Daily Archives: March 20, 2020

2020-03-20: News Headlines

RT (2020-03-20). International Atomic Energy Agency exposed to Covid-19 as staff member tests positive. rt.com A case of the novel coronavirus has been identified in a staff member at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, the United Nations has said. | The IAEA implemented measures last week allowing personnel at the Vienna center to work remotely from March 16 in line with guidance from Austrian authorities. | The IAEA said earlier this month it would provide diagnostic kits, equipment and training in nuclear-derived detection techniques to countries in need of assistance as the virus spreads rapidly around the world. | There are currently more than 240,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 worldwide and…

RT (2020-03-20). Stanford Professor Michael McFaul dunks on Khamenei… by puzzling over why Iran doesn't use Gregorian calendar. rt.com Ex-ambassador Michael McFaul has taken to Twitter to express astonishment over the start of the Iranian New Year, leading to speculation that he might not know that there are non-Gregorian calendars out there. | The former US envoy to Russia and current Stanford academic found it fitting to mock Iran's supreme leader for commenting on the start of the Iranian (or Persian) New Year, Nowruz. In his tweet, Ali Khamenei had congratulated his country for becoming more self-reliant in the face of US sanctions, but urged for further production boosts in 1399 to help the Islamic Republic recover from Washington's econ…

RT (2020-03-20). Top Doctor at Moscow's leading disease hospital says current Covid-19 crisis will likely last SIX MONTHS. rt.com Coronavirus panic is already threatening a worldwide economic disaster, as millions are forced to live under lockdown. This has left many people wondering how long we can expect these circumstances to endure. | "When I call my parents, I say jokingly: 'see you in September,'" Denis Protsenko has told RT. He's the head doctor of Moscow's main disease hospital in Kommunarka. | Protsenko believes that while the pandemic may slow in summer, it's more like it will be autumn before the siege will be lifted. If the country has a similar experience to China, then the spread will decline in May or June, he believes, bu…

RT (2020-03-20). Russia's gold & near-zero debt give it best chance of thriving in post-coronavirus apocalypse — Max Keiser. rt.com The coronavirus pandemic has popped a quadrillion-dollar financial bubble and we can expect a very deep and prolonged period of adjustment, RT's veteran business commentator Max Keiser believes. | The financial crisis, which many believe we have just entered, stems from the times of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, with the establishment of 'neoliberal' policies "that enriched bankers and destroyed workers by giving bankers free reign to borrow and speculate without oversight or accountability," Keiser told RT. Now, governments will have to adjust to a new reality, and having a low debt and massive reserve…

RT (2020-03-20). Russia testing MULTIPLE prototype Covid-19 vaccines. rt.com Russia's research center of virology and biotechnology, known as the Vector Institute, is testing multiple different vaccine prototypes against Covid-19 in a race to find a cure for the virus behind a global pandemic. | This week, it "began immunogenicity studies in sensitive laboratory animals… of all developed vaccine prototypes," The composition, dose, route of administration of the future vaccine will be determi…

RT (2020-03-20). Coronavirus KO: Russia's Kovalev shares protective suit training video days after Barrera fight canceled (VIDEO). rt.com The outbreak of COVID-19 hasn't just left the sporting calendar decimated, it has also made it far more difficult for top level athletes to train – with certain exceptions. | Golden Boy Promotions announced on Tuesday that they were to cancel the April 25 boxing card at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California, which was to feature Sergey Kovalev taking on Sullivan Barrera as more and more regions within the United States crack down on public gatherings in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. | It was to be the Russian former world champion's first bout since losing by 11th-round knockout to Canelo…

RT (2020-03-20). Senator Burr enabled Russiagaters for years; now they're accusing him of insider trading & coronavirus lies. rt.com Richard Burr, chair of the US Senate Intelligence Committee, has been accused of deceiving the public about the coronavirus outbreak and seeking to profit from it by dumping stocks that are crashing due to the pandemic. | Burr (R-North Carolina) found himself under attack from two directions on Thursday. Early in the day, National Public Radio ran a story based on "secret recordings" from a speech he gave in North Carolina in late February, when he gave oddly specific warnings about Covid-19 to an elite group of donors, while keeping the rest of the American public in the dark. | SCOOP: Secret recording obtain…

RT (2020-03-20). New statue of WWII hero Marshal Zhukov near Red Square stuns Muscovites, but officials say it's temporary. rt.com Marshal Georgy Zhukov was the most famous Nazi hunter of them all, leading the Red Army all the way to Berlin as it crushed the Germans in WWII. However, his Moscow monument has long been considered a tad lame. | Erected in 1995 by order of then-president Boris Yeltsin to mark the 50th anniversary of the victory, it was initially planned to place the statue in Red Square, but this idea fell through as the entire area is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. | The statue has been repeatedly criticized for being poorly proportioned and featuring an inaccurate representation of a horse. Those familiar with…

