2021-02-10: News Headlines

Alan Macleod (2021-02-10). New US Military Base in Northeast Syria Latest of Biden's Warlike Moves. mintpressnews.com Many of Biden's first moves in the Middle East, including the building of a new base in Syria, suggest his term will be more of the same rather than a break with the old.

yenisafak (2021-02-10). Turkish intelligence captures senior PKK terrorist in N.Iraq. yenisafak.com A senior PKK terrorist was brought to Turkey after he was arrested in an operation of Turkish intelligence in northern Iraq, security sources said on Wednesday.Ibrahim Parim, so-called "logistics officer" of the PKK terror group, was arrested in Sinjar in an operation held by the Turkish National Intelligence Organization.The terrorist — codenamed Laser — was operating in Sinjar near the Iraqi border with Syria, according to sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.He is currently being questioned by counter-terrorism police as per the instructions of the Ankara prosecutors.Parim was found to have…

yenisafak (2021-02-10). Turkish charity supports children's education in Syria. yenisafak.com The Turkiye Diyanet Foundation (TDV) has provided education opportunities to nearly 8,000 children in Syria.Ihsan Acik, the second chairman of the board of trustees of the TDV, said that the charity has developed projects for the child victims of Syria's bloody civil war to continue their education."We provide opportunities for education to nearly 8,000 students with a total of 12 educational projects, including a kindergarten, eight elementary schools, two high schools and a university computer laboratory in Idlib and Azaz regions in Syria," Acik stated.Noting that TDV also distributes stationery and books perio…

yenisafak (2021-02-10). Syrian youth illustrate peace in Afrin with graffiti. yenisafak.com Young people in Afrin turn the walls of their city, which was largely cleared of YPG/PKK terrorists in 2018 through Turkey's anti-terror offensive Operation Olive Branch, into works of art.The Afrin Local Council and some non-governmental organizations support these efforts of the volunteers, who come together under the name of "The Trail of Peace".Graffiti on the walls of the busiest streets of the city is also admired by the local residents."We decorate the streets with graffiti to show peace among the local people," Beyazit Beyazit, one of the volunteers, told Anadolu Agency."As Arabs and Kurds, we make no dis…

MEE staff (2021-02-10). Biden supports repatriating foreign nationals from Syria, says US diplomat. middleeasteye.net Biden supports repatriating foreign nationals from Syria, says US diplomat | Several European countries refuse to repatriate adults from Syria, saying they should be tried where they are accused of committing crimes | Wed, 02/10/2021 – 19: 29 | Tens of thousands of women and children have been detained in camps run by Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces militia in northeast Syria (AFP) | The Biden administrat…

Ian Cobain (2021-02-10). Aid charity facing scrutiny over payments to armed opposition group. middleeasteye.net Aid charity facing scrutiny over payments to armed opposition group | Relief International, which operates in countries across the Middle East, suspended from receiving funding by USAID | Wed, 02/10/2021 – 08: 53 | A Syrian girl looks into a room at a school run by Relief International in Al Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan, near the border with Syria, in 2017 (Reuters) | A global aid charity that works exten…

Kareem Chehayeb (2021-02-09). Lebanese-Armenian family searches for woman who disappeared in Nagorno-Karabakh. middleeasteye.net Lebanese-Armenian family searches for woman who disappeared in Nagorno-Karabakh | Maral Najarian has been unaccounted for since November, with relatives worried about her fate and angry about the inaction of authorities in Lebanon and Armenia | Tue, 02/09/2021 – 16: 26 | Najarian's siblings suspect she's in an Azerbaijani prison and fear for her life – as they accuse authorities both in Leban…

