2020-07-13: News Headlines

RT (2020-07-13). NBA blasted after viral video shows ban on custom 'FREE HONG KONG' jerseys but no ban on other contentious messages. rt.com The NBA is once again being accused of bowing to China, after a viral video revealed its website does not allow custom jerseys with the phrase "Free Hong Kong," but has no problem with plenty of other disruptive messages. | "The NBA bans you, the fan, from putting #freehongkong on customized league jerseys even as they allow players to wear customized jerseys," journalist Clay Travis tweeted on Sunday. | Travis Included a video actually showing the merchandising section of the website rejecting the phrase. Numerous people took to social media to give other firsthand accounts of the site not allowing the messag…

Staff (2020-07-13). Headlines for July 13, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. & World Mark Record Number of New COVID-19 Cases, Trump Accuses CDC of Lying & Attacks Dr. Anthony Fauci , COVID-19 Death Toll at San Quentin State Prison Reaches Nine, JBS Meat Processing Workers Stage Wildcat Strike, 300 Workers Infected, 4 Die at Los Angeles Apparel Factory, Mexico's COVID-19 Death Toll Tops 35,000, Surpassing Italy as World's Fourth Highest, India, Hong Kong, Colombia Reimpose Lockdowns Amid New Surges, Trump & DeVos Threaten to Cut Funding If Schools Stay Closed During Pandemic, Trump Commutes Sentence of Friend & Adviser Roger Stone, Washington Rdskns to Change Name; Will the Chiefs Be…

Michael T. Klare (2020-07-13). Congress Wants More Unnecessary Anti-China Weapons Programs in Annual Defense Bill. globalresearch.ca "Emergency Funding to Thwart Chinese Communist Party Military Aspirations and Protect the United States Defense Industrial Base." That is the ungainly title of a measure

Allen Baker (2020-07-13). Trump's Stance on Foreign College Students Digs US Economic Hole Even Deeper. counterpunch.org President Donald Trump's belligerence toward China and his administration's heartless and ill-thought-out Executive order to throw out foreign college students whose colleges, for health reasons, opt for another semester of on-line classes, could cast another wrench into the already clanking engine of the US economy. US colleges enroll around 1.1 million foreign students, who spend

yenisafak (2020-07-13). Global coronavirus cases rise above 13 million. yenisafak.com Global coronavirus infections passed 13 million on Monday, according to a Reuters tally, marking another milestone in the spread of the disease which has killed more than half a million people in seven months.The first case was reported in China in early January and it took three months to reach one million cases. It has taken just five days to climb to 13 million cases from 12 million recorded on July 8.The number of cases is around triple that of severe influenza illnesses recorded annually, according to the World Health Organization.There have been more than 568,500 deaths linked to the coronavirus so far, wit…

Global Research News (2020-07-13). Selected Articles: The Pentagon's "Anti-China Weapons" and "The New Silk Roads" globalresearch.ca We hope that by publishing diverse view points, submitted by journalists and experts dotted all over the world, the website can serve as a reminder that no matter what narrative we are presented with, things are rarely as cut and …

Greg Mitchell (2020-07-13). 75 Years Ago: When Szilard Tried to Halt Dropping Atomic Bombs Over Japan. globalresearch.ca As this troubled summer rolls along, and the world begins to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the creation, and use, of the first atomic bombs, many special, or especially tragic, days will draw special attention. They will include July 16 …

yenisafak (2020-07-12). Over 500,000 Hong Kongers cast " vote against new security laws. yenisafak.com Hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong citizens queued to cast ballots over the weekend in what the Chinese-ruled city's opposition camp says is a symbolic vote against tough national security laws directly imposed by Beijing.The unofficial poll will decide the strongest pro-democracy candidates to contest Legislative Council elections in September, when they aim to ride a wave of anti-China sentiment stirred by the law to seize control for the first time from pro-Beijing rivals.While the primaries are only for the opposition camp, observers are watching closely as they say the turnout will serve as a test of…

Stephen Lendman (2020-07-12). US Hostility Toward China. Military Encirclement, Visa Bans, Backlash on US Economy. globalresearch.ca Geopolitics of both right wings of the US war party is polar opposite what just societies cherish — seeking dominance over other nations by brute force if other tactics to achieve its aims fail. | Mutual cooperation and respect for the …

sputniknews (2020-07-12). It Would Be Wise for US to Regard Meng Case as Civil, Not Criminal, Says Former Australian PM. sputniknews.com Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of the Huawei founder, was arrested in Canada's Vancouver in December of 2018 at the US' request. Her detention came amid the US trade war with China and accusations that Huawei posed a threat to US national security, a claim which the company denied. The arrest also soured China's ties with Ottawa.

