Daily Archives: July 18, 2020

2020-07-18: News Headlines

Andre Vltchek (2020-07-18). U.K. and Hong Kong: Mutually Reinforced Ignorance. dissidentvoice.org Three years ago, I visited Old Supreme Court Building in Hong Kong, also known as The Court of Final Appeal, together with my friend, an Afghan-British lawyer, who was on a personal mission of 're-discovering Asia.' Coming from a prominent, highly educated family in Afghanistan, my friend was extremely well aware that both the United …

Naomi Klein (2020-07-18). Naomi Klein on Juice Podcast. zcomm.org Interview on the lessons we're learning during this historic period, Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign, and why the liberals are going to get us all killed…

Jeremy Loffredo (2020-07-18). Why the Bill Gates Global Health Empire Promises More Empire and Less Public Health. Gates Foundation Owns the WHO! globalresearch.ca Behind a veil of corporate media PR, the Gates Foundation has served as a vehicle for Western capital while exploiting the Global South as a human laboratory. The coronavirus pandemic is likely to intensify this disturbing agenda. | *** | President Donald …

Dr. Jack Rasmus (2020-07-18). What Lies Ahead: Permanent Job Losses, Poverty in America, Financial and Political Instability. globalresearch.ca On July 6, 2020 I posted my extended view and analysis why the 3rd quarter US GDP would falter—and lead to a W-shape recovery, as it typical of all Great Recessions. The current recession's scenario was compared with 1929-30 and …

Vijay Prashad (2020-07-18). COVID-19: Rot exposed by pandemic augurs a future of fear. mronline.org Vijay Prashad raises deep questions about the exhaustion of the global capitalist system in a time of great human suffering.

Eds. (2020-07-18). 1978: Ernest Mandel — Rosa Luxemburg and political economy. mronline.org The Accumulation of Capital was published in 1913, and it was probably only after completing her magnum opus that Luxemburg resumed writing her Introduction to Political Economy. Interrupted once again, now by the outbreak of war, she continued to work on the Introduction during her stay in prison in Wronke, in the German province of …

Sam Pizzigati (2020-07-18). Will the Biden-Sanders Economic Task Force Report Rattle the Rich? zcomm.org Wish-lists of progressive public policies never change the world. But they sometimes do excite the people who can…

WSWS (2020-07-18). Brazil surpasses two million coronavirus cases as reopening drive continues. wsws.org "We cannot continue suffocating the economy," President Jair Bolsonaro said, as Brazil suffered the highest single day death toll in the world.

Richard Horton (2020-07-18). [Comment] Offline: COVID-19 and the dangers of Sinophobia. thelancet.com One of the most productive experiences editors at The Lancet have had during the past 6 months has been the intense collaborations with medical and public health scientists in mainland China and Hong Kong. Cooperation began early in the pandemic. During the last week of January, The Lancet published five research papers from mainland China and Hong Kong describing the clinical presentation of patients with COVID-19, human-to-human transmission, genomic relatedness to the SARS coronavirus, and the risks of a global pandemic.

WSWS (2020-07-18). US escalates economic warfare against Russia and China. wsws.org After securing a decision by the UK government to ban the Chinese firm Huawei from its 5G rollout, the US is pressuring the Merkel government in Germany to take the same decision.

Robert Hunziker (2020-07-18). The Sky Is Falling: Yes? No? dissidentvoice.org The sky is falling is one of the more disturbing thoughts in society today, as to whether climate change is on a fast track collision course with doomsday amidst a collapsing society. In that regard, according to the details of a scathing review by ScientistsWarning.org ("SW") of Jem Bendell's wildly popular "Deep Adaptation" the answer …

news.un (2020-07-18). FROM THE FIELD: Frontline resilience in Somalia. news.un.org One hundred thousand households in Somaliland in northwest Somalia have better access to water, protecting them not just from the ravages of climate change but also against the spread of COVID-19, thanks to a project supported by the UN Development Programme.

Lyudmila Nepomnyashchiy, Bernice Dahn, Rachel Saykpah, Mallika Raghavan (2020-07-18). [Comment] COVID-19: Africa needs unprecedented attention to strengthen community health systems. thelancet.com As the first cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Liberia, in March, 2020, former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf,1 among others,2 highlighted the need to adopt lessons learned from the response to the 2014—16 outbreak of Ebola virus disease in west Africa. Ebola claimed about 11‚Äà300 lives in 21 months across Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea.3 Comparisons to Ebola benefit from remembering the key differences between the two viruses. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a respiratory virus and is infectious among asymptomatic carriers.

WSWS (2020-07-18). Australian medical experts call for workplace and school shutdowns as Victoria's COVID-19 surge escalates. wsws.org Despite the highest spike in Australian coronavirus infections since the pandemic began, the Victorian Labor government has implemented a "lockdown" that leaves schools and most workplaces open.

WSWS (2020-07-18). Australia: Hundreds of health workers in Victoria contract COVID-19. wsws.org A national survey of 500 healthcare workers found that half were experiencing PPE shortages and some were having to source their own supplies.

WSWS (2020-07-18). US hits record 74,987 new daily COVID-19 cases. wsws.org The number of daily new cases in the United States has tripled from a month ago amid a massive resurgence of the pandemic.

Nicole Hassoun (2020-07-18). Putting ethics before profits. zcomm.org Ending the pandemic will take global access to COVID-19 treatment and vaccines…

Harry Rutter, Richard Horton, Theresa M Marteau (2020-07-18). [Comment] The Lancet—Chatham House Commission on improving population health post COVID-19. thelancet.com The health of populations across the planet is in a perilous state during the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than 550‚Äà000 deaths worldwide as of July 10, 2020.1 The disease burden is falling mainly on the most disadvantaged groups worldwide and there are major impacts on health systems across high, middle, and low-income countries. In parallel with these direct health impacts, the economic effects of lockdowns are leading to an unprecedented global recession which will have ramifications well into the future.

Esther Choo (2020-07-18). [Perspectives] Seven things organisations should be doing to combat racism. thelancet.com In the USA, the racial disparities in COVID-19 health outcomes collided with national conversations about racism sparked by the police killing of George Floyd. These events stimulated many organisations, including health-care institutions, to scramble to vocalise their stances on racial equity. The coming years will show if these statements translate into fundamental, lasting change. There are seven actions I hope to see from health-care organisations committed to addressing structural racism and building equitable environments.

The Canary (2020-07-18). Mayor demands that Trump remove federal police from Portland. thecanary.co The mayor of Portland has demanded that US president Donald Trump remove federal law enforcement from the city. Black Lives Matter protests have taken place in the city for nearly two months since the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on 25 May.Federal agents in green camouflage uniforms have reportedly arrested and detained protesters in the city. This happened after they were sent solely to protect federal property. Portland mayor Ted Wheeler told reporters: Keep your troops in your own buildings, or have them leave our city.Federal officers deployed tear gas and fired less-lethal rounds into a crowd…

RT (2020-07-18). CBP says Portland protester in viral 'kidnapping' clip was assault & vandalism suspect, denies officers wore no insignia. rt.com The US Customs and Border Protection agency has taken credit for a Portland protester's hot-button arrest this week, saying the man was a criminal suspect, while refuting claims he was 'kidnapped' by agents wearing no insignia. | The CBP sought to address the incident in a statement on Friday, noting that the protester arrested one day prior was suspected of vandalism and attacks on agents amid anti-police brutality demonstrations, which it said were organized by "violent anarchists." | "CBP agents had information indicating the person… was suspected of assaults against federal agents or destruction of feder…

The Fight for $15 (2020-07-18). Monday 7/20: Bay Strike for Black Lives in Oakland. indybay.org Mosswood Park, 3612 Webster St, Oakland, CA 94609…

WSWS Repost (2020-07-18). SEP candidates respond to California state officials in ballot access lawsuit. indybay.org Joseph Kishore and Norissa Santa Cruz respond to California officials who would have Socialist Equality Party (SEP) signature gatherers run a deadly COVID-19 "minefield" to gain them ballot access in November. In federal court they argued that putting the signature gatherers and the public at risk during the pandemic is unconstitutional and unacceptable.

_____ (2020-07-18). Artists Install Anti-Trump Living Statues Around DC. popularresistance.org Living statues were installed around Washington, D.C. on Friday depicting President Trump as a "destroyer of civil rights and liberties." | A group of artists known as the Trump Statue Initiative is behind the installations, including one that depicts Trump holding up a Bible while Black Lives Matters protesters are beaten and another showing him telling a masked child to "go back to school" while holding a golf club. | "The concept is that the history he's painting of himself right now, where his narcissistic or racist or self-serving moments abound, this is what he's leaving us with," filmmaker Bryan Buckley to…

_____ (2020-07-18). Cops And Their Supporters Unite To Attack BLM Counterers. popularresistance.org George Floyd's murder, along with the murders of Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks, and so many others, laid bare for the world how police are mandated by the state to terrorize people of color, especially Black people. The severe repression against protesters put this violence on display on a mass scale and showed the lengths the state is willing to go to keep its hold on "law and order." Yet, even as politicians, NGOs, and nonprofits try desperately to co-opt and pacify the movement, the most leftward expression of protesters' demands — from defunding and disbanding police departments to abolishing police a…

RT (2020-07-18). Leader of radical black-only militia NFAC 'believes in violence' & wants a real-life Wakanda for every black person in America. rt.com NFAC, the masked, armed black militia that recently marched through a park in Georgia, deems violence and killing an acceptable response to oppression. Their end goal is to break away from the US as their own black-only nation. | The NFAC (Not F*cking Around Coalition) grabbed plenty of attention on social media with a high-profile public debut on July 4. The sight of an all-black militia, clutching rifles and handguns, marching in the heartland of the Ku Klux Klan at Stone Mountain caused plenty of ripples. | But very little is known about them, despite a frenzy of speculation. It's not even clear when they w…

