(2020-08-13). Lukashenko Has No One To Blame But Himself For Belarus' Color Revolution Unrest. thealtworld.com It was entirely predictable that the Color Revolution unrest that Lukashenko himself earlier kindled by partially laying the blame for this regime change attempt on Russia, which he did in a misguided attempt to co-opt this movement and use it as a post-election pretext for accelerating his pro-Western pivot, would ultimately end up backfiring after the rioters' real Western patrons thought that they could intensify their pressure upon him in order to squeeze more concessions out of the geopolitically confused Belarusian leader. | Maidan In Minsk: | Belarusian President Lukashenko is being portrayed in po…
(2020-08-13). Don't Stigmatise the Nuke! Opponents of the Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty. counterpunch.org 
It would seem a logical step, at least from an existential perspective: to ban something so utterly horrendous to life; to forbid its use in any circumstances, whatever rationale employed to justify its use. But the nuclear weapon has its admirers. There are those who continue to worship its sovereign properties, and those who leave
(2020-08-13). Disbelief and Denial in the West as Russia Produces First COVID Vaccine. globalresearch.ca 'Startling and confusing' proclaimed Science magazine. 'Reckless and foolish' said US vaccine scientist Peter Hotez. 'Dangerously rushed' said the journal Nature. Western scientists are in denial. The first vaccine against the disease which has dominated all our lives for …
(2020-08-13). 'Western' Media Falsely Claim Russia's COVID-19 Vaccine Is Ready. popularresistance.org After President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia's Covid-19 vaccine candidate had gained an approval from its regulator, 'western' media went into a anti-Russian frenzy to sow fear and doubt about it. Russia has not approved a vaccine against Covid-19 and it is not skipping large-scale clinical trials. | The Russia regulator gave a preliminary approval for a vaccine candidate to start the large-scale clinical trial. This is similar to an emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
(2020-08-13). CIA-Sponsored Propaganda Has Been Around for 75 Years. strategic-culture.org The release a report by the U.S. Department of State's Global Engagement Center (GEC), billed as the Donald Trump administration's "dedicated center for countering foreign disinformation and propaganda, cites the Strategic Culture Foundation in Russia, Canada's Global Research Center, and other on-line publications as "proxy sites" for Russian intelligence and the Russian Foreign Ministry. The State Department's report is titled, "Pillars of Russia's Disinformation and Propaganda Ecosystem" and it is not much different than the series of reports issued by the State Department's "International Information Progr…
(2020-08-13). China says US' Pompeo spreading 'political viruses'. yenisafak.com China on Thursday slammed top US diplomat Mike Pompeo for spreading "political viruses and disinformation" as tensions between the two economic powers show no signs of abating.At a news conference in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said the US secretary of state's persistent criticism of China and the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) stemmed from "a Cold War mentality and selfishness.""Wherever Pompeo goes, he brings political viruses and disinformation," he was quoted as saying by the daily Global Times.The reaction was in response to Pompeo's remarks on‚ÄØWednesday that…
(2020-08-13). The Brookings Hand Behind Russiagate Points Back to Rhodes Trust Coup on America. dissidentvoice.org An incredible report on Real Clear Politics by Paul Sperry on July 24 has revealed a new dimension to the Russiagate frenzy that contaminated American politics for the last four years. While all claims of Russian collusion between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin have been thoroughly debunked over recent months, it was believed that …
(2020-08-12). The Beirut Port Explosion: A Comprehensive Analysis. thealtworld.com 
On the evening of 4 August, there were two explosions in Beirut's port area. The first was relatively small and was caused by ignited fireworks, which the fire brigade went to extinguish. Enormous clouds of smoke attracted a large number of onlookers, who caught the second explosion on camera. This one was like the detonation of a tactical nuclear device. The explosion was so powerful that all the buildings in the city's business district and even the airport, which is in a different part of the city, were damaged by the blast wave. | By the evening of 5 August, the death toll had reached 135, with nearly 5,000 w…
(2020-08-12). Russian Health Ministry says catching Covid-19 is far more dangerous than any possible side effects from world's first vaccine. rt.com 
The risks posed by coronavirus are far more severe than any possible side effects of Russia's new vaccine, according to the Ministry of Health in Moscow, which has rejected claims that the development process was rushed. | Sergey Glagolev, an adviser to Health Minister Mikhail Murashko, explained that being vaccinated involves significantly lower risk than having contact with someone who has been infected with Covid-19. This ought to be taken into account, given the scale of the pandemic, he said. | "Using our digital capabilities, we can monitor the safety of the vaccine in real-time," Glagolev said, noting t…
