2020-07-14: News Headlines

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-14). Iran, Russia discuss customs coop. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 14 (MNA) — Iranian Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali held talks with Deputy Head of Federal Customs Service of Russia Vladimir Vladimirovich Ivin on the customs cooperation through videoconference.

Howard Lisnoff (2020-07-13). Remembering the Nuclear Freeze Movement and Its Futility. counterpunch.org It's ironic that something that so much effort went into in the early 1980s came to amount to less than nothing. The problem with the movement to reverse the global arms race was that while it raised consciousness about nuclear war and nuclear proliferation, it made no demands on power. It was like a gigantic

Gerald Sussman (2020-07-13). The Russiagate Spectacle: Season 2? counterpunch.org If it's an election year, there must be a Russiagate story. The Clintons and their neoliberal progeny, including the current standard bearer for corporate liberalism, have turned the Democratic Party into a branch office of the Deep State Inc., whose propaganda drones, the New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, and MSNBC act like hired guns for the Office of War Information.

The Canary (2020-07-13). The hopes of equal marriage rights in Russia crushed by constitutional amendment. thecanary.co Same-sex couples in Russia are frustrated by a recent constitutional amendment stipulating that marriage is between a man and a woman.The 1 July decision by voters to approve a series of constitutional proposals means they will not be allowed rights common for married couples.These include the right to refuse to give evidence against their partner in court, the right to inherit from each other automatically, and the right to see each other in hospitals that only allow visits by family members.One couple, Irina and Anastasia Lagutenko, held their own personal same-sex ceremony. They have a son Dorian, who was born…

Stephen Lendman (2020-07-13). China and Iran Deepening Bilateral Ties. A 25-Year Strategic Partnership. globalresearch.ca In contrast to endless US war on humanity, China, Russia, Iran, and other nonbelligerent nations on its target list for regime change pursue cooperative relations with other countries — hostility toward none. | For some time, China and Iran have been …

Lilly Adams (2020-07-13). Nuclear Threat Still Looms. progressive.org United by these tragedies, now most impacted communities have the same ultimate goals: ensuring these weapons are never used again, and that they are one day eliminated.

WSWS (2020-07-13). Trump commutes prison term for political crony Roger Stone. wsws.org Stone's convictions on perjury and other federal charges stemmed from the bogus anti-Russia campaign launched by the Democratic Party and sections of the military-intelligence establishment.

teleSUR (2020-07-13). COVID-19: Global Cases Reach 13 Million. telesurenglish.net Global COVID-19 cases reached 13 million on Monday according to data registered by the John Hopkins University. | RELATED: | As worldwide death toll ascended to 570,776 fatalities, United States; Brazil; India; Russia, and Peru are among the hardest-hit countries. | Today Tedros Adhanom, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), remarked during a press briefing that "too many countries are headed in the wrong direction." | The officia…

imperial.ac.uk (2020-07-13). Cloud computing could be producing hidden greenhouse gas emissions. imperial.ac.uk The amount of energy used for cloud computing, which contributes to climate change, needs to be more transparent says an Imperial researcher.

_____ (2020-07-13). How The Pentagon Failed To Sell Afghan Government's Bunk 'Bountygate' Story. popularresistance.org The New York Times dropped another Russiagate bombshell on June 26 with a sensational front-page story headlined, "Russia Secretly Offered Afghan Militants Bounties to Kill U.S. Troops, Intelligence Says." A predictable media and political frenzy followed, reviving the anti-Russian hysteria that has excited the Beltway establishment for the past four years. | But a closer look at the reporting by the Times and other mainstream outlets vying to confirm its coverage reveals another scandal, not unlike Russiagate itself: the core elements of the story appear to have been fabricated by Afghan government intelligence…

The Canary (2020-07-13). UK coronavirus healthcare worker deaths among highest — Amnesty International. thecanary.co The UK is among the countries to have recorded the highest number of health and social care worker deaths during the coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis, according to a report by Amnesty International. | The human rights organisation said that at least 540 frontline staff have died after contracting the virus in England and Wales. The figure is second only to Russia, which has recorded 545 deaths. | Figures from 79 countries: | Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that 268 deaths involving coronavirus among social care workers were registered in England and Wales between 9 March and 25 May.

