Libya

LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
April 22/2019
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani

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Bible Quotations For today
When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons.
Mark16/09-20/When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it. Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either. Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

Easter Sunday: The Resurrection of the Lord
Day of resurrection, day of our joy !
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 20/01-09/On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, "They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don't know where they put him."So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in.When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the scripture that he had to rise from the dead.

Living as Those Made Alive in Christ
Colossians 03/01-04/Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News published on April 21-22/19
Our Prayers Go For The Hundreds That Were killed Or Injured in Sri Lank Today Because Of Their Christian Faith
Halleluiah! Jesus has risen! Indeed He has risen
Living as Those Made Alive in Christ
France Warned Lebanon Of Possible Israeli Attack-Report
Nasrallah Warns Of War This Sumer, Wories He could Be Killed-Report
President Aoun, First Lady attend Easter Mass in Bkirki: Lebanon will flourish and no taxes on the underprivileged
Hizbullah Says Won’t Let Poor Pay for Economic Crisis
Foreign Ministry condemns bombings in Sri Lanka, urges world rulers to take a conscience stand against financing, arming terrorists
Hezbollah: We strongly condemn the attack on believers and worship sites during the glorious holidays
Berri denounces Sri Lanka bombings
Fneish: We will exercise our corrective role in line with our keenness for the state
Raad: We are open to positive dialogues, everyone is concerned about finding a solution that would help Lebanon overcome its economic crisis
Kuwaiti plane suffers storm damages while landing at Beirut Airport

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on April 21-22/19
At least 230 people were killed and hundreds more wounded in a series of bomb blasts that hit luxury hotels and churches across Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday,
Chaos in Sri Slanka as death toll from Easter massacre rises again to 215
Pope Francis Expresses Sympathy for Sri Lanka Bombing Victims
Saudi Arabia Condemns, Denounces Series of Terrorist Bombings in Sri Lanka
British PM condemns Sri Lanka attacks
Macron condemns attacks in Sri Lanka
Daesh claim failed terrorist attack on interior ministry building north of Riyadh
Four killed in failed attack on Saudi state security building
Afghan President's mandate extended due to postponement of presidential elections
Protesters in Algeria Call for Ouyahia Step Down from RND Leadership
Arab Media Echoes Israeli Report On Location Of Elie Cohen's Remains

Titles For The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on April 21-22/19
Our Prayers Go For The Hundreds That Were killed Or Injured in Sri Lank Today Because Of Their Christian Faith/Elias Bejjani/April 21/19
Halleluiah! Jesus has risen! Indeed He has risen/Elias Bejjani/April 21/2019
France Warned Lebanon Of Possible Israeli Attack-Report/Jerusalem Post/April 21/19
Nasrallah Warns Of War This Sumer, Wories He could Be Killed-Report/Jerusalem Post/April 21/19
Should We Sympathize with a Parisian Cathedral/Hazem Saghieh/Asharq Al Awsat/April 21/19
Defeats of the 'Capital of Change'/Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Al Awsat/April 21/19
The Blackwill report raises important questions about where power lies within the Trump administration/Raghida Dergham/The National/April 21/19
Regime corruption to cause further decline in Iran’s economy/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/April 21/19
Is Europe’s liberal consensus in its death throes/Baria Alamuddin/Arab News/April 21/19
Iraq aims to be ‘meeting point’ for regional rivals/Mamoon Alabbasi/The Arab Weekly/April 21/19
What the reaction to Notre Dame does and does not say/Rashmee Roshan Lall/The Arab Weekly/April 21/19
Lessons Algeria and Sudan can learn from other transitions/Oussama Romdhani/The Arab Weekly/April 21/19

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News published on April 21-22/19
Our Prayers Go For The Hundreds That Were killed Or Injured in Sri Lank Today Because Of Their Christian Faith
Elias Bejjani/April 21/19
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/74097/elias-bejjani-our-prayers-goes-for-the-hundreds-that-were-killed-or-injured-in-sri-lank-today-because-of-their-christian-faith/
“I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.” (John 16-33)
The shocking and tragic news from Sri Lanka this morning left the whole world in anger, sorrow, panic and fear.
Our voices join in condemning the horrific attacks on Christians as they were celebrating their holiest day, Easter Sunday, and our hearts and our prayers goes to all those who were injured or killed.
The least ethical and human obligation that any peace loving person would do today, is to strongly condemn the barbaric, savage and fundamentalist assault that targeted five churches and three hotels in Sri Lanka.
Most of the victims were observing and celebrating The Easter Sunday, the most important day on the Christian Church calendar.
The vicious attack killed more than 230 innocent parishioners among them citizens from numerous countries, and injured at least 500 others, many of them are in a critical condition.
The coward and evil assailants attacked civil and peaceful parishioners while they were worshiping and praying. This vicious assault reaches the realm of a series of similar previous and ongoing fanatic attacks against Christians and their churches in many other countries.
This phenomenon of anti-human rights’ practices is widely encouraged, nurtured and cultivated through education of hatred, fundamentalism, rejection of the other and ignorance in many third world countries.
What is unfortunate, pitiful and sad is that the governments of many middle east and African countries adopt such practices while the free world keeps a blind eye or in the best scenario limits its condemnation to mere rhetoric levels.
The horrible and barbaric crime of today is strongly denounced. The Free World has an obligation to protect Christians as well as all African and Middle East minorities.
We, call on the free world countries, the United Nations, the Vatican and on all the Human Rights’ organizations to be loud in their public stances of condemnation and to develop a world wide plan and strategy to protect the Middle East Christians as well as all other minorities.
Our deepest sympathies are extended to the families and friends of those killed today, and all wishes for a speedy recovery to all the injured.
May the souls of all those innocent victims that were killed today rest in peace.

Halleluiah! Jesus has risen! Indeed He has risen
Elias Bejjani/April 21/2019
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/74024/elias-bejjani-halleluiah-jesus-has-risen-indeed-he-has-risen/
For our salvation, “He (Jesus) was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.”(Nicene Creed)
The rising again of Jesus from the dead, and His ascending into heaven are the resurrection miracle that the church celebrates on the Easter Day.
Resurrection is the cornerstone, the pillar, the heart, the foundation, and the core of the Christian faith.
Those who claim to be Christians, no matter to what denomination or church they belong, are not actually Christians if they doubt or do not totally believe in the resurrection.
Plainly, and simply resurrection is Christianity and Christianity is resurrection.
On this Holy Day of Resurrection, we need to be aware that Jesus’ Holy blood was shed on the Cross for our sake.
On this Holy Day of Resurrection we are ought to remember that Jesus’ death and resurrection is a Godly consignment that we are entrusted with. It’s up to us either to honour this trust or betray it.
Easter Sunday (Resurrection) is a holy feast of love, humility, forgiveness, brotherhood, tolerance and repentance. Worshipers are not supposed to participate in any feast prayers, or make any offerings, or receive the Holy Communion, unless they willingly to replace hatred with love, grudges with forgiveness, rejection of others with tolerance, arrogance with humility, greed with contentment, deception, transparency, and wickedness with righteousness.
Lord Jesus who died on the cross, had risen from the dead on the third day just as He has said while proclaiming His message. He triumphed over death, defeated the forces of darkness, overcame pain, abolished anguish and brought despair to an end. He rose from the tomb to be constantly with those faithful to Him throughout their lives, and to never abandon them. He shall empower forever those who believe in His message and observe His commandments with the spirit of truth, knowledge, wisdom and solidarity with His Father, Almighty God.
Through Crucifixion and resurrection, Christ has overcome death, broke its thorn, and granted us His eternal forgiveness from the original sin. With His death and resurrection, death in its traditional earthly human concept has been abolished forever and Sin since then has become the actual death that leads the sinners to Gahanna into the unquenchable fire.
Christ is the Way, Christ is the Truth, and Christ is the actual eternal life that we long for. We strongly believe with full conviction that Christ dwells in His Holy Church, and exists in its Mysteries (Sacraments). He is always present in the Holy Eucharist that we receive during every mass. Christ at all times is ready, willing and delighted to help us in our burdens when we call on Him and ask for His mercy.
On this holy day, of Resurrection, we are ought to be aware that for our prayers to be looked upon and heard by Almighty God, we are required to reconcile with all others on whom we have inflicted pain and injustice, and treated them with an evil manner.
To please the Lord we are required to genuinely, heartily and overtly perform all required acts of repentance for our mischievous conducts and wrongdoings. We are requires to pray and pray and pray.
How great is the need nowadays, to understand the meaning and message of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Sadly fast pace of life, merciless competition, detachment from almighty God and materialism, have turned us into mere robots and a bunch of spiritually crippled human beings, consumed by greed, selfishness and the lust for earthly pleasures and treasures.
Because of lack of both faith and hope our thoughts and actions are dominated, obsessed and directed by trifle material and earthly matters and concerns. In the midst of all this faith, moral and ethical havoc, we have forgotten that we are the sons and daughters of Almighty God, and that He has created us in His image and likeness and made our bodies a temple for Him.
If we do not learn how to tame our selfishness, anger, hatred and forgive others for whatever evil deeds they commit against us and reconcile with them, than we do not qualify to be called Jesus’ followers. Our prayers will not be heard or responded to, if we do not practice the grace of forgiveness as did He who was crucified for our salvation.
Our resurrection through Jesus Christ occurs today and lives on in each day of our life.
Let us pray that the Holy Spirit enlighten and empower us on this Holy day just as with the Apostles on the day of Pentecost.
Let us all proudly proclaim that Christ is living in us and with us, Christ has truly risen and we are witnesses to His resurrection!
Happy Easter to all, and especially to my dear and beloved family members, relatives, supporters, friends and readers.
Halleluiah! Jesus has risen! Indeed He has risen

