Daily Archives: June 25, 2020

2020-06-25: News Headlines

Stephen Lendman (2020-06-25). UN Security Council Members Slam Illegal Israeli Annexation Scheme. globalresearch.ca Israeli settlements breach international law, an indisputable fact. | The UN Charter bans use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, as well as forcible acquisition of territory not its own. | A joint statement by nearly …

Max Blumenthal (2020-06-25). How a US & Qatari regime change deception produced the 'Caesar' sanctions driving Syria towards famine. thegrayzone.com Like the mysterious figure it is named for, the Caesar sanctions bill is the product of an elaborate deception by…

Max Blumenthal (2020-06-25). How a US and Qatari regime change deception produced 'Caesar' sanctions driving Syria towards famine. thegrayzone.com Like the mysterious figure it is named for, the Caesar sanctions bill is the product of an elaborate deception by…

Sara Flounders (2020-06-25). Capitalism/The cause of COVID-19 deaths. workers.org China set up a system for checking the people entering residential buildings for COVID-19 symptoms. Here a security guard checks temperatures on Feb. 26 in Beijing. June 23 — Does the COVID-19 virus operate differently in capitalist countries than in socialist countries? Based on a comparison of global numbers of . . . |

John Bellamy Foster (2020-06-25). ROAR Roundtable: COVID-19 and the climate crisis. mronline.org If "everything affects and is affected by every other thing," we must respond to the dangers to human existence in the 21st century by changing the system, creating a different form of social metabolic reproduction. There is no other way.

Deirdre Griswold (2020-06-25). Amazing facts about the virus. workers.org Medical staff in Wuhan, China, celebrate after all coronavirus patients were discharged from temporary emergency hospital, March 9. Facts are stubborn things. Take the fact that the People's Republic of China, with four times the population of the U.S., has had far fewer COVID-19 deaths, even though it was the . . . |

John Ranson (2020-06-25). Court backlog of criminal cases tops half a million but it's not just Covid. thecanary.co Courts face a backlog of more than half a million criminal cases, official estimates show. Some of the rise comes as a result of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. But a critic of the government's approach has said the bulk of the problem has nothing to do with the pandemic. And the critic has cautioned against reducing the use of juries to clear the backlog. | The number of cases waiting to be heard by magistrates increased by 22% between the week ending 8 March and 17 May to around 484,000, according to provisional data published by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). | However, outstanding crown court cases rose…

Joshua Cho (2020-06-25). Debunking Trump and Corporate Media's WHO/China coverup conspiracy theories. mronline.org The Trump administration suspended funding to WHO in April—the UN's primary infectious disease—fighting body—accusing it of "severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus," and of taking China's allegedly deceptive claims about its handling of COVID-19 at "face value." But corporate media had already been boosting these same talking points.

Staff (2020-06-25). Boycotting Israel Is Not A Crime, Says European Human Rights Court. therealnews.com The EHRC overturned the French court's convictions of 12 BDS activists for "incitement to discrimination" in a watershed ruling for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement.

W. T. Whitney, Jr. (2020-06-25). U.S. must return its political prisoner Simón Trinidad to Colombia. mronline.org Simón Trinidad matters; his time has come. This leader of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) faced bizarre and unfounded criminal charges in a U.S. court. He's being held under the cruelest of conditions in a federal prison in Florence, Colorado. He will die there unless he is released. Simón Trinidad will be …

John Wojcik (2020-06-25). U.S. coronavirus infection rate now highest since pandemic began. peoplesworld.org More than 45,500 new coronavirus infections were reported in the U.S. overnight, not by the federal government but by state health departments—blowing out of the water by some 11,000 the previous one-day record of 34,203 reached on April 25. The soaring infection rate in the U.S. is being driven by out-of-control outbreaks in the nation's …

