2021-02-12: News Headlines

Mohammad Ayesh (2021-02-12). Arabic press review: Egypt's opposition establishes new coalition. middleeasteye.net Arabic press review: Egypt's opposition establishes new coalition | Also threats against Hezbollah's opponents in Lebanon have been escalating and a Palestinian man was forced to demolish his own home in Jerusalem | Fri, 02/12/2021 – 11: 33 | A new opposition coalition has been launched 10 years after Egyptians launched their uprising on 25 January 2011 and ousted President Hosni Mubarak (AFP)…

yenisafak (2021-02-12). At least 12 Iran-backed terrorists killed in airstrike in Syria. yenisafak.com At least 12 Iranian-backed terrorists fighting with the Bashar al-Assad regime were killed in an airstrike conducted by US-led anti-Daesh coalition forces in eastern Syria, sources said Thursday.Warplanes targeted a convoy of terrorist groups in Deir ez-Zor province.Pipelines and trade routes from Iraq and Jordan pass through the province.The terrorists are under the command of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.With the help of Russia and Iranian-backed militias, the central and the western areas of Deir ez-Zor fell to the regime after Daesh terrorists retreated from the region.The majority of Iranian-back…

Areeb Ullah (2021-02-12). Syrian militants urged to release US journalist Bilal Abdul Kareem. middleeasteye.net Syrian militants urged to release US journalist Bilal Abdul Kareem | Idlib-based reporter was arrested six months ago after raising concerns about alleged torture of prisoners by HTS | Fri, 02/12/2021 – 15: 55 | Bilal Abdul Kareem has reported from opposition-held Syria since 2014 (Screengrab) | A leading media freedom monitor has called for the release of US journalist Bilal Abdul Kareem, six months aft…

Harun al-Aswad (2021-02-12). Damascus threatens to seize property from displaced Syrians over conscription fees. middleeasteye.net Damascus threatens to seize property from displaced Syrians over conscription fees | Government has introduced legal amendments to seize assets of Syrian refugees who fail to pay large sums for skipping conscription | Fri, 02/12/2021 – 10: 01 | A Syrian army soldier uses a detector to find and clear landmines in a field at a pistachio orchard in the village of Maan, north of Hama (AFP) | The Syr…

Staff (2021-02-12). Ralph Nader: Biden Must Hold Boeing Accountable for Deaths Due to Faulty Planes. truthout.org Legendary consumer advocate Ralph Nader says the U.S. is experiencing a "corporate crime wave," and that the Trump administration's $2.5 billion settlement with Boeing over the manufacturer's faulty 737 MAX jets amounts to a "slap on the wrist." Boeing's faulty planes were involved in two fatal crashes that killed 346 people in 2018 and 2019, including Nader's 24-year-old grandniece Samya Stumo. Nader says the Biden Justice Department should reopen the previous administration's settlement and…

RT (2021-02-12). 'Disgusted' Nikki Haley throws Trump under the bus, but conservatives & #Resistance are having none of her 'flip-flop'. rt.com Former US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley has joined the growing parade of Republicans eager to publicly distance themselves from former president Donald Trump amid his second impeachment proceedings. | "We need to acknowledge he let us down," Haley told Politico in an interview published Friday, making an effort to create palpable space between herself — an upwardly-mobile young politician apparently determined to run for president in 2024 — and the former commander-in-chief whose own party couldn't wait to stick the knives in. | "He went down a path he shouldn't have, and we shouldn't have followe…

Staff (2021-02-12). Where Are the Witnesses? Ralph Nader Says Democrats' Impeachment Case Is "Prescription for Defeat" democracynow.org As the historic Senate impeachment trial of Donald Trump continues, we speak with longtime consumer advocate, corporate critic and former presidential candidate Ralph Nader, who says Democrats have set themselves up for defeat by rushing proceedings and failing to call witnesses — including Trump himself. "The narrow approach of the articles of impeachment keep the Democrats from having a full hand," says Nader. "They have like 10 arrows in their quiver and they're using one or two."

Staff (2021-02-12). Ralph Nader on Corporate Crime, Holding Boeing Accountable for 737 MAX Deaths & Biden's First Weeks. democracynow.org Legendary consumer advocate Ralph Nader says the U.S. is experiencing a "corporate crime wave," and that the Trump administration's $2.5 billion settlement with Boeing over the manufacturer's faulty 737 MAX jets amounts to a "slap on the wrist." Boeing's faulty planes were involved in two fatal crashes that killed 346 people in 2018 and 2019, including Nader's 24-year-old grandniece Samya Stumo. Nader says the Biden Justice Department should reopen the previous administration's settlement and hold Boeing fully accountable. "This is just another example of giant companies getting away with their corporate criminal…

yenisafak (2021-02-12). Turkish cemetery in Sofia to be restored. yenisafak.com The Turkish Embassy in Bulgaria and the grand mufti's office in the country will launch a joint initiative to restore a historical Turkish cemetery in the capital Sofia.Turkey's Ambassador in Sofia Aylin Sekizkok and the Grand Mufti of Bulgaria Muslims Mustafa Alis Haci visited the cemetery, also known as "Turkish plot (No. 42)," in the Orlandovtsi district of Sofia.The "Turkish plot (No. 42)" is part of the central cemetery in Sofia, according to the grand mufti's office.Sekizkok and Haci agreed that the cemetery, where Ottoman Sultan Murat V's daughter Fatma Sultan is also buried, need renovation.Speaking to An…

