Daily Archives: 2020-07-22

2020-07-22: News Headlines

G. Dunkel (2020-07-23). Popular protest shakes former French colony Mali. workers.org Bamako, Mali, July 10. Tens of thousands of Malians in the capital Bamako came out in the streets July 10 for three days of protest demanding the resignation of Mali's president Ibrahim Boubacar KeàØta (IBK). The government reported that 11 people died and 158 were wounded. The opposition — the . . . |

Staff (2020-07-22). COVID-19 Lays Bare South Africa's Rampant Inequality & Fault Lines of Post-Apartheid Society. democracynow.org COVID-19 infections are skyrocketing in South Africa, now fifth in the world for coronavirus cases, with an already fragile hospital system. "I really think it's our inequality reckoning moment," says Fatima Hassan, a human rights lawyer with the Health Justice Initiative. "All of the fault lines of South Africa's post-apartheid democracy, and its inequality and its violence, is actually coming to the fore."

Abdul Rahman (2020-07-22). Workers returning from crisis-hit Gulf economies need state support back home. peoplesdispatch.org The six states in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) can expect an average economic downfall of 7.6% this year, according to the revised estimates of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The IMF had earlier predicted in April an overall 3% decline in these economies. While the projections may delay economic projects in some of these countries, the impact on millions of migrant workers from India, Pakistan, Egypt and Bangladesh, among others employed in the Gulf, may be deeper and more significant. This is particularly due to lack of any social security net for most of these workers in the host countries which m…

Staff (2020-07-22). Headlines for July 22, 2020. democracynow.org As U.S. Records 1,000 More COVID-19 Deaths, Trump Admits "It Will Get Worse Before It Gets Better", California Surpasses New York in Total Coronavirus Cases, COVID-19 Death Toll at San Quentin State Prison Reaches 12, HRW: 14 Egyptians Have Died of COVID-19 in Overcrowded Prison, Brazilian COVID-19 Death Toll Surpasses 80,000; Bolivian Police Recover 400 Bodies, Israel Authorities Demolish Coronavirus Testing Center in West Bank, U.S. Military Infection Rates Soar, Raising Concerns for Areas Near Overseas Bases, Trump Moves to Exclude Counting Undocumented People in Drawing Congressional Districts, Massachusetts…

yenisafak (2020-07-22). Coronavirus cases in Africa near 750,000. yenisafak.com The number of coronavirus cases in Africa is now just short of 750,000, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said on Wednesday.According to the daily update, 749,492 COVID-19 cases have been recorded in 54 African countries, with fatalities now at 15,726 and 409,568 recoveries.With 396,600 cases, Southern Africa remains the continent's worst-hit region, followed by North Africa with 139,900 infections, West Africa 111,000, East Africa 58,400, and Central Africa with 43,600 cases.South Africa has the highest number of cases among countries — 381,800 — and is trailed by Egypt with 89,10…

yenisafak (2020-07-22). Russia and Turkey agree to push for Libya ceasefire, says Moscow. yenisafak.com Russia and Turkey have agreed to continue efforts to bring about a long-term and sustainable ceasefire in Libya, Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.Russia, alongside Egypt and the UAE, backs eastern Libya commander Khalifa Haftar, whose fighters have been battling the forces of Libya's internationally recognised government, which is supported by Turkey.

Staff (2020-07-22). "Silence the Guns": Africa's CDC Head on Delayed Pandemic, Health Equity & Dangers of War. democracynow.org The African continent has mostly escaped the worst of the pandemic, but the World Health Organization is now warning of an impending acceleration of its spread. "We have always been very clear that the pandemic in Africa was a delayed pandemic, that the continent wasn't spared," says Dr. John Nkengasong, director for Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Monica Moorehead (2020-07-22). Athletes demand justice for Breonna Taylor. workers.org The struggle to bring about justice for Breonna Taylor continues. The 26-year-old African American emergency medical technician was fatally shot eight times by three white police officers who invaded her Louisville, Ky., home on March 13 during a no-knock, no-warrant narcotics search. Originally it was reported that Taylor was asleep . . . |

