Kremlin maintains muted response to Suleimani assassination, insists on Iran nuclear deal
wsws.org | 2020-01-15
An open war against Iran is likely to spread directly to the border of Russia, enflaming not only the entire Middle East but also the South Caucasus.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/01/15/krem-j15.html

EU Nations Push Iran in Last-Ditch Bid to Save Nuclear Deal
Staff | truthdig.com | 2020-01-15
Britain, France and Germany trigger pact's dispute mechanism, starting the clock on a process that could result in more sanctions on Iran.
truthdig.com/articles/eu-nations-push-iran-in-last-ditch-bid-to-save-nuclear-deal/

European powers move toward scrapping nuclear accord with Iran
wsws.org | 2020-01-15
Berlin, London and Paris, emboldened by Tehran's weak response to the US murder of Iranian General Qassem Suleimani, are escalating attacks against Iran.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/01/15/euir-j15.html

Trump deal instead of Iran nuclear deal? I agree! US president gives Twitter nod to BoJo
rt.com | 2020-01-15
Boris Johnson's suggestion that the 2015 Iran nuclear deal be replaced with a new one

Tehran calls on Washington to apologize for 'previous crimes' against Iran, claims regional 'crisis' led to shootdown of airliner
rt.com | 2020-01-15
The United States should acknowledge its past crimes against Iran, Tehran has said, adding that Washington has fueled instability in the Middle East. | Iranian President Hassan Rouhani lashed out at the US during a televised speech on Wednesday, calling on Washington to make amends for its actions in the region. | His comments came as Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told a security conference in New Delhi that the Islamic Republic is not interested in negotiating with the US. | US President Donald Trump has proposed a "Trump deal" to replace the largely defunct 2015 nuclear accord, but Zarif argu…
rt.com/news/478302-iran-us-crimes-negotiations-crisis/

'More powers, more responsibilities': Putin proposes granting parliament power to choose PM & form government
rt.com | 2020-01-15
Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed granting parliament more powers to nominate key government officials, adding that the president will not be able to reject their picks. | Under the current law, the president nominates the candidate for prime minister, who then must be approved by the lower house of parliament, the State Duma. | In his annual state-of-the-nation address on Wednesday, Putin proposed to change this by "allowing the State Duma not only to approve but to choose" the PM. Under his plan, the prime minister would then present parliament with the candidacies of the deputy prime ministers and g…
rt.com/russia/478328-putin-pm-reform-proposal/

Putin suggests launching new investment cycle in Russia to achieve growth rates above global average
rt.com | 2020-01-15
Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a structural change to the economy and its efficiency during his annual address to the Federal Assembly on Wednesday. | "In 2021, Russia' GDP growth rates should be above the global average," he said, adding: "To get such a dynamic, it is necessary to launch a new investment cycle, to boost investments in creation of jobs, infrastructure, development of industry, agriculture and services sector." | Starting from 2020, annual growth investments should be at least 5 percent, and their share in the GDP should be increased from the current 21 percent to 25 percent in 202…
rt.com/business/478317-putin-russia-investments-economy/

PM Medvedev Announces Resignation of Russian Gov't Following Putin's Address to Parliament
sputniknews.com | 2020-01-15
The Russian president addressed lawmakers, ministers and other high-ranking officials on Wednesday, with this year's address focusing mostly on domestic politics including social policy and the economy, but also proposals to amend the country's basic law.
sputniknews.com/russia/202001151078045582-Medvedev-Announces-Resignation-of-Russian-Govt-Following-Putins-Address-to-Parliament/

Russian government resigns, after President Putin's State-of-the-Nation Address proposes changes to the constitution
rt.com | 2020-01-15
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has announced that the government is resigning. The statement came shortly after President Vladimir Putin delivered his annual state-of-the-nation address. | Accepting the resignation, Putin asked the ministers to function as a caretaker government until a new one is formed. | Before announcing the resignation of the cabinet, Medvedev met with Putin to discuss his state-of-the-nation address, which took place earlier on Wednesday, the Kremlin's press office said. | Putin also said that he plans to create a position of the deputy secretary of Russia's security council, and…
rt.com/russia/478340-government-resigns-russia-putin-medvedev/

