Warrant targeting Assange supporter reveals scope of US government campaign against WikiLeaks
wsws.org | 2019-12-13
As part of the FBI probe into supposed Russian interference in the 2016 US election, the entire contents of a Google account belonging to Somerset Bean, a WikiLeaks supporter and graphic designer, was subpoenaed by the American government.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/12/13/bean-d13.html
Someone Interfered in the UK Election, and It Wasn't Russia
Caitlin Johnstone | theantimedia.com | 2019-12-13
Hardly anyone will care because this election interference has been happening right out in the open, and was perfectly legal.
US to impose sanctions on companies involved in European Nord Stream 2 pipeline
wsws.org | 2019-12-13
The sanctions against the joint Russian-Western Europe energy project underscores just how conflict-riven the relations between the members of the world's largest military alliance are.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/12/13/nord-d13.html
The Russian Terrorism (SMART) Act: Who are the State Sponsors of Terrorism?
Stephen Lendman | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-13
According to proposed Senate legislation, the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism USA wants leading advocate of global peace and stability Russia labeled with this designation. | The measure also calls for Donbass freedom fighters in Donetsk and Lugansk, unwilling to …
globalresearch.ca/stopping-nonexistent-malign-activities-russian-terrorism-smart-act/5697566
The FBI: Another Worry in the National Security State
Melvin Goodman | counterpunch.org | 2019-12-13
The Department of Justice's Inspector General report of the FBI's Russian investigation has fully exposed one more dangerous aspect of the steady abuses of national-security surveillance against U.S. citizens on U.S. soil. Edward Snowden's revelations in 2013 of the national security abuses of the National Security Agency exposed the massive surveillance of U.S. citizens in the expanded campaign against terrorism. Michael Horowitz, the inspector general of the DoJ, has highlighted the abuses of the FBI and the misuse of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court over an extended period. It will require a compreh…
counterpunch.org/2019/12/13/the-fbi-another-worry-in-the-national-security-state/
Massive plume of black smoke rises above Moscow as large fabric warehouse goes up in flames (VIDEOS)
rt.com | 2019-12-13
Two helicopters, 70 firetrucks and 220 rescuers were involved in a major rescue effort in the Russian capital after fire engulfed a fabric warehouse in a densely populated area along one of the city's busiest roads. | On Friday 13, the blaze hit a large storage facility on Varshavskoye Highway in southern Moscow, spanning 7,000 square meters and causing partial collapse of the building's roofing and inner walls. | A huge plume of thick black smoke was seen from kilometers away. | Around 40 people were evacuated from the warehouse, with no injuries reported among them. However, one firefighter was wounded…
rt.com/russia/475814-fire-moscow-warehouse-helicopter/
US Treasury excludes 3 Russian companies from its sanctions list
rt.com | 2019-12-13
US Department of the Treasury has excluded three Russian companies from its sanctions list. The sanctions were lifted from companies Yunikom, Vertikal and TSAO (Tsentr Avtoobsluzhivaniya), according to the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). | Restrictive measures were imposed on December 5. The US officials then said that the three companies were linked to Denis Gusev, and the agency alleged that he had helped hackers conduct financial operations. | Gusev, the owner of Yunikom and Vertikal, said that he had nothing to do with Evil Corp, adding that sanctions could be imposed against his companies by acci…
rt.com/newsline/475849-us-treasury-russian-companies/
Russia to start mass production of Putin's limo brand Aurus in 2021 (VIDEO)
rt.com | 2019-12-13
The long-anticipated serial production of Aurus cars, the same domestic brand which made a limousine for Russian President Vladimir Putin, is set to start at the beginning of 2021. | The news was announced by the Russian Industry and Trade Ministry on Friday, after Trade Minister Denis Manturov visited the Ford Sollers plant in the special economic zone of Alabuga, Tatarstan Republic, where the high-end vehicles will be assembled. | After several pilot Aurus cars roll off the production line in 2020, some 360 cars are expected to be produced in the first quarter of 2021. By 2022, the plant's production capa…
