Daily Archives: May 18, 2020

2020-05-18: News Headlines

Abdallah El Harif — Vijay Prashad (2020-05-18). The Bouficha Appeal: Universal Call for Humanity to End Militarism and Stop War. counterpunch.org On March 15, 1950, the World Peace Council sent out the Stockholm Appeal, a short text that called for a ban on nuclear weapons and that would eventually be signed by almost 2 million people. The appeal was made up of three elegant sentences: + We demand the outlawing of atomic weapons as instruments of

Karl Grossman (2020-05-18). The Coming Nuclear Menace: Hypersonic Missiles. zcomm.org These weapons need to be outlawed, not produced and purchased en masse…

South Front (2020-05-17). Video: Syrian Army Suffers Casualties in Daraa. Militants Attack Russian-Turkish Patrol. globalresearch.ca The security situation has been escalating in southern Syria. Over the past 24 hours, at least 3 pro-government fighters and a civilian have been killed in attacks by gunmen in al-Musayfrah and Saida-al-Taebah. The attacks followed the March 14 and …

Gregory Shupak (2020-05-17). Corporate Media Setting Stage for New Cold War With China. commondreams.org Corporate media distortions and bombast are priming the American public to see China as a treacherous villain that has to be forcefully confronted, perhaps with violence. (Photo: Thomas Peter-Pool/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/china_0.png

Abdallah El Harif (2020-05-15). A universal appeal for humanity to end militarism and stop war. peoplesdispatch.org On March 15, 1950, the World Peace Council sent out the Stockholm Appeal, a short text that called for a ban on nuclear weapons and that would eventually be signed by almost 2 million people. The appeal was made up of three elegant sentences: | -We demand the outlawing of atomic weapons as instruments of intimidation and mass murder of peoples. We demand strict international control to enforce this measure. | -We believe that any government which first uses atomic weapons against any other country whatsoever will be committing a crime against humanity and should be dealt with as a war criminal. | -We call on a…

news.un (2020-05-15). Millions of migrants across Russia, Central Asia, 'teetering on the brink', as UN launches urgent appeal. news.un.org The International Organization for Migration (IOM) launched an urgent $7 million appeal on Thursday, to ease the impact of COVID-19 on migrant communities in five Central Asian countries and the Russian Federation, where the pandemic is pushing a growing number of migrant workers into poverty.

Aaron Maté (2020-05-11). Bombshell: Crowdstrike admits 'no evidence' Russia stole emails from DNC server. thegrayzone.com Crowdstrike, the firm behind the Russian email hacking allegation at the core of Russiagate, makes a bombshell admission: "We did…

I.V. Sta (2020-05-09). Eyewitness: Russia's 70th V-Day. liberationnews.org In addition to beautiful parades, fireworks and concerts, I was able to witness multitudes of people sharing with each other something wholly priceless: the gratitude of being alive thanks to those who fought fascism.

Ben Norton (2020-05-08). Russian journalists accuse NY Times of stealing stories that earned it Pulitzer Prize — for second time. thegrayzone.com The New York Times has apparently stolen its Pulitzer Prize-winning stories from Russian journalists — the same liberal anti-Putin reporters…

Jon Rainwater (2020-04-23). A Myriad of Ways to Wage Peace During These Times. peaceaction.org As we shelter in our homes to protect ourselves from this global pandemic, we wanted to share some of the many ways you can remain active and impactful in the work for a more peaceful world. Peace Action has long been a leader in organizing international conferences, marches, and rallies around the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty …

Roxanne George (2020-04-04). Call Congress to commemorate the anniversary of the Kings Bay Plowshares Seven's nuclear weapons protest. kingsbayplowshares7.org Tell Congress that now, more than ever, it's time to wash our hands of Trident. On April 4, 2018, seven anti-nuclear activists, known as the Kings Bay Plowshares 7, entered the Kings Bay Naval Base in Camden County in Georgia to protest the nuclear weapons based there. The Kings Bay Plowshares 7 carried out their…

Paul Dobson (2020-03-30). Rosneft Dodges US Sanctions by Transferring Venezuela Operations to Russian State Firm. venezuelanalysis.com Moscow insists that its support for the Venezuelan government and role in its oil industry will remain unchanged.