(2020-08-12). Cure worse than disease: Ruptly filmed REAL BLM protesters burning a Bible. NY Times tried to 'debunk' it with actual FAKE NEWS. rt.com 
Mainstream media have denounced RT's Ruptly video agency for documenting Portland protesters burning Bibles, dismissing the unaltered footage as 'Russian disinfo' in an attempt at bad-faith 'shoot the messenger' gaslighting. | Protesters gather around a burning Bible, chanting "F*** Trump," as they neatly drape an American flag over the flames. A few of the demonstrators rub their hands over the tiny fire, aping warming themselves as the flames devour the book. The 90-second clip was part of a 4-hour livestream. | It's an incendiary image (no pun intended) — protesters already denounced from some corners…
(2020-08-12). Too little, too late — but the open letter 'It's time to rethink our Russia policy' at least opens the free-speech gates in the US. rt.com 
A group of 103 international-relations scholars has called for change in America's course on Russia in an open letter titled 'It's time to rethink our Russia policy.' One is tempted to respond simply, "No sh*t." | More appropriately, such a call might have been a surprise, but it has been needed since about 1992. | It's not only the text that's comment-worthy; the group of signatories is of some interest, too. Some of the statement's backers possess a sound record of sincere support for a realist or at least reasonable American policy towards Russia. Indeed, at least one of them, Dmitry Simes, has been accused…
(2020-08-12). Cure worse than disease: We filmed REAL BLM protesters burning a Bible. NY Times tried to 'debunk' it with actual FAKE NEWS. rt.com Mainstream media have denounced Ruptly video of Portland protesters burning Bibles as 'Russian disinfo', countering the unaltered viral footage with fake news of their own in bad-faith 'shoot the messenger' gaslighting. | Protesters gather around a burning Bible, chanting "F*** Trump" as they neatly drape first an American flag over the flames, in the original video, which clocks in at under 90 seconds. A few of the demonstrators rub their hands over the tiny fire, aping warming themselves as the flames devour the book. | It's an incendiary image (no pun intended) — protesters already denounced from some…
(2020-08-12). 'Trying to use internet as a private fiefdom': Ex-Russian President Medvedev SLAMS US authorities for web manipulation. rt.com 
Washington is attempting to leverage the internet exclusively to its advantage, according to former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, now Deputy Chairman of the national Security Council. He says the strategy is "deplorable." | Speaking on Wednesday, Medvedev, who also served as Russian prime minister, said the pressure the White House placed on the owners of the social network WeChat (Chinese Internet giant Tencent) was a prime example of the US exploiting the internet as its own private tool. | He added that Washington aims to continue pursuing its policy of viewing the web only through the prism of its own…
(2020-08-12). Science and politics tied up in global race for a coronavirus vaccine. thecanary.co 
The announcement on Tuesday by Russian president Vladimir Putin that his country was the first to approve a coronavirus vaccine has been met by doubts about the science and safety.But it also underscored how the competition to have the first vaccine is about international rivalries as well as science.The first nation to develop a way to defeat the novel coronavirus will achieve a kind of moonshot victory and the global status that goes along with it.That is valuable to Putin, whose popularity at home has declined amid a stagnant economy and the ravages of the virus outbreak.Russian President Vladimir Putin announ…
(2020-08-12). Trump's War On Arms Control and Disarmament. counterpunch.org 
Seventy-five years ago, the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing more than 200,000 Japanese and injuring another 100,000. The great fires that raged in each city consumed many of the bodies. If ever there was a visceral force for promoting a world free of nuclear arms, it should be the memory
(2020-08-12). Russia wants neither 'rethink' nor 'reset' if it means restoring American supremacy & returning to Cold War diplomacy. thealtworld.com Some 136 American "experts" on US-Russian relations recently debated the merits of "rethinking" US policy on Russia. What these specialists failed to consider is that Moscow may not be interested in their plans. | In the span of a week, Politico, a non-partisan global news and information company whose The first, which appeared on August 5, was an "open let…
(2020-08-12). What do we know about the Russian COVID-19 vaccine? peoplesdispatch.org Dr. Satyajit Rath talks to Peoples Dispatch about the recent announcement made by Russian president Vladimir Putin declaring that the country has developed a vaccine for COVID-19.
(2020-08-12). Protests, crackdown follow Belarus elections. wsws.org Western imperialism is seeking to exploit the Lukashenko government's violent suppression of protests to fuel its war drive against Russia.
