Monthly Archives: July 2020

2020-07-23: News Headlines

Black Alliance for Peace (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….

William Boardman (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 …

Peoples Dispatch (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…

Fight Back (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…

Marilyn Bechtel (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 …

Dave Lindorff (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

Editor (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 . . . |

Eds. (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.

Margaret Kimberley (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 …

Abayomi Azikiwe (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 …

WSWS (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.

Dr. Heiko Schà∂ning (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 …

Kit Knightly (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. …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-23). Mexico struggles to fight COVID-19. peoplesdispatch.org Mexico emerges as the third worst-hit country in the Latin American and Caribbean region and the seventh nation in the world with most confirmed cases of coronavirus. With a population of about 129 million, Mexico has the second-highest death toll in the region and the fourth-highest in the world, after the United States, Brazil and the United Kingdom. | The first coronavirus case in Mexico was recorded on February 28 and the first fatality on March 19. As of July 22, the country has registered 362,274 confirmed cases of the coronavirus infection, 41,190 deaths due to the disease and 231,403 recoveries. | The gov…

Max Elbaum (2020-07-23). Guns? Yes. Masks? No. And Gestapo in Portland. zcomm.org The toxic mix of valuing gun ownership over protecting public health, conspiracism, and reactionary movements glued together by white supremacy and national chauvinism are too deeply rooted to be ended any time soon…

_____ (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). 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). 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). 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…

RT (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

yenisafak (2020-07-23). Turkey's Erdogan approves Supreme Military Council decisions. yenisafak.com Turkey on Thursday announced decisions taken by the summer Supreme Military Council meeting chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.A written statement by the Directorate of Communications said 17 generals and admirals had been promoted, along with 51 colonels, as of Aug. 30. | The decisions, approved by Erdogan, will raise the number of generals and admirals in the Turkish Armed Forces from 226 to 247, it added.The Second Chief of General Staff, Lieutenant General Metin Gurak, was promoted to full general, while Naval Commander Vice Admiral Ercument Tatlioglu was promoted to full admiral. Major General Veli Ta…

yenisafak (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…

yenisafak (2020-07-23). Austrian state's 'pioneering' anti-Muslim institution: analysis. yenisafak.com The integration minister of the Austrian government has set up a unique new center to document what it calls "political Islam". But the attempt to "fight the dangerous ideology of political Islam", as the minister claims, turns out to be the latest step in surveilling Muslims and pushing Muslim civil society organizations to the margin.The project was praised by all three presenters as a pioneering move in Europe. Integration Minister Susanne Raab, a longtime fellow of chancellor Sebastian Kurz from the governing Austrian People's Party (àñVP), has presented the establishment of a documentation center tog…

RT (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.

RT (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…

The Canary (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…

The Canary (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…

DLI (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). 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…

Staff (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."

yenisafak (2020-07-23). Sensible and chic: the $185 luxury face mask from Belgium. yenisafak.com Take a face mask, adorn it with jewels or attach it to a long, flowing neck scarf. What have you got? A pandemic precaution, yes, but also a luxury fashion statement that can cost anywhere from 75 to 160 euros ($87-185).As mask-wearing becomes part of everyday defences against the coronavirus, Belgian designers are turning medical masks into chic accessories.Brussels-based stylist Aude De Wolf has created a "scarf mask" that uses linen, cashmere and other high-quality materials to combine masks with luxurious shawls."I was inspired by my mother because she doesn't like her neck," De Wolf, who has already sewn som…

yenisafak (2020-07-23). IMF plan only option for Lebanon, says France's Le Drian. yenisafak.com French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Thursday that Lebanon had no alternative other than an International Monetary Fund programme to help the country out of acute financial and economic crisis.Le Drian also told a news conference on an official visit to Beirut that the need for change and reform in Lebanon "is known by all" and that France stood ready to mobilise support if there is concrete reform.

