2020-07-15: News Headlines

Daniel Ellsberg (2020-07-15). The Doomsday Machine Still Exists. zcomm.org Interview on seeking profit in spite of the risk of nuclear winter is "institutional madness"

RT (2020-07-15). Another day, another statue: Sitka council rules to remove monument to first Russian governor of Alaska. rt.com The city council in Sitka, Alaska has decided to remove a statue of Alexander Baranov, the explorer and first governor of Russian Alaska. The resolution lists a number of serious accusations against the man. | Baranov worked for the Russian American Company, which was the vehicle for the Russian government's effort to expand into the Americas. For almost three decades he was the de facto governor of Russian colonies on the continent. Sitka — called Novoarkhangelsk by its Russian founders — served as his capital. | On Tuesday, Sitka's city council decided it no longer wanted a statue of Baranov to gre…

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-15). Iranian MPs to visit Natanz nuclear facilitiy site. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 15 (MNA) — A delegation of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Iranian Parliament is to pay a visit to Natanz Nuclear Site on Monday, July 20.

sputniknews (2020-07-15). After 75 Years, Downwind Victims of 'Dirty' Trinity Nuclear Test Shown 'Genocidal' Lack of Concern. sputniknews.com Thursday marks the 75th commemoration of the Trinity Test, the first detonation of a nuclear bomb, in the New Mexico desert. However, the bomb's dirty explosion has caused untold suffering downwind of the blast – suffering never acknowledged or compensated for by the US government, an expert told Sputnik.

_____ (2020-07-15). Deluded Britain Rows in Behind U.S. Gunboat Diplomacy on China. strategic-culture.org America's trusty British lieutenant has weighed in to stoke tensions in the South China Sea with reports that Britain is to deploy its two new aircraft carriers to the Pacific region. The carrier strike groups which include frigates, destroyers and nuclear-powered submarines, are to join with U.S. and Japanese warships to conduct naval drills. | Beijing has already

yenisafak (2020-07-15). Germany's Merkel discusses Ukraine agreement in call with Putin: spox. yenisafak.com German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed implementing the Minsk agreement to peacefully solve the conflict in eastern Ukraine in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, her spokesman Steffen Seibert said.Merkel and Putin also talked about the arms embargo against Iran and the current situation in Libya, Seibert said.

yenisafak (2020-07-15). Russia completes 1st phase of COVID-19 vaccine trials. yenisafak.com Two Russian medical research centers completed the first phase of COVID-19 candidate vaccine trials on Wednesday.Two groups of 18 volunteers were discharged from hospitals after separately taking part in 28-day clinical trials in the First Moscow State Medical University and the Main Military Clinical Burdenko Hospital.Before being released, they had a medical checkup and passed a blood test to study the development of an immune response to the novel coronavirus, the officials of both medical establishments told reporters.The preliminary findings show that the vaccines are safe and well-tolerated, no serious comp…

yenisafak (2020-07-15). Turkey-Russia air travel resumes Wednesday: Minister. yenisafak.com Air travel between Turkey and Russia will resume today, Turkey's transport and infrastructure minister announced on Wednesday."As of today, we have agreed to resume flights with Russia," Adil Karaismailoglu told Anadolu Agency.He said Turkey has restarted flights with 31 countries since June 11 as part of its post-pandemic normalization process.Negotiations are also ongoing to resume air travel with 20 other countries, according to the ministry.

F. William Engdahl (2020-07-14). Has Saudi Arabia Once More Made a Catastrophic Oil Blunder? globalresearch.ca In March of this year Saudi Arabia launched what was clearly a catastrophic move to regain its role as the world oil superpower. What initially was a move aimed at taking markets away from Russia, after the latter declined to …

John Hawkins (2020-07-14). Doublethink Doublethink: It's Two Thinks in One! dissidentvoice.org If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face — forever. — O'Brien to Winston Smith in George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four Seventy years ago, on August 29, 1949, the Soviets successfully tested their first nuclear bomb, and became the only other state power on the planet, after the …

