Monthly Archives: May 2020

2020-05-08: 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.)

Greece's Renewed Relations with Syria Further Isolates Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean
Paul Antonopoulos | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-08
On Tuesday, the Greek Foreign Ministry finally announced a restoration of relations between Greece and Syria and assigned former ambassador to Syria and Russia, Tasia Athanassiou, as a Special Envoy of Greece's Foreign Ministry for Syria. Greek Foreign Minister …
globalresearch.ca/greece-renewed-relations-syria-isolates-turkey/5712179

China should TRIPLE nuclear arsenal to deter 'warmongering' US, editor of state-run Global Times argues
rt.com | 2020-05-08
China should drastically increase its stockpile of nuclear warheads to dissuade the United States from pursuing its strategic ambitions abroad, the editor of the Global Times has urged. | In a piece published by his own paper, Hu Xijin said China is a "peace-loving nation" that has pledged to never be the first to use nuclear weapons. He argued, however, that Beijing must aim to expand the number of its nuclear warheads to 1,000 to create a powerful deterrent to "shape the attitudes of US elites toward China." The Asian power currently has around 300 nuclear weapons. | He said that bolstering China's nuclear c…
rt.com/news/488157-china-nuclear-warheads-increase-us/

Freedom of Speech Is Under the Gun as the Virus Spreads in Russia
Nadezhda Azhgikhina | thenation.com | 2020-05-08
Freedom of Speech Is Under the Gun as the Virus Spreads in Russia…
thenation.com/article/world/free-speech-russia-coronavirus/

Trump says 'sick man' Comey and 'Sleepy Joe' Biden tried to take him down, warns 'it's all coming out'
rt.com | 2020-05-08
A day after the Justice Department dropped charges against Gen. Michael Flynn, President Trump is accusing Joe Biden and a host of Obama administration officials of trying to sabotage his presidency, saying "it's all coming out." | The Justice Department on Thursday dropped its charges against former national security adviser Gen. Michael Flynn. One of the first Trump officials ensnared in the FBI's 'Russiagate' probe, Flynn's charges were nixed after it emerged that the FBI pushed him to lie in an interview, and kept their investigation open knowing that they had no evidence of wrongdoing. | In a phone interv…
rt.com/usa/488182-trump-biden-russia-coming-out/

Tehran, Moscow emphasize strengthening bilateral, intl. coop
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-05-08
TEHRAN, May 08 (MNA)

Victory Day karaoke: Russian flashmob invites ANYONE to iconic WWII sing-along in 100+ languages
rt.com | 2020-05-08
A one-of-the-kind Russian website has enabled anyone to pay vocal tribute to the 75th anniversary of Nazi Germany's defeat

Bonny & Clyde, who? WATCH 10yo carjacker FLEE Russian cops with 4yo toddler as 'accomplice'
rt.com | 2020-05-08
A 10-year-old boy and his younger sister sparked a bizarre GTA-style car chase in the Siberian city of Tomsk after the pair grabbed hold of the family vehicle and went for the ride of their lives, which police won't soon forget. | …
rt.com/russia/488084-children-police-car-chase-tomsk/

Positive sign? On VE Day, Putin and Johnson agree need to improve British-Russian relationship
rt.com | 2020-05-08
Victory Day brought a rare positive moment between Russia and the UK, as | President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Boris Johnson agreed on the need to improve the badly soured relations between the two countries. | In a phone call on Friday, Putin and Johnson expressed a mutual desire for improved relations and for renewed "dialogue and cooperation" between London and Moscow, the Kremlin said. | "Both sides expressed readiness to establish dialogue and cooperation on issues on the agenda of Russian-British relations, as well as in solving pressing international problems," the Kremlin said in a readout. | D…
rt.com/news/488177-putin-johnson-renewed-relations/

The Plot to Blame China for COVID-19
T.J. Coles | counterpunch.org | 2020-05-08
The Trump lot–Steve Bannon, Peter Navarro, Mike Pompeo–and their media cheerleaders are as fanatically anti-China as the Biden crew is anti-Russia. Just like George W. Bush's WMD lies in the early-2000s, there is a developing timeline of Trumpian efforts to bend intelligence on COVID to the administration's anti-China policy. TARGET: CHINA In the 1980s, the…
counterpunch.org/2020/05/08/the-plot-to-blame-china-for-covid-19/