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.

sputniknews (2020-05-18). Easy as Pie: Russian MoD Releases Video Showing Air-to-Air Refuelling of Sukhoi Fighter Jets. sputniknews.com The process itself was carried out by an Ilyushin-78 four-engine tanker, which is capable of refuelling up to ten jets during a single flight. Additionally, more than 20 Su-24M, Su-34, and Su-30 jets practiced air combat manoeuvring.

sputniknews (2020-05-18). Six of Russian State Duma Members Diagnosed With COVID-19 – Speaker's Aide. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Six of 450 members of the State Duma, the Russian parliament's lower house, have been diagnosed with COVID-19, Anastasia Kashevarova, an aide to the State Duma Chairman, said on Monday.

sputniknews (2020-05-18). Putin, Erdogan Discuss Coronavirus Response, Situation in Syria and Libya. sputniknews.com ANKARA (Sputnik) – Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan have discussed cooperation on the coronavirus fight and the situation in Syria, both the Kremlin and the office of the Turkish president said Monday.

sputniknews (2020-05-18). US Attorney General Barr Accuses Apple of Cooperating With Chinese, Russian Governments. sputniknews.com Earlier, Apple refused to help American law enforcement unlock data on its smartphones, namely the one possessed by a Saudi cadet responsible for a mass shooting at a Pensacola military base in 2019. However, there is no evidence that the tech giant ever provided such services to either Moscow or Beijing.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-18). VIDEO: Russian envoy talks of Iran, Russia bilateral relation, regional issues. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 18 (MNA) — In an exclusive interview with Mehr News Agency, Russian Ambassador to Tehran Levan Dzhagaryan talked of Tehran-Moscow bilateral relations, as well as the recent developments in Syria and region.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-18). Russia terms US struggles to retain JCPOA rights 'groundless'. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 18 (MNA) — Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations says the US efforts to retain rights of partnership in the 2015 nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, are groundless since Washington has already withdrawn from the pact.

en.mehrnews (2020-05-18). Russia sends three batches of fabric for face masks to Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 18 (MNA) —Russia has delivered to Iran three batches of fabric for manufacturing face masks, a press attache of the Russian diplomatic mission Andrei Ganenko said.

Anand Naidoo (2020-05-06). The Heat: COVID-19 impact on U.S.-China relations & Russia battles coronavirus. america.cgtn.com China-U.S. relations under strain over COVID-19. And, Russia battles coronavirus.

RT (2020-05-18). Dump the dollar: Russia has now gotten rid of over 96% of its US debt holdings. rt.com Moscow has continued to sell off US Treasury securities, cutting its stockpile by US$8.73 billion in March, according to the latest data from the US Department of the Treasury. | Russia's holdings of US state debt amounted to $3.8 billion in March, compared with $12.5 billion a month earlier. Three years ago, the amount stood at $105 billion. Moscow has liquidated over 96 percent of its holdings in that period. The country's long-term US Treasury securities decreased by $928 million, while short-term securities plunged by $7.8 billion to just $473 million. | Japan remains the biggest holder of US state debt si…

RT (2020-05-17). Putin calls Russia a 'distinct civilization' that needs to be SAVED with homegrown high-tech. rt.com President Vladimir Putin has compared his multi-ethnic and multi-faith nation to an entire civilization, saying that if Russia is to maintain its independent status, it has to develop its own cutting-edge technologies. | In an I…

RT (2020-05-14). Western media concerned coronavirus 'hasn't killed more Russians'. rt.com US and allied media outlets seem frustrated that the pandemic isn't killing more Russians, so they're claiming the death toll is higher, despite a lack of evidence — while insisting Moscow is the one spreading disinformation. | When the number of confirmed coronavirus cases started accelerating in Russia last month, Western media pounced, presuming the increase would be followed by the kind of spike in casualties seen in the US and many European countries. That hasn't happened, and the same outlets that were licking their lips waiting for the Russian body count to explode now seem to feel cheated. | A ne…

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-17). America's Newest Wedge Issue and the Tale of the Bizarre 2020 Presidential Elections. strategic-culture.org The answer to 1776 is not 1984 and if anything needs to be protested it would be any efforts by the government to make elections "go digital". Ironically such a move would actually be the way that the Chinese and Russians could actually get the guy they want in the Oval Office.

