Monthly Archives: February 2021

2021-02-04: News Headlines

Ali Harb (2021-02-04). Biden ends US support for Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen. middleeasteye.net Biden ends US support for Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen | War in Yemen 'has to end', Joe Biden says in first foreign policy-focused address as president | Thu, 02/04/2021 – 17: 01 | Conflict in Yemen is world's worst humanitarian crisis, according to UN (Reuters/File photo) | US President Joe Biden announced the end of US support for a Saudi-led coalition that is waging war in Yemen, in a major policy reversal from…

Staff (2021-02-04). Pelosi Calls McCarthy a Member of the "Q" Party After Failure to Act on Greene. truthout.org Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-California) referred to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-California) as a member of the "Q" political party after House Republicans failed to take any action against Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia). | Pelosi released the statement following news that the Republican caucus would not remove Greene, a supporter of QAnon, from the House Budget and Education panels. Greene has been criticized for espousing anti-Semitism and conspiracies, includin…

Ali Salam (2021-02-04). Israeli Military Detains One Palestinian, Attacks Fishermen, Farmers in Gaza. imemc.org The Israeli occupation army opened fire at Palestinian farmers, and fishermen, on Wednesday morning, in different areas of the besieged Gaza Strip, The Palestinian News and Information Agency (WAFA) reported. The army opened fire with live ammunition and smoke bombs at farmlands, while farmers were present, south of Khan Younis in the southern coastal enclave, …

Al Neal (2021-02-04). First week of Black History Month: Stacey Abrams, BLM nominated for Nobel Peace Prize. peoplesworld.org It seems more than fitting that in the first week of Black History Month Stacey Abrams has been nominated for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize. Abrams, whose on-the-ground work is credited with boosting voter turnout during the 2020 elections, helping then-presidential candidate Joe Biden secure an historic win in Georgia, was nominated by Lars Haltbrekken, …

Tania Siddiqi (2021-02-04). The struggle continues: Indian protesters resist state terror. workers.org In September 2020, India's Parliament passed three "farm bills" intended to crush India's workers. To serve capitalist interests, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leader of the fascist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), lent his support to the bills depriving farms of current protections. He allowed corporate greed to further encroach on India's . . . |

Suadad al-Salhy (2021-02-04). Islamic State regrouping in northern Iraq and relying on women operatives. middleeasteye.net Islamic State regrouping in northern Iraq and relying on women operatives | Militant group capitalising on breakdown in relations between Baghdad and Erbil to carry out attacks from its base in the Hamrin Basin | Thu, 02/04/2021 – 13: 17 | A policeman stands guard at the Sadriya market in the centre of Iraq's capital Baghdad (AFP) | Islamic State group (IS) militants have been regrouping in n…

The Palestinian News & Info Agency (2021-02-04). WAFA: "Attorney, three minors among 25 Palestinians detained from West Bank" imemc.org RAMALLAH, Wednesday, February 03, 2021 (WAFA) — Israeli forces Wednesday overnight detained 25 Palestinians, including an attorney and three minors, from various parts of the occupied West Bank, according to local and security sources. They confirmed that Israeli forces detained five Palestinians, including two minors, aged 16 and 17, after ransacking their families' houses in …

MEE and agencies (2021-02-04). Israel razes Palestinian Bedouin village for second time. middleeasteye.net Israel razes Palestinian Bedouin village for second time | Rights group denounces attempt to displace entire Palestinian community from Khirbet Humsa in Jordan Valley | Thu, 02/04/2021 – 08: 20 | On Wednesday, Israeli troops accompanied by bulldozers also knocked down several steel and wooden structures in the village (Reuters) | Israel has begun demolishing a Bedouin village in the occupi…

