(2023-06-17). Putin: Russia Has More Nuclear Weapons Than All NATO Countries. southfront.org 
© Sergey Bobylev/TASS | Russia will use its nuclear weapons only if faced with an existential threat, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on June 16. | Answering a question on his stance on using tactical, low-yield nuclear weapons as a deterrent, Putin stressed that his attitude about the idea of using such weapons was "negative" and pointed to Moscow's nuclear doctrine."Nuclear weapons are created to ensure our security in…
(2023-06-17). Vienna 'Peace Summit' Engineers Weak Final 'Declaration'. popularresistance.org A statement condemning Russia was issued on the peace consultation organized by American and Western European organizations in Vienna on June 10-11. | From the final text of the declaration issued by the International Peace Bureau, which emerged from obscurity, even the passage in the original draft, which mentioned NATO's "co-responsibility", was omitted. | In their closing statement, the organizers of the conference demand an immediate ceasefire and negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. Civilian diplomatic intervention is envisaged at their countries' embassies, including the Russian one, while condemning Rus…
(2023-06-17). In Ukraine, it's coming down to an endless war of position. indybay.org Russia sees itself as existentially threatened – regardless of whether NATO and the West ever had and have in mind to attack Russia. What is relevant is what the Russian leadership and the majority of Russians are convinced of. Russia has long accused NATO of wanting to turn Ukraine into a Western bulwark on its border with Russia. | Since 2008, Russia has repeatedly made it clear to the West that this is unacceptable.
(2023-06-17). Russia Protests Over Provocative Actions By U.S. Forces In Syria's Raqqa. southfront.org 
U.S. Marines with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment provide security support during mission on Sept. 9, 2018, at an undisclosed location in Syria. (Cpl. Gabino Perez/Marine Corps) | Russia had protested over provocative actions by United States forces in the northeastern Syrian governorate of Raqqa, Rear Admiral Oleg Gurinov, deputy chief of the Russian Center for Reconciliation in Syria, said on June 16. | During a briefing, Gurinov said that units from the U.S.-led coalition moved al…
(2023-06-17). Turkey Renews Shelling On Northern Syria, Wounds Four Civilians (Video). southfront.org 
Image: aa.com.tr | On June 17, the Turkish military and its proxies renewed shelling on Kurdish-held areas in the northern Syrian governorate of Aleppo. | A series of artillery strikes targeted the town of Tell Rifaat and nearby areas, according to the Hawar News Agency, which is linked to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and several other sources. | The Syrian Arab Army and the Russian Military Police both maintain positions in Tel Rifaat as a part of a de-escalat…
(2023-06-17). Seymour Hersh: Partners in Doomsday. scheerpost.com 
(2023-06-17). Correspondence] Non-communicable diseases in Afghanistan: a silent tsunami. thelancet.com Afghanistan is experiencing an untypical humanitarian crisis resulting from a chronic 40-year conflict and political upheavals. This crisis has led to a rapid economic collapse, inflation, drastic rises in poverty, hunger, and risk of malnutrition.1 Afghanistan is suffering from the double burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases. Outbreaks of many communicable diseases such as acute watery diarrhoea, measles, dengue fever, pertussis, and Crimean—Congo haemorrhagic fever in addition to COVID-19 have worsened the situation.
(2023-06-17). American Churches Launch Initiative to End Israel's Apartheid. hrw.org Over 100 faith-based groups form Apartheid Free Communities Initiative.
(2023-06-17). Chinese Foreign Ministry responds to Blinken's upcoming visit to China. ecns.cn Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin made a comment on U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's upcoming travel to China, at a press conference on Friday.
(2023-06-17). British football enthusiast enjoys village super league. ecns.cn A village super league held in Rongjiang County, Southwest China's Guizhou Province, has gone viral both online and offline. "ÄÄ…
(2023-06-17). Xi sends congratulatory letter to 15th Straits Forum. ecns.cn Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, sent a congratulatory letter to the 15th Straits Forum on Saturday.
(2023-06-17). Perspectives] Political complicity in junk food industry tactics. thelancet.com Fear and opportunity partly underpin the tactics of the beverage and food industries. Sales of sugar-sweetened beverages, for instance, have fallen by about 25% during the past 20 years in many high-income countries (HICs). To counteract such a decrease in sales in HICs, companies have focused their attention on opportunities in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). This is the backdrop to Eduardo J Gómez's compelling book Junk Food Politics: How Beverage and Fast Food Industries Are Reshaping Emerging Economies, which looks at six country case studies from China, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and S…
(2023-06-17). China's first intelligent floating production storage and offloading vessel delivered in Jiangsu. ecns.cn China's first intelligent floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel "Offshore Oil 123" was delivered in Nantong, Jiangsu Province, on Friday. It marks a new progress in China's intelligent construction of an offshore oilfield.
(2023-06-17). Global publishers descend on Beijing for book fair. ecns.cn The 29th Beijing International Book Fair opened at the China National Convention Center on Thursday. With a theme of deepening exchanges and mutual learning, the five-day book fair features more than 200,000 book titles from 2,500 publishers from 56 countries and regions.
(2023-06-17). China's push for regional peace hailed. ecns.cn China's proactive role in finding a lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by initiating a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas offers new opportunities for resolving decades of discord, say analysts.
(2023-06-17). World Internet Conference Nishan Dialogue on Digital Civilization to kick off in Shandong. ecns.cn The World Internet Conference (WIC) Nishan Dialogue on Digital Civilization will be held in Jining City in east China's Shandong Province from June 25 to 27, according to a press conference on Friday.
(2023-06-17). China plans raft of steps to boost growth. ecns.cn China will work further in implementing a raft of supportive measures to boost consumption, carry out the construction of major projects, and expedite the development of a modern industrial system to boost growth.
(2023-06-17). China to promptly formulate policies to restore, expand consumption: top economic planner. ecns.cn China will promptly formulate policies that restore and expand consumption, continuously improve consumption environment, and release the potential of service consumption.
(2023-06-17). Mysterious scenery of Ganquan Grand Canyon in Shaanxi. ecns.cn Sunshine casts into the Ganquan Grand Canyon, creating mysterious beauty in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. The canyon on the loess plateau, formed by erosion from flash flooding, features amazing "flowing" shapes in towering rock.
(2023-06-17). Jonno Sriranganathan: 'Aim for reforms that open up space for deeper radical change'. greenleft.org.au 
(2023-06-17). Israeli Soldiers Won't Face Prosecution for Death of 80-Year-Old Palestinian-American. scheerpost.com 
The Israeli military announced the soldiers involved in the death of Palestinian American Omar Asaad would not face criminal charges. Less than 1% of Israeli army probes result in the prosecution of soldiers.