Daily Archives: July 3, 2020

2020-07-03: News Headlines

Rob J Hallifax, Edward McKeown, Parthipan Sivakumar, Ian Fairbairn, Christy Peter, Andrew Leitch, Matthew Knight, Andrew Stanton, Asim Ijaz, Stefan Marciniak, James Cameron, Amrithraj Bhatta, Kevin G Blyth, Raja Reddy, Marie-Clare Harris, Nadeem Maddekar, Steven Walker, Alex West, Magda Laskawiec-Szkonter, John P Corcoran, Stephen Gerry, Corran Roberts, John E Harvey, Nick Maskell, Robert F Miller, Najib M Rahman (2020-07-04). [Articles] Ambulatory management of primary spontaneous pneumothorax: an open-label, randomised controlled trial. thelancet.com Ambulatory management of primary spontaneous pneumothorax significantly reduced the duration of hospitalisation including re-admissions in the first 30 days, but at the expense of increased adverse events. This data suggests that primary spontaneous pneumothorax can be managed for outpatients, using ambulatory devices in those who require intervention.

Helena Hui Wang, Esther Lau, Richard Horton (2020-07-04). [Comment] The Wakley—Wu Lien Teh Prize Essay 2020: Chinese health workers' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. thelancet.com "I feel deeply the burden of the honour placed upon me in being chairman of this Medical Conference, which is unique in our history, powerful in its representation, and which gives China a strong position amongst nations seeking the welfare of the people", wrote Wu Lien Teh in his first publication in The Lancet,1 on his inaugural address delivered at the International Plague Conference in Shenyang, China, in 1911. Wu was elected as the chair of the conference for his work in controlling the pneumonic plague epidemic outbreak in 1910—11 in northeastern China, which ultimately claimed about 60‚Ä&a…

Ralph Nader (2020-07-03). Trump and Pence — Step Aside for Professional Pandemic Scientists and Managers. zcomm.org Major changes in society can be accomplished by a fast-emerging, broad-based civic jolt so obvious and persuasive that it overwhelms the entrenched powers…

Staff (2020-07-03). "America's Moment of Reckoning": Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor & Cornel West on Uprising Against Racism. democracynow.org Scholars Cornel West and Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor respond to the global uprising against racism and police violence following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. "We're seeing the convergence of a class rebellion with racism and racial terrorism at the center of it," said Princeton professor Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor. "And in many ways, we are in uncharted territory in the United States."

Register Peace & Freedom or Green (2020-07-03). Cal Democrats Not Paying Unemployment Claims; Pro-War Feinstein. indybay.org From the home front, with the California Supermajority Democratic Legislature & Governor contracting out to process millions of unemployment claims, many unpaid for months, to California Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein voting to continue the blood for oil illegal occupation and war in Afghanistan, the Democratic Party insists with every move it is the same as the Republican Party.

cynthia papermaster (2020-07-03). Saturday 7/4: 4th of July: "Defund Police, Defund Pentagon, Fund Community & Life!" indybay.org 1: 00 – SF City Hall | 1: 30 – 762 Fulton, Black Lives Matter street mural | 2: 00 – Divisadero & Broadway, Nancy Pelosi's House | 3: 00 – Bayview Hunters Point, 11 Innes Court, Lennar office…

AEAWRWA (2020-07-03). Why are Certain Christians Democratic and Others Authoritarian? counterpunch.org Why are certain Christians democratic and other Christians authoritarian, yet both profess belief in the same Bible and God? Why do some Christians emphasize personal authenticity and others biblical authority? Why do certain Christians want to empower people, and other Christians want to gain power over people? Why do some Christians believe that the goal

Center For Biological Diversity (2020-07-03). House Democrats Set to Give 850,000 Acres of Nevada Wildlife Refuge to Military. globalresearch.ca In a stunning development in the ongoing controversy over proposed military bombing range expansion in Nevada, the Democrat-led House Armed Services Committee today approved an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would give the U.S. Air Force jurisdiction …

