Daily Archives: September 21, 2020

2020-09-21: News Headlines

Andrew Korybko (2020-09-21). The US' Latest Anti-Iranian Sanctions Will Worsen the Trade War with China. globalresearch.ca The US' latest anti-Iranian sanctions won't change much when it comes to the Islamic Republic's present economic predicament but will almost certainly provoke a worsening of the so-called "trade war" with China since the real intent seems to be to …

Prof. Juan Cole (2020-09-21). Israel's Knesset Votes Down Bill Guaranteeing Equality for Palestinian-Israelis, 21% of Population. globalresearch.ca

MEE staff (2020-09-21). Iran will not renegotiate nuclear deal if Biden wins US presidency, Zarif says. middleeasteye.net Iran will not renegotiate nuclear deal if Biden wins US presidency, Zarif says | Iranian foreign minister said returning to the terms of the accord should happen 'without conditions' | Mon, 09/21/2020 – 18: 06 | Iran's foreign minister said the outcome of the US election was irrelevant to returning to the 2015 nuclear deal (AFP/File photo) | Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Monday that Teh…

Mohammad Ayesh (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…

Jordan Davidson (2020-09-21). The environmental legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsberg. peoplesworld.org

Ragip Soylu (2020-09-21). Turkey pursues legal action against Greek newspaper insulting Erdogan. middleeasteye.net Turkey pursues legal action against Greek newspaper insulting Erdogan | Dimokratia's front page telling Turkish president to 'fuck off' prompts Ankara's prosecutors to open an investigation | Mon, 09/21/2020 – 12: 50 | Dimokratia's front page has caused a furore in Turkey (Screenshot) | Turkish prosecutors on Monday launched an investigation into Greek newspaper Dimokratia and its editors after it publis…

Staff (2020-09-21). US sanctions in Syria are killing people, even if Trump never killed Assad. therealnews.com U.S. sanctions are "stopping any rebuilding of Syria" and "promoting civil wars," says Joshua Landis, a University of Oklahoma Middle East scholar. He says rather than hurting Assad, sanctions have hurt Syrian civilians.

MEE and agencies (2020-09-21). Bahrain says foiled 'terrorist attack' backed by Iran in early 2020. middleeasteye.net Bahrain says foiled 'terrorist attack' backed by Iran in early 2020 | Interior ministry said attack had been planned to avenge the January killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani | Mon, 09/21/2020 – 08: 34 | Bahrain said the planned attack was backed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (AFP) | Bahrain's interior ministry said on Sunday it had foiled a "terrorist attack" early t…

MEE and agencies (2020-09-21). Russian jets strike rebel-held bastion in northwestern Syria. middleeasteye.net Russian jets strike rebel-held bastion in northwestern Syria | Witnesses say Sunday's bombings in Idlib were the most extensive since a ceasefire was agreed in March by Russia and Turkey | Mon, 09/21/2020 – 10: 39 | Smoke billows following a reported Russian air strike on the western countryside of the mostly rebel-held Syrian province of Idlib, on 20 September 2020 (AFP) | Syrian oppositi…

Aseel Jundi (2020-09-21). 'Between fire and fuel': Palestinians in Jerusalem town face eviction orders. middleeasteye.net 'Between fire and fuel': Palestinians in Jerusalem town face eviction orders | Families in Silwan challenge courts over laws that favour Israeli settlers
| Mon, 09/21/2020 – 10: 18 | Kayed Rajabi (L) and Nasser Rajabi (C-L) watch as settlers and their guards walk by (MEE/Aseel Jundi) | Reaching the Batn al-Hawa neighbourhood in the Palestinian town of Silwan in occupied Jerusalem is no easy tas…