(2020-08-12). VIDEO: Russia registers world's 1st COVID-19 vaccine. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 12 (MNA) — Russia registered the world's first Covid-19 vaccine on Tuesday. It marks a milestone in the fight against the new coronavirus but amid safety concerns in the West over the country's accelerated clinical evaluations.
(2020-08-12). Russia sees US attempts to revise UN res. 2231 unjustifiable. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 12 (MNA) — In a tweet on Wednesday, Russia's Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov named US attempts to revise UNSC Resolution. 2231 as 'counterproductive and unjustifiable'.
(2020-08-12). Remembering Hiroshima And Nagasaki By Shutting Down A Nuclear Base. popularresistance.org At around 6: 45 AM on Monday, demonstrators arrived at the Main Gate and formed a vigil line along the roadway. At around 7: 05 AM, four "peacekeepers" entered the roadway and stopped traffic, while behind them, six demonstrators set themselves and their banners on the roadway. | Three of the demonstrators carried a banner stating, "Hiroshima Nagasaki Never Again!" Two demonstrators held a blue painted banner stating, "No More Genocide in My Name." One demonstrator carried a banner, "Peace Walk Nuclear-Free World, Black Lives Matter."
(2020-08-12). The Russians Are Coming! Or Have They Already Arrived? strategic-culture.org Right at the beginning of the Cold War, the paranoid slogan "The Russians are coming!" was rather popular in a certain part of the American establishment. It is attributed to an eccentric US Defense Minister who fell out of a window in mysterious circumstances following a mental breakdown. Years passed by and the Cold War apparently came to an end, but the Russians kept on coming without ever arriving, while vast sums of US taxpayers' money were spent on the arms race and on propaganda proclaiming that the Russians were still coming. | And now, finally, the Russians have arrived. They have arrived in America's so…
(2020-08-12). The Censoring Cancel Culture Against Russia. strategic-culture.org Wyoming Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney,
(2020-08-12). What Is Italy Doing for Nuclear Disarmament? globalresearch.ca On the 75th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, reiterated that "Italy strongly supports the goal of a world free from nuclear weapons." He was echoed by the …
(2020-08-11). Medical Experts Denounce 'Irresponsible' Rush to Covid-19 Vaccine by Russia. commondreams.org "The collateral damage from release of any vaccine that was less than safe and effective would exacerbate our current problems insurmountably." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/russia-covid-vaccine.jpg …
(2020-08-11). Headlines for August 11, 2020. democracynow.org Lebanese Gov't Steps Down in Wake of Catastrophic Beirut Explosion and Mounting Protests, Trump Mulls Barring Americans from Reentry into U.S.; Coronavirus Cases Rise in Kids, Russia Approves First COVID-19 Vaccine; New Zealand Goes Back into Lockdown, Unrest in Chicago Sparked by Police Shooting Leads to 100+ Arrests, 16 People Arrested in Portland, OR Protests, Including Hate Crime Survivor Demetria Hester, Belarus in Turmoil as Lukashenko Cracks Down on Protests, Opposition Candidate Flees to Lithuania, Bolivia Protests Against Interim Right-Wing Gov't Intensify; Union Calls for General Strike, Fires in Brazil…
(2020-08-11). Russia receives orders from 20 countries for ONE BILLION doses of world's first Covid-19 vaccine. rt.com 
A total of 20 nations from Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia have already requested doses of Russia's breakthrough coronavirus vaccine, which was confirmed to be registered on Tuesday by Russian President Vladimir Putin. | At a conference dedicated to the announcement of the vaccine's registration, the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) explained that it had already received orders for a billion doses. | "Together with our foreign partners, we are ready to produce more than 500 million doses of the vaccine per year," Kirill Dmitriev explained. Everything produced in Russia will be used dom…
(2020-08-11). The world's first Covid-19 vaccine: Everything we know about Russia's 'Sputnik V'. rt.com 
On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that his country had registered the world's first coronavirus vaccine, named 'Sputnik V'. | The president said that one of his daughters had tested the drug on herself. | What we know about the vaccine: : | Read more | | Developed by Moscow's Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, the dose is based on a platform already used for six other vaccines,…
(2020-08-11). 'Safe & effective' over 'first': US throws shade at Russia's first-to-market Covid-19 vaccine. rt.com 
Top US health officials insist they're holding out for a "safe and effective" Covid-19 vaccine, hinting that Russia's shot is anything but — or even that it's a plot to 'goad the US into forcing early action on our vaccines.' | "The point is not to be first with a vaccine, the point is to have a vaccine that is safe and effective for the American people and the people of the world," US Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar told ABC on Tuesday, demanding "transparent" phase-three test data. | Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb was more pointed in his criticism of Russia's…