RT (2020-07-22). 'We won't retreat': DHS chief defends 'proactive arrests' amid Portland riots, stokes Minority Report dystopia outcry (VIDEOS). rt.com The head of the Department of Homeland Security set off alarms after saying that federal agents were making 'proactive' arrests in Portland amid heated protests, drawing comparisons to the dystopian "pre-crime" of Minority Report. | Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf appeared on a Fox News segment on Tuesday night, discussing the ongoing protests and rioting across Portland, which he says have continued for "52 nights in a row" as federal officers there are stretched to the limit. | "Because we don't have that local law enforcement support, we are having to go out and proactively arrest individuals, and we need…

Vijay Prashad (2020-07-22). Time is not on our side in Libya. mronline.org Haftar, who was once an intimate of the United States' Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), is now prosecuting a seemingly endless and brutal war against the United Nation's recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) based in Tripoli and led by President Fayez al-Sarraj.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-22). Youth groups denounce French imperialism in former African colonies. peoplesdispatch.org Several communist and anti-imperialist youth groups protested on July 18, Saturday, demanding an end to French imperialist military and economic maneuvers in its former colonies in Africa…

_____ (2020-07-22). All Civilian Lives Are Equal, But Some Are More Equal Than Others. popularresistance.org Washington's record speaks for itself. Seen from the Potomac's shores, the value of a civilian life almost directly correlates with how the US Government of the moment feels about the regime that man, woman, or child momentarily lives under. Consider it the obscenity of the arbitrary. A few examples should suffice, but one could fill volumes with consistent exemplars. | "Heroic" Libyan rebels — and proximate civilians — mattered once, and only once, President Barack Obama decided their bizarre but harmless-to-the-homeland dictator Colonel Gaddafi had to go. Yet, ten times as many Yemeni lives-extingui…

yenisafak (2020-07-22). Nigerian governor tests positive for COVID-19. yenisafak.com Governor of Nigeria's Ekiti State Kayode Fayemi on Wednesday announced he has tested positive for COVID-19.Fayemi, who also chairs Nigeria Governors Forum, is the eighth Nigerian governor to test positive for the disease, according to local media."I took my third Covid-19 test yesterday and it came back positive. I'm generally ok and I'm already self isolating at home and receiving the best of care from my medical team. I'm delegating critical tasks to my Deputy but will continue routine duty from home," he tweeted on Wednesday.On Sunday, Nigeria's Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama announced he had tested…

yenisafak (2020-07-22). Zimbabwe: Capital's mayor arrested in corruption probe. yenisafak.com The mayor of Zimbabwe's capital Harare has been arrested over corruption charges, local media reported on Wednesday.Herbert Gomba was taken into custody by the Anti-Corruption Commission on Tuesday night and will be presented in court on Wednesday, according to news website Zim Morning Post.The mayor is facing charges of criminal abuse of office in connection with a massive land scam that has led to the arrest of several public officials over recent weeks, including city council officials, police officers, and a prosecutor.Gomba is accused of facilitating the illegal sale of land by approving fraudulent layout pl…

yenisafak (2020-07-21). Sudan's Bashir stands trial for 1989 coup. yenisafak.com Ousted Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir appeared in court on Tuesday in connection with the 1989 military coup that brought him to power.More than 20 former officials are standing trial alongside al-Bashir.Tuesday's trial session was procedural as the defendants appeared in cages amid tight security conditions.In May of last year, the Sudanese prosecution opened an investigation into charges against al-Bashir of undermining the country's constitutional order over the coup.On June 30, 1989, al-Bashir staged a military coup against the government of Prime Minister Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi and ruled the country under what…

_____ (2020-07-21). Portland: A Harbinger Of Things To Come? popularresistance.org Militarized federal agents deployed by the president to Portland, fired tear gas against protesters again overnight as the city's mayor demanded that the agents be removed and as the state's attorney general vowed to seek a restraining order against them. (Dave Killen/The Oregonian via AP) | Masked men in unrecognizable police uniforms jump out of unmarked vans and grab an activist who has been involved in demonstrations against a repressive state. That person is disappeared. Is this Pinochet's Chile, apartheid South Africa or a scene from a John Clancy novel? | No, this is happening in Portland, Oregon, a major…

