2020-11-14: News Headlines

MEE and agencies (2020-11-14). Egypt discovers 100 intact sarcophagi in largest find of 2020. middleeasteye.net Egypt discovers 100 intact sarcophagi in largest find of 2020 | Cairo hopes such finds will come to boost the country's tourism sector, hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic | Sat, 11/14/2020 – 16: 20 | An archaeologist cleans a statue during the unveiling of an ancient treasure trove of more than a 100 intact sarcophagi at the Saqqara necropolis, 30km south of Cairo (AFP) | Egypt announced…

MEE and agencies (2020-11-14). Traffic resumes at truck stop that sparked Western Sahara tensions. middleeasteye.net Traffic resumes at truck stop that sparked Western Sahara tensions | Three-decade ceasefire in doubt as fighting continues between Moroccan forces and the Polisario Front | Sat, 11/14/2020 – 22: 14 | Morocco has accused the Polisario Front of upending trucks moving between Western Sahara and Mauritania (AFP) | Truck traffic resumed Saturday between Mauritania and Moroccan-controlled territ…

news.un (2020-11-13). Reported Ethiopia massacre: UN rights chief warns of spiralling situation, war crimes. news.un.org Disturbing reports of an alleged massacre have surfaced in Ethiopia's Tigray region, amid fighting between national and regional forces that may become impossible to control, the UN human rights chief warned on Friday.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-11-13). More than 70 migrants die in a shipwreck in the Mediterranean Sea near Libyan coast. peoplesdispatch.org The small dinghy was reportedly carrying over 120 people of whom at least 47 were rescued. Every year, hundreds of migrants are killed in similar accidents while trying to reach Europe from Libya or other countries in the region…

MEE and agencies (2020-11-13). Nearly 100 dead in two shipwrecks off Libyan coast. middleeasteye.net Nearly 100 dead in two shipwrecks off Libyan coast | Italian authorities called to rescue a further 70 people, including two babies, stranded in a dinghy off the coast of Lampedusa | Fri, 11/13/2020 – 10: 23 | A video grab shows survivors of a deadly shipwreck siting on a sandy beach on the coast of al-Khums (AFP) | Two shipwrecks off the Libyan coast killed nearly 100 people on Thursday,…

MEE and agencies (2020-11-13). Ceasefire declared over as Morocco launches Western Sahara military operation. middleeasteye.net Ceasefire declared over as Morocco launches Western Sahara military operation | Army mobilisation into disputed region prompts Polisario Front to accuse Morocco of 'liquidation' of 30-year agreement | Fri, 11/13/2020 – 07: 45 | Soldiers of the pro-independence Polisario Front stand before a Sahrawi flag at the Boujdour refugee camp near Tindouf in Western Algeria (AFP) | The Moroccan army…

MEE and agencies (2020-11-13). Egyptian Liverpool star Mo Salah tests positive for Covid-19, says national team. middleeasteye.net Egyptian Liverpool star Mo Salah tests positive for Covid-19, says national team | Salah reportedly infected but shows no symptoms on the eve of Egypt's Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Togo | Fri, 11/13/2020 – 15: 54 | Egyptian Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah quarantined after initial tests show he has Covid-19 (AFP) | Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has tested positive for the cor…

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-11-13). War in Ethiopia Threatens China's Economic Penetration in Africa. globalresearch.ca Less than a year after being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched a military operation against the country's northern Tigray province. Ethiopia is often described as the Horn of Africa's pillar of stability and …

news.un (2020-11-13). Deputy UN chief looks to 'new dawn for Mali', promotes participation of women in country's transition. news.un.org The UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed on Friday has been strongly advocating for the greater participation of women and youth in Mali's ongoing transition towards a durable peace, and the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as she continues her solidarity visit to West Africa and the Sahel.

news.un (2020-11-13). Mozambique Cabo Delgado violence is a 'desperate' situation, warns Bachelet. news.un.org There is increasing concern about the worsening security situation in Cabo Delgado province in northern Mozambique, which the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights described on Friday as "desperate".

WSWS (2020-11-13). Workers Struggles: Europe, Middle East & Africa. wsws.org South African community health workers walk out to demand an end to contract labour; Nigerian doctors in Ondo state stoppage to demand payment of salaries; Zimbabwe teachers' strike continues for living wage and safety at work—despite threats to stop salaries; UK engineers at Rolls Royce factory strike to defend jobs…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-11-13). As conflict in Ethiopia continues, observers fear return of repressive state. peoplesdispatch.org Soon after coming to power in 2018, prime minister Abiy Ahmed had opened up the political space by freeing political prisoners and allowing other political parties to operate freely. The war in Tigray may lead to a reversal of these gains…

news.un (2020-11-13). South Sudan: 'No child anywhere should suffer from polio' — UN health agency. news.un.org Although South Sudan had recently been declared free from the wild poliovirus, the UN health agency said on Friday that 15 children under the age of five are reported to have been infected by a vaccine-derived form of polio, which has left them with irreversible paralysis.

