(2020-09-18). Assange's Eighth Day at the Old Bailey: Software Redactions, the Iraq Logs and the Extradition Act. globalresearch.ca The extradition trial of Julian Assange at the Old Bailey struck similar notes to the previous day's proceedings: the documentary work and practise of WikiLeaks, the method of redactions, and the legacy of exposing war crimes. In the afternoon, the …
(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…
(2020-09-18). Wise People Know That Winning a War Is No Better Than Losing One. dissidentvoice.org 
Liu Bolin (China), Guernica, 2016 Dedicated to Soni Prashad, 1929-2020, who spent her life looking for a better world. US President Donald Trump and his 'war council' — led by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo — have amplified their aggression against China. What began as a trade dispute in the 1990s has now escalated into …
(2020-09-18). Be It Trump Or Biden, Iraq is Doomed. counterpunch.org 
It was announced on September 9 that the U.S. Administration would reduce troop numbers in Iraq from 5,200 to 3,000 by the end of the month. The commander Central Command, General McKenzie, said the withdrawal was to take place because of "the great progress the Iraqi forces have made" and that the "ultimate goal" was having local forces who were capable of preventing a resurgence of Islamic State in the country."
(2020-09-18). Equal pay essential to build a world of dignity and justice for all, UN says, commemorating first International Equal Pay Day. news.un.org The United Nations is marking the first ever International Equal Pay Day, on Friday, drawing attention to the gender pay gap — the difference between what a woman earns compared to a man, for work of equal value — and the systemic inequalities it is rooted in.
(2020-09-18). Almost 25,000 drug pills seized in Turkey. yenisafak.com Turkish police seized almost 25,000 drug pills and nearly 80 kilograms (176 pounds) of marijuana in anti-narcotics operations, security sources said on Friday.In the central Aksaray province, police confiscated 23,000 drug pills and 79.7 kg of marijuana when they stopped a car as part of anti-narcotics effort, said the sources who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.Two suspects in the car were arrested and referred to a local court.The court later remanded the suspects over charges of using and trafficking drugs.Separately in the southern Hatay province, police stopped a suspected…
(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…
(2020-09-18). French President Macron adds fuel to fire in E.Med: DefMin. yenisafak.com French President Emmanuel Macron is adding fuel to the fire in the Eastern Mediterranean and making it harder to solve problems, said the Turkish defense minister on Friday.In an exclusive interview with Britain's Channel 4 News, Hulusi Akar said the French president is trying to take on the role of Napoleon who died two centuries ago but Macron is not strong enough for this.On NATO's meditation efforts, Akar said although Greece is reluctant and slowing down the solution of the Eastern Mediterranean issue with some preconditions, Turkey supports holding these meetings.In regard to the EU attitude to the issue, h…
(2020-09-18). Israel goes back to virus lockdown amid 5,000 new cases. yenisafak.com Israel is set to return to a total coronavirus lockdown later Friday as infections are mounting across the nation.The lockdown will be effective as of 2 p.m. local time (1100GMT). Under the lockdown, people must remain 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) of home.Businesses except for food and medicine will be closed and no more than 10 people will be allowed indoors and 20 people most will be allowed to gather outdoors.Israel registered additional 5,238 cases from the coronavirus outbreak over the past 24 hours.In a statement, the Health Ministry said the country's tally rose to 176,933 confirmed cases, including 1,169 death…
(2020-09-18). Rally Turkey kicks off with shakedown stage in Mugla. yenisafak.com The shakedown stage of the 2020 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) in Turkey was completed.Rally Turkey started with the participation of 130 drivers from 19 countries.On the first day of the organization, drivers took 4.70 kilometers (2.9 miles) to test their cars in the shakedown stage in Turkey's southwestern Mugla province.Local and foreign spectators attended the shakedown stage to support the drivers and take some photos.The round five of this year's Rally Turkey will take place from Sept. 18-20.Due to restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, all stages, scheduled in the towns of…