(2020-08-11). Western countries fighting 'info war' to discredit Russian Covid-19 vaccine are 'endangering lives of their citizens' — developer. rt.com 
Sputnik V, the Russian vaccine against Covid-19, has already become subject to coordinated information attacks from nations that have political differences with Moscow. | That's according to the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) which bankrolled the research. Kirill Dmitriev claims that, whether inspired by commercial concerns or just malice, the politicized approach of a number of Western countries ultimately jeopardizes the health and safety of their own citizens. | In the development and trials of the vaccine, Russia used a proven platform that had been tested on thousands of people over the…
(2020-08-11). Coronavirus vaccine registered in Russia, says Putin. thecanary.co 
Russian president Vladimir Putin says a coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine developed in the country has been registered for use and one of his daughters has already been inoculated.Putin emphasised that the vaccine underwent the necessary tests and has proven efficient, offering a lasting immunity from coronavirus.However, scientists have been sounding the alarm that the rush to start using the vaccine before Phase 3 trials — which normally last for months and involve thousands of people — could backfire.Speaking at a government meeting, Putin emphasised that the vaccine has undergone proper testing and p…
(2020-08-11). The "Election Interference" Fearmongers Think You're Stupid. counterpunch.org Xi Jinping and Ali Khamenei prefer Joe Biden to Donald Trump. Vladimir Putin prefers Donald Trump to Joe Biden. That's according to William Evanina, Director of the US National Counterintelligence and Security Center. "Many foreign actors," he says, "have a preference for who wins the election, which they express through a range of overt and
(2020-08-11). Democracy — We've had the Russia Report, now where is the America Report? truepublica.org.uk By Rob Woodward — TruePublica: The long-awaited Russia report was published with a call for "immediate action" by the government and intelligence services to tackle the threat from just one country — Russia. The reality was that while Russia may have been meddling at the edges of Britain's democracy, America has been actively involved in …
(2020-08-11). Saudi Arabia abusing old regulatory gap in IAEA: Mousavi. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 11 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyyed Abbas Mousavi said that Saudi Arabia continues to refuse to accept IAEA inspections, despite currently pursuing a comprehensive nuclear program.
(2020-08-11). Extending arms embargo on Iran lacks legal basis. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 11 (MNA) — A Chinese diplomat at the UN said that extending the Arms Embargo on Iran in whatever form lacks legal basis and will undermine efforts to preserve the Nuclear Deal.
(2020-08-11). Russia 1st country to register COVID-19 vaccine, says Putin. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 11 (MNA) — According to President Vladimir Putin, Russia has become the first country in the world to register a vaccine against COVID-19.
(2020-08-11). Iran, Russia discuss on broadening bilateral media coop. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 11 (MNA)- Spokespersons of Iranian and Russian Foreign Ministry discussed about ways to expand bilateral cooperation in the field of media and to counter unrealistic atmosphere created by western states through video conference on Tue.
(2020-08-11). The AFL-CIO Aided US Interference in Venezuela. popularresistance.org The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) Solidarity Center has a long history of working hand in glove with the U.S. government in undermining democracy and left labor movements throughout the world. | The center emphasizes it has shifted away from these Cold War tactics in recent years. But newly obtained documents show that the Solidarity Center has worked closely with the US to undermine the Venezuelan government in the recent past. Across much of the world, the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) acted as an international a…
(2020-08-11). If Trump Wins, Russia Did It, If Biden Wins, It Was China And Iran. popularresistance.org Mass media throughout the western world are uncritically passing along a press release from the US intelligence community because that's what passes for journalism in a world where God is dead and everything is stupid. | The press release, from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and authored by National Counterintelligence and Security Center Director William Evanina, claims that Russia wants Donald Trump to win re-election in November and is pushing to advance than goal, while China and Iran are doing the same with Joe Biden. What this completely unsubstantiated narrative means, of course, is th…
(2020-08-11). 75 Anniversary of the Nuclear Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. strategic-culture.org 2020 marks the 75 anniversary of the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The United States still remains the only nation to use atomic weapons on its enemies. But was incinerating untold numbers of Japanese really necessary? The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were a political act to begin the Cold War, deliberately carried out by American leaders to assert U.S. hegemony. Watch the video and read more in the Editorial article.