RT (2020-07-18). Portland police 'retreat' after standoff with NAKED female protester (PHOTOS, VIDEOS). rt.com Police officers in Portland, Oregon were caught off guard after being approached by a nude female demonstrator, who lay down in the street and began performing yoga. The cops were then filmed "withdrawing." | A woman wearing nothing except a mask and a beanie approached a group of officers clearing out the downtown area in the early hours of Saturday. A line of police and federal agents were standing at an intersection when the naked woman seemingly appeared out of nowhere. | "Naked Athena appeared and the little boys didn't know what to do," joked Donovan Farley, a reporter on the ground who documented the ri…

_____ (2020-07-18). 'Putin Hacked Our Coronavirus Vaccine' Is the Dumbest Story Yet. strategic-culture.org Caitlin JOHNSTONE | Today mainstream media is reporting what is arguably the single dumbest Russiavape story of all time, against some very stiff competition. | "Russian hackers are targeting health care organizations in the West in an attempt to steal coronavirus vaccine research, the U.S. and Britain said," "Hackers backed by the Russian state are trying to steal COVID-19 vaccine and treatment research from academic and pharmaceutical institutions around the world, Britain's National Cyber…

Staff (2020-07-18). George Yancy: To Be Black in the US Is to Have a Knee Against Your Neck Each Day. truthout.org What drives the current rift between white and Black America, and how as individuals can we effectively contribute to the fight against the worldmaking of whiteness? | Philosopher

yenisafak (2020-07-18). Israel 'relieved' as ICC adjourns war crimes probe. yenisafak.com The Israeli government breathed a sigh of relief after a decision by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to adjourn without opening an investigation against Tel Aviv over possible war crimes committed in the occupied Palestinian territories, according to Israeli media.The ICC pre-trial was supposed to assess if the court's chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, has the authority to open an investigation into war crimes by Israel along with defining the territorial boundaries within which the investigation will take place.In May, Bensouda said that there is a basis to launch an investigation into war crimes committe…

The Lancet (2020-07-18). [Editorial] No more normal. thelancet.com Do you long for a return to normal after COVID-19?

Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II (2020-07-18). A Multi-Racial Coalition Is Necessary For This Moment. zcomm.org Interview on seizing this moment with a broad-based, multi-racial movement to change an 'impoverished democracy.'

Kit Knightly (2020-07-18). The "Russian Vaccine Hack" Is a 3-for-1 Deal on Propaganda. globalresearch.ca The Guardian, and all the other predictable voices, are currently reporting that Russian At this stage they offer no substantiation, but it does serve as good …

Ali Salam (2020-07-18). Several Palestinians Suffocate at Kufur Qaddoum, Nablus and Salfit Protests. imemc.org Three major demonstrations were held by Palestinians, on Friday, to express their objection to Israel's continued colonial settlement activities in the occupied West Bank. Israeli forces opened fire, on Friday afternoon, towards Palestinians during a peaceful protest north of Nablus city, in Asira Ash-Shamaliyya town, northern West Bank, according to …

Ali Salam (2020-07-18). 8 Palestinians Detained by Israeli Forces, All Former Detainees. imemc.org Israeli forces, Thursday evening, detained a Palestinian astro-physicist at the entrance of Anata town, northeast of occupied East Jerusalem, said Palestinian WAFA News Agency correspondent. He reported that Israeli soldiers ordered Imad Barghouthi, 56, an astrophysics professor at Al-Quds University in East Jerusalem, out of his vehicle at the entrance …

Sebastian Bourn, Nick Dodds (2020-07-18). [Correspondence] Tranexamic acid for traumatic brain injury. thelancet.com We read about the CRASH-3 study1 with interest. The CRASH-3 collab ≠orators are to be congratulated for their endeavour and their integrated analysis. However, we ask, who exactly benefits from this treatment?

Ian Roberts, Haleema Shakur-Still (2020-07-18). [Correspondence] Tranexamic acid for traumatic brain injury — Authors' reply. thelancet.com We thank the many correspondents for their comments about the CRASH-3 trial.1…

Yoshiko Iwai, Zahra H Khan, Sayantani DasGupta (2020-07-18). [Perspectives] Abolition medicine. thelancet.com Who do you serve, who do you protect? Doctors and nurses are not soldiers. Antibiotics are not bombs, hospitals are not the front lines, hard-working medical trainees are not "gunners", and neither disease nor patients are "the enemy". Militarised language valorises aggression and violence in medical training and the clinical encounter while obfuscating the loyalties of health workers who serve and protect individuals and communities in need.

Federico Bilotta, Francesco Pugliese (2020-07-18). [Comment] The evolving clinical use of dexmedetomidine. thelancet.com In patients having cardiac and non-cardiac surgery, new-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation and postoperative delirium have been associated with several adverse long-term outcomes, including increased cardiovascular, renal, and cerebral complications, worsened postoperative cognitive function, increased mortality, longer length of stay in hospital, and increased medical costs.1—3 Identifying effective therapies and modifiable factors that might reduce the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation and postoperative delirium is paramount.

Nicolien J Schepers, Nora D L Hallensleben, Marc G Besselink, Marie-Paule G F Anten, Thomas L Bollen, David W da Costa, Foke van Delft, Sven M van Dijk, Hendrik M van Dullemen, Marcel G W Dijkgraaf, Casper H J van Eijck, G Willemien Erkelens, Nicole S Erler, Paul Fockens, Erwin J M van Geenen, Janneke van Grinsven, Robbert A Hollemans, Jeanin E van Hooft, Rene W M van der Hulst, Jeroen M Jansen, Frank J G M Kubben, Sjoerd D Kuiken, Robert J F Laheij, Rutger Quispel, Rogier J J de Ridder, Marno C M Rijk, Tessa E H Rà∂mkens, Carola H M Ruigrok, Erik J Schoon, Matthijs P Schwartz, Xavier J N M Smeets, B W Marcel Spanier, Adriaan C I T L Tan, Willem J Thijs, Robin Timmer, Niels G Venneman, Robert C Verdonk, Frank P Vleggaar, Wim van de Vrie, Ben J Witteman, Hjalmar C van Santvoort, Olaf J Bakker, Marco J Bruno, Dutch Pancreatitis Study Group (2020-07-18). [Articles] Urgent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with sphincterotomy versus conservative treatment in predicted severe acute gallstone pancreatitis (APEC): a multicentre randomised controlled trial. thelancet.com In patients with predicted severe gallstone pancreatitis but without cholangitis, urgent ERCP with sphincterotomy did not reduce the composite endpoint of major complications or mortality, compared with conservative treatment. Our findings support a conservative strategy in patients with predicted severe acute gallstone pancreatitis with an ERCP indicated only in patients with cholangitis or persistent cholestasis.

Meletios Dimopoulos, Hang Quach, Maria-Victoria Mateos, Ola Landgren, Xavier Leleu, David Siegel, Katja Weisel, Hui Yang, Zandra Klippel, Anita Zahlten-Kumeli, Saad Z Usmani (2020-07-18). [Articles] Carfilzomib, dexamethasone, and daratumumab versus carfilzomib and dexamethasone for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (CANDOR): results from a randomised, multicentre, open-label, phase 3 study. thelancet.com KdD significantly prolonged progression-free survival versus Kd in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma and was associated with a favourable benefit—risk profile.

Alparslan Turan, Andra Duncan, Steve Leung, Nika Karimi, Jonathan Fang, Guangmei Mao, Jennifer Hargrave, Marc Gillinov, Carlos Trombetta, Sabry Ayad, Manal Hassan, Andrew Feider, Kimberly Howard-Quijano, Kurt Ruetzler, Daniel I Sessler, DECADE Study Group (2020-07-18). [Articles] Dexmedetomidine for reduction of atrial fibrillation and delirium after cardiac surgery (DECADE): a randomised placebo-controlled trial. thelancet.com Dexmedetomidine infusion, initiated at anaesthetic induction and continued for 24 h, did not decrease postoperative atrial arrhythmias or delirium in patients recovering from cardiac surgery. Dexmedetomidine should not be infused to reduce atrial fibrillation or delirium in patients having cardiac surgery.

Ann Danaiya Usher (2020-07-18). [World Report] New funds proposed to prevent pandemics. thelancet.com A new fund to prevent future pandemics has been proposed by the US Senate, and another by the World Bank. But some global health leaders have criticised the plans. Ann Danaiya Usher reports.

Talha Burki (2020-07-18). [World Report] Cumberlege Review slams health care in England. thelancet.com The Review describes a culture of denial, institutional resistance to responding to safety concerns, and an absence of accountability. Talha Burki reports.

Raija Silvennoinen, Caroline A Heckman (2020-07-18). [Comment] A candid view of CANDOR. thelancet.com Investigations into new myeloma therapies have included combinations of up to four drugs containing a proteasome inhibitor, immunomodulating agent, monoclonal antibody, and dexamethasone.1,2 However, increasing efficacy requires careful balance with toxicity. In The Lancet, Meletios Dimopoulos and colleagues3 report the initial results of the randomised, phase 3 CANDOR study, investigating a three-drug combination excluding an immunomodulator; carfilzomib, daratumumab, and dexamethasone (KdD) was compared with carfilzomib and dexamethasone (Kd) for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who had rec…

Geoff Watts (2020-07-18). [Obituary] Bertram S Brown. thelancet.com Influential leader in US mental health. He was born in Brooklyn, NY, USA, on Jan 28, 1931, and died of cardiovascular disease in Bala Cynwyd, PA, USA, on May 14, 2020, aged 89 years.

teleSUR (2020-07-18). US: Trump Sends Undercover Police to Quell Portland's Protests. telesurenglish.net U.S. Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) Thursday denounced that President Donald Trump has deployed federal agents in Portland, Oregon, dressed in camouflage but without any visible insignia, to round up and detain U.S. citizens. | RELATED: | "Multiple videos released on digital platforms show federal officials approaching people, arresting them and leaving without any explanation to justify the arrest," OPB said in a statement. | Since at least July 14, officials have dr…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-18). Unions thwart liquidation of South African Airways. peoplesdispatch.org The decision of stakeholders to approve a rescue plan for the crisis-ridden South African Airways ensures that it will not get liquidated as was feared earlier. Unions fought a long battle to prevent liquidation…

yenisafak (2020-07-18). US swoops down on Portland protesters after Trump order to protect monuments. yenisafak.com Federal law enforcement officers are cracking down on protesters in Portland, Oregon, under the Trump administration's new executive order to protect U.S. monuments in what the state's Democratic governor has called "political theater."Multiple videos posted online show camouflage-clad officers without clear identification badges using force and unmarked vehicles to transport arrested protesters."It's kidnapping people!" one person said off-camera, as officers marched a protester away.A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) spokeswoman said on Friday agents had been deployed to Portland to support a newly laun…

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-18). Sixth Indian shipment to Afghanistan arrives at Iranian port. en.mehrnews.com CHABAHAR, Jul. 18 (MNA) — India's sixth consignment of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan has arrived at Chabahar's Shahid Beheshti Port, the director-general of Sistan and Baluchestan Ports and Maritime Department said on Saturday.

