Daily Archives: 2020-09-20

2020-09-20: News Headlines

Abdul Rahman (2020-09-20). With Abraham Accords, US and Israel seek to consolidate hegemony in the region. peoplesdispatch.org The United States and Israel are the only true winners of the recent Abraham Accords where the UAE and Bahrain normalized ties with the latter. The cause of the Palestinians has once again been abandoned…

yenisafak (2020-09-20). Turkish athletes dominate Istanbul Half Marathon. yenisafak.com Atac finished 21 km (13 miles) run in 1 hour, 3 minutes and 16 seconds in the men's category, while Demir completed the same distance in 1 hour, 13 minutes and 17 seconds in the women's race.Spain's Adel Mechaal, trailed 0.9 seconds behind Atac, and Benard Cheruiyot Sang from Kenya came third, 35 seconds behind the leader in the men's race.In the women's category, Kenyan athlete Daisy Jepto Kimeli came second, covering the distance 12 seconds later. She was followed by Turkish runner Esma Aydemir who finished in 1 hour, 15 minutes and 40 seconds.Atac told Anadolu Agency that Turkish athletes should be valued. "Th…

yenisafak (2020-09-20). Uganda: Fire engulfs top university campus. yenisafak.com A fire on Sunday engulfed the campus of one of Africa's top universities in Uganda's capital Kampala."The fire brigade is on ground. Everyone is trying their best. The fire is heavy and sprouting from the right side of the Building. The fire flames are heavy coming through right side of the roof which has sunk in. We all need to pray for the Ivory Tower," said the Makerere University in a Facebook post.The cause of the fire is yet to be confirmed."It is a very dark morning for Makerere University. Our iconic Main Administration Building caught fire and the destruction is unbelievable. But we are determined to res…

The Canary (2020-09-19). 'You will see another angle of life here' — stories from refugees in Calais. thecanary.co Video project 'People of Calais' tells stories of refugees in northern France waiting to come to the UK | By | Mohamed is talented a writer, poet and rapper. He lives in desperate conditions in Calais, waiting to cross to the UK. He is one of thousands of refugees who have travelled from war-torn countries and settled in northern France."You will see another angle of life here," the 34-year-old says in a new video.Mohamed fled Sudan after being arrested for political writings. He travelled to Slovenia, where he was imprisoned, stripped and beat…

RT (2020-09-19). Two asteroids set to cross Earth's orbit just hours apart as another Great Pyramid-sized space rock barrels our way. rt.com Two 100-meter-wide asteroids are set to cross Earth's orbit within hours of each other in the coming days as another space rock, the size of ancient Egypt's Great Pyramid of Giza, careens towards our planet. | NASA's Center for Near Earth Object Studies, which tracks asteroids and comets that will come close to Earth, has confirmed that it is monitoring two asteroids that are due to hurtle past on Friday, September 25. Both bodies are classed as Apollo asteroids, meaning they will cross Earth's orbit as they fly through space. | The first asteroid, which is named 2020 RO, is estimated to be up to 130 meters wi…

news.un (2020-09-19). Survival of wildlife reserves under threat in Namibia. news.un.org After six months of lockdown, the Namibian government ended travel restrictions and curfews on Friday, in light of a drop in new COVID-19 cases. But Namibia's economy, which depends heavily on wildlife tourism, has taken a major hit during the period, and the future of the country's wildlife reserves, otherwise known as conservancies, is far from certain.

Geoff Watts (2020-09-19). [Obituary] Peter Nicholas Kazembe. thelancet.com Influential paediatrician in Malawi. He was born in Nkhotakota, Malawi, on Aug 28, 1954, and died of cholangiocarcinoma in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Aug 11, 2020, aged 65 years.

