LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
July 29/2019
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani

The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
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Bible Quotations For today
Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 16/15-20:”‘Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.’ So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and proclaimed the good news everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it.

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News published on July 28-29/2019
Bishop Elias Aoudi Courageously Condemns The Mashrou Lyla Band Heretics & Rebukes Those who Support the Anti-Church Stances
Rahi hopes that Palestinian brethrens would not reward Lebanon with demonstrations, uprising
Grand Mufti of the Republic, Sheikh Abdul-Latif Derian, from West Bekaa: We can overcome crises through our unity, dialogue and understanding
Lebanese Army inspects scene of clash between smugglers in search of wounded, gunmen
Shehayeb says Lebanese Mountain passed through many plots, but remained steadfast and victorious
Arslan 'Won't Meet Jumblat', Will Confront 'Any Suspicious Movement'
Italian Opera Singer Allegrini: Lebanon is my destiny and I will live there forever!
Karami visits Rahi in Diman
Kouyoumjian: We are facing an unprecedented social crisis
Bassil meets Political Tourism students in Batroun
Minister Safadi on tour in southern Lebanon at the invitation of Daoud

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on July 28-29/2019
Iranian exiles rally in London to demand regime change in Tehran
Iran nuclear deal parties meet after month of friction
One dead, 11 others shot at community event in Brooklyn park
Death toll in Nigeria Boko Haram attack rises to 65
Russia detains more than 1,000 people in opposition crackdown
Putin leads Russian naval parade after crackdown in Moscow
Erdogan adviser: Normalization with Israel is ‘treason’
Turkish students given text books justifying 9/11 attacks, slamming ‘weak’ EU - mirroring Erdogan views
Syria’s Rukban camp dwindles after five-month Russian siege
US spy chief Coats stepping down, Ratcliffe to replace him, says Trump
Sudan talks to resume Tuesday over remaining issues, says mediator
One dead as attack hits office of Afghan leader’s running mate
Afghan president launches re-election bid amid worsening security
Dozens of migrants still stuck on vessel in Italy port
Deployment of 10,000 fresh troops sparks fear in Indian Kashmir
EU Partners Warn Johnson against Brexit Provocation

Titles For The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on July 28-29/2019
Bishop Elias Aoudi Courageously Condemns The Mashrou Lyla Band Heretics & Rebukes Those who Support the Anti-Church Stances/Elias Bejjani/July 28/2019
The goal is to reform, not topple, the Iranian regime/Raghida Dergham/The National/July 28, 2019
Iran’s harsh treatment of ethnic minorities/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/July 28/2019
Growing Middle East ties vital to Africa’s prosperity/Afshin Molavi/Arab News/July 28/2019
Trump must choose between sanctions and profit/Yasar Yakis/Arab News/July 28/2019

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News published on July 28-29/2019
Bishop Elias Aoudi Courageously Condemns The Mashrou Lyla Band Heretics & Rebukes Those who Support the Anti-Church Stances
المطران عودة يدين هرطقات فرقة مشروع ليلى ويؤنب المدافعين والمسوقين لها
Elias Bejjani/July 28/2019
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/77083/elias-bejjani-bishop-elias-audi-courageously-condemns-the-masrhou-lyla-band-heretics-rebukes-those-who-support-this-anti-church-stance-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%b7%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%86-%d8%b9%d9%88%d8%af/
Yesterday, His eminence, Bishop Elias Aoudi in his Sunday sermon at Saint courageous Church in Beirut witnessed for the mere Christian truth and for the Christian Saints and figures.
Aoudi straightforwardly and without any cajoling or appeasing stance called things in their actual names and staunchly condemned the heretic conduct and advocacy that the bizarre Mashrou Lyla Band is endeavouring to spread in Lebanon in general and in the Byblos holy region in particular.
Aoudi strongly stressed the solid fact and truth in regards to our holy relation and affiliation to Virgin Mary, our mother and Jesus’ mother.
Aoudi loudly and strongly said that under no circumstances it will be okay with those who insult our mother, virgin Mary and portray her pictures and icons in a humiliating and sarcastic manner.
Aoudi asked, why all those who advocate against our church and insult our saints must have freedom to do so, while we are not entitled to defend ourselves and our faith.
Aoudi stated and confirmed that freedom is not in its essence and core a means to insult, humiliate and blemish our church and our Christian saints.
Aoudi called on all those who are in authority to implement the law and put an end to such unacceptable and condemned heretics.
In conclusion, His eminence, Bishop Aoudi said bravely and loudly what the majority of Lebanon’s Christian officials, leaders, and politicians were as always afraid to say and witness for their religion and church because of their selfishness, shameful Dhimmitude mentality, cowardice approaches, lack of hope and poor faith.
In conclusion, All those Lebanese Christian leaders, officials, head of political parties, journalists, media men and politicians who dhimmitudely swallowed their tongues and did not witness for the truth and backed from defending their church and religion should be ashamed of themselves and the least that they MUST urgently do is to repent, offer the due penances and apologize publicly for their cowardice and
narcissism.
Or otherwise they are not capable, qualified or entrusted to be in any position to speak for the Lebanese Christians and represent them by any means.
Faith and conscious, wise they are required to resign from what ever official or political positions they are now holding.
N.B: Penance: A sacrament, as in the Roman Catholic Church, consisting in a confession of sin, made with sorrow and with the intention of amendment, followed by the forgiveness of the sin.
Click Here To Read In Arabic Bishop Audi's Sermon

Rahi hopes that Palestinian brethrens would not reward Lebanon with demonstrations, uprisings
NNA - Sun 28 Jul 2019
Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, hoped Sunday that the Palestinian refugees residing in Lebanon would recall that Lebanon has been in solidarity with their cause for the last 70 years, and more than any other country, hoping that they do not pay Lebanon back by resorting to demonstrations and uprisings. Speaking during Sunday Mass at the summer patriarchal seat in al-Diman, the Patriarch reminded that Lebanon has paid dearly for its solidarity with the Palestinian cause. He, thus, hoped that the Palestinians would in turn show solidarity with Lebanon and its people.
"We are aware of their economic plight and their living conditions. However, we hope that they will also realize the status of the Lebanese people, one third of whom are under the poverty line, 35% of the youth are unemployed, and 70% of Lebanese have no pension," al-Rahi went on. "The state is submerged in debt, the treasury in deficit, the economy is stumbling in all its sectors, and the miserable cycle goes on...," he said regretfully. "The Labor Law, which the Labor Ministry is working to implement, protects the rights of all. Our hope is that the Palestinian brethrens would not reward Lebanon and its people with demonstrations and uprisings," al-Rahi underlined. "On the contrary, let's adjust our target to those who robbed your land and forced you into emigration, and let's address the Arab and international communities responsible, with the Palestinian Authority, for the basis we are struggling to achieve - namely the two-state solution and the return of all Palestinian refugees to their lands in accordance with the international legitimate resolutions of 1948," the Patriarch corroborated. Touching on the long-awaited cabinet session, al-Rahi stressed that "politicians do not have the right to render themselves above the constitution, justice and institutions, and we cannot accept the disruption of the government's meeting and its relinquishing of its responsibility as a procedural authority, remaining hostage to political strife." He added: "The political forces do not have the right to create a situation of tension and instability that leads to the absence of proper assessment and study of necessary economic and financial dossiers, which negatively affects the economic, financial and living conditions in the country, and increases the conditions of poverty and deprivation, while the state loses the confidence of the people and the international community." The Patriarch also highlighted the need to respect the rule of equality and fairness in official appointments, taking into account the essential components of integrity, efficiency and competition as the basis for recruitment in state institutions.

Grand Mufti of the Republic, Sheikh Abdul-Latif Derian, from West Bekaa: We can overcome crises through our unity, dialogue and understanding
NNA - Sun 28 Jul 2019
Grand Mufti of the Republic, Sheikh Abdul-Latif Derian, asserted Sunday that "through unity, dialogue and understanding, the Lebanese can overcome all crises facing their country." He added: "On Tuesday, we will meet at the Druze 'Dar El-Taefa' for an Islamic-Christian spiritual summit under these stressful and urgent circumstances." "As for you, politicians, the Lebanese people in different regions, and of different affiliations, have invested their trust in you; hence, should you not be up to the level of this trust? Doesn't this entail declaring a state of emergency to advance Lebanon and its institutions?" questioned Derian. The Mufti's words came during a wide gathering and luncheon banquet held in his honor by Lebanese emigrant businessman, Ali Jarroush, at his residence in the town of Sultan Yaacoub in West Bekaa earlier today, which was attended by prominent figures from the region, religious clerics and political officials.
"This country deserves a lot from us, with its capital, north, south and mountain...We want to leave our children and grandchildren a secure and uniting homeland for all its sects, communities and sons," the Mufti corroborated. Derian urged politicians to rise up to the level of their shouldered responsibility in wake of the growing economic, financial and social crises facing the country, stressing on "going back to working hand-in-hand for the sake of the nation and its people's supreme interests."