RT (2020-07-12). Several injured & missing after explosion, massive fire at biofuel plant in China (VIDEOS). rt.com Multiple fire crews have been deployed to tackle a huge blaze raging at a biofuel complex in China. At least two people were injured during the incident. | An explosion rocked a biofuel plant in the city of Longyan in China's southeastern Fujian Province, local media reported, citing officials. | Videos from the scene show massive plumes of thick smoke bellowing into the sky. | Plumes of smoke sent skyward during massive blaze at

Pivot to (2020-07-12). Saturday 7/11: Why There Should be a Pivot to , Not War with China. indybay.org Online via livestream…

_____ (2020-07-12). The Fall of Plahotniuc and a New Hope for Moldova. strategic-culture.org In June 2019, the small landlocked nation of Moldova found itself in a life or death struggle between two opposing futures: Oligarchs like the notorious Vladimir Plahotniuc had worked diligently for years to bring this nation into the hull of the collapsing NATO-EU Titanic while nationalists sought to re-align Moldova's future with the new emerging Multipolar Alliance led by China and Russia. | The greatest moment of decision (until now) occurred in June 2019 when elections resulted in a three-way split between a pro-Russian Socialist Party, the pro-EU ACUM and another pro-western Democratic Party run by the arch…

sputniknews (2020-07-12). Death Toll After Week of Heavy Rain in Japan Rises to 70, 13 Still Missing — Reports. sputniknews.com TOKYO (Sputnik) – The death toll in Japan after a week of torrential downpours that caused severe floods and landslides has risen to 70, the country's media reported on Sunday, adding that 13 people are still missing.

WSWS (2020-07-11). US takes punitive measures against China over Hong Kong. wsws.org Washington's increasingly shrill campaign is part of a US confrontation across the full range of issues—diplomatic, economic and military—that are leading to war.

CGTN (2020-07-11). Debunking Myths on China "Forcing Uyghur Birth Control" dissidentvoice.org So-called overseas reps of China's Uyghur ethnic group filed evidence at the International Criminal Court (ICC) to spark an investigation on alleged human rights violations. But are the reports founded on strong evidence? (story starts at 2: 00)…

WSWS (2020-07-11). New Zealand boosts preparations to join US war against China. wsws.org The Labour Party-led government is spending billions on new naval vessels and armoured vehicles, while praising the Australian military build-up against China.

Richard Horton (2020-07-11). [Comment] Offline: Restoring trust in WHO. thelancet.com Belgium has the sad distinction of leading the world league table of deaths from COVID-19. At 843 deaths per million, Belgium is ahead of the UK (650 per million), Italy (576 per million), Sweden (537 per million), and France (458 per million). COVID-19 was first reported in Belgium on Feb 4, 2020, in a 54-year-old man who had been repatriated from Wuhan, China. Community transmission was confirmed in early March after holiday makers returned from school vacation breaks in northern Italy. The national sense of failure and anger is spurring a serious effort to initiate an international inquiry into the global resp…

WSWS (2020-07-11). Biden promotes economic nationalism and anti-China militarism. wsws.org Biden offered no opposition to Trump's "back-to-work" drive, mass job destruction during the pandemic or the looming unemployment benefit cutoff.

yenisafak (2020-07-11). China's southern Jiangxi declares highest flood alert. yenisafak.com Jiangxi province in southern China issued its highest flood warning on Saturday, predicting a big overflow from a lake on the Yangtze River as torrential rain continues to batter much of the country, state media said.The Jiangxi government raised its flood-control response level to I from II, the People's Daily said, the top level on China's four-tier scale, signalling disasters such as dam collapses or extraordinary floods simultaneously in several rivers.Provincial authorities expect severe regional flooding in Poyang, China's largest freshwater lake which connects to the Yangtze, state television said.The wate…

yenisafak (2020-07-11). US warns citizens of heightened detention risks in China. yenisafak.com "U.S. citizens may be detained without access to U.S. consular services or information about their alleged crime," the State Department said in a security alert issued to its citizens in China, adding that U.S. citizens may face "prolonged interrogations and extended detention" for reasons related to state security."Security personnel may detain and/or deport U.S. citizens for sending private electronic messages critical of the Chinese government," it added, without citing specific examples. The state department also did not say what prompted the security alert.The security alert comes as bilateral tensions inten…

Andrew Green (2020-07-11). [Obituary] Tomisaku Kawasaki. thelancet.com Paediatrician who identified what became known as Kawasaki disease. Born on Feb 7, 1925, in Tokyo, Japan, he died on June 5, 2020, in Tokyo, aged 95 years.