Adam Chamseddine (2021-02-04). Lebanon: Prominent Hezbollah critic Lokman Slim found murdered. middleeasteye.net Lebanon: Prominent Hezbollah critic Lokman Slim found murdered | Publisher and activist shot five times and discovered between the southern Lebanese villages of Tufahta and Adoussiyeh | Thu, 02/04/2021 – 09: 10 | Lokman Slim, who was found dead in his car in south Lebanon (AFP) | Lebanese activist and publisher Lokman Slim, a fierce critic of Hezbollah, was found shot dead in his car on Th…

Ragip Soylu (2021-02-04). Exports from Turkey to Saudi Arabia plummet by 92 percent amid unofficial boycott. middleeasteye.net Exports from Turkey to Saudi Arabia plummet by 92 percent amid unofficial boycott | Drop comes after Riyadh targeted Turkey's economy last year over Turkish indictments related to Jamal Khashoggi murder | Thu, 02/04/2021 – 12: 01 | A woman holds a packet of Turkish labneh (strained yogurt) while shopping at a supermarket in Riyadh (AFP) | An unofficial Saudi boycott against Turkish goods reduced Turkey's…

Anand Naidoo (2021-02-04). The Heat: Russia politics. america.cgtn.com Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny sentenced to jail in a move criticized by western nations. How will his arrest impact U.S.-Russia relations?>

Ali Harb (2021-02-04). Biden will end US support for Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen. middleeasteye.net Biden will end US support for Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen | Top aide to US president confirms he will formally announce ending American assistance for 'offensive operations in Yemen' later on Thursday | Thu, 02/04/2021 – 17: 01 | US President Joe Biden will announce the end of US support to the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen in a major policy reversal from the previous administration that may alter the course of th…

Ramzy Baroud (2021-02-04). The Palestinian boycott of Israel is not racist, it is anti-racist. zcomm.org The boycott movement aims to hold the oppressor colonial state of Israel accountable as it places a price tag on its military occupation and apartheid…

Staff (2021-02-04). Mass Rapes. Sweeping Surveillance. Forced Labor. Exposing China's Crackdown on Uyghur Muslims. democracynow.org China faces widespread condemnation following a BBC report about the mass rape and sexual torture of Uyghur women and other Muslims detained in the province of Xinjiang. Women who spoke with the BBC described gang rapes, routine sexual torture using electrocution tools, forced sterilizations and men outside the prison camps paying for access to the detainees. China has rejected the report as "wholly without factual basis" and claims its mass detention of Muslim minorities is part of a "vocational training" program to counter extremism. Meanwhile, The Intercept has obtained a massive police surveillance database u…

Online News Editor (2021-02-04). Salma Hayek: 'It saddens me to think about what might happen to cinema'. laprensalatina.com Los Angeles, Feb 4 (efe-epa).- Salma Hayek is enjoying working with streaming platforms such as Netflix, HBO Max and Amazon, but the Mexican film star says she is worried about the uncertainty affecting the movie industry due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has seen theaters across the world close. "Romantically, it makes me very sad …

yenisafak (2021-02-04). Two S. Africa, one Brazil variant detected in Turkey. yenisafak.com Two Turkish citizens have contracted the South African variant of the coronavirus while one has contracted the Brazilian variant, the country's health minister said Wednesday.Moreover, 196 cases of the UK virus strain have been detected in the country, Fahrettin Koca said.The patients have been isolated, he added.In the wake of rising cases once again, the measures against the pandemic will continue full throttle, he said.The vaccination of citizens over 65 and the second group will commence after safety tests are completed, Koca said.So far, 2.4 million people in the country have been vaccinated with vaccination…

MEE correspondent (2021-02-04). Iranian press review: Health officials reject Russia's Covid-19 vaccine. middleeasteye.net Iranian press review: Health officials reject Russia's Covid-19 vaccine | Meanwhile, Tehran hosts Taliban to talk about US-brokered Afghan peace deal, and the Islamic Republic is said to be eying the Caucasus to bypass US sanctions | Thu, 02/04/2021 – 11: 22 | A woman receives an injection during the first trial phase of a locally-made vaccine for Covid-19 in Iran's capital Tehran on 29…

Susan Price (2021-02-04). Regional left parties condemn military coup in Burma/Myanmar. greenleft.org.au Socialist parties in the Asia-Pacific have condemned the military coup in Burma/Myanmar, writes Susan Price.