Lebanese Army inspects scene of clash between smugglers in search of wounded, gunmen
NNA - Sun 28 Jul 2019
Lebanese Army units deployed in the border area of al-Masnaa along the Eastern Mountain Chain, inspected this evening the region separating Lebanon and Syria in the hills of Majdal Anjar and Jabal al-Suwairi in search for wounded or gunmen, following the armed clash between Lebanese and Syrian smugglers, NNA correspondent reported Sunday. Preliminary information confirmed that one Syrian smuggler has been killed and two others injured, who were moved into the Syrian territories, while two Lebanese smugglers were wounded and transferred to hospital for medical attention.

Shehayeb says Lebanese Mountain passed through many plots, but remained steadfast and victorious
NNA - Sun 28 Jul 2019
Higher Education Minister, Akram Shehayeb, stressed Sunday that "Mount Lebanon has survived the many plots that targeted it, standing tall, steadfast and victorious in the face of conspiracies and challenges."Shehayeb's words came during his tour among the towns of Mesherfeh, Majdel-Baana, Btater and Roueissat earlier today, where he tended to several social visits and offering of condolences. The Minister emphasized that this region "will remain a safety valve in the face of any sedition," due to the wisdom of its people and their loyalty to the Progressive Socialist Party. He commended their efforts "to maintain stability and continue to serve society and implement the law."Shehayeb concluded by reiterating that "many clouds have scattered and dissipated in the skies of the Mountain region, yet its flourishing spring has never ceased due to the leadership of al-Mukhtara."

Arslan 'Won't Meet Jumblat', Will Confront 'Any Suspicious Movement'
Naharnet/July 28/2019
Lebanese Democratic Party leader Talal Arslan on Sunday ruled out meeting Progressive Socialist Party chief Walid Jumblat while vowing to confront "any suspicious movement." "I will not meet with Jumblat at the expense of the blood of the martyrs Alaa Abi Faraj, Rami Salman and Samer Abi Farraj... Same killer, same malice and same hatred," Arslan tweeted. "The era of playing with the blood of innocents is over and we will be vigilant for any suspicious movement no matter what the price might be," he added.

Italian Opera Singer Allegrini: Lebanon is my destiny and I will live there forever!
NNA -Sun 28 Jul 2019
Rome - Italian opera singer Laura Allegrini has confirmed her choice of Lebanon as a permanent place of residence, stressing that Lebanese artist Ziad Rahbani was a moral support for her. In an interview with the National News Agency, Allegrini said: "My decision is final, and my fate and last homeland is Lebanon. I sang with artist Ziad Rahbani, who awakened all my abilities following my feelings of sorrow due to the death of my life partner." Allegrini hoped that she would live happily in Lebanon after she considered it to be her dear homeland. "My wish is to visit Italy and sing during Christmas before His Holiness, the Pope," she added. Referring to her relationship with Lebanon, the Italian opera singer said: "I have been studying Arabic for three years, and during this period I visited Lebanon several times, most recently during a musical event by the great Ziad Rahbani, whom I value a lot, and I sang "Sabah wu Massa" in Arabic. During the three years, I have concentrated on getting to know more about the Lady of Arab Tarab Music, Umm Kulthum, and the great Diva Fairouz. I did not only reflect on their biography, but their relationship with the audience and the reasons for people's love for them, and searched for a connection between me as an opera singer and them. I became more and more convinced that Lebanon will be my final destiny and I will live there forever," explained Allegrini."Today there is an audience that loves and I adore it," she proudly asserted. "The Lebanese star Fairouz has managed to maintain her attained status after presenting hundreds of timeless works of art, and she has reached the hearts of listeners around the world," Allegrini said. "Umm Kulthum is unique and incomparable, and I do not exaggerate if I say that her voice is a divine miracle," she added.
Describing artist Ziad Rahbani, Allegrini said that he deserves to be called a "genius" for he is "multi-talented, being a singer and composer, distributor and songwriter, an author of plays and a writer." On the extent of awareness of the crises facing Lebanon at the present time, Allegrini concluded by saying: "I come from a poor family and I understand what difficulties the country is facing and I will confront them along with the Lebanese."

Karami visits Rahi in Diman
NNA -Sun 28 Jul 2019
Karami Movement Chief, MP Faisal Karami, visited Sunday Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi in al-Diman, with talks touching on latest developments especially the faltering government situation. The visit was a chance to tour the patriarchal summer headquarters and its surroundings on the outskirts of the Holy Valley, as the Patriarch gave Karami a historical overview of the place. "Our view of this valley is one with our Christian brothers, and we see it as a site of holiness and spiritual inspiration for all of us. When we are inspired by this spirit, our human and moral values are strengthened in our individual lives, thus reflecting positively at the national level," said Karami. At the end of the tour, the Patriarchal Secretariat presented MP Karami with a collection of ancient books on the history of the Church and the Holy Valley.

Kouyoumjian: We are facing an unprecedented social crisis
NNA - Sun 28 Jul 2019
Social Affairs Minister Richard Kouyoumjian warned on Sunday that "Lebanon is facing an unprecedented social crisis and that politicians are unaware of its dangerousness and gravity."Kouyoumjian's words came during a ceremony in Zahle to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of the "Bekaa Disability Forum" held in the presence of MPs Georges Okeiss and Selim Aoun, Governor of the Bekaa, Judge Kamal Abu Jaoudeh, and religious dignitaries. During the ceremony, Kouyoumjian promised that he would do his utmost to improve this situation and overcome the social problems faced by the Lebanese through the implementation of the social protection strategy. In his words, he also addressed people with special needs, stressing that he asked the Cabinet to implement Law 220/2000 on the professional integration of persons with disabilities in public institutions.

Bassil meets Political Tourism students in Batroun
NNA - Sun 28 Jul 2019
Students of the Political Tourism Program met on Saturday evening with Foreign Minister Gibran Bassil, who stressed the importance of this experience which teaches students about the methods of managing public affairs. Bassil told his visitors that his concern is to encourage young Lebanese expatriates to become involved in political work in Lebanon. Bassil explained that the issue of displaced Syrians is a heavy burden on Lebanon, highlighting the need to ensure their safe return to Syria. He recalled that he had urged the international community, since the beginning of the crisis, to provide aid to the displaced on their territory, not to pay them money in Lebanon, in order not to encourage them to stay in our country.

Minister Safadi on tour in southern Lebanon at the invitation of Daoud
NNA -Sun 28 Jul 2019
Minister of State for Economic Empowerment of Women and Youth, Violette Khairallah Safadi, toured the city of Tyre in southern Lebanon at the invitation of Minister of Culture Mohammad Daoud. The Minister held several meetings with officials, including the Greek Orthodox Metropolitan Bishop of Tyre Elias Kfoury.Later, she had an encounter with former Minister Inaya Ezzeddine, with whom she discussed several projects to empower women. Safadi ended her tour by meeting with Culture Minister, who vowed to pursue his initiatives while adopting a positive attitude. The Minister informed his colleague about the projects of the Ministry of Culture, particularly with regard to the preservation of archaeological sites in all Lebanese regions.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on July 28-29/2019
Iranian exiles rally in London to demand regime change in Tehran
News Agencies/Arab News/July 28/2019
Thousands of exiled Iranian dissidents rallied in Trafalgar Square in London on Saturday to demand regime change in Tehran, urging new UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to get behind their campaign.
The event organized by the National Council of Resistance of Iran came amid tension between London and Tehran over the seizure of a British oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. As the rally took place in the British capital, Iran snubbed a diplomatic initiative by Oman to mediate in the tanker dispute, and tried to shift the blame for the stand-off onto other regional countries. In further evidence that tough US sanctions are crippling the Iranian economy, new figures showed that China’s crude oil imports from Iran sank by almost 60 percent in June compared with a year earlier. The rally in London was one of a series of protests being held across Europe and in Washington, DC. The Iranian government was one of the most dangerous in the world, operating in one of the most concerning areas, former Conservative MP Brian Binley told Arab News. “I promise I will do my best to arrange a meeting with Boris Johnson, in conjunction with my colleagues, and attempt to get a better reaction to the Iranian situation than we’ve had from previous governments,” he said. Struan Stevenson, coordinator of the Campaign for Iran Change, said: “We want regime change, we want to get rid of this evil regime. We’re here underneath the statue of Admiral Nelson. What would Nelson make of a British ship being seized by pirates? He would be turning in his grave. “So our message today to Boris Johnson is to be tough on this regime as they are spreading terrorism and war across the Middle East and the world.”Meanwhile Tehran rejected an attempt at mediation by Omani Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi in the dispute over Iran’s illegal seizure of the British tanker. “Some of the region’s countries have not only removed the possibility of talks because of hasty and arrogant moves and behavior, but have also made managing regional crises a serious challenge,” Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, told the Omani diplomat. Shamkhani also criticized a British plan for a European coalition to escort tankers in the Gulf. “Security measures for the region must use local capabilities and cooperation between regional countries, and foreign countries’ interference will achieve nothing but increase problems,” he said.

