2020-08-02: News Headlines

Philip Giraldi (2020-08-02). American Troops to Leave Germany: Is It Goodbye or Just Auf Wiedersehen? thealtworld.com The continued presence of tens of thousands of American military personnel in Europe seventy-five years after the end of the Second World War is rarely questioned either by politicians or the mainstream media. Currently there is little recollection of how, after the war ended, soldiers from Britain, France, the U.S. and the Soviet Union occupied Germany, each in a designated zone. Germany's capital Berlin was divided into four sectors, each with a foreign military occupying force. I was a part of that occupation force from 1968 through 1971, serving in the U.S. Army's Berlin Brigade as part of the 430th Military…

_____ (2020-08-02). Are Russia And US Different When It Comes To Election Meddling? popularresistance.org On this week's installment of "Scheer Intelligence," Robert Scheer challenges guest David Shimer on the fundamental conclusions of his new book, "Rigged: America, Russia and 100 Years of Covert Electoral Interference," regarding the "intentions" for US covert operations versus those of the Soviet Union/Russia. | Excerpted and lauded in the New York Times and elsewhere in the mainstream media, "Rigged" outlines covert operations in various countries by both nation-states, including American interference in 1970s Chile and post-World War II Italy, among others, but has been best reviewed for its deep dive into Russ…

South Front (2020-08-02). Video: That Sinking Feeling: Ukrainian Naval and Coastal Forces. globalresearch.ca In few areas are Russia's and Ukraine's divergent fortunes as evident as in naval armaments. Whereas the Russian Navy has overcome the malaise of the 1990s and went on to introduce new classes of warships, including state-of-the-art missile frigates, attack …

_____ (2020-08-02). The Russians Are(n't) Coming! popularresistance.org In America's Emerald City these days, if there's even a hint of a war-wind-down, imperial-deescalation, or military budget-cuts, Washington's (non-dribbling) Wizards have a ready response: Russia! Indeed, these military's magicians have a far-simpler and more effective playbook than the city's aptly-named NBA franchise. Since President Donald Trump's election year, basketball's Wizards are a meager 148-162; the Wizards of Warfare are essentially undefeated — not a single war hath ended. The first-place War Wizards rely on two go-to moves to maintain militarism…

yenisafak (2020-08-02). Russia's coronavirus cases surpass 850,000. yenisafak.com Russia reported 5,427 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Sunday, bringing its nationwide tally to 850,870, the fourth largest caseload in the world.Russia's coronavirus taskforce said 70 people had died over the last 24 hours, pushing the official death toll in the country of around 145 million people to 14,128.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-02). Zarif stresses need to update document on Iran-Russia coop. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 02 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Minister in his meeting with with Chairman of the Russian Duma's Foreign Affairs Committee stressed the need to update the document of long-term cooperation between the two countries.

RT (2020-08-01). Fuel truck rams into plane at Russia's largest airport on the day international flights resume (VIDEO). rt.com The resumption of international flights in Russia after the hiatus caused by Covid-19 has been marred by an accident at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport, where a fuel truck collided with an Airbus A321. | The truck crashed into a plane belonging to Russia's top air carrier, Aeroflot, early on Saturday. It happened on a remote parking lot, and no crew or passengers were on board the Airbus, which was preparing for a flight to the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Sheremetyevo Airport's press service said. | Both the plane and the truck suffered damage in the collision. Photos and videos from the scene published by RT's R…

RT (2020-08-01). UAE becomes first Arab country to harness nuclear power following successful reactor launch. rt.com The United Arab Emirates has become the first nation in the Arab world to produce nuclear energy, following the start-up of a newly constructed plant in Abu Dhabi. | The Barakah Nuclear Power Plant's Unit 1 is now using nuclear fuel to produce energy after the facility successfully executed initial tests on Saturday. Three other reactors are still under construction and the plant still needs to be connected to the country's power grid, local media reported. | The

