English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For November 14/2022
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 14/08-14/:”Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.’Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on November 13-14/2022
Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi we are faced with no solution but to call for an international conference on Lebanon.
Bishop Aoudi: What is holding the Deputies from holding an open session in which voting continues until the election of a president?
Kabalan in response to Rahi: Salvation sovereign solution passes through Parliament exclusively, not any international conference
Lebanon’s National Currency Tumbles as Central Bank Issues ‘Ambiguous’ Measures
Raad says Hezbollah seeking election of the president it wants
Lebanon extradites to Iraq 'Saddam grandnephew' accused of IS link
Lebanon launches first phase of cholera vaccine campaign
Beirut Marathon: Ethiopian Dekiba achieves first place for men, his compatriot Ambe for women, Zeaiter & Njeim occupy leading ranks in Lebanese men & Wonen's race

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on November 13-14/2022
Syria reports Israeli missile attack on central Homs area
Israel president taps Netanyahu to form government
6 killed, dozens injured in Istanbul blast
Erdogan Accuses Biden of Hiding Gulen in Pennsylvania
'Tears of happiness': Ukrainians rejoice after liberation from Russians
G20 ministers launch billion-dollar pandemic fund
Biden says 'I feel good' after Democrats hold Senate
Iran issues first death sentence after ‘riots’: Judiciary
Fire Reported at Motor Engine Oil Factory in Central Iran
Macron Meets Iranian Rights Activists
Head of Iran’s Seminary Promises ‘Death’ to Turban Flippers
Iraqi Prime Minister Sets 5 Urgent Priorities for the Government

Titles For The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on November 13-14/2022
Iran’s theocrats ridiculed as barriers of fear collapse/Baria Alamuddin/Arab News/November 14, 2022
No sign of Iran’s protests dissipating/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/November 14, 2022
A Big Difference between Israel and the Palestinians/Alan M. Dershowitz/Gatestone Institute./November 13, 2022
Biden Wants Talks While China's Xi Prepares for War/Gordon G. Chang/Gatestone Institute/November 13, 2022
Don’t Believe Them…Believe Us/Tariq Al-Homayed/Asharq Al-Awsat/November, 13/2022

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on November 13-14/2022
Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi we are faced with no solution but to call for an international conference on Lebanon.
NNA/November 13/2022
Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, considered that in wake of the parliament's catastrophic failure to elect a president of the republic, we are faced with no solution but to call for an international conference on Lebanon. "Faced with the drastic failure of the Parliament Council to elect a new president of the republic, with the five sessions being a farcical drama...and the failure of all internal dialogues...we find no solution except by calling for an international conference for Lebanon to renew the guarantee of the independent Lebanese existence, the entity and the democratic system, and the state’s control alone over its lands based first on its constitution and then on all international resolutions issued regarding Lebanon," the Patriarch said. "Any delay in adopting this constitutional and international solution would involve Lebanon in non-peaceful risks that no one can contain under these circumstances," he maintained. The Patriarch's words came during his sermon in Bkirki this morning as he presided over Sunday Mass marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Maronite League. Al-Rahi deemed that each time we are faced with the deadline to elect a President of the Republic, innovations and tricks begin to be invented to control the course of the electoral process and its results at the expense of the democratic path, while the constitution is clear in its text and spirit regarding the date of the election, the quorum for holding sessions, and the quorum for the election. "They speak of a consensual president. The notion is welcomed in principle, provided that there is no negative intention, and on condition that a free president is chosen who will abide by his oath and the constitution, and is able to stop conflicts, make reconciliations, and tighten the bonds of internal unity," al-Rahi went on to emphasize. He added: "The consensual president, in our understanding, is one who holds a solid stance on the basic issues, and owns sovereign options that cannot be compromised before the strong and the powerful, nor in front of the weak and vulnerable, neither at home nor abroad. The consensual president is the one who respects, applies and defends the constitution, and remains above factional and partisan affiliations.""The president we want is a president upto the standards of Lebanon and the Lebanese, who raises his voice in the face of the violators, the corrupt, and those with multiple loyalties, based on his position above all parties; and who says to those who tamper with the fate of the country: stop your abuse of Lebanon, stop torturing the Lebanese, and stop proceeding with projects that are destined for the inevitable fall, sooner or later, because they are against the logic of history, and against the logic of Lebanon...," al-Rahi underlined. Finally, on his call for an international conference over Lebanon, the Patriarch stressed that "the United Nations is concerned with every country that considers itself a friend of Lebanon to move to hold this conference."

Bishop Aoudi: What is holding the Deputies from holding an open session in which voting continues until the election of a president?
LCCC/November 13/2022
In his sermon today Bishop Aoudi said: “Since ancient times, many rulers have passed on this land, some of whom were honored by history for their good deeds, and some of whom history does not mention except for their arbitrariness and injustice because of their love for thrones more than their love for citizens. The question posed to the officials of our country: How do you want the history of your homeland to remember you? And what will you leave for future generations: a country you built with diligence, vigilance, toil, and sacrifice, or a country that was the pride of its people and the region, and which you lost because of your interests, conflicts, selfishness, and hatred?
The official must be according to the heart of God, and St. John advises the officials, saying: (No one should set a goal for his life, how he will climb the seat of authority, and how he will enjoy the position, but rather how he will become a righteous and wise person. Many times authority attracts us to actions contrary to the law of God. If we receive it presidential position, we need great courage in order to practice good administration, and not be blinded by the pride that glory generates.
 “Our officials, especially the deputies who wanted by their will, and the people’s choice, to serve the nation, should listen to what St. From a state it will become a forest. As are the wooden pillars for the stability of the house, so are the rulers for the proper functioning of a society and an organized state). It does not inspire seriousness, and then the deputies leave as if they have completed their duties, it makes us feel as if they are underestimating our minds and their responsibility. What prevents them from holding an open session in which polling after polling follows, until the election of a president? An aim that we are ignorant of, and this harms their reputation, their status, and the status of Lebanon.”
Considering that "elections, of all kinds, are a natural and routine matter in democratic countries. Instead of wasting months and years waiting for the completion of this democratic duty, they focus on other important matters such as the happiness of citizens, climate change, the environment, development and development, and the like," he stressed that "the presence of a president reassures the people, And working to save the state and reform its administrations, in harmony with a homogeneous government that carries a clear vision and program of action, is a necessity. What the people lack is a sense of security resulting from the integration of the authorities and the harmony of their work for the public interest. Chrysostom says: (When the ruler is sound, there is no Blame in him, righteous, and man-loving, then he becomes truly strong and the people will love him. Nothing distinguishes a ruler so much as the love shown to him by the people he governs. So, you rulers, rule impartially, righteousness and fear of God, always seeking the benefit of the people.)"
Aoudi concluded: “Our call today is to know the news of our saints, who lived the divine word, felt its pleasure, and wanted to convey it to everyone, even the rulers, in order to transform life on this earth into a prior taste of the heavenly kingdom. Our prayer is that the rulers hear the voice of the Lord and love His people who have entrusted them., Amen."

Kabalan in response to Rahi: Salvation sovereign solution passes through Parliament exclusively, not any international conference
NNA/November 13/2022
Grand Jaafari Mufti, Sheikh Ahmad Kabalan, said in a statement on Sunday, that the sovereignist rescue solution for Lebanon passes only through parliament, and not through any international conference. He stressed that the sole side to make history or lose it are the parliamentary blocs themselves, and not any other entity, adding that "Lebanon is now awaiting the political choices of the parliamentary blocs...and national partnership and parliamentary resolution is a necessity to save Lebanon, for the beatification of Lebanon to the outside is forbidden."His words came in response to Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi's call for an international conference on Lebanon during Sunday Mass at Bkirki this morning. Sheikh Kabalan deemed that any international conference dissolves the Lebanese sovereignty, and trying to resort to international decisions kills Lebanon, recalling that the civil war is an example of this. He added that the crisis is very complicated, and both local and international factors are intertwined, while the internal paralysis has reached its peak. Kabalan stressed that the future president must be a consensual president for all the Lebanese and elected based on Lebanon’s interests first and foremost, and having the ability to take sovereign decisions pertaining to political, monetary, oil, electrical and national rescue. "The interest of Christians and Muslims is to agree on a national president through Parliament and implement a project for a strong state, national partnership and effective constitutional institutions away from international circulars that deal with Lebanon as a playground for deals and an arena for settlements,” Shaikh Kabalan concluded.

