in 2012, but won't prosecute involved marines. rt.com Two Italian marines blamed for killing a pair of Indian fishermen while protecting an oil tanker in 2012 won't be prosecuted by India, but Rome must pay compensation to New Delhi, The Hague court has ruled. | It was decided by three votes to two that "the marines are entitled to immunity in relation to the acts that they committed during the incident," the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) said in a statement on Thursday. | The ruling means that India has no jurisdiction over Salvatore Girone and Massimiliano Latorre, and won't be able to prosecute them. Yet the two will still face trial in Italy, as Rome h…

RT (2020-07-02). Pelosi calls for new sanctions on Moscow, amid 'Russian bounties' allegations. rt.com As the fallout from dubiously sourced allegations about 'Russian bounties' on US troops in Afghanistan continues, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for fresh sanctions against Russia's defense and intelligence sectors. | Moscow paid Taliban fighters bounties to kill American soldiers in Afghanistan, and President Donald Trump ignored intelligence briefings on the matter, an anonymously sourced New York Times report claimed last Friday. Trump called the story a "phony hit job" against him, his Defense Department found no corroborating evidence, and National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien said on Wednesday that…

RT (2020-07-02). Couriers from rival Moscow food delivery companies stage mass brawl outside McDonald's (VIDEO). rt.com Couriers from two of Russia's major food delivery companies, sporting their branded uniforms, were filmed fighting in public in Moscow… apparently to the disappointment of hungry customers awaiting their orders. | The 'battle' took place in a McDonald's parking lot and involved employees from 'Delivery Club' in green and 'Yandex Food' in yellow. | –í –ú–æ—Å–∫–≤–µ —Å–µ–≥–æ–¥–Ω—è –ø—Ä–æ–∏–∑&ndash…

RT (2020-07-02). Couriers from rival food delivery companies stage mass brawl in Moscow (VIDEO). rt.com Couriers from two of Russia's major food delivery companies, sporting their branded uniforms, were filmed embroiled in a fight in Moscow… apparently to the disappointment of hungry customers awaiting their orders. | The 'battle' took place in a McDonald's parking lot and involved employees from Delivery Club in green and Yandex.Eda in yellow. | –í –ú–æ—Å–∫–≤–µ —Å–µ–≥–æ–¥–Ω—è –ø—Ä–æ–∏–∑–&a…

2020-07-02: News Headlines

Lee Camp (2020-07-02). Lee Camp: How the Media Used the Bounty Scandal to Stop the 'Threat' of Peace in Afghanistan. mintpressnews.com This is not a column defending Donald Trump. | Across my career, I have said more positive words about the scolex family of intestinal tapeworms than I have said about Donald Trump. (Scolex have been shown to read more.) | No, this is a column about context. When The New York Times reports anonymous sources from the intelligence community say Russia paid Taliban fighters to kill American soldiers, context is very important. | Some of that context is that

_____ (2020-07-02). US Media Used To Stop The 'Threat' Of Peace. popularresistance.org This is not a column defending Donald Trump. | Across my career I have said more positive words about the scolex family of intestinal tapeworms than I have said about Donald Trump. (Scolex have been shown to read more.) | No, this is a column about context. When The New York Times reports anonymous sources from the intelligence community say Russia paid Taliban fighters to kill American soldiers, context is very important. | Some of that context is that Mike Pompeo said, "I was the CIA director — We lied, we cheated, we stole. We had entire training courses." So we know for certain that U.S. intelligence ag…

_____ (2020-07-02). History Provides Clues Into Israel's West Bank Annexation. popularresistance.org Palestine has been annexed, occupied, stolen, and Palestinians have been dispossessed, exiled, caged, detained, subjected to an apartheid regime, and killed by the state of Israel for over seven decades. Every few years the world wakes up to protest some aspect of Israeli apartheid, occupation, or a massacre, and then it returns safely to its deep slumber. | Every so often, Israel manages to awaken the angst of the European Union and other international organizations with some announcement or another, a murderous attack on Palestinians, a declaration of annexation or "sovereignty," and then, as if under the influ…

Stephen Lendman (2020-07-02). Historic Constitutional Changes in Russia. globalresearch.ca In January during an address to Russian lawmakers, Vladimir Putin proposed long overdue changes to the country's out-of-date Constitution. | They include what Sputnik International called "a heavy focus on social and organizational/governance issues" — notably guaranteeing a living wage and …

