(2020-07-01). In Russia, a New Generation of Activists are Taking on Climate Crisis. commondreams.org For young climate activists like Alexey, the lesson is clear: Vladimir Putin, the authoritarian president who has been in power for all of their lives, has never been all too concerned about their safe and sustainable future. (Photo: Fridays for the Future Russia / Facebook) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/climateemergency.jpg …
(2020-07-01). 'Priority in Syria political unity, territorial integrity'. yenisafak.com Protecting the political unity and territorial integrity of Syria is a priority, the Turkish president said Wednesday."Maintaining the political unity and territorial integrity of Syria, the establishment of calm on the ground and a lasting solution to the conflict are our priority," Recep Tayyip Erdogan told a Turkey-Russia-Iran summit under the Astana process via video conference."We'll continue to do our best to provide peace, security and stability in our neighbor Syria," he said.The trilateral meeting is ongoing with the attendance of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Puti…
(2020-07-01). Labour Party Demands China Be Removed From UK 5G and Nuclear Power Projects. sputniknews.com The Labour Party has taken a harsher line on China in recent weeks, offering support for Hong Kong opposition protesters and criticising the government in Beijing for its new national security law.
(2020-07-01). Black Lives Matter is 'anti-christian' & 'anti-civilizational' — outspoken senior Russian Orthodox Bishop. rt.com 
A prominent Russian cleric believes the 'Black Lives Matter' movement isn't a battle for human rights, but rather a "struggle for who is most important in humanity." He says its true nature is "becoming increasingly apparent." | Bishop Savva of Zelenograd, the deputy administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate says the campaign is "anti-Christian and anti-civilizational." | Also on rt.com | | The churchman was reacting to news that the statue of Emperor…
(2020-07-01). Some Italian Thinkers are now resisting Lies about the Soviet Union and WW II. dissidentvoice.org 
Lying about world history is one of the main weapons of the Western imperialists, through which they are managing to maintain their control of the world. European and North American countries are inventing and spreading a twisted narrative about almost all essential historic events, be they colonialism, crusades, or genocides committed by the Western expansionism …
(2020-07-01). The Truth About Russian-Taliban Ties Is as Intriguing as the Fake News About Them. globalresearch.ca Russia doesn't exploit the Taliban as a proxy for killing Americans, but seeks to nurture equally close relations with it along the lines of the ones that it presently enjoys with Pakistan. Moscow seems to believe that the group will …
(2020-07-01). House Speaker Pelosi Calls For 'Immediate' Sanctions on Russia Over 'Taliban Bounties' Reports. sputniknews.com Earlier, Democratic Senator Bob Menendez formally requested new sanctions be imposed on top Russian officials, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, over unconfirmed allegations that Russia offered reward money to Taliban-linked militants to assassinate US soldiers.
(2020-07-01). Trump Ramps Up Attack on NYT, Says Russia Bounty Story's 'Secret Source Probably Doesn't Even Exist'. sputniknews.com Democrats have asked Congress to consider new sanctions against Moscow over media claims that Russia has been paying Taliban-affiliated militants to kill American and other coalition troops serving in Afghanistan. Russian officials have vocally denied the allegations, and accused those pushing them of trying to further undermine Russia-US ties.