Martha Burk (2020-06-25). Lack of accessible child care could cripple families and economic recovery. peoplesworld.org Child care in the time of coronavirus is one of the most challenging financial and logistical hurdles facing families. But while it's certainly much more difficult now with many child care facilities closed, it's far from a new problem. Most families—single-parent and two-parent alike—struggled with child care even in normal times, regardless of their incomes. …

Dave Lindorff (2020-06-25). Interactive Map Shows Police Using Violence Against Peaceful Protesters in 125 Cities and 40 States. counterpunch.org Click here to view the map. It hasn't been a great couple of weeks for the supposed "Land of the Free" these days, though a lot of brave protesters across the country have continued to stand up to a lot of cowardly militarized police and American soldiers who have been using weaponized military helicopters, M-16

Karl Grossman (2020-06-25). Masters of Space: Deep Space Strategy in the Age of Trump. counterpunch.org The United States "must be capable of winning wars that extend into space," asserts a just-released "Defense Space Strategy" report. It is the first space strategy document issued by the U.S. since President Donald Trump, after declaring that the U.S. must achieve "dominance in space," signed a measure this past December authorizing establishment of a Space Force.

Eds. (2020-06-25). Having sucked America dry, tech giants seek new markets beyond reach of U.S. antitrust laws. mronline.org An aggressive push to consolidate companies in the tech sector, coupled with the world's ever-increasing dependence on digital platforms and tools, is quickly leading to a crisis of sovereignty.

A Guest Author (2020-06-25). Role of sanctions in U.S. plan for world domination — a commentary. workers.org By Samuel Thomas Sanctions: This is the well-known method of spreading democracy and prosperity through death, starvation, shortages and economic collapse. Throughout U.S. history, this method of regime change, ostensibly intended to be implemented against countries at war or allied to a country at war with the U.S., they are . . . |

Kathryn Shihadah (2020-06-25). Selective Tolerance: AIPAC and its Pro-Apartheid Ilk Come to Bat for Black Lives Matter. mintpressnews.com Pro-Israel groups in America are sending mixed signals: yes, we want equality for Black Americans; no, we do not want the same for Palestinians.

calvin deutschbein (2020-06-25). U.S to Palestine, stop racist police terror! workers.org Demilitarize!Durham2 Palestine at the annual Historic Thousands on Jones Street., joining over 200 social justice organizations,. Feb/ 8. Durham, N.C. As the uprising rocks the U.S., increasingly the veil over policing — a form of neocolonialism — is wearing thin. In the Triangle area of North Carolina, home of the . . . |

Al Neal (2020-06-25). [Spoiler-free] Review: 'Da 5 Bloods' reclaims narrative of Black soldiers in Vietnam. peoplesworld.org War is hell. War never really ends. And if, as a civilian observer, you find it important to experience the realities and complexities of war and racism, then Spike Lee's latest film Da 5 Bloods is required watching. But be warned, it will not be an easy viewing: There will be discomfort, anger, and tears. Following …

Dennis Broe (2020-06-25). Spike Lee's 'Da 5 Bloods': Black Lives Matter meets 'Rambo' [spoilers]. peoplesworld.org Spike Lee's new film for Netflix, Da 5 Bloods, about the aftereffects on African-American soldiers of the Vietnam War, opens spectacularly. A documentary sequence begins with Muhammad Ali detailing why he chooses not to fight: "My conscience won't let me go shoot my brother or some darker people…for big powerful America..for what?..They never lynched me, …

Margaret Kimberley (2020-06-25). Freedom Rider: Democrats move right and towards defeat. mronline.org Besides not being Trump, the Democrats offer nothing, but think they can win with a candidate who has no constituency, charisma or any platform positions that would attract more voters.