Lebanon’s National Currency Tumbles as Central Bank Issues ‘Ambiguous’ Measures
Beirut – Ali Zeineddine/Asharq Al-Awsat/November 13/2022
The Lebanese pound exchange rate on the black market has slid to nearly LBP 40,000 to the US dollar amid conflicting reports about a delay in new regulatory measures that the Central Bank is preparing to take, which requires raising the price of allowances for withdrawals from hard currencies. In parallel, authorities have started to work on collecting customs duties for imports with a rate of 15,000 to the US dollar. Lebanon’s Central Bank had said it would halt purchases of dollars on its Sayrafa platform starting on Oct. 25 until further notice. The bank, however, would continue to sell exclusively dollars on its exchange rate platform. Although the move was intended to strengthen the Lebanese pound, observers believe that money exchangers increasingly buying US dollars is an indication that the national currency will soon hit new lows. A banking official explained to Asharq Al-Awsat that the “ambiguity” arising from the overlapping of monetary decisions “still prevents the possibility of determining the expected timing of the issuance of new measures.”Despite impressions that measures were officially approved at the beginning of this month, it was reported that government agencies instructed the bank to slow down a little, in order to simultaneously link the validity of the financial steps related to the general budget with the monetary measures for withdrawals. This reinforced expectations that the promised circulars will be issued before the middle of November. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat under the conditions of anonymity, the banker asserted that leaks from relevant sources at the Central Bank “match expectations for adopting a higher exchange rate for withdrawals from dollar accounts in Lebanese banks as a first step within the task of reorganizing exchange rates.” Besides preparing for the unifying of exchange rates, the Central Bank is looking to implement a basic demand from the package of conditions handed over by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission in Lebanon.

Raad says Hezbollah seeking election of the president it wants
Naharnet/November 13/2022
The head of Hezbollah’s Loyalty to Resistance parliamentary bloc, MP Mohammed Raad, on Sunday announced that his party knows whom it wants for president. “In the face of the presidential juncture, we know who we want and we are acting so that the person we want becomes president,” Raad said.
“Presidential vacuum is created by the failure to agree on a president who would befit our resistant people, and when this agreement happens, there will be a president,” he added. “We’re in a hurry for that more than all the others and the issue is not about the loundness of the voice but rather about the seriousness of the act,” Raad went on to say. Lamenting that some in Lebanon “are today showing the same intransigence that we faced in the obstruction of government formation,” the Hezbollah lawmaker said “they want a president selected by others abroad.” “This will simply not happen, no matter how much time passes,” Raad warned. Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah had openly announced Friday that his party wants a president who would “reassure the resistance” and not “stab it in its back.”

Lebanon extradites to Iraq 'Saddam grandnephew' accused of IS link
Agence France Presse/November 13/2022
Lebanon has extradited a man said to be a grandnephew of Saddam Hussein to Iraq, where he is accused of involvement in a massacre by the Islamic State group, a security source said. Abdullah Sabawi was extradited on Friday, the Iraqi security source told AFP on condition of anonymity, describing him as the "son of a nephew" of the executed dictator. "He is accused of having been a member of IS and having participated in the Speicher massacre" of 2014, in which up to 1,700 air force cadets were executed by the jihadist group, the source added. A Lebanese judicial source said Sabawi, born in 1994, "was detained on June 11" following an Interpol notice calling for his arrest over his alleged involvement in the massacre."Iraq requested his extradition," the Lebanese source added. Sabawi's family has denied the accusations, telling AFP he had been in Yemen at the time of the killings.The Camp Speicher massacre was  considered one of IS' worst crimes after it took over large parts of Iraq in 2014. Video footage released by IS showed an assembly-line style massacre in which gunmen herded their victims towards the banks of the Tigris, shot them in the back of the head and pushed them into the river one after the other.
Dozens have been sentenced to death by Iraqi courts over their involvement in the killings and many of them have already been executed.

Lebanon launches first phase of cholera vaccine campaign
Arab News/November 13, 2022
BEIRUT: The Ministry of Public Health of Lebanon launched a cholera vaccination campaign on Saturday aimed at reaching 70 percent of the target population over the next three weeks. The World Health Organization assisted the ministry in obtaining a critical shipment of 600,000 doses of cholera vaccine.  The campaign will target all refugees and host communities over the age of one with a weekly target of administering 200,000 doses. “These vaccines will be a key tool to boost our response as the cholera outbreak is fast spreading in the country. The arrival of these vaccines in the country is timely and thanks to our collective efforts with the Ministry of Public Health of Lebanon, UN agencies and our partners on the ground,” WHO Representative in Lebanon Dr. Abdinasir Abubakar said. WHO is covering the full cost of doses from the International Coordination Group, which manages the global supply of cholera vaccines. In addition, WHO is providing technical guidance on target area selection, micro plan development and training of the implementing partners in charge of vaccine deployment. It will also assist the Ministry of Public Health in completing a second ICG application for the additional two million doses of oral cholera vaccine required for the campaign’s phase two. “Cholera vaccines are a critical tool to protect people and limit the spread of the outbreak, but they are not the only tool we have to combat cholera. We can prevent cholera effectively by improving access to safe water, proper sanitation and hygiene practices. Let’s also ensure people have access to these interventions,” Dr. Abubakar said. The cholera outbreak in Lebanon is the first in more than 30 years, a result of the country’s economic deterioration as well as its lack of access to clean water and adequate sanitation services. As of Monday, 2,722 suspected cholera cases and 18 associated deaths were reported across the country, with 25 percent of cases being children under the age of five.

