Daily Archives: 2020-10-15

2020-10-15: News Headlines

William Hartung (2020-10-15). The Art of the Weapons Deal in the Age of Trump. counterpunch.org The United States has the dubious distinction of being the world's leading arms dealer. It dominates the global trade in a historic fashion and nowhere is that domination more complete than in the endlessly war-torn Middle East. There, believe it or not, the U.S. controls nearly half the arms market. From Yemen to Libya to

MEE and agencies (2020-10-14). Israel approves new West Bank housing, just weeks after 'peace' deals with UAE, Bahrain. middleeasteye.net Israel approves new West Bank housing, just weeks after 'peace' deals with UAE, Bahrain | Gulf normalisation agreements were initially advertised as hinging on a freeze in settlement construction | Wed, 10/14/2020 – 12: 40 | New apartments buildings under construction in the Beit El settlement in the occupied the West Bank (AFP) | Israel has approved the construction of new homes in its il…

MEE staff (2020-10-14). Pompeo encourages Saudi Arabia to normalise ties with Israel. middleeasteye.net Pompeo encourages Saudi Arabia to normalise ties with Israel | US Secretary of State thanks kingdom for assisting in normalisation deals between two Gulf Arab countries and Israel | Wed, 10/14/2020 – 17: 50 | Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo deliver remarks at State Department (AFP) | US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Saudi Arabia to normalise…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-10-14). Protests against police violence in Nigeria continue for the sixth day. peoplesdispatch.org The protesters' main demands are the dissolution of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the police and an end to police brutality. The government was forced to give in and dissolve SARS…

Al-Masdar News (2020-10-14). Muammar Gaddafi's Cousin to Sue Hillary Clinton for 'Destroying Libya'. globalresearch.ca The political official of the Libyan National Struggle Front, Ahmed Gaddaf al-Dam, began on Monday, the first steps to sue former U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on charges of spreading destruction and supporting terrorism in Libya. | The cousin of the …

MEE and agencies (2020-10-13). Bodies recovered after migrant boat capsizes off coast of Tunisia. middleeasteye.net Bodies recovered after migrant boat capsizes off coast of Tunisia | Thirteen people, including three children, have drowned while seven have been rescued, say authorities | Tue, 10/13/2020 – 10: 38 | Tunisian coastguards patrol the area off Tunisia's northern town of Bizerte on 30 March 2017 (AFP) | At least 13 people have been confirmed drowned after a migrant boat sank off the coast of T…

MEE staff (2020-10-13). Another three mass graves discovered in Libya's Tarhuna. middleeasteye.net Another three mass graves discovered in Libya's Tarhuna | Hundreds of corpses have been recovered since forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar withdrew from the western city earlier this year | Tue, 10/13/2020 – 17: 48 | Since June 2020, Libyan teams have been searching for mass graves and exhuming bodies in the south of Tripoli and city of Tarhuna (AFP) | Three mass graves were discovered in the Libyan city of Tarhun…

Rayhan Uddin (2020-10-13). Saudi-funded MBC's removal of Palestinian show raises questions over normalisation with Israel. middleeasteye.net Saudi-funded MBC's removal of Palestinian show raises questions over normalisation with Israel | The acclaimed historical drama was reinstated after backlash over fears of further Palestinian erasure from Arab broadcasts | Tue, 10/13/2020 – 15: 01 | 'The Palestinian Exodus' is among the most famous Arab historical dramas about the Palestinian struggle (Screengrab) | Saudi-funded TV channel MBC tempora…

Yasmina Allouche (2020-10-13). Tunisian army deployed over protests after kiosk owner crushed to death. middleeasteye.net Tunisian army deployed over protests after kiosk owner crushed to death | The 52-year-old man died when the Kasserine municipality carried out demolition works on a number of buildings | Tue, 10/13/2020 – 12: 42 | After learning of the man's death, protesters broke into a number of state buildings, targeted businesses and blocked some roads (Fethi Belaid/AFP) | The Tunisian army has been d…

Patrick Cockburn (2020-10-13). Wars and Pandemics Produce the Same Sort of Lethal Government Bungling. counterpunch.org Watching the antics of Trump and the blunders of Boris Johnson in failing to cope with the virus, I have the same feeling I had repeatedly over the last 20 years when reporting on wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and Libya. In all cases, arrogant assumptions of competence and strength were brutally exposed by complicated and dangerous realities on the ground.

