2020-07-02: News Headlines

Stephen Lendman (2020-07-02). Touting Dubious Remdesivir Over Promising Hydroxychloroquine for Treating COVID-19. globalresearch.ca An "Thick as Thieves? Big Pharma Wields its Power with the Help of Government Regulation." | Big Pharma controls the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). | Its primary …

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In January during an address to Russian lawmakers, Vladimir Putin proposed long overdue changes to the country's out-of-date Constitution.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 …

Caitlin Johnstone (2020-07-02). America's Two Right-Wing Parties Keep Accusing Each Other Of Being Far-Left. thealtworld.com has a new Spanish-language ad out claiming that President Trump is cut from the same cloth as leftist leaders Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez, and Nicolas Maduro. This is not the first time the Biden campaign has done this, with The hashtag #ComradeTrump

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-02). Venezuela denounces 'absurd decision' of UK to retain its gold reserves. peoplesdispatch.org A British high court ruled on July 2 that because the UK recognizes opposition leader Juan Guaidó as president, it does not have to give the government of Nicolás Maduro access to the reserves…

Philip Giraldi (2020-07-02). Some Conspiracy Theories Are for Real. thealtworld.com What is the best way to debunk a conspiracy theory? Call it a conspiracy theory, a label which in and of itself implies disbelief. | What is the best way to debunk a conspiracy theory? Call it a conspiracy theory, a label which in and of itself implies disbelief. The only problem with that is there have been many actual conspiracies both historically and currently and many of them are not in the least theoretical in nature. Conspiracies of several kinds brought about American participation in both world wars. And however one feels about President Donald Trump, it must be conceded that he has been the victim of a…

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

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 …

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 …

Medea Benjamin (2020-07-02). Trump's Record on Foreign Policy: Lost Wars, New Conflicts and Broken Promises. globalresearch.ca On June 13, President Donald Trump told the graduating class at …

Medea Benjamin (2020-07-02). Lost Wars, New Conflicts and Broken Promises. zcomm.org Trump's Record on Foreign Policy…

Noam Chomsky (2020-07-02). We Must Not Let Masters of Capital Define the Post-COVID World. zcomm.org Those who have primary responsibility for the multiple crises that imperil us today are hard at work, relentlessly, to ensure that the system they created, and from which they have greatly benefited, will endure…

Project Censored (2020-07-02). Project Censored's 2020 Summer Reading List. projectcensored.org From COVID-19 to unprecedented unemployment levels and nationwide protests against police brutality and systemic racism, the Summer of 2020 is like none other in recent history. In the midst of…

Stan Cox (2020-07-02). It's Not Just Meat: All Farm and Food Workers Are in Peril. counterpunch.org COVID-19 outbreaks are now reaching far beyond the meatpacking industry. Migrant farmworkers in fruit orchards and vegetable fields, long the targets of intense exploitation, are seeing their health put in even greater jeopardy as they're pushed to feed an increasingly voracious supply chain in pandemic-time.

Binoy Kampmark (2020-07-02). The Kafkaesque Imperium: Julian Assange and the Second Superseding Indictment. counterpunch.org The Kafkaesque Imperium has taken yet another absurd step towards mean absurdity with another superseding indictment against Julian Assange. This move by the US Department of Justice seems to have surprised those involved in his extradition proceedings. Mark Summers QC, one of the members of the Assange legal team, did not conceal his astonishment at

Mark Gruenberg (2020-07-02). BLS jobs report shows U.S. employment crash continues. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—Donald Trump's happy talk today notwithstanding, the nation's current depression, the employment crash caused by closures forced by the coronavirus pandemic, continues, the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics report shows. That's because 1.445 million more people applied for regular state unemployment benefits, and another 839,563 sought special federal benefit checks in the week ending June …

Kim C. Domenico (2020-07-02). Disbelief, Belief and the Perils of Pandemic Re-opening. counterpunch.org The dominant authorities in our lives are destructive; they lack nurturance — the love which sustains others…But the trap of rejecting them is more than a matter of hoping finally to get them to care…This [rejecting] imagination is wholly under the aegis of the existing order. It disbelieves, but only to dream of someone else,

John O'Kane (2020-07-02). Progressive Pulses Among the Ruins of Riot. counterpunch.org The violence that erupted from the mostly-peaceful demonstrations around the killing of George Floyd has subsided, though many businesses in Long Beach are now boarded up. In addition to the property damage itself—in many instances not covered by insurance because deemed "domestic terrorism"—these protective measures have a chilling effect on efforts to participate in the

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

CP Editor (2020-07-02). The Untold History of Mount Rushmore. counterpunch.org

John Feffer (2020-07-02). Time to Rethink the US-ROK Alliance. counterpunch.org North Korea has blown up the inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong. It is threatening an all-out pamphlet war in response to defectors sending anti-regime propaganda to the north. South Korea's unification minister has stepped down after failing to meet with his North Korean counterparts during his 14-month tenure. Pyongyang is not happy about the balloons

John Bellamy Foster (2020-07-02). The storm of protest in the United States. mronline.org "Neofascism has its source in monopoly-finance capital, at the apex of the system, but depends for its existence on the ability to mobilize, with the help of a fàºhrer-like figure such as Trump, a very considerable part of the overall population."