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-17). The Soviet Union Defeated Germany in World War II — Not the Western Forces. strategic-culture.org Eric MARGOLIS | President Donald Trump claimed last week that the US and Britain had won World War II. This was a shameless lie and distortion of the facts. | Many Americans and Canadians like to believe their nations won the war in Europe and give insufficient recognition to the decisive Soviet role. Most Europeans would rather not think about the matter. By contrast, Russians know that it was their soldiers who really won the war. They remain angry that their military achievements are ignored by American triumphalists and myth-makers. | Not only did Stalin's Soviet Union play the key role in crushing Nazi Germa…

Staff (2020-05-07). How Russia Became the Next COVID-19 Hot Spot: Infection Rate Soars with 10,000 New Cases Each Day. democracynow.org We go to Moscow for an update on the pandemic in Russia, where the coronavirus is spreading rapidly, with at least 10,000 new cases a day and the second-highest infection rate in the world, and more than 100 medical workers have died fighting the virus, and many have reported lack of personal protective equipment. Meanwhile, three Russian healthcare workers mysteriously fell from hospital windows over the past two weeks. Two died, and the one who is hospitalized had posted a video online to note the lack of medical equipment and said he had to keep working despite testing positive. We speak with Joshua Yaffa, Mos…

M. K. Bhadrakumar (2020-05-15). Russia makes a botch of its Syrian alliance. iranian.com Russia's relationships with its client states have never been easy. Of course, managing client states is always a complicated exercise. The Kremlin's cupboard is full of skeletons — Hungary (1956), Czechoslovakia (1968), Cuba (1962), Afghanistan (1980), Ukraine (2014) and so on. What complicates Russia's relationship with Syria is that two strong-willed, highly self-opinionated leaders are also …

Zero Hedge (2020-05-14). "My Job Is To Make Syria A Quagmire For The Russians": CIA Doctrine Made Official Policy. iranian.com Like with the disastrous Iraq quagmire years before the US war machine came to Syria under Obama, Washington's rationale and justification for occupying the Syrian Arab Republic has shifted and changed drastically multiple times over. When ultimately what started as US covert regime change efforts targeting Assad failed (based ostensibly in "protecting civilians"), the official mission then …

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."

2020-05-18: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media! (Copy the text of the postee below, then paste it on social media and the story images will also appear.)

The Coming Nuclear Menace: Hypersonic Missiles
Karl Grossman | counterpunch.org | 2020-05-18
The United States is seeking to acquire "volumes of hundreds or even thousands" of nuclear-capable hypersonic missiles that are "stealthy" and can fly undetected at 3,600 miles per hour, five times faster than the speed of sound. Why so many? A Pentagon official is quoted in the current issue of Aviation Week & Space Technology as saying "we have to be careful we're not building boutique weapons. If we build boutique weapons, we won't–we'll be very reluctant to–use them." | …
counterpunch.org/2020/05/18/the-coming-nuclear-menace-hypersonic-missiles/

The Coming Nuclear Menace: Hypersonic Missiles
Karl Grossman | zcomm.org | 2020-05-18
These weapons need to be outlawed, not produced and purchased en masse…
zcomm.org/znetarticle/the-coming-nuclear-menace-hypersonic-missiles/

Video: Syrian Army Suffers Casualties in Daraa. Militants Attack Russian-Turkish Patrol
South Front | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-17
The security situation has been escalating in southern Syria. Over the past 24 hours, at least 3 pro-government fighters and a civilian have been killed in attacks by gunmen in al-Musayfrah and Saida-al-Taebah. The attacks followed the March 14 and …
globalresearch.ca/video-syrian-army-suffers-casualties-daraa-militants-attack-russian-turkish-patrol/5713174

Corporate Media Setting Stage for New Cold War With China
Gregory Shupak | commondreams.org | 2020-05-17
Corporate media distortions and bombast are priming the American public to see China as a treacherous villain that has to be forcefully confronted, perhaps with violence. (Photo: Thomas Peter-Pool/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/china_0.png
commondreams.org/views/2020/05/17/corporate-media-setting-stage-new-cold-war-china?cd-origin=rss

A universal appeal for humanity to end militarism and stop war
Abdallah El Harif | peoplesdispatch.org | 2020-05-15
On March 15, 1950, the World Peace Council sent out the Stockholm Appeal, a short text that called for a ban on nuclear weapons and that would eventually be signed by almost 2 million people. The appeal was made up of three elegant sentences: | -We demand the outlawing of atomic weapons as instruments of intimidation and mass murder of peoples. We demand strict international control to enforce this measure. | -We believe that any government which first uses atomic weapons against any other country whatsoever will be committing a crime against humanity and should be dealt with as a war criminal. | -We call on a…
peoplesdispatch.org/2020/05/15/a-universal-appeal-for-humanity-to-end-militarism-and-stop-war/