RT (2020-07-11). Okinawans 'shocked' & demand transparency after Covid-19 outbreaks at US bases increase Japanese prefecture's case toll by 40%. rt.com Dozens of US troops at two bases on the Japanese island of Okinawa have been confirmed infected with the coronavirus. Local authorities demanded transparency from the Pentagon, and an adequate response to the massive outbreak. | Rigorous contact tracing and isolation of those infected had so far allowed the island prefecture to keep the number of confirmed cases at about 150, with only seven fatalities. Overall, as of July 10, Japan Okinawa Governor Tamaki Denny said local…

RT (2020-07-11). North Korea warns UK will 'pay price' for brazen sanctions, and calls it 'US puppet'. rt.com North Korea has warned the UK will pay a price for its "despicable political scheme" to impose sanctions on its government ministries, and recommends London stops "blindly" following Washington's lead. | "The United Kingdom, a puppet of the United States, committed a provocation," by imposing sanctions, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

teleSUR (2020-07-10). WHO Experts Arrived In China To Find Out COVID-19 Origins. telesurenglish.net The World Health Organization (WHO) Friday reported two scientists arrived in China to be part of a study to identify the origins of COVID-19. | RELATED: | WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris said the experts are specialists in animal health and epidemiology and will work along with Chinese scientists. | The two scientists will establish the groundwork and will define the scope and itinerary of the investigation. | "One of the main…

Shane Quinn (2020-07-10). China's Growing Influence in Central Asia and the Middle East Will Lead to Further US Decline. globalresearch.ca China's increasing presence on the international scene is an undeniable threat to the US-led world order. Critical to China's emergence as a major power this century, has been its widening influence in the Central Asian states. Central Asia, rich in …

teleSUR (2020-07-10). China Suspends Ecuador's Shrimps Imports Over Covid-19 Fears. telesurenglish.net China is suspending shrimps imports from three Ecuadorian firms after detecting COVID-19 in its packaging, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) announced on Friday. | RELATED: | Although the frozen shrimp itself tested negative, samples from Industrial Pesquera Santa Priscila SA, Empacreci SA, and Empacadora Del Pacifico Sociedad Anonima Edpacif showed six positive results as GAC warned that "there is a risk" it co…

Peter Frost (2020-07-10). Trump election strategy: Blame China for coronavirus, bad economy. peoplesworld.org With the latest opinion polls showing Joe Biden leading Donald Trump by 53% to 42%, Trump needs desperate measures. A major part of his re-election strategy now is to up the ante against Beijing. Last weekend, he announced yet again that China had caused great damage to the United States and the rest of the …

teleSUR (2020-07-10). China And Russia Promise Strong Mutual Support. telesurenglish.net China's President Xi Jinping and Russia's President Vladimir Putin Wednesday agreed to support each other in several areas to strengthen their relations as integral strategic partners. | RELATED: | Both presidents held a telephone conversation in which Xi emphasized how in the most difficult moments of the fight against COVID-19, China and Russia helped each other. | "China is ready to continue working with the Russian si…

_____ (2020-07-10). A New Tonkin Gulf Incident In The Making? popularresistance.org While the American public, the media, and Congress have largely been focused on the Covid pandemic, demands for racial justice, and other domestic concerns in recent months, the US military has been mobilizing all of its capabilities for a massive show of force in waters abutting China. Every Pacific-based US submarine is now deployed in the area; two nuclear-powered carriers and their escort ships are conducting naval maneuvers there; the Air Force has sent B-1 bombers overhead; and the Army is practicing to seize Chinese-claimed islands. | In the most provocative of these efforts, the carriers Nimitz and Ronald…

yenisafak (2020-07-10). Japan to buy $23B worth of F-35 fighter jets from US. yenisafak.com The US on Thursday approved a planned purchase by Japan of 105 F-35 joint strike fighters estimated to be worth $23 billion amid escalating tension in the South China Sea between China and US allies.The approved package includes 63 F-35A conventional takeoff and landing aircraft and 42 F-35 short takeoff and landing variants as part of a December 2018 decision by Japan to increase its procurement of F-35s from 42 to 147.Japan does not have a coast to the hotly-conflicted South China Sea, but views it as strategically important due to its role as a vital trading route.If the sale goes through from congress, it wil…

yenisafak (2020-07-10). China reports 4 new coronavirus cases in mainland. yenisafak.com China reported four new coronavirus cases in the mainland for July 9, down from nine a day earlier, the health authority said on Friday.All four of the new infections were imported cases, according to a statement by the National Health Commission.China also reported three new asymptomatic patients, compared with six such cases a day earlier.

