Daily Archives: July 17, 2020

2020-07-17: News Headlines

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 …

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

_____ (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). "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."

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). 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). 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…

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

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,'

Mark Andrews (2020-07-17). Philippine President Duterte signs 'Anti-Terrorism Bill' into law. liberationnews.org Main photo: National Democratic activists and allies denounce the Anti-Terror Law. Credit: 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 …

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

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.'

Staff (2020-07-17). Stir Crazy! Episode #68: The Secret Police Are Coming. therealnews.com On today's show: Managing Director for K-12 Education Policy at the Center for American Progress Dr. Khalilah Harris, Baltimore-based activist and recording artist Eze Jackson, and "Why You Should Give A F*ck" co-host Tunde Ogunfolaju. Hosted by Kim Brown. If you have comments/questions/suggestions email us at stircrazy@therealnews.com

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 …

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). 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…

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

_____ (2020-07-17). Supreme Court Stopped One Million Floridians From Voting In November. popularresistance.org The Supreme Court all but guaranteed that nearly 1 million Floridians will be unable to vote in the 2020 election because of unpaid court debts in a shattering order handed down on Thursday. Its decision will throw Florida's voter registration into chaos, placing a huge number of would-be voters in legal limbo and even opening them up to prosecution for casting a ballot. The justices have effectively permitted Florida Republicans to impose a poll tax in November. | Florida's ex-felons have a right to vote under both the state and federal constitutions. In 2018, a supermajority of residents approved a constitution…

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

Pan Africanism Today Secretariat (2020-07-17). Farewell Ernest Wamba dia Wamba! peoplesdispatch.org We bid farewell to one of Africa's greatest militant intellectuals Wamba dia Wamba on 15 July this week. Baba Wamba's legacy as a militant Pan Africanist intellectual and organiser will continue to live on through action of the thousands of people, particularly young people his teachings and practice influenced in the last years of his life. Up until the end, his depth of human resilience and rigor of organizing remained rooted in revolutionary praxis. | Baba Wamba was born in 1942 in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the brutal Belgian colonial rule. At the end of his secondary schooling in Swedish mission…

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.

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

Ryan Devereaux (2020-07-17). Police Knew Far-Right Extremists Were Real Threat at Protests, not "Antifa" zcomm.org While the White House beat the drum for a crackdown on a leaderless movement on the left, law enforcement offices across the country were sharing detailed reports of far-right extremists seeking to attack the protesters and police during the country's historic demonstrations…

yenisafak (2020-07-17). Rights group blasts French 'complicit silence' in Libya. yenisafak.com France's history of solely calling out Turkey's actions in Libya while turning a blind eye to steps taken by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates is "complicit silence" par excellence, Human Rights Watch said Friday."That Macron is only accusing Turkey— which supports the government recognized by the United Nations and, at least officially, by France itself— is perplexing, yet it reveals France's ambiguities regarding Libya," Bruno Stagno Ugarte, the group's deputy executive director for advocacy, said in a blog post.He was referring to French President Emmanuel Macron. "In singling out Ankara, Macron k…

imperial.ac.uk (2020-07-17). New membrane could cut emissions and energy use in oil refining. imperial.ac.uk Imperial has co-developed the first synthetic membrane to separate crude oil and crude oil fractions, which could help reduce carbon emissions.

Roland Rottenfuss (2020-07-17). 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."

Zach Conti (2020-07-17). G20 Must Act, Say Hundreds of Religious, Labor, Human Rights, Environmental and Developmen. indybay.org Washington DC – Ahead of Saturday's G20 Finance Minister meetings, a wide range of 213 organizations is pressing for more action to confront the global health and economic impacts of the coronavirus. The largest religious bodies in the United States and Africa were joined by the biggest labor unions, human rights, environmental and anti-poverty groups in letters sent to the G20, IMF and White House.