yenisafak (2020-07-23). COVID-19 fatalities, cases continue to rise in Eurasia. yenisafak.com KazakhstanAccording to Kazakhstan's Health Ministry, at least 1,646 new cases were reported over the past 24 hours, bringing the total tally to 76,799.The count of recoveries rose to 48,220 with 1,430 new additions.Country's death toll stands at 610 whereas, the number of patients undergoing treatment in intensive care units declined by 12% over the past two weeks. Also, the occupancy rate at hospitals stand at 56%.- KyrgyzstanAynura Akmatova, an official of country's Health Ministry, said coronavirus cases in the country rose to 30,326, with 967 new cases reported over the past 24 hours.According to the offici…

yenisafak (2020-07-23). Russian top diplomat meets UN General Assembly head. yenisafak.com A meeting between Russia's foreign minister and the UN General Assembly president began on Thursday in Moscow. Volkan Bozkir, President of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly, said the purpose of the meet with Russia's Sergey Lavrov was to share and discuss plans of the UN General Assembly's future activities."The Russian Federation is one of the most important members of the United Nations Organization. Along with the fact that the Russian Federation is a member of the UN Security Council, it is also an important member that has its own weight and voice. In addition, Russia is a neighbor of the Republic…

yenisafak (2020-07-23). Turkey, Spain agree to deepen economic, trade ties. yenisafak.com Top officials of Turkey and Spain on Thursday agreed to enhance bilateral trade and investment.Speaking at a virtual meeting of the Joint Economic and Trade Committee, Turkish Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan said the two countries are seeking to cooperate and encourage mutual investments in countries where they are separetly active."We can boost joint trade in various sectors such as automative, clothing, iron and steel, electronic, furniture and food," Pekcan said.Noting that their ties date back to one-and-a-half century, Pekcan praised Spain's bonafide approach and trust regarding cooperation with Turkey.She unde…

yenisafak (2020-07-23). Turkey's East Med. energy policy on firm legal basis. yenisafak.com Turkey's oil and gas exploration and drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean are based on a strong international legal footing, according to energy experts on Thursday.As part of the country's hydrocarbon exploration activities, Turkey announced the start of new seismic research activity with the MTA Oruc Reis seismic vessel in the Eastern Mediterranean via NAVTEX (navigational telex) on July 21, 2020.Using a small islet a few miles distance from Turkey's coast as justification, the Greek Foreign Ministry alleged the Turkish drillship MTA Oruc Reis had violated its rights in the Eastern Mediterranean con…

yenisafak (2020-07-23). 'Hagia Sophia ready to open for Muslim Friday prayers'. yenisafak.com Hagia Sophia Mosque is ready to reopen on July 24 for worship for the first time in 86 years with inaugural Friday prayer, according to the governor of Istanbul, Turkey's metropolitan province.In a Thursday press conference at the iconic marvel, Ali Yerlikaya said everyone is looking forward to attending the special prayers with great enthusiasm.Stressing the measures being taken against the coronavirus, he said five different open spaces were reserved for worshipers to prevent overcrowding.Entrance to the areas reserved for prayer will start at 10.00 am (800GMT) on Friday, Yerlikaya added."Entrance to the prayer…

yenisafak (2020-07-23). Imams, muezzins appointed for Hagia Sophia Mosque. yenisafak.com Turkey's top religious authority on Thursday appointed three imams and five muezzins for Hagia Sophia Mosque, an iconic landmark in Istanbul all set to open for prayers on Friday.Ali Erbas, the head of Turkey's Religious Affairs Directorate (Diyanet), said Mehmet Boynukalin, Ferruh Mustuer and Bunyamin Topcuoglu were appointed as imams of the mosque.Hagia Sophia served as a church for 916 years until the conquest of Istanbul, and a mosque from 1453 to 1934 — nearly half a millennium.On July 10, a Turkish court annulled a 1934 Cabinet decree that had turned Hagia Sophia into a museum, paving the way for its…

yenisafak (2020-07-23). UK's Johnson calls for COVID-19 vigilance when colder months approach. yenisafak.com British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said people must remain vigilant to the coronavirus threat when the country heads into winter."It is not the end of the story and we've got to be very, very vigilant as we go forward into the colder months," Johnson told UK media.He was speaking in Orkney, an island group off the northern coast of Scotland, where he is trying to revive strained relations with Scotland by saying that the COVID-19 crisis has shown the collective power of the United Kingdom.