Eric Zuesse (2020-07-03). Countries Ranked on "Democracy" in 2020. dissidentvoice.org NATO and its supporters and member-nations are hiding the fact that the predominant belief in many of these nations is that they're dictatorships that merely pontificate 'democracy' to other nations. NATO, which is America's propagandistically 'pro-democracy' military alliance against Russia and against China, polled the people in 53 countries — some of which are in …

yenisafak (2020-07-03). Copenhagen's Little Mermaid labelled 'racist fish'. yenisafak.com Denmark woke up on Friday to the words "racist fish" scrawled across the base of the "Little Mermaid", the bronze statue honouring Hans Christian Andersen's famous fairy tale that perches on a rock in the sea off a pier in Copenhagen.Police said it had not yet identified the perpetrators. The 107-year-old sculpture, which is visited by one million tourists each year, has been vandalised before, including by anti-whaling campaigners and pro-democracy activists, twice suffering decapitation."We consider it vandalism and have started an investigation," a spokesman for the Copenhagen police said.Protesters of the Bla…

Staff (2020-07-03). "What to the Slave Is the 4th of July?": James Earl Jones Reads Frederick Douglass's Historic Speech. democracynow.org In a Fourth of July holiday special, we hear the words of Frederick Douglass. Born into slavery around 1818, Douglass became a key leader of the abolitionist movement. On July 5, 1852, in Rochester, New York, he gave one of his most famous speeches, "The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro." He was addressing the Rochester Ladies' Anti-Slavery Society. This is actor James Earl Jones reading the speech during a performance of historian Howard Zinn's acclaimed book, "Voices of a People's History of the United States." He was introduced by Zinn.

Staff (2020-07-03). Angela Davis on Abolition, Calls to Defund Police, Toppled Racist Statues & Voting in 2020 Election. democracynow.org Amid a worldwide uprising against police brutality and racism, we discuss the historic moment with legendary scholar and activist Angela Davis. She also responds to the destruction and removal of racist monuments in cities across the United States, and the 2020 election.

Staff (2020-07-02). Markey Bill Backed by Sanders and Warren Seeks to Abolish Qualified Immunity. truthout.org In the wake of the recent killings of George Floyd in Minnesota and Breonna Taylor in Kentucky — which sparked a national uprising against racial injustice and police violence — Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Wednesday introduced a new bill in the U.S. Senate that would end "qualified immunity" for law enforcement officers accused of excessive force and violating the constitutional rights of civilians. | An antiquated legal doc…

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

Jon Queally, staff writer (2020-07-02). Markey Bill, Backed by Sanders and Warren, Moves to Abolish Qualified Immunity for Cops 'Once-and-for-All'. commondreams.org "If we want to change the culture of police violence against Black and Brown Americans," Markey explained, "then we need to start holding accountable the officers who abuse their positions of trust and responsibility in our communities." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/cops_cops_1.png

Ralph Nader (2020-07-02). The People Must Rise Up and Remove Trump-Pence From This Horror Show Handling of the Pandemic. commondreams.org The country simply cannot wait until Inauguration Day, January 21, 2021. (Photo: Doug Mills-Pool/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/pence_1.png

Jeremy Kuzmarov (2020-07-02). Biden Compared Indicted War Criminal to "George Washington" counterpunch.org In 2010, current Democratic Party presidential hopeful Joe Biden Jr. referred to Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leader Hashim Thaci as the "George Washington of Kosovo." On June 24th, it was reported that Thaci had to cancel a trip to Washington because of his indictment by the Hague for war crimes and crimes against humanity. These

sputniknews (2020-07-02). American Independence Celebrated as American Exceptionalism Fades. sputniknews.com Joe Biden and Donald Trump see huge fundraising increases in June, as states brace for further economic pain due to failed reopenings.

