2020-11-16: News Headlines

Staff (2020-11-16). Ceasefire Ends in Occupied Western Sahara After U.S.-Backed Moroccan Military Launches Operation. democracynow.org A nearly three-decade-old ceasefire has ended in occupied Western Sahara — what many consider to be Africa's last colony. Fighting has broken out in several areas between the Moroccan military and the Polisario Front, the Sahrawi liberation movement seeking independence, after the Moroccan military broke into a no-go buffer zone in southern Western Sahara. For the past three weeks, Sahrawi civilian protesters had blocked a Morocco-built road in the area that Sahrawis consider to be illegal. The peaceful blockade backed up traffic for miles and cut off trade between Morocco and Mauritania to the south. The P…

Dennis Laumann (2020-11-16). Jerry John Rawlings, 73; revolutionary leader of Ghana. peoplesworld.org The revolutionary and statesman Jerry John Rawlings, former President of Ghana, died on Thursday at the age of 73 and after a short illness. Seven days of mourning have been declared in the West African nation and campaigning for next month's general elections has been suspended. African Union Commission chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat declared: "Africa …

Drillminister (2020-11-16). Politicians are parasites feeding off corporations. Enough is enough. thecanary.co Boom. Bam. You know who it is. Yung Drilly, aka Drillminister — writing for Pfizer: on the make: Take the corporations that only give you a vaccine for coronavirus (Covid-19) if you're rich enough. Pfizer has already

MEE and agencies (2020-11-16). Germany says man working in Merkel's press office was spy for Egypt. middleeasteye.net Germany says man working in Merkel's press office was spy for Egypt | Egyptian intelligence services allegedly hired a German-Egyptian national working in Merkel's office to survey how Egypt is portrayed in media | Mon, 11/16/2020 – 16: 34 | German Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Berlin in January 2020 (AFP/file photo)
| Germany's Public Pros…

MEE staff (2020-11-16). Egypt: Human rights worker arrested after meeting with European diplomats. middleeasteye.net Egypt: Human rights worker arrested after meeting with European diplomats | EIPR's Mohamed Basheer has been charged with 'terrorism' and 'spreading false news' | Mon, 11/16/2020 – 10: 44 | Mohamed Basheer was arrested days after a meeting between his organisation and European diplomats in Cairo on 3 November (Supplied) | Security forces detained a manager of a prominent rights group in Cairo on Saturday night…

Mohammad Ayesh (2020-11-16). Arabic press review: Algerian court sentences media mogul to five years in prison. middleeasteye.net Arabic press review: Algerian court sentences media mogul to five years in prison | Meanwhile, Jordanian MPs are due to be prosecuted over alleged 'vote buying', and more than 200 prominent Palestinians campaign for one-state solution | Mon, 11/16/2020 – 14: 32 | Anis Rahmani's organisation served as the media wing of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's administration (Facebook) | Algerian cour…

Ralph Nader (2020-11-16). Trump's Ongoing Crime Wave Requires a Special Prosecutor. counterpunch.org There are many reasons why loser Trump refuses to concede. Yes, delusion has been the counterfeit coin of his fantasy realm — "I won this election by a lot" he tweeted with all caps last Saturday. In his fevered mind — nourished by a bullying career — all victories are his triumphs, and all losses are fake due

Lynda Carson (2020-11-16). The guinea pigs of Operation Warp Speed. indybay.org Operation Warp Speed:…

WSWS (2020-11-16). Ethiopia slides towards civil war as Tigray conflict escalates. wsws.org Politicians of all stripes have whipped up ethnic tensions to prevent a unified struggle by the impoverished masses against the Ethiopian elites.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-11-16). War in Ethiopia's Tigray region crosses northern border into Eritrea; 25,000 refugees flee to Sudan. peoplesdispatch.org Accusing Eritrea of participating in a "full-scale war" alongside the Ethiopian federal troops against the Tigray regional government, the latter fired rockets targeting the airport in Eritrea's capital city on Saturday…

Staff (2020-11-16). US-Backed Moroccan Military Breaks Three-Decade Ceasefire in Western Sahara. truthout.org A nearly three-decade-old ceasefire has ended in occupied Western Sahara — what many consider to be Africa's last colony. Fighting has broken out in several areas between the Moroccan military and the Polisario Front, the Sahrawi liberation movement seeking independence, after the Moroccan military broke into a no-go buffer zone in southern Western Sahara. For the past three weeks, Sahrawi civilian protesters had blocked a Morocco-built road in the area that Sahrawis consider to be illegal.