One Earth Film Festival & other (2020-07-17). Friday 7/31: Outdoors While Black: Unpacking History, Reframing Safety, & Taking Action. indybay.org Online…

_____ (2020-07-17). Losing the Plot Again… Trump's Anti-EU Rant Has Dangerous Implications for China. strategic-culture.org It was a barnstorming speech even by President Donald Trump's dubious standard when he gave a press conference this week from the White House Rose Garden. | In typical self-promotional style, he lashed out at everyone and everything under the sun, it seemed, from his Democrat presidential rival Joe Biden to China, from coronavirus to illegal immigrants, and much more besides. Here's the It would be charitable to call Trump's electioneering rant "entertaining" so replete was it with vitri…

yenisafak (2020-07-17). Turkish court remands nine PKK/KCK suspects. yenisafak.com A Turkish court remanded nine suspects in the country's southeastern Gaziantep province over links to the PKK/KCK terror group, security sources said Friday.Those remanded include Musa Aydin, a provincial head of the opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), and two aldermen from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP).Earlier, prosecutors had issued warrants for the suspects in a probe against the terror group, following which 33 were arrested on Thursday.In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK — listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US and EU — has…

yenisafak (2020-07-17). Turkey's Erdogan says Egypt's actions in Libya are illegal. yenisafak.com Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said Egypt's actions in Libya and its support for the eastern-based forces of commander Khalifa Haftar were illegal.Erdogan was responding to a question about Egypt's possible intervention in Libya's conflict, where Ankara has helped the Tripoli administration force Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) to abandon an offensive on Tripoli.President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said on Thursday that Egypt will not stand idle in the face of any direct threat to Egyptian and Libyan security, after lawmakers allied Haftar urged Cairo to intervene militarily in the country's civil war.

yenisafak (2020-07-17). Erdogan says Hagia Sophia a matter of Turkey's sovereignty. yenisafak.com Converting the Hagia Sophia into a mosque is a matter of sovereignty, Turkey's president told reporters on Friday.Turkey does not see international reactions on the reopening of the Istanbul landmark to Muslim worship as binding, Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed.The first prayers will be held on July 24 for 1,000-1,500 worshipers at the same time, Erdogan added.- Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict"Turkey will never leave Azerbaijan alone," Erdogan said, following recent cross-border artillery fire by Armenia attack."Nakhchivan is under occupation. The Minsk trio has left the issue on the table for 25-30 years," he added.La…

Norman Solomon (2020-07-16). 'Not Him… Us': On the Ultimate Meaning of the Bernie Sanders Campaign. commondreams.org Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) addresses supporters during a campaign rally on March 8, 2020 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Sanders covered his policy agendas for immigration, women's rights, healthcare and economic inequality. (Photo by Brittany Greeson/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/bernie_not_him_us.jpg

Angela Peoples, Phillip Agnew (2020-07-16). The Best VP Choice for Biden When It Comes to Fighting for Black Lives Isn't Black—It's Elizabeth Warren. commondreams.org Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) speaks during an event to introduce Sen. Bernie Sanders' Medicare for All Act of 2017 on Capitol Hill on Sept. 13, 2017. (Photo: Yuri Gripas/Reuters) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/hands_across_america_medicare_for_all_0.jpg

Andrew Korybko (2020-07-16). India-Iran Relations in Crisis: Geopolitical Realignment in Favor of China. globalresearch.ca These easily discernible strategic chain reactions were regrettably missed by many experts owing either to unfamiliarity with the guiding motivations of each related party and/or pressure to comply with the so-called "political correctness" being pushed by some of the players …

Staff (2020-07-16). In Attempt to "Intimidate Protesters," 87 Face Felony Charges for Kentucky Sit-In for Breonna Taylor. democracynow.org In Louisville, Kentucky, civil rights groups are calling on prosecutors to drop felony charges against 87 people who held a peaceful sit-in protest Tuesday outside the home of Attorney General Daniel Cameron. The demonstrators were demanding the arrest and prosecution of the officers who killed Breonna Taylor, a Black Louisville resident who was shot inside her own home in March. Among those arrested: the president of the Minneapolis NAACP, Houston Texans wide receiver Kenny Stills and Women's March co-founder Linda Sarsour. If convicted on felony charges, they could face up to five years in prison. "What they're…

Staff (2020-07-16). "The Pandemic Could Get Much, Much Worse": Is Another Lockdown the Only Way to Avoid Catastrophe? democracynow.org As health experts warn the coronavirus is on the rise in 41 states, many governors are reimposing restrictions after attempts at opening up the economy, but President Trump wants schools open. We speak with public health historian John Barry, who warns "The Pandemic Could Get Much, Much Worse" if we don't take bolder action now. Barry is a professor at the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine and author of "The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History."

