(2020-08-15). 'Come on, don't do this': Yahoo slammed for shoddy story accusing RUSSIA of antifa.com prank of Joe Biden. rt.com 
The latest chapter in the conspiracy theory blaming Russia for 'meddling' in US elections accuses Moscow of somehow redirecting the website Antifa.com to Joe Biden's website, thanks to some major internet illiteracy at work. | On Wednesday, Republican activist Matthew Foldi pointed out that typing Antifa.com in one's browser redirected to Biden's campaign page, just as the Democrat candidate and his freshly chosen running mate Kamala Harris were about to do their first joint public appearance. | | üö®ü…
(2020-08-15). The Birth of a Global Nation: What Makes a Modern Rhodes Scholar? dissidentvoice.org 
Clinton, Talbott, Rice In my previous article, I discussed the role of the Brookings Institute's founder Strobe Talbott as an integrated part of the puzzle behind Russia Gate and also his indoctrination as a Rhodes Scholar in Oxford alongside his room mate Bill Clinton in 1966. I addressed the rise of the Rhodes Trust in …
(2020-08-15). Russia showed its seriousness on defending intl. law: envoy. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 15 (MNA) — Iranian Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali said that Russia's vote against the unprincipled and destructive US resolution shows its determination to uphold international law and oppose unilateralism.
(2020-08-15). Russia starts production of 1st coronavirus vaccine. yenisafak.com Russia has started production of its first COVID-19 vaccine, the Health Ministry said on Saturday.Initial batches of the vaccine will be earmarked for immunizing doctors and health workers, before going to the general public.Russia officially registered the world's first coronavirus vaccine, developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, on Tuesday.The announcement drew skepticism worldwide as Russia plans to continue the third phase of trials along with the vaccine's production and use.However, Alexander Gintsburg, head of the Gamaleya Research Institute, defended the approach, s…
(2020-08-14). Belarus hands over 32 'Russian mercenaries' KGB accused of 'planning riots' — ignoring Ukraine's extradition demand. rt.com 
A fortnight after their arrest raised eyebrows, and ignoring Ukrainian attempts to extradite most of them, the authorities in Belarus have released 32 Russian citizens they accused of attempting to undermine state security. | The KGB claimed the men were fighters from the Wagner private military contractor company who arrived in the country to prepare for mass riots. Moscow said the 33 detainees — one is a Belarussian citizen and hasn't been transferred to Russia — were indeed security personnel, but Minsk was only the transit point to their final destination. Russia had closed almost all internation…
(2020-08-14). Imperialists Run The Same Tired Old Script Day After Fucking Day. thealtworld.com 
Imperialist pundit and Obama administration cold warrior Michael McFaul recently "Belarusians, inside and outside of the country, have reached out to me this week to ask why the West is so indifferent to their courageous fight for democracy. I can't explain. Can you?" | I am not highlighting this tweet because it is remarkable (except for the extremely dubious claim that anyone ever reaches out to Michael McFaul). I am highlighting it because it is completely unremarkable. | New on…
(2020-08-14). Predatory Capitalism and the Nuclear Threat in the Age of Trump. counterpunch.org 
Daniel Falcone: You recently stated that it has never been more urgent that we repudiate nuclearism in all forms. What rationales do proponents of this put forth? Richard Falk: It is important to view with some skepticism the justifications offered by the governments of nuclear weapons states for retaining the weaponry, and to articulate the
(2020-08-14). Russia unveils new firearm 'Poloz', designed specifically for the police. rt.com 
Russian cops will soon have a brand new sidearm. The Central Scientific Research Institute for Precision Machine Engineering has developed a new pistol, designed specifically for Russia's Police and National Guard. | Based on the Army's semi-automatic pistol 'Udav', the new handgun dubbed 'Poloz' is accurate at a range of up to 50 meters, and can operate in temperatures ranging from -50 to +50 degrees celsius. | "This compact model is smaller and lighter than the standard army handgun and can be used as a concealed carry weapon," said Albert Bakov, CEO of the Research Institute. " It is convenient, reliable an…
(2020-08-14). Trump says he HOPES Russian Sputnik V vaccine works, but US will soon roll out one too. rt.com 
President Donald Trump has expressed the hope that the world's first registered Covid-19 vaccine from Russia will work, but he says the US could have its own ready very soon, after a lengthier trial process. | Production of Russia's Covid-19 vaccine has already begun, and 500 million doses are expected to have been made within the next 12 months. The jab, dubbed 'Sputnik V', is supposed to offer protection from the coronavirus for up to two years. | Asked about the rapidly developed vaccine at a Friday press conference, Trump said he hoped the vaccine would be effective, but claimed the US may soon have good n…
(2020-08-14). FBI lawyer pleads GUILTY to altering email evidence in Trump spying scandal. rt.com 
Former FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith, an important player in the 'Russiagate' investigation into President Donald Trump, is the first person to plead guilty in US attorney John Durham's probe of what's been dubbed 'Spygate.' | Clinesmith was a member of the FBI General Counsel's Office (GCO) assigned to work on the Crossfire Hurricane probe — the name given to the investigation of claims into Trump's ties with Russia during the 2016 election. His attorney, Justin Shur, told the AP news agency on Friday that Clinesmith intends to plead guilty to one count of making a false statement. | An FBI lawyer pled gul…
(2020-08-14). 'You're being used as cannon fodder': Lukashenko urges people to STAY HOME, blames protests on foreign meddling. rt.com 
President Aleksandr Lukashenko has called upon Belarusian citizens to not "go into the streets" and to avoid protests, blaming foreign agents for stoking the unrest that has gripped the country after the controversial election. | "Don't go out into the streets now! Understand that you and your children are being used as cannon fodder," Lukashenko said Friday, during a meeting with the country's National Security Council. | They've already come here in large numbers from Poland, the Netherlands, Ukraine, from this 'Open Russia' — [Russian opposition figure Alexey] Navalny and so on and so forth. The aggres…
(2020-08-14). All Vaccines Are Unsafe. Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 Vaccine Now Available. globalresearch.ca On August 11, Russia registered the first vaccine for use against COVID-19, named Sputnik V. More on this development below. | *** | Toxins in vaccines make them hazardous to human health. | Time and again, they cause diseases they're promoted as protection …
(2020-08-14). Russia to Start the Production of Its COVID-19 Vaccine in Cuba. globalresearch.ca Russia's Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Chief Executive Officer Kiril Dmitriev announced that Cuba could begin producing the COVID-19 vaccine, the Sputnik V, in November. | "Cuba has a large capacity to produce medicines and vaccines with highly qualified staff. We could …
(2020-08-14). Best COVID-19 vaccine 'may not be the first'. imperial.ac.uk In a week in which Russia approved its 'Sputnik V' coronavirus vaccine, a leading Imperial expert sounds a note of caution on the need for data.
