Bob Menendez | July 31, 2021

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Video of anti-government protestors in San Antonio de los Baños 
​How Does Breaking News Break in Cuba?

Jul 31 - ...​Those videos and others like them went viral, prompting the Cuban government to cut internet access a day after the protests began.

The official version of events broadcast in Cuba showed the arrival of President Miguel Díaz-Canel to San Antonio de los Baños in Artemias province. The president called the protesters "confused,” blamed the worsening of the crisis on the U.S. government embargo, and said discordant voices had no place in the state media.

Some of the online profiles of people who initially uploaded video from the protests have disappeared, says Rodríguez. The original video with the first Facebook Live from San Antonio is no longer on social media. He says he is unable to find some of the first videos that were published by Yoan de la Cruz and Samantha Regalado.

Sources contacted by VOA report there is pressure from Cuban authorities to remove any mention of support for the protesters from social media platforms, and some pressure to persuade residents’ relatives abroad to do the same...     quoted from

Thousands of Cubans continue to take to streets to push for global action – Jul 17, 2021

U.S. Treasury sets new sanctions against Cuba as Biden meets with Cuban-Americans

Jul 30 - The Biden administration announced new sanctions on Friday against Cuba’s national revolutionary police and its top two officials as the U.S. looks to increase pressure on the communist government following this month’s protests on the island.

The Police Nacional Revolcionaria and the agency’s director and deputy director, Oscar Callejas Valcarce and Eddie Sierra Arias, were targeted in the latest sanctions announced by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. The police are part of Cuba’s interior ministry, which was already the subject of a blanket designation by the Trump administration back in January.

“We hear the cries of freedom coming from the island. The United States is taking concerted action to bolster the cause of the Cuban people,” President Joe Biden said at the start of a White House meeting with Cuban Americans not long after Treasury announced the sanctions.     source from

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​ Cuban president admits government failings but urges protesters to not be ‘hateful’

Robert Menendez (/mɛˈnɛndɛz/; born January 1, 1954) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the senior United States Senator from New Jersey, a seat he has held since 2006.[1] A member of the Democratic Party, he was first appointed to the U.S. Senate by Governor Jon Corzine, and chaired the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations from 2013 to 2015, and again since 2021.

​In 1974, at the age of 20, Menendez was elected to the Union City School District's Board of Education. He received degrees from Saint Peter's University and Rutgers Law School. In 1986, he was elected mayor of Union City. In 1988, while continuing to serve as mayor, he was elected to represent the state's 33rd district in the General Assembly of New Jersey and, within three years, moved to the New Jersey State Senate, upon winning the March 1991 special election for the 33rd Senate district. The next year, Menendez won a seat in the House of Representatives and represented New Jersey's 13th congressional district for six two-year terms, from 1993 to 2006. In January 2006, he was appointed to fill the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Jon Corzine (who had been elected governor of New Jersey), and was elected to a full six-year term in November; he was reelected in 2012 and 2018.

In 2015, Menendez was indicted on federal corruption charges, which were dropped in 2018. The United States Senate Select Committee on Ethics "severely admonished" him.

Foreign affairs
Menendez spearheaded a nonbinding resolution in July 2018 "warning President Trump not to let the Russian government question diplomats and other officials". The resolution states the United States "should refuse to make available any current or former diplomat, civil servant, political appointee, law enforcement official or member of the Armed Forces of the United States for questioning by the government of Vladimir Putin". It passed 98–0...     from Wikipedia

‘Trror’: Crackdown After Protests in Cuba Sends a Chilling Message

​In a remarkable act of defiance, thousands of Cubans took to the streets two weeks ago and chanted “We’re not afraid!” Many are now terrified.

Jul 27 - The courage many Cubans showed when they poured into the streets two weeks ago — chanting “Down with the dictatorship!” and “We are not afraid!” — has curdled into fear for many.

Hundreds have been detained, advocates say, and an untold number are still being held. The police have staked out the homes of activists. And among government critics, there is a widespread sense that the crackdown is far from over.

Maykel González, an independent journalist taken into custody after the July 11 protests, has ventured out of his home rarely in recent days, frightened by the surveillance and harassment that other protesters are enduring.

