Daily Archives: October 3, 2020

2020-10-03: News Headlines

Lucas Leiroz de Almeida (2020-10-03). China Changes Its Economic Strategy: Strengthens Domestic Consumer Market. globalresearch.ca China is radically changing its economic strategy. Faced with an international scenario that only tends to worsen with an unprecedented economic crisis approaching in the midst of a devastating pandemic, Beijing decided to adopt an economic internalization plan, seeking to …

Areeb Ullah (2020-10-03). Pregnant Ethiopians languish in 'hellish' Saudi detention centres: Amnesty International. middleeasteye.net Pregnant Ethiopians languish in 'hellish' Saudi detention centres: Amnesty International | Detainees say they were forced to stay in crowded cells and to use their cell floors as toilets | Sat, 10/03/2020 – 11: 38 | Ethiopia has called for a halt in repatriations because of Covid-19. It brought back nearly 4,000 Ethiopians from Saudi Arabia between April and September 2020 (AFP) | Ethiopian migrants impr…

Raymond Tyler (2020-10-03). Ren Zhiqiang was not arrested for 'anti-communism'. workers.org When influential, former property executive Ren Zhiqiang was given an 18-year sentence in China, the Western media were quick to label his imprisonment as due to alleged "anti-communist" activity. The Washington Post, CNN, the Guardian, and the New York Times parroted the same message: that Zhiqiang was imprisoned for being . . . |

South Front (2020-10-03). Video: Turkey Ramps Up Its Involvement in Armenian-Azerbaijani War. globalresearch.ca Azerbaijan has given Turkey control over the air segment of its military campaign to capture the Nagorno-Karabakh region, the Armenian Defense Ministry reported on September 30. According to Artsrun Hovhannisyan, Turkish and Azerbaijani aviation is being coordinated by the E7-T …

Stephen Lendman (2020-10-03). Arms Control and the Dangers of Nuclear War: Russia Rejects Unacceptable Trump Regime New START Demands. globalresearch.ca New START is the last remaining Russia/US arms control agreement. | Expiring on February 5, 2021 if not renewed, the Trump regime rejected Vladimir Putin's offer to extend the agreement for another five years with no pre-conditions. | On September 28, Politico …

Editor (2020-10-03). This Long-Standing Battle Between Armenia and Azerbaijan Has Nothing to Do With Us. scheerpost.com David Stanley / CC BY 2.0] By Maj. Danny Sjursen / AntiWar Journalists and geo-strategists call it a " frozen conflict" — one of several such deadlocked disputes under tenuous ceasefire in…

Adel Karim (2020-10-03). Who Stands Behind New Wave of Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict? globalresearch.ca Karabakh. The Azerbaijani and Turkish mass media and social networks persistently report about succesful actions of the Azerbaijani army and enormous losses among Armenian forces. However in fact the situation is different — the army of Azerbaijan has lost about …

Lucine Kasbarian (2020-10-03). Spike in Boycotts of Turkish Goods and Services. indybay.org For years, Turkey has injected itself, often militarily, into the sovereign affairs of Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Greece, Cyprus, India, and now, Armenia and Artsakh. On October 2, reports emerged that Turkey is using NATO and American facilities to attack Armenia and Artsakh. Since NATO is unable or unwilling to rein in this rogue nation that many consider to be the single greatest threat to global security, public boycotts are increasingly gaining favor.

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-03). Iranian "Ojaq" wins at Religion Today Filmfest. in Italy. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 03 (MNA) — Ali Bolandnazarzar, the Iranian filmmaker won an award for his documentary "Ojaq" at Religion Today Film Festival in Italy.

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-03). IranAir launches first Germany flight after six months. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 03 (MNA) — IranAir has resumed flights to Germany after more than six months of hiatus due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-03). SP Phase 14 refinery to come online next year. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 03 (MNA) — An official with Pars Oil and Gas Company says that the refinery of Phase 14 will come become operational in the first half of the next Iranian calendar year (to start on March 21, 2021).

