2020-10-12: News Headlines

Andrew Korybko (2020-10-12). The Russia Brokered Armenia-Azerbaijan Ceasefire. globalresearch.ca It was a diplomatic coup for Russia to broker a ceasefire between Armenia and Azerbaijan since it restored Moscow's relevance to the conflict, but for as positive of a development as this was, it's uncertain whether it'll last and will …

Patrick Cockburn (2020-10-12). Is Syria's Idlib the Next Gaza Strip? counterpunch.org "Many relatives of mine were living in camps near the border with Turkey," says Huda Husein, a 25-year-old teacher living in the rebel-held enclave of Idlib in northwest Syria. "But last month they returned home [to the cities and villages] because they prefer dying under an airstrike to dying in the camps." A cousin told her that "we are just fleeing from danger to danger", explaining that the misery of trying to survive in cramped tents was worse than bombardment by Russia and Syrian government forces.

David Hearst (2020-10-12). Ismail Haniyeh interview: Full transcript. middleeasteye.net Ismail Haniyeh interview: Full transcript | Hamas's leader talks to MEE about Arab normalisation with Israel, the Gaza siege, Palestinian politics and the US elections | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 18: 28 | Ismail Haniyeh, 58, is the chairman of the political bureau of the Palestinian movement Hamas, and the de facto ruler of the besieged Gaza Strip (AFP) | Editor's note: David Hearst, editor-in-chief of Middle…

WSWS (2020-10-12). COVID-19 devastates Native American reservations in California and across the US. wsws.org The loss of revenue from the closure of Indian casinos and other gambling operations has led to loss of jobs and social funding for indigenous communities, while premature reopening are fueling the virus' spread.

Prof. Juan Cole (2020-10-12). With Crushing Sanctions on 18 Iranian Banks, Is Trump Trying to Leave a War Behind for Biden? globalresearch.ca As the dying Trump administration, literally on a sickbed, contemplates losing power, its hawks are lashing out at Iran in an attempt to ensure that the 2015 international nuclear deal is dead and buried, and that the US and Iran …

C.P. Chandrasekhar (2020-10-12). It's all work and no pay for most women in India. mronline.org The NSSO's time use survey reveals striking facts about how men and women in India spend their time very differently, with women hugely burdened by unpaid work…

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"

Caren Holmes (2020-10-12). The Campaign to "Kill" the BDS Movement Against Israel Extends Far and Wide. globalresearch.ca Israel is facing declining public support in the United States and sees the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions campaign as a key threat to its legitimacy. That's why Israel is enlisting the US government, American university administrators, and even tech companies …

Nauman Sadiq (2020-10-12). What Does Biden's 'Deliberate Ambiguity' on Iran Sanctions Imply? globalresearch.ca The Trump administration tightened the noose further around Iran's beleaguered economy on Thursday, October 8, announcing a fresh round of sanctions that will effectively shut the country out of the global financial system. | The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on …

Dr. Chandra Muzaffar (2020-10-12). Malaysia: A Clear Direction for the Present. globalresearch.ca Malaysians at this moment are concerned about two different types of numbers. The overwhelming majority are worried about the recent spike in Covid 19 infections and the increase in the number of related deaths. There is a much smaller segment …

WSWS (2020-10-12). Dr. Joseph Scalice discusses the significance of the fight against Stalinism with the members of Sri Lankan SEP. wsws.org Scalice's guest lecture to members of Sri Lankan SEP is important for their struggle to build the Trotskyist movement in South Asia and fight against Stalinist betrayals.

Caitlin Johnstone (2020-10-11). Every Presidential Election Since The Iraq War Has Featured Candidates Who Supported It. thealtworld.com The United States has done Yet there have been no consequences for it. No real changes of any kind were made to American military, governmental, political or media institution…

Rania Khalek (2020-10-11). Aaron Maté On Western Countries Attacking OPCW Syria Testimony At The UN. thealtworld.com OPCW whistleblower Ian Henderson and former OPCW director José Bustani, who testified before the UN Security Council, were attacked by the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Germany during two UN Security Council meetings in which they provided testimony. | Bustani was blocked from reading his prepared statement on the OPCW's cover-up of what they uncovered when investigators examined the scene of an alleged chemical attack in Douma, Syria, in April 2018. | Henderson was accused of being part of a "disinformation exercise," even though he was personally involved as an investigator, and physicist Ted Posto…