(2020-08-11). Prince Peter Kropotkin and the Murder of the Liberator Tsar. strategic-culture.org Why did London host a convention of anarchists in July 1881 less than three months after they had murdered the Liberator Tsar of Russia? | The International Anarchist Congress of London, from July 14 to July 20, 1881 was highly unusual in many ways, though it has almost totally been forgotten by history, save as a curiosity. | It was the last such gathering to be held for more than a quarter of a century until the International Anarchist Congress of Amsterdam in August 1907. During that time, there were four other unsuccessful attempts to call international congresses, in Geneva in 1882, in Paris in 1889, in Chic…
(2020-08-11). As Putin Pushes Russia's Untested COVID Vaccine, Experts Worry Trump May Follow. truthout.org Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that his country has created a coronavirus vaccine, adding that his own daughter has already taken it. | "I know it has proven efficient and forms a stable immunity, and I would like to repeat that it has passed all the necessary tests," However, experts urged caution against the R…
(2020-08-11). Progressive Groups Pressure Biden and Trump to Include Nuclear Disarmament in Campaign Platforms. commondreams.org "The United States urgently needs a leader who will have the courage to look at, think hard about, and speak openly about the dire perils posed by our country's vast nuclear arsenal." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/cropped-gettyimages-871194038_0_0.jpg …
(2020-08-11). Coalition of Organizations Call on Presidential Candidates to Incorporate Nuclear Disarmament in Campaign Platforms. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-08-11). Cosa fa l'Italia per il disarmo nucleare? globalresearch.ca Nel 75 ∞ anniversario del bombardamento atomico di Hiroshima e Nagasaki, il presidente della Repubblica Sergio Mattarella ha ribadito che ´l'Italia sostiene con forza l'obiettivo di un mondo libero da armi nucleari ª. Gli ha fatto eco il presidente della Commissione Difesa …
(2020-08-10). Elliott Abrams' Appointment as the Next U.S. Special Representative for Iran. Spells Disaster. globalresearch.ca The appointment of Elliott Abrams to replace Brian Hook as the next U.S. Special Representative for Iran is another low point for the Trump administration's disastrous policy towards Iran. The dangerous conflict resulting from Trump's withdrawal from the nuclear agreement …
(2020-08-10). Belarus on the brink? Unloved in Moscow, a pariah again in the West & facing protests at home, Lukashenko is running out of road. rt.com 
Alexander Lukashenko will likely ride out the gathering storm across Belarus. However, he cannot remain the president forever. Which means Russia needs to work out a realistic long term strategy toward its closest ally. | There is little that Russia's leaders like less than political instability. The 2016 Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation uses the word 'stability' no fewer than 24 times, and the term has appeared regularly in the speeches of Russia's President Vladimir Putin throughout the 21 years he has been either president or prime minister. Given a choice between revolution and the status q…
(2020-08-10). Rules for thee but not for me: Pompeo denounces proposed Russian law as 'burdensome' limitation on US propaganda outlets. rt.com 
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has voiced his opposition to a proposed Russian rule that would require labeling of propaganda content, saying it would burden "independent" information work by outlets such as Voice of America. | "This decree will impose new burdensome requirements that will further inhibit RFE/RL's and VOA's ability to operate within Russia," Pompeo Pompeo called VOA and its sist…
(2020-08-10). Russian watchdog says Apple abused dominance of mobile app market, orders US tech giant to stop restricting competition. rt.com 
Apple has been found guilty of exploiting its app market dominance by Russia's Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS). The investigation began after leading anti-virus software developer Kaspersky Lab lodged a complaint last year. | The Russian company insisted that Apple's policy in the parental control applications market for mobile devices with its iOS operating system was unfair. | Monday's ruling follows criticism from Telegram founder Pavel Durov over the predatory practices of Silicon Valley's kingpins. "Apple and Google impose an insane 30 percent sales tax on all digital goods sold on every mobile phone i…
(2020-08-10). Millions of tourists & overcrowded hospitals: Crimea advertises for doctors as hospitals struggle to cope with Covid-19 infections. rt.com 
With the summer holiday season in full swing, some tourists seem to have taken coronavirus with them to the coast. That's prompted Crimea to search for more doctors as infections in crowded resorts are overloading local hospitals. | With Russia's international borders partially closed, the Black Sea peninsula is experiencing a mass influx of travelers looking to have a domestic warm-weather beach holiday. In July, 1.43 million tourists visited Crimea, and hotels and boarding houses reported that they were 80 percent occupied. | According to official data, Crimea recorded 32 new cases of Covid-19 on Saturday, a…