(2020-09-18). Israel, the UAE, & Bahrain Didn't Sign Peace Deals, They're Military Alliances to Counter Iran. globalresearch.ca Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in Washington on Tuesday. Brokered by the Trump administration, these deals represent two of the most broadly popular developments for both Trump and Netanyahu in many …
(2020-09-17). The 'Israeli'-Emirati Alliance: Geopolitical Impact on Africa. globalresearch.ca The misleadingly described "peace" deal between "Israel" and the UAE will enable the self-professed "Jewish State" to use the latter's military and civilian port infrastructure in the Gulf of Aden, thus challenging recent Turkish inroads in this part of the …
(2020-09-17). Assange Court Report September 16: Afternoon. popularresistance.org A famous Vietnam era whistleblower, 89-year-old Daniel Ellsberg, has told a court that he feels "a great identification," with both Julian Assange and his source Chelsea Manning, who, he said, "were willing to suffer the risk of imprisonment or even death to get information to the American public." | Ellsberg, a former US Marine officer who served with the US State Department in Vietnam during the war years, is best known for leaking a huge tranche of US government documents on the war to the New York Times in 1970, documents that showed that the government had been lying to the American people about the conflict…
(2020-09-17). Daniel Ellsberg Warns U.S. Press Freedom Under Attack in WikiLeaks' Julian Assange Extradition Case. democracynow.org 
Legendary Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg says Julian Assange's extradition hearing in London could have far-reaching consequences for press freedoms. The WikiLeaks founder faces an ever-evolving array of espionage and hacking charges related to the release of diplomatic cables that revealed war crimes committed by U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. Assange faces almost certain conviction, if extradited, and 175 years in prison. "The American press has remained in kind of a state of denial for 40 years, really, since my case, that the Espionage Act has wording in it that could be aimed directly at…
(2020-09-17). A Crisis Made in America: Yemen on Brink of Famine After U.S. Cuts Aid While Fueling War. democracynow.org 
The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is deepening amid the pandemic and cuts to international aid from the United States and its allies, leaving millions of Yemenis facing famine after years of a brutal U.S.-backed, Saudi-led bombing campaign that has devastated the country. CNN's senior international correspondent Nima Elbagir says what is happening in Yemen is not a natural disaster but a "man-made catastrophe" directly tied to U.S. policies. Elbagir says, "Not only is the U.S. profiting from the war by selling weapons to the UAE and Saudi Arabia," but it is also ignoring the impact on civilians. We also feature he…
(2020-09-17). After Fire Destroys Moria Refugee Camp in Greece, Demands Grow for Relocation, Not Another Camp. democracynow.org 
We get an update on the massive fire at the Moria refugee camp in Lesbos, Greece, which has left 13,000 refugees and migrants from Afghanistan, African countries and Syria without access to shelter, food or sanitation. The fire has raised concerns about a coronavirus outbreak and comes as migrants protest their living conditions during the pandemic. Some of the asylum seekers — many of them women and children — are demanding they be allowed to leave the island of Lesbos, but the Greek government is refusing to relocate most people displaced by the fire to the mainland. "The calculation of the Greek go…
(2020-09-17). Twilight in the Desert for Saudi Arabia and Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman? globalresearch.ca It appears as if Saudi de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is on a mission to destroy the world oil giant by one after the other ill-conceived economic decisions. Now, as MBS orders yet new desperation cuts in …
(2020-09-17). No 'peace' without the Palestinians. thealtworld.com White House theatrics, Trump's delusions and Gulf regime collusion cannot 'end' the Arab-Israeli conflict | The missiles fired at Israeli settlements from the Gaza Strip while the UAE and Bahraini foreign ministers were signing 'peace treaties' with Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House were an affirmation: these agreements are worthless, and the only people capable of ending the Arab-Israeli conflict, by peace or by war, are the people of Palestine — with the backing of their Arab and Muslim brothers and sisters and supporters of justice worldwide. | President Donald Trump, who oversaw the theatrics in the…