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-03). Oct 21, last deadline for 16th Resistance Int'l Filmfest. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 03 (MNA) —The head of Permanent Public Relations and Information Centre of Iran's 16th Resistance International Film Festival, Mohsen Javadi, announced the last deadline for submitting the works to the second part of this cinematic even.

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-03). France seeking to maintain relations with Hezbollah. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 03 (MNA) — French Ambassador to Lebanon Bruno Foucher noted that France seeks to maintain its relations with Lebanese Hezbollah.

Mehr News Agency (2020-10-03). Police seize over 1 ton of opium in SE Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Oct. 03 (MNA) — Police forces of the Sistan and Baluchestan province, southeastern Iran, have captured over one tone of opium in a single operation in the province.

The Canary (2020-10-03). Russian journalist sets herself on fire and dies near police HQ. thecanary.co The editor of a Russian news website died after setting herself on fire outside a regional police headquarters on Friday 2 October. This occurred a day after officers searched her residence. | Russia's Investigative Committee confirmed the death of Kolza.Press editor Irina Slavina in Nizhny Novgorod, a city of 1.2 million. It's located about 235 miles east of Moscow. | Meanwhile, the independent news site Meduza reported that Slavina left a message on Facebook saying her death should be blamed on Russian authorities. | Slavina reported on Thursday 1 October that police searched her home, although the nature of th…

yenisafak (2020-10-03). Greek arguments baseless according to int'l law: VP. yenisafak.com Arguments put forward by Greece and the Greek Cypriot are baseless according to international law, says Turkish vice president."The world will eventually recognize Turkey's rightness," told Vice President Fuat Oktay in an interview published in Turkish Kriter magazine on Friday.Mentioning the recent tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, "Greece, Greek Cypriot administration and France, an imperialist country with no coast in the region, aims to utilize the European Union (EU) for their own agenda under the pretext of 'solidarity of the Union," Oktay remarked.Oktay noted that the present state of affairs in Turki…

yenisafak (2020-10-03). China's Xi wishes Trump speedy recovery: Chinese state media. yenisafak.com Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a message to U.S. President Donald Trump and his wife Melania on Saturday, wishing them a speedy recovery from the coronavirus, Chinese state television reported.

yenisafak (2020-10-03). Malaysia reports 317 new coronavirus cases, highest daily rise. yenisafak.com Malaysia reported a record daily increase in novel coronavirus cases for the second day in a row on Saturday, with 317 new infections.Malaysia has reported a total of 12,088 cases. The health ministry also recorded one new death, raising the total to 137.

yenisafak (2020-10-03). Azerbaijan has right to reclaim its land, say experts. yenisafak.com Azerbaijan has a legal right to self-defense and this right can continue until the liberation of all occupied territories, according to Article 51 of the United Nations, experts stated after Armenia's attacks.Speaking to Anadolu Agency, experts say Azerbaijan acted in line with international law regarding Armenia's attacks on Azerbaijani territories.Prof. Yucel Acer, head of International Law Department at Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, reminded that the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) called on Armenia to withdraw from the territories it occupied and to have the Armenian groups in Karabakh comply wit…

yenisafak (2020-10-03). 'US sent $400M aid to YPG/PKK terror group in Syria'. yenisafak.com The US has transferred aid worth $400 million, mostly consisting of security equipment, to the YPG/PKK terrorist organization in Syria, local sources said on Saturday.The support package, which started reaching the YPG/PKK terror group last month, will be used for military purposes, according to the sources, who requested anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.They added that the equipment given to the terror group includes bomb detectors, fingerprint scanners, and tracking devices.On Sept. 25, top US diplomat Mike Pompeo announced that Washington will provide an extra $720 million in aid to Syria…

yenisafak (2020-10-03). ANALYSIS: Iranian media fails in Azerbaijan-Armenia tension. yenisafak.com It is noteworthy that some Iranian media outlets and journalists have been ignoring the 30 years of persecution in Upper Karabakh and criticizing Azerbaijan despite Armenia's aggressive policies.Some Iranian journalists and media outlets once again either remained silent or supported Armenia against Armenia's attack on Azerbaijani territories despite the United Nations (UN) resolutions.The Armenian army has recently launched attacks targeting Azerbaijani civilians and the infrastructures in residential areas, adding yet another to its 30-year-old violations.As it was 30 years ago, some of the Iranian media and so…