sputniknews (2020-07-23). European Parliament Warns It Could Block EU Budget, Report Says. sputniknews.com The European Union held a four-day summit, agreeing on Tuesday on a seven-year budget and COVID-19 economic recovery fund totalling €1.82 trillion.

sputniknews (2020-07-23). France's on a Loser, Will Gain Obligations, Not Benefit From EU Recovery Plan, Politician Says. sputniknews.com On 21 July, after four days of intensive summit talks EU leaders agreed a much-awaited €750 billion recovery plan to tackle the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The French Patriots' leader Florian Philippot has explained why, for France, it's too early to pop open the champagne.

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-23). Developing economic ties with Azerbaijan, Iran's top priority. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 23 (MNA) — Iran's newly-appointed Ambassador to Azerbaijan Republic Seyyed Abbas Mousavi said on Thursday that bolstering and boosting economic relations between Tehran and Baku is Iran's topmost priority.

Fight Back (2020-07-22). The Wisconsin District of FRSO condemns the deployment of federal agents to Milwaukee. fightbacknews.org Milwaukee, WI – Last week, unmarked federal agents in military uniforms grabbed protesters off the streets of Portland, Oregon, and threw them into unmarked black vans. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claimed responsibility for the shadowy operation, citing "graffiti" as their justification for snatching activists off the street and interrogating them. | Now, Milwaukee has been named by the Trump administration as one of the cities that would likely be targeted for deployment of Homeland Security Investigation agents. Some Milwaukee activists have reported spotting unidentified agents in military gear n…

Stephen Lendman (2020-07-22). US Exports Russian Election Meddling Hoax to Britain. globalresearch.ca Britain is an appendage of US imperial policy, complicit in its high crimes of war and against humanity — the supreme crime against peace. | Both countries are also united in waging war by other means against sovereign independent countries free …

yenisafak (2020-07-22). US: Armenians attack peaceful Azerbaijani protestors. yenisafak.com A large group of Armenians living in Los Angeles, California attacked and injured a much smaller group of Azerbaijanis and Turks who gathered to peacefully protest recent Armenian aggression in border towns of Azerbaijan. The incident took place on Tuesday in front of Azerbaijan's Consulate in the city when thousands of Armenians verbally and physically assaulted some 70 Azerbaijanis and Turks across the street, despite tight security measures by the L.A. Police Department."Acts of violence by Armenian radicals against a much smaller group of Azerbaijani-American counter protesters in front of the Consulate Gener…

Fight Back (2020-07-22). Federal officers seen dragging protesters into unmarked vans in Portland. fightbacknews.org Portland, OR – For weeks now, officers under the oversight of the Department of Homeland Security have been terrorizing the residents of Portland Oregon in new attempts to stamp out the protest movement that has been ongoing since the killing of George Floyd. These officers can be seen in various videos wearing nondescript camo fatigues with no markings indicating who they are or, or what agency they are working for. These same federal officers nearly killed a protester in Portland last week after shooting him in the head with a 'less-lethal' impact device. | In an intensification of an already overzeal…

Alan MacLeod (2020-07-22). Portland: "Wall of Moms" mobilizes to protect protests from police violence. mronline.org Chanting, "Feds stay clear! Moms are here!," groups of women congregated at the Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse and other locations in Central Portland. They were met with tear gas, flashbangs, and pepper round bullets, injuring many.

Joan Walsh (2020-07-22). Another Long Day of GOP Disrespect for Women. thenation.com Attacks on AOC, Liz Cheney, and Portland's "Wall of Moms" make it seem like Republicans don't care about women. Except Ghislaine Maxwell.