France Warned Lebanon Of Possible Israeli Attack-Report
Jerusalem Post/April 21/19
Paris expressed concern regarding reports of precision-guided missiles on Lebanese soil, which Israel may strike at.
rance warned Lebanon that Israel would attack precision-guided rocket systems belonging to Hezbollah, according to a report Saturday in the Holland-based paper Al-Hayat. The paper quoted Arab diplomatic sources as saying that "The French- who have so far been content as observers- inserted themselves into the Iranian line tightening around Syria and Lebanon, including Hezbollah, and joined in the escalating tone of American Secretary of State Mike Pompeo," after they understood the Americans were serious about ramping up sanctions on Iran. According to the sources, Paris expressed concern regarding reports of precision-guided missiles on Lebanese soil. The reports were sent by Israel to the French and to the Americans."France considers it Lebanon's responsibility to take steps to ensure that precision-guided rocket systems" will not have a presence in the country, said one source, "since Israel will not stand by the establishment of such systems with Iranian support." The source emphasized that France is moving closer to the American position in Syria, therefore it is also concerned about the situation in Lebanon. Earlier this week, it was reported that the Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil met with a senior Israeli official in Moscow, and discussed issues of borders, the Syrian war and Iranian weapons factories in Lebanon. The Israeli official reportedly told Bassil that Israel does not consider Lebanon to be an enemy, but that it also will not hesitate to strike at Iranian and Hezbollah targets in Syria.
Translated from Maariv by Zack Evans. Ilanit Chernick contributed to this report.

Nasrallah Warns Of War This Sumer, Wories He could Be Killed-Report
Jerusalem Post/April 21/19
Sources from within Hezbollah have denied the report, saying that all of it is a “fabric of the writer’s imagination,” according to Lebanon 24 news. Nasrallah will speak on Monday. Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah warned top military commanders in a private meeting this week that there will be a war with Israel this summer and that he may not be around to support them, according to Elijah J. Magnier, a writer for the Kuwaiti Al Rai news. “I may not remain among you for very long; it is possible that the entire first level of leadership could be killed, including myself,” Nasrallah reportedly told the commanders. “Measures and procedures have already been taken to be ready even if this extreme case happens.”Nasrallah reportedly said that he expects the war to take everybody by surprise, like the 2006 Lebanon War. “Israel can surprise us all like it did in Gaza in 2008 with the objective of removing the threat on its borders once and for all,” Nasrallah stated. “This is what our people should know, and they should from now on be prepared for the worse-case scenario.”According to the report, Hezbollah believes that Israel will evacuate Israeli settlements near the Lebanese border to prevent the possibility of kidnappings. A “knowledgeable source” told Magnier that “this is the first time Sayyed Nasrallah has offered such a bleak perspective, raising the chances of war with Israel from 50/50 to 70/30.”Magnier also claims that Nasrallah believes that other countries, including the USA, the UK and many Arab states could take part in an upcoming conflict. Hezbollah’s “pessimism” comes after an evaluation of the regional situation, according to the Al Rai writer, including the outcome of the Israeli elections, US support for Israel and an increased international willingness to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. Hezbollah is already taking measures to prepare for a conflict, according to Magnier, and has abandoned hundreds of locations in Lebanon. Hezbollah may act aggressively towards the Lebanese government should they try to intervene, as in 2008, when they occupied Beirut when the government attempted to disrupt their communications system. Sources from within Hezbollah have denied the report, saying that all of it is a “fabric of the writer’s imagination,” according to Lebanon 24 news. The sources also said that Nasrallah will speak about regional, international and local political issues on Monday afternoon.
Magnier tweeted that he still stands by his report, even though a Hezbollah spokesperson denied it. Hezbollah is believed to have around 130,000-150,000 rockets and missiles which can reach far into Israeli territory. Israeli air strikes have repeatedly targeted weapons convoys and Iranian targets in Syria to prevent the terrorist organization from acquiring precision weapons. In December, Israel launched Operation Northern Shield to locate and destroy cross-border attack tunnels on the Lebanese border built by Hezbollah.
*Anna Ahronheim contributed to this report.

President Aoun, First Lady attend Easter Mass in Bkirki: Lebanon will flourish and no taxes on the underprivileged
Sun 21 Apr 2019/NNA - President of the Republic, Michel Aoun, assured the Lebanese on Sunday that "no new taxes will be imposed on low-income and destitute citizens," stressing that "we know how and when taxes must be imposed," and that "Lebanon will flourish and gradually emerge from the difficulties confronting it."Aoun's words came following his closed meeting with Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, in Bkirki this morning prior to commencing Easter Mass service, during which they reviewed the latest developments. Addressing the attending press on emerging, the President hoped that God would bless them and Lebanon with goodness, prosperity and abundance. "Today we come to Bkirki, like every year, to preserve the tradition and pray to celebrate the Day of Resurrection. May God's blessings and goodness be to all the Lebanese and all believers," Aoun said. "Lebanon is going through a crisis that is being dealt with, and everyone has to work day and night to end it the soonest possible, for the situation does not allow for stalling," he corroborated, confirming, "It is unacceptable to keep things moving at such a slow pace.""The crisis is difficult but not hard to overcome. We started our program today through the completion of the electricity plan, soon to be followed by the budget, the economic and the environmental plans. Things will take an upward trend, and Lebanon will flourish and gradually emerge from the difficulties it faces," Aoun reassured. The President and First Lady, Nadia Shami, then attended the Easter Mass presided over by Patriarch al-Rahi, following which they headed to Patriarchal Edifice hall to receive well-wishers.

Hizbullah Says Won’t Let Poor Pay for Economic Crisis
Naharnet/April 21/19/Hizbullah official Sheikh Nabil Qaouq said on Saturday that Hizbullah will not let the poor pay for the economic crisis, the National News Agency said.“Hizbullah will not let a solution to the economic and financial crisis be made at the expense of the poor. Those who think of a solution from the pockets of the poor are merely creating a new crisis,” said Qaouq. He said the crisis can be resolved “from the top of the pyramid, by stopping corruption and the waste of public funds.”

Foreign Ministry condemns bombings in Sri Lanka, urges world rulers to take a conscience stand against financing, arming terrorists
Sun 21 Apr 2019/NNA - Lebanese Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Ministry strongly denounced in a statement on Sunday "the terrorist crime that targeted churches and hotels in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo, resulting in the deaths of many innocent people." "Once again, terrorism and extremism strikes innocent civilians...which entails greater coordination and cooperation among nations to eliminate it," the statement added. "We call for a conscience stand by world rulers to stop those who feed, finance and arm terrorists because the scourge of terrorism will not spare anyone and will target all beliefs and religions," the statement concluded.

Hezbollah: We strongly condemn the attack on believers and worship sites during the glorious holidays
Sun 21 Apr 2019/NNA - In an issued statement on Sunday, Hezbollah forcefully denounced the "terrorist bombings that targeted churches and hotels in Sri Lanka and led to the deaths of hundreds of innocent victims," and the "attack on believers and places of worship during the glorious holidays".
The Party reiterated "that terrorism has no religion," calling on "all world believers of different religious and sectarian affiliations to stand united in the face of this serious scourge."

Berri denounces Sri Lanka bombings
Sun 21 Apr 2019/NNA - House Speaker Nabih Berri condemned, Sunday, on his behalf and on behalf of the Parliament Council members, "the terrorist bombings that targeted churches and hotels in the friendly country of Sri Lanka, which resulted in the death of a large number of citizens."

