Daily Archives: June 8, 2020

2020-06-08: News Headlines

Anya Parampil (2020-06-08). Colectivo de Protección de la Embajada de Venezuela logra victoria legal frente a una juez hostil nombrada por Obama y la fiscalía del gobierno. thegrayzone.com La sentencia contra los cuatro miembros del Colectivo de Protección de la Embajada de Venezuela, quienes fueron los últimos ocupantes…

Venezuela Solidarity Campaign (2020-06-08). Give Venezuela Back Its Gold: Case Goes to London Court. globalresearch.ca Venezuelan authorities appeared in court in London last Thursday May 28 to demand that the Bank of England comply with instructions to sell part of the 31 tons of gold it holds on behalf of Venezuela. | Venezuelan Central Bank President …

Peter Koenig (2020-06-07). Venezuela, Minneapolis, Iran, Europe — Trump's Last Gasps of Collapsing World Control — Or is it? globalresearch.ca There comes a time when shooting around in circles just hits walls, bullets splinter off sidewalks, and shatter a window here and there. But people are in safety. They watch from a distance and with self-assurance. | Venezuela has received five …

Lucas Koerner (2020-06-07). WOLA: Media's 'Left' Source for Pro-Coup Propaganda in Venezuela. zcomm.org The US blockade is a naked expression of imperial might, which WOLA and other Western propaganda amplifiers hide behind empty rhetoric about "democracy" and "human rights."

Tom Coburg (2020-06-07). Protesters attacked by the police and their allies have the moral right to defend themselves. thecanary.co Across the US, Black Lives Matter protesters are under violent attack by the police and the national guard. Far-right white supremacists are also visible. But people can only take so much, and if attacked, protesters have a moral right to defend themselves. | State violence: | The assaults on protesters by police and the national guard have been widespread. | For example, in Chicago: | Has nobody in charge of US police realised that everyone has mobile phones and that their violence against protesters will be filmed and sent around the globe? Each mindless attack on peaceful protesters adds fuel to the fl…

IMEMC & Agencies (2020-06-07). Israeli Troops Shoot, Wound Five Palestinians in Kufur Qaddoum. imemc.org On Saturday afternoon, Israeli occupying soldiers in Kufur Qaddoum village, on the outskirts of the Palestinian West Bank city of Qalqilia, reportedly shot and wounded five local Palestinian peaceful protestors with rubber-coated steel bullets. Local Palestinian sources said that an Israeli army troop attacked a peaceful protest near the Omar …

Joe Emersberger (2020-06-06). When did Venezuela's Economic Crisis begin? zcomm.org The starting point for Venezuela's current depression has been the subject of some debate. It can get a bit technical, so I'll weigh in on it here. Looking at Real GDP Inflation adjusted (i.e. real) Gross Domestic Product (GDP ) is essentially a country's aggregate income. I say "essentially" because there is an adjustment that

Elijah Magnier (2020-06-06). La grande guerre du Moyen-Orient sera-t-elle déclenchée au Levant? thealtworld.com Le monde est en pleine tourmente. L'année 2020 a déjà apporté son lot de crises majeures. D'une part, l'affrontement USA-Iran à la suite de l'assassinat du major général Qassem Soleimani par les USA. D'autre part, la pandémie de COVID-19 et la catastrophe économique qu'elle entraàÆne, qui ont coûté la vie à environ 400 000 personnes dans le monde et fait perdre des dizaines de millions d'emplois. Rien de tout cela n'a cependant empêché les USA d'imposer encore plus de sanctions contre l'Iran, la Syrie et lu Venezuela. L'Iran, qui est déjà soumis à des sanctions maximales depuis 1979, a envoyé cinq pétrolier…

pip.hinman (2020-06-07). After peaceful protests, NSW Police take their violent revenge. greenleft.org.au