MEE staff (2020-09-21). UN states have 'responsibility' to enforce Iran sanctions, Pompeo says. middleeasteye.net UN states have 'responsibility' to enforce Iran sanctions, Pompeo says | Iran's Mohammad Javad Zariff dismisses new sanctions and says the Trump administration is standing 'against the entire world' | Mon, 09/21/2020 – 17: 56 | Six top US officials gathered for a news conference to announce sanctions against Iran on Monday (AFP) | The Trump administration has announced a new round of sanctions against Iran, st…

Tings Chak (2020-09-21). The Lekra spirit lives: Martin Aleida on Indonesia's revolutionary cultural group. peoplesdispatch.org Literature that defends victims, not power. | Martin Aleida gives a testimony at the International People ¥s Tribunal in The Hague in November, 2015 | "It was the worst when I was released. That's the biggest prison I had to face." | Martin Aleida recalls the moment he was released from prison at the end of 1966. The then 22-year-old writer emerged from nearly a year behind bars to a Jakarta where his friends could not be found. His workplace, Harian Rakyat ('The People's Daily'), the official newspaper of the Communist Party of Indonesia (PKI) was no longer. His Party and cultural organization, Lekra, was ba…

Stephen Lendman (2020-09-21). Belarus: US Sponsored "Color Revolution" or "Union State Treaty" with Russia? globalresearch.ca Longtime incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko overwhelmingly defeated opposition candidates to remain in office. | US-designated puppet-in-waiting, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya was chosen to serve Washington's imperial interests. | On Saturday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova slammed Brussels for meddling in Belarusian internal affairs, …

Stephen Lendman (2020-09-21). The Dangers of Nuclear War: Trump Regime Sabotaging New START Extension Talks with Russia? globalresearch.ca Throughout his tenure, Trump showed he's a deal-breaker, not maker — notably by unilaterally abandoning the landmark INF Treaty and JCPOA nuclear deal. | Extending New START is jeopardized. Expiring on February 5, 2021 if not renewed, the decade-ago agreement is …

Nauman Sadiq (2020-09-21). Trump Administration Announces 'Third Party' Sanctions on Iran. globalresearch.ca The Trump administration

Jordan Davidson (2020-09-21). Hundreds of Thousands of Migratory Birds 'Falling Out of the Sky' in the Southwest. globalresearch.ca The American Southwest is witnessing a horrific and inexplicable phenomenon, likely due to the

tricontinental (2020-09-21). The United States' Existential Challenge against China. globalresearch.ca US President Donald Trump and his 'war council' — led by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo — have

Elijah Magnier (2020-09-21). Obstacles to French success in Lebanon: Saudi Arabia and the US. thealtworld.com A US counterterrorism official has claimed that Hezbollah "is stocking ammonium nitrate in France, Italy, Greece, Spain and Switzerland". The French Foreign Ministry responded that these allegations were untrue. Consequently, it dealt a direct blow to the American administration, which is working in Brussels to place Hezbollah with its military and political wings on the EU's terrorist list. France enjoys enough influence within the corridors of the European Union and the European Parliament to stand as an impediment to the American plans. For France, it is not a matter of love or support for Hezbollah, but rathe…

Center For Biological Diversity (2020-09-21). Administration Sued for Records Detailing U.S. Role on Behalf of Glyphosate-maker Bayer in Pressuring Thailand to Reverse Plan to Ban Pesticide. globalresearch.ca The Center for Biological Diversity sued the administration for public records detailing the U.S. government's efforts on behalf of Bayer, the maker of the herbicide glyphosate, to convince Thailand last year to reverse its planned ban of the cancer-linked chemical….