Fneish: We will exercise our corrective role in line with our keenness for the state
Sun 21 Apr 2019/NNA - Youth and Sports Minister, Mohamad Fneish, stressed Sunday on pursuing all efforts to rectify the issues at stake in the country, without failing to shoulder responsibilities to protect the security and stability of citizens economically, regardless of the difficulties and differences in approaches, based on the keenness for preserving the state and its people. "We are examining the proposed procedures through our concern to build a sound economy and to enable the country to overcome its crisis, with special care and attention first and foremost to the low income groups," Fneish added.
His words came during his patronage of the opening of an Islamic Resistance Martyrs memorial site in the town of Majdal Zoun in the South earlier today. "If we want assess the proposed solutions, we have to think of ways to stop the money waste, end corruption and collect the state's funds and taxes," Fneish indicated. "We will exercise our role from our keen position on preserving the state and the economic security of our people and their social stability. We will carry out this role with all honesty and responsibility in order to rectify the situation and encourage all to follow the path of integrity and defend the interests of the people," the Minister reassured.

Raad: We are open to positive dialogues, everyone is concerned about finding a solution that would help Lebanon overcome its economic crisis
Sun 21 Apr 2019/NNA - "The country's economic situation is difficult, but solutions are not impossible and require a national will and understanding to limit the money waste, end corruption and control spending," said Loyalty to the Resistance Parliamentary Bloc Chief, MP Mohamad Raad, on Sunday.
He expressed "openness to positive dialogues among various state components," deeming all sides "concerned about reaching a national solution that would help Lebanon out of its suffocating economic crisis."Raad's words came during his patronage of a restaurant opening in the Southern town of Mlita in Nabatieh earlier today. "This crisis needs an adequate solution that is in line with the prevailing situation, and with the status of all segments that are reaching out to support and develop this country," he asserted. "We trust that Lebanon can protect its sovereignty through its people, army and resistance. We are confident that the equation adopted by Lebanon will ensure security and stability and deter the enemy from thinking about any aggression against Lebanon," the MP emphasized. "Lebanon's officials are proud that, despite all the shaking regional circumstances, they were able to safeguard the country, thanks to their cooperation and national consciousness and to adhering to the Lebanon's defense equation, which involves the cherished efforts by the Lebanese army and the resistance and the popular embrace of both the army and resistance," Raad concluded.

Kuwaiti plane suffers storm damages while landing at Beirut Airport
Sun 21 Apr 2019 /NNA - A Kuwaiti Airways plane [Flight # KU501] was subjected to a collision that is likely to be the result of ice or thunderstorm at 8,000 feet while on the verge of landing at Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut today, leading to damages in its forefront, NNA correspondent at the Airport reported. The Civil Aviation Safety Department at Beirut Airport is preparing its technical report on the incident, noting that the aircraft landed safely.

Latest LCCC English Miscellaneous Reports & News published on April 21-22/19
At least 230 people were killed and hundreds more wounded in a series of bomb blasts that hit luxury hotels and churches across Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday,
April 21, 2019/Agencies/At least 230 people were killed and hundreds more wounded in a series of bomb blasts that hit luxury hotels and churches across Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, leaving the entire country in a state of lock-down. The first wave of attacks struck at the heart of the country's minority Christian community during busy Easter services at churches in the cities of Colombo, Negombo and Batticaloa on Sunday morning. Additional blasts ripped through three high-end hotels, the Shangri La, Cinnamon Grand and Kingsbury, all in capital city Colombo. The violence punctured a decade of relative peace in the country following the end of its civil war in 2009 -- where attacks were common during the 25-year struggle. Sri Lanka has since turned itself into a popular tourist destination, winning the title of best place in the world to visit in 2019 by travel guide publisher Lonely Planet. "These are certainly acts of terror," the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to the UK Manisha Gunasekera told CNN on Sunday, suggesting that suicide bombings had been "carried out." "This is an attack against the whole of Sri Lanka because Sri Lanka is [a] multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural country and the whole country comes together in celebration of Easter Sunday."In a statement, the Shangri-La hotel in Colombo said that the hotel's Table One cafe was hit just after 9 a.m local time. The hotel is popular with foreign tourists and the country's business community. On Sunday afternoon, the seventh and eighth blast occurred at a hotel in front of the Dehiwala Zoo in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and at a private house in Mahawila Gardens, in Dematagoda, during a raid in connection with the attacks, officials said.
Here's the full list of blast sites reported so far:
•St. Anthony's Shrine, Colombo
•St. Sebastian's Church, Negombo
•Zion Church, Batticaloa
•Cinnamon Grand, Colombo
•Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo
•The Kingsbury Hotel, Colombo
•Near Dehiwala Zoo in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia
•A house in Mahawila Gardens, Dematagoda
Sri Lanka's Minister of Economic Reforms and Public Distribution Harsha de Silva said on Twitter that "close to 30 foreigners" were killed on Sunday. In the capital, Colombo, at least 20 foreigners were among the dead, according to hospital Director General Anil Jasinghe. Hospitals have opened their doors to scores of victims.
Three Indians, two Turkish nationals, and two Chinese citizens were identified as deceased among the hundreds who died, according to Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry in a statement seen by CNN. Five British citizens, including two dual US-UK nationals, were also killed in the bombings, the statement said.
The UK Foreign Office has not yet confirmed the deaths, but British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, James Dauris, said some British citizens were also "caught in the blast." Seven people are under arrest following the attacks, De Silva wrote after an emergency meeting with defense officials.
There was however no immediate claim of responsibility. Sri Lankan security officials said police and security services immediately rushed to all affected areas and sealed off the churches and hotels. Social media sites, including Facebook and Instagram, were blocked by the government while investigations were taking place.
Easter events
The explosions blew out the tiled roofs of churches and hotel windows, killing Sunday worshipers and hotel guests in the process. Images and footage seen by CNN showed bloodied pews, broken glass, and plumes of smoke. Father Edmond Tillekeratne, social communications director for the Archdiocese of Colombo, spoke to CNN from St. Sebastian's Church, one of the locations targeted. He said that the blast took place after Easter Mass, and there were about 30 bodies lying in the area of the church. Tillekeratne said three priests had been celebrating the mass at the time of the blast. Two of them were badly injured by flying glass and debris, and one was only lightly injured because he was behind the altar. He estimated that more than a thousand people had come to the church for Easter Sunday "because it is a special day." Many came from villages, he added.
He described the ground as covered in rubble and shattered glass. "You can see pieces of flesh thrown all over the walls and on the sanctuary and even outside of the church," he added.
Pope condemns Sri Lanka Easter attacks as 'cruel violence'
Sun 21 Apr 2019/NNA - Vatican City {Reuters} - Pope Francis on Sunday condemned attacks that killed at least 138 people in three churches and four hotels in Sri Lanka as "such cruel violence" and said he was close to the Christian community, hit while celebrating Easter. The blasts, which hospital and police officials said wounded more than 400 people, followed a lull in major attacks since the end of the civil war 10 years ago. {Reuters}

Chaos in Sri Slanka as death toll from Easter massacre rises again to 215
Debka File/April 21/19/The death toll from the seven explosions that ripped through Sri Lanka’s churches and hotels on Easter Sunday has shot up again to 215 with 500 injured. Among the dead are scores of tourists, believed to be American, British, Dutch, Danish, Chinese, Japanese, Pakistani, Moroccan and Indian. They have not been identified. No organization has taken responsibility for the atrocity. After an emergency cabinet meeting in Colombo, investigators were still groping in the dark, although Indian sources say the multiple attack on Christian worship, including at least two suicide attacks, bears all the hallmarks of the Islamic State, The cabinet in emergency session initially responded by imposing a night curfew on all parts of Sri Lanka and shutting down access to the social media, in an attempt to restore a semblance of control. By afternoon, the government ordered all universities closed until further notice and the mail rail service suspended, apparently in expectation of more attacks. The defense ministry reported a raid on a home and the arrest of 7 people suspected of planning and executing the terrorist attacks. This report was greeted with general skepticism as an attempt to prove the authorities were in control.
Sri Lanka is an Indian Ocean island-state and a popular tourist destination, with a population of 22 million, 70pc of whom are Buddhists, 13pc Hindus, 10pc Muslims and just over 7pc Christian. Shocked condemnations, condolences and offers of assistance have poured in from world leaders.