yenisafak (2020-07-13). Iran says no 'operational restrictions' on nuclear program. yenisafak.com Iran does not face any "operational restrictions" on its nuclear program, the country's foreign ministry said on Monday on the 5th anniversary of a landmark nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers. | Speaking to reporters in Tehran, ministry spokesman Sayed Abbas Mousavi said Iran is making "steady progress" in nuclear enrichment after reducing commitments to the 2015 deal, also known as JCPOA. | Mousavi said Iranian nuclear program was "moving forward" under the aegis of Iran's atomic energy organization (AEOI) and in accordance with the UN nuclear watchdog (IAEA)'s safeguards commitments and voluntary impl…

yenisafak (2020-07-13). Erdogan, Putin discuss Libya, Syria over phone. yenisafak.com President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin agreed to maintain coordination for regional , security and stability.The presidents also discussed steps to be taken to strengthen economic relations, and cooperation against COVID-19.Libya has been torn by civil war since the ouster of late ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Libya's new government was founded in 2015 under a UN-led agreement, but efforts for a long-term political settlement failed due to the military offensive by warlord Khalifa Haftar's forces.The UN recognizes the Libyan government headed by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sar…

yenisafak (2020-07-13). US regrets foreign interference in Libya's economy. yenisafak.com The US Embassy in Libya on Monday regretted foreign interference in the Libyan economy. | "After several days of intense diplomatic activity aimed at allowing the National Oil Corporation [NOC] to resume its vital and apolitical work as a way of defusing military tensions, the US Embassy regrets that foreign-backed efforts against Libya's economic and financial sectors have impeded progress and heightened the risk of confrontation," the embassy said in a statement. | It noted that incursions by Russian Wagner mercenaries against NOC facilities and conflicting messages conveyed by warlord Khalifa Haftar's militia…

RT (2020-07-12). US-Russian relations 'remain at almost-rock bottom:' Unbefitting of leading nuclear powers — Kremlin. rt.com The "terrible" state of relations between the US and Russia is not what other nations expect from the two countries with the world's biggest nuclear arsenals, President Putin's spokesman has said. | "Our relationship remains at almost-rock bottom. The situation is terrible both in bilateral aspects and in terms of our responsibility for multilateral affairs, first of all, in arms control and strategic stability," Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with Russian TV. | He noted that "shy" expert contacts between the two nations have been failing to preserve strategic arms control agreements, like the now-defunct…

RT (2020-07-12). Group seeking truth behind great Soviet mystery, the Dyatlov Pass deaths, rejects official probe that blamed avalanche. rt.com A group dedicated to solving the mysterious deaths of nine hikers in 1959 has blasted the results of a new investigation into the case, which concluded they were crushed by an avalanche or had succumbed to the blistering cold. | The demise of nine fit, young university students in the Urals has puzzled many for more than six decades. Their empty tent was found to have been cut open from the inside with a sharp object, and their bodies — some naked, others shoeless or half-dressed — were scattered nearby, several with skull fractures, facial damage, and massive internal injuries, on a slope that local…

RT (2020-07-12). The wet set: WATCH passengers sheltering under umbrellas as 'rain' falls INSIDE airborne plane. rt.com A bizarre accident occurred aboard a Russian passenger jet, when travelers were showered with water dripping from its ceiling. The 'rain' turned out to be pretty hard, as some passengers had to hide under umbrellas. | Footage of the leaky situation emerged online over the weekend, promptly going viral on Russian-language social media. The video shows the passengers trying to take shelter from the water dripping from the plane's ceiling. | Some of the travelers came well prepared and whipped out umbrellas, while others apparently got wet and grumpily commented about the leak, berating the plane and the compa…