Staff (2020-07-02). Beware of Anti-Trump Republicans Who Endorse Joe Biden. truthout.org A stampeding herd of "anti-Trump" Republican organizations and PACs has flooded the 2020 presidential campaign with ads attacking the president and endorsing his rival, Joe Biden. If beating Donald Trump in November is your main thing, this would appear to be only good news. I am forced to wonder, however, what the real intent is behind this sudden solidarity after three long years of near-silence from the deeply compromised "Never Trump" crew. | It has been a fascinating election already before these right-wing v…

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

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

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-07-02). Fair Housing Advocates Celebrate Passage of AOC's Repeal of Faircloth Amendment. commondreams.org Fair housing advocates applauded Wednesday evening as the U.S. House, led by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, pushed through the repeal of the Faircloth Amendment, a 22-year-old provision which blocks the construction of new public housing units. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1222279641_1.jpg

_____ (2020-07-02). Anti-Russia War Fever Spreads On Capitol Hill. popularresistance.org Groups of congressional Republicans and Democrats have visited the White House over the past two days for briefings on allegations that the Russian military intelligence agency GRU offered bounties to Taliban fighters who killed American soldiers in Afghanistan. | They have emerged bristling with demands for retaliation, with one Republican senator declaring, "I want to hear their plan for Taliban and GRU agents in body bags"—in other words, for military action by the United States against Russia, possessor of the world's second largest stockpile of nuclear weapons. | The "Russian bounties" campaign is a fa…

Ryan Grim (2020-07-02). J Street Facing New Pressure to Back Conditioning Aid to Israel. zcomm.org More than 1,000 former and current members of J Street U are calling on the group's leadership to get behind a legislative effort to condition funding of the state of Israel if it goes forward with illegally annexing Palestinian territory…

WSWS (2020-07-02). Unite offers support for 10 percent job losses at British Airways, EasyJet, Ryanair. wsws.org The scale of the ongoing jobs massacre was underscored by EasyJet's announcement Tuesday that 1,900 pilots, cabin crew and ground staff will be made redundant, with Airbus announcing 12,300 job cuts worldwide by Summer 2021, including 1,700 in the UK.

Gary Leupp (2020-07-02). Traditional Russophobia in an Unusual Election Year. counterpunch.org Why would Russia pay Taliban troops to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan? "Russia has never gotten over the humiliation they suffered in Afghanistan," Nancy Pelosi explains helpfully, "and now they are taking it out on us, our troops." The speaker of the House has perhaps forgotten that after 9/11 Vladimir Putin supported the U.S. intervention

_____ (2020-07-02). New Democratic Climate Action Plan Is Woefully Inadequate. popularresistance.org "This is not an emergency response." | That is how Laura Berry, director of research and policy at the Climate Mobilization (TCM), responded to reporting on a congressional "action plan" for the planetary emergency from the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, which the panel and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) unveiled Tuesday. | The climate roadmap features hundreds of policy proposals under 12 key pillars. Specifically, the 538-page plan calls for selling only zero-emissions vehicles by 2035, net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector by 2040, and net-zero U.S. emissions economy-wid…

RT (2020-07-02). Pelosi calls for new sanctions on Moscow, amid 'Russian bounties' allegations. rt.com As the fallout from dubiously sourced allegations about 'Russian bounties' on US troops in Afghanistan continues, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for fresh sanctions against Russia's defense and intelligence sectors. | Moscow paid Taliban fighters bounties to kill American soldiers in Afghanistan, and President Donald Trump ignored intelligence briefings on the matter, an anonymously sourced New York Times report claimed last Friday. Trump called the story a "phony hit job" against him, his Defense Department found no corroborating evidence, and National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien said on Wednesday that…

WSWS (2020-07-02). SEP presidential candidates Kishore and Santa Cruz file federal lawsuit challenging ballot access restrictions in California. wsws.org The Socialist Equality Party's candidates argued in court filings Tuesday that the state's requirement that the candidates gather 200,000 voter signatures is impossible to meet during the pandemic and a violation of basic democratic rights.

WSWS (2020-07-02). Workers, young people denounce undemocratic efforts to keep Socialist Equality Party off the ballot in Michigan. wsws.org Workers and youth voiced support for the SEP election campaign in the United States.

WSWS (2020-07-02). Beijing passes anti-democratic security law for Hong Kong. wsws.org While Beijing has concerns about imperialist intrigues in Hong Kong, its chief fear is that unrest in the city over democratic and social rights will spill over the border into the rest of China.