RT (2020-03-20). Oil price crash not catastrophic for Russian economy — Kremlin. rt.com The current turmoil on the global oil market is not disastrous for Russia, Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Friday, noting the country has a safety cushion. | Russia holds vast gold and foreign exchange reserves to stabilize the economy in times of economic uncertainty. The country's total gold holdings amounted to 73.2 million troy ounces (2,276.8 tons) as of February 1, and are worth around $116 billion, while the country's total reserves have recently eclipsed $580 billion, according to the latest data from the Central Bank of Russia. | "Certainly, the price situation is unpleasant… But…

Gareth Porter (2020-03-20). The New York Times' Insidious Ongoing Disinformation Campaign on Russia and Elections. globalresearch.ca For the past three years the new narrative of Russian interference in U.S. elections has bound corporate news media more tightly than ever to the interests of the national security state. And no outlet has pushed that narrative more aggressively …

Lucas Leiroz de Almeida (2020-03-20). The Baltic States Align Themselves with US-NATO against Russia ? globalresearch.ca In 2017, RAND Corporation published in its associated media Small Wars Journal an

sputniknews (2020-03-20). Moscow Being Shut Down Not Currently on Agenda – Kremlin. sputniknews.com Several media outlets previously claimed that the Russian capital was on lockdown or would be closed soon amid coronavirus fears, but the reports were later debunked.

sputniknews (2020-03-20). Russia, Saudi Arabia Not Engaged in Price Wars – Kremlin. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russia and Saudi Arabia are not engaged in any price war on the oil market, the global situation is unfortunate for oil prices, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday.

sputniknews (2020-03-20). Annual IT Forum of BRICS, SCO Countries in Russia Postponed Due to COVID-19. sputniknews.com KHANTY-MANSIYSK, Russia (Sputnik) – The annual international IT forum of BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) countries will not be taking place this year due to COVID-19 concerns, the department of information technologies of Russia's Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Area (Ugra) said on Friday.

sputniknews (2020-03-20). Watch Tourists Storm Airport Exit in Russia's Krasnoyarsk Amid Coronavirus Mayhem. sputniknews.com On Thursday, the Russian authorities issued a resolution stipulating that all travellers arriving in Russia will have to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine.

sputniknews (2020-03-20). Russian Defence Ministry Sets Up Operational HQs to Prevent Spread of COVID-19 in Armed Forces. sputniknews.com The number of patients infected with COVID-19 in Russia has increased by 52 people over the past 24 hours, the country's operational headquarters for preventing the spread of coronavirus said earlier in the day.

sputniknews (2020-03-20). NATO Boosted Aerial Surveillance Near Russian Borders by 20 Percent in 2019 – Shoigu. sputniknews.com Sergei Shoigu has pointed out that "a number of countries use any pretext to build up a military presence near Russia's borders".

George Stacey (2020-03-20). Does Russia have Donald Trump's sex tape? nationofchange.org Trump is the only U.S. president who doesn't see Putin as a threat to the United States.

teleSUR (2020-03-18). Indian Court Rules in Favor of Women Navy Officers. telesurenglish.net India's top court ruled on Tuesday that women officers in the navy be given permanent commissions and allowed to sail on its warships, dismissing the government's contention that men are more suited for such duties. | RELATED: | The court rejected the government's argument that sea sailing duties could not be given to women officers because the Indian Navy operates on vessels of Russian origin that don't have toilet facilities for women.

Jason Ditz (2020-02-20). Turkey Kills Over 50 Syrian Troops, Russian Warplanes Intervene to Halt Offensive. theantimedia.com Russia called the situation a "worst case scenario."

Jason Ditz (2020-02-17). DOJ Investigating Former CIA Director's Role in Russiagate. theantimedia.com The Justice Department is investigating the role of John Brennan in the assessment that Russia interfered in the 2016 election.

Strategic Culture (2020-02-08). US Deploys 'Mini-Nukes' in Deplorable Threat to World Peace. theantimedia.com These so-called "mini-nukes" represent—despite the diminutive-sounding name—an increased risk of nuclear war.

Tyler Durden (2020-02-08). Iraq and Russia Prepare to Boost Military Ties as US Threatens Sanctions. theantimedia.com Iraq and Russia are preparing for deepening military coordination.

Middle East Eye (2020-02-07). Russia Says Israel Used Civilian Plane as Human Shield During Syria Strikes. theantimedia.com Russia accused Israel of "making a total mockery of the lives of hundreds of innocent civilians."

