(2021-02-03). Protests erupt over killing of Palestinian citizen of Israel during police shoot-out. middleeasteye.net 
Protests erupt over killing of Palestinian citizen of Israel during police shoot-out | The death of Ahmed Hijazi, a 22-year-old nursing student, has reignited anger over Israel's selective policing of Palestinian communities in the country | Wed, 02/03/2021 – 14: 29 | Palestinian protesters in the town of Umm al-Fahm carry a placard saying "We are killed while the police are laughing" (Twitter\@ume…
(2021-02-03). Normalisation deals with Israel 'not a substitute for peace', State Department says. middleeasteye.net 
Normalisation deals with Israel 'not a substitute for peace', State Department says | Peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine still 'very important', spokesperson Ned Price says | Wed, 02/03/2021 – 16: 19 | US State Department spokesman Ned Price speaks at his first daily press briefing at State Department on 2 February (AFP/File photo) | Recently cemented normalisation deals between several Arab count…
(2021-02-03). Covid-19: Tunisia and occupied Palestinian territory to receive vaccine via Covax. middleeasteye.net 
Covid-19: Tunisia and occupied Palestinian territory to receive vaccine via Covax | Both areas were given vaccines from Covax after meeting the requirements for the programme | Wed, 02/03/2021 – 13: 38 | The World Health Organisation said that Tunisia would receive 37,000 shots from Pfizer and BioNTech with the Palestinians getting 93,600 (AFP)
| Tunisia and the occupied Palestinian t…
(2021-02-03). Rep. Ocasio-Cortez tells why we can't just 'forgive and forget'. peoplesworld.org 
Following is the full text of a statement that the congresswoman sent out yesterday to the national media and elsewhere. It contains graphic descriptions of violence and abuse. Monday night, I hopped on IG live to talk about what happened at the Capitol. My story is one of many. It's not the only story or …
(2021-02-03). Atlantic Council Pens Anonymously Authored Expose Calling for Regime Change in China. mintpressnews.com The report outlines a plan for the United States to pursue a China without Xi Jinping, with a weakened Communist Party, and operating in a region dominated by the US and its allies.
(2021-02-03). What Explains COVID's East-West Divide? counterpunch.org 
COVID-19 has been ruthless in choosing winners and losers around the world. The obvious "losers" have been those countries led by right-wing nationalists: Brazil, India, Russia, the United Kingdom, and (until recently) the United States. These five countries are responsible for more than half of the world's coronavirus infections and nearly half the deaths. Just
(2021-02-03). Hezbollah fires missiles at Israeli drone over southern Lebanon. middleeasteye.net 
Hezbollah fires missiles at Israeli drone over southern Lebanon | Lebanese security sources say the anti-aircraft missiles failed to hit target, which returned to Israel | Wed, 02/03/2021 – 14: 35 | Naqura, south of the Lebanese city of Tyre, which is controlled by the United Nations peacekeeping force (Unifil), on the border with Israel (AFP) | Anti-aircraft missiles were fired at an Isra…
(2021-02-03). West Papua Calls for Independence Referendum to Avert Genocide. counterpunch.org 
The Indonesian-occupied nation of West Papua has called for urgent international intervention against Indonesia's intensification of what a 2016 report called "slow motion genocide." West Papua is facing an onslaught of colonial settlement backed by the military of the fifth largest nation in the world, with the largest army in Southeast Asia. Papuans are quickly
(2021-02-03). Huawei Struggles in Smartphone Market as Sanctions Bite, Apple Profits. anti-empire.com 
Chinese telecom giant Huawei saw a substantial drop in both smartphone shipments and market share in China market in 2020, following a tough year of US government's strangle on semiconductors supply, allowing US rival Apple to rise to fill up the void. | Under the US' relentless assault, Huawei saw a drop in market share in China from 38.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2019 to 25.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2020, the only one of the top five smartphone makers in China whose share declined, an International Data Corp (IDC) report showed on Tuesday. | Industry experts said that Huawei's rare market share…
(2021-02-03). How the Gulf War Sparked China's Military Revolution. anti-empire.com 
Monday marks the 30th anniversary of Operation Desert Storm, when American-led coalition forces invaded With the technology and firepower on show during the conflict — precision bombing, satellite guidance, missile interception, air-to-surface strike to eliminat…
(2021-02-03). Meet the fascists' favorite members of Congress. liberationnews.org 