Staff (2020-07-16). Marc Lamont Hill: "Disturbing" New George Floyd Video Shows Familiar Ritual of Racist Police Terror. democracynow.org In Minneapolis, newly released police body camera footage reveals devastating new details of George Floyd's killing on Memorial Day, showing that officers pulled a gun, swore at George Floyd to "get out of the f—ing car," as he wept and pleaded, "Please don't shoot me." The video also showed that medics did not appear to rush to Floyd's aid after they arrived on the scene. We discuss the latest developments in the case that sparked an ongoing national uprising against racism and police violence, with Marc Lamont Hill, author of "Nobody: Casualties of America's War on the Vulnerable, from Ferguson to Flint a…

Staff (2020-07-16). Headlines for July 16, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. Army Deploys to Houston as Hospital Beds Fill to Capacity, Florida Coronavirus Cases Top 300,000 as Miami Hospitals Run Out of ICU Beds, Alabama's Republican Governor Mandates Masks After Record COVID-19 Death Toll, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp Greets Maskless Donald Trump, Bans Local Mask Mandates, Oklahoma Governor Tests Positive for COVID-19, Won't Require Masks in Public, White House Backs Down After Adviser Peter Navarro Attacks Dr. Anthony Fauci, India Posts Record Coronavirus Toll; Cases Explode in Nairobi Maternity Hospital , Members of Remote Amazon Tribe Test Positive for Coronavirus, President Trump Gu…

Staff (2020-07-16). COVID-Stricken Marc Lamont Hill: New Floyd Video Shows Familiar Ritual of Racist Police Terror. democracynow.org In Minneapolis, newly released police body camera footage reveals devastating new details of George Floyd's killing on Memorial Day, showing that officers pulled a gun, swore at George Floyd to "get out of the f—ing car," as he wept and pleaded, "Please don't shoot me." The video also showed that medics did not appear to rush to Floyd's aid after they arrived on the scene. We discuss the latest developments in the case that sparked an ongoing national uprising against racism and police violence, with Marc Lamont Hill, author of "Nobody: Casualties of America's War on the Vulnerable, from Ferguson to Flint a…

Gary Leupp (2020-07-16). Tweedledee, Tweedledum, COVID-19, and China in the U.S. Election. dissidentvoice.org Trump's Main Crime is Criminal Negligence Trump cannot turn back time and re-do February and early March. He cannot undo the damage caused by his inaction on the virus. The fact is, tens of thousands of people in this country became infected while the president pooh-poohed the problem. He showed ignorance and indifference, acting belatedly—as …

sputniknews (2020-07-16). Republicans Roll Out Resolution Accusing Ilhan Omar of 'Anti-American' Remarks. sputniknews.com Minnesota House of Representatives Democrat Ilhan Omar has been accused by members the Republican party of violating her oath to defend the US Constitution, following a speech earlier this month in which she called on the US public to tear down "systems of oppression" and fight racism and inequality.

Mike Whitney (2020-07-16). Covid-19: Phase 1 of the "Permanent Crisis"? globalresearch.ca Let's assume that the events of the last five months are neither random nor unexpected. | Let's say they're part of an ingenious plan to transform American democracy into a lockdown police state controlled by criminal elites and their puppet governors. …

Vijay Prashad (2020-07-16). Laos Has Tackled COVID-19, But It Is Drowning in Debt to International Finance. counterpunch.org On June 11, Laos (Lao People's Democratic Republic)—a country of 7 million in Southeast Asia—said it had temporarily prevailed over COVID-19. Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith said that his country had "gained an important victory in the first campaign against this vicious enemy." The first cases of COVID-19 detected in Laos were registered on March 24; a total of 19 people had been infected with the virus by April 12, and—after 58 days of no new cases—the last patient was discharged on June 9. There were no new cases of COVID-19 in Laos since April 12 (93 days of no new cases as of July…

Workers World New York Disabilities bureau (2020-07-16). Disabled people fight police violence with accessible protests. workers.org Because most of the mass protests held after the police murder of George Floyd were not accessible, on June 7 Black disabled activists in Milwaukee held their own. The Milwaukee action was the second George Floyd protest held by Black disabled activists. The first was held in Washington, D.C., where . . . |

Claudia Drdul (2020-07-16). Thousands gather in Martinez to condemn white supremacy and police brutality. liberationnews.org A July 12 action in Martinez, California, protested against white-nationalist fliers distributed within the small Bay Area community.