Beirut Marathon: Ethiopian Dekiba achieves first place for men, his compatriot Ambe for women, Zeaiter & Njeim occupy leading ranks in Lebanese men & Wonen's race
NNA/November 13, 2022
Beirut Marathon Association announced the participation of 12,000 male and female runners representing 60 foreign and Arab countries in the Beirut International Marathon that was held today at Beirut Waterfront, under the slogan "I am Beirut". The arrangements for the race were supervised by the Association’s work team, including its President May Al-Khalil, and about 400 young men and women and more than 1,500 volunteers. Official figures also attended the event, including Governor of Beirut, Judge Marwan Abboud; Marathon’s Guest, Member of the International Olympic Committee, Moroccan Olympic Runner Nawal Al-Mutawakil; President of the Lebanese Olympic Committee Pierre Jalakh; President of the Board of Directors and Editor-in-Chief of “Al-Nahar” Newspaper Nayla Tueni; Chairman of the Board of Directors of the OMT Foundation (event’s official sponsor) Hikmat Abu Zeid; UNIFIL Commander General Aroldo Lazaro; Head of the Athletics Federation Roland Saadeh; Commander of the High Center for Military Sports Colonel Mikhael Moussa; Bar Association Head Nader Kaspar; Father Youssef Nasr; Vice President of the Lebanese American University for Special Projects Saad El-Zein; Head of the Emergency Services Section at the Red Cross Rosie Boulos, and Head of the Tyre Branch Muzain Seklawi Ajami. Representatives of charities, sports clubs and media institutions were also present, led by Dean of Lebanese Sports Journalists, Youssef Berjawi. In a technical reading of the race, the marathon record for a distance of 42,195 kilometers was not enhanced in comparison to the men’s 2:10:41 hours recorded by Ethiopian Dominic Roto in 2017 and Moroccan Mohammed Al-Arabi in 2018, and for women, to the Bahraini Eunice Shumba’s record of 2:28:38 38 hours registered in 2017. In today’s marathon of 42,195 Km for foreigners, Ethiopian runner Metko Dekiba came in first place for men with a record of 2:14:21 hours, while Ethiopian Mologu Ambe came in first place for women with a record of 2:28:57 hours.As for the 42,195 Km race for Lebanese men and women, Saleh Zeaiter came in first with a record of 2:37:57 hours, while Sherine Njeim came in first for women with a record of 3:44:02 hours.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on November 13-14/2022
Syria reports Israeli missile attack on central Homs area
AP/November 13, 2022
BEIRUT: Israel fired missiles toward Syria’s central province of Homs Sunday evening targeting an airbase and positions of Iran-backed fighters, an opposition war monitor reported. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which is based in London, said strong explosions were heard when four Israeli missiles hit the Shayrat airbase in Homs province. It said the missile attack targeted the positions of Iran-backed fighters in the area. State news agency SANA said Syrian air defenses were responding to “hostile targets” over Homs province adding that some missiles were shot down. It gave no further details. Syrian TV said “an Israeli aggression” was targeting the province adding that air defenses were responding to the attacks. The strikes occurred after Israeli warplanes were seen flying over neighboring Lebanon whose airspace Israeli air forces sometimes cross to carry out attacks on Syria. Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets inside government-controlled parts of Syria in recent years, but rarely acknowledges or discusses such operations. Israel has acknowledged, however, that it targets bases of Iran-allied militant groups, such as Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which has sent thousands of fighters to support Syrian President Bashar Assad’s forces.

Israel president taps Netanyahu to form government
AFP/November 13, 2022
JERUSALEM: Israel’s president on Sunday assigned Benjamin Netanyahu a mandate to form the next government, following November 1 elections that put the ex-premier on track for a stable right-wing coalition. President Isaac Herzog told Netanyahu — Israel’s longest-serving premier until he was ousted last year — at a ceremony in Jerusalem that he had tasked him with forming a government. Herzog said that, following his consultations with party leaders, “the result was clear, and the task of forming a government must be assigned to Benjamin Netanyahu.”
Herzog noted Netanyahu’s ongoing trial over corruption allegations, which the right-wing veteran denies. “I am not oblivious, of course, to the fact that there are ongoing legal proceedings against Mr.Netanyahu at the Jerusalem District Court, and I do not trivialize this at all,” Herzog said. But he noted that recent precedent made clear Netanyahu could serve as prime minister while contesting the allegations.

6 killed, dozens injured in Istanbul blast
Arab News/November 13, 2022
ISTANBUL: At least six people were killed and 53 injured in an explosion on Sunday in a popular tourist area of Istanbul. Videos posted on social media showed bodies lying on the ground in the city’s busy Istiklal Street following the blast at around 4:20 p.m. local time. Confirming casualty numbers, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the explosion as an “attack,” prompting Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to condemn the incident. The usually bustling pedestrian shopping street is a hotspot for tourists. Speaking prior to leaving for the G20 summit in Bali, Erdogan said: “Our nation should ensure that the perpetrators of the incident on Istiklal Street will be punished as they deserve.” Although not immediately confirmed as a terror attack, the Turkish leader added there was “a smell of it” and hinted that a woman may have been involved in causing the explosion. CCTV footage showed a woman leaving a bag on a bench on Istiklal Street and Turkish media reported witnesses hearing gunshots in streets around nearby Taksim Square. Turkish anti-terror and crime scene investigation teams were quickly on the scene and cordoned off the area.
Turkiye’s media watchdog has imposed a broadcasting ban in the vicinity of the blast after fake footage was posted on social media platforms. Restrictions were also applied to Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. The explosion took place near a mosque and 300 meters away from the French consulate. Other foreign consulates are also located on Istiklal Street which has been the scene of several terror attacks. Sunday’s blast was the deadliest since December 2016. Al-Qaeda, Daesh, and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) have all claimed responsibility for recent terror attacks in Turkiye. Al-Qaeda in Turkiye carried out two separate suicide bombings in the same district in November 2003, killing more than 60 people and injuring at least 650, and one week before that attacked two synagogues. In 2016, a Daesh member targeted an Israeli tourist group, leaving five people dead and 36 wounded.
And In December 2016, bomb attacks outside a busy stadium in Istanbul killed 38 and wounded 166. As yet, no group has claimed responsibility for Sunday’s blast. During a speech in Turkiye’s Bilecik province on Saturday, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said that the number of terrorists operating inside Turkish territories was now down to below 120. Turkish anti-terror teams have been conducting operations throughout the country in recent months against PKK and Daesh operatives. While the PKK has been conducting a bloody insurgency against the Turkish state for almost four decades, the country has also been the target of Daesh, with more than 300 people killed and hundreds injured in suicide bombings, bomb attacks, and armed assaults.

Erdogan Accuses Biden of Hiding Gulen in Pennsylvania
Ankara - Saeed Abdulrazek/Asharq Al-Awsat/November, 13/2022
Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that US President Joe Biden deliberately hid Fethullah Gulen in Pennsylvania. Erdogan, once an ally of Gulen, believes his Hizmet (service) Movement was behind the coup attempt against his regime on July 15, 2016. “Who protects them (Gulen’s movement)? It is, first of all, Greece. They flee to Greece, they flee to Europe. They have always fled there. They live in Germany, France, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, and the United States,” Erdogan told reporters who accompanied him on his way back from the Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States that was held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on Nov 11. “The US is hiding this man (Gulen). Who is hiding him? It is Biden who is hiding him. They gave him a huge mansion in Pennsylvania where he currently lives,” Erdogan added, stressing that the mansion is a “terrorism hub.”
Gulen has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999. He denied accusations that he had masterminded the failed putsch and demanded an impartial investigation. The previous US administrations of presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump refused requests from Türkiye to extradite him, and demanded that Ankara provide compelling evidence that Gulen’s movement was involved in the failed coup. The Turkish government labeled Gulen’s movement as the “Fethullah Terrorist Organization” (FETO). It is not a designated terrorist organization in the US. In response to a question about the movement’s ongoing activities in some central Asian countries, Erdogan said the leaders of these countries say they are countering the movement and its activities in their countries. He added that he discussed the issue with the leaders of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Erdogan cited intelligence information stating that there are elements affiliated with the movement who work in these countries’ institutions. However, the countries denied this information.

