2020-09-30: News Headlines

MEE staff (2020-09-30). Israel's West Bank annexation postponed for a year, not cancelled, says Friedman. middleeasteye.net Israel's West Bank annexation postponed for a year, not cancelled, says Friedman | US ambassador to Israel reiterates that controversial annexation plans have only been temporarily suspended | Wed, 09/30/2020 – 12: 04 | Archimandrite Abdullah Yulio, parish priest of the Melkite Greek Catholic church in Ramallah, joins other Palestinians as they gather to commemorate the second intifada and to protest against t…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-09-30). US ambassador's interference in Portuguese affairs slammed by left-wing groups. peoplesdispatch.org The US ambassador in Lisbon, George Glass, said Portugal must choose between its allies and China. He added that a delegation of US treasury officials was working with regulatory officials to prevent the triumph of Chinese companies in Portuguese markets…

Drago Bosnic (2020-09-30). Exposed: US Occupation of Syria Now Official. globalresearch.ca The United States has now sent more occupying forces into Syria in clear violation of international law. The Pentagon regime officials claim the deployment of additional occupying forces allegedly came due to a series of "incidents" between US occupying forces …

Press TV (2020-09-30). Threats of Attacks against Civilians in Syria. dissidentvoice.org On Thursday, Sept. 24, Rick Sterling, investigative journalist and member of the Steering Committee of the Syria Solidarity Movement, spoke with Press TV about a threat of terror attacks, including chemical weapons, on Syrian civilians in Idlib. Syrian authorities have alerted that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra) and the UK-US funded 'White Helmets', in …

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-30). Foreign envoys visit Sacred Defense Achievements expo. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 30 (MNA) — As of its inauguration, several foreign ambassadors and cultural attaches have paid a visit to Iran's National Exhibition of the Holy Defense and Resistance Achievements.

Aaron Maté (2020-09-29). The Grayzone's Aaron Maté testifies at UN on OPCW Syria cover-up. thegrayzone.com In remarks to the UN Security Council, The Grayzone's Aaron Maté details the OPCW's Douma cover-up scandal and urges UN members to support the chemical watchdog's inspectors whose evidence was suppressed. At an Arria-Formula Meeting of the United Nations Security Council, Aaron Maté of The Grayzone delivers remarks on the OPCW's ongoing Syria scandal. Veteran OPCW inspectors who investigated an alleged chemical attack in Douma, Syria in April 2018 say that their probe was censored and manipulated. Under direct US …

yenisafak (2020-09-29). Greek Cyprus pushing back migrants, refugees: HRW. yenisafak.com The Greek Cypriot coast guard "summarily pushed back, abandoned, expelled, or returned more than 200 migrants, refugees and asylum seekers," an international rights group said on Tuesday.The US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the group came from Lebanon in seven boats between Aug. 29 and Sept. 7 and was not given "the opportunity to lodge asylum claims."Some migrants were beaten and threatened by the Greek Cypriot administration's marine police, the report said.According to the HRW, Greek Cypriot coast guard vessels circled the migrants at high speeds, swamping their boats, and, in at least one case, abandoni…

MEE correspondent (2020-09-29). Turkey recruiting Syrians to guard troops and facilities in Azerbaijan. middleeasteye.net Turkey recruiting Syrians to guard troops and facilities in Azerbaijan | Rebels and civilians employed as security suspect they will soon be sent to fight Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh | Tue, 09/29/2020 – 12: 01 | A Turkish-backed Syrian fighter in the northwestern Syrian city of Afrin, 9 October 2018 (AFP) | Hundreds of Syrian rebels and civilians are being sent by Turkey to Azerbaijan…

MEE and agencies (2020-09-29). Lebanon's Amal 'surprised' after Macron hit at Shia groups over talks failure. middleeasteye.net Lebanon's Amal 'surprised' after Macron hit at Shia groups over talks failure | The French president criticised Amal and Hezbollah for blocking talks to resolve Lebanon's ongoing political and economic crisis | Tue, 09/29/2020 – 13: 32 | Macron has questioned Hebollah's role in derailing proposals to form a unity government after the Beirut blast (AFP) | Lebanon's Amal movement said it was…