RT (2020-08-01). USSR's unique Cold War-era flying ship 'Caspian Sea Monster' to become main star of military theme park in Russia (VIDEO). rt.com A one-of-a-kind and bizarre-looking ekranoplan vehicle, which looks like a plane but is actually a military super ship, has arrived in the city of Derbent on the Caspian Sea where it will be the highlight of Patriot Park. | Built in the Soviet Union in 1986, 903 Lun became the first and only missile-carrying ekranoplan in the world. It joined the Caspian Flotilla in the early 1990s and remained in service for a decade. | The 74-meter vehicle used the lift generated by the ground effect of its huge wings to fly several meters above the water surface. Despite closely resembling a plane, Lun was classified as a s…

RT (2020-08-01). 'Caspian Sea Monster': Unique Soviet Cold War-era flying ship to become main attraction at military theme park in Russia (VIDEO). rt.com A one-of-a-kind bizarre ekranoplan vehicle, which looks like a plane but is actually a military super ship, has arrived in the city of Derbent on the Caspian Sea. It will eventually be the highlight of its 'Patriot Park.' | Built in the Soviet Union in 1986, 903 Lun became the first and only missile-carrying ekranoplan in the world. It joined the Caspian Flotilla in the early 1990s and remained in service for a decade. | The 74-meter vehicle used the lift generated by the ground effect of its huge wings to fly several meters above the water surface. Despite closely resembling a plane, Lun was classified as a s…

RT (2020-08-01). US 'working on nuclear non-proliferation agreement with Russia,' Trump says after discussing New START with Putin. rt.com US President Donald Trump has said that "it would be great" if Moscow and Washington agreed on a new nuclear non-proliferation deal. The admission comes after rare phone talks between the Russian and US leaders last week. | Trump has not provided any details as to the current state of the negotiations, which have been underway for quite some time. | Last Thursday, Trump held a rare phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which the two touched on a range of issues, among them the New Start Treaty, the last standing pillar upholding the nuclear arms control framework in…

RT (2020-08-01). As rain falls & holiday season begins, Khabarovsk protests start to peter out. But thousands still march in support of ex-governor. rt.com Residents of the Far Eastern Russian city of Khabarovsk took to the streets for the 22nd day in a row, as thousands of locals protested against the arrest of former Governor Sergey Furgal, accused of ordering killings in the 2000s | But the crowd was significantly smaller than in previous weeks. Around 3,500 people

RT (2020-08-01). Da, Da, Da! As flights reopen, research reveals Russian women prefer Turkish delights for extramarital holiday fling. rt.com Are you thinking what she's thinking? Some women were undoubtedly overjoyed when it was announced that flights to Turkey are back on. A study has revealed the country is the most popular destination for Russians seeking to stray. | Specialists from the psychological training website 'Know Yourself' analyzed women's online communities, telegram chats, and popular forums, and identified 16 different resort locations where women admitted to cheating on their spouse. | The psychologists discovered that Russian women cheat on their husbands in Turkey more than any other resort location, ahead of Crimea and Sochi, a…

RT (2020-08-01). Wife arrested on suspicion of murder after Ukrainian rapper Cartwright's corpse found chopped into pieces in fridge. rt.com The wife of Ukrainian rapper Andy Cartwright, who dismembered her deceased husband and placed his body parts in their apartment fridge, has been detained on suspicion of murder. | She had Russia's Investigative Committee charged Marina Kokhal with murder and believes she killed her husband during a quarrel, although how is unknown. She then cut up the body "in order to hide the traces of the crime," investigators said. Kokhal maintains that she did not kill the artist, whose…

RT (2020-08-01). Moscow slams Polish claims that it planted explosives on late President Kaczynski's plane as 'endless fantasy-making'. rt.com Polish allegations that Russia planted TNT aboard the ill-fated plane of former President Lech Kaczynski are a figment of their imagination, Moscow has said, advising Warsaw to listen to the pilots' communications again. | "Reality has firmly intertwined with fiction, turning it into an endless fantasy-making process," Maria Zakharova, Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, This investigati…