South Front (2020-06-25). Video: Infighting Among Idlib Al Qaeda Radicals Resumes with Renewed Energy. globalresearch.ca Late on June 23, the Israeli Air Force conducted airstrikes on alleged Iranian-linked targets near al-Sukhna and Kabajab in central Syria and near Tel Al-Sahn in the countryside of as-Suwayda in southern Syria. A second wave of Israeli strikes early …

_____ (2020-06-25). Racialized Militarism, Peacebuilding And Defunding The Military. popularresistance.org As the Canadian government prepares to spend $1 billion on Raytheon missiles and related equipment, award a $19 billion contract for new fighter jets in 2022, and increase spending to $32.7 billion a year on the military by 2026, it is both timely and necessary to have a conversation about peacebuilding and the structures of violence. In this regard, the Canadian Peace Initiative has a campaign to establish a federal Department of Peace. And Eriel Tchekwie Deranger has urged NGOs advocating for a Green New Deal to: "center the destructive intertwined roles of capitalism, consumerism, militarism and colonialism as…

Anand Naidoo (2020-06-25). The Heat: U.S. immigration and DACA ruling. america.cgtn.com U.S. President Trump temporarily suspends new work visas, barring foreigners from seeking employment in the United States.

The Canary (2020-06-25). Walk-in centres to provide coronavirus testing in 'heart of communities'. thecanary.co Walk-in centres for coronavirus (Covid-19) testing are to be set up to make it easier for people without cars to get tested for the virus.Six centres are being trialled in Newcastle, Rochdale, Leeds, Brent, Newham and Slough, with the latter described as a hybrid drive and walk through.The exact location of the centres has not been confirmed by officials but one is understood to be on a basketball court, and there have been reports they will spring up in empty shops and car parks.A source at the Department of Health and Social Care said officials were working on "walk through testing sites in England for people w…

The Canary (2020-06-25). Countries around the world are taking swift action to quash Covid hotspots as England gets set to head to the pub. thecanary.co Governments and businesses are ramping up precautions after the number of coronavirus (Covid-19) cases increased in various parts of the world.Meanwhile, in the UK, where daily confirmed cases

The Canary (2020-06-25). Russians begin voting on changes allowing Putin to stay in power until 2036. thecanary.co Polls have opened in Russia for a week-long vote on constitutional changes that would allow president Vladimir Putin to stay in power until 2036.The vote on a range of constitutional amendments, proposed by Putin in January, was initially scheduled for 22 April but was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.It was later rescheduled for 1 July, with polling stations opening a week earlier and staying open for seven days in an effort to avoid crowds on the main voting day.The proposed amendments include a change in the constitution that would allow 67-year-old Putin, who has ruled Russia for over two decades…

Staff (2020-06-25). How U.S. and Brazil Leadership That "Neglects Science" Led to Hemisphere's Worst Coronavirus Crises. democracynow.org As coronavirus infections worldwide approach 10 million, nearly half can be found in the two largest countries in the Americas: the United States and Brazil, which now has the worst infection rate in the world and could surpass the U.S. death toll next month. "What we see in the country is a reflection of the leadership that we have," says Marcia Castro, professor of demography, chair of the Department of Global Health and Population at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and co-chair of Harvard's Brazil Studies Program, noting far-right President Jair Bolsonaro has downplayed the pandemic's severity an…

Staff (2020-06-25). Repair & Revive: Rev. William Barber on Fighting Racism, Poverty, Climate Change, War & Nationalism. democracynow.org The Poor People's Campaign offered a counterpoint to President Trump's sparsely attended Tulsa campaign rally with a mass digital gathering that unveiled a policy platform to spur "transformative action" on five key issues of systemic racism, systemic poverty, ecological devastation, the war economy and the threat of religious nationalism. "We have to repair and revive," says Rev. Dr. William Barber, co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign. "That has to be a part of if we're truly going to ever be the democracy we claim to be on paper."