Iran nuclear deal parties meet after month of friction
Reuters, Vienna/Sunday, 28 July 2019
Parties to Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal met in Vienna on Sunday for emergency talks called in response to an escalation in tensions between Iran and the West that included confrontations at sea and Tehran’s breaches of the accord. Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China, and Iran have been trying to maintain the pact since the US withdrew from it in May 2018 and re-imposed and toughened sanctions on Iran, crippling its economy. The European-led efforts to protect trade with Iran against the US sanctions have yielded nothing concrete so far. Earlier this month, Tehran followed through on its threat to increase its nuclear activities in breach of the agreement.“All our steps taken so far are reversible if other parties to the deal fulfil their commitments,” an Iranian diplomat told Reuters before the extraordinary meeting was due to start. In response to the sanctions, Iran said in May it would decrease its commitments under the nuclear pact. Under the deal, most international sanctions against Tehran were lifted in return for limitations on its nuclear work. So far, Iran has breached the limit of its enriched uranium stockpile as well as enriching uranium beyond a 3.67 percent purity limit set by its deal with major powers, defying a warning by Europeans to stick to the deal despite US sanctions. The UN nuclear watchdog, policing the deal, has confirmed the measures announced by Tehran. “[Trade vehicle] INSTEX , along with other measures, will be discussed in the meeting. Other parties should accelerate their efforts, otherwise Iran will take a third step,” the diplomat said. Sanctions The meeting in Vienna comes after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards seized a British-flagged oil tanker on July 19, two weeks after British forces captured an Iranian oil tanker near Gibraltar which it said was violating sanctions on Syria. Iran’s senior nuclear negotiator Abbas Araqchi said on Sunday Britain’s seizure of the Iranian oil tanker was a violation of the nuclear pact. “We witnessed the seizure of an oil tanker carrying Iranian oil in the Strait of Gibraltar which in our view is a violation of [the nuclear deal],” Araqchi said. “And the countries who are part of [the nuclear deal] shouldn’t create obstacles for the export of Iranian oil.”Britain has called for a European-led naval mission to ensure safe shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital international oil shipping route. An Iranian government spokesman said on Sunday such a mission would send a “hostile message.”Britain said on Sunday Royal Navy destroyer HMS Duncan had arrived in the Gulf region to join a British frigate escorting British-flagged ships through the Strait. Iran has threatened to disrupt oil shipments through the waterway, where several oil tankers have been attacked, if the US tries to strangle its economy with sanctions on its vital oil exports.

One dead, 11 others shot at community event in Brooklyn park
The Associated Press, New York/Sunday, 28 July 2019
Gunfire at a large, outdoor event in Brooklyn killed one man and injured at least 11 others late Saturday night, police said. Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted early Sunday that the shooting in east Brooklyn’s Brownsville neighborhood “shattered a peaceful neighborhood event.” Twelve people were shot, including a 38-year-old man who was dead on arrival at a local hospital, a New York City police spokesman said around 3:30 a.m. Sunday. The police spokesman said he did not know the identity of the man, who was shot once in the head. No arrests have been made, and police did not offer details about a possible suspect or whether there was more than one gunman at the park where the event took place. As of 6:30 a.m., police said they did not have details about the conditions of the other 11 people wounded and that the investigation is ongoing. At least six people had been transported to local hospitals by just after midnight, with some in serious condition, a New York City fire department spokesman said earlier. He described the scene at the time as “fluid.”De Blasio’s tweet didn’t include details about the community event referenced, but a notice on the NYC Parks website said other programming at the Brownsville Recreation Center by the playground was canceled over the weekend because of the annual Old Timers Event. A 2010 newsletter from the parks department described it as a celebration of “former members of the center who went on to success and fame in sports and other endeavors” that’s grown to include concerts and other events. A flyer for the daylong celebration said Saturday’s event was to begin at 6 p.m. on Hegeman Avenue, in the vicinity of the site of the shooting. Calls and emails to the offices of council members organizing the celebration were not immediately returned, but Council Member Alicka Amprey-Samuel shared de Blasio’s tweet and added comments of her own. “One of the worst experiences of my life,” the council member for the 41st District tweeted. “How does such a beautiful and peaceful event become overshadowed by tragedy in seconds?”
A man who answered a phone number listed online for one of Saturday’s scheduled performers, The Legendary Intruders, identified himself as band member Khalil Shabazz. He told The Associated Press that his band had already performed and departed the venue by the time of the shooting.
Videos posted on social media showed police clearing large groups of people out of the area around the recreation center following the shooting. Photos from local news outlets showed several people taken from the scene on stretchers, including some with what appeared to be minor wounds.

Death toll in Nigeria Boko Haram attack rises to 65
AFP/Sunday, 28 July 2019
An attack by Boko Haram fighters on a funeral in northeast Nigeria left 65 people dead, almost triple the initial toll, a local official said Sunday. Dozens more bodies were discovered following the assault Saturday by gunmen on a village close to the regional capital Maiduguri. “It is 65 people dead and 10 injured,” local government chairman Muhammed Bulama said.

Russia detains more than 1,000 people in opposition crackdown
Reuters, Moscow/Sunday, 28 July 2019
Russian police arrested more than 1,000 people in Moscow on Saturday in one of the biggest crackdowns of recent times against an increasingly defiant opposition decrying President Vladimir Putin’s tight grip on power. The detentions came before and after a protest to demand that opposition members be allowed to run in a local election. Authorities had declared it illegal and sought to block participation, but several thousand people turned up anyway in one of the longest and most determined protests of recent years. Chants of “Russia without Putin” and “Putin resign” echoed through central Moscow as guardsmen clad in riot gear beat back protesters with batons and roughly detained people. At least one woman and a man appeared to have suffered serious head wounds. Though the authorities have the resources to break up demonstrations, Saturday’s events showed how many activists and especially younger people are intent on pressing to open Russia’s tightly-choreographed political system to competition. Jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny had called for Saturday’s protest to persuade officials to allow opposition-minded candidates to run in a Sept. 8 vote. Authorities say they were barred because they failed to collect sufficient genuine signatures in their support. The opposition has no seats in parliament and is starved of air time on state TV where many Russians still get their news. Opinion polls in the past have shown support for Navalny, a lawyer and anti-corruption activist, only in the single digits.
But backers note he won almost a third of the vote in a 2013 Moscow mayoral race and say his movement could build momentum in the Russian capital if allowed to compete fairly. Though Putin’s approval rating is still high at well over 60 percent, it is lower than it used to be due to discontent over years of falling incomes. Last year, the 66-year-old former KGB intelligence officer won a landslide re-election and a new six-year term until 2024. Burnishing his man of action image, Putin spent Saturday diving to the bottom of the Gulf of Finland in a mini-submarine to pay tribute to a Soviet submarine that sunk there during World War Two.
Arrested for “sitting on a bench”
OVD-Info, an independent monitoring group, said police had detained at least 835 people before or at Saturday’s protest. As in past sweeps, many were only held for a matter of hours and later released. Police put participation at more than 3,500 people, of whom it said around 700 people were journalists and bloggers. Some activists were arrested twice after being released and then returning to protest in a different place. Reuters’ witnesses said some of those detained appeared to be ordinary passersby in the wrong place at the wrong time. One of those detained, Alexander Latyshev, 45, said he had come from the nearby Vladimir region to discuss business with an associate and been randomly detained. “I was just sitting on a bench (when they took me),” he told Reuters inside a police bus. Before the protest, police detained activists to prevent them from attending the protest and blocked off some streets.
During the demonstration, they raided an office being used by Navalny’s supporters to live-stream the protest. TV Rain, an independent station covering the protests, said its editor-in-chief had been called in for questioning. Under Russian law, the location and timing of such protests needs to be agreed with authorities beforehand, something that was not done for Saturday’s event. Kremlin critic Navalny was jailed for 30 days on Wednesday and other members of the opposition have had their homes searched. Ilya Yashin, a Navalny ally, said on Facebook on Saturday that police had searched his Moscow flat overnight before detaining him and driving him out of the Russian capital.
He called for another protest next Saturday. Kira Yarmysh, Navalny’s spokeswoman, said on Twitter she and another activist had been detained on Saturday morning. Other prominent activists, Dmitry Gudkov and Lyubov Sobol, were detained later. Sobol was arrested a second time later on Saturday after being released. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, a Putin ally, had warned beforehand that authorities would act decisively against the risk of “serious provocations.”Russia’s Investigative Committee, the police’s investigative arm, has already opened a criminal investigation into an opposition rally in June which it said may have obstructed the work of Moscow’s electoral commission. An authorized protest in Moscow last weekend, also calling for the disbarred candidates to be registered, was attended by more than 20,000 people, according to the White Counter monitoring group.

