(2020-07-16). US-NATO Seek to Exclude Russia from the Mediterranean. In Libya, Russia is on the Side of Haftar. globalresearch.ca Russia is conducting "military intimidation" in the Mediterranean according to RAND in a newly published
(2020-07-16). Video: Turkish Proxies in Syria Went Out of Control, Attack Joint Turkish-Russian Patrol. globalresearch.ca On July 14th and 15th, Syrian Army artillery units and warplanes of the Russian Aerospace Forces conducted extensive strikes on positions of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Turkistan Islamic Party and other radical groups in northern Lattakia and southern Idlib. The …
(2020-07-16). Every Billionaire Is A Predator: Notes From The Edge Of The Narrative Matrix. thealtworld.com Step 2: Buy up all news media. | Step 3: Structure outlets to elevate voices who defend the status quo. | Step 4: Smear non-plutocratic media who don't protect the status quo as crazy conspiracy theorists and Russian propaganda. | Step 5: Dominate the narrative about what's going on in the world. | ~ | Mainstream news is just advertising. You watch advertisements for maintaining the plutocratic status quo, then you watch advertisements between those advertisements for useless crap to make plutocrats even richer. It's all just different layers of marketing. When I was getting my journalism degree they used to talk…
(2020-07-16). Relations with Turkey 'on solid ground': Russia. yenisafak.com Relations of Russia and Turkey are "based on solid ground" and have "positive interdependence," Russia's deputy foreign minister said on Thursday.The two countries are working together on long-term projects, including the construction of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant and the TurkStream gas pipeline, Alexander Grushko said in an interview with Russia's Interfax news agency."If you look at the content of bilateral relations, including the economy, energy, and humanitarian ties, it is hard not to see that they are based on a solid ground," he asserted."There are clearly elements of positive interdependence here. Pr…
(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"
(2020-07-15). For Russian Experts, Taliban Bounty Report Just Doesn't Make Sense. anti-empire.com 
From the very start of the American-led invasion of Afghanistan almost 19 years ago, Russian experts were shaking their heads and However, the Kremlin warmly welcomed the occupation. It provided intelligence and
(2020-07-15). Putin & Merkel agree in phone call that Minsk agreements on E. Ukraine conflict 'have no alternatives'. rt.com 
Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed implementing the Minsk agreements to peacefully solve the conflict in eastern Ukraine in a phone call on Wednesday. | Putin "emphasized the counter-productivity of Ukrainian attempts to distort the substance" of the agreements amid Kiev's statements about the need to review them, according to the Kremlin press service. "He underscored that Kiev's course toward selective fulfillment of its obligations brings the negotiations process to a stalemate." | Both sides condemned recent statements made by Ukrainian officials that the Minsk c…
(2020-07-15). Polish president Duda duped by Russian prankster duo posing as UN chief. rt.com 
Polish President Andrzej Duda has become the latest victim of the famous Russian prankster duo 'Vovan and Lexus'. The leader sensed something was off when the pair, posing as the UN chief, raved about traditional Polish liquor. | Supposedly calling the freshly re-elected Duda to congratulate him on his "impressive victory" in the country's recent election, one of the pranksters posed as none other than UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. | Duda, who only narrowly managed to snatch victory in a very tight race, was apparently so glad to hear from the high-ranking UN official that he apparently did not immedi…
(2020-07-15). 'Persecution of Orthodox Christians': Patriarch Kirill calls upon Montenegro authorities to stop crackdown on the Church. rt.com 
The head of the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill has urged Montenegro authorities to repeal a "discriminative" religious law and stop "large-scale and purposeful persecution" of the canonical denomination. | "I call upon the civil authorities of Montenegro to repeal the discriminatory law that has brought division and schism into the Montenegrin society, to put an end to the persecution against the Orthodox Church, to stop the attempts to create in her place some other church structure," the Patriarch said in his address to the Balkan country. | The ongoing tensions have been sparked by a controversia…
(2020-07-15). Russia to blame for landmines found in Libya, says US Africa Command in another self-serving 'bombshell'. rt.com 
As warring Libyan factions seek aid from Turkey and Egypt, AFRICOM is blaming Russia for landmines that were found near Tripoli in yet another alarmist 'intelligence assessment' aimed at getting US troops sent back to Africa. | On Wednesday, AFRICOM posted four photos of booby-trapped debris found between Tripoli and Sirte last month, as the Libyan National Army (LNA) retreated before the Turkish-backed Government of National Accord (GNA). The landmines used to rig the explosives were "assessed to have been introduced into Libya by the Wagner Group," a mercenary outfit AFRICOM insists is acting on behalf of th…
(2020-07-15). 'Persecution of Orthodox Christians': Moscow Patriarch Kirill calls on Montenegrin authorities to stop crackdown on Church. rt.com The head of the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill has urged Montenegrin authorities to repeal a "discriminative" religious law and stop "large-scale and deliberate persecution" of the faith. | "I call upon the civil authorities of Montenegro to repeal the discriminatory law that has brought division and schism into Montenegrin society, to put an end to persecution against the Orthodox Church, (and) to stop the attempts to create in her place some other church structure," the Patriarch said in an address to the Balkan country. | The ongoing tensions have been sparked by a controversial law, adopted by P…
(2020-07-15). 'Unfair competition': Moscow blasts US move to enable sanctioning of Nord Stream 2 and TurkStream pipelines. rt.com 
The US' decision to remove sanctions exemption for the two pipelines under construction to deliver gas to Europe and Turkey is a textbook example of "unfair competition" through political means, Moscow has said. | The move, which allows the further sanctioning of Russian natural gas projects, has clearly shown the "weakness of the American system," Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday. | "This is the use of political pressure for sake of unfair competition," Zakharova stated. "Except for raw power, they don't have any effective tools." | Earlier in the day, US Secretary of St…
(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…
(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.
(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
(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.
(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…
(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.
(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 …
(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 …
(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…
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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…
(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…
(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…
(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
(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.
(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…
(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 …
(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.
(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…
(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…
(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…
(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.
(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…
(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…