Russian COVID-19 cases rise, as 750,000 join unemployment rolls
wsws.org | 2020-05-08
Layoffs are spreading in Russia, as the country surpasses France and Germany in total coronavirus infections.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/05/08/ruco-m08.html

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

End of Russiagate? DOJ drops case against Trump adviser Flynn that started 'witch hunt'
rt.com | 2020-05-07
Charges against US President Donald Trump's first national security adviser, General Michael Flynn, have been dropped due to new evidence showing they were baseless. Flynn was the first to be targeted in the 'Russiagate' probe. | BREAKING: @TheJusticeDept drops criminal case against ex-Trump adviser Michael Flynn, after former Nat'l Security Advisor twice pleaded guilty before two judges, admitted lying, @AP rpts: t.co/Qv1WoOfSw1 | ‚&A…
rt.com/usa/488079-doj-drops-flynn-case-trump/

'America needs you!' Comey rallies anti-Trump #Resistance amid meltdown over DOJ dropping Flynn case
rt.com | 2020-05-07
The Justice Department's dropping of charges against former National Security Advisor Gen. Michael Flynn unleashed a torrent of liberal rage. Among those seething at the Trump administration was former FBI chief James Comey. | Flynn was one of the first Trump officials to be targeted by the FBI's 'Russiagate' probe, and pleaded guilty in 2017 of lying to the Bureau about his communications with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak. | Also on rt.com | | End of Russiagate? DOJ drops case against Trump adviser Flynn that started 'witch hunt' | However, the Dep…
rt.com/usa/488085-comey-rallies-liberals-doj-flynn/

'Never saw any direct evidence': Clapper admission torpedoes Democrat push to revive Trump-Russia conspiracy with transcript dump
rt.com | 2020-05-07
House Intelligence Committee chair Adam Schiff has published all the transcripts of 'Russiagate' interviews he had kept secret, blaming President Donald Trump for the delay, but their content belied his conspiracy narrative. | Schiff (D-California) published on Thursday afternoon more than 50 interviews his committee had conducted over the past three years in pursuit of proof that Trump "colluded" with Russia to win the presidency in 2016. | While it will take time to sift through the thousands of pages, some of the jui…
rt.com/usa/488088-schiff-transcripts-russiagate-clapper/

Survivor of Nazis' Leningrad siege now helps needy during pandemic
Irina Titova | peoplesworld.org | 2020-05-07
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP)–As a child during the Nazi siege of Leningrad during World War II, Galina Yakovleva learned how to make the best of fearful times. Today, she's using those lessons as she brings food and supplies to needy people locked down in the coronavirus pandemic. The 80-year-old drives a white minivan every day …
peoplesworld.org/article/survivor-of-nazis-leningrad-siege-now-helps-needy-during-pandemic/

Lavrov expresses Russia's unity with Iran against inhumane US sanctions
en.mehrnews.com | 2020-05-07
TEHRAN, May 07 (MNA)

May 1945: Nazi Germany Surrenders, but… on May 7, 8, or 9?
Dr. Jacques R. Pauwels | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-07
After the Casablanca Conference of January 1943, the Americans, British, and Soviets had agreed that there would be no separate negotiations with Nazi Germany with respect to its capitulation.
globalresearch.ca/may-1945-operation-sunrise-nazi-germany-surrenders-but-on-may-7-8-or-9/5334299

Can We Achieve Nuclear Adulthood?
Robert C. Koehler | commondreams.org | 2020-05-07
Why does it take a pandemic to get the world to stop fighting? Are we being led by 3-year-olds? (Photo: Shutterstock) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/shutterstock_1101398828-1080x675_0.jpeg …
commondreams.org/views/2020/05/07/can-we-achieve-nuclear-adulthood?cd-origin=rss

Experts warn of new nuclear arms race after Trump signals U.S. withdrawal from START Treaty
Alan MacLeod | mronline.org | 2020-05-06
While much of the corporate press has blamed Russia and China for the sudden failure of multiple longstanding nuclear treaties, experts put the blame on squarely on the Trump administration.
mronline.org/2020/05/06/experts-warn-of-new-nuclear-arms-race-after-trump-signals-u-s-withdrawal-from-start-treaty/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=experts-warn-of-new-nuclear-arms-race-after-trump-signals-u-s-withdrawal-from-start-treaty

