Daily Archives: November 26, 2020

2020-11-26: News Headlines

MEE and agencies (2020-11-26). Gaza blockade has pushed more than one million people below poverty line. middleeasteye.net Gaza blockade has pushed more than one million people below poverty line | UN report says that 11-year blockade of the coastal enclave cost Palestinians $16.7bn | Thu, 11/26/2020 – 12: 03 | Vehicles transporting Palestinians about to cross onto the Egyptian side wait at the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt (AFP) | Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip has pushed more th…

Lily Galili (2020-11-26). The 'banal' trauma of Israel's nightly raids on Palestinian children. middleeasteye.net The 'banal' trauma of Israel's nightly raids on Palestinian children | Despite cosmetic reforms to Israeli military law in the West Bank, Palestinian children and their families are routinely abused | Thu, 11/26/2020 – 10: 00 | Israeli soldiers interrogate a Palestinian woman during a night raid in the occupied West Bank refugee camp of Jalazun, north of Ramallah, on 16 June 2014 (AFP) | A sudden noise p…

MEE staff (2020-11-26). Palestinian hunger striker Maher al-Akhras released from Israeli prison. middleeasteye.net Palestinian hunger striker Maher al-Akhras released from Israeli prison | Akhras spent 103 days on hunger strike in protest against his administrative detention | Thu, 11/26/2020 – 09: 30 | Palestinian detainee Maher al-Akhras arrives at al-Najah Hospital in the West Bank city of Nablus following his release by Israeli authorities on 26 November (AFP) | Israeli authorities have released Palestinian prisoner Ma…

MEE staff (2020-11-26). Israeli court orders eviction of 87 Palestinians from East Jerusalem neighbourhood. middleeasteye.net Israeli court orders eviction of 87 Palestinians from East Jerusalem neighbourhood | Settler group had sued residents of Batan al-Hawa, claiming land where they live was previously owned by Yemini Jews | Thu, 11/26/2020 – 13: 52 | The East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Silwan with the Dome of the Rock in the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in the background (AFP/file photo) | Israel's Jerusalem District Court ratified on…

South Front (2020-11-26). Video: Israel Enjoys Last Weeks of Love with Trump. Azerbaijan Controls Kalbajar District in Karabakh. globalresearch.ca On November 25, Azerbaijani troops entered the district of Kalbajar in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. The district was handed over to Baku under the ceasefire deal reached between Armenia and Azerbaijan to put an end to the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War earlier …

John Pilger (2020-11-26). Britain's Class War on Children. zcomm.org Study after study shows that the people who suffer and die early from the diseases of poverty brought on by a poor diet, sub-standard housing and the priorities of the political elite and its hostile "welfare" officials — are working people…

Kathy Kelly (2020-11-26). Like a Rocket in the Garden: The Unending War in Afghanistan‚Ä®. zcomm.org People in the United States continue to pretend that the despair and futility we've caused isn't our fault…

Kathy Kelly (2020-11-26). Like a Rocket in the Garden: the Unending War in Afghanistan. counterpunch.org Late last week, I learned from young Afghan Peace Volunteer friends in Kabul that an insurgent group firing rockets into the city center hit the home of one volunteer's relatives. Everyone inside was killed. Today, word arrived of two bomb blasts in the marketplace city of Bamiyan, in central Afghanistan, killing at least fourteen people and wounding forty-five.

Pip Hinman (2020-11-26). Afghanistan: Charge politicians and generals responsible for war crimes. greenleft.org.au The ADF is considering charging those SAS soldiers named in the Brereton report, but as Pip Hinman argues, senior officers and political leaders responsible for the conduct of the war in Afghanistan need to be held accountable.

Stephen Lendman (2020-11-26). US Propaganda War on China. globalresearch.ca US trade, legislative and propaganda war rage against China. | Will it turn hot after hawkish interventionists infesting the Biden/Harris regime's national security team take over in January? | Is what's unthinkable possible? What's gone on since the Obama/Biden regime's 2013 Asia …

Mark Fiore (2020-11-26). Giving Thanks the Turkeys Are Leaving. progressive.org It looks like the Trump Administration might go out with a whimper instead of a civil insurrection-inducing bang.