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-18). Iran-China cooperation major challenge to US unilateralism. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 18 (MNA) — Chinese TV in a report described Iran-China 25-year cooperation roadmap as the result of US maximum pressure, stressing it has posed major challenge to the US unilateralism in the international community.

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-18). Iranian researchers produce antivirus hospital clothing. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 18 (MNA) — Iranian researchers in a knowledge-based company designed and produced isolated antivirus hospital clothing, applicable in the fight against the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, in particular.

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-18). Admitting defeat against Iran better than foolish bluffs. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 18 (MNA) — Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani said accepting defeat against powerful Iran is better than foolish bluffs.

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-18). Saudi sponsored TV channel showed utter obscenity: envoy. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 18 (MNA) — Iran's Ambassador to UK Hamid Baeidinjad reacted to the live broadcast of the gathering of MEK (Mujahedin-e Khalq) terrorist group on the Iran International Channel in his Twitter account.

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-18). Iran-Syria military coop. to defeat Zionist Regime. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 17(MNA) — An Iranian Lawmaker said that military cooperation agreements must be signed between Iran and regional countries including Syria to strengthen Iran and the axis of Resistance and to defeat the Zionist Regime and other enemies.

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-18). Parl. investigating withdrawal form UN 'additional protocol'. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 18 (MNA) — An MP informed on Saturday that the Parliament is investigating a new plan to have Iran out of the United Nations' additional protocol.

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-18). Economic benefits needed for Iran's full compliance to JCPOA. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 18 (MNA) — EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs said on Saturday that expecting Iran to fully comply with JCPAO obligations without having the country benefit from the economic advantages of the deal is not acceptable.

UC Students & Workers (2020-07-18). Saturday 7/25: F*ck the UC: No cops, no firings, no layoffs. indybay.org UC Office of the President, 1111 Franklin Street, Oakland CA 94607…

By Lynda Carson (2020-07-18). Housing wage for 2 bedroom unit is $43.06 for Oakland-Fremont area. indybay.org COVID-19 Guidance for Multifamily Residential Buildings:…

Roland Rottenfuss (2020-07-18). The 9 coffin nails of democracy. indybay.org Democracy is an achievement and must be won anew, expanded and defended against attacks in every era… The political conformity of the mainstream press is a sad chapter. "Representative democracy" is a fine word, but who do the representatives actually represent today? Citizens want "representatives of the people."

Ramona du Houx (2020-07-18). Thousands of Elected Officials see a turning point, and rally against fossil fuel industry. indybay.org In this historic moment of reckoning for the energy future of America, elected officials join indigenous and front-lines organizers in celebrating victories over unjust and exploitative pipelines. With the tide of public opinion clearly opposed to carbon emissions and the oil industry's devastating reevaluations the vise-like grip of the fossil fuel industry's lobbying influence has begun to weaken.

_____ (2020-07-18). Bolivians Take To The Streets Against The Añez Government. popularresistance.org Bolivia's Workers Central (COB) Tuesday called for tens of thousands of people to hold a mass protest in several cities against the coup-born regime led by Jeanine Añez. | "The Bolivian people, the Indigenous groups, and educational organizations raised their voice of protest today," the COB Secretary-General Juan Carlos Huarachi said in La Paz. | One of the demonstrators' main calls is the definitive confirmation of the general elections for September 6. | "We ask for a democratically elected government that resolves the country's economic and health crisis caused by COVID-19," Huarachi added, adding that citize…

_____ (2020-07-18). How NATO-Member Turkey Reverted Back to Being an Islamic Dictatorship. strategic-culture.org The gradual process of Turkey's becoming an Islamic

_____ (2020-07-18). The Pendulum Swings Again: the Desecration of Hagia Sophia. strategic-culture.org The Turkish President should have consulted the prophecies of St. Paisius of the Holy Mountain rather than whatever kitaps he was reading before embarking on his risky provocation. In plain Greek, several decades ago St. Paisius was educating Turkish leaders about

Staff (2020-07-18). Trump Blocks CDC Experts From Testifying to Education Panel on School Reopenings. truthout.org The Democratic chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee

Staff (2020-07-18). Trump's Federal Police Are Kidnapping and Brutalizing Protesters in Portland. truthout.org On July 11, Donavan LaBella, 26, was shot in the head with an impact munition as he stood at a protest holding a speaker over his head. "It caused a pretty deep laceration, but he was bleeding from his nose, his mouth, his ears — it was pretty bad,"

yenisafak (2020-07-18). UK coronavirus antibody test found to be a success. yenisafak.com Following successful trials, the British government is set to start distributing millions of free coronavirus antibody tests, local media reported on Saturday.The finger-prick tests can tell within 20 minutes if a person has been exposed to the virus and were found to be 98.6% accurate during human trials that took place in June.The test was developed under a partnership between Oxford University and leading diagnostics firms of the UK.Sir John Bell, professor of medicine at Oxford University and head of the government's antibody testing program, was quoted by The Telegraph as saying: "This rapid test appears to…

yenisafak (2020-07-18). UK pauses daily coronavirus death toll update over data concerns. yenisafak.com Britain said on Saturday it was pausing its daily update of the death toll from the coronavirus after the government ordered a review into the calculation of the data over concerns the toll might have been exaggerated.Academics have said the way that Public Health England (PHE), the government agency responsible for managing infectious disease outbreaks, calculates the figures in England means they may be distorted compared to other parts of the United Kingdom."Currently the daily deaths measure counts all people who have tested positive for coronavirus and since died, with no cut-off between time of testing and…

yenisafak (2020-07-18). Libya's oil firm calls for foreign mercenaries to leave. yenisafak.com Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) on Saturday called for the immediate withdrawal of foreign mercenaries from oil facilities in the country.In a statement, the NOC condemned the deployment of Russia's Wagner Group and Syrian and Janjaweed mercenaries in Libyan oil installations, most recently at Es Sidra port."NOC demands their immediate withdrawal from all facilities," it said, calling the UN to "send observers to supervise the demilitarization in the areas of NOC operations across the country.""There are currently large numbers of foreign mercenaries in NOC facilities who do not share this wish," the state…

yenisafak (2020-07-18). Germany's military missing over 60000 rounds of ammunition. yenisafak.com More than 100 weapons and tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition have disappeared from the inventory of the German armed forces and police, the daily WELT newspaper reported Saturday.At least 60,000 rounds of ammunition have been unaccounted for in the German military and police force over the past 10 years.This figure does not include around 48,000 rounds that went missing from the army's elite Special Forces Command (KSK) unit, which lately made headlines after far-right extremism was exposed among its soldiers.The German Defense Ministry has reportedly launched an investigation into the incident.The exact r…

yenisafak (2020-07-18). US government executes third prisoner after 17-year hiatus. yenisafak.com The U.S. Department of Justice executed a convicted murderer on Friday in the third federal execution within a week after a 17-year hiatus, according to a reporter serving as a media witness.Dustin Lee Honken, 52, was a dealer in illegal methamphetamine when he and his girlfriend murdered five people in Iowa in 1993, including two girls aged 10 and 6. He was convicted in 2004.Honken was pronounced dead at 4: 36 p.m. EDT at the Justice Department's execution chamber at the federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana, the media witness said.

yenisafak (2020-07-18). Protest held against Armenia's border attacks in Hungary. yenisafak.com The protest was organized by Azerbaijani associations based in Hungary.Carrying Azerbaijani, Turkish and Hungarian flags, the protesters chanted slogans.Ramiz Emirli, the head of the Azerbaijani-Hungarian Brotherhood Association, told Anadolu Agency that they organized the protests to announce in Europe that Armenia attacked Azerbaijan and martyred its soldiers.Armenian attacks since last Sunday have martyred a dozen Azerbaijani soldiers. However, they have since withdrawn after suffering losses following retaliation from the Azerbaijani military.Azerbaijan has blamed Armenia for the "provocative" actions, with T…

yenisafak (2020-07-18). Ethiopian premier in Eritrea to discuss regional issues. yenisafak.com Ethiopia's prime minister arrived in Eritrea on an official visit on Saturday.Abiy Ahmed was welcomed in the capital Asmara by Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki and other senior officials.The two leaders will confer on bilateral and regional issues, according to a statement by the Ethiopian premier's office.Relations between the neighboring countries were restored in June 2018 after two decades of mistrust and tensions.They fought a bloody war from 1998 to 2000 that claimed around 70,000 lives.Abiy won the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize for leading efforts to normalize Ethiopia and Eritrea's ties and for making regional…

Joel Wendland-Liu (2020-07-17). We cannot have the police viewing the people as the enemy. peoplesworld.org After the Black Lives Matter uprisings in May and June, which were prompted by the racist police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the slaying of Breonna Taylor in Louisville, few people in the world are unaware of the intensity of systemic racism in the U.S. From top to bottom, systemic racism dominates the …

Laura Flanders (2020-07-17). As Trump Moves to Hide Covid-19, We Already Know Which Communities Are Suffering Most. commondreams.org Nationally, Black Americans die at 2.5 times the rate of whites, and in the states seeing rising rates right now, the disparities are especially stark. (Photo: Andrew Burton/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

