English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For October 29/2020
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/aaaanewsfor2021/english.october29.21.htm

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Bible Quotations For today
The Mastard Seed Parable & the Depth Of Faith
Matthew 13/31-35: “Jesus put before them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.’He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.’ Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing. This was to fulfil what had been spoken through the prophet: ‘I will open my mouth to speak in parables; I will proclaim what has been hidden from the foundation of the world.’

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on October 28-29/2021
U.S. Sanctions Jamil al-Sayyed, Jihad al-Arab, Dany Khoury
USA Department Of Treasury Adds To The Jihad Al Arab, Jamil Al Sayed & Dany Khoury To The OFAC'S SDN List
Akiki 'Recused' from Tayyouneh Case, Geagea's File 'Referred to Sawwan'
Berri Ends Argument in Parliament by Asking FPM’s Abi Khalil to ‘Sit Down’
Khalil: FPM Doesn't Want Polls, Bassil Seeking Hizbullah-Amal Discord
FPM Walks Out of Legislative Session as Bassil Decries 'Major Violation'
Diab’s Interrogation Suspended, Mashnouq Sues State to Suspend Tomorrow’s Session
Shea Oversees Donation of Medications to Hôpital Psychiatrique de la Croix
Kosovo Sanctions 7 People, 1 Company for Links to Hizbullah
Saudi, UAE Summon Lebanon Envoys over Kordahi's Yemen War Remarks
Lebanese Christian leader Geagea dodges military court summons
Lebanese minister’s remarks further jolt strained relations with Gulf, reflect simmering tensions
Nous vous promettons , foi de Résistants que vous le paierez cher./Jean-Marie Kassab/Octobre/28/2021
Journey to the top/Dana Hourany/Now Lebanon/October 28/2021

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on October 28-29/2021
US unsure of Iran intent to restart talks, still considers alternatives
White House Skeptical Iran Ready to Restart Nuclear Talks
Twelve European States Call on Israel to Halt Plan for 3,000 West Bank Settler Homes
Israeli Military Court Convicts French-Israeli Settler's Killer
Teacher flogged by Iran's regime is re-arrested
Gen. Milley Calls Chinese Weapon Test 'Very Concerning'
Facebook changes its company name to Meta
Spain increasingly concerned about natural gas supply from Algeria
Algerian Gas to Spain Will Bypass Morocco
UN envoy blames Syria for failure of talks on constitutional revisions
Kremlin sees ‘destabilising risk’ by Turkish drones in Ukrainian backyard
Young Saudi Man Released from Prison after Nearly a Decade
France Fines British Boats as Fishing Dispute Escalates
French, Australian Leaders Have 1st Talk since Sub Fallout
World Bank halts Sudan operations fearing ‘dramatic impact’ of coup
Sudan Military Leader Fires 6 Diplomats who Criticized Coup

Titles For The Latest The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on October 28-29/2021
Charles Elias Chartouni/La Justice est non négociable -Justice is non negotiable/October 28/2021
Tensions with Azerbaijan reveal Iran’s loss of influence in Caucasus
Nikola Mikovic/The Arab Weekly/October 28/2021
Libya’s divisions fuel uncertainties about elections/Habib Lassoued/The Arab Weekly/October 28/2021

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on October 28-29/2021
U.S. Sanctions Jamil al-Sayyed, Jihad al-Arab, Dany Khoury
Agence France Presse/October 28/2021
The U.S. Treasury on Thursday slapped sanctions on prominent Lebanese tycoons Jihad al-Arab and Dany Khoury and lawmaker Jamil al-Sayyed for allegedly benefitting from corruption and adding to the breakdown of the rule of law in the country.
The three "have each personally profited from the pervasive corruption and cronyism in Lebanon, enriching themselves at the expense of the Lebanese people and state institutions," the U.S. Treasury said.
"While the Lebanese people face daily struggles to access basic public goods, including medicine, electricity, and food, during a historic and devastating economic crisis, members of the Lebanese political class and their cronies operate with impunity to enrich themselves and hide their wealth," the Treasury said in a statement. The Treasury said al-Arab has used close political connections and kickback payments to win important public contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars in which he overbilled the government and, in an emergency deal to address Beirut's 2016 garbage crisis, did not resolve the problem.
The Treasury also said he won two government contracts worth $200 million after brokering a political deal in 2014 ahead of elections.
Khoury, it said, used his ties to already-sanctioned Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil to reap lucrative contracts "while failing to meaningfully fulfill the terms of those contracts."
"Khoury and his company have been accused of dumping toxic waste and refuse into the Mediterranean Sea, poisoning fisheries, and polluting Lebanon’s beaches, all while failing to remedy the garbage crisis," it said.
Sayyed, meanwhile, was accused of skirting banking regulations to move $120 million offshore.
"During the 2019 protests, when demonstrators protested outside his home demanding his resignation and calling him corrupt, Sayyed called on officials to shoot and kill the protesters," the Treasury said.
“The Lebanese people deserve an end to the endemic corruption perpetuated by businessmen and politicians who have driven their country into an unprecedented crisis,” said Director of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control Andrea M. Gacki. “Now is the time to implement necessary economic reforms and put an end to the corrupt practices eroding Lebanon’s foundations. Treasury will not hesitate to use its tools to address impunity in Lebanon.”
The sanctions order the seizure of any property the three have under U.S. jurisdiction, whether bank accounts or real estate or other assets.
They also forbid U.S. individuals or businesses -- including financial institutions with a U.S. presence -- from transactions with the three, effectively restricting their access to global financial and trade networks. The Treasury justified the sanctions by saying that corruption has undermined the rule of law and governance in Lebanon, which is currently mired in a deep political and economic crisis. Its currency has plummeted in value and people are struggling day to day, their savings locked in banks and inflation soaring. Even the central bank has come under suspicion for corruption that has fed the crisis.
Washington and global organizations like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund are pressing for across-the-board reforms, but political wrangling continues to stall progress.In June, the World Bank said Lebanon's economic collapse is likely to rank among the world's worst financial crises since the mid-19th century.

وزارة االخزانة الأميركية تفرض عقوبات بتهم الفساد والإفساد على  كل من جميل السيد وداني خوري وجهاد العرب
USA Department Of Treasury Adds To The Jihad Al Arab, Jamil Al Sayed & Dany Khoury To The OFAC'S SDN List
http://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/103712/%d9%88%d8%b2%d8%a7%d8%b1%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%ae%d8%b2%d8%a7%d9%86%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a3%d9%85%d9%8a%d8%b1%d9%83%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d8%aa%d9%81%d8%b1%d8%b6-%d8%b9%d9%82%d9%88%d8%a8%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d8%a8/
Lebanon Designations
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Release date 10/28/2021
Body
SPECIALLY DESIGNATED NATIONALS LIST UPDATE
The following individuals have been added to OFAC's SDN List:
AL-ARAB, Jihad (Arabic: جهاد العرب) (a.k.a. EL ARAB, Jihad; a.k.a. EL ARAB, Jihad Ahmad), France Street Pavilion Building, Villa Jihad el Arab, Downtown Mina el Hosn, Beirut, Lebanon; DOB 06 Jan 1963; POB Beirut, Lebanon; nationality Lebanon; Gender Male; Passport LR0073000 (Lebanon) expires 25 Jul 2022 (individual) [LEBANON].
KHOURY, Dany (Arabic: داني خوري), Lebanon; DOB 02 May 1967; POB Ramhala, Lebanon; nationality Lebanon; Gender Male; Passport LR0036899 (Lebanon) expires 17 Aug 2021 (individual) [LEBANON].
SAYYED, Jamil (a.k.a. AL-SAYED, Jamil Muhammad Amin Amin (Arabic: جميل محمد امين امين السيد); a.k.a. EL SAYED, Jamil; a.k.a. EL SAYED, Jamil Mohamad Amin), Sea Road Summerland, Jnah, Beirut, Lebanon; Nabi Aylah, Zahleh, Bekaa, Lebanon; DOB 15 Jul 1950; POB Nabi Ayla, Beqaa, Lebanon; nationality Lebanon; Gender Male; Passport RL3234354 (Lebanon) expires 07 Jun 2020 (individual) [LEBANON].
https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/recent-actions/20211028
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
PRESS RELEASES
Treasury Targets Two Businessmen and One Member of Parliament for Undermining the Rule of Law in Lebanon
October 28, 2021
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated two Lebanese businessmen and a member of Parliament whose actions have contributed to the breakdown of good governance and the rule of law in Lebanon. Jihad al-Arab, Dany Khoury, and Jamil Sayyed have each personally profited from the pervasive corruption and cronyism in Lebanon, enriching themselves at the expense of the Lebanese people and state institutions. These individuals, who are members of Lebanon’s business and political elite, are being designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13441, which targets persons contributing to the breakdown of the rule of law in Lebanon.
“The Lebanese people deserve an end to the endemic corruption perpetuated by businessmen and politicians who have driven their country into an unprecedented crisis,” said Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control Andrea M. Gacki. “Now is the time to implement necessary economic reforms and put an end to the corrupt practices eroding Lebanon’s foundations. Treasury will not hesitate to use its tools to address impunity in Lebanon.”
Today’s action aims to hold to account those in Lebanon’s business and political elite who have benefitted from improper tendering practices for inflated contracts and a pervasive culture of cronyism that undermines Lebanon’s institutions, rule of law, and economic stability, and demonstrates U.S. support for the Lebanese people in their calls for transparency and accountability.
SITUATION IN LEBANON
Corruption undermines the rule of law across all functions of the Lebanese state and has reduced the effectiveness of the very institutions meant to hold corrupt officials accountable. While the Lebanese people face daily struggles to access basic public goods, including medicine, electricity, and food, during a historic and devastating economic crisis, members of the Lebanese political class and their cronies operate with impunity to enrich themselves and hide their wealth. The U.S. government has called for swift implementation of economic reforms to stabilize the situation. Such action is imperative to prioritize accountability and good governance in Lebanon, irrespective of political affiliation or religion. Today’s action calls on the political class to break from the practices of political patronage and corruption and begin to prioritize the needs of the Lebanese people.
ACTORS UNDERMINING RULE OF LAW IN LEBANON
Jihad al-Arab (al-Arab) is a wealthy businessman being designated pursuant to E.O. 13441 for contributing to the breakdown of the rule of law in Lebanon. Because of close political connections, al-Arab has been awarded multiple public contracts in exchange for kickback payments to government officials. In 2018, when al-Arab’s company won an $18 million dollar contract for the rehabilitation of a bridge in Beirut, concerns from municipal officials about the cost of the project and safety-related issues were quickly overruled, almost certainly as a result of al-Arab’s relationship with powerful politicians. In 2016, al-Arab received a $288 million contract from the Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR) to build a landfill after garbage clogged the streets of Beirut, but as of 2019, the garbage situation remained urgent. Reporting later revealed that al-Arab’s company added water to garbage containers to inflate their billable weight. Al-Arab served as an intermediary as of 2014 to broker a meeting between top Lebanese officials in advance of the Lebanese presidential election, in exchange for two government contracts valued at approximately $200 million.
Dany Khoury (Khoury) is a wealthy businessman being designated pursuant to E.O. 13441 for contributing to the breakdown of the rule of law in Lebanon. Khoury is a close business associate of U.S.-designated Gibran Bassil (Bassil). Because of his close relationship with Bassil, Khoury has been the recipient of large public contracts that have reaped him millions of dollars while failing to meaningfully fulfill the terms of those contracts. In 2016, Khoury was the recipient of a contract worth $142 million from the CDR to operate the Bourj Hammoud landfill. Khoury and his company have been accused of dumping toxic waste and refuse into the Mediterranean Sea, poisoning fisheries, and polluting Lebanon’s beaches, all while failing to remedy the garbage crisis.
Jamil Sayyed (Sayyed) is a sitting Member of Lebanon’s Parliament being designated pursuant to E.O. 13441 for contributing to the breakdown of the rule of law in Lebanon. As of 2021, Sayyed sought to skirt domestic banking policies and regulations and was aided by a senior government official in transferring over $120 million to overseas investments, presumably to enrich himself and his associates. During the 2019 protests, when demonstrators protested outside his home demanding his resignation and calling him corrupt, Sayyed called on officials to shoot and kill the protesters.
SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS
As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the individuals named above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or otherwise exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.
For information concerning the process for seeking removal from any OFAC list, including the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List), please refer to OFAC’s Frequently Asked Question 897. Additional information regarding sanctions programs administered by OFAC.
https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0440