yenisafak (2021-02-12). ANALYSIS: Albania, Greece taking issue of maritime jurisdiction zones to The Hague. yenisafak.com The Greek move to double its waters, which drew criticism and sparked debates in Albania in recent months, raised questions about exclusive economic zones on Albania's continental shelf and determining the maritime jurisdiction zones between the two countries.- History of disputeThe first document establishing borders between Albania and Greece goes back to the 1912-1913 London Conference of Ambassadors. Later, on Jan. 25, 1925, a protocol establishing maritime borders was signed. The final judgment concerning Albanian maritime borders was drafted on July 30, 1926, at the Paris Conference of Ambassadors, signed b…

Vladimir Chizhov (2021-02-12). Strained Russia-EU Relations. 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). | *** | In a telephone interview on Thursday (11 February) the Ambassador of …

MEE and agencies (2021-02-11). Beirut explosion: Port was 'lucky' says German firm clearing blast-hit dockside. middleeasteye.net Beirut explosion: Port was 'lucky' says German firm clearing blast-hit dockside | Heavy lift transport company Combi Lift says Lebanese capital only escaped a second chemical inferno by chance | Thu, 02/11/2021 – 14: 26 | The 4 August explosion was caused by tonnes of ammonium nitrate that had been inadequately stored for more than six years (AFP) | After a blast of historic proportions at…

Juan Cole (2021-02-11). Top 5 Reasons for Biden to snub Israel's Netanyahu, whom he still hasn't Called. juancole.com Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) — Danny Danon, Israel's former ambassador to the United Nations, impatiently tweeted a list of all the foreign leaders that President Joe Biden has already called in his one month in office, and suggesting it was time he called Binyamin Netanyahu. Biden is close to the Israel lobbies and had been …

teleSUR (2021-02-11). Brunei Receives COVID-19 Vaccine Donation From China. telesurenglish.net Brunei's Health Ministry announced that its country received a batch of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine donated by China and is reviewing a vaccination program. | RELATED: | The sultanate's Second Minister of Foreign Affairs Haji Erywan attended the handover ceremony on Tuesday and held a discussion with Yu Hong, Chinese ambassador to Brunei. | Haji Erywan said that the Chinese vaccine w…

yenisafak (2021-02-11). Assad regime forces restricted in YPG/PKK terror areas. yenisafak.com The YPG/PKK terrorist group and Russia have reached an agreement following a series of meetings to restrict the movement of Assad regime forces in the Syrian cities of al-Hasakah and Qamishli, local sources told Anadolu Agency Thursday.According to the sources, regime forces will only be able to move within the two cities if accompanied by members of the YPG/PKK terrorist group.The agreement comes after heightened tensions between regime forces and members of the terrorist group in the region since early January marred by mutual arrests and a siege by YPG/PKK terrorists on regime forces, prompting Russia's inter…

yenisafak (2021-02-11). Turkey 'neutralizes' 2 YPG/PKK terrorists in N.Syria. yenisafak.com The terrorists attempted to infiltrate the area of Turkey's cross-border anti-terror offensive Operation Peace Spring to disrupt peace and security in the region, the ministry said on Twitter.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-terror operations in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).In its more than 30-year terror campaign agains…

yenisafak (2021-02-11). Turkish charity to build 1,000 houses in Syria. yenisafak.com A Turkish charity will build 1,000 houses in Idlib, northwestern Syria for those who are living in hard conditions due to the ongoing civil war.The Istanbul-based Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) has been working to find permanent solutions to the humanitarian crisis in Syria for more than 10 years.It has started to renew and improve briquette houses built as an emergency solution, the foundation said in a statement on Wednesday.Thousands of Syrian families have found the opportunity to live in warm houses rather than makeshift tents.The IHH will build 1,000 houses in the first phase of the project. They will…

yenisafak (2021-02-11). At least 17 asylum seekers held in northwestern Turkey. yenisafak.com Seventeen asylum seekers were held by Turkish security forces in the northwestern province of Kirklareli, which borders Bulgaria, security sources said on Thursday.The Afghan and Syrian nationals were held by local gendarmerie forces in Kofcaz and Demirkoy districts near the border.According to insiders, the asylum seekers told Turkish forces that they crossed the border but were arrested by Bulgarian police and left on the Turkish side after being beaten and their valuables snatched.After routine medical checks, they were referred to the provincial Gendarmerie Command, and later transferred to the local repatria…

yenisafak (2021-02-11). UN sends 71 truckloads of humanitarian aid to NW Syria. yenisafak.com The UN on Thursday sent 71 truckloads of humanitarian aid to northwestern Syria, where millions of people need assistance due to internal conflict.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 has ravaged Syria since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protesters. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and displaced since then.Idlib falls within a de-escalation zone forged under an agreement between Turkey and Russia.*Writing by A…

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 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). 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). 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…

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…

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…