RT (2020-07-16). 'Coordinated social engineering attack': Twitter confirms employees with access to internal systems targeted in bitcoin scam hack. rt.com Twitter has said that alleged bitcoin scammers targeted some of its employees to get access to "internal systems and tools," which they then apparently used to hack into high-profile accounts, such as Joe Biden's. | We detected what we believe to be a coordinated social engineering attack by people who successfully targeted some of our employees with access to internal systems and tools.— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) Noting that it is still investigating the circumstances behind the hack,…

The Canary (2020-07-16). EU court of justice strikes down data-sharing pact with US over snooping fears. thecanary.co The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has ruled an agreement that allows big tech companies to transfer data to the United States is invalid.It said national regulators need to take tougher action to protect the privacy of users' data.The ruling to invalidate Privacy Shield will complicate the transfer of a lot of data outside the EU and it could require regulators to vet any new transfers due to concerns the US government can snoop on people's data for national security reasons.Companies such as Facebook routinely move data between servers around the world (Dominic Lipinski/PA)It will no longer simpl…

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-07-16). Ocasio-Cortez, NY State Progressives Call on Cuomo to Pass Billionaires' Tax to Support Immigrants Left Out of Covid-19 Relief. commondreams.org Progressive lawmakers in New York on Thursday demanded that Gov. Andrew Cuomo impose a tax on the few wealthy New Yorkers who have benefited financially from the coronavirus pandemic in order to support immigrant workers who have been excluded from relief measures. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1222279641_1_0.jpg

Riva Enteen (2020-07-16). Desperate Times, Desperate Measures: It's Time to Dump the Democrats. mintpressnews.com As in 2016, you'd think it would be easy to beat the Orange Menace, but the Democrats are challenging him with somebody even worse than Clinton, a man in steep cognitive decline.

WSWS (2020-07-16). Lawsuit claims Washington, DC police participated in June raid on Lafayette Square protest. wsws.org The latest amendments to the lawsuit filed by the ACLU implicate the Democratic administration of DC Mayor Bowser in the June 1 assault ordered by President Trump.

news.un (2020-07-16). WHO concerned about growing Ebola outbreak in DR Congo. news.un.org The World Health Organization (WHO) and partners are concerned about the growing Ebola outbreak in the northwestern province of Equateur, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as they face critical funding gaps amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN health agency said on Thursday…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-16). Social Democrat-led coalition leads in North Macedonian polls, Left enters parliament. peoplesdispatch.org The Social Democrat-led We Can coalition has established a slender lead in the polls in North Macedonia that were held on July 15. This is likely to strengthen the pro-EU bloc in the country…

WSWS (2020-07-16). Trump and Democratic Party establishment retain grip in primary contests. wsws.org Air Force helicopter pilot and war veteran Mary Jennings Hegar, a former Republican, will be the Democratic candidate for US Senate in Texas.

Yanis Iqbal (2020-07-16). The Ravages of Lithium Extraction in Chile. globalresearch.ca In Chile, the Covid-19 pandemic is raging with an unprecedented speed. There are

Rocco Galati (2020-07-16). Video: Covid-19 Unlawful Acts: Law Suit against Trudeau Government: Constitutional Lawyer Rocco Galati. globalresearch.ca A constitutional claim against Canadian government actors for their actions in COVID-19 has just been filed at the Superior Court in Toronto, Canada. | A lawsuit against the Trudeau Government for its handling of the COVID-19 Crisis has been launched. | What …

Thom Hartmann (2020-07-16). If You Can't Stop People From Voting, Just Help Them Die? commondreams.org Georgia's Republican Gov. Brian Kemp at an Election Night event at the Classic Center on November 6, 2018 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/brian_kemp_georgia.jpg

George Ochenski (2020-07-16). The Times They are a-Changin'. counterpunch.org You can bet plenty of eyebrows shot up in Republican Party headquarters and campaign offices when Bob Brown's outstanding column announcing his "independence from the Republican Party" hit the Missoulian last week. A lifelong Republican with an absolutely outstanding record of achievement and public service, Brown's repudiation of what the Republican Party has become — and its two

William rivers Pitt (2020-07-16). Republicans Are Afraid to Attend Their Convention But Want Your Kids in School. zcomm.org The hypocrisy is breathtaking, perhaps literally so if you're a teacher who catches COVID in homeroom. Fortunately, the Trump administration's permanent policy of brazen shamelessness is not having the desired effect…

Strike for Black Lives (2020-07-16). Monday 7/20: Nationwide Strike for Black Lives. indybay.org Nationwide car caravans, rallies, and protest actions…