“At any moment they could show up at my door,” said Mr. González, 37. “It’s a fear that’s with me from the moment I wake up”...      more

Related Articles:

Cubans Denounce ‘Misery’ in Biggest Protests in Decades
July 11, 2021

‘Everyone Has a Tipping Point’: Hunger Fuels Cuba’s Protests
July 12, 2021

‘The Spark Has Been Lit’: Cuban Dissidents Feel Emboldened Despite Crackdown
July 13, 2021

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plaid ice cream
《花生漫畫》西元1953年月/"Peanuts" on Aug. 1st, 1953
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Sergei Ryabkov | July 30, 2021

 2 - White House News in Chinese (weebly.com)

俄美边对话边较劲 多领域对抗不断加剧 20210729 |《今日关注》CCTV中文国际
Jul 30, 2021

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov pose before a meeting at the U.S. diplomatic mission in Geneva, Switzerland on 28 July.
Russia, U.S. Hold Closed-Door Talks in Geneva

U.S. Praises “Professional and Substantive” Talks with Russia


Jul 28 - Russia and the United States held talks yesterday in Geneva that focused on arms control, Agence France-Presse reports. State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement that the two sides “remain committed, even in times of tension, to ensuring predictability and reducing the risk of armed conflict and threat of nuclear war.”

The leaders of the two countries, U.S. President Joe Biden and Russia’s Vladimir Putin, took part in a summit last month, also in Geneva, which resulted in few concrete measures other than an agreement to begin a dialogue on nuclear arms control. 

The Kremlin yesterday criticized Biden’s recent statement that Russia’s economy was limited to nuclear weapons and oil. A Kremlin spokesman said Biden’s words betrayed a lack of knowledge about the country, Reuters reports. On Tuesday, Biden accused his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin of seeking to disrupt the 2022 U.S. congressional elections by spreading “misinformation.”   source from

Sergei Alexeyevich Ryabkov (Russian: Сергей Алексеевич Рябков) (born 8 July 1960) is the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation.[1]

Ryabkov was born in Moscow in 1960. At age 22, in 1982, he graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. Upon graduation, he immediately joined the Russian Foreign Ministry. In 1995, he worked in the Foreign Ministry's Department of European Co-operation. In 2002, he worked as a counselor at the Russian Embassy in Washington, DC. In 2006, he returned to Moscow and was appointed head of his former department (the Department of European Co-operation). He was designated Deputy Foreign Minister in 2008.

​Ryabkov speaks English fluently and frequently gives interviews to English-speaking media organizations. Ryabkov, for example, has been featured on the channel RT several times. He often speaks for the Foreign Ministry in commenting on nuclear and other disarmament negotiations, specifically such things as the New START treaty.     from Wikipedia

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U.S. and Russia want China, France and UK included in nuclear arms talks

Jul 30 - Both the U.S. and Russia want to extend nuclear arms talks to other nations, Moscow said on Thursday.

Senior officials from the two powers met in Geneva to start easing tensions between Washington and Moscow, following promising signs of collaboration when Russia's President Vladimir Putin and U.S. counterpart Joe Biden met at a summit earlier this year. 

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov spoke about arms controls during the meeting and they will meet again in September.

According to different Russian officials, Moscow now wants to extend the discussions to include France and the UK, while the U.S. wants to include China.

"This question has taken on particular relevance in light of London's recent decision to increase the maximum level of nuclear warheads by 40 percent, to 260 units," said Russia's ambassador to Washington, Anatoly Antonov.

Ryabkov said in a separate comment that the U.S. wants to include China in the conversation.

When asked to describe the atmosphere around the negotiating table, Ryabkov said: "I would call it very down to earth, very business-like, very focused."

Ned Price, a U.S. state department spokesman, also said the meeting was "professional and substantive." Adding: "We remain committed, even in times of tension, to ensuring predictability and reducing the risk of armed conflict and threat of nuclear war."

The U.S. will brief NATO allies on the content of the meeting on July 29.

