(2020-07-04). Economically, US is a declining power, China is a rising power. peoplesdispatch.org In this episode of Signs of Our Time, Marxist intellectual Aijaz Ahmad and Vijay Prashad of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research talk about the state of US-China relations and rising tensions in East Asia. Prof. Ahmad analyses the decline in US economic and strategic power and talks about the implications of the China-Russia partnership…
(2020-07-04). The Heat: Iran arms embargo. america.cgtn.com 
The United States threatens Iran with military force to stop the Islamic Republic from acquiring nuclear weapons.
(2020-07-04). Massive Cringe as Apparatchiks Stuff the Ballot for Putin's Constitutional Amendments That Would Have Passed Anyway. anti-empire.com 
So the Russians Putin also gets the option of running for two more 6 year terms come 2024. | It also happens to be the case that this is
(2020-07-04). Russia says China would be needed in expanded G7 summit. yenisafak.com Russia is not in talks with Washington about its potential role at an expanded Group of Seven summit later this year, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Saturday, insisting that China should also be included in the event.His comments to TASS news agency countered those of John Sullivan, U.S. ambassador to Russia, who told RBC TV on Friday that Washington was "engaged with the Russian Foreign Ministry and with the other G7 governments about whether there is an appropriate role for Russia at the G7."U.S. President Donald Trump has raised the prospect of Russia's return to the group, which includes the w…
(2020-07-04). Coronavirus deaths surge beyond 10,000 in Russia. yenisafak.com Coronavirus-related deaths in Russia crossed the 10,000 mark on Saturday.With 168 fatalities registered over the last 24 hours, the overall count went up to 10,027, the country's emergency task force said in a daily report.The daily growth in coronavirus cases remains below 7,000 for the ninth consecutive day, since 6,632 people tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, bringing the overall count to 674,515.Recoveries surged by 8,986 to reach 446,879, raising the share of recovered people to 66,2%.Earlier this week, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said the country will continue increasing polymerase chain reaction…
(2020-07-04). The Malign Russians and Chinese Are Coming. strategic-culture.org A feeble Russiagate 2.0 attempt coincides with hypocritical attacks on the new Hong Kong national security law | Pepe ESCOBAR | In Russia, 78% have just Among these, we find the paramount Atlanticist obsession: the possibility that Vladimir Putin will be able to run for two more presidential terms. | Predictably, anguished cries of "Dictator! Dictator!" have been lobbed like deadly shells all across the Beltway. | They might even silence the echoes of the latest CIA press release to the New York Times, ba…
(2020-07-04). Why Russians Don't Want to Be Europeans. strategic-culture.org Pravda lied to us about the USSR, but it told the truth about the West. | — Contemporary Russian joke | In a
(2020-07-03). Moscow welcomes Fatah & Hamas unity pledge amid Israel's West Bank annexation plans. rt.com 
Russia welcomed on Friday a pledge of unity between Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas against Israel's West Bank annexation plans. "One of the key issues that need to be resolved for our common efforts to succeed is to restore the Palestinian unity," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. | "We are satisfied with yesterday's press conference of Fatah and Hamas representatives, as they announced the decision to jointly defend interests of the Palestinian state based on the Palestine Liberation Organization platform," he noted. | Russia hopes that all Arab representatives will actively back this trend,…
(2020-07-03). Countries Ranked on "Democracy" in 2020. dissidentvoice.org 
NATO and its supporters and member-nations are hiding the fact that the predominant belief in many of these nations is that they're dictatorships that merely pontificate 'democracy' to other nations. NATO, which is America's propagandistically 'pro-democracy' military alliance against Russia and against China, polled the people in 53 countries — some of which are in …
(2020-07-03). Tokyo olympics and Fukushima 'revival'. mronline.org 
At the 1964 Tokyo Olympics a young man born on the day of Hiroshima nuclear bombing was selected to be the last torch bearer on the relay, to signify that Japan had stood up from nuclear ruin. In an attempt to replicate the 1964 Olympic theme, the Abe government has constructed the idea of a …
(2020-07-03). Star Wars? Russia's new S-500 has SPACE DEFENSE abilities, can destroy hypersonic weapons & satellites in low-Earth orbit. rt.com 