Andrew Korybko (2020-10-11). Several Observations About The Russian-Brokered Armenian-Azerbaijani Ceasefire. thealtworld.com It was a diplomatic coup for Russia to broker a ceasefire between Armenia and Azerbaijan since it restored Moscow's relevance to the conflict, but for as positive of a development as this was, it's uncertain whether it'll last and will thus serve as a litmus test of exactly how much influence the Eurasian Great Power still holds over its "sphere of influence" in the South Caucasus. | Russia's Diplomatic Coup In The South Caucasus | The world is celebrating the Russian-brokered Armenian-Azerbaijani ceasefire which went into effect at noon on Saturday following over 10 hours of negotiations between Foreign Minister…

Staff (2020-10-11). Assange Faces Extradition for Exposing US War Crimes. truthout.org Three weeks of testimony in Julian Assange's extradition hearing in London underscored WikiLeaks's extraordinary revelation of U.S. war crimes in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantánamo Bay. But the Trump administration is seeking to extradite Assange to the United States to stand trial for charges under the Espionage Act that could cause him to spend 175 years in prison. | Assange founded WikiLeaks during the Bush administration's "war on terror," which was used as a pretext to start two illegal wars and carry out a wides…

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…

MEE and agencies (2020-10-11). Iraqi armed groups agree conditional suspension of attacks on US targets. middleeasteye.net Iraqi armed groups agree conditional suspension of attacks on US targets | Spokesperson for Iran-backed Kataeb Hezbollah says worse attacks could follow unless US withdraws its forces from Iraq | Sun, 10/11/2020 – 13: 54 | Mask-clad members of the Popular Mobilisation Front paramilitary force take part in a military parade in the southern Iraqi city of Basra on 14 June 2020 (AFP) | Several…

Jack Delaney (2020-10-11). It's Time Nationalize Social Media And Big Tech. counterpunch.org On September 1, 2020, I received a direct message (DM) on Twitter from a reporter working with a mainstream outlet requesting comment. After a brief chat on the phone, I was informed that I was unwittingly caught up in a Russian-backed media operation, for a "publication" that had recently offered a writing opportunity. The "outlet"

MEE and agencies (2020-10-11). Heavy shelling and civilian casualties dash hopes for Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire. middleeasteye.net Heavy shelling and civilian casualties dash hopes for Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire | Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other on Sunday of violating a Russian-brokered ceasefire | Sun, 10/11/2020 – 23: 06 | Nagorno-Karaback, an ethnic Armenian enclave inside Azerbaijan is home to 15,000 people (AFP) | A Russian-brokered ceasefire between Armenia and Azerbaijan failed to hold on Sunday, with…

Sylvain Mercadier (2020-10-11). Coronavirus: Iraq's heritage sites suffer renewed wave of looting amid pandemic. middleeasteye.net Coronavirus: Iraq's heritage sites suffer renewed wave of looting amid pandemic | Economic woes exacerbated by the Covid-19 outbreak have prompted a rise in illegal activity | Sun, 10/11/2020 – 12: 40 | The Great Ziggurat temple, which dates back to 2100 BC, in the ancient city of Ur situated in southern Iraq's Dhi Qar province 15 June 2020 (AFP) |

MEE and agencies (2020-10-11). Israel will oppose Qatar F-35 warplane sale to ensure 'military superiority'. middleeasteye.net Israel will oppose Qatar F-35 warplane sale to ensure 'military superiority' | Qatar has formally asked to buy US fighter jet, also sought by the United Arab Emirates | Sun, 10/11/2020 – 11: 33 | Israel received F-35 fighter jets in 2016 and has opposed their sale to other countries in the region (AFP) | Israel will oppose the sale of American F-35 fighter jets to Qatar to ensure its own m…

_____ (2020-10-11). As War Danger Mounts in the Arctic, Peace Hinges on a Revival of the Wallace Doctrine. strategic-culture.org According to the Department of Defense's dismally short sighted vision for the Arctic, U.S. strategic interests were best maintained not by cooperation with Arctic partners, by rather by belligerent sabre rattling under the guise of "competition" with nations who have continuously professed a desire to work with the west as allies. | In recent weeks, this belligerence has taken the form of a new forward posture of 150 advanced U.S. fighter jets to be housed at the Eielson Airforce Base in Alaska including a mix of F22 Raptors and F35 Lighting II jets only 600 miles away from the Russia border. Each fighter plane…

RT (2020-10-11). BBC mistakes Taiwan's National Day celebrations for North Korean military parade (VIDEO). rt.com BBC World News was left red-faced after it accidentally broadcast footage of National Day celebrations in Taiwan while claiming they were actually a military display marking the 75th anniversary of North Korea's ruling party. | The mistake was made by the network on Saturday, when it aired footage captioned 'Live Pyongyang'. However, the video was from Taipei, with multiple Taiwanese flags fluttering in the air and distinctive landmarks visible. | Aside from the military themes of both the North Korean and Taiwanese displays, they looked nothing alike. The Pyongyang parade featured scores of assorted milita…