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A Chinese instructor discusses Chinese rocket launcher systems during the second day of the code-named Interaction-2017 joint anti-terrorism training between the Chinese People’s Armed Police Force and the Russian Federation National Guard, in Qingtongxia, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, on December 4, 2017. The two leading U.S. rivals have intensified their diplomatic, economic and military relationship in recent years.

​China, Russia to Train Together Against Terror as Last U.S. Troops Exit Afghanistan

Jul 30 - China is set to host Russia for mass drills together involving counterterrorism training next month just as the last of the U.S. soldiers are set to exit Afghanistan.

The Chinese Defense Ministry and Russian Defense Ministry issued a joint statement Thursday stating that the Western Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army will join troops from Russia's Eastern Military District for a large-scale exercise called West-Interaction 2021, which will be held in early and mid-August in the city of Qingtongxia, which lies along the Yellow River in China's northern Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

​The two militaries are set to establish a joint command center overseeing the activities of some 10,000 troops along with various aircraft, artillery and armored equipment. The plan is to mix personnel from both sides for enhanced interoperability for the combined maneuvers involving an array of objectives...     more

Khuzestan Province | July 29, 2021

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A police officer patrols in front of banners put up by members of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, an Iranian opposition group, in front of the Grand Hotel Wien during the closed-door nuclear talks with Iran in Vienna on April 27, 2021, where diplomats of the UK, EU, China, Russia and Iran hold their talks.
US condemns violence against protesters in Iran

The US condemnation comes as rights groups accuse Iranian authorities of a violent crackdown on protests that erupted earlier this month over severe water shortages in the southwestern province of Khuzestan


Jul 29 - ...“The Iranian people are now putting a spotlight not only on their unmet needs but also their unfulfilled aspirations for respect for human rights — rights to which individuals the world over are entitled,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.

“We urge the Iranian government to allow its citizens to exercise their right to freedom of expression and to freely access information, including via the Internet,” Price said, adding that the United States is monitoring reports of internet slowdowns in the region.

​The US condemnation comes as the nuclear negotiations between Tehran and world powers in Vienna remain stalled. The sixth round of talks ended in June without a deal on reviving the landmark 2015 accord, which granted Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program...     quoted from

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Khuzestan or Xuzestan province (Persian: استان خوزستان‎ Ostān-e Khūzestān) is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the southwest of the country, bordering Iraq and the Persian Gulf. Its capital is Ahvaz and it covers an area of 63,238 square kilometres (24,416 sq mi). Since 2014 it has been part of Iran's Region 4.[3]

As the Iranian province with the oldest history, it is often referred to as the "birthplace of the nation", as this is where the history of the Elamites begins. Historically, one of the most important regions of the Ancient Near East, Khuzestan is what historians refer to as ancient Elam, whose capital was in Susa. The Achaemenid Old Persian term for Elam was Hujiyā when they conquered it from the Elamites, which is present in the modern name. Khuzestan, meaning "the Land of the Khuz", refers to the original inhabitants of this province, the "Susian" people (Old Persian "Huza" or Huja, as in the inscription at the tomb of Darius the Great at Naqsh-e Rostam). They are the Shushan of the Hebrew sources where they are recorded as "Hauja" or "Huja". In Middle Persian, the term evolves into "Khuz" and "Kuzi". The pre-Islamic Partho-Sasanian inscriptions gives the name of the province as Khwuzestan...     from Wikipedia

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Iran: Deadly Response to Water Protests3 Protesters Reported Killed in Southwestern Khuzestan Province

Date published on July 22, 2021

Iranian authorities appear to have used excessive force against demonstrators in southwestern Iran protesting lack of access to water, Human Rights Watch said today. The authorities should transparently investigate the reported deaths of at least three protesters and hold those responsible to account. The government should also urgently address longstanding grievances on access to water in the country.

Since July 15, 2021, people in dozens of towns and cities in Khuzestan province, which has a large ethnic Arab population, have taken to the streets every evening to protest difficulties with accessing water in the area. In interviews with state-affiliated outlets, families reported the deaths of two men during the protests, while videos shared on social media show security officials using firearms and teargas and shooting toward protesters. On July 21, the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRIB) reported that a third protester in the city of Izeh and a police officer in Taleghani city were killed. Unconfirmed reports indicate that the number of deaths and injuries may be higher.

