Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on August 05-06/2023
Security Alerts in Lebanon: Saudi and Kuwaiti Embassies Issue Warnings to Their Citizens
LBCI/August 05, 2023
The Saudi warning issued at midnight on Friday – Saturday for its citizens in Lebanon to leave the country was followed by a Kuwaiti statement at dawn on Saturday, urging Kuwaiti citizens in Lebanon to exercise caution. This indicates that there is a concerning situation. The Saudi embassy in Beirut warned Saudi citizens against being present in or approaching areas experiencing armed conflicts and urged them to leave Lebanese territory promptly. A few hours later, the Kuwaiti embassy in Lebanon advised Kuwaiti citizens in the country to be cautious and avoid locations with security disturbances in certain areas while adhering to the instructions issued by local authorities without requesting their departure. There has been a ban on Saudis traveling to Lebanon for a while, which is periodically reminded. However, very few Saudi nationals who own properties in Lebanon visit the country, either with special permission or without informing the authorities in their country. As for Kuwait, it is reported that some MPs have been pressuring the government to issue the warning. Sources told LBCI that there had been communications between the Lebanese Prime Minister's office and the Foreign and Interior Ministries with Saudi officials, and the response was that the warning was purely local. "We already have a travel ban in place, but many Saudis violate it and are present in Lebanon. Our decision is related to the clashes in Ain al-Hilweh camp, as we fear it might extend beyond the camp," a Saudi source said to LBCI. The source added that a Lebanese party is involved in these events to engage the army and security forces, and it has other internal Lebanese objectives. The source denied any relation of the warning to external ramifications in Lebanon, as some portray it, confirming that everything related to the Lebanese file externally remains unchanged. In a statement, Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati emphasized that after consulting with military and security leaders, the available data indicates that the overall security situation does not warrant concern or panic. Political and security communications to address the events in the Ain al-Hilweh camp have made significant progress, and the situation is being closely monitored to ensure general stability and prevent any threat to the safety of citizens, residents, and Arab and foreign tourists. Mikati assigned Caretaker Minister Abdallah Bou Habib to communicate with Arab brothers to reassure them about the safety of their citizens in Lebanon. He also requested that Caretaker Minister Bassam Mawlawi convene the Central Security Council to discuss Lebanon's challenges in these tense regional circumstances and make appropriate decisions to maintain security in all regions.

Lebanon seeks to reassure Gulf, Germany after travel warnings
BEIRUT (Reuters)/August 05, 2023
Lebanon's caretaker premier Najib Mikati said on Saturday there was no cause for "concern or panic" about his country's security situation, after Germany and Gulf countries issued new travel warnings following outbreaks of violence. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Germany and Britain updated their travel warnings amid clashes between rival armed groups in the Palestinian camp of Ain el-Hilweh in Lebanon's south. In a statement, Mikati said he had spoken with his security chiefs and assessed that the situation "does not call for concern or panic". He said there had been "significant progress" in resolving the violence in Ain el-Hilweh, where at least 13 people have been killed in fighting. The statement said foreign minister Abdullah Bou Habib had been tasked with reassuring Arab countries that their citizens were safe in Lebanon. The Saudi embassy on Friday urged its citizens to leave Lebanon quickly and avoid areas where there have been armed clashes. Bahrain followed suit a day later and called on its citizens to leave the country, according to a foreign ministry statement. The Saudi statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, stressed "the importance of adhering to the Saudi travel ban to Lebanon". Kuwait on Saturday urged its nationals in Lebanon to stay vigilant and avoid "areas of security disturbances," but stopped short of asking them to leave. Last week, Germany warned citizens not to travel to Palestinian camps in Lebanon, among other areas. Britain advised against "all but essential travel" to parts of Lebanon's south, including near Ain el-Hilweh. Around a quarter of the camp's 80,000 residents have been displaced by fighting there on July 29 between mainstream faction Fatah and hardline Islamists Ain el-Hilweh is the largest of 12 Palestinian camps in Lebanon, which host up to 250,000 Palestinian refugees, according to the United Nations' agency for refugees from Palestine (UNRWA).

