2020-09-24: News Headlines

MEE and agencies (2020-09-24). Fatah and Hamas agree to first Palestinian elections in nearly 15 years. middleeasteye.net Fatah and Hamas agree to first Palestinian elections in nearly 15 years | Deal between the rival Palestinian factions follows normalisation agreements between Israel, the UAE and Bahrain | Thu, 09/24/2020 – 12: 01 | Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, centre, recites a prayer as he arrives for a meeting in Ramallah on 3 September with representatives of Palestinian factions (AFP) | The Pa…

Liberation Staff (2020-09-24). Socialist Revolutionary Workers Party (South Africa): Release U.S. political prisoners jailed for fighting in the anti-racist struggle! liberationnews.org Political repression in the USA continues against those leading the massive anti-racist protest movement, as seen in the recent arrests of four leaders of the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) and the ongoing criminalization of the protest movement as a whole.

MEE staff (2020-09-24). Another Arab state to announce ties with Israel in 'next day or two', US official says. middleeasteye.net Another Arab state to announce ties with Israel in 'next day or two', US official says | UN ambassador Kelly Craft declined to name names, but recent moves indicate Sudan or Oman may be next on list of countries to move forward with normalisation deal | Thu, 09/24/2020 – 16: 34 | Foreign Ministers of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain met with US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Net…

Al Neal (2020-09-24). NBA players denounce decision not to charge Breonna Taylor's killers. peoplesworld.org The law isn't just. It is an imperfect contraption susceptible to the will of malicious hearts often protected by a tin badge, robe, or gavel and manipulated by those hungry to keep hold of political power. On Wednesday, Sept. 23, a Kentucky grand jury brought no charges against Louisville police officers for the killing of …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-09-24). Algerian journalist Belkacem Djir acquitted of all charges by Algiers court. peoplesdispatch.org 34-year-old Djir was accused of 'blackmail' and using a 'false identity' and sentenced to three years in prison in a common law case. He is now expected to be released soon after over a year in detention…

Marwa Osman (2020-09-24). Rejecting Normalization with Israel—MES EP.73. thealtworld.com The recent bilateral agreements simply formalized the normalization of Israel's already thawing relations with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. But the agreements do not address the decades-long conflict between Israel and the Arab population because of the Palestinian cause, who view the pacts as a stab in the back of their fellow Palestinians and a betrayal of their cause for a Palestinian state. To discuss this issue with us from London is Jawad Fairouz Former Bahraini MP. | It is not a secret that US President Donald Trump is obsessed with either voiding or emulating the legacy of his predecessor, Barack…

MEE and agencies (2020-09-23). Israeli airliner flies to Bahrain in wake of normalisation deal. middleeasteye.net Israeli airliner flies to Bahrain in wake of normalisation deal | Tracking data showed the Israir Airlines jet flew to the Gulf kingdom over Saudi Arabian airspace | Wed, 09/23/2020 – 12: 41 | This picture taken on 9 June 2020 shows an Israir Airlines ATR 72-500 turboprop aircraft landing at Cyprus' Larnaca International Airport (AFP) | An Israeli airliner flew to the Gulf kingdom of Bahra…

MEE staff (2020-09-23). Saudi King Salman delivers scathing attack on Iran in UN speech. middleeasteye.net Saudi King Salman delivers scathing attack on Iran in UN speech | Saudi monarch suggests kingdom backs its Gulf neighbours' normalisation deals with Israel on second day of UN General Assembly | Wed, 09/23/2020 – 17: 09 | 'We support the efforts of the current US administration to achieve peace in the Middle East,' Saudi Arabia's Salman says (AFP/File photo) | Saudi Arabia's King Salman delivered a scathing at…