Akiki 'Recused' from Tayyouneh Case, Geagea's File 'Referred to Sawwan'
Naharnet/Octobre/28/2021
State Commissioner to the Military Court, Judge Fadi Akiki, referred Thursday the Tayyouneh file to the first military investigative judge Fadi Sawwan, media reports said. Akiki asked Sawwan to hear Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea as a witness. Geagea failed to show up Wednesday before Akiki over his alleged role in the Tayyouneh clashes. He had warned last week he would ignore the summons if his bitter rival, Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, was not called in for questioning too. The lawyers of the Tayyouneh detainees had submitted a request to recuse Akiki but the latter refused to register the request. The lawyers then requested the judge’s recusal before the Court of Appeals. On Thursday, the Civil Court of Appeals in Beirut accepted the recusal request to remove Akiki from the case, according to LBCI television. Seven people were killed in street fighting two weeks ago, following a rally organized by Hizbullah and its ally Amal Movement against the judge Tarek Bitar investigating last year's deadly blast at Beirut port. Hizbullah and Amal accused the LF of firing the first shots in the October 14 violence. Geagea denied any involvement and claimed that his summons had no legal grounding.

Berri Ends Argument in Parliament by Asking FPM’s Abi Khalil to ‘Sit Down’
Naharnet/Octobre/28/2021 
An argument occurred between Amal’s MP Ali Hassan Khalil and Free Patriotic Movement’s MP Cesar Abi Khalil during a parliamentary session Thursday. Khalil accused President Michel Aoun of violating the constitution for failing to call for parliamentary by-elections to fill the empty parliamentary seats. The accusation angered Abi Khalil who said the constitution criminalizes “offending” the President. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri intervened defending Khalil by saying “no one has offended the President,” and “no one is more keen on the presidency’s position than me.”“Relax,” he said, asking Abi Khalil to sit down.

Khalil: FPM Doesn't Want Polls, Bassil Seeking Hizbullah-Amal Discord
Naharnet/Octobre/28/2021
Speaker Nabih Berri’s political aide MP Ali Hassan Khalil on Thursday lashed out at Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Jebran Bassil without naming him. “We’re the ones who were killed in Tayyouneh and those who are small-minded are seeking to stir discord between the real duo,” Hizbullah and the Amal Movement, Khalil said. “We have repeatedly said that we accuse the Lebanese Forces” over the Tayyouneh incidents, he added. Bassil had on Wednesday accused Khalil’s Amal Movement of “colluding” with the LF at the expense of the victims of the Tayyouneh incidents and the Beirut port blast.
Separately, Khalil criticized the FPM’s stances and its walkout Thursday from a legislative session discussing the electoral law’s amendments. “It has become clear that there is a side that does not want the organization of the parliamentary elections and is seeking the polls’ postponement,” Khalil said. “We stress that we insist on holding the elections within the constitutional timeframes because canceling the vote would lead to unknown consequences in the country,” the lawmaker warned.

FPM Walks Out of Legislative Session as Bassil Decries 'Major Violation'
Naharnet/Octobre/28/2021
The MPs of the Free Patriotic Movement on Thursday staged a walkout from a legislative session over a dispute related to the current threshold needed to approve laws and bills -- 59 or 65 votes. Parliament consists of 128 seats but ten are currently vacant due to deaths and resignations. Speaker Nabih Berri adjourned the session after the walkout due to the loss of quorum. Speaking after the walkout, FPM chief MP Jebran Bassil decried a "major constitutional violation."He considered that the amendment axing the six expat seats received "only 61 votes" and not the needed majority while lamenting other perceived violations. "What are the reasons behind manipulating the electoral law? Nothing happens if we leave it as it is. The electoral process can happen without problems, so why are we creating problems today. We regret the constitutional dispute which also violates the National Pact," Bassil added. "The amendment or interpretation of the constitution requires a two-thirds majority in parliament... and changing that is rejected and will constitute an additional article in the challenge that we will file," Bassil went on to say. Parliament had earlier in the session voted to confirm the March 27 date for parliamentary elections amid the FPM's objection and Hizbullah's abstention. President Michel Aoun had returned the amendments to parliament without signing the bill but today's vote overrules Aoun's rejection. Seventy-seven MPs voted in favor of the aforementioned date. Parliament also voted to confirm the amended deadline for the registration of expats despite Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib's declaration that it would be impossible for the lists to be complete within the stipulated deadline. Bassil also noted that the amended deadlines are unfeasible.

Diab’s Interrogation Suspended, Mashnouq Sues State to Suspend Tomorrow’s Session
Naharnet/Octobre/28/2021
Lead investigator in the Beirut port blast Judge Tarek Bitar suspended Thursday a scheduled session for hearing ex-Prime Minister Hassan Diab's testimony after the latter filed a lawsuit that will pause his prosecution until a decision is made. On Wednesday, one day before his scheduled session, Diab filed a lawsuit against the state. Ex-minister and incumbent MP Nouhad al-Mashnouq also filed a lawsuit today against the state. Al-Mashnouq’s session is scheduled on October 29. The suit will prevent Bitar from interrogating him until a decision is made. Last month al-Mashnouq’s interrogation was suspended after he filed a dismissal request against Bitar accusing him of bias. The legal complaint temporary suspended the investigation. Ex-ministers Ali Hassan Khalil and Ghazi Zoaiter, also charged with negligence, filed a lawsuit Wednesday before the Court of Cassation. The three former ministers and incumbent MPs Mashnouq, Khalil and Zoaiter, along with ex-minister Youssef Finianos, have repeatedly filed requests to dismiss Bitar, but the Court of Cassation and the Court of Appeals dismissed the lawsuits.

Shea Oversees Donation of Medications to Hôpital Psychiatrique de la Croix
Naharnet/Octobre/28/2021 
U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea has overseen a donation of medications to the Hôpital Psychiatrique de la Croix. "This delivery was part of a $1 million shipment of much-needed psychotropic medications from the United States for Hospital de la Croix and the American University of Beirut Psychiatric Center," the U.S. Embassy said in a statement. "The donation showcases the ongoing support of the United States for the people of Lebanon and was made possible by generous help from Direct Relief International, People to People Aid and the American Taskforce for Lebanon," the Embassy added.

Kosovo Sanctions 7 People, 1 Company for Links to Hizbullah
Associated Press/Octobre/28/2021 
Kosovo has sanctioned seven local businessmen and a company for links with Hizbullah. The decision was in line with sanctions the U.S. imposed on Hizbullah. A statement said that seven people and the AID Properties company had their assets frozen. The seven can neither leave the country nor receive money from other individuals or companies from Kosovo. Neither Lebanon nor Palestine recognize Kosovo's 2008 independence. Kosovo established diplomatic ties with Israel earlier this year following a Kosovo-Serbia summit held at the White House in Sept. 2020. A month later it opened its embassy in Jerusalem, the first European country and a Muslim-majority one to do that, following the U.S. and Guatemala. Most international embassies are in Tel Aviv.

Saudi, UAE Summon Lebanon Envoys over Kordahi's Yemen War Remarks
Agence France Presse/Octobre/28/2021 
Saudi Arabia and the UAE have summoned Lebanon's ambassadors over Information Minister George Kordahi's criticism of the Riyadh-led military coalition fighting rebels in Yemen. Kordahi said during an interview that the Iran-backed Huthi rebels are "defending themselves... against an external aggression", adding that "homes, villages, funerals and weddings were being bombed" by the coalition. He also called the seven-year war in Yemen "futile" and "time for it to end". Tens of thousands of people -- most of them civilian -- have died and millions have been displaced, in what the United Nations has called the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry said in a statement that it handed the ambassador a memorandum protesting Kordahi's "offensive" remarks.  It also expressed its regret over the "insulting" statements, saying they were "clearly biased towards the terrorist Huthi militia that threatens the security and stability of the region". Shortly after, the United Arab Emirates -- a member of the coalition -- condemned Kordahi's statements and said it too called in the Lebanese ambassador. Kordahi's "disgraceful and biased" comments "offended the member countries of the coalition," it said in a statement carried by the official WAM news agency. On Tuesday, the Lebanese government said that Kordahi's statements were "rejected and did not reflect the position of the government", adding that the interview in question took place before Kordahi was appointed to cabinet in September.
Kordahi, a well-known television presenter, told local reporters on Wednesday that the interview in question took place on August 5 and was his "personal opinion". "I did not wrong anyone. I did not attack anyone. Why should I apologize?" he said. "I stated my position with love as a human who feels Arab suffering." Rights groups have harshly criticized the coalition for civilian casualties in its aerial bombardment. Yemen's civil war began in 2014 when the Huthis gained control of the capital Sanaa, prompting Saudi-led forces to intervene to prop up the government the following year.