Saudi Foreign Ministry's Decision Unrelated to External Ramifications in Lebanon: Sources to LBCI
LBCI/August 05, 2023
Sources told LBCI on Saturday that the decision made by the Saudi Foreign Ministry has absolutely nothing to do with external ramifications in Lebanon, as some portray it, adding that everything related to Lebanon externally remains unchanged.
"The decision was taken on the second day of the outbreak of the clashes in the camp, but it was issued yesterday after tallying the numbers of Saudis present in Lebanon. It should be noted that there is a decision to prevent Saudis from traveling to Lebanon, but many of them are currently in Lebanon," the same sources added. The sources also noted that there is fear of the events in Ain al-Hilweh camp spreading outside the camp, and it is from this perspective that the decision was issued, adding that reassurance will come when a guaranteed reconciliation is announced between the fighting parties in the camp.

Mikati reassures on security after embassies' travel warnings
Naharnet/August 05, 2023
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati has followed up with the caretakers ministers of foreign affairs and interior on the warnings issued by the embassies of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Germany for their citizens in Lebanon, Mikati's press office said. "Following discussions with military and security chiefs, the available information indicates that the security situation in general does not call for concern and panic, and that the political and security contacts to address the Ain el-Helweh camp clashes have made major progress," the press office said. "Things are being closely followed up to guarantee general stability and prevent security incidents or the targeting of citizens, residents and Arab and foreign tourists," it added. Mikati also tasked caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib to "communicate with the Arab brothers to reassure them over the safety of their citizens in Lebanon." He also asked caretaker Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi to "convene the Central Security Council to discuss the challenges that Lebanon is facing amid these tense regional circumstances and to take the appropriate decisions to preserve security in all regions."The Army Command meanwhile denied social media rumors claiming that the army is "preparing to carry out a military operation in the Ain al-Helweh camp."The Saudi embassy on Friday warned its citizens against "nearing the areas that are witnessing armed conflicts," while urging them to "quickly leave Lebanese territory and abide by the decision banning the travel of Saudis to Lebanon." The Kuwaiti embassy for its part called on its citizens to "observe caution and vigilance, stay away from the sites of security disturbances in some regions, and abide by the instructions issued by the competent local authorities."

Kuwait’s FM decries statement by Lebanese economy minister on aid‘
Arab News/August 05, 2023
KUWAIT CITY/BEIRUT: Kuwait’s foreign minister on Saturday strongly condemned a statement made by Lebanon’s economy minister on Wednesday, saying it was incompatible with “political norms.”
The Kuwait News Agency cited minister Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah as saying that Lebanese Economy and Commerce Minister Amin Salam’s comments “contradicted political norms, portraying insufficient understanding (of) how decisions are made in Kuwait,” particularly regarding humanitarian grants and loans offered to “sisterly and friendly” states. Salam suggested on Wednesday that Kuwait could fund the reconstruction of Lebanon’s main wheat silos, which were destroyed in the Beirut Port explosion three years ago, “with the stroke of a pen.” The silos’ original construction was funded by Kuwait in 1969 through a loan from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development. “Kuwait boasts a historic record of supporting sisterly and brotherly peoples and states, however it emphatically rejects any intervention in its decision making and domestic affairs,” Al-Sabah said on Saturday, urging the Lebanese minister to withdraw his statement for the sake of “maintaining bilateral relations.” Salam later held a press conference in Beirut and issued a clarification. According to Lebanon’s National News Agency, Salam claimed that what he actually meant by his use of a “normal Lebanese colloquial phrase” was that a decision to rebuild the silos could be taken swiftly. The Lebanese minister stressed that his use of the phrase “was not intended to transgress the principles and constitutional and legal mechanisms in force in Kuwait or in Lebanon.”Salam added that he hoped the Kuwaiti parliament would accept his clarification, saying: “I had a clear conscience in my request because I appealed to a brotherly country that has always stood by Lebanon … I am aware of the risks to food security, especially since the World Bank has classified Lebanon as the most (vulnerable country) in terms of food-security challenges because it does not have a strategic stockpile.”