yenisafak (2020-07-10). India launches solar power plant to stop China imports. yenisafak.com Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched a solar power plant with the aim to stop reliance on imports from neighbors China and PakistanThe 750-megawatt power plant in the central state of Madhya Pradesh is being dubbed as the largest in Asia by local media.The project is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1.5 million tons each year."Several steps are being taken to increase domestic manufacturing and it has been decided that government's departments and institutions will only buy domestically manufactured solar cells and modules," said Modi, in the wake of recent border tensions with Chi…

yenisafak (2020-07-10). Torrential rains hit China, many killed. yenisafak.com Torrential rains have washed over several parts of China, resulting in deaths of many people and disrupting services to the affected regions, local media reported. At least 14 people were killed by landslides in the central Hubei province last Wednesday, with one person recovered by search and rescue operations that are still in progress, China's Xinhua news agency reported.The rains hit 44 counties in the province, affecting over 9 million people, with over 200 millimeters (7.9 inches) of precipitation recorded since Wednesday.In the country's east Jiangxi province, armed police officers and soldiers were deploy…

RT (2020-07-10). Indian & Chinese troops disengaging on border as agreed — Beijing's ambassador. rt.com China's ambassador to India said on Friday that Chinese and Indian frontline troops are disengaging in accordance with an agreement reached by military commanders, AP reports. The development follows a clash last month that left at least 20 soldiers dead in the Galwan Valley. | Ambassador Sun Weidong said the two countries should be partners rather than rivals, and handle differences properly to bring their ties back on the right track. | In video remarks released in New Delhi, the Chinese envoy also said the two countries have the wisdom and capability to properly handle differences. | The diplomat said the b…

The Canary (2020-07-10). World Health Organisation experts visit China to discuss coronavirus probe. thecanary.co Two World Health Organisation (WHO) experts will spend 11-12 July in Beijing to lay the groundwork for a larger mission to investigate the origins of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.One animal health expert and one epidemiologist will work to fix the "scope and terms of reference" for the future mission. It will be aimed at learning how the virus jumped from animals to humans, WHO's statement said on 10 July.Origins: Scientists believe the virus may have originated in bats. It was then transmitted through another mammal such as a civet cat or pangolin before being passed on to people at a fresh food ma…

_____ (2020-07-10). China's Reasonable Proposal for Arms Control and Washington's Duplicity. strategic-culture.org China underscored this week that it is willing to engage in negotiations with the U.S. to reduce nuclear arsenals and to underpin strategic stability. However, the offer comes with the caveat that Washington must first reduce its arsenal to the level of China's before Beijing will engage in such talks. | That is an eminently reasonable and logical proposal. The starting point is to look at the existing balance of forces. While the U.S. and Russia each possess about 6,000 nuclear warheads, China's arsenal is

yenisafak (2020-07-10). Fujifilm's Avigan inconclusive in COVID-19 patients in Japan trial. yenisafak.com A clinical trial of Fujifilm Holdings Corp's Avigan drug yielded inconclusive results as a treatment of COVID-19, Japanese researchers said on Friday.Although patients given the drug early in the trial showed more improvement than those who got delayed doses, the results did not reach statistical significance, Fujita Health University researcher Yohei Doi said.The results, announced at a news conference on Friday, followed the completion of a clinical trial conducted between March and May on 89 patients across Japan.Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had said he hoped the drug would be approved as a COVID-19 trea…

Daniel Falcone (2020-07-09). Cold War with China and the Thucydides Trap: a Conversation with Richard Falk. counterpunch.org Should there be a Second Cold War an alleged US concern for human rights would indeed become another ongoing tool of propaganda. In this interview, International Relations scholar Richard Falk breaks down the grave dangers and prospects for a New Cold with China. Falk worries that tensions and rivalries both regionally and economically could result

RT (2020-07-09). MADE IN CHINA: Contractor indicted for defrauding US Navy about origin of armor & helmets. rt.com A grand jury indictment of a Virginia man whose company allegedly sold Chinese-made helmets and body armor to the government is challenging President Donald Trump's claim the Pentagon gets only the best American-made goods. | Surveillance Equipment Group Inc. (SEG) CEO Arthur Morgan was

yenisafak (2020-07-09). Pompeo says US continuing to work to establish dialogue with North Korea. yenisafak.com U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Thursday that Washington is continuing to work to establish dialogue with North Korea and is very hopeful the conversation can continue, though he declined to comment on timing or specifics."We continue to work to establish dialogue and have substantive conversations about how we might deliver this really good outcome, this outcome of delivering and stability to the entire peninsula," Pompeo told reporters following U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun's three days of talks in Seoul.