Putin leads Russian naval parade after crackdown in Moscow
The Associated Press, Moscow/Sunday, 28 July 2019
Russian President Vladimir Putin has led Russia’s first major naval parade in years the day after violent police detentions of hundreds of anti-government protesters in Moscow. Putin on Sunday morning went aboard one of the vessels taking part in the Navy Day parade in St. Petersburg, on the Gulf of Finland. The parade, the biggest in years, included 43 ships and submarines and 4,000 troops. Putin is spending the weekend away from Moscow, the Russian capital, where nearly 1,400 people were detained Saturday in a violent police crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.Police wielded batons and wrestled with protesters around the Moscow City Hall after thousands thronged nearby streets, rallying against a move by election authorities to bar opposition candidates from the Sept. 8 ballot for the Moscow city council.

Erdogan adviser: Normalization with Israel is ‘treason’
Staff writer/Al Arabiya English/Sunday, 28 July 2019
Yasin Aktay, an adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, accused Saudi Arabia and the UAE of “treason” over what he called “normalization” with Israel, despite the Gulf countries having no diplomatic ties with Israel. “Normalization is a disgrace to the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and anyone who helps Israel to oppress the Palestinian people is an enemy of Muslims,” Aktay said in an interview with Qatari newspaper al-Raya. “We say frankly that anyone who agrees to the ‘deal of the century’ will face the trial of history even after their death, and we ask the rulers of the UAE and Saudi Arabia to stop supporting the ‘deal of the century’ and Israel,” Aktay added. The “deal of the century” is the name some commentators have given to the Trump administration’s forthcoming proposal to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. The UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash tweeted, “The abusive statements towards the UAE and Saudi Arabia by the Turkish president’s adviser to the Qatari press is not worth responding to.”Turkey, the first Muslim-majority nation to formally recognize the State of Israel, has had diplomatic ties with the state since 1949. Relations between the two countries boomed in the 1990s, and Turkey upgraded its diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992. Despite relations being strained in 2010 when an Israeli raid on a flotilla bound for Gaza killed ten Turkish activists, the two countries ended their diplomatic rift in 2016 after Erdogan held a private meeting with Israel's energy minister, Yuval Steinitz. Israel and Turkey have since continued to have substantial economic ties ranging from trade to tourism, with Israeli citizens having visa-free access to Turkey. “How can you pretend to forbid an act while you are drowning in it till your very last strand of hair?” Gargash added.

Turkish students given text books justifying 9/11 attacks, slamming ‘weak’ EU - mirroring Erdogan views
Arab News/July 28/2019
LONDON: A modern history text book for Turkish public school students appears to justify the Sept. 11 attacks in the US by Al-Qaeda and labels the European Union a “Christian club”, according to a report in Nordic Monitor. The article from NM, a group that covers religious, ideological and ethnic extremist movements and radical groups, also shows that the text-book — which mirrors speeches by Turkey’s president Recept Tayyip Erdogan — contains text criticizing the NATO alliance. The book, used by twelfth-grade students in public schools in Turkey, says among its pages: “The US, which has more say with the self-confidence it gained in the aftermath of the Cold War but complies less with international agreements, has started to see itself as one above equals in international relations. “From that point forward, deciding which countries would be punished and what systems would be changed relied on definitions and references made by the US. These practices by the US are one of the reasons behind the Al-Qaeda terrorist organization’s attack on 9/11.” According to the text book, the US became “the main source of problems in the world with what it did in the aftermath of September 11,” and is seeking to secure the “absolute dominance” of the international system. The book also takes aim at the Pope and the European Union for denying Turkey’s membership of the bloc — slamming the “denial of membership to Turkey, a predominantly Muslim nation, while accepting (other) democratically and economically weak states,” which it said raised questions about the identity of the EU. Within the same section, the book features a photo of EU leaders and the Pope in 2017 as they gathered in Rome to mark the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, with a caption from British-Polish historian Norman Davies: “I am talking about the common tradition of Christianity, which has made Europe what it is.”Erdogan referenced the photo during his 2017 presidential referendum rallies and said it proved western Europe was “hostile to Islam.”The book’s criticism of NATO stretches to the group’s multilateral foreign policy, which it claims has destroyed Turkey’s defense industry and has made Turkey “dependent on US military aid.”Critics of the text book say school children in Turkey are being force-fed the rhetoric spread by Erdogan and his party at a young age.

Syria’s Rukban camp dwindles after five-month Russian siege
Arab News/July 28/2019/AMMAN, BEIRUT
: The population of Rukban camp in a US-protected desert zone in southeast Syria has dwindled to a quarter of the more than 40,000 who lived there five months ago due to Russian moves to block supplies, Syrian aid workers, diplomats and residents say. The fate of the camp and its residents, living near a Pentagon-run base close to the Jordanian and Iraqi borders, highlights the tussle for influence in the region between Russia and the US. It also exposes the same strategy of years of bitter siege imposed on former opposition bastions by Moscow and Syria’s Bashar Assad’s forces to push opposition forces to capitulate. The camp’s inhabitants, most of whom fled from Russian airstrikes when Moscow pounded towns in eastern Homs desert several years ago, say growing hunger and poverty as a result of the blocking of food supplies had forced most to leave.
“The situation is very, very bad and food supplies are not available,” said Mahmoud al Humeili, a prominent local figure in the camp who fled Homs.
Civilians die
Regime and Russian bombardment on Sunday killed nine civilians in northwestern Syria where ramped-up attacks by the two allies have claimed hundreds of lives since April, a war monitor said. Idlib and parts of the neighboring provinces of Aleppo, Hama and Latakia are under the control of Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham. The region is supposed to be protected from a massive government offensive by a September buffer zone deal, but it has come under increasing fire by Damascus and its backer Moscow over the past three months.
FASTFACT
• The fate of the camp and its residents, living near a Pentagon-run base close to the Jordanian and Iraqi borders, highlights the tussle for influence in the region between Russia and the US.
• The region is supposed to be protected from a massive government offensive by a September buffer zone deal. Regime airstrikes on Sunday killed five civilians in the Idlib town of Ariha, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Russian raids, meanwhile, killed two civilians in northern Hama, according to the Britain-based monitor. Shelling and airstrikes by the regime also killed two other civilians elsewhere in the northwest, it added. The bombardment comes a day after regime and Russian airstrikes on the region killed 15 civilians, including 11 in Ariha, the monitor said. Some 3 million people, nearly half of them already displaced from other parts of the country, live in the Idlib region. Attacks by the Syrian regime and its ally Russia have claimed more than 740 lives there since late April, according to the war monitor. The UN says more than 400,000 people have been displaced. The war in Syria has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it started in 2011 with a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests.