WSWS (2020-07-02). City of Chicago announces plan for mass arrest and detention of youth over holiday weekend. wsws.org The plan for arrest and jailing of teenagers comes as the Lightfoot administration has stepped up policing in wake of recent protests and as President Trump urges Democratic leaders in Illinois to take "decisive action" against gun violence.

_____ (2020-07-02). Bolivia: Añez Wants To Jail The Favored Candidate In The Coming Elections. popularresistance.org Bolivia's de facto president, Jeanine Añez, is losing more and more of her mask obscuring democracy that, with the complicity of the United States and the European Union, she had to put on to justify the violent overthrow of Evo Morales in November of last year. | Now, in a fragrant demonstration that in Bolivia there are no constitutional guarantees and that persecution is the rule of order, a coup is being prepared against the presidential candidate of the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS), Luis Arce Catacora. | In a confirmation of the validity of the lawfare method (judicial war) against popular leaders, the le…

RT (2020-07-02). Dems gloat & hold up former GOP presidential Cain candidate hospitalized with Covid-19 as 'proof' US shouldn't have reopened. rt.com Former GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain attended the first Trump rally since the Covid-19 pandemic and now he's in the hospital. Democrats have been unable to resist connecting the two. | Cain was hospitalized on Wednesday, two days after testing positive for the coronavirus, according to a statement posted to the pizza magnate turned politician turned pundit's Twitter on Thursday. | While his symptoms were said to be "serious," he was not put on a ventilator and is "resting comfortably," the tweet continued. His team asked Cain's followers to pray for him and fellow coronavirus sufferers. | We are sorry…

RT (2020-07-02). Mueller report redactions unlikely to be revealed before presidential election after Supreme Court agrees to hear Trump appeal. rt.com The US Supreme Court agreed to hear the Trump administration's bid to keep parts of prosecutor Robert Mueller's report on alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election redacted, likely ensuring the material won't sway 2020 votes. | Tuesday's Supreme Court decision hands congressional Democrats at least a temporary defeat in their effort to force disclosure of secrets that they hope can be used to damage President Donald Trump politically. The case won't be heard until the court's next term, which begins in October, so it won't likely be decided until after the November 3 election. | The Democrat-controlled US…

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

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

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

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

RT (2020-07-01). Trump promises to VETO defense budget bill if military bases honoring Confederate officers are renamed. rt.com President Trump threatened to reject next year's National Defense Authorization bill if lawmakers go ahead with Confederate name changes for army bases, including Fort Bragg, Fort Benning, and others. | "I will veto the Defense Authorization Bill if the Elizabeth 'Pocahontas' Warren (of all people!) Amendment, which will lead to the renaming (plus other bad things!) of Fort Bragg, Fort Robert E. Lee, and many other military bases from which we won two World Wars, is in the Bill!" US President Donald Trump tweeted. | I will Veto the Defense Authorization Bill if the Elizabeth "Pocahontas" Warren (of all people!

Michael Welton (2020-07-01). "Into the World of Bad Spirits": Slavery and Plantation Culture. counterpunch.org Between 1500 and 1880 ten to eleven million Africans were moved by force and terror into "new worlds." Sir Philip Sherlock and Hazel Bennett write of the immensity of the "physical suffering, anguish of spirit and unbearable cruelty" of their lot "from the time of … capture" (The Story of the Jamaican People [1997, p. 122]).

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-07-01). Sanders, Pressley Help Launch 'Renew New England' to Elect Candidates Committed to Green New Deal and Jobs Guarantee. commondreams.org Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Ayanna Pressley joined 1,700 people Tuesday evening to launch Renew New England, a coalition of grassroots volunteers and advocates fighting to elect candidates who are committed to a rapid shift to renewable infrastructure and energy. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/screen_shot_2020-07-01_at_5.08.49_pm.png