_____ (2020-07-16). 'Attempted Murder Of Your Post Office'. popularresistance.org Postal workers and their allies in Congress are vowing to fight back after the new head of the U.S. Postal Service—a major donor to President Donald Trump and the Republican Party—moved this week to impose sweeping changes to the popular government agency as it faces a financial crisis manufactured by lawmakers and exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. | The Washington Post reported late Tuesday that Postmaster General (PMG) Louis DeJoy, who took charge last month, issued memos announcing "major operational changes" to the USPS "that could slow down mail delivery, warning employees the agency would no…

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-07-16). Over 200 National DNC Delegates Call for Withholding of US Military Aid to Israel if Further Annexation Goes Forward. commondreams.org More than 200 delegates to the Democratic National Convention said Thursday that the party must support efforts to withdraw Israeli military aid if the further annexation of the West Bank moves forward. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1224644313_1.jpg

Staff (2020-07-16). It's Time to Shut the Country Down — and Pay People to Stay Home. truthout.org The school districts for the cities of Los Angeles, San Diego, Houston, San Francisco and Atlanta have announced that all fall classes will be held online because of the current eruption of new COVID-19 cases across the South and West. Last night, however, Georgia's Republican Gov. Brian Kemp issued an order A…

Staff (2020-07-15). Headlines for July 15, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. Sets Another Single-Day Record with 67,000+ Coronavirus Cases, Trump Admin Orders Hospitals to Bypass CDC on Reporting COVID-19 Data, GOP Convention in Jacksonville May Move Outdoors, as COVID-19 Skyrockets in Florida, U.N. Chief Warns Pandemic May Set Back Global Economy by "Decades", Trump Admin Rescinds Plan to Strip International Student Visas, Jeff Sessions Loses Bid to Reclaim Alabama Senate Seat, Democrats Pick Challengers to GOP Incumbent Senators in Texas & Maine, Progressive Challenger José Garza Unseats District Attorney of Travis County, TX, Joe Biden Unveils $2 Trillion Clean Energy and Jobs Pla…

Staff (2020-07-15). As COVID-19 Cases Spike, Epidemiologist Warns "The Road to an Uncertain Vaccine Is Paved in Death" democracynow.org As the U.S. reports its highest one-day spike in infections and 11 states report record hospitalizations, the Trump administration is demanding states stop sending COVID patient data to the CDC, which then releases it to the public. We speak with Dr. Ali Khan, epidemiologist and the dean of the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, about the Trump administration's handling of the crisis and his hopes for a vaccine. "The road to an uncertain vaccine is paved in death," notes Dr. Khan. He is the former director of the CDC's Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, where he…

Staff (2020-07-15). Tucson Mayor Romero Slams Arizona Gov. Ducey for Downplaying COVID & Hasty Reopening as ICUs Fill. democracynow.org As COVID-19 cases soar in the U.S. South and Southwest, we go to the hot spot of Arizona, where 88% of ICU beds are full and the family of one man accuses Arizona Governor Ducey and President Trump of being directly responsible for his death, after they downplayed the threat of the virus and obstructed local officials from requiring masks even as Arizona's case numbers were exploding. "We have been in a state of crisis since Governor Ducey decided to hastily reopen the state," says Tucson Mayor Regina Romero, who has been standing up to Ducey and is the first Latina and the first woman to be elected mayor of Tucs…

Staff (2020-07-15). The Left Remakes the World: Amna Akbar on Canceling Rent, Defunding Police & Where We Go from Here. democracynow.org We look at another looming crisis for the American public: mass evictions. More than four months into a pandemic that has left millions unemployed, eviction freezes across the country are ending, even as case numbers rise and states reimpose lockdown measures. As the Cancel the Rent movement inspires rent strikes and protests nationwide, a coalition of labor unions, workers and racial and social justice groups in 25 states plans to stage a mass walkout this Monday called the "Strike for Black Lives." We speak with Amna Akbar, law professor at Ohio State University, who wrote about how to respond to all of this in…

Germán Gorraiz López (2020-07-15). Is U.S. Military Action against Venezuela Contemplated? Trump Wants to Extradite Maduro. globalresearch.ca The Sino-Venezuelan agreement by which the Chinese state petrochemical company Sinopec will invest 14,000 million dollars to achieve daily oil production of 200,000 barrels per day of crude in the Orinoco Oil Belt, (considered the most abundant oil field in …