US spy chief Coats stepping down, Ratcliffe to replace him, says Trump
Reuters, Washington/Sunday, 28 July 2019
President Donald Trump said on Sunday the nation’s top intelligence official, Dan Coats, would leave his post next month and that he would nominate Republican congressman John Ratcliffe to replace him. “I am pleased to announce that highly respected Congressman John Ratcliffe of Texas will be nominated by me to be the Director of National Intelligence,” Trump said on Twitter. Coats had clashed with US President Donald Trump over assessments involving Russia, Iran and North Korea. A person with direct knowledge of that matter told Reuters that Coats advised Trump last week that he planned to step down fairly soon as director of national intelligence. He offered the president some thoughts on who might succeed him, the source said. Coats’ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. US Representative John Ratcliffe, who is to to replace Coats, is a member of the House of Representatives intelligence and judiciary committees. Ratcliffe had strongly defended Trump on Wednesday during former Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s testimony on his two-year investigation of Russian election activities. His prospects for Senate confirmation to the top intelligence post were not clear. Coats, a Trump appointee who served as director of national intelligence since March 2017, clashed with his boss early on, taking a hard line toward Russia that sharply contrasted with the conciliatory approach Trump pursued toward Russian President Vladimir Putin. In January, Coats told Congress that North Korea was unlikely to give up its nuclear weapons, contradicting Trump’s statement that Pyongyang no longer poses a threat. He also told lawmakers that Iran had continued to comply with a nuclear deal that Trump abandoned.The next day, Trump on Twitter complained about the “passive and naïve” US intelligence leaders, suggesting they “go back to school!”

Sudan talks to resume Tuesday over remaining issues, says mediator
AFP, Khartoum/Sunday, 28 July 2019
Talks are to resume on Tuesday between Sudanese protesters and the ruling generals on the remaining issues related to installing a transitional civilian administration, a mediator and a protest leader said. African Union mediator Mohamed El Hacen Lebatt said in a statement on Sunday that the two sides had been invited for “final talks on the Constitutional Declaration.” Prominent protest leader Babiker Faisal also confirmed Tuesday’s talks in Khartoum between the two sides, who on July 17 signed an initial power-sharing deal following the April ouster of longtime president Omar al-Bashir. The second agreement will deal with issues including the powers given to a joint civilian-military ruling body, the deployment of security forces and whether to grant “absolute immunity” to generals over protest-related violence, Faisal said. “I expect that we will reach an agreement on the Constitutional Declaration on Tuesday because the pending differences are not big,” Faisal told AFP. Lebatt said a technical committee representing the two sides would meet on Monday for preliminary talks. The July 17 “Political Declaration” provides for the establishment of a new joint civilian-military transitional ruling body that would install an overall civilian administration. That governing body will include six civilians and five generals. It will then oversee the formation of a transitional civilian government and parliament to govern for 39 months, after which elections will be held.

One dead as attack hits office of Afghan leader’s running mate
AFP/Sunday, 28 July 2019
At least one person was killed and 13 others wounded in an attack Sunday targeting the Kabul office of the running mate of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, officials said. The violence came the same day as Afghanistan marked the official start of campaign season for the upcoming presidential elections, serving as a grim reminder of the sort of mayhem and bloodshed that have marred previous polls. Interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said the attack began with a blast in north Kabul near the office for Green Trend, a youth- and reform-focused civil society organization that Amrullah Saleh heads.
“At around 4:40 pm (1210 GMT), first a blast occurred near Green Trend office... then a number of attackers entered that office,” Rahimi said. Two hours later, the attack was still ongoing. “The security forces have cordoned off the area. The security forces are trying to kill the attackers as soon as possible,” he continued.No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Rahimi said Saleh, who has previously served as the head of the country’s intelligence agency, was not wounded. Ejaz Malikzada, a witness, told AFP he had heard three explosions.
“It is a direct attack on the office of the Green Trend,” he said. “I have heard three explosions so far, and gunfire is also continuing.”Images on social media showed a large plume of smoke rising above the city. Health ministry spokesman Wahidullah Mayar said at least one person had been killed and 13 wounded so far. Initial reports said the attack had been near a wedding hall that earlier hosted a campaign rally for Afghanistan’s chief executive Abdullah Abdullah, one of the leading candidates running against Ghani on September 28.

Afghan president launches re-election bid amid worsening security
Reuters, Kabul/Sunday, 28 July 2019
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani launched his re-election campaign on Sunday, promising to start peace talks with the Taliban after decades of war and to transform his nation into a trade hub. The 70-year-old, US-trained former World Bank official came to power in 2014 after winning a bitterly disputed election marred by accusations of cheating. He is widely expected to win again. Having taken office as most foreign troops were leaving, with a much-reduced NATO alliance mission focused mainly on training local forces, his government has struggled to combat a growing Taliban insurgency. Tens of thousands of soldiers, police and civilians have been killed in the last five years, leaving Afghans weary of endless violence and widespread corruption in public life. Underlining the threat, a powerful blast hit Kabul on Sunday evening, killing one person and wounding a dozen more. Ghani’s vice-presidential running mate Amrullah Saleh was injured. Earlier, as campaigning began for the September 28 vote, Ghani had told a crowd: “Peace is coming and talks will definitely begin. We want to end this bloodshed. “Why I am running again is because I want to turn Afghanistan into a regional hub for trade and a center of civilization,” he added, pledging that Afghanistan would eventually shake off its dependence on foreign aid. The election has become inextricably linked with the peace process, which has grabbed headlines for months but is yet to produce a major breakthrough.

Dozens of migrants still stuck on vessel in Italy port
AFP, Rome/Sunday, 28 July 2019
An Italian coastguard vessel stranded in the Mediterranean with more than 130 migrants aboard has been allowed to dock in the eastern Sicilian port of Augusta but Rome on Sunday refused to let them disembark until a deal is struck with the EU. “The Gregoretti berthed in the port of Augusta overnight, as is normal procedure for a military vessel. Now the EU has to act because the migration question concerns the whole continent,” Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli said in a statement. Some 140 migrants, who had set off from Libya in two rickety boats, were picked up by Italian patrols on Thursday night and transferred to the Gregoretti ship. The operation took place on the same day that at least 115 other migrants were believed to have drowned in a shipwreck off Libya -- the Mediterranean’s deadliest tragedy this year, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Several migrants aboard the Gregoretti have already been evacuated for medical attention, including a seven-month pregnant woman, her two children and her partner. However, Italy’s far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has reiterated that the remaining migrants would not be able to leave the vessel until other European countries agree to take them in. Salvini, also deputy prime minister, has taken a hard line against migrants rescued at sea being brought to Italy, which he says bears an unfair burden in the crisis. French President Emmanuel Macron announced last Monday that 14 EU members had approved a plan to redistribute refugees rescued in the Mediterranean, and eight said they would actively take part. The proposal drew Salvini’s because it still involved allowing migrants to disembark on his country’s territory. He said the agreement underscored a demand that Italy “continue to be the refugee camp of Europe.”
Pope Francis on Sunday called on the international community to “act swiftly” to help avoid further deaths. “I have learned with sorrow the news of the dramatic shipwreck that happened in recent days in the Mediterranean where dozens of migrants including women and children have lost their lives,” he said Sunday during his weekly Angelus address on St Peter’s Square. “I am renewing my call that the international community act swiftly and decisively to avoid that such tragedies repeat themselves and guarantee the safety and dignity of all.”

Deployment of 10,000 fresh troops sparks fear in Indian Kashmir
AFP, Srinagar/Sunday, 28 July 2019
Tensions in Indian-administered Kashmir rose Sunday over the weekend after the deployment of at least 10,000 paramilitary troops to the troubled region despite authorities’ assertions the move was routine. India maintains a deployment of 500,000 soldiers in the Muslim-majority Himalayan region, which has been divided between the South Asian nation and Pakistan since their split in 1947. The region has seen a resurgence of hostilities in recent years, while locals are fearful about the loss of special privileges after India’s Supreme Court last year began hearing a case challenging a constitutional provision.
Officials said the movement of troops -- set to rise to 20,000 -- was to relieve exhausted personnel deployed since local civic polls last year and now monitoring an annual Hindu pilgrimage. “Troops have been working constantly for seven months. Some have to go on leave and some for training outside,” Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh told AFP. “We have requisitioned for 200 companies (20,000 troops), more might arrive.” A senior security official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said the deployment was to guard against possible protests about a decision or event, without giving further details.
He added that India’s security set-up in Kashmir was “being re-oriented like never before.”Locals told AFP they were worried Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government wanted to set aside a constitutional provision -- Article 35A -- which would allow Indians from outside the disputed territory to buy land there. The deployment follows the uproar sparked by US President Donald Trump after he claimed during a meeting with Pakistani PM Imran Khan that Modi asked him to mediate in the Kashmir dispute. India has long insisted the issue can only be resolved bilaterally, and strenuously denied Trump’s claims. India and Pakistan have been fighting over Kashmir, a part of which is also controlled by China, for decades. In February, a suicide bombing claimed by a Pakistan-based militant group killed 41 Indian troops in Indian-controlled Kashmir, prompting tit-for-tat airstrikes between the two countries.
India’s part of Kashmir was brought under New Delhi’s direct rule in June 2018 after Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) withdrew support for its local partner and dissolved the elected local government.