_____ (2020-07-12). The Fall of Plahotniuc and a New Hope for Moldova. strategic-culture.org In June 2019, the small landlocked nation of Moldova found itself in a life or death struggle between two opposing futures: Oligarchs like the notorious Vladimir Plahotniuc had worked diligently for years to bring this nation into the hull of the collapsing NATO-EU Titanic while nationalists sought to re-align Moldova's future with the new emerging Multipolar Alliance led by China and Russia. | The greatest moment of decision (until now) occurred in June 2019 when elections resulted in a three-way split between a pro-Russian Socialist Party, the pro-EU ACUM and another pro-western Democratic Party run by the arch…

Ted Snider (2020-07-12). How Many Ways Can Israel Wage War on Iran Before the Media Reports Israel Is Waging War on Iran? commondreams.org Satellite images of Natanz Nuclear Plant. (Photo: Google [before] and Iran International [after]) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/natanz-iran_5031346-1024×576.jpg

teleSUR (2020-07-12). Russia Successfully Completes COVID-19 Vaccine Trial. telesurenglish.net Russia's health authorities Sunday announced that the country has successfully concluded the clinical trial of a vaccine against COVID-19 in a group of volunteers, becoming the first country to successfully complete this fase. | RELATED: | "At this stage, the safety of the vaccine was demonstrated. It corresponds to the safety of vaccines that are currently on the market, " First Moscow State Medical University Sechenov's Institute o…

sputniknews (2020-07-12). Senate Judiciary Chairman Graham Says Mueller Will Be Called to Testify About Russia Investigation. sputniknews.com The statement comes after former special counsel Robert Mueller published an op-ed supporting the prosecution of Roger Stone, who was convicted following his investigation into alleged US-Russia collusion.

sputniknews (2020-07-12). Air Defence Systems Repel Militant Drone Attacks on Hmeimim Airbase, Russian Military Says. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Militants in Syria have attempted to launch a drone attack on the Khmeimim airbase, although the unmanned flying vehicles were shot down by air defence systems, Rear Admiral Alexander Shcherbitsky, the head of the Russian Defence Ministry's centre for Syrian reconciliation, said on Sunday.

yenisafak (2020-07-12). Russia's Nornickel reports another fuel leak in Arctic. yenisafak.com A subsidiary of Russian mining giant Norilsk Nickel said on Sunday that up to 20 tonnes of aviation fuel had leaked from its pipeline in the Arctic.Arctic environment security has been in the spotlight at Nornickel's assets since another leak of 21,000 tonnes of diesel from Nornickel's power plant near the city of Norilsk on May 29."A pipeline owned by Norilsktransgaz was depressurized while pumping aviation fuel in the area of Tukhard settlement," Norilsktransgaz said in a statement."According to the preliminary data, as a result of the depressurization, which lasted about 15 minutes, there was a spill of up to…

Gareth Porter (2020-07-11). How the Pentagon failed to sell Afghan government's bunk 'Bountygate'. zcomm.org Another New York Times Russiagate bombshell turns out to be a dud, as dodgy stories spun out by Afghan intelligence and exploited by the Pentagon ultimately failed to convince US intelligence agencies…

RT (2020-07-11). Anti-Trump camp in meltdown over VIDEO of dancing Roger Stone after his prison term's commuted. rt.com Political huckster Roger Stone celebrated the commutation of his prison sentence in typically flamboyant style: by gyrating to music in a video that went viral and hit a raw nerve with his opponents and those of President Trump. | Ensnared by Special Counsel Robert Mueller's 'Russiagate' probe, Stone was sentenced in February to three years in prison for interfering with the investigation and tampering with witnesses — charges the long-time Republican maintained were baseless. Trump commuted his sentence on Friday — a move that doesn't overturn his conviction, but spares him a stint behind bars. | Fa…