_____ (2020-07-15). Trump Tells Florida Crowd 'Something Will Happen In Venezuela' Soon. popularresistance.org On a trip to COVID-19 riddled Florida this weekend, President Donald Trump not-so-cryptically revealed that he had something big planned for Venezuela during a meeting with leaders of the U.S. military's Southern Command. "Something will happen with Venezuela. That's all I can tell you," he said, before adding that Washington would be "very much involved" in what he was referencing. Biden has also taken a hard line on Venezuela and is attempting to out-hawk Trump on the issue. "It's time for free and fair elections so that the Venezuelan people can turn the page on the corrupt and repressive Maduro regime," he sa…

Omar Ramahi (2020-07-15). Hagia Sophia and the Catastrophe of Symbolism. counterpunch.org As a Muslim, I find Erdogan's "decree" to change the status of Hagia Sophia (or Ayasofya in Turkish) from a museum to a masjid extremely disturbing. Yes, it is true that Turkey is a sovereign state, so it can do whatever it wants within its borders. But these actions have severe consequences. Hagia Sophia was

Jennifer Loewenstein (2020-07-15). Forging Greater Israel: Annexation by Any Other Name. counterpunch.org July 1st came and went and Netanyahu made no formal statement regarding annexation. That left many journalists, politicians, activists, and others feeling abandoned to speculation. Declarations of support or opposition went forward accompanied by an air of uncertainty and the frustration of trying to second guess the objectives of those whose actions would determine the

Nikki Carvajal (2020-07-15). Trump Struggles to Say What He Would Do With Another Term for Second Time in a Week. anti-empire.com Editor's note: Despite the Democrats doing everything in their power to throw the election by nominating a vegetable, tacitly getting behind looting and riots, and carpet-bombing the economy and civil liberties (a severe flu season somehow required it) Trump is still losing. The Democrats somehow managed to put together an even weaker case for their ticket than in 2016, but Trump still looks likely to lose to it. | Why? Because Trump 2016 and Trump 2020 are not the same proposition. Where in 2016 it could only be strongly suspected that Trump won't stand or fight for anything, in 2020 that is crystal clear. Trump…

RT (2020-07-15). Major police lobbying group endorses Trump's re-election bid, despite backing Obama-Biden ticket in 2012. rt.com A high-profile police lobbying organization has thrown its weight behind US President Donald Trump's run for re-election, apparently breaking with its previous support for Joe Biden, who was backed by the group in 2012. | The National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) — a lobby group representing some 2,000 police units and unions, as well as hundreds of thousands of officers — handed its endorsement to Trump on Wednesday evening, citing his "steadfast and very public support" for law enforcement. | "We particularly value your directing the Attorney General to aggressively prosecute those wh…

RT (2020-07-15). Russia to blame for landmines found in Libya, says US Africa Command in another self-serving 'bombshell'. rt.com As warring Libyan factions seek aid from Turkey and Egypt, AFRICOM is blaming Russia for landmines that were found near Tripoli in yet another alarmist 'intelligence assessment' aimed at getting US troops sent back to Africa. | On Wednesday, AFRICOM posted four photos of booby-trapped debris found between Tripoli and Sirte last month, as the Libyan National Army (LNA) retreated before the Turkish-backed Government of National Accord (GNA). The landmines used to rig the explosives were "assessed to have been introduced into Libya by the Wagner Group," a mercenary outfit AFRICOM insists is acting on behalf of th…

Stansfield Smith (2020-07-15). WOLA's David Smilde Advocates a more Efficient Regime Change Strategy against Venezuela. dissidentvoice.org Common Dreams, a liberal-left website, reposted an article by David Smilde of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA): "Joe Biden Should Not Try to Out-Hawk Trump on Venezuela." It starts off well with the subtitle: "The first task for a Biden administration would be to take military intervention off the table." The US has …

Fight Back (2020-07-15). Elections signal post-socialist Poland's descent into reaction and repression. fightbacknews.org On July 12, Poland completed its second round of elections to decide who will be president and whether the far-right, chauvinistic, racist PiS would have full powers of the Sejm – Poland's equivalent to the House of Representatives. Sadly, despite being incredibly close and potentially contested, the official reports show Andrzej Duda getting 51% of the vote, while his opponent Rafal Trzaskowski achieved 49% of the vote. Duda is the candidate that represented the Prawo I Sprawiedliwosc (in English, the Law and Justice party). His opponent, Trzaskowski, represented the right-centrist party known as the Civil Platf…

WSWS Repost (2020-07-15). Newsom: allowing SEP candidates on ballot would "frustrate democratic process." indybay.org Democratic Party officials argue that the Socialist Equality Party should have been collecting ballot signatures in California during the dangerous COVID-19 lockdown.