EU Partners Warn Johnson against Brexit Provocation
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/July 28/2019
European partners Friday warned Boris Johnson that his hardline Brexit stance was putting the UK on a "collision course" with the EU and called on the new British premier to avoid "provocations."Johnson plans for meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in the next few weeks, officials said Friday, as the British premier insists he will renegotiate the UK's divorce accord with the European Union. Macron, who has said he is happy to be considered the "bad guy" in the Brexit negotiations, is set to be a key figure during the tricky and potentially bad-tempered talks in the months ahead. He extended the invitation to Johnson in a call late Thursday from his official summer vacation residence in the south of France, where he is expected to stay for the next three weeks, said an aide. But in a sign of wariness about Johnson's anti-EU rhetoric, France's Europe Minister Amelie de Montchalin urged Britain's new leader to create a working relationship with his partners on the continent. "From our side, we need to be responsible," she told France 2 television. "That means being clear, predictable and it means on the other side that we need to create a working relationship, that there aren't games, posturing, provocations."The timing of the meeting between Macron and Johnson was unclear. The British prime minister is due in France to attend the G7 meeting of developed nations in Biarritz on August 24-26. "In any case, we want to work with him... and we need to," Montchalin said. Ireland's foreign minister was also quoted as saying on Friday that Johnson has deliberately set Britain on a "collision course" with the EU over Brexit negotiations. "He seems to have made a deliberate decision to set Britain on a collision course with the European Union and with Ireland in relation to the Brexit negotiations," Simon Coveney was quoted by Irish state broadcaster RTE as saying in Belfast. In his maiden parliamentary speech as prime minister on Thursday Johnson promised to press ahead with plans to reopen the deal agreed with the EU -- despite firm pushback from other EU leaders. Merkel's office said Johnson had accepted an invitation from the 65-year-old German Chancellor for "an early visit" to Berlin. No date was given. Merkel "congratulated" Johnson by phone on Friday and "the main topics were Britain's withdrawal from the European Union and deepening of bilateral relations," said a spokeswoman.
'Combative' Johnson
Last year, Macron broke away from his time off to host then British prime minister Theresa May as she sought new concessions in her ultimately doomed bid to bring Britain out of the European Union. In their conversation, Macron congratulated Johnson on becoming prime minister and emphasized his desire for close Franco-British ties, the presidential official said, reflecting his hope for a strong defense and economic relationship post-Brexit. But they largely steered clear of the vexed subject of Britain's departure from the bloc, the aide added, agreeing that the issue would be discussed in more detail in the next few weeks. "The purpose of the call was to congratulate the prime minister. They did discuss Brexit," said Johnson's spokesman. Macron, a devoted Europhile who is seeking to deepen links between EU members, views Brexit as an act of self-harm by Britain and he has been highly critical of Johnson personally in the past. Johnson insists he wants to renegotiate a divorce deal which was drafted by his predecessor May over the last two years, only to see it rejected by British MPs three times in parliament. But the EU has already said it will not reopen the negotiations on the terms of Britain's departure. Johnson has staked his reputation on bringing Britain out of the EU by the current October 31 deadline, meaning that if new negotiations are refused the UK would crash out without a deal in place. Both Britain and the European Union are now set to accelerate preparations for this scenario, which economists say would have major economic repercussions. "No deal will never be the EU's choice, but we all have to be ready for all scenarios," the European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, wrote in an email sent to EU ambassadors on Thursday. Barnier also noted the "combative" tone of Johnson's first speech as premier in parliament.  "In this negotiation, if we want to force Boris Johnson's hand, we need to prepare for no-deal and show that we're not scared," a European diplomat said on condition of anonymity on Thursday. "He needs to know that we are ready for a no-deal."Johnson on Thursday told British lawmakers that the current deal on the table was "unacceptable" and he urged the EU to "rethink" its opposition to renegotiating it. The former foreign secretary has also threatened to withhold the £39 billion ($49 billion) divorce bill that Britain has previously said it owes the European Union and spend it instead on preparing for a no-deal outcome.

The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on July 28-29/2019·
The goal is to reform, not topple, the Iranian regime
Raghida Dergham/The National/July 28, 2019
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/77066/%d8%b1%d8%a7%d8%ba%d8%af%d8%a9-%d8%af%d8%b1%d8%ba%d8%a7%d9%85-%d8%a5%d8%b5%d9%84%d8%a7%d8%ad-%d9%85%d9%86%d8%b7%d9%82-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%86%d8%b8%d8%a7%d9%85-%d9%81%d9%8a-%d8%b7%d9%87%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%86/
The Iranian leadership finds itself in a tricky position that could force it to seriously consider its options.
The possibilities of confrontation and of accord figure highly in the rhetoric of both the United States and Iran, but Tehran’s continued attempts to push Washington past the red line truly risks triggering costly military action against Iran – leading to either a short military conflict or large-scale hostilities in a devastating regional war.
The Iranian leadership finds itself in an embarrassing position today and it could be forced to seriously consider the options laid out before it, which require tough concessions and bold reforms. US President Donald Trump has communicated a number of messages to the Iranians indicating he is willing to negotiate and has said that he is not seeking regime change in Iran.
But if the Iranian leadership fails to understand the real options it has, this would be a historic mistake, especially if it continues to try to provoke Mr Trump into military action. Iran’s calculation that Mr Trump is too cowardly or too concerned about re-election to go to war is only useful for posturing and grandstanding. And while making a show of force in the Gulf may give it leverage, Iran’s continued intransigence is dangerous.
Regardless of whether Tehran succeeds or not in luring Mr Trump to war he doesn’t want, the fact remains that Iran is crippled by sanctions. Iran has meanwhile lost its bet on the Europeans not only in terms of skirting sanctions but also as Germany and France are poised to join a naval taskforce to be deployed alongside the US effort to secure navigation in the Gulf. Iran has also no doubt noticed China’s policy of disassociating itself in the current crisis. Meanwhile, reading between the lines, Russian seems to not necessarily endorse Iran’s perspectives.
In truth, there is no choice for the Iranian leadership but to reconsider the logic of its regime in a way that would realign it with interests of the Iranian people, including putting an end to its effort to create armed proxies in other sovereign countries. No state in the world has the right to assail the sovereignty of another by imposing its ruling model and funding and arming irregular armies that answer to the Supreme Leader of Iran and further his quest for regional dominance. After 40 years, it is time for the regime in Iran to reform and respect the norms and boundaries set by international law.
The time has also come for European leaders to reconsider their previous decision to endorse the Obama-era nuclear deal that consented to Iranian expansionism and play a constructive role. This can be done by ending appeasement of Iran and pressuring Tehran to reform and disband its extra-territorial proxy armies.
President Trump should crystallise the demand for regime reform in Tehran, and to stop listening to voices from the previous administration that again are calling for focusing exclusively on Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes, while turning a blind eye to Iranian-imposed irregular armies in Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, and Syria.
The issue is not just that by going down that road, the US would be reinforcing its reputation for abandoning its friends. It is whether the Trump administration is serious about its stated foreign policy strategies based on containing extremism, with Iran based on sanctions against Iran and Hezbollah, and down the road, Turkey and the Muslim Brotherhood.
Encouraging Iran to reform and modify its behavior will be met with pushback, especially by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which that oversees proxies such as the Popular Mobilisation Forces in Iraq, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and various militias and cells in Yemen, Syria, and Arab Gulf countries. For the IRGC, reforming the regime’s logic means abolishing the entire Iranian revolutionary project and the IRGC itself.
President Trump should crystallise the demand for regime reform in Tehran
But if encouragement of Iran comes as part of a comprehensive deal that would save the regime from collapse – either from economic crises produced by the Trump administration strategy or from military action provoked by Iran’s leaders – this may convince the Iranian leadership to drink from the poisoned chalice.
What matters here is that President Trump must not fall into the trap of gradualism and bargaining in a way that would compartmentalise what is required of Tehran and exclude the issue of Iran’s intervention in Arab countries through proxies – many of which Washington designates as terror groups.
Mr Trump rightly indicated that he is not in a rush. The sanctions are painful for the regime in Iran and advantageous for the administration, because they are producing the desired results including exposing Iran’s own attempts to provoke military action while Mr Trump prudently resists any confrontation. Now, the impression for everyone is that it is Mr Trump who wants to avoid war.
When Iran puts an end to its strategic recklessness, it may seek a side deal that Tehran thinks will meet Mr Trump’s re-election needs. Iran will haggle with the US over sanction relief and oil export waivers in return for some gradual concessions on ballistic missiles and the nuclear programme.
For Iran, the nuclear and missile programmes are less important than its proxies in the Arab countries. For this reason, it is not far-fetched for another Obama-style deal to be struck again, where Iran’s regional policies are excluded from negotiations. However, if Mr Trump goes down this road, then this effectively means the US strategic decision is to resume the project for Shia-Sunni strife.
One Obama-era US foreign policy veteran says the US “doesn’t care about the region”. Mr Trump, he adds, does not believe it is necessary for the US to remain in the Middle East because Americans are sick of the Middle East, except when it comes to oil prices. The source also opines that a grand bargain is impossible at present and that the best way is to solve problems one at a time as part of a comprehensive strategy that will allow the Arabs and Iran to sit together at the table.
This idea of being part of any negotiations to discuss security arrangements with Iran is exactly what the Gulf countries want. These countries have protested against their exclusion from negotiations with Iran, as had happened when the nuclear deal was struck. But it is not enough for Arab countries to protest and grumble with Washington and ask its help, according to the US source. Rather, they should present a regional proposal, he adds, because Iran’s expansionism is their main concern, not America’s. The source stresses that the nuclear and ballistic missile issue should be dealt with as the basis and Iran’s expansionism should be dealt with “on the sidelines”.
Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been working to diversify their security relations in the direction of Russia and China, without prejudicing their relations with the US. But both are aware of the nature of equations that shape deals and confrontations, and the price they could pay if Iran’s expansionism is placed on the shelf while the nuclear and ballistic missile programmes are dealt with gradually. Right now, the biggest concern for them is Iran’s continued military provocation in the Gulf.
A Russian source familiar with the thinking in Iran said Tehran categorically rejects all proposals so far advanced, and is sure that escalation and crises will favour its strategy. “They want a major conflict” that would reshuffle the deck and will therefore continue to escalate, he says. “Iran’s actions are simply irresponsible, but no one has succeeded in persuading Iran to stop escalating and this is dangerous for us and others”.
Tehran’s simple message today is that there can be no security in the Gulf as long as Iran is under sanctions. But Iran’s threats have backfired. Germany and France, which were avid defenders of Iran in the context of the nuclear deal, are joining a Euro-American alliance to secure navigation in the Gulf. China may accept the US president’s invitation to participate in the effort to secure oil tankers, because Beijing is one of the world’s top importers of oil and may have to shoulder some of the cost.
In short, Iran’s leaders need to recalculate. The regime’s logic needs to be reconsidered in a radical, realistic, and wise manner. Iran is in a deep crisis, and admitting this is an important first step. Intransigence is the worst investment in the future of the regime and the nation.