Joshua Hanks (2020-07-22). Outrage over Trump attack: Portland movement fights back. workers.org Federal officers were deployed to "quell" Portland's protests beginning the weekend of July 10 and continuing the following week. Camouflaged unidentified agents arrested and detained demonstrators without even a pretext. The Trump administration has escalated the confrontation between the people and the state apparatus, bringing a whiff of fascism to . . . |

Fight Back (2020-07-22). Trump deploying 150 federal agents in Chicago to repress our movement. fightbacknews.org Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. | What we have watched in Portland is the dress rehearsal for what Trump is preparing for Chicago: an effort to squash the Black Lives Matter protests flowing from this uprising by violent military means. He claims he is targeting the cities controlled by Democrats because of the chaos caused by the largest rebellion in U.S. history. | In truth, broad democratic forces have come together to exercise their right to protest against police murder and violence. We've had signals this was…

2020-07-22: News Headlines

Stephen Lendman (2020-07-22). US Exports Russian Election Meddling Hoax to Britain. globalresearch.ca Britain is an appendage of US imperial policy, complicit in its high crimes of war and against humanity — the supreme crime against peace. | Both countries are also united in waging war by other means against sovereign independent countries free …

yenisafak (2020-07-22). US: Armenians attack peaceful Azerbaijani protestors. yenisafak.com A large group of Armenians living in Los Angeles, California attacked and injured a much smaller group of Azerbaijanis and Turks who gathered to peacefully protest recent Armenian aggression in border towns of Azerbaijan. The incident took place on Tuesday in front of Azerbaijan's Consulate in the city when thousands of Armenians verbally and physically assaulted some 70 Azerbaijanis and Turks across the street, despite tight security measures by the L.A. Police Department."Acts of violence by Armenian radicals against a much smaller group of Azerbaijani-American counter protesters in front of the Consulate Gener…

T.P. Wilkinson (2020-07-22). The Marginalist Counter-Revolution, Science and Medical Social Management. dissidentvoice.org By the time Alfred Marshall became prominent, the theory of capitalism formulated in Marx's Capital had become a theoretical pillar of organised working class politics in Europe. Remarkably the so-called "marginalist revolution", of which Marshall became a leading figure, coincides roughly with the abolition of slavery in Brazil (1886) and a major economic depression.1 Thus the shift …

Ursula Huws (2020-07-22). Crunch time for the Platform Management model. mronline.org In what may come to be viewed as a historic court case, a group of UK Uber drivers from London, Birmingham, Nottingham and Glasgow have launched a legal action against Uber in the Netherlands, supported by the App Drivers and Couriers Union (ADCU), the International Alliance of App-based Transport Workers (IAATW) and Worker Info Exchange.

RT (2020-07-22). 'Nothing lawful in those barracks': 7 Italian police officers arrested over drug trafficking & torture. rt.com Italy has been shocked by a massive scandal in the wake of the arrest of seven Carabinieri officers suspected of being involved in a series of crimes ranging from drug trafficking to unlawful arrests and torture. | In an unprecedented move, prosecutors in the northern Italian city of Piacenza closed down and sequestered the local Carabinieri barracks as part of an investigation against officers operating from it. Six local officers were taken into custody and one put under house arrest. | "Nothing that was going on in those barracks was legal," Piacenza Chief Prosecutor Grazia Pradella told journalists. Only o…

RT (2020-07-22). Pangs of conscience or howl of an empty wallet? Steele claims he never meant for infamous Russiagate dossier to go public. rt.com Former British spy Christopher Steele insists he never wanted the notorious Trump dossier, which was central to the Russiagate investigation, to be made public. The belated pang of conscience emerged in response to a new lawsuit. | Steele would have done "whatever I could do to prevent" BuzzFeed from publishing the dossier, he told London's High Court in a written statement on Wednesday. | The document, which Steele compiled at the behest of the US opposition research firm Fusion GPS and Hillary Clinton's campaign in 2016, was published in early January 2017, shortly before Donald Trump's inauguration. | The f…

The Canary (2020-07-22). Ireland releases 'green list' of countries for travel and Great Britain's not on it. thecanary.co Ireland's government has released its "green list" of destinations for safe travel, with Italy and Greece included but Great Britain a notable omission.People arriving from Malta, Finland, Norway, Italy, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Cyprus, Slovakia, Greece, Greenland, Gibraltar, Monaco and San Marino will not be required to isolate for two weeks.Others arriving from overseas — with limited exceptions such as essential supply chain workers — are required to fill in a passenger locator form and self-quarantine for 14 days.People travelling from the north of Ireland are not subject to restrictions…