Thomas Newdick (2020-09-21). Did the US Draw up a Plan to Drop 80 Nuclear Weapons on North Korea? globalresearch.ca Current nuclear war plans are among any nuclear-armed military's most closely guarded secrets. Details of one such attack plan recently became available, however, revealing that the United States envisaged using 80 nuclear weapons in case of war with North Korea. …

Staff (2020-09-21). Headlines for September 21, 2020. democracynow.org Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Dies at 87, Sparking a Deluge of Tributes and a Fierce Succession Battle, U.S. COVID-19 Death Toll Poised to Top 200,000, U.N. Says 150 Million More Children May Face Poverty as Global Coronavirus Death Toll Nears 1 Million, California Grapples with Evacuations, Toxic Air as Record-Breaking Wildfires Continue to Blaze, Trump Announces $13 Billion for Puerto Rico, as Elections Near and 3 Years After Hurricane Maria, Leaked Docs Show Major Banks Helped Criminals Launder Billions of Dollars, International Community Counters Trump over U.N. Iran Sanctions, Peru's President Survives Impeach…

_____ (2020-09-21). Remembering Stephen Cohen. strategic-culture.org Two prominent Americans Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Frand Cohen lost to cancer on the same day (September 18) is a great downer — at least for me. Of the two, Justice Ginsburg's stature, relative to the U.S. Supreme Court and her prior background, has understandably received the greater media coverage. Notwithstanding, Dr. Cohen's relevance to the coverage of Russia in the U.S. and his scholarly pursuits are nothing to gloss over. | An accomplished academic, Cohen was the leading English language mass media TV talking head on Russia. Over the past several months, I suspected that something ominous was u…

_____ (2020-09-21). Tony Blair's Grubby Fingerprints on Trump's Mideast Deals Spells War, Not Peace. strategic-culture.org Cynics of the "historic" peace deals signed this week at the White House between Gulf Arab rulers and Israel were further emboldened in their criticism with reports that former British premier Tony Blair was a leading mediator behind the development. | U.S. President Donald Trump

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-21). Pompeo announces US sanctions on Iran's Ministry of Defense. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 21 (MNA) — After failing to extend Iran's Arms Embargo, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has announced new sanctions on the Iranian Defense Ministry and other Iranian officials involved in the country's nuclear and missile programs.

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-21). Iran COVID-19 update: 177 deaths, 3,341 infections. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 15 (MNA) — The daily count of COVID-19 infections in Iran reached 3,341 on Monday, bringing the total cases to 425,481, according to the Health Ministry.

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-21). VIDEO: Kavkaz-2020 military drill kicks off. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 21 (MNA) — Russia launched a military drill, named ' Kavkaz-2020' on Monday, involving almost 80,000 servicemen. The exercise involves up to 80,000 servicemen from Armenia, Belarus, China, Iran, Myanmar, Pakistan and other countries.

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-21). Vacations on the edge: a glance of war tourism in Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 21 (MNA) — On one hand, even talking about war is bitter, particularly for those who went to the second-longest war of the 20th-century after the Vietnam War.

yenisafak (2020-09-21). Al-Aqsa preacher forbids chanting Israeli anthem. yenisafak.com The preacher of Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque, Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, has forbidden Muslims from chanting Israel's national anthem. | In an interview with Anadolu Agency on Monday, Sabri said the Israeli anthem includes words that allege the Jewish ownership of all Palestine, including Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. | He said those chanting the Israeli anthem in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are either "illiterates" or "Zionists". | Videos appeared on social media showing some Emiratis chanting and playing the Israeli anthem, in a move that came days after the UAE, Bahrain and Israel signed US-sponsored agree…

yenisafak (2020-09-21). Pakistan court halts terror suspect's extradition to US. yenisafak.com Pakistan's Supreme Court on Monday halted the extradition to the US of a Pakistani-American terror suspect until further orders, local media reported.A two-judge bench, led by Justice Mushir Alam, barred the government from handing over Talha Haroon, who is reportedly in his early 20s, to Washington on the petition of his father, local broadcaster Express News reported.The FBI accuses Haroon of being a Daesh/ISIS sympathizer, and involved in planning of multiple terror attacks. Also, according to FBI, he wanted to carry out Paris-style attacks in New York City in June 2016.In Nov, 2015, terrorists carried out a s…