Pope Francis Expresses Sympathy for Sri Lanka Bombing Victims
Hundreds Killed and Injured in Easter Sunday Attacks
Zenit.org/April 21, 2019/Pope Francis lamented the Easter Sunday attack in Sri Lanka that left an estimated 200 dead and hundreds more injured. His comments came at the conclusion of his “Urbi et Orbi” message from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. “I wish to express my heartfelt closeness to the Christian community [of Sri Lanka], wounded as it was gathered in prayer, and to all the victims of such cruel violence.,” the Holy Father said. “I entrust to the Lord all those who have tragically perished and I pray for the injured and all those who suffer as a result of this tragic event.”Unknown attackers set off at least seven explosives on Easter Sunday morning at three churches and four hotels, according to Vatican News. Two of the churches targeted were Catholic and one was an evangelical church. The first blast hit St. Anthony’s Catholic Shrine in Kochchikade, a district north of the capital Colombo, causing heavy casualties. Dozens of people died at St. Sebastian’s Catholic Church in Negombo, another district north of Colombo. The targeted evangelical church was in Batticaloa in Eastern Province, where more than two dozen people were killed. The explosions struck within a short period of time, all targeting the faithful as Easter services were beginning. At around the same time on Sunday morning, blasts struck four hotels in Colombo, including the Shangri-La Kingsbury, Cinnamon Grand. At least nine foreigners were killed in Sunday’s attacks. Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the Archbishop of Colombo, said it is “a very, very sad day for all of us. I wish, therefore, to express my deepest sorrow and sympathy to all those innocent families that have lost someone, and also to those who have been injured and rendered destitute. I condemn – to the utmost of my capacity – this act that has caused so much death and suffering to the people.” He called for the government to determine who was responsible.

Saudi Arabia Condemns, Denounces Series of Terrorist Bombings in Sri Lanka
Asharq Al-Awsat/April 21/19/An official source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed Saudi Arabia’s condemnation and denunciation of the series of terrorist bombings in the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, which resulted in killing and injuring dozens of innocent people.
The source expressed condolences to the families of the victims, the government and the people of Sri Lanka, wishing a speedy recovery for the injured, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The source further stressed the need for concerted international efforts to combat terrorism which threatens security and stability all over the world without exception. Easter Day bomb blasts at three Sri Lankan churches and four hotels killed 207 people and wounded more than 400 on Sunday, hospital and police officials said. The bloody attack drove condemnations from world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and other officials. "Heartfelt condolences from the people of the United States to the people of Sri Lanka on the horrible terrorist attacks on churches and hotels," Trump tweeted.
Erdogan also condemned the deadly incident and described the terror attacks as "an assualt on all humanity." “Deep sorrow following the terrorist attacks against churches and hotels in Sri Lanka. We firmly condemn these heinous acts. All our solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka and our thoughts go out to all victims’ relatives on this Easter Day,” said Macron in a tweet. For his part, Pope Francis expressed his sadness addressing tens of thousands of people in St. Peter's Square."I learned with sadness and pain of the news of the grave attacks, that precisely today, Easter, brought mourning and pain to churches and other places where people were gathered in Sri Lanka."

British PM condemns Sri Lanka attacks
Sun 21 Apr 2019/NNA - British Prime Minister, Theresa May, denounced Sunday the attacks on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka, deeming them "horrific acts of violence." "We must unite to make sure that no one practices his faith with fear," May said via her Twitter account, expressing her deepest condolences to all those who suffered from the attacks.

Macron condemns attacks in Sri Lanka
Sun 21 Apr 2019/NNA - French President, Emmanuel Macron, Sunday, condemned "the atrocious acts and terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka, where at least 160 people have been killed in a series of attacks on churches and luxury hotels." "We are deeply saddened by the terrorist attacks on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka," Macron said via his Twitter account, adding, "We strongly denounce these heinous acts." "Our solidarity is with the people of Sri Lanka and our thoughts are with all families of the victims on Easter Day," wrote the French President.

Daesh claim failed terrorist attack on interior ministry building north of Riyadh
Arab News/April 21, 2019/RIYADH: Four heavily armed attackers were killed in a failed terrorist attack claimed by Daesh on an interior ministry building in Zulfi, north of Riyadh on Sunday. A spokesperson from the Kingdom’s Presidency of State Security said that three government security personnel suffered minor injuries during the exchange of fire with the assailants. Daesh said in a statement by its propaganda arm Amaq that the attack on the base had been carried out by a group of its militants. “The security authorities in the Presidency managed to thwart the terrorist act targeting the center of investigations ... and dealt with them as required by the situation,” the spokesman was quoted by SPA as saying. The identities of the four gunmen are still being determined by government authorities, the news agency added. Special security personnel were still working on the site to assess and identify the explosive materials that the terrorists had in their possession, the spokesperson said, and the findings would be announced later. The suspects, who were driving a car, tried to crash through the main entrance of the General Directorate of Investigation’s Center in Riyadh, but were intercepted by security to prevent the vehicle from gaining access into the compund. Two gunmen died during the initial exchange of fire with the security forces, while one was killed as he attempted to flee. The fourth attacker died as he tried to blow up an explosive belt, pan-Arab daily Asharq Al-Awsat reported. The Kingdom of Bahrain and the Islamic Cooperation Council condemned the actions of the suspects and the terrorist attack on Sunday.

Four killed in failed attack on Saudi state security building
Sun 21 Apr 2019/NNA - RIYADH (Reuters) - Four assailants were killed on Sunday when authorities thwarted an attack on a state security building in Saudi Arabia's central Riyadh province, authorities told state media. The four had helped carry out the attack at the Mabaheth (domestic intelligence) station in Zulfi, a small city about 250 kms (155 miles) northwest of the capital Riyadh, a spokesman for Saudi state security said. Three security force members were injured in the attack, the spokesman said, adding that security services were dealing with "explosive materials" and other items left behind during the incident. Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television said the attackers had been carrying machine guns, bombs and Molotov cocktails. Citing its own correspondent, it said they were Saudi militants who belonged to Islamic State. There has been no Islmaic State claim of responsibility for the attack so far, and the authorities did not officially identify the assailants. {Reuters}

Afghan President's mandate extended due to postponement of presidential elections
Sun 21 Apr 2019/NNA - The Supreme Court of Afghanistan announced Sunday its decision to extend the mandate of President Ashraf Ghani, which was supposed to end on May 22, until presidential elections upcoming September. The presidential vote was originally scheduled to take place on April 20, 2019. However and due to preparation difficulties, it was first postponed until July 20, and later until September 28, 2019.

Protesters in Algeria Call for Ouyahia Step Down from RND Leadership
Algeria- Bouallam Ghemraseh//Asharq Al Awsat/April 21/19/Algeria’s Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia is facing mounting pressure from lobbyists of his own party, the Democratic National Rally (DNR), who are demanding his departure. Protests are being held for his removal as the RND’s leader. Siddiq Shehab, who was stripped from his DNR membership by Ouyahia after voicing opposition to former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, accused the PM of “betraying his comrades."“We do not want this person at the head of the party. He proved his allegiance to foreign powers. He is also a client who serves a certain agenda for looting and robbery ... For the past 20 years, Ouyahia has exploited the party for personal purposes and for the application of a foreign agenda. Today we have one demand: his departure because he is an outcast to the Algerian people,” Shehab said. RND parliamentarians and elected officials have taken part in a demonstration calling for Ouyahia’s removal and the appointing of a new leadership.Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the former president of Algeria, had stepped down after 20 years in power two weeks ago, bowing to pressure from the army and weeks of demonstrations mainly by young people seeking change in the country. But the protests, which began on February 22, have continued as many want the removal of Bouteflika’s regime stalwarts who governed Algeria since independence from France in 1962 and the prosecution of people they see as corrupt. Ouyahia had served several times as prime minister under Bouteflika and is also head of the RND party, the coalition partner of Bouteflika's ruling National Liberation Front (FNL) party.

Arab Media Echoes Israeli Report On Location Of Elie Cohen's Remains
Jerusalem Post/April 21/19/Several Arab media outlets fully translated the article, with some also adding the appeal of Eli Cohen's widow Nadia calling on Syrian President Bashar Assad to release his remains. The Arab media expressed great interest in an exclusive report in Maariv's weekend edition about the whereabouts of Israeli spy Eli Cohen and the actions taken to locate him. The report was published on the front page of the London-based Saudi newspaper Al-Sharq al-Awsat, which featured the headline: "The corpse of a Cohen in a cave in Qardaha.”The report also received prominent places in the media in Egypt and Sudan, which read: "Maariv revealed the burial place of the Israeli spy Eli Cohen." Several Arab media outlets fully translated Maariv's article, with some of them also adding the appeal of Cohen's widow Nadia, who called on Syrian President Bashar Assad to show mercy and return her husband's body to Israel. Additionally, the report was published by the Russian news agency Sputnik. In the article published on Friday, an Arab source reported that "the body of the Israeli spy Eli Cohen is buried in a cave on a mountain near Qardaha, in Latakia district." According to the source, who spoke with a Syrian official, the Mossad carried out a diversion operation in 1977 on the Syrian-Jordanian border. Operatives were reportedly digging at the same time in Damascus, where the body of Cohen, who was executed by hanging in 1965, was buried. After President Hafez Assad became aware of the operation, he ordered the body to be transferred to another hiding place.
"Three soldiers from the Presidential Guard were the ones who transferred Cohen's body in a secret operation," the source said. "Two of them have already died, and the third is approaching the age of 80. As far as its known, a recent effort has been made to locate and identify Eli Cohen, but it is not clear whether a DNA sample was transferred to see whether it was the Israeli spy." The source estimated that the discovery of the body of IDF soldier Zacharia Baumel, who was killed in the first Lebanon war, on the eve of the Israeli elections, delayed the process regarding Cohen's remains, although it is not clear whether this will harm the return of Cohen's body. Cohen operated behind enemy lines - establishing close ties with the top Syrian political and military leadership - from 1962 until he was hanged almost exactly 43 years ago on May 18, 1965. Cohen, who was known in intelligence circles by the number 566, wrote in encrypted French and sent his messages via a tiny radio transmitter. Cohen's transmissions were instrumental in helping the IDF prepare for the 1967 war with Syria. He provided information about the Syrian Air Force and military positions on the Golan. The Israeli spy's 84-year-old widow Nadia, told Maariv: "I am happy that Baumel's body was returned to his parents and family after 37 years, and I do not think this will affect the return of Eli's body. They are separate stories." On the eve of the Passover holiday, Nadia Cohen conveyed a public and moving message to the current Syrian president, Bashar Assad, through Maariv. She called on him to demonstrate compassion. "Syrian President Bashar Assad, please release Eli for burial," she said. "If you have a religion and you believe in God, please release him." "Eli paid the price a few decades ago, why keep his bones? [For] revenge? Pain? There is a lot of pain in your people, please do [this] for me and my children - have compassion. If you do not forgive, it stays inside, I appeal to you so that your heart will soften, release your hatred and anger, and perhaps you will find peace for your people and ours together... thank you, Bashar. Make the gesture."Both the Prime Minister's Office and Russian officials denied reports last week that Cohen's remains had been found, exhumed and were en-route to Israel.

Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on April 21-22/19
Should We Sympathize with a Parisian Cathedral?
Hazem Saghieh/Asharq Al Awsat/April 21/19
Before extinguishing the blaze at the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris, social media flared up with spite and apathy shaming any who showed grief over the harm that befell the universal edifice.
Sympathizers were blasted as traitors. For Arabs and Muslims, worldwide mixed feelings dominated the scene and caused confusion. Flashbacks of cities, mosques and churches grazed to the ground reminded many to keep sympathy exclusive to personal grievances. Peoples and societies facing untold suffrage in Arab and Muslim homelands were seen as better victims and more deserving of empathy. Apart from contemporary accounts, France’s colonial history and its churches, especially Notre-Dame, having close ties to the crusades was also used to justify the lack of compassion. But on the other side, tributes and touristic clichéd catchphrases championed the cathedral’s centrality to Parisian civilization and culture. It was dubbed a worldwide architectural jewel, home to some of the world’s most valuable religious relics, and the heart of the longtime renowned gothic novel by Victor Hugo: The Hunchback of Notre-Dame…
Foremost, empathy is understood differently by many. Some, for example, believe in it having primitive limitations. Overspending sentiments on a son could mean little emotion is left to be shown to the daughter; the same is true with friends, places and tragedies. In light of this imbalance, new-age moral mantras endorse the rule “one man, one principle.”This is analogous to the need for either a national, ethnic or religious guide for emotions—the code has to be all binding, working both in broad daylight and nighttime. But societal sentiments aren’t identical naturally, and their artificial standardizing tends to give rise to a nation modeled after North Korea. Instead, the adopted alternative is gauging and perceiving sympathy subjectively and according to personal experience. This is most evident when soldiers at war against each other bond after being forced to join forces for survival.
But when throwing political ideologies into the equation, the individual becomes prone to rigorous politicization and disregard of the immaterial. Individuals become key to grinding specific political axes.
Politics reduces an individual to a "position" devoid of empathy for what ails humanity. It is chiefly fueled by fanaticism, which is mistakenly and often misperceived as “objective,” “right,” “anti-colonialist” and “anti-Zionist.” All of which turn a cold shoulder to the other and their suffering.
Political ideology provides the space and conditions needed to assimilate padlocked principles and to break up humans. One-sided rhetoric such as “only interests exist,” “it is all about a power struggle” and “the West’s orientalists are out for us,” thrives under such circumstances.
Wolves and hate-filled beings are born and they see France through the lens of the crusades only, similar to those who equate Syria to the Assad family, or Iraq to Saddam. Nonetheless, the resentment is understandable when measured against the backlog of overlooked atrocities and tragedies ravaging other peoples. The cathedral’s burning could be seen as minor when compared to victims left behind by war carnage and injustices. But it goes without saying that the universality of the site must be taken into consideration. And that patriotism, despite its bourgeoisie-esque character, is felt differently in each country.
The French’s cherished sensibilities towards their history and culture resulted in generous and swift donations being made to rebuild the Notre-Dame cathedral. Not to mention that the West’s monopoly over communications networks all over the world. All of this has nothing to do with conspiracy theories, but neither should it be linked to sympathy.

Defeats of the 'Capital of Change'
Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Al Awsat/April 21/19
In recent weeks we have witnessed the fall of the regime of Omar Al-Bashir, who ruled Sudan for three decades, and the ousting of Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the Algerian president who was not actually ruling. Meanwhile, the political map in Libya is changing as well, with the Libyan National Army heading to the capital, Tripoli, and besieging it, determined to liberate it against the will of the government, which is merely a facade masking the extremist armed militias that control the city. What these three events have in common is that all of the ousted governments have connections to Doha, which describes itself as the capital of decision and change but, in reality, it's the capital of the Muslim Brotherhood. Adding to Qatar’s losses is the failure of forces that count on it in Eritrea and Ethiopia. In addition, we must not forget the defeats of another ally, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has yet to recover from the shock of his election losses last week in his country’s main cities, which threaten his remaining years in office.
Of course, these countries and conflicts are not officially linked to Qatar in any way — except for Doha’s desire to impose a change in the region to bring it in line with its political vision. To achieve this, the regime employs the Muslim Brotherhood, whose activities have affected many places around the world. Unfortunately for Doha, and the Brotherhood, US President Donald Trump does not agree with them on anything, despite repeated attempts to appease him. They have lost the support of the White House since the departure of Barack Obama, who gave the Muslim Brotherhood a chance to prove itself, only for its government in Egypt to fail internally and externally and fall.
Sudan’s ousted president, Omar Al-Bashir, ruled for a long period of time, so his fall was a resounding one. The Qatari regime tried several times to intervene in the crisis to ensure the survival of its political ally but failed.
Now Doha is trying to support the besieged militias in Tripoli but the task is a difficult one. For months, the army has been cleansing Libyan territory of militias, succeeding in all such operations since last summer, and now it has finally turned its attention to Tripoli. The efforts of military chiefs have been given legitimacy by the Libyan Parliament — the same legitimacy that is claimed by the head of National Accord government. The Arab League is opposed to Qatar’s allies in Libya. It refused to open its doors to the National Accord government or listen to Qatar and Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Al-Sarraj when they demanded that the organization denounce the unification of Libya led by Field Marshal Khalifa Belqasim Haftar, the head of the Libyan National Army.
The world’s major powers, too, are backing the Libyan army. The latest leader to do so was Trump, who called Haftar and expressed his support for the army’s fight against terrorists — by which he meant the Qatar-backed militias — that control Tripoli. Russia and France have also become supporters of Haftar, and the majority of Arab governments support the army in the face of Qatar’s allies, the militias in Tripoli. All of them want a single regime, a united Libyan state and an end to the rule of the militias. Doha has not had any better luck in Algeria than in Khartoum and Tripoli, as the protests there enter a ninth week. The Algerian military is the group that is in control and not the extremist groups, which have been driven away. Will the ousting of Al-Bashir and the siege of Tripoli diminish the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood and dash Doha’s dreams? These events certainly present difficulties for the Qatari regime; its ability to control change, whether by conspiring with internal forces or the media, is no longer as effective as it once was.