Photo: Marjorie Taylor Greene being sworn into office by House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy Less than one month into its new session, the House of Representatives is faced with the question of whether or not to expel one of its own — Marjorie Taylor Greene from Georgia's 14th District. Rep. Greene's embrace of racist conspiracy …
(2021-02-03). Seis trabajadores mueren en la planta de procesamiento avícola de Georgia. peoplesworld.org 
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(2021-02-03). What does Pete Buttigieg's transportation secretary role mean for climate? peoplesworld.org 
The Senate confirmed Pete Buttigieg Tuesday as the next Transportation Secretary, inspiring hope among environmentalists that a clean and equitable transportation sector may be possible. Passing with a 86-13 vote, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, now has the authority to make decisions on how the country moves, builds, and travels, directing the department's 55,000 employees and a …
(2021-02-03). Indonesian Slaughter, Allen Dulles, and the Assassination of JFK. dissidentvoice.org 
Before I digress slightly, let me state from the outset that the book by Greg Poulgrain that I am about to review is extraordinary by any measure. The story he tells is one you will read nowhere else, especially in the way he links the assassination of President Kennedy to former CIA Director Allen Dulles …
(2021-02-03). Biden and Iran. counterpunch.org 
Last week's statements by the Biden appointees made the matter unnecessarily more complicated, sounding more like a continuation of the Trump policy rather than its refutation. In his confirmation hearing, Antony Blinken, Biden's choice for secretary of state, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that the new administration believes that Iran needs to resume strict compliance with the nuclear agreement before the US contemplates a return to the JCPOA. In response to the question of lifting the economic sanctions that the previous administration imposed on Iran, Blinken told the committee that "we are a lon…
(2021-02-03). Were the Canaanites from Iran? Genomic History Shows that Israelis, Palestinians, Lebanese have Zagros Ancestry. juancole.com 
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — There are no races. Human beings are all mixed up, and genomic history demonstrates this principle better than any other approach. So much of Middle Eastern politics depends on a kind of "sleeping beauty" nationalism (in Ernest Gellner's phrase) in which it is alleged that there was an ancient race …
(2021-02-03). WAFA: "Four minors among 30 Palestinians detained by Israel in the occupied territories" imemc.org 
RAMALLAH, Tuesday, February 02, 2021 (WAFA) — Israeli occupation forces last night and today detained at least 30 Palestinians, including four minors, from various parts of the occupied territories, according to local and Palestinian security sources. They said Israeli occupation forces rounded up five Palestinians, including a minor, from Ramallah and al-Bireh district, in the …
(2021-02-03). Israeli Soldiers Injure Several Palestinians In Sebastia. imemc.org 
Israeli soldiers invaded, on Wednesday evening, Sebastia Palestinian town, north of the northern West Bank city of Nablus, and injured many Palestinians. Mohammad Azem, the mayor of Sebastia, said several army jeeps invaded the town, and fired gas bombs and concussion grenades at local youngsters, who protested the invasion. Azem added that many Palestinians, including …
(2021-02-03). Army Demolishes A Palestinian Home Near Hebron. imemc.org 
Israeli soldiers demolished, on Wednesday afternoon, a Palestinian home in Khallet al-Forn area, near Birin village, south of Hebron in the southern part of the occupied West Bank. The National and Popular Committees in Yatta have reported that the soldiers demolished a 200 square/meter under-construction home owned by Jamal Rajab Sarsour. The Committee added that …
(2021-02-03). Egypt asked for 'goodwill' gesture from Israel as condition for Netanyahu visit: Report. middleeasteye.net 
Egypt asked for 'goodwill' gesture from Israel as condition for Netanyahu visit: Report | According to Israeli news outlet Walla, the Israeli prime minister was hoping to visit prior to legislative elections, but Cairo conditioned trip on support for two-state solution | Wed, 02/03/2021 – 14: 08 | Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, right, meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, on t…
(2021-02-03). 'Still waiting for answers': HRW says no justice served after Beirut port blast. middleeasteye.net 
'Still waiting for answers': HRW says no justice served after Beirut port blast | Rights group says stalled investigation is 'riddled with serious due process violations', as well as political leaders' attempts to stop probe | Wed, 02/03/2021 – 18: 45 | The Beirut port explosion killed more than 200 people and injured more than 6,000 (AFP) | Human Rights Watch has accused Lebanon's political leaders of "stalli…