Russia's upcoming S-500 anti-missile system will be unrivaled by any other similar technology in the world, a top military official has said. It is also the first in a new class of space-defense weaponry. | The main task of the S-500 is neutralizing mid-range ballistic missiles, but it can also bring down the warheads of intercontinental missiles, as well as warplanes, drones and more, Sergey Surovkin, the commander of Russia's Aerospace Forces,
(2020-07-03). First Russian coronavirus vaccine volunteers report no adverse side-effects. Hopes now high for mass immunization in fall. rt.com 
There may finally be an end in sight. Two weeks after Russia's home-grown Covid-19 vaccine was administered to a group of volunteers, there have been no negative side-effects, raising hopes that mass immunization may be possible. | Read more | | "Volunteers from the first group…feel good and have no complaints about their health," said a Ministry of Defense press release. "Over the past two weeks, there have been no ser…
(2020-07-03). Bounty-Hunter Hoax to Kill U.S.-Russia Relations. strategic-culture.org Relations between the United States and Russia have already been badly wounded during recent years, largely as a result of baseless allegations such as Moscow interfering in American elections, colluding with President Donald Trump, or regarding other international developments, from the downing of a Malaysian airliner over Ukraine, to purported war crimes in Syria, to the alleged poisoning of British double-agent Sergei Skripal in England. | But the latest U.S. media effort claiming Russian military intelligence involvement in sponsoring Taliban assassins or "bounty hunters" to target American troops in Afghanis…
(2020-07-03). What Do Russian Analysts Make of the Charge Moscow Offered Taliban Bounties on US Troops? commondreams.org U.S. Soldiers navigate a stream during a security patrol in Chabar, Afghanistan, Dec. 3, 2009. The Soldiers are from Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. (Photo: DoD/Tech. Sgt. Francisco V. Govea II, U.S. Air Force) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/5_trillion_wars_0.jpeg …
(2020-07-03). Revolutionary Possibilities: Could U.S. Capitalism Turn Nationalist? counterpunch.org The Trump administration has turned sharply toward economic nationalism. It attacks and undermines the World Trade Organization, NATO, and the UN. Trump and other top officials explicitly insult many world leaders. He imposes high tariffs. Official statements renew and sustain Cold War-type attacks on China, Venezuela, Cuba, and Iran. Trump flirts openly with nationalists who
(2020-07-03). A Russian Bounty Is Bad. What's Shocking and Outrageous Is the War. thenation.com A Russian Bounty Is Bad. What's Shocking and Outrageous Is the War.
(2020-07-03). The New York Times fabricates Russian murder plot. wsws.org The Washington frenzy against Russia has been triggered by a lying propaganda campaign initiated by the New York Times.
(2020-07-03). World Rebukes US Over Iran. popularresistance.org Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday sought to reassert America's waning influence on the world stage, challenging the U.N. Security Council to extend a U.N. arms embargo that is due to expire in October. Instead, America's top diplomat received a scolding from friends and foes alike in the 15-nation council, which roundly criticized Washington for withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal two years ago without a clear plan to limit Tehran's nuclear activities. | On a day when the European Union pointedly excluded the United States from a "safe list" of countries permitted to travel to the 27-member bloc, the c…
(2020-07-03). Russia reports less than 7,000 cases for 8th day in row. yenisafak.com Russia on Friday reported less than 7,000 new coronavirus for the eight consecutive day.A total of 6,718 cases were reported over the past 24 hours, raising the tally to 667,883, with active cases making up about a third of the total, the country's emergency task force said in a daily report.The virus claimed 176 lives over the last 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 9,859 while recoveries went up by 8,915 to reach 437,893, it added.Earlier this week, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said the country will continue increasing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests despite declining case numbers, to "identify new…
(2020-07-03). Russia to reopen embassy in Libya. yenisafak.com Russia has decided to reopen its embassy in Libya, the Interfax news agency cited Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying on Friday.Lavrov said a ceasefire in the Libyan conflict, proposed by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi alongside Libya's eastern commander Khalifa Haftar in Cairo on June 6, fitted into decisions taken at an international conference in Berlin regarding the situation in the North African country.Lavrov was speaking at the start of a meeting with the speaker of Libya's pro-Haftar eastern parliament, Aguila Saleh.