MEE and agencies (2021-02-04). Belgium court sentences Iranian envoy to 20 years in jail over Paris bomb plot. middleeasteye.net Belgium court sentences Iranian envoy to 20 years in jail over Paris bomb plot | Antwerp trial was the first of an Iranian official for suspected terrorism in Europe since Iran's 1979 revolution | Thu, 02/04/2021 – 14: 08 | A heavily armed policeman stands outside the courthouse in Antwerp (AFP) | An Iranian diplomat accused of planning to bomb a meeting of an exiled opposition group was s…

MEE staff (2021-02-04). Saudi Arabia and Iran among leaders of 'transnational repression', says watchdog. middleeasteye.net Saudi Arabia and Iran among leaders of 'transnational repression', says watchdog | Freedom House accuses both countries of threatening the lives of their citizens living abroad | Thu, 02/04/2021 – 17: 26 | Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 2 October 2018 (AFP) | International watchdog Freedom House has accused Saudi Arabia, Iran and Turkey of interfering in the…

RT (2021-02-04). Biden ends US backing for Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, but America will continue to 'help Riyadh against Iranian-supplied forces'. rt.com The US military will stop supporting attacks carried out by the Saudi-led coalition against Houthi rebels in Yemen, President Joe Biden has confirmed, though America will continue to support Riyadh in "defending its sovereignty". | Speaking in a televised address from the State Department on Thursday, Biden said Washington's focus was on finding a diplomatic solution to the war in Yemen and lend its support to restoring the "long-dormant peace talks." | However, it remains to be seen what practical effect the shift will have on the dynamic of the years-long conflict and America's role there. While the decision…

RT (2021-02-04). Progressive journalist Jordan Chariton regrets calling for social media bans after 'seeing Silicon Valley's censorship onslaught'. rt.com After some of his own videos were pulled by YouTube, progressive reporter Jordan Chariton has had a change of heart about Big Tech's crackdown on extremist content, arguing that it's a pretext to purge all alternative views. | In a series of tweets, the popular pundit and co-founder of Status Coup News revealed that footage of the January 6 Capitol riots had been yanked from his YouTube channel, apparently for violating the platform's policies against "spam and deceptive practices." The video's deletion followed a similar incident in which a livestream of a right-wing rally held several days before Joe Biden's…

Yves Engler (2021-02-04). Ottawa should apologize for role in Agent Orange use in Vietnam. dissidentvoice.org A French legal battle offers an opportunity to revisit Canada's role in chemical weapons use and whether Ottawa owes something to its Vietnamese victims. On the weekend activists gathered in Paris to support a court case launched by a woman exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam. The group Collectif Vietnam Dioxine is supporting French-Vietnamese woman, …

Joe Glenton (2021-02-04). Police accused of 'harassment' after Palestine Action co-founder arrested for blackmail. thecanary.co Palestine Action co-founder Richard Goddard was The arrest, which was

Mehr News Agency (2021-02-04). Powerful explosion hits Haifa in occupied Palestine. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 5 (MNA) — An explosion was reported near a Chemicals factory in the occupied Palestinian city of Haifa.

yenisafak (2021-02-04). At least 24 irregular migrants held in Turkey. yenisafak.com At least 24 irregular migrants were held in different parts of Turkey on Thursday, sources said.Nine Iranian nationals were held in the Beyazkoy district of the northwestern Tekirdag province, close to the border with Greece.They were found on a bus stopped for a check by gendarmerie personnel, said the sources, asking not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.The vehicle's driver, a Turkish national identified by the initials I.O., was arrested.In the central Nigde province, 15 Syrian nationals were held after police teams stopped and searched a bus on a highway connecting southeast Turkey to…