The Washington Post's Neocons Are Beating Cold War Drums… Again
Andrey Areshev | strategic-culture.org | 2020-05-06
Melvin GOODMAN | The Washington Post has a reputation as liberal and even left-of-center, although its editorial pages are dominated by neoconservatives who support the idea of American exceptionalism and the extreme operational tempo of America's military. In the past week, we have been treated to a series of oped essays that are supportive of expanded American military power and a political, if not military, confrontation with China. | U.S. national media generally have been lazy in their treatment of our military–pandering to the military itself and resorting to retired general officers, such as Generals…
strategic-culture.org/news/2020/05/06/the-washington-posts-neocons-are-beating-cold-war-drums-again/

With apparently fabricated nuclear documents, Netanyahu pushed the US towards war with Iran
Gareth Porter | thegrayzone.com | 2020-04-30
An investigation of supposed Iranian nuclear documents presented in a dramatically staged Netanyahu press conference indicates they were an Israeli…
thegrayzone.com/2020/04/29/fabricated-nuclear-documents-netanyahu-war-iran/

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/

Rouhani Communicates To G4+1 Consequences Of Extending Iran Arms Embargo
Tasnim News | iranian.com | 2020-05-06
Addressing a cabinet session on Wednesday, Rouhani made it clear that lifting the UN arms embargo against Iran is an indispensable part of the nuclear deal. "If the arms embargo (on Iran) is to return one day, with any title, under any statement and with any mechanism, our response will be what I have mentioned …
iranian.com/2020/05/06/rouhani-communicates-to-g41-consequences-of-extending-iran-arms-embargo/

Selected Articles: Fake News About North Korea, Failed Invasion of Venezuela
Global Research News | globalresearch.ca | 2020-05-07
A future without independent media leaves us with an upside down reality where according to the corporate media "NATO deserves a Nobel Peace Prize", and where "nuclear weapons and wars make us safer" | | | If, like us, this is a …
globalresearch.ca/selected-articles-fake-news-about-north-korea-failed-invasion-venezuela/5712128

Red Army Choir performs Ottoman war song amid pandemic
yenisafak.com | 2020-05-08
Russia's Red Army Choir shot a video at home playing notes from the Ottoman military band Mehter in support of Turkey's fight with the novel coronavirus.The video was directed by the choir's art director, Gen. Gennadiy Sachenyuk.The video was shared by the Red Army Choir's social media accounts with a note: "With love and respect to the heroic Turkish nation."The Russian and Turkish flags are hurled at the start of the video with choir members singing and playing their instruments.A montage of the choir's concerts in Turkey plays in the background along with images of Turkey's disinfecting drive at historical and…
yenisafak.com/en/news/red-army-choir-performs-ottoman-war-song-amid-pandemic-3518986

Putin, Merkel Exchange Congratulations on Anniversary of Liberation From Fascism
sputniknews.com | 2020-05-08
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have exchanged congratulations, in a phone conversation, on the 75th anniversary of the world's liberation from fascism, the Kremlin said on Friday.
sputniknews.com/europe/202005081079242497-putin-merkel-exchange-congratulations-on-anniversary-of-liberation-from-fascism/

US Intel, Obama Aides Never Saw Any Direct Proof of Trump-Russia Collusion, Transcripts Reveal
sputniknews.com | 2020-05-08
In late July, former Special Counsel Robert Mueller confirmed in testimony to Congress that his team of investigators had failed to find sufficient evidence of President Trump's collusion with Russia to rig the US 2016 election, basically repeating the conclusions of his report that was released earlier in 2019.
sputniknews.com/us/202005081079240271-us-intelligence-obama-aides-never-saw-any-direct-proof-of-trump-russia-collusion-trancripts-reveal/