(2021-02-03). Russian Strike Jet Flies Low Past US Destroyer in the Black Sea. anti-empire.com 
A Russian warplane conducted a low pass near the USS Donald Cook on Sunday in the Black Sea, where the Navy has dispatched three ships for exercises. | The Sukhoi Su-24 fighter-bomber screeched past the U.S. destroyer while it was operating in international waters, the U.S. Navy's 6th Fleet said in a statement. | The Navy said it operates in the Black Sea to reassure allies in the region and "ensure security and stability." | USS Donald Cook is operating alongside the destroyer USS Porter and USNS Laramie, which is refueling the warships during operations. | Refueling at sea is fundamental for the Navy, but doing…
(2021-02-03). The resurrection of Aya Sophia on Syrian soil — Al Sqeilbiyyeh, Hama. thealtworld.com 
The resurrection of Aya Sophia in Al Sqeilbiyyeh. | 3rd February 2021: Yesterday I visited the Syrian Christian town of Al Sqeilbiyyeh, one of the most fertile areas of Syria that was besieged for 7 years by the US Coalition- backed armed gangs. During that time the terrorist groups targeted schools, residential areas, infrastructure with missiles, nowhere was safe. The closest terrorist encampment was only 500m away in Qalaat Al Madiq. Invasion was an ever present danger. | | In the photos I took yesterday you will see couples po…
(2021-02-03). Turkey: Twitter labels minister's 'LGBT deviants' post hateful amid university protest. middleeasteye.net 
Turkey: Twitter labels minister's 'LGBT deviants' post hateful amid university protest | Interior minister angered over picture mixing LGBT symbols and Islamic images during protests against Istanbul rector's appointment | Wed, 02/03/2021 – 08: 19 | Police detained 159 students on Monday after breaking up a group planning an all-night vigil outside the rector's office (AFP) | Intensifying…
(2021-02-03). Iran reiterates its commitment to JCPOA, proposes US return to the deal. peoplesdispatch.org Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif, in an interview with CNN, said that talks about nuclear weapons in the western media is baseless speculation aimed at directing public opinion against the country…
(2021-02-03). Philippines apex court kicks off hearings on anti-terror law. peoplesdispatch.org The Supreme Court has begun hearing oral arguments on over three dozen petitions filed against the Anti-Terror Act passed by the Rodrigo Duterte government in July 2020…
(2021-02-03). Palestine gives first doses of coronavirus vaccine to healthcare workers. laprensalatina.com Hebron, West Bank, Feb 3 (efe-epa).- Palestine started its coronavirus vaccine rollout on Wednesday, administering the first doses to healthcare workers. The Palestinian National Authority received its first 5,000 doses of the BioNTech vaccine from Israel on Saturday. This comes a few days after the PNA's foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki told the United Nations Security …
(2021-02-03). Headlines for February 3, 2021. democracynow.org Democrats Say Trump "Singularly Responsible" for Jan. 6 Insurrection in Impeachment Brief, U.S. to Start Sending Vaccines to Pharmacies; Single AstraZeneca Shot Cuts Transmission by 67%, Senate Confirms Alejandro Mayorkas as DHS Chief, Pete Buttigieg as Transportation Secretary, Senator Warren to Introduce Wealth Tax on Households Worth Over $50 Million, Kevin McCarthy Weighs Removing Marjorie Taylor Greene from Education Committee After Bipartisan Condemnation, Alexei Navalny Receives 3.5 Years in Prison Amid Mass Protests, Healthcare Workers in West Bank Receive Vaccines from Israel While Other Palestinians Mad…
(2021-02-03). Top Turkish, Norwegian diplomats discuss relations. yenisafak.com Turkish and Norwegian foreign ministers on Wednesday met virtually and discussed bilateral relations, regional and global developments.In a Twitter post, Turkey's Mevlut Cavusoglu said he discussed bilateral relations and recent developments in Nagorno-Karabakh, Syria, Libya, the US, and the East Mediterranean with his Norwegian counterpart Eriksen Soreide.Turkey and Norway maintained its "bilateral trade volume despite the pandemic," Cavusoglu noted, and wished "further cooperation in every field, particularly energy."Meanwhile, the Norwegian Foreign Ministry said in a Twitter post that Soreide had a "good and f…
(2021-02-03). Where is Biden's Foreign Policy Headed? — Phyllis Bennis and Larry Wilkerson. theanalysis.news Biden has appointed many old guard interventionists and new Cold Warriors, but there is some hope for a better Iran policy. Watch out for attempts by Israel to scuttle the nuclear deal. A wide-ranging discussion with Phyllis Bennis and Larry Wilkerson on theAnalysis.news with Paul Jay.