Jonathan Cook (2021-02-04). Why Israel Is Joining the Pentagon's 'Arab NATO'. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | With none of the usual fanfare associated with such a momentous …

yenisafak (2021-02-04). Borsa Istanbul up at Thursday open. yenisafak.com Turkey's benchmark stock index opened at 1,537.6 points on Thursday, up 0.27% or 4.10 points from the previous close.Borsa Istanbul's BIST 100 index closed Wednesday at 1,533.55 points, up 1.46%, with a daily trading volume of 30.1 billion Turkish liras (nearly $4.20 billion).The US dollar/Turkish lira exchange rate rose to 7.1700 as of 9: 30 a.m. local time (0630GMT), from 7.1600 at the previous close.The euro/Turkish lira exchange rate rose to 8.6200 from 8.6100, while one British pound traded for 9.7700 Turkish liras, down from 9.7800.One barrel of Brent crude oil sold for around $58.89 as of 10 a.m. local time…

_____ (2021-02-04). Why Always Israel? Only One Country Matters to Congress and the Media. strategic-culture.org Pandering to Israel as part of the political process in the United States has become part of the DNA of both major parties. | The job of U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations must have some kind of curse on it as it seems to attract a type of woman who seeks to prove her suitability by running up a tally of how many wars she can start and how many people she can kill. One recalls fondly Bill Clinton's monstrous Madeleine Albright, who famously declared the deaths of 500,000 Iraqi children as "worth it" due to the sanctions that Washington had imposed and enforced. And then there was Barack Obama's darling Samanth…

Mehr News Agency (2021-02-04). Tehran condemns Belgian court ruling against Iranian diplomat. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 04 (MNA) — Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman said that the Islamic Republic strongly condemns Belgian court ruling against Iranian diplomat.

Kamal Iranidoost (2021-02-04). Entry of Russian Sputnik V into Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 04 (MNA) — The first batch of the Russian V vaccine to immunize against the coronavirus arrived at Tehran Imam Khomeini Airport on Thursday.

Online News Editor (2021-02-04). Over 100 arrested in Nepal as vandalism marks anti-government protests. laprensalatina.com Kathmandu, Feb 4 (efe-epa).- Nepal police on Thursday arrested at least 100 protesters after vandalism marked a country-wide general strike against the government of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. The call to strike was given by the ruling Nepal Communist Party's splinter faction led by former guerrilla commander Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda and former communist …

Online News Editor (2021-02-04). US to end support for Saudi offensive operations in Yemen. laprensalatina.com Washington, Feb 4 (efe-epa).- President Joe Biden plans to end US support for offensive operations in Yemen by the Saudi-led coalition that has been waging war on the impoverished nation for nearly six years, the White House national security adviser said Thursday. The president will announce the change later Thursday in his first major speech …

Online News Editor (2021-02-04). 50 Bangladesh opposition leaders jailed for attack on Hasina 2 decades ago. laprensalatina.com Dhaka, Feb 4 (efe-epa).- A Bangladesh court on Thursday sent 50 opposition members up to 10 years in jail after finding them guilty in an attack on a motorcade of Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina nearly two decades ago. The motorcade of the incumbent prime minister came under attack in August 2002, when she was …

Online News Editor (2021-02-04). Turkey's paralympic swimmers with hopes set on Tokyo. laprensalatina.com Istanbul, Feb 4 (efe-epa).- An Olympic pool on the outskirts of Istanbul provides a training hub for Turkish swimmers whose sights are firmly set on competing at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games this year. Three of the six competitors set to travel to Japan train at the pool alongside around 20 other swimmers with different …