'Tears of happiness': Ukrainians rejoice after liberation from Russians
Agence France Presse/November 13/2022
After enduring more than eight months of Russian soldiers occupying her village near Kherson, Svetlana Galak said she cried "tears of happiness" when Ukrainian soldiers arrived to liberate them. "I don't know when the Russians arrived, but I only know one thing -- that yesterday, or the day before yesterday, I saw a Ukrainian soldier and I was relieved," the 43-year-old told AFP. "I had tears of happiness, that finally Ukraine is liberated," she said. Her village Pravdyne is located about 20 kilometres (12 miles) northwest of Kherson -- a region and its capital city that were captured by Russian forces shortly after their invasion in late February. On Friday, Russia said it had withdrawn more than 30,000 troops from the region, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declaring Kherson "ours" as residents reacted with joy and jubilation. Galak is among the 180 remaining in Pravdyne, a small village located in the middle of an agricultural plain that had 1,000 residents before the war. Some of the roofs of buildings appear blasted off, and several homes have been destroyed. Debris of anti-mine parts and explosives litter the village's fields -- a remnant of bombing campaigns. Kyiv's recapture of the southern region, which serves as a gateway to the Black Sea, was also a bittersweet moment for her -- Galak's 15-year-old daughter had been killed in a bombing raid on the village. "I will tell you honestly, I was not happy that Russians were here, and my child died. It is hard for me," she said.
- Mistreatment, hunger -
Her husband Viktor told AFP of mistreatment under some of the soldiers, like when he was once stopped when he went to a different part of Pravdyne to visit his mother.  "The Russians stopped us and forced us to kneel," the 44-year-old told AFP. While questioning him on whether he really was a resident of the village, another soldier tied his arms and legs.  "Then one of them came and said he was going to put a grenade under me so I wouldn't run away," he said. He then told them that his daughter had already been killed and asked them: "Why do you want to put a grenade under me? Do you want to kill us all or what? What is your aim? Are you fascists?" he recounted. Luckily, before he could be interrogated, another soldier recognized Viktor and informed his captors, who then released him. "We were happy when we saw Ukrainian soldiers, because we are Ukrainians," he said, adding that the occupation was also difficult due to the lack of food. "The Russian soldiers brought sweets, cans, food and everyone took it because no one wanted to die of hunger."Despite his run-in with some soldiers, many others "did not want to fight", Viktor said. "They were sitting around, not very happy to be here and not be with their families."
On Saturday, volunteers were seen coming in with a van to distribute food aid. Two women hugged each other while crying. Svetlana Striletska, 50, told AFP that 23 people were killed in the village since the occupation. The 50-year-old school principal and deputy councilor of Pravdyne had helped with ferrying in humanitarian aid, making butter and sunflower oil in a little factory before the Russians destroyed it. She and her husband had to flee Pravdyne, she said.  "I will never forget it, a man from the village ran up to us and told me: 'You have to run away, because they are looking for you'," she told AFP. "I knew I had to choose between being killed or running away."

G20 ministers launch billion-dollar pandemic fund
Agence France Presse/November 13/2022
G20 health and finance ministers launched a $1.4-billion fund Sunday to tackle the next global pandemic ahead of the bloc's leaders gathering for a summit on the Indonesian resort island of Bali but the host's president said it was not enough. The 24-nation fund is viewed as one of the early global outcomes of the summit next week where little progress is expected on the Ukraine crisis with Russian President Vladimir Putin not in attendance. It was launched at a news conference Sunday opened by Indonesian President Joko Widodo and addressed by World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and World Bank President David Malpass. "The G20 agrees to build a pandemic fund to prevent and prepare for a pandemic. Donors from G20 and non-G20 members, as well as philanthropic organizations, have contributed to the funds. But it is not enough," Widodo said in a video address. He said $31 billion was required to tackle the next global pandemic. "We must ensure community resilience in the face of a pandemic. A pandemic can no longer take lives and destroy the joints of the global economy." The United States has contributed $450 million to the fund, nearly a third of the total. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the joint fund was an example of what the G20 can do to tackle global problems. "I am proud of what we have accomplished. I think the steps we have taken this year will help deliver on a vision of a healthier and more responsive global health architecture," she said. Indonesia was at one point an epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic when a wave of Delta strain cases hit the country in mid-2021. Its health system was overwhelmed by the number of infections and Jakarta produced its own homegrown vaccine as lower income countries became frustrated at more developed nations hoarding inoculations for their citizens. The fund's major donors include the United States, Britain, India, China, France, Canada, Australia and Japan. "We meet at a time of multiple crises... this new dedicated fund is an important tool that will support low and middle income countries to be better prepared for global health crises," said Malpass, who urged more countries to commit to the fund. "The pandemic fund can help make the world safer."Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati told a news conference Saturday Saudi Arabia was expected to contribute to the fund, without specifying how much.

Biden says 'I feel good' after Democrats hold Senate
Agence France Presse/November 13/2022
President Joe Biden's Democrats retained control of the US Senate on Saturday, a remarkable midterm election result that defied predictions of a Republican win over both houses of Congress. Midterms traditionally deliver a rejection of the party in power, and with inflation surging and Biden's popularity in the doldrums, Republicans had been expecting to ride a mighty "red wave" and capture the Senate and the House of Representatives. But the wave never got much beyond a ripple, and on Saturday US networks called the key Senate race in Nevada for Democrat incumbent Catherine Cortez Masto, giving the party the 50 seats it needs for an effective majority. The win clinches Democratic control in the Senate as Vice President Kamala Harris can cast the tie-breaking vote if the upper chamber is evenly split 50-50. "I feel good and I'm looking forward to the next couple years," Biden said of the result, speaking at a meeting of Southeast Asian leaders in Phnom Penh on Sunday. Biden, due to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 summit on Monday, said control of the Senate would bolster his position in the talks. "I know I'm coming in stronger," he said of the midterms' impact. One Senate race remains up in the air -- a runoff in Georgia set for December 6, in which the Democrats could add to their majority. The result in the House of Representatives still hangs in the balance, and while Republicans are slightly favored to take control, it would be with a far smaller majority than they had envisaged going into Tuesday's election. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was quick to ring in his party's win, tweeting the result was a "vindication" of Democrats' achievements.
- Call to 'come together' -
Speaking minutes after the projections were announced, Schumer said the result showed Americans "soundly rejected the anti-democratic, authoritarian, nasty and divisive direction the MAGA Republicans wanted to take our country," referring to former president Donald Trump's "Make America Great Again" movement. Trump was omnipresent on the campaign trail, putting his thumb on key Republican primaries and holding rallies nationwide, during which he repeated his baseless claims of fraud in the 2020 race. While more than 100 Republican candidates who challenged the 2020 presidential election results won their races, according to US media projections, some of Trump's hand-picked candidates underperformed and the Republicans' poor showing overall was a damaging political blow. Trump is set to declare his 2024 White House bid on Tuesday -- an announcement he had planned as a triumphant follow-on to an expected crushing election victory by the party he still dominates. Maintaining control of the Senate means Biden and the Democrats will retain key leverage in legislative debates, particularly in domestic and foreign spending policy. Schumer underscored that the Democrats' win would ensure a "firewall" against moves by Republicans in Congress to further curtail abortion rights -- a key issue in the midterms. But the Senator for New York also urged the two parties to "try to come together" to end "divisive negativity."The two parties had been neck-and-neck at 49 seats each after Democrat Mark Kelly was projected to win a tight Senate race in Arizona on Friday evening. The former astronaut beat out challenger Blake Masters, who has not yet conceded defeat and was backed by Trump. Trump's response to the Arizona result was to double down on unfounded claims of ballot rigging, posting on his Truth Social platform that the Democrat's victory was a "scam" and the result of "voter fraud."The underwhelming outcome for Republicans has prompted a bout of internal finger-pointing, with targets including Trump, party leaders and campaign messaging. US media on Saturday cited a letter circulated by three Republican senators calling for the postponement of party leadership elections currently scheduled for the middle of next week. "We are all disappointed that a Red Wave failed to materialize, and there are multiple reasons it did not," the letter said. "We need to have serious discussions within our conference as to why and what we can do to improve our chances in 2024," it added. After the Senate result was projected, Republican Senator from Missouri Josh Hawley called in a tweet for the party to "build something new." "The old party is dead. Time to bury it."

