(2021-02-06). How the Gulf War sparked China's military revolution. mronline.org 
With the technology and firepower on show during the conflict — precision bombing, satellite guidance, missile interception, air-to-surface strike to eliminate tanks, electronic warfare, one-way transparency on the battlefield, stealth bombers — the Gulf War was a "psychological nuclear attack" on China, observers say.
(2021-02-06). Just 15 Percent of Russians Believe Navalny's Account of 'Poisoning'. anti-empire.com 
Machine translated from Russian. | The majority of Russians (78%) are aware of the poisoning of Alexei Navalny, although they closely follow the development of events for less than a fifth of the population. The respondents name three main versions of what happened: 30% consider the incident to be a staging of the politician himself, 19% see this as a provocation of the Western special services, 15% speak of an attempt by the authorities to eliminate a political opponent. | Most Russians are aware of Navalny's poisoning today: 17% are watching closely, 61% have at least heard something about it. At the same time,…
(2021-02-06). Iran again warns US of dangers in delaying return to nuclear deal. middleeasteye.net 
Iran again warns US of dangers in delaying return to nuclear deal | Iran's foreign minister says December legislation passed in parliament, dominated by hardliners, set a two-month deadline for the easing of sanctions | Sat, 02/06/2021 – 20: 17 | 'We don't need to return to the negotiating table. It's America that has to find the ticket to come to the table,' said Mohammad Javad Zarif (AFP…
(2021-02-06). Fenerbahce Beko beat Zenit for 9th straight win. yenisafak.com Turkish basketball team Fenerbahce Beko beat Zenit St Petersburg from Russia 92-84 in a Turkish Airlines EuroLeague game Friday for their ninth consecutive win.French playmaker Nando De Colo led the team from Istanbul to victory at home in the Round 24 game, scoring 24 points with seven assists at Ulker Sports and Event Hall.Serbian guard Marko Guduric had 19 and Czech center Jan Vesely added 16 for the Turkish club.US forward Will Thomas led Zenit with 21 points.KC Rivers scored 14. American guard Billy Baron added 13.Fenerbahce Beko have 14 wins in the 2020-21 EuroLeague regular season.This season Zenit has los…
(2021-02-06). The Q-Word: Weapon of Choice for Smearing Opponents. strategic-culture.org By Trevor Scott FITZGIBBON | –ûne of the most effective information-operation weapons during the 2016 presidential election was to smear political targets as "Russian bots" working on behalf of the Kremlin. Journalists were de-platformed, presidential candidates were The art of attacking political targets by using open-sourced guilt-by-association is not new — nor is using Russians as foils: Joseph McCarthy and his ilk did it in the…
(2021-02-06). Ghalibaf to convey Leader's message to Russian officials. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 06 (MNA) — An advisor to the Iranian Parliament Speaker said that Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf will convey the message of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution to the Russian government in his upcoming visit to Moscow.
(2021-02-06). Small-sized industries can help promote Iran-Russia trade tie. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 07 (MNA) — The Director General of Tehran Province Industrial Townships Company said that expansion of trade exchanges between Iran and Russia using the capacities of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is of paramount importance.
(2021-02-05). The Threat of Nuclear Weapons. zcomm.org "The Threat of Nuclear Weapons: Why Canada Should Sign the UN Nuclear Ban Treaty" Presented by the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute…
(2021-02-05). The Struggle Inside Senator Mitch McConnell's Brain. counterpunch.org Since 2015, Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell has ruled the Senate with an iron hand, describing himself as "the Guardian of Gridlock." He was Senator "NO," except for confirming over 200 mostly corporatist federal judges. Now comes a new challenge for Mitch McConnell as he leads 49 other Republican Senators, twenty of whom are up
(2021-02-05). China's Sea of Conflict. counterpunch.org 
Biden 's administration faces a host of difficult problems, but in foreign policy its thornist will be its relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC). How it handles issues of trade, security and human rights will either allow both countries to hammer out a working relationship or pull the US into an expensive–and unwinnable–cold war that will shelve existential threats like climate change and nuclear war.