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-07-22). Lithuania's Upcoming Elections Will Determine Its Future Relations with Poland. globalresearch.ca Andrzej Duda's victory in the recent Polish presidential election will likely affect affairs in Lithuania, especially as Duda has a strong relationship with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausƒóda. Nausƒóda is not only a strong ally of Duda, but he …

Stephen Lendman (2020-07-22). Stepped Up Trump Regime War on China by Other Means. globalresearch.ca Another day, more shoes dropped, escalating US war on China by other means, a scenario fraught with danger by pushing things toward a point of no return that risks belligerent confrontation. | Time and again, US charges against Russia, Iran, China, …

WSWS (2020-07-22). EU Summit agrees to €750 billion fund for the banks and corporations. wsws.org The agreement will provide a new revenue stream for European states to give handouts to corporations, and a new mechanism for austerity across the continent.

WSWS (2020-07-22). Germany: The "riots" in Frankfurt and the right-wing network in the police. wsws.org The Frankfurt "riots" are being used by the German government to increase police powers and justify and strengthen radical right-wing structures in the state apparatus.

Micheal Mac Donncha (2020-07-22). Centenary of the Belfast Pogrom 1920. globalresearch.ca When the Partition of Ireland was first proposed in 1914 James Connolly said that such a scheme would mean "a carnival of reaction both North and South". In the summer of 1920, as the British government unleashed the Black and …

_____ (2020-07-22). The Russia Report — What this Whitewash really says. truepublica.org.uk TruePublica Editor: The main thrust of this whitewash of a report was this — and I quote — "the security services actively avoided looking for evidence." This long-awaited and hugely redacted report was, by any stretch of the imagination deplorable in every sense. If this is the best that the Intelligence and Security Commission of …

Tom Coburg (2020-07-22). There's more than a whiff of corruption hinted at in the ISC report on Russia. It stinks. thecanary.co The Russia

_____ (2020-07-22). Oklahoma Is — Always Has Been — Native Land. popularresistance.org Any shock that tribal nations have sovereignty over their own land reflects a serious misunderstanding of American history. For Oklahoma — indeed, all of North America — has always been, for lack of a better term, Indian Country. North America was not a vast, unpopulated wilderness when white colonizers arrived in 1620. Up to 100 million people of more than 1,000 sovereign indigenous nations occupied the area that would become the United States. At the time, fewer than 80 million people lived in Europe. | America's indigenous nations were incredibly advanced, with extensive trade networks and economic…

yenisafak (2020-07-22). Romania exceeds 1,000 new coronavirus cases in record daily high. yenisafak.com The number of coronavirus infections in Romania rose by a record 1,030 new cases in a day, the government said on Wednesday, as the World Health Organization said spikes in southern Europe and the Balkans were worrying.Romania has confirmed 40,163 cases since the pandemic reached it in late February and 2,101 people have died. The government has extended a state of alert, in place since May 15, by another 30 days until the middle of August.

yenisafak (2020-07-22). 2.8M children grow up in poverty in Germany amid pandemic. yenisafak.com "The fight against child poverty has been one of the greatest social challenges in Germany for years," said the foundation.But there has been little improvement within the country since 2014.The pandemic has been threatening to aggravate the problem of child poverty, the foundation pointed out.The Bertelsmann study stressedthat child poverty remained "an unsolved structural problem with considerable consequences for the growing up, well-being, education and future prospects of children."The latest figure for poor children in Germany is up 800,000 compared to only two years ago.Some 21.3% of people under the age o…

yenisafak (2020-07-22). Russia and Turkey agree to push for Libya ceasefire, says Moscow. yenisafak.com Russia and Turkey have agreed to continue efforts to bring about a long-term and sustainable ceasefire in Libya, Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.Russia, alongside Egypt and the UAE, backs eastern Libya commander Khalifa Haftar, whose fighters have been battling the forces of Libya's internationally recognised government, which is supported by Turkey.

sputniknews (2020-07-22). France Tells Telecom Operators Licences for Huawei 5G Gear Will Not Be Renewed, Reports Say. sputniknews.com European nations, France included, have been pressed by the United States to ban Huawei from building their 5G networks. Washington has claimed Beijing uses the firm's equipment for spying. China has repeatedly denied the accusations.