Yasmena al-Mulla (2020-09-23). 'Unaltered position': Kuwait denies Trump claim it will back Israel normalisation. middleeasteye.net 'Unaltered position': Kuwait denies Trump claim it will back Israel normalisation | Cabinet of ministers' statement reflects strong historical relations between the Gulf country and Palestine

| Wed, 09/23/2020 – 14: 21 | Sheikh Nasser Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah accepts the US Legion of Merit, Degree Chief Commander on behalf of his father the Kuwaiti emir during a ceremony at the…

MEE staff (2020-09-23). US envoy to Israel says UAE will have to wait 'six or seven years' for F-35 jets. middleeasteye.net US envoy to Israel says UAE will have to wait 'six or seven years' for F-35 jets | David Friedman tells Jerusalem Post that Israel's military edge in region is 'matter of law, not a matter of policy' | Wed, 09/23/2020 – 18: 23 | UAE has long voiced interest in F-35 jets and were promised chance to buy them when agreeing to normalise ties with Israel (AFP/File photo) | US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman say…

Rayhan Uddin (2020-09-23). TIME top 100: Waad al-Kateab, Lina Attalah and Yousef al-Otaiba make annual 'most influential' list. middleeasteye.net TIME top 100: Waad al-Kateab, Lina Attalah and Yousef al-Otaiba make annual 'most influential' list | Syrian filmmaker and Egyptian journalist are praised for courageous documenting and reporting, while UAE ambassador gets recognition for building ties with US and Israel | Wed, 09/23/2020 – 14: 15 | (Left to right) Waad al-Kateab, Lina Attalah and Yousef al-Otaiba made the list for TIME magazine's 100…

MEE staff (2020-09-23). Egypt: Dozens arrested as anti-Sisi protests continue for third day. middleeasteye.net Egypt: Dozens arrested as anti-Sisi protests continue for third day | Egyptian villages in several governorates have witnessed continued protest since Sunday in response to a call by self-exiled activist Mohamed Ali | Wed, 09/23/2020 – 09: 47 | Egyptian protesters shout slogans as they take part in a protest calling for the removal of President Abdelfattah el-Sisi in Cairo's downtown on 20 September, 2019 (AFP…

RT (2020-09-23). Drivers will need 'Kent Access Permit' to get into UK once Brexit transition ends, Michael Gove says. rt.com British ports could face up to 7,000 lorry queues if businesses do not cooperate and get proper paperwork to make it through the county of Kent, according Minister for Cabinet Office Michael Gove. | "The biggest potential cause of disruption are traders not being ready for controls implemented by EU Member States on 1 January 2021," Gove wrote to British businesses in a letter leaked this week, laying out a "worst case scenario" for Brexit. | It is essential that traders act now and get ready for new formalities. | These formalities will include an internal border of sorts, that will sport police and camera te…

Fight Back (2020-09-23). Car caravan rally held in Arlington to protest UAE-Israel relations. fightbacknews.org Arlington, Texas – On September 20, over 50 people gathered at Masjid Dar El Eman, an Islamic center, for a car protest against the United Arab Emirates' and Bahrain's normalization of relations with Israel. The car caravan was organized by the Dallas Palestine Coalition; Palestinian Youth Movement-Dallas, Muslim Democratic Caucus-Texas; American Muslims for Palestine-Texas; Code Pink-Greater Dallas, and Veterans for Peace-Dallas. | After a short prayer, a car caravan drove around South Arlington. Many of the protesters attached Palestinian and American flags to their cars to call for an end to U.S. support…

news.un (2020-09-23). We learnt lessons from the Ebola outbreak; DR Congo President says country moved swiftly to curb coronavirus spread. news.un.org Learning its lessons from the Ebola outbreak, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) took swift and decisive measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus, when the first cases were detected in March, the country's President told world leaders, gathered virtually, at the UN General Assembly.

news.un (2020-09-23). Mali: Rights expert calls for 'immediate release' of former officials detained during coup. news.un.org An independent UN human rights expert has called on Mali's coup leaders to release former government officials, who have been detained for more than a month.