(2020-07-01). New York Times calls for punishing Putin over anonymous bounty claims but advised Trump to let ISIS kill Russian troops in Syria. rt.com 
The same New York Times reporting anonymous claims of Russian bounties on US troops in Afghanistan opined in 2017 that President Trump should let ISIS "bleed" Russian forces in Syria rather than help defeat the terrorists. | Thomas Friedman, who has won three Pulitzer prizes as a journalist and columnist for the Times, argued in an
(2020-07-01). Three Glaring Problems With the Russian Taliban 'Bounty' Story. strategic-culture.org There seems to be a lack of sourcing and a big whiff of politics, say former intelligence officers. | Barbara BOLAND | Abombshell The article alleges that GRU, a top-secret unit of Russian military intelligence, offered the bounty in payment for every…
(2020-07-01). Another anti-Russian smear from the New York Times. indybay.org Patrick Martin at the World Socialist Web Site describes the New York Time's ongoing aversion to facts. [Illustration shows how a current Google Search simply amplifies the propaganda.]…
(2020-07-01). Vote on amendments isn't about Putin, it's the first ever 'truly Russian constitution' – leading historian. rt.com 
Previous Russian constitutions were either inspired or influenced by foreign legislators, but the amendments that the country is voting on are truly "Russia-centered," veteran Russia-focused historian Martin McCauley told RT. | It's no wonder then that the Western media ignores more than 200 proposed changes to the Russian Constitution and only focuses on the one that may allow Vladimir Putin run for president again, if he wishes to do so. | "'Putin wants to be Tsar for life' — that makes headlines, everyone understands that and if you go into the details of constitutional law people get bored," McCauley…
(2020-07-01). A Canada Day Surprise: How a "Synthetic Nationalism" Was Created to Break the US-Russia Alliance. dissidentvoice.org 
As a Canadian author associated with a Canadian geopolitical magazine and a book series rooted in the thesis that Canada is still under the dominance of the British Empire to this very day, the July 1st holiday known as "Canada Day" is a bit of a strange thing to celebrate. As I have recently written …
(2020-07-01). Pentagon chief says 'no corroborating evidence' so far to back Russia bounty story. rt.com 
The US secretary of defense said that while the Pentagon takes all threats against US troops "very seriously," there is so far no proof for the ever-shifting story that Russia paid bounties for the killing of US soldiers. | In a statement on Tuesday, US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the top military brass treats the security of military personnel, including in Afghanistan, as a high priority. | "I want to assure all of our service members that the Department takes very seriously any and all potential threats against US military personnel," he said. | Esper noted that while he and others in the US military…
(2020-07-01). Career CIA officer made 'the right call' not to brief Trump on 'Russian bounties' — NSA O'Brien. rt.com 
A career CIA officer decided not to brief President Donald Trump about intelligence speculation that Russia was paying bounties for deaths of US troops in Afghanistan, his national security adviser Robert O'Brien has revealed. | "She made that decision because she didn't have the confidence in the intelligence that came up," O'Brien told reporters on Wednesday. "She made that call and you know what? She made the right call. And knowing the facts I know now, I stand behind that call," he added. | The New York Times published a story last week, sourced to anonymous intelligence officials, claiming that the "asse…
(2020-07-01). Constitutional amendments vote in Russia: RT special coverage. rt.com 
Russians are heading to the polls on the last day of voting on amendments to the country's constitution. Citizens have plenty of time to express their will, as July 1 has been declared a holiday. | Among other things, the proposed amendments would transfer more power to Russia's two houses of parliament, as well as potentially allow Vladimir Putin to run for the presidency two more times. | Initially scheduled for April 22, the vote was postponed until July 1 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The government allowed voters to go to their polling stations up to a week before the final date, in order to reduce crowds…
(2020-07-01). Trump resumes attack on NYT's 'Russian bounty' story, says 'secret source probably doesn't even exist'. rt.com 
US President Donald Trump has again attacked the "discredited" New York Times over its disputed story that Russia offered bounties for the killing of US troops in Afghanistan, blasting the story as a "fake news tale". | In a tweet on Wednesday morning Trump said the story was made up to damage him and the Republican Party. | "The Russia Bounty story is just another made up by Fake News tale that is told only to damage me and the Republican Party," the president wrote. | "The secret source probably does not even exist, just like the story itself. If the discredited @nytimes has a source, reveal it. Just another…
(2020-07-01). Russians vote in favor of changes to constitution potentially enabling Putin to remain as president until 2036 — exit polls. rt.com 