Putin proposes major amendments to Russia's constitution incl. about his own post, says people should vote on changes
rt.com | 2020-01-15
The constitution should take priority over international law if the latter violates the rights of Russian citizens or violates Russia's constitutional principles, President Vladimir Putin has proposed. | Amendments to the constitution could be put to a popular vote to ensure "the development of Russia as a welfare and rule-of-law state," the Russian leader said in his annual state of the nation address. | Adopting a brand new constitution is not necessary because the current one will remain relevant for many years to come, Putin explained. But he did suggest some changes he'd like to see. | Domestic v inte…
rt.com/russia/478315-referendum-constitution-amendments-putin/

Lavrov: Russia to Continue De-Dollarisation Drive Amid 'Increasingly Aggressive' US Sanctions Policy
sputniknews.com | 2020-01-15
Once one of the largest national investors in US Treasury obligations and the US dollar, Russia has been shrinking its holdings substantially in recent years as relations with Washington continue to sour.
sputniknews.com/business/202001151078045524-lavrov-russia-to-continue-de-dollarization-drive-amid-increasingly-aggressive-us-sanctions-policy/

US expects UN sanctions on Iran to 'snap back into place'
yenisafak.com | 2020-01-15
The United States believes international sanctions on Iran will be swiftly reimposed now that France, Britain and Germany have formally triggered a mechanism to help enforce Iran's nuclear agreement, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Wednesday."I've had very direct discussions – as well as Secretary Pompeo has – with our counterparts," Mnuchin told CNBC. "I think you saw the E3 did put out the statement and have activated the dispute resolution. And we look forward to working with them quickly and would expect that the U.N. sanctions will snap back into place."
yenisafak.com/en/news/us-expects-un-sanctions-on-iran-to-snap-back-into-place-3509736

Russian prime minister and government resign after Putin speech
yenisafak.com | 2020-01-15
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Wednesday that his government was resigning to give President Vladimir Putin room to carry out the changes he wants to make to the constitution.The unexpected announcement, which came shortly after Putin proposed a nationwide vote on sweeping changes that would shift power from the presidency to parliament, means Russia will also get a new prime minister.Possible candidates include Sergei Sobyanin, the mayor of Moscow, Dmitry Oreshkin, the economy minister, or Alexander Novak, the energy minister.Medvedev made the announcement on state TV sitting next to Putin who th…
yenisafak.com/en/world/russian-prime-minister-and-government-resign-after-putin-speech-3509742

Russian FM calls out under representation in UN
yenisafak.com | 2020-01-15
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday called out the UN Security Council for failing to rightfully represent developing countries.Addressing the annual Raisina Dialogue in the Indian capital New Delhi, Lavrov said that Moscow believes in "equitable and democratic world order not on the balance of brutal force"."I would say that the main and probably the only deficiency of the [UN] Security Council is under representation of the developing countries," he said, adding that India and Brazil should make it to the list along with an African candidate.- India-China tiesAlso speaking at the event, Indian…
yenisafak.com/en/news/russian-fm-calls-out-under-representation-in-un-3509740

'UAE embassy in Moscow obstructed Libya cease-fire'
yenisafak.com | 2020-01-15
Libya's Chairman of the High Council of State Khalid al-Mishri on Wednesday confirmed that the embassy of United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Moscow strongly contributed to obstruct the ceasefire in Libya. | "The Gulf countries were present in the cease-fire negotiations in the capital Moscow, including the charge d'affaires of the UAE embassy to Russia, who was one of the obstacles on the signing of the cease-fire agreement in Libya," al-Mishri said at a press conference in Tripoli."The Russian proposal for a cease-fire was written in a format to satisfy the aggressor [referring to Haftar forces]," al-Mishri said.On J…
yenisafak.com/en/news/uae-embassy-in-moscow-obstructed-libya-cease-fire-3509732

Russia's Unsuccessful Libyan Peace Summit Was a Good Start
Andrew Korybko | globalresearch.ca | 2020-01-14
Russia's Libyan peace summit in Moscow didn't succeed with its stated objective of getting the warring parties to agree to a ceasefire agreement after they failed to find any common ground with one another, but it was nevertheless a good …
globalresearch.ca/russia-unsuccessful-libyan-peace-summit-good-start/5700561

