Russia

MOSCOW, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Monday that 39 British citizens have been barred from entering Russia in response to London's increased sanctions against Russians.

The blacklisted are British politicians, journalists and business people, including former Prime Minister David Cameron, because they "promote London's hostile policy aimed at demonising Russia and isolating it internationally," the ministry said.

Moscow could impose restrictions on more British nationals as London attempts to continue anti-Russian sanctions, it warned. 

KHIMKI, Russia (AP) — American basketball star Brittney Griner was back in court on Tuesday for her trial for cannabis possession amid U.S. diplomatic efforts to secure her release.

During the hearing, prosecutors called a state narcotics expert who analyzed cannabis found in Griner’s luggage. Her defense fielded a specialist who challenged the analysis, charging that it was flawed and didn’t conform to official rules.

MOSCOW, August 1. /TASS/: The issue of Serbia’s possible membership in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) has not yet been included on the agenda, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Monday.

"Frankly speaking, such an issue has not been on the agenda," the Kremlin official said replying to a question on the matter.

MOSCOW, August 1. /TASS/: Russia’s COVID-19 case tally rose by 10,824 over the past day to 18,612,543, the anti-coronavirus crisis center reported on Monday.

As many as 836 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in Russia over the past day, down 14.9% from a day earlier. The number of hospitalized patients decreased in 47 regions, while in 25 regions the figure increased. The situation remained unchanged in 13 regions. A day earlier, 982 people were rushed to hospitals.

MOSCOW, August 1. /TASS/: The risk of a military standoff between Kosovo and Serbia remains, but Pristina’s decision, made as a result of international efforts, to postpone till September 1 the procedure of enforcing a ban on Serbian documents opens a window of opportunity to step up diplomatic efforts capable of preventing a direct military confrontation.

MOSCOW, August 1. /TASS/: Anti-Russian sanctions do not reflect the realities of global politics and the economy, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday at a meeting with representatives of the metal industry.

"I have already said that these decisions were made by Western countries for the sake of political interests - the current, opportunistic ones that do not reflect the realities either in global politics or the global economy," he said.

MOSCOW, Aug 1 (NNN-TASS) – The Russian Armed Forces will obtain Zircon hypersonic missile systems, in the coming months, Russian President Vladimir Putin said yesterday.

“The capabilities of the Navy … are constantly improving. Suffice it to mention the latest Zircon hypersonic missile systems, which are unstoppable and have no analogues in the world. Dear comrades, their delivery to the Russian Armed Forces will begin in the coming months,” Putin said during the Navy Day parade.

MOSCOW, Aug 1 (Reuters) - A Russian foreign ministry source expressed puzzlement on Monday about a proposal from U.S. President Joe Biden to negotiate a new nuclear arms control framework to replace the New START Treaty when it expires in 2026.

Biden said in a statement on Monday that his administration was ready to "expeditiously" negotiate a new framework but that Russia should demonstrate that it is ready to resume work on nuclear arms control with the United States.

(AP) --- Even as Moscow’s war machine crawls across Ukraine’s east, trying to achieve the Kremlin’s goal of securing full control over the country’s industrial heartland, Ukrainian forces are scaling up attacks to reclaim territory in the Russian-occupied south.

The Ukrainians have used American-supplied rocket launchers to strike bridges and military infrastructure in the south, forcing Russia to divert its forces from the Donbas in the east to counter the new threat.

With the war in Ukraine now in its sixth month, the coming weeks may prove decisive.

MOSCOW, July 31. /TASS/: It will be possible to say for sure if the coronavirus has become a seasonal disease in a year, immunologist and specialist in particularly dangerous infections Vladislav Zhemchugov told TASS.

According to him, there are two scenarios for the end of the coronavirus pandemic. Under one of them, the infection will turn into a flu-like seasonal disease.

"Next spring, we will see if the wave ends in a flu-like disease or persists through the summer. We need time to figure out if [the coronavirus] has become a seasonal disease," the expert emphasized.