Lucas Leiroz de Almeida (2020-07-21). Egypt and Ethiopia on the Brink of War. globalresearch.ca The tension between Egypt and Ethiopia is worsening. Both countries are raising their regional rivalry and threatening the North African international security with the imminence of a new conflict. The cause of the tension is due to Ethiopia's intentions to …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-21). Egyptian parliament approves armed forces' deployment in Libya. peoplesdispatch.org Last month, Egypt had threatened "direct intervention" in Libya if the Turkish-backed Government of National Accord did not back off from its mission to take back the eastern city of Sirte from Khalifa Haftar's forces…

yenisafak (2020-07-21). Libya: Germany criticizes Egypt's military intervention plan. yenisafak.com Germany on Tuesday criticized Egypt over its plans to militarily intervene in neighboring Libya.Foreign Minister Heiko Maas voiced Berlin's concern during a joint press conference with his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias after their meeting in Athens."Decisions on military deployments cannot be welcomed, as they always bring the danger of further escalation," Maas said, adding that German government has long been trying to de-escalate tensions in Libya, through talks with Libyan parties and regional actors.Maas recalled that the conflict parties were seeking to control provinces of Sirte and Al-Jufra, and argued…

Judith Ezekiel (2020-07-21). Black Women's Lives Matter. peoplesworld.org According to a report by the African American Policy Forum, the current racial justice movement "has developed a clear frame to understand the police killings of Black men and boys… yet Black women who are profiled, beaten, sexually assaulted, and killed by law enforcement officials are conspicuously absent from this frame." Because of this sexism, …

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-07-21). Is the U.S. About to Move Its Strategic Naval Base from Spain to Morocco? globalresearch.ca Located near the point where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Mediterranean Sea, close to Morocco, is the Spanish Naval Station Rota that is co-tenanted with the U.S. Navy. The issue for Washington to renew its tenancy that allows the Americans …

South Front (2020-07-21). Turkey's Poisonous Hand of Friendship with Ukraine. globalresearch.ca While the situation in Libya continues to escalate and the parties are preparing for a decisive battle for Sirte, Turkey, which actively supports forces of the Government of National Accord (GNA), is negotiating with its strategic partners. On July 10, …

_____ (2020-07-21). AFRICOM And The Guise Of Terrorism. popularresistance.org AFRICOM is a deadly tool used to further U.S. interests in Africa, and Kwame Nkrumah would be vehemently opposed to the co-optation of his ideas in service of the re-colonization of Africa by the U.S. empire. | Terrorism is a useful pretext for the U.S. to assert its power, and the lives of millions of African people are bargaining chips that are played by the United States in the New Scramble for Africa. In that sense, the War on Terror has been a success. The United States has vastly expanded its power and influence on the continent through AFRICOM as it vies for full spectrum global dominance over competitors…

Pavan Kulkarni (2020-07-21). Comair workers in South Africa yet to receive pay while business rescue plan becomes more costly. peoplesdispatch.org Serious questions of conflict of interest have been raised as the business rescue practitioners ask the ailing airline to pay R250,000 per month to Redford Capital – a consultancy firm of which they themselves are the directors.

news.un (2020-07-21). Ethiopia urged to allow peaceful demonstrations, investigate protestor deaths. news.un.org Independent UN human rights experts are urging the Ethiopian authorities to allow peaceful demonstrations, in a new appeal for investigations into the deaths of people protesting the recent killing of a popular singer and activist from the Oromo ethnic group.

WSWS (2020-07-21). Mauritian seafarers, workers and youth oppose Jugnauth government corruption and austerity. wsws.org Tens of thousands of workers and youth marched in a demonstration on Cathedral Square in the central district of Port Louis, Mauritius, on July 11.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-07-21). Moroccan journalist Hamid el-Mahdaoui released from prison. peoplesdispatch.org Moroccan journalist Hamid El-Mahdaoui was released on July 20, Monday, after spending four years in a prison in Rabat. He was sentenced to a three years prison term in 2018 for "failing to report an attempt to undermine state security." He was welcomed by his family outside the prison. | Mahdaoui was the editor-in-chief of Badil.info news outlet which has been critical to the state's policies. He was arrested in July 2017 for his alleged participation in the Hirak-Rif movement in Morocco's northern al-Hoceima province. He was kept in prison pending his trial and conviction in June 2018. | He was finally sentenced…