Exit polls after the Russian constitutional vote show 71 percent of the country supported the proposed amendments while just over 28 percent were opposed. The changes are major updates to Russia's most important legal document. | The tallies were conducted at 800 polling stations in 25 jurisdictions. They are based on questions asked of over 445,000 voters, 69.9 percent of which responded. | Wednesday marked the final day of in-person voting in the referendum, with turnout reaching 65 percent. The Central Elections Commission (CIK) has received reports of only four possible instances of irregularities, its hea…
(2020-07-01). Over 77 percent of Russians back constitutional amendments, 21 opposed — preliminary results. rt.com 
After processing 85 percent of the ballots, the Russian election commission has announced that 77,8 percent of the voters approved the changes to the constitution, while 21,3 percent opposed. Nationwide turnout was at 65 percent. | Millions of Russians went to the polls on Wednesday to cast their vote for or against the 206 proposed amendments, already approved by the legislature. This was preceded by five days of early voting starting June 25 and even online voting in Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod — all due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which delayed the vote from its originally scheduled date of April 22. | Al…
(2020-07-01). Russia has come a long way since 1993; Putin's constitutional changes reflect the needs of a revitalized state. rt.com 
Russia's 'super-presidential' 1993 Constitution was forged in blood after violent upheaval, at a time when the country was on its knees. It is logical that it would be revisited when modern Russia had finally come of age. | What is so problematic with the current 1993 Constitution, and what are the reasons behind the proposed amendments? The answers can be found in the circumstances under which President Boris Yeltsin's document came into effect and in the major transformation that Russia has undergone since then. | First of all, it is necessary to stress that Russia in 1993 and Russia in 2020 are essentially…
(2020-07-01). Anti-Russia war fever spreads on Capitol Hill. wsws.org Without providing a shred of evidence, the corporate media, congressional Democrats and many Republicans are demanding US retaliation against alleged Russian targeting of US soldiers in Afghanistan.
(2020-07-01). A Canada Day Surprise: How a 'Synthetic Nationalism' Was Created to Break the US-Russia Alliance. globalresearch.ca As a Canadian author associated with a
(2020-07-01). What Is the United States Plotting in Kashmir and Balochistan? The Destabilization of Pakistan? globalresearch.ca The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (OCS), founded in 2001 by the Shanghai Five (China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan) and to which Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan were later added would be the ALBA and Iran countries. Hard core of resistance to world …
(2020-07-01). Stumbling Towards Catastrophe: The New Cold War with China. globalresearch.ca With tensions between the US and China at an all-time high,
(2020-07-01). Libyan Mufti calls for resisting Russian 'invasion'. yenisafak.com Libya's Mufti, the country's top Muslim cleric, on Wednesday called on all Libyans to mobilize and resist the Russian "occupation" of their country. | In a statement, the Mufti's office said Russia has begun increasing its influence in Libya's cities, airports and oil fields "in order to take control of Libyan lands and sources". | "Every able Muslim must fight against Russian mercenaries, wherever they are, and avoid any trade or other dealings with them," the statement said. | On Friday, mercenaries from Russian Wagner Group and the Sudanese Janjaweed militia forced their way into El-Sharara oilfield to halt oi…
(2020-07-01). Turkey, Russia, Iran commit to Syria's unity, independence. yenisafak.com Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Vladimir Putin, and Hassan Rouhani released a 14-item statement after a videoconference where they discussed the current situation in Syria.The leaders reviewed the developments following their last meeting in Ankara last September and "reiterated their determination to enhance the trilateral coordination in light of their agreements," according to the statement.The leaders "emphasized their strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic as well as to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter," the statement said.They also…
(2020-07-01). Trump 'fully briefed' on Russia bounty report. yenisafak.com O'Brien declined to say whether the information had been included in a written presidential briefing earlier this year."The president's been fully briefed," O'Brien told reporters at the White House, adding, "We don't get into written classified documents."
(2020-07-01). Merkel Says US Sanctions on Nord Stream 2 Pipeline Elude Understanding. sputniknews.com BERLIN (Sputnik) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday that proposed US sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia were law-defying and would be dealt with.
(2020-07-01). S. Korea's President Reportedly Says Trump-Kim Summit Is Needed Before US November Election. sputniknews.com US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met three times in the period between 2018 and 2019 to discuss, among other topics, the Korean peninsula and the possibility of denuclearization. However, the three one-on-one summits fell far short of achieving their goals.
(2020-07-01). US Doesn't Rule Out Military Action Against Iran Amid Push to Renew UN Arms Embargo. sputniknews.com The demand for an extension to the embargo has not garnered support in the UN Security Council, so the US wants to trigger the snapback mechanism outlined in the 2018 nuclear deal — despite no longer being a member of the agreement.