Iran issues first death sentence after ‘riots’: Judiciary
AFP/November 13, 2022
TEHRAN: Iran on Sunday issued its first death sentence linked to participation in “riots,” amid nationwide protests since the death of Mahsa Amini, the judiciary’s Mizan Online website said. The accused was sentenced in a Tehran court to death for the crime of “setting fire to a government building, disturbing public order, assembly and conspiracy to commit a crime against national security, and an enemy of God and corruption on earth,” one of the most serious offenses under Iranian law, Mizan Online reported. Another court in Tehran sentenced five others to prison terms of between five to 10 years for “gathering and conspiring to commit crimes against national security and disturbing public order.”All those convicted can appeal their sentence, Mizan added. Dozens of people, mainly demonstrators but also security personnel, have been killed during the protests, which the authorities have branded as “riots.”Earlier on Sunday, the judiciary said it had charged more than 750 people in three provinces for involvement in such incidents. More than 2,000 people had already been charged, nearly half of them in the capital Tehran, since the demonstrations began in mid-September, according to judiciary figures.
Judicial chief for the southern province of Hormozgan, Mojtaba Ghahremani, said 164 people had been charged “after the recent riots,” Mizan Online ealier said. They face accusations including “incitement to killing,” “harming security forces,” “propaganda against the regime” and “damaging public property,” the website said, adding that their trials would begin “from Thursday in the presence of their lawyers.”Another 276 people were charged in the central province of Markazi, its judiciary chief Abdol-Mehdi Mousavi was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA. However, 100 young people were released after signing pledges not to participate in any future “riots,” IRNA said. In central Isfahan province, judicial chief Asadollah Jafari said 316 cases had been filed in connection with the recent strife. Twelve have already gone to trial, the Tasnim news agency reported him as saying late Saturday.
Amini’s death on September 16 came days after her arrest by the morality police for an alleged breach of the country’s strict dress rules for women. Authorities have denied claims by rights groups abroad that about 15,000 people have been detained in the ensuing unrest. Iran on Sunday criticized a Friday meeting between French president Emmanuel Macron and opponents of the Islamic republic, calling Emmanuel Macron’s comments after the encounter “regrettable and shameful.”Macron met with four prominent Iranian dissidents, all of them women.

Fire Reported at Motor Engine Oil Factory in Central Iran
Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 13 November, 2022
A motor engine oil factory caught fire at Isfahan’s Mobarakeh industrial town in central Iran, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday, raising concerns that the fire could expand in the large industrial complex. “Currently, the fire is high and wide, and we hope that it will be contained within the next two hours with the efforts of the rescue team,” an official from the industrial town told the news agency, Reuters reported. The head of Isfahan province’s crisis management body told Tasnim there had been no fatalities and that 20 rescue and fire brigades were dispatched to prevent the fire from spreading to other production units.

Macron Meets Iranian Rights Activists
Paris - Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 13 November, 2022
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday met a delegation of prominent exiled Iranian rights activists, later hailing the women-led protest movement in the country as a “revolution.” Iran has for the last weeks been rocked by protests triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini who had been arrested by the morality police. “We welcomed with great honor and pleasure a delegation of Iranian women,” Macron told a session at the Paris Peace Forum, an annual conference held in the French capital, after meeting the activists at the Elysee. “I want to emphasize our respect and admiration in the context of the revolution they are leading,” he added. The delegation included Roya Piraei, whose mother Minoo Majidi was killed by security forces at the start of the protest crackdown, US-based activist Masih Alinejad, Shima Babaei, who has campaigned for justice for her father who has disappeared in Iran, and Ladan Boroumand, the co-founder of a Washington-based rights group.
In mid-October, Macron said Paris stands by the protesters in Iran, which in turn considered it an “intervention” in its internal affairs. France Inter radio said it will broadcast an interview with Macron on the Iran issue on Monday. Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonnaconfirmed Saturday that two more French citizens have been detained in Iran, bringing the total number of French citizens held in Tehran to seven. “We are worried about two other compatriots and the last verifications show they are also detained,” Colonna told daily newspaper Le Parisien on Saturday.
On Oct 6, France lashed out at Iran for “dictatorial practices” and taking two of its citizens hostage after a video aired earlier in which they appeared to confess to spying, amid weeks of unrest that Tehran has tied to foreign foes. Paris reiterated its demand for their immediate release and the immediate, unconditional access to its two compatriots in accordance with the international obligations to which Iran subscribed under the Vienna Convention of April 24, 1963. “It is more important than ever to remind Iran of its international obligations. If its aim is blackmail, then it cannot work,” the minister said.
“My Iranian counterpart, with whom I had a long and difficult conversation, has committed to respecting the right of consular access. I expect that to happen,” AFP quoted Colonna as saying. On Friday, Le Figaro newspaper reported that the two nationals had been arrested prior to the start of anti-government protests in September over Amini’s death.

Head of Iran’s Seminary Promises ‘Death’ to Turban Flippers
Berlin, London, Tehran – Raghida Bahnam, Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 13 November, 2022
The head of the Iranian Seminary, Alireza Arafi, had vowed “death” to any protester transgressing against clerics in Iran at a time when the death toll of demonstrations that have rocked the cleric-led nation since Sept. 17 has risen to 336, according to human rights groups. “Those who attack the turbans of the clergy should know that the turban will become their shroud,” said Arafi, according to the official media mouthpiece of Iran’s Seminary. “Haters of the system must know that we will preserve it until our last breath,” added Arafi. As the authorities have waged a deadly crackdown on the rallies, some demonstrators have turned to new tactics to sustain the protests, including tipping off clerics’ turbans in the streets. Iranian security forces have killed at least 326 people since nationwide protests erupted two months ago, the Norway-based Iran Human Rights NGO (IHRNGO) group has claimed. Since the start of the protests, deaths have been recorded across 22 provinces, according to the IHRNGO. Most were reported in Sistan and Baluchistan, Tehran, Mazandaran, Kurdistan, and Gilan provinces. At the start of the ninth week of public unrest, Iranian protesters called for a memorial for the victims of the November 2019 protests, in which 1,500 people were killed. In other news, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Saturday that he favors a new round of European Union sanctions on Iran next week. “We want to continue to step up the pressure on the Revolutionary Guard Corps and the political leadership,” he said in a video posted on Twitter. Scholz’s statement follows Germany and Iceland urging the UN to convene a special session of the Human Rights Council on the deteriorating human rights situation in Iran, especially with regard to women and children.

Iraqi Prime Minister Sets 5 Urgent Priorities for the Government
Baghdad - Asharq Al-Awsat/Sunday, 13 November, 2022
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani has asserted that despite several challenges, there are many opportunities for the government to succeed. Speaking at a meeting with the press attended by Asharq Al-Awsat, Sudani noted that "the regional and international community is supportive.”This has been expressed in a series of supportive positions, which will serve the common interests of Iraq, the region, and global community. The chances of success are higher now because of the financial support that helps realize achievements according to well-thought-out plans and political and security stability, said Sudani.
He referred to the recent assassination of a US citizen and asserted that he is following up on the probe. He noted that investigators have new leads that could help identify the perpetrators. Sudani noted that the government's credibility lies in bringing them to justice. "Our foreign policy will be based on the principle of common interests," said the PM, adding that it is crucial to unifying internal political discourse to have a unified state. He stressed that recovering the stolen funds will determine the nature of foreign relations with other countries. Sudani mentioned the five priorities for the government, such as addressing poverty, revealing that he will make urgent decisions to support the poor. Another focus includes finalizing the decisions issued since 2019 to help provide job opportunities. The PM vowed that services are the third priority of the government, some of which involve completing unfinished projects, which need about $30 billion. He also noted that funds are allocated to the governorates within the Food Security Law. Sudani named economic reforms and the fight against corruption as the fourth and fifth priorities. Regarding economic reforms, Sudani said that one of the requirements is the establishment of the Iraq Fund for Development and encouraging the private sector to implement projects, including the construction of 8,000 schools. He also stressed that fighting corruption requires a strong will, honesty, and continuity. A large coalition of about 280 lawmakers supports the government, said the PM, adding that the cabinet has an excellent chance to succeed.