Ralph Nader (2021-02-09). Democrats Disarm Themselves Before Trump's Senate Impeachment Trial. counterpunch.org Donald Trump, has with luck, eluded the consequences of being a failed gambling czar with no respect for the law. But his luck has reached a new level with Congressional Democrats refraining from holding him accountable for breaking the law and violating the Constitution as regularly as the rising and setting of the sun for

yenisafak (2021-02-09). UN sends 60 truckloads of aid to Idlib, Syria. yenisafak.com On Tuesday, the UN sent 60 truckloads of humanitarian aid to Idlib, northwestern Syria, where millions of people need assistance due to internal conflict in the country.The trucks carrying supplies passed through the Cilvegozu border gate in Turkey's southern Hatay province.The aid will be distributed to those in need in Idlib and nearby rural areas.A civil war had ravaged Syria since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protesters.Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed, and millions more displaced.Idlib falls within a de-escalation zone forged under an agreement between Turkey…

news.un (2021-02-09). Without 'constructive international diplomacy' Syria's peace process will not move forward. news.un.org The UN Special Envoy for Syria said there had to be "constructive international diplomacy" if the peace process is to move forward in any way, appearing before the Security Council behind closed doors on Tuesday.

Heba Nasser (2021-02-09). Syria: UN experts call on 57 states to repatriate women and children from squalid camps. middleeasteye.net Syria: UN experts call on 57 states to repatriate women and children from squalid camps | United Nations group of experts says countries of origin have primary responsibility to protect nationals in vulnerable situations outside their territories | Tue, 02/09/2021 – 14: 21 | Children hold onto water containers in al-Hol camp, Syria, 8 January 2020 (Reuters) | UN human rights experts have urged 57 countri…

MEE staff (2021-02-09). Syrian oil fields no longer priority for US forces, says Pentagon. middleeasteye.net Syrian oil fields no longer priority for US forces, says Pentagon | Pentagon spokesman says defeating Islamic State group is Washington's main objective in war-ravaged country | Tue, 02/09/2021 – 16: 20 | In 2019, Trump announced US troops would largely withdraw from Syria, with exception of a small force that would remain to 'protect' oil resources (AFP) | US forces in Syria are not guarding oil fields as pre…

MEE staff (2021-02-09). Golan Heights 'will continue' to be Israel's, says Netanyahu after Blinken remarks. middleeasteye.net Golan Heights 'will continue' to be Israel's, says Netanyahu after Blinken remarks | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responds after US Secretary of State downplays country's claim to Syrian territory | Tue, 02/09/2021 – 16: 14 | The Israeli-controlled fence that separates occupied Golan Heights from rest of Syria, pictured on 12 May 2020 (AFP/File photo) | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu re…

RT (2021-02-09). Tehran summons Belgian envoy after Iranian diplomat jailed for 20 years on foiled bomb plot charges. rt.com Iran has summoned Belgium's ambassador in Tehran to protest a Belgian court's sentencing of Iranian diplomat Assadolah Assadi for orchestrating a bomb attack in Paris, Iranian state news agency IRNA reported on Tuesday. | Tehran repeated its claim that the 20-year maximum sentence handed down to Assadi by an Antwerp court last week is a violation of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations — a treaty governing relations between states. | "The Antwerp Court ruling violates international law and ignores Belgium's obligations to the Islamic Republic of Iran, therefore Iran does not recognise it in…

yenisafak (2021-02-09). Zimbabwe loses another top official to COVID-19. yenisafak.com Zimbabwe lost another top official to COVID-19, the country's president announced Tuesday.Lt-Gen. (Retd) Douglas Nyikayaramba, ambassador to neighboring Mozambique, has died due to COVID-19, President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced during a cabinet briefing Tuesday morning, the national broadcaster reported.His death comes a day after Mnangagwa made some cabinet changes, filling the vacant posts after three ministers' death due to COVID-19.Two ministers died last month when the second wave of the COVID-19 struck, killing nearly 1,000 people in less than two months.Following these deaths, the Southern Africa country…

yenisafak (2021-02-09). Zimbabwe fills cabinet slots created by COVID-19. yenisafak.com Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa late Monday night filled the cabinet slots that fell vacant because of ministers' death due to coronavirus last month.The Zimbabwean leader appointed Fredrick Shava, the country's ambassador to the United Nations, as minister for Foreign Affairs and International Trade, replacing Sibusiso Moyo, who died of coronavirus last month.Felix Tapiwa Mhona, a parliamentarian from Chikomba Central district in the country's East Province Mashonaland, has been appointed transport minister, replacing late Joel Biggie Matiza with the novel coronavirus last month.Nokhuthula Matsikenyeri,…