RT (2020-08-01). Moscow calls Polish claims it planted explosives on crashed president Kaczynski's plane 'endless fantasy-making'. rt.com Polish allegations that Russia planted TNT aboard the plane of President Lech Kaczynski that crashed in 2010 are a figment of their imagination, Moscow said, advising Warsaw to listen to the pilots' communications again. | "Reality has firmly intertwined with fiction, turning it into an endless fantasy-making process," Maria Zakharova, Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, This inves…

RT (2020-08-01). Russia aims to begin public Covid-19 vaccinations in October, starting with medical workers & teachers — Minister of Health. rt.com Russia expects to start mass anti-coronavirus vaccinations, across the country, by October, the country's health minister has said. Mikhail Murashko added that medical workers and teachers will be given first priority. | Murashko announced on Saturday that clinical trials of a vaccine developed by the Moscow-based Gamalei Institute have been completed and that the health ministry is aiming to begin a public vaccination program in October. Medical personnel and teachers will be the first to receive immunization, he said. "Now, the package of documents for the procedure of registration [of the vaccine] is being…

RT (2020-08-01). If she's keen on Turkey, this may be why: Research says it's Russian women's favorite place for extramarital holiday fling. rt.com Are you thinking what she's thinking? Some women were undoubtedly overjoyed when it was announced that flights to Turkey are back on. A study revealed the country is the most popular infidelity destination for Russians. | Specialists from the psychological training website 'Know Yourself' analyzed women's online communities, telegram chats, and popular forums, and identified 16 different resort locations where women admitted to cheating on their spouse. | The psychologists discovered that Russian women cheat on their husbands in Turkey more than any other resort location, ahead of Crimea and Sochi, as well as…

yenisafak (2020-08-01). Russia's coronavirus death toll exceeds 14,000. yenisafak.com Russia reported 95 new deaths from the novel coronavirus on Saturday, pushing its national tally to 14,058.Officials also reported 5,462 new cases of the novel coronavirus over the past 24 hours, pushing the country's tally to 845,443.

yenisafak (2020-08-01). Environmental disasters across world in July 2020. yenisafak.com Numerous environmental disasters occurred across the world in the month of July which included forest fires in Ukraine, a storm in Russia, landslides in Myanmar, Nepal, China and many flash floods caused by heavy rains.Here is a timeline compiled by Anadolu AgencyJuly 1: – Powerful floods affect over 1.4 million people in the state of Assam, northeast India, according to the country's disaster authorities.July 2: – At least 110 miners are killed in a landslide, caused by heavy rain, at a jade mine in the state of Kachin, northern Myanmar, according to the country's emergency services.July 3: – At least eight people…

sputniknews (2020-08-01). UK Wants US to Take Up Part of Spending Burden for Trident Missile's New Warhead, Report Says. sputniknews.com The Pentagon leaked the UK's plans to purchase a new generation of W93 nuclear warheads for its submarine-based Trident weapons system earlier this year, with the upgrade expected to cost in excess of £11 billion ($14 billion) for the warheads alone, and £31 billion ($40 billion US) total.

sputniknews (2020-08-01). Muslim Celebrations of Eid al-Adha Around the Globe Amid Pandemic. sputniknews.com Usually this holiday is one of the most widespread in all countries where a significant number of Muslims live, including Russia. In Moscow alone, more than 300,000 believers take part in it.

sputniknews (2020-08-01). Russian Foreign Intelligence Chief Hopes Incident in Belarus Resolved for Friendly Ties. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russia's Foreign Intelligence Chief Sergey Naryshkin said on Saturday he hoped the incident of Minsk's detention of 33 Russian nationals will be resolved in the interest of fraternal relations between the two countries.

