(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…
(2020-09-21). Arabic press review: Kuwait renews its rejection of normalisation with Israel. middleeasteye.net 
Arabic press review: Kuwait renews its rejection of normalisation with Israel | Meanwhile, UAE rabbi blows a shofar to mark Jewish new year in Dubai, and Lebanon faces severe shortages of essential medicine | Mon, 09/21/2020 – 14: 08 | Kuwaiti National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim speaks inside the Palestinian diplomatic mission in Kuwait City on 15 May 2018 to protest against the US decis…
(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…
(2020-09-21). Anti-government protests in Egypt mark anniversary of landmark agitation. peoplesdispatch.org Hundreds of protesters came out in different cities of Egypt denouncing president Sisi's regime despite a pre-emptive crackdown by the government. These come a year after similar massive protests…
(2020-09-21). Turkey will keep supporting Libya's GNA despite Sarraj plan to quit. yenisafak.com Turkey's agreements and cooperation with Libya's internationally recognised government will continue despite Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj's desire to quit, Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin was quoted as saying on Monday.In June, Turkish military support helped Sarraj's Government of National Accord (GNA) repel an assault on Tripoli by Khalifa Haftar's eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA), which is supported by Russia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.President Tayyip Erdogan has said Turkey was upset by Sarraj's announcement that he planned to quit, but Kalin said Turkish support for the GNA and their…
(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…
(2020-09-20). Egypt discovers 14 ancient coffins at Saqqara. middleeasteye.net 
Egypt discovers 14 ancient coffins at Saqqara | The discovery follows the uncovering of 13 wooden sarcophagi in the same burial spot earlier this month | Sun, 09/20/2020 – 16: 20 | New archaeological finds are common in Egypt, a country whose ancient heritage dates back several millennia (AFP) | Egypt's antiquities ministry announced on Sunday the discovery of 14 coffins in the Saqqara are…
(2020-09-20). Abu Dhabi meeting could lead to Israeli-Sudanese normalisation: Report. middleeasteye.net 
Abu Dhabi meeting could lead to Israeli-Sudanese normalisation: Report | Sudan delegation will also request Washington remove Khartoum from its state sponsors of terror list | Sun, 09/20/2020 – 21: 25 | Sudan's ruling council said its head, General Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan, pictured, and Justice Minister Nasredeen Abdulbari would be in the delegation (AFP) | US, Emirati and Sudanese official…
(2020-09-20). Sudanese officials to meet US delegation in Abu Dhabi. middleeasteye.net 
Sudanese officials to meet US delegation in Abu Dhabi | Meeting will seek to see Washington remove Sudan from its state sponsors of terror list and the writing off of the country's debts to the US | Sun, 09/20/2020 – 21: 25 | Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok is under pressure to fix his country's economic crisis (AFP) | Sudanese officials will discuss the removal of their country fro…
(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…
(2020-09-20). Celebrating the Least Corrupt Country: Rwanda. strategic-culture.org Probably the most objective international ranking of countries according to the extent of their corruption is the annual Gallup World Poll, in which 1,000 or more individuals in each of over a hundred countries are scientifically randomly sampled and asked "Is corruption widespread throughout the government in" their country "or not?" Only the survey that was published in 2013 is available complete online. Rwanda scored as being by far the least-corrupt country. Two years later, incomplete results were shown in Gallup's 2015 poll-report, but Rwanda wasn't among the countries which were included in that report. Ho…
(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…
(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…
(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…
(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…
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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…
(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
(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…
(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…
(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.
(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…
(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…
(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…
(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.
(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.
(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'
(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,…