2020-12-23: News Headlines

South Front (2020-12-23). Video: US Navy Deploys Nuclear Submarine to Persian Gulf Amid Heightened Tensions with Iran. globalresearch.ca The Ohio-class nuclear submarine USS Georgia along with the guided-missile cruisers USS Port Royal and USS Philippine Sea transited the Strait of Hormuz and entered the Persian Gulf, the US Navy announced on December 21. | The guided-missile submarine USS Georgia …

Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (2020-12-23). VIPS MEMO: To Biden: Don't be Suckered on Russia. globalresearch.ca MEMORANDUM FOR: The President-elect | FROM: Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS) | SUBJECT: Attempts to Sucker You Into Russia-Bashing | Dear President-elect Biden, | "Fool Me Once …" You may recall that President George W. Bush could not remember the last …

Max Parry (2020-12-23). Don't Blame the Soviets for the War in Nagorno-Karabakh. globalresearch.ca In the final week of September, an Azerbaijani offensive renewed hostilities in the perennial armed conflict and territorial dispute in the South Caucasus between Armenia and its neighbor over the Nagorno-Karabakh ("Mountainous Karabakh") region. | By October, the clashes had escalated …

WSWS (2020-12-23). Russia imposes sanctions on German officials as Navalny story assumes farcical character. wsws.org For the imperialist powers, no lie is too big, and no story too absurd, to not be employed in the service of war propaganda.

Online News Editor (2020-12-23). Trump pardons Russia inquiry figures, Blackwater guards, Republicans. laprensalatina.com Washington, Dec 22 (efe-epa).- Outgoing United States president Donald Trump granted clemency to 20 people on Tuesday, including two convicted over the Russia inquiry, three former Republican congressmen implicated in corruption, and four Blackwater guards convicted in relation to the killing of Iraqi civilians. The White House announced Trump granted full pardons to 15 people, …

Mehr News Agency (2020-12-23). Ryabkov says Russia expect nothing good from Joe Biden gov. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 23 (MNA) — Russian deputy foreign minister says the country does not expect a positive change in Moscow-Washington relations during the Biden administration.

RT (2020-12-22). Putin signs legislation strengthening lifetime immunity from prosecution for former Russian presidents & their family members. rt.com Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a new law that will ensure lifetime immunity from prosecution for former presidents of Russia after they leave office, also extending protections to the families of ex-heads of state. | In practice, it means that Putin can't be taken to court for criminal or administrative offences after leaving the Kremlin. The same rules will apply to Dmitry Medvedev, who held the position from 2008-2012, and all future office holders. The new set-up was included in constitutional amendments, approved by a public vote in June, that made significant changes to Russia's system of gov…

Andrew Korybko (2020-12-22). US Cyber Spy Scandal: Pompeo Blames Russia, Trump Blames China. Why? globalresearch.ca The contradictory claims from Secretary of State Pompeo and President Trump blaming Russia and China respectively for carrying out what's been described by many as one of the most intrusive cyber espionage operations against America in history are confusing for …

teleSUR (2020-12-22). No Russian Troops in Central African Republic, Ambassador Says. telesurenglish.net Vladimir Titorenko, the Russian ambassador to the Central African Republic (CAR), denied that his country had sent military personnel to assist local authorities in the fight against rebel groups. | RELATED: | "Apart from the five members of the Russian Defense Ministry's mission to the CAR Defense Ministry in Bangui and the 14 Russian officers of the UN peacekeeping mission MINURCA, there are no other Russian military personnel here," the diplomat said.

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2020-12-22). Cruz and Graham Working to Block Biden From Rejoining Paris Climate and Iran Nuclear Deals. commondreams.org The president-elect has vowed to return to both international agreements, which were finalized during the Obama administration. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-1229089532.png

news.un (2020-12-22). Iran nuclear deal: 'Heated rhetoric and the heightened risk of miscalculation' widen differences. news.un.org Although the landmark Iran nuclear deal could improve regional stability if fully implemented, increased tensions have highlighted the risks posed by escalation, the UN's Political and Peacebuilding Affairs chief told the Security Council on Tuesday.

Fight Back (2020-12-21). Today is Stalin's birthday. fightbacknews.org December 21 marks the birthday of Joseph Stalin, leader of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. | Though reviled in the West, Stalin oversaw the period of socialist construction in the USSR. Under his leadership the country abolished illiteracy, unemployment, homelessness, and put an end to Russia's centuries-long history of famines. Under the leadership of Stalin, the USSR played a key role in turning back the tide of fascism and the defeat of Nazi Germany. This victory was not just a victory for the Soviet Union and socialism, but a victory for the peoples of the world…

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-12-21). U.S. Plans to Build a Nuclear Plant on the Moon Is a Major Challenge to Other Great Powers. globalresearch.ca The U.S., via its Space Policy Directive-6 (SPD-6), announced plans to set up a nuclear power plant on the Moon by 2027. The …

Matthew Ehret-Kump (2020-12-21). Today's China Espionage Scandals Revive the Gouzenko Hoax That Unleashed the Cold War. globalresearch.ca Today, a new coordinated psychological operation has been sprung to convince every living patriot across the Five Eyes sphere of influence that the enemy of the free world who lurks behind every conspiracy to overthrow governments, and western values is…China….