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-19). Seminary students condemn betrayal of regional Arab rulers. en.mehrnews.com HAMEDAN, Sep. 20 (MNA) — Seminary students in Hamedan province protested against the betrayal of Arab rulers in the UAE and Bahrain to the Palestinian cause via normalizing ties with the Zionist regime.

yenisafak (2020-09-19). Taiwan travellers take sightseeing 'flight to nowhere'. yenisafak.com A Taiwanese airline carried around 120 passengers on a "flight to nowhere" on Saturday to view the South Korean resort island of Jeju, before flying straight back home, the latest gimmick to give people a glimpse of normality during the COVID-19 pandemic.Tough border restrictions to keep the coronavirus under control have led to a 97.5% plunge in international travel in the region, according to the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines.Many frequent flyers miss getting on planes and airlines including Taiwan's EVA Airways Corp and Japan's ANA Holdings Inc, desperate for revenue and to keep their pilots' licences c…

MEE and agencies (2020-09-18). Ethiopia set to bring some migrants home as concern over Saudi camps mounts. middleeasteye.net Ethiopia set to bring some migrants home as concern over Saudi camps mounts | Reports say at least 16,000 migrants are being held in one camp within driving distance of the holy city of Mecca | Fri, 09/18/2020 – 09: 55 | Ethiopians are being held in camps, where people are dying of heatstroke, disease and suicide (AFP) | Ethiopia will repatriate nearly 2,000 migrants from Saudi Arabia in t…

MEE and agencies (2020-09-18). Libya's Haftar agrees to lift oil blockade with conditions. middleeasteye.net Libya's Haftar agrees to lift oil blockade with conditions | Pro-Haftar groups have blockaded key oilfields and export terminals since January, sparking protests over power cuts and shortages | Fri, 09/18/2020 – 14: 10 | The blockade has resulted in more than $9.8bn in lost revenue (AFP) | Eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar announced on Friday a conditional lifting of an eight-month-l…

Rayhan Uddin (2020-09-18). Sudan filmmaker Hajooj Kuka one of five artists jailed in Khartoum. middleeasteye.net Sudan filmmaker Hajooj Kuka one of five artists jailed in Khartoum | Authorities accused of 'criminalising artists' after group rehearsing play sentenced to two months and fined for causing a public nuisance | Fri, 09/18/2020 – 14: 02 | Filmmaker Hajooj Kuka, one of the sentenced artists, won the People's Choice Award at the 2014 Toronto Film Festival (AFP) | Five Sudanese artists, including an intern…

Mohammad Ayesh (2020-09-18). Arabic press review: Egypt cracks down ahead of planned protests. middleeasteye.net Arabic press review: Egypt cracks down ahead of planned protests | Meanwhile, a senior Kuwaiti official claims the Gulf crisis will be resolved soon
| Fri, 09/18/2020 – 12: 41 | Egyptian security forces have intensified measures near Tahrir Square in Cairo in an efforts to prevent protests planned for 20 September (AFP/file photo) | Security alert in Egypt for fear of popular unrest

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-18). VIDEO:Bahrainis protest on normalizing tie with Israel regime. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 18 (MNA) — People in Bahrain demonstrated on Thursday night and announced their strong opposition against normalization of ties between Bahrain and Zionist regime.

yenisafak (2020-09-18). Afghanistan, Tajikistan agree to enhance ties. yenisafak.com Afghanistan and Tajikistan, the former Soviet republic in Central Asia, have agreed to enhance security, political and cultural ties, said an official statement on Friday.During his trip to Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, Afganistan's Acting Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar met Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon, the Afghan Foreign Ministry said. It added the president of Tajikistan expressed support for the Afghan peace process and assured Kabul of Dushanbe's support.The two sides also discussed the implementation of infrastructure projects, trade and transit development, energy transfer and the fi…

yenisafak (2020-09-18). Libyan PM plans to step down by end of October. yenisafak.com Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj announced Wednesday that he intends to step down by the end of October."I declare my sincere desire to hand over my duties to the next executive authority no later than the end of October," Sarraj said while delivering a speech on state television."Hopefully, the dialogue committee will complete its work and choose a new presidential council and prime minister," he added. Touching on the inter-Libyan dialogue held in the coastal Moroccan city of Bouznika from Sept. 6-10 which brought the rival parties together in the Libyan crisis, Sarraj said "the latest talks have laid the…