Controversy in Kuwait Over Salam's Statements: "Our People's Funds Are Not Managed with a Stroke of a Pen"
LBCI/August 05, 2023
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the state of Kuwait issued on Saturday the following statement: "In reference to the statement made by the Minister of Economy and Trade in the Lebanese Republic, Amin Salam, which coincided with the third anniversary of the tragic Beirut Port explosion that resulted in a large number of casualties and injuries in the sisterly Lebanese Republic, as well as the destruction of several vital Lebanese government facilities, such as the grain silos at the Beirut Port, which were constructed through a loan provided by the Kuwaiti Fund for Arab Economic Development in 1969.
His Excellency Sheikh Salem Abdallah al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, expressed Kuwait's strong condemnation and astonishment at this statement, which contradicts the most fundamental political norms and reflects a limited understanding of the nature of decision-making in Kuwait.
Decisions in Kuwait are based on constitutional and institutional foundations, including humanitarian grants and loans provided by the Kuwaiti government to sisterly and friendly countries. He further clarified that Kuwait has a rich historical record of supporting sisterly and friendly peoples and countries, but Kuwait firmly rejects any interference in its internal decisions and affairs.
Therefore, he urged the Minister of Economy and Trade in the Lebanese Republic to withdraw this statement to preserve the existing good bilateral relations between the two sisterly countries." On the eve of the third anniversary of the Beirut Port explosion, Salam had said that three weeks before the anniversary, he sent a message to the Emir of Kuwait through the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, appealing on behalf of the Lebanese people to rebuild the grain silos. He declared that he made this request for the people of Lebanon and not for the government, stating "that bread is for the people, and it is not permissible for an Arab country to be without a strategic reserve." "We all have hope and expectation that within a certain period, we will receive a response from Kuwait, as the funds are available. I have communicated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and I have been informed that there are funds available in the Kuwaiti Development Fund, and with a stroke of a pen today, a decision can be made to build grain silos for Lebanon in Beirut and Tripoli," he added. The statements made by Salam, have sparked widespread anger in Kuwait, and there are fears that they may have sensitive political and diplomatic repercussions.
Kuwait did not take lightly what Salam said via "Sputnik," the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Kuwaiti National Assembly, Abdullah Al-Mudhaf, announced that Kuwait is a country of institutions, and the funds of the Kuwaiti people are not managed "with a stroke of a pen."
Additionally, Member of the National Assembly, Saud Al-Asfour, commented on the Lebanese Minister of Economy's statement, saying that similar matters, which are practically done with a "stroke of a pen," we, along with several other members of the parliament, previously proposed an amendment that requires the fund to obtain the approval of the National Assembly before approving foreign loans." Later in the day, Salam clarified in a press conference that using the expression "with a stroke of a pen," a phrase commonly used in the Lebanese vernacular, was intended to convey that the matter is executable and can be done quickly. The intention was not to bypass the constitutional and legal procedures established by both Kuwait and Lebanon. Salam expressed his hope that the Kuwaiti parliament would accept this clarification, stating that "he had a clear conscience in making the request, as he appealed to a brotherly country that has always stood by Lebanon." "I am aware of the risks threatening food security, especially since the World Bank classified Lebanon as the most vulnerable country in food security challenges due to the lack of a strategic reserve," he added.

Port of Beirut: Navigating Challenges and Seeking Revival
LBCI/August 05, 2023
Among Lebanon's well-known features throughout the decades before the war was the Port of Beirut. Through the transit activities it witnessed, it served as a vital link between world countries and Arab countries, particularly those in the Gulf, making it an indispensable economic hub.
The war disrupted this role, turning the port into a focal point of conflicts. This situation persisted until the war's end, during which the Port of Beirut attempted to reclaim its previous role by establishing a container terminal. The port generated millions of dollars in revenue annually, attracting various projects, plans, and attempts to control it. Still, it fell victim to customs evasion and smuggling until the tragic incident occurred. On August 4, 2019, a massive explosion devastated the port's facilities, from warehouses to storage areas, including the container terminal, which suffered severe damage. This explosion compounded the port's woes, which had already begun with the onset of the financial collapse and the decline of its operational capabilities. Could the Port of Beirut recover after this catastrophe and the repercussions of the collapse? In reality, Gulf countries no longer rely on the Port of Beirut as they once did. These countries have made significant progress in this field, and perhaps the countries that have signed agreements with Israel will no longer need Haifa Port. However, Iraq, for example, still relies on the Port of Beirut, and it will also be needed during the reconstruction process in Syria whenever it begins. Amid all this, there is talk of foreign management for the port, with many pointing to French interest in the matter. The current revenues of the Port of Beirut reach about $11 million monthly at maximum. However, part of these revenues is being held for the benefit of the victims of the port explosion, while another portion is used for operational purposes. In conclusion, the Port of Beirut remains a crucial facility upon which the Lebanese economy relies primarily, and its development is part of a reform process that benefits all Lebanese citizens.