The Blackwill report raises important questions about where power lies within the Trump administration.
Raghida Dergham/The National/April 21/19
Shortly before Robert Mueller’s report was made public the Council on Foreign Relations published a document by Robert Blackwill, titled Trump's Foreign Policies Are Better Than They Seem. Mr Blackwill used a scale of A to F grades to evaluate US foreign policy on 18 points. These includes China, North Korea and Russia to the Middle East, Venezuela, trade and climate change treaties.
In an interview with Fox News late last year, Mr Trump gave himself an A+ rating. He has also described himself as a “stable genius” on Twitter. But the report gave him a D+ based on his “realistic approaches to China and the greater Middle East”. In truth, this is a higher grade that anything the US media and national security experts would give him. So, if the US president really is reckless, naive and ill-informed, who is drafting those “realistic” policies? Are they improvised and personal, or are they being collectively drawn up by the Trump administration? How does this affect the relationship with the US of allies and foes alike? Is the world safer or being placed in danger by Mr Trump’s leadership?
Mr Blackwill is considered a brilliant US foreign policy mandarin. He served under both Bush administrations, as special assistant for European and Soviet affairs, director for European affairs at the National Security Council, principal deputy assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs, and was US ambassador to India from 2001 to 2003. He cites contributions by foreign policy veterans including Henry Kissinger and Council on Foreign Relations president Richard Haas, but concludes that the analysis and findings of the report are “my responsibility alone”.
He states that the Trump presidency is “chaotic” and that his character is “flawed”, yet Mr Trump has adopted “breakthrough” policies, including those in China and the Middle East, as the report states. Mr Trump does not co-ordinate with, consult, or even notify his rapidly changing team in the administration, yet we do not know whether history will remember him for strategic advances with China, Russia, or relations with Europe.
While Mr Trump has repeatedly thrown a spanner in relations with European allies in Nato, he has remarkably shored up defence capabilities on the continent, and this is one of many examples of incoherence in policy that the report cites. Russia is another example. While Mr Trump got an F grade from Mr Blackwill for his Russia policy – the report criticising him for seeing no danger from Russia – he has still fortified Ukraine in the nation's backyard. Mr Trump received an F for his performance, decision making and use of Twitter to announce important policies. The report says “finding any attractive feature of Donald Trump’s personality is difficult … His views on women and people of colour are a disgrace … He bullies … He makes fun of the disabled … He slurs the reputations of those who have worked loyally for him”.
Is the world safer or being placed in danger by Mr Trump’s leadership?
Mr Trump’s personality clearly causes embarrassment for many Americans and concerns for foreign leaders. He “has insulted many of the leaders of America’s closest friends, including Emmanuel Macron of France, Angela Merkel of Germany, and Theresa May of the United Kingdom, but at the same time, he has regularly praised autocrats”. Despite all this, what ultimately matters, according to Mr Blackwill, is the effectiveness of US policies and their compatibility with national interests.
The report addresses in detail US policy in the Middle East, especially Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Israel.
Mr Blackwill has controversial views in parts of his report. A key example is the issue of Mr Trump’s announcement of his intention to pull US troops from Syria in a now-infamous tweet, which triggered the resignation of then Defence Secretary James Mattis. Mr Blackwill believes Mr Trump was right, that keeping US forces in Syria puts them at risk, that state-building in faraway places has failed, and that protecting Syrian Kurds from the regime of Bashar Al Assad or Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan must not be high on the US agenda. Regarding the Russian and Iranian presence in Syria, Mr Blackwill writes: “Iran and Russia are in Syria to stay, and the United States can do nothing about it.” He acknowledges that pulling troops from places such as Syria and Afghanistan carries risks, but that “systematically avoiding such incalculables is a recipe for sclerotic policies that cling to the status quo far past their effectiveness”. Mr Blackwill gave Mr Trump a B+ for his Syria policy and C for his Iran policy. While he supports the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal with Iran, Mr Blackwill implicitly criticised what he described as Mr Trump’s “regime change” policy in Iran, expressing concern that the US may have to take military action against Iranian nuclear sites, if Tehran resumes its military nuclear activities.
Mr Blackwill adds that the situation in the Middle East requires the president “to find a strategic compass to chart the way in the decade ahead, but such an enduring approach to any issue is not Trump’s strength”. He also writes: “Saudi Arabia needs the United States at least as much as the United States needs it … this mutual dependence is an enduring strength of the bilateral relationship.” Mr Trump’s policy on the Kingdom gets a B+ from Mr Blackwill – the same as his relationship with Israel. But Mr Blackwill is concerned about the possibility of war between Israel and Iran that could drag in the United States. He gives his full blessing to Mr Trump’s unrelenting support for Israel, agrees with his move to transfer the US embassy to Jerusalem, but expresses concern over the implications of US support for the Israeli policy of annexing the Golan and other territories. He also recognises that “diplomacy is not a tool of President Trump’s foreign policy”. The report is remarkable, citing 356 references to back up its conclusions. It is a necessary reading of the mysteries of US foreign policy making, and how it is shaped by the moods of a president who refuses to listen to anyone but himself. It also raises the important question of whether Mr Trump is really behind these policies, or whether the establishment beyond his administration has a hidden, yet immensely influential hand, and perhaps even a final say?

Regime corruption to cause further decline in Iran’s economy
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/April 21/19
Iran’s leaders have been underplaying the country’s economic crisis, despite many Iranian people continuing to suffer financially.
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei last month highlighted his optimism in a pre-recorded video broadcast on Iran’s state TV. He said: “In the face of severe, and according to them unprecedented, sanctions from America and Europe, the Iranian people showed a strong and powerful reaction both in the field of politics and the economy.”
The reasons for the Iranian government’s determination to conceal the truth about the nation’s economy are numerous. They include avoiding showing economic and political weakness to the countries Tehran views as its rivals, keeping the regime’s militias and terror groups loyal to the Islamic Republic, and evading taking responsibility or being held accountable for the crumbling economy.
In addition, the Iranian authorities are promoting the idea that this will be a year of confidence and productivity. As President Hasan Rouhani stated on the occasion of Nowruz — the Persian New Year — last month: “The new year is a year to boost production and create jobs for our dear young people.”
But, in the year 2019, Iran’s economy will most likely continue its downtrend trend. International financial institutions, such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), have recently indicated they are pessimistic about the direction that Iran’s economy is heading. For example, the World Bank has amended its forecast for Iran’s economic growth. It released its latest report on Iran’s economy this month and indicated that its gross domestic product (GDP) would shrink 3.8 percent in 2019. That is 0.2 percent worse than its prediction in January, and almost 8 percent below its forecast from June 2018. The IMF is even more pessimistic — it predicted this month that Iran’s economy would contract 6 percent in 2019.
Annual GDP growth is measured by calculating how much more production a country has fulfilled in comparison to the previous year. In an ideal economy, GDP growth is between about 2 and 3 percent. The World Bank’s forecasts for other countries in the Middle East and North Africa are mostly positive, with only Sudan and Iran’s economies expected to contract. It predicts that the GDPs of Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and the UAE will all grow this year.
One of the reasons for the growing pessimism on Iran’s economy is the renewed US sanctions. After US President Donald Trump last year withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, also known as the Iran nuclear deal, the US Treasury Department reimposed the primary and secondary sanctions that were lifted under the Obama administration. These include sanctions on Iran’s automotive and shipping sectors, the energy industry, and currency transactions.
One of the reasons for the growing pessimism on Iran’s economy is the renewed US sanctions
The largest impact of these sanctions came from the pressure the Trump administration imposed on Iran’s oil exports. Although the US granted a six-month waiver to eight countries — China, India, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, Italy and Greece — that allows them to continue buying oil from the Islamic Republic in limited quantities, Iran’s oil exports have plunged by more than 50 percent in comparison to 2017. According to a report by OPEC, Iran’s crude oil production sank to 2.754 million barrels per day in January, which was considered to be the lowest rate in the last five years. It is currently exporting about 1 million barrels per day.
Although some policy analysts, scholars and politicians may blame Washington for Iran’s crumbling economy, the core factors behind the country’s economic crisis are the widespread corruption within the theocratic establishment, its mismanagement of the economy, embezzlement and money laundering within the banking system, and the hemorrhaging of the nation’s wealth on militias, terror groups and proxies across the region. Corruption is ingrained in the political and financial institutions that are the country’s backbone.
Considerable parts of the economy and financial systems are owned and controlled by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the office of the supreme leader, since they enjoy the final say when it comes to decision-making. The so-called moderate President Rouhani has also totally failed to tackle corruption as he promised to. In fact, figures across the political spectrum, including members of the president’s office, often engage in corruption for their own political and financial benefit.
In conclusion, Iran’s economy will only be dragged down further as the nation’s leaders have shown no sign that they are willing to change and adequately address the regime’s incompetent, aggressive and corrupt policies.
• 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