RT (2020-07-14). The future is here? Lifelike robot said to resemble 'average Russian woman' takes up civil service role in Urals. rt.com A humanoid robot, apparently modeled on a typical Russian woman, has begun providing services to the public at a government office in Perm, a large city approximately 1,100 kilometers east of Moscow. | The 'bionic person' was designed with bureaucracy in mind. Adopting the appearance of a low-grade bank clerk, it could signal yet another example of what humanity faces in a post-Covid world. | According to its creators from Russian robotics startup Promobot, the robot's appearance was generated by artificial intelligence analysis of thousands of females. | The robot, with long blond hair and brown eyes, is capa…

WSWS (2020-07-14). Washington renews covert campaign to destroy Iran's nuclear infrastructure. wsws.org The US is exerting maximum pressure on Iran, to cripple its economy and intimidate and starve its people, in the hope of effecting regime change.

Soraya Sepahpour-Ulrich (2020-07-14). Five Years On, the Nefarious Goals of the Iran Nuclear Deal Reveal Themselves. mintpressnews.com July 14, 2020 marks the fifth anniversary of the so-called Iran Nuclear Deal and five years on it has become more clear than ever that it was never meant to succeed.

WSWS (2020-07-14). Tens of thousands protest in Russia's far east after Kremlin removes governor. wsws.org Governor Frugal of the far-right LDPR was arrested by the FSB and charged with involvement in the murder of multiple businessmen.

Mehr News Agency (2020-07-14). Possible end of JCPOA, 'start of decline of multilateralism'. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 14 (MNA) — Iranian Ambassador to Brussels said that the possible end of Iran's nuclear deal, Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), is the start of decline of multilateralism and a serious blow to the European convergence.

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.

yenisafak (2020-07-14). Russia 'concerned' over Azerbaijani-Armenian clashes. yenisafak.com Russia is deeply concerned over the border clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.He called on the sides to exercise restraint, adding that Russia is ready to serve as a mediator in finding a peace solution."We are deeply concerned about the shootings on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. We call on both sides to exercise restraint and respect their obligations under the cease-fire. Russia, as we have already stated at various levels, is ready to provide its mediation efforts for a settlement, as a co-chair of the Minsk group," Peskov said.The Organization for Securi…

yenisafak (2020-07-14). Turkey-Russia joint patrol in NW Syria hit by explosive. yenisafak.com A terrorist explosive hit a joint patrol of Turkish and Russian troops in northwestern Syria, causing damage but no casualties, Turkey's National Defense Ministry announced on Tuesday.Troops carrying out their 21st joint patrol in the Idlib, Syria cease-fire zone had their vehicles targeted by a roadside explosive, said a ministry statement.There was no loss of life but two vehicles in the convoy suffered partial damage, it added.The joint patrols will continue with determination and all necessary measures, it stressed.The terrorist group was not named, but the YPG/PKK has been active in the region.In its more th…

yenisafak (2020-07-14). Russia says joint patrol with Turkey hit by bomb attack in Syria. yenisafak.com A roadside bomb planted by Syrian militants detonated near a joint Russian-Turkish patrol in northern Syria on Tuesday morning, injuring three Russian soldiers, the Russian Defence Ministry said.Russia called off the patrol following the blast near the town of Ariha in Idlib province, which damaged one Russian and one Turkish armoured personnel carrier, the Russian ministry said.The Russian statement said an unspecified number of Turkish troops were also hurt. Two sources said there were no Turkish casualties in the attack.Russia was evacuating its equipment from the area and moving its troops to the Hmeimim air…

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.

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…

Finian Cunningham (2020-07-13). Britain's Gentleman Posturing Comes Undone With Absurd Hypocrisy. thealtworld.com One can only hope for the day when the world will actually implement human rights justice and the government in London will be sanctioned to the hilt for the pariah that it truly is. | It's official Britain at its best, posing as the quintessential gentleman upholding morality while at the same time engaging in despicable double-dealing for grubby interests. | The British government announced sanctions against various nations last week, including Russia and Saudi Arabia, proclaiming the punitive measures were due to alleged human rights violations. Foreign minister Dominic Raab, summoning throaty British authorit…

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.

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 peace, 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…