Online News Editor (2021-02-04). Iraq holds funeral for over 100 Yezidi victims of IS. laprensalatina.com Baghdad, Feb 4 (efe-epa).- Iraqi authorities held a funeral in Baghdad on Thursday for 104 members of the country's Yezidi minority who were killed by Islamic State militants. After the funeral, their bodies will be transferred to their home village in the country's north for burial on February 6. Iraqi President Barham Salih said in …

Online News Editor (2021-02-04). Tokyo 2020 president faces backlash for sexist remarks. laprensalatina.com Tokyo, Feb 4 (efe-epa).- The president of the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee is facing public backlash in Japan after saying that women make meetings "drag on" because they all want to talk. Yoshiro Mori made the statements at a meeting on Wednesday, and were reported by Japanese daily Asahi Shimbun. After they came to light, …

news.un (2021-02-04). End impunity for use of chemical weapons in Syria, UN disarmament chief urges Security Council. news.un.org The United Nations top disarmament official, on Wednesday, stressed the urgent need to not only identify those who have used chemical weapons in Syria, but also hold them accountable for their deeds.

news.un (2021-02-04). Iran: Human rights experts condemn execution of Baloch minority prisoner. news.un.org United Nations independent human rights experts on Thursday, condemned the hanging of a prisoner from the Baloch minority in Iran, voicing fear that a "disturbing" recent increase in executions of community members "will continue".

yenisafak (2021-02-04). Turkey 'neutralizes' 5 YPG/PKK terrorists in N.Syria. yenisafak.com Turkish security forces "neutralized" five YPG/PKK terrorists in a protected area across Turkey's southern border with Syria, the National Defense Ministry announced Thursday.The terrorists were trying to infiltrate the area of Turkey's cross-border anti-terror operations — Peace Spring and Euphrates Shield — to disrupt peace and security in the region, the ministry said on Twitter, adding that they had also opened harassing fire.Turkish authorities use the word "neutralized" to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.Since 2016, Turkey has launched a trio of successful anti-ter…

yenisafak (2021-02-04). One more sit-in family to embrace abducted child in Turkey. yenisafak.com A family protesting the YPG/PKK terrorist group for abducting their child in southeastern Turkey received news Thursday that they would soon be reunited.Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu announced that one of five terrorists who surrendered to Turkish authorities Wednesday was the child of a family taking part in a months-long sit-in outside the office of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), which the government accuses of having links to the YPG/PKK terror group.The protest began on Sept. 3, 2019, in Diyarbakir province when three mothers said their children had been forcibly recruited by YPG/PKK terrorists.Saade…

yenisafak (2021-02-04). Turkey's population tops 83.6M in 2020. yenisafak.com Turkey's population exceeded 83.6 million as of 2020-end, with a 0.55% rise on an annual basis, the Turkish statistical authority said on Thursday.The Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) data showed that the population residing in Turkey last year increased by 459,365 people compared to the previous year."Male population was 41,915,985 people and female population was 41,698,377 people," the institute said.The share of men in the total population was 50.1%, while women made up 49.9%, according to TurkStat.Official data said annual population growth rate was 0.55% in 2020, down from 1.39% in 2019.

yenisafak (2021-02-04). Georgia to allow in Turkish nationals without vaccines. yenisafak.com Georgia on Wednesday added Turkey to its list of countries whose unvaccinated nationals would be allowed into the country with just a negative novel coronavirus test result.Natia Turnava, the country's minister of economy and sustainable development, said that Turkish nationals with a negative PCR test result would not need a vaccine report to be allowed to travel to Georgia.Turnava said that with the decision, international flights would increase and bring more tourists to the country, adding that this would have positive effects on the markets.The Georgian government decided on Jan. 29 that only citizens of EU…

yenisafak (2021-02-04). 'New constitution debates in Turkey are exciting'. yenisafak.com Turkey's parliament speaker has said new constitution debates in the country are exciting for him."It will be correct to involve all political parties represented in the parliament while debating a new constitution," Mustafa Sentop told Turkish news channel CNN Turk on Wednesday.Sentop noted that a new constitution should not be made based on the seat numbers of the parties in the Turkish parliament.The ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party in the parliament holds 289 seats, while the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) 48 seats.MHP cooperates with the ruling AK Party under their People's Alliance, formed ahead…