Ragip Soylu (2020-11-26). Qatar to invest billions of dollars in Turkey amid currency crisis. middleeasteye.net Qatar to invest billions of dollars in Turkey amid currency crisis | Doha government will purchase a mall and shares of Istanbul stock exchange amid a deep currency crisis in Turkey | Thu, 11/26/2020 – 14: 01 | Qatari Emir Al Thani and Turkish President Erdogan pose for cameras in Ankara on 26 November, 2020 before a bilateral meeting (Turkish Presidency/Supplied) | The Qatari government has signed new i…

MEE and agencies (2020-11-26). Morocco says Bahrain will open consulate in Western Sahara. middleeasteye.net Morocco says Bahrain will open consulate in Western Sahara | More than dozen African nations have opened consulates in Western Sahara as Rabat musters support for its control over area contested by Polisario | Thu, 11/26/2020 – 19: 55 | Decision to open consulate came after phone call between King Mohammed VI and King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa of Bahrain (AFP/File photo) | Bahrain will open…

MEE staff (2020-11-26). Google plans fiber-optic cable linking Israel and Saudi Arabia. middleeasteye.net Google plans fiber-optic cable linking Israel and Saudi Arabia | Project would mark the latest sign of warming relations between the two historical enemies | Thu, 11/26/2020 – 13: 32 | The network will be more than 8,000km long and is expected to cost $400m (AFP) | Google is planning to deploy a fiber-optic network that will run through Saudi Arabia and Israel to open a new global internet traffic corridor, ac…

Anthony Cartalucci (2020-11-26). Thailand: Anti-Government Mobs Use Violence to Attack Fellow Protesters. thealtworld.com Just as US-backed anti-government protesters were dispersing from in front of Siam Commerical Bank's (SCB) headquarters in Bangkok last night — armed men who belonged to the protest's "guards" attacked fellow guards. | The suspects and victims were from opposing vocational schools notorious for their violent rivalries. | Bangkok Post in its

MEE and agencies (2020-11-26). Turkey: Leaders of 2016 coup receive multiple life sentences. middleeasteye.net Turkey: Leaders of 2016 coup receive multiple life sentences | Verdicts are the culmination of a trial that began in August 2017 and involved a total of 475 suspects | Thu, 11/26/2020 – 10: 18 | More than 250 people were killed in Turkey on 15 July 2016 when rogue soldiers commandeered warplanes, helicopters and tanks (Reuters) | A Turkish court has jailed 337 people, including pilots and…

Anand Naidoo (2020-11-26). The Heat: Crisis in Afghanistan. america.cgtn.com International donors pledge billions of dollars in aid to Afghanistan, but there's a catch.

Fight Back (2020-11-26). Chicago area nursing home workers' strike. fightbacknews.org Chicago, IL – 700 nursing home workers who are members SEIU Health Care Illinois/Indiana (HCII) began a second #StrikeForOurLives on November 23. Strikers walked out at 11 Infinity nursing homes across the state of Illinois. Members of SEIU have been denied adequate staffing, PPE and hazard pay.

Press TV (2020-11-26). China's Reaction to a US Unannounced Visit to Taiwan. dissidentvoice.org PressTV Interview — expanded transcript Background China has reacted strongly to a senior U-S official's unannounced visit to Taiwan, warning that it will take legitimate and necessary action according to circumstances. The Chinese foreign ministry spokesman reiterated Beijing's firm opposition to any official ties between Taiwan and the US. The reaction came after the media …

Phil Miller (2020-11-26). UK Military's Overseas Base Network Involves 145 Sites in 42 Countries. Encircling China? Global Military Presence. globalresearch.ca The size of this global military presence is far

Peoples Dispatch (2020-11-26). Saudi women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul to face trial in a terrorism court. peoplesdispatch.org Saudi Arabian women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul appeared in court and her body was shaking uncontrollably, her voice very soft and shaky, according to her sister…

Jonathan Cook (2020-11-26). Pompeo Spells Out the New Normal: All Criticism of Israel is "antisemitic" dissidentvoice.org It is tempting to dismiss last week's statements by Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, equating anti-Zionism with antisemitism and suggesting the global movement to boycott Israel is driven by hatred of Jews, as the last gasp of a dying administration. But that would be foolhardy. Pompeo's decision to label all but the most tepid …

sputniknews (2020-11-25). Israeli Army Says Held Drills Near Border With Gaza Strip. sputniknews.com TEL AVIV (Sputnik) — The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that they held a military exercise near the border with the Gaza Strip involving the Gaza Division, as well as units of the Air and Space Force, Navy, Cyber Defense and intelligence.

news.un (2020-11-25). UN report finds Gaza suffered $16.7 billion loss from siege and occupation. news.un.org Israel's military operations and prolonged closure of Gaza, has caused economic damage of $16.7 billion between 2007 and 2018, driving the poverty rate up almost fourfold compared to what it might have otherwise been, the UN trade and development agency UNCTAD said in a report published on Wednesday.

Alan Macleod (2020-11-25). "Superheroes" and "Nice" Guys: Coverage of Biden's Hawkish Cabinet Picks is Predictably Lacking. mintpressnews.com Just as they failed to hold power to account in the run-up to the disastrous wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, corporate media is refusing to ask the hard questions about Biden's hawkish cabinet picks.