Libya: How Did We Get Here?>
telesurenglish.net | 2020-01-14
The Libyan War broke out in the Spring of 2011 after weeks of wide-scale protests against the government of President Muammar Gaddafi. | RELATED: | Libya Talks in Russia Progress but Fail to Sign Ceasefire | The protesters were calling for Gaddafi to step down from the presidency, despite holding the role since his rise to power in the late 1960s and earl…
telesurenglish.net/news/Libya-How-Did-We-Get-Here-20200114-0001.html

Iran Welcomes "Constructive" Measures to Save Nuclear Deal
telesurenglish.net | 2020-01-14
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abbas Mousavi said Tuesday that Iran welcomes any constructive measure which aims at saving the 2015 nuclear deal. | RELATED: Trump Signed Off on Soleimani's Assassination in June | "As in the past, Iran is fully ready to receive any well-intended and constructive measures to salvage this important international deal, and it supports any initiative in this regard," Mousavi said. | "In the meantime, Iran clarifies it to all and particularly to three European parties of the deal that any breach of vows, mal-intention and unconst…
telesurenglish.net/news/Iran-Welcomes-Constructive-Measures-to-Save-Nuclear-Deal-20200114-0016.html

Johnson calls for 'Trump deal' to resolve Iran tensions
The Canary | thecanary.co | 2020-01-14
Donald Trump should produce a replacement for the Iran nuclear deal, Boris Johnson said as he called for tensions in the Gulf to be "dialled down".The UK, along with European allies, has remained part of the troubled nuclear deal despite the US president's opposition.The prime minister said one of the problems the American leader had with the agreement was that it was negotiated by his predecessor, Barack Obama, so putting in a replacement "Trump deal" would be a way out of the current crisis. | The US has pulled out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which eased sanctions in return for Iran agree…
thecanary.co/global/world-news/2020/01/14/johnson-calls-for-trump-deal-to-resolve-iran-tensions/

Berlin, London and Paris threaten Iran over 2015 nuclear treaty
wsws.org | 2020-01-14
After the recent US assassination of Iranian General Qassem Suleimani, the European powers are denouncing not Washington, but Tehran, as a threat to the Middle East.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/01/14/euir-j14.html

The 40 Year Cold War With Iran
John Feffer | counterpunch.org | 2020-01-14
The United States has been in a 40-year cold war with Iran. Just like the cold war with the Soviet Union, the conflict between Washington and Tehran has been fought largely through proxies: in Yemen, in Syria, in Iraq. Iranian-aligned organizations like Hezbollah have attacked U.S. targets, such as the 1984 embassy bombing in Beirut.
counterpunch.org/2020/01/14/the-40-year-cold-war-with-iran/

Khalifa Haftar refuses to formalize Libyan ceasefire
Peoples Dispatch | peoplesdispatch.org | 2020-01-14
The warlord who had initially agreed to the ceasefire proposed by Russia and Turkey withdrew saying that it did not address his concerns. His rival group, the Government of National Accord, has already signed the agreement…
peoplesdispatch.org/2020/01/14/khalifa-haftar-refuses-to-formalize-libyan-ceasefire/

Pundits Go Nuts Over New Russian Hacking Conspiracy
Caitlin Johnstone | theantimedia.com | 2020-01-14
(CJ Opinion)

Hear no evil, see no evil, print no evil? MSM warn journalists away from Burisma/Biden info after 'hack' report
rt.com | 2020-01-14
The US political and media elite have warned any journalist who might think of publishing (or even looking at) material potentially hacked from Ukrainian gas firm Burisma that they're essentially handing 2020's election to Russia. | Burisma Holdings – the Ukrainian company where Democratic frontrunner Joe Biden's son Hunter served as a director – has been hacked, cybersecurity firm Area 1 announced on Tuesday. Area 1 has ties to both the NSA and Crowdstrike, the firm behind 2016's still-unproven "Russian hacking" allegations, and has…
rt.com/usa/478271-establishment-warns-burisma-biden-russia/

Libya: No Ceasefire As Rival Factions Leave Moscow Without Deal
telesurenglish.net | 2020-01-14
Libya's General Kalifa Haftar, who leads the Libyan National Army (LNA), refused to sign an agreement that would have formalized a tentative ceasefire Tuesday in Russia, despite been already signed by the head of the United Nations-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) Fayez al-Sarraj. | RELATED: | Libya: How Did We Get Here? | "The draft [agreement] ignores many of the Libyan ar…
telesurenglish.net/news/No-Ceasefire-in-Libya-As-Rival-Factions-Leave-Moscow-Without-Deal-20200114-0011.html

