(2020-09-23). US envoy to Israel says UAE will have to wait 'six or seven years' for F-35 jets. middleeasteye.net 
US envoy to Israel says UAE will have to wait 'six or seven years' for F-35 jets | David Friedman tells Jerusalem Post that Israel's military edge in region is 'matter of law, not a matter of policy' | Wed, 09/23/2020 – 18: 23 | UAE has long voiced interest in F-35 jets and were promised chance to buy them when agreeing to normalise ties with Israel (AFP/File photo) | US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman say…
(2020-09-23). 'Confirmed' Has Become a Meaningless Word in Mainstream News Reporting. strategic-culture.org Caitlin JOHNSTONE | Last week Politico published a The claim was nonsensical on its face; the idea that Iran would see the assassination of some random ambassador to an irrelevant country as a proportionate…
(2020-09-23). Leaked docs expose massive Syria propaganda operation waged by Western govt contractors and media. thegrayzone.com Western government-funded intelligence cutouts trained Syrian opposition leaders, planted stories in media outlets from BBC to Al Jazeera, and ran a cadre of journalists. A trove of leaked documents exposes the propaganda network. By Ben Norton Leaked documents show how UK government contractors developed an advanced infrastructure of propaganda to stimulate support in the West for Syria's political and armed opposition. Virtually every aspect of the Syrian opposition was cultivated and marketed by Western government-backed public relations firms, from their …
(2020-09-23). Elected Syrian Government, Led by President Assad, Saves Christianity in Syria. globalresearch.ca Since the beginning of the Regime Change war against Syria, Western -supported sectarian terrorists — al Qaeda, ISIS and affiliates — have actively sought to destroy and extinguish Christians and Christianity from Syria. President Assad and the Syrian people have …
(2020-09-23). TIME top 100: Waad al-Kateab, Lina Attalah and Yousef al-Otaiba make annual 'most influential' list. middleeasteye.net 
TIME top 100: Waad al-Kateab, Lina Attalah and Yousef al-Otaiba make annual 'most influential' list | Syrian filmmaker and Egyptian journalist are praised for courageous documenting and reporting, while UAE ambassador gets recognition for building ties with US and Israel | Wed, 09/23/2020 – 14: 15 | (Left to right) Waad al-Kateab, Lina Attalah and Yousef al-Otaiba made the list for TIME magazine's 100…
(2020-09-23). Debris from Beirut explosion adds to Lebanon's rubbish crisis. middleeasteye.net 
Debris from Beirut explosion adds to Lebanon's rubbish crisis | The port blast has damaged many waste management facilities, leaving rubbish to pile up again | Wed, 09/23/2020 – 12: 20 | Rubbish has started piling up in streets as the country struggles to deal with the aftermath of the explosion (AFP) | Last month's port blast in Beirut has put further stress on Lebanon's waste management infrastructure,…
(2020-09-23). More than 14 million people internally displaced in first half of 2020: Report. middleeasteye.net 
More than 14 million people internally displaced in first half of 2020: Report | The majority of the displacements were caused by natural disasters across the world, while Syrians were the largest group displaced by conflict | Wed, 09/23/2020 – 19: 50 | Children ride in the back of a truck with furniture, mattresses, and blankets while passing by an internally-displaced persons (IDP) camp west of Aleppo on 16…
(2020-09-23). Video: Turkish-based Syrian Militants Prepare to Participate in Azerbaijani-Armenian Conflict. globalresearch.ca 1,000 fighters of the so-called Syrian National Army, a coalition of Turkish-funded militant groups, will be moved to Azerbaijan in September as a part of a 6-month long deployment, Syrian pro-militant media reported. According to reports, Turkish proxies will pass …
(2020-09-23). At UN Assembly, Lebanese leader appeals for help to rebuild after Beirut explosion. news.un.org Lebanon will need support from the international community to rebuild in the aftermath of the devastating explosion in the port of its capital, Beirut, the country's President told world leaders, gathered virtually at the United Nations General Assembly.
(2020-09-23). Put 'people before politics' in Lebanon, urges Guterres, following Beirut disaster. news.un.org It's time that leaders across Lebanon put "people before politics" following last month's explosions in Beirut port, said the UN chief on Wednesday, which must serve as a wake-up call following a year of upheaval and clamour for reform on all fronts.