“Iranian authorities have a very troubling record of responding with bullets to protesters frustrated with mounting economic difficulties and deteriorating living conditions,” said Tara Sepehri Far, Iran researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Government authorities need to ensure the right to peaceful assembly and stop security forces from using excessive force.”

There are longstanding concerns across Iran, and Khuzestan in particular, over mismanagement of water resources and pollution from oil development. For decades environmental experts have warned that development projects in oil-rich Khuzestan, including the construction of hydroelectric dams, irrigation schemes, and water transfers to neighboring provinces are causing environmental harm and leading to water shortages affecting a range of rights.

On July 16, Omid Sabripour, the acting governor of Shadegan city, told Hamshahri newspaper that “rioters” had shot a young man during the protests, killing him. His family said the victim was Mostafa Naeemavi, 30. Family members of Ghasem Nasseri (also Ghasem Khozeiri) told Fars News Agency that he was fatally shot while returning from work...     more

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英航母入南海 美高官密集活动 牵制对抗中国？20210727 |《今日关注》CCTV中文国际

US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken calling on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in New Delhi

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets PM Modi
​
Jul 28 - ..Prime Minister Modi said that the societies of the US and India share a deep commitment to the values of democracy, freedom and liberty, and the Indian diaspora in the US has contributed immensely to the enhancement of bilateral ties, according to a statement by the prime minister's office.

​In the meeting, Modi conveyed his warm greetings to President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris and his appreciation for the initiatives taken by the US, including those related to the Quad, Covid-19 and climate change.

"The prime minister noted that the India-US Strategic Partnership will be of even greater global significance in the coming years, in the context of the challenges posed by Covid-19, global economic recovery and climate change," the statement said...     quoted from

Antony Blinken with Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
​US Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with WHO chief, supports probe into Covid origins 

Jul 29 - ...US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with the head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in Kuwait on Wednesday, where he pledged his support for the UN agency's investigation in China into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic.

"The US supports the @WHO plans for additional studies into COVID-19 origins, including in (the People's Republic of China), to better understand this pandemic and prevent future ones," Blinken tweeted after arriving in the Gulf Arab state.

The meeting with Tedros had not been on the US diplomat's published schedule.

In a statement, State Department spokesman Ned Price said that Blinken "stressed the need for the next phase (of the investigation) to be timely, evidence-based, transparent, expert-led, and free from interference."

​And he "emphasized the importance of the international community coming together on this matter of critical concern"...     more

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China interest in Afghanistan could be 'positive', says US Blinken

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said China's possible involvement in Afghanistan could be "a positive thing".

Jul 29 - He said this was if China was looking towards a "peaceful resolution of the conflict" and a "truly representative and inclusive" government.

His comments came after Taliban representatives visited China.

China said it saw the Taliban playing an important role in the peace process and rebuilding of Afghanistan.

"No one has an interest in a military takeover of the country by the Taliban, the restoration of an Islamic emirate," said Mr Blinken, who was asked about the talks while on a visit to India.

He urged the Taliban to come to the "negotiating table... peacefully".
Nine Taliban representatives had on Wednesday travelled to Tianjin for the talks.

In a tweet, the Taliban spokesperson said China had "reiterated its commitment of continuation of their assistance with Afghans and said they will not interfere in Afghanistan's issues but will help to solve the problems and restoration of peace in the country."

In a statement, China's foreign ministry said it would pursue a policy of "non-interference" in Afghanistan's internal affairs.

"The hasty withdrawal of the United States and NATO troops from Afghanistan actually marked the failure of the U.S. policy towards Afghanistan, and the Afghan people have an important opportunity to stabilize and develop their own country," it added.

Violence has increased in Afghanistan, with the Taliban taking control of large swathes of the country, as the US withdraws its troops ahead of a September deadline.

The high-level meeting in China suggests the Taliban is being recognised on an international stage as a major political force.     source from

Lucy’s been sick
《花生漫畫》西元1953年七月/"Peanuts" on July 30, 1953
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to rub it in
《花生漫畫》西元1953年月/"Peanuts" on July 31, 1953
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