South Front (2020-07-15). Video: Saudi Regime on Brink of Collapse? Economic Crisis and Setbacks in Yemeni War. globalresearch.ca Saudi Arabia has become a hostage of its own military campaign in Yemen. The Kingdom suffers from both its own inability to achieve a military victory in the conflict and regular losses from the retaliatory actions of the Houthis. At …

Margaret Kimberley (2020-07-15). Propaganda Will Not Be Enough to Win Joe Biden the White House. mintpressnews.com The biggest threat to Biden's chances is the continuing suppression of black votes and the refusal of the Democrats to do anything about it.

commondreams (2020-07-15). 350 Action on Joe Biden's New Clean Energy Plan. commondreams.org ______________________________…

commondreams (2020-07-15). Biden's New Environmental Justice Plan Makes Strides In the Right Direction but Gaps Remain. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Marwa Osman (2020-07-15). Hezbollah's New Battle—MES EP.62. thealtworld.com 1st Segment | Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah stressed that Lebanon must explore all options to rescue the country's economy while announcing Hezbollah's new front by saying that the Resistance party has decided to be in the heart of agricultural and industrial battle. To discuss this issue with us in Beirut is Dr. Bilal Farhat former Member of Parliament with the Loyalty of the Resistance Bloc, Hezbollah. | 2nd Segment | The U.S.-backed Separatists militias of the anti-Damascus Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), has been impeding the delivery of flour to bread facilities in the northeastern provi…

Anthony Murdoch (2020-07-15). Vaccine Group Sues Trudeau Government for 'Draconian and Unjustifiable' Response to COVID-19. globalresearch.ca Vaccine Choice Canada, a not-for-profit society founded by families who have suffered from vaccine reactions and injuries, is suing Trudeau's Liberal Government along with Ford's Government of Ontario to hold them "accountable" for their "overreach and the draconian and unjustifiable …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-15). Nigeria's Human Rights Commission blocks workers' strike with court order. peoplesdispatch.org On Wednesday July 15, an industrial court in Nigerian capital Abuja gave an interim order interdicting the strike action which was planned by the workers of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). | Until the court's final decision on the matter, the order also prohibits these workers from holding any meetings, protests, rally or other forms of gatherings to mobilize for any form of industrial action against the non-payment of minimum wages. | This order came after the Commission, charged with protecting human rights, went to court to stop its workers from exercising their right to strike. The strike action w…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-15). Organizations issue joint appeal to UN for urgent action on Israeli killings of Palestinians. peoplesdispatch.org 83 organizations from around the world have demanded the relevant UN authorities to apply pressure on Israel to release the body of Ahmed Erekat, who was killed by Israeli forces on June 23, along with the bodies of 62 other Palestinians which are currently in Israeli custody…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-15). Philadelphia residents file lawsuits against city for police violence on protests. peoplesdispatch.org The lawsuit is the latest in a wave of class action taken against police departments across the US, as the George Floyd protests continue to grow…

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-15). Borrell urges Europe to do more to satisfy Iran with JCPOA. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 15 (MNA) — European Union Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell on Wed. called on Europe to do more to win satisfaction of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

imperial.ac.uk (2020-07-15). Imperial plans for the future of education, as NSS results are revealed. imperial.ac.uk Student satisfaction at Imperial is now at 81%, according to the most recent National Student Survey (NSS).

sputniknews (2020-07-15). Biden Extends Lead Over Trump in Battleground States as Some Cite 'Secret Trump Voters'. sputniknews.com With just 4 months to go to the November presidential election, opinion polling is looking increasingly dire for incumbent President Donald Trump. His presumptive rival – former US Vice President Joe Biden – is beginning to surge in key battleground states.

sputniknews (2020-07-15). Trump Says Cities Run by Dems Are 'Out of Control', Like 'War Zones', Vows to Take Action Next Week. sputniknews.com On Monday, US President Donald Trump said that federal forces could be sent to major cities to quell a wave of criminal violence, which, he said, is "worse than Afghanistan, worse than any war zone", accusing Democratic lawmakers of exploiting resentment caused by nationwide anti-racism and anti-police-brutality protests for political gain.