(2020-07-01). AEOI chief to brief MPs on Iran's nuclear activities. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jul. 01 (MNA) — Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi will go to the Parliament to discuss nuclear-related issues on Sunday (July 5).
(2020-07-01). Russia Bounty-Hunter Story Another Pulp Fiction Release. strategic-culture.org The main peddlers of the alleged Russian-sponsored bounty-hunter scheme in Afghanistan against U.S. troops are the New York Times, Washington Post and CNN. All three have excelled in publishing a series of pulp fiction-style stories over the past four years to discredit President Trump and demonize Russia. | From Russian meddling in elections to Putin having blackmail on "agent Trump" thanks to hookers in a Moscow hotel. And much more besides. | That dubious record of propaganda-as-journalism serves as foghorn alert about the latest yarn without even delving into the details. | The story "broke" on Friday with th…
(2020-06-30). Iran nuclear deal still best way to ensure peace, DiCarlo tells Security Council. news.un.org The UN regrets that the future of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is in doubt, but notwithstanding current challenges, that landmark deal is still the best way to ensure that Iran's nuclear programme proceeds along a peaceful path, the UN's top political official said on Tuesday.
(2020-06-30). Pompeo: US told Taliban not to attack Americans. yenisafak.com US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo had a video conference with Taliban Deputy and chief negotiator Mullah Baradar, the State Department said Tuesday.The two men discussed Monday the implementation of the US-Taliban peace agreement, according to a statement by spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus."The Secretary made clear the expectation for the Taliban to live up to their commitments, which include not attacking Americans," said Ortagus, who did not provide information about reports of Russian payments to Taliban militants for targeting American troops in Afghanistan.The New York Times reported late last week that a Russ…
(2020-06-30). New York Times Takes Anti-Russian Hysteria to New Level with Report on Russian 'Bounty' for US Troops in Afghanistan. globalresearch.ca The New York Times published an article claiming that Russia was paying out monetary bounties to the Taliban to kill US troops in Afghanistan. There's just one problem — none of what they reported was true. | As news reporting goes, …
(2020-06-30). The Russia-Afghanistan Story Is Western Propaganda At Its Most Vile. popularresistance.org All western mass media outlets are now shrieking about the story The New York Times first reported, citing zero evidence and naming zero sources, claiming intelligence says Russia paid out bounties to Taliban-linked fighters in Afghanistan for attacking the occupying forces of the US and its allies in Afghanistan. As of this writing, and probably forevermore, there have still been zero intelligence sources named and zero evidence provided for this claim. | As we discussed yesterday, the only correct response to unsubstantiated claims by anonymous spooks in a post-Iraq invasion world is to assume that they are lyi…
(2020-06-30). Trump Not Briefed on 'Unverified' Intel Allegations of Russian Collusion With Taliban – O'Brien. sputniknews.com Groundless allegations that Russia offered reward money to Taliban militants for killing American soldiers, published in a recent article in The New York Times, have been denied by Moscow, the White House and the Taliban itself.
(2020-06-30). DoD Doesn't Know, But 'Unnamed Sources' Do? Officials Say Trump Knew About Bounty Claims for a Year. sputniknews.com Last Friday's New York Times piece citing anonymous intelligence officials on an alleged Russian plot to offer rewards to Taliban-linked militants to kill US and coalition troops in Afghanistan has been criticized and condemned from all sides, with Moscow, the White House and even the Taliban itself dismissing the newspaper's claims.