RT (2020-07-17). Two arrested after Black Lives Matter mural near Trump Tower in NYC vandalized for second time this week (VIDEO). rt.com At least two people were arrested after vandalizing a Black Lives Matter mural near Trump Tower in New York City, prompting a heavy police response and a face-off with activists in the mural's second defacing in a matter of days. | A group of some 10 people gathered around the art installation in New York City's Midtown on Friday — a massive street painting of the words "Black Lives Matter" — splashing blue paint across part of the mural. The incident was captured in footage shared to social media. | One of those reportedly taken into custody wore a shirt with the words "All Lives Matter" and donned…

Staff (2020-07-17). Philadelphia Delays Unhoused Encampment Eviction as CDC Says "Let Them Remain" & Stop COVID Spread. democracynow.org As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says unhoused people living in encampments should be allowed to remain where they are to help stop the spread of COVID-19, we go to Philadelphia, where the mayor has postponed the eviction of an encampment planned for this morning. "The Philadelphia Housing Authority has about 5,000 vacant properties," notes Sterling Johnson, an organizer with Black and Brown Workers Cooperative, who joins us from the camp. "We want to use them to create a community land trust. What they want to do is auction them off to private developers." The move comes as many cities have cont…

SEIU Local 1021 (2020-07-17). Monday 7/20: San Francisco City Hall Strike for Black Lives. indybay.org San Francisco City Hall, 1 Dr Carlton B Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102…

Jeffrey St. Clair (2020-07-17). Roaming Charges: The Meaning of BB King in the Age of BLM. counterpunch.org In the summer of 1998, Alexander Cockburn and I spent a few days in North Richmond, California, a battered industrial city just outside of Berkeley. We had just published our book Whiteout on the CIA and drug trafficking and had been invited to speak at a black church about the horrific toll of the drug

RT (2020-07-17). No-fly zone: Pentagon effectively bans Confederate, LGBT and BLM flags from DoD property. rt.com The Pentagon has effectively banned the Confederate flag at US military sites around the world, without explicitly saying so, in a new policy unveiled on Friday. | A Department of Defense The LGBT pride flag and Black Lives Matter banners are also absent from the list of acceptable emblems. | A draft version of the policy repor…

RT (2020-07-17). 'You've the biggest nose I've ever seen': Black Portland cop details racist abuse dished out by white BLM protesters. rt.com Portland police officer Jakhary Jackson has detailed the stunning abuse he has faced during Black Lives Matter protests and blasted the "hypocritical" demonstrations for having fewer minorities than the police they're fighting. | In a wide ranging discussion Officer Jackson laid out some of his experiences on the frontline of the civil unrest which has unfolded in the city for nearly two months. | The cop reveals that he has been violently attacked with explosive devices, white protesters have hurled racist abuse at him and protesters routinely label white officers racists "without even knowing anything about…

RT (2020-07-17). 'You have the biggest nose I've ever seen': Black Portland cop details racist abuse dished out by white BLM protesters. rt.com Portland police officer Jakhary Jackson has detailed the stunning abuse he has faced during Black Lives Matter protests and blasted the "hypocritical" demonstrations for having fewer minorities than the police they're fighting. | In a wide ranging discussion Officer Jackson laid out some of his experiences on the frontline of the civil unrest which has unfolded in the city for nearly two months. | The cop reveals that he has been violently attacked with explosive devices, white protesters have hurled racist abuse at him and protesters routinely label white officers racists "without even knowing anything about…

RT (2020-07-17). London cop suspended over footage of officer kneeling on man's neck during arrest. rt.com One Metropolitan Police officer has been suspended and another one removed from operational duties over an incident, captured on camera, in which a cop knelt on a suspect's neck during his arrest in Islington, London. | Filmed by a concerned bystander, the footage shows two police officers holding a handcuffed black man on the ground. The suspect is heard to scream, "Get off my neck," as one of the policemen appears to put his knee on him. | Absolutely disgusting, my sister is in this video witnessing police brutality and them kneeling on this black man's neck. He is clearly not a threat and is in cuffs. Pleas…

RT (2020-07-17). Government-funded museum pulls 'racist' anti-white graphic from website. rt.com A taxpayer-funded museum of black history and culture has removed a chart describing a list of wholesome behaviors as white supremacist microaggressions. However, the museum remains committed to "deconstructing" whiteness itself. | The National Museum of African American History and Culture is a Smithsonian institution, and received some $33 million in government funding last year. At least some of that money went toward illustrating a chart describing a number of American virtues — including hard work, timekeeping, the nuclear family and delayed gratification — as traits of "whiteness." | The Nation…

sputniknews (2020-07-17). 'Facade of Freedom': Florida's Ex-Felon Voting Rights Rule Gutted in 'War on Poor People'. sputniknews.com The gutting of a 2018 amendment in Florida that gave ex-felons the right to vote, is just the latest attack in the government's war on poor, Black and brown people in America, two activists told Sputnik.

The Canary (2020-07-17). Lloyds promises drive to hire more Black managers. thecanary.co One of the UK's biggest banks has promised that at least 3% of its managers will be Black by the middle of the decade. | Lloyds said it plans to increase the number of Black people in senior management roles by around 400%, as it said that a focus on Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) targets had not led to enough progress. | As of 2011, a census found that just over 3% of the UK's population were Black, but Black people only make up around 1.5% of Lloyds' total workforce and 0.6% of senior management. | "We aim to create a fully inclusive environment that is representative of modern-day Britain and where ev…

Staff (2020-07-17). Police Punish And Wall Street Profits. therealnews.com Taxpayers are paying double for police brutality settlements thanks to local governments buying bonds from Wall Street to cover payouts. San Diego cop watcher Kat from Irate Productions discusses recent police harassment of unarmed residents.

Ahmed Abdulkareem (2020-07-17). Saudi Coalition Attack on Yemen Wedding Party Leaves Over 30 Civilians Dead. mintpressnews.com United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths called for a transparent investigation into the attack, which comes just weeks after the UN took Saudi Arabia off its list of child killers.

Alan Macleod (2020-07-17). Aid Groups Call for Worldwide COVID-19 Bailout Amid Fears of Mass Hunger. mintpressnews.com "As many as 12,000 people could die every day from COVID-linked hunger, which is more than those dying daily from the virus itself," warns Oxfam America President Abby Maxman.

Alan MacLeod (2020-07-17). Portland Mayor Condemns Masked Federal Agents Abducting Protesters. thealtworld.com Human rights groups, activists, and local politicians are decrying what appears to be the Trump administration's latest tactic to crush nationwide protests that erupted in late May over the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police. | MPN— Anonymous masked federal agents in military uniforms jump out of unmarked minivans, abducting seemingly random people on the street in Portland, frightening new viral videos show. Officers from the U.S. Marshals Special Operations Group and Customs and Border Protection's BORTAC have been sent to the city to tamp down of 49 days of continuous demonstrations against raci…

Louis Proyect (2020-07-17). Thoughts on Bayard Rustin Nostalgia. counterpunch.org A Dustin Guastella article on Nonsite dated July 9th generated controversy because it opposed defunding the cops. Like Bernie Sanders, another opponent of defunding, Guastella proposed reforms that would satisfy everybody since they would lead to less crime. If there were massive increases in federal social spending, there would be more jobs and hence less

Eric Zuesse (2020-07-17). Does Sanders Have a Secret Deal with Biden? globalresearch.ca Though Bernie Sanders is less dishonest than any other of the U.S. political leaders who have contested in the 2016 and 2020 U.S. Presidential primary campaigns, no one should trust his endorsements of the DNC's choice (which was what it …

Eoin Higgins, staff writer (2020-07-17). 'Masks for All': Bernie Sanders Calls on Federal Government to Provide Face Coverings for Everyone in the Country. commondreams.org "The science is clear: Wearing a mask not only saves lives, but the widespread use of masks will get Americans back to work sooner and reunite families who have stayed apart." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2020-07-17). The Downing of Malaysian Airlines MH17: The Quest for Truth and Justice. Review of the Evidence. globalresearch.ca The MH17 Inquiry has been conducted in an insidious fashion. Important pieces of evidence including eye witness reports, audio & video material transmitted through Ukraine Intelligence (SBU) have been manipulated or excluded from the Dutch inquiry, which largely endorses Washington's accusations directed against Moscow.

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2020-07-17). Video: "The House Cat Flu" is Coming. The Meow Apocalypse… globalresearch.ca The following episode of the Simpsons was released in 2010. | It is a satire. But at the same time it reveals the unspoken truth. The writer of the script is an award winning author and political analyst. Michael Price | This …

_____ (2020-07-17). Chris Hedges: America Faces A Historic Choice — "Ugly Corporate Tyranny" Or Revolution. popularresistance.org Time is broken in Donald Trump's America. Minutes feel like hours, hours feel like days. Weeks are months, and months are years. And there is an overwhelming sense of time warped by dread as the country careens towards a dangerous climax on Election Day — whatever the outcome. | Disorientation is a feature of life in a failing democracy where fascism is ascendant. | In a widely read conversation here at Salon during the first few weeks of the national pandemic lockdown and the implosion of America's economy, journalist and bestselling author Chris Hedges warned that, compared to what may lie ahead, "these w…

Staff (2020-07-17). Headlines for July 17, 2020. democracynow.org United States Hits Daily Record of 75,600 Coronavirus Cases as Death Rate Rises, Colorado & Arkansas Mandate Masks as Georgia's Governor Sues to Overturn Atlanta Mask Ordinance, Detroit Protesters Block School Buses in Bid to Halt In-Person Summer Classes, "Science Should Not Stand in the Way" of School Reopenings, Says Trump's Spokesperson, India and Brazil Pass Grim Coronavirus Milestones, Colombia's Hospitals Near Capacity as Paramilitaries Enforce Coronavirus Lockdowns with Violence, Thousands Still Planning to Attend Scaled-Back Republican National Convention in Florida, Trump Administration Wins Reprieve in…

Staff (2020-07-17). Sonia Shah: "It's Time to Tell a New Story About Coronavirus — Our Lives Depend on It" democracynow.org The United States hit an all-time high of 75,600 new COVID cases Thursday — the largest number recorded in a single day since the pandemic began. Top U.S. infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci says the spike in cases resulted from states rushing to reopen their economies. We speak with investigative journalist Sonia Shah about the government's failed response, the false idea that the virus is a "foreign incursion," and "vaccine nationalism." In her latest piece for The Nation magazine, she argues, "It's Time to Tell a New Story About Coronavirus — Our Lives Depend on It."