Associated Press, Kaiser Health News (2020-07-02). Already hollowed-out U.S. health system faces even more cuts. peoplesworld.org The U.S. public health system has been starved for decades and lacks the resources to confront the worst health crisis in a century. Marshaled against a virus that has sickened at least 2.6 million in the U.S., killed more than 126,000 people and cost tens of millions of jobs and $3 trillion in federal rescue …

_____ (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…

_____ (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…

The Canary (2020-07-02). Schools told to keep children apart in year group 'bubbles' on full return in autumn. thecanary.co Schools in England have been told to keep children in class or year-sized "bubbles" and avoid creating "busy corridors" when all pupils return in September.Government guidance — on how to get all children back after the summer break following up to six months at home — says older pupils should be encouraged to be kept away from other groups of students and staff.The whole school, or all pupils in a year group, may have to self-isolate at home if schools have two or more confirmed coronavirus cases within a fortnight, the advice says.But the guidance also says school closures "may not be necessary" if th…

Mike Walter (2020-07-02). The Heat: COVID-19 surges in U.S. america.cgtn.com Coronavirus is surging in the United States with the death toll now over 127,000.

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…

Staff (2020-07-02). Barbara Ransby on the Biden Problem: Social Movements Must Defeat Trump & Also Hold Dems Accountable. democracynow.org Amid a mass uprising against racism and state violence, social movements are not just fighting hostility and backlash from President Trump, but also dealing with a "Biden problem," according to historian, author and activist Barbara Ransby. "I think it's fair to say that Joe Biden is not our dream candidate, by any means," she says. "We should be critical of Joe Biden. We should be ready to hold Joe Biden accountable come January. But we should be clear about the need to defeat Trump in November."

Staff (2020-07-02). The Untold History of Mount Rushmore: A Friend of the KKK Built Monument on Sacred Lakota Land. democracynow.org As tribal governments call on President Trump to cancel his Mount Rushmore Independence Day celebration, we look at why Native Americans have long pushed for the removal of the monument carved into the sacred Black Hills and designed by a sculptor with ties to the Ku Klux Klan. "This place is very, very sacred to our people," says Nick Tilsen, president and CEO of the NDN Collective. "Stealing our land and then carving the faces of four white men who were colonizers, who committed genocide against Indigenous people, is an egregious act of violence."

Staff (2020-07-02). The Untold History of Mount Rushmore: A KKK Sympathizer Built Monument on Sacred Lakota Land. democracynow.org As tribal governments call on President Trump to cancel his Mount Rushmore Independence Day celebration, we look at why Native Americans have long pushed for the removal of the monument carved into the sacred Black Hills and designed by a sculptor with ties to the Ku Klux Klan. "This place is very, very sacred to our people," says Nick Tilsen, president and CEO of the NDN Collective. "Stealing our land and then carving the faces of four white men who were colonizers, who committed genocide against Indigenous people, is an egregious act of violence."

Staff (2020-07-02). Did the Army Ignore a Soldier's Murder? Questions Mount over Vanessa Guillén Disappearance. democracynow.org The U.S. Army says it has a suspect in custody in connection with the disappearance of Vanessa Guillén, a missing 20-year-old Fort Hood soldier whose family says her remains were likely found in a shallow grave near the Texas Army base. A second suspect in the case — a soldier who the Guillén family lawyer named as Aaron Robinson — killed himself in Killeen, Texas, as officers approached. The news comes after months of anguish for Vanessa Guillén's family, who say she was sexually harassed by a higher-up prior to her disappearance and that the military was slow to investigate when she went missing. We…

Staff (2020-07-02). Headlines for July 2, 2020. democracynow.org States Reverse Reopenings as Daily U.S. Coronavirus Cases Top 50,000 for First Time, As U.S. Deaths Top 128,000, Trump Predicts Coronavirus Will "Sort of Just Disappear", Dallas Choir Members Tested Positive for COVID-19 Ahead of Performance for Mike Pence, San Quentin Prisoners Launch Hunger Strike Amid Explosion of COVID-19 Cases, Seattle Riot Police Clear Autonomous Zone, Los Angeles City Council Approves $150M in Cuts to Police Budget, Trump Calls Black Lives Matter Message Outside Trump Tower a "Symbol of Hate", Richmond, Virginia, Mayor Removes Confederate Statue, Trump Backs Confederate Base Names as Monum…