rt.com/business/475830-putin-limo-aurus-mass-production/
5 ISIS members suspected of plotting terrorist attacks detained in Moscow
rt.com | 2019-12-13
The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) and the Interior Ministry have detained five members of Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS), who plotted terrorist attacks, the FSB said on Friday. | An IS cell consisting of two Russian nationals and three citizens of Central Asian countries was exposed; they "planned to carry out subversive and terrorist acts," the statement said. | Communication devices with instructions from the international terrorist organization's emissaries were seized from the suspects during an operation in Moscow, TASS reported. | "An arms cache was found, which contained a Kalashnikov rifle,…
rt.com/newsline/475818-isis-members-suspected-russia/
Russia Shows Concern for Julian Assange's Health
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-12
The health situation of Julian Assange, who is being held in London, worsens while he is awaiting extradition to the United States, warned Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zajárova. | RELATED: | Sweden Drops Decade-Long Case Against Julian Assange | Assange is seriously ill because he has no medical assistance or good nutrition, in addition to alleged psychological torture, the Russian official reported. | "The situation created around him testifies to the violation by the We…
telesurenglish.net/news/russia-shows-concern-for-julian-assange-health-20191212-0013.html
Ukraine Might Finally See Peace, Unless the US 'Deep State' Sabotages It First
Andrew Korybko | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-12
The intense diplomatic efforts undertaken by Presidents Putin and Zelensky finally yielded credible hope that peace might eventually return to Ukraine following their first-ever face-to-face meeting during this week's Normandy Summit in Paris, but the greatest obstacle that both leaders …
globalresearch.ca/ukraine-might-finally-see-peace-unless-us-deep-state-sabotages-it-first/5697531
NATO Summit — and 2020 Planned Aggression
Peter Koenig | globalresearch.ca | 2019-12-12
A recent article " NATO is Brain Dead" described the obsolescence Of NATO and NATO's defense mechanisms against non-existence enemies. Amazing — with pretense of protection and security in Europe and the world, against Russia and China and fighting | …
globalresearch.ca/nato-summit-2020-planned-aggression/5697496
US Senate Committee Approves Sanctions Against Turkey
telesurenglish.net | 2019-12-12
A U.S. Senate committee backed legislation on Wednesday to impose sanctions on Turkey after its offensive in Syria and purchase of a Russian S-400 missile system, the latest move in the chamber to push Republican President Donald Trump to take a harder line against Ankara. | RELATED: | US Military Finishes Pullback From Northeast Syria | The Republican-led Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted by 18-4 to send the "Promoting American National Security and Preventing the Resurgence of ISIS Act of 2019" for a vote in the full Senate. | "Now's the time for the Senate to come together and take this opportunit…
telesurenglish.net/news/US-Senate-Committee-Approves-Sanctions-Against-Turkey-20191212-0004.html
US tests ground-launched ballistic missile that would've been banned by INF treaty (VIDEO)
rt.com | 2019-12-12
The Pentagon has conducted a second test of a missile that would have been banned under the INF treaty with Russia, which the US abandoned earlier this year. A ground-based ballistic missile flew for over 500 kilometers. | The conventionally configured test missile was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on Thursday, the US Department of Defense confirmed in a statement, giving no further details. | "Data collected and lessons learned from this test will inform the Department of Defense's development of future intermediate-range capabilities," the statement said. | Thursday's test follows…
rt.com/usa/475724-inf-treaty-banned-missile-test/
Jeremy Corbyn faces Russiagate smear campaign before UK vote
Aaron Maté | thegrayzone.com | 2019-12-11
Jeremy Corbyn, a real progressive, could win UK's elections. Max Blumenthal joins Pushback to discuss how powerful forces are trying…
thegrayzone.com/2019/12/11/jeremy-corbyn-faces-russiagate-smear-campaign-before-uk-vote/
How the FBI Botched Its Russia Inquiry, One of the Most Closely Watched Cases in Its History
Eric Lichtblau | theintercept.com | 2019-12-11
The investigation was slowed by communication failures, concerns about political optics, and an overall lack of urgency, along with plenty of mistakes.