The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on November 13-14/2022
Iran’s theocrats ridiculed as barriers of fear collapse
Baria Alamuddin/Arab News/November 14, 2022
As a symptom of how detested Iran’s mullahs have become, “turban tossing” is a viral trend. Videos showing people creeping up behind clerics and knocking off or stealing their turbans and running away have been viewed millions of times.
One enraged MP warned that turban-tossers were a “conspiracy of devils” who were “playing with the lion’s tail.” Hated turbaned symbols of the regime’s hypocrisy and corruption frequently find themselves failing to get served in markets, or having taxi drivers refusing to stop for them.
Kurdish rapper Saman Yasin is among several figures charged with the capital offence of “waging war against God” for public criticism of the regime and its supreme leader. Could there be any clearer sign that this theocratic regime has lost the plot than these attempts to equate Ayatollah Khamenei with God?
Other musicians, athletes and cultural figures have been rounded up for demonstrating solidarity with protesters. Celebrity chef Mehrshad Shahidi was beaten to death by Revolutionary Guard thugs the day before his 20th birthday. Nevertheless, in a move of breathtaking boldness, actress Taraneh Alidoosti last week appeared in a photo without hijab, brandishing a placard with the protest slogan “Woman, life, freedom.”
Tehran regime authorities have announced another round of public trials for at least 1,000 protesters, including charges that carry the death penalty — a transparent attempting to terrorize citizens back into obedience. A message from 227 MPs demanded that the judiciary deal “decisively with the perpetrators of these crimes”. According to human rights groups, at least 328 people have already been killed and 14,825 arrested. Other estimates are even higher.
Despite such crude measures, nationwide mass protests are still going strong after a full two months; thousands of demonstrators gathered last week to commemorate 40 days since “bloody Friday” in Zahedan, when security forces opened fire and massacred at least 96 people. There are calls for mass demonstrations on Nov. 15 to mark the anniversary of the brutally crushed 2019 uprising.
Yet even as the regime bleeds credibility domestically, it remains hellbent on overseas provocation. The International Atomic Energy Agency reported last week that Iran now has sufficient uranium enriched to 60 percent purity with which to build a nuclear bomb, as well as having disabled surveillance equipment allowing the agency to monitor enrichment activities.
Revolutionary Guards aerospace commander Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh also boasted that Iran had developed a hypersonic missile capable of penetrating all defense systems. Meanwhile, Iranian drones continue to be gratuitously deployed against Ukrainian civilians and power-generating infrastructure. The world continues to passively watch as this terrorist theocracy develops military and nuclear arsenals with which to menace us all. With the COP27 climate summit taking place in Egypt, attention has been drawn to the fact that Iran is the world’s sixth-highest greenhouse gas emitter and one of the few countries not to have ratified the 2015 Paris Agreement. This matters because mismanagement and climate change have led to many of Iran’s biggest lakes, rivers and underground water sources almost completely drying up. In 2018, the Revolutionary Guards carried out a wave of arrests of Iranian environmental advocates, accusing them of espionage and collaboration with “enemy states.” Several remain in jail.
The regime has scored own goals with ham-fisted attempts to exert force overseas. Demonstrators around Iranian embassies worldwide have been attacked. Iranian journalists in London have received “credible, significant and imminent” threats to their lives, and their relatives inside Iran have suffered crude intimidation. While Iran’s charge d’affaires in London was breezily dismissing such reports as “nonsense,” his denial was somewhat undermined by Mohammad Hosseini, one of Iran’s vice presidents, who brazenly threatened: “We’ll respond wherever necessary, even in other countries — as we did in the case of Iraqi Kurdistan.”
Although the EU is set to widen sanctions, it is inexplicable that there appears to be no consensus on labeling the Revolutionary Guards — the regime’s blunt weapon for crushing internal dissent —a terrorist entity: this despite reports that the Guards were preparing to strike the energy infrastructure of Arab Gulf states in a clumsy attempt to distract attention from domestic chaos. Nobody expects the regime to collapse tomorrow, but these unusually tenacious and widespread protests demonstrate that the endgame is in sight.
Divisions within the regime on how to handle the unrest are evident for all to see. Hard-line members of the Iranian parliament are calling for maximum force to crush civil disobedience; one of them, ultraconservative Mojtaba Zonnour, declared: “Women who do not cover their hair should be sentenced to 74 lashes.” Other MPs have defended the right to peaceful protest. A statement from Iran’s Reformist bloc was denounced by activists as too late and too feeble, despite drawing fire from regime hard-liners.
These relentless protests are fatally undermining the regime’s legitimacy. Huge numbers of women and students have demonstrated their refusal to continue living under harsh and arbitrary restrictions. Even among demographics that previously tolerated or defended the regime, there has been disquiet over videos of police assaulting women and shooting at protesters.
The preponderance of female demonstrators has also had a demoralizing effect on local police charged with maintaining order. These defiant (and clearly Iranian) women do not look like the “foreign agents, saboteurs and terrorists” that the regime accuses them of being. To impoverished ordinary police officers who are already depressingly familiar with regime corruption, incompetence and inflexibility, these women’s demands may appear legitimate and even admirable.
Nobody expects the regime to collapse tomorrow, but these unusually tenacious and widespread protests demonstrate that the endgame is in sight. At some point, brave Iranians will come out in sufficient numbers to bring this farce to an abrupt end. It isn’t a question of if, but when.
The world must begin preparations now for a post-theocracy era, in readiness for supporting Iranians through a smooth transition. We can’t afford a Libya-style scenario in which regime change means endless civil war and anarchy, or a Syria-style scenario in which an embattled regime murders its way back to a stalemate. Setting out such a vision and demonstrating how it will be materially supported also gives greater momentum and motivation for the evolving uprising, and offers hope to other regional states afflicted by aggressive Iranian meddling.
A post-regime future is inevitable. The world owes it to the courageous and long-suffering Iranian people to support them in acquiring a representative and accountable governing system, and attaining the freedom, prosperity and stability they deserve.
• 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.

No sign of Iran’s protests dissipating
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/November 14, 2022
The Iranian regime continues to employ brute force to crack down on protesters. But the people of Iran have been courageously protesting against the clerical regime for nearly two months now. The persistence of the uprising has given people a real sense of empowerment and optimism. This belief is cementing for many that the regime’s days are numbered and its overthrow is finally within reach.
Even if some argue that it is still too early to predict the final outcome, these developments are a clear game changer. The international community should immediately update its policies accordingly. The extraordinary and unprecedented uprising conveys the increasing power of the population against a decadent theocracy.This is a pivotal moment for Iran, the Middle East and the world community, all of which have long suffered from the regime’s viciousness, terrorism, regional adventurism and nuclear threats. This is the time for change.
The world can no longer ignore the theocracy’s abysmal human rights record. Thanks to decades of brave resistance by the Iranian people, and particularly women, many in the international community are now alive to the fact that these people have a legitimate right to overthrow a cruel, tyrannical regime that continues to massacre its people — as it did in 1988, when 30,000 political prisoners were murdered. The world should finally abandon a policy that has appeased the mullahs in Iran for four decades, unnecessarily extending their unbelievable reign of terror.
There is convincing evidence that the regime is losing the battle with the Iranian nation. Among the most persuasive is the fact that massive demonstrations erupted less than 24 hours after the regime’s highest authority, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, last month issued his boldest warning yet in a bid to intimidate the population into submission. People in many cities, including Tehran, Karaj, Shiraz, Tabriz and Arak, defied Khamenei’s warning and took to the streets with even more ferocity than before. Khamenei’s pictures and posters were burned and the vehicles of security forces were torched. Protesters clashed with security forces in scenes that have now become normal.
The latest protests also defied threats by another linchpin of the regime’s authoritarian character, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Commander-in-Chief Hossein Salami. The IRGC is now leading the suppression and Salami recently claimed that the protests had been dealt with and everything was under control. His mentality cannot be simply dismissed as the musings of a fanatic who is out of touch with reality.
Every murdered protester’s funeral continues to be a rallying cry, ensuring the protests’ longevity.
These are further signs of the sheer desperation of a regime in deep trouble. Khamenei and Salami are the most powerful duo within the establishment. So, the regime pulled out its aces but the protesters refused to be intimidated. That should be terrifying the regime’s supporters and suppressive forces.
The uprising has now spread to many cities and it appears to cut across all sectors of society, even high school students, who are showing remarkable political courage and consciousness.
Contrary to some rudimentary narratives, the IRGC is heavily involved in the suppression. But its forces seem to be exhausted and demoralized. Recently revealed orders by the IRGC’s top brass, including Salami, to quickly crush the persistent protests are perhaps the best illustration that the suppressive machinery is running out of gas.
The nationwide uprising shows no sign of dissipating, with protesters taking the fight to the regime’s security forces and defying bullets, imprisonment and torture.
Undaunted by the misogynistic theocracy’s brutality, women have continued to lead the charge and their actions are becoming more audacious by the day. Resistance units affiliated with the main opposition group, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, are playing a key role as well. Khamenei, President Ebrahim Raisi, Salami and many Friday prayer leaders have all previously openly expressed concern and exasperation over the influence and impact of the opposition, which is evident in the protesters’ chants nationwide.
Every murdered protester’s funeral continues to be a rallying cry, ensuring the protests’ longevity. According to religious and cultural rituals in Iran, people mourn on the 40th day after a person’s death. This is a nightmare for a regime that has killed hundreds of protesters so far. Every death becomes a rallying cry, further eroding the regime forces’ confidence and morale.
It is incumbent on the international community to go beyond verbal condemnation and even symbolic sanctions. All European ambassadors must be recalled from Tehran. Diplomatic ties need to be severed immediately. International mechanisms to hold the regime accountable for its crimes must be activated. The world community must recognize the rights of the Iranian people to use any means available to them to defend themselves against the state crackdown. The winds of change seem to be blowing in Iran. The world must embrace it.
• Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a Harvard-educated Iranian-American political scientist.

