Biden Is Asked To Release All Secret 9/11 Files, But 'There Is No Smoking Gun'
Good morning from REEDNEWSARABWORLD for Tuesday, February 8, 2022!
The 9/11 attacks of 2001 against the United States are as real today as they were more than two decades ago for the families of those killed. Now there is excitement that the chairman of the official inquiry into the attacks, Tom Kean, the former governor of New Jersey, agrees with them that all secret files related to the attacks should be opened, declassified, and made public. What they don't agree with is Kean's belief that the files will shed little or no light on their claims of Saudi Arabia involvement: "There is no smoking gun."
The U.S. says a deal is "in sight" at the Iran nuclear talks in Vienna, which resume today. But Iran says some of their demands on sanctions haven't yet been addressed.
Abdul Malik Al-Houthi conceded that his forces have lost ground in Yemen's Shabwa province, a rare admission of defeat for the rebel leader.
Election of a president for Iraq is indefinitely postponed. The United States ambassador to Lebanon says the Lebanese elections scheduled for May must be held on time. In Libya, the eastern parliament says no elections will be held this year and a new interim prime minister will be chosen.
And news from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, Algeria, and More.
The chairman of the United States 9/11 commission said President Joe Biden should declassify and release all secret files about the terror attacks on New York and Washington on September 11, 2001, but that he didn't believe any new information would emerge linking the attackers to Saudi Arabia -- "I've read the files. There is no smoking gun."
Tom Kean, the former New Jersey governor who chaired the official U.S. investigation, is the latest figure to call for release of all documents, and he was praised by leaders of the families and survivors movement that has long been seeking more information about the deaths of 3,000 people. Lawyers representing more than 10,000 relatives have filed a lawsuit to hold the Saudi Arabian government responsible for the attacks. Terry Strada, whose husband died in New York's World Trade Center, said Kean's statement for release of secret files "is a positive thing" and that she is "confident that we will find something."
Kean said "I've always been in favor of releasing everything." But he said "I've seen those files. People are going to be disappointed when they release them. It's not going to give the families what they want. It's not there."
NorthJersey.com, Exclusive: Tom Kean calls on Biden to release all secret files on Saudi links to the 9/11 attacks.
Talks are resuming Tuesday in Vienna to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. The European Union announced the resumption of negotiations after more than a week's break. Russia's delegate to the talks, Mikhail Ulyanov, said the negotiations "seem to be at the final stage."
Associated Press, Iran nuclear talks to resume in Vienna on Tuesday.
Al Jazeera, Iran nuclear deal: 'Final stage' of Vienna talks to resume.
"A deal is in sight" for a nuclear agreement with Iran. A U.S. State Department spokesperson said an agreement that "addresses all sides' core concerns" is in sight but if it isn't reached in coming weeks, Iran's nuclear advances would make it impossible for the United States to return to the 2015 agreement.
AFP, US says Iran nuclear deal 'in sight' but urgent need to finalize.
Iran said some demands on sanctions haven't yet been addressed in the nuclear talks. In a joint news conference with the foreign minister of Finland, Iran's foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said: "In the latest texts obtained from the Vienna talks, part of our demands for the lifting of sanctions have not yet been addressed."
Reuters, Iran says some of its demands on sanctions not yet addressed in talks.
Reuters, Iran says removal of U.S. sanctions is red line for revival of 2015 deal.
Reuters, U.S. envoy says returning to Vienna in hope of reviving Iran nuclear pact.
SPECIAL EVENT: The National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations presents an online briefing program, "Iran Nuclear Deal Negotiations: Policy Implications for Success or Failure."
Wednesday, February 9, 2022, 10:30 a.m. EST, 6:30 p.m. AST. Watch live on YouTube!
Norman Roule and Dr. Mohammed S. Alsulami will be the featured specialists for the discussion. Dr. John Duke Anthony will provide context, and David Des Roches will be moderator and discussant.
For further information, visit the National Council's website at:
https://ncusar.org
The Saudi coalition accused the Yemen Houthis of using civilian sites at Sanaa airport and the port of Hodeidah to launch ballistic missiles. "The militarization of Hodeidah port and Sanaa airport threatens regional and international security," a coalition statement said, and the coalition will take "operational measures."