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-22). Iran-Russia coop. contract updated: Zarif. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 22 (MNA) — Iranian FM Zarif on Wednesday informed that the long-term comprehensive and strategic contract between Iran and Russia has been updated.

Eds. (2020-07-21). Influential DC-based Ukrainian think tank hosts neo-Nazi activist convicted for racist violence. mronline.org The U.S.-Ukraine Foundation hosted notorious neo-Nazi militant Diana Vynohradova in a webinar this month. While legitimizing Ukrainian white supremacists, the think tank has forged close ties with foreign policy elites in Washington.

yenisafak (2020-07-21). Turkey arrests two Daesh terrorists in N. Syria. yenisafak.com Turkish security forces arrested two terrorists linked to Daesh terror group in northern Syria, just south of the Turkish border, the Turkish National Defense Ministry said on Tuesday."2 DAESH terrorists, who were found to be carrying out terrorist activities in order to disturb the environment of peace and security in the Euphrates Shield region, were detained in an operation," the ministry said on Twitter.Separately, Turkish security forces arrested two people allegedly linked to terrorist organizations along the Turkish-Syrian border in Hatay province, the ministry said in a statement.Since 2016, Turkey has la…

Staff (2020-07-21). Headlines for July 21, 2020. democracynow.org Coronavirus Spikes Across U.S. as Tensions Mount over Plans to Reopen Schools, Labs Show Promising Results in COVID-19 Vaccine as Cases Surge in Countries Around the World, Trump Threatens to Send More Feds into Cities Across U.S. to Crack Down on Protests, Georgia Dems Select State Senator Nikema Williams to Run for Late John Lewis's Congressional Seat, Suspect in Killing of NJ Judge's Son Is Found Dead, Was an "Anti-Feminist," Racist Lawyer, U.K. Suspends Extradition Treaty with Hong Kong, Iran Executes Man Convicted of Spying, After Halting Killing of Protesters Following Public Outcry, Rights Groups Call for…

Patrick Cockburn (2020-07-21). The UK and US are Starting a New Cold War with Russia and China. zcomm.org What are These Governments Trying to Hide?>

RT (2020-07-21). Khabarovsk politicians quit nationalist party after Putin sends fellow LDPR member from Moscow to replace popular local governor. rt.com He might be one of their own, but new Khabarovsk governor Mikhail Degtyarev isn't local enough for two Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) members in the Far Eastern city. They've quit after President Putin sent him to their region. | The two regional government politicians, Petr Emelyanov and Alexander Kayan, opted to

RT (2020-07-21). Ukraine hostage siege ends after President Zelensky fulfills gunman's bizarre demand & publicly endorses 2005 Joaquin Phoenix film. rt.com The gunman who took some 20 people hostage in a western Ukrainian city has freed them after President Volodymyr Zelensky fulfilled his rather strange wish. | Giving in to the gunman's demands, Zelensky recorded a short video address and released it online. By then, the hostage situation in the city of Lutsk had been unfolding for more than nine hours. | "The film 'Earthlings', 2005. Must watch, everyone," the president says in the clip — exactly as the hostage-taker requested. | While giving in to a terrorist's demands might be a controversial tactic, it seemed to have worked this time. Shortly after Z…

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-07-21). Is the U.S. About to Move Its Strategic Naval Base from Spain to Morocco? globalresearch.ca Located near the point where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Mediterranean Sea, close to Morocco, is the Spanish Naval Station Rota that is co-tenanted with the U.S. Navy. The issue for Washington to renew its tenancy that allows the Americans …

South Front (2020-07-21). Turkey's Poisonous Hand of Friendship with Ukraine. globalresearch.ca While the situation in Libya continues to escalate and the parties are preparing for a decisive battle for Sirte, Turkey, which actively supports forces of the Government of National Accord (GNA), is negotiating with its strategic partners. On July 10, …

Dr. Cyril Widdershoven (2020-07-21). The Forgotten Conflict Between Azerbaijan and Armenia Is Threatening Energy Markets. globalresearch.ca One of the world's forgotten conflicts is now making headlines again. | In the last week, the military conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia has reignited, with the two nations having already been engaged in a military confrontation for decades. Nagorno Karabach, …

WSWS (2020-07-21). Coronavirus cases rise sharply in Austria. wsws.org The Ministry of Health in Vienna reported 157 positive COVID-19 tests on Thursday, the highest number since April 10.