news.un (2020-11-12). 'No way' to get vital humanitarian aid into Ethiopia's Tigray region, UN warns. news.un.org With telephone lines still cut and transport links disrupted, it is impossible for humanitarians to get vital supplies into Ethiopia's Tigray region or assess evolving humanitarian needs, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has said.

news.un (2020-11-12). More tragedy on the Mediterranean as 74 migrants reportedly drown off Libya coast. news.un.org The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Thursday reported yet another devastating shipwreck in the Central Mediterranean, which has claimed the lives of at least 74 migrants off the coast of Khums, Libya. It is the eighth such incident since the beginning of October.

RT (2020-11-12). Russia inks draft deal to open naval base for nuclear-powered ships in Sudan, in exchange for military cooperation with Khartoum. rt.com Russia is to build a naval logistics base in northeastern African Sudan, allowing Moscow to keep its nuclear warships on the Red Sea coast. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin approved the draft agreement. | The deal stipulates a maximum of four warships and 300 servicemen can stay in the base at one time, including "naval ships with nuclear propulsion systems." Once endorsed, the bilateral agreement will enable Russia to use the Sudanese port for repairs and resupply, and in return Khartoum will receive weapons and military equipment free of charge to protect the base. | The Russian ships will be e…

Ali Harb (2020-11-12). 'Antithesis of peace': Palestine advocates decry Israeli settlers' visit to UAE. middleeasteye.net 'Antithesis of peace': Palestine advocates decry Israeli settlers' visit to UAE | After visit to Dubai, right-wing settler leader Yossi Dagan says direct trade between settlements and UAE will start soon | Thu, 11/12/2020 – 22: 00 | 'Normalisation is betrayal,' reads mural in Palestinian West Bank city of Hebron (AFP/File photo) | Palestinian rights advocates condemned a visit by Israeli settlers to the United Ar…

Steve Sweeney (2020-11-12). South Africa's Communists condemn possible release of Chris Hani's assassin. peoplesworld.org The South African Communist Party (SACP) is voicing strong opposition to the application for the release of the murderer of its former general secretary Chris Hani. Janusz Walus was jailed for life for the 1993 killing, which took place while negotiations to end the country's racist apartheid system were at an advanced stage. Walus's latest …

MEE staff (2020-11-12). Egyptian sets himself on fire in Tahrir Square to protest corruption. middleeasteye.net Egyptian sets himself on fire in Tahrir Square to protest corruption | Man complained in video about financial and living conditions as result of attempts to uncover corruption | Thu, 11/12/2020 – 19: 45 | An Egyptian man set himself on fire in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Thursday to protest corruption and deteriorating living conditions in the North African country. | In a video widely circulated on social media…

MEE correspondent (2020-11-12). New Saudi-US channel hit with UK lawsuit by Egyptian opposition leader. middleeasteye.net New Saudi-US channel hit with UK lawsuit by Egyptian opposition leader | Istanbul-based Al-Sharq channel, owned by Ayman Nour, claims the rival Bloomberg-tied Al-Sharq has copied its name and logo | Thu, 11/12/2020 – 16: 29 | Founders of the Saudi Al-Sharq News channel pose for a picture on the launch day on 11 November, 2020 in Riyadh (LinkedIn/@Al-Sharq News) | The owner of Egypt's la…

Olujimi Alade (2020-11-12). Black Lives Matter — from Nigeria to the U.S. workers.org People protest against abuses by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Lagos, Nigeria, Oct. 12. As a Nigerian-American, I was very disappointed in myself for my lack of knowledge about #EndSARS protests in Nigeria that have captivated the world recently. (In Nigeria, SARS stands for the so-called "Special Anti-Robbery Squad" . . . |

teleSUR (2020-11-12). Ethiopia: Thousands Flee From Tigray Conflict. telesurenglish.net The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) warned that over 11.000 people, half of them children, have fled from Ethiopia to Sudan, running away from the conflict in their homeland. | RELATED: | The UNHCR explained that thousands of families seek safety in Sudan after a week of armed conflict between the Ethiopian federal government and the Tigray regional forces. | "We are urging governments in the neighboring countri…

Pavan Kulkarni (2020-11-12). Hundreds perish and thousands flee to Sudan as war in Ethiopia's Tigray region continues. peoplesdispatch.org The fighting between the forces of the federal government and that of the Tigray regional government began on November 4. It has triggered fears of a full-blown civil war in Africa's second most populous country…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-11-12). Rival factions in Libya agree to hold elections. peoplesdispatch.org A preliminary agreement between rival factions in Libya lays out a roadmap for parliamentary and presidential elections in the country. The agreement comes after a ceasefire in October under UN mediation…

sputniknews (2020-11-12). Terrorist Attack in Northern Burkina Faso Leaves 14 Security Officers Killed — Reports. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) — A terrorist attack in the northern part of Burkina Faso has resulted in the death of 14 security officers, French media reported.