(2020-07-03). Top Iran security body says cause of incident at Natanz nuclear site identified. yenisafak.com Iran's top security body said on Friday the cause of an incident and fire at the Natanz nuclear site had been determined and will be announced later, semi-official news agency Tasnim reported."Investigations by the relevant agencies have accurately determined the cause of the incident… at the Natanz nuclear complex," spokesman Keyvan Khosravi said, according to Tasnim. "Due to security considerations, the cause and manner of the incident will be announced at a convenient time."Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation initially reported an "incident" had occurred early on Thursday at Natanz. It later published a photo…
(2020-07-02). Lee Camp: How the Media Used the Bounty Scandal to Stop the 'Threat' of Peace in Afghanistan. mintpressnews.com This is not a column defending Donald Trump. | Across my career, I have said more positive words about the scolex family of intestinal tapeworms than I have said about Donald Trump. (Scolex have been shown to read more.) | No, this is a column about context. When The New York Times reports anonymous sources from the intelligence community say Russia paid Taliban fighters to kill American soldiers, context is very important. | Some of that context is that
(2020-07-02). US Media Used To Stop The 'Threat' Of Peace. popularresistance.org This is not a column defending Donald Trump. | Across my career I have said more positive words about the scolex family of intestinal tapeworms than I have said about Donald Trump. (Scolex have been shown to read more.) | No, this is a column about context. When The New York Times reports anonymous sources from the intelligence community say Russia paid Taliban fighters to kill American soldiers, context is very important. | Some of that context is that Mike Pompeo said, "I was the CIA director — We lied, we cheated, we stole. We had entire training courses." So we know for certain that U.S. intelligence ag…
(2020-07-02). Mueller report redactions unlikely to be revealed before presidential election after Supreme Court agrees to hear Trump appeal. rt.com 
The US Supreme Court agreed to hear the Trump administration's bid to keep parts of prosecutor Robert Mueller's report on alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election redacted, likely ensuring the material won't sway 2020 votes. | Tuesday's Supreme Court decision hands congressional Democrats at least a temporary defeat in their effort to force disclosure of secrets that they hope can be used to damage President Donald Trump politically. The case won't be heard until the court's next term, which begins in October, so it won't likely be decided until after the November 3 election. | The Democrat-controlled US…
(2020-07-02). Traditional Russophobia in an Unusual Election Year. counterpunch.org Why would Russia pay Taliban troops to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan? "Russia has never gotten over the humiliation they suffered in Afghanistan," Nancy Pelosi explains helpfully, "and now they are taking it out on us, our troops." The speaker of the House has perhaps forgotten that after 9/11 Vladimir Putin supported the U.S. intervention
(2020-07-02). Historic Constitutional Changes in Russia. globalresearch.ca In January during an address to Russian lawmakers, Vladimir Putin proposed long overdue changes to the country's out-of-date Constitution. | They include what Sputnik International called "a heavy focus on social and organizational/governance issues" — notably guaranteeing a living wage and …
(2020-07-02). US Begins Active Militarisation Of Space. thealtworld.com 
On 19 June, the unclassified section of the Pentagon's new space defence strategy was The publicly available document is short in length, but it clearly shows the position and intentions of the US military with regards to space — to achieve and retain US military superiority. | In the spirit of previous strategies and doctrines, Russia, China, Iran and North Korea, none of whic…
(2020-07-02). Couriers from rivaling food delivery companies stage mass brawl in Moscow (VIDEO). rt.com 
Couriers from two of Russia's major food delivery companies, sporting their branded uniforms, were filmed engaging in a fight in Moscow… apparently to the disappointment of hungry customers waiting for their orders. | The 'battle' took place in a McDonald's parking lot and involved the employees of Delivery Club in green and Yandex.Eda in yellow. | –í –ú–æ—Å–∫–≤–µ —Å–µ–≥–æ–¥–Ω—è –ø—Ä–æ–∏–∑&ndas…
(2020-07-02). Couriers from rival Moscow food delivery companies stage mass brawl outside McDonald's (VIDEO). rt.com Couriers from two of Russia's major food delivery companies, sporting their branded uniforms, were filmed fighting in public in Moscow… apparently to the disappointment of hungry customers awaiting their orders. | The 'battle' took place in a McDonald's parking lot and involved employees from 'Delivery Club' in green and 'Yandex Food' in yellow. | –í –ú–æ—Å–∫–≤–µ —Å–µ–≥–æ–¥–Ω—è –ø—Ä–æ–∏–∑&ndash…