(2021-02-05). Back to Cold War 2.0. counterpunch.org 
A fawning liberal media and a passel of well-endowed 'peace' organizations like Plowshares and Council for a Livable World and self-described "progressive" organizations like MoveOn have been hailing Biden's cabinet picks, many of them veterans of the Obama administration, claiming they will steer the US in a new direction under which diplomacy, not bluster and
(2021-02-05). U.S. & Russia extend New START nuclear treaty for five years. peoplesworld.org 
Thanks to a process set in motion by the Biden administration on its first full day in office, the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty between the U.S. and Russia, set to expire Feb. 5, has been extended for the maximum possible five years. The New START treaty, negotiated in 2010 under President Obama and …
(2021-02-05). About Those Executive Orders… counterpunch.org 
A strange stasis now characterizes U.S. foreign affairs, while on the domestic front, Biden roars ahead. As of January 29, he had signed 42 executive orders. Not one addresses what the U.S. does abroad. True, Biden made the superb move of resuming negotiations over the START nuclear treaty with Russia, and he rejoined the Paris Accords and the World Health Organization. But otherwise, quiet blankets the foreign policy landscape.
(2021-02-05). Biden Vows to Confront Russia, Enemy of Democracy, and China, Enemy of 'Global Governance'. anti-empire.com 
In his first major foreign policy address, President Joe Biden vowed to confront the enemies of 'democracy' globally, while seeking to reclaim America's 'moral credibility' and leadership in LGBT and climate change issues. | Speaking at the State Department headquarters in the nation's capital on Thursday, Biden outlined his foreign policy vision in a 20-minute address, laying out a sprawling list of priorities for his administration, among them countering supposed US "adversaries." | "American leadership must meet this new moment of advancing authoritarianism, including the growing ambitions of China to rival th…
(2021-02-05). Head of Strategic Command: US Must Prepare for "Very Real Possibility" of Nuclear War With China. thealtworld.com In an era when international cooperation in the face of pandemics and climate change is essential, the world appears to be racing towards a new Cold War, and unfortunately, few except the military top brass are talking about it. | MPN- Writing in the U.S. Naval Institute Journal, Admiral Charles A. Richard warned that the military must "consider the possibility of great power competition, crisis, or direct armed conflict with a nuclear-capable peer" and update and modernize its approach to its two principal adversaries. | "There is a real possibility that a regional crisis with Russia or China could escalate quic…
(2021-02-05). Head of Strategic Command: US Must Prepare for "Very Real Possibility" of Nuclear War With China. mintpressnews.com In an era when international cooperation in the face of pandemics and climate change is essential, the world appears to be racing towards a new Cold War, and unfortunately, few except the military top brass are talking about it.
(2021-02-05). Dems Deride MTG for Supporting Conspiracies While Claiming Russia Was Behind Capitol Riots. mintpressnews.com The House of Representatives has stripped new Georgia official Marjorie Taylor Greene from two committees over her history of promoting conspiracy theories. Congress took the highly unusual step today in voting 230 to 199 in favor of removing her from the education and budget committees, limiting her abilities and powers. In response, the 46-year-old freshman congresswoman Greene was a noted proponent of the QAnon conspiracy theory; a belief that Donald Tru…
(2021-02-05). U.S. Should Pay Iran Reparations. counterpunch.org Why would I say such an outrageous, treasonous, delusional, OBVIOUSLY-funded-by-Putin thing? Am I hoping to enrage war-crazed sadists who've seen too much television "news"? Not at all. I want them to still be around when I say that it would actually be preferable for the United States to pay reparations to the entire rest of
(2021-02-05). Toilet trouble: Russian skaters miss flight after man locks himself in loo on plane 'saying he would be killed if he left' (VIDEO). rt.com 
Russian figure skaters who were returning from a competition in Krasnoyarsk had their flight delayed after a man locked himself in a toilet on board their plane, refusing to leave until police arrived in a baffling stand-off. | Several figure skaters who were traveling to Moscow on the aircraft were forced to spend an hour-and-a-half on board as takeoff was delayed by the bizarre incident. | A man whose identity remains unknown locked the door of the toilet and refused to come out and take his seat, forcing…