A Big Difference between Israel and the Palestinians
Alan M. Dershowitz/Gatestone Institute./November 13, 2022
Part of the reason for the Palestinian Authority's unwillingness to let the people decide [in elections] is their understandable concern that Hamas will once again prevail.
[T]here is an added reason for why Israelis who used to vote for the left have moved rightward: Hamas rockets, Hezbollah tunnels, Palestinian terrorism, and the unwillingness of the Palestinian Authority to accept generous peace offers in 2000, 2001 and 2008.
It is not enough to remind the world that most Arab and Muslim countries have anti-gay, anti-female and anti-freedom-of-religion policies. More must be said and done.
The same may be true of the United States. But only Israel is condemned....
For many long-term Israel-bashers, the recent election merely provides a new excuse for an old bigotry.
Part of the reason for the Palestinian Authority's unwillingness to let the people decide in elections is their understandable concern that Hamas will once again prevail. Pictured: Senior Hamas politburo members Fathi Hammad (center) and Mahmoud al-Zahar (second from left) take part in a rally marking Hamas's 29th anniversary, on December 14, 2016, in Gaza City. (Photo by Mahmud Hams/AFP via Getty Images)
Israel has too many elections. The Palestinians have too few. In the last four years, Israel has had five elections. Since 2006 -- when Hamas won 74 of the 132 seats in the Palestinian Legislative Council -- the Palestinians have had none. Mahmoud Abbas has been serving his "four-year term" as president of the Palestinian Authority since 2005, and there is little evidence that he -- or anyone else -- will be up for election anytime soon. Part of the reason for the Palestinian Authority's unwillingness to let the people decide is their understandable concern that Hamas will once again prevail.
The recent Israeli elections have been raucous and until now inconclusive, but they represent the deeply divided views of their citizens, both Jews and Arabs (with a few others as well). They also reflect the complex parliamentary democracy with multiple parties and minimum thresholds that make it difficult to form a stable government. But considering the alternatives, Israel does pretty well , if reflecting the will of the people is the primary goal of elections.
I'm reminded of a dinner party conversation with then President Bill Clinton and a handful of guests. Benjamin Netanyahu had just been elected to his first term as Israel's prime minister and one of guests was complaining that he was too conservative. I began to defend my old friend Bibi when Clinton said: "Let me take this." He continued by describing the complex Israeli electoral system and then he said: "the only problem with Israel, is that it's a democracy – damn it!" He explained that if he wanted Egypt or Jordan to take any actions, he could simply call the king or the president, because they are the decision-makers. But if he wants Israel to do something, and he calls the prime minister, the response is always "I have to check with the small cabinet, the big cabinet, the Knesset, and public opinion." He then said "Israel is like our country in that way. No single person makes the important decisions."
I then joined the conversation and reminded the guests that Israel had moved from the left to the right only after nearly a million refugees from the Soviet Union became citizens. Because of their experiences under Communism, they tended to vote against the left -- as did most Cubans who emigrated to America from the Castro regime. Moreover, the percentage of very Orthodox Jews, who tend to vote for the right, has increased, because of different birth rates. I asked Netanyahu's critic: "What would you do about these changing demographics?"
In a democracy, demographics matter. Citizens cannot be told for whom to vote. Perhaps the children of Soviet refugees may become more centrist, as some Cuban-Americans have, but at the moment these voters will continue to vote against the left and in favor of the right. Many fled the false promises and left-wing policies of South American dictators and want nothing more to do with them. Some of us may not like the outcome of recent elections, but we cannot interfere with the democratic process.
If I were to have the same conversation today, I would make the same points. Now, however, there is an added reason for why Israelis who used to vote for the left have moved rightward: Hamas rockets, Hezbollah tunnels, Palestinian terrorism, and the unwillingness of the Palestinian Authority to accept generous peace offers in 2000, 2001 and 2008.
Several other Western democracies have also tended to move rightward.
It is not enough to remind the world that most Arab and Muslim countries have anti-gay, anti-female and anti-freedom-of-religion policies. More must be said and done. The same may be true of the United States. But only Israel is condemned, and threatened with delegitimization, because it is a democracy and its voters, for the understandable reasons above, have grown to distrust the left. For many long-term Israel-bashers, the recent election merely provides a new excuse for an old bigotry. There are some moderate supporters of Israel, however, who have expressed legitimate concerns about extreme right-wingers who may become part of Israel's new government. There are such extremists today in the United States Congress and in its governors' mansions. But the Netanyahu government should do everything in its power to distance Israel, as a nation of all of its citizens, from any form of bigotry. Netanyahu has already begun to do this, but it will be a difficult task, because centrist parties have refused to join his government, thus requiring him to make alliances with people and groups with whom he would prefer not to deal. But politics is the art of the possible, and if Netanyahu is to govern effectively, he must strike an appropriate balance. That balance cannot include tolerance of racism, homophobia or other forms of bigotry. If anyone can pull off this difficult task, it is the longest serving prime minister in Israel's history.
*Alan M. Dershowitz is the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law, Emeritus at Harvard Law School, and the author most recently of The Price of Principle: Why Integrity Is Worth The Consequences. He is the Jack Roth Charitable Foundation Fellow at Gatestone Institute, and is also the host of "The Dershow" podcast.
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Biden Wants Talks While China's Xi Prepares for War
Gordon G. Chang/Gatestone Institute/November 13, 2022
The meeting, as crucial as everyone believes it will be, should not occur. It is long past time for America to stop talking with the Chinese regime and start imposing costs for dangerous and other unacceptable behavior.
Talking sounds as if it should work but in fact has produced horrible results, for more than three decades. In short, dialogue enables China to buy time and often run out the clock.
Biden as president has already had five phone or video calls with Xi, so by now it should be clear what his red lines are. Moreover, on any day, People's Daily lists them.
[T]he Chinese are not real believers in the importance of dialogue; they break it off whenever they feel it is to their advantage.
[D]uring summits presidents often convey warnings, seek understanding, or propose joint action. "There is no reason to think Xi Jinping is prepared to seek understanding or would take constructive joint action," he said. "It also is extremely unlikely that he believes or respects words of warning from the Biden administration. Given that, a side meeting on the margins of the G20 is pointless or counterproductive." — Steve Yates, chairman of the China Policy Initiative of the America First Policy Institute, to Gatestone, November 2022.
It is time... for America to get ready for the war that is coming. That means, among other things, bolstering those defending free societies, not emboldening those intent on attacking them.
"Refusing to speak is what children do when they are angry," the Economist states. No, refusing to speak is what leaders do when speaking for decades has created one of the most dangerous moments in history.
It is long past time for America to stop talking with the Chinese regime and start imposing costs for dangerous and other unacceptable behavior. Pictured: U.S. President Joe Biden participates in a video meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on November 15, 2021. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
President Joe Biden will meet with Chinese ruler Xi Jinping on November 14 in Bali, Indonesia, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit. The talks will be, as Gideon Rachman wrote, "the first global summit of the second cold war."