(2020-09-17). US Cuts Aid to Yemen While Fueling War and Famine. truthout.org The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is deepening amid the pandemic and cuts to international aid from the United States and its allies, leaving millions of Yemenis facing famine after years of a brutal U.S.-backed, Saudi-led bombing campaign that has devastated the country. CNN's senior international correspondent Nima Elbagir says what is happening in Yemen is not a natural disaster but a "man-made catastrophe" directly tied to U.S. policies. Elbagir says, "Not only is the U.S. profiting from the war by selling weapons to t…
(2020-09-17). A "Persistent Eye in the Sky" Coming to a City Near You? counterpunch.org "Gorgon Stare will be looking at a whole city, so there will be no way for the adversary to know what we're looking at, and we can see everything." That same persistent eye in the sky may soon be deployed over U.S. cities. At the time he made that comment about surveillance drones over Afghanistan,
(2020-09-17). Nurse Alleges Forced Sterilizations, Medical Malpractice At Immigrant Detention Center. popularresistance.org A whistleblower complaint filed on behalf of a nurse who worked at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in southern Georgia until July alleges that a number of immigrant women detained there were subjected to sterilization through hysterectomies without their consent. | In the complaint, filed by the legal advocacy group Project South, the former nurse describes conditions at the center as akin to an "experimental concentration camp." | The complaint also details the refusal of the center's administrators to carry out COVID-19 testing or implement protective measures, putting detainees an…
(2020-09-17). Senate Democrats want $350 billion to prepare for war with China. liberationnews.org 
Democrats in the Senate announced September 17 a massive spending bill aimed at stepping up U.S. hostility towards China to the tune of $350 billion. Introduced by leading imperialist war hawks Chuck Schumer and Bob Menendez, the legislation is intended to shore up U.S. dominance in strategic sectors of the world economy through huge government …
(2020-09-17). Coronavirus: More than 200 cases at Lebanon's biggest prison, union leader says. middleeasteye.net 
Coronavirus: More than 200 cases at Lebanon's biggest prison, union leader says | Head of doctors' union blames prisoners for the spike in infections, saying they were not abiding by health measures | Thu, 09/17/2020 – 12: 59 | Roumieh prison houses more than 4,000 prisoners, around three times its intended capacity, and has long been infamous for its poor conditions (AFP) | Lebanon's larg…
(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). Iranian press review: Execution of wrestler Navid Afkari sparks outrage. middleeasteye.net 
Iranian press review: Execution of wrestler Navid Afkari sparks outrage | Meanwhile, candidates bribed officials to facilitate vetting process in parliamentary elections and the education minister is under fire for excluding girls from a textbook image
| Thu, 09/17/2020 – 11: 30 | A woman holds a portrait of Iranian wrestler Navid Afkari during a demonstration on the Dam Square in…
(2020-09-17). University of Toronto rescinds job offer to academic over Israel criticism. middleeasteye.net 
University of Toronto rescinds job offer to academic over Israel criticism | University denies Valentina Azarova had ever been officially hired; it did not address concerns that a judge and donor had reportedly objected to her hiring | Thu, 09/17/2020 – 16: 07 | Valentina Azarova, fellow at Manchester International Law Centre, worked to establish human-rights enforcement mechanisms globally and has consulted o…
(2020-09-17). Six months of pandemic: Why India lost the battle. peoplesdispatch.org 
A brief timeline of the Narendra Modi Government's action (and inaction) in India from the time World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 a 'pandemic' on March 11…
(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…
(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…
(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). 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…
(2020-09-17). US announces another round of Hezbollah-related sanctions. middleeasteye.net 
US announces another round of Hezbollah-related sanctions | New measures target two Lebanese companies and one official accused by Washington of being linked to Iran-backed group | Thu, 09/17/2020 – 16: 03 | Latest round of sanctions comes after US targeted former government minister allied with Hezbollah (Reuters/File photo) | The US government announced another round of sanctions on Lebanon-based entities, t…
(2020-09-17). US lawmakers call on Trump administration to restore aid to Yemen. middleeasteye.net 