Addison Blu (2020-06-08). Syria Sends Advisors to Aid US Rebels. anti-empire.com WASHINGTON — As the United States works through its immense internal challenges with human rights, equality, and government use of force, Syrian president Bashar al-Assad seeks to help the US in the same way the US helped during the recent Syrian civil war. | "We're sending advisors from our elite special operations units to, you know, help foster peace," Assad told reporters while hiding a smirk. "I can't tell you how valuable it was to have a foreign influence stoking the fires during a period of violent unrest. The least we can do is return the favor." | Assad's aides exchanged high fives in a symbol of…

Mark Perry (2020-06-06). WON'T TOUCH IT WITH A SIX-FOOT POLE: Pentagon Is Afraid Saving Taxpayers From Rioters Would Stain Its Sainted "Troops" anti-empire.com The president had barely finished his remarks in the Rose Garden late on Monday afternoon, when senior retired and currently serving U.S. military officers weighed in on his threat to deploy military units to help end the nationwide demonstrations resulting from the killing of George Floyd. | While declaring he was an "ally of all peaceful protesters," Trump described the disturbances as "domestic acts of terror" and called on local law enforcement officials to "dominate the streets" to end them. But Trump's payoff quote sounded more like an explicit threat than a political ploy: "If a city or state refuses to ta…

ahtribune (2020-06-08). Syria: Will the Great Middle Eastern War Begin in the Levant? ahtribune.com The world is in turmoil. 2020 has already brought major multiple crises, with the Iranian-American clash in Iraq which followed the US assassination of Major General Qassem Soleimani, and the COVID-19 health pandemic and economic disaster that struck all continents and stole the lives of over 400 thousand people around the world, costing tens of millions of jobs. None of this, however, prevented America from imposing even more sanctions on Iran, Syria and Venezuela. Iran — already under maximum sanctions since 1979 — sent five tankers to Venezuela to break the embargo on components and spare parts…

Silence is Violence (2020-06-07). Saturday 6/6: Peaceful Protest and March: King Plaza Palo Alto. indybay.org In front of Palo Alto City Hall in MLK Jr. Plaza | 250 Hamilton Ave. | Palo Alto 94301…

Community (2020-06-07). Friday 6/5: Say No to Racism – Peaceful Solidarity Protest (Palo Alto). indybay.org Greer Park | 1127 Colorado Ave, Palo Alto…

The Canary (2020-06-08). Giving drivers £6,000 to switch to electric car would be 'fantastic move'. thecanary.co Motoring and environmental groups have welcomed the prospect of a new car scrappage scheme encouraging motorists to switch to electric vehicles. | The AA described it as "fantastic" while Greenpeace said it would be "moving in the right direction". | Boris Johnson is considering launching plans to give drivers up to £6,000 to exchange their petrol or diesel car for an electric model, the Daily Telegraph reported. | In March the government reduced the maximum grant available for electric car buyers under the Plug-In Car Grant by £500 to £3,000. | But it has been urged to help manufacturers hit ha…

The Canary (2020-06-06). Horse bolts through crowd as police harass demonstrators at peaceful Black Lives Matter rally. thecanary.co A horse bolted through a crowd of people in central London during a Black Lives Matter protest on Saturday 6 June. The incident took place after police mounted on horses clashed with protesters at a peaceful rally outside Downing Street.The London protest was carried out peacefully for much of Saturday afternoon, but scuffles began at around 6pm when police tried to harass protesters. Videos circulating on social media showed mounted police charging through protesters to try and disperse them. One officer appeared to fall off their horse, which then bolted — sending crowds of people scattering.The trouble fl…

RT (2020-06-07). 'You talk like Goebbels': Global Times editor-in-chief shoots back at Pompeo's parallels between China & Nazi Germany. rt.com The editor-in-chief of a major Chinese tabloid slammed Mike Pompeo for comparing his country to Nazi Germany, likening his words to those of Hitler's propaganda chief and reminding the secretary of state of America's endless wars. | Hu Xijin took to Twitter on Sunday venting his anger about Mike Pompeo's remarks. | "You are inciting radical hostility and ripping the world apart. You aren't like a top diplomat, instead, you talk like Goebbels of Nazi Germany. I'm worried that world peace will eventually be destroyed by extreme politicians like you," he wrote. | You are inciting radical hostility and ripping the…