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

Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal (2020-07-02). Israel Guilty of Crimes against Humanity, Genocide against the People of Palestine. globalresearch.ca Israel is currently in the process of implementing the illegal annexation of Palestinian lands. The issue of "illegality" must be put in context. We are dealing with a broader issue: Crimes against Humanity and Genocide against the People of Palestine. …

Global Research News (2020-07-02). Israel Guilty of Crimes against Humanity, Genocide: 2013 Judgment of the Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal. globalresearch.ca Israel is currently in the process of implementing the illegal annexation of Palestinian lands. The issue of "illegality" must be put in context. We are dealing with a broader issue: Crimes against Humanity and Genocide against the People of Palestine. …

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 …

Ali Salam (2020-07-02). Israeli Settlers Steal Water, Raze Palestinian-owned Lands near Nablus. imemc.org Illegal Israeli settlers, Wednesday, levelled large stretch of Palestinian-owned land, in the northern West Bank districts of Nablus and Qalqilia, local sources said. Palestinian official who monitors Israeli settlement activity in the area, Ghassan Daghlas, told Palestinian WAFA News Agency that illegal Israeli colonists, accompanied by a bulldozer, proceeded to …

Lucas Koerner (2020-07-02). UK Court Denies Venezuela $1bn in Gold Needed to Fight Virus. venezuelanalysis.com Caracas vowed to appeal the "outrageous" decision recognizing opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's head of state.

_____ (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…

South Front (2020-07-02). Video: Internal Tensions Do Not Stop Militants from Provocations in Southern Idlib. globalresearch.ca Late on June 30, fighting resumed near the villages of Kansafrah, Al-Ruwayha and Bayanin in southern Idlib between the Syrian Army and Turkish-backed militants. Intense artillery shelling also targeted positions of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham across the Jabal Al-Zawiyah area. Pro-militant …

Fire Drill Fridays, Greenpeace, others (2020-07-02). Friday 7/3: Virtual Independence Day Rally: Climate Change & Systemic Racism in America. indybay.org Online via livestream: www.facebook.com/firedrillfriday/

Julian Vigo (2020-07-02). A Call for Radical Humanism: The Left Needs to Return to Class Analyses of Power. counterpunch.org How do white people live with themselves? This is the presumed ethical position emanating from liberal corners in the aftermath of the recent protests around the US. While a seemingly thought-provoking question nudging white folks to contemplate "their racism," the problem with this question is the question itself. Indeed the minute we individualize what are

Ali Salam (2020-07-02). Palestinians Protest Israel's Annexation Plans in Gaza, Ramallah. imemc.org Thousands of Palestinians participated in a large rally in Gaza, on Wednesday, expressing their rejection of the occupation states annexation plans, Quds News Network reported. Political leaders and civilians attended the demonstration, raising Palestinian flags and reciting slogans against the expropriation of the Palestinian Jordan Valley, and other parts of …

No Justice Under Capitalism (2020-07-02). Sunday 7/5: Protest at Gov Newsom's House : No State Execution By Covid-19. indybay.org Meet: At Noon in front of the Planet Fitness at Northridge Plaza parking lot—4840 San Juan Ave, Fair Oaks, CA 95628 (just outside Sacramento) | We will then head to Newsom's house and rally till sundown: 7640 Tobia Way, Fair Oaks, CA 95628…

Remembering Black Lives Murdered (2020-07-02). Protesters Switch Destination at Last Minute, March on Menlo Park Police Station Pt 1. indybay.org A June 25 rally was purportedly to target FaceBook for paying for a substation and police salaries near their headquarters in Menlo Park.

_____ (2020-07-02). Beyond the Toppling of Colonial Monuments, a Rethinking of History and Accountability Is Vital. strategic-culture.org When Chile erupted in protests over the neoliberal politics of President Sebastian Pinera and the dictatorship legacy of Augusto Pinochet, the indigenous Mapuche population embarked upon the tearing down of colonial monuments and statues occupying Chilean public spaces. The news was of paramount importance for Chile's reclamation of its historical memory, in particular as during the dictatorship, legal references to the Mapuche were Elsewhere in the world, the Chilean struggle to preserve the people's historical memory did not res…

Jamaal Bowman (2020-07-02). Mobilizing people who are "disenfranchised and ignored" zcomm.org Interview with Jamaal Bowman on NY Primary Upset, Rent Strikes, Police Brutality & Opposing West Bank Annexation…

Thom Hartmann (2020-07-02). COVID Masks: The Latest Faux Conservative Outrage. zcomm.org They don't care about you; they just want the economy opened back up to make money…

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 …

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-07-02). Mayo Clinic experts to help guide Delta Air Lines COVID-19 safety measures. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Industry leaders in health and travel formalize partnership to transform the future of safe flying ROCHESTER, Minn. — Delta Air Lines and Mayo Clinic, a global leader in serious and complex medical care, are deepening their relationship to provide additional safety and COVID-19 infection control measures for customers and employees. The collaboration is another significant …