Putin holds phone talk with Merkel over Victory Day
yenisafak.com | 2020-05-08
Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday talked on the phone over the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II.The two leaders stressed that for Russia and Germany this date is of particular importance, and vowed to preserve the historical memory of the tragic events of those years to avoid repetition in the future, the Kremlin said in a statement published on its website.Putin and Merkel called Russia and Germany "partners in resolving many international problems" and confirmed the intention to further build constructive relations.Turning to the coronavirus pandemic, both…
yenisafak.com/en/world/putin-holds-phone-talk-with-merkel-over-victory-day-3518985

Last Process: 28 Postees: 2020-05-09 03:15 GMT (21:15 EST)

2020-05-07: News Headlines

The Moscow Times (2020-05-07). Russian State TV in Media War Against No-Lockdown Belarus. anti-empire.com Editor's note: Recall how in 2014-15 the Russian opposition and western media was trying to prove Russians were fighting and dying en masse in Donbass by supposedly uncovering

Rev. William Alberts (2020-05-07). "What the Hell Do You Have to Lose?" counterpunch.org The coronavirus does not care whether we are Republican or Democrat; mainline or evangelical Christian; Jew, Muslim or Hindu; white, black or brown; Chinese, Italian, Iranian, Russian, African or American, richer or poorer, older or younger. We are all human and subject to the same illnesses. Our nationality, faith, race, class, location or age does

RT (2020-05-07). RT SPECIAL VICTORY DAY PROGRAMMING TO AIR AND STREAM WORLDWIDE IN SIX LANGUAGES. rt.com MOSCOW, MAY 7 — On May 9 RT will run special programming dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the allied victory in the Second World War and Soviet victory in the Great Patriotic War in English, German, Spanish, French, Arabic and Russian. Since the beginning of 2020, RT has launched multiple Victory Day projects, including a film recreating the circumstances surrounding the capture of the iconic May 1945 photograph "Raising a Flag over the Reichstag." | On May 9, RT will air the full version of the documentary series under the title #VictoryAlphabet: from Brest to Reichstag, which tracks the Red Army's…

Dr. Jacques R. Pauwels (2020-05-07). May 1945: Nazi Germany Surrenders, but… on May 7, 8, or 9? globalresearch.ca After the Casablanca Conference of January 1943, the Americans, British, and Soviets had agreed that there would be no separate negotiations with Nazi Germany with respect to its capitulation.

Michael Steinberg (2020-05-07). Nuke Plant Shutdown Continues Near C19 Epicenter. indybay.org On April 30 Reactor 2 at the Indian Point nuclear point, less than 30 miles north of midtown Manhattan on the Hudson River, shut down permanently.

Alan MacLeod (2020-05-06). Experts warn of new nuclear arms race after Trump signals U.S. withdrawal from START Treaty. mronline.org While much of the corporate press has blamed Russia and China for the sudden failure of multiple longstanding nuclear treaties, experts put the blame on squarely on the Trump administration.

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-06). The Washington Post's Neocons Are Beating Cold War Drums… Again. strategic-culture.org Melvin GOODMAN | The Washington Post has a reputation as liberal and even left-of-center, although its editorial pages are dominated by neoconservatives who support the idea of American exceptionalism and the extreme operational tempo of America's military. In the past week, we have been treated to a series of oped essays that are supportive of expanded American military power and a political, if not military, confrontation with China. | U.S. national media generally have been lazy in their treatment of our military—pandering to the military itself and resorting to retired general officers, such as Generals…

Melvin Goodman (2020-05-06). The Washington Post's Neocons are Beating Cold War Drums…Again. counterpunch.org The Washington Post has a reputation as liberal and even left-of-center, although its editorial pages are dominated by neoconservatives who support the idea of American exceptionalism and the extreme operational tempo of America's military. In the past week, we have been treated to a series of oped essays that are supportive of expanded American military power and a political, if not military, confrontation with China.

