2020-05-30: News Headlines

Eds. (2020-05-30). Minneapolis police leader defending George Floyd's killers tied to 'white power'-linked biker gang. mronline.org From The Grayzone vault: The record of a pro-Trump Minneapolis police leader defending the killers of George Floyd reveals a past marred in accusations of racist violence, including charges from fellow police officers that he once wore a "white power" badge on his motorcycle jacket.

Andrew Korybko (2020-05-30). China "Optimistic" with regard to Post Coronavirus World and Relations with US. globalresearch.ca Listening to Mr. Wang was therefore a refreshing reminder that everything really isn't as bad as Trump says that it is. | Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held an …

Kathy Kelly (2020-05-30). The Glory and Duty of Beating Swords to Plowshares. commondreams.org On April 4, 2018, Mark Colville, Clare Grady, Martha Hennessy, Elizabeth McAlister, Patrick O'Neill, Carmen Trotta and Fr. Steve Kelly, S.J. prayed, poured blood, spray painted messages against nuclear weapons, hammered on a replica of a nuclear weapon, hung banners and waited to be arrested. (Photo: Kings Bay 7) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/kings_bay_plowshares_0_0.jpeg

John Bellamy Foster (2020-05-30). Catastrophe capitalism and the COVID-19 crisis. mronline.org àñ≈ûK: In an interview with Michael D. Yates ("Trump, neo-fascism, and the COVID-19 Pandemic,"April 11, 2020, MR Online) you mentioned that "Capitalism is in its biggest crisis this century." What makes this crisis the "biggest"? What will the outcome of this crisis look like? Will this crisis and failure lead to a major change in …

Eds. (2020-05-30). The Monster Enters: COVID-19, Avian Flu and the Plagues of Capitalism — book review. mronline.org Mike Davis' The Monster Enters updates his earlier book on capitalism and pandemic disease to reflect on the current failure of the neoliberal state, finds Elaine Graham-Leigh…

Gerry Scoppettuolo (2020-05-30). Capitalism = Death: U.S. government response to COVID-19 mirrors ineptitude and malfeasance of response to HIV epidemic. liberationnews.org To compare the early years of the HIV epidemic to the COVID-19 pandemic is to relive a nightmare…

Staff (2020-05-30). Corrections Officers And Formerly Incarcerated People Protest Unsafe COVID-19 Conditions. therealnews.com Corrections officers joined prison abolitionists in a caravan rally protesting the lack of promised testing, PPE, and release of prisoners at four Maryland prisons.

Paul Haeder (2020-05-30). Caught in a Madhouse without My Mask. dissidentvoice.org Caught with their proverbial pants down? The blustery conversations tied to corona virus, lockdown, Trump LLC, Pelosi and Comp., and the failed state that is the USA are to be expected. It is a country of nanosecond attention spans. A country with amnesia in vitro. A country that has sacrificed future and future-future generations for …

CP Editor (2020-05-30). "We are Witnessing America as a Failed Social Experiment" — Dr. Cornell West Preaches on the System. counterpunch.org

Kim Petersen (2020-05-30). Lenses on Riots, Murder, and Racism in the US and Hong Kong. dissidentvoice.org The despicable police murder of a person, another Black person, who allegedly used a counterfeit $20 bill has caused widespread revulsion among Americans. This time, however, authorities acted relatively quickly calling in the FBI and firing all four police officers at the scene — Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao, and J Alexander Kueng. George …

Eds. (2020-05-30). Families, in times of pandemic and always. mronline.org Families vary, in terms of their composition, structure, and functioning, but all play a key role in society and require special attention from government.

Andre Vltchek (2020-05-30). In the West: Propaganda, Hysteria and Truly Foul Breath! dissidentvoice.org If it wasn't so tragic, it would be laughable: the political brigands in North America and Europe are fuming, spitting and rolling their eyes upwards towards the ceiling. They are pointing fingers in all directions, shouting incoherently "China!", "Russia!", "Venezuela and Cuba!", "Iran!"; "You, You, YOU!". China and Russia are quietly building a new world, …

pip.hinman (2020-05-30). Us or them: Who pays for the pandemic? greenleft.org.au

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-30). Why the Lesser-Evil Argument for Biden Sounds Hollow. strategic-culture.org It is evident that neither candidate is actually going to do anything substantive to save us from ecological catastrophe, writes Jonathan Cook. | Jonathan COOK | We are entering the final stages of the election to decide who will head the most powerful nation on Earth. That inevitably means the progressive and dissident left in the U.S. are again being deluged with arguments to vote for the lesser-evil candidate. | It has become such a standard left argument at election time that lesser evil voting even has its own acronym: LEV. Anyone who opposes Donald Trump's re-election come November must set aside their con…