(2021-02-03). Where is Biden's Foreign Policy Headed? — Phyllis Bennis and Larry Wilkerson. theanalysis.news Biden has appointed many old guard interventionists and new Cold Warriors, but there is some hope for a better Iran policy. Watch out for attempts by Israel to scuttle the nuclear deal. A wide-ranging discussion with Phyllis Bennis and Larry Wilkerson on theAnalysis.news with Paul Jay.
(2021-02-03). The Palestinian boycott of Israel is not racist, it is anti-racist. juancole.com ( Middle East Monitor ) — The claims made by Democratic New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Yang in a recent op-ed in the Jewish weekly The Forward, point to the prevailing ignorance that continues to dominate the US discourse on Palestine and Israel. Yang is a former Democratic Presidential candidate and is vying for …
(2021-02-03). China to offer 10M virus vaccine doses to COVAX. yenisafak.com China on Wednesday said it will offer 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to the international consortium of vaccines led by World Health Organization (WHO)."At the request of the WHO, China has decided to offer 10 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to WHO's COVAX, to meet the urgent need of developing countries," China's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Wang Wenbin told a news conference in Beijing.Last month, China's Sinovac, Sinopharm, and CanSinoBio vaccine manufacturers had submitted applications to join the global COVAX initiative that aims to provide COVID-19 vaccines to poor and middle-income countries.The announ…
(2021-02-03). 'Victory': Iran hails UN court decision to hear case over US sanctions. middleeasteye.net 
'Victory': Iran hails UN court decision to hear case over US sanctions | International Court of Justice says it has jurisdiction to take on Iran's case against US over Trump-era sanctions | Wed, 02/03/2021 – 16: 36 | Zarif asked the European Union to coordinate a synchronised return of Washington and Tehran to the nuclear deal (AFP) | Iran's foreign minister hailed a decision by the UN's top court on Wednesday…
(2021-02-03). Rights groups condemn Turkey's 'illegal' transfers of detainees out of Syria. middleeasteye.net 
Rights groups condemn Turkey's 'illegal' transfers of detainees out of Syria | Sixty-three Syrian Arabs and Kurds have been transferred to Turkey over suspected links to 'terrorist' organisations | Wed, 02/03/2021 – 12: 03 | Turkey-backed Syrian rebels take part in a military exercise in Ghandoura, in the northeastern countryside of Syria's Aleppo province, on 14 January 2021 (AFP) | Human rights groups have c…
(2021-02-03). Jon Ossoff Victory Proves That the Israel Lobby Still Has an Iron Grip on Democrats. mintpressnews.com 
An analysis by the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs shows the pro-Israel lobby contributes significantly more money to Democrats than Republicans. And those campaign funds appear to be doing their job.