Staff (2020-07-01). Headlines for July 1, 2020. democracynow.org Dr. Anthony Fauci Warns U.S. Could Soon Record 100,000 Coronavirus Cases a Day, Dozens of Healthcare Workers Died of COVID-19 After OSHA Dismissed Pleas for PPE, 627,000 in Western Hemisphere Will Die of Coronavirus by October, Warns WHO, Hickenlooper Wins CO Senate Primary; Oklahoma Voters Approve Medicaid Expansion, Amy McGrath Narrowly Defeats Charles Booker in Kentucky Democratic Senate Primary, Oglala Sioux President Says Trump "Doesn't Have Permission" to Visit Mt. Rushmore, Top Republicans Break from Trump, Recommend Masks to Slow Coronavirus, New York Court Blocks Publication of Tell-All Book by Donald Tr…

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2020-07-01). Sunrise Movement Says Wins by Corporate Democrats Like McGrath and Hickenlooper Must Be 'Moment of Reckoning' for Progressives. commondreams.org "These were not races that progressives could afford to sit out, but too many organizations did." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/romanoff_booker.jpg

John Wojcik (2020-07-01). Sanders: 'National security involves a lot more than bombs'. peoplesworld.org

Carl Gibson (2020-07-01). Booker's Loss Was Devastating. But We Can't Lose Sight of Defeating McConnell. commondreams.org It's tempting for progressive Kentuckians to want to check out of this election, as many of us have after the corporate wing of the Democratic Party threw a wet blanket on Bernie Sanders' post-Nevada momentum to circle its wagons around Joe Biden. (Photo: @Booker4KY/Twitter) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/screen_shot_2020-01-10_at_2.30.13_pm.jpg

Staff (2020-07-01). This is Not a Drill: LIVE, July 1st. therealnews.com What lessons does the long arc of Black political struggle bring to bear on the Bernie Sanders movement? In this moment of Black-led uprising, the shortcomings of the campaign are stark. And yet, Bernie's campaign popularized socialism and organized tens of thousands of people, many of whom are still in motion. What are the real…

Medea Benjamin, Nicolas J.S. Davies (2020-07-01). A New Anti-War Mobilization Must Topple Trump—and Challenge Biden. commondreams.org We will not rescue our country from the iron grip of the military-industrial complex by picking the lesser evil and hoping for the best. (Photo: CD/CC BY 2.0) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/war_1_0.jpeg

Ali Salam (2020-07-01). US Organizations Demand Change in US Foreign Policy Towards Israel and Palestine. imemc.org In a letter to US presidential candidates Joe Biden and Donald Trump, more than 100 US organizations appealed to the potential leaders to adopt a moral and principled foreign policy regarding Palestine and Israel, the Palestinian WAFA News Agency reported. The organizations that endorsed the letter included American Muslims for …

sputniknews (2020-07-01). Palestinians Evicted From West Bank, Americans Evicted From Homes. sputniknews.com Trump and Biden are flooding the airways with empty words as a cash cliff approaches.

calvin deutschbein (2020-07-01). COVID, cops and white supremacy in N.C. workers.org Alamance County sheriff and Graham Police make an arrest for holding a sign on county property. Durham, N.C. — While the "second wave" of coronavirus has received much coverage throughout the U.S., North Carolina, under the brutal, totalitarian rule of North Carolina Republicans, has barely slowed the outbreak's "first wave" . . . |

_____ (2020-07-01). Manitos Children's Fund To Support Venezuelan Children Despite Sanctions. popularresistance.org Manitos Children's Fund grows out of the decades old Latin America solidarity movement which has worked to change US policies toward Latin America for over 60 years. Because of our history we are most focused on the effects of sanctions on the children of Latin America, with Venezuela being the most targeted by illegal sanctions currently. | Democratic and Republican administrations have both issued sanctions against the democratically-elected government of Venezuela, but since taking office in 2017, President Trump has ratcheted up the pain factor with an aggressive attack on the Venezuelan economy. In August 20…

RT (2020-07-01). Trump resumes attack on NYT's 'Russian bounty' story, says 'secret source probably doesn't even exist'. rt.com US President Donald Trump has again attacked the "discredited" New York Times over its disputed story that Russia offered bounties for the killing of US troops in Afghanistan, blasting the story as a "fake news tale". | In a tweet on Wednesday morning Trump said the story was made up to damage him and the Republican Party. | "The Russia Bounty story is just another made up by Fake News tale that is told only to damage me and the Republican Party," the president wrote. | "The secret source probably does not even exist, just like the story itself. If the discredited @nytimes has a source, reveal it. Just another…