The Canary (2020-05-30). Government advisers warn lockdown lifting too early as crowds flock to beaches. thecanary.co A growing number of expert advisers to the government on the coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis have expressed concern about plans to ease lockdown restrictions in England from 1 June.As people flocked to beaches and beauty spots in the sweltering heat over the weekend, Professor Peter Horby, of the University of Oxford, joined scientists Jeremy Farrar and Professor John Edmunds, all members of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), to warn that ministers are taking risks.Boris Johnson has announced that from 1 June in England, friends and families can meet in parks and gardens in socially distanced gro…

The Canary (2020-05-30). Government's 'mixed messages' cause chaos as people flock to beaches ahead of lockdown easing. thecanary.co People have flocked to beaches and train stations to enjoy the sunny weather ahead of lockdown restrictions being eased on 1 June.Hundreds swarmed to popular beaches, and the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) warned that "mixed messages" from the government has caused travel chaos. | Temperatures have soared well above the average for the time of year, with clear skies and highs of 28C on Saturday, according to the Met Office.Many people enjoyed the sunny weather on the coast by Durdle Door, near Lulworth in Dorset, despite police forces urging the public to "think twice" before travell…

RT (2020-05-30). Online fury as Ilhan Omar's daughter retweets leftists' call for supplies over violent Minneapolis riots. rt.com Isra Hirsi, the combative daughter of Ilhan Omar, had to go on the defensive after she threw a spark into the powder keg of Twitter rage by sharing a call to resupply those rioting over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

RT (2020-05-30). CNN blames 'RUSSIA, RUSSIA, RUSSIA' for George Floyd riots because they 'Can't blame China' – Trump. rt.com With riots sweeping America, a CNN guest suggested that Russia may be responsible for stoking anti-police anger in the US. President Trump ridiculed the "sick losers" at the network for their 'Russiagate' obsession. | "Here we go again," Trump tweeted on Saturday. "Fake News @CNN is blaming RUSSIA, RUSSIA, RUSSIA. They are sick losers with VERY bad ratings! P.S. Can't blame China because they need the cash?" | Here we go again. Fake News

RT (2020-05-30). US 'not relying on Russia anymore' & keeping China on the outside: Trump campaign manager turns SpaceX launch into politics. rt.com Two NASA astronauts had barely taken off from the Kennedy Space Center when the achievement was already being politicized back on Earth. To the Trump campaign, it was an opportunity to blast Joe Biden and the Chinese government. | NASA Astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley successfully launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Saturday, en route to the International Space Station in a capsule developed by Elon Musk's SpaceX corporation. | Also on rt.com | | The launch marks…

RT (2020-05-30). Pentagon puts military police on alert to provide assistance to Minneapolis amid riots — reports. rt.com The Pentagon plans to send military police to Minneapolis to help restore order in the city, according to reports. The city has seen its fourth night of unrest. | The Defense Department has ordered active-duty military police units to prepare to deploy to Minneapolis, which has seen riots sparked by the alleged police killing of an unarmed black man, George Floyd. | Army personnel from Fort Bragg in North Carolina and Fort Drum in New York have been ordered to be ready to deploy within four hours if called, the Associated Press reported. | Soldiers in Kansas and Colorado have been told to be ready within 24 ho…

RT (2020-05-30). 'I can't believe I fought to defend you': Navy SEAL who shot Bin Laden unloads on 'politically-funded terrorists' & 'coward cops'. rt.com Former Navy SEAL Robert J. O'Neill has called the rioters looting the US' major cities "politically-funded terrorists," and called for a harsh military response. O'Neill isn't the only pundit who sees a dark hand behind the riots. | George Floyd, an unarmed black man, was pinned to the ground and apparently choked to death by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin on Monday. Since then, riots have consumed the Minnesota city and spread like wildfire throughout the US. According to O'Neill — the Navy SEAL who shot Osama Bin Laden in the famous 2011 raid — the unrest is being orchestrated from behind…

RT (2020-05-30). WATCH: Looters ransack Louis Vuitton, police HQ and smash BANKS as Portland erupts in protest. rt.com What began as a peaceful vigil soon spiraled into rioting and looting in Portland on Friday night as protesters set fire to the police headquarters, trashed several banks and ransacked high-end stores. | Portland was once again the scene of major public unrest after demonstrators protesting against Video footage captured destruction in the downtown area as protesters set fires, smashed windows, and spray-painted anarchist symbols a…