Richard Falk (2021-02-04). The B'tselem Report On Israeli Apartheid. zcomm.org It is only Palestinian resistance from within and global solidarity from without that can have any prospect of achieving Palestinian rights and a peaceful future for both peoples…

Ullekh N.P. (2021-02-04). In India, Farmers Are Resisting Narendra Modi's Propaganda Machine. thenation.com In India, Farmers Are Resisting Narendra Modi's Propaganda Machine…

_____ (2021-02-04). Putin Explains Why We Need New Economic Policies. popularresistance.org The President of Russia Vladimir Putin has given a great speech to the Davos 2021 online forum organized by the World Economic Forum. As usual it created little echo in the 'western' media. | Putin sees a new danger of large international conflicts. Economic imbalances have caused socio-political problems in many countries which, when externalized, can lead to international conflicts. | To solve this one has to reject the laissez faire doctrines that caused the economic imbalances. The nation states must intervene more in their economies. The people must be seen as the ends, not the means of such economic policy.

KANN (2021-02-04). Coronavirus / Tokyo Olympics: The Japanese government's clever way of deceiving its people. indybay.org Please comment to the Japanese government about the Coronavirus Tokyo Olympics. There is no e-mail address, and it is not necessary to include a name. This stupid government plans to trick the world into hosting the Olympics.

Scott Ritter (2021-02-04). Why the Biden Administration Has Set Itself Up for Failure on the Iran Nuclear Deal. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | By laying out unrealistic demands to Iran and engaging in fearmongering …

China Dialogue (2021-02-04). China's National Carbon Market has Just Launched: How it Could be a Climate Game Changer. juancole.com By Huw Slater, Wang Shu and Dimitri De Boer | — ( China Dialogue) — With the new market having opened on 1 February, experts offer a take on how it may impact China's industries and emissions trajectory China's national carbon market started operating on 1 February, as mandated by a key regulatory document. Although …

2021-02-03: News Headlines

Lubna Masarwa (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…

MEE staff (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…

MEE and agencies (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…

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (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 …

Alan Macleod (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.

John Feffer (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

MEE and agencies (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…

Jeff Armstrong (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

Global Times (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…

Liu Zhen (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…

Walter Smolarek (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 …

Associated Press (2021-02-03). Seis trabajadores mueren en la planta de procesamiento avícola de Georgia. peoplesworld.org &nbsp…

Emily Denny (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 …

Edward Curtin (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 …

Behrooz Ghamari Tabrizi (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…

Juan Cole (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 …

The Palestinian News & Info Agency (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 …

IMEMC News (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 …

IMEMC News (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 …

MEE staff (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…

MEE staff (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…

John Vandiver (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…

Vanessa Beeley (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…

MEE and agencies (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…

Peoples Dispatch (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…

Peoples Dispatch (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…

Online News Editor (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 …

Staff (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…

yenisafak (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…

Scott Newman (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.

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.

Ramzy Baroud (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 …

yenisafak (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…

MEE staff (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…

MEE staff (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…

Jessica Buxbaum (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.

Andrew Korybko (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…

yenisafak (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…

Tom Anderson (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…

Online News Editor (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 …

Online News Editor (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 …

Online News Editor (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 …

Mehr News Agency (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.

Mehr News Agency (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.

Mehr News Agency (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.

Mehr News Agency (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.

Mehr News Agency (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.

Mehr News Agency (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.

Mette Nà∏rgaard, Erzsébet Horváth-Puhó, Priscila Corraini, Henrik Toft Sà∏rensen, Victor W. Henderson (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.

yenisafak (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…