Staff (2020-07-17). "This Is Trump's War": U.S.-Backed Saudi Bombing in Yemen Continues as Coronavirus Spreads. democracynow.org As the coronavirus spreads in Yemen, where the population already devastated by the world's worst humanitarian crisis faces growing hunger and aid shortages, the Saudi-led, U.S.-backed coalition continues to drop bombs in the country. We speak to Yemeni scholar Shireen Al-Adeimi, who calls the ongoing crisis "Trump's war." "We're seeing death rates that are just astronomical," Al-Adeimi says. "The war continues, the bombing continues, the blockade is still enforced."

F. William Engdahl (2020-07-17). Now Comes the Davos Global Economy "Great Reset". What Happens After the Covid-19 Pandemic? globalresearch.ca First published by GR on June 10, 2020 | For those wondering what will come after the Covid19 pandemic has successfully all but shut down the entire world economy, spreading the worst depression since the 1930s, the leaders of the premier …

Ajit Singh (2020-07-17). With US support, Taiwan planted deception about warning the World Health Organization of Covid. thegrayzone.com Taiwan's claim that it provided early warning to the WHO about Covid and "human-to human-transmission" has been exploited by the…

Lawrence Wittner (2020-07-17). Making America Feared Again: The Trump Administration Considers Resuming Nuclear Weapons Testing. commondreams.org The nuclear testing now being considered by the Trump administration is designed with the same purpose that weapons have traditionally had in world affairs: to intimidate other nations. (Photo: Scott Howe/DVIDS) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Lee Camp (2020-07-17). The Life-Saving Covid-19 Drugs You've Never Heard Of (and Why). counterpunch.org The American profit-based healthcare system impacts us in more ways than just our gargantuan bill at the excretion end of an emergency room visit. Right now, our lovable idiotic inhumane healthcare system is acting as a hurdle to the manufacture and procurement of the right drugs to treat Covid-19. One of the drugs currently trumpeted

Martha Grevatt (2020-07-17). Deep organizing key to historic Flint Sit-Down Strike. workers.org These slightly edited remarks were given at a July 9 Workers World Party webinar on "Introduction to Revolutionary Deep Organizing." There is a medical definition for "inoculation": a set of methods of inducing immunity against various infectious diseases. The capitalists inoculate people against unionization. So what does it mean for . . . |

ACLU (2020-07-17). Padma Lakshmi on Immigration, Food, and Authorship. aclu.org Recently, we've seen a reckoning in the culinary world around the whitewashing and co-opting of ethnic food. The industry has long been controlled by a limited number of people — many of them white — who have authored and then profited from the foods we eat and the stories we share. But the tide is turning. And our guest for this episode, Padma Lakshmi, is part of that movement., , You've likely seen her tasting and critiquing some of the best chefs in the U.S. on Top Chef, sharing her favorite recipes across social media and advocating for immigrants rights and women's rights. Pa…

Mark Gruenberg (2020-07-17). Biden: Clean energy 'must provide an opportunity to join a union'. peoplesworld.org

Danny Haiphong (2020-07-17). The great American firewall: On the question of censorship. mronline.org It should not surprise anyone that China would take protective measures against the threat of U.S. imperialism in the realm of cyber technology.

Behrooz Ghamari Tabrizi (2020-07-17). The East-Bound Wind Causes a Storm in the West: Iran-China Sign Long-Term Trade Agreement. counterpunch.org A few months after the publication of his remarkable book, Adam Smith in Beijing, I had an illuminating conversation with Giovanni Arrighi about the significance of China in world history. The late sociologist was interested in knowing more about the subject of my scholarship—modern Iran and the Iranian revolution. When he saw my puzzled face,

Robert Hunziker (2020-07-17). The Sky Is Falling — Yes — No. counterpunch.org The sky is falling is one of the more disturbing thoughts in society today, as to whether climate change is on a fast track collision course with doomsday amidst a collapsing society. In that regard, according to the details of a scathing review by ScientistsWarning.org ("SW") of Jem Bendell's wildly popular "Deep Adaptation" the answer

Eric A. Gordon (2020-07-17). Eric the Clapper tells us why he claps. peoplesworld.org LOS ANGELES — "Did you clap tonight?" my faraway husband in Mexico asks me almost every evening when we talk. He's stuck there for immigration reasons, and I'm stuck here for coronavirus reasons. We haven't seen each other since early January, except on Facetime. "Oh, yes," I answer, and he always likes to grasp the …

Caitlin Johnstone (2020-07-17). "Putin Hacked Our Coronavirus Vaccine" Is The Dumbest Story Yet. thealtworld.com Today mainstream media is reporting what is arguably the single dumbest Russiavape story of all time, against some very stiff competition. | "Russian hackers are targeting health care organizations in the West in an attempt to steal coronavirus vaccine research, the U.S. and Britain said," "Hackers backed by the Russian state are trying to steal COVID-19 vaccine and treatment research from academic and pharmaceutical institutions around the world, Britain's National Cyber Security…

Vijay Prashad (2020-07-17). Each heartbeat must be our song; the redness of blood, our banner. mronline.org Too little has been made of the fact that countries like Laos and Vietnam have been able to manage the coronavirus; there are no confirmed deaths from COVID-19 in either country.

Mumia Abu-Jamal (2020-07-17). Mumia Abu-Jamal: 'A rogue nation?'— a commentary. workers.org This slightly edited commentary from July 8 by political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal is available at prisonradio.org/media/audio/mumia. Several days ago, the European Union announced that Americans were not welcome to visit any of the 28 member countries of the EU. Why? Because of the explosive expansion of the coronavirus among U.S. . . . |

Eds. (2020-07-17). Cuba in the last stretch of the Pandemic. mronline.org Cuba is only a few days away from ending its coronavirus quarantine. Except for Havana, all the other provinces are free of the contagion and have begun moving toward a new normality.

Mark Gruenberg (2020-07-17). To labor cheers, Virginia OKs emergency anti-coronavirus safety standard. peoplesworld.org RICHMOND, Va.—To cheers from Virginia workers and unions, the state Department of Labor and Industry went where GOP President Donald Trump's Occupational Safety and Health Administration won't: Imposing a statewide emergency standard ordering firms to immediately craft and put in place plans to protect their workers against the coronavirus pandemic. And if the firms don't …

Paul Street (2020-07-17). Trump: White Bread Not Yet Toasted. counterpunch.org The Orange Fascist Death Machine Donald Trump is a fascist death machine. He's proved it again and again in numerous ways, including but not limited to these: the separation and caging of migrant children, hailing Nazi white supremacists as "fine people," pardoning sociopathic fascists and war criminals, holding regular white nationalist hate rallies, conveying far-right

Rob Urie (2020-07-17). Economic Crisis and the Question of Capitalism. counterpunch.org On the precipice of what will likely be the worst economic crisis in modern history, the question not being asked is: why capitalism? To date, temporary government payments— tilted largely toward the rich, have sustained some parts of the pre-pandemic economy through a state of suspended animation that ended in fits and starts with reopening.

Monika Zgustova (2020-07-17). In Lockdown With Edward Hopper's Prophetic Paintings. counterpunch.org When I lived in Chicago, I often went to the Art Institute to admire the paintings of Edward Hopper, especially Nighthawks. Later on, I would do the same thing in New York, at the Whitney; both galleries have excellent Hopper collections. I remembered those visits when, in full lockdown, social media were flooded with images

Evaggelos Vallianatos (2020-07-17). On the Separation of Church and State. counterpunch.org Once again, the Supreme Court showed its undemocratic and misogynist colors. It came down against women, encouraging employers not to pay for birth control services. The Supreme Court is obviously catering to the fashionable superstitions of religious preachers who resent the struggle of women for dignity and equality. The judges are also woefully ignorant the planet has

CP Editor (2020-07-17). Angel Olsen and Hand Habits "Walls" counterpunch.org

Samantha Bruegger (2020-07-17). Of Toddlers, Wolves, and Public Lands Ranchers. counterpunch.org As I sit here thinking about wolves, my child is now peacefully sleeping in his room. I know he will awake tomorrow and much of his toddler fury will have subsided, creating a time for us to interact with each other positively. I can't help but think of the parallels between some bad-acting livestock producers, grazing on public lands across the West, and my raging pre-bedtime toddler. The evening meltdown ritual is full of entitlement, irrational beliefs, and a lot of whining. It is now in these precious hours of silence that I understand why these tantrums are so familiar. I hear the same chorus from stock grow…

Jonathan Latham — Allison Wilson (2020-07-17). A Proposed Origin for SARS-CoV-2 and the COVID-19 Pandemic. counterpunch.org In all the discussions of the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic, enormous scientific attention has been paid to the molecular character of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, including its novel genome sequence in comparison with its near relatives. In stark contrast, virtually no attention has been paid to the physical provenance of those nearest genetic relatives, its

Richard D. Wolff (2020-07-17). Why Government Mostly Helps People Who Need It the Least…Even During a Crisis. counterpunch.org In January 2020, the NASDAQ stock market's index stood just under 10,000. In the March crash, it fell to 7,000. As of July 10, 2020, it hit 10,600. The U.S. government's economic policies produced a "recovery" for the rich who own the vast bulk of stocks. Their holdings are worth more now than before COVID-19 hit us. The other major benchmarks for securities, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Standard and Poor 500, show similarly dramatic, slightly smaller recoveries.