WSWS (2020-07-21). Italian composer Francesco Lotoro rescues music composed in the concentration camps. wsws.org Lotoro has devoted three decades to the research and discovery of music written and performed in defiance of Nazi barbarism.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-21). Thousands march in France demanding Justice for Adama Traoré. peoplesdispatch.org Adama Traoré was killed on his 24th birthday on July 19, 2016, by three police officers from the French National Gendarmerie who used excessive force when arresting him…

Adrienne Jones (2020-07-21). Georgia's Election Disaster Shows How Bad Voting in 2020 Can Be. commondreams.org Georgia's presidential primary election on June 9 was a nightmare mix of inefficiency and discrimination that shows how difficult it is for many Americans — particularly Black Americans — to participate in their democracy. (Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/screen_shot_2020-07-21_at_4.47.35_pm.png

WSWS (2020-07-21). Ireland heading for second COVID-19 wave. wsws.org Ireland's National Public Health Emergency Team has warned of a second wave of COVID-19 infection as the Central Bank warns of a "severe negative shock".

splcenter (2020-07-21). OANN's Posobiec Met With Polish Neo-Fascists and Amplified Their Messages Online. splcenter.org One America News Network (OANN) correspondent Jack Posobiec promoted the cause of neo-fascism in Poland, Hatewatch determined during an investigation into his ties to white supremacy.

Tom Coburg (2020-07-21). The real lesson from the Russia report is that interference in UK democracy is far closer to home. thecanary.co The long delayed However, it failed to examine a number of serious concerns, in particular donations by Russian or Putin-linked oligarchs. Also, the report's focus on Russian interference rather successfully distracts from interfere…

Baud D. (2020-07-21). Calculation Error in Study of Pregnant Women With COVID-19 and Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes in Spain. jamanetwork.com To the Editor On behalf of my coauthors, I write to report an error in the study "Association Between Mode of Delivery Among Pregnant Women With COVID-19 and Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes in Spain," published online in JAMA on June 8, 2020. We have been notified by a reader that a miscalculation was present in our report. Unfortunately, this had been missed by our team.

jamanetwork (2020-07-21). Errors in Data and Statistical Significance. jamanetwork.com In the Research Letter titled "Association Between Mode of Delivery Among Pregnant Women With COVID-19 and Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes in Spain," published online in JAMA on June 8, 2020, there were errors in data and erroneously reported statistical significance for the outcome of admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). In the third paragraph of the Results, the second sentence was revised to read "After adjustment for confounding factors, cesarean birth was not significantly associated with an increased risk of NICU admission (adjusted odds ratio, 1.2; 95% CI, 0.3-4.5; P‚Äâ=&sb…

Yanis Iqbal (2020-07-21). Environmental Disaster and Health Crisis in Cerrejon. dissidentvoice.org At Cerrejon (Colombia), the largest open-pit coal mine in Latin America owned equally by BHP (Australia), Anglo American PLC (United Kingdom) and Glencore (Switzerland), the situation of the indigenous people is progressively worsening. Cerrejon Limited has informed the workers that "all the existing shifts will be unified into a single 7-day work, for three days …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-21). Who benefits from the US escalation against Huawei? peoplesdispatch.org The Chinese tech giant Huawei is increasingly being pushed out of Western markets. The most recent blow came last week, when the United Kingdom banned the use of Huawei manufactured components from its 5G networks. This move against Huawei is a direct result of US pressure on its allies to not allow the Chinese company into their markets.