Arab News, Houthis 'use civilian port, airport to launch ballistic missile attacks': Coalition.
A Houthi launchpad for ballistic missiles in Yemen's Al-Jouf province has been destroyed. The Saudi-led coalition said it launched a strike, destroying the launch pad, in response to continuing attacks by Houthi forces on civilian targets in Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Express Tribune, Houthi ballistic missile launchpad destroyed in Yemen.
The leader of Yemen's Houthi forces concedes they're losing control of the Shabwa governate. Abdul Malik Al-Houthi said in a broadcast that "in the past few weeks there have been some setbacks in Shabwa." Shabwa is in Yemen's southeast where Yemen government forces and the Saudi-backed coalition claim they have control. "This doesn't mean that our people are defeated," al-Houthi said.
Middle East Monitor, Yemen Houthi leader admits retreat in Shabwa province.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen has invited the Red Cross and a United Nations agency to review an attack that killed 90 people. Coalition forces led an air strike on a detention center in Yemen's Saada province, and the rival Houthis condemned the attack. The coalition then claimed the site was not listed on a no-target list with UN agencies. Now state media says the coalition on Tuesday will host the UN's humanitarian coordinator for Yemen "to discuss Houthi allegations regarding the Saada prison." There was no information about the Red Cross responding to the request.
Reuters, Saudi coalition invites Red Cross, UN to discuss fatal Yemen detention center attack.
Arab News, Coalition says it will host UN agency on Tuesday to discuss Houthi allegations.
Iraq's parliament is reopening registration for presidential candidates. Even as the election was postponed, with no new date, the office of parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbussi announced that registration would reopen Wednesday for three days, a decision that was quickly challenged as illegal.
AFP, Door reopens to candidates after Iraq presidential vote fails.
Iraq's presidential election has been indefinitely postponed after boycotts in parliament. Iraq's parliament met on Monday but could not get a quorum because political parties were boycotting the session.
The failure continued a political deadlock almost four months after an election and further delays selection of a new government. Iraq's president is elected by parliament for a four-year term, and the president selects a prime minister who forms a cabinet and government. The presidency is reserved for a member of Iraq's Kurdish minority. The current president is Barham Saleh, who is running for reelection.
AFP, Iraq's parliament indefinitely postpones presidential election.
Iraq is reported negotiating with China to buy surface-to-air (SAM) missile defense systems. Iraq is looking at China's FD-2000 system, capable of intercepting precision-guided weapons as well as drones helicopters, and fighter aircraft.
Defense World, Iraq likely to buy FD-2000 missile systems from China.
Moody's assigned a first-time A1 rating to Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF). "This is the first time Moody's has assigned a rating," the credit ratings agency said, and assigned its A1 stable outlook rate that "reflects its standalone creditworthiness."
Yahoo Finance, Public Investment Fund -- Moody's assigns first time A1 rating to Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund; stable outlook.
About 400,000 Saudi men and women joined the private sector workforce for the first time in 2021. A Saudi minister said the total of Saudi employees in the public sector was 1.95 million. "We can bet on the Saudi young people after they showed their ability to bear responsibility and succeeded in all sectors," Mohammed Al-Rajhi, minister of human resources, said.
Arab News, 400,000 Saudis joined private sector workforce in 2021: minister.
Qatar's government has approached international banks to explore refinancing more than $10 billion in debt. The debt is due in 2023, and officials at Qatar's Finance Ministry are viewing a potential syndicated loan or bond sale. No final decision has been made, sources close to the situation said. A spokesperson for the Finance Ministry said the government didn't have immediate plans to refinance and "is always in talks with banks."
Bloomberg, Qatar considers refinancing $10 billion debt due next year.
The new Bahrain-UAE joint nanosatellite Light-1 will be in orbit for six months. "It will send data to the Earth and also receive commands from our ground control team," Heyam Al Blooshi of the UAE Space Agency said. The project is the region's first scientific mission to monitor and study terrestrial gamma ray flashes from lightning storms and cumulus clouds. It was launched from the International Space Station.