Frances Madeson (2020-10-13). Cameroonian Asylum Seekers Said to be One Day Away From Deportation Back to the Oppression They Fled. counterpunch.org There is a peaceful room in a safe, joyful home in the Washington metro area waiting for Micah, an English-speaking Cameroonian refugee who spent his 20th birthday on hunger strike in Pine Prairie Detention Center. His 19th birthday was also spent in ICE detention. His uncle, who raised him, has been counseling patience while waiting

news.un (2020-10-13). FROM THE FIELD: Cultivating a response to disasters in Malawi. news.un.org Farmers in Malawi who are struggling with the dual threats of climate change and an economic crisis worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, are learning how to more accurately predict the weather and prepare for the eventuality of natural disasters, thanks to a project supported by the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

_____ (2020-10-13). How To Stuff The Middle East With Weaponry. popularresistance.org The United States has the dubious distinction of being the world's leading arms dealer. It dominates the global trade in a historic fashion and nowhere is that domination more complete than in the endlessly war-torn Middle East. There, believe it or not, the U.S. controls nearly half the arms market. From Yemen to Libya to Egypt, sales by this country and its allies are playing a significant role in fueling some of the world's most devastating conflicts. But Donald Trump, even before he was felled by Covid-19 and sent to Walter Reed Medical Center, could not have cared less, as long as he thought such trafficking…

sputniknews (2020-10-13). Pentagon Drafting Plans to Withdraw US Troops From Somalia – Reports. sputniknews.com According to insider reports, US President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon and his senior national security advisers to begin drafting plans for a total withdrawal of US forces from Somalia. The US has between 650 and 800 troops in the war-torn East African nation, where it has waged an undeclared war since 2007.

MEE staff (2020-10-12). Israel-UAE deal: Vast majority of Arabic social media posts on pact negative, says report. middleeasteye.net Israel-UAE deal: Vast majority of Arabic social media posts on pact negative, says report | Report says posts were 'part of an organised campaign' by pro-Palestinian groups to denounce the deal | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 11: 40 | Representatives of Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed a normalisation agreement in Washington, DC on 15 September (AFP) | A study of Arabic-language social media conducted b…

Mohammad Ayesh (2020-10-12). Arabic press review: Germany seeks to support Arab-Israel normalisation process. middleeasteye.net Arabic press review: Germany seeks to support Arab-Israel normalisation process | Meanwhile, an Israeli pop singer performs religious rituals at a synagogue in Dubai, and Kuwait is set to spend $4bn on businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 16: 04 | German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, currently on a visit to Riyadh, tells a Saudi paper that his country seeks to 'bene…

MEE correspondent (2020-10-12). Egyptian writer and Sisi critic Amin el-Mahdy dies days after release from jail. middleeasteye.net Egyptian writer and Sisi critic Amin el-Mahdy dies days after release from jail | The publisher was detained last month after calling president Sisi a 'murderer' and a 'thief' in a Facebook post | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 11: 04 | Mahdy was opposed to both Sisi and the Muslim Brotherhood (Facebook) | The Egyptian author Amin el-Mahdy died on Sunday, soon after his release from a brief detentio…

MEE staff (2020-10-12). Kuwait deports three Egyptian dissidents to Cairo: Report. middleeasteye.net Kuwait deports three Egyptian dissidents to Cairo: Report | The dissidents have reportedly shown support for anti-Sisi protests that erupted across rural Egypt in September | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 13: 30 | Kuwait has reportedly handed over three Egyptian dissidents to Interpol over charges of 'incitement to chaos and calls for protests through social media' (AFP) | Kuwait has deported to Cairo three Egyptians who…

David Hearst (2020-10-12). Hamas's Haniyeh: 'No mercy' for Arab states who betray Palestinian cause. middleeasteye.net Hamas's Haniyeh: 'No mercy' for Arab states who betray Palestinian cause | Speaking to MEE, Ismail Haniyeh decries UAE 'normalisation' deal with Israel, and hails 'positive' talks with Fatah | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 09: 33 | History will show no mercy to the Arab nations that recognise Israel, Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, has told Middle East Eye. | Asked about the recent "normalisation"

MEE staff (2020-10-12). Al-Qaeda operative Adel Abdel Bary set for UK return after release from US jail. middleeasteye.net Al-Qaeda operative Adel Abdel Bary set for UK return after release from US jail | Abdel Bary had been sentenced to 25 years in jail for disseminating al-Qaeda's claim of responsibility for bombings targeting US embassies in east Africa | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 22: 15 | Site of bombing of US embassy in Nairobi, 8 August 1998 (AFP/File photo)
| Adel Abdel Bary, a British Egyptian who served as a spokesman for al-…