Lebanese Christian leader Geagea dodges military court summons
The Arab Weekly/October 28/2021
Prominent Lebanese Christian leader Samir Geagea failed to show up Wednesday at a military court summons over his role in a deadly flareup earlier this month in Beirut. Simultaneously, hundreds of flag-waving supporters of the Lebanese Forces (LF) leader gathered in front of the ex-warlord’s home in his mountain bastion and marched in a show of support. Geagea’s lawyers have filed a lawsuit arguing the summons was unlawful. “We won’t let anyone, not Hezbollah nor Iran nor Syria or anyone try to subjugate us,” LF protester Fadi said. “We are here today in 2021 sacrificing for Samir Geagea just like he sacrificed for us in 1994 so Lebanon could remain and we could remain,” Fadi, who did not give his last name, said. “Only the Lebanese Forces can protect East” supporters chanted, using a wartime LF slogan conceived when Beirut was divided between Christian east, ruled by the LF militia, and Muslim west where other militias held sway. Geagea had warned last week he would ignore the summons if his bitter rival, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, was not called in for questioning too. Seven people were killed in street fighting two weeks ago, following a rally organised by Hezbollah and its allies against the judge investigating last year’s deadly blast at Beirut port. Hezbollah accuses the FL of firing the first shots in the October 14 violence. Geagea denied any involvement and claimed that his summons had no legal grounding. The army was tasked with investigating the unrest, which took place in central Beirut and over which 18 people were detained. Geagea is the only warlord from the 1975-1990 civil war to have served jail time, and Nasrallah the only one whose movement kept its arsenal after the conflict. Their latest feud adds a layer of complication to the fate of Tarek Bitar, the judge investigating the port blast that killed more than 200 people and disfigured Beirut last year. Bitar’s determination to question senior officials over the explosion has earned him the respect of the victims’ families — and the enmity of the political barons running a country where major crimes have systematically gone unpunished.

Lebanese minister’s remarks further jolt strained relations with Gulf, reflect simmering tensions
The Arab Weekly/October 28/2021
Beirut--Public opinion in Arab Gulf countries did not view the remarks made by Lebanese Minister of Information George Kordahi as a slip of the tongue or as a mere political stance on the war in Yemen. According to analysts, the outrage provoked by Kordahi’s description of the Saudi-led coalition’s military campaign in Yemen as an “aggression” reflected accumulated hostility towards the Arab Gulf states by Lebanese politicians as well as by a large part of the public. Underlying this hostility there is a widespread belief among the Lebanese that their country, long accustomed to Gulf investments, has been abandoned by Saudi Arabia and other GCC states. In statements he had made before becoming minister of information but resurfaced on Tuesday, Kordahi said that the Houthi rebels in Yemen were “defending themselves against the aggressions of Saudi Arabia and the UAE,” and described Houthi attacks as acts of “resistance.”Lebanese political analysts said Kordahi, who has worked for decades in Gulf-owned TV satellite channels, is not different from many ordinary Lebanese who had grown to be dependent on Gulf countries as a source of their livelihood but did not miss an opportunity to criticise GCC countries even if the equation had completely changed in recent years. After attempting for a long time to counter Iran’s agendas and curtail Hezbollah’s influence in Lebanon , Gulf states, especially Saudi Arabia, have shifted policy opting for complete neglect of Lebanon by stopping their investments, assistance and the flow of tourists there.
A few months ago, Lebanese Foreign Minister Charbel Wahba, who is close to President Michel Aoun, defended Hezbollah’s wielding of weapons and accused Arab Gulf states of being behind the entry of ISIS into Syria and Iraq. He also made disparaging references to the “Bedouins”, which Gulf officials considered an affront to their countries. Analysts view the propaganda activities led by Iran and its proxies as being among the main factors that contributed to growing hostile trends in Lebanon towards Gulf countries. The pro-Iranian narrative swayed influential segments of Lebanese general public as well as the political class to its side. Tehran’s activities and those of its allies had no match among anti-Iranian circles, especially with the decline of Saad Hariri’s political and media influence. Tensions were heightened by attacks on Gulf countries by the Lebanese on social media platforms. The Gulf public has often perceived such attacks as gratuitously provocative.
Speaking to an online show affiliated with Qatar’s Al Jazeera network, on August 5, Kordahi who took office in September as minister of information – called the Yemen war futile and said Yemen was subjected to an “aggression” and that its Iran-backed Houthis were defending themselves. Kordahi, a well-known television presenter, told local reporters on Wednesday that the interview in reflected his “personal opinion” only. “I am against Arab-Arab wars … accusing me of hostility to Saudi Arabia is rejected,” he added
He refused to resign or to apologise. “I did not wrong anyone. I did not attack anyone. Why should I apologise?” he said. “I stated my position with love as a human who feels Arab suffering,” said Kordahi.
The minister of information’s remarks provoked a real diplomatic storm, which jolted the already strained relations between Lebanon and GCC countries.The Gulf Cooperation Council’s secretary general said Kordahi’s comments reflected little understanding and a superficial reading of events. Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry said in a statement that it handed the Lebanese ambassador a memorandum protesting Kordahi’s “offensive” remarks. It also expressed its regret over the “insulting” statements, saying they were “clearly biased towards the terrorist Houthi militia that threatens the security and stability of the region”. Shortly after, the United Arab Emirates condemned Kordahi’s statements and said it too called in the Lebanese ambassador. Kordahi’s “disgraceful and biased” comments “offended the member countries of the coalition,” it said in a statement carried by the official WAM news agency. GCC members Bahrain and Kuwait also summoned the Lebanon envoys in protest. The Bahraini ministry said that “crimes by the terrorist Houthi group against the Yemeni republic and its people and its continued aggression against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia … refute these irresponsible remarks that went against diplomatic norms”. Seeking to limit the diplomatic damage, Prime Minister Najib Mikati said the interview was recorded more than a month before his cabinet was formed and reflected personal views that had nothing to do with the government.
Lebanon, he said, was eager for the best relations with Arab states, including Gulf countries.

Nous vous promettons , foi de Résistants que vous le paierez cher.
Jean-Marie Kassab/Octobre/28/2021
Syriens et Iraniens n'ont non seulement des ambitions politiques sur le Liban, ils l'ont devalisé aussi, systématiquement et à ce jour.
Le proconsul de la Syrie a touché sa commission dans la foulée : dont les 120 millions de dollars mentionnés dans les sanctions americaines qui viennent d' être annoncées. Arab et Khoury aussi de même.
Reste à savoir qui sont les récipendiaires des commissions et facilitateurs au sein du gouvernement, car ce sont les vrais pourris, ainsi que la quote-part des Iraniens et Syriens.
"You can run but you can't hide" vous dit la Résistance Libanaise.
Nous vous promettons , foi de Résistants que vous le paierez cher.
Vive le Liban.