MEE and agencies (2020-09-21). UAE central bank failed to prevent Iran sanctions evasion: Report. middleeasteye.net UAE central bank failed to prevent Iran sanctions evasion: Report | Bank failed to act on warnings about a local firm which was helping Tehran to evade sanctions, leaked files show | Mon, 09/21/2020 – 10: 44 | Suspicious transactions were flagged up to the UAE central bank, pictured, by the British bank Standard Chartered | The United Arab Emirates (UAE) central bank failed to act on warni…

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-21). IAEA seeking to reinforce cooperation with Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 21 (MNA) — Director-General of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi welcomed the agreement between the Agency and Iran and expressed hope that both sides enhance mutual trust.

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-21). US irritated 'no country considers it as JCPOA participant'. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 21 (MNA) – Russia's Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna said that the United States is extremely irritated by the fact that nobody and no country stands ready to recognize it as a JCPOA participant.

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-21). Russia has no fear of US sanctions over arms deals with Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 21 (MNA) — Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that Moscow has no fear of potential US sanctions over arms deals with Iran.

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-21). Iran will never renegotiate an issue already discussed: Zarif. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 21 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that Islamic Republic of Iran will not talk about the negotiated issue again.

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-21). Iran ready to target enemy's interests to respond any threats. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 21 (MNA) — Reacting to recent anti-Iran threats, Deputy Coordinator of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Army warned that Iran is ready to respond to any threats against the country through targeting the interests of the enemy.

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-21). Those who start a war don't end it: Zarif. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 21 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that the Islamic Republic of Iran stood tall during Iran-Iraq war by relying on its own capabilities.

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-21). US sanctions has no effect on AEOI's peaceful activities. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 21 (MNA) — The spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Behrouz Kamalvandi said that US new sanctions cannot stop Iran's nuclear activities.

yenisafak (2020-09-21). Belarus says 1,000 Russian soldiers to take part in drills from Sept. 22-25. yenisafak.com Around 1,000 Russian soldiers will take part in joint military drills in Belarus from Sept. 22-25, the Belarusian Defence Ministry said on Monday.Russia is a close ally of Belarus, where six weeks of mass protests have challenged veteran leader Alexander Lukashenko's grip on power after he declared a landslide victory in an Aug. 9 election his opponents say was rigged.

yenisafak (2020-09-21). China heightens Taiwan rhetoric amid US 'interference'. yenisafak.com China on Monday criticized the US for a recent visit to Taiwan, accusing Washington of intervening in its territorial integrity.Addressing a press conference in Beijing, China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said: "Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory and the so-called 'middle line' in the Taiwan Straits does not exist," the Global Times daily reported.The statement comes after the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) air force jets made rounds over the Taiwan Strait, while a top US official was on a visit to Taipei, triggering anger in Beijing.China claims Taiwan as a "breakaway province…

yenisafak (2020-09-21). Greece says it's close to resuming maritime talks with Turkey. yenisafak.com Greece is close to resuming talks with Turkey over maritime zones, government spokesman Stelios Petsas said on Monday.NATO members Turkey and Greece bitterly disagree over maritime jurisdiction and energy exploration rights in the eastern Mediterranean. Tensions flared last month when Turkey sent the Oruc Reis seismic survey vessel to waters also claimed by Greece.The Oruc Reis returned to port last week for what Ankara called routine maintenance, a move Greece said was a positive first step toward defusing the stand-off."We're close to resuming exploratory talks, but how soon this will happen depends on both sid…

yenisafak (2020-09-21). Turkey supports rural development projects in Lebanon. yenisafak.com Turkey's state-run aid agency is continuing to support projects in Lebanon to end unemployment and poverty caused by economic crisis. | Orhan Aydin, the coordinator of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) in Lebanon, on Monday said they were providing training and necessary materials such as chickens, feedstuff and medicine for poultry farming to Lebanese housewives. | He said the aid was meant to improve rural development, agriculture and husbandry in the Middle Eastern country. | Aydin said local people have had an opportunity to produce and trade chickens and eggs. | At least 50 people receiv…

yenisafak (2020-09-21). Two far-left DHKP-C terror suspects arrested in Istanbul. yenisafak.com The suspects, accused of plotting attacks and being senior DHKP-C members, were arrested in a raid in Istanbul's Atasehir District, said the source on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.Police seized two guns, bullets, digital materials, and documents related to the group.The DHKP-C is responsible for a number of terror attacks in Turkey, including a 2013 attack on the US Embassy in Ankara, which martyred a Turkish security guard.The group is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU.