(2020-07-02). Couriers from rival food delivery companies stage mass brawl in Moscow (VIDEO). rt.com Couriers from two of Russia's major food delivery companies, sporting their branded uniforms, were filmed embroiled in a fight in Moscow… apparently to the disappointment of hungry customers awaiting their orders. | The 'battle' took place in a McDonald's parking lot and involved employees from Delivery Club in green and Yandex.Eda in yellow. | –í –ú–æ—Å–∫–≤–µ —Å–µ–≥–æ–¥–Ω—è –ø—Ä–æ–∏–∑–&a…
(2020-07-02). Russia's chief of general staff discusses European security & arms control with NATO military committee head. rt.com 
Russia's Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov has discussed security in Europe and arms control during a telephone call with Chairman of the NATO Military Committee Sir Stuart Peach, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. | They discussed European security and arms control, the ministry said on Thursday. Also on the agenda were "the issues of the fight against the spread of Covid-19, and measures to prevent incidents during military activity," the statement added. | This was the second contact between Gerasimov and Peach. In late November, they met in Baku, Azerbaijan, to discuss the prevention of incid…
(2020-07-02). Moscow hits back at Pompeo's 'Russia arming Taliban' jibe, says Afghan government has been only recipient of Russian weapons. rt.com 
The sovereign government in Kabul is the sole entity on Afghan soil that has received Russian weaponry, Moscow has insisted. The statement comes after Mike Pompeo bluntly accused it of funnelling weapons to Taliban militants. | "Russia has only supplied arms to the legitimate government of Afghanistan — something that is well known", Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters on Thursday. | The diplomat was taking aim at US Secretary of State Pompeo, who pulled no punches when talking about Russia this Wednesday. | "The Russians have been providing weapons to the Taliban for an awful lot…
(2020-07-02). Switzerland restricts entry from 29 countries. rt.com 
From July 6, travelers to Switzerland from 29 countries will have to register with the authorities and go into self-isolation, the government said on Thursday. The move is part of measures to prevent a resurgence of the coronavirus. | The list includes the United States, Sweden, Brazil, and Russia, which have been designated as countries with a high risk of infection, Reuters reported. | Visitors who have spent time in the named countries in the previous 14 days must notify the authorities immediately on arrival and then go into quarantine for 10 days, according to the Swiss government.
(2020-07-02). Pelosi calls for new sanctions on Moscow, amid 'Russian bounties' allegations. rt.com 
As the fallout from dubiously sourced allegations about 'Russian bounties' on US troops in Afghanistan continues, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for fresh sanctions against Russia's defense and intelligence sectors. | Moscow paid Taliban fighters bounties to kill American soldiers in Afghanistan, and President Donald Trump ignored intelligence briefings on the matter, an anonymously sourced New York Times report claimed last Friday. Trump called the story a "phony hit job" against him, his Defense Department found no corroborating evidence, and National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien said on Wednesday that…
(2020-07-02). Russia Did It Again — Chasing the Bounty Hunters. globalresearch.ca Russia did it again. This time Moscow is accused of "paying to kill Americans". How criminal! | Such things only Americans would do — Washington, the Pentagon, CIA…. Because killing and have killed is in their mindset and bloodstream. That's what …
(2020-07-02). "Russia is Paying the Taliban": Afghan Bounty Scandal Comes at Suspiciously Important Time for US Military Industrial Complex. globalresearch.ca The latest scandal, like others before it, is based on scant testimony by anonymous officials and has had the effect of pushing liberal opinion on US foreign policy into a far more hawkish direction. | *** | Based on anonymous intelligence …
(2020-07-02). The Fourth Estate Has Murdered America. The NYT "Made Up The Story"? globalresearch.ca The "news service" of multi-billionaire Bloomberg echoes the New York Times lie that Russia paid the Taliban to kill US occupying troops: | "Lawmakers from both U.S. political parties demanded President Donald Trump hold Russia accountable over allegations it offered cash …
(2020-07-02). Anti-Russia War Fever Spreads On Capitol Hill. popularresistance.org Groups of congressional Republicans and Democrats have visited the White House over the past two days for briefings on allegations that the Russian military intelligence agency GRU offered bounties to Taliban fighters who killed American soldiers in Afghanistan. | They have emerged bristling with demands for retaliation, with one Republican senator declaring, "I want to hear their plan for Taliban and GRU agents in body bags"—in other words, for military action by the United States against Russia, possessor of the world's second largest stockpile of nuclear weapons. | The "Russian bounties" campaign is a fa…