MEE and agencies (2020-09-29). Fugitive Carlos Ghosn offers executive training in troubled Lebanon. middleeasteye.net Fugitive Carlos Ghosn offers executive training in troubled Lebanon | Billionaire was credited with turning round Nissan and Renault before he faced charges of financial wrongdoing | Tue, 09/29/2020 – 10: 46 | The short courses, expected to start in March, will be open to 15 to 20 senior executives in Lebanon and the Middle East | Carlos Ghosn, the former Nissan and Renault head who fled J…

RT (2020-09-29). Bibi at it again? Israeli PM presents new PowerPoint at UNGA, this time detailing alleged Hezbollah arms depot in Beirut. rt.com Lebanese group Hezbollah has a "secret arms depot" in residential Beirut, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu claimed in an address to the UN General Assembly, during which he again turned to a PowerPoint, maps, and other visual aids. | "Here's where the next explosion will take place — right here," Netanyahu said, as he directed his laser pointer at a large screen, showing the map of the Lebanese capital. | Beirut is still recovering from a huge ammonium nitrate blast that occurred at the city's port in early August, killing nearly 200 people, wounding thousands, and causing massive destruction. | The alleged…

MEE staff (2020-09-29). Netanyahu claims Hezbollah keeping 'secret arms depot' in residential Beirut. middleeasteye.net Netanyahu claims Hezbollah keeping 'secret arms depot' in residential Beirut | The Israeli leader made the unproven claim during the UN General Assembly and lambasted the world body over the Iran nuclear deal | Tue, 09/29/2020 – 18: 38 | Netanyahu called on the people of Lebanon to protest in order to prevent another blast similar to the Beirut port blast (AFP/File photo) | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Neta…

Elijah J. Magnier (2020-09-29). Russia and Iran in Syria; Iran Prepares a Move on the Israeli Borders. globalresearch.ca There has been a lot of talk about a Russian-Iranian conflict of interest in Syria and the differences of priorities, goals, and about the deployment of the Iranian forces in different Syrian provinces, in particular in the south of Syria …

news.un (2020-09-29). Nuclear threat against North Korea 'continues unabated', UN ambassador tells Assembly. news.un.org During the past several decades, North Korea has done "everything possible" to safeguard peace and security on the Korean peninsula, the country's representative told the UN high-level General Debate on Tuesday.

Elijah Magnier (2020-09-29). Les USA menacent l'Irak : Les attaques doivent cesser, sinon… thealtworld.com L'administration américaine a menacé officiellement le gouvernement irakien en le sommant d'empêcher toute attaque d'insurgés contre ses forces, en particulier contre l'ambassade des USA à Bagdad. Sans quoi il s'expose à des conséquences désastreuses, y compris le recours à la force militaire, l'imposition de sanctions économiques et un boycottage politique de l'Irak. | Selon des responsables à Bagdad, ´ le secrétaire d'État des USA Mike Pompeo a informé le président de la République Barham Salih, le premier ministre Mustafa Al-Kazemi et le président du Parlement Muhammad al-Halbousi de la nécessité de stop…

news.un (2020-09-29). Climate change 'the defining challenge of our generation' says New Zealand Ambassador. news.un.org There is no vaccine against climate change, the Permanent Representative of New Zealand told the UN General Assembly debate on Tuesday, noting that now more than ever, the international community must "step up, collectively and in the common interest."

news.un (2020-09-29). The UN is 'right platform' to address global challenges — Tanzanian Ambassador. news.un.org The COVID-19 outbreak reminds the world that we need "to enhance solidarity within the multilateral system" to confront global challenges, the representative of Tanzania told the closing session of the UN's annual high-level session on Tuesday.

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-29). Terrorists' defeat in Syria like Liberation of Khorramshahr. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 29 (MNA) — Hailing Iran's recent victories at the international level, the Commander of Iran Air Force likened the failure of the terrorist group in Syria to the victory of Iran in liberating Khorramshahr during the Imposed War.

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-29). Iranian envoy meets Omani deputy FM. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 29 (MNA) — Iranian ambassador Ali Najafi met and held talks with the Deputy Foreign Minister for Diplomatic Affairs in the Sultanate of Oman Sheikh Khalifa bin Ali Al-Harthi in Muscat on Monday.