RT (2020-10-11). 'Our region is not Switzerland,' Israeli minister says amid concerns Qatar may buy F-35 jets from US. rt.com Israel will oppose any deal to sell US-made F-35 fighter jets to Qatar, the country's intelligence minister said. Doha has reportedly already submitted a formal request to Washington to greenlight such a deal. | Speaking to Israeli Army Radio on Sunday, Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen said Tel Aviv would firmly oppose the sale of the 5th-generation stealth jets to the Gulf state. | "Our security and military superiority in the region are the most significant things for us," Cohen stressed. | Our region has still not turned into Switzerland. | Qatar's formal request for the jets was reported on Wednesday by Reu…

RT (2020-10-11). First reactor of Belarus' controversial Astravets nuclear power plant achieves criticality, Baltic states are outraged by project. rt.com The first of two Russian-built reactors at the new Belarusian nuclear power plant, at Astravets, is almost ready to go. Located near the border with Lithuania and Latvia, the Baltic states have fiercely opposed the project. | Along with Estonia, the pair have pledged to stop electricity trade with Minsk when the plant is finally operational. The Astravets nuclear power plant (known in Belarus as BelAes) is a joint project with Russia's state atomic energy corporation, Rosatom. On Sunday, the first chain reaction was launched at one of the VVER-1200 type reactors and sustained at the minimum controlled power le…

Peter Koenig (2020-10-11). Palestine: Anniversary of the Death of a Child — 30 September 2000. globalresearch.ca Palestine under siege for 72 years. A UK-prompted UN decision in 1947 allowed David Ben-Gurion, then the head of the Jewish Agency, to proclaim on May 14, 1948, the establishment of the State of Israel. | The United Nations Partition …

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…

Abdel Bari Atwan (2020-10-11). The Saudi campaign against the Palestinians. thealtworld.com A concerted effort is underway to prepare public opinion for normalization with Israel | In June 2006, about a week after Israel's assault on Lebanon began, a Saudi delegation visited Washington and met with President George Bush Jr., who made an exception to receive them at the White House on a Sunday. The delegation was led by the then foreign minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal, and included the national security advisor and former ambassador to Washington, Prince Bandar bin-Sultan, and the serving ambassador and ex-intelligence chief, Prince Turki al-Faisal. | The day after that meeting, the three princes sent a…

Elijah Magnier (2020-10-11). Négociations ardues en vue entre le Liban et Israà´l. thealtworld.com En plus de la division interne qui règne entre les membres des différents groupes politiques de la société libanaise, le pays se prépare à entamer une négociation indirecte avec Israà´l au sujet d'un conflit frontalier datant de plusieurs décennies. Après neuf ans de discussions indirectes, les deux parties se sont mises d'accord sur une feuille de route négociée par le président du Parlement libanais, Nabih Berri. Les négociations en vue d'établir des frontières définitives devraient commencer dans la semaine du 14 octobre dans la ville libanaise limitrophe de Naqoura, au siège de la Force intérimaire des…

Dean Baker (2020-10-11). Waiting for a Vaccine: Killing for Inequality. cepr.net I have been harping on the fact that it is very likely China will be mass producing and distributing a vaccine at least a month, and quite possibly several months, before the United States. This should make people very angry. Even a month's delay is likely to mean tens of thousands of avoidable deaths and …

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-11). US sanctions aim at terminating Iran's exports: Hatami. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 11 (MNA) — Referring to new US sanctions, Iran's Minister of Defense Brigadier General Amir Hatami noted that Washington is afraid of Iran's exports.

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-11). Iran' aerospace rank first in Islamic world ,13 in Intl level. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 11 (MNA) — The head of Aerospace Research Institute announced that in the aerospace field, Iran ranks first among Islamic countries and 13th at the international level.

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-11). Exhibition of railway industry inaugurated in Tehran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 12 (MNA) — The inauguration ceremony of the permanent exhibition of the self-sufficiency of the railway industry was held in the presence of Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami at the Tehran Railway station on Sunday.

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-11). Police seize over 1 ton of illicit drugs in Yazd. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 11 (MNA) — The police forces of Yazd province in central Iran have seized over 1 ton of illicit drugs in the last 24 hours.

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-11). China calls for organizing a forum with Iran's presence in WA. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 11 (MNA) — Chinese Foreign Minister on Sunday called for holding a forum with the presence of the Islamic Republic of Iran in West Asia.

