TMB: Russian Warships Dock In Iran for War Training‏

 Hassan Rouhani, Vladimir Putin / AP

Russian Warships Dock In Iran for War Training
By Adam Kredo
Two Russian warships have docked in northern Iran for a series of naval training exercises with the Islamic Republic, according to Persian-language reports translated by the CIA’s Open Source Center.



White House Blocks Pentagon Report on Russian Treaty Breach
By Bill Gertz
The White House is blocking the release of a Pentagon risk assessment of Russia’s violation of the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty, according to a senior House leader.



White House, Allies Accuse Jewish Lawmakers of Dual Loyalty to Israel
By Adam Kredo
Obama administration allies lobbying in favor of a recently signed nuclear deal with Iran are smearing Jewish lawmakers and opponents of the accord with allegations of dual loyalty to Israel, rhetoric many view as anti-Semitic, according to allegations leveled by these individuals and groups.



FLASHFORWARD: President Donald Trump Responds to a Nuclear Iran
By Andrew Stiles
Of all the candidates for president, it is clear that Donald Trump is most likely to take the oath of office in January 2017. It is also quite likely that Iran will obtain a nuclear weapon in the months that follow, kicking off a geopolitical crisis that only the most seasoned dealmaker could successfully diffuse.



NATO Reducing Air Patrols Around Baltic Sea as Russian Provocations Continue
By Jack Caravelli
The NATO alliance will reduce by half the number of planes patrolling around the Baltic Sea beginning in September despite continuing provocations from Russian military aircraft, according to reports.



Chinese TV Host Punished for Insulting Communist Leader Mao Zedong
By Daniel Wiser
A popular TV personality in China will be punished for insulting Communist Party founder Mao Zedong at a private dinner, according to state media reports, the latest example of Chinese authorities’ sweeping ideological campaign against dissent.



Maine Wage Hike Could Eliminate Thousands of Jobs
By Bill McMorris
A Maine proposal that would create a $12 hourly minimum wage could eliminate nearly 4,000 jobs, according to a forthcoming study.




Former Clinton Aide Cheryl Mills Will ‘Delete’ All Work-Related Emails
By Morgan Chalfant
Cheryl Mills, who served as chief of staff for Hillary Clinton at the State Department, plans to destroy all of her work-related emails after handing them over to the government agency.



Power Plant CO2 Emissions Hit 27-Year Low As Obama Pushes New Regulations
By Lachlan Markay
The Obama administration points to U.S. carbon dioxide emissions to justify its new power plant regulations, but government data show the power sector’s CO2 emissions are the lowest they’ve been in nearly three decades.



Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders Are the Same Person, Analysis Finds
By Andrew Stiles
Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump may not share a lot of personality traits. Sanders, for example, is matter-of-fact, a little on the grouchy side, and a fashionably disheveled dresser. Trump is a bombastic showboat who is always the classiest person in the room.



Sal Vitro: The Most Important ‘Sopranos’ Character
By Sonny Bunch
Apologies for the light posting; as I mentioned a couple weeks back, I had some paternity leave coming up.