MEE staff (2020-10-12). Israel's cabinet approves normalisation deals ahead of visits to UAE, Bahrain. middleeasteye.net Israel's cabinet approves normalisation deals ahead of visits to UAE, Bahrain | An Israeli delegation will fly to Bahrain and the UAE later this week, as Netanyahu hints at future meeting with Emirati crown prince Mohammed bin Zayed | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 14: 42 | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed (AFP) | The Israeli cabinet approved on Monday the Abrah…

teleSUR (2020-10-12). World COVID-19 Updates – October 12. telesurenglish.net Europe eyes stricter measures as countries set all-time daily records | – Brazil reports least daily deaths since April | – Ecuador's largest hospital ready for potential spike in cases | – Egypt confirms 129 new infections, 104,516 in total | – Qatar reports 206 new cases, 128,191 in total | – Myanmar reports 1,344 new cases, 18 more deaths…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-10-12). Teachers' strike enters third week in Zimbabwe. peoplesdispatch.org The strike by Zimbabwe's public school teachers entered its third week on Monday, October 12. Zimbabwe's teachers pointed out that with their salaries, they cannot even afford to go to work.

teleSUR (2020-10-12). Africa's Tallest Mountain 'Kilimanjaro' Is on Fire. telesurenglish.net Tanzania National Park Sunday reported that Mount Kilimanjaro, which is the highest mountain in Africa, caught fire in an area hundreds of meters above sea level. | RELATED: | Residents of the communities nearby have joined the firefighters in their effort to halt the fire, which started at Whona, one of the mountain's camps for climbers. | The students and staff of Mweka Wildlife College are among the volunteers who are joining hands in the f…

Sophia Purdy-Moore (2020-10-12). Nigerian government officially disbands notorious police unit, but the fight against police brutality is far from over. thecanary.co The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) is a unit of the Nigerian Police Force. Over the years, evidence has mounted of SARS units unlawfully arresting and detaining young people across the country. That evidence includes accounts of kidnapping, extrajudicial executions, stealing property and extorting money. | Since 2016, Amnesty International has documented at least 82 cases of torture, ill-treatment and extrajudicial executions by SARS. In a

MEE and agencies (2020-10-11). Cairo court begins high-profile 'Egyptian MeToo' case. middleeasteye.net Cairo court begins high-profile 'Egyptian MeToo' case | Accusations against former student prompted wave of shocking revelations in Egypt | Sun, 10/11/2020 – 10: 07 | An Instagram post reveals accusations against former student Ahmed Zaki (AFP) | An Egyptian court on Saturday began hearing a high-profile case of blackmail and sexual assault that released a wave of accusations against promi…

MEE staff (2020-10-11). Most Arab citizens do not earn enough to live on: Survey. middleeasteye.net Most Arab citizens do not earn enough to live on: Survey | Arab Opinion Index also says more than 60 percent believe Israel and United States are biggest threats to the Arab world's security | Sun, 10/11/2020 – 13: 03 | A man receives subsidized food items in Egypt (Reuters) | The majority of citizens in Arab countries believe they do not earn enough for their family's needs, according to a survey across 13 co…

Elijah Magnier (2020-10-11). Difficult negotiations between Lebanon and Israel ahead. thealtworld.com Amid the domestic split between members of different political groups in Lebanese society, the country is preparing to start an indirect negotiation with Israel, pursuing a decades-old border dispute. After nine years of indirect discussion, both sides have agreed on a road map negotiated by the Lebanese Speaker Nabih Berri. The negotiations over the final borders are expected to begin in the week starting 14 October in the neighbouring Lebanese city of Naqoura at the headquarters of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and under its auspices. The negotiation is far from being a Lebanese normalisa…

Pavan Kulkarni (2020-10-11). In Zimbabwe, teachers defy president's threat and continue protest into third week. peoplesdispatch.org Teachers in Zimbabwe, who are finding it to even difficult to travel to schools due to the decline in the value of their salaries, began staying off from work from September 28…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-10-11). South African workers strike against govt corruption, COVID-19 failures, job losses. peoplesdispatch.org A historic general strike was held in numerous cities and towns across South Africa on October 7 against corruption, job losses, govt failures during the pandemic, and its refusal to honor the wage agreement it had signed with public servants.