Fitch confirms Lebanon's LTFC IDR at “RD”
LBCI/August 05, 2023
Credit rating agency Fitch has confirmed Lebanon's long-term foreign currency issuer default rating (IDR) at "Restricted Default" status. Fitch downgraded Lebanon's long-term local currency IDR from CC to "Restricted Default" status and the short-term local currency IDR from C to "Restricted Default" status.

Banking sources say focus should be on how to stop unlawful and unethical funding of state
LBCI//August 05, 2023
Banks have entered into the debate regarding how the state's financing from the central bank will continue, expressing surprise that the crisis is being limited to disputes over who should bear the responsibility for continuing the spending from depositors' funds as if the only goal is to find a framework to continue the illegal spending using the remaining deposits at Central Bank. Banking sources emphasized that the focus should be on how to stop the unlawful and unethical funding of the state from its citizens' funds. The sources laid a roadmap to avoid touching the remaining depositors' funds, pointing out that the requirement is not to impose new taxes but for the authorities to take the necessary steps to collect taxes. The paralysis affecting its administration hinders those willing to pay their taxes, and all departments that facilitate fee collection should be reopened. "Is it permissible for the state to forcibly borrow from depositors' funds and not make simple efforts to collect its money from the market?" the sources asked.

Lebanese Muay Thai fighter clenches victory on August 4, dedicates win to port victims
Naharnet/August 05, 2023
Muay Thai star Abdallah Ondash showed typical Lebanese fighting spirit to earn a great comeback win on his debut at world-famous martial arts organization ONE Championship, dedicating his win to the victims of the Beirut Port blast.
Ondash’s debut at ONE Championship’s event, ONE Friday Fights 27, came on the third anniversary of the catastrophic explosion that destroyed 70,000 homes, killing more than 220 people and wounding at least 6,500.
Despite facing a dangerous Thai fighter, Parnpet Sor Jor Lekmuangnon, in front of his home fans in Bangkok, Ondash showed great courage to secure a magnificent knockout (KO) one second away from the end of the third and final round.
After the fight, an emotional Ondash spoke of his pride of picking up a win while representing his country on a day of national mourning, showing the resilience Lebanon’s people are known for. Ondash said: “I dedicate this win to the victims of the Beirut Port explosion and I want to dedicate it also to Lebanon, which is struggling financially and economically, and I dedicate this win to my parents.” He continued: “In the explosion, we were damaged, my siblings and I, my club, our apartment, but thank God we went back to our feet and didn’t give up.” The 22-year-old had only recently moved to Thailand where he is training alongside his brothers, Ahmad and Ramadan, at the famed Tiger Muay Thai gym. His father was also a professional wrestler in Turkey. Ondash employed a cautious approach in the first round, countering his opponent’s strong body kicks, and attempting to throw punches. After the first two rounds, it seemed that Parnpet was close to earning a victory until Ondash pulled off a miraculous comeback. With one minute remaining on the third and final round, Ondash unleashed quick and vicious punching combinations, leaving his Thai counterpart cornered in the ring. Parnpet struggled to keep up with the Lebanese fighter’s pace and dropped to the canvas, handing Ondash a memorable victory inside the world-famous Lumpinee Boxing Stadium. With this win, Ondash improves his overall professional Muay Thai record to 18-1. The Lebanese fighter, who started his career in 2016, took his chance and earned a big victory on his ONE Championship debut, earning a 10,000-dollar performance bonus in the process. Founded in 2011 by CEO and Chairman Chatri Sityodtong, ONE Championship is considered the largest martial arts organization in the world, boasting hundreds of talents from more than 80 countries on its roster. ONE broadcasts its shows, which include fights in Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), and Submission Grappling, in more than 150 countries. ONE Friday Fights 27 is the 27th installment of the weekly fight series which takes place inside the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, every Friday starting at 3:30 PM Beirut Time.