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-29). Nasrallah delivering speech on latest regional developments. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 29 (MNA) — Secretary-General of the Lebanese Hezbollah Resistance Movement Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah is delivering a live speech.

yenisafak (2020-09-29). Turkish parliament to open for 4th legislative session. yenisafak.com Turkish parliament will on Thursday start the fourth legislative session of its 27th term.The general assembly will convene at 2.00 p.m. local time (1100GMT) under the gavel of Parliament Speaker Mustafa Sentop.Later, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will deliver an opening speech at the assembly.This year, Sentop will not host an opening reception in the parliament due to novel coronavirus outbreak.On Oct. 6 and 7, the general assembly is scheduled to debate motions to extend the state's authority to launch cross-border military operations in northern Iraq and Syria for another year.Marathon deliberations on the 2…

news.un (2020-09-29). To UN, Israeli Prime Minister says 'no doubt' more Arab countries will soon join 'circle of peace'. news.un.org While telling the UN General Assembly on Tuesday there was "good news" to report about the "expanding circle of peace" between Israel and some Arab countries, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also accused Hezbollah militants of storing weapons in a residential area of Beirut.

MEE staff (2020-09-28). Palestinians should be 'happy' about normalisation, says UAE's al-Otaiba. middleeasteye.net Palestinians should be 'happy' about normalisation, says UAE's al-Otaiba | Abu Dhabi's ambassador to Washington lashed out at the Palestinians for not celebrating normalisation with Israel | Mon, 09/28/2020 – 17: 50 | Yousef al-Otaiba claimed that the UAE-Israeli agreement halted Israel's plan to annex up to 30 percent of the occupied West Bank (AFP/File photo) | The UAE ambassador to the US has said that Pale…

Caitlin A. Johnstone (2020-09-28). War Propaganda firm Bellingcat continues lying about Syria. mronline.org In December of 2016, the war propaganda firm Bellingcat ran an article assuring its readers that Twitter star Bana Alabed is a perfectly legitimate little Syrian girl and not at all a psyop designed to manufacture support for military interventionism against Bashar al-Assad.

RT (2020-09-28). Turkey hiring Syrian rebels to fight Armenians for Azerbaijan, Guardian claims, as Baku calls reports on mercenaries 'nonsense'. rt.com In an echo of events in Libya, rebels from Syria's Idlib province are being recruited by Turkey to fight for Azerbaijan in its conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, The Guardian has reported, citing several militants. | Idlib is Syria's northwestern province, and the last bastion of the Turkish-backed militants who once hoped to effect regime change in Damascus. It is there the recruitment drive for Azerbaijan began a month ago, three rebels told the Guardian's correspondent Bethan McKernan. Her story was published on Monday evening. | Two brothers from Azaz said they had been summoned to a camp in Afri…

RT (2020-09-28). Turkey hiring Syrian rebels to fight Armenians for Azerbaijan, Guardian claims as Baku calls mercenary reports 'nonsense'. rt.com Rebels from Syria's Idlib province are being recruited by Turkey to fight in Azerbaijan's conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, just as it has done in Libya, the Guardian reported citing several of the militants. | Idlib is Syria's northwestern province, and the last bastion of the Turkish-backed militants once hoping to effect regime change in Damascus. It is there the recruitment drive for Azerbaijan began a month ago, three rebels told the Guardian's Bethan McKernan. Two brothers from Azaz said they had been summoned to a camp in Afrin on September 13 and told by a commander in the Sultan Murad Divis…

RT (2020-09-28). Armenia warns it will deploy Russian-made Iskander missiles if Turkey uses American-built F-16 jets in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. rt.com Armenia is prepared to use Russian-made Iskander ballistic missiles in the Nagorno-Karabakh region if Turkey deploys its American-built F-16 fighter jets in support of the Azeri offensive, officials insisted on Monday. | However, Yerevan, while calling the F-16s a "Sword of Damocles" hanging over the people of the disputed enclave, said it hopes the situation won't escalate to that extent. | The Armenian ambassador to Russia Vardan Toganyan said on Monday that "all measures, including the Islanders," were on the table if Ankara deployed the jets. | However, he added, the time for that has not come yet. Accordi…