Journey to the top
Dana Hourany/Now Lebanon/October 28/2021
Charbel Satouf, athlete and mountaineer, sets out on a journey to hike the longest trail in Lebanon from south to north, breaking a new record in ten days. Charbel Satouf during his hike on the Lebanon Mountain Trail, on October 27, 2021. Photo: Courtesy of Charbel Satouf.
If you asked him a few years ago, Charbel Satouf would not have believed that at the age of 25 he would set out to break a record by trekking Lebanon’s longest hiking trail of 470 km, from South to North, connected by the western mountain range. “It’s been a dream of mine since two years ago and I finally found the right time to do it,” Satouf told NOW as he hiked He started his hike on October 22 with a GPS in hand and a tent on his back, and has only ten days to finish. In 2005 Lebanese-born hiker and entrepreneur Joseph Karam, who immigrated to the US during the civil war, submitted together with a colleague a proposal for funding to USAID and formed the Lebanon Mountain Trail Association (LMTA). Two years later, the Lebanon Mountain Trail (LMT), connecting well-worn shepherd and agricultural routes with ancient Phoenician and Roman footpaths, officially opened. Divided into 27 sections, the trail explores 76 villages.
Charbel Satouf during a break. Photo courtesy of Charbel Satouf.
Into the wild
Satouf wanted to be the first backpacker to complete the trail while sleeping in a tent. “I do miss my bed and it would’ve been much easier if I just slept in guesthouses, but I wanted to get the full scope of the experience,” he said. He hikes in the early mornings. He wakes up at 2 – 3 am, packs his stuff, has breakfast, and then takes off on his hike. His daily trail reaches 45 km. That means about 14 hours of walking.  With an elevation gain of between 1500 – 2000 meters, the daily trails are physically demanding and Satouf only got 5 to 6 hours of sleep every night. “Sleep is important for my body to recover, but I’m also aware of what I eat so that my body stays energetic.” His diet consists of whatever he could find in the villages he passed by, but it was usually a mixture of protein bars and lots of carbohydrates. His water intake also depends on the nearby wells. But because the rainy season hasn’t started yet, not all had water. “I make my calculations when it comes to food and water because sometimes I know I won’t be passing by any villages so I need to have supplies ready,” he explained.
How he got here
Satouf was not always passionate about mountains and hiking. He says that the change came when he was 18. “I used to be a chubby kid who didn’t do much sports. But then, at 18 I met a group of people who introduced me to rock climbing and mountaineering and I immediately became passionate.” Satouf started to dedicate every weekend to an outing in nature with his friends. When he wasn’t mountain climbing or hiking, he dedicated his time to running a small delivery company that he established. He was also part of “wolfpacksummits“, a life coaching community that drew its inspiration from outdoor activities.
“Sometimes they would take me to work with NGOs where I would sit down with children and tell them my story, how I transformed myself and faced my fears. Try to give them courage.”Although the young athlete has been dreaming of this adventure for two years, what lifted his spirit was support from friends. But the real hard work started six months prior, when he decided to begin preparing his body for this adventure. He chose the fall season, as the weather was neither too warm nor too cold. “I would get up at 6 am, go for a run next to my house and each day I would add a challenge to the run. I would either add weights or a shorter time limit. I also fixed my diet and went to a physiotherapist,” he explained. The constant hikes and climbing expeditions also helped his body prepare for ten days of strenuous activity. “You teach the body to always give you more.” The hiker sleeps in his tent, wakes up at 3 am, prepares his breakfast and heads out to walks about 45 kilometers per day. Photo: Charbel Satouf.
Worth the pain
Although the athlete admitted that breaking a new record felt nice and rewarding, there was also a bigger mental benefit to this experience. “You start to realize how much it is all based on mental games. When you push you body’s limits you realize what you’re capable of and that’s really encouraging.” A confidence boost, a daily sense of achievement and the reminder that you can always push forward. For Satouf these could be applied to any given life situation. However, the pain he would experience daily was indescribable, as nothing in his normal life resembled it. Adding to that the overthinking one faces when alone. “Some friends sometimes join me for 10-15 km to give me moral support but when I’m alone and there is no scenery to distract me, my brain starts to send out doubtful messages,”“Am I really doing this?, what am I doing this for?, Do I even have what it takes,” he described a few. Such thoughts undoubtedly affect the performance, but so far more than 50% of the trail is done. “You start to realize how many things we take for granted in our daily lives and how easy we have it at times,”Satouf was pointing out the easy accessibility of food, water, and a comfortable mattress. He has mountaineering aspirations outside of Lebanon, but the lack of finances constitutes his main obstacle. “I’m applying for jobs abroad so it’s a good time for me to finish this achievement while I’m still here,” the athlete said.
*Dana Hourany is a multimedia journalist with @NOW_leb. She is on Instagram @danahourany.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on October 28-29/2021
US unsure of Iran intent to restart talks, still considers alternatives
The Arab Weekly/October 28/2021
The White House on Wednesday responded sceptically after Iran’s chief negotiator announced that Tehran was ready to return to nuclear negotiations in Vienna by the end of next month. Ali Bagheri, Iran’s deputy foreign minister and chief negotiator for the talks, in a Twitter posting said Iran has agreed to restart negotiations by the end of November and a date for a resumption of talks “would be announced in the course of the next week.” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said administration officials were aware of Bagheri’s comments but were waiting for European officials to confirm that Iran is indeed ready to resume talks. “I would leave to the negotiators to determine when the next round of discussions will be,” Psaki said. “Our framing continues to be compliance for compliance, and we’ll leave it up to the Europeans and our negotiators to determine when the next step would be.” Former President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the 2015 nuclear deal and the US has participated indirectly in the Vienna talks, which were aimed at bringing both Washington and Tehran back into compliance. The talks have been on hiatus since June when Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi took power. Bagheri’s signaling that Iran was ready to resume talks comes after US special envoy for Iran, Robert Malley, said this week there is a “deep and growing” concern in the Biden administration about Iran’s refusal to commit to a date to resume negotiations in Vienna.
The UN’s atomic watchdog has said Iran is increasingly in violation of the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA. Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China and the European Union remain part of the deal. Psaki said the US and its partners still want a diplomatic solution, but White House officials say they are considering “alternatives”, although a decision will be dependent on Iran’s actions. Biden is set to travel to Rome later this week for the Group of 20 summit, where he’s expected to consult with allies about the Iran nuclear program on the margins of the summit. “We will be sending clear messages to the Iranians … that this window is not unlimited,” White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Tuesday. Last week, after Malley met with European officials in Paris, France urged Iran to curb nuclear activities of “unprecedented gravity.” Malley has also recently held a series of high-level meetings in Washington between senior Biden administration officials and the foreign ministers of Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and the European Union’s diplomatic chief. Bagheri also said on Twitter that he has engaged in “very serious and constructive dialogue” with Enrique Mora, the European Union’s deputy secretary general for political affairs, “on the essential elements for successful negotiations.” On a visit to Washington earlier in October, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid warned of military action against Iran, his country’s sworn foe. Israel is widely suspected in a sabotage campaign in Iran that has included the killings of nuclear scientists. On Tuesday, Iran blamed cyber attacks for disrupting its civilian fuel distribution network. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he backed diplomacy but also said the United States had “other options” if talks go nowhere.

White House Skeptical Iran Ready to Restart Nuclear Talks
Associated Press/October 28/2021
The White House has responded skeptically after Iran's chief negotiator announced that Tehran was ready to return to nuclear negotiations in Vienna by the end of next month. Ali Bagheri, Iran's deputy foreign minister and chief negotiator for the talks, in a Twitter posting said Iran has agreed to restart negotiations by the end of November and a date for a resumption of talks "would be announced in the course of the next week." White House press secretary Jen Psaki said administration officials were aware of Bagheri's comments but were waiting for European officials to confirm that Iran is indeed ready to resume talks.
"I would leave to the negotiators to determine when the next round of discussions will be," Psaki said. "Our framing continues to be compliance for compliance, and we'll leave it up to the Europeans and our negotiators to determine when the next step would be."
Former President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from the 2015 nuclear deal and the U.S. has participated indirectly in the Vienna talks, which were aimed at bringing both Washington and Tehran back into compliance. The talks have been on hiatus since June when Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi took power.
Bagheri's signaling that Iran was ready to resume talks comes after U.S. special envoy for Iran, Robert Malley, said this week there is a "deep and growing" concern in the Biden administration about Iran's refusal to commit to a date to resume negotiations in Vienna.
The UN's atomic watchdog has said Iran is increasingly in violation of the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA. Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China and the European Union remain part of the deal. Psaki said the U.S. and its partners still want a diplomatic solution, but White House officials say they are considering alternatives, although a decision will be dependent on Iran's actions. Biden is set to travel to Rome later this week for the Group of 20 summit, where he's expected to consult with allies about the Iran nuclear program on the margins of the summit. "We will be sending clear messages to the Iranians ... that this window is not unlimited," White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Tuesday. Last week, after Malley met with European officials in Paris, France urged Iran to curb nuclear activities of "unprecedented gravity."
Malley has also recently held a series of high-level meetings in Washington between senior Biden administration officials and the foreign ministers of Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and the European Union's diplomatic chief. Bagheri also said on Twitter that he has engaged in "very serious and constructive dialogue" with Enrique Mora, the European Union's deputy secretary general for political affairs, "on the essential elements for successful negotiations."

Twelve European States Call on Israel to Halt Plan for 3,000 West Bank Settler Homes
Agence France Presse/October 28/2021
A group of 12 European countries on Thursday urged Israel to scrap plans for the construction of more than 3,000 settler homes in the occupied West Bank. A day after the U.S. criticized the plan, France, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden said in a joint statement that Israel should "immediately" reverse its decision to build the settlements.

Israeli Military Court Convicts French-Israeli Settler's Killer
Associated Press/October 28/2021
An Israeli military court has convicted a Palestinian man of the December killing of a French-Israeli citizen in the north of the occupied West Bank. Esther Horgen, a 52-year-old mother of six, had gone out jogging but did not return and was found dead in a forest near the Tal Menashe settlement in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory. Israel's internal security agency Shin Bet had said early this year that Mohammed Cabha, who had previously served time for "terrorist activity", had confessed to murdering Horgen over "nationalist motives". Israel's army, which has occupied the West Bank since the 1967 Six Day War, said in a statement that a military court had found Cabha guilty "of causing the death of the late Esther Horgen."A sentencing hearing has been set for December 14. Palestinians in the West Bank are judged by Israeli military tribunals, but settlers are subject to Israel's civilian legal system. Horgen was among the roughly 475,000 Jewish settlers who live in West Bank communities widely regarded as illegal under international law. Her killing sparked outrage in Israel and drew headlines in her native France. In a statement, her family said it was "satisfied" by the verdict and called for Cabha to "remain behind bars until the end of his life."

Teacher flogged by Iran's regime is re-arrested
Benjamin Weinthal/Jerusalem Post/October 28/2021
"Each time the whip landed on my back, I cried out: No to the Islamic Republic!”
The Islamic Republic of Iran last week re-arrested Javad Lal-Mohammadi, a teacher and human activist from Mashhad ,who was whipped during a previous incarceration for urging the resignation of the Supreme Leader of Iran's regime, Ali Khamenei.
In a video posted online in August, Lal-Mohammadi said “For eight days I was in prison. Eight days they beat me. Each time they struck me I shouted: ‘No to the Islamic Republic!”’
The Middle East Media Research Institute posted the video and a translation of Lal-Mohammadi’s statements in August.
Lal-Mohammadi said that "Mr. Khamenei, you should pay attention and be careful. [Your] day is coming. Saddam was dragged out of his spider hole by the Americans, but you will be dragged out of the spider hole by the public. The day will come when, like Qadhafi. You will beg and say: 'you are my children,' but each piece of your flesh will be held by someone else. Mr. Governor of Khorasan Province, get lost! Go away from Khorasan. Mr. Head of Khorasan Intelligence, who flogs a teacher on his back — go away!”
Iranians on Twitter launched a hashtag campaign to secure Lal-Mohammadi’s release after his October re-arrest, tagging it #FreeLaalMohammadi. The outspoken teacher said in the video "Go away from this country! Mr. Head of the Education Department, you have stolen enough. You have cheated enough teachers. Enough! Go away! [President] Raisi, go to Hassan Nasrallah! Go to the Houthis of Yemen! Go to your friends!”
Lal-Mohammadi said "Mr. Khamenei, go away from this country! The people are tired of you. The people are tired of you all, because you have destroyed this country, and have filled it with filth. Honorable people of Iran, I spent eight days in their [prison] cells. For eight days, they flogged my body, the body of a teacher. My body was full of blisters. But in spite of them, I did not moan even once. They were hoping to hear a single moan from me, but in vain. Each time the whip landed on my back, I cried out: No to the Islamic Republic!”
While there are no independent labor unions in the Islamic Republic, the teachers sector has an organizational structure. There has been significant labor unrest in the education field. In September, teachers protested in front of the Iranian regime’s parliament over low wages and repression imposed on students and teachers, according to the Center for Human Rights in Iran. "The only way to fix this country, is for those people to go away and for this country to be liberated. If you want to do something, join hands, create a human chain. They can do nothing when facing you. They can do whatever they want to me. Even if they break my hands, even if they do whatever they want to me, even if my flesh and my bones stick to my skin, I will not pull back a single centimete," said Lal-Mohammadi in August.