yenisafak (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…

yenisafak (2020-09-21). NATO to host 5th round of Turkish, Greek talks on Tuesday. yenisafak.com The fifth round of technical talks between Turkish and Greek military delegations at NATO headquarters will be held on Tuesday, according to Turkey's national defense minister on Monday."We are, of course, in favor of peace, stability, negotiations and dialogue. We support them but we will not allow any fait accompli [in the Eastern Mediterranean]," Hulusi Akar told a videoconference attended by Turkish commanders.The technical talks are aimed at reducing the risk of an incident amid rising tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.The talks being held in Brussels were planned after a meeting between Turkish Presiden…

yenisafak (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…

yenisafak (2020-09-21). Turkish justice minister slams insulting Greek headline. yenisafak.com Turkey's justice minister on Monday slammed an insulting and defamatory headline in a Greek newspaper about President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.In a letter to his Greek counterpart Konstantinos Tsiaras, Abdulhamit Gul stressed that he "strongly condemned" the unacceptable and despicable headline in Greek daily Dimokratia.He highlighted although it was presented as being covered by freedom of the press, the headline had nothing to do freedom or peaceful intentions.Gul said he believes Greek authorities will approach the matter sensitively and immediately take necessary actions under the rule of law towards the paper's…

yenisafak (2020-09-21). Turkey's Antalya Film Festival picks jury, films. yenisafak.com The 57th Antalya Film Festival announced on Monday jury members and films which will participate in its International Feature Film Competition.Directors, screenwriters, and artists from all over the world will evaluate the films picked elaborately for the festival.The jury members include Turkish screenwriter and director Emin Alper, Romanian producer Ada Solomon, Tribeca Film Festival's artistic director Frederic Boyer, Iranian actor and director Niki Karimi, and Brazilian filmmaker Sandra Kogut.The films, most of which were premiered at the Venice Film Festival in Italy earlier this month, will meet a Turkish a…

yenisafak (2020-09-21). Trump says US won't approve TikTok deal if China maintains control. yenisafak.com U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday said his administration would not approve the sale of TikTok to Oracle Corp and Walmart Inc if China's ByteDance maintains any control."If we find that they don't have total control, then we're not going to approve the deal… We will be watching it very closely," Trump told Fox News in an interview.

yenisafak (2020-09-21). Turkey's Erdogan files complaint against Greek newspaper. yenisafak.com The Turkish president on Monday lodged criminal complaint against four senior officials of a Greek newspaper over a despicable headline about Recep Tayyip Erdogan.The president's lawyer Huseyin Aydin filed the complaint over the derogatory headline run in Dimokratia on Sept. 18.In a criminal complaint submitted to the Ankara prosecutor's office, Aydin called Manolis Kotakis, the author of the article, editors Andreas Kapsampelis and Yorgos Giatroudakis, and Editor-in-Chief Dimitris Rizoulis "suspects".Following the complaint, the prosecutors in the capital Ankara launched an investigation against the newspaper.Th…

Eric Zuesse (2020-09-21). Why It Is Likelier that the U.S. Government Had Alexei Navalny Poisoned. "Immense Propaganda Asset to US" globalresearch.ca The poisoning of Alexei Navalny has created intensified support by pro-U.S., and especially pro-NATO, officials in the European Union, to block the nearly completed NordStream 2 natural-gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, and to import into the EU, instead, far …