Ian Cobain (2020-09-28). EXCLUSIVE: UK government probing cyber-attack over Syria propaganda leaks. middleeasteye.net EXCLUSIVE: UK government probing cyber-attack over Syria propaganda leaks | Ministers alerted after hackers dump details of covert Foreign Office programmes online, with suspicion focusing on Russia | Mon, 09/28/2020 – 16: 22 | A Syrian rebel fighter pictured in 2016. British government contractors helped to run media offices for opposition groups, according to leaked documents (AFP) | Hackers have penetrat…

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-28). Iran backs peaceful stability of all ethnic groups in Bosnia. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 28 (MNA) — Iranian ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina said that Islamic Republic of Iran supports the amicable coexistence, integrity and stability of all ethnic groups in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

sputniknews (2020-09-28). Armenian Ambassador Calls for OSCE Involvement in Nagorno-Karabakh Crisis. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Armenian Ambassador to Russia Vardan Toganyan expressed the belief that co-chairs of the Organization for Security and Co‚Äëoperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk group should quickly react to the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh.

yenisafak (2020-09-28). Azerbaijan: Armenian-Syrian mercenaries helping Armenia. yenisafak.com Mercenaries of Armenian origin from Syria have been identified among Armenia's casualties, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry said Monday.Defense Ministry spokesman Anar Eyvazov said in a statement that some of the dead bodies found among the casualties of the Armenian army were determined to be mercenaries of Armenian origin who came from Syria."The Armenian side hides this information from both the local and international community," Eyvazov said.He added that the Azerbaijani army destroyed 24 tanks and armored vehicles, 15 OSA-type anti-aircraft systems and 18 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) belonging to the Armenia…

_____ (2020-09-27). RIP Andre Vltchek: 'Western Imperialism Is World's Biggest Problem'. popularresistance.org André traveled relentlessly from one battle field to another, from one conflict zone to a war zone. He exposed innumerable atrocities committed around the world, mostly by western powers. He never wavered from revealing the truth. From Afghanistan to Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan to Argentina, Chile, Peru to Hong Kong, to Xinjiang, the Uygur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China — André was there.

David Vine (2020-09-27). The U.S. 'War on Terror' Has Displaced 37 Million People. commondreams.org Syrian refugees arrive at a humanitarian camp in in Dohuk, Iraq on October 17, 2019. (Photo: Byron Smith/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/war-terror-37-million.jpg

Nadda Osman (2020-09-27). US actor Olivia Munn criticised for role in new Syrian refugee drama. middleeasteye.net US actor Olivia Munn criticised for role in new Syrian refugee drama | Announcement draws ire online over a story to be centred on a 'UN journalist' in Syria rather than on Syrians themselves | Sun, 09/27/2020 – 12: 08 | The new drama has received a lot of backlash online (AFP) | American actress and former television host Olivia Munn has come under fire after it was announced that she is set to play the…

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-27). VIDEO: IRGC unveils 'Zolfaghar Basir' naval ballistic missile. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 27 (MNA) — "Zolfaghar Basir" is a naval ballistic missile whose ground-to-ground type with a range of more than 700 kilometers was used in targeting ISIL bases in Syria and American terrorist bases in Iraq.

yenisafak (2020-09-27). World's silent on Armenian attacks, laments envoy. yenisafak.com The Azerbaijani ambassador to Ankara lamented on Sunday the international community's silence on Armenia's border violations.Armenia continues its attacks because there is no world reaction to its aggression, Khazar Ibrahim told CNN Turk news channel. | Border clashes broke out earlier in the day when Armenian forces targeted Azerbaijani civilian settlements and military positions, causing casualties. | Ibrahim termed the cease-fire violation an "act of terrorism," saying Armenia seeks provocation. | He added that recently a large number of weapons were sent to Yerevan, the Armenian capital.‚Ä®&sbq…

yenisafak (2020-09-27). Al-Sadr says Iraq won't become 'foreign colony'. yenisafak.com Firebrand Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr said on Sunday that Iraq will not become a foreign colony."We will not allow Iraq to become a foreign colony…," he said in a tweet. "[Iraq] will be a strong and sovereign state."On Friday, al-Sadr called for an investigation into repeated attacks on foreign missions in Iraq and bringing perpetrators to justice.The call came after two Shia groups, Iraqi Hezbollah and al-Nujaba, threatened to launch more attacks against US forces in Iraq.In recent weeks, several attacks targeted the US Embassy in Iraq, US forces, and other troops involved in the International Coalition agains…