RT (2020-06-07). Black Lives Matter protest in Sweden descends into violence and vandalism (VIDEOS). rt.com The Swedish city of Gothenburg has been shaken by street violence, after an initially peaceful 'Black Lives Matter' protest turned into a riot. Police clashed with demonstrators, who threw stones and smashed storefronts. | Defying the Swedish government's coronavirus guidelines — which ban gatherings of more than 50 people — an estimated 2,000 people assembled in the city of Gothenburg on Sunday, to show solidarity with the worldwide protests that broke out after the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer nearly two weeks ago. | Although the protest began peacefully, by late afternoo…

RT (2020-06-07). Cops and protesters brawl in London, as PM declares demonstrations 'subverted by thuggery'. rt.com After a peaceful demonstration at the US embassy, some 'Black Lives Matter' protesters in London showed up at Downing Street where the scene grew more chaotic. Police clashed with the crowd in an attempt to restore order. | The gathering at London's US embassy on Sunday drew

RT (2020-06-06). George Floyd protest is 'for the benefit' of 'democratic struggles' abroad, says US group known for promoting regime change. rt.com The National Endowment for Democracy, a soft-power group mostly known for splashing government dollars on pro-US influence campaigns overseas to enforce regime change, has endorsed protests against police brutality at home. | Also on rt.com | | In a statement on Friday, the NED came out in support of the protests against the police killing of unarmed black man George Floyd, which, while originally peaceful, spiralled into violence, wreck…

RT (2020-06-06). George Floyd protest is 'for the benefit' of 'democratic struggles' abroad — US group NED, known for promoting regime change. rt.com The National Endowment for Democracy, a soft-power group mostly known for splashing government dollars on pro-US influence campaigns overseas to enforce regime change, has endorsed protests against police brutality at home. | Also on rt.com | | In a statement on Friday, the NED came out in support of the protests against the police killing of unarmed black man George Floyd, which, while originally peaceful, spiralled into violence, wreck…

RT (2020-06-06). Texas CHAINSAW counter-protester: Man arrested after confronting demonstrators with infamous 'massacre' weapon (VIDEO). rt.com A chainsaw-wielding Texan has been detained after threatening a group of demonstrators with his lumber-cutting mechanical tool. Thankfully, the altercation did not devolve into Hollywood-inspired violence. | A small group of seemingly peaceful protesters in McAllen, Texas briefly found themselves in a real-life slasher film, after a man with a chainsaw rushed at them while shouting profanities. | Footage of the bizarre incident shows a man pointing the deadly tool at protesters as he shouts at them. | "Move! Go home!" he yells above his roaring chainsaw. | He then uses a racial slur while warning against prote…

RT (2020-06-06). Judge BLOCKS Denver police from using tear gas & plastic bullets on 'peaceful' protesters. rt.com A federal judge in Denver has barred police from using tear gas, plastic bullets, and any projectiles against demonstrators, saying the threat to protesters' physical safety and free speech outweighs the threat to property. | R. Brooke Jackson, a US district court judge in Colorado, has

en.mehrnews (2020-06-08). Leader thanks crew of oil tankers carrying fuel to Venezuela. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jun. 08 (MNA) — Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei appreciated the efforts of the oil tankers' crew that delivered Iranian fuel to Venezuela.

sputniknews (2020-06-06). American Oil Company Chevron's Crude Cargo Gets Embroiled In US Anti-Venezuela Sanctions. sputniknews.com The day before, Reuters reported, citing unnamed US officials that the US Department of the Treasury was considering sanctioning more than 40 foreign oil tankers over their alleged involvement in the oil trade with Venezuela, which has been sanctioned by the US in its efforts to oust President Nicolas Maduro.