Iran’s harsh treatment of ethnic minorities
د.مجيد رافيزادا: إيران تعامل الأقليات الإثنية بقساوة
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/July 28/2019
When it comes to Iran, several important developments — such as the tanker crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s violations of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, aka the nuclear deal, and the shooting down of a US drone by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — have recently taken the spotlight among national and international news outlets.
This means that less attention has been paid to the latest developments inside Iran, particularly how ethnic minorities are being treated during Hassan Rouhani’s second term as president.
Iran’s ethnic minorities include Arabs, about 3 million of whom live near the Iraqi border in southwest Iran; nearly 7 million Kurds, who live in the northwest in what is known as Iranian Kurdistan; the Azeris, Iran’s largest ethnic minority with a population of about 18 million, who reside in several provinces including Tehran, Hamadan and East Azerbaijan; and the Baluchis, with an approximate population of 1.5 million, mostly residing in the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan near the border with Pakistan.
While the current sociopolitical and socioeconomic situations are difficult for the wider Iranian population, the nation’s ethnic minorities are suffering the worst social, economic and political deprivation. According to a report from last year, a third of Iran’s prisoners are ethnic minorities, who are sidelined from basic necessities such as education and health care.
This is despite the ethnic minorities living in provinces filled with natural resources. An example is Ahvaz, the capital of Khuzestan, which is one of Iran’s wealthiest provinces when it comes to oil and natural gas. Khuzestan reportedly produces 85 to 90 percent of Iran’s oil and is the main pillar of the country’s economy and the government’s revenues.
Although Khuzestan is rich in natural resources, most of its Arab population live in poverty and suffer from malnutrition. The rate of unemployment among Arabs is reportedly much higher than the national unemployment rate. In addition, despite the resources and wealth that Khuzestan has, the province still suffers from water shortages, electricity problems and sanitation issues. The Arabs are also plagued by high levels of water and air pollution, as the oil facilities surround and suffocate Ahvaz, releasing toxic materials and pollutants into the air.
A third of Iran’s prisoners are ethnic minorities, who are sidelined from basic necessities such as education and health care
In addition, while many Iranians are subjected to persecution for exercising their basic rights, such as freedom of expression, the persecution of ethnic minorities appears to be proportionally much greater. As Joe Stork, deputy director of Human Rights Watch’s Middle East and North Africa Division, has said: “Iranian authorities show little tolerance of political dissent anywhere in the country, but they are particularly hostile to dissent in minority areas where there has been any history of separatist activities.”
The Iranian authorities falsely claim that they are protecting the nation’s national security. The reality is that the regime’s objective is to silence the journalists, newspapers and political and human rights activists among the ethnic minorities who dare to criticize the policies of the Islamic Republic.
An increasing number of Arabs are being arbitrarily arrested, tortured and found dead in prisons in suspicious circumstances. For example, a 28-year-old detainee from the Ahwazi Arab minority was found dead in a detention center in Ahvaz last month. In response, Amnesty International called for an impartial investigation, stating: “Given the systematic use of torture in Iranian detention facilities, the death of a young man, from a widely persecuted ethnic minority group and with no known health conditions, so soon after his arrest raises serious concerns that he was subjected to torture or other ill treatment and that this may have caused or contributed to his death.”
Hundreds of people from the Arab ethnic minority are also being held incommunicado without access to their family or lawyers, according to Amnesty International.
Meanwhile, at least 69 Kurdish citizens, including a minor child and women, were executed in prisons in Iran in 2018, mostly on charges based on political or religious activities.
The Iranian regime has routinely disregarded calls from international organizations and human rights groups to halt its executions of Kurds. For instance, when Iran’s judiciary system sentenced three young Kurds to death last year, UN special rapporteurs Agnes Callamard and Javaid Rehman urged “the government of Iran to immediately halt their executions and to annul the death sentences against them in compliance with its international obligations.” But the Iranian regime went ahead and executed all three.
Baluchis also face the same dire situation, as they are treated as second-class citizens, repressed and sidelined from basic needs such as education and health care.
Despite the president’s promises, ethnic minorities are among the most subjugated, dehumanized and repressed groups in Iran. It is incumbent on the UN to pressure Tehran and hold the Iranian leaders accountable for the ongoing and heightened suppression of these vulnerable groups.
**Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a Harvard-educated Iranian-American political scientist. He is a leading expert on Iran and US foreign policy, a businessman and president of the International American Council. Twitter: @Dr_Rafizadeh