yenisafak (2020-10-03). India inaugurates 'world's longest' highway tunnel. yenisafak.com Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated "the longest highway tunnel in the world" built in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh that borders China.Strategically important, the tunnel named after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is located in Himalayas at an altitude of 3000 meters (10,000 Feet) from the mean sea level (MSL).Modi travelled to Himachal Pradesh to inaugurate the tunnel.In a televised speech, the Indian premier said the tunnel will give a new strength to India's border infrastructure."The Atal tunnel will give new strength to India's border infrastructure. It is an exa…

yenisafak (2020-10-03). Kashmir: Bodies of men killed in fake operation exhumed. yenisafak.com The bodies of three Kashmiri civilians killed in a staged gunfight by Indian forces in July were exhumed and handed over to their families on Saturday, officials said.The three men — Imtiyaz Ahmad, 21, Abrar Ahmad, 25, and Abrar Khatana, 18 — were shot dead in Amshipora village in Indian-administered Kashmir's Shopian district on July 18, with authorities initially claiming that they were militants.After two months of protests by their families, who said the victims were laborers with no connection to any militant outfits, the Indian military admitted its wrongdoing on Sept. 18.In a statement, the arm…

yenisafak (2020-10-03). Germany's Maas: No longer any way around EU sanctions against Russia in Navalny case. yenisafak.com The European Union must give a clear response towards Russia by imposing sanctions following the poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny with an internationally banned nerve agent, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Saturday."I am convinced that there will be no longer any way around sanctions," Maas told news portal t-online in an interview."Sanctions must always be targeted and proportionate. But such a grave violation of the International Chemical Weapons Convention cannot be left unanswered. On this, we're united in Europe," Maas added.Germany currently holds the rotating presidency of the 27-membe…

yenisafak (2020-10-03). Turkey's Oscars begins in Mediterranean city of Antalya. yenisafak.com Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival will begin on Saturday in open-air theaters with strict coronavirus measures in place.The festival, also known as Turkey's Oscars, will be organized by the Municipality of Antalya with the support of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism between Oct. 3-10.Marking its 57th year, a total of 12 full-length films will compete to receive awards in 16 categories, while the festival will also hold online events.While every year at the festival, posters of a prominent cinema artist are featured, this year, photographs of a health care worker who heroically fought coronavirus will…

yenisafak (2020-10-03). Turkish reporters face Armenian shelling in Azerbaijan. yenisafak.com Armenian shells bombarding civilian locations in western Azerbaijan fell near Turkish journalists stationed in Terter city on Saturday.Staff from Anadolu Agency, as well state-run news channel TRT and the private Ihlas News Agency (IHA) were able to escape the attack unscathed.Border clashes broke out last week when Armenian forces targeted Azerbaijani civilian settlements and military positions, leading to casualties.Relations between the two former Soviet republics have been volatile since 1991 when the Armenian military occupied Upper Karabakh, an internationally recognized territory of Azerbaijan.World powers…

yenisafak (2020-10-03). Afghanistan attack leaves 15 dead, at least 30 injured. yenisafak.com At least 15 people have been killed and more than 30 injured in an ongoing militant attack in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province, an official confirmed on Saturday.Militants detonated a car packed with explosives near an administrative compound in Shinwari district at around 12: 30 p.m. (0800GMT), according to Attaullah Khogyani, the provincial governor's spokesman.Security forces and the attackers have been engaged in a gunfight for the past few hours, he added.There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack in a district that has been marred by a pro-Daesh/ISIS insurgency.The attack comes as…