Gen. Milley Calls Chinese Weapon Test 'Very Concerning'
Associated Press/October 28/2021
China recently conducted a "very concerning" test of a hypersonic weapon system as part of its aggressive advance in space and military technologies, the top U.S. military officer says.
Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was the first Pentagon official to confirm on the record the nature of a test this year by the Chinese military that the Financial Times had reported was a nuclear-capable hypersonic weapon that was launched into space and orbited the Earth before re-entering the atmosphere and gliding toward its target in China. Milley said he could not discuss details because aspects involved classified intelligence. He said the United States also is working on hypersonic weapons, whose key features include flight trajectory, speed and maneuverability that make them capable of evading early warning systems that are part of U.S. missile defenses. The U.S. has not conducted a hypersonic weapon test of the sort Milley said China had achieved. "What we saw was a very significant event of a test of a hypersonic weapon system, and it is very concerning," Milley said on "The David Rubenstein Show: Peer-to-Peer Conversations" on Bloomberg Television. "I think I saw in some of the newspapers, they used the term Sputnik moment," he added. "I don't know if it's quite a Sputnik moment, but I think it's very close to that. So it's a very significant technological event that occurred, or test that occurred, by the Chinese. And it has all of our attention."The launch of a Sputnik satellite by the Soviet Union in 1957 stunned the world and fed U.S. fears that it was falling behind technologically in an accelerating arms race in the early stages of the nuclear age. China has disputed Western news reports about its test, saying it was working on technology for a re-useable space vehicle for peaceful purposes. Asked about Milley's remarks, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said he was conveying concern about China's military modernization. "They continue to pursue capabilities that increase tensions in the region," she said. "And we continue to have concerns about that. And I think that was reflected in his comments." Pentagon press secretary John Kirby declined to comment on the test or on Milley's remarks beyond saying that China's work on advanced hypersonic weaponry is among a "suite of issues" that cause the Biden administration to be concerned by "the trajectory of where things are going in the Indo-Pacific." Asked about progress on U.S. hypersonic weapon technologies, Kirby said it "is real, it's tangible, and we are absolutely working toward being able to develop that capability." He declined to provide specifics. Some U.S. defense experts say the worry about China's work on a hypersonic weapon that could deliver a nuclear weapon from space are overblown. James Acton of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace wrote in an essay last week that the United States has long been vulnerable to a Chinese nuclear attack. "While the prospect of a nuclear attack against the United States is terrifying, this is no Sputnik moment — partly because it's not entirely clear what was tested, but mostly because the threat of a Chinese nuclear attack on the United States isn't remotely new," Acton wrote.
In addition to its advances in hypersonic weapons, China has been expanding its network of underground silos that could be used to launch intercontinental-range nuclear missiles, and it has rebuffed U.S. calls to join nuclear arms control talks. The U.S. also has raised concerns about what it calls Chinese efforts to intimidate Taiwan, the self-ruled island that China claims as part of its territory, and to claim disputed islands and other land features in the South China Sea.

Facebook changes its company name to Meta
CNN/October 28/2021
Facebook is changing its company name to Meta as it confronts wide-ranging scrutiny of the real-world harms from its various platforms after a whistleblower leaked hundreds of internal documents. The change will demote Facebook's namesake service to being just one of the company's subsidiaries, alongside Instagram and WhatsApp, rather than the overarching brand. A rebranding could be part of an effort to overhaul Facebook's reputation and turn the page following a series of PR nightmares, including misinformation on its platforms, content moderation failures and revelations about the negative effect its products have on some users' mental health

Spain increasingly concerned about natural gas supply from Algeria
The Arab Weekly/October 28/2021
BARCELONA, Spain--For the second time in a month, a Spanish minister met with Algerian officials on Wednesday to guarantee the European country’s supply of natural gas after Algeria closes a pipeline that runs through Morocco this weekend.
While a leader in wind and solar power, Spain still relies heavily on energy imports and Algeria provides over a third of its natural gas. Spanish officials worry that a shortage in supplies will fuel already skyrocketing energy prices that have made electricity bills a major problem for its left-wing coalition government. The trip by Spain’s Deputy Prime Minister for Ecological Transition Teresa Ribera to Algiers came only a month after the country’s foreign minister travelled to the Algerian capital to discuss the gas supply that Spain fears could be a collateral victim of Algeria’s diplomatic spat with Morocco.
Ribera-Arkab meeting
After meeting with Algeria’s Minister for Energy and Mining, Mohamed Arkab, Ribera thanked him for “his pledge to ensure the viability of the transport of natural gas and to honour the commitments for its purchase between different Algerian and Spanish companies.” Arkab, speaking after talks with Ribera, said his country, through state energy firm Sonatrach, “will honour its commitments to Spain,” according to the official APS news agency. “The Spanish partners were reassured that Algeria will provide all the supply expected. We equally commit ourselves to making all deliveries through Algerian installations, via the Medgaz pipeline and gas conversion complexes,” Arkab said. He spoke of extending capacity of the Medgaz line and an expansion of liquefied natural gas exports by sea. Sonatrach and its Spanish partner Naturgy have vowed to boost Medgaz’s capacity to 10 bcm per year in the coming months, but that still falls far short of the total needed at current levels. Maghreb geopolitics expert Geoff Porter earlier said that the shipping option did not make financial sense. According to APS, Ribera said she had been assured by her Algerian counterpart of “arrangements taken to continue to assure, in the best way, deliveries of gas through Medgaz according to a well-determined schedule.”Ribera said her counterpart also agreed to be prepared in case Spain asked Algeria to increase the supply of natural gas. “Algeria, through the company Sonatrach, will honour its commitments with Spain, relating to natural gas supply and is ready to discuss the terms of additional gas deliveries,” Arkab said, according to the Algerian official news agency APS. Spain’s diplomatic mission comes amid a spike in energy prices across Europe that are hitting the Iberian Peninsula hard and driving up electricity bills for homes and businesses. Ribera, a respected environmental policymaker, has been tasked by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to find a solution.
Row with Morocco
Algeria has said it won’t renew an agreement, set to expire on Sunday, that has kept its natural gas flowing through Morocco and on to Spain for the past 25 years. The development follows a deterioration of Algerian relations with Morocco centered around the disputed region of Western Sahara, highlighted by the recall of the Algerian ambassador. The pipeline that travels across northwest Africa before crossing the Mediterranean Sea at Zahara de Los Atunes on the other side of the Strait of Gibraltar supplied Spain with just over 10% of all its natural gas in 2020, according to CORES, Spain’s public corporation that watches over its strategic energy reserves. The pipeline also supplied Morocco with enough gas to produce 10% of its total electricity on top of the annual $60 million it received for crossing its territory. A second, longer pipeline from Algeria to Almeria in Spain’s south-eastern shore currently provides 16% of its total natural gas imports. There are plans to boost that pipeline’s capacity from eight to 10 million square meters in the coming months. Even so, that won’t fully make up the shortfall, unless boats can bring in enough liquefied natural gas to Spain directly from Algeria.

Algerian Gas to Spain Will Bypass Morocco
Associated Press/October 28/2021
Algeria will from now on deliver its natural gas to Spain exclusively through an undersea pipeline, ministers from both countries have reportedly said, after Algiers abandoned use of a line through Morocco. In August Algeria cut diplomatic ties with its Maghreb neighbor Morocco which it accused of "hostile actions."  Algeria, Africa's biggest natural gas exporter, had been using the Gaz-Maghreb-Europe (GME) pipeline since 1996 to deliver several billion cubic meters (bcm) per year to Spain and Portugal. But the GME contract is due to expire at the end of October, and Algiers decided not to renew it because of the diplomatic tensions with Rabat. Experts had said the alternative undersea line, known as Medgaz, does not have the capacity to make up the shortfall. They earlier feared that supplies could be cut, just as energy prices soar in Europe ahead of winter. Medgaz is already operating near its full capacity of eight bcm per year -- around half total Algerian gas exports to Spain. Algeria's Minister of Energy and Mines Mohamed Arkab, speaking after talks with Spain's Minister for Ecological Transition Teresa Ribera, said his country, through state energy firm Sonatrach, "will honor its commitments to Spain", according to the official APS news agency. "The Spanish partners were reassured that Algeria will provide all the supply expected. We equally commit ourselves to making all deliveries through Algerian installations, via the Medgaz pipeline and gas conversion complexes," Arkab said. He spoke of extending capacity of the Medgaz line and an expansion of liquefied natural gas exports by sea. Sonatrach and its Spanish partner Naturgy have vowed to boost Medgaz's capacity to 10 bcm per year in the coming months, but that still falls far short of the total needed at current levels.
Maghreb geopolitics expert Geoff Porter earlier told AFP that the shipping option did not make financial sense. According to APS, Ribera said she had been assured by her Algerian counterpart of "arrangements taken to continue to assure, in the best way, deliveries of gas through Medgaz according to a well determined schedule." Algeria and Morocco had seen months of tensions, partly over Morocco's normalization of ties with Israel in exchange for Washington's recognizing Rabat's sovereignty over Western Sahara.
Rabat rejected the various accusations of hostile acts which Algeria levelled at its neighbor.