Pompeo: Killing Soleimani Part of 'Broader Strategy' Applying to China, Russia
Jason Ditz | theantimedia.com | 2020-01-14
(ANTIWAR.COM)

How Rising Temperatures Increase the Likelihood of Nuclear War
Michael T. Klare | thenation.com | 2020-01-13
How Rising Temperatures Increase the Likelihood of Nuclear War…
thenation.com/article/nuclear-defense-climate-change/

'Totally up to them': Trump says he 'couldn't care less' if Iran negotiates with US or not
rt.com | 2020-01-12
US President Donald Trump said his maximum pressure campaign against Iran is not about bringing it to the negotiating table, but ensuring that Tehran doesn't obtain nuclear weapons or kill protesters. | "Actually, I couldn't care less if they negotiate. Will be totally up to them but, no nuclear weapons and 'don't kill your protesters'," Trump said in a tweet Sunday night, contradicting the narrative of National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien. | National Security Adviser suggested today that sanctions & protests have Iran "choked off", will force them to negotiate. Actually, I couldn't care less if they negot…
rt.com/usa/478088-trump-iran-negotiate-sanctions/

Andrew Bacevich: The U.S. Needs to Abandon "Militarized Approach" to Middle East and Build Peace
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-01-09
We continue our conversation with Andrew Bacevich, president and co-founder of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. He is a retired colonel, Vietnam War veteran and author of, most recently, of "The Age of Illusions: How America Squandered Its Cold War Victory." Bacevich says the crisis with Iran, sparked by President Trump's assassination of top general Qassem Soleimani, is just the latest in a long series of ill-advised American actions in the Middle East. "The only conceivable way for us to begin to extricate ourselves from this terrible mess in the region … is to abandon this militarized approac…
www.democracynow.org/2020/1/9/andrew_bacevich_trump_iran

Trump Announces Additional 'Punishing' Sanctions on Iran
Staff | therealnews.com | 2020-01-08
Updated 1: 15 PM ET | U.S. President Donald Trump made a statement Wednesday morning at 11: 30 AM EST and announced that Iran "appears to be standing down" following strikes on U.S. air bases in Iraq. He said there were no American or Iraqi casualties resulting from the attacks. | Trump said that while the U.S. was evaluating its options, it would "immediately impose additional punishing sanctions" against Iran until it "changes its behavior." He called Iran the "leading sponsor of terrorism" and repeatedly said that he would not allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons. Since 2017, the Trump administration has impose…
therealnews.com/columns/iran-attacks-us-bases-in-iraq-in-retaliation-for-soleimani-assassination

Trump's march to war on Iran aided by Democrats' weakness on sanctions, nuclear deal
Aaron Maté | thegrayzone.com | 2020-01-04
The US assassination of Qasem Soleimani, a top Iranian military commander, is the culmination of three years of Trump administration…
thegrayzone.com/2020/01/04/trumps-march-to-war-on-iran-aided-by-democrats-weakness-on-sanctions-nuclear-deal/

Americans Are Ready for a Different Approach to Nuclear Weapons
Lawrence Wittner | zcomm.org | 2019-12-22
Although today's public protests against nuclear weapons can't compare to the major antinuclear upheavals of past decades, there are clear indications that most Americans reject the Trump administration's nuclear weapons policies. Since entering office in 2017, the Trump administration has withdrawn the United States from the nuclear agreement with Iran, scrapped the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Read…
zcomm.org/zblogs/americans-are-ready-for-a-different-approach-to-nuclear-weapons/

Seemingly Coordinated ISIS/al-Qaeda Attacks On Syrian Oil/Gas Fields & US' Russia/Libya Hypocrisy
Ryan Cristián | thelastamericanvagabond.com | 2019-12-22
Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (12/21/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
thelastamericanvagabond.com/daily-wrap-up/seemingly-coordinated-isis-al-qaeda-attacks-on-syrian-oil-gas-fields-us-russia-libya-hypocrisy/