Uche Ajulu-Okeke (2020-07-21). Mass Poverty, Political Fragmentation of Nigeria? Towards Independence of the Biafra State? globalresearch.ca Ambassador Uche Ajulu-Okeke is a veteran Diplomat and Development Studies Expert with thirty-year achievements in the Nigerian Foreign Service. She is widely known for her performance orientation, positive mentorship and team spirit. In recognition of her high-level competences, the Anambra …

sputniknews (2020-07-21). Armed Attack in Nigeria's North Leaves 10 People Killed, Scores Injured – Reports. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Ten people were killed and numerous others injured as a result of a gun attack in Nigeria's northern state of Kaduna, Chinese media reported on Tuesday, citing its sources.

yenisafak (2020-07-21). Turkey wants to play role in Niger's development. yenisafak.com Turkey wants to take part in the "great vision" of Niger's development plan, Turkey's foreign minister said on Tuesday in the Nigerien capital Niamey."We would like to make a contribution to Niger's development in the areas of transportation, construction, energy, mining and agriculture," Mevlut Cavusoglu told a press conference in Niger, the second stop on a West African tour.Speaking after talks with Nigerien President Issoufou Mahamadou, Cavusoglu said they had spoken at length on boosting relations between the two countries."With the president, we also evaluated [bilateral] cooperation against terrorism. We s…

yenisafak (2020-07-21). Africa's coronavirus caseload surpasses 736,000. yenisafak.com The number of coronavirus cases in Africa reached 736,288 on Tuesday, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said.At least 15,418 people have died of the virus, while 391,898 patients have recovered across the continent, according to the latest update.Of the give geographic regions Southern Africa is the hardest hit with 388,000 cases of which 373,600 are in South Africa.North Africa has recorded 138,300 cases, West Africa 109,400, East Africa 57,000 and Central Africa 43,500.In terms of death toll, North Africa suffered the most with 6,000 fatalities, while Southern Africa registered 5,500, West A…

RT (2020-07-20). Egypt's MPs approve sending troops to fight 'foreign terrorists on western front' as Libya conflict continues. rt.com The parliament in Egypt on Monday approved the deployment of armed forces abroad to fight "criminal militias" and "foreign terrorist groups" on a "Western front," Reuters reported. The statement is a likely reference to western neighbor Libya. It said the troops would be defending national security, without going into further details. | Earlier in the day, Egyptian President Abdel Fatah el-Sisi and US President Donald Trump agreed in a phone call on the need to maintain a ceasefire in Libya and to avoid an escalation between the forces fighting there, the presidency in Cairo said. | Qatar's state minister for…

yenisafak (2020-07-20). Egypt's Sisi discusses Libya and Ethiopia dam with Trump. yenisafak.com Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi discussed with U.S. President Donald Trump by phone on Monday the Libya conflict and talks about Ethiopia's giant Blue Nile Dam, the Egyptian presidency said.

Staff (2020-07-20). Remembering C. T. Vivian, Civil Rights Icon MLK Called "Greatest Preacher to Ever Live" democracynow.org Reverend C. T. Vivian, whom Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once described as "the greatest preacher to ever live," died July 17 at age 95. Vivian was a giant of the civil rights movement and a leading proponent of nonviolent struggle against injustice. He spoke to Democracy Now! in 2015 outside the historic Brown Chapel AME Church in Selma, Alabama, on the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday in 1965. Vivian describes how he was assaulted on the steps of the courthouse as he tried to escort a group of African Americans inside to register to vote. "There is nothing we haven't done for this nation," Vivian said of the civ…

WSWS (2020-07-20). John Lewis, civil rights militant turned big-business politician, dies at 80. wsws.org The outpouring of tributes from reactionaries and war criminals demonstrates the class role that Lewis came to play, despite his youthful part in asserting the democratic rights of African Americans.

WSWS (2020-07-20). Campaign continues against New Zealand visa processing delays. wsws.org One migrant from South Africa told the WSWS that being sent back would put her in extreme poverty and at risk of dying from COVID-19.