Akram Al-Waara (2020-11-25). Israeli soldiers attack medics treating injured Palestinian in Jordan Valley. middleeasteye.net Israeli soldiers attack medics treating injured Palestinian in Jordan Valley | The disturbing video footage of the attack went viral on Palestinian social media overnight, sparking an uproar by human rights advocates | Wed, 11/25/2020 – 14: 03 | "> | An Israeli soldier fires teargas against Palestinian protesters during a protest against Jewish settlements on 24 Nove…

South Front (2020-11-25). Video: Yemeni Houthis New Generation Quds-2 Cruise Missile Strike against Saudi Arabia. globalresearch.ca The Yemeni Houthis have fired their new cruise missile, the Quds-2, at a Saudi Aramco oil company distribution station in the kingdom's city of Jeddah, the group's media news wing announced early on November 23. A spokesperson for the Armed …

_____ (2020-11-25). Biggest Trade Deal in History Excludes United States. strategic-culture.org Anya PARAMPIL | Red Lines host Anya Parampil speaks with Beijing-based journalist Ian Goodrum about the recent signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership in Asia. |

Staff (2020-11-25). Headlines for November 25, 2020. democracynow.org U.S. Sees Deadliest Day in Pandemic in Over 6 Months as Hospitalizations Reach Record High, U.S. to Begin Pfizer Vaccine Distribution by Mid-December, France Readies to Ease Restrictions as Italy and Spain Record Highest Death Tolls of Second Wave, Russia Says Sputnik Vaccine Over 95% Effective, Biden National Security Appointments Focus on Multilateralism, International Cooperation, Trump Takes Credit for Historic Dow Jones Surge, Plans Election Hearing with Giuliani at Gettysburg, Donors Pledge $12 Billion in Afghan Aid as 14 Killed in Bamiyan in Latest Act of Violence, Ethiopia Warns of Imminent Attack in Tigr…

M. K. Bhadrakumar (2020-11-25). Return of Great Game in Post-Soviet Central Asia. globalresearch.ca The recent Issue Brief by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission entitled

Kathy Kelly (2020-11-25). The Unending War in Afghanistan Is America's Shame. commondreams.org People in the United States continue to pretend that the despair and futility we've caused isn't our fault. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/gettyimages-816984888.jpg

Binoy Kampmark (2020-11-25). Skewed Responsibility: Australian War Crimes in Afghanistan. counterpunch.org The Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force Afghanistan Inquiry was always going to make for a gruesome read — and that was only the redacted version. The findings of the four-year investigation, led by New South Wales Court of Appeal Justice and Army Reserve Major-General Paul Brereton, point to "credible evidence" that 39 Afghan non-combatants

Peter Boyle (2020-11-25). Australia's war crimes in Afghanistan protested. greenleft.org.au A snap protest outside Australian Department of Defence offices called for the total withdrawal of troops to Afghanistan, reports Peter Boyle.

Howard Lisnoff (2020-11-25). The US Still Penalizes Thousands of Veterans. counterpunch.org The military has a very long history of denying veterans' benefits to soldiers. From a high of veterans granted benefits through the GI bill following World War II, the number of veterans who have been denied benefits beginning during the Vietnam War accelerated and reached new highs during…

Nadda Osman (2020-11-25). Israel-UAE deal: Netanyahu and Mohammed bin Zayed's Nobel Peace Prize proposal denounced. middleeasteye.net Israel-UAE deal: Netanyahu and Mohammed bin Zayed's Nobel Peace Prize proposal denounced | Social media users have called the nominations a mockery, citing human rights abuses by the leaders | Wed, 11/25/2020 – 14: 38 | Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed (L) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have been put forward for the Nobel Peace Prize (AFP) | The latest people named for the Nobel…

MEE staff (2020-11-25). UAE's Fatwa Council denounces Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation. middleeasteye.net UAE's Fatwa Council denounces Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation | Ruling backs a similar announcement by the Council of Senior Scholars of Saudi Arabia earlier this month | Wed, 11/25/2020 – 12: 47 | A genral view taken on May 29, 2019 shows the sea front promenade in the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi (AFP) | The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Fatwa Council has denounced the Muslim Brotherhood as a terror…

MEE and agencies (2020-11-25). Covid-19: Turkey announces figures for asymptomatic cases for first time since July. middleeasteye.net Covid-19: Turkey announces figures for asymptomatic cases for first time since July | Country shatters previous record-high numbers as inclusion of asymptomatic cases reveal scale of outbreak | Wed, 11/25/2020 – 19: 43 | Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca says 80 percent who test positive are either asymptomatic or show slight symptoms (AFP/File photo) | Turkey has recorded 28,351 new…