MEE and agencies (2020-09-17). UN experts call on Algerian authorities to release jailed journalist. middleeasteye.net UN experts call on Algerian authorities to release jailed journalist | Khaled Drareni was given two-year prison sentence for coverage of Algeria's year-long protest movement | Thu, 09/17/2020 – 16: 50 | Journalists rallied in Algiers in support of Khaled Drareni earlier this week (AFP) | Independent experts at the United Nations have called on Algerian authorities to release journalist Kha…

MEE and agencies (2020-09-17). Head of Libya's Tripoli government announces he wants to resign. middleeasteye.net Head of Libya's Tripoli government announces he wants to resign | Fayez al-Sarraj says he wants to quit by the end of October, citing progress by UN in a political solution to Libya's conflict | Thu, 09/17/2020 – 08: 22 | Despite Sarraj's defence of Tripoli, his government has since descended into political infighting (Reuters) | Libya's internationally recognised Prime Minister Fayez al-S…

MEE staff (2020-09-17). Israel likely to manufacture F-35 wings for UAE: Report. middleeasteye.net Israel likely to manufacture F-35 wings for UAE: Report | Both Israel and the UAE have denied reports that the sale of the fighter jets was part of their controversial normalisation deal | Thu, 09/17/2020 – 11: 57 | Israel's state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is expected to manufacture wings for F-35 aircraft intended for sale to the UAE, according to a newspaper report (AFP/file photo) | Israel wil…

Miko Peled (2020-09-17). Why Arab Leaders Are Suddenly Groveling at the Chance to Normalize Ties with Israel. mintpressnews.com Arab leaders understand that relations with Israel provide access to US Empire and all that comes with it, including much desired US-made weapons and other perks such as security and economic cooperation.

MEE staff (2020-09-17). Israeli newspaper rows back on Friedman quote on Dahlan. middleeasteye.net Israeli newspaper rows back on Friedman quote on Dahlan | US ambassador originally quoted as saying Washington was considering supporting the former Fatah leader as Palestinian president | Thu, 09/17/2020 – 10: 55 | David Friedman predicted that the normalisation deals marked the beginning of the end of 'the Arab-Israeli conflict' (AFP) | An Israeli newspaper has rowed back on a quote by US Ambassador David Fr…

Yasmina Allouche (2020-09-17). Charter against Bahrain-UAE-Israel normalisation deal signed by one million. middleeasteye.net Charter against Bahrain-UAE-Israel normalisation deal signed by one million | Emirati and Arab NGOs launch an online campaign in solidarity with Palestinians | Thu, 09/17/2020 – 13: 54 | The launch of the charter by the UAE Anti-Normlisation Association comes the same week as both the UAE and Bahrain officially signed normalisation agreements with Israel (AFP) | Over one million people hav…

MEE staff (2020-09-17). US considering 'appointing' Mohammed Dahlan as next Palestinian president: Friedman. middleeasteye.net US considering 'appointing' Mohammed Dahlan as next Palestinian president: Friedman | US ambassador to Israel also says freeze on West Bank annexation is temporary and Arab-Israeli conflict will be over within a year | Thu, 09/17/2020 – 10: 55 | David Friedman predicted that the normalisation deals marked the beginning of the end of the Arab-Israeli-conflict (AFP) | The United States is considering supporting…

Fight Back (2020-09-17). Palestinians slam Arab regimes' 'normalization' with Zionist occupation. fightbacknews.org Chicago, IL – On September 15, the Chicago Coalition for Justice in Palestine (CJP) held a press conference to reject the charade that was happening the same day in Washington, DC, where the Trump administration was holding a signing ceremony for a 'peace' arrangement between Israel and both the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. | CJP represents all of the major Palestinian organizations in Chicago. They spoke against the Arab regimes' 'normalization' with the Zionist Israeli enemy. Solidarity activists with the American Friends Service Committee and the Chicago Faith Coalition on Middle East Policy and othe…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-09-17). Libya's Government of National Accord to step down as peace negotiations likely to conclude soon. peoplesdispatch.org GNA prime minister Fayez Al-Sarraj said in a televised speech on September 16 that the UN-sponsored peace negotiations have succeeded in the rival sides entering a 'new preparatory phase'