yenisafak (2020-06-07). With new life, Afghan peace push a race against time. yenisafak.com A continuing cessation of hostilities and an uptick in exchange of Taliban and government prisoners has given the Afghan peace process, often fragile and near collapse at times, a new lease on life.Analysts believe the three main sides in the decades-long conflict — Kabul, the Taliban, and the US — have covered a lot of ground in the march towards a sustainable peace deal.However, it is also a shared view that they are pressed for time and on a path that remains tricky, as each side's strategy oscillates between diplomatic bargaining, tactical maneuvers, and all-out use of muscle."The Taliban should c…

yenisafak (2020-06-07). London police chief says 14 officers injured during anti-racism protests. yenisafak.com Fourteen police officers were injured in "shocking and completely unacceptable" assaults during anti-racism protests in central London on Saturday, London police chief Cressida Dick said on Sunday.After a largely peaceful day, small numbers of protesters briefly clashed with mounted police on Saturday after thousands gathered to voice their anger at police brutality after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis."I am deeply saddened and depressed that a minority of protesters became violent towards officers in central London yesterday evening. This led to 14 officers being injured," Dick, who is Commissioner o…

_____ (2020-06-07). Fortress On A Hill: Interview With Kevin Zeese. popularresistance.org Kevin Zeese of Popular Resistance stops by the podcast to discuss his path to becoming an activist during protests in the 60's and 70's, what he's learned from Ralph Nader, police brutality and militarization, Kevin's long standing work on the Vietnam war and Venezuela, and the dynamics of "lesser evil voting." | Kevin Zeese is a public interest attorney who has worked for economic, racial and environmental justice since graduating from George Washington Law School in 1980. | He co-directs PopularResistance.org which works to build the independent movement for transformational change. Kevin co-hosts, "Clearing th…

_____ (2020-06-07). Fortress On A Hill: Interiew With Kevin Zeese. popularresistance.org Kevin Zeese of Popular Resistance stops by the podcast to discuss his path to becoming an activist during protests in the 60's and 70's, what he's learned from Ralph Nader, police brutality and militarization, Kevin's long standing work on the Vietnam war and Venezuela, and the dynamics of "lesser evil voting." | Kevin Zeese is a public interest attorney who has worked for economic, racial and environmental justice since graduating from George Washington Law School in 1980. | He co-directs PopularResistance.org which works to build the independent movement for transformational change. Kevin co-hosts, "Clearing th…

_____ (2020-06-07). National Guard Troops Refuse Trump's Race War. popularresistance.org Courage to Resist is currently assisting members of the National Guard who resisted Trump's orders to violently attack people on the streets of Washington DC peacefully and lawfully protesting racial injustice. Now that Trump is threatening to use the 1807 Insurrection Act to send active-duty troops in cities across the US, it's time for every member of the military to search their conscience. We want to make sure we're there to support the brave men and women who continue to refuse these illegal orders. | One Guardsmen who is resisting Trump's orders originally hoped to join medical missions assisting in natural…

RT (2020-06-06). From White House to Golden Gate: Massive crowds rally nationwide to protest the death of George Floyd (VIDEOS, PHOTOS). rt.com Thousands of protesters flooded the main streets, squares and bridges in nationwide protest over the death of George Floyd, leading some to question whether a second wave of Covid-19 is imminent. | Chicago, Washington, DC and New York all saw large groups gather to march and demonstrate, all of which have been peaceful as of Saturday afternoon. | Massive, peaceful turnout today at Union Park in

Elijah Magnier (2020-06-06). Syria: Will the Great Middle Eastern War Begin in the Levant? thealtworld.com The world is in turmoil. 2020 has already brought major multiple crises, with the Iranian-American clash in Iraq which followed the US assassination of Major General Qassem Soleimani, and the COVID-19 health pandemic and economic disaster that struck all continents and stole the lives of over 400 thousand people around the world, costing tens of millions of jobs. None of this, however, prevented America from imposing even more sanctions on Iran, Syria and Venezuela. Iran — already under maximum sanctions since 1979 — sent five tankers to Venezuela to break the embargo on components and spare parts muc…

