2020-04-11: News Headlines

RT (2020-04-11). 1st squad of volunteers assembled as Russia prepares for human testing of Covid-19 vaccine. rt.com The fist team of people who will test a Russian vaccine against the coronavirus on themselves — in trials that begin in late June — have been selected, and the lead developer of the drug is among them. | Work on the vaccine began in February at the Vector Institute, Russia's leading virology and biotechnology research center, in Novosibirsk, Siberia. Earlier in April, the researchers announced that the drug successfully passed trials on mice and ferrets, with preparations for human testing in full swing. | The first stage of clinical testing will see 60 people participating, Rinat Maksyutov, Vector…

RT (2020-04-11). Anti-5G fever spreads to the Netherlands as towers suffer 'arson and sabotage'. rt.com Several 5G broadcasting masts across the Netherlands were damaged in what authorities have described as "a worrying development." Similar acts of sabotage have previously been seen in the UK. | The Netherlands has experienced a string of arson attacks in the past fortnight, with the latest one happening on Friday in the northern city of Groningen, according to a report by newspaper

RT (2020-04-11). China sends virologists & aid to Russia ahead of its Covid-19 peak. rt.com Just out of its own fight against the coronavirus, China has sent several tons of medical supplies as well as a team of virologists and doctors that will share their firsthand experience with their Russian colleagues. | Invited by the city authorities of Moscow, the Chinese medical team boarded their flight on Saturday, Russia's consulate in Harbin, China said. The task force is comprised of "renowned Chinese virologists and doctors who have huge clinical experience and practical knowledge," the consulate stated. | | © Russian Consulate in Harbin | The mission, run by China's National Health Commission…

RT (2020-04-11). 'They will not let that happen': OPEC cuts won't close Russian oil wells which would be impossible to reopen, says Novak. rt.com Oil producers will not shut down any facilities where they would be unable to relaunch operations, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said, as the OPEC and non-cartel oil producers continued talks on historic output cuts. | Speaking to the Russia-1 news channel on Saturday, the chief energy official said that he believes the oil companies themselves "will not let that happen." | Novak was addressing earlier fears that, in order to comply with massive OPEC cuts to boost the tumbling oil market, Russia will have to stop operations at low-production oil wells. Some analysts earlier told TASS that many such f…

RT (2020-04-11). Ambulances create traffic jams outside Moscow hospitals as Covid-19 patients keep coming (VIDEO). rt.com While heavy traffic is no longer an issue on Moscow's roads due to the coronavirus lockdown, the city's emergency medical response teams have encountered another unexpected problem — long lines of ambulances outside hospitals. | A massive queue of the vehicles was filmed outside the War Veterans Hospital in the north of the capital on Friday. The footage provided by RT's Ruptly video agency showed vans emblazoned with red crosses occupying not only the approach road to the hospital — recently repurposed to treat Covid-19 patients — but also most of the neighboring street. | It wasn't an isol…

RT (2020-04-11). First group of volunteers assembled as Russia prepares for human testing of Covid-19 vaccine. rt.com The initial human volunteers have been selected to test a Russian vaccine against the deadly new coronavirus in trials set to begin in late June. The project's chief developer is leading by example by taking his place among them. | Work on the biological preparation began in February at the Vector Institute, Russia's leading virology and biotechnology research center. It's based in Novosibirsk, the largest city in Siberia. Earlier in April, researchers announced that the vaccine had successfully passed trials on mice and ferrets, with preparations for human testing in full swing. | The first stage will see 60…

en.mehrnews (2020-04-11). Iran names conditions for passengers returning home from Russia. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Apr. 11 (MNA) — The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Russian Federation issued an announcement on Fri. to repatriate Iranians who wish to return home amid coronavirus pandemic.

sputniknews (2020-04-11). Trump Names Bush-Era Torture Advocate, Sanctions Freak as Arms Control Envoy. sputniknews.com With the US withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2002, and President Trump's scrapping of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty last August, the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty is now the last major nuclear arms treaty in force. Moscow has warned that a failure to renew the treaty could spark a new global arms race.

sputniknews (2020-04-11). Russian, Italian Troops Disinfect Retirement Homes in Three Lombardy Towns. sputniknews.com BERGAMO, Italy (Sputnik) – Russian military personnel and Italian military nuclear, biological and chemical experts have jointly disinfected nursing homes in three settlements in Italy's Lombardy region, the Russian Defence Ministry announced on Saturday.

sputniknews (2020-04-11). Syrian Forces Demine 1.7 Hectares of Land Over Past 24 Hours – Russian Defence Ministry. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Syrian armed forces engineers have removed land mines from 1.7 hectares (4.2 acres) of territory and dismantled 43 explosive devices over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defence Ministry's Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides said on Saturday.

sputniknews (2020-04-11). Russian Telescope Pierces Heart of the Galaxy to Probe Hidden Secrets. sputniknews.com The Russian-German space observatory "Spektr-RG", launched in July 2019, seeks to compile a map of the universe over the following four years, taking high-resolution pictures of the sky in the X-ray spectrum.

sputniknews (2020-04-11). Russian Cosmonauts Begin 3D Bioprinting Experiment on ISS. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russian cosmonauts at the International Space Station (ISS) have started printing inorganic components of rat bone tissue as part of an experiment devised by Russian company 3D-bioprinting Solutions, managing partner Yusef Khesuani said on Saturday.

sputniknews (2020-04-11). Not a Single Country's Healthcare System Ready for Coronavirus Pandemic – Putin's Spokesman. sputniknews.com According to the World Health Organisation, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has exceeded 1.5 million globally, with more than 95,000 deaths.