Daily Tribune, Bahrain-UAE Satellite Light-1 will be in orbit for 6 months.
Libya's eastern-based parliament says there will be no elections this year and that it will choose a new interim prime minister. The action can potentially set off a new factional struggle over control of the government. The parliament voted on the plan Monday, but the internationally-recognized Government of National Unity (GNU) said it has a valid mandate and has no intention of stepping down.
Reuters, Libyan parliament says no elections this year, moves to choose new PM.
U.S. ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea said Lebanon's upcoming elections must be held on time. "The international community is unanimous that the elections must be held on time in a fair and transparent manner," she said. "There's no wiggle room." Some powerful political interests in Lebanon are said to be trying to postpone the vote, which could see them lose strength in the legislature.
Earlier, the United Nations Security Council underlined the importance of holding the elections as scheduled on May 15, 2022.
Reuters, U.S. says 'no wiggle room' on Lebanon holding May elections.
Lebanon's bankers are opposing a draft plan for tackling the country's financial crisis. The plan foresees returning just $25 billion out of a total $104 billion in hard currency deposits to savers in U.S. dollars, with most of what's left converted to Lebanese pounds at several exchange rates, including one that would wipe out 75 per cent of the value of some deposits. The Association of Banks in Lebanon said the plan is a "liquidation approach" that would lead to a loss of confidence. The banks' approval isn't required if the government decides to adopt the plan.
Reuters, Lebanon banks association rejects draft govt financial plan.
A rival group that dominates part of Syria's northwest said it didn't know that the Islamic State leader who blew himself up in a U.S. raid lived in an area under their control. "We were not aware of such an operation before it happened," the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) jihadist group said in a statement. The group, a rival to the Islamic State, said it was also unaware of "the identity of the residents" of the house targeted by U.S. forces. Islamic State leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi killed himself during the nighttime raid on the house in the Idlib region.
AFP, Syria terrorist group denies knowledge of strike on IS chief.
The BCC said Sudanese authorities arrested three of its journalists in the capital Khartoum. The British network said the journalists working with its Arabic service were taken to an unknown location in Khartoum and later released. The arrests took place as thousands of Sudanese took to the streets in the latest protest against the military government.
Associated Press, BBC says Sudan arrested 3 of its journalists amid protests.
Sudanese security forces fired tear gas at thousands of demonstrators marching toward the presidential palace in Khartoum. Protesters had hurled stones at the security forces, while others helped people injured by gas cannisters. Regular mass protests have been held almost daily in Khartoum and other cities since a military coup in October 2021.
AFP, Sudan security forces fire tear gas at anti-coup protesters.
Algeria has started a campaign to cover wells nationwide after the death in Morocco of a five-year-old boy in a deep well. Authorities in Algeria's M'sila state urged well owners to take measures to secure and cover their wells. "Violators will face deterrent measures and will be held accountable for any future incident," a statement said.
AfricaNews, Algeria covers all wells following Rayan's death in Morocco.
MORE: Sudan anti-coup protesters march in Khartoum, other cities, Al Jazeera... Morocco seeks medium-term gas supply contracts - minister, Reuters... Morocco reopens airspace after 2-month virus shutdown, AFP… Senior US diplomat talks Yemen, Lebanon, with Saudi officials, Alarabiya... Egypt, Djibouti leaders meet to discuss ties, Ethiopian dam, Washington Post... Turkiye's top diplomat meets Libya's High Council head, TurkishPress.
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"The object of the escalating threats was to get the Iranians to blink. But it is Biden's resolve that now seems to be weakening."
Bloomberg Opinion, Bobby Ghosh: In the nuclear deal face-off with Iran, Biden just blinked.
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AFP, What does the closure of Tunisia's judicial council mean?
The so-called caliphate has lost its leader again, and U.S. President Joe Biden may have hoped for the same fanfare that greeted his predecessors when they took out ISIS founder Abu Dakr al-Baghdadi and al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden before him. But ISIS experts were quick to throw cold water on claims of a significant blow to the group.
CNN, Death of ISIS chief raises more questions than answers.