John Kendall Hawkins (2020-07-17). Where Have All the Demos Gone? Cappies Killed 'Em, One By One. counterpunch.org The world's greatest democracy will lead a whole world of democracies. — Bill Clinton He can't even run his own life / I'll be damned if he'll run mine, sunshine — Jonathan Edwards There we were, two months in, lost at home, ball-and-chained to a virus, but finally, because we're a nation of 'rugged individualists,'

Susan Block (2020-07-17). Behind the #MeToo Headlines with JoAnn Wypijewski. counterpunch.org The wise, compassionate and refreshingly sex-positive JoAnn Wypijewski has come out with a remarkable new book with a very long name, What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About #MeToo: Essays on Sex, Authority and the Mess of Life (Verso). The title's luxurious length underlines how important it is sometimes to discuss things fully, and how, when we

Staff (2020-07-17). Rev. Dr. William Barber II: A Multi-Racial Coalition Is Necessary For This Moment. therealnews.com Poor People's Campaign Co-Chairs Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis and Rev. Dr. William Barber II want to seize this moment with a broad-based, multi-racial movement to change an 'impoverished democracy.'

Eds. (2020-07-17). Leaked documents show police knew far-right extremists were the real threat at protests, not "ANTIFA" mronline.org We've seen the way that the police responded to nonviolent civil disobedience at Standing Rock or in Ferguson versus the laissez-faire approach they've used in a number of these white supremacist riots. They clearly can regulate their behavior. Why they choose not to when it's groups protesting police violence is what I think local government …

Mark Andrews (2020-07-17). Philippine President Duterte signs 'Anti-Terrorism Bill' into law. liberationnews.org National Democratic activists and allies denounce the Anti-Terror Law. Photo: Anakbayan Silicon Valley On July 3, the president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, signed into law the Anti-Terrorism Bill of 2020, commonly known as the "Anti-Terrorism Law." The bill, which broadens the definition of terrorism, takes effect July 18. Historical context The National Democratic movement …

Monica Moorehead (2020-07-17). In honor of her 73rd birthday/A tribute to Assata Shakur. workers.org The great African American revolutionary, Assata Shakur, turned 73 on July 16. The following slightly edited article first appeared online on May 7, 2013, with the original headline, "Assata Shakur is a modern-day Harriet Tubman." I had the distinct honor of meeting Assata Shakur in person at the 1997 World . . . |

Mirinda Crissman (2020-07-17). News about life behind the walls. workers.org Cruel and unusual: Lack of air conditioning exacerbates medical conditions Across the hottest places in the U.S., caged humans often face unbearable and sometimes lethal conditions behind the walls where air conditioning is not provided. The Prison Policy Initiative has found that famously hot states lack universal air conditioning in . . . |

Workers World Party (2020-07-17). øPor qué ganaron los beneficios de DACA? workers.org La Corte Suprema por más de 230 años ha llevado a cabo los objetivos conservadores de sus creadores. Ha protegido la propiedad privada, incluida la "propiedad" de los seres humanos, y ha minimizado el derecho de los pobres a asociarse para la lucha unida. Actualmente, Corte Suprema de los Estados . . . |

Anand Naidoo (2020-07-17). The Heat: China's economic recovery. america.cgtn.com China's GDP beats expectations and is the first major economy to record positive growth this year. We will take a look at the country's recovery and how it impacts the global economy.

RT (2020-07-17). WATCH: Immigrant workers camp outside Bezos' NYC apartment as part of AOC-sponsored campaign to tax billionaires. rt.com Dozens of immigrant workers have begun a joint 24-hour fast and sleep-out outside billionaire Jeff Bezos' $16 million penthouse in Manhattan, to lobby New York authorities to tax the wealthy to help the pandemic-affected poor. | High-profile Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is among those behind a campaign to push New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to further tax the mega-rich in the state and use the revenue generated to help workers in need of assistance during the pandemic. | Eyewitness footage from the scene shows the workers, joined by city council members, set up camp on Fifth Avenue near the Amazon-o…

RT (2020-07-17). 'Toronto is in Canada, Laura': Internet goes wild after Laura Ingraham slams Biden & Trump for not caring about Canuck Catholics. rt.com Fox News' Laura Ingraham has been mercilessly mocked for accusing Donald Trump and Joe Biden of not protecting religious liberty, after Catholic churches were advised to suspend communion during the Covid-19 pandemic… in Canada. | Ingraham tweeted on Friday that there is "not a prayer" of a chance that Democrat candidate Biden would do more to protect religious liberties than Trump if elected president. In…

RT (2020-07-17). Google will cut advertising revenue from sites that go against the coronavirus 'consensus'. rt.com Google has announced that it will ban advertisements from web pages that promote coronavirus conspiracy theories, or challenge the "authoritative scientific consensus" on the deadly virus. | Google has already banned adverts promoting phony coronavirus cures or touting "medical misinformation," but the tech giant went one step further on Friday, telling

RT (2020-07-17). Biggest daily increase in coronavirus cases since pandemic began — World Health Organization. rt.com Nearly a quarter of a million people worldwide were diagnosed with Covid-19 in 24 hours, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The increase is the single biggest daily jump in cases since the onset of the pandemic. | A record 237,743 cases of the coronavirus were reported since Thursday, according to the WHO's daily situation report on Friday. 5,682 deaths were reported, a figure that's stayed relatively consistent for the last two months. | The latest increase brings the total number of cases worldwide to just under 14 million. The majority of the new cases were registered in the United States, Br…

RT (2020-07-17). Forget Russian hackers: Real danger is the US hoarding UK vaccines, says head of Imperial College study. rt.com As researchers at Imperial College London begin round 2 of Covid-19 vaccine trials, the project's head has revealed the UK government urged him to make the jab at home, lest the US attempt to hoard a shot manufactured there. | Professor Robin Shattock, director of Imperial's coronavirus vaccine project, revealed his researchers had a "deliberate policy" of making their experimental jab in the UK, "something [they] were encouraged to do by the UK government, to make sure there is capacity in the UK for manufacturing." | In a Friday interview with Sky News, he hinted officials were concerned a vaccine made in th…

RT (2020-07-17). CNN's Acosta mangles White House quote on science & reopening schools, corrects himself ONLY after misleading tweet goes viral. rt.com White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany was lambasted online after relaying the president's support for reopening schools this fall, but a quote singled out by critics was deceptively stripped of all context. | The row was sparked during a White House presser on Thursday, after a reporter asked McEnany about how parents might approach the upcoming academic year, as a growing number of school districts around the country move to full-time virtual learning amid the coronavirus pandemic. | "The president has said unmistakably that he wants schools to open," McEnany replied. "I was just in the Oval talking to…

RT (2020-07-17). Portland police say protesters threaten to BURN DOWN the precinct. Tensions between demonstrators and law enforcement mount. rt.com Protesters in Portland, Oregon are said to have threatened to torch a police station, hours after law enforcement cleared out a street encampment. The acting Homeland Security chief has arrived in the city to assess the situation. | Demonstrators descended on several areas in downtown Portland on Thursday evening, with dozens of activists surrounding the Portland Police Bureau's Southeast Precinct building. Officers requested that demonstrators vacate the area after they "heard chants stating the crowd around Southeast Precinct wants to enter the property and burn down the precinct." The police force warned th…

RT (2020-07-17). Real Russiagate bombshell: FBI knew Steele dossier was fiction, Strzok notes show NYTimes reporting 'misleading and inaccurate'. rt.com New documents show the FBI was aware that the infamous dossier used as a pretext to spy on President Donald Trump's campaign was unreliable, and that the New York Times published false information about the 'Russiagate' probe. | The two documents were published on Friday by the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), as part of an ongoing probe of the FBI's investigation of Trump. One is a 59-page, heavily redacted

RT (2020-07-17). Connecticut Catholic church defaced with SATANIC & ANARCHIST symbols, as spate of vandalism attacks targets Christian sites. rt.com A Catholic church in Connecticut was vandalized sometime between Wednesday night and early Thursday, possibly becoming the latest casualty in a US culture war that has increasingly targeted Christian figures in recent days. | Masses and other activities were canceled at least through Thursday at St. Joseph's Church in New Haven as parish leaders assessed the damage, including what appear to be satanic and anarchist symbols painted on the building's doors, the Rev. John Paul Walker said in a Facebook

RT (2020-07-17). Real Russiagate bombshell: FBI knew Steele dossier was fiction; Strzok notes show NYTimes reporting 'misleading and inaccurate'. rt.com New documents show the FBI was aware that the infamous dossier used as a pretext to spy on President Donald Trump's campaign was unreliable, and that the New York Times published false information about the 'Russiagate' probe. | The two documents were published Friday by the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), as part of an ongoing probe of the FBI's investigation of Trump. One is a 59-page, heavily redacted

RT (2020-07-17). Water world: New theory around origins of water on Earth points towards organic matter. rt.com Scientists have found it is possible to produce water by heating interstellar organic matter, leading to the theory that life from space was the cause of water on Earth, casting further doubt on the idea that it came from ice. | Water is essential to life on Earth; without its soluble qualities, the chemical reactions prerequisite to life would never have taken place. | Until now, terrestrial liquids had been

RT (2020-07-17). Nazis are VICTIMS of hate crime? Police launch probe into graffiti on monument to SS soldiers, Canadians stunned it even exists. rt.com News that graffiti on a memorial to Nazi soldiers is being treated as a "hate crime" has stunned many Canadians, who were not only baffled by the police's logic but also seemingly unaware that their country hosted such a monument. | The object in question, which was erected for Ukrainian nationalists who fought for the Nazis as part of the infamous 1st Galician Division of the SS during World War II, had been defaced in late June. | Located at the Saint Volodymyr Ukrainian Cemetery in Oakville, Ontario, the cenotaph reportedly had the words "Nazi war monument" painted on it some weeks ago — pretty accurat…