MEE staff (2020-11-25). Israeli press review: Netanyahu-MBS meeting kept secret from Israeli ministers. middleeasteye.net Israeli press review: Netanyahu-MBS meeting kept secret from Israeli ministers | Meanwhile, Israelis on the verge of heading to a fourth election since April 2019 as political factions look into bill to dissolve Knesset in December | Wed, 11/25/2020 – 12: 58 | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) and his coalition partner Defence Minister Benny Gantz (AFP) | Netanyahu-MBS meeting causes a stir

Manlio Dinucci (2020-11-25). Are U.S. nuclear missiles returning to Europe? workers.org U.S. nuclear missiles to threaten Russia, Europe? Published Nov. 17 in the Italian daily newspaper, Il Manifesto, where Dinucci analyzes military developments. Translation by John Catalinotto. More than five years ago we published a headline in the [June 9, 2015] issue of Il Manifesto: "Are the missiles coming back to . . . |

Nadda Osman (2020-11-25). Israel-UAE deal: Netanyahu and Mohammed bin Zayed's Nobel Peace Prize nomination denounced. middleeasteye.net Israel-UAE deal: Netanyahu and Mohammed bin Zayed's Nobel Peace Prize nomination denounced | Social media users have called the nominations a mockery, citing human rights abuses by the leaders | Wed, 11/25/2020 – 14: 38 | Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed (L) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have been put forward for the Nobel Peace Prize (AFP) | The latest nomination for the Nobel…

RT (2020-11-25). Brussels to permit launch of Sputnik V? EU will consider recommending Russian Covid-19 vaccine, application for approval filed. rt.com The European Medicines Agency (EMA) announced on Wednesday that it has begun negotiations with the manufacturers of Russia's pioneering Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine. | According to an official from the EU body, which licenses medicines and vaccines within the bloc, "the developer has contacted EMA and they are in early discussions now." Regulators will assess data on Sputnik V before publishing a recommendation on whether it can be used by healthcare systems within EU member states. | According to Kirill Dmitriev, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which bankrolled the development of the formula,…

Ragip Soylu (2020-11-25). Turkey: Erdogan demands legal probe into calls for release of Kurdish leader. middleeasteye.net Turkey: Erdogan demands legal probe into calls for release of Kurdish leader | Angry president attacked former ally Bulent Arinc, who resigned after asking that political prisoners, including Selahattin Demirtas, be freed | Wed, 11/25/2020 – 11: 26 | Erdogan addressed his ruling AK Party group at the Turkish parliament on 25 November 2020 (Turkish Presidency) | In a fiery speech on Wednesday, Turkish Pre…

PAI (2020-11-25). COVID Thanksgiving: Jobs crisis brings unhappy Turkey Day for millions. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—The latest joblessness figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveal an unhappy Thanksgiving "Turkey Day," as some 20.45 million workers still drew state or federal unemployment checks as of Nov. 7—and the despair could increase even more as the December holidays approach. That's because a key source of money for those workers, federal aid, …

Eds. (2020-11-25). U.S.-China relations: Beijing slams State Department report 'concocted by Cold War fossils'. mronline.org China has described a U.S. report on how Washington should confront and contain Beijing as having been "concocted by Cold War fossils" who are destined to be "swept into the garbage dump of history".

James Bovard (2020-11-25). How Many Syrians Did You Vote to Kill? counterpunch.org How many Syrians did you vote to kill on Election Day? Thanks to our perverse political system, the answer will be revealed over the next four years if the Biden administration drags the U.S. back into the Syrian Civil War. But there are steps that Trump can take in his final months in office to

Mehr News Agency (2020-11-25). VIDEO: Russia thwarts ISIL attack in Moscow, detains one. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Nov. 25 (MNA) — Russia's Federal Security Service said on Wednesday it had thwarted "terror" attacks planned by ISIL in the Moscow region, uncovering and breaking up a militant cell.

WSWS (2020-11-25). Surge in COVID-19 cases in Indonesia. wsws.org Conscious of the growing opposition to his policies, Indonesian President Joko Widodo has been pinning hopes on an early vaccination program.

Mehr News Agency (2020-11-25). Iran, Afghanistan discuss expanding cultural-media coop. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Nov. 25 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman discussed with Afghan officials on the expansion and development of cultural-media cooperation.

Mehr News Agency (2020-11-25). FM's assistant condemns Bamiyan terrorist attack. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Nov. 25 (MNA) — Iran Foreign Ministry's Director-General for West Asia condemned a deadly attack that killed and injured dozens of people.

Mehr News Agency (2020-11-25). 'Ocean Behind Window' to be shown at China Film fest. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Nov. 26 (MNA) — The Iranian movie 'The Ocean Behind the Window' directed by Babak Nabizadeh will be shown at the Perspective section of the 33rd China Film Golden Rooster Awards, an international film festival in China, November 25-28.