(2021-02-05). Channel One Cup: Women's figure-skating team lands historic victory in fierce contest with male rivals at Moscow festival (VIDEO). rt.com 
The inaugural figure-skating jumping tournament in Moscow has seen an unexpected upset, with the women's squad sensationally destroying the men's team as they beat their male counterparts by almost 50 points. | The organizers of exhibition event the Channel One Cup changed the traditional rules, allowing female skaters to test their technical skills in fierce competition against the country's best male athletes. | The unusual format was hailed by many female skaters including Russian stars Alexandra Trusova and Kamila Valieva, who had repeatedly expressed their willingness to compete against men. | In accordan…
(2021-02-05). 'America is back!' Biden talks 'tough' on Russia and China, vows to reclaim 'moral leadership & defend democracy'. rt.com 
In his first major foreign policy address, President Joe Biden vowed to confront the enemies of 'democracy' globally, while seeking to reclaim America's 'moral credibility' and leadership in LGBT and climate change issues. | Speaking at the State Department headquarters in the nation's capital on Thursday, Biden outlined his foreign policy vision in a 20-minute address, laying out a sprawling list of priorities for his administration, among them countering supposed US "adversaries." | "American leadership must meet this new moment of advancing authoritarianism, including the growing ambitions of China to rival…
(2021-02-05). Russia slams 'immoral' claims from oligarchs over collapsed Yukos oil empire as final showdown around $50bn legal case begins. rt.com 
A long-running battle over the world's largest legal bill could soon be settled as a court in the Netherlands begins hearing arguments in the case of defunct energy giant Yukos, once among Russia's largest resource companies. | Hearings as part of the $50 billion case began at the Supreme Court in The Hague on Friday, with lawyers for the Russian government seeking to overturn a Dutch tribunal's previous decision to hand damages to the business' ex-shareholders. Yukos' former owners say the company's assets were confiscated in what amounted to state "appropriation." Moscow insists that they are not 'bona fide'
(2021-02-05). Do or die? Russian heavyweight slugger Volkov's title hopes on the line in pivotal UFC clash against fight veteran Overeem. rt.com 
Moscow's Alexander Volkov knows that he could take a giant step towards a future heavyweight title shot if he gets past wily veteran Alistair Overeem in Saturday night's UFC main event in Las Vegas. | The 6ft 7in Volkov has been impressive in his UFC tenure to date, opening his career in the world's premier mixed martial arts league with four consecutive wins – the most recent of which was a sensational fourth-round knockout of former heavyweight kingpin Fabricio Werdum. | Volkov came close to extending his run in his next fight but, after dominating Derrick Lewis for much of the three-round fight, he was hit…
(2021-02-05). Russian Covid-19 Vaccine Vindicated Despite Western 'Pandemic' of Russophobia. strategic-culture.org Maybe after the novel coronavirus is eradicated, scientists should next work on a serum that immunizes people from irrational Russophobia. | In a stunning success this week, the Russian-made Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine was proven to be highly effective and safe. In a study published by the prestigious Lancet medical journal, the Russian vaccine was found to be effective against 91.6 per cent of symptomatic Covid-19 cases. | Sputnik V was originally given
(2021-02-05). Dems Deride MTG for Supporting Conspiracies While Claiming Russia Was Behind Capitol Riots. thealtworld.com While Democrats may find some political capital in ridiculing QAnon, they have their own history of making outlandish claims. | MPN- The House of Representatives has stripped new Georgia official Marjorie Taylor Greene from two committees over her history of promoting conspiracy theories. Congress took the highly unusual step today in voting 230 to 199 in favor of removing her from the education and budget committees, limiting her abilities and powers. In response, the 46-year-old freshman congresswoman
(2021-02-05). Pentagon: Decision to Purchase S-400 Is 'Inconsistent With Turkey's Commitments as US, NATO Ally'. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The United States is urging Turkey to dispose of the Russian S-400 air defense system, US Defense Department spokesperson John Kirby told reporters.