UN envoy blames Syria for failure of talks on constitutional revisions
The Arab Weekly/October 28/2021
UNITED NATIONS--The UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen said Wednesday the Syrian government’s refusal to negotiate on revisions to the country’s constitution is a key reason for the failure of talks last week that left the road map to peace in the conflict-torn country in question. Pedersen expressed his disappointment to the UN Security Council, saying the parties also failed to agree to meet again before the end of the year. But he said he will continue to engage with all “to address the challenges that have arisen,” saying it is urgent to produce results. Pedersen said the government delegation presented a proposed constitutional text on Syria’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity on October 18, representatives of the exiled opposition presented a text on the armed forces, security and intelligence agencies on October 19, while civil society groups submitted a section on the rule of law on October 20. The government submitted a second text on terrorism and extremism on October 21, he said.
Pedersen said the government and opposition co-chairs were unable to agree on how discussions should progress further at a plenary meeting October 22, but they did agree that the parties, which include civil society representatives, could present further material.
“In that meeting, the delegation nominated by the government stated that it had no revisions to present of its draft constitutional texts and that it did not see any common ground,” the UN envoy said.
He said the opposition presented proposed amendments to all the proposals to try to build common ground, and some civil society representatives also presented revised versions.
The end result, Pedersen said, is that the 45-member drafting committee was “not able to move from submitting and discussing initial draft constitutional texts to developing a productive textual drafting process.”
Despite the failure, Pedersen said he remains convinced “that progress on the constitutional committee could, if done the right way, help to build some trust and confidence.”“But let me stress that this requires real determination and the political will to try to build some common ground,” he said. The talks last week followed a nine-month hiatus in the UN-led meetings of the Syrian constitutional committee. Syria’s 10-year conflict has killed between 350,000 and 450,000 people and displaced half the country’s pre-war population of 23 million, including more than 5 million refugees mostly in neighbouring countries. Even though the fighting has subsided in recent months, there are still pockets controlled by Syrian opposition, where millions of people live. Pedersen said that while the talks were underway, violence continued, including terrorist attacks, airstrikes and heavy artillery shelling that caused casualties, including dozens of civilians. He said some incidents “also underlined the constant risks of regional escalation” and again called for a nationwide cease-fire.
The UN envoy said more than 12 million Syrians remain displaced, either inside the country or as refugees elsewhere, and the level of poverty is around 90%. At a Russia-hosted Syrian peace conference in January 2018, an agreement was reached to form a 150-member committee to draft a new constitution, with a smaller 45-member body to do the actual drafting including 15 members each from the government, opposition and civil society. It took until September 2019 for the committee to be formed. A 2012 UN roadmap to peace in Syria approved by representatives of the United Nations, Arab League, European Union, Turkey and all five permanent Security Council members calls for the drafting of a new constitution and ends with UN-supervised elections with all Syrians, including members of the diaspora, eligible to participate. A Security Council resolution adopted in December 2015 unanimously endorsed the road map. The United States and several Western allies have accused Syrian President Bashar Assad of deliberately stalling and delaying the drafting of a new constitution until after a presidential election in late May to avoid a UN-supervised vote, as called for by the Security Council.
Assad was re-elected in what the government called a landslide for a fourth seven-year term, but the West and the Syrian opposition called it an illegitimate and sham election.

Kremlin sees ‘destabilising risk’ by Turkish drones in Ukrainian backyard
The Arab Weekly/October 28/2021
The Kremlin said on Wednesday that its fears about Turkey’s decision to sell strike drones to Ukraine were being realised and that the Turkish drones risked destabilising the situation in eastern Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was commenting on the deployment by Ukrainian government forces of a Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drone to strike a position in eastern Ukraine controlled by Russian-backed separatists. “We have really good ties with Turkey, but in this situation our fears are unfortunately being realised that the deliveries of these types of weapons to the Ukrainian military can potentially destabilise the situation on the line of contact,” Peskov told reporters. Russia-backed separatists have been fighting government troops in Ukraine’s Donbass region since 2014, soon after Russia seized the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine. Kyiv says at least 14,000 people have been killed. Ukraine has bought sophisticated Turkish drones to boost its military and has struck a deal with Ankara to produce the same drones at a factory close to Kyiv, the capital. The drone issue is one of several straining ties between Turkey and Russia even though the two countries have close ties in other areas. “We see that as soon as such weapons fall into the hands of the (Ukrainian) military, they can potentially be used in this (eastern) region of Ukraine, and this leads to destabilisation,” Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, said. “This does not contribute to the settlement of this internal Ukrainian problem.”The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces said it had deployed the drone to force pro-Russian separatists to cease fire on Tuesday. It said the drone had destroyed an artillery unit belonging to pro-Russian separatists using a guided bomb. It said the drone had not crossed the line of contact between the two warring sides.
Ukraine gets military backing from the United States and other NATO countries. Turkey, a NATO member, has criticised Moscow’s annexation of Crimea and voiced support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity. Turkey, which faces Ukraine and Russia across the Black Sea, has nonetheless forged close ties with Moscow in the fields of defence and energy.

Young Saudi Man Released from Prison after Nearly a Decade
Associated Press/October 28/2021
A young Saudi man was released from prison after spending nearly a decade behind bars in a case that drew international scrutiny because until recently he'd been facing a possible death sentence for protest-related crimes committed as a minor.
Ali al-Nimr's case also drew attention because his uncle was influential Saudi Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr, who was executed in January 2016 in a mass execution of 47 people in the kingdom. He was an outspoken government critic and a key leader of Shiite protests in eastern Saudi Arabia in 2011 demanding greater rights in the majority Sunni nation and fair treatment. Ali al-Nimr appears to have been spared a similar fate after his death sentence was commuted in February following a royal decree issued last year that ordered an end to the death penalty for crimes committed by minors. The royal decree orders prosecutors to review cases and drop punishments for those who've already served the maximum 10 years for crimes committed under the age of 18, although terrorism-related crimes can technically be tried differently. Al-Nimr had been convicted on charges related to his participation as a minor in Shiite-led protests. He was arrested in 2012 at the age of 16. Human Rights Watch said his charges included vague accusations of attacking security forces, as well as "breaking allegiance with the ruler" and "repeating some chants against the state." He was sentenced to death by the Specialized Criminal Court in Riyadh, which handles terrorism trials. In 2014, the court had sentenced al-Nimr to death, as well two others arrested while minors, Dawood al-Marhoun and Abdullah al-Zaher. All three youth from Saudi Arabia's Shiite minority had their death sentences commuted at the same time earlier this year.
The three young men were instead ordered to serve 10 years in prison, with credit for time already served. Al-Nimr's father Mohammed confirmed his son's apparent early release on Twitter. A video of a bearded al-Nimr dressed in all white hugging a woman who appears to be his mother upon arrival home circulated widely on social media Wednesday. Al-Nimr's father expressed gratitude to God and the family's supporters, as well as to the king and crown prince in a tweet that included a photo of the two royals. "Gratitude after God goes to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for his historic decision in April 2020, which ruled to stop issuing and implementing death sentences against minors," he wrote. "May God reward him and the crown prince."

France Fines British Boats as Fishing Dispute Escalates
Associated Press/October 28/2021
French authorities fined two British fishing vessels and kept one in port overnight Thursday amid a worsening dispute over fishing licenses that has stoked tensions following the U.K.'s departure from the European Union. Britain's government warned France that it would it retaliate if French officials followed through on threats made late Wednesday to block British boats from some French ports and tighten checks on U.K. vessels. France also suggested it might restrict energy supplies to the Channel Islands, British Crown dependencies that lie off the coast of France. "We believe these are disappointing and disproportionate, and not what we'd expect from a close ally and partner," U.K. Environment Secretary George Eustice told lawmakers. "The measures being threatened do not appear to be compatible with the trade and cooperation agreement or wider international law, and if carried through will be met with an appropriate and calibrated response." Since the U.K. left the economic orbit of the EU at the start of the year, relations between London and Paris have become increasingly frayed as the nations on either side of the English Channel sought to sort out a post-Brexit path. France vehemently protested the decision last month by the U.K. and the Channel Island of Jersey to refuse dozens of French fishing boats licenses to operate in their territorial waters. France says the restrictions are contrary to the post-Brexit agreement that the British government signed when it left the EU.
After weeks of negotiations, British authorities have issued more fishing licenses, but the number still only accounts for 50% of what France believes it "is entitled to," French government spokesman Gabriel Attal said Wednesday. "We have worked with the British, we gave them all the requested data, documents, information to back these (license) requests," Attal said. "Our patience has reached its limits today." Britain disputes that. The government says it has granted 98% of fishing license applications from European vessels, but there is a dispute over 31 vessels which the U.K. says did not supply evidence to support their applications. It was against this backdrop that French authorities fined the two British boats, one for failing to comply with checks by police and the other for not holding a proper license.
The French Sea Ministry said in a statement that the fines resulted from bolstered boating and license checks that are "part of the tightening of controls in the Channel, in the context of discussions on licenses with the United Kingdom and the European Commission."
"We have been extremely patient...Our fishermen have been extremely responsible," France's Europe minister, Clement Beaune, told French TV news channel CNews. "And so, from November 2, it's over. We will engage in dialogue if the British want to, but we are taking retaliatory measures." As part of the retaliatory measures, France "doesn't exclude" actions that would target energy supplies to Britain, Beaune and French Minister of the Sea Annick Girardin said in a joint statement. Government spokesman Attal specified that the threat applied to the Channel Islands, which are closer to French shores than British ones and rely heavily on electricity supplied by the French grid. Girardin clarified Thursday that France would not cut electricity to the Channel Islands but would likely follow the path of imposing sanctions, "especially on tariffs that we could amend." She did not elaborate.
Jersey, which is only 14 miles (22 kilometers) off the French coast, is a British Crown dependency outside of the U.K. As such, it has its own powers over who is allowed to fish in its territorial waters. It has granted licenses based on its interpretation of the U.K.-EU trade deal, and has accused France of acting disproportionately. Barrie Deas, from the U.K.'s National Federation of Fishermen's Organizations said the "tit-for-tat" actions are "unhelpful." "It may be normal enforcement action, but against the background of the threatening noises coming from the French government, it's very concerning," Deas told the BBC. "France seems determined to escalate this issue about licenses, and I suppose we have to wonder why."

French, Australian Leaders Have 1st Talk since Sub Fallout
Associated Press/October 28/2021
French President Emmanuel Macron told Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison during their first conversation since Australia pulled out of a multibillion-dollar submarine deal that it is up to Morrison's government to repair the damaged relationship between their countries, France's presidency said Thursday.
Australia last month canceled a contract to buy diesel-electric French submarines and agreed to acquire American nuclear-powered vessels instead as part of an Indo-Pacific security pact with the United States and Britain. The pact, known as AUKUS, infuriated France, which recalled its two of its ambassadors over the lost deal. "President Macron recalled that Australia's unilateral decision to scale back the French-Australian strategic partnership by putting an end to the ocean-class submarine program in favor of another as-yet unspecified project broke the relationship of trust between our two countries," Macron's office said. The presidential Elysee Palace added that Australia should now come up with "tangible actions that embody the political will of Australia's highest authorities to redefine the basis of our bilateral relationship and continue joint action in the Indo-Pacific."
Australia and Britain last week defended their nuclear submarine deal with the U.S. amid concerns that AUKUS could escalate tensions in the region and spark an arms race. The pact is intended to provide Australia with nuclear reactors to power its submarines, although the subs are not supposed to be be nuclear-armed. The agreement drew mixed reactions in the Indo-Pacific region. Malaysia and Indonesia expressed concern it add to the strain in hotspots such as the South China Sea. China, which claims most of the disputed sea, slammed the pact and warned it would threaten regional stability. Others nations such as the Philippines, which claims part of the South China Sea, suggested AUKUS could help restore balance in the region, alluding to China's growing military might. Ahead of a Group of 20 meeting in Rome this weekend and the Oct. 31-Nov. 12 U.N. Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, Macron also discussed climate issues with Morrison, according to the French president's office. The Elysee Palace said Macron urged the Australian prime minister to adopt "ambitious measures to commensurate with the climate challenge, in particular the ratcheting up of the nationally determined contribution, the commitment to cease production and consumption of coal at the national level and abroad, and greater Australian support to the International Solar Alliance."