Jon Rainwater (2019-11-07). Take Action — Some actual, SANE legislation. peaceaction.org Trump has plans to spend nearly $2 TRILLION over the next 30 years on unneeded and unnecessary nuclear weapons and delivery systems. This makes no sense. This is insane. That's nearly $100 million wasted every day for thirty years on weapons we are supposed to be getting rid of. To put that amount in perspective, …

2020-03-20: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media!

The New York Times' Insidious Ongoing Disinformation Campaign on Russia and Elections
Gareth Porter | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-20
For the past three years the new narrative of Russian interference in U.S. elections has bound corporate news media more tightly than ever to the interests of the national security state. And no outlet has pushed that narrative more aggressively …
globalresearch.ca/new-york-times-ongoing-disinformation-campaign-russia-elections/5706855

New statue of WWII hero Marshal Zhukov near Red Square stuns Muscovites, but officials say it's temporary
rt.com | 2020-03-20
Marshal Georgy Zhukov was the most famous Nazi hunter of them all, leading the Red Army all the way to Berlin as it crushed the Germans in WWII. However, his Moscow monument has long been considered a tad lame. | Erected in 1995 by order of then-president Boris Yeltsin to mark the 50th anniversary of the victory, it was initially planned to place the statue in Red Square, but this idea fell through as the entire area is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. | The statue has been repeatedly criticized for being poorly proportioned and featuring an inaccurate representation of a horse. Those familiar with…
rt.com/russia/483629-new-zhukov-statue-red-square/

International Atomic Energy Agency exposed to Covid-19 as staff member tests positive
rt.com | 2020-03-20
A case of the novel coronavirus has been identified in a staff member at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, the United Nations has said. | The IAEA implemented measures last week allowing personnel at the Vienna center to work remotely from March 16 in line with guidance from Austrian authorities. | The IAEA said earlier this month it would provide diagnostic kits, equipment and training in nuclear-derived detection techniques to countries in need of assistance as the virus spreads rapidly around the world. | There are currently more than 240,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 worldwide and…
rt.com/news/483653-iaea-staff-member-coronavirus/

Russia testing MULTIPLE prototype Covid-19 vaccines
rt.com | 2020-03-20
Russia's research center of virology and biotechnology, known as the Vector Institute, is testing multiple different vaccine prototypes against Covid-19 in a race to find a cure for the virus behind a global pandemic. | This week, it "began immunogenicity studies in sensitive laboratory animals… of all developed vaccine prototypes," said consumer watchdog agency Rospotrebnadzor in a statement on Friday. | The composition, dose, route of administration of the future vaccine will be determi…
rt.com/russia/483569-vector-coronavirus-vaccine-testing/

The Baltic States Align Themselves with US-NATO against Russia ?
Lucas Leiroz de Almeida | globalresearch.ca | 2020-03-20
In 2017, RAND Corporation published in its associated media Small Wars Journal an article by the researchers Marta Kepe and Jan Osburg, outlining a strategic defense plan for the Baltic countries in the event of a Russian invasion. The authors …
globalresearch.ca/baltic-countries-interested-increase-role-international-scene/5706882

Coronavirus KO: Russia's Kovalev shares protective suit training video days after Barrera fight canceled (VIDEO)
rt.com | 2020-03-20
The outbreak of COVID-19 hasn't just left the sporting calendar decimated, it has also made it far more difficult for top level athletes to train – with certain exceptions. | Golden Boy Promotions announced on Tuesday that they were to cancel the April 25 boxing card at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California, which was to feature Sergey Kovalev taking on Sullivan Barrera as more and more regions within the United States crack down on public gatherings in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. | It was to be the Russian former world champion's first bout since losing by 11th-round knockout to Canelo…
rt.com/sport/483672-sergey-kovalev-coronavirus-sparring/

Stanford Professor Michael McFaul dunks on Khamenei… by puzzling over why Iran doesn't use Gregorian calendar
rt.com | 2020-03-20
Ex-ambassador Michael McFaul has taken to Twitter to express astonishment over the start of the Iranian New Year, leading to speculation that he might not know that there are non-Gregorian calendars out there. | The former US envoy to Russia and current Stanford academic found it fitting to mock Iran's supreme leader for commenting on the start of the Iranian (or Persian) New Year, Nowruz. In his tweet, Ali Khamenei had congratulated his country for becoming more self-reliant in the face of US sanctions, but urged for further production boosts in 1399 to help the Islamic Republic recover from Washington's econ…
rt.com/news/483574-mcfaul-iran-new-year-calendar/

Senator Burr enabled Russiagaters for years; now they're accusing him of insider trading & coronavirus lies
rt.com | 2020-03-20
Richard Burr, chair of the US Senate Intelligence Committee, has been accused of deceiving the public about the coronavirus outbreak and seeking to profit from it by dumping stocks that are crashing due to the pandemic. | Burr (R-North Carolina) found himself under attack from two directions on Thursday. Early in the day, National Public Radio ran a story based on "secret recordings" from a speech he gave in North Carolina in late February, when he gave oddly specific warnings about Covid-19 to an elite group of donors, while keeping the rest of the American public in the dark. | SCOOP: Secret recording obtain…
rt.com/usa/483567-burr-insider-trading-coronavirus/