(2021-02-03). Examining The Ethics & Implications Of Twitter's Censorship Policy In India. thealtworld.com Twitter caused a stir by complying with the Indian government's request to temporarily "withhold" access to dozens of accounts for users within the country in response to claims that they were "inciting violence" during the ongoing farmers' protests, which prompts some very important ethical questions that have a few disturbing implications for the freedoms of speech and assembly in Western-style democracies across the world. | Everyone across the world is talking about social media censorship after former US President Trump was deplatformed last month by the world's largest companies in this sphere following the…
(2021-02-03). Turkish stocks up at midweek open. yenisafak.com Turkey's benchmark stock index opened at 1,520.80 points on Wednesday, a rise of 0.62% or 9.37 points from the previous close.Borsa Istanbul's BIST 100 index was up 1.27% to close Tuesday at 1,511.43 points, with a daily trading volume of 29.8 billion Turkish liras (nearly $4.1 billion).The US dollar/Turkish lira exchange rate slightly increased to 7.1800 as of 9: 30 a.m. local time (0630GMT) from 7.1790 at the previous close.While the euro/Turkish lira exchange rate remained at 8.6400, one British pound traded for 9.8200 Turkish liras, up from 9.8000 at Tuesday's close.One barrel of Brent crude oil sold for aroun…
(2021-02-03). Israel carries out demolitions in the Palestinian village of Humsa for the third time in three months. thecanary.co The Palestinian community of Humsa in the northern Jordan Valley has been invaded and had their homes demolished twice this week by Israeli forces. Local Palestinians were One resident, Abu Anas, told campaign group Stop the Wall about how Israeli forces invaded the village on Monday 1 February: Tens of Israeli soldiers invaded Humsa. They destroyed our tents. When I tried to stop them, an Israeli soldier tried to shoot me. I and 18 members of my family are homeless now. | Palestinians and their supporte…
(2021-02-03). Over 1,400 arrested after Putin critic Navalny jailed in Russia. laprensalatina.com Moscow, Feb 3 (efe-epa).- Russian police have arrested more than 1,400 people from various places during overnight protests to support jailed Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny, a rights monitoring group said on Wednesday. The OVD-Info that keeps track of political persecutions in Russia said the police detained 1,145 protesters from Moscow streets. Nearly 250 were arrested …
(2021-02-03). WHO team visits Wuhan lab Trump claimed was coronavirus source. laprensalatina.com Beijing, Feb 3 (efe-epa).- A team of international experts from the World Health Organization mission investigating the origins of the coronavirus in China visited the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) and its maximum security P4 laboratory on Wednesday. The head of the mission, Denmark's Peter Ben Embarek, confirmed to the Chinese state-run Global Times that …
(2021-02-03). Biden, Putin extend New START at start of a difficult relationship. laprensalatina.com Washington, Feb 3 (efe-epa).- President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, have agreed to extend the New START nuclear arms treaty for another five years, making what appears to be a good start in a bilateral relationship that, by all accounts, will be a difficult one. "Especially during times of tension, verifiable limits …
(2021-02-03). 'Martyr Soleimani expanded Iran's experience in resistance'. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 03 (MNA) — Hezbollah Deputy Secretary-General said that Lt. General Soleimani internationalized the Iranian experience in resisting oppression.
(2021-02-03). ICJ verdict another legal victory for Iran: Zarif. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 03 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that the verdict issued by the International Court of Justice over the US objections is another victory for the Islamic Republic.
(2021-02-03). ICJ upholds jurisdiction on US-Iran Treaty of Amity. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 03 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman said that the International Court of Justice has upheld jurisdiction on the case of the 1955 Treaty of Amity.
(2021-02-03). Iran, India geographical capacities key to boost defense coop. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 03 (MNA) — Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami said the significant geographical capacities of Iran and India can help boost the two countries' defensive cooperation.
(2021-02-03). Iranian Army region's superior drone power. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 03 (MNA) — Army Chief Commander Major General Mousavi named the Iranian Army the superior drone power of the region.
(2021-02-03). China rejects claims on involvement in Myanmar coup. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 03 (MNA) — China's foreign ministry on Wednesday rejected the claims that it supported or gave tacit consent to Monday's military coup in neighboring Myanmar.
(2021-02-03). [Research Paper] Sleep disruption and Alzheimer's disease risk: Inferences from men with benign prostatic hyperplasia. thelancet.com During up to 21 years of follow-up, men with BPH had persistently higher risk of AD and all-cause dementia compared with men in the general population. Our results identify BPH as a common, potentially remediable disorder associated with dementia risk.
(2021-02-03). Qatar Airways to cut costs by $1.2 bln after Gulf deal. yenisafak.com The reopening of Arab airspace to Qatari flights will decrease costs by around $1.2 billion, the executive chairman of Qatar Airways said. | "The reopening of airspace following the Gulf reconciliation will have a positive impact on the company's financial performance," Akbar al-Baker told the state television in an interview late Tuesday. | Last month, Qatar signed a reconciliation agreement with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt to heal their rift, which started in 2017. | The Saudi-led bloc accused Qatar of "supporting terrorism" and severed diplomatic and trade relations with Doha, whi…