sputniknews (2020-08-01). EU's Cybersanctions Against Russian Citizens Politically Motivated, Foreign Ministry Says. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The political connotations of the European Union's decision to impose sanctions against Russian, Chinese, and North Korean citizens and entities for alleged cyberattacks are obvious, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-01). IRGC's military exercise serious warning to enemies. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 01 (MNA) — Colonel Anatoly Tsyganok, a member of the Russian Center for Political-Military Studies believes that the recent IRGC's military exercise was a serious warning to the enemies of Iran, especially the United States.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-01). Ghalibaf meets chair of Russian Duma's Foreign Affairs Cmte. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 01 (MNA) — Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf met and held talks with Chairman of the Russian Duma's Foreign Affairs Committee Leonid Slutsky on Saturday.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-01). Iran-Russia coop. expected to be promoted: Ghalibaf. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 01 (MNA) — Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that comprehensive cooperation between Islamic Republic of Iran and Russian Federation is expected to be enhanced.

_____ (2020-08-01). The Sprit of Apollo-Soyuz Is Alive… With the Russia/China Space Alliance. strategic-culture.org Forty five years ago, Cold Warriors in the Pentagon and CIA shook their fists angrily at the stars- and for good reason. | On July 17, 1975 the first international handshake was occurring in space between Russian Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov and American astronaut Thomas Stafford as the first official act kicking off the historic

_____ (2020-08-01). Russophobia is Going Viral… Again. strategic-culture.org The writers at AP and NYT believe beyond a doubt that all Russian media is controlled by the state. They cannot believe that Russians want to have a diverse and free media and have their say in global affairs. Watch the video and

Rob Urie (2020-07-31). Russiagate, Nazis, and the CIA. counterpunch.org The political success of Russiagate lies in the vanishing of American history in favor of a faàßade of liberal virtue. Posed as a response to the election of Donald Trump, a straight line can be drawn from efforts to undermine the decommissioning of the American war economy in 1946 to the CIA's alliance with Ukrainian fascists in 2014. In 1945 the NSC (National Security Council) issued a series of directives that gave logic and direction to the CIA's actions during the Cold War. That these persist despite the 'fall of communism' suggests that it was always just a placeholder in the pursuit of other objectiv…

T.J. Coles (2020-07-31). The Space Wars Have Begun. counterpunch.org "Space is now a distinct warfighting domain," says the U.S. Defense Space Strategy. Last week, corporate media repeated U.S. military propaganda: that Russia had "tested new technologies that could lead to so-called 'killer satellites'" (ABC); the U.S. and Britain "accused Russia of testing a weapon-like projectile in space that could be used to target satellites

RT (2020-07-31). Cultured Convicts: survey reveals Russian prisoners prefer to read Tolstoy, Dumas & other high brow literature while doing time. rt.com What would you do to pass the time if you were behind bars? In Russia, they read. On Thursday, the country's prison service released a list of the most-read books, and Mikhail Bulgakov's 'Master and Margarita' came in first. | The top-10 list was released in conjunction with a national campaign called 'Books Are Your Friends.' | Bulgakov's novel, once-censored in the Soviet-era, was followed by Fyodor Dostoyevsky's 'Crime and Punishment' and 'The Count of Monte Cristo' by Alexandre Dumas – the highest-ranking foreign title. | Russian prisoners have great taste in literature. Top 6 books most popular with convi…

RT (2020-07-31). 'Huge finger to the public': Johnson prompts outrage after nominating Russian-born media mogul Evgeny Lebedev for peerage. rt.com Evegeny Lebedev, the Russian-British owner of the Independent and the Evening Standard newspapers, has been nominated for peerage by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, setting off a round of hysteria on social media. | Moscow-born Lebedev is the son of Alexander Lebedev, a former member of the KGB, who was stationed at the Soviet Union's London embassy in the 1980s. | After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the father made his fortune in banking and eventually moved to the UK permanently — and both he and his son are outspoken critics of Russian President Vladimir Putin. | But ardent believers in the narrativ…