Peter Koenig (2020-07-02). Russia Did It Again — Chasing the Bounty Hunters. globalresearch.ca Russia did it again. This time Moscow is accused of "paying to kill Americans". How criminal! | Such things only Americans would do — Washington, the Pentagon, CIA…. Because killing and have killed is in their mindset and bloodstream. That's what …

Alan MacLeod (2020-07-02). "Russia is Paying the Taliban": Afghan Bounty Scandal Comes at Suspiciously Important Time for US Military Industrial Complex. globalresearch.ca The latest scandal, like others before it, is based on scant testimony by anonymous officials and has had the effect of pushing liberal opinion on US foreign policy into a far more hawkish direction. | *** | Based on anonymous intelligence …

Ramzy Baroud (2020-07-02). Tearing Down the Idols of Colonialism: Why Tunisia, Africa Must Demand French Apology. dissidentvoice.org The visit by newly-elected Tunisian President Kais Saied to France on June 22 was intended to discuss bilateral relations, trade, etc. But it was also a missed opportunity, where Tunisia could have formally demanded an apology from France for the decades of French colonialism, which has shattered the social and political fabric of this North …

Marshall Auerback (2020-07-02). We Won't Have a Truly Global Economy Until People Start Taxing It That Way. counterpunch.org Major talks between the United States and the European Union to establish a shared tax framework for multinational companies broke down on the issue of seeking to secure an agreement on digital taxation. Big tech, which is heavily a U.S. creation, has long been in the sights of European economies, as their profits and revenues have

The Canary (2020-07-02). BBC cutting around 450 jobs across England. thecanary.co The BBC has announced plans to cut around 450 jobs across England.The broadcaster said that BBC England must save £25m by the end of March 2022.BBC England is the home of the corporation's local radio stations and regional TV news, and according to the BBC will "undergo a significant reinvention".It comes after the BBC last month said it was axing more than 150 roles in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.Outgoing BBC director-general Lord Tony Hall (Dominic Lipinski/PA)Last month outgoing director-general Lord Tony Hall launched a programme of voluntary redundancy across the BBC.The BBC already had an &po…

The Canary (2020-07-02). Beavers born in Essex 'for first time since Middle Ages'. thecanary.co Beavers have been born in Essex for the first time since the Middle Ages, conservationists have said.The mammals had been hunted to extinction for their meat, fur and scent glands in the UK by the beginning of the 16th Century but have since been reintroduced. | A pair of Eurasian beavers were brought to the Spains Hall Estate in Finchingfield last year as part of a project to help reduce flood risk.They were the first to be brought to Essex in 400 years, and now they have had two babies — known as kits.Darren Tansley, river catchment coordinator at Essex Wildlife Trust, said: "We always hoped that having be…

Jeremy Kuzmarov (2020-07-02). Biden Compared Indicted War Criminal to "George Washington" counterpunch.org In 2010, current Democratic Party presidential hopeful Joe Biden Jr. referred to Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leader Hashim Thaci as the "George Washington of Kosovo." On June 24th, it was reported that Thaci had to cancel a trip to Washington because of his indictment by the Hague for war crimes and crimes against humanity. These

Dr. Paul Craig Roberts (2020-07-02). The Fourth Estate Has Murdered America. The NYT "Made Up The Story"? globalresearch.ca The "news service" of multi-billionaire Bloomberg echoes the New York Times lie that Russia paid the Taliban to kill US occupying troops: | "Lawmakers from both U.S. political parties demanded President Donald Trump hold Russia accountable over allegations it offered cash …

_____ (2020-07-02). Anti-Russia War Fever Spreads On Capitol Hill. popularresistance.org Groups of congressional Republicans and Democrats have visited the White House over the past two days for briefings on allegations that the Russian military intelligence agency GRU offered bounties to Taliban fighters who killed American soldiers in Afghanistan. | They have emerged bristling with demands for retaliation, with one Republican senator declaring, "I want to hear their plan for Taliban and GRU agents in body bags"—in other words, for military action by the United States against Russia, possessor of the world's second largest stockpile of nuclear weapons. | The "Russian bounties" campaign is a fa…

Roger Stoll (2020-07-02). Cuban Spies Disguised as Doctors. dissidentvoice.org The European Union now excludes travelers from the COVID-ridden U.S., but welcomes those from the virtually COVID-free Cuba. Cuba, the country that sends doctors and infectious disease specialists around the world to fight the pandemic, the country the U.S. has held in contempt for 60 years, villified with every epithet and sanctioned and embargoed and …