Mehr News Agency (2021-02-09). Iran summons Belgian envoy over illegal ruling for diplomat. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 09 (MNA) — Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Belgian Ambassador to Tehran on Tuesday in a protest to a Belgian court ruling against Iranian diplomat.

oneworld.press (2021-02-08). Balancing Regional Interests In Syria Is The Only Way Reach A Compromise Solution. oneworld.press Politically resolving the Hybrid War of Terror on Syria will involve difficult compromises on all sides, but this is only possible if each party acknowledges their counterparts' regional interests and Russian diplomats are able to successfully devise a creative solution for "balancing" between them as best as possible.

Mehr News Agency (2021-02-08). US military column enters Syria from illegal border crossing. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 08 (MNA) — News sources reported the arrival of a US military column from Iraq to Syria, stating that the military column entered Syria through an illegal border crossing.

news.un (2021-02-08). 'Unknown number' of foreign nationals have died in squalid Syrian camps, say rights experts. news.un.org "An unknown number" of foreign nationals have died while being detained in squalid camps in Syria's northeast, senior UN-appointed independent rights experts said on Monday.

Sheren Khalel (2021-02-08). 'Wise diplomacy': How will Biden tackle US foreign policy towards Syria? middleeasteye.net 'Wise diplomacy': How will Biden tackle US foreign policy towards Syria? | Turning back the clock to past US policy in Syria – widely seen as a series of failed strategies – will not be an option for Biden team | Mon, 02/08/2021 – 15: 03 | Syrians hold placards against President Bashar al-Assad during demonstration in Idlib city on 11 September 2020 (AFP/File photo) | As the tenth anniversary of th…

MEE staff (2021-02-08). Khaled al-Asaad: Possible remains of Syrian archaeologist found at Palmyra. middleeasteye.net Khaled al-Asaad: Possible remains of Syrian archaeologist found at Palmyra | Asaad was beheaded by militants at the ancient site after refusing to reveal the location of priceless artefacts | Mon, 02/08/2021 – 12: 27 | Khaled al-Assad had been in charge of the site at ancient Palmyra for decades (social media) | Remains thought to belong to Khaled al-Asaad, the distinguished archaeologist who was killed by Isl…

RT (2021-02-08). Political 'personality cults' are bad for democracy and rule of law, Pope says, citing events of 2020. rt.com Pope Francis condemned political cults of personality and said mature democracies must ensure the rule of law prevails over political interests, in what was widely interpreted as a condemnation of populism. | "The development of a democratic consciousness demands that emphasis on individual personalities be overcome and that respect for the rule of law prevail," the head of the Roman Catholic Church said on Monday, in an annual speech to ambassadors accredited to the Vatican. | | Mature democracies should shun political personality cults, p…

Mehr News Agency (2021-02-08). Removal of all sanctions only way to prove goodwill. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Feb. 09 (MNA) — Iranian Ambassador to Paris Bahram Ghasemi said the only way for the new US administration to prove its goodwill to Iran is to lift all the sanctions.

teleSUR (2021-02-08). Iran, China and Russia Carry Out Joint Maneuver in Indian Ocean. telesurenglish.net "The next multilateral naval exercise will be held in the northern Indian Ocean in mid-February 2021," Russian Ambassador to Iran Levan Dzhagaryan confirmed in an interview with Russian news agency RIA Novosti on Monday. | The senior Russian diplomat has detailed that this trilateral exercise seeks to "work in cooperation in search and rescue operations and measures to ensure the safety of navigation." | RELATED: | T…

teleSUR (2021-02-08). Mexico and Canada to Keep Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program. telesurenglish.net Mexico's Ambassador to Canada Juan Gomez confirmed the continuity of the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) despite travel restrictions in place since Jan. 31. | RELATED: | An agreement was reached with Canadian farmers to finance charter flights for SAWP participants during the period of travel restrictions. This deal will guarantee the arrival of around 7,000 Mexican agricultural workers. | As of Jan…