Link: https://www.rt.com/usa/393298-ford-focus-china-trump-mexico/

Ford has announced that, beginning in 2019, most new North American Focus models will be imported from China for the first time, with additional variants coming from Europe later. The car manufacturer estimates that by ending production of the Focus in the US and moving it mostly to China, the Ford Motor Company will save $1 billion.

Link: http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2017/06/20/525899/Mexico-Guerrero-federal-police-killed-ambush

Gunmen have ambushed Mexican federal police agents, killing four and wounding seven in Guerrero, one of the country’s states that is most plagued by drug-violence, the government said.

Link: http://www.activistpost.com/2017/06/mexico-just-legalized-medical-cannabis-nationwide-exposing-americas-oppression.html

Mexico legalized medical marijuana nationwide on Monday. Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto issued a decree, following the bill’s overwhelming approval from Mexico’s Senate in December, with a vote of 98-7, and from Mexico’s Lower House of Congress in April, with a vote of 374-7 vote. The ruling eliminates the prohibition and criminalization of acts related to the medicinal use of marijuana and its scientific research, and those relating to the production and distribution of the plant for these purposes.

Link: http://www.blacklistednews.com/US_jets_shoot_down_%E2%80%98Iranian_drone%E2%80%99_in_Syria_-_coalition/59247/0/38/38/Y/M.html

An Iranian-made drone was shot down by a US F-15 fighter jet in southern Syria, near At Tanf, the US-led coalition said. It is the fifth time in the past month the US has struck at forces allied with the Syrian government in the area.

Link: https://www.rt.com/usa/393210-phoenix-flights-cancelled-heat/

As temperatures soar in Phoenix, Arizona, planes are being grounded by American Airlines over concerns they can’t operate in the high heat. Nearly 50 flights have been canceled as temperatures exceed the airline’s maximum operating temperature. Extreme heat can affect a plane’s take-off, with warmer air, less dense than cooler air, generating less lift. Planes require more speed to take off in these conditions, along with more fuel and longer runways to generate the lift.

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/393273-brussels-police-explosive-belt/

Belgian soldiers have “neutralized” a person wearing reportedly an explosive belt at Brussels Central Station. The news comes after the station was evacuated following reports of an explosion, according to local media sources.

Link: http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2017/06/19/525841/EU-Iraq-Kurdistan-region-referendum-Barzani-

The European Union has cautioned political parties in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region against holding an independence referendum in September. Masoud Barzani, the president of Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), announced June 7 the vote would be held September 25 in the three governorates that make up the Kurdish region and in areas disputed by the Kurdish and Iraqi governments

Link: http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2017/06/16/525464/Americas-Venezuela-Maduro-US-Pence

“I tell the Vice President of the United States to take your noses out of Venezuela,” Maduro said in Caracas on Thursday, adding that “there will be no foreign, Yankee or imperialist intervention” in the country. Pence said “that once-rich nation’s collapse into authoritarianism has pushed it into poverty and caused untold suffering for the Venezuelan people.” Maduro said Pence “is a man who doesn’t know where Venezuela is on the map but has an opinion on our homeland, on issues affecting Venezuela.”“For better or worse we look after ourselves.

Link: http://www.activistpost.com/2017/06/kids-horrified-cops-hold-mock-child-sex-trafficking-drill-without-saying-drill.html

The Florida Highway Patrol is reviewing its presence at the Girls State Program after troopers conducted a kidnapping/human trafficking drill which went “horribly wrong” according to WFTV News Channel 9.six Florida State Troopers, all female, pulled an attendee aside and told her she would be participating in a kidnapping drill, one which highlighted the real-world problem of sex trafficking. Under the cover of secrecy, the volunteer named “Katrina” was taken to a safe place. Thereafter, roll call was taken with the remaining girls; realized Katrina was missing.” Soon the State Troopers began screaming, she’d been kidnapped, and blamed several girls for her abduction. The troopers told the attendees the girl had been kidnapped and was probably sold as a sex slave to human traffickers who would use her for prostitution purposes. One girl in the program had been involved in a real human sex trafficking incident when she was younger and was emotionally shaken.