RT (2020-07-11). So, no UFOs or secret arms tests? Investigators say they've uncovered true cause behind mysterious Dyatlov Pass deaths in 1959. rt.com The gruesome, unexplained deaths of Soviet hikers at the Dyatlov Pass in 1959 have inspired countless theories about UFOs and even secret military tests. Now, Russian sleuths have revealed that nature's wrath killed the group. | Nine graduate students from a local technical university in the Urals region, led by Igor Dyatlov, embarked on their ill-fated hiking trip in February of that year. Being experienced and well-equipped for the journey, they were planning to cover 350km on skis through extremely harsh terrain in the northern Ural Mountains. | It was all going fine initially and many happy photos left by…

RT (2020-07-11). Saint Petersburg records big spike in June deaths as Covid-19 epidemic continues. rt.com The mortality rate in Saint Petersburg, Russia's second-biggest city and former capital, reached a 10-year high in June. According to the city civil registry office, 7,106 people died – far higher than 4,575 last year. | In addition, according to Russian news service Interfax, the city's death rate exceeded 6,000 people just three times in the last ten years – January 2016, January 2017, and March 2018. | The high death rate in Saint Petersburg is likely worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic. The metropole ranks second among Russian regions – behind only Moscow – and official figures show that the city saw 1,520 d…

RT (2020-07-11). 'Another phony hit job': Trump slams NYT for 'made up' story about alleged Russian bounties in Afghanistan. rt.com A sensational New York Times report which alleged that Russia paid the Taliban to target US forces in Afghanistan was pure fabrication, Donald Trump has claimed after the Pentagon and intel agencies dismissed the story. | The claim that Moscow had placed bounties on US and coalition troops operating in Afghanistan, first reported by the Times last month, has been widely discredited by senior military and intelligence officials. Defense Secretary Mark Esper testified earlier this week that "all the defense intelligence agencies have been unable to corroborate that report." | Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gener…

RT (2020-07-11). Trump wants Christopher Steele, UK spy behind 'Russiagate' dossier 'tried and thrown into jail'. rt.com US President Donald Trump has called for the extradition, trial and imprisonment of disgraced British spy Christopher Steele, whose scandalous allegations against the president helped kickstart the 'Russiagate' investigation. | "This man should be extradited, tried, and thrown into jail," Trump said of Steele on Saturday, calling the British snoop a "sick lier [sic] who was paid by Crooked Hillary & the DNC!" | This man should be extradited, tried, and thrown into jail. A sick lier who was paid by Crooked Hillary & the DNC!

RT (2020-07-11). 'A slap in the face of all Christianity worldwide': Conversion of Hagia Sophia into mosque infuriates Russian Orthodox Church. rt.com The Russian Orthodox Church has criticized Turkey's leaders for revoking the museum status of "one of the greatest Christian shrines," Istanbul's famous Hagia Sophia, accusing Ankara of playing politics. | Read more | | Founded by the Christian emperor Justinian, the Hagia Sofia was consecrated in the year 537, as a Byzantine cathedral. For almost a thousand years, it operated as a church — sometimes Orthodox, sometimes Catholic — before being converted into a mosque in 1…

Sonali Kolhatkar (2020-07-11). Instead of Focusing on Bounties, Why Doesn't the U.S. End the Afghan War? zcomm.org Lawmakers are outraged over a recent story alleging that Vladimir Putin may be paying off Taliban soldiers to kill U.S. troops. But why are those troops still in Afghanistan?>

_____ (2020-07-11). As Long as Mass Media Propaganda Exists, Democracy Is a Sham. strategic-culture.org Caitlin JOHNSTONE | "A majority of Americans believe that Russia paid the Taliban to kill U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan last year amid negotiations to end the war, and more than half want to respond with new economic sanctions against Moscow, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Wednesday," "Overall, 60% of Americans said they found reports of Russian bounties on American soldiers to be 'very' or 'somewhat' believable, while 21% said they were not credible and the rest were unsure,"

teleSUR (2020-07-11). Russia Offers Latin America a Drug to Cure COVID-19. telesurenglish.net Russia's Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) director Kiril Dmitriyev Saturday announced Latin American countries will be the firsts to receive the drug Avifavir for COVID-19 treatment. | RELATED: | The Russian Embassy in Guatemala, along with with the RDIF, officially presented Avivafir for Latin America and the Caribbean. | "Many countries don't have any antiviral drugs, and Russia is prepared to meet those nations' needs," Dmitriyev assured…