World Bank halts Sudan operations fearing ‘dramatic impact’ of coup
The Arab Weekly/October 28/2021
The World Bank halted disbursements for operations in Sudan on Wednesday in response to the military’s seizure of power from a transitional government, while state oil company workers, doctors and pilots joined civilian groups opposing the takeover. Thousands of people have taken to the streets since Monday’s coup led by armed forces chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and several have been killed in clashes with security forces. Burhan has dismissed the joint civilian-military council set up to steer the country to democratic elections following the overthrow of autocrat Omar al-Bashir in a popular uprising in April 2019. He said he acted to stop the country slipping into civil war, but the World Bank decision to pause payments and stop processing new operations is a setback to his plans for one of Africa’s poorest countries. After isolation from the international financing system across three decades of Bashir’s rule, Sudan achieved full re-engagement with the bank in March and gained access to $2 billion in financing. “I am greatly concerned by recent events in Sudan, and I fear the dramatic impact this can have on the country’s social and economic recovery and development,” World Bank President David Malpass said in a statement from Washington. Abdalla Hamdok, prime minister in the deposed transitional government, had touted World Bank re-engagement as a major accomplishment and was depending on the funding for several large development projects. The government had instituted harsh economic reforms that succeeded in achieving rapid arrears clearance and debt relief and renewed financing from the World Bank and IMF. An IMF spokeswoman said the fund was monitoring developments but it was “premature” to comment. Hamdok, who was detained on Monday and is under guard at his home, was in good health when visited by envoys from France, Germany, Norway, the UK, the United States, the European Union and the United Nations, the UN mission in Sudan said on Twitter on Wednesday. The West has called for restoration of the council and the release of civilian leaders. Hamdok says any retreat from the path to democracy threatens stability and development in Sudan and he warns against the use of violence against protesters, a source close to him said. Late on Wednesday, Sudan state TV reported that Burhan had relieved six Sudanese ambassadors from their posts, apparently because they rejected the military takeover. The six were envoys to the United States, the European Union, China, Qatar, France and the head of mission to Geneva.
Night protests
Scattered protests took place in Khartoum on Wednesday and intensified at night across the capital, although no new bloodshed was reported. Soldiers and armed people in civilian clothes removed barricades erected by protesters while a few hundred metres away, youths built barricades again minutes later. “We want civilian rule. We won’t get tired,” one said. In Bahri across the river, witnesses said protesters were met with tear gas and heard gunshots on Wednesday evening as protesters came out across the capital’s three cities.
In the northeastern city of Atbara, protesters marched and chanted, “Down with the military regime”. Neighbourhood committees announced plans for protests leading to what they said would be a “march of millions” on Saturday. Workers at state oil company Sudapet said they were joining the civil disobedience campaign to back the stalled democratic transition and pilots from the national carrier Sudan Airways have gone on strike, as have pilots from carriers Badr and Tarco Airlines. Sudan’s armed forces sacked Ibrahim Adlan, head of the county’s civil aviation authority, sector sources said.
Central Bank employees have also stopped work in a further setback for the functioning of the economy. Doctors belonging to the Unified Doctors’ Office group of unions also said they were striking. The doctors were one of the driving forces behind the uprising that brought down Bashir. Power-sharing between the military and civilians had been increasingly strained over several issues, including whether to send Bashir and others to the International Criminal Court, where they are wanted for alleged atrocities in Darfur. Military commanders now leading Sudan also served in Darfur. At his first news conference since announcing the takeover, Burhan said on Tuesday the army had no choice but to sideline politicians who he said were inciting people against the armed forces. UN Special Representative Volker Perthes met Burhan on Wednesday and told him the United Nations wants to see a return to the transition process and the immediate release of all those arbitrarily detained, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York.

Sudan Military Leader Fires 6 Diplomats who Criticized Coup
Associated Press/October 28/2021
Sudan's strongman fired at least six ambassadors, including the envoys to the U.S., the European Union and France, after they condemned the military's takeover of the country, a military official said Thursday.
The diplomats pledged their support for the now-deposed government of Prime Minister Abddalla Hamdok. Also fired by Gen Abdel-Fattah Buran late Wednesday were the Sudanese ambassadors to Qatar, China and the U.N. mission in Geneva, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief media. The state-run Sudan TV also reported the dismissals. The ambassadors were fired two days after Burhan dissolved the transitional government and detained the prime minister, many government officials and political leaders in a coup condemned by the U.S. and the West. The military allowed Hamdok to return home Tuesday after international pressure for his release. Burhan said the military forces were compelled to take over because of quarrels between political parties that he claimed could lead to civil war. However, the coup also comes just weeks before Burhan would have had to hand over the leadership of the Sovereign Council, the ultimate decision-maker in Sudan, to a civilian, in a step that would reduce the military's hold on the country. The council has military and civilian members. Hamdok's government ran Sudan's daily affairs.
The coup threatens to halt Sudan's fitful transition to democracy, which began after the 2019 ouster of long-time ruler Omar al-Bashir and his Islamist government in a popular uprising. The takeover came after weeks of mounting tensions between military and civilian leaders over the course and pace of that process. Ali bin Yahia, Sudan's envoy in Geneva, was defiant after his dismissal. "I will spare no efforts to reverse the situation, explain facts and resist the blackout imposed by coup officials on what is happened my beloved country," he said in video comments posted online.
Nureldin Satti, the Sudanese envoy to the U.S., said Tuesday he was working with Sudanese diplomats in Brussels, Paris, Geneva and New York to "resist the military coup in support of the heroic struggle of the Sudanese people" to achieve the aims of the uprising against al-Bashir.
Activists have been circulating videos on social media showing mostly empty streets in the capital, with most stores except for groceries and bakeries closed on Thursday. Earlier, protesters called for a national strike to pressure the military to relinquish power.
Earlier this week, a group of over 30 Sudanese diplomats in and outside Sudan condemned the military's takeover in a joint statement, saying that the ambassadors in Belgium, Switzerland and France had pledged their continued allegiance to the Hamdok government.
The Ministry of Culture and Information, still loyal to Hamdok, said in a Facebook post that the ambassador to South Africa is also part of this group. In another development, Burhan fired Adlan Ibrahim, head of the country's Civil Aviation Authority, according to the official. Adlan's dismissal came after the resumption of flights in and out of Khartoum's international airport resumed Wednesday.
It was not immediately clear if Ibrahim's dismissal was linked to the reopening of the airport or whether the decision was made before then. The airport remained open Thursday morning. The country's Civil Aviation Authority initially said flights would be suspended until Saturday, the day of a planned mass protest against the coup, but then reopened the airport Wednesday. Protesters, meanwhile, took to the streets of Khartoum and its twin city of Omdurman late Wednesday in continued demonstrations against the coup amid heavy security across the capital. By Thursday morning, security forces had cleared several makeshift stone barricades that protesters had set up in a few residential neighborhoods. No casualties were reported, but a young man died in a Khartoum hospital late Wednesday of wounds sustained in Monday's protests, according to activist Nazim Siraj. This raised to seven the number of protesters killed since Monday. More than 140 people have been wounded since the military's takeover, according the activist. Also on Thursday, the Friends of Sudan Group, which consists of several EU states as well as the US and the UN, issued a statement condemning the coup and called for the immediate release of Sudanese officials who were unlawfully detained. "The actions of the security forces deeply jeopardize Sudan's hard-won political, economic and legal gains made over the past two years and put Sudan's security, stability and reintegration into the international community at risk," read the statement issued by the alliance formed after Bashir's ouster in 2019. The statement urged the country's armed forces to restore all transitional arrangements that were based on military-civilian partnership.

The Latest The Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on October 28-29/2021
Charles Elias Chartouni/La Justice est non négociable -Justice is non negotiable -العدالة لا تقايض
October 28/2021
Cette chanson lyrique corse des frères Vincenti, à l’altru mondu, dédiée aux victimes de l’explosion du 4 août 2020. L’interprétation de Charles Eid et de Pascal Ojeil est un hommage émouvant et interpellant qui fait pleurer.
La publication des deux textes en corse et en français pour nous aider à saisir la portée lyrique de ce beau poème.
À l'autre monde,le temps est long, il y a l’éternité
Je venais de naître, il m'a emporté,que va t-il faire de moi?
Oh maman chérie,le paradis est grand comme toi,
et si je t'appelle à l'improviste, seule entend ma détresse
Sainte Marie qui te ressemble tant,
et je m'en contente, comme si tu étais là
je t'envoie une fleur,dont tu choisiras la couleur
C'est à Muratu,chez nous qu'elles fleurissent le mieux.
Si j'étais parmi elles, je te cueillerais les plus belles
Mais je suis au ciel,et tes cheveux sont loin de moi,
mais je les caresse avec Jesus Christ qui te connait,
et je m'en contente et je me souviens,et que dire de plus?
Ne porte pas le deuil, ton fils avec les anges va bien
Et ce que je désire, mon ange gardien le sait, bien avant moi
Ici,l'air tisse sans fin
des heures sereines par milliers
dans l'autre monde une colombe chante sans peur
Ici seul chasse le seigneur, ne t'en fais pas, maman!
https://lyricstranslate.com/.../laltru-mondu-lautre-monde...
À l'autre monde,le temps est long, il y a l’éternité
Je venais de naître, il m'a emporté,que va t-il faire de moi?
Oh maman chérie,le paradis est grand comme toi,
et si je t'appelle à l'improviste, seule entend ma détresse
Sainte Marie qui te ressemble tant,
et je m'en contente, comme si tu étais là
je t'envoie une fleur,dont tu choisiras la couleur
C'est à Muratu,chez nous qu'elles fleurissent le mieux.
Si j'étais parmi elles, je te cueillerais les plus belles
Mais je suis au ciel,et tes cheveux sont loin de moi,
mais je les caresse avec Jesus Christ qui te connait,
et je m'en contente et je me souviens,et que dire de plus?
Ne porte pas le deuil, ton fils avec les anges va bien
Et ce que je désire, mon ange gardien le sait, bien avant moi
Ici,l'air tisse sans fin
des heures sereines par milliers
dans l'autre monde une colombe chante sans peur
Ici seul chasse le seigneur, ne t'en fais pas, maman!
À l'altru mondu, u tempu hè longu, ci stà l'eternità.
È m'hà pigliatu à tempu natu ; di mè, chì n'hà da fà ?
O cara mamma, u paradisu hè grande cume tè,
È s'e ti chjamu à l'improvisu s'arricummanda à mè
Santa Marìa a to sumiglia ùn nu mi lascia più,
È mi cuntentu è mi ramentu, cume s'ell'era tù.
Ti mandu un fiore, u so culore, u sceglierai tù.
Hè ind'u pratu di u Muratu ch'ellu face u più.
S'e fussi eiu frà i più belli u cuglierebbi à tè,
Ma stocu in celu, è i to capelli sò luntanu da mè,
Ma i t'allisciu cù Ghjesù Cristu chì sà quale tù sì,
È mi cuntentu è mi ramentu, è megliu ùn possu dì.
Ùn piglià dolu, u to figliolu cù l'ànghjuli stà bè.
È ciò ch'e vogliu, u mio custodiu a sà prima cà mè.
Quì l'aria fine cume puntine * cosge senza piantà,
Ore tranquille, à mille à mille, senza calamità.
À l'altru mondu, canta un culombu è paura ùn hà,
Per cacciadore ci hè u Signore, O mà ùn ti ne fà !
https://lyricstranslate.com/.../laltru-mondu-lautre-monde...