Staff (2020-06-25). Headlines for June 25, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. Coronavirus Cases Surge to Highest Daily Level Since Pandemic Began, WHO Warns Coronavirus Has Yet to Peak in the Americas, Kellyanne Conway Defends Trump's Use of "Kung Flu," Weeks After Calling the Term "Highly Offensive", Protesters Camp Outside New York City Hall Demanding $1B in Cuts to NYPD Budget, Democrats Halt Senate Police Bill, Saying Reforms Don't Go Far Enough, Colorado Lawmakers Demand Investigation into Police Killing of Elijah McClain, Family Demands Justice for Queens Man Tasered to Death by Police in His Own Home, NYPD Officer David Afanador to Face Strangulation Charges for Using Banned Ch…

IMEMC News (2020-06-25). Soldiers Injure Many Palestinians In Jordan Valley. imemc.org Israeli soldiers attacked, Thursday, dozens of Palestinians in Fasayel village, in the Jordan Valley of the occupied West Bank, causing dozens to suffer the effects of teargas inhalation. The villagers, accompanied by several cabinet members and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) officials, were trying to hold a meeting in the village, …

Jacob G. Hornberger (2020-06-25). Fear in the John F. Kennedy Assassination. "Some Americans Consider the Possibility that it Was A Regime Change Operation" globalresearch.ca One of the fascinating phenomena in the JFK assassination is the fear of some Americans to consider the possibility that the assassination was actually a regime-change operation carried out by the U.S. national-security establishment rather than simply a murder carried …

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2020-06-25). War is Good for Business and Organized Crime: Afghanistan's Multibillion Dollar Opium Trade. Rising Heroin Addiction in the US. globalresearch.ca Despite president Trump's announced US troop withdrawal, the Afghan opium trade continues to flourish. It is protected by US-NATO occupation forces on behalf of a nexus of powerful financial and criminal interests.

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2020-06-25). Colonial Drug Trafficking and the British Empire. globalresearch.ca When China's Qing Emperor Daoguang ordered the destruction of opium stocks in the port of Canton (Guangzhou) in 1838, the British Empire declared war on China on the grounds that it was obstructing the "free flow" of commodity trade.

José Argàºello (2020-06-25). Meet the far-right oligarchs working to topple Mexico's progressive President AMLO. thegrayzone.com A Trump-like Mexican oligarch, Gilberto Lozano, is leading a coalition of corporate leaders and far-right fanatics called FRENA to try…

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-06-25). Trump Admitted Relocation of American Soldiers to Poland Is Aimed Against Russia. globalresearch.ca It appears that despite achieving so-called independence from the Soviet Union and joining the EU and NATO in 2004, Lithuania does not have full sovereignty. In yesterday's negotiations with US President Donald Trump, the interests of Vilnius were not …

_____ (2020-06-25). Democratizing Energy To Counter The Climate Catastrophe. popularresistance.org Youth climate activists have been striking to demand immediate climate action from political powers. They conjoined the issues of climate and labor by calling for a global climate strike in September, 2019, in which a historic 7.6 million schoolkids, (grand)parents and workers from 185 countries participated. Over 70 trade unions around the world supported the strike and the number of climate groups that are demanding a just transition for fossil fuel workers are also steadily increasing. | The European landscape of climate activism is becoming densely populated. Numerous communities are defending nature together…

Kevin Gosztola (2020-06-25). US Government Expands Assange Indictment to Criminalize Assistance Provided to Edward Snowden. globalresearch.ca The United States government expanded their indictment against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to criminalize the assistance WikiLeaks provided to NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden when staff helped him leave Hong Kong. | Sarah Harrison, who was a section editor for WikiLeaks, …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-06-25). Assange faces second indictment by US on charges of recruiting hacktivists. peoplesdispatch.org Wikileaks founder Julian Assange will face a fresh indictment on charges of having "hired" and "conspired" with hacktivist groups, including Anonymous, LulzSec, and "a famous teenage hacker in Australia"