yenisafak (2020-07-21). Russians seek to travel to Turkey despite restrictions. yenisafak.com Russians are trying to fly to Turkey for a holiday despite the ban on international flights imposed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.Crossing the border with Belarus through the forest or with a certificate of referral for treatment, the Russians then fly to Turkey.In April, after the introduction of a nationwide lockdown in Russia, experts of travel search company Aviasales noted a rise in requests for flights from Minsk — the largest international airport in Belarus — to Turkey.After checking the IP location, they found out that the majority of search queries were made by users from Russia.Since mid-May,…

yenisafak (2020-07-21). Libya: Germany criticizes Egypt's military intervention plan. yenisafak.com Germany on Tuesday criticized Egypt over its plans to militarily intervene in neighboring Libya.Foreign Minister Heiko Maas voiced Berlin's concern during a joint press conference with his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias after their meeting in Athens."Decisions on military deployments cannot be welcomed, as they always bring the danger of further escalation," Maas said, adding that German government has long been trying to de-escalate tensions in Libya, through talks with Libyan parties and regional actors.Maas recalled that the conflict parties were seeking to control provinces of Sirte and Al-Jufra, and argued…

yenisafak (2020-07-21). 'Turkey acts more effectively with presidential system'. yenisafak.com Turkey's reflexes under its current presidential system are quicker as well as more effective and comprehensive in responding to regional and global crises, the country's president said on Tuesday."The presidential system of government is the only administrative reform carried out directly by the people's will in our 200-year quest for democracy," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at a special Cabinet meeting looking back at the last two years under Turkey's presidential system, adopted in the wake of a 2017 public referendum.Erdogan added that he would willingly change course if a better and more effective system of gov…

yenisafak (2020-07-21). Turkey wants to play role in Niger's development. yenisafak.com Turkey wants to take part in the "great vision" of Niger's development plan, Turkey's foreign minister said on Tuesday in the Nigerien capital Niamey."We would like to make a contribution to Niger's development in the areas of transportation, construction, energy, mining and agriculture," Mevlut Cavusoglu told a press conference in Niger, the second stop on a West African tour.Speaking after talks with Nigerien President Issoufou Mahamadou, Cavusoglu said they had spoken at length on boosting relations between the two countries."With the president, we also evaluated [bilateral] cooperation against terrorism. We s…

yenisafak (2020-07-21). Turkey: Ruling party proposes social media regulations. yenisafak.com Working to fulfill a recent pledge by Turkey's leaders, the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party on Tuesday submitted a new bill to regulate social media."We aim to end insults and swearing on social media and harassment through this form of media," Ozlem Zengin, the party's deputy group chair, told reporters in parliament.Zengin underlined that the bill is not meant to shut down social media providers, saying: "We're aware of its place in our lives and we're also aware of the extent of its use.""But, in this sense, there is a series of tiered sanctions [in the bill] trying to set a balance between freedoms…

yenisafak (2020-07-21). Turkey: Cafes, restaurants can open normal hours again. yenisafak.com Further relaxing restrictions from the height of the coronavirus outbreak, Turkey is now allowing cafes, restaurants, and similar businesses to go back to normal work hours again.Working hour restrictions for certain businesses under the outbreak were lifted in line with recommendations of Turkey's Coronavirus Scientific Advisory Board, said an Interior Ministry circular sent to all of Turkey's 81 provinces on Tuesday.The businesses include restaurants, cafes, coffeehouses, tea houses, and clubhouses.These businesses will be able to operate within the times specified in their general regulations and licenses, as…

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-21). Germany, UK to discuss European trio format on Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 22 (MNA) — German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas informed of his intention to discuss the European trio format on Iran with UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab at their upcoming talks.

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-21). Iran, Georgia discuss bilateral ties. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 21 (MNA) — Iranian Ambassador to Georgia Javad Ghavam Shahidi and the country's Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia met and held talks in Tbilisi on Tuesday.

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-21). Iran-Russia relations growing exponentially: Lavrov. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 21 (MNA) — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Iran-Russia relations are growing exponentially.

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-21). Iranian delegation due in Kiev next week on Ukrainian plane. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 22 (MNA) — Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for International and Legal Affairs Mohsen Baharvand said that Iranian delegation will travel to Ukraine's capital Kiev next week to discuss issues around the Ukrainian plane crash.