Aggrey Mutambo (2020-09-23). US Tells Kenya to Publicly Support Israel or Forget Free Trade Deal. globalresearch.ca The US wants Kenya to support Israel's political and commercial interests, or forget a free trade deal (FTA) with the world's biggest economy. | This is one of a raft of conditions set in the ongoing FTA negotiations between Nairobi and …

Steven Sahiounie (2020-09-23). Libyan Oil Export Agreement Between GNA and LNA the First Step Toward Peace. globalresearch.ca Vice-Chairman of the Presidential Council of Libya, Ahmed Maiteeq announced that he had reached a deal on behalf of the Government of National Accord (GNA) based in Tripoli and the head of the Libyan National Army (LNA) Brigadier General Khalifa …

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-23). Tunisia always played a positive role in addressing IW issues. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 23 (MNA) — Iranian Parliament Speaker's Special Aide for International Affairs said that Tunisia has always played a constructive and positive role in addressing issues of the Islamic World (IW).

yenisafak (2020-09-23). Tanker to enter Libya's Hariga port, load 1 million barrels of oil. yenisafak.com The Delta Hellas tanker will enter Libya's Hariga port on Wednesday and load 1 million barrels of oil from the port's storage, the Arabian Gulf Oil Co which operates the port said in a statement.The Unipec tanker Marlin Shikoku is also heading to Hariga according to shipping data and traders.

yenisafak (2020-09-23). UAE signs contracts with Israeli firms on UN blacklist. yenisafak.com Emirati companies have signed contracts with Israeli firms and banks blacklisted by the United Nations for supporting illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, an investigation by Anadolu Agency has revealed. | In February, the UN released a database of 112 companies on its blacklist for doing business inside Israeli settlements in the West Bank. | On Aug. 13, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel announced a US-brokered agreement to normalize their relations. The move was followed by a series of announcements on agreements and contracts between companies from both countries. | But Anadolu Agency found t…

yenisafak (2020-09-23). Libya: 4 Russian mercenaries killed in helicopter crash. yenisafak.com Four mercenaries from the Russian Wagner group were killed when a helicopter carrying ammunition crashed in central Libya, the Libyan army said on Wednesday."A helicopter carrying Russian mercenaries and ammunition fell in the town of Sukna, in the city of Al-Jufrah," military spokesman Abd al-Hadi Dara told Anadolu Agency."According to preliminary information, the helicopter exploded, killing 4 Russian Wagner mercenaries," he said.The spokesman noted that, "the helicopter was heading towards one of the oil fields used by the mercenaries as an operations room".Eastern warlord Khalifa Haftar uses mercenaries from…

news.un (2020-09-22). Violence leaves more than 300,000 'completely reliant' on assistance in northern Mozambique. news.un.org Worsening conflict, combined with a precarious humanitarian situation, has forced more than 300,000 people to flee their homes and villages in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province, leaving them completely reliant on humanitarian assistance, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) has said.

MEE and agencies (2020-09-22). Palestinian security forces arrest supporters of Abbas rival Dahlan. middleeasteye.net Palestinian security forces arrest supporters of Abbas rival Dahlan | Move follows widespread speculation that exiled Palestinian leader played a role in normalisation deal with UAE | Tue, 09/22/2020 – 07: 54 | Dahlan has lived in the UAE since being driven out of the Israeli-occupied West Bank in 2011 | Palestinian security forces arrested more than half a dozen supporters of an exiled Pa…

Liberation Staff (2020-09-22). Socialist Party of Zambia calls for solidarity with Denver victims of state repression. liberationnews.org The Socialist Party Zambia has called upon the United States government to without delay address all forms of structural aggression against the anti-racist protesters.