RT (2020-05-30). MASSIVE rallies block roads in Los Angeles as anti-police brutality protesters demand justice for George Floyd (VIDEOS). rt.com Huge crowds have hit the streets for the fourth consecutive day in Los Angeles after the death of George Floyd has triggered massive anti-police brutality rallies escalating into riots across the US. | Aerial footage shows massive crowds on the 3rd Street and Fairfax Avenue. The march has been peaceful so far, but police have t.co/k07mTvJDx6— Molly Knight (@molly_knight)

RT (2020-05-30). WATCH traditionalist AMISH people protest in Minneapolis… peacefully, of course. rt.com Outrage over the death of George Floyd while in police custody has apparently even spread to the Amish community. A group belonging to the pacifist, traditionalist church was spotted singing and holding signs in Minneapolis. | Protesters who marched across the city's Stone Arch Bridge on Friday afternoon were greeted by a small group of modestly dressed Amish, some of them holding placards reading "Justice for George Floyd," "Thou shall not kill any man," and "I can't breathe." | Standing near the bridge's railing, the group serenaded demonstrators — eliciting claps (and a few rude laughs) from those who…

RT (2020-05-30). 'US statements are fake, not Libyan money': Moscow rebuffs accusations of printing counterfeit dinars. rt.com Moscow printed dinars for Libya in accordance with a government contract, so Washington's claims of it being fake money have nothing to do with reality, according to Russia's Foreign Ministry. | The US State Department announced on Friday that $1.1 billion worth of "counterfeit, Russian-printed Libyan currency" was seized in Malta earlier this week. | Moscow confirmed the dinars were indeed printed by Russian state-owned company Goznak, but it was done in accordance with a contract it signed with the Central Bank of Libya in 2015. The order was fully paid for by the Libyan side, it was announced. | Also on rt.

RT (2020-05-30). Get tougher with protesters, or federal government sends military — Trump warns 'Liberal governors & mayors'. rt.com President Donald Trump has warned states and cities if they don't get "much tougher" on protesters then the federal government will get involved using the military, who indicated they are on extraordinary four-hour recall status. | "Liberal Governors and Mayors must get MUCH tougher or the Federal Government will step in and do what has to be done, and that includes using the unlimited power of our Military and many arrests," Trump tweeted. | Crossing State lines to incite violence is a FEDERAL CRIME! Liberal Governors and Mayors must get MUCH tougher or the Federal Government will step in and do what has to b…

RT (2020-05-30). National Guard to be 'FULLY MOBILIZED' in Minnesota as governor brands George Floyd protests 'attack' on civil society. rt.com The governor of Minnesota has pledged to "fully mobilize" the National Guard saying that the protests that have gripped the state are no longer about the death of George Floyd but rather an "attack" on civil society. | "The situation in Minnesota is no longer in any way about the murder of George Floyd. It is about attacking civil society, instilling fear and disrupting our great cities," Governor Tim Walz said during a press conference on Saturday. | Walz said he arrived at the decision to fully mobilize the National Guard for the first time in Minnesota's history after speaking with the Secretary of Defense…

RT (2020-05-30). Pageant queen wife seeks DIVORCE from Minneapolis cop charged with murder of George Floyd. rt.com A week that saw Derek Chauvin play a disturbing role in the death of unarmed black man George Floyd has ended with the cop behind bars and now facing divorce proceedings as his wife seeks to have their marriage dissolved. | Lawyers for Kellie Chauvin have announced that the former Mrs. Minnesota has filed for divorce from the ex-police officer who was her husband for around a decade. | In a

RT (2020-05-30). Officer dies from injuries after being shot during Oakland protests — police. rt.com One Federal Protective Service officer has succumbed to his injuries after he and his colleague were shot on Friday night in Oakland, which is currently engulfed in violent protests, police told media. | The anger of people across the US was sparked by the death of an African American man, George Floyd, in police custody in Minneapolis. A white officer, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter as a result of the incident. | Minneapolis, New York, Atlanta, Portland and other cities have seen violent protests in recent days, with rioters clashing with security forces and setting…

_____ (2020-05-30). Fortress On A Hill: Interview With Gareth Porter. popularresistance.org Gareth Porter has long been one of my favorite foreign policy writers and investigative journalists. | Do check out his recent columns at the GrayZone! | He stopped by the podcast to discuss his long standing work on the Vietnam war, his thoughts on COVID-19 via the USS Theodore Roosevelt along with his previous work on the 1919 flu epidemic, the terrifying connections between Mike Pompeo and Bibi Netanyahu, and Israel's secret long standing nuclear stockpile. | Gareth Porter is an independent investigative journalist who has covered national security policy for decades, really, and was the recipient of the 2012…