Eric Zuesse (2020-07-02). Germany-US Relations in Crisis: Former German Chancellor Says U.S.-EU Alliance Could Now End. globalresearch.ca A German equivalent to UK's Financial Times and America's Wall Street Journal is the Dusseldorf Handelsblatt or "Commerce Sheet," which headlined on June 30th, They reported: | Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schrà∂der has …

WSWS (2020-07-02). Workers in Germany express their solidarity with striking Fiat Chrysler workers. wsws.org The strikes at two Detroit Fiat Chrysler plants in Jefferson North and Sterling Heights against intolerable health and safety conditions for production workers have met with a powerful response from workers in Germany.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-02). Over 78% Russian voters support amendments to the constitution. peoplesdispatch.org The amendments to the current constitution, which was adopted in 1993, will among other things allow incumbent president Vladimir Putin to contest again for…

Kyle Anzalone (2020-07-02). Dangerous Game: How the Wreckage of Russiagate Ignited a New Cold War. globalresearch.ca It's been nearly four years since the myth of Trump-Russia collusion made its debut in American politics, generating an endless stream of stories in the corporate press and hundreds of allegations of conspiracy from pundits and officials. But despite netting …

_____ (2020-07-02). Bolivia: Añez Wants To Jail The Favored Candidate In The Coming Elections. popularresistance.org Bolivia's de facto president, Jeanine Añez, is losing more and more of her mask obscuring democracy that, with the complicity of the United States and the European Union, she had to put on to justify the violent overthrow of Evo Morales in November of last year. | Now, in a fragrant demonstration that in Bolivia there are no constitutional guarantees and that persecution is the rule of order, a coup is being prepared against the presidential candidate of the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS), Luis Arce Catacora. | In a confirmation of the validity of the lawfare method (judicial war) against popular leaders, the le…

The Canary (2020-07-02). PM's father Stanley Johnson's visit to Greece angers MPs. thecanary.co Boris Johnson's father Stanley has been criticised by MPs after flying to Greece despite government advice urging against non-essential international travel. | The 79-year-old arrived in Athens on Wednesday 1 July to visit his mountain villa. He shared a video of his plane landing in the capital on social media platform Instagram. | He also posted a picture of himself wearing a face mask, which appeared to be taken in an airport. Johnson flew to Athens via Bulgaria, the Daily Mail said, because the Greek government has banned direct flights from the UK until mid-July.

yenisafak (2020-07-02). Germany tells Turkey travel warning will be regularly reviewed. yenisafak.com Germany will keep reviewing travel advice for Turkey, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told his Turkish counterpart on Thursday, saying any decisions were coordinated with the EU and based on reliable data on infections and the health situation.Turkey is disappointed that the EU has excluded it, along with the United States and others, from a list of countries recommended for non-essential travel and has called on it to correct its "mistake".Speaking to reporters after talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in Berlin, Maas said reviews of the situation took place every two weeks."Further steps will follo…

yenisafak (2020-07-02). Germany planning 42.5 bln eur in tax relief to 2024. yenisafak.com Germany is planning tax cuts totalling 42.5 billion euros over the period to 2024, with 7 billion euros of cuts planned in 2021 alone, Handelsblatt newspaper reported on Thursday, adding that the cabinet would agree the measures at the end of July.According to the newspaper, these latest measures to stimulate the recovery of Europe's largest economy will include an increase in individuals' tax-free income allowance as well as increases to the income thresholds at which higher income tax rates kick in.Families will also receive extra money for each child they have, the paper reported.

yenisafak (2020-07-02). Turkey demands apology from France. yenisafak.com Turkey's foreign minister on Thursday demanded an apology from France for misleading NATO and EU about recent tensions in the Mediterranean."France did not tell the truth to both NATO and EU. The claim that our ships locked is not true. We proved that and gave the documents to NATO. And NATO saw the reality," said Mevlut Cavusoglu in a joint news conference with his German counterpart Heiko Maas."Our expectation from France is to apologize to us for not providing the true information," he added. France last week claimed that Turkey harassed one of its vessels taking part in a NATO mission in the Mediterranean. Tu…