Crime and Impunity ...“When the overwhelming scourge sweeps by you,
Charles Elias Chartouni/August 05, 2023
you will be beaten down by it…(Jeremiah, 28:18)
It was profoundly distressing, while attending the third commemoration of the Beirut Harbor proto-nuclear explosion (August 4th, 2020), to reckon with the state of complacency and impunity that still prevails over this crime: the internationalization of the forensic investigation was preempted, the domestic litigation was sabotaged, manipulated and remains in limbo; the Parliament has deliberately overlooked debates over this crime and its consequences, and forced a state of denial with the due complicity of the majority of its members; the Lebanese judiciary is ancillary to its political mentors, and pliable to corruption of whichever sort; the reconstruction process was initiated by international NGO’s, bilateral assistance provided by France, United States of America, Sweden, Italy…, (12 Schools, 6 hospitals, 300.000 buildings partially or totally damaged, the restoration of historical buildings in Gemmayzeh, Mar Michael, the overall Ashrafieh district and East Beirut…, medical relief and post-disaster surgeries 7000 heavily wounded people and 300 handicapped for life….); the trail of political assassinations to erase the traces of the crime and cow the recalcitrance of the civil population; the criminal apathy of the reigning oligarchs who were biding their time and waiting for the anger to abate to pursue the politics of annihilation. The anger and helplessness sounded throughout this sad event is challenging and behoove the adequate answers, away from the stratagems used so far. Addressing the Shiite oligarchic mafia and its lackeys is a hackneyed track and an unwarranted counterproductive naïveté. Amnesty International current report on the subject condemns the complicity of the Lebanese judiciary (August, 4th, 2023), and recommends the appeal to the United Nations Human Rights Commission to start anew the investigation on a crime against Humanity. The Lebanese national community should have been adamant, from the very beginning, about framing the explosion as a crime against humanity and engaged the international community on this very basis. You wonder how a highly mobilized civic rebellion was swayed by an illegitimate political authority which, initially, disengaged itself from the travails of this appalling tragedy, and accepted its diktat insofar as the litigation process is concerned. My standpoint and political action, at the time, have run athwart of the ongoing complacency and its deleterious consequences, and I still emphasize the need for an outright rejection of the beaten domestic path, and the resolute internationalization of the litigation. The proto-nuclear explosion of August 4th 2020, highlights the criminality of a terrorist group with a heavy record of political and conventional criminality, nihilistic profession of faith and millenarian delusions. Every other engagement is a mere waste of time which betrays moral callousness, fear, and absence of determination: it’s political terrorism, and a spiritual and moral challenge that should be dealt with as is, “your covenant with death will be annulled; and your agreement with the realm of the dead will not stand.”(Jeremiah, 28:18)