sputniknews (2020-07-11). 'Bring Back Steele': Trump Demands Extradition of Author of Notorious 'Russia Hoax' Dossier to US. sputniknews.com The Steele Dossier, paid for by the leadership of the Democratic Party and Hillary Clinton, accused Trump of conspiring with Russia leading up to the November elections in 2016 on the basis of unreliable sources. However, nobody responsible was ever charged over the dossier, despite it being proved to contain unsubstantiated claims.

sputniknews (2020-07-11). Venezuela Receives Shipment of 840,000 Packages of Insulin Drugs From Russia. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – A humanitarian shipment from Russia containing 840,000 packages of insulin drugs has arrived in Venezuela, the deputy health minister of the South American country Gerardo Briceno said during an appearance on the state-run VTV broadcaster on Saturday.

_____ (2020-07-11). The U.S. Doesn't Need Another Cold War to Improve Itself. strategic-culture.org This is likely to lead to many violations of civil liberties committed in the name of national security. | Daniel LARISON | Hal Brands It is true that there was significant progress on civil rights during…

_____ (2020-07-11). Unwrapping the Riddle of Srebrenica. strategic-culture.org Churchill's famous dictum about the Soviet Union, that it was "a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma," is arguably just as applicable to Srebrenica. July 11 this year will be the twenty-fifth anniversary of that landmark event of the Yugoslav wars which the late Prof. Edward Hermann, speaking somewhat less poetically than Churchill, had called "the greatest triumph of propaganda at the close of the twentieth century." | Whether we choose to view Srebrenica as a criminal investigation to sort out who and at whose direction executed prisoners of war, or as a political provocation to lay the groundwork fo…

yenisafak (2020-07-11). Russia reports 6,611 new coronavirus infections. yenisafak.com Russia on Saturday reported 6,611 new coronavirus cases, taking its nationwide tally of infections to 720,547.The country's coronavirus crisis response centre said 188 people had died from the virus in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 11,205.Russia said 497,446 people have recovered from the virus.

Melvin Goodman (2020-07-10). The Washington Post and Its Cold War Drums. counterpunch.org The Washington Post has taken its Cold War campaign against China, Russia, and Iran to a new level. In the Sunday edition of its Outlook section,…

Anand Naidoo (2020-07-10). The Heat: U.S.-Russia ties. america.cgtn.com The Russia factor. How will relations between United States and Russia fare in an all-important election year?>

RT (2020-07-10). Iran warns of consequences for any 'foreign elements' proven to be involved in mysterious Natanz nuclear-facility incident. rt.com Iran has vowed consequences for any foreign power that might have been involved in the recent incident at the Natanz uranium-enrichment site. The blast came amid a series of incidents at other Iranian vital sites. | "It is still too early to talk about and make any judgment regarding the main cause and reason for the blast [in Natanz], and relevant security bodies are investigating all the details of the incident," Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Abbas Mousavi said on Friday to reporters. | If they conclude that foreign elements have been involved, they will announce it, and there will be consequences.

RT (2020-07-10). Russia & China veto Western resolution on keeping Syria-Turkey border crossings open, but Moscow's counter-proposal fails. rt.com A Russian UN Security Council resolution on Syrian-Turkish border crossings has been rejected, after Moscow and Beijing vetoed a draft by Western members who sought to reopen the checkpoints outside of government control. | The international body, working in an online format due to the coronavirus pandemic, rejected the Russian proposal with four votes in favor, seven against, and four abstentions. It is the fourth time that a vote on the rival measures has failed, with the council struggling to reach a compromise as the mandate of the border crossings expires on Friday. | Earlier on Friday, 13 out of 15 Secur…