yenisafak (2020-09-22). Palestine refuses to chair Arab League over Muslim states' deals with Israel. yenisafak.com Palestine on Tuesday relinquished its right to take the rotating presidency of the Arab League in protest of recent deals to normalize relations between the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Israel. | "This decision was taken after the Arab League Secretariat took a supporting position to the UAE and Bahrain, which normalized their relations with Israel in violation of the Arab Peace Initiative," Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki told a press conference in Ramallah. | "Some influential Arab states refused to condemn the violation of the Arab Peace initiative," he said. | Al-Maliki, however, stressed that Pa…

news.un (2020-09-22). South African President warns pandemic has set back African development. news.un.org Despite the continent-wide approach taken by African countries to combat COVID-19, the pandemic has set back their development aspirations, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa told world leaders at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-09-22). Citing dismal pay, teachers to boycott classes in Zimbabwe. peoplesdispatch.org The average salary of a public school teacher has dropped to the equivalent of USD 30-35 a month. The Zimbabwe Teachers' Association says they cannot afford to work until salaries are restored to the equivalent of USD 50…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-09-22). Algeria to hold early legislative elections following November referendum. peoplesdispatch.org As per the proposed amendments to the constitution, the president will have to appoint as prime minister the leader of the party with the majority of seats in parliament…

news.un (2020-09-22). As UN turns 75, multilateral milestones show successes and 'how much remains to be done' — Kagame. news.un.org In a virtual address to the UN General Assembly's annual general debate, the President of Rwanda on Tuesday noted that while milestones on gender, climate and development have demonstrated the achievements of multilateral action, they also serve to remind "how much remains to be done".

yenisafak (2020-09-22). ANALYSIS: What do the Abraham Accords entail for the Middle East and North Africa? yenisafak.com After the normalization ceremony in Washington on Sept. 15, where Israel officially established full diplomatic relations with both Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the United States and some commentators labelled this as a sign of Middle East peace. Other observers meanwhile suggested that a new front against Iran and Turkey was being established.Much of this coverage, however, misses their developing relations, under the surface, for several years, and how the agreement will advance Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv's geopolitical cooperation.While the UAE's initial acceptance of normalization on Aug. 14 was un…

MEE correspondent (2020-09-21). Egypt: Villages witness limited anti-Sisi protests amid fears of crackdown. middleeasteye.net Egypt: Villages witness limited anti-Sisi protests amid fears of crackdown | Only a few dozen Egyptians took part in demonstrations on Sunday to commemorate last year's 20 September anti-corruption protests | Mon, 09/21/2020 – 11: 11 | Egyptian security forces intensified their presence in major squares in the capital on Sunday (File/AFP) | Dozens of Egyptians took part in small anti-go…

MEE staff (2020-09-21). Australian-Egyptian man jailed in Egypt for liking a Facebook post. middleeasteye.net Australian-Egyptian man jailed in Egypt for liking a Facebook post | Waled Youssef was visiting his sick mother in Egypt when he was arrested in January, lawyers and family said | Mon, 09/21/2020 – 13: 45 | 'Get Waled Home' is a petition launched by Waled Youssef's supporters to call on the Australian government to secure his release from Cairo's notorious Tora prison (Change.org) | An Egyptian man from Sydney…

Pavan Kulkarni (2020-09-21). Sentencing of prominent artists by Sudanese court causes uproar. peoplesdispatch.org Five out of the 11 artists who were physically attacked by an Islamist mob, were sentenced to two months imprisonment and a fine of USD 90 on September 17…

yenisafak (2020-09-21). 77% conflict-hit people lost income amid virus: Study. yenisafak.com The Norwegian Refugee Council's report — titled Downward Spiral: the economic impact of Covid-19 on refugees and displaced people — said a survey was conducted in Afghanistan, Colombia, Iraq, Kenya, Libya, Mali, Uganda and Venezuela and additional research in Somalia, DR Congo, Lebanon, Jordan, Burkina Faso and Yemen."The devastating economic impact is tipping many into a hunger, homelessness and education crisis," it said.According to the findings from the 1,413 people surveyed, 77% of people had lost a job or income from work since March, 70% of people had to cut the number of meals for their househ…