News from the Middle East

[AlbertC]

Canada, allies begin withdrawing troops from Iraq amid U.S.-Iran standoff

Lee Berthiaume The Canadian Press
Published Tuesday, January 7, 2020 11:39AM EST

Canadian troops safe after Iranian missiles target Iraqi city

No Canadian Armed Forces troops were hurt by the barrage of Iranian missiles that hit targets in Iraq Tuesday, Canada's chief of defence staff says.

www.ctvnews.ca

 

[Videodrome]

So, I guess Israel will have another election with the same results,causing more deadlock and forcing the cycle to continue.

 

[AlbertC]

Qatar 2022 World Cup migrant workers went 'unpaid for months' — Amnesty

11.06.2020

Migrant workers on a construction project for a FIFA World Cup stadium in Qatar were not paid for up to seven months, according to human rights organization Amnesty International.

Around 100 workers of Qatari subcontractor, Qatar Meta Coats (QMC), are still waiting to be paid in full, Amnesty said Thursday. Some workers had received partial payment after the rights group reported the case to Qatar's authorities and world football's governing body FIFA.

The laborers, from countries including Ghana, Kenya, Nepal and the Philippines, were contracted by the Qatari company for facade work on the Al-Bayt stadium.

Qatar World Cup workers went 'unpaid for months' – DW – 06/11/2020

Qatar is one of the world's richest countries, but around 100 laborers from Southeast Asia and Africa working on a prestigious stadium project have not been paid in seven months, Amnesty International claims.

www.dw.com

 

[SunriseChampion]

How about some posts about ongoing enslavement of Africans in the Arab world?


Seems like a topic du jour.

 

[jje1000]

How about some posts about ongoing enslavement of Africans in the Arab world?


Seems like a topic du jour.

Out of sight, out of mind!

Also I swear there has to be some racism of low expectations shaped by years of MENA cultural filtering via the Western-involved conflicts plus a general public sympathetic exhaustion that's happening here.

 

[Johnny Au]

Fun fact: the largest contingent of non-American Parler users is supporters of the Saudi crown prince:

Unhappy with Twitter, thousands of Saudis join pro-Trump social network Parler

A surge of about 200,000 users believed to be from Saudi Arabia who are frustrated at what they say is censorship by Twitter have helped crash the small social media network Parler, which styles itself as a "free speech-driven" space.

www.reuters.com

Rush of Anti-Twitter Saudis Inundates Right-Wing Social Media Site Parler

Parler's relatively small user base doubled as Saudi #Twexit users left Twitter.

slate.com

Looks like Islamophobes on Parler (and it's extremely popular with those who are openly Islamophobic) have to co-exist with supporters of the Saudi crown prince.

 

[urbanflight]

Iranian Arms, Fighters Bolster Maduro Dictatorship in Venezuela, U.S. Says
Top U.S. military commander for Central and South America cites ‘alarming and concerning’ presence of elite Quds Force

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1334361731011907584

WASHINGTON—Iran has sent arms and dispatched paramilitary operatives to help Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro maintain his hold on power, the top U.S. military commander for Central and South America said Wednesday.

“We see a growing Iranian influence in there,” Adm. Craig Faller, the head of the U.S. Southern Command, told reporters, citing the “alarming and concerning” presence of military personnel from the elite Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Tehran has used the force to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and other foreign allies and proxies.

Iran’s and Venezuela’s missions to the United Nations didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

Iran is just one U.S. adversary backing the embattled Venezuela leader. Thousands of Cubans have been “basically owning” the country’s intelligence service and guard force that protects Mr. Maduro, Adm. Faller said. Hundreds of Russians have also been instrumental in providing support to “keep key elements of Maduro’s military just ready enough" he added.

 

[Johnny Au]

Saudi Arabia becomes the largest outside shareholder of Nintendo with 8.26% of the shares

Saudi Arabia Becomes Largest Outside Shareholder of Nintendo

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund became the largest outside shareholder of Nintendo Co. on Friday, in the latest move by the Gulf state to lower its reliance on oil.

www.bloomberg.com

Days after its last increase, Saudi Arabia yet again ups its Nintendo stake | VGC

The Saudi wealth fund also recently raised its stakes in EA and Take-Two…

www.videogameschronicle.com

Saudi Arabia also owns a stake in Activision-Blizzard, Electronic Arts, Take-Two Interactive, and a few other major video game companies.