(2020-06-30). Trump Is Either Lying or Out of the Loop on Afghanistan. Both Are Bad. truthout.org The corporate media has been straining at its collective leash since the weekend, firing a volley of barks our way about Russian intelligence agents paying the Taliban to kill U.S. soldiers, and my God, did Donald Trump know? The high dudgeon in these reports is unmistakable; one CNN It's a story that has everything, if you l…
(2020-06-30). US claim of 'Russian Bounty' plot in Afghanistan is dubious and dangerous. thegrayzone.com Max Blumenthal breaks down the "Russian bounty" story's flaws and how it aims to prolong the war in Afghanistan —…
(2020-06-30). Covid-19 may make men STERILE, Russia's Health Ministry warns. rt.com 
Covid-19 infection leads to drastic reduction in the quality of sperm and can make men infertile, the Russian Health Ministry said citing recent data. | "Today, the problems of infertility, especially male infertility, associated with Covid-19 are revealing themselves on a grander scale," Elena Uvarova, the Russian Health Ministry's chief gynecologist for children and youths, told journalists at a press conference in Moscow. The data gathered by Russian medics has shown a "38 percent reduction in quality of sperm" in men who recovered from the coronavirus, she said. It was a worrying discovery, as the overall…
(2020-06-30). Video: Russian Private Military Contractors Took Control of Libya's Largest Oil Field. globalresearch.ca Washington is concerned by the growing Russian influence in Libya as Turkish-led forces are preparing to storm the port city of Sirte, controlled by the Libyan National Army. | On June 26, the US embassy in Libya released a statement claiming …
(2020-06-30). Nuclear Weapons' Testing in Nevada and the Shoshone People. The Dark Legacy of Radiation Exposure. globalresearch.ca Regarding Gary Martin's June 15 Review-Journal article, "Nuke test rumors spur Nevada lawmakers": As a Shoshone, we always had horses. My grandfather always told me, "Stop kicking up dust." Now I understand that it was because of the radioactive fallout….
(2020-06-30). US urges UN to extend Iran arms embargo. yenisafak.com US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged the UN Security Council (UNSC) to extend Tuesday an arms embargo against Iran and warned that ending it would risk stability in the Middle East."Iran will hold a sword of Damocles over the economic stability of the Middle East, endangering nations like Russia and China that rely on stable energy prices," Pompeo told a virtual UNSC session.The ban on arms transactions with Iran is set to expire Oct. 18, under terms of a 2015 nuclear deal.Pompeo said Iran could directly move to buy Russian fighter jets and upgrade its submarine fleet if the embargo expires and Tehran would be…
(2020-06-30). France's oldest nuclear power plant shuts down. yenisafak.com France's oldest power plant Fessenheim went offline at midnight on Monday after 40 years of operation, the state-owned energy company EDF announced.France has 56 nuclear reactors currently in operation which provide 75% of the country's energy consumption, making the nation the world's biggest consumer of nuclear energy.The development of Fessenheim was welcome news for residents of the region, previously fairly devoid of industry or any commerce. The location was an attractive one for its proximity to Germany: Fessenheim is a commune located directly on the border, in the Haut-Rhin Department in the Grand Est re…
(2020-06-30). Leaders of Astana Process to hold virtual meeting. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jun. 30 (MNA) — Kremlin Spokesman announced on Tuesday that the Iranian, Russian, and Turkish presidents will hold a videoconference on the Syrian crisis tomorrow.
(2020-06-30). US seeking to change Iran's Establishment: Russian envoy. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jun. 30 (MNA) — Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya criticized the US Secretary of State's anti-Iranian statement at a Security Council meeting on Tuesday.
(2020-06-30). A permanent member of UNSC has violated Res. 2231: FM Zarif. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jun. 30 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council [UNSC] has violated the UN-drafted Resolution 2231 on Iran's 2015 nuclear deal.
(2020-06-30). This Russia-Afghanistan Story Is Western Propaganda at Its Most Vile. strategic-culture.org It really is funny how the most influential news outlets in the western world will uncritically parrot whatever they're told to say by the most powerful and depraved intelligence agencies on the planet, and then turn around and tell you without a hint of self-awareness that Russia and China are bad because they have state media.
(2020-06-29). 'This Whole Thing is Garbage': Afghan War Vet Dismisses Shaky 'Russian Bounties' Claims. sputniknews.com On Friday, the New York Times reported on a US intelligence report claiming Russian operatives were offering the Taliban bounties to assassinate US soldiers in Afghanistan. However, as US lawmakers demand answers and action, one expert says serious skepticism about the report's veracity is missing, which threatens the increasingly fragile peace.
