https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/china-tells-us-to-stop-plundering-syria
China tells US to stop plundering Syria
The United States must stop siphoning oil and grain out of Syria and make up for the damage caused by its military presence on Syrian soil, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Wednesday.
"The US must … immediately lift unilateral sanctions on Syria, stop plundering Syrian national resources and take concrete steps to compensate Syrians for the damage," Wang Wenbin told a press briefing.
The US occupation forces remain largely in control of oil and grain-rich areas in northeastern Syria, according to Wang.
Syrian state media has accused over and over again US and SDF armed groups of smuggling resources to Iraq and then siphoning them out of there.
The United States has been for years supporting SDF militias against Damascus, and the US-backed forces are currently controlling parts of the provinces of Al-Haskah, Deir Ezzor, and Raqqa, where the largest Syrian oil and gas fields are located. The actions carried out by the United States constitute state piracy with the aim of plundering Syria's oil resources.
On May 16, the US-led "international coalition" began a new repositioning process in Syria, roughly two and a half years after former President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from Syria, which he later retracted and deployed instead his oil-thirsty occupation forces in areas where oil and gas fields are found.
Syrian civilians have long been resisting the US occupation of their country, with locals preventing US military convoys from entering their cities and villages all over Syria.
>> Just one day after Putin said the same words. What a coincidence!
https://english.almayadeen.net/latestnews/2022/7/20/al-mayadeen-correspondent:-shooting-targets-israeli-occupati
BREAKING NEWS
Al Mayadeen correspondent: Shooting targets Israeli occupation forces near the Itamar settlement in the northern West Bank.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/sayyed-nasrallah-reveals-first-time-details-about-us-marines
Sayyed Nasrallah reveals first-time details about US Marines operation
In the second episode of Al Mayadeen's "40 and Beyond" documentary series, Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah disclosed, for the first time, information about the targeting of the US Marines headquarters in Beirut in 1989 and several other operations that were carried out during that period, as well as details about the assassinations targeting left-wing parties figures in Lebanon.
In an interview with Al Mayadeen CEO, Ghassan Ben Jeddou, in the second episode of "40 and Beyond", Sayyed Nasrallah explained that in the 80s period in Lebanon, at least three to four real organizations, which were independent of each other and not affiliated with Hezbollah’s formations and leadership, were active on Lebanese soil.
Among those organizations, Sayyed Nasrallah said, was the Lebanese Islamic Jihad - a real, limited, and small formation, noting that all claims about this organization being fake are false.
The Lebanese Resistance leader emphasized that the members of these organizations had had their own beliefs and visions in dealing with what was happening during that period, indicating that these groups believed that the US was protecting the Israeli occupation, which paved the way for targeting foreign US forces in Lebanon.
Sayyed Nasrallah said that for Hezbollah, the members of these small groups carried out quality operations that Hezbollah might or might not have theoretically approved of.
It is noteworthy that on October 23, 1983, the US Marines headquarters in Beirut was blasted, leaving 241 Americans dead. Minutes later, a suicide bombing targeted French barracks about six kilometers away, killing 58 French paratroopers, according to French officials.
The Hezbollah Secretary-General explained that, initially, these organizations did not intend to detain hostages, yet the actual implementation came in retaliation for detaining some of their members, coupled with the aim of preventing their execution.
The Lebanese Resistance leader considered that had Hezbollah taken the decision to approach one of the groups and tell its members that some of their acts and operations were unsuitable, they wouldn’t have listened.
Reality of Leftist figures' assassinations
Regarding the assassinations that were carried out against left-wing parties figures in Lebanon, Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that neither Hezbollah nor Hezbollah-affiliated formations, nor organizations close to Hezbollah had anything to do with them, mainly because such operations do not align with the beliefs of Hezbollah.
The Lebanese Resistance party puts confronting “Israel” as a top priority in mind and was based from the very beginning on the doctrine of resisting and fighting it.
In regard to the confusion that arose in some left-wing parties, Sayyed Nasrallah explained that these parties had had some problems with some Islamic organizations in Lebanon, which Hezbollah had friendship with, a relationship that might have been the source of this confusion.
However, the Secretary-General underlined that he does not know if such Islamic organizations had had any hand in these assassinations, indicating that Hezbollah was not concerned with investigating this matter, nor did it have the capability or the time to look into its details.
It is noteworthy that on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of Hezbollah and the 30th anniversary of the election of Sayyed Nasrallah as the Lebanese party's Secretary-General, Al Mayadeen produced a five-part documentary series, featuring a rare interview with the Resistance leader dating back to 20 years.
The third episode of "40 and Beyond" will be exclusively aired Wednesday at 9 pm Al-Quds time, on Al Mayadeen TV.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/dprk-slams-us-report-over-human-trafficking-allegations
DPRK slams US report over human trafficking allegations
The US Department of State issued an annual update of the Trafficking in Persons Report on Tuesday, which examines the prevalence of human trafficking worldwide and offers recommendations for countries to address it.