Tensions with Azerbaijan reveal Iran’s loss of influence in Caucasus
Nikola Mikovic/The Arab Weekly/October 28/2021
One year after the 44-day war between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, another conflict in the Caucasus is brewing. This time tensions have risen between Iran and Azerbaijan, following Baku’s arrest of Iranian truck drivers and its joint military drills with Turkey and Pakistan. While a full-scale confrontation between the two nations remains unlikely, the flare-up demonstrates the deep underlying tensions in the region. Iran lost influence as a result of last year’s conflict, while its arch enemy Israel and rival power Turkey strengthened their positions. The complex ethnic make-up, abundance of energy resources and an intersection of expanding global trade routes means the scramble to hold sway in the Caucasus will continue.
On Oct. 1, Iran conduced massive military exercises on its northern border with Azerbaijan. Thousands of troops, dozens of tanks, artillery guns and helicopters were deployed in the largest drills since the 1990s. Azerbaijan responded by flexing its military muscles together with its ally Turkey. The Caucasus nation has also deployed anti-aircraft systems near the capital Baku, which is not surprising given that Mohammad Bagheri, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps military commander and Iran’s chief of staff, said that in case the conflict escalates, “IRGC will attack Azerbaijan with 4,000 missiles, which will completely destroy Baku.” Moreover, the head of the forces of the IRGC in Tabriz, Col. Hossein Pursmail said that “the repetition of Israel’s threats against Iran through the mouth of the Republic of Azerbaijan is not only not in the interests of Baku, but is also a threat to its very existence.”
Indeed, Israel played a very important role during the war in Nagorno-Karabah in 2020 by supplying Azerbaijan with sophisticated weapons, including so-called kamikaze drones. However, the Jewish state and the energy-rich former Soviet republic have been strategic partners for many years. Tehran now accuses Baku of also hosting Turkey-backed Syrian fighters on its territory, although some reports suggest they were already there during the 44-day war. But why did Iran remain silent for more than a year about these concerns?
After last year’s war, the Islamic Republic lost much of its influence in the Caucasus, and Turkey significantly improved its positions. Even Pakistan managed to increase its standing in the region. In September, troops from Pakistan, Turkey, and Azerbaijan held military drills near Baku, despite protests from Tehran. More importantly, as a result of the 2020 conflict, Azerbaijan captured most of Nagorno-Karbakh and surrounding regions, which means that transport routes from Iran to Armenia now go through Azerbaijan, and not through the territory that was controlled by ethnic Armenians for more than two decades. In other words, there is a new geopolitical reality in the Caucasus, and Iran has many reasons to be worried.
That, however, does not mean that the Islamic Republic is ready to launch an attack on its northern neighbour. After the presidents of Azerbaijan and Turkey, Ilham Aliyev and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, signed the Shusha Declaration in June, the two countries became close military allies. According to the document, the parties pledged to jointly act in response to military threats. Iranian leaders are quite aware that Baku is not on its own. A war against Azerbaijan would also mean a war against Turkey, and it is almost certain that Pakistan and Israel would provide military assistance to the Caucasus nation. Thus, Tehran is unlikely to choose to get involved in such a risky adventure.
Although there were rumours that the Islamic Republic could deploy its troops to Armenia to prevent Turkey and Azerbaijan from capturing southern parts of the country, such an option does not seem very probable. Armenia is a member of the Russia-dominated Collective Security Treaty Organisation, and is heavily dependent on Moscow. Russia’s peacekeeping troops have been stationed in Nagorno-Karbakh since November 2020, and the last thing the Kremlin needs is another conflict in its zone of influence.
For Iran, however, the southern Armenian province of Syunik, which the Azerbaijanis call Zangezur, is a weak point. This strategically important region separates the main territory of Azerbaijan from its isolated exclave – the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. Given that Baku and Yerevan have gradually started to normalise their relations, it is a matter of time before the two nations build a land corridor that will connect Baku not only with Nakhchivan, but also with Turkey. The Nakhchivan corridor would become part of a global trade route from China to Europe through the Caspian Sea, and would bypass Iran. Meanwhile, the Islamic Republic partially funded the construction of an international transport corridor, known as the North-South project, that goes from Russia to Iran through Azerbaijan and connects by sea with India. If there was a serious confrontation with Baku, the very construction of the corridor would be jeopardised.
Iran’s options are, therefore, rather limited. Hypothetically, Tehran could take a chance and fight a war against Azerbaijan, but in that case millions of Azerbaijanis living in Iran could support a guerrilla war against the Islamic Republic. Azerbaijan’s victory in the 44-day war against Armenia resulted in the growth of national pride among Iranian Azerbaijanis, which means that Tehran will have to think twice before engaging in confrontation against its northern neighbour.
Indeed, there have been signs of a de-escalation with the arrested Iranian truck drivers now free and the countries’ foreign ministers pledging to resolve differences through dialogue.
One thing is for sure. A potential war in the energy-rich Caucasus region would result in even higher gas prices in the global market.
Nikola Mikovic is a political analyst in Serbia. His work focuses mostly on the foreign policies of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, with special attention on energy and “pipeline politics.”
Syndication Bureau

Libya’s divisions fuel uncertainties about elections
Habib Lassoued/The Arab Weekly/October 28/2021
The ongoing struggle in Libya is no longer hidden from anyone. The Independent High Electoral Commission is relying on international and international support to move towards organising the elections. However, its moves collide with the muffled anger of political actors who do not want the elections to be held.
Among them, in particular, is the government and its allies. These dispose of the wealth of the Libyans in an unprecedented manner and manipulate the figures as they wish. There is also the State Consultative Council, which is still not convinced that the elections should be held.
The Muslim Brotherhood, on the other hand, is divided between those who want to keep pace with the international community, those who are searching for domestic alliances, especially with figures from the old regime, and those who oppose the principle of the polls as long as there are no indications they will come out winners. Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, who is holding to the seat of power, has sought to convince the international community that the time was not right to hold free and fair elections. He sought backing for his position during the Conference to Support Stability in Libya, on October 21.
However, he was faced with the insistence of the United States, the European Union and some regional countries that elections be held on time. Eventually, pressure reached the Presidency Council, and the message was clear that there could be no initiative aimed at excluding this or that party, or for issuing a constitutional declaration that takes the situation back to square one.
Menfi failed to convince the eastern factions of his views, and returned from Tobruk to Tripoli empty-handed.
Perhaps Minister of Foreign Affairs Najlah Al-Mangoush, was the most successful player, as was evident in her meetings with American, European and Arab delegations. Mangoush favours organising elections on time, and has a clear picture of the course of events.
The real problem in Libya is that what is going on in public is different from what is taking place in secret. The real struggle for power turns around the control of wealth and weapons.
Perhaps, it is ironic that the late leader Muammar Gadhafi used to raise the slogan of “power, wealth and weapons in the hands of the people”. As soon as his regime was overthrown, the three items fell in the hands of players that do not recognise the people.
The same players are still fighting among themselves to promote their respective interests, and are unlikely to take the country out of its crisis unless they reach an agreement on dividing the spoils equally between them or according to the balance of power.
In the east, there is the Libyan National Army, whose name seems to be directly linked to that of Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, who aspires to winning the presidency. The LNA chief seems to identify with the image of his former archenemy, the late Muammar Gadhafi, whether as a military leader, a tribal sheikh, or a popular leader. Dbeibah, in the meanwhile, seems to acting as an intelligent businessman who is seeking a greater role in power and politics for an indefinite period of time.
Dbeibah and his allies do not want Haftar to run in the elections and cannot imagine him winning. There is in fact a whole host of views in the east that do not accept the notion of central authority leaving Misrata. These views dominate major decision making centres in Tripoli.
When the field marshal announces his candidacy by November 15, there will be utter confusion in the political scene and some will come out to say that they will not recognise the results of the vote. Saif al-Islam may come out with a video statement saying that he will not run but will support one of the figures of the former regime, who may be Dr Muhammad Ahmed al-Sharif, a generally trusted person.
It is not easy for warlords to abandon their interests, nor for political dinosaurs to give up their privileges, nor for thieves of public money to relinquish the keys to the coffers of the state. It will not be easy neither for the Muslim Brotherhood and their followers to renounce what have achieved in terms of Islamist empowerment. It is reasonable, however, to expect the international community to eventually realise that it had made a mistake by betting on elections in a country that is still divided, a country ruled by militias, run by the filthy rich, and where foreign forces and hordes of mercenaries are unwilling to leave.
The most dangerous development that could happen in the coming weeks would be to let militias wreak havoc in the country and disrupt public security and civil peace. International pressures to hold the elections run the risk of triggering an explosion of the security situation. The international community should have learned many pertinent lessons in Afghanistan, Iraq and Yemen. It is free to make any decisions it wants but the impact of its decisions on the ground could be too insignificant to make any difference.