(2020-09-23). Iran, Russia seeking to expand scientific cooperation. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 23 (MNA) — Iran's Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali met and held talks with the special assistant to the Russian president for science and technology Andrei Fursenko on Wednesday.
(2020-09-23). France Regrets New Government Not Yet Formed in Lebanon, Foreign Ministry Says. sputniknews.com PARIS (Sputnik) – France regrets that Lebanese officials have not yet been able to form a new government, despite their commitments, a French Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.
(2020-09-23). International Support Group Urges Lebanon's Leaders to Immediately Form New Government. sputniknews.com UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) – The members of the International Support Group (ISG) for Lebanon in a joint statement on Wednesday called on the country's leaders to show unity to allow the timely formation of a new government that would be able to meet the legitimate aspirations of the Lebanese people.
(2020-09-22). A Peace Deal Like No Other. globalresearch.ca It is odd that the White House is gloating over its claimed peace agreement in the Middle East at the same time as one of the signatories is bombing Syria, Lebanon and Gaza. It all suggests that peace in the …
(2020-09-22). A Peace Deal Like No Other: Much Ado About Nothing, But Act 2 Is Coming Up. thealtworld.com It is odd that the White House is gloating over its claimed peace agreement in the Middle East at the same time as one of the signatories is bombing Syria, Lebanon and Gaza. It all suggests that peace in the region will exclude designated enemies and the friends of those enemies, since the ties among the three parties — Israel, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain — is transparently in part an offensive alliance directed against Iran and its friends, to include Syria and Lebanon. A significant amount of the horse trading that preceded the gala signing ceremony in the White House involved who would g…
(2020-09-22). Apologise to Palestine: Bahrainis Express Endless Embarrassment Upon the Shameful Treacherous Accord. thealtworld.com Sondoss Al Assad- Palestine, as far as the Bahrainis are considered, is not only an Arab humanitarian issue but rather a domestic indisputable concern, whose responsibility is held by each and every one of them, from different ages, affiliation and ideologies. The steadfast and vigilant Palestinians are their brethren and their cause is their first honorable cause. | For this reason, and amid the ongoing ban on the freedom of assembly and the imposed restrictions on the freedom of expression, tens of thousands of Bahrainis have protested on Twitter against what they call "Accord of Shame," "Accord of Betrayal." T…
(2020-09-22). France, Spain deny US claim that Hezbollah is storing explosives in Europe. middleeasteye.net 
France, Spain deny US claim that Hezbollah is storing explosives in Europe | European countries say there is no evidence to back top US official's remarks that Hezbollah is stockpiling ammonium nitrate on the continent | Tue, 09/22/2020 – 22: 21 | Greek newspaper says a police inquiry could not substantiate Washington's assertions (AFP/File photo) | European countries have denied assertions by a top US official t…
(2020-09-22). Large blast hits suspected Hezbollah site in south Lebanon. middleeasteye.net 
Large blast hits suspected Hezbollah site in south Lebanon | A number of people were injured in the blast in Ain Qana, local residents told Lebanese media | Tue, 09/22/2020 – 13: 49 | Screengrab shows smoke rising from village in south Lebanon (Twitter) | A large explosion rocked a village in south Lebanon on Tuesday, with local media reporting that it had occured in a house belonging to Hezbollah. | A securit…
(2020-09-22). UK shares evidence with US in case of two Islamic State 'Beatles'. middleeasteye.net 
UK shares evidence with US in case of two Islamic State 'Beatles' | US authorities received evidence after UK high court dismissed an appeal by mother of one of the accused | Tue, 09/22/2020 – 15: 44 | El Shafee Elsheikh, right, and Alexanda Kotey were captured by Kurdish forces in Syria in 2018 before being handed over to US (AFP/File photo) | UK authorities handed over key evidence to the US on Tuesday in th…
(2020-09-22). US escalates military intervention in Syria. wsws.org The bolstering of the US force with another 100 troops, armored vehicles, and air power heightens the threat of confrontation between the world's two biggest nuclear powers.