yenisafak (2020-10-03). Yemen army says over 1,000 rebels killed September. yenisafak.com A military statement cited by the September 26.net website said around 215 rebel commanders were among those killed last month.The Houthi-run capital Sanaa saw the highest rebel death toll with 285 Houthis killed, including 119 commanders.There was no comment from the Shia rebel group on the claim.Yemen has remained wracked by violence since 2014, when the Iran-aligned Houthi group overran much of the country, including Sanaa.The conflict escalated the following year when Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies launched a massive air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi gains and supported the country's pro-Saudi gover…

yenisafak (2020-10-03). Azerbaijan's army destroys Armenian military equipment. yenisafak.com Azerbaijan's army troops destroyed a large amount of military equipment belonging to the Armenian military amid the ongoing border clashes between the two countries."During the present day, the troops of the Azerbaijani Army, successfully advancing in the intended directions, took possession of new strongholds and carried out a cleanup of the territory from the enemy," said the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry on early Saturday.The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry also published a video of its military suppressing Armenia's "combat activity in various directions of the front."Separately, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliye…

Caitlin Johnstone (2020-10-02). Truth Is The First Casualty In Cold War: Notes From The Edge Of The Narrative Matrix. thealtworld.com Governments make evidence-free claims which the mass media report uncritically, with ordinary citizens expected to either prove them wrong or shut up and believe. The burden of proof is fallaciously placed on members of the public and tiny indie media outlets with no resources to disprove the claims, instead of on massive news media outlets with abundant wealth and resources. It should be the exact opposite: with unproven government claims ignored until hard proof is provided, and with mass media reporters doing their goddamn jobs. | ~ | No institutional changes were made to ensure that the evils of the Iraq inva…

Anya Parampil (2020-10-02). US military seeks to "create new base in Syria" — Syrian journalist. thegrayzone.com Red Lines host Anya Parampil speaks with Syrian journalist Bashar Barazi, the correspondent for HispanTV in Damascus, about recent developments in the country. By Anya Parampil They discuss the impact of the new "Cesar sanctions" on the Syrian public, US and Turkish maneuvers within Syria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's recent visit to the country, as well as the average Syrian's response to efforts from Gulf countries to normalize relations with Israel. Barazi explains why he believes the US is …

yenisafak (2020-10-02). Israel detained 15 Gazans in September. yenisafak.com The Israeli forces arrested 15 Palestinians during September in the Gaza Strip.The head of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs at Studies and Documentation Unit, Abdel-Nasser Farawana, told Anadolu Agency on Friday: "The occupation authorities [Israel] arrested 14 Palestinians as they crossed the Gaza Strip borders into the occupied territories, and a cancer patient was arrested while passing through the Erez checkpoint in the north of Gaza Strip last September.""The number of arrests increased in September. In August this year, one Palestinian was arrested in Gaza," he said.Farawana said: "Most of those detainees…

Medea Benjamin, Nicolas J. S. Davies (2020-10-02). Two Years After Khashoggi's Murder, Why is America Still An Accomplice to MBS's Crimes? counterpunch.org Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi was brutally murdered on October 2, 2018 by agents of Saudi Arabia's despotic government, and the CIA concluded they killed him on direct orders from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS). Eight Saudi men have been convicted of Khashoggi's murder by a Saudi court in what the Washington Post

ACLU (2020-10-02). Learn About Where the Gwinnett County Sheriff Candidates Land on Immigration. aclu.org Thousands of immigrant families who call Gwinnett County home have been split apart by the sheriff office's participation in a program with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This program, know as 287(g), costs taxpayers millions of dollars every year, erodes community trust, promotes racial profiling, and redirects local resources to federal immigration enforcement. The election for Gwinnett County Sheriff on Nov. 3 will help determine the county's future collaboration with ICE. To make an informed decision, make sure you know the candidates' positions on key immigration issues. | ACLU of Georgia asked…

Emile Schepers (2020-10-02). Arab-American voters could make the difference in stopping Trump in Michigan. peoplesworld.org One of the distinctive features of Michigan is that one of the largest minority populations in the state is Arab-Americans, estimated to be between 153,000 and half a million, depending on the source. They come from a variety of national and religious backgrounds. Yemenis are one of the largest Arab ethnic groups here, but there …

