Monthly Archives: May 2020

2020-05-31: News Headlines

Kathy Kelly (2020-05-31). Beating Swords to Plowshares. dissidentvoice.org Baghdad, March 20, 2003 Inscribed on a wall across from the United Nations in New York City are ancient words of incalculable yearning: They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. — Isaiah 2: 4 I've …

Newsclick (2020-05-31). Shoddy implementation of lockdown is a crime against humanity: Arundhati Roy. peoplesdispatch.org Vijay Prashad, executive director, Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, speaks to renowned author Arundhati Roy about the lockdown, economic policies of the government and plight of the people—particularly of the working class.

Fight Back (2020-05-31). Wisconsin FRSO condemns mayor's curfew and deployment of National Guard. fightbacknews.org Milwaukee, WI – The Wisconsin District of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization condemns the decision of Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett to impose a 9 p.m. curfew and to call in members of the National Guard to help enforce it. This curfew and the troop deployment is meant to suppress the righteous anger of the masses in Milwaukee over the city's terrible record of police crimes. | This curfew and the National Guard deployment will not deescalate confrontations. The people of Milwaukee will stay in the streets, expressing their democratic rights and demanding justice for the victims of racist police murders. Milwau…

Danica Jorden (2020-05-31). African American Mayors and Sheriffs Stand Among George Floyd Protestors in Central North Carolina. zcomm.org "Let us be resolved to fight for justice for all here in Durham. Let us commit to stand up or kneel down when injustices are identified."

Unicorn Riot (2020-05-31). New Footage Reveals Moments Before George Floyd's Death. unicornriot.ninja MINNEAPOLIS — While unprecedented protests erupt across the nation, new surveillance footage has surfaced online of the moments before the death of George Floyd. The 46-year-old unarmed African American man was accused of forgery before he was killed by Minneapolis Police Officers on May 25,…

Fight Back (2020-05-31). Hundreds of protesters demand justice for victims of police crimes in Tallahassee. fightbacknews.org Tallahassee, FL- For the last two days hundreds of people have been gathering in Tallahassee to demand justice for police crime victims. In just the past two months, the Tallahassee Police Department murdered three people, under the watch of killer cop Chief of Police Lawrence Revell, who murdered George "Lil Nuke" Williams in 1996. On Friday afternoon, May 29, protesters gathered at the capitol in the afternoon and then joined ranks with an evening protest organized by others at the TPD headquarters. | Protesters demanded justice for African Americans across the country who have been slain by police, including G…

Fight Back (2020-05-31). Milwaukee: Large protests against police crimes. fightbacknews.org Milwaukee, WI – Several marches were held in Milwaukee on May 29 to demand justice for George Floyd, an African American man who was murdered by Minneapolis police. Protesters were also demanding justice for Joel Acevedo, a Chicano murdered by an off-duty Milwaukee police officer. | Protesters met up on the corner of N 27th and Center, where they heard various community speakers demand justice in their communities. Organizers from UW Parkside Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and Young People's Resistance Committee were handing out fliers for an organization that will primarily focus on demanding commu…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-05-31). People's rebellion in the belly of the beast. peoplesdispatch.org Since Monday May 25 people have taken the streets in cities across the United States demanding justice for George Floyd who was killed by police in Minneapolis. A video of his unjust murder circulated widely across social media and his death has served as the tipping point for people frustrated with the racist, capitalist system. The protests are some of the most intense and largest seen since the 2014 Ferguson uprising which occurred after police murdered 18-year-old Michael Brown.