The meeting, as crucial as everyone believes it will be, should not occur. It is long past time for America to stop talking with the Chinese regime and start imposing costs for dangerous and other unacceptable behavior.
Yes, China is crucial to the resolution of every major problem in the world — in large part because it has caused or aggravated them — yet China's central role does not, as Americans believe, automatically require them to talk to Chinese leaders. Talking at this time, unfortunately, is making problems even harder to resolve.
So why does Biden want to meet Xi?
"What I want to do with him when we talk is lay out what the—what kind of—what each of our red lines are, understand what he believes to be in the critical national interests of China, what I know to be the critical interests of the United States, and to determine whether or not they conflict with one another," Biden said on November 9 at his press conference, about the upcoming meeting. "And if they do, how to resolve it and how to work it out."
Biden as president has already had five phone or video calls with Xi, so by now it should be clear what his red lines are. Moreover, on any day, People's Daily lists them.
A "senior administration official" on November 10 said "the president believes it is critical to build a floor for the relationship and ensure that there are rules of the road that bound our competition." Biden and his predecessors have spent decades trying to do precisely that, so America should acknowledge that it cannot by dialogue change Beijing's views or constrain Chinese actions.
Nonetheless, the Economist tells us that "America and China must talk."
Talk? Dialogue, unfortunately, has great costs. First, as evident during decades of fruitless conversations with China, American presidents regularly postpone taking needed action while talking with Chinese counterparts. Talking sounds as if it should work but in fact has produced horrible results, for more than three decades. In short, dialogue enables China to buy time and often run out the clock.
Second, talks just feed the already inflated sense of self-importance of Chinese officials.
Americans, since the early 1970s, have believed it was in their interest, as well as in the interest of the international community, to establish and maintain regular dialogue with the Communist Party. Therefore, U.S. diplomats have figuratively — and literally — chased after their Chinese counterparts to begin conversations.
American neediness has not escaped the attention of Chinese policymakers. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian publicly noted on November 10 that the Bali discussions are being held at the request of the American side. Beijing always announces that Washington initiates dialogue, to put American negotiators in inferior bargaining positions.
"There is a negative impact of the president signaling weakness by running after dictator Xi, something that significantly erodes America's alliance system," said James Fanell of the Geneva Centre for Security Policy to Gatestone in connection with the G20 meeting.
Third, the Chinese are not real believers in the importance of dialogue; they break it off whenever they feel it is to their advantage. They did so in September, for instance, after Michelle Bachelet, then the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, issued her August 31 report on Beijing's inhuman treatment of Uighurs and other Turkic minorities.
The ending of the human rights dialogue followed China's August 5 announcement of the cancellation of phone and in-person meetings with American military leaders and of annual naval meetings conducted under the U.S.-China military maritime consultation mechanism. At the same time, Beijing suspended cooperation on repatriation of illegal immigrants, legal assistance on criminal matters, assistance on transnational criminal matters, cooperation on drug enforcement, and climate change talks.
Steve Yates, the chair of the China Policy Initiative of the America First Policy Institute, tells Gatestone that during summits presidents often convey warnings, seek understanding, or propose joint action. "There is no reason to think Xi Jinping is prepared to seek understanding or would take constructive joint action," he said. "It also is extremely unlikely that he believes or respects words of warning from the Biden administration. Given that, a side meeting on the margins of the G20 is pointless or counterproductive."
On the sidelines of multilateral meetings like the G20, the time of an American president is precious. Instead of wasting hours chatting with Xi, Biden should be building or reinforcing relations with allies, friends, and partners as well as potential allies, friends, and partners.
Xi is increasingly sounding bellicose and, worse, unhinged, especially his comments of November 8. Then, he not only talked about preparing for war — we have heard those words before — but he also proclaimed that China's external situation was "increasingly unstable and uncertain." Given that no nation threatens China, the comments betray a disturbed state of mind.
It is time, therefore, for America to get ready for the war that is coming. That means, among other things, bolstering those defending free societies, not emboldening those intent on attacking them.
"Refusing to speak is what children do when they are angry," the Economist states. No, refusing to speak is what leaders do when speaking for decades has created one of the most dangerous moments in history.
*Gordon G. Chang is the author of The Coming Collapse of China, a Gatestone Institute distinguished senior fellow, and a member of its Advisory Board.
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Don’t Believe Them…Believe Us!
Tariq Al-Homayed/Asharq Al-Awsat/November, 13/2022
True, the Midterms demonstrated that the United States is deeply divided. However, they also demonstrated the double standards in the US through the ideological struggle between Democrats and Republicans. For instance, we can take the battle over Elon Musk’s ownership of Twitter as an example, thus ownership of social media platforms more broadly, which came after the Democratic left began losing control over these platforms, particularly Twitter.
Early on during the war in Ukraine, Politico wrote that “the biggest social media companies can cut off governments’ online footprints with a few clicks.” However, things have changed after Musk acquired Twitter. A different battle has been launched. CNN anchor John King, during his coverage of the elections, told his viewers to “stay off social media, people. If you’re trying to figure out if there are real issues with voting, trust your local officials and trust us here.”
Alright, what would we conclude if we were to compare what the anchors at CNN say about the Midterms with what they used to say about what was falsely called the Arab Spring- or any other matter relating to the region?
What if we compared the announcer’s statement with the same broadcaster’s reporting about the White House negotiating the provision of free internet to protesters in Iran with Elon Musk? How can you issue warnings about social media during the Midterms and then say that they guarantee freedom of speech elsewhere in the world?
Last week, Biden said: “You can’t love your country only when you win elections.”
The same is true for the morals and values that Washington is propagating around the world. Social media cannot be good when they support those ideologies but be “spewing lies-” as Biden recently said of Twitter- when they do not share the same views. And so, the double standards undermine Washington’s credibility, which is on shaky ground in the first place. It also undermines the credibility of the West and makes those values useless internationally. For those who believe I am exaggerating, ask yourselves this: The United States and activists there criticize some countries in our region for undermining freedoms and restricting freedom of speech on social media. What did they do once the new owner of Twitter, Musk, declared his support for the Republicans? They waged an organized media campaign against him.
The activists’ campaign pushed some advertisers to pull their ads from the website, costing the company money. The question here is, what is the difference between what some governments do to social media and what the Democratic leftist activists and media have done to Twitter?
Of course, there is no difference, though the methods are different. Thus, the flagrant double standards follow narrow partisan criteria, not the national interest. And so, it is difficult to accept any American rhetoric about values and freedom so long as they are not respected inside the country itself and by the politicians giving us these lectures. The US is in a deep political crisis, and its credibility is on the brink!