(2020-08-14). US Space Force Faults Russia, China For 'Militarizing Space'. popularresistance.org US defense leaders have firmly pointed the finger at Russia and China as the raison d'etre for the US Space Force (USSF), claiming the nations have "militarized space," requiring the US to respond. However, what is really threatened is US space superiority, as the Pentagon has tested space weapons for decades. US Space Command has raised warning bells about the challenging of US superiority in space since at least its 1997 "Vision for 2020," but it was only in December 2019 that the USSF was formally created by US President Donald Trump. | In February 2020, Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. John W. "Jay"
(2020-08-14). Pompeo Regrets UNSC Rejected 'Reasonable' Resolution on Extension of Iran Arms Embargo. sputniknews.com Iran has faced arms a United States embargo since 2007, now set to expire in two months under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal, from which the US unilaterally withdrew in May 2018.
(2020-08-14). CIA Behind Guccifer & Russiagate — a Plausible Scenario. strategic-culture.org William Binney is the former technical director of the U.S. National Security Agency who worked at the agency for 30 years. He is a respected independent critic of how American intelligence services abuse their powers to illegally spy on private communications of U.S. citizens and around the globe. Given his expert inside knowledge, it is worth paying attention to what Binney says. | In a media
(2020-08-14). US declined Russia's help offer on vaccine: Report. yenisafak.com The US allegedly declined Russia's help offer over the coronavirus vaccine, Russian officials told CNN. | The officials, who spoke anonymously, said Thursday that they proposed "unprecedented cooperation" with the US' Operation Warp Speed, a governmental program that aims to begin delivering millions of doses of an effective virus vaccine by the end of 2020. However, they claimed the US "is not currently open" for cooperation. | The remarks came days after Russia announced Tuesday it had developed a coronavirus vaccine. | They added that Russia maintains its will to share information about the vaccine and allow t…
(2020-08-14). Sri Lankan prime minister admits US is behind Colombo Port deal with India. wsws.org The Colombo Port workers' struggle has demonstrated that the US and India want Sri Lanka tied to their strategic and military moves against nuclear-armed China.
(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). Extensive foreign interference in Belarus attempting to 'destabilize' country, but it's not coming from Moscow – Russian MFA. rt.com 
The Russian Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman said on Thursday that Moscow has seen evidence of outside meddling in the unrest currently engulfing neighboring Belarus. But Maria Zakharova said Russia is not one of the guilty parties. | The diplomat told a briefing that "unprecedented pressure" is being exerted by individual foreign actors. She insisted that their goal is to destabilize the situation and split society in the landlocked Eastern European country. | At the same time, however, Zakharova emphasized that Moscow is concerned about the violence witnessed on the streets of Belarusian cities and towns since…
(2020-08-13). $600 billion: Despite Covid-19 crisis & falling oil prices, Russia's gold & foreign exchange reserves reach all-time high. rt.com 
The value of Russia's gold and foreign currency holdings has risen by almost $9 billion in a week. This means it's sitting on $600 billion in forex reserves — an all-time record beating August 2008's previous high of $598 billion. | That was just before the global financial crisis, or 'Great Recession', which wreaked havoc worldwide towards the end of the 2000s. Back then, the slush fund started to dwindle rapidly, due to the economic crisis, and lost over $100 billion in value in the following three months. | Lightning's unlikely to strike twice, however, as Russia's transformed its holdings in the inte…
(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 …
(2020-08-13). 'Urgent need' to stop erosion of nuclear order, major UN disarmament forum hears. news.un.org The lack of trust and cooperation among States, and the diminished faith in "the very multilateral institution that was designed to maintain global peace and security", must be overcome, a high-level UN official told a prominent disarmament conference on Thursday.
(2020-08-13). Russia's vaccine intensifies global struggle for profits and geopolitical advantage. wsws.org Vladimir Putin's announcement Tuesday that Russia has officially approved a COVID-19 vaccine has intensified the global conflict between national powers and pharmaceutical giants to be the first to mass produce and market a vaccine for the deadly virus.
(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). IAEA must investigate Saudi violation of NPT. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 14 (MNA) — Professor Frank N. von Hippel, former assistant director for national security in the White House Office believes that some US companies are assisting Saudi Arabia with its Nuclear activities.
(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…
(2020-08-12). 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: 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). 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). '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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). 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). '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…