IMEMC News (2020-05-31). As Dozens Of Colonists, Soldiers Invade Al-Aqsa Mosque, Army Abducts Four Palestinians. imemc.org Marking the first day of reopening the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem, after seventy days of closure due to coronavirus concerns, Israeli soldiers and police officers accompanied dozens of illegal colonialist settlers in a provocative tour into the courtyards of the holy site, and abducted four Palestinians, including two women. …

IMEMC & Agencies (2020-05-31). Armed Israeli Settlers Invade Local Markets in Hebron. imemc.org Armed Israeli settlers in the Palestinian West Bank city of Hebron, reportedly invaded, on Saturday afternoon, some local markets in the city, causing panic among local Palestinians. Palestinian WAFA News Agency reported that a large group of armed colonists invaded the Allaban, Alqasaba and Ein Alaskar local markets and began …

Saed Bannoura (2020-05-31). Mother of Slain Palestinian: "My Son Was A Child In A Man's Body" imemc.org The mother of the Palestinian who was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers in occupied Jerusalem, said that the Israeli allegations and justifications for his brutal murder are mere lies, as the slain man was autistic, and was a child in a man's body. The Palestinian, Eyad al-Hallaq, 32, was …

IMEMC News (2020-05-31). Israeli Forces Kill Autistic Palestinian Man in Jerusalem. imemc.org On Saturday, Israeli police in Jerusalem shot and killed an unarmed, autistic Palestinian man, then left him lying on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds for over an hour until he bled to death. Eyad Khairi al-Hallaq, 32, was on his way to an institution for people with special needs, …

Ali Salam (2020-05-31). Israeli Forces Evict Palestinians from Ibrahimi Mosque, Permit Settlers. imemc.org Israeli forces, on Friday, blocked Palestinian Muslim worshipers from performing the dawn prayer, evicted hundreds of worshipers and banned the call to prayer at the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron/Al-Khalil, Quds News Network reported. Sheikh Hifzi Abu Sneineh, the head of the local Waqf Department, stated that military barriers were placed …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-05-31). Scottish govt. issues pandemic hygiene guidelines following tenants' union intervention. peoplesdispatch.org The tenants' union Living Rent has been conducting a campaign called Hygiene Kills The Virus, demanding that landlords resume block cleaning operations that have been suspended during the lockdown…

Thom Hartmann (2020-05-31). The real reason Trump and the GOP don't want mail-in voting. zcomm.org Trump and Republicans don't want mail-in voting this November because it blows up a couple of their most effective voter suppression schemes…

Keval Bharadia (2020-05-31). Fighting the inequality pandemic: the case for a super-tax. zcomm.org An argument for a super-tax on financial markets to curb extreme inequality in the wake of Covid-19…

Newsclick (2020-05-31). Vaccines will be the true game changers, says Dr. Satyajit Rath. peoplesdispatch.org In this interview with NewsClick, Dr. Satyajit Rath, talks about the future of vaccine development for COVID-19 and the present usage of Hydroxychloroquine, which has been controversial.

Read Black's Law Dictionary (2020-05-31). 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.

Leon Kunstenaar (2020-05-31). San Franciscans Protest George Floyd Murder. indybay.org Over 1000 in peaceful protest at San Francisco's City Hall.

Robert Norse (2020-05-31). 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.

Lynda Carson (2020-05-31). Publicly traded corporate looters are ripping off the Small Business Administration. indybay.org Mayor London Breed and some trigger happy cops are blowing a lot of hot air at the petty thefts taking place during the George Floyd protests, as they look the other way as the publicly traded corporate looters are ripping off over $200 million from the Small Business Administration, that hurts the small businesses that can not get the loans that were meant to go to them through the Cares Act, and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)!

The Canary (2020-05-31). Union urges government to 'draw back' on school reopening, saying staff, pupils and families 'deserve better'. thecanary.co The government has been urged to drop plans to reopen primary schools to pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 on Monday 1 June. Current plans could see all primary schools in England returning to normal before the summer holidays.Schools, colleges and nurseries closed more than nine weeks ago due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak, remaining open only for vulnerable youngsters and the children of key workers. From Monday, class sizes will be limited to 15, with government guidance suggesting desks should be spaced further apart.Unions urge government to "draw back" plans: However, unions have called…