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-11). W Azarbaijan province, Iran's chance to enter global market. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 11 (MNA) — Consul General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Erzurum called the West Azarbaijan province as the gateway of Iran to the global market and the only Iranian city which shares a common border with eastern Turkish provinces.

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-11). Iran's envoy reacts to IAEA chief's comments. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 11 (MNA) — Iran's Permanent Envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that considerable centrifugal and quality of nuclear materials have no place in the documents of IAEA.

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-11). Iran to defend Yemeni people in international arena. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 11 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Minister's Senior Assistant for Special Political Affairs Ali Asghar Khaji said that the Islamic Republic of Iran is employing all its power to defend the oppressed people of Yemen in the international arena.

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-11). Iran, Iraq to resume direct flights as of Monday. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 11 (MNA) — Iraqi Minister of Transport, Nasser Al-Shibli announced on Sunday that flights between Iraqi cities of Baghdad and Najaf and Iran's Mashhad and Tehran will be resumed as of Monday.

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-11). Iran inclined to boost sports, cultural ties with Oman. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 11 (MNA) — Iranian envoy to Oman Ali Najafi Khoshroudi expressed the Islamic Republic's tendency for expansion of mutual sports and cultural cooperation.with Oman.

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-11). W Azerbaijan province, Iran's chance to enter global market. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 11 (MNA) — Consul General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Erzurum called the West Azerbaijan province as the gateway of Iran to the global market and the only Iranian city which shares a common border with eastern Turkish provinces.

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-11). Official urges launching Iran-Switzerland financial channel. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 11 (MNA) — Chairman of Iran-Switzerland Joint Chamber of Commerce expressed his hope that financial mechanism between Iran and Switzerland will be launched in the first half of the next fiscal year (starts March 20, 2021).

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-11). Iran, Afghanistan discuss strengthening bilateral relations. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 12 (MNA) — Iranian Ambassador to Kabul Bahador Aminian voiced Iran's readiness to expand bilateral relations with Afghanistan in various fields.

sputniknews (2020-10-11). Militia Groups Offer US Truce in Iraq If Washington Withdraws Troops, Report Claims. sputniknews.com Amid frequent attacks in the so-called Green Zone' in Baghdad, several countries, including the United States, have warned Iraq that they may shut down their embassies in the area if shellings on diplomatic missions continue.

sputniknews (2020-10-11). 'There Are Advantages': Israel Touts its Own Antibody Cocktail as Better Than Trump's. sputniknews.com During President Donald Trump's treatment at Walter Reed military hospital, he received an experimental polyclonal antibody cocktail created by the US biotechnology company Regeneron.

sputniknews (2020-10-11). S-300s, S-400s to Be Modified to Use Various Types of Missiles Simultaneously, Report Says. sputniknews.com Russia's air defence troops are equipped with at least 125 battalions of S-300s (about 1,500 launchers total) and 69 battalions of S-400s (552 launchers), with the latter expected to remain the most advanced road-mobile air defence system in Russia's arsenal until the arrival of the S-500 beginning next year.

Professor Piers Robinson (2020-10-11). The War on Truth, Dissent and Free Speech. globalresearch.ca On Saturday 13 June 2020 the Times newspaper published its third attack on academics associated with researching British government propaganda and the war in Syria. This time the attack focused on smearing myself and Professor David Miller with the objective …

MEE and agencies (2020-10-10). Ceasefire shaken as Armenia, Azerbaijan trade accusations of attacks. middleeasteye.net Ceasefire shaken as Armenia, Azerbaijan trade accusations of attacks | The recent flare-up in Nagorno Karabakh has been the worst the contested region has seen since the 90s | Sat, 10/10/2020 – 10: 15 | The recent flare-up is the worst in Nagorno-Karabakh since the 1991-4 war (AFP) | Armenia and Azerbaijan have accused each other of violating a ceasefire only minutes after it came into eff…

Eds. (2020-10-10). Xinjiang: A report and resource compilation. mronline.org In the mid-2010s, China launched far-reaching de-radicalization and economic development programs in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Kaamil Ahmed (2020-10-10). Two killed as wildfires rage through Lebanon, Syria. middleeasteye.net Two killed as wildfires rage through Lebanon, Syria | Firefighters have been tackling hundreds of fires in both countries, while blazes in Israel prompt evacuations | Sat, 10/10/2020 – 15: 52 | A man watches as wildfires burn in Lebanon (Reuters) | At least two people have been killed in forest fires burning through Syria and Lebanon, state media and officials said. | Hundreds of hectares have burned…