Ralph Nader (2020-05-30). S. David Freeman: Seven Decades of Participating in Power for All of Us. zcomm.org Freeman had that unparalleled combination of managerial experience, scholarly knowledge, and programmatic urgency in confronting the climate crisis…

WSWS (2020-05-30). After ignoring migrant workers' plight, the Indian Supreme Court now acknowledges unfolding social tragedy. wsws.org The court's intervention reflects concerns fear by India's legal authorities that mounting mass anger will erupt against the entire capitalist elite and its state.

news.un (2020-05-30). From fighting with guns to fighting the pandemic. news.un.org In countries suffering from conflict, readjusting to life in a peaceful society is a challenge, both for former fighters and the wider community. Since the spread of the COVID-19 crisis, the UN is having to refocus many of its programmes, aimed at reducing violence in communities, and rehabilitating combatants.

sputniknews (2020-05-30). Minneapolis is Burning: America's Biggest Riots of the Last Decade — From Ferguson to Charlotte. sputniknews.com Protests have flared up across the United States over the past four days following the death of an African American man in police custody, and while many are demonstrating peacefully, demanding justice for the victim, some groups have taken advantage of the resulting turmoil by engaging in violence and looting.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-05-30). Progressives in Germany denounce racist 'hygiene demos' and anti-lockdown protests. peoplesdispatch.org Progressive groups in Germany have denounced the 'hygiene demos' and anti-lockdown protests organized mainly by the German right-wing across the country. On May 23, Saturday, anti-fascist groups organized counter-mobilizations at the Rosa Luxemburg Platz/Alexanderplatz in Berlin under the slogan "Keep your distance against the right". A large number of people gathered to protest the far-right demonstrations being held in the city on the same date. | Around forty demonstrations — mobilizations by the right-wing and counter-mobilizations from leftists and anti-fascists — were registered within Berlin on S…

Joe Piette (2020-05-30). Fight budget cuts in cities. workers.org Philadelphia Dozens of Philadelphia city workers wearing masks, standing on chalked X marks 6 feet apart, chanted, "Kenney's cuts hurt" and "Trash this budget," during a "Day of Action for a Just Philly Budget" on May 26. Protesters held signs for an hour in front of City Hall as spokespeople . . . |

Zenobia Jeffries Warfield (2020-05-30). Another Uprising Was Inevitable. commondreams.org A person wears a mask that reads "I CAN'T BREATHE" as demonstrators continue to protest the death of George Floyd following a night of rioting on May 29, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Earlier today, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was taken into custody for Floyd's death. Chauvin has been accused of kneeling on Floyd's neck as Floyd pleaded with him about not being able to breathe. Floyd was pronounced dead a short while later. Chauvin and 3 other officers, who were involved in the arrest, were fired from the police depart after a video of the arrest was circulated. (Photo: Sco…

Robert Shetterly (2020-05-30). The Murder of George Floyd: The Longest Running Play in America. commondreams.org A protester faces off with Minnesota State Police officers on May 29, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. – Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was seen in an explosive video pressing his knee to the neck of handcuffed George Floyd for at least five minutes on May 25, was arrested earlier on May 29, said John Harrington, Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. (Photo: Kerem Yucel / AFP via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/george_floyd_protest.jpg

WSWS (2020-05-30). Mass protests voice outrage over police murder of George Floyd. wsws.org Thousands defied a curfew in the Twin Cities while large protests took place in New York City, Atlanta, Washington, Los Angeles and dozens of other US cities.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-05-30). Protests sweep across US demanding justice and end to systemic racism. peoplesdispatch.org Protesters in many major cities across the country took over the streets, demanding justice for George Floyd who was murdered by police officers on May 25.