The Canary (2020-05-31). Another night of unrest in the US as Black Lives Matter protests continue. thecanary.co Protests over the killing of George Floyd and other police killings of Black people in the US grew on 30 May from New York to Tulsa to Los Angeles.The protests began in Minneapolis after a police officer killed Floyd by holding a knee to his neck until he stopped breathing. They've now gained momentum with another night of unrest after months of coronavirus lockdowns.National unrest: The unrest has since become a national phenomenon as protesters decry years of Black deaths at police hands. More than 1,300 people have been arrested in 16 cities since Thursday, with more than 500 of those happening in Los A…

RT (2020-05-31). 'You hang gays & stone women!' Pompeo awkwardly fights back as Iran's Zarif speaks out against racism amid George Floyd riots. rt.com Mike Pompeo has clashed online with Tehran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif after the latter weighed in on the anti-police-brutality riots across the US. Zarif even used the secretary of state's own words on Iran. | "Some don't think Black Lives Matter," Zarif wrote, telling "those of us who do" that a war waged against racism is "long overdue for the entire world." The top Iranian official was commenting on the mayhem sweeping through the US over the police killing of an African American, George Floyd. | It is "time for #WorldAgainstRacism," Zarif's statement proclaimed. It also featured a re-write of…

RT (2020-05-31). An eye for an eye? Enraged protesters violently drag & toss cop in Chicago amid George Floyd protests (VIDEO). rt.com A pair of cops were quickly overrun and wrestled to the ground by angry protesters during massive anti-police-brutality rallies in Chicago, with one female officer being violently dragged for several feet. | A widely shared video, captured in the middle of heavy demonstrations over the death of George Floyd, shows the infuriated crowd swarm and hit two police officers as they apparently tried to detain a protester. | A fracas suddenly broke out, with the cops being aggressively pushed to the ground by the demonstrators. The male officer managed to get to his feet while protecting himself against several protes…

RT (2020-05-31). 'It's not who we are!' County sheriff in Michigan JOINS march against police brutality. rt.com A sheriff in a Michigan county took an impressive step amid the massive George Floyd-inspired rallies, laying down his protective gear and marching side by side with protesters. His unorthodox gesture was met with glee. | Crowds of protesters had been amassing outside the Flint Township police station since earlier in the day, demanding justice for the slain Minnesotan George Floyd, and venting anger at police brutality. Shortly afterwards, Genesee County sheriff Chris Swanson turned up at the rally, engaging in a candid talk with those demonstrating. | "We want to be with you, I took my helmet off and laid th…

RT (2020-05-31). NYPD police cruisers RUN INTO crowds of protesters in terrifying video. rt.com A pair of NYPD vehicles lurched through a crowd of New Yorkers that swarmed them amid the nationwide demonstrations over the death of Minnesotan George Floyd at the hands of police. | The terrifying footage, that garnered millions of views, starts with a Ford SUV facing multiple protesters who had installed a barricade blocking passage through a street in New York. The demonstrators are seen pelting things at the car and hitting it with their hands. | With lights flashing and sirens turned on, the police car briefly waits for another vehicle to arrive. Once it approaches the crowd, both cruisers accelerate, sm…

RT (2020-05-31). 'NYPD scores a touchdown'? Cops TACKLE & BEAT protester with batons as he celebrates on police van (VIDEO). rt.com A protester in New York City quickly found himself pinned to the ground by a swarm of police officers, after mounting the hood of a NYPD vehicle. Footage of the incident has elicited both applause and anger on social media. | Countless police vehicles have been vandalized and destroyed in ongoing riots across the United States, but one demonstrator in New York City may have been too hasty while trying to get a piece of the action. | A video circulating on social media shows a man standing on a NYPD cruiser waving his arms. Seconds later, a police officer sprints from the driver's side of the vehicle and tackle…