Staff (2020-05-05). Headlines for May 5, 2020. democracynow.org Dire Forecasts Warn U.S. Death Toll Could Surge in Coming Weeks as States Move to Relax Restrictions, China Rebukes Trump Admin Claim That Coronavirus Was Man-Made, Report Says Brooklyn Jail Destroying Medical Records to Hide Toll of COVID-19, J. Crew Files for Bankruptcy, Betsy DeVos Sued for Garnishing Wages of Student Loan Holders During Pandemic, EU, World Leaders Pledge Billions to Fund Coronavirus Vaccine; U.S. Sits Out, Questions Raised After 3 Doctors in Russia Fall from Hospital Windows, U.K. May Have Second-Highest Coronavirus Death Toll; France Identifies COVID-19 Case from December, Venezuela Detains…

RT (2020-05-05). Russian Embassy ridicules Pulitzer Board for awarding prize to NYT's 'undiluted fabrications'. rt.com The New York Times' staff have won a prestigious Pulitzer Prize for "exposing the predations of Vladimir Putin's regime." Russia, however, says the paper made it up. | The Pulitzer Prize Board loves a good yarn about Russia, and the New York Times certainly feeds their appetite. 2017 saw the paper score an award for reporting on the Kremlin's online "troll army;" while 2018 saw it

Andrey Areshev (2020-05-05). Trump Is Igniting a Cold War With China to Try to Win Re-election. strategic-culture.org Patrick COCKBURN | "Go to China!", a woman in Denver, Colorado, shouts at two hospital workers standing in front of her car to prevent her from taking part in a protest against the coronavirus lockdown. Her cry is a sign that President Trump is having some success in demonising China: he says that that he has a "high degree of confidence" that the deadly virus emanated from a laboratory in Wuhan, though he cannot reveal the source of his information. | The level of Trump's mendacity is far grosser than that used to sell the Iraq War by claiming that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Then…

Alan Macleod (2020-05-01). Experts Warn of New Nuclear Arms Race After Trump Signals US Withdrawal from START Treaty. mintpressnews.com While much of the corporate press has blamed Russia and China for the sudden failure of multiple longstanding nuclear treaties, experts put the blame on squarely on the Trump administration.

Gareth Porter (2020-04-30). With apparently fabricated nuclear documents, Netanyahu pushed the US towards war with Iran. thegrayzone.com An investigation of supposed Iranian nuclear documents presented in a dramatically staged Netanyahu press conference indicates they were an Israeli…

Aaron Maté (2020-04-25). US elites use Russiagate playbook to blame China and promote hostility. thegrayzone.com The US establishment is demonizing China over the COVID-19 crisis with a familiar Russiagate playbook of specious claims, fear-mongering, and…

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 …

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.

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."

Tasnim News (2020-05-06). Rouhani Communicates To G4+1 Consequences Of Extending Iran Arms Embargo. iranian.com Addressing a cabinet session on Wednesday, Rouhani made it clear that lifting the UN arms embargo against Iran is an indispensable part of the nuclear deal. "If the arms embargo (on Iran) is to return one day, with any title, under any statement and with any mechanism, our response will be what I have mentioned …

sputniknews (2020-05-07). Russia Discusses With Turkey Delivery of Extra S-400 Systems – Defence Cooperation Agency. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Moscow and Ankara discuss the composition and the time frame for the delivery of an additional batch of the Russian S-400 air defence systems, the head of the Russian Federal Service of Military-Technical Cooperation, Dmitry Shugayev, has said.

sputniknews (2020-05-07). 75 Years of Victory: Capture of Berlin by Soviet Forces in 1945. sputniknews.com On 9 May, Russia is marking the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.

sputniknews (2020-05-07). Levelling Up: US Soldiers Play Russian Simulator Videogame to Gain Skills Amid Lockdown. sputniknews.com The lockdown amid the pandemic has severely impacted various activities – including military drills, as troops can't fight against the invisible enemy. However, the US Army has found a way to help soldiers stay focused and polish their skills during the quarantine… by playing a Russian MMO videogame.

sputniknews (2020-05-07). Stoltenberg Vows NATO to 'Remain Nuclear Alliance as Long as Atomic Weapons Exist'. sputniknews.com Jens Stoltenberg has stressed the importance of NATO's deterrent accords which he claimed provide the alliance's European allies with a nuclear umbrella.

yenisafak (2020-05-07). Putin warns global market rivarly rising amid coronavirus pandemic. yenisafak.com Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that international rivalry on global markets was rising because of a fall in demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic."Against the backdrop of falling global demand, the struggle for international markets for deliveries of fuel and raw material goods, food, and other products has intensified," Putin said at a government meeting broadcast on state television.

Last Process: 27 Citations: 2020-05-07 16:13 GMT (12:13 EST)