(2021-02-05). Washington's Reckless Attitude Toward Nuclear War A Threat To World Peace. popularresistance.org Fox News reported that the head of US Strategic Command Charles Richard is calling on the US military and federal leaders to reimagine methods of deterring aggressive action from rivals such as China and Russia. He wrote in the February issue of Proceedings, the US Naval Institute's monthly magazine, that, "There is a real possibility that a regional crisis with Russia or China could escalate quickly to a conflict involving nuclear weapons." | It's not uncommon to hear the noise preaching so-called threats of China and Russia. Yet it's still shocking to see a US senior military official publicly urging leaders of…
(2021-02-05). Biden's Top Foreign Policy Challenge: Avoiding a Cold War with China. juancole.com Taiwan and the South China Sea are the likeliest points of conflict — but conflict is not an option. ( Foreign Policy in Focus) — President Joe Biden's administration faces a host of difficult problems, but in foreign policy its thorniest will be its relations with the People's Republic of China. How the new administration …
(2021-02-04). Ukraine appeals to Belarus for emergency electricity, as Lithuania admits it still imports energy from embargoed nuclear reactor. rt.com 
A Belarusian power station, once dubbed 'Chernobyl II' due to reported safety concerns, is set to do a roaring trade on the European energy market as neighboring countries increasingly find themselves in need of cheap energy. | Lithuania's minister for energy, Dainius Kreivys, told local media on Thursday that, despite efforts to cut the controversial plant out of its grid, the country was still importing significant amounts of its energy. | According to the politician, around 77 million kWh of electricity has been flowing into the Baltic nation at a cost of €4 million ($4.8 million) since the plant began…
(2021-02-04). The Heat: Russia politics. america.cgtn.com 
Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny sentenced to jail in a move criticized by western nations. How will his arrest impact U.S.-Russia relations?>
(2021-02-04). NATO Supreme Allied Commander Says West Is Concerned With China-Russia Ties. anti-empire.com 
On Wednesday, the top general of NATO Gen. Tod Wolters, who currently serves as the head of US European Command and as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, told reporters that the increased ties between Beijing and Moscow "really does suggest an emergence of a partnership of convenience." | Welters said the partnership seeks to advance the mutual…
(2021-02-04). Russia's Zircon Missile Relegates Carriers to Bombing Small Poor Countries. anti-empire.com 
Judging by the stream of the news re: latest launch by Admiral Gorshkov of 3M22 Zircon, tests are very successful
(2021-02-04). EU Open To Use of Approved COVID-19 Vaccines. telesurenglish.net European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday said that COVID-19 vaccines from Russia and China could be approved for use in the European Union (EU) if their full information is submitted. | RELATED: | If Chinese producers "show all the data… then they could get… a conditional market authorization like the other ones," von der Leyen said. | One of the criteria for the EU contracts for vaccines…
(2021-02-04). Iranian press review: Health officials reject Russia's Covid-19 vaccine. middleeasteye.net 
Iranian press review: Health officials reject Russia's Covid-19 vaccine | Meanwhile, Tehran hosts Taliban to talk about US-brokered Afghan peace deal, and the Islamic Republic is said to be eying the Caucasus to bypass US sanctions | Thu, 02/04/2021 – 11: 22 | A woman receives an injection during the first trial phase of a locally-made vaccine for Covid-19 in Iran's capital Tehran on 29…
(2021-02-04). Putin's approval rating drops slightly to 64%, while Navalny overtakes Communist Party leader in new opinion poll. rt.com 
Despite recent street protests and the Covid-19 pandemic, almost two in three Russians say they approve of Vladimir Putin's record as president, according to a new poll, representing a slight drop since late last year. | New research, conducted by the Levada Center — a registered foreign polling company that has received Western funding in the past —
(2021-02-04). Putin's approval rating drops slightly to 64%, while Navalny overtakes Communist Party leader in new Russian opinion poll. rt.com Despite recent street protests and the Covid-19 pandemic, almost two in three Russians say they approve of Vladimir Putin's record as president, according to a new poll, representing a slight drop since late last year. | New research, conducted by the Levada Center — a polling company registered as a foreign agent over receiving Western funding in the past —
(2021-02-04). Moscow officials deny conditions at post-protest detention centers are overcrowded as journalist live-blogs time behind bars. rt.com 
A row has broken out over conditions in Russian jails as facilities struggle to accommodate the large number of arrests made at protests earlier this week in support of imprisoned opposition figure Alexey Navalny. | A series of photographs published on Thursday, purportedly taken by detainees at the Sakharovo immigration detention center in the Moscow Region, which has been co-opted to house arrested demonstrators, show them sleeping two to a bunkbed, or resting at picnic tables. One cell, equipped with four metal beds without mattresses, reportedly housed 28 people. The scenes sparked concern for the wellbein…
(2021-02-04). 'I hope it's not in vain': Umar Nurmagomedov stokes hopes of quick UFC turnaround as he plots course to Las Vegas. rt.com 
The latest undefeated fighter from the Nurmagomedov assembly line, Khabib's cousin Umar, has signaled he is flying to Las Vegas amid talk that the Russian standout could be set to make his sophomore UFC appearance next month. | Umar improved his career record to an impressive 13-0 when he emerged from his UFC debut on "Fight Island" last month with second-round submission win against the gritty Kazakh Sergey Morozov. | Also on rt.com | | Umar's entry…
(2021-02-04). We can't give up on a world free from nuclear weapons. greenleft.org.au The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons became international law on January 22 for the 122 states who signed the agreement in July 2017, writes Vijay Prashad.