Rayhan Uddin (2020-10-02). Israel-UAE musical collaborations spark social media debate. middleeasteye.net Israel-UAE musical collaborations spark social media debate | An instrumental cover and a Hebrew-English-Arabic mashup have caused a stir online, as cultural ties between Israel and the UAE strengthen | Fri, 10/02/2020 – 15: 45 | Two collaborations between Israeli and UAE musicians celebrating normalisation have received mixed reactions online (Screengrabs) | Less than two months since Israel and the…

Zarefah Baroud (2020-10-02). The Leahy Laws: Why Biden's Promise to Israel is Illegal. counterpunch.org While co-hosting an interview on the Palestine Chronicle, I asked Dr. Richard Falk, former UN Special Rapporteur on Palestinian human rights, about his thoughts on Kamala Harris' promise to maintain unconditional aid to Israel. "I am disappointed of course by the Harris-Biden positions on Israel. I would have hoped for something closer to what Bernie

CFDIPR (2020-10-02). Sugar workers in Iran striking for wages and public ownership. peoplesworld.org September 2 marked the 80th day since workers of the Haft-Tappeh Sugarcane complex in the south of Iran came out on strike, on June 15. They are demanding their unpaid wages, medical insurance, reinstatement of dismissed colleagues, return of the industrial giant to the state sector, and the return to the workers of funds embezzled …

T.J. Coles (2020-10-02). Military Bases on the Moon: U.S. Plans to Weaponize the Earth's Satellite. counterpunch.org In July, Dmitry Rogozin, Director General of Roscosmos, cited the U.S. "retreat from principles of cooperation and mutual support" to justify Russia's refusal to join the latest U.S. space initiative: to build lunar bases. Rogozin was likely referring to the U.S. refusal to renew the Intermediate-range Forces Treaty and its intention to back out of the Open Skies Treaty.

Mohammad Ayesh (2020-10-02). Arabic press review: Plans for Israel-UAE canal enrage Egypt. middleeasteye.net Arabic press review: Plans for Israel-UAE canal enrage Egypt | Meanwhile, Jordan expels former Palestinian prisoner Nizar al-Tamimi, and three ministers of Arab origin join new Belgian government | Fri, 10/02/2020 – 15: 14 | Egypt is reportedly worried that a new canal between Israel and the UAE might threaten its crucial income from the Suez Canal (AFP/file photo, November 2019) | Canal tri…

Ramzy Baroud (2020-10-02). In Lieu of a Liberation Strategy: Palestinian Elections Are Designed to Buy Time. dissidentvoice.org It is abundantly clear that Palestinian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas, has underestimated the seriousness of the challenges facing Palestine and the Palestinians. The rushed agreement between his party, Fatah and Hamas in Istanbul on September 24, and the Palestinian leader's speech at the 75th session of the UN General Assembly the following day, indicate that …

MEE staff (2020-10-02). Sudan sending hundreds of troops to Yemen via Saudi Arabia. middleeasteye.net Sudan sending hundreds of troops to Yemen via Saudi Arabia | Sources say officers and soldiers arrived in the kingdom last week, despite Khartoum supposedly winding down its involvement in the conflict | Fri, 10/02/2020 – 13: 37 | Sudanese troops with a military coalition in Yemen backed by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates detect mines in the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah (AFP) | Hundreds of Sudanese s…

MEE and agencies (2020-10-02). Mossad chief holds talks with Bahrain as ties with Israel deepen. middleeasteye.net Mossad chief holds talks with Bahrain as ties with Israel deepen | Yossi Cohen reported to have discussed 'mutual interests' with his Bahraini counterparts during visit | Fri, 10/02/2020 – 11: 16 | Mossad chief Yossi Cohen pictured in 2017 (AFP) | Israel's top spy chief Yossi Cohen has held talks with Bahrain's intelligence services following the two countries recent normalisation of relat…