yenisafak (2020-07-02). Hungary not to open borders at EU's request, says PM. yenisafak.com "For now, we cannot support the EU's request because that would be against the health interests of the Hungarian people," Victor Orban said.Hungary, which joined the EU in 2004, opened its borders to Serbian citizens early June.This week the 27-member bloc added 14 states to the list of non-EU countries whose citizens can resume travel to the EU from July 1.The countries are Serbia, Montenegro, Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay. China is also on the register, but only on the condition of reciprocal action by the Chinese authorities…

yenisafak (2020-07-02). Turkey's chemical exports up 10.2% in June. yenisafak.com Turkey's chemical sector exports rose by 10.2% year-on-year in June, a local association said Thursday.The Istanbul Chemical and Chemical Products Exporters' Association (IKMIB) said the exports reached $1.42 billion in June.This figure totaled to $8.64 billion in the first half of the year.In June, the sector's main export destinations were Iraq, the Netherlands and Germany.Turkey's overall exports were $13.5 billion in June, up 15.8% on a yearly basis, the Turkish trade minister announced earlier on Thursday.

yenisafak (2020-07-02). Italy should compensate India in marine shooting dispute: arbitration court. yenisafak.com The court said it was up to India and Italy to decide the amount of compensation warranted in the so-called Enrica Lexie case, which has soured relations between the two countries in recent years.The marines, part of a military team on anti-pirate duty protecting the Italian oil tanker Enrica Lexie in 2012, say they mistook Indian fishermen for pirates and fired warning shots which accidentally killed the two fishermen.

yenisafak (2020-07-02). India marks $5.2B for indigenous military projects. yenisafak.com India on Thursday earmarked 389 billion Indian rupees ($5.2 billion) for the design and development of indigenous military equipment, according to a statement by the Ministry of Defense. Following a meeting of the country's defense acquisition council, the Ministry of Defense announced that the approved proposals included acquisitions worth 311.3 billion rupees ($4.1 billion) from domestic defense industry firms.The country also green lighted the purchase of additional fighter jets from Russia, including the procurement of 21 Mikoyan MIG-29 along with upgrading of 59 existing aircraft, costing 74.18 billion rupee…

yenisafak (2020-07-02). Erdogan arrives in Doha for official visit. yenisafak.com urkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived Thursday afternoon in the Qatari capital, Doha on a day-long official visit.Qatari Defense Minister Khalid bin Muhammad Al-Attiyah and other officials received the Turkish president at the airport.Erdogan is scheduled to meet with Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to discuss "mutual relations between the two friendly and brotherly countries."Erdogan is flanked by Finance Minister Berat Albayrak and National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar.He is also accompanied by Turkey's Communications Director Fahrettin Altun, presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin and intel…

yenisafak (2020-07-02). Three tons of manure used for explosives seized in Turkey. yenisafak.com Turkish security forces in an operation against the PKK/KCK terrorist organization in eastern Van province seized 3 tons of manure used for making explosives, the governor's office announced Thursday in a written statement.The provincial gendarmerie command continues efforts to unveil activities of the terrorist organization in the region, said the statement.The operation was conducted based on a tip about a large amount of artificial fertilizer buried in the ground in the rural area of Baskale district to be used in the preparation of handmade explosives in attacks against the military facilities, public institu…

yenisafak (2020-07-02). Turkish resort city ready for safe tourism season. yenisafak.com Turkey's Mediterranean resort city of Antalya is fully set up to ensure safe tourism and a virus-free environment, according to Ukraine's envoy to Turkey."We see that visits from Ukraine started well. There are serious preparations for safe tourism in Antalya, we had the chance to see them ourselves by visiting like a tourist," Ambassador Andrii Sybiha said during a meeting with Ersin Yazici, Antalya's governor.Sybiha said Antalya is a very beautiful city and is not only the capital of Turkish tourism but also agriculture.Telling how flights from Ukraine to Antalya started on Wednesday, he called on more Ukrainia…

en.mehrnews (2020-07-02). FM Zarif hopes for developing ties with Belarus. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 02 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif expressed his hope for developing bilateral ties between Iran and Belarus.

en.mehrnews (2020-07-02). Iran agrees to compensate downed plane victims' families. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 03 (MNA) —Sweden's foreign minister says Tehran has agreed to compensate the families of the foreign victims of the shot down plane.