Four categories are defined in the classification of countries to distinguish those that take greater action against human trafficking from those that enable, facilitate or perpetuate human trafficking.
Twenty-two countries have been identified as ranking in the Tier 3 category, preceding all other categories, and the last being the "Special case" category for countries such as Libya, Yemen, and Afghanistan, three countries that suffered tremendously at the hands of US direct military interventions or proxies.
Tier 3 countries qualify as countries that do not make sufficient efforts to meet the minimum standard for abiding by the TVPA (Trafficking Victims Protection Act), and they are excluded from receiving foreign assistance from the US.
Among the Tier 3 countries are included North Korea[DPRK], Afghanistan, China, Cuba, Iran, Russia, and Syria.
The report accuses Pyongyang of exploiting forced labor as "a part of an established system of political repression and a pillar of the economic system" through prisons and labor camps, mass mobilizations, and overseas work.
Pyongyang retaliated by saying in an article published on the government website that the US should place itself "on the operating table first" before meddling in other countries' affairs and hiding its own "ills."
"The U.S., which still follows its nasty human trafficking history, issues the 'Trafficking in Persons Report' every year and assesses the 'human trafficking situation' of other countries at its will is absolute nonsense and an insult to the human rights," - North Korean Foreign Ministry
The article also included discussions on the recent deaths of around 50 immigrants in a shipping container in the suburbs of San Antonio, Texas, and noted that 12.5 million Africans were forced into slavery from 1525 to 1866.
Human traffic in the US
The US is the number one consumer of paid sex worldwide. So America is driving the demand as a society.
The scale of human trafficking in the US is hard to gauge, but the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline, operated by Polaris Project since December 2007, shows a 25 percent jump in human trafficking cases from 2017 to 2018.
This includes sex and labor trafficking. Of the more than 23,500 runaways reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in 2018, 1 in 7 were likely victims of child sex trafficking.
>> Is there any other news outlet talking openly and directly about human trafficking? Red pill.
Hope all the victims are rescued and this disgusting practice stops once and for all.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/putin-slams-golden-billion-idea-as-neocolonial-racist
Putin slams ‘golden billion’ idea as neocolonial, racist
Speaking at the Strong Ideas for a New Time forum on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the idea of total domination of the ‘golden billion’ is racist and neocolonial, as it splits the peoples into first and second-rate.
"The model of total domination of the so-called golden billion is unfair. Why should this ‘golden billion’ of all the population on the globe dominate over everyone and impose its own rules of behavior? Based on the illusion of exceptionalism, it [this model] divides the peoples into those of first or second-rate, and therefore it is racist and neocolonial in its essence, while the globalist, allegedly liberal ideology underlying it, is more and more acquiring the features of totalitarianism, restraining the creative search and free historical creativeness", Putin noted.
Putin believes that the West cannot offer the world a good example of the future.
"Of course, this 'golden billion' became golden for a reason. It has achieved a lot. But it not only took such positions thanks to some implemented ideas, to a large extent it took its positions by robbing other peoples: in Asia, and in Africa," the Russian head of state pointed out, "Indeed, it was like that. Look at how India has been plundered," he said.
Therefore, today the ‘golden billion’ elites are afraid that other world centers can present their global development visions, Putin added.
Accusations against Gazprom completely baseless
The Russian President commented on the EU's recent sanctions on Moscow, which cut off supply routes, and criticized the bloc's blame of its gas shortages on Gazprom.
He explained that Moscow is ready to deliver as much gas as the bloc needs if the EU stops “stepping on rakes."
“What does Gazprom have to do with it? They closed one route, the second route, put these gas pumping stations under sanctions,” he outlined when asked about the present shortage of gas in Germany.
Putin stressed Russia's continuous fulfillment of its contractual obligations, adding that accusations against Gazprom are “completely baseless” and a way Western countries use to “shift the blame for their own mistakes” onto Moscow.
Putin reiterated his previous statements about the EU’s energy policy, saying that the bloc spent the last decade neglecting the “traditional energy” sector – oil, coal, gas, and nuclear – in favor of ‘green’ projects, such as wind and solar.
“Banks do not finance, insurance companies do not insure, local authorities do not allocate land for new developments, pipelines and other transport are not developed,” he said. “You now see the result.”
Western nations are “great experts in the field of non-traditional relations,” Putin added, so they invested in “non-traditional types of energy” as well. “The winter turned out to be long. There was no wind. That's all.”
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/economics/tehran-stock-exchange-launches-trading-in-iranian-rial-russi
Tehran stock exchange launches trading in Iranian rial, Russian ruble
Iran's Tehran Stock Exchange launched Tuesday trading in the Iranian rial and Russian ruble, Iranian state-run news agency IRNA reported.