MEE staff (2020-10-02). Armenia withdraws ambassador to Israel over Azerbaijan arms sales. middleeasteye.net Armenia withdraws ambassador to Israel over Azerbaijan arms sales | Armenia said it was 'unacceptable' for Israel to continue providing weaponry as Nagorno-Karabakh conflict continues | Fri, 10/02/2020 – 09: 45 | People demonstrate in support of Armenia and against the war in Nagorno Karabach during the Special European Summit in Brussels (AFP) | Armenia has recalled its ambassador to Israel over the country's…

MEE and agencies (2020-10-02). Turkey arrests: New wave of detentions target pro-Kurdish HDP. middleeasteye.net Turkey arrests: New wave of detentions target pro-Kurdish HDP | Of 53 mayoralties won in March 2019 local elections, the party now only controls four as a result of repeated arrests | Fri, 10/02/2020 – 12: 23 | Demonstrators in Istanbul shout slogans during a protest against the arrest of scores of members of the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (AFP) | Authorities in Turkey have detai…

_____ (2020-10-02). 2021 — As China's Golden Ox Rises the U.S. Bald Eagle Will Crash. strategic-culture.org Egon von GREYERZ | The Chinese understand the long game and they have infinite patience. They have always known that they never needed to attack the US, financially or militarily. Because China has invariably understood that the US would self-destruct. | POLITICS AND PRINCES DON'T MIX: | The Duchess of Sussex who has dragged her poor husband, Prince Harry, into the US election has declared that this will be the most important election in history. She will most probably be right but for the wrong reason. Meghan Markle believes a Biden victory is the only way that the US can be saved, primarily because sh…

RT (2020-10-02). Arrest of Hamas co-founder by Israeli security forces denounced as attempt to undermine Palestinian reconciliation. rt.com Israeli security forces have arrested senior Hamas leader Hassan Youssef. The two rival Palestinian groups, Hamas and Fatah, have both condemned the move as being politically-charged and a bid to ruin their reconciliation talks. | Youssef was taken at his home in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank on Friday morning. While Israeli authorities have not provided any official information about the move, local media

RT (2020-10-02). 'I ask that Russia be blamed for my death': Russian journalist SETS HERSELF ON FIRE in front of regional police office. rt.com A journalist from Nizhny Novgorod has died after setting herself alight in front of a police station, blaming the authorities for her death. The Russian Investigative Committee denies the incident is tied to any police action. | Irina Slavina, the editor-in-chief of small local news outlet, Koza.Press, traveled to a regional police headquarters in the central Russian city and set herself on fire. The woman died at the scene. | Earlier, Slavina wrote on her Facebook page that "I ask that the Russian Federation be blamed for my death," without providing any further explanation. The bizarre incident came a day af…

RT (2020-10-02). 'It's gone': RT crew witnesses municipal building turned to rubble by Azerbaijani shelling of disputed Nagorno-Karabakh (VIDEO). rt.com The intense military conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan has reached the largest city and de-facto capital of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region where Azerbaijani shelling has destroyed the Emergencies Ministry complex. | The shells and rockets fired by the Azerbaijani artillery that used to explode on the outskirts of the city known as Stepanakert to its ethnic Armenian residents and officially called Khankendi by Baku are now rocking the very city center and hitting residential areas even at night. | A military hospital and two apartment buildings were damaged in the latest Azerbaijani shelling launche…

RT (2020-10-02). Time for a woman in Kremlin? With Putin perhaps set for 2024 exit, 62% of Russians say they'd vote for a future female president. rt.com Could Russia have a woman president before the US? More people are willing to vote for a female leader to serve in the nation's highest office, according to a new survey, with almost two-thirds ready to smash the patriarchy. | In a survey conducted by the Public Opinion Foundation, researchers found 62 percent of respondents ready for a female in the Kremlin, up from 57 percent in 2014. | Although women play an active part in Moscow's corridors of power, the country has had exclusively male leaders for 224 years, since Catherine the Great ruled over the Russian Empire. In 2020, 40 percent of people think the c…