RT (2020-05-31). Anonymous declares WAR on Minneapolis Police in video message attributed to hacker group. rt.com Hacker collective Anonymous has purportedly begun to target the Minneapolis Police Department, accusing the force of systemic violence and corruption while serving as an instrument for "the ruling class." | A video message posted to an Anonymous Facebook page with 11 million followers accused the Minneapolis Police of condoning behavior that led to the death of George Floyd. | "People have had enough of this corruption and violence from an organization that promises to keep them safe," the masked narrator says. | The group called for criminal charges to be brought against all of the officers who were filmed…

RT (2020-05-31). 'It's going to be a warzone x 10': Minneapolis activist tells RT more violence lays ahead for city rocked by protests, riots. rt.com An activist in Minneapolis has warned of more and heavier unrest in her city, following the death of George Floyd while in police custody. She also warned that widescale systemic change would be needed in order to restore peace. | Kayla Johnson recounted how she had been attacked by the Minneapolis police while peacefully demonstrating. The activist told RT that before riots and looting broke out earlier this week, non-violent protests had been met with rubber bullets, tear gas and other strong-arm tactics. | "I got hit with a flash grenade in my arm. The Minneapolis Police Department ended up giving me a seco…

Ramesh Srinivasan (2020-05-31). Twitter Warns Trump Tweet Glorifies Violence. zcomm.org "Trump has prospered through his use of social media and its attention-hoarding algorithms to basically disinform and misinform people"

Prabir Purkayastha (2020-05-31). US abandons Open Skies for new age space weapons. peoplesdispatch.org The US walking out of the Open Skies Agreement is a clear signal that it seeks global dominance. As other countries are unlikely to surrender, we are back to hair-trigger nuclear alerts and the Doomsday Clock inching towards midnight…

Newsclick (2020-05-31). Bush to Trump: The path of complete destruction. peoplesdispatch.org Prabir Purkayastha talks about the implications of the US leaving the Treaty on Open Skies. He also talks about the increased warmongering by the US in this period…

_____ (2020-05-31). Blocked from sending our weekly newsletter. truepublica.org.uk By Rob Woodward — TruePublica: In the month of May (up to this morning), TruePublica had 599,106 visitors who read 958,569 pages of content. The site experienced a DOS or DDOS attack and prevented probably another 100,000 or so people accessing stories about Dominic Cummings and the shenanigans of the Boris Johnson government in the …

J.P. Linstroth (2020-05-31). Arundhati Roy on India's Fateful COVID Crisis. zcomm.org Thousands of migrants are still making the long trek home to their rural villages, while hundreds of them are dying along the way from exhaustion, heat fatigue, thirst, starvation, and road accidents…

Jane Slaughter (2020-05-31). In a Pandemic, Finding New and Old Ways To Fight New and Old Foes. zcomm.org Workers this spring were forced to find new ways to assert their rights when faced with a deadly foe and employers indifferent to their lives…

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-31). Beijing Sees Trump's Hand and Won't Fold. strategic-culture.org It would be too much to expect Team Trump to learn from Gramscian analyses of Belt and Road, which demonstrate how the Chinese Dream — a Confucianist variant of neoliberalism — marks the evolution of China into a core production zone in the neoliberal world economy by profiting from the existing global legal structure.

Reclaim SF (2020-05-31). Friday 6/5: Capitalism is the Virus, Housing is the Cure: Candlelight Vigil & Noise Demo. indybay.org Harvey Milk Center for the Arts, Duboce Park…

Khubaka, Michael Harris (2020-05-31). Making the case for Restorative Justice from the California State Legislature. indybay.org From Sea to Shinning Sea, 2020 Alta California Juneteenth Fandango opens up a positive new way forward.