RT (2020-07-01). Gun-lover & presumed QAnon-believer unseats 5-term Colorado congressman in Republican primary upset. rt.com Lauren Boebert, a mother of four with outspoken views on guns and fringe internet theories, has uprooted Colorado Rep. Scott Tipton. Her primary victory is part of a larger political insurgency taking shape across the country. | An unapologetic political outsider, Boebert was declared the winner of Colorado's 3rd congressional district Republican primary on Wednesday. Tipton, the incumbent, had served five terms in Congress and was endorsed by Donald Trump. Apparently unbothered by her victory, the president took to Twitter to congratulate Boebert on her "really great win." | Boebert's colorful political ads a…

The Canary (2020-07-01). Mississippi officially drops Confederate-themed flag. thecanary.co Mississippi has officially retired the last state flag in the US with the Confederate battle emblem.Republican governor Tate Reeves signed the historic bill on Tuesday at the Governor's Mansion, immediately removing official status for the 126-year-old banner that has been a source of division for generations."This is not a political moment to me but a solemn occasion to lead our Mississippi family to come together, to be reconciled and to move on," Reeves said just before the signing."We are a resilient people defined by our hospitality. We are a people of great faith. Now, more than ever, we must lean on that f…

sputniknews (2020-07-01). House Speaker Pelosi Calls For 'Immediate' Sanctions on Russia Over 'Taliban Bounties' Reports. sputniknews.com Earlier, Democratic Senator Bob Menendez formally requested new sanctions be imposed on top Russian officials, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, over unconfirmed allegations that Russia offered reward money to Taliban-linked militants to assassinate US soldiers.

Dr. Hae Min Cho, Bernie Delegate, DSA (2020-07-01). Monday 6/29: #PassTheDamnBill. indybay.org Speaker Pelosi's Office | 90 7th St, SF…

WSWS (2020-07-01). New York Times' Charles Blow demands the removal of monuments to Washington and other "amoral monsters" wsws.org The Times' latest assault on the American Revolution is a part of the effort by the Democratic Party and its operatives to derail the popular multiracial protests against police violence in the wake of the murder of George Floyd.

Jordan Davidson (2020-07-01). House Democrats unveil strong climate plan linked to racial justice. peoplesworld.org

Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers (2020-07-01). Government Attacks Media as People's Media Reveals the Truth. dissidentvoice.org An Omaha police officer escorts freelancer Megan Feeney, a camera dangling from her zip-tied hands, on June 1, 2020. (Aaron Sanderford/Omaha World Herald). Government attacks on the media are escalating as the battle for the narrative grows in importance. For the last decade, stories produced and amplified by the democratized media have put the power …

Robert Reich (2020-07-01). Trump's 2020 election strategy in 25 steps. nationofchange.org Memo to America: Beware Trump's playbook. Spread the truth. Stay vigilant. Fight for our democracy.

Robert Reich (2020-07-01). Trump Doesn't Believe in Democracy—Here's His 25-Step Reelection Plan. commondreams.org President Donald J. Trump speaks to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House before departing on Marine One on Saturday, June 20, 2020 in Washington DC. President Trump is scheduled to hold his first campaign rally since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo: Sarah Silbiger for The Washington Post via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/trump_reelection_25_steps.jpg

sputniknews (2020-07-01). 'No Summer of Love': White House Says Seattle CHOP Zone Was a 'Failed Democrat Experiment'. sputniknews.com During a Wednesday news briefing, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said that the Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP) zone in Seattle, Washington, was a "failed Democrat experiment."

sputniknews (2020-07-01). Trump Ramps Up Attack on NYT, Says Russia Bounty Story's 'Secret Source Probably Doesn't Even Exist'. sputniknews.com Democrats have asked Congress to consider new sanctions against Moscow over media claims that Russia has been paying Taliban-affiliated militants to kill American and other coalition troops serving in Afghanistan. Russian officials have vocally denied the allegations, and accused those pushing them of trying to further undermine Russia-US ties.