Pavan Kulkarni (2020-07-20). Teachers' unions mount countrywide campaign to roll back school opening in South Africa. peoplesdispatch.org The Educators Union of South Africa (EUSA) alleges that money meant for PPEs for students and teachers is being looted through corrupt tenders given at exaggerated prices by the department of basic education and that they are being sent back to schools in an unsafe manner…

Scott Ritter (2020-07-20). Turkey Will be the Death of NATO: Its Recent Clash with Fellow Member France Off the Coast of Libya Is an Early Symptom. globalresearch.ca When two countries who are supposed to be military allies fall out and almost get themselves into a shooting match, you know there's going to be trouble ahead. The problem for NATO is, this time, it may prove terminal. | For …

news.un (2020-07-20). Young innovators vying for top UN environmental prize. news.un.org Thirty-five young people with innovative ideas for tackling challenges such as protecting indigenous Amazonian land through adventure travel, converting harmful emissions into valuable commodities in the United States, and generating electricity from water in Nigeria, have been named as regional finalists for one of the UN's most prestigious environmental awards.

yenisafak (2020-07-20). Turkish, Libyan and Maltese ministers meet in Ankara. yenisafak.com Turkey's defense minister on Monday held a trilateral meeting with Libya's interior minister, and Malta's minister of home affairs and national security in the capital.The high-ups came to Turkey on an official visit after an invitation by Ankara.Before the joint sitting, Hulusi Akar held separate meetings with Libya's Fathi Bashagha and Malta's Byron Camilleri.According to sources, regional cooperation on defense and security, and efforts in contributing to regional stability and peace were discussed during the trilateral session.Libya has been torn by a civil war since the ouster of late ruler Muammar Gaddafi i…

yenisafak (2020-07-20). Rwanda: '200,000 received welfare aid during lockdown'. yenisafak.com About 200,000 Rwandans in the capital Kigali received government welfare support during the coronavirus lockdown, an official said Monday. | "The beneficiaries consisted of about 2,000 vulnerable families. The welfare support included basic necessities such as assorted foodstuffs and sanitary items," local government minister Anastase Shyaka told a news conference. | The virus broke out in Rwanda in March, and to date the number of infections registered is 1,582, including five deaths and 834 recoveries, according to its Health Ministry. | Shyaka attributed the progress in fighting COVID-19 to good governance and…

teleSUR (2020-07-19). COVID-19 Cases Top 14 Million Worldwide. telesurenglish.net For a second day in a row, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported a record increase in global coronavirus cases, with 259,848 new infections in the last 24 hours. | RELATED: | The WHO confirmed Sunday a total of 14,007,791 COVID-19 cases, and 597,105 deaths worldwide. The biggest increase in cases came from countries like the United States, Brazil, India and South Africa. | The United States reported the larg…

Raul Diego (2020-07-19). Africa to Become Testing Ground for "Trust Stamp" Vaccine Record and Biometric Digital Payment System. globalresearch.ca A new biometric identity platform partnered with the Gates-funded GAVI vaccine alliance and Mastercard will launch in West Africa and combine COVID-19 vaccinations, cashless payments, and potential law enforcement applications. | *** | A biometric digital identity platform that "evolves just as …

sputniknews (2020-07-19). Nailed It! 'Science Guy' Bill Nye 'Just Ended Racism' in Viral Video. sputniknews.com Racism contributes to uncountable conflicts around the globe. Recently, the topic of racism saw a sharp resurgence in the wake of the killing of an unarmed African-American man, George Floyd, by white police officers in the United States in May, sparking a wave of anti-racism and anti-police-brutality protests around the world.

yenisafak (2020-07-19). Iraqis protest power outage in Karbala. yenisafak.com Hundreds of protesters shut down a power plant in Iraq's southern Karbala province on Sunday over repeated power outages.Angry protesters barred employees from entering the plant in the al-Jammaliya area in the province until their demands are met."Hours of electricity cuts have increased at a time when temperatures are very high," Yasir al-Hakim, a protester, told Anadolu Agency.Iraqis suffer shortage in power supplies, especially in camps where thousands of displaced Iraqis live.Iraq generates around 13,500 megawatts and plans to increase its capacity with an additional 3,500 megawatts this year, according to t…

The Canary (2020-07-18). Scientists warn PM that returning to normal in time for Christmas 'is going to be difficult'. thecanary.co Boris Johnson will struggle to deliver his vision of a "significant return to normality" in time for Christmas, leading scientists have warned.The prime minister signalled another significant easing of coronavirus (Covid-19) lockdown restrictions in England on Friday 17 July, relaxing work-from-home guidance and paving the way for theatres and sports stadiums to reopen.At a No 10 press conference, he said it was his "strong and sincere hope" that ministers would be able to review the remaining restrictions from November onwards, "possibly in time for Christmas"."It is going to be tough": However, Mark Walp…

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