Brian Shilhavy (2020-09-17). "Mass Sterilization": Kenyan Doctors Find Anti-fertility Agent in UN Tetanus Vaccine? globalresearch.ca Global Research Editor's Note | In October 2014, the conference of Catholic bishops in Kenya released a The issue was subsequently addressed by Kenya's Catholic Doctors Association. …

news.un (2020-09-17). Human rights violations continue in Burundi under new Government: UN report. news.un.org UN-appointed investigators have issued fresh warnings about ongoing rights violations and impunity in Burundi, since the death of former President Pierre Nkurunziza, who ran for a third term in 2015, in a move deemed by opposition to be unconstitutional.

Jack Payden-Travers (2020-09-17). Respecting the Dignity of Every Human Being: Reflections on John Lewis. zcomm.org "It can be nothing more than a sad and sorry thing without the presence on the part of the sufferer of a graceful heart, a heart that holds no malice toward the inflictors of his or her suffering."

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-17). UAE, Bahrain's ties with Zionists part of US pres. campaign. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 17 (MNA) — Iranian parliament speaker's adviser for international affairs said The UAE and Bahrain's normalization of ties with the Israeli regime is part of a broader plot linked to the US president's reelection campaign.

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-17). rallies against UAE, Bahrain ties with zionists. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 17 (MNA) — People of Tehran gathered in front of the Palestinian embassy on Thursday to denounce the disgraceful move by the UAE and Bahrain in the normalization of relations with the Tel Aviv regime.

yenisafak (2020-09-17). Stage is set for stronger Turkey-Bangladesh ties: Top diplomat. yenisafak.com The current level of bilateral relations between Ankara and Dhaka is ready for takeoff, said Bangladesh's top diplomat on a visit to Turkey, stressing that a slight push by the two governments is needed to get things going.In an inclusive interview with Anadolu Agency in Ankara during his four-day visit to Turkey, Bangladeshi Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said the economy and trade will be the key focus of bilateral relations.He also talked about the Rohingya refugee crisis, Dhaka's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and plan to revive the economy.On the normalization agreements with Israel and Arab states, Mo…

yenisafak (2020-09-17). Turkey fights for justice as region demands it, says Erdogan. yenisafak.com Critics of Turkish foreign policy should stop accusing Ankara and instead oppose the conditions in the region that make it necessary for Turkey to champion peace and justice, said the nation's president on Thursday."They say, 'Why is Turkey involved in Syria, Libya, the Eastern Mediterranean, Africa, the Balkans, the Caucasus, and Central Asia?" Recep Tayyip Erdogan told a group of ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party's provincial heads at party headquarters in the capital Ankara.But, he added, "If Turkey retreats, will Syria enjoy peace and freedom?…"If Turkey turns its back to what is happening in Libya,…

Roseline Orwa (2020-09-17). Covid is Widening Educational Inequalities for Children Around the World. commondreams.org A student sits at her desk along a corridor at Kibera School for Girls, in Nairobi, on August 7, 2020. Students from the surrounding area who are facing challenges accessing the internet for virtual learning at home are permitted to study at the premises in order to access the Wi-Fi. (Photo: Tony Karumba/Afp via Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/kenya_education.jpg

_____ (2020-09-17). Protests And Rockets As Gulf States Sign Deals With Israel. popularresistance.org At a White House ceremony on Tuesday, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain officially established diplomatic relations with Israel. | The signing of the US-brokered Abraham Accords formalizes decades of clandestine relations between Israel and the two Gulf states. | US President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Emirati foreign minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his Bahraini counterpart Abdullatif bin Rashid Alzayani all spoke before the signing. | Al Nahyan and Alzayani also signed separate treaties with Trump and Netanyahu.