_____ (2020-06-06). Venezuelan Embassy Protection Collective Wins Legal Victory. popularresistance.org On the morning of June 3, four U.S. citizens from the Venezuelan Embassy Protection Collective (EPC) who engaged in a two-week-long standoff with right-wing Venezuelan exile hooligans and members of Juan Guaidó's coup administration entered a plea agreement with the U.S. government. | The chief Judge for the U.S. District Court District of Columbia, Beryl Howell, sentenced David Paul, Margaret Flowers, Kevin Zeese, and Adrienne Pine to six months of probation and fines totaling $750 each. Additionally, Judge Howell ordered the four defendants to stay away from the building which formally served as Venezuela's emb…

Fight Back (2020-06-06). Police brutality protesters gather in Lansing and Grand Rapids. fightbacknews.org Grand Rapids, MI – Protesters gathered in several major Michigan cities last weekend, including Grand Rapids and Lansing, demanding justice for the Minneapolis Police Department's killing of George Floyd and for all victims of police brutality. | On Saturday, May 30, protesters in Grand Rapids gathered at Rosa Parks Circle for what was planned to be a silent march through the city. Instead, protesters crowded around the Grand Rapids Police Department shouting, "I can't breathe!" "No justice, no peace!" "Hands up! Don't shoot!" and "Say his name: George Floyd!" Thousands of people surrounded the building containin…

JH (2020-06-06). Friday 6/5: Fire Jared Yuen – One Week After Peaceful Protest (San José). indybay.org San José City Hall | 200 E Santa Clara St.

sputniknews (2020-06-06). Egyptian President Announces Cairo's New Peace Initiative for Libya Including Ceasefire. sputniknews.com CAIRO (Sputnik) – Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Sisi announced on Saturday Cairo's peace initiative for Libya that envisages ceasefire and conditions for a political settlement of the conflict.

WSWS (2020-06-06). Protester explains how he was brutally assaulted by Secret Service officials in Washington, D.C. wsws.org The demonstrator explained how federal officials provoked and then assaulted peaceful demonstrators outside the White House last weekend as protests against police brutality swept the country.

Elizabeth Woodworth (2020-06-06). JFK, MLK, RFK, 50 Years of Suppressed History: New Evidence on Assassination of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy. globalresearch.ca Fifty years of research shows that three humane visions of global peace were thwarted by three covert assassinations. In each case eyewitness accounts were written out of history. In each case the "lone gunman" fiction denied society a true understanding of the deep politics of history…

RT (2020-06-05). Paris denies that Guaido is hiding in French Embassy in Caracas as Venezuela demands he be handed over. rt.com France has rejected allegations that Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido has been holed up inside the nation's diplomatic mission in Caracas. Venezuelan authorities earlier labeled Guaido a "fugitive from justice." | "Juan Guaido is not at the French residence in Caracas. We have repeatedly confirmed this to the Venezuelan authorities," French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Agnes von der Muhll said. | Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza earlier claimed that Guaido, who was named 'interim president' by the opposition-controlled parliament last year, has been hiding inside the French Embassy, and deman…

RT (2020-06-05). Venezuelan FM says Guaido is holed up in French Embassy in Caracas, calls on Paris to 'hand over the fugitive'. rt.com Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido has taken refuge at the French Embassy in the country's capital, Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said. Guaido previously sought to shoot down the rumors, insisting he is "with the people." | "We cannot enter the premises of any country's embassy whatsoever, in this case Spain or France," Arreaza said on Thursday, referring to both Guaido and fellow opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, who fled to a Spanish diplomatic compound soon after a failed attempt to spark an insurrection in April 2019. Arreaza said this means that any arrest of the two men "is not possible." | We hop…

Staff (2020-06-05). Watch: Police Pepper-Spray Black Filmmaker in Face at Peaceful Protest & Medics Help Him Survive. democracynow.org As the nationwide uprising in defense of Black lives continues, demonstrators are recording videos of police brutality on the streets. We speak with Chris Frierson, an African American documentary filmmaker and cameraman who was filming a Black Lives Matter protest on Saturday in Brooklyn, New York, when police moved in on demonstrators. As Frierson filmed, police pepper-sprayed him directly in the face. Chris kept on filming as he struggled to the sidewalk crying in agony from the pain. Within seconds, someone took his arm and guided him to volunteer medics who came to his aid. We air his footage and speak about…