RT (2020-07-31). 'Kids should not play adult games': Khabarovsk Children's rights commissioner asks Russians not to bring youngsters to protests. rt.com The children's rights commissioner in Russia's far eastern Khabarovsk Region has called on parents not to take their children to political rallies. She believes the marches pose "psychological danger" to kids. | As the city Victoria Tregubenko explained that taking a child to an unauthorized march could be interpreted by law as "improper performance of parental duties," as exposing children to "protest moods" may have negative consequences for a "child's psyche." | "Such consequences can manifest themselves years later. At the very least, the child's perception of life may be distorted. Children should not pla…

Philip Giraldi (2020-07-31). Foreign Interference in Elections: Is It Real or Just Political Noise? globalresearch.ca A recently concluded British Parliamentary inquiry has determined that Russia may have

South Front (2020-07-31). Video: Syrian Army Uncovers Organ Trading Hub of Turkish-backed Militants in Southern Idlib. globalresearch.ca The joint Russian-Turkish patrol set to be held in southern Idlib on July 29 was delayed due to increased military tensions and the inability of Ankara to ensure the security of the patrol in its area of responsibility. And the …

Derek Royden (2020-07-31). Mike Pompeo and the push for two Cold Wars. nationofchange.org If there was ever a time to embrace the kind of international cooperation the left has always called for, it's during a global pandemic.

Telesur (2020-07-31). China Calls to Confront US Bullying and Uphold Multilateralism. globalresearch.ca China seeks the support of the European Union (EU) countries to counter the hegemonic behavior of the United States, which could generate a new cold war, an interruption of globalization, and situations of risk for all humanity. | The U.S. is …

Ajamu Baraka (2020-07-30). No to the New Cold war with China. mronline.org The African radical, anti-imperialist, internationalist movement, sees the Chinese state and the Chinese people much differently than the U.S. state and its ruling class.

RT (2020-07-30). Russian serviceman working in Crimea arrested for HIGH TREASON, accused of spying for Ukraine. rt.com A serviceman from Russia's Black Sea Fleet has been arrested by the country's Federal Security Service (FSB) on suspicion of working for Ukrainian military intelligence. | If found guilty of high treason, the detained soldier could In a statement

RT (2020-07-30). Russian authorities to investigate as Communist MP claims 39 ruling party politicians have dual citizenship or foreign residency. rt.com The speaker of Russia's State Duma (parliament) has ordered the Committee on Security and Anti-Corruption to determine which lawmakers have alternative citizenships or other residence permits, after a claim by an opposition MP. | A key part of Vladimir Putin's constitutional changes, approved in a national vote earlier this month,

RT (2020-07-30). Call of the Black Sea: Russian jet intercepts US spy planes for FOURTH TIME in just over a week (VIDEO). rt.com With summer heating up, it appears as though the US Air Force finds Russia's Black Sea particularly inviting, as the Russian military has intercepted American jets there for the fourth time in just over one week. | The US Air Force seemingly could not decide who should be next to enjoy the scenic splendors of the Black Sea shoreline, deciding to send two of its surveillance planes to watch over the area at the same time on Thursday. | The jets were promptly intercepted, however, by a Russian Su-27 fighter jet, which was scrambled to escort the "aerial targets" approaching the nation's border. | The planes were…

RT (2020-07-30). EU targets Russian intelligence, Chinese, North Korean companies in first ever cybercrime-related round of sanctions. rt.com The European Union has imposed sanctions on six people and three entities, including a Russian military intelligence unit, over their alleged involvement in various hacking activities, in the first ever such move from Brussels. | EU officials slapped the "Special Technologies" unit (GTsST) of the Russian military intelligence agency (also known as GRU) with sanctions, accusing it of being behind several high-profile cyber-attacks — including the infamous NotPetya virus that inflicted $10 billion-worth of damage to the world economy in 2017. | The origins of that virus are still unclear. What is known for…