San José Peace and Justice Center (2020-06-25). Tuesday 6/23: Community Meeting on Police Response at Protests. indybay.org Zoom online meeting | Register in advance for this meeting: bit.ly/ComMtg0623 (or us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZApd-yvrjIvGtIy2_uCkP4yNI3-5dheaEDs) | After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Sit.Walk.Listen. (2020-06-25). Sunday 6/28: Sit. Walk. Listen. Because Black Lives Matter. indybay.org Henry J. Kaiser Memorial Park (19th st. and Telegraph ave), Oakland, CA | Dear siblings, these times are a great call for change. | As mindfulness practitioners, we can breathe for others who cannot. Let's bring the practice of peaceful compassionate nonviolence to the streets; to listen, to follow, and support black people. | As Thich Nhat Hanh once said: "Nonviolent action, born of the awareness of suffering and nurtured by love, is the most effective way to confront adversity." | Together we can walk in peace, love, compassion and awareness.

Peaceful Protest for Black Lives Matter (2020-06-25). Saturday 6/27: Peaceful Protest for Black Lives Matter. indybay.org Santa Cruz Clock Tower | Pacific Ave. and Water St., Santa Cruz…

Kurt Nimmo (2020-06-25). Black Lives Matter (BLM) and the Neoliberal Color Revolution in America. globalresearch.ca "The protests, riots, violent and non-violent actions sweeping across the United States since May 25, including an assault on the gates of the White House, begin to make sense when we understand the CIA's Color Revolution playbook," writes economic researcher, …

_____ (2020-06-25). Massive Uprisings Confront White Supremacy. popularresistance.org On May 25, a Minneapolis police officer tortured George Floyd to death in what his brother, Philonise Floyd, called "a modern-day lynching in broad daylight." Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in all 50 states and Washington D.C.; the anti-racist uprisings continue. | Why do a majority of people in this country now support the Movement for Black Lives? Why have calls to defund and abolish the police entered the mainstream discourse? Why are people risking the deadly coronavirus to join the protests? And why are we seeing what may be the broadest popular movement in the history of the United Stat…

Labor Video Project (2020-06-25). "No Layoffs" "Stop The Greed" Frontline UCSF Workers Protest Cutbacks In Middle Of Covid. indybay.org UCSF AFSCME 3299 Frontline healthcare workers and other union members from UC rallied and protested against the 3,000 cutbacks by UC management and regents. These cutbacks in the midst of a major pandemic will not only threaten the workers the care of the patients and the public.

Ian Cobain (2020-06-25). UK Health Ministry Has No Records on Turkish Protective Equipment (PPE) Fiasco and Won't Say if Files Destroyed. globalresearch.ca Department responsible tells MEE it has no documents about botched import of medical gear, raising concerns of cover-up ahead of inquiry into government's response to Covid-19 | *** | The British government's health ministry says it has no record whatsoever of its …

Muhammed Shabeer (2020-06-25). "Referendum in Russia exposes the sham of bourgeois democracy" peoplesdispatch.org Roman Kononenko from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation talks about the ongoing referendum in Russia on the constitutional reforms proposed by president Vladimir Putin. He also talks about how the country handled the COVID-19 pandemic…

_____ (2020-06-25). Pandemic proves opportunity for industry power grab. truepublica.org.uk By Tamasin Cave: The UK government has been "incredibly receptive" to businesses lobbying to shape its response to Covid-19 The decision to allow pubs and restaurants to reopen on July 4, before schools, and to relax social distancing, are the latest concessions to the alcohol industry during the Covid-19 crisis, after the government classified off-licences …

Kester Kenn Klomegah (2020-06-25). Beyond COVID-19 Aid, Ethiopia Hoists Africa's Flag. globalresearch.ca Ethiopia, by all standards, is a reputable country in East Africa. It gains popularly from different angles. In terms of politics, Ethiopia has been touted as a country with an excellent model of democracy in Africa. For his efforts in …

news.un (2020-06-25). First Person: Innovation brewing at Hawaii coffee farm. news.un.org Innovation and experimentation are helping a coffee farm in the US state of Hawaii to prosper in a competitive market, an approach which has helped the company to get through the global COVID-19 pandemic.