Millions of migrants across Russia, Central Asia, 'teetering on the brink', as UN launches urgent appeal
news.un.org | 2020-05-15
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) launched an urgent $7 million appeal on Thursday, to ease the impact of COVID-19 on migrant communities in five Central Asian countries and the Russian Federation, where the pandemic is pushing a growing number of migrant workers into poverty.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2020/05/1064182

Bombshell: Crowdstrike admits 'no evidence' Russia stole emails from DNC server
Aaron Maté | thegrayzone.com | 2020-05-11
Crowdstrike, the firm behind the Russian email hacking allegation at the core of Russiagate, makes a bombshell admission: "We did…
thegrayzone.com/2020/05/11/bombshell-crowdstrike-admits-no-evidence-russia-stole-emails-from-dnc-server/

Eyewitness: Russia's 70th V-Day
I.V. Sta | liberationnews.org | 2020-05-09
In addition to beautiful parades, fireworks and concerts, I was able to witness multitudes of people sharing with each other something wholly priceless: the gratitude of being alive thanks to those who fought fascism.
liberationnews.org/eyewitness-russias-70th-v-day-2/

A Myriad of Ways to Wage Peace During These Times
Jon Rainwater | peaceaction.org | 2020-04-23
As we shelter in our homes to protect ourselves from this global pandemic, we wanted to share some of the many ways you can remain active and impactful in the work for a more peaceful world. Peace Action has long been a leader in organizing international conferences, marches, and rallies around the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty …
peaceaction.org/2020/04/23/wage-peace-during-pandemic/

Putin, Erdogan Discuss Coronavirus Response, Situation in Syria and Libya
sputniknews.com | 2020-05-18
ANKARA (Sputnik) – Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan have discussed cooperation on the coronavirus fight and the situation in Syria, both the Kremlin and the office of the Turkish president said Monday.
sputniknews.com/world/202005181079341632-putin-erdogan-discuss-coronavirus-response-situation-in-syria-and-libya/

Six of Russian State Duma Members Diagnosed With COVID-19 – Speaker's Aide
sputniknews.com | 2020-05-18
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Six of 450 members of the State Duma, the Russian parliament's lower house, have been diagnosed with COVID-19, Anastasia Kashevarova, an aide to the State Duma Chairman, said on Monday.
sputniknews.com/russia/202005181079342663-six-of-russian-state-duma-members-diagnosed-with-covid-19—speakers-aide/

Easy as Pie: Russian MoD Releases Video Showing Air-to-Air Refuelling of Sukhoi Fighter Jets
sputniknews.com | 2020-05-18
The process itself was carried out by an Ilyushin-78 four-engine tanker, which is capable of refuelling up to ten jets during a single flight. Additionally, more than 20 Su-24M, Su-34, and Su-30 jets practiced air combat manoeuvring.
sputniknews.com/military/202005181079340722-easy-as-pie-russian-mod-releases-video-showing-air-to-air-refuelling-of-sukhoi-fighter-jets/

US Attorney General Barr Accuses Apple of Cooperating With Chinese, Russian Governments
sputniknews.com | 2020-05-18
Earlier, Apple refused to help American law enforcement unlock data on its smartphones, namely the one possessed by a Saudi cadet responsible for a mass shooting at a Pensacola military base in 2019. However, there is no evidence that the tech giant ever provided such services to either Moscow or Beijing.
sputniknews.com/us/202005181079342821-us-attorney-general-barr-accuses-apple-of-cooperating-with-chinese-russian-governments/

Russia sends three batches of fabric for face masks to Iran
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-05-18
TEHRAN, May 18 (MNA) –Russia has delivered to Iran three batches of fabric for manufacturing face masks, a press attache of the Russian diplomatic mission Andrei Ganenko said.
en.mehrnews.com/news/158816/Russia-sends-three-batches-of-fabric-for-face-masks-to-Iran

VIDEO: Russian envoy talks of Iran, Russia bilateral relation, regional issues
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-05-18
TEHRAN, May 18 (MNA)

Russia terms US struggles to retain JCPOA rights 'groundless'
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-05-18
TEHRAN, May 18 (MNA)