RT (2020-07-01). 'We all miss Roger!' Trump recalls late 'friend' Roger Ailes in attack on Fox, gets schooled on his death by the #Resistance. rt.com In his latest salvo against Fox News, US President Donald Trump invoked the memory of the network's late CEO, Roger Ailes, to say the outlet had declined, drawing astute critics armed with Google to remind him the man had died. | Trump took to his favorite social media venue on Tuesday to decry a Fox panel discussion featuring disgraced CNN contributor Donna Brazile, who was caught passing debate questions to Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton during the 2016 race, as was revealed in a WikiLeaks publication the same year. | "She gets fired by CNN for giving Crooked Hillary the debate questions, and gets hire…

RT (2020-07-01). 'We all miss Roger!' Trump recalls late 'friend' Roger Ailes in attack on Fox, gets schooled on his death by #Resistance. rt.com In his latest salvo against Fox News, US President Donald Trump invoked the memory of the network's late CEO, Roger Ailes, to say the outlet had declined, drawing astute critics armed with Google to remind him the man had died. | Trump took to his favorite social media venue on Tuesday to decry a Fox panel discussion featuring disgraced CNN contributor Donna Brazile, who was caught passing debate questions to Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton during the 2016 race, as was revealed in a WikiLeaks publication the same year. | "She gets fired by CNN for giving Crooked Hillary the debate questions, and gets hire…

Staff (2020-07-01). Jamaal Bowman Calls for Rent Cancellations and Defunding the NYPD. truthout.org As a surge of progressive candidates of color see victories in Democratic primaries across the country, we speak with former Bronx middle school principal Jamaal Bowman about his upset victory over New York Congressmember Eliot Engel, the 16-term Foreign Affairs Committee chair. Bowman ran on a Green New Deal, Medicare for All platform and recently joined protests demanding an end to racism and police brutality. He says his upset over Engel came down to mobilizing people who are "disenfranchised and ignore…

Staff (2020-07-01). Ed Yong on the "Disgraceful" U.S. Pandemic Response & How Medicare for All Could Have Saved Lives. democracynow.org As the United States experiences the world's worst outbreak of COVID-19, we speak with Ed Yong, science writer for The Atlantic, who warned of the country's unpreparedness for a viral outbreak in 2018. Now he says "it's truly shocking and disgraceful" how badly the pandemic has been handled in the United States, and blames a lack of federal leadership for most of the damage. "A country with the resources that we have should not be in this state," he argues, and adds that Medicare for All could have saved lives.

Staff (2020-07-01). Jamaal Bowman on NY Primary Upset, Rent Strikes, Police Brutality & Opposing West Bank Annexation. democracynow.org As a surge of a progressive candidates of color see victories in Democratic primaries across the country, we speak with former Bronx middle school principal Jamaal Bowman about his upset victory over New York Congressmember Eliot Engel, the 16-term Foreign Affairs Committee chair. Bowman ran on a Green New Deal, Medicare for All platform and recently joined protests demanding an end to racism and police brutality. He says his upset over Engel came down to mobilizing people who are "disenfranchised and ignored" by the political establishment. "We didn't just target those who consistently vote in primaries. We targ…

Staff (2020-06-30). "Moment of Elation": In 1st Big Abortion Case of Trump Era, SCOTUS Strikes Down Strict Louisiana Law. democracynow.org In the first big ruling on abortion in the Trump era, the Supreme Court has struck down a restrictive abortion law in Louisiana that would have left the state with just one abortion clinic. The 2014 law required doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of their clinic, an onerous requirement that often made it impossible for abortion providers to continue to operate. "It was a moment of elation," says Lakeesha Harris, director of reproductive health and justice at Women with a Vision, a women's rights organization based in New Orleans. "Many of us have been working…

George Stacey (2020-06-30). Total number of black Americans killed by the US police. Why Joe Biden may support white supremacy? nationofchange.org In clear words, he could be considered as a threat to minority voters.