RT (2020-04-10). Moscow expects producers outside OPEC+ to cut oil production by 5 mln BPD – Energy minister. rt.com On top of the OPEC+ deal that will see oil output cut by 10 million barrels per day, producers outside the group are expected to slash the supply by at least five million more, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said. | "We believe that, in addition to the 10 million barrels [cut], which was undertaken by OPEC+, there would be another 5 million barrels from oil producers outside of OPEC+," Novak said Friday, while speaking to Russian television. | Canada, for instance, was ready to cut its output by some 1 million bpd, Novak said. The minister did not give any estimates on how much the US or others might…

Harvey Wasserman (2020-04-10). Terrified Atomic Workers Warn That the COVID-19 Pandemic May Threaten Nuclear Reactor Disaster. commondreams.org The Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant is seen in the early morning hours March 28, 2011 in Middletown, Pennsylvania. (Photo: Jeff Fusco/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/three_mile_island_-_gettyimages-110954022_0.jpg

RT (2020-04-10). High-security Siberian prison ON FIRE after inmates riot (VIDEO). rt.com A fire broke out on Friday night at a strict penal colony in eastern Siberia, over 4,000km east of Moscow. According to officials, multiple buildings were set alight by prisoners. | Media reports coming from the Irkutsk region suggest about 300 people have been injured. REN TV reports that the fire began when inmates burned the prison's woodworking shop. Russia's Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) reported that the situation is now under control. Videos and photos depicting the burning prison have flooded the internet. | On Thursday, it was reported that unrest began in the prison at lights-out when one pr…

RT (2020-04-09). 'We have too many ships at sea': Pentagon says more Theodore Roosevelt-level coronavirus outbreaks are possible. rt.com New large-scale coronavirus outbreaks within the US military are certainly possible given the amount of assets it has deployed worldwide, the Pentagon has said, adding it was getting ready to operate in the "Covid environment." | "I think it is not a good idea to think that the [Theodore Roosevelt outbreak] is a one of a kind issue," Air Force General John Hyten, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said during a press briefing on Thursday. | We have too many ships at sea, we have too many deployed capabilities. There's 5,000 sailors on a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. To think it will never happen a…

RT (2020-04-09). US boasts of intercepting 2 Russian military planes on routine training flight far off Alaska. rt.com The US Air Force has reported intercepting two Russian scout planes that entered its "defense identification zone" off Alaska. Moscow says it was a training flight and the planes came nowhere near US airspace. | US F-22 Raptor fighters, supported by an aerial refueling KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft and an early warning E-3 AWACS plane, were mustered to intercept Russian military aircraft over the Bering Sea on April 8, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) reported in a series of tweets on Thursday. | The intercept happened north of the Aleutian Islands, which stretch from the coast of Alaska far…

Stephen F. Cohen (2020-04-09). How the Coronavirus Is Testing Putin's Leadership—and the System He Created. thenation.com How the Coronavirus Is Testing Putin's Leadership—and the System He Created…

Tasnim News (2020-04-09). Iran to Unveil 122 Nuclear Achievements. iranian.com The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) was going to mark the National Nuclear Technology Day on Wednesday by unveiling 122 new achievements of the country's nuclear scientists, but decided to postpone the ceremony due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, a spokesman said. Speaking to IRINN on Wednesday, AEOI spokesperson Behrouz Kamalvandi said President …

imperial.ac.uk (2020-04-08). New COVID-19 project will use the power of smartphones to search for treatments. imperial.ac.uk Imperial researchers will look for potential new treatments for COVID-19 using the computing power of people's smartphones.

Tasnim News (2020-04-08). Iran Welcomes Putin's Idea for Green Corridor in Coronavirus Fight. iranian.com Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif welcomed a proposal from Russian President Vladimir Putin to create a green corridor for the global battle with the coronavirus pandemic. "In order to contain the situation of coronavirus, different countries have closed their geographical borders, but opened them to provide assistance," Zarif said in a tweet on Wednesday, …

Sarah L Dalglish (2020-03-26). [Correspondence] COVID-19 gives the lie to global health expertise. thelancet.com As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak began spreading in Europe and the USA, a chart started circulating online showing ratings from the 2019 Global Health Security Index, an assessment of 195 countries' capacity to face infectious disease outbreaks, compiled by the US-based Nuclear Threat Initiative and the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health's Center for Health Security. The USA was ranked first, and the UK second; South Korea was ranked ninth, and China 51st; most African countries were at the bottom of the ranking.

Jason Ditz (2020-02-20). Turkey Kills Over 50 Syrian Troops, Russian Warplanes Intervene to Halt Offensive. theantimedia.com Russia called the situation a "worst case scenario."

Jason Ditz (2020-02-17). DOJ Investigating Former CIA Director's Role in Russiagate. theantimedia.com The Justice Department is investigating the role of John Brennan in the assessment that Russia interfered in the 2016 election.

Strategic Culture (2020-02-08). US Deploys 'Mini-Nukes' in Deplorable Threat to World Peace. theantimedia.com These so-called "mini-nukes" represent—despite the diminutive-sounding name—an increased risk of nuclear war.

Tyler Durden (2020-02-08). Iraq and Russia Prepare to Boost Military Ties as US Threatens Sanctions. theantimedia.com Iraq and Russia are preparing for deepening military coordination.

Middle East Eye (2020-02-07). Russia Says Israel Used Civilian Plane as Human Shield During Syria Strikes. theantimedia.com Russia accused Israel of "making a total mockery of the lives of hundreds of innocent civilians."

Jon Rainwater (2019-11-07). Take Action — Some actual, SANE legislation. peaceaction.org Trump has plans to spend nearly $2 TRILLION over the next 30 years on unneeded and unnecessary nuclear weapons and delivery systems. This makes no sense. This is insane. That's nearly $100 million wasted every day for thirty years on weapons we are supposed to be getting rid of. To put that amount in perspective, …