NEWS

25

Aug

Blockade, China, coronavirus, COVID-19, Eid Al Fitr, Gaza, Hebron, Israel, Palestine, Turkey, West Bank

Blockade and COVID-19 Effects in Palestine

BY: Reema Aburamadan PEJOURNAL - As the citizens of the world are experiencing restrictions on movement because of COVID-19, Palestinians in Gaza and in the West Bank have been experiencing it for decades. Since 2006, the Gaza Strip in the Palestinian Territories has been under complete blockade, air, land, and sea. People living in Gaza have difficulties regarding travel either for seeking medical treatment, education, or even vacation. The world finds it very difficult and, in some places, people believe that the restrictions taken because of the coronavirus are limiting their freedom. On the other hand, for people living in…

Read More

15

Aug

arms embargo, Iran, U.S., UNSC

UNSC defeated a U.S. resolution to extend arms embargo on Iran

PEJOURNAL - The U.N. Security Council on Friday resoundingly defeated a U.S. resolution to indefinitely extend the U.N. arms embargo on Iran, with the Trump administration getting support from only the Dominican Republic. The vote in the 15-member council was two in favor, two against and 11 abstentions, leaving it far short of the minimum nine “yes” votes required for adoption. Russia and China strongly opposed the resolution, but didn’t need to use their vetoes. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the defeat of the resolution ahead of a very brief virtual council meeting to reveal the vote. The…

Read More

12

Aug

Afghanistan, Belt and Road Initiative, China

China’s Cautious Move to Boost Relations with Afghanistan

PEJOURNAL - The Chinese are very serious about improving relations with Afghanistan and have clear policies, but as long as the Americans are in Afghanistan, it looks like Beijing will move with caution. After a general agreement was reached between Pakistan and China called “One-Road One Belt” under which China invested about $65 billion in Pakistan, the idea of construction of a road from Qaraqorum to Karachi and from Karachi to the port of Gwadar known as Makran Road built by the Chinese was raised. In fact, the Chinese are building a highway from Kashgar, the capital of Xinjiang, to…

Read More

09

Aug

ASEAN, ballistic missile, China, COVID19, hypersonic missiles, Military, Pooya Mirzaei, South China Sea, Thailand, USA

What is the US looking for in Thailand amid pandemic?

PEJOURNAL - Thailand, one of the first countries to be affected by the outbreak of coronavirus, ranked high in the fight against corona and has not had a single new case of infection in the last two months. In this regard, the Corona Fighting Headquarter in this country has created very strict rules and protocols for people and foreign tourists, and this decision has been very effective. On August 3, at 7:00 AM, 71 U.S. troops from the island of Guam flew OAE6555, a privately-owned passenger aircraft, to U-Tapao Airport in Sattahip District, Thailand. The U.S. troops, under Alternative State…

Read More

09

Aug

Britain, coronavirus, EU, France, GERMANY

EU Action in Line with Maintaining Unity, Solidarity

PEJOURNAL - In an interview with the website of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, Javad Kachueian, referring to the agreement reached by the leaders of the EU member states on the budget to deal with the effects of the recession, said: Europe has experienced several major crises in the last one or two years. Britain’s withdrawal from the union and its far-reaching geopolitical implications, the global outbreak of the corona and the poor management of EU officials to contain it, Trump’s policies and attitudes towards Europe and his efforts to further weaken the EU and strengthen unilateralism and weakening…

Read More

08

Aug

Beirut, blast, explosion, France, Hariri, Hezbullah, Lebanon, Macron

What is Macron looking for in the ruins of Beirut?

PEJOURNAL - The principle that emerged during the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Beirut yesterday after the deadly explosion of the city's pier: "The return of the perpetrator to the crime scene is the accepted principle in all criminal cases." It seems that Macron still thinks that Lebanon is a French colony. After months of street protests by the French people, he did not give a convincing response to the unjust and corrupt policies of his government to the people of his country. Now he has come to Beirut to provide international aid to Lebanon in the face…

Read More

08

Aug

China, Donald Trump, Iran, Joe Biden, Russia, USA

AP: Russia vs. Biden, China vs. Trump

PEJOURNAL - U.S. intelligence officials believe that Russia is using a variety of measures to denigrate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden ahead of the November election and that individuals linked to the Kremlin are boosting President Donald Trump’s reelection bid, the country’s counterintelligence chief said Friday in the most specific warning to date about the threat of foreign interference. U.S. officials also believe that China does not want Trump to win a second term and has accelerated its criticism of the White House, expanding its efforts to shape public policy in America and to pressure political figures seen as opposed…

Read More

07

Aug

Election, Joe Biden, Reuters, running mate, USA

Reuters: Biden will soon pick a running mate. Here are the front-runners

PEJOURNAL - Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Joe Biden is expected to announce his running mate ahead of his party’s national convention that kicks off on Aug. 17. Biden has vowed to choose a woman as his potential vice president. Here are the contenders likely under consideration, according to people familiar with the process. Senator Kamala Harris Following widespread protests over racial injustice and police brutality, pressure increased on Biden to choose a woman of color. Harris, the daughter of Jamaican and Indian parents, fits the bill. Harris, 55, is widely viewed as a favorite. She is a battle-tested former presidential…

Read More

05

Aug

Beirut, blast, Cyprus, explosion, Hezbullah, injures, Israel, Lebanon, pejournal

Massive Beirut blast kills more than 70, injures thousands: AP

PEJOURNAL - A massive explosion rocked Beirut on Tuesday, flattening much of the city’s port, damaging buildings across the capital and sending a giant mushroom cloud into the sky. More than 70 people were killed and 3,000 injured, with bodies buried in the rubble, officials said. It was not clear what caused the blast, which struck with the force of a 3.5 magnitude earthquake, according to Germany’s geosciences center GFZ, and was heard and felt as far away as Cyprus more than 200 kilometers (180 miles) across the Mediterranean. Lebanon’s interior minister said it appeared that a large cache of…

Read More

05

Aug

China, trade deal, U.S.

China, U.S. to review trade deal, air other grievances on August 15: Reuters

PEJOURNAL - U.S. and Chinese officials will review the implementation of their Phase 1 trade deal and likely air mutual grievances in an increasingly tense relationship during an Aug. 15 videoconference, two people familiar with the plans said. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, the principal negotiators for the two countries, will participate in the meeting, an initial six-month review of the pact activated on Feb. 15. The meeting plans were first reported by the Wall Street Journal. The U.S. Trade Representative’s office and the U.S. Treasury did not respond to requests for comment. Under…

Read More