F. William Engdahl (2020-11-15). What's Not Being Said About the Pfizer Coronavirus Vaccine. "Human Guinea Pigs"? globalresearch.ca The Pharma giant Pfizer use an experimental technology known as gene editing, specifically mRNA gene-editing, something never before used in vaccines. Before we rush to get jabbed in hopes of some immunity, we should know more about the radical experimental technology and its lack of precision.

The Canary (2020-11-15). Rockets fired at Eritrea's capital in escalation of Ethiopia conflict. thecanary.co Rockets were fired at Eritrea's capital, diplomats said, as the deadly fighting in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region appeared to spill across an international border.Civil unrest: At least three rockets appeared to be aimed at the airport in Eritrea's capital, Asmara, hours after the Tigray regional government warned it might attack. It has accused Eritrea of attacking it at the invitation of Ethiopia's federal government since the conflict in northern Ethiopia erupted on November 4.The deadly fighting that erupted in the northern Tigray region has reportedly killed hundreds on both sides, sent more than 1…

MEE and agencies (2020-11-15). Thousands of Ethiopians flee Tigray conflict for neighbouring Sudan. middleeasteye.net Thousands of Ethiopians flee Tigray conflict for neighbouring Sudan | United Nations says it is working to find the new refugees shelter in southern Sudan | Sun, 11/15/2020 – 12: 31 | Ethiopians sit with their belongings in Hamdait village on the Sudan-Ethiopia border (Reuters) | Thousands of Ethiopians fleeing conflict in the Tigray region have fled to Sudan, as tensions continue to rise…

Mehr News Agency (2020-11-15). Soldiers kept killing people in Lagos protest, witnesses say. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Nov. 15 (MNA) — Written testimonies received by a judicial panel in Nigeria notes that soldiers have directly shot and killed people during protests in Lagos in early October.

news.un (2020-11-15). First Person: Fighting human trafficking in Malawi. news.un.org Maxwell Matewere, a Malawian crime prevention expert with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), has been active in the anti-human trafficking field for more than two decades. Today, he trains officials throughout Malawi to prevent and combat this crime: this year alone, despite COVID-19 restrictions, his work has led to the rescue of around three hundred human trafficking victims and 31 arrests.

news.un (2020-11-15). First-person: Fighting human trafficking in Malawi. news.un.org Maxwell Matewere, a Malawian crime prevention expert with the UN Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC), has been active in the anti-human trafficking field for more than two decades. Today, he trains officials throughout Malawi to prevent and combat this crime: this year alone, despite COVID-19 restrictions, his work has led to the rescue of around three hundred human trafficking victims and 31 arrests.

J. Michael Springmann (2020-11-15). Libya May Lose Again: Agreements Aren't Worth the Paper They're Written On. globalresearch.ca The Past. In the not too distant past, the warring factions in Libya (the Government of National Accord, GNA, and the Libyan National Army, LNA) concluded an armistice. The negotiations, stretching from the August 2020 ceasefire to the October 2020 …

RT (2020-11-14). Enormous trove of sarcophagi and gilded statues discovered in ancient Egypt capital. rt.com The boundless archaeological treasures of Egypt seemingly know no end as officials have announced an extraordinary trove of fresh discoveries, including at least 100 coffins and 40 gilded statues dating back to ancient times. | The incredible artefacts were unearthed in the vast Saqqara necropolis south of Cairo which served as a cemetery for the ancient Egyptian capital, Memphis. | | © Fadel Dawood/ Global look Press | www.facebook.com/moantiquities/videos/4698936120177981/ | An array of elaborate sarcophagi and statues were displayed in the shadow of the famous Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqar…

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 on Saturday between Mauritania and Moroccan-controlled ter…

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…

Finian Cunningham (2020-11-14). Nobel Prize License to Kill. thealtworld.com Civil war and a humanitarian crisis in raging in Ethiopia, but "luckily" for the country's prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last year. That prize gives him a license to get away with murder. | Western media reports on the conflict which has flared up over the past week routinely refer to Abiy as a Nobel laureate. That gives his claims credibility even when he is telling lies. It gives his actions legitimacy even they are crimes against humanity. | According to Abiy and his cabinet, the central government in Addis Ababa has launched a "law and order" operation in the northern region…

news.un (2020-11-14). Libyan elections to take place in December 2021: senior UN official. news.un.org National elections in Libya will take place on 24 December 2021, Stephanie Williams, the head of the UN mission in the country, announced on Friday during a virtual press conference.

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.

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 …

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…

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,…

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…

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…

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 (2020-11-13). 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".

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). 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.

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 …

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…

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…