The Heat: COVID-19 impact on U.S.-China relations & Russia battles coronavirus
Anand Naidoo | america.cgtn.com | 2020-05-06
China-U.S. relations under strain over COVID-19. And, Russia battles coronavirus.
america.cgtn.com/2020/05/06/the-heat-covid-19-impact-on-u-s-china-relations-russia-battles-coronavirus

Dump the dollar: Russia has now gotten rid of over 96% of its US debt holdings
rt.com | 2020-05-18
Moscow has continued to sell off US Treasury securities, cutting its stockpile by US$8.73 billion in March, according to the latest data from the US Department of the Treasury. | Russia's holdings of US state debt amounted to $3.8 billion in March, compared with $12.5 billion a month earlier. Three years ago, the amount stood at $105 billion. Moscow has liquidated over 96 percent of its holdings in that period. The country's long-term US Treasury securities decreased by $928 million, while short-term securities plunged by $7.8 billion to just $473 million. | Japan remains the biggest holder of US state debt si…
rt.com/business/488928-russia-dumps-us-dollar-debt/

Putin calls Russia a 'distinct civilization' that needs to be SAVED with homegrown high-tech
rt.com | 2020-05-17
President Vladimir Putin has compared his multi-ethnic and multi-faith nation to an entire civilization, saying that if Russia is to maintain its independent status, it has to develop its own cutting-edge technologies. | In an interview that aired on Sunday, Putin told the Rossiya-1 channel that Russia was "more than merely a country, but truly a distinct civilization." Being "a multi-ethnic country with many traditions, cultures and faiths," the nation has to maintain its status and power by nurturing modern tech, he said. | I…
rt.com/russia/488904-putin-russia-distinct-civilization/

Western media concerned coronavirus 'hasn't killed more Russians'
rt.com | 2020-05-14
US and allied media outlets seem frustrated that the pandemic isn't killing more Russians, so they're claiming the death toll is higher, despite a lack of evidence

America's Newest Wedge Issue and the Tale of the Bizarre 2020 Presidential Elections
Andrey Areshev | strategic-culture.org | 2020-05-17
The answer to 1776 is not 1984 and if anything needs to be protested it would be any efforts by the government to make elections "go digital". Ironically such a move would actually be the way that the Chinese and Russians could actually get the guy they want in the Oval Office.
strategic-culture.org/video/2020/05/17/americas-newest-wedge-issue-and-tale-bizarre-2020-elections/

How Russia Became the Next COVID-19 Hot Spot: Infection Rate Soars with 10,000 New Cases Each Day
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-05-07
We go to Moscow for an update on the pandemic in Russia, where the coronavirus is spreading rapidly, with at least 10,000 new cases a day and the second-highest infection rate in the world, and more than 100 medical workers have died fighting the virus, and many have reported lack of personal protective equipment. Meanwhile, three Russian healthcare workers mysteriously fell from hospital windows over the past two weeks. Two died, and the one who is hospitalized had posted a video online to note the lack of medical equipment and said he had to keep working despite testing positive. We speak with Joshua Yaffa, Mos…
www.democracynow.org/2020/5/7/russia_spike_in_coronavirus_cases_joshua

Lenin, 150 years on
pip.hinman | greenleft.org.au | 2020-05-16
Socialism Julian CoppensIssue 1266 Australia Paris Commune Social Democratic Labour Party of RussiaMay 16, 2020For Stalinists and liberals, Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, better known…
greenleft.org.au/content/lenin-150-years

Russia makes a botch of its Syrian alliance
M. K. Bhadrakumar | iranian.com | 2020-05-15
Russia's relationships with its client states have never been easy. Of course, managing client states is always a complicated exercise. The Kremlin's cupboard is full of skeletons

"My Job Is To Make Syria A Quagmire For The Russians": CIA Doctrine Made Official Policy
Zero Hedge | iranian.com | 2020-05-14
Like with the disastrous Iraq quagmire years before the US war machine came to Syria under Obama, Washington's rationale and justification for occupying the Syrian Arab Republic has shifted and changed drastically multiple times over. When ultimately what started as US covert regime change efforts targeting Assad failed (based ostensibly in "protecting civilians"), the official mission then …
iranian.com/2020/05/13/my-job-is-to-make-syria-a-quagmire-for-the-russians-cia-doctrine-made-official-policy/