Is Europe’s liberal consensus in its death throes?
Baria Alamuddin/Arab News/April 21/19
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban declared that “the age of liberal democracy is at an end” after his third successive electoral victory last year. “It is no longer able to protect people’s dignity, provide freedom, guarantee physical security or maintain Christian culture.” Europe’s imploding political center ground is in a state of defensive confusion, while right-wing forces of anarchy and division surge toward the corridors of power.
I’m a regular visitor to Scandinavia and often marveled at these nations’ benevolent worldview and “socialist” social model, defined by progressive, tolerant values and high living standards for all. However, in last year’s Swedish elections the far right scored its best-ever result. Last week in Finland, the far-right Finns Party gained additional seats with a rabidly anti-immigrant agenda. These results represent a hollowing-out of the political center ground, as citizens have begun to favor far-right and far-left parties.
This polarization is in evidence in most Western nations, not least the US, where Donald Trump continually panders to his conservative base, leaving Democrats torn between confrontation and pragmatism. Western politics has long oscillated between a center-left and center-right “liberal consensus,” jointly committed to primacy of the rule of law and democratic values. This centrist consensus is dissolving, leaving nations increasingly divided and ungovernable.
France has been rocked by mass protests (featuring extreme left and right tendencies). Spain’s Popular Party hopes to distract voters from recent corruption scandals through a sharp lurch to the right ahead of forthcoming elections. Meanwhile, having won the Israeli elections on a platform of theft of Arab lands, Benjamin Netanyahu looks intent on leaping into bed with the country’s extreme right.
After being goaded into a ruinous Brexit referendum by the populist right, the UK finds itself paralyzed and polarized between entrenched “hard Brexit” and “Remainer” camps, with vengeful Brexiteers agitating that Britain should crash out of the EU without a deal, irrespective of the catastrophic consequences. With Britain now almost certainly compelled to participate in the EU elections, a collapse of confidence in mainstream politicians may fuel a surge of protest votes for the newly formed Brexit Party. Meanwhile, Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership has tugged the Labour Party toward the far left, prompting some centrist MPs to break away and establish a pro-Remain party.
The far right’s Europe-wide impact has habitually been diluted by mutual hostilities. As one MEP noted: “If your main line is that you hate foreigners, it’s a bit difficult to work with foreigners.” Nevertheless, Orban, US alt-right ideologue Steve Bannon, and Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini have labored to establish a “transnational supergroup,” engaging closely with like-minded leaderships in Poland and Austria. Poland’s Law and Justice Party, Hungary’s Fidesz, the Italian League, Alternative for Germany, Marine Le Pen’s National Rally, and Greece’s Golden Dawn are among the factions that could capitalize on an expected increase in public support in May’s EU elections to unite as a transnational bloc.
Although these elements are not expected to win a majority, they could wield tremendous influence over legislation; for example, allying with the center-right to force through anti-immigration measures, or exacerbating chaos and dysfunction within EU institutions, particularly if they are able to claim chairmanship roles in major committees. Having made careers out of anti-EU rhetoric, these figures now see the EU as a Trojan horse for attaining continent-wide superiority. France’s Le Pen called for a “European alliance of nations” to “save Europe from the European Union that is destroying it.” Austria’s interior minister has called into question the European Convention on Human Rights over its migrant protections.
The European extreme right can no longer simply be ignored, so it is a question of whether it can be contained
For 70 years, the far right was an impotent force in European politics, having been discredited by Nazism, while the mainstream media and political parties tended to conspire to ignore, ridicule and marginalize these elements. Extremist factions often ended up in legal jeopardy for hate speech, incitement, anti-Semitism (particularly Holocaust denial), flirtations with violence, or financial misdemeanors. Until relatively recently, it was unusual, and somewhat shocking, to see far-right figures represented in the media — now they are everywhere. The European extreme right can no longer simply be ignored, so it is a question of whether it can be contained.
Liberalism has struggled to respond because of its laudable commitment to freedom of speech and open democracy. So how to respond to those who abuse these values to seize power and undermine democracy itself? Anti-democratic elements inciting racism and religious hatred should, by definition, be excluded from the democratic process. As prerequisites for political participation, parties should prove their active commitment to the rule of law, political pluralism and respect for the rights of all.
Failure to police these values allows authoritarian elements to surge to power on dishonest populist platforms. After they hijack the governing system, these fascists inevitably dismantle democratic institutions, seeking to retain power permanently. If Europe’s liberal values are to prevail, liberalism must learn to defend itself.
In recent days, Facebook banned a number of British far-right entities. Such action is a necessary but insufficient step. Those immersed in the internet’s melting pot of extremist ideas frequently migrate from far right to far left and back again — it is the same hotchpotch of anti-establishment, xenophobic, conspiracy theory-laden rhetoric that, in other contexts, has also nourished Islamist extremism. Russian trolls ruthlessly cultivate both ends of the spectrum as a route to subverting Western democracy.
In my travels across Europe, I meet liberals who are unnerved by growing political extremism in their own localities, yet often fail to see the bigger continent-wide picture. This is partly why I keep returning to this theme: None of this is normal or tolerable.
Rather than busying itself unsuccessfully trying to put out fires in its own backyard, Europe’s liberal mainstream must regain its identity, self-confidence and globalized worldview in order to holistically confront this extremism; before the extremists themselves become the mainstream and banish liberalism to the political margins.
• Baria Alamuddin is an award-winning journalist and broadcaster in the Middle East and the UK. She is editor of the Media Services Syndicate and has interviewed numerous heads of state.

Iraq aims to be ‘meeting point’ for regional rivals
Mamoon Alabbasi/The Arab Weekly/April 21/19
Observers said US sanctions on Iran as well as Saudi Arabia’s rapprochement with Iraq are likely to benefit Baghdad.
LONDON - Iraq aims to maintain good relations with its neighbours and even mediate between them, said Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi, who recently concluded visits to regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran.
“This visit (to Saudi Arabia) is like an earlier visit to Egypt and the Islamic Republic (of Iran). They are important visits that reflect how Iraq works with its neighbours and with its environment in the Arab and Islamic world. Iraq wants to be a meeting point for everyone,” Abdul-Mahdi said before flying to Riyadh.
Abdul-Mahdi led a high-level delegation of ministers and senior government officials, as well as businessmen, April 17-18 to Saudi Arabia, where the two sides signed agreements to boost bilateral trade ties.
The two countries agreed to cooperate on security and intelligence issues. Saudi Arabia promised to increase the quota of Iraqi haj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. During the visit, the Iraqi prime minister carried out the umra visit to Mecca.
Abdul-Mahdi met with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz.
“The two leaders [Abdul-Mahdi and King Salman] later oversaw the signing of 13 bilateral agreements… covering a wide range of areas, including political, energy and cultural cooperation as well as the promotion and protection of investment,” a statement from the Iraqi prime minister’s office said.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry quoted King Salman telling his Iraqi guests: “Dear brothers, what connects us to Iraq is not just geography and common interests but blood ties, history and common destiny.”
Abdul-Mahdi also met with Abdullatif al-Zayani, secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and Yousef al-Othaimeen, secretary-general of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
“He (Abdul-Mahdi) stressed that the Gulf Cooperation Council is important to Iraq… and pointed out that Iraq is keen to work with its Arab and Islamic surrounding and to have balanced relations that serve the interests of the people of the region,” said a statement from the Iraqi prime minister’s office.
“It is important that our region be stable and prosperous. We have a lot of common ground that unites us, from which we can build trust, surpass differences and find new environments for cooperation,” the statement added.
It quoted Zayani as being “comfortable” with the direction of the Iraqi government, which is dealing with challenges with “responsibility and wisdom.”
In his meeting with Othaimeen, Abdul-Mahdi reiterated Iraq’s wish to maintain good ties with its Arab and Muslim neighbouring states.
In line with its stated wish to play regional mediation role, Iraq hosted heads of parliament from neighbouring countries, including Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Abdul-Mahdi’s visit to Saudi Arabia was soon after a trip by the Iraqi prime minister to Iran, where he was also accompanied by a trade delegation.
In Iran, Abdul-Mahdi reiterated Iraq’s position of “being open to all its neighbours in order to build a stable region,” while rejecting to join a particular axis or take part in the sanctions against Tehran.
Despite the diplomatic pleasantries, Iran appears to be concerned by US pressure on Iraq to abide by sanctions against Tehran once Washington’s waiver allowing Baghdad to deal with Iran on energy purchases expires this summer.
Reports said Abdul-Mahdi requested inserting a clause that release Iraq from a trade deal with Iran should it become apparent that it would be flouting US sanctions against Tehran.
The two countries appear to be at odds over how to repay Iraqi debts to Iran. Baghdad wants to pay in Iraqi dinars while Tehran insists on receiving euros because using the US dollar is out of question following sanctions.
Observers said US sanctions on Iran as well as Saudi Arabia’s rapprochement with Iraq are likely to benefit Baghdad because Iraq would be less reliant on Tehran for energy and other imports.
“Saudi Arabia is seriously trying to expand its ties with Iraq with the aim of limiting Iran’s influence in Iraq, with at least a counterbalance to it. Of course, the United States has also contributed to this strengthening of relations between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, especially as the United States, like Saudi Arabia, wants to reduce Iran’s influence in the region. But the point is that all this competition will be beneficial for Iraq,” wrote Omid Shokri Kalehsar for the Institute for Strategic Analysis (strati.az) think-tank.
Despite potential benefits for Baghdad and setbacks for Tehran, Iran yields strong influence in Iraq, analysts said.
“Those who want to remain in power in Iraq need to have the acceptance of Iran,” Ayad al-Khalaf al-Anbar, professor of political science in Kufa University, told al-Sharqiya TV.