MEE and agencies (2020-09-16). Saudi Arabia 'holding 16,000 Ethiopian migrants' in single detention centre: Report. middleeasteye.net Saudi Arabia 'holding 16,000 Ethiopian migrants' in single detention centre: Report | Ethiopia's consul general in Jeddah says migrants are being held in all city's jails, with one facility holding 16,000 people | Wed, 09/16/2020 – 18: 46 | Thousands of Ethiopians made dangerous journey through Yemen into Saudi Arabia to seek employment (AFP/File photo) | Dozens of prisons in Saudi Arabia…

Rayhan Uddin (2020-09-16). Al Jazeera staff hit out at US decision to register it a foreign agent under FARA. middleeasteye.net Al Jazeera staff hit out at US decision to register it a foreign agent under FARA | AJ journalists criticise "politically motivated attack", and question timing amid Israel-UAE normalisation deal | Wed, 09/16/2020 – 13: 51 | Doha-based media network Al Jazeera said it was "deeply disappointed" by the US decision to register it as a foreign agent (AFP/File photo) | Staff at AJ+, Al Jazeera's US-based a…

Sondos Asem (2020-09-16). Arab normalisation with Israel: Who is next? middleeasteye.net Arab normalisation with Israel: Who is next? | Trump has said five countries might follow in the UAE and Bahrain's footsteps – but which ones was he referring to? | Wed, 09/16/2020 – 12: 47 | From left, Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif al-Zayani, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US President Donald Trump, and UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan hold up signed agreements at the…

_____ (2020-09-16). 'Palestinian Self-Determination Not For Sale'. popularresistance.org As US President Donald Trump brought together leaders from Israel, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates to sign deals to establish diplomatic relations, just outside of the White House, hundreds of Palestinians, civil rights and advocacy groups gathered in protest of the occasion, accusing the leaders of ignoring the voices of Palestinians. | Coming together with waves of Palestinian flags, donning traditional keffiyehs, and some wearing masks with the words "Free Palestine", the demonstrators shouted slogans: "No hate, no fear, Bibi is not welcome here", and "Occupation is a crime, normalisation is a crime".

South Front (2020-09-16). Mali: Historical Overview, The Post-Coup Political and Military Situation. globalresearch.ca Mali's recent history has been a succession of disputed presidential elections, military coups, insurgencies, civil war and international conflicts. Although there are significant deposits of gold in the country, the country's strategic location in the centre of the Sahel region …

WSWS (2020-09-16). Acting US Homeland Security secretary refuses to appear before congressional committee. wsws.org In defiance of Congress and the Constitution, Chad Wolf said he would not testify before a House committee on September 17.

Sam Jacobs (2020-09-16). The Benghazi 9/11 Attack: The Forgotten History of the 2012 Attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya. globalresearch.ca If you say "September 11" most people automatically think of the attacks on the World Trade Center buildings and the Pentagon on

Peoples Dispatch (2020-09-16). Algerian journalist Khaled Drareni's prison term reduced but only by a year. peoplesdispatch.org The term of Algerian journalist Khaled Drareni, who was earlier sentenced to three years in prison, has been reduced by a year. Activists and journalists condemned the ruling, demanding his freedom…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-09-16). Palestinians protest normalization of ties with Israel. peoplesdispatch.org Hundreds of Palestinians across the occupied territories came out on the streets on September 15 protesting the "normalization" of ties with Israel by the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

news.un (2020-09-16). South Sudan: Progress on peace agreement 'limps along', UN envoy tells Security Council. news.un.org Although the transitional government in South Sudan continues to function, with state governors now appointed, among other developments, progress on the 2018 peace agreement "limps along", the top UN official in the country told a virtual meeting of the Security Council on Wednesday.

yenisafak (2020-09-16). 'Hotel Rwanda' hero could face maximum life in prison, prosecution says. yenisafak.com Rusesabagina, who once called for armed resistance to the government in a YouTube video, was charged in a Kigali court on Monday with 13 counts including terrorism, complicity in murder and forming or joining an irregular armed group."For some of the crimes, he may face 25 years, and some even go up to life imprisonment," Faustin Nkusi, spokesman of Rwanda's prosecution authority, told Reuters on phone.Rusesabagina declined to respond to all the charges on Monday, saying he wanted to take a plea to each individual count. The court will rule on bail on Thursday.His case has thrust a spotlight on to President Paul…