theintercept.com/2019/12/11/fbi-trump-russia-investigation-report/
North Korea missile tests 'deeply troubling': senior UN official
news.un.org | 2019-12-11
Recent developments concerning North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes are "deeply troubling", the UN's Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific said on Wednesday, briefed the Security Council.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/12/1053281
US Senate advances bill giving State Department right to call Russia 'sponsor of terrorism'
rt.com | 2019-12-11
The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee has approved a bill asking the State Department to determine whether Russia falls under criteria of a state sponsor of terrorism, potentially opening a way stricter sanctions. | The pretentiously titled 'Stopping Malign Activities from Russian Terrorism (SMART) Act' could potentially bring the already strained relations between Moscow and Washington to a new low. | Introduced by Senator Cory Gardner (R-Colorado) in…
rt.com/usa/475637-us-senate-russia-sponsor-terrorism/
If you seek truth about 2016 'Russian election meddling,' check secret Obama cables, which US REFUSED to release — Lavrov
rt.com | 2019-12-11
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said he did not discuss 'election meddling' with his US hosts, but that Moscow is willing to publish communications with the Obama administration showing that nothing happened in 2016. | After meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the State Department, Lavrov also sat down with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. The White House readout of their meeting said that Trump had "warned against any Russian attempts to interfere in United States elections." | "We did not discuss the election," Lavrov told reporters later on Tuesday, adding that the talks fo…
rt.com/usa/475539-lavrov-trump-elections-meddling/
'It's either sanctions or impeachment': Lavrov in trolling mode when asked about timing of his visit to US
rt.com | 2019-12-11
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov denied there was anything odd about the 'timing' of his trip to Washington on a day that impeachment articles against Donald Trump were announced and the Senate debated new Russia sanctions. | Asked about the "timing" by a suspicious reporter following his Oval Office meeting with Trump on Tuesday, Lavrov joked that it was almost impossible to arrive in Washington at a non-controversial time, since something dramatic is always happening. | "It seems to me that, regardless of the day you choose to visit Washington, it will surely coincide with either sanctions or impeachme…
rt.com/usa/475605-lavrov-washington-visit-impeachment/
Justice Department chief Horowitz slams FBI for 'serious errors' in Russiagate investigation
rt.com | 2019-12-11
Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz blasted the FBI for "basic, fundamental, and serious errors" made in their initial Trump-Russia probe which he said amounted to a "failure" by the "entire chain of command." | Horowitz appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday to testify on the results of his 476-page report into the origins of the original FBI 'Crossfire Hurricane' investigation into the Trump campaign. In particular, the IG criticized the FBI for serious irregularities, inaccuracies and omissions in their FISA applications to obtain a warrant to monitor former campaign advi…
rt.com/usa/475630-horowitz-russia-trump-errors/
'Obama policies continue': US Congress doing everything to destroy relations with Russia, says Lavrov
rt.com | 2019-12-11
Some US lawmakers are doing everything they can to prevent normalization of US-Russia relations, which would benefit both countries, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said while visiting Washington. | Lavrov spent Tuesday in meetings with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the State Department and Trump at the Oval Office. At a press conference later in the day, he was asked if Russia saw Trump as a reliable partner. | While Trump sincerely understands the benefits of good relations with Russia for both countries, Lavrov said, "Congress, in my opinion, is doing everything to destroy our relations," continu…
rt.com/usa/475537-congress-destroys-us-russia-relations/
'What's next, accuse Russian diplomats of doping?' Lavrov mocks absurd media storm over his 'secret' meeting with Trump
rt.com | 2019-12-10
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov took a moment to poke fun at US media and members of Congress obsessing about his 'secret' meeting with US President Donald Trump, while throwing shade on WADA for the Russian sports ban. | On a whirlwind trip to Washington, DC on Tuesday, Lavrov met with his US counterpart Mike Pompeo as well as Trump, behind closed doors at the White House. Congressman Adam Schiff (D-California), House Democrats' point man for Trump impeachment, called it a "success of Russian propaganda." | Just had a very good meeting with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and representatives of Russia.
rt.com/usa/475534-lavrov-mocks-trump-meeting-scandal/
On Human Rights Day, Let's Abolish Nuclear Weapons
Martin Fleck | progressive.org | 2019-12-09
A nuclear war would create one of the worst humanitarian crises imaginable, one for which no nation would have an adequate emergency or health response.
progressive.org/op-eds/human-rights-day-nuclear-weapons-fleck-191209/
Russiagate media smears against Corbyn brought to you by US and UK military-intelligence apparatus
Ben Norton | thegrayzone.com | 2019-12-08
Days before Britain's historic election, the UK's military-intelligence apparatus is turning to the corporate media and US government-funded NATO cut-outs…
thegrayzone.com/2019/12/08/us-uk-military-intelligence-apparatus-destroy-jeremy-corbyn/
Hillary Casually Drops 'Russian Asset' Smear on Bernie Sanders in New Interview
Tyler Durden | theantimedia.com | 2019-12-06
Are we just going to ignore that Hillary Clinton, today, just implied that Bernie Sanders is also a Russian asset?>…
theantimedia.com/hillary-russian-asset-smear-bernie-sanders/
Pompeo's Iran Nuclear Lies Exposed Using Clear Evidence & The JCPOA Document Itself
Activist Post | thelastamericanvagabond.com | 2019-11-12
Mike Pompeo continues to lead the propaganda push to get the public panicking about an Iran "nuclear breakout" even when all evidence shows that Iran is nowhere near capable of being a nuclear threat. Of course many other countries have far more robust nuclear programs, but because it's Iran we have to come together as …
thelastamericanvagabond.com/top-news/pompeos-iran-nuclear-lies-exposed-using-clear-evidence-jcpoa-document-itself/