(2020-09-22). VIDEO: Explosion rocks in southern Lebanese village. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 22 (MNA) — A large explosion rocked Ain Qana village in south Lebanon on Tuesday. So far the cause is unknown and a number of people have been injured as local residents told Lebanese media.
(2020-09-22). Ghasemi urges France to support Iranians against US pressure. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 22 (MNA) — Iranian Ambassador to Paris Bahram Ghasemi urged the French parliamentary members to support Iranians against US sanctions.
(2020-09-22). Archaeologists unearth stunning mosaics in ancient church in Turkey. yenisafak.com Archeologists in southeastern Turkey initiated an excavation to unearth mosaics belonging to a 1600-year-old church.Built in 396 A.D. in Mardin's Goktas village, the church was discovered on Sept. 18, 2019 and the area was declared as an archeological site.Abdulgani Tarkan, head of the excavation and the director of Mardin Museum, told Anadolu Agency that the church is structured on a basilica plan with a mosaic base.The base was decorated with a nine-line inscription written in Estrangelo, or Ancient Syriac alphabet, Tarkan said."The mosaics are also decorated with animal depictions, geometric ornaments and huma…
(2020-09-22). Powerful blast rocks southern Lebanon. yenisafak.com A big explosion rocked Lebanon's southern province of Nabatieh on Tuesday, according to the official National News Agency (NNA). | A fire broke out after the blast that occurred in the town of Ain Qana while the cause of the explosion remains unclear. | Firefighters and security forces were dispatched to the scene. | According to the Lebanese MTV channel, the explosion took place at a Hezbollah's arms depot in the area.
(2020-09-22). US pleased with YPG/PKK-ENKS talks in Syria: KRG. yenisafak.com President of the semi-autonomous Kurdish region, Nechirvan Barzani, held a meeting with US special envoy for Syria James Jeffrey during which the latter stated that his country was pleased with the talks for rapprochement, the KRG said.The meeting held in KRG's capital Erbil tackled the situation of foreign forces in Syria and security developments.The two sides also discussed developments regarding the coronavirus outbreak in Syria and Iraq as well as relations between Erbil and Baghdad and the Kurdish problem in Syria, the statement said.According to the statement, Jeffrey thanked Barzani and the KRG for their…
(2020-09-21). Arabic press review: Kuwait renews its rejection of normalisation with Israel. middleeasteye.net 
Arabic press review: Kuwait renews its rejection of normalisation with Israel | Meanwhile, UAE rabbi blows a shofar to mark Jewish new year in Dubai, and Lebanon faces severe shortages of essential medicine | Mon, 09/21/2020 – 14: 08 | Kuwaiti National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanim speaks inside the Palestinian diplomatic mission in Kuwait City on 15 May 2018 to protest against the US decis…
(2020-09-21). US sanctions in Syria are killing people, even if Trump never killed Assad. therealnews.com 
U.S. sanctions are "stopping any rebuilding of Syria" and "promoting civil wars," says Joshua Landis, a University of Oklahoma Middle East scholar. He says rather than hurting Assad, sanctions have hurt Syrian civilians.
