On Tuesday, we took a close look at the forecast for the Russian economy given various assumptions about the price of oil in 2016.
While Russia has thus far managed to weather the crude storm relatively well (indeed, Moscow is now pumping more crude than ever before and expects oil exports to rise for the first time in six years in 2015), the numbers do not lie.
Earlier today, a ship carrying over 25,000 pounds (11,000 kg) of low-enriched uranium materials allegedly departed from Iran for Russia, in what was dubbed a key step in Tehran's implementation of this year's historic nuclear accord with world powers. According to John Kerry this was "one of the most significant steps Iran has taken toward fulfilling its commitments."
"I am pleased to report that we have seen important indications of significant progress towards Iran completing its key nuclear commitments under the deal," Kerry said in a statement.
The Kremlin have announced that China are to send 5,000 of its most elite military forces into the Levant War Zone to help Russia in the fight against ISIS, which has left the Obama administration and the Pentagon “horrified”. The “Siberian Tiger” Special Forces and “Night Tiger” Special Forces Units were given authorization to be deployed by China’s People’s Congress (NPC) on Sunday, after China passed its first anti-terrorism law allowing their army to take part in anti-terror missions abroad.
A U.S. Professor has said that the U.S. and Europe are growing increasingly hostile towards Russia due to the fact that they underestimated Moscow’s increasing military and economical power. Professor Vladimir Golstein, associate professor of Slavic studies at Brown University in Rhode Island, says that the anti-Russian propaganda perpetrated by the West is now backfiring.
Submitted by Eric Zuesse, originally posted at strategic-culture.org,