US lawmakers call on Trump administration to restore aid to Yemen | Citing coronavirus concerns, Democrats in both the House and Senate describe a dire need for aid in war-torn Yemen, where virus mortality rates remain around 25 percent | Thu, 09/17/2020 – 18: 40 | Hashem Mahmoud Atin, a ten-month-old displaced Yemeni child suffering from acute malnutrition and who is unable to reach a hospital for treatment,…
(2020-09-17). Experts question right-wing government's low COVID-19 death toll claims in India. peoplesworld.org 
NEW DELHI (AP)—When Narayan Mitra died on July 16, a day after being admitted to the hospital for fever and breathing difficulties, his name never appeared on any of the official lists put out daily of those killed by the coronavirus. Test results later revealed that Mitra had indeed been infected with COVID-19, as had …
(2020-09-17). Big Brother for sale: Moscow woman sues city authorities after 'buying data' on her own movements from dark web. rt.com 
A Moscow woman is suing the city's mayor's office and demanding that it stops using a facial recognition system on the Russian capital's streets, after she bought data on the dark web about her own movements. | Anna Kuznetsova filed a lawsuit for 100,000 rubles ($1,300) of compensation, after she found a person selling data online and anonymously ordered information about herself. Kuznetsova works for Roskomsvoboda, a project which promotes freedom of information and privacy on the internet. | "She sent a photo, and two days later received a report for the previous month with detailed information about where h…
(2020-09-17). 'No evidence': EU Parliament using Navalny's alleged poisoning to push for sanctions & halt Nord Stream project — German MEP. rt.com 
The EU Parliament's call for a probe into the alleged poisoning of Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny, along with new sanctions against Moscow, is just a manifestation of the establishment's "anti-Russian sentiment." | That's according to Maximilian Krah, a member of the European Parliament from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. The "obscure" case involving the alleged poisoning of Navalny has been used by the EU establishment to launch another round of Moscow-bashing, he says. | The lawmaker explained that his fellow MEPs had not, in fact, seen a single piece of evidence suggesting the Russian go…
(2020-09-17). Russia's biggest enemies? New poll suggests Uncle Sam, Perfidious Albion & estranged 'little brother' Ukraine are top three foes. rt.com 
The great French novelist Gustave Flaubert famously said that you can calculate the worth of a man by the number of his enemies. If the same philosophy applies to countries, well then Russia isn't doing too badly. | Moscow's refusal to accept the vassal status the US had planned for it in the nineties has led to a furious pushback by Washington's allies. But the West's diminishing power means Russia has been able to offset somewhat by building new relations in the east. | But who do Russians themselves see as their nation's main antagonists? Well, a new poll suggests 60% see the United States as a foe, followe…
(2020-09-17). A habitable base in space? Russia's Space Agency believes humans could one day live on Callisto, Jupiter's second largest moon. rt.com 
Russian space agency, Roscosmos, considers Callisto, Jupiter's second-largest moon, as possible location for a habitable base in space. That's according to Alexander Bloshenko, the corporation's director for long-term programs. | "In terms of places where it is most suitable to set up a base for humans, Callisto is the third best, after the Moon and Mars," said Bloshenko. | In particular, Roscosmos is attracted to the natural satellite's surface of ice, which could have a subsurface ocean of liquid water. Moreover, seismic activity detected on the moon of Jupiter means that it must have a hot central core. | D…
(2020-09-17). 'No force in the world can stop Indian soldiers from patrolling' contested border area amid tensions with China — New Delhi. rt.com 
Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has said no one can prevent Indian soldiers from patrolling the border in Ladakh region. China has amassed troops in the area and will see India's counter-deployment, he added. | The spate of skirmishes between Indian and Chinese soldiers over the last few months was primarily over the issue of patrolling the Ladakh border, the minister said. The incidents resulted in the deaths of at least 20 Indian soldiers, though Beijing has yet to confirm Chinese casualties. | Singh denied allegations that Indian forces are not being allowed to patrol in certain parts of the Galwan va…
(2020-09-17). 'Anti-Russian hysteria': Moscow hits back after EU Parliament calls for sanctions over alleged poisoning of activist Navalny. rt.com 