Infinite Onion (2020-05-31). This Book Shouldn't Exist. indybay.org With these words as my only weapon—though that is unlikely to keep me from being labeled a 'terrorist' and getting an unannounced late-night visit—I say the authority of the United States government is illegitimate and struggle by its people to overthrow the regime by whatever means seems best to them is justified.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-31). Iran COVID-19 update: 2,516 cases, 63 deaths. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 31 (MNA) — Some 2,516 new cases of infection with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) have been diagnosed in Iran in the past 24 hours, increasing the country's total infections to 151,466.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-31). Iran gets admission into Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle elite club. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 31 (MNA) — The unveiling of an Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (UUV) by the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, while showing off Iran's domestic capabilities, also sent another message to those countries which are trying to keep Iran away from any kind of advancement.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-31). Iran's foreign trade value exceeds $9bn in two months: IRICA. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 31 (MNA) — Iran's foreign trade value in the first two months of the current year [from March 21 to April 20] hit $9.341 billion.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-31). US should listen to its people, change its bankrupt policies: Foreign Ministry. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 31 (MNA) — Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in its twitter account on Sunday wrote that the US should listen to its people and change its bankrupt policies.

sputniknews (2020-05-31). US Government 'Selling $1.8 Billion Worth of Property in Elite Hong Kong Area'. sputniknews.com On 29 May, US President Donald Trump declared that "Hong Kong is no longer sufficiently autonomous to warrant the special treatment that we have afforded the territory" and is therefore subject to a number of restrictions.

yenisafak (2020-05-31). North Korea seeks UN recognition for 'sacred' Mt Paektu. yenisafak.com North Korea on Sunday said it is seeking the listing of country's "sacred" Mount Paektu at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). | Mount Paektu is located in the country's northern Yanggang province along its border with China. | "The Mt Paektu area is drawing attention of the international geological circles for its rich biodiversity and great geological significance," the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said."North's National Commission for UNESCO is recently pushing ahead with the enlisting of Mt Paektu area as a UNESCO Global Geopark." | It said that DPRK s…

yenisafak (2020-05-31). COVID-19 death toll in Mexico nears 10,000. yenisafak.com A total of 364 people have died in the past 24 hours from the novel coronavirus in Mexico, bringing the total fatalities to almost 10,000, health officials said Sunday.The number of confirmed cases climbed to 87,512 with new 2,885 infections, and the death toll rose to 9,779 in the country.Mexico confirmed its first case on Feb. 28 and the first death from COVID-19 on March 19.Globally, more than 6 million cases have been confirmed in 188 countries and regions since the virus emerged in China last year.The pandemic has killed nearly 370,000 people worldwide, while over 2.57 million people have recovered so far, a…

yenisafak (2020-05-31). Link between virus, Chinese incursions: Indian military experts. yenisafak.com Indian military experts say there was a link between China's mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic and its latest military incursions into the Ladakh region, resulting in a face-off between the armies."Globally, China is losing its leverage as it is believed to have caused the pandemic. Industries are looking to move out of China. This is causing China to divert attention from the COVID-19 situation," Lt. Gen. Vinod Bhatia, India's former director-general of military operations (DGMO), told Anadolu Agency.He said…

yenisafak (2020-05-31). Saudi mosques reopen for prayers after closure. yenisafak.com Mosques across Saudi Arabia reopened for prayers on Sunday, for the first time in more than two months due to the outbreak of coronavirus.Worshipers were allowed to enter the mosques, except the mosques in the holy city of Makkah, for the dawn prayers with a limit of 40% capacity.The official SPA news agency published several images of worshippers performing prayers at mosques amid preventive measures to combat the virus.Saudi authorities said millions of text messages were sent to people to inform them about the new rules for prayers. These rules include keeping a two-meter (six-foot) distance between people dur…

yenisafak (2020-05-31). Iran records 63 new virus deaths, 2,516 more cases. yenisafak.com A further 2,516 people have tested positive for COVID-19, raising the overall count to 151,466, Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said.Jahanpour said 112,988 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospitals so far, while 2,543 patients remain in critical condition.Despite the rising number of cases, government employees went back to work, and mosques resumed daily prayers across the Middle Eastern country on Saturday.Shopping malls are now open beyond the 6 p.m. (13: 30 GMT) closing time imposed as part of the virus restrictions.Iran started loosening the containment measures in April, and cla…

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…