Rebecca Maskos (2020-07-02). Go die! -Corona crisis shows that social Darwinist ideas are taken up by left wing politic. indybay.org Rebecca Maskos and Stephan Weigand, two leftists from Germany, wrote a text to tackle the German left's socialdarwinist and ableist stances in the face of the Corona crisis. The text focuses only on current excesses of socialdarwinism of the German left, but maybe some of it may apply to other countries as well. | We think that it's really bothering how people who otherwise are the first ones to fight every "-ism" can't understand how much ableism towards disabled and ld people they spread in their criticism of the government's epidemiological interventions to flatten the curve. (This criticism was pretty widespr…

Daria Solomennikova (2020-07-01). In Russia, a New Generation of Activists are Taking on Climate Crisis. commondreams.org For young climate activists like Alexey, the lesson is clear: Vladimir Putin, the authoritarian president who has been in power for all of their lives, has never been all too concerned about their safe and sustainable future. (Photo: Fridays for the Future Russia / Facebook) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/climateemergency.jpg

yenisafak (2020-07-01). 'Priority in Syria political unity, territorial integrity'. yenisafak.com Protecting the political unity and territorial integrity of Syria is a priority, the Turkish president said Wednesday."Maintaining the political unity and territorial integrity of Syria, the establishment of calm on the ground and a lasting solution to the conflict are our priority," Recep Tayyip Erdogan told a Turkey-Russia-Iran summit under the Astana process via video conference."We'll continue to do our best to provide peace, security and stability in our neighbor Syria," he said.The trilateral meeting is ongoing with the attendance of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Puti…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-01). Global protests against Israel's 'Annexation Plan'. peoplesdispatch.org Protests, both on the ground and on the virtual platforms, were organized on Wednesday July 1 across the world to denounce the proposed Israeli annexation of parts of the occupied Palestinian land in the West Bank. Several organizations are also demanding international sanctions against Israel if it goes ahead with the move. | Civil society movements, including the Palestinian Boycott, Divest and Sanctions (BDS), organized protests in countries such as the US, the UK, Canada, Germany and Spain, among several others. | Israel had announced that it would start the process of annexation of the parts of the occupied…

RT (2020-07-01). Black Lives Matter is 'anti-christian' & 'anti-civilizational' — outspoken senior Russian Orthodox Bishop. rt.com A prominent Russian cleric believes the 'Black Lives Matter' movement isn't a battle for human rights, but rather a "struggle for who is most important in humanity." He says its true nature is "becoming increasingly apparent." | Bishop Savva of Zelenograd, the deputy administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate says the campaign is "anti-Christian and anti-civilizational." | Also on rt.com | | The churchman was reacting to news that the statue of Emperor…

WSWS (2020-07-01). Ireland's Greens agree to join austerity coalition government. wsws.org Almost five months after Ireland's February 8 general election, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have formed a coalition government after the Green Party voted to come on board.

Ramzy Baroud (2020-07-01). Tearing Down the Idols of Colonialism: Why Tunisia Must Demand a French Apology. mintpressnews.com A debate is brewing in Tunisia on whether to demand an apology from France for the exploitation and trauma wrought by French colonialism, a move that could preclude a demand for compensation.

Andre Vltchek (2020-07-01). Some Italian Thinkers are now resisting Lies about the Soviet Union and WW II. dissidentvoice.org 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 all essential historic events, be they colonialism, crusades, or genocides committed by the Western expansionism …

Matthew J.L. Ehret (2020-07-01). A Canada Day Surprise: How a "Synthetic Nationalism" Was Created to Break the US-Russia Alliance. dissidentvoice.org As a Canadian author associated with a Canadian geopolitical magazine and a book series rooted in the thesis that Canada is still under the dominance of the British Empire to this very day, the July 1st holiday known as "Canada Day" is a bit of a strange thing to celebrate. As I have recently written …

RT (2020-07-01). Pentagon chief says 'no corroborating evidence' so far to back Russia bounty story. rt.com The US secretary of defense said that while the Pentagon takes all threats against US troops "very seriously," there is so far no proof for the ever-shifting story that Russia paid bounties for the killing of US soldiers. | In a statement on Tuesday, US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the top military brass treats the security of military personnel, including in Afghanistan, as a high priority. | "I want to assure all of our service members that the Department takes very seriously any and all potential threats against US military personnel," he said. | Esper noted that while he and others in the US military…

RT (2020-07-01). France warns Israeli annexation of West Bank won't be 'without consequences'. rt.com France has warned that any Israel annexation of the West Bank "could not be left without consequences" and said that it is "examining different options" at a national level and with its European partners. | "Annexation of Palestinian territories, whatever the perimeters, would seriously throw into question the parameters to resolve the conflict," Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told a parliamentary hearing on Wednesday. | Israel plans to annex as much as 30 percent of occupied Palestinian territory, which has been met with disapproval from much of the international community, including the UK and EU.