Link: http://www.blacklistednews.com/Swedish_Police_Attacked_By_100_Masked_Migrant_Youths/59219/0/38/38/Y/M.html

The masked migrant youths attacked the officers during the second night of rioting in the area. They also attacked the officer’s vehicles, slashing the tyres of two police cars. Only one man was arrested in connection with the riots, Swedish paper Aftonbladet reports.

Link: http://www.blacklistednews.com/Iran_Launches_First_Ballistic_Missile_Strike_Against_ISIS_In_Syria/59225/0/38/38/Y/M.html

Iran says its ballistic missile strike targeting ISIS in Syria was not only a response to deadly attacks in Tehran, but a powerful message to archrival Saudi Arabia and the United States.The launch, which hit Syria’s eastern city of Deir el-Zour on Sunday night, appeared to be Iran’s first missile attack abroad in over 15 years and its first in the Syrian conflict, in which it has provided crucial support to embattled President Bashar Assad.

Link: http://www.blacklistednews.com/China%27s_billionaires_are_disappearing_into_police_custody_andor_early_graves/59224/0/38/38/Y/M.html

Dozens of the richest executives in China have disappeared under mysterious circumstances and are assumed to be in police detention as the country pursues an aggressive anti-corruption agenda. A few have reappeared after unexplained absences, like Metersbonwe fashion exec Zhou Chengjian (estimated worth, $4B), who disappeared for a week in January, then reappeared, others have only reappeared through their death-notices.

Link: https://sputniknews.com/europe/201706191054769103-paris-champs-elysees-op/

A police operation is underway in Paris’ Champs Elysees, the Paris Police Prefecture said Monday, urging public to avoid the area.

Link: https://sputniknews.com/latam/201706181054733760-farc-denies-bogota-explosion/

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the largest armed group in the country, have denied their involvement in the recent explosion at the Centro Andino shopping center in Bogota. Bogota Mayor Enrique Penalosa: three women were killed in the explosion, nine people were injured. According to Penalosa, it was a terrorist attack. FARC leader Rodrigo Londono Echeverr": Solidarity with today's victims in Bogota. This act could have been done only by those who want to close the path of peace and reconciliation."

Link: https://www.rt.com/usa/392947-nunes-trump-russia-congress/

House Intelligence Committee chair Devin Nunes has urged Washington to stop pursuing false accusations of US President Donald Trump’s ties with Russia and concentrate on solving more pressing issues for the country.

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/393063-turkey-qatar-joint-drills/

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Egypt, Yemen, the Maldives, and one of Libya’s three rival governments – which had broken diplomatic relations with Qatar over its alleged support of terrorism.

Link: https://www.rt.com/news/393028-syria-russia-us-plane/

The Russian Defense Ministry announced it is halting cooperation with its US counterparts in the framework of the Memorandum on the Prevention of Incidents and Ensuring Air Safety in Syria following the coalition’s downing of a Syrian warplane.

Link: http://www.blacklistednews.com/TOP_OFFICIAL%3A_State_of_Illinois_in_Massive_Financial_Crisis_Mode/59205/0/38/38/Y/M.html

Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza is warning that new court orders in lawsuits filed by state suppliers that are owed money mean her office is required to pay out more than Illinois receives in revenue each month. This means there would be no money left for so-called "discretionary" spending — a category that in Illinois includes school buses and some ambulance services. "I don't know what part of 'We are in massive crisis mode' the General Assembly and the governor don't understand. This is not a false alarm," said Mendoza. "The magic tricks run out after a while, and that's where we're at." Illinois has $15 billion in overdue bills and the lowest credit rating of any state.

Link: https://sputniknews.com/latam/201706181054734129-colombia-president-convenes-security-council/

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos convenes the country's security council following the explosion at the Centro Andino shopping center in Bogota. Earlier in the day, a blast occurred in a toilet room on the second floor of the mall. Bogota Mayor Enrique Penalosa said three women were killed in the explosion, one of them was the French national, nine people were injured.

Link: https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201706181054746884-usa-coalition-shoots-down-syrian-aircraft/

“Our aircraft was downed at lunch time today near the [Syrian] city of Raqqa, when it was fulfilling its mission against the IS,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that the US-led coalition was responsible for downing the aircraft. According to the ministry, the pilot of the aircraft has not been found to date.