Growing Middle East ties vital to Africa’s prosperity
Afshin Molavi/Arab News/July 28/2019
If you want to understand our collective future, look no further than Africa. Let us start with the obvious: Africa’s demographics. According to UN projections, Africa’s population is set to double by 2050 to 2.4 billion. Looking further ahead to the year 2100, Africa’s population is expected to hit 4.3 billion. By that time, a third of all humanity will live on the continent. Amid all the talk of the 21st century being the Asian century, Africa is on pace to nearly catch up with Asia by the end of the century. Could the 22nd century be the African century?
But, before we go that far, let us look at one of the biggest challenges facing Africa today and in the near future: Jobs. When Africa’s population hits 2.4 billion, a third of its inhabitants will be youths, according to the African Development Bank. That means 800 million new jobs will be needed.
The African Development Bank referred to the continent’s population growth over the next three decades as a “ticking time bomb.” That’s why the new African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) is so important. Signed by virtually every African nation, it came into force on May 30 and creates the world’s largest free-trade area since the establishment of the World Trade Organization in 1995. Foreign investors often complain about the lack of intra-African trade, making investments in smaller countries a harder sell. Nigeria (population nearly 200 million) is interesting; Niger (population just north of 20 million), not so much.
The AfCFTA is a good start, but don’t expect a revolution overnight. Tremendous obstacles remain and free-trade agreements of this size and scope among predominantly developing countries will require years, even decades, to mature into something broadly accepted, workable and beneficial. But, amid the negative depictions of globalization that are rising in parts of Europe and the US, the AfCFTA is a powerful counter-current — and a much-needed one.
Today, the median age in Africa is 20. By contrast, the median age in the advanced economies of Europe, the US and Japan is 42. With such a young population, the UN estimates that African countries will need to create 18 million jobs a year through the year 2035.
Where will these jobs come from? In the age of manufacturing automation, low and semi-skilled jobs are moving to robots. Compounding the problem across Africa, at least for the short term, is the ongoing US-China trade war, which has the potential to knock both countries back a peg. Given China’s vital role as a major importer of African commodities and investor in infrastructure, and America’s role as a major foreign direct investor, the trade dispute will have a knock-on effect.
The UN estimates that African countries will need to create 18 million jobs a year through the year 2035.
But there is, of course, another side of the Africa story. This is the story of economic transformation, of young entrepreneurs creating and innovating, of large enterprises going regional and sometimes global and of growing middle classes driving a consumer boom in major cities. The “Africa Rising” narrative may have gotten ahead of itself, though perhaps it served a useful correction to the “hopeless continent” narrative of the Economist magazine cover story from 2000. Today, however, it is time to stop worrying about the narratives and start getting down to business — yes, business. While aid plays a role, what major African countries need — just like any other country — is private sector-led growth.
Here is where cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and countries like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt and Morocco come in. One of the defining features of our era is the massive growth in south-south trade and investment. Countries across the “Global South” are no longer waiting for the West to “save” them with aid or to invest in their markets; instead, they are increasingly also engaged with other emerging markets.
Dubai has become something of a Miami for Africa — a major hub for African business, trade, finance and tourism — while UAE entities have become major investors across the continent. Companies like the Abu Dhabi-based Etisalat and Dubai-based Emirates have become household names across the continent and are major trade and connectivity enablers; and the Dubai-based ports operator, DP World, runs eight marine and inland terminals on the continent. There are an extraordinary 12,000 African businesses registered with the Chamber of Commerce in Dubai.
Saudi Arabia announced in January a major petrochemical and refinery investment in South Africa as part of $10 billion of planned investments. Saudi Arabia’s knowledge in building large-scale industrial enterprises — the kind that create lots of jobs — like Saudi Aramco and the petrochemical company SABIC should be shared widely across the continent. Turkey continues to invest broadly across African markets and Turkish Airlines serves as a force multiplier of connectivity, while Morocco has positioned itself well as an air, finance and education hub linking Europe to sub-Saharan Africa. Egypt is seeking to use its tech talent to become a digital hub.
All of this is positive, but it’s not one-way. Sub-Saharan African entrepreneurs and businesses can enrich the broader Middle East and North Africa region with their dynamism and ability to achieve scale and breakthroughs in often difficult circumstances. African creative industries deserve mention here. Aubrey Hruby, an astute observer of all things to do with African business, notes that “African film, music and fashion are exploding on the world stage,” and the Nigerian film industry and South African visual arts sector are only at the beginning of their growth. Lessons can be drawn and shared.
Every year, Dubai hosts the World Government Summit, a gathering of notables that seeks to tackle our world’s biggest challenges. While it is useful to hear from the managing director of the IMF, there is nothing more heartening for a mayor of an African or a Middle Eastern city to sit with a counterpart and exchange ideas. Sure, Zurich or Paris may have an innovative solution to a city problem, but when a municipal official in Cairo learns something useful from a municipal official in Lagos, they are, in some ways, speaking the same language.
In that respect, cross-border trade and investment flows linking the broader Middle East with Africa can enrich both sides, but it’s not only about the numbers. The dialogue must become much more robust. There’s a lot Dubai can learn from Dakar, and a great deal that Abu Dhabi can share with Addis Ababa.
*Afshin Molavi is a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Institute of the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, and editor and founder of the New Silk Road Monitor. Copyright: Syndication Bureau

Trump must choose between sanctions and profit
Yasar Yakis/Arab News/July 28/2019
US President Donald Trump last week held a 90-minute meeting with 45 Republican senators to discuss various aspects of the sanctions to be imposed on Turkey under the Countering American Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). “We expect,” the senators told Trump, “that you will follow the law and impose sanctions on Turkey without delay.” They added: “On a strong bipartisan basis, Congress has made it clear that there must be consequences for (Turkish President Recep Tayyip) Erdogan’s misguided S-400 acquisition,” referring to the air defense system that Turkey has purchased from Russia.
Trump still seems to be undecided and is going back and forth. This explains why the announcement of the decision on the suspension of Turkey’s participation in the F-35 jet fighter project was twice postponed.
The good news for Turkey from the White House meeting is that the senators were not able to persuade Trump to immediately impose the sanctions contained in CAATSA. The good news for the senators is that Trump did not outright reject their proposal. So things are at a standstill and the president is encouraging negotiations. He probably wants to honor the promise he made to Erdogan in Osaka, Japan, during the G20 meeting last month.
CAATSA provides that the president has to choose at least five out of 12 measures contained in the law. But these sanctions were originally introduced to punish Russia, Iran and North Korea. They include measures such as the denial of US visas for corporate officers at sanctioned entities, blocking loans and banking transactions from US financial institutions, and denying credit from the US Export-Import Bank to sanctioned individuals. Most of these sanctioned individuals are officials close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, so it has limited relevance to Turks.
The irony is that CAATSA was enacted to punish Russia, but ultimately it is Russia that benefits from the implementation of the law, because it succeeds in driving a wedge into the NATO solidarity. And it is NATO ally Turkey that is punished at the end of the day.
NBC news correspondents Leigh Ann Caldwell, Carol E. Lee and Courtney Kube reported, in a podcast on July 24, that Trump tried to convince the senators to give him space to cut a deal with Erdogan instead of adopting sanctions. One senator said Trump “believed he can use his relationship with Erdogan to come to a solution that would better rein in Turkey than any sanction would.”
The NBC correspondents also wrote that Erdogan, during his meeting with Trump in Japan, made flattering comments about the US president’s image as a seasoned deal-maker, but also used less than flattering words by referring to a retaliation if the US moved forward with the sanctions, including ending the US military presence at Turkey’s Incirlik Air Base, which has been critical to the American military operations in Syria.
The president probably wants to honor the promise he made to Erdogan during the G20 meeting last month
Erdogan told the Turkish media, on his way back from Osaka, that the US would deliver the F-35 super fighters despite Senate opposition. He must have guessed that, as a successful businessman, Trump would find a way not to spoil this opportunity for the American defense industry. It remains to be seen whether Erdogan’s guess will materialize.
One of the possible outcomes is that Erdogan strikes a deal with Trump to keep in store the S-400 air defense system and dispel US worries that the system could identify the weaknesses of the F-35s. Such a deal would lift the US administration’s decision to suspend Turkey’s participation in the F-35 project and open the way for Ankara to purchase US patriot missiles. By so doing, both leaders would be killing several birds with one stone.
If this scenario materializes, Turkish taxpayers will fork out $2.5 billion for an air defense system that will not be used. Moscow may not like it, but will probably not object, because the price of the equipment will be paid by Turkey.
Trump invited only the Republican senators to the White House, but the reaction to Turkey’s purchase of the Russian-made missile system is bipartisan. In fact, Democrat Sens. Jack Reed and Bob Menendez, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined with Republicans Jim Inhofe and Jim Risch to say: “Erdogan has chosen a perilous partnership with the Russian President Vladimir Putin at the expense of Turkey’s security, economic prosperity and the integrity of the NATO alliance.”
If Trump yields to the senators’ pressure, he may choose to impose the sanctions that will have the least or no harmful effects on Turkey. The choice will, therefore, be between the US senators’ negative feelings about Turkey and the profit that the US defense industry expects from the Turkish market.
*Yasar Yakis is a former foreign minister of Turkey and founding member of the ruling AK Party. Twitter: @yakis_yasar