What the reaction to Notre Dame does and does not say
Rashmee Roshan Lall/The Arab Weekly/April 21/19
Arabs may have lost much of their faith in the value of their heritage after they lost adequate appreciation of the value of lives in their midst.
Some have taken the massive fire that destroyed the roof and spire of the 856-year-old Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris as a sign; others as a warning. A journalist reporting for an American TV channel said the sight of the burning cathedral left a “sense — real or imagined — that we were watching a metaphor.”
Of what? There is more than a whiff of seventh- and eighth-century Byzantium in some of the Western reaction to the fire that engulfed one of Europe’s most architecturally and aesthetically remarkable mediaeval churches.
In 730, many Christian clergy in the Byzantine Empire supported the view that the upstart Arabs’ territorial gains and battlefield victories (as well as a volcanic eruption on the Aegean islands of Thera and Therasia) were signs of divine wrath at Christians’ idolatrous practices.
Indeed, the Arab conquests were sizeable. By 634, the Arabs had taken Syria and Palestine; by 650, the Byzantines had lost Egypt, their richest province. As the Arabs grew in strength and influence, the Byzantines became more superstitious, watching for signs and metaphors that foretold the future. It was all pretty much nonsense, as it turned out. Constantinople didn’t fall until 1453. So much for signs of divine wrath.
The Notre Dame fire has prompted similar angst, for reasons that seem to have as much to do with the current turmoil in the Roman Catholic Church as with polarising trends within Western culture. The sense of being under siege was captured by Alexandra DeSanctis, a staff writer for the conservative American magazine National Review: “To many Catholics, it feels as if the Church is on fire in a sense already and now we are watching it blaze.”
That sounds like a 21st-century reprisal of mediaeval apocalyptic thoughts. In 686, John of Phenek, a Christian monk who often wrote about the early Muslim conquests, seemed to take an outbreak of plague in eastern Syria as the tipping point. “The end of the world has arrived,” the monk declared. It is of a piece with today’s overwrought commentary, with New York Times columnist Roger Cohen describing Notre Dame as “a story of European civilisation.”
Intense sorrow at what has befallen Notre Dame Cathedral is natural. It could have been destroyed, leaving humanity collectively poorer. Its loss would have been as heart-rending as when the Islamic State (ISIS) demolished temples, columns and the Arch of Triumph in Palmyra, once one of the most important cultural centres of the ancient world, or when ISIS smashed ancient statues in the museum in Mosul and bulldozed the ancient Assyrian capital, Nimrud.
Notre Dame, however, has evoked a more anguished reaction than ISIS’s depredations across Syria, Iraq and Libya. French President Emmanuel Macron described Parisians’ feelings as a “tremblement interieur” — an internal trembling. It is an evocative phrase, one that almost suggests existential dread. If so, what existential threat has provoked such a response?
There is one further point to make about the reaction to the Notre Dame fire. The West cares — truly and deeply — about its cultural treasures. Unlike the Arab world’s rather muted reaction to the cultural vandalism perpetrated in Syria, Iraq and Libya, Western urgency about rebuilding Notre Dame is apparent. Within 24 hours, millions of dollars had been committed to the reconstruction project by two of France’s leading industrialists. By April 17, nearly $1 billion had poured in from ordinary Frenchmen and women, as well as wealthy businessmen.
It’s fair to note the Arab world hasn’t mobilised in similar fashion, with such energy and determination, when faced with the destruction of its artistic heritage. Does the apathy say anything other than profound exhaustion at the toll taken by conflicts in Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Libya?
In 2015, before ISIS destroyed Palmyra, many Syrians said they cared more about the humanitarian toll of war than about antiquities. At the time, Syrians spoke more passionately about the horrors perpetrated 35 years before at the prison in Tadmur, the tiny town near Palmyra, than about the city’s imperilled treasures.Before I wrote this column, the editor of the paper suggested Arabs may have lost much of their faith in the value of their heritage after they lost adequate appreciation of the value of lives in their midst.
That’s a fair point. It’s also the one that might justifiably trigger a “tremblement interieur.”

Lessons Algeria and Sudan can learn from other transitions
Oussama Romdhani/The Arab Weekly/April 21/19
The military and security establishment will have to keep in mind the security risks inherent in power vacuums and unsecured borders.
As unrest sweeps away long-tenured rulers in Algeria and Sudan, there are lessons the new political generations there can draw from other transitions in the region since 2011.
The first lesson is that, despite regional ramifications of upheaval in any Arab country, the politics of unrest are essentially local. It might be tempting to see a domino theory in the pattern leading to the fall of the long-time leaders in Algiers and Khartoum but it is more the realities of each country rather than cross-border trends that were the determining factors that pushed Omar al-Bashir and Abdelaziz Bouteflika out of power.
Populations in Algeria and Sudan were driven by their own political, social and economic factors the same way societies in Tunisia, Libya and Egypt years before rose against long-entrenched authoritarian systems.
There are caveats to that reality. Young crowds may get inspiration and encouragement from the scenes of protesters in other Arab countries challenging the status quo. Also, it does not need a conspiracy theorist to figure out that some regional actors seeking wider influence can find in the protests an opportunity to settle scores with leaders they dislike. Regime change (obviously, more so in certain countries than others) can appeal to global powers with interventionist agendas.
It remains, however, true that the most fundamental conditions for unrest are home-bred. Populations can put up with rulers who overstay their welcome, until a breaking point is reached.
In recent years, many of the populations and the rulers in the region predictably reached that breaking point. Authoritarians who clung to power for two, three decades, if not more, eventually outlasted their welcome.
The populations that seemed ready to live with the endless reigns of old and ailing leaders were unwilling to wait any longer. They reached that determination based on domestic dynamics. Most of those were determined by socio-economic factors in their countries’ borders. That’s the second lesson new rulers should not forget.
In Algeria and Sudan, the economy gave way well before the demonstrators concluded that the old rulers had to go.
There are accelerators of the fire, such as the prevalence of social media, the level of violent repression on demonstrators and the ability of the rulers to read the writing on the wall.
Politics may not be an issue first but the dynamics of political change were quickly unleashed once young populations came to see the continued presence of outdated political systems as the most daunting obstacle between them and a better future.
Socio-economic indicators provided the regimes in place with early warnings that should have allowed them to adjust the course of their policies but regimes at risk of extinction have a tendency at stalling — well, as long as they can.
They try to buy time even when time is scarce. Algeria’s bureaucratic statism combined with clan interests rendered the system unresponsive and infused young masses with unmitigated despair. The country’s undiversified economy could not adjust to the fall of oil prices from $100 a barrel in 2014 to $66 in recent months. Foreign exchange reserves fell by half and GDP growth slumped to less than 1%. The government could not bankroll its social programmes anymore.
With youth unemployment at a rate of about 30% and half the population less than 25 years old, it was not difficult to predict that young people would be the first to object to the ruling class’s attempt at extending the reign of Bouteflika for a fifth term in office.
Sudan may have been more of an economic basket case as it struggled with an inflation rate of nearly 70%, a foreign debt level of about $50 billion and hard currency reserves at merely seven weeks of imports.
With half the population under the age of 19 and youth unemployment at more than 27%, the ticking bomb was waiting to go off anytime. The discredited National Congress Party was out of its sync with the demands of the youthful population. Its Islamist diktat no longer guaranteed the regime’s hold on power.
The main protagonists, especially those trying today to hold onto the levers of power, should look at the lessons of the 2011 uprisings. They know that as the dust settles and as democratic transitions are set in motion, economics is likely to come back and haunt them, probably sooner than the inexperienced operators of regime change would like them to believe.
The Tunisia case has shown that any transition, even if deemed successful, will remain precarious unless it is accompanied by an economic recovery that creates jobs and revives growth and that’s easier said than done. In the climate of endless demands and unbridled expectations that come with revolutionary fervour, big-spending policies are going to be more likely than budget rigour. Such policies are, however, untenable.
The interim rulers in Algeria and Sudan may have their minds set on more immediate concerns. In Algeria, there are demands to prosecute corrupt businessmen and investigate allegations of ill-management in the national oil company. There are hints from Sudanese rulers that they see economic difficulties as pressing. Saudi and Emirati expressions of support for Khartoum have included pledges to expedite economic assistance to the nearly bankrupt country.
The military and security establishment will have to keep in mind the security risks inherent in power vacuums and unsecured borders. They should not commit the mistakes of the post-2011 Tunisian rulers who complacently let Islamist radicals organise and wreak havoc on the country. It took major terrorist incidents for the new political class to realise that national security must be preserved even in a democracy.
The military and security establishments in Sudan and Algeria should be allowed to continue doing their job of meeting national security challenges and the new generation of politicians should have its chance at gearing the country towards democracy building and economic reconstruction. That’s probably the most important lesson of all.