Yasmina Allouche (2020-11-11). Algeria journalist hospitalised after facing threats for uncovering online abuse. middleeasteye.net Algeria journalist hospitalised after facing threats for uncovering online abuse | Stress of Abir Benrabah's work exposing those exploiting and blackmailing minors online said to have led to her medical condition | Wed, 11/11/2020 – 12: 19 | A medical examination reportedly concluded that Benrabah was suffering from internal bleeding due to high blood pressure (Screengrab) | An Algerian jo…

Media Lens (2020-11-11). Robert Fisk: Death of a "Controversial" Journalist. dissidentvoice.org Robert Fisk, the Independent's Middle East correspondent, died on 30 October aged 74. In reviewing his life and career, the newspaper for which he worked for more than two decades wrote of their star reporter: 'Much of what Fisk wrote was controversial…' As John Pilger noted, in describing Fisk's journalism as 'controversial' the Independent was …

RT (2020-11-11). Libya peace process 'breakthrough': Warring parties agree to hold elections in 18 months, UN says. rt.com The two parties to Libya's long-lasting civil war have reached an agreement on holding nationwide elections in 18 months, the UN envoy to Libya has announced, calling it a "breakthrough" in the protracted peace process. | "There's real momentum and that's what we need to focus on and encourage," Stephanie Williams, acting special representative of the UN Secretary-General in Libya, said during a news conference after a round of talks between 75 UN-picked Libyan participants in Tunisia. | The representatives of the internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) and Khalifa Haftar's Libyan Nation…

Jasmine Norden (2020-11-11). UN warns that millions are at risk of displacement as Ethiopia approaches possible civil war. thecanary.co The United Nations (UN) has said escalating fighting in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region could displace The conflict has closed roads and communications with the region. A

news.un (2020-11-11). UN refugee agency: Keep borders open for fleeing Ethiopians. news.un.org The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Wednesday that it is working with Sudanese authorities to help more than 7,000 refugees who have fled Ethiopia over the past two days, following major clashes in the Tigray region of the country.

_____ (2020-11-11). Energy Transitions And Colonialism. popularresistance.org The year 2020 has seen an unprecedented oil price crash, causing a shock to the fossil fuel industry. The impact has been brutal among oil companies, especially in the high-cost US shale oil sector. As for oil-producing African countries, such as Angola, Algeria, Libya, and Nigeria, more economic strain has been added to their economies with mounting budget deficits and a hemorrhaging of their foreign exchange reserves. Against this backdrop, some analysts have rushed to speculate that the pandemic could kill the oil industry and help save the environment.

news.un (2020-11-11). Displaced persons want to return home: Deputy UN chief, visiting northeast Nigeria. news.un.org The United Nations Deputy Secretary-General is on a trip to West Africa and the Sahel region, and on Tuesday, she travelled to Borno state in northeastern Nigeria, a region badly affected by conflict and where many continue to live under the threat of Boko Haram insurgency.

Thomas A. Bass (2020-11-11). Pham Doan Trang Goes to Prison. commondreams.org Trang has been arrested in Vietnam's most brazen attack on journalists since relations with the United States were normalized in 1995. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/pham_doan_trang.jpg

news.un (2020-11-11). UN chief shocked at 'wanton brutality' in northern Mozambique. news.un.org The United Nations Secretary-General has called on the authorities in Mozambique to investigate brutal killings this past weekend, in the country's northern Cabo Delgado province, and bring the perpetrators to justice.

news.un (2020-11-11). Displaced in Nigeria's restive northeast tell UN deputy chief they're 'impatient' for home. news.un.org The United Nations Deputy Secretary-General is on a trip to West Africa and the Sahel region, and on Tuesday, she travelled to Borno state in northeastern Nigeria, a region badly affected by conflict and where many continue to live under the threat of Boko Haram insurgency.

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2020-11-11). World Leaders Urged to 'Stand Up for Democracy' and Refuse to Meet With Pompeo After He Denies Election Outcome. commondreams.org "We cannot normalize Pompeo's threats to democratic legitimacy and the principles of a peaceful transition of power," stressed Serra Sippel of the Center for Health and Gender Equity. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/gettyimages-11336864281_0.jpg

Finian Cunningham (2020-11-11). Regime-Change Mission in Ethiopia by Nobel Peace Laureate. thealtworld.com "It's like an empire crumbling before our eyes," is how one diplomat observing the crisis in Ethiopia was After two years as prime minister Abiy Ahmed has overseen the collapse of a once strong and independent country, the only nation in Africa never to have been colonized by foreign powers. | The latest eruption of v…