RT (2020-07-17). Jamaal Bowman's victory over 16-term centrist continues Dems' drift leftward as fight over House Foreign Affairs chair heats up. rt.com Progressive Jamaal Bowman's electoral victory over 16-term New York congressman Eliot Engel has been confirmed by the AP after a month of mail-in vote counting, kicking off a battle over Engel's foreign affairs post. | The AP called the election for Bowman on Friday after receiving absentee vote totals from Westchester County, a section of which comprises the richer, whiter portion of the state's 16th District. The totals showed Engel slightly ahead among mail-in voters, but not by nearly enough to overtake Bowman's election day landslide. The final results had Bowman ahead by 16 points. | Also on rt.com

_____ (2020-07-17). Why Laos, Vietnam & China Have Beaten the Virus and India, Brazil and the U.S. Have Not. strategic-culture.org Vijay Prashad explores the differences between the pandemic responses of a few countries with socialist governments and others in the capitalist order. | Vijay PRASHAD | Too little has been made of the fact that countries like Laos and Vietnam have been able to manage the coronavirus; there are no confirmed deaths from Covid-19 in either country. Both of these Southeast Asian states border China, where the virus was first detected in late December 2019, and both have thriving trade and tourist relations with China. India is separated from China by the high Himalaya Mountains, while Brazil and the United States ha…

The Canary (2020-07-17). Growing number of nurses thinking of leaving the profession, many due to low pay, according to poll. thecanary.co An increasing number of nursing staff are thinking of leaving the profession, with many citing pay as a reason, a poll suggests. A survey of 41,798 UK nursing staff by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) found 73% said higher pay would make them feel more valued.More than one in three (36%) are thinking of leaving their job, up from 27% in a similar poll at the end of 2019. Of those thinking of leaving, 61% cited pay as a factor.Other factors included the way nursing staff have been treated during the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic (44%), low staffing levels (43%), and lack of management support (42%).Alarmin…

The Canary (2020-07-17). What are the latest coronavirus lockdown measures to be eased in England? thecanary.co Coronavirus (Covid-19) lockdown measures are to be relaxed further from 1 August in England under new plans announced by prime minister Boris Johnson.Here is what will change and what measures will remain in place to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.(PA Graphics)Working from home | : Johnson said he would broadly lift the work-from-home guidance which has been in place for most people in the UK during lockdown.However he said it was up to individual employers, rather than the government or workers, to decide whether their staff should return to the office from 1 August.Employers "should be encouraging" workers…

Ramzy Baroud (2020-07-17). Good News from Washington: AIPAC, Israel Losing to Progressive Democrats. counterpunch.org While the US administration of President Donald Trump remains adamant in its support for Israel, the traditional democratic leadership continues to employ underhanded language, the kind of 'strategic ambiguity' that offers full support to Israel and nothing but lip service to Palestine and peace. Trump's policies on Israel and Palestine have been damaging, culminating in

Norman Solomon (2020-07-17). An Ultimate Meaning of the Bernie 2020 Campaign: "Not Him. Us." indybay.org We've got to lead ourselves out of the capitalist wilderness…

Muhammad Hussein (2020-07-17). Remembering Israel's Killing of Four Children on the Beach in Gaza. globalresearch.ca What: Israeli missile kills four children of the same family on a beach in Gaza | When: 16 July, 2014 | Where: The Gaza Strip, occupied Palestine | What happened? | Israel's military

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-07-17). Germany's Presidency of the EU Will Determine if the Bloc Joins the New Multipolar World Order. globalresearch.ca Relations between the U.S. and European powers like Germany and France are reaching a historic low. This is especially true after U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew a large portion of the American military stationed in Germany to other European countries …

Peter Koenig (2020-07-17). China's Economy and Globalization: A Look into the Future. globalresearch.ca After the corona crisis, may the world be facing a monumental paradigm shift of power towards a more balanced civilization — more social justice and equity? The global almost total lockdown, chosen by most governments around the globe in response …

Philip Giraldi (2020-07-17). Turmoil at Home, Turmoil Abroad: Israel and the U.S. Escalate Their War Against Iran. globalresearch.ca As the combined impact of the corona virus and the wholesale destruction of America's history and culture, or at least the part of it that is white, continues, it is nice to see that other nations are getting into the …

South Front (2020-07-17). Video: Unidentified Warplanes Struck Turkish-led Forces in Syria. Turkish Spy Plane Crashed Near Iraqi Border. globalresearch.ca Early on July 16, unidentified warplanes conducted at least 3 airstrikes on the Turkish-occupied town of al-Bab in the Syrian province of Aleppo. The strikes destroyed a large building in the town center and led to multiple casualties. Pro-Turkish sources …

Stephen Lendman (2020-07-17). Dems and GOP to Debate Extended Stimulus Benefits Next Week. globalresearch.ca Current federal unemployment benefits expire in days. | In May, House-controlled Dems narrowly passed a new $3 trillion stimulus package. | So-called Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) legislation extends current federal benefits through at least yearend. | Senate Majority Leader …

yenisafak (2020-07-17). At least 72 Taliban killed as violence rages in Afghanistan. yenisafak.com As violence surges across the country, Afghan security forces on Friday said at least 72 Taliban militants, including four top commanders, have been killed in operations in three provinces.In a statement, the Afghan National Army said 32 more insurgents were also injured in ground and air offensives in northern Balkh, Faryab, and Sar-i-Pul provinces over the past 24 hours.Earlier this week, at least 36 security personnel were killed and over 60 others wounded in northern parts of the country amid a rise in Taliban-claimed attacks.On Sunday, the Taliban rejected growing calls for cease-fire by the Afghan governmen…

Tony Cartalucci (2020-07-17). Hong Kong Security Law Is Common Sense, Not Controversial. globalresearch.ca China's special administration region of Hong Kong saw the passing of a security law outlawing acts universally recognized as criminal and threats to any nation's security and sovereignty. | Despite what would appear to be common sense legislation, the Western media …

Manar Waheed (2020-07-17). Students, Colleges, and Universities Win Against the Trump Administration's Latest Anti-Immigrant Attack. aclu.org After a week of chaos, international students were able to relax after the Trump administration agreed to rescind its latest attack on immigrants: an attempt to ban international students whose classes would be entirely online this fall. The administration has normalized chaos, fear, and trauma over the last few years, beginning with airports all over the country during the Muslim ban and tearing children apart from their parents to attempting to terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and Temporary Protected Status programs. In the last several months, the administration has repeatedly used the p…

Dylan Hayre (2020-07-17). While Trump Protects His Cronies, Governors can Use That Same Power to Protect the Most Vulnerable. aclu.org Since Roger Stone's commutation first made news, politicians on both sides of the aisle have been

Tom Gallagher (2020-07-17). Withdrawing Troops From Afghanistan and Germany Is Still a Good Idea. commondreams.org The immediate matters at hand are Trump's plans to withdraw the 8,600 American troops remaining in Afghanistan and 9,500 of our 34,500 troops in Germany. (Photo: U.S. Army/flickr/cc) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Binoy Kampmark (2020-07-17). Vulgar Militarism: Expanding the Australian War Memorial. dissidentvoice.org It was a decision both rash and indulgent. In November 2018, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, after being nudged incessantly by then Australian War Memorial director Brendan Nelson, committed to a redevelopment project intended to double the exhibition space in Campbell. The amount for the project would be just shy of a half-billion dollars and …

Peter Bolton (2020-07-17). 'Cancel culture' is a myth. So is the idea that the political right is under siege. thecanary.co An There's certainly something superficially attractive about this argument. After all, who could possibly be against free speech an…

Abdul Rahman (2020-07-17). Neoliberal discourse on land harms livelihoods and environmental security: Oakland Institute report. peoplesdispatch.org Studying the cases of countries like Ukraine, Zambia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka and Brazil, the Oakland Institute report debunks some of the myths on development and land use propagated by mainstream economics, and calls for the preservation of commons.

teleSUR (2020-07-17). The US Increases Risk of War in South America, Lula Warns. telesurenglish.net Brazil's former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva harshly criticized President Jair Bolsonaro's new National Defense Policy (NDP) and warned that the United States is pushing his country into a warlike conflict against Venezuela. | RELATED: | "I have been reading with concern the reports on the NDP new edition. Our governments have tried to make the defense policy and strategy instruments for peace, sovereignty, a…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-17). The 'strongmen' have failed. peoplesdispatch.org Three countries, the US, Brazil and India, lead the global COVID-19 case count. What connects them are their leaders -Trump, Bolsonaro and Modi – whose policies and polarizing ways have hindered efforts to combat the disease.

teleSUR (2020-07-17). The United States Deploys Aircraft Carriers in the South China Sea. telesurenglish.net President Donald Trump's administration Friday deployed the USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carriers to the South China Sea when relations between the United States and China are becoming increasingly strained. | RELATED: | "Nimitz and Reagan Carrier Strike Groups are operating in the South China Sea, wherever international law allows, to reinforce our commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, a rules-ba…

teleSUR (2020-07-17). Stop Harassing Chinese Enterprises, Diplomat Hua Asked the US. telesurenglish.net China's Foreign Affairs Ministry Spokeswoman Hua Chunying Friday urged the United States to halt its unjustified and unilateral sanctions against his country's companies. | RELATED: | "Stop suppressing specific Chinese enterprises unreasonably, stop abusing the concept of national security, and stop smearing China maliciously," Hua said, as reported by Xinhua. | On Aug. 13, the U.S. will implement new regulations aimed at prohibi…

Scott Ritter (2020-07-17). America Declaring China's Territorial Claims Illegal Is All Bark & No Bite. The US Is Militarily & Economically Impotent. globalresearch.ca Mike Pompeo's statement that Beijing's claims in the South China Sea are unlawful was seen by some as a dramatic step toward war. But it's little more than bluster as the US knows it is not yet capable of taking …

Richard Falk (2020-07-17). Will China be the New Russia? zcomm.org The Future of American Geopolitics…

WSWS (2020-07-17). Facing mounting crisis, US lashes out against China. wsws.org Confronted with an economic and social crisis at home and his own worsening election prospects, Trump is aggressively confronting China across a whole range of potentially explosive issues.

Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya (2020-07-17). Geo-Strategic Chessboard: War Between India and China? globalresearch.ca New Delhi caught between alliances? An encircling military ring that involves India has been created around China.

