Daily Archives: October 15, 2020

2020-10-15: News Headlines

William Hartung (2020-10-15). The Art of the Weapons Deal in the Age of Trump. counterpunch.org The United States has the dubious distinction of being the world's leading arms dealer. It dominates the global trade in a historic fashion and nowhere is that domination more complete than in the endlessly war-torn Middle East. There, believe it or not, the U.S. controls nearly half the arms market. From Yemen to Libya to

MEE staff (2020-10-14). Pompeo encourages Saudi Arabia to normalise ties with Israel. middleeasteye.net Pompeo encourages Saudi Arabia to normalise ties with Israel | US Secretary of State thanks kingdom for assisting in normalisation deals between two Gulf Arab countries and Israel | Wed, 10/14/2020 – 17: 50 | Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo deliver remarks at State Department (AFP) | US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Saudi Arabia to normalise…

Areeb Ullah (2020-10-14). Rohingya fear deportation after Saudi Arabia calls on Bangladesh to give minority passports. middleeasteye.net Rohingya fear deportation after Saudi Arabia calls on Bangladesh to give minority passports | Riyadh threatens Dhaka with curbing migration if it fails to adhere to its request, which could be disastrous for Bangladesh's economy | Wed, 10/14/2020 – 12: 28 | Rohingya refugees living in Malaysia shout slogans during a protest against the treatment of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, in Kuala Lumpur on 8 Septem…

Alan MacLeod (2020-10-14). Western Anger as China, Russia Elected to UN Human Rights Council and Saudi Arabia Rejected. thealtworld.com The rejection of Saudi Arabia, the only country that did not receive the required number of votes from UN member states, has been seen as a repudiation of the Kingdom's decreasing international support. | MPN— In a secret ballot at the United Nations yesterday, Saudi Arabia was rejected for a position on the body's 47-country Human Rights Council (HRC). The only country that did not receive the required number of votes from member states, the failure has been seen as a repudiation of the Kingdom's abysmal human rights record and its decreasing international support. | 15 positions were filled yesterday, alth…

Rayhan Uddin (2020-10-13). Saudi-funded MBC's removal of Palestinian show raises questions over normalisation with Israel. middleeasteye.net Saudi-funded MBC's removal of Palestinian show raises questions over normalisation with Israel | The acclaimed historical drama was reinstated after backlash over fears of further Palestinian erasure from Arab broadcasts | Tue, 10/13/2020 – 15: 01 | 'The Palestinian Exodus' is among the most famous Arab historical dramas about the Palestinian struggle (Screengrab) | Saudi-funded TV channel MBC tempora…

MEE staff (2020-10-13). UN rejects Saudi bid for human rights council but Russia and China are elected. middleeasteye.net UN rejects Saudi bid for human rights council but Russia and China are elected | Rights groups express alarm after Moscow and Beijing secure seats on UN's top human rights body | Tue, 10/13/2020 – 19: 34 | The UN General Assembly held elections on Tuesday for 15 vacant seats in the UN Human Rights Council (AFP/File photo) | Saudi Arabia failed in its bid to become a member of the United Nations Human Rights Co…

_____ (2020-10-13). How To Stuff The Middle East With Weaponry. popularresistance.org The United States has the dubious distinction of being the world's leading arms dealer. It dominates the global trade in a historic fashion and nowhere is that domination more complete than in the endlessly war-torn Middle East. There, believe it or not, the U.S. controls nearly half the arms market. From Yemen to Libya to Egypt, sales by this country and its allies are playing a significant role in fueling some of the world's most devastating conflicts. But Donald Trump, even before he was felled by Covid-19 and sent to Walter Reed Medical Center, could not have cared less, as long as he thought such trafficking…

Caitlin Johnstone (2020-10-12). The Status Quo Is The Real 'Existential Threat': Notes From The Edge Of The Narrative Matrix. thealtworld.com War is mass murder. Speaking out against it is more important than people's emotional comfort. It's worth disrupting family dinners over. It's worth jeopardizing friendships over. History won't look kindly on those who chose silent complicity over anti-imperialism. | ~ | I still regularly stop and gawk at the fact that a US imperial ally is committing the world's worst mass atrocity in Yemen with America's help and it occupies almost zero public attention. Once you really grasp the significance of this fact, it's impossible to shake. | ~ | A news outlet which does not constantly inform its audience of all their g…

Mohammad Ayesh (2020-10-12). Arabic press review: Germany seeks to support Arab-Israel normalisation process. middleeasteye.net Arabic press review: Germany seeks to support Arab-Israel normalisation process | Meanwhile, an Israeli pop singer performs religious rituals at a synagogue in Dubai, and Kuwait is set to spend $4bn on businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 16: 04 | German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, currently on a visit to Riyadh, tells a Saudi paper that his country seeks to 'bene…

MEE staff (2020-10-12). Unofficial Saudi ban on Turkish exports hits fashion brands. middleeasteye.net Unofficial Saudi ban on Turkish exports hits fashion brands | Clothing giant Mango has experienced a ban on 'all imports for made in Turkey products' following months of customs delays and issues | Mon, 10/12/2020 – 17: 09 | Spain's Mango, Sweden's H&M and Britain's Marks and Spencer are among a number of European and US fashion retailers with manufacturing sites in Turkey (AFP/File photo) | An informal Saudi…