(2020-07-02). Over 78% Russian voters support amendments to the constitution. peoplesdispatch.org The amendments to the current constitution, which was adopted in 1993, will among other things allow incumbent president Vladimir Putin to contest again for…
(2020-07-02). Dangerous Game: How the Wreckage of Russiagate Ignited a New Cold War. globalresearch.ca It's been nearly four years since the myth of Trump-Russia collusion made its debut in American politics, generating an endless stream of stories in the corporate press and hundreds of allegations of conspiracy from pundits and officials. But despite netting …
(2020-07-02). States Might Allow High Doses of Radiation to Public Before Evacuating From a Nuclear Accident During Viral Pandemic. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-07-02). India marks $5.2B for indigenous military projects. yenisafak.com India on Thursday earmarked 389 billion Indian rupees ($5.2 billion) for the design and development of indigenous military equipment, according to a statement by the Ministry of Defense. Following a meeting of the country's defense acquisition council, the Ministry of Defense announced that the approved proposals included acquisitions worth 311.3 billion rupees ($4.1 billion) from domestic defense industry firms.The country also green lighted the purchase of additional fighter jets from Russia, including the procurement of 21 Mikoyan MIG-29 along with upgrading of 59 existing aircraft, costing 74.18 billion rupee…
(2020-07-02). US Amb to UN Claims Russia's Position on Syria Cross-Border Aid Program Will Lead to 'Mass Graves'. sputniknews.com A UN resolution adopted in January envisaged a reduction of border crossings under a program of cross-border humanitarian aid to Syria, from four to two, as the Assad government regained control over the country's territory and made possible aid delivery from inside Syria.
(2020-07-02). Explosion in Iran's Natanz Nuclear Facility Caused by Bomb, Report Claims. sputniknews.com An explosion at one of Iran's most important nuclear facilities, Natanz, took place on Thursday, damaging the power plant, but leaving its reactor intact. The cause of the explosion has not been officially confirmed.
(2020-07-01). In Russia, a New Generation of Activists are Taking on Climate Crisis. commondreams.org For young climate activists like Alexey, the lesson is clear: Vladimir Putin, the authoritarian president who has been in power for all of their lives, has never been all too concerned about their safe and sustainable future. (Photo: Fridays for the Future Russia / Facebook) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/climateemergency.jpg …
(2020-07-01). Labour Party Demands China Be Removed From UK 5G and Nuclear Power Projects. sputniknews.com The Labour Party has taken a harsher line on China in recent weeks, offering support for Hong Kong opposition protesters and criticising the government in Beijing for its new national security law.
(2020-07-01). Black Lives Matter is 'anti-christian' & 'anti-civilizational' — outspoken senior Russian Orthodox Bishop. rt.com 
A prominent Russian cleric believes the 'Black Lives Matter' movement isn't a battle for human rights, but rather a "struggle for who is most important in humanity." He says its true nature is "becoming increasingly apparent." | Bishop Savva of Zelenograd, the deputy administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate says the campaign is "anti-Christian and anti-civilizational." | Also on rt.com | | The churchman was reacting to news that the statue of Emperor…
(2020-07-01). The Truth About Russian-Taliban Ties Is as Intriguing as the Fake News About Them. globalresearch.ca Russia doesn't exploit the Taliban as a proxy for killing Americans, but seeks to nurture equally close relations with it along the lines of the ones that it presently enjoys with Pakistan. Moscow seems to believe that the group will …
(2020-07-01). A Canada Day Surprise: How a "Synthetic Nationalism" Was Created to Break the US-Russia Alliance. dissidentvoice.org 
As a Canadian author associated with a Canadian geopolitical magazine and a book series rooted in the thesis that Canada is still under the dominance of the British Empire to this very day, the July 1st holiday known as "Canada Day" is a bit of a strange thing to celebrate. As I have recently written …
(2020-07-01). Pentagon chief says 'no corroborating evidence' so far to back Russia bounty story. rt.com 
The US secretary of defense said that while the Pentagon takes all threats against US troops "very seriously," there is so far no proof for the ever-shifting story that Russia paid bounties for the killing of US soldiers. | In a statement on Tuesday, US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the top military brass treats the security of military personnel, including in Afghanistan, as a high priority. | "I want to assure all of our service members that the Department takes very seriously any and all potential threats against US military personnel," he said. | Esper noted that while he and others in the US military…