After EU MEPs, on Thursday, called for sanctions over the alleged poisoning of Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny, Moscow said the move merely fuels anti-Russia hysteria and is aimed at disrupting the Nord Stream 2 project. | The European Parliament resolution urges an international probe into the Navalny incident. Its approval followed comments by the EU's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, who floated the idea of naming a new anti-Russian sanctions package after the anti-corruption campaigner, in a similar move to the US Magnitsky act. | That was named after a Russian tax auditor who died in a Moscow prison…
(2020-09-17). Israeli firm provided phone-hacking services to Saudi Arabia: Report. middleeasteye.net 
Israeli firm provided phone-hacking services to Saudi Arabia: Report | The report by The Marker says that Cellebrite was also active in the kingdom at the time of Jamal Khashoggi's murder in October 2018 | Thu, 09/17/2020 – 11: 02 | Cellebrite says its technology serves 154 countries and that it has been used to make convictions in 5 million cases of serious crime (AFP) | A controversial Israeli security firm…
(2020-09-17). EU parliament urges arms embargo on Saudi Arabia over Khashoggi murder, Yemen war. middleeasteye.net 
EU parliament urges arms embargo on Saudi Arabia over Khashoggi murder, Yemen war | European lawmakers call for sanctions on Riyadh over killing of Jamal Khashoggi and Yemen war | Thu, 09/17/2020 – 20: 03 | European lawmakers called on EU member states to follow Germany, Finland, and Denmark in restricting arms sales to Riyadh (AFP/File photo) | The European Parliament has urged European Union member states to…
(2020-09-17). The 'Desaparecidos' of Palestine: Gantz Escalates Israel's War on the Dead. dissidentvoice.org 
On September 2, the Israeli government approved a proposal that allows the military to indefinitely withhold the bodies of Palestinians who have been killed by the Israeli army. The proposal was made by the country's Defense Minister, Benny Gantz. Gantz is the main political rival of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He also serves the role …
(2020-09-17). Occupation Of UK Factory Involved In Israeli Drone Manufacture. popularresistance.org Direct action protests against Israel's largest weapons company have escalated in the UK, with an occupation of a factory building engines for drones used by Israel's army entering its third day on Wednesday. | Protests were also held outside Elbit System UK's London headquarters and at its landlord's main offices, as new solidarity group Palestine Action escalated its campaign to shut down the company's operation in the UK. | Elbit Systems UK is part of the high-tech weapons group that supplies more than 80 percent of the Israeli army's military drones, including the Hermes 900 and Hermes 450…
(2020-09-17). Activists occupy Elbit Systems factory in UK. peoplesdispatch.org The factory of the Israeli weapon company Elbit Systems in Shenstone, UK, is under occupation by protesters belonging to Palestine Action. They have demanded the shut-down of all sites of Elbit Systems in the UK.
(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…
(2020-09-17). Trump Regime Illegally Imposing Snapback Sanctions and Arms Embargo on Iran. globalresearch.ca In defiance of world community sentiment and SC Res. 2231 — that's binding international and US constitutional law — the Trump regime will unilaterally reimpose sanctions on Iran that were lifted when the JCPOA took effect. | According to Trump regime …
(2020-09-17). Continued German Support for Nord Stream 2 Completion? Towards a Shift in Russia-Germany Relations? globalresearch.ca Construction of Russia's Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Germany is about 94% completed. | The project is all about supplying Germany and other European countries with readily available low-cost Russian natural gas — around 30% cheaper than US liquified natural …
(2020-09-17). Venezuelan Oil Production Continues Slump as Iran Steps Up Cooperation. venezuelanalysis.com A recent Iranian condensate shipment will boost oil blending operations.
(2020-09-17). Yankees Going Home—MES EP.72. thealtworld.com The top U.S. general in the Middle East Frank McKenzie confirmed plans for partial troop drawdowns in both Iraq and Afghanistan before the Nov. 3 election, as President Donald Trump seeks to fulfill a campaign promise to end what he calls "America's endless wars". The U.S. plans to cut the troop presence in Iraq from 5,200 to 3,000 by the end of September. To discuss this issue with us from London is Patrick Henningsen founder of the 21st century wire news website. | The announcement that Bahrain would establish full diplomatic relations with Israel leaves open the possibility that more Arab states will follow. B…