Staff (2020-06-05). Trump Threatens Protests with Troops, But Police Have Already Been Militarized — With Deadly Results. democracynow.org The American Civil Liberties Union and Black Lives Matter announced Thursday they are suing President Trump and Attorney General William Barr for authorizing an "unprovoked and frankly criminal attack" on protesters at Lafayette Park in Washington, D.C., where the National Guard and officers dressed in riot gear fired tear gas, rubber bullets and flashbangs to disperse peaceful protesters on Monday so Trump could have a photo op with a Bible in front of St. John's Episcopal Church. We look at the increasing militarization of the police with Stuart Schrader, author of "Badges Without Borders: How Global Counterins…

Vijay Prashad (2020-06-05). Goliath is not invincible. mronline.org Last year, I walked with Mariela Machado in her housing complex known as Kaikachi in the neighbourhood of La Vega (Caracas, Venezuela). After Hugo Chávez was inaugurated president in 1999, a group of working-class residents of the city saw an empty piece of land and occupied it. Mariela and others went to the government and …

W. T. Whitney Jr. (2020-06-05). New U.S. military intervention subverts peace in Colombia and Venezuela. peoplesworld.org The United States Embassy in Bogotá announced on May 28 that the U.S. is sending 50 or so soldiers of the Army's 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) to Colombia. They would be carrying out consultations with Colombian Army commanders and providing them with technical assistance, both in order to fight narco-trafficking. The collaboration will …

Staff (2020-06-05). Police Brutality Protesters Met With More Brutality: Is Martial Law Next? therealnews.com Police across the US have met protesters with violence, tear gas, and rubber bullets. We speak with Otto the Watchdog, injured by police in Denver, and Tawanda Jones, who has led peaceful anti-brutality protests since her brother's death in custody.

Monica Moorehead (2020-06-05). In response to George Floyd lynching, sports figures in solidarity with Black Lives Matter. workers.org "When civility leads to death, revolting is the only logical reaction. The cries for peace will rain down, and when they do, they will land on deaf ears, because your violence has brought this resistance. We have the right to fight back! Rest in Power George Floyd." Colin Kaepernick on . . . |

Eds. (2020-06-05). What is the Bougaloo Movement? mronline.org There has been persistent speculation that peaceful protests against racism and police brutality may have been infiltrated by white provocateurs.

RT (2020-06-05). 'They don't do that': Governor Cuomo denies NYPD brutalized peaceful protesters despite video evidence. rt.com New York Governor Andrew Cuomo denied accusations that New York City police officers have used batons against people peacefully protesting against the death of George Floyd, even though multiple videos show them doing so. | During a press briefing on Thursday, Cuomo called the allegations "incendiary rhetoric," asking the reporter who brought them up: "Do you think there's any sensible police officer who believes their job is bludgeoning a peaceful person with a baton?" | "It's not a fact! It's not even an opinion! That is a hyper-partisan rhetorical attack!" he continued, adding that NYPD officers "don't do t…

RT (2020-06-05). US military launches airstrikes against Taliban as Afghanistan ceasefire ends. rt.com The US conducted its first airstrikes against the Taliban since a rare ceasefire between the insurgents and Afghan forces ended more than a week ago. The two assaults took place on Thursday and Friday, in Farah province in the west and in Kandahar in the south, spokesman Sonny Leggett tweeted on Friday. | "These were the 1st US airstrikes against (the Taliban) since the start of the Eid ceasefire," he wrote. "We reiterate: All sides must reduce violence to allow the peace process to take hold," he added. | The airstrikes were intended to foil the militant group's plan to launch attacks on Afghan security force…

RT (2020-06-05). ENTIRE emergency response team of Buffalo Police Department resigns over suspension of cops who pushed elderly protester. rt.com All 57 members of the Buffalo Police Department's Emergency Response Team have quit their unit in protest after two officers were suspended without pay over their unprovoked attack on an elderly peaceful protester. | The officers resigned from their positions en masse on Friday after their colleagues were suspended without pay the previous night as a "show of support and disgust," local media The Erie County District Attorney is investigati…