RT (2020-07-10). New evidence shows the FBI knew General Flynn was not 'agent of Russia' but prosecuted him anyway. rt.com President Donald Trump's first national security adviser Michael Flynn was "not acting as an agent of Russia" by the FBI's own determination, yet the Mueller probe was based on that claim and his legal odyssey still continues. | New evidence provided by the Justice Department to Flynn's legal team this week, and made public on Friday as part of a court filing, shows that the FBI determined Flynn wasn't a Russian agent, and believed he did not deliberately lie to agents during his January 2017 interview. | A handwritten document shows the officials believed there were no reasonable grounds for prosecution under…

RT (2020-07-10). Dutch lawsuit with ECHR alleging Russia played part in MH17 downing will only further 'complicate' search for truth — Moscow. rt.com Russia had nothing to do with the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014, but it'll work with the European Court of Human Rights if the Netherlands files a law suit, Moscow has said. | Earlier on Thursday, the government of the Netherlands announced that it was planning to take Russia to the Strasbourg Court, alleging that Moscow had played "a role" in the plane crash six year ago, in which 298 lives, mostly of Dutch citizens, were lost. | Russia's Ministry of Justice countered in a statement that the ECHR hadn't yet informed it of the Dutch complaint. But if it's filed eventuall…

RT (2020-07-10). New evidence shows FBI knew General Flynn was not 'agent of Russia' but prosecuted him anyway. rt.com President Donald Trump's first national security adviser Michael Flynn was "not acting as an agent of Russia" by the FBI's own determination, yet the Mueller probe was based on that claim and his legal odyssey still continues. | New evidence provided by the Justice Department to Flynn's legal team this week, and made public on Friday as part of a court filing, shows that the FBI determined Flynn wasn't a Russian agent, and believed he did not deliberately lie to agents during his January 2017 interview. | A handwritten document shows the officials believed there were no reasonable grounds for prosecution under…

RT (2020-07-10). Trump commutes sentence of ally Roger Stone, jailed for 6 years in 'Russiagate' probe. rt.com US President Donald Trump has commuted the 'Russiagate' sentence of Roger Stone, a political operative who briefly worked on his 2016 campaign, just as Stone was ordered to report to prison to serve time behind bars. | Judge Amy Berman Jackson sentenced Stone in February to 40 months in prison for obstruction of justice, another 18 months for witness tampering, and 12 months for making false statements to Congress — but the sentences are to run concurrently, so the maximum time Stone would have spent behind bars is three-and-a-half years. | The charges stemmed from the investigation by Special Counsel Rob…

RT (2020-07-10). Trump commutes sentence of ally Roger Stone, sentenced to 6 years in 'Russiagate' probe. rt.com US President Donald Trump has commuted the 'Russiagate' sentence of Roger Stone, a political operative who briefly worked on his 2016 campaign, just as Stone was ordered to report to prison to serve time behind bars. | Judge Amy Berman Jackson sentenced Stone in February to 40 months in prison for obstruction of justice, another 18 months for witness tampering, and 12 months for making false statements to Congress — but the sentences are to run concurrently, so the maximum time Stone would have spend behind bars is three and a half years. | The charges stemmed from the investigation by special counsel Rob…

RT (2020-07-10). Netherlands to take Russia to European Court of Human Rights over 'role' in MH17 crash. rt.com The Dutch government has said it will file a suit against Russia at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). It alleges that Moscow played a part in the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014. | "Today, the Dutch government decided to bring Russia before the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) for its role in the downing of Flight MH17,"

WSWS (2020-07-10). The collapse of the New York Times' "Russian bounties" campaign. wsws.org Less than two weeks after it kicked off a media frenzy, the Times published an editorial effectively conceding that there was no factual basis for its reporting that Russian military intelligence had paid bounties to Taliban fighters to kill American soldiers.

Soraya Sepahpour-Ulrich (2020-07-10). JCPOA: The Iran Nuclear Deal that Wasn't. globalresearch.ca July 14th, 2020, marks the fifth anniversary of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) Agreement, often referred to as the Iran Nuclear Deal (or simply the Deal) — the Deal that wasn't. It was yet another attempt …