Fight Back (2020-05-30). Over 1000 march in Los Angeles demanding justice for George Floyd. fightbacknews.org Los Angeles, CA – More than 1000 people marched here, May 27, to demand justice for George Floyd, an African American man who was murdered by Minneapolis police. Protesters were also demanding justice for two others who were murdered by LAPD within the last 48 hours. The action was organized by Black Lives Matter-LA and assembled at the Hall of Justice in downtown. Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey has refused to prosecute police killings, and her office is located at the Hall of Justice. | The protest then marched onto the 101 Freeway, blocking traffic temporarily. The protesters chanted, "Black lives,…

Saurav Sarkar (2020-05-30). Twin Cities Labor Mobilizes Against George Floyd Murder. zcomm.org The organized labor movement has begun swinging into action to support protests against the racist police murder of Minneapolis resident George Floyd…

Jon Queally, staff writer (2020-05-30). What ACLU Says Was Trump Call to "Literally Murder Protesters," Facebook Says Doesn't Violate Standards. commondreams.org "Facebook has once again failed to act against an explicit violation of its own rules and has allowed the violent and racist post to remain up." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/zuckerberg_0_1.jpg

Read Black's Law Dictionary (2020-05-30). Manslaughter & 3rd degree murder charge for Kneeling Cop Chauvin. indybay.org After 48 hours of protest in Minnesota of the vicious murder by suffocation of a black man, George Floyd, on May 25, 2020, by 4 Minneapolis police, one of whom, Derek Chauvin, was caught on a video kneeling on the neck of handcuffed Floyd for 9 minutes, killing him, while his fellow thug cops allowed this murder to occur, only Chauvin was arrested on 5/29/30, and charged with 3rd degree murder and manslaughter! This low level of charge should have every attorney in this country screaming since it is a ringing indictment of the whole rotten legal system in this backward, racist, police state in which we live.

Robert Norse (2020-05-30). An Updated Letter to SCPD Police Chief Mills in the Wake of the George Floyd Murder. indybay.org In anticipation of possible protests in Santa Cruz regarding police violence and racial injustice, I've written Chief Andy Mills a follow-up letter regarding concerns I expressed 2 1/2 years ago. I begin with an earlier letter I sent him, and his responses to that letter. Attempts to get more detailed information were unsuccessful.

yenisafak (2020-05-30). Bosnians protest as officials accused of COVID-19 graft. yenisafak.com Thousands of Bosnians took to the streets on Saturday to protest against bad governance, nationalism and corruption as senior government officials face graft accusations related to the procurement of defective ventilators for COVID-19 patients.The protest was organised by a small moderate party, the Platform for Progress, and joined by leaders of other opposition groups."What we are hoping to do is to wake the people up so that they know it is up to them, that they can actually bring about change," party leader Mirsad Hadzikadic told Reuters as he led the march.People wearing masks, some pushing baby buggies, mar…

_____ (2020-05-30). Update From General Strike 2020 — Upcoming Actions. popularresistance.org With the unconscionable murder of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis this past week, we're reminded of the importance that the fight against racism plays in our struggle. We've seen admirable solidarity in those who have taken to the streets to protest police brutality against African Americans in this country. If you're able, please consider making a donation towards legal aid for those Minnesota protesters working to advance civil rights and police reform: www.gofundme.com/f/g2xas-gs2020-legal-aid-for-minnesota-protesters?utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_lico

_____ (2020-05-30). NYC Bus Drivers Union Refuses To Transport Protesters For NYPD. popularresistance.org Workers for New York City's MTA are refusing to transport people arrested during protests against police brutality in the aftermath of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. A video of a bus driver refusing to transport people arrested during protests in front of Brooklyn's Barclays Center went viral Friday night. | In the video, a crowd cheers a bus driver who appears to be refusing to sit behind the wheel: "the NYPD is using a bus to transfer arrested protesters at the Barclays Center," @berniebromanny, who shared the video, tweeted. "However, the bus driver refused to drive it." The video was viewe…

Marion Nestle (2020-05-30). [Perspectives] A call for food system change. thelancet.com In shutting down entire societies, the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the fundamental inequities and inadequacies of market-driven economies that prioritise profits over human welfare. Inequities show up in businesses that furlough employees while paying high salaries and bonuses to executives. They are also revealed by the dependence of food systems on poorly paid workers and cheap global supply chains. The COVID-19 crisis demonstrates how current food systems fail to protect populations from hunger and diet-influenced non-communicable diseases and why the poor, disenfranchised, discriminated against, and chronic…

Richard Horton (2020-05-30). [Comment] Offline: After COVID-19—is an "alternate society" possible? thelancet.com How do we make sense of this pandemic? The first interpretations are now appearing. Slavoj ≈Ωi≈æek is a prolific philosopher and cultural theorist. He is the first to produce a volume of reflections—Pandemic! COVID-19 Shakes the World (Polity, 2020). ≈Ωi≈æek doubts the epidemic will make us wiser: he insists that "we should resist the temptation to treat the ongoing epidemic as something that has a deeper meaning". Despite these cautions, we still have an important question to answer: "What is wrong with our system that we were caught unprepared by the catastr…