2020-12-14: News Headlines

John Pilger (2020-12-14). John Pilger: The Most Lethal Virus Is Not COVID. It Is War. mintpressnews.com In the midst of the greatest health emergency in modern times, with more than 4 million surgical procedures delayed by the National Health Service, Britain has announced a record increase of £16.5 billion in so-called defense spending.

news.un (2020-12-14). UN human rights chief 'appalled' at Iran execution, questions trial process and verdict. news.un.org Iran's decision to hang media activist Ruhollah Zam on Saturday was an appalling violation of human rights that followed a deeply flawed trial process, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said in a statement on Monday.

Mehr News Agency (2020-12-14). Tehran keen on expanding Persian languages courses in Italy. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Dec. 14 (MNA) —Deputy Director of Iran's CISSC and first secretary of the Cultural and Press Section of the Italian Embassy in Tehran, discussed the expansion of Persian language courses in Italian Universies.

Joshua Frank (2020-12-13). Russia's Forgotten Nuclear Disaster. counterpunch.org It was a warm fall day on September 29, 1957, not much unlike any other in the deep Russian interior. Residents in the Chelyabinsk oblast cared for their crops of wheat and potatoes, others herded cattle. Women hung out their family's clothes to dry as the winds picked up before the sun descended. In the

sputniknews (2020-12-13). Social Researcher Receives 9-Year Imprisonment in Iran, Report Says. sputniknews.com TEHRAN (Sputnik) – An Iranian court has sentenced Kameel Ahmady, a social researcher and citizen of both Iran and the United Kingdom, to nine years of imprisonment and a ‚Ǩ600,000 ($728,237) fine, Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday.

teleSUR, ce (2020-12-13). Bolivia Moves to Rebuild Ties with Iran, Cuba and others. telesurenglish.net Bolivia wants to rebuild the relationships with Venezuela, Mexico, Cuba, Argentina, Nicaragua, Iran and Russia. Foreign Minister Rogelio Mayta reported that the Bolivian State must interact with all the countries of the world within the framework of respect for sovereignty and said that a plan is already in motion with Caracas. | RELATED: | Mayta received his Venezuelan counterpart, Jorge Arreaza, in November during Luis…

Editor (2020-12-12). America Is Contributing to Iran's Shocking Covid-19 Death Toll. scheerpost.com Farhad Babaei/ Magnus News] By Juan Cole / Informed Comment The US financial and trade blockade of Iran, which has strangled its economy, has also taken a heavy toll on the country's coronavirus response. Nick Paton Walsh, Jo Shelley, Ramin Mostaghim and Scott McWhinnie at CNN did a great story on this heartrending travesty. They write, "Retired teacher Khalif Farahani struggles to speak… |

Ralph Nader (2020-12-12). Go Vote Yourself a Raise, Georgia—You've Long Earned It. commondreams.org Candidates should be pushed to say if they stand with the super-rich profiteering, callous Big Business tycoons or with the people who work for pitiful wages, on the rugged frontlines, and keep our society running. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/georgia_primary.jpg

Richard Falk (2020-12-12). Qatar: Between the Scylla of Coercion and the Charybdis of Accommodation: an inquiry into sub-regional geopolitics. zcomm.org Responses to Interview Questions on Sub-Regional Geopolitics in the Persian/Arab Gulf countries, Qods News Agency, 10 Dec 2020…

Dave DeCamp (2020-12-04). US Slaps More Sanctions on Iran, Claiming Tehran Has Secret Chemical Weapons. theantimedia.com Iraq used chemical weapons against Iran in 1980s war while receiving support from the US.