2020-10-01: News Headlines

yenisafak (2020-10-01). UN sends 16 truckloads of aid to Syria's Idlib. yenisafak.com The UN on Thursday sent 16 truckloads of humanitarian aid to Idlib, northwestern Syria, where millions of people need assistance due to the worsening internal conflict.The trucks carrying supplies entered the Idlib province through the Cilvegozu border gate in Turkey's southern Hatay province. | The aid will be distributed among residents of Idlib and nearby rural areas.Syria has been ravaged by civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protesters. | Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed, and more than 10 million displaced, according to UN estimates.Idlib falls with…

The Alternative World (2020-10-01). Russian Defense Minister Reviews 5 Years Of Syria Operation. thealtworld.com September 30th, 2020, marked exactly 5 years since the beginning of the Russian operation in Syria. | It began after Damascus issued an official invitation for the Russian army to help the Syrian people and liberate the country from international terrorist groups. | On this day in 2015, the Federation Council gave its consent to Russian President Vladimir Putin to use the Russian Armed Forces in Syria. The decision was a response to the official appeal of the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad."In the specified period, the situation in Syria turned out to be critical. The emerging situation threatened the defeat of…

yenisafak (2020-10-01). Turkish cross-border, peacekeeping missions up for extension. yenisafak.com Turkey's parliament is due to consider a motion extending authorization to launch cross-border anti-terrorist operations in northern Iraq and Syria, as well as deploy peacekeeping forces to the countries of Lebanon, Mali, and the Central African Republic.The motion, submitted on Thursday by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government, would allow the Turkish military to carry out cross-border operations in northern Iraq and Syria for another year, from Oct. 30, 2020 until Oct. 30, 2021.The motion states that Turkey places great importance on protecting Iraq's territorial integrity, national unity, and stability."

WSWS (2020-10-01). Russia, France denounce Turkey as Armenian-Azeri war escalates. wsws.org As reports emerge that Turkey is sending Syrian Islamist mercenaries to Azerbaijan to fight Armenia, the risk of a Russian-Turkish clash and a broader regional war is rising.

yenisafak (2020-10-01). Turkish parliament speaker calls Azerbaijani envoy. yenisafak.com The speaker of Turkey's parliament on Thursday held a phone conversation with Azerbaijan's envoy to Turkey.Mustafa Sentop invited Ambassador Hazar Ibrahimi to attend the Turkish parliament's fourth legislative session in the capital Ankara, according to the speaker's office.He told Ibrahimi that Turkey will continue to extend all support to Azerbaijan in line with the "two states, one nation" principle.The Turkish parliament will start the fourth legislative session of its 27th term on Thursday afternoon, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan set to deliver opening remarks.

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…

MEE staff (2020-09-30). US imposes sanctions on 'key enablers' of Syria's Assad government. middleeasteye.net US imposes sanctions on 'key enablers' of Syria's Assad government | Washington blacklists head of Syrian General Intelligence Directorate and governor of Central Bank of Syria | Wed, 09/30/2020 – 15: 56 | US says its main goal is not regime change, but to force Assad government to adhere to international standards (AFP/File photo) | The United States slapped sanctions on several "key enablers" of President Ba…

RT (2020-09-30). Russia 'deeply concerned' about reports of mercenaries from Syria & Libya being sent to fight in disputed Nagorno-Karabakh. rt.com Moscow has condemned the alleged use of "foreign mercenaries and terrorists" in the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, calling them a threat to the entire region that must "immediately" be withdrawn. | "Militants of illegal armed groups, in particular from Syria and Libya" have been transported to the conflict zone "in order to directly participate in the hostilities," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a Wednesday statement commenting on the recent reports, adding it was "deeply concerned" about the development that creates "long-term threats to the security of all countries in t…

_____ (2020-09-30). Canada Has A War Crimes Problem. popularresistance.org Two new reports on Canadian weapons exports reveal that Canadian-based corporate entities (and, by extension, government agencies that support and encourage their exports) are complicit in the commission of war crimes in Yemen, Turkey, Libya, Syria and Iraq. | These findings build on previously raised concerns that the Canadian military was complicit in war crimes during the occupation of Afghanistan (including when current Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan operated there as a soldier). | Earlier this month, the United Nations criticized Canada, among other nations, for continuing to export weapons to all parties th…

Ian Cobain (2020-09-30). UK Government Probing Cyber-attack over Syria Propaganda Leaks. globalresearch.ca Hackers have penetrated the computer systems of the UK's foreign ministry and taken hundreds of files detailing the country's controversial propaganda programmes in war-torn Syria. | In a security breach of enormous proportions, the hackers appear to have deliberately targeted files …

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 …

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 …

_____ (2020-09-30). Turkey Fuels Azerbaijan-Armenian Conflict With Terror Proxies From Syria. strategic-culture.org Thousands of Turkish-backed militants from Syria's Idlib province have been recruited as mercenaries to support Azerbaijan in its conflict with Armenia. | Several Azerbaijan and Armenia are each blaming the other for the eruption of violence which unconfirmed reports suggest has…

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…

Thierry Meyssan (2020-09-29). President Macron's bad play in Lebanon. thealtworld.com Playing Deus ex machina, President Macron came to distribute the good and bad points to the Lebanese leaders. Sure of his superiority, he said he was ashamed of the behavior of this political class. But all this is just a bad play. Underhandedly, he is trying to destroy the Resistance and to transform the country into a tax haven. | Reacting to the explosion of the port of Beirut on August 4, 2020, the Lebanese people and the international press saw it as an accident due to the corruption of the port authorities. For our part, after analyzing the first clues, we immediately questioned the thesis of the accident a…

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…

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…

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…

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.

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.

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 …

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."

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.

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.

MEE and agencies (2020-09-28). Macron berates Lebanon's leaders, questions Hezbollah role, after PM quits. middleeasteye.net Macron berates Lebanon's leaders, questions Hezbollah role, after PM quits | French president says politicians serving their own interests after prime minister-designate Mustapha Adib resigns | Mon, 09/28/2020 – 08: 27 | Macron said he would convene international partners within 20 days to assess where his efforts stood (AFP) | French President Emmanuel Macron admonished Lebanon's leaders…

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…

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…

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.

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…