Eoin Higgins, staff writer (2020-07-15). 'Bye Bye Senator Collins': Victory for Democrat Sarah Gideon in Maine Sets Stage for Crucial US Senate Battle. commondreams.org "We will fight every day to take back our senate seat and ensure Susan Collins never pretends to represent us again." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gideon.jpeg

Staff (2020-07-15). Texas and Arizona Request Refrigerated Trucks as Morgues Run Out of Space. truthout.org Refrigerated trucks are en route to Texas and Arizona as morgues struggle to deal with the rising number of deaths resulting from Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, a Democrat, told reporters that at least one morgue in Maricopa County, home to nearly 60% of the state's population, was "near cap…

Staff (2020-07-15). Oklahoma Governor Who Welcomed Trump's Tulsa Rally Has Tested Positive for COVID. truthout.org Oklahoma Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt announced during a virtual press conference on Wednesday that he has tested positive for coronavirus. | Stitt is believed to be the first United States governor to be diagnosed with the infection. It's possible that the governor…

Fight Back (2020-07-15). Terrorist regime vilifies human rights organizations and victims of human rights violations as terrorist. fightbacknews.org Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement by Jose Maria Sison, National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) Chief Political Consultant. | While it is frenziedly engaged in state terrorism and suppression of democratic rights in the Philippines, the Duterte regime has submitted to the UN Human Rights Office a 137-page report entitled "The Philippine Human Rights Situationer May 2020" to achieve two malicious purposes: | 1) to make false accusations against the Communist Party of the Philippines, New People' Army and the National Democratic Front; and | 2) to slander and vilify the human…

yenisafak (2020-07-15). Turkish Foreign Ministry marks 2016 defeated coup. yenisafak.com Turkey's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday shared a video to mark the fourth anniversary of the 2016 defeated coup."Four years ago an attempted military coup perpetrated by FETO terrorist organization was stopped by the Turkish nation. Turkish people united against the traitors and protected their democracy. Turkish people's #VictoryofDemocracy," read a tweet by the ministry along with the video.The video revolves around a young Turkish pupil studying abroad, who delivers a powerful response to his professor's remarks on coup attempts around the world.The professor says: "According to an article, there have been 236…

yenisafak (2020-07-15). Fresh Ebola outbreak raises concern in DR Congo. yenisafak.com Nearly a month after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Ebola-free, a fresh wave of the epidemic has hit the western part of the country.Confirming that 48 new cases have been detected in DRC's Equateur province, Mike Ryan, the WHO's top emergency expert admitted that this is still a very active outbreak and a great cause of concern.This could be the 11th Ebola outbreak in the country. On May 14, the WHO and the DRC government had declared the country free from the 10th outbreak of the epidemic.Ebola discovered 40 years ago, known as a hemorrhagic fever virus is sp…

Andrew Jackson (2020-07-14). The Fiscal Deficit, Modern Monetary Theory and Progressive Economic Policy. globalresearch.ca Modern Monetary Theory or MMT has crept in from the academic margins to become an influential doctrine in progressive policy circles in the United States. Both Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders drew on the ideas of MMT to shape their …

Staff (2020-07-14). Trump's Fox Fave Tucker Carlson Goes Fishing After Lead Writer Resigns over Racist Online Comments. democracynow.org The lead writer for President Trump's favorite Fox News TV show, "Tucker Carlson Tonight" — the most popular cable show in history — has resigned for posting disturbing racist and misogynist messages to an online forum under a pseudonym. Now Tucker Carlson says he's going on vacation, and his advertisement blocks "are a wasteland," says Matt Gertz, senior fellow at Media Matters, where he documents the relationship between Fox News and the Trump administration.

Staff (2020-07-14). "Release Is Only Way to Save Lives": Migrant Families Face Separation as COVID Spreads in ICE Jails. democracynow.org As the United States leads the world in coronavirus infections, we go behind the walls of immigrant jails, where infection rates are also soaring, and also look at how thousands more jailed migrant parents may be separated from their children starting Friday. "Release is the only way to save the lives of people in custody," says reporter Jacob Soboroff, who went inside these ICE jails and first witnessed kids in cages in 2018, which he writes about in his new book, "Separated: Inside an American Tragedy."

Staff (2020-07-14). Shahid Buttar Mounts A Serious Congressional Race Against Speaker Of The House Nancy Pelosi. therealnews.com Democratic Socialist Buttar is challenging Pelosi as a progressive-sounding centrist who pushes a conservative agenda that enables Trump.