RT (2020-07-30). Ex-US Marine sentenced to 9 years in Russian prison after drunken assault on two Moscow police officers. rt.com Texan Trevor Reed, a 29-year-old student and former US Marine, has been found guilty of attacking two police officers and handed a nine year jail sentence by a Moscow court, prompting media speculation about a "prisoner swap." | The former marine has been accused of attacking the officers last summer while drunk after attending a party. According to the prosecutors, some Moscow residents called the police when they saw a rowdy troublemaker arguing with two women. The drunk man, who turned out to be Reed, tried to resist arrest. | It was inside the police car that the man suddenly became aggressive and elbowed…

RT (2020-07-30). Wife of Ukrainian rapper arrested after dismembered body parts found in apartment fridge. rt.com The wife of rapper Andy Cartwright has been arrested after his body parts were found in their St Petersburg apartment. She reportedly cut him into pieces, washed his organs, treated his limbs with salt and then refrigerated them. | Marina Kokhal claims the 30-year-old rapper died of a drug overdose. Saying she wanted to make him disappear so he wouldn't be remembered for dying an inglorious death, she has admitted to chopping up his body. | According to Saint Petersburg-based website 'Fontanka', the police were informed after 36-year-old Kokhal contacted a lawyer for advice, explaining that Cartwright had died…

RT (2020-07-30). EU targets Russian intelligence, Chinese, North Korean companies in first ever cybercrime-related sanctions batch. rt.com The European Union has imposed sanctions on six people and three entities, including a Russian military intelligence unit over their alleged involvement in various hacking activities, in the first ever such move from Brussels. | EU officials slapped the "Special Technologies" unit (GTsST) of the Russian military intelligence (also known as GRU) with sanctions, accusing it of being behind several high-profile cyber-attacks — including the infamous NotPetya virus that inflicted $10 billion worth of damage to the world economy in 2017. | The origins of that virus are still unclear. Yet, what is known for ce…

RT (2020-07-30). American pilots continue their love affair with the Black Sea! Russian jet intercepts US spy planes for 4th TIME in 9 days (VIDEO). rt.com With summer heating up, it appears as though the US Air Force finds Russia's Black Sea particularly inviting. The Russian military has intercepted American jets on a long haul trip for the fourth time in just over one week. | The US Air Force seemingly could not decide who should be next to enjoy the scenic splendor of the Black Sea shoreline – around 8,000km from home – where temperatures have hit the 90s degrees Fahrenheit this week, choosing to send two of its surveillance planes at the same time on Thursday to watch over the area. | Could it be that American 'top guns' are so determined to showcase the del…

RT (2020-07-30). Russian & US scientists vow to fight Covid-19 PANDEMIC together amidst political animosity. rt.com Despite Moscow and Washington having been at odds over scores of international and bilateral affairs, Russian and US scientists managed to find a common language in jointly fighting a shared threat — the coronavirus pandemic. | The scientists have teamed up to cooperate in "all the areas related to the coronavirus, its nature, treatment and prevention measures," the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) said. | The RAS and US National Academies of Sciences, Medicine and Engineering inked an agreement on Thursday around working together on a wide range of Covid-related areas, such as epidemiology, virology, i…

Caitlin Johnstone (2020-07-30). The Real Deep State Power Grab: Notes From The Edge Of The Narrative Matrix. thealtworld.com the new cold war agendas against China and Russia. All analysts who've been staring transfixed by Covid anxiety waiting for Bill Gates to usher in the New World Order have completely missed this story due to a misguided collective decision to fixate on this virus. | The virus will certainly play a part in many ways, but the real large-scale power agendas at work revolve around the US-centralized empire's increasingly urgent campaign to

WSWS (2020-07-30). Corporate press promotes Susan Rice as Biden running mate. wsws.org The former Obama national security advisor is identified with illegal wars, drone missile assassinations and an aggressive posture towards both Russia and China.