Top Doctor at Moscow's leading disease hospital says current Covid-19 crisis will likely last SIX MONTHS
rt.com | 2020-03-20
Coronavirus panic is already threatening a worldwide economic disaster, as millions are forced to live under lockdown. This has left many people wondering how long we can expect these circumstances to endure. | "When I call my parents, I say jokingly: 'see you in September,'" Denis Protsenko has told RT. He's the head doctor of Moscow's main disease hospital in Kommunarka. | Protsenko believes that while the pandemic may slow in summer, it's more like it will be autumn before the siege will be lifted. If the country has a similar experience to China, then the spread will decline in May or June, he believes, bu…
rt.com/russia/483646-coronavirus-kommunarka-hospital-head-doctor/

Moscow Being Shut Down Not Currently on Agenda – Kremlin
sputniknews.com | 2020-03-20
Several media outlets previously claimed that the Russian capital was on lockdown or would be closed soon amid coronavirus fears, but the reports were later debunked.
sputniknews.com/russia/202003201078641822-kremlin-rules-out-shutting-down-moscow-amid-coronavirus-pandemic/

Russia, Saudi Arabia Not Engaged in Price Wars – Kremlin
sputniknews.com | 2020-03-20
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russia and Saudi Arabia are not engaged in any price war on the oil market, the global situation is unfortunate for oil prices, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday.
sputniknews.com/business/202003201078641702-russia-saudi-arabia-not-engaged-in-price-wars—kremlin/

Watch Tourists Storm Airport Exit in Russia's Krasnoyarsk Amid Coronavirus Mayhem
sputniknews.com | 2020-03-20
On Thursday, the Russian authorities issued a resolution stipulating that all travellers arriving in Russia will have to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine.
sputniknews.com/russia/202003201078640829-watch-tourists-storm-airport-exit-in-russias-krasnoyarsk-amid-coronavirus-mayhem/

NATO Boosted Aerial Surveillance Near Russian Borders by 20 Percent in 2019 – Shoigu
sputniknews.com | 2020-03-20
Sergei Shoigu has pointed out that "a number of countries use any pretext to build up a military presence near Russia's borders".
sputniknews.com/russia/202003201078641082-nato-boosted-aerial-surveillance-near-russian-borders-by-20-percent-in-2019-shoigu/

Annual IT Forum of BRICS, SCO Countries in Russia Postponed Due to COVID-19
sputniknews.com | 2020-03-20
KHANTY-MANSIYSK, Russia (Sputnik) – The annual international IT forum of BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) countries will not be taking place this year due to COVID-19 concerns, the department of information technologies of Russia's Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Area (Ugra) said on Friday.
sputniknews.com/world/202003201078641058-annual-it-forum-of-brics-sco-countries-in-russia-postponed-due-to-covid-19/

Russian Defence Ministry Sets Up Operational HQs to Prevent Spread of COVID-19 in Armed Forces
sputniknews.com | 2020-03-20
The number of patients infected with COVID-19 in Russia has increased by 52 people over the past 24 hours, the country's operational headquarters for preventing the spread of coronavirus said earlier in the day.
sputniknews.com/russia/202003201078640977-russian-mod-sets-up-operational-hqs-covid-19-in-armed-forces/

Does Russia have Donald Trump's sex tape?
George Stacey | nationofchange.org | 2020-03-20
Trump is the only U.S. president who doesn't see Putin as a threat to the United States.
nationofchange.org/2020/03/19/does-russia-have-donald-trumps-sex-tape/

Indian Court Rules in Favor of Women Navy Officers
telesurenglish.net | 2020-03-18
India's top court ruled on Tuesday that women officers in the navy be given permanent commissions and allowed to sail on its warships, dismissing the government's contention that men are more suited for such duties. | RELATED: | One Woman Reports a Rape Every 15 Minutes in India | The court rejected the government's argument that sea sailing duties could not be given to women officers because the Indian Navy operates on vessels of Russian origin that don't have toilet facilities for women.
telesurenglish.net/news/Indian-Court-Rules-in-Favor-of-Women-Navy-Officers-20200318-0025.html

Turkey Kills Over 50 Syrian Troops, Russian Warplanes Intervene to Halt Offensive
Jason Ditz | theantimedia.com | 2020-02-20
Russia called the situation a "worst case scenario."

Turkey Kills Over 50 Syrian Troops, Russian Warplanes Intervene to Halt Offensive