Tim Whitehouse (2020-07-17). COVID-19, the Climate Crisis, and Our Urgent Duty to Rebuild This Country. commondreams.org The United States, writes Whitehouse, "must adopt a recovery plan that addresses the intersecting crises of economy, climate, and justice through policies that speed the transition to clean energy, train unemployed workers for jobs in energy efficiency and renewable energy, make communities healthier and more resilient, promote smart growth and electric transit in cities, and restore biodiversity and soil health in rural areas." (Photo: Ronen Tivony / SOPA Images / LightRocket via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

teleSUR (2020-07-17). Argentina Rejects U.S. Plans To Rule Regional Bank. telesurenglish.net Argentina's Foreign Affairs Minister Felipe Sola Thursday rejected U.S. intentions to propose a candidate for Inter-American Development Bank's (IDB) presidency. | RELATED: | Several countries have already presented candidates after Colombian Luis Alberto Moreno announced that he will be leaving the Bank's presidency in September. | In this line, Mauricio Claver-Carone became the U.S.'s first candidate for this p…

WSWS (2020-07-17). Oklahoma cops tased Jared Lakey over 50 times before he died, video shows. wsws.org Jared Lakey died last year less than 48 hours after suffering a heart attack after being electrocuted and choked by police officers in Wilson, Oklahoma.

WSWS (2020-07-17). Canada's largest lingerie and swimwear retailer scraps worker bonuses. wsws.org La Vie en Rose workers, many of whom are paid minimum wage, are being pressured to show up even when they have coronavirus symptoms and are receiving totally inadequate workplace protection from the company.

Sonali Kolhatkar (2020-07-17). Trump's 'Plan' Is Simply to Make the Virus and Its Casualties Disappear. zcomm.org Source: Independent Media Institute When schoolchildren across the United States began their summer break, President Donald Trump had more than two months to bring the coronavirus crisis under control in time for schools to reopen for the fall. But, instead of tackling the virus' spread head-on, he did what most observers expected of him:

WSWS (2020-07-17). More than two hundred Mexican oil workers at PEMEX have died from COVID-19. wsws.org The state-owned oil company reported that 234 family members of workers have also died from coronavirus.

Josh Bivens (2020-07-17). Recovering Fully From the Coronavirus Shock Will Require Large Increases in Federal Debt—and There's Nothing Wrong With That. commondreams.org It is important to note that right now, and for the foreseeable future, we are in a demand-constrained economy, not a supply-constrained economy. (Photo: Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

teleSUR (2020-07-17). Russia Denies British Allegations Of COVID-19 Vaccine Hacking. telesurenglish.net The Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov Friday rejected London's claims that Russian intelligence services allegedly hacked a coronavirus vaccine research. | RELATED: | Early this week, the British National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) stated that the Russians were linked to a hacker group called APT29, which was accused of being the main actor in a cyberattack aimed at R&D organizations working on the making of COVID-19 vaccines in the…

Pam Martens, Russ Martens (2020-07-17). Warnings Grow: "We are in a Massive Economic Downturn" counterpunch.org This week, Federal Reserve Governor Lael Brainard gave a speech via webcast to the National Association for Business Economics. She warned, effectively, that the rosy spin coming out of the Trump administration needed to be weighed against the reality on the ground. Brainard raised the caution that credit downgrades on bonds and corporate defaults are

Michael Snyder (2020-07-17). Why Did Hundreds Of CEOs Resign Just Before The World Started Going Absolutely Crazy? globalresearch.ca In the months prior to the most ferocious stock market crash in history and the eruption of the biggest public health crisis of our generation, we witnessed the biggest exodus of corporate CEOs that we have ever seen. And as …

WSWS (2020-07-17). US automakers continue cover-up of COVID-19 outbreaks as workers call for action. wsws.org Fiat Chrysler, with the aid of the United Auto Workers and the corporate media, continues to downplay the uncontrolled spread of the virus at the Toledo North Assembly Complex.

Laura Flanders (2020-07-17). We Treasure What We Measure. counterpunch.org Transparency, transparency, transparency. The word has become a battle cry in Trump times, and there was another skirmish this week when the administration ordered hospitals to send their Covid-19 data not to the Centers for Disease Control, where it's publicly available, but rather to the Department of Health and Human Services, where it will be

Kerron àì Luain (2020-07-17). Class Disparities and Child Abuse in Ireland 2020. counterpunch.org The newly formed government of the Twenty-Six County state in Ireland has been in existence less than a month but is already mired in several controversies; the usual circuses thrown up by capitalist society with governments lurching from each to the next without any alteration to the status quo. One of them is worth looking

Eve Ottenberg (2020-07-17). Freedom vs. Public Health: a False Dichotomy. counterpunch.org There has been a new addition to the tedious U.S. culture wars: mask wearing. It didn't have to be this way. A simple tactic to protect oneself and also limit the spread of Covid-19 did not have to become a political hot potato. Wearing a mask did not have to mean one supports secular science

Robert Fantina (2020-07-17). The Republicans and Democrats: Two Wings, Same Bird. counterpunch.org The Republican and Democratic conventions are still to come, but the election is already well underway. That is obvious from, among other things, the amount of solicitation emails this writer is receiving from Democratic candidates and organizations. These are all basically the same, and follow a pattern which clearly shows that these people and groups

Jeff Bryant (2020-07-17). After Years of Underfunding, Public School Teachers are Now Supposed to Save the Economy? counterpunch.org "After 9/11, New York City police and firefighters were hailed as heroes," said Mary Parr-Sanchez, president of the New Mexico affiliate of the National Education Association, when I spoke with her about how educators have responded to the pandemic in her state. "After this, I hope teachers will be viewed as the community pillars that

Lindsay Koshgarian (2020-07-17). Cut the Pentagon Budget 10 Percent and Invest in Public Health. counterpunch.org It feels like the world is falling apart. But with a pandemic raging and an eviction crisis looming, the Senate is preparing to spend three quarters of a trillion dollars… not on public health or housing, but on the Pentagon. The United States may be going down, but we're going down well-armed. At a time

teleSUR (2020-07-17). Bolivia: Senate Will Try To Ban Unconstitutional Military Promotion. telesurenglish.net Bolivia's Senate President Eva Copa Thursday announced she will file a legal proceeding to annul military promotion by decree imposed by the coup-born government of Jeanine Añez. | RELATED: | Senator indicated that she will address the Constitutional Court to advance in a measure against the promotions decreed. | "We will not allow a transitional government to take attributions like that," Copa stated to a local radio station…

Shane Quinn (2020-07-17). Six Years on from Malaysia Airlines MH17 Destruction: A Clear Lack of Evidence that Moscow Was Behind It. globalresearch.ca The fighting that erupted in the east of Ukraine can be traced to a US-instituted coup d'état of February 2014 — confirmed by president Obama on CNN when he confided that Washington had "brokered a deal to transition power" in the country, forcing Viktor Yanukovych from office.

WSWS (2020-07-17). "Palace letters" point to the plotting behind the 1975 constitutional coup in Australia. wsws.org Together with the military coup in Chile in 1973, the Labor government's dismissal was one of the first acts in what became an international counter-offensive against the working class.

news.un (2020-07-17). World's poorest being pushed 'closer to the abyss' of famine, warns WFP chief. news.un.org Hunger threatens to soar to devastating levels in 25 countries in the coming months due to the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the World Food Programme (WFP) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) are warning.

Nicola De Rossi, Cristina Scarpazza, Chiara Filippini, Cinzia Cordioli, Sarah Rasia, Chiara Rosa Mancinelli, Damiano Rizzoni, Giuseppe Romanelli, Stefania Cossi, Nereo Vettoretto, Sergio Bove, Silvano Manfredini, Eva Andrea Beindorf, Carlo Mosca, Vittorio Scipione, Gigliola Flamminio, Elena Albini Albini, Paola Giansiracusa, Ruggero Capra, Montichiari COVID-19 Study Group (2020-07-17). Early use of low dose tocilizumab in patients with COVID-19: A retrospective cohort study with a complete follow-up. thelancet.com Early treatment with tocilizumab could be helpful to prevent excessive hyper-inflammation and death in COVID-19 related pneumonia. Low dose administration of tocilizumab is not associated with adverse events.

WSWS (2020-07-17). Outbreak of COVID-19 at Pretty Little Thing distribution centre in Sheffield, UK. wsws.org The outbreak among the 1,000 plus workforce demonstrates that the highly exploitative and unsafe practices of the Boohoo Group extend across the supply and distribution network.

news.un (2020-07-17). COVID-19 highlights need for renewed, inclusive multilateralism: UN chief. news.un.org With the COVID-19 pandemic putting development gains at risk, exposing vulnerabilities and inequalities both within and among nations, the UN Secretary-General is urging governments to reexamine how they work together to solve global challenges.

WSWS (2020-07-17). Health care workers take action to preserve lives as COVID-19 spreads throughout Africa. wsws.org From the onset of the pandemic, health care workers across the continent sounded the alarm over the lack of staff as well as ventilators and ICU beds.

William rivers Pitt (2020-07-17). Trump Now Has Free Rein to Cook the Books When It Comes to COVID. zcomm.org Trump has determined that, beginning today, his administration will commandeer the COVID-19 patient numbers, take full control of them, and maybe even get the National Guard involved in this astonishing and dangerous power grab…

teleSUR (2020-07-17). About 25 Nations Could Face Hunger Due To COVID-19, FAO Warns. telesurenglish.net The Food and Agriculture Organization for the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Program (WFP) warned Friday that about 25 nations would face devastating hunger due to COVID-19 economic impact. | RELATED: | Both organizations released the Early Warning Analysis of Acute Food Insecurity Hotspots for July of 2020. The report assesses the pandemic influence on food production, specifically in nations suffering pa…

Sasha Abramsky (2020-07-17). Never Mind the Rising Death Toll—the Trump Show Must Go On! thenation.com Never Mind the Rising Death Toll—the Trump Show Must Go On!