U.S. Recognizes Morocco's Occupation of Western Sahara in Latest Betrayal of Sahrawi People
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-12-11
We continue to examine the U.S.-brokered deal between Morocco and Israel to normalize relations. As part of the deal, the U.S. will become the first country in the world to recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, which Morocco has occupied since 1975 in defiance of the international community. We convene a roundtable to discuss developments: Mouloud Said, a representative of the Polisario Front in Washington; Stephen Zunes, professor of politics and international studies at the University of San Francisco; and Sahrawi journalist and activist Nazha El-Khalidi.
www.democracynow.org/2020/12/11/morocco_israel_western_sahara_sahrawi
Supreme Court Weighs Corporate Liability For Child Laborers On Cocoa Farms
_____ | popularresistance.org | 2020-12-11
Last Tuesday, the Supreme Court heard arguments about whether the world's largest cocoa corporations are liable for child slavery in their supply chains. For 15 years, six citizens of Mali who were trafficked as children to work on cocoa farms have sought legal damages from Cargill and Nestle USA under a 240-year-old anti-piracy law. | The plaintiffs' attorney told the court that the corporations "maintain a system of child slavery and forced labor in their Ivory Coast supply chain as a matter of corporate policy to gain a competitive advantage in the U.S. market."
popularresistance.org/supreme-court-weighs-corporate-liability-for-child-laborers-on-cocoa-farms/
Sahrawis condemn US recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara
Peoples Dispatch | peoplesdispatch.org | 2020-12-11
In return of US recognition of its rights over Western Sahara, Morocco has agreed to "normalize" its relations with Israel. The United Nations and the majority of the world does not recognize Moroccan claims of sovereignty over the territory.
peoplesdispatch.org/2020/12/11/sahrawis-condemn-us-recognition-of-moroccos-sovereignty-over-western-sahara/
Ethiopia: UN refugee agency calls for 'unfettered access' to Tigray
news.un.org | 2020-12-11
Amidst "disturbing reports" from Ethiopians fleeing to Sudan, the UN refugee agency called on Friday for "unfettered access to Tigray in order to reach people in need".
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2020/12/1079852
Which Middle Eastern and North African countries have normalised relations with Israel?
Areeb Ullah | middleeasteye.net | 2020-12-11
Which Middle Eastern and North African countries have normalised relations with Israel? | Morocco joins a handful of countries in the region to have made official diplomatic relations with Israel | Areeb Ullah | Fri, 12/11/2020 – 14: 30 | Egypt under President Anwar Sadat – pictured here left, shaking hands with then-Israeli Premier Menachem Begin in front of US President Jimmy Carter – became the first Arab country i…
www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-middle-east-normalisation-deals-countries-which
Israel-Morocco normalisation deal condemned online
Yasmina Allouche | middleeasteye.net | 2020-12-11
Israel-Morocco normalisation deal condemned online | Using the hashtag 'Moroccans Against Normalisation', many have blasted the deal as a loss for Sahrawis and Palestinians alike | Yasmina Allouche | Fri, 12/11/2020 – 15: 05 | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Morocco's King Mohammed VI. The countries have shared nearly six decades of close cooperation on intelligence and military matters in secr…
www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-morocco-deal-normalisation-condemned-online
Israel normalisation: What Morocco gets in return
MEE and agencies | middleeasteye.net | 2020-12-11
Israel normalisation: What Morocco gets in return | As Morocco becomes the fourth Arab country to normalise ties with Israel, MEE looks at the likely gains for the North African nation | MEE and agencies | Fri, 12/11/2020 – 13: 07 | Moroccan and Israeli flags. Recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara has been described as a 'gift' to the North African country from the outgoing US administrati…
www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-morocco-normalisation-what-gets-return
'Algerians are hurting': Dinar's dramatic fall deepens economic woes
Yasmina Allouche | middleeasteye.net | 2020-12-11
'Algerians are hurting': Dinar's dramatic fall deepens economic woes | Coronavirus and sharp drop in oil prices have exposed decades of failure to diversify away from natural resources, experts tell MEE | Yasmina Allouche | Fri, 12/11/2020 – 09: 35 | Once boasting wealthy resources, the North African country has seen its foreign exchange reserves significantly depleted in the last few years (AFP/file photo)…
www.middleeasteye.net/news/algeria-dinar-record-low-economic-collapse
Big Pharma Strikes Back
Dean Baker | cepr.net | 2020-12-11
By Dean Baker and Arjun Jayadev On Monday, we, along with Achal Prabhala, had a column in the New York Times arguing in support of a resolution put forward before the WTO by India and South Africa, which would suspend intellectual property rights related to vaccines and treatments during the pandemic. The main point is …
cepr.net/big-pharma-strikes-back/
Ethiopia's PM Won the Nobel Peace Prize A Year Ago; Now He Is Leading Nation Into Possible Civil War
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-12-10
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 for ending the two-decade "state of war" between Ethiopia and Eritrea, with many hailing a new era of peace in the region. Just one year later, Ahmed's military has displaced tens of thousands of civilians in an ongoing military campaign in the northern Tigray region. Thousands have died since Ethiopia declared war on the Tigray People's Liberation Front in early November, and at least one massacre has been reported. Ethiopia has admitted federal troops fired at and detained U.N. workers in the northern Tigray region for attempting to e…
www.democracynow.org/2020/12/10/ethiopia_abiy_ahmed
Law Prof: I Nominated Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed for the Nobel Peace Prize. Then He Started a Civil War
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-12-10
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 for ending the two-decade "state of war" between Ethiopia and Eritrea, with many hailing a new era of peace in the region. Just one year later, Ahmed's military has displaced tens of thousands of civilians in an ongoing military campaign in the northern Tigray region. Thousands have died since Ethiopia declared war on the Tigray People's Liberation Front in early November, and at least one massacre has been reported. Ethiopia has admitted federal troops fired at and detained U.N. workers in the northern Tigray region for attempting to e…
www.democracynow.org/2020/12/10/ethiopia_abiy_ahmed
What is Western Sahara and why does Morocco claim sovereignty over it?
MEE staff | middleeasteye.net | 2020-12-10
What is Western Sahara and why does Morocco claim sovereignty over it? | Region has been claimed by both Morocco and Polisario Front, an independence movement that has long awaited political referendum | MEE staff | Thu, 12/10/2020 – 19: 33 | People demonstrate in support of Sahrawi people's rights in Malaga, Spain, on 28 November (AFP) | Often referred to as Africa's last colony, Western Sahara has come to the forefront…
www.middleeasteye.net/news/morocco-western-sahara-battle-sovereignty
Nigerians call for a "second wave" of protests after police officer kills a young man
Sophia Purdy-Moore | thecanary.co | 2020-12-10