Fight Back (2020-06-30). Coalition to March on the DNC endorses anti-Trump protest at RNC. fightbacknews.org Milwaukee, WI — The Coalition to March on the DNC is getting behind the massive anti-Trump protest that is set for the Republican National Convention. | On June 26, a national call was sent out by organizers in Jacksonville, Florida to join them in marching on the Republican National Convention. The main slogan of this action is "We Can't Breathe – Defeat Donald Trump!" – a strong message in the midst of continuing protests stemming from the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and so many others. | On August 27, Donald Trump will be at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena to deliver an acceptance…

Mark Gruenberg (2020-06-30). House OKs anti-redlining bill, 230-178. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—GOP President Donald Trump's regime wants to let banks redline communities of color. The Democratic-run U.S. House doesn't—and with backing from organized labor, civil rights, and community groups, the Dems won a 230-178 straight party-line vote on the issue. Technically, what was on the table on June 29 was a joint resolution, HJRes 90, to …

Moustafa Bayoumi (2020-06-30). As Netanyahu Annexes the West Bank, Where Are the Democrats? thenation.com As Netanyahu Annexes the West Bank, Where Are the Democrats?

Bianca Mugyenyi (2020-06-30). Grassroots Voices Key to Reimagining Canadian Foreign Policy. globalresearch.ca The international community's rejection of Justin Trudeau's UN Security Council bid should be a catalyst for a fundamental reassessment of Canada's foreign policy and spur a corresponding drive to democratize international affairs. | In recent days, many commentators representing different …

yenisafak (2020-06-30). Belgium expresses regrets for brutal DR Congo rule. yenisafak.com Belgium's king on Tuesday expressed his "deepest regrets" over the country's brutal colonial rule over the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)."I would like to express my deepest regrets for these injuries of the past, the pain of which is now revived by the discrimination still too present in our societies," King Philippe wrote in a letter to President Felix Tshisekedi on the 60th anniversary of the DRC's independence."I will continue to fight all forms of racism. I encourage the reflection that has been initiated by our parliament so that our memory is definitively pacified."He said global challenges demand tha…

Staff (2020-06-30). NAACP's Derrick Johnson on Mississippi's State Flag, Trump's White Power Tweet & Boycotting Facebook. democracynow.org In a historic vote, the Mississippi state Legislature passed a bill to remove the Confederate battle emblem from its state flag, making it the last state to do so, after an ongoing nationwide uprising against racism and police brutality and a mounting pressure campaign in Mississippi. Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, says it has been a "long journey" to change the Mississippi flag. "We've had to fight both against the symbol of racial oppression, the revisionist history of racial oppression, and now the next step is to fight against the structural racism that's embedded in the public policy, not o…

Staff (2020-06-30). NJ Latinx Parents & Students Fight Robert Wood Johnson Plan to Demolish Public School. democracynow.org In a story Democracy Now! has followed closely, Juan González shares an update on efforts to prevent the demolition of the Lincoln Annex public school in New Brunswick, New Jersey. City officials are trying to proceed with demolishing the public school this summer, in a move that would force 760 students to be bused to other schools for years, and parents and local activists are holding a rally in front of the Lincoln Annex School. "They want to keep the pressure on in the streets and to call on allies … who support public education, who are against gentrification and the abuse of immigrants, to join the rally,…

Staff (2020-06-30). Headlines for June 30, 2020. democracynow.org SCOTUS Strikes Down Draconian Louisiana Abortion Law, SCOTUS Rules on Federal Executions, Trump's Ability to Fire Head of CFPB, Funding of Int'l AIDS Projects, States Mandate Face Masks, Impose New Restrictions as Cases Surge Across U.S., WHO Says "The Worst Is Yet to Come" as Scientists Study New Flu Strain That Could Become Pandemic, Judge Sets March Trial Date for Police Officers Who Killed George Floyd, Madison Schools Vote to End Police Contract; Protesters Unfurl Breonna Taylor Banner in Louisville, Shooting at Seattle's CHOP Kills One Teenager, Injures Another, Twitch Suspends Trump's Channel; Reddit and Y…