RT (2020-07-01). France stands back from NATO's Libya op after maritime face-off with Turkish Navy — media. rt.com Paris has "temporarily" suspended its role in Operation Sea Guardian off the coast of Libya. The French Defense Ministry sent a letter to NATO headquarters announcing the decision and calling upon allies to "solemnly reaffirm their attachment" to the arms embargo on the war-ravaged country. The Turkish envoy to France confirmed the news, saying the French Navy is calling off its frigate Courbet which engaged in a mid-sea standoff with Turkish warships escorting a civilian freighter on its way to Libya several weeks ago. The incident exacerbated already tense relations between the two NATO countries. French Pre…

RT (2020-07-01). Turkey accuses 'biased' France of allowing Libya embargo violations in support of Haftar. rt.com Ankara has taken aim at France for allegedly ignoring violations of an international arms embargo placed on Libya, claiming that illegal activity was being carried out to benefit commander Khalifa Haftar. According to Reuters, Turkey's ambassador to Paris, Ismail Hakki Musa, said on Wednesday that the United Arab Emirates and Egypt were bypassing the UN blockade — and that "biased" France was doing nothing to stop it. | The accusation comes a day after Turkey slammed France's "dishonest approach" to the crisis in Libya. For its part, Paris has condemned Ankara for turning a blind eye to illegal arms shipm…

RT (2020-07-01). UK turns to Germany in bid to finally get its Covid-19 contact tracing app off the ground, ambassador says. rt.com Germany's ambassador to the UK says British health services have reached out to their German counterparts to find a solution to the UK's embarrassing predicament over its yet-to-be-launched coronavirus contact tracing app. | Diplomat Andreas Michaelis made the remark while speaking to BBC Radio 4's 'Today' show about the success of Germany's domestic contact tracing app, which relies on Apple and Google tech to trace people who may have contracted coronavirus because of their proximity to a confirmed case. "It works," Michaelis said. | This is in stark contrast to the UK's own app which, far from working, has…

RT (2020-07-01). Vote on amendments isn't about Putin, it's the first ever 'truly Russian constitution' – leading historian. rt.com Previous Russian constitutions were either inspired or influenced by foreign legislators, but the amendments that the country is voting on are truly "Russia-centered," veteran Russia-focused historian Martin McCauley told RT. | It's no wonder then that the Western media ignores more than 200 proposed changes to the Russian Constitution and only focuses on the one that may allow Vladimir Putin run for president again, if he wishes to do so. | "'Putin wants to be Tsar for life' — that makes headlines, everyone understands that and if you go into the details of constitutional law people get bored," McCauley…

RT (2020-07-01). New York Times calls for punishing Putin over anonymous bounty claims but advised Trump to let ISIS kill Russian troops in Syria. rt.com The same New York Times reporting anonymous claims of Russian bounties on US troops in Afghanistan opined in 2017 that President Trump should let ISIS "bleed" Russian forces in Syria rather than help defeat the terrorists. | Thomas Friedman, who has won three Pulitzer prizes as a journalist and columnist for the Times, argued in an

RT (2020-07-01). Over 77 percent of Russians back constitutional amendments, 21 opposed — preliminary results. rt.com After processing 85 percent of the ballots, the Russian election commission has announced that 77,8 percent of the voters approved the changes to the constitution, while 21,3 percent opposed. Nationwide turnout was at 65 percent. | Millions of Russians went to the polls on Wednesday to cast their vote for or against the 206 proposed amendments, already approved by the legislature. This was preceded by five days of early voting starting June 25 and even online voting in Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod — all due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which delayed the vote from its originally scheduled date of April 22. | Al…

RT (2020-07-01). Constitutional amendments vote in Russia: RT special coverage. rt.com Russians are heading to the polls on the last day of voting on amendments to the country's constitution. Citizens have plenty of time to express their will, as July 1 has been declared a holiday. | Among other things, the proposed amendments would transfer more power to Russia's two houses of parliament, as well as potentially allow Vladimir Putin to run for the presidency two more times. | Initially scheduled for April 22, the vote was postponed until July 1 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The government allowed voters to go to their polling stations up to a week before the final date, in order to reduce crowds…