Three years after Beirut Port blast, Lebanon is still drowning in impunity
Makram Rabah/Al Arabiya/August 05/2023
“We are all victims [of the August 4, 2020 Beirut Port blast]. The only martyrs are the first responders who sacrificed their lives because they were merely carrying out their duty.”
With these sober yet potent words, Paul Naggar summed up the Lebanese ruling establishment’s responsibility for one of the biggest non-nuclear explosions, which killed his three-year-old daughter Alexandra and 200 others and injured thousands, leaving behind $15 billion in material damages and even more in terms of traumatic scars. It is indeed appalling that even three years since that fateful day, the families of the victims, Lebanese people in general and the world at large are yet to know the full details of the blast. Even more insulting is that the judicial investigation has stalled, as the ruling elites protected by Hezbollah refuse to allow a full disclosure and let the investigators get to the bottom of the conspiracy to bring the culprits to justice.
Shamefully, the prosecutor general, who himself is implicated in the crime, has released all the suspects - some of whom with dual nationalities have fled the country with the help of their adopted embassies.
Looking into the Beirut Port explosion and the dozens, if not hundreds, of crimes that have been perpetrated in Lebanon in the last three decades and probably more, one is left with the ominous reality that this is a country drowning in impunity and that the search here is not for truth but for justice.
Gullible citizens refuse to admit that many of the murders and explosions that they have witnessed, including the one at Beirut Port, are clearly connected to Hezbollah and the Syrian regime. Yet, they keep demanding the truth, fully aware that the Lebanese judiciary, or at least most of it, is no less corrupt than the so-called political elite that appointed it.
The murderers of Rafik Hariri, the former Prime Minster of Lebanon who was assassinated with a one-ton blast in February 2005, are not unknown to the Lebanese and to the global justice network. The Special Tribunal for Lebanon was clear in indicting the Hezbollah brass for the assassination of Hariri, led by Mustafa Badreddine who plotted and carried out the killing, and the murders of pro-sovereignty Lebanese politicians and activists. Yet, instead of bringing the criminals to justice, the Lebanese state was complicit with its inaction, allowing Hezbollah to brazenly name a public square in the southern suburbs of Beirut after Badreddine was killed in Syria by Qassem Soleimani, the former head of Quds Force, a branch of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Impunity also extends to all forms of criminal activities, ranging from drugs and weapons smuggled from Syria by Hezbollah and its allies to white collar crimes.
Yet another case in point of this culture of lawlessness is Riad Salameh, the former governor of the Lebanese central bank, who ended his 30-year tenure last week. He has been accused by the French and German judicial authorities of money laundering and other financial crimes, yet, in spite of such damning accusations, he was allowed to march out of office to celebratory music, as the ruling oligarchs brought in his deputy to do their bidding afresh.
Salameh’s example also applies to former Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn who engineered his Hollywood-style escape from Japan by buying a get-out-of-jail card from the Lebanese government. He has since managed to evade an Interpol red-corner notice against him.
For the last few years, a number of murders have been carried out across Lebanon, and the government has refused to properly investigate or even acknowledge the possibility of these crimes being part of a wider cover-up for the Beirut Port blast. Human Rights Watch was clear in its report to underscore the criminal negligence of the Lebanese state in the investigations, or the lack of them, to the murders of Joe Bejjani, Mounir Abou Rjeily, Antoine Dagher and Lokman Slim. Slim, an ardent champion of human rights and a staunch critic of Hezbollah and its exclusionist mindset, was gunned down in the heart of the Lebanese south, in an area fully controlled by Hezbollah. The surveillance footage and other evidence revealed a convoy of at least seven cars, with some masked people in them, shadowing Slim.
Like Slim, Bejjani the photographer, who was at the port, and Rjeiliy and Dagher, both retired customs officers, had intimate knowledge about the smuggling ring and other illegal activities carried out by Hezbollah and its entourage, including the tons of ammonium nitrate that devastated the Beirut Port on August 4.
Lebanon’s culture of impunity is perhaps more deeply rooted than the Cedar trees that adorn the country’s national flag, as most crimes committed by the politically-connected thugs end up being swept under the rug, either by settling for a lame prison sentence or simply allowing the criminals to get away scot-free by using sectarianism as a pretext or by resorting to physical violence. Lebanon’s founding myth propagates the image of Lebanon being a mountain refuge for the persecuted minorities to live and prosper. The way things stand now, Lebanon is nothing more than a haven for criminals who have been allowed by the Lebanese themselves to lead them into oblivion. Amid all this gloom and despondence, one only hopes that justice and the rule of law will soon uproot the culture of impunity that many regrettably celebrate.

Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on August 05-06/2023
Pope Francis visited the Portuguese town of Fatima on Saturday to pray for peace
FATIMA, Portugal (AP)/August 5, 2023
Pope Francis visited the Portuguese town of Fatima on Saturday to pray for peace at a shrine known for apocalyptic prophesies of hell, peace and Soviet communism that have found new relevance with Russia’s war in Ukraine. But for the third time of his trip to Portugal for World Youth Day, Francis ditched his prepared remarks and didn’t even recite a prayer written for the occasion pleading for peace. The prayer had been expected to be a highlight of Francis’ visit to Fatima, given the shrine’s century-old affiliation with exhortations of peace and conversion in Russia. Francis instead “prayed silently for peace, with pain,” while meditating for a long period before a statue of the Virgin Mary, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said. And the Vatican later tweeted the prayer. The unusual morning unfolded at the shrine where, according to legend, three young peasant children in 1917 saw visions of the Madonna. The apparitions turned the small town nestled in the fields of vineyards, olive groves and fruit orchards north of Lisbon into one of the most popular Marian pilgrimage sites in the world, drawing millions of visitors each year. On Saturday, an estimated 200,000 turned out for Francis’ visit, packing the central esplanade long before the red-tinted moon set and the sun rose. Nearby wildfires turned the sky smoky black and sent ash snowing down on the crowd. Francis’ visit marked a side trip from his main program in Lisbon to preside over the World Youth Day Catholic festival. The featured protagonists in Fatima were also young, including some young people with disabilities who read aloud prayers and young inmates who were allowed to attend. Babies were out in force, as parents offered them up to Francis to bless as he looped through the crowd in his popemobile.“We are here with great joy," said Maria Florido, a 24-year-old Spaniard who also saw Francis in Lisbon. "We woke up very early to come here and see the pope ... and we’re here with great enthusiasm.” The Fatima story dates back to 1917, when according to tradition, Portuguese siblings Francisco and Jacinta Marto and their cousin Lucia said the Virgin Mary appeared to them six times and confided to them three secrets. The first two described an apocalyptic image of hell, foretold the end of World War I and the start of World War II, and portended the rise and fall of Soviet communism. In 2000, the Vatican disclosed the long-awaited third secret, describing it as foretelling the May 13, 1981, assassination attempt against St. John Paul II in St. Peter’s Square, which fell on the anniversary of the original vision. According to later writings by Lucia, who became a nun and died in 2005, Russia would be converted and peace would reign if the pope and all the bishops of the world consecrated Russia to the “Immaculate Heart of Mary.” Lucia later claimed that John Paul fulfilled that prophecy during a 1984 Mass, even though he never specified Russia in the prayer. Fatima has long captivated Catholics, because of its blending of mystical, Marian apparitions, apocalyptic prophesies about the rise and fall of Soviet communism and the death of a pope. While Saturday’s wildfires and related ashfall were easily explained, they also harked back to another element of the Fatima phenomenon, an unusual weather phenomenon known as the “Miracle of the Sun.”
According to legend, on Oct. 13, 1917, the Fatima “seers” predicted that the Virgin would perform a miracle that day, and tens of thousands of people flocked to Fatima. They saw what witnesses reported was a vision of the sun “spinning” in the sky and zigzagging toward Earth.
Francis’ visit to Fatima fell on the anniversary of another odd weather phenomenon at a Marian church closely related to Fatima: According to that church legend, on Aug. 5, 1655, it actually snowed outside St. Mary Major basilica in Rome, where Francis always goes to pray before an icon of Mary at the end of each trip. Vatican Media had said before the trip that Francis would pray for peace in Ukraine and the world while in Fatima. It seemed logical, given Francis had already consecrated both Russia and Ukraine to Mary in a prayer for peace following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, essentially fulfilling Sr. Lucia's exhortation. In the prayer tweeted by the @Pontifex account but not read aloud, Francis didn’t name either country but consecrated the church and world, “especially those countries at war,” to Mary. “Open paths where it seems that none exist,” he wrote. “Loosen the tangles of self-centeredness and the snares of power.”Fatima Bishop Jose Ornelas made a prayer for Ukraine explicit in his remarks. “We associate ourselves to Your Holiness’ prayer for peace, for which this sanctuary is profoundly identified, thinking in particular of the war in Ukraine and so many other conflicts in the world,” he said.
In explaining the changes, Vatican spokesman Bruni said Francis “always addresses firstly the people he meets, as a shepherd, and speaks accordingly.” The 86-year-old Francis often deviates from his prepared remarks, even more when speaking in his native Spanish. Bruni denied the changes had any other serious reason, including with his eyesight. Francis has been hospitalized twice this year, including in June when he spent nine days in the hospital recovering from abdominal surgery to repair a hernia and remove scar tissue on his intestine. Saturday was perhaps the most grueling day of his five-day visit to Portugal, given the round-trip helicopter ride to Fatima and a planned prayer vigil that wasn’t expected to begin until his usual bedtime in Rome. To give him more rest before the vigil, the Vatican planned to move up an afternoon encounter with his fellow Jesuits, Bruni said. On Sunday morning, Francis is to preside over a final, outdoor Mass – on a day when temperatures in Lisbon are expected to top 40 degrees C (104F) – before returning to the Vatican.

Iran boosts navy with missiles, drones as US offers guards for Gulf ships
Reuters/August 05, 2023
DUBAI: Iran has equipped its Revolutionary Guards’ navy with drones and 1,000-km range missiles, Iranian news agencies reported on Saturday, as the US offers to put guards on commercial ships going through the Gulf’s Strait of Hormuz. “Various types of drones ... and several hundred cruise and ballistic missiles with a range of 300 to 1,000 km are among the systems and equipment that were added to the capabilities of the Guards’ navy today,” state news agency IRNA said. Earlier this week, Washington said it could soon offer to put armed sailors and Marines on commercial ships in the region following Iran’s seizure and harassment of vessels. Last month, it said it would send additional F-35 and F-16 fighter jets, along with a warship to the Middle East, to monitor waterways. About a fifth of the world’s crude oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman. Tehran usually says detained vessels have committed shipping violations. Some have been released only after foreign countries have freed detained Iranian ships. Revolutionary Guards’ Navy Commander Alireza Tangsiri told state TV that the new missiles had better precision as well as longer range. “The cruise missiles can attack several targets simultaneously and the commands can be altered after take-off.”

Three civilians killed in Russian strikes on Syria: monitor
Arab News/August 05/2023
BEIRUT: At least three civilians from the same family were killed when Russian warplanes struck the outskirts of the northwest Syrian city of Idlib on Saturday, a war monitor said. Russia has over the years repeatedly struck Syria’s last main opposition bastion, but attacks killing civilians had been limited this year until an uptick in violence in late June. “Russian airstrikes this morning” to the west of the city left “three dead from the same family ... and six people wounded,” the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, adding rescue teams were still at work removing rubble.
Four strikes hit the area where rebel bases are also present, added the Observatory, a Britain-based group which relies on a network of sources on the ground in Syria.
BACKGROUND
The last pockets of armed opposition to the Assad regime include swaths of Idlib province, controlled by extremist group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, which is headed by the country’s former Al-Qaeda affiliate. With Russian and Iranian support, the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad has clawed back much of the territory it had lost to rebels early in the conflict. The last pockets of armed opposition to the Assad regime include swaths of Idlib province, controlled by extremist group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham or HTS, which is headed by the country’s former Al-Qaeda affiliate. Syria’s 12-year-long war broke out after the repression of peaceful anti-regime demonstrations escalated into a deadly conflict that pulled in foreign powers and global extremists. The war has killed more than half a million people and displaced millions. Since 2020, a ceasefire deal brokered by Moscow and Ankara has largely held in Syria’s northwest, despite periodic clashes. However, in an uptick in violence, Russian airstrikes killed at least 13 people in Idlib province on June 25, in what the Observatory said at the time was the deadliest such attack on the country this year. At least nine civilians, including two children, were among the dead — six of them killed at a fruit and vegetable market. in Jisr Al-Shughur. On June 28, Damascus’s Defense Ministry said Syrian and Russian forces had launched airstrikes on rebel bases in the Idlib region.The operation came “in response to daily and repeated attacks ... on civilians” in residential areas in nearby Hama province, the ministry had said. It did not specify the date of the bombardment, but the announcement came a day after Russian airstrikes killed eight HTS-affiliated fighters, according to the Observatory.The rebel-held Idlib region is home to about 3 million people, around half of them displaced from other parts of the country.

Syria's main al-Qaida-linked group denies it was behind the killing of an Islamic State leader
BEIRUT (AP)/August 5, 2023
Syria’s main insurgent al-Qaida-linked group denied it was behind the killing of the Islamic State group's leader in the country’s northwest saying it would have otherwise claimed responsibility. The security arm of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, made the announcement Friday night, a day after IS blamed the Syrian insurgent group for the death of its little-known leader, Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurayshi, who headed the extremist organization since November. “We categorically deny this claim,” the spokesman of HTS, General Security Diaa al-Omar, said in a terse statement. He said HTS would continue to fight “evil acts” by IS in rebel-held parts of Syria, adding that had his group been behind al-Qurayshi’s death “we would have given the good news to Muslims and announced it directly.” Al-Qurayshi was the fourth IS leader to be killed since the group was founded by Iraqi militant Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and declared a caliphate in large parts of Syria and Iraq in June 2014 before its defeat years later. Abu Hafs al-Hashemi al-Qurayshi was named the group’s new leader on Thursday. The Islamic State group broke away from al-Qaida a decade ago and attracted supporters from around the world. Despite its defeat in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria two years later, IS militants still carry out deadly attacks in both countries and elsewhere. Since IS broke away from al-Qaida, both groups fought deadly battles over the past years in northern Syria. In April, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkish intelligence agents had killed al-Qurayshi in northern Syria — a statement that IS denied saying he was killed by HTS and was later handed over to Turkish authorities