(2021-02-04). Vaccination of Palestinians To Begin with Russia's Sputnik V. telesurenglish.net This batch consists of 10,000 doses of the prophylactic preparation and should arrive this Thursday, said the expert, who said that the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) also purchased two million doses of other formulations, which will be enough to vaccinate one million citizens. | The vaccines will arrive here between February 14 and 20, said Alkaila, quoted by the Wafa news agency. | RELATED: | The health minister said that the P…
(2021-02-04). Entry of Russian Sputnik V into Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 04 (MNA) — The first batch of the Russian V vaccine to immunize against the coronavirus arrived at Tehran Imam Khomeini Airport on Thursday.
(2021-02-04). US,E3 foreign ministers expected to discuss Iran soon: report. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 05 (MNA) — The US, British, French and German foreign ministers are expected to have a conversation soon to discuss how to revive the Iran nuclear deal, four sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday.
(2021-02-04). Borrell calls for using "maximum diplomacy" towards Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 04 (MNA) — The EU Foreign Policy Chief Joseph Borrell has called for intensifying efforts to save the Iran nuclear deal, calling for moving from the US maximum Pressure towards "maximum diplomacy."
(2021-02-04). US sending signals of readiness to return to JCPOA: Russia. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 04 (MNA) — The Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman has said that the United States new administration is sending signals of principled readiness to return to the JCPOA.
(2021-02-04). Iran May Reverse Religious Ruling Banning Nukes if Israel, US Act Aggressively – Ex-Diplomat. sputniknews.com In 2018, the United States unilaterally withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal and reimposed sanctions on Iran. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has stated that the US would reciprocate Iran's resumed compliance with the nuclear deal but would seek a broader agreement that also covers the country's missile program.
(2021-02-04). Putin Explains Why We Need New Economic Policies. popularresistance.org The President of Russia Vladimir Putin has given a great speech to the Davos 2021 online forum organized by the World Economic Forum. As usual it created little echo in the 'western' media. | Putin sees a new danger of large international conflicts. Economic imbalances have caused socio-political problems in many countries which, when externalized, can lead to international conflicts. | To solve this one has to reject the laissez faire doctrines that caused the economic imbalances. The nation states must intervene more in their economies. The people must be seen as the ends, not the means of such economic policy.
(2021-02-04). Is the US prepared to come down from the tree and return to the Iranian Nuclear Deal? thealtworld.com The US administration intensified its contacts with its allies in the Middle East to de-escalate the tension Donald Trump created in his last weeks in office. Indirect messages have reached Iran from Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and most recently from Iraq saying that the US has the intention of honouring its commitment and wishes to return to the 2015 deal that was revoked by Trump in 2018 (- it had already responded "positively" last year by rejecting Trump's attempt to strike a deal in his final days of office). Iran did receive the messages and Tehran also responded by sending positive signals to US President Biden vi…
(2021-02-04). Reviving the Iran nuclear deal. thealtworld.com Tehran doesn't trust US commitments any longer, it wants to see concrete steps | Direct talks may not have officially started between Iran and the Biden administration about reviving the 2015 JCPOA nuclear deal. But negotiations are well underway through the media and statements from both sides intended to convey coded messages to the other. Their substance is not hard for seasoned observers to decipher. | The big question being addressed at present is which side will flinch first in the escalating diplomatic standoff. Will Iran make the opening move by submitting to US demands to resume compliance with the JCPOA…
(2021-02-04). Cuba Appoints Ambassador To the Eurasian Economic Union. telesurenglish.net Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla on Thursday appointed a permanent Ambassador to the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). | RELATED: | The appointment was preceded by the acceptance of Cuba as an observer member on last Dec. 11, which proved that the country's application was positively received by the EEU countries. | Russian President Vladimir Putin considered Cuba's designation a very positive develop…
(2021-02-04). US Dismisses Iran's Offer to Coordinate Return to Nuclear Deal. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | The US State Department dismissed an idea floated by Iranian Foreign …