(2020-09-21). Russian jets strike rebel-held bastion in northwestern Syria. middleeasteye.net 
Russian jets strike rebel-held bastion in northwestern Syria | Witnesses say Sunday's bombings in Idlib were the most extensive since a ceasefire was agreed in March by Russia and Turkey | Mon, 09/21/2020 – 10: 39 | Smoke billows following a reported Russian air strike on the western countryside of the mostly rebel-held Syrian province of Idlib, on 20 September 2020 (AFP) | Syrian oppositi…
(2020-09-21). Lebanese president warns of 'hell' if new government is not formed. middleeasteye.net 
Lebanese president warns of 'hell' if new government is not formed | President Michel Aoun proposed annulling sectarian quotas in main ministries in bid to form cabinet | Mon, 09/21/2020 – 18: 56 | Lebanese President Michel Aoun gives televised address a week after a deadline to name a cabinet passed (AFP) | Lebanese President Michel Aoun said on Monday that the country was going "to hell"
(2020-09-21). US playing 'very reckless' games with Kurdish separatists in Syria, risks exploding entire Middle Eastern region — Russian FM. rt.com 
Washington must think beyond the upcoming US presidential vote and keep the future of the Middle East in mind when its encourages separatism in Syria's Kurdish population, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned. | After almost a decade-long bloody civil war, peace has been restored on almost all Syrian territory, Lavrov said in a lengthy and exclusive interview with the Dubai-based broadcaster Al Arabiya. "The military confrontation between the government and the opposition is over," he pointed out, adding that "only two hotbeds" now remain in the country. | The first one was northwestern Idlib pro…
(2020-09-21). Obstacles to French success in Lebanon: Saudi Arabia and the US. thealtworld.com A US counterterrorism official has claimed that Hezbollah "is stocking ammonium nitrate in France, Italy, Greece, Spain and Switzerland". The French Foreign Ministry responded that these allegations were untrue. Consequently, it dealt a direct blow to the American administration, which is working in Brussels to place Hezbollah with its military and political wings on the EU's terrorist list. France enjoys enough influence within the corridors of the European Union and the European Parliament to stand as an impediment to the American plans. For France, it is not a matter of love or support for Hezbollah, but rathe…
(2020-09-21). Deux obstacles au succès de la France au Liban : l'Arabie saoudite et les USA. thealtworld.com Un responsable américain de la lutte antiterroriste a affirmé que le Hezbollah ´ entrepose du nitrate d'ammonium en France, en Italie, en Grèce, en Espagne et en Suisse ª. Le ministère des Affaires étrangères de la France a répondu que ces allégations étaient fausses, portant ainsi un coup direct à l'administration américaine, qui travaille de connivence avec Bruxelles pour mettre les ailes militaires et politiques du Hezbollah sur la liste des organisations terroristes de l'UE. La France possède une influence suffisante dans les couloirs de l'Union européenne et du Parlement européen pour faire obstac…
(2020-09-21). Iranian envoy bids farewell to Qatar officials. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 21 (MNA) — The outgoing Iranian Ambassador to Doha bid farewell to the Qatari Emir and PM on Monday.
(2020-09-21). The World to choose independence-based multilateralism. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 22 (MNA) — Iranian ambassador to France said that the world will choose independence-based multilateralism over unilateralism by force and coercion.
(2020-09-21). 77% conflict-hit people lost income amid virus: Study. yenisafak.com The Norwegian Refugee Council's report — titled Downward Spiral: the economic impact of Covid-19 on refugees and displaced people — said a survey was conducted in Afghanistan, Colombia, Iraq, Kenya, Libya, Mali, Uganda and Venezuela and additional research in Somalia, DR Congo, Lebanon, Jordan, Burkina Faso and Yemen."The devastating economic impact is tipping many into a hunger, homelessness and education crisis," it said.According to the findings from the 1,413 people surveyed, 77% of people had lost a job or income from work since March, 70% of people had to cut the number of meals for their househ…
(2020-09-21). Turkey supports rural development projects in Lebanon. yenisafak.com Turkey's state-run aid agency is continuing to support projects in Lebanon to end unemployment and poverty caused by economic crisis. | Orhan Aydin, the coordinator of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) in Lebanon, on Monday said they were providing training and necessary materials such as chickens, feedstuff and medicine for poultry farming to Lebanese housewives. | He said the aid was meant to improve rural development, agriculture and husbandry in the Middle Eastern country. | Aydin said local people have had an opportunity to produce and trade chickens and eggs. | At least 50 people receiv…
(2020-09-20). Maronite Christian patriarch takes swipe at Lebanon's Shia leaders over cabinet delay. middleeasteye.net 
Maronite Christian patriarch takes swipe at Lebanon's Shia leaders over cabinet delay | Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rai blamed 'a sect' for the 'political paralysis' in forming a new government | Sun, 09/20/2020 – 12: 51 | Lebanese Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rai speaks after meeting with Lebanon's President Michel Aoun at the presidential palace in Baabda (Reuters) | The head o…
(2020-09-20). US policies against JCPOA completely failed. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 20 (MNA) — Iran's Ambassador to the UK Hamid Baeidinejad said that the US is facing unprecedented isolation and its policies against the JCPOA have completely failed.
(2020-09-20). Three new ambassadors submit credentials to Zarif. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 20 (MNA) — The new ambassadors of Iraq, Denmark, and Norway submitted copies of their credentials to the Iranian Foreign Minister on Sunday.