According to the agency, some two million rubles were traded in the Iranian stock market on Tuesday with a ratio of 5,390 rials per ruble.
Iranian Central Bank Governor, Ali Saleh Abadi, indicated that trading with domestic currencies in the foreign exchange market will further strengthen economic relations with Moscow.
Saleh Abadi explained that this move would exclude the role of other foreign currencies such as the US dollar and euro in the Iranian market.
During his meeting with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Putin said the relations between the two countries have been developing at a good pace while making significant contributions to peace settlements in Syria, in addition to bilateral trade being at record highs.
"We can boast of record figures in terms of trade growth. We are strengthening our cooperation on international security, making a significant contribution to the settlement of the Syrian crisis," Putin said during the meeting.
Peskov: Russia, Iran will eventually abandon US dollar
Earlier, Russian Presidential Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia and Iran will with time abandon the use of US dollars as they contemplate bilateral trade.
"We all know that trade and economic relations between the two countries slightly exceeded four billion US dollars last year, although it may be wrong to count it in US dollars, and over time, we will probably move away from this practice as we develop our cooperation in the banking financial sector," Peskov said while addressing Putin's visit to Iran.
Peskov noted that Moscow and Tehran are friends and reliable partners.
Furthermore, the official said net trade between Russia and Iran grew 31% over the last few months, describing an upward trend in sales.
Similarly, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov had said in a statement that "Iran is an important partner of Russia, relations are of a friendly nature, have a long history, and are developing very effectively in the widest range of areas. Both sides have plans to bring bilateral cooperation to a new level — the level of strategic partnership. A new interstate agreement is being prepared.”
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/ukraine-attacks-europes-largest-nuclear-power-plant-with-dro
Ukraine attacks Europe's largest nuclear power plant with drones
Three Kamikadze drones belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces targeted the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), Europe’s biggest nuclear power plant, Russian media reported, citing local officials.
Located in southeastern Ukraine but under the control of Russian forces, the Zaporozhye NPP has not been damaged and its reactor was not affected as a result of the Ukrainian attack, indicated the officials.
Vladimir Rogov, a member of the Zaporozhye Region military-civil administration, told TASS that the NPP's radiation background is normal and is constantly being monitored.
This is not the first time that Zaporozhye NPP has been targeted by the Ukrainian forces. In fact, on July 12, Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) dropped several 120mm shells on a building near the NPP, the press service of the Energodar city administration told RIA Novosti.
The administration's spokesperson highlighted that 11 employees were injured as a result of the attack, and four of them were in serious condition.
It is noteworthy that Russia controls the southern and central parts of the Zaporozhye region, including the city of Energodar, where the Zaporozhye NPP is located, while Ukrainian forces control the administrative center of the region.
Zaporozhye to conduct Russia referendum in fall
On July 14, the head of the Zaporozhye interim administration said a referendum on the region's accession to Russia will take place in the fall.
Zaporozhye Military and Civil Administration chief Yevgeny Palitsky said more than 60% of the region's population see themselves as independent from Ukraine and an entity that will be part of Russia in the future.
"Despite the lies emanating from the Ukrainian and foreign channels, we see the truth, we talk to the people, and we know the path on which we want to embark," Palitsky added.
Zaporozhye and Melitopol were the second and third regions, respectively, to have Russian passports issued for their residents, with Kherson being the first.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/us-pledges-more-rocket-systems-long-range-weapons-to-ukraine
US pledges more rocket systems, long-range weapons to Ukraine
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark A. Milley held a news conference at the Pentagon following a virtual meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, the fourth such meeting of defense leaders from around the globe since the war in Ukraine started.
The group is coordinating aid for Ukraine’s defense after the war in the country.
During the conference, the US officials discussed several issues, such as training Ukrainian pilots and the US provision of and training to use the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS).
The US military is considering the option of training Ukrainian pilots, but no decision has so far been made, US Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley's stated in a press briefing on Wednesday.
The United States has already sent 12 HIMARS to Ukraine out of 20 promised by the US and its allies, Milley added, after his Ukrainian counterpart had asked Washington the day before for more M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS).
Regarding the ability and knowledge of Ukrainian soldiers to use these weapons, Milley mentioned that about 200 members are being trained on how to operate the HIMARS.
"Two hundred Ukrainians are trained on HIMARS and continuing," he said.
In the same context, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin responded to a question on whether the US military is looking to provide Ukraine with longer-range munitions for the HIMARS. Austin said the range of the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rounds is adequately serving Ukraine’s battleground needs.
"The range of HIMARS, our GMLRS round, is 80 kilometers, and so that’s pretty good reach. It has allowed and will continue to allow [Ukraine] to get after those longer-range targets that they’ve been unable to reach," Austin said.
To date, the US has trained hundreds of Ukrainians on how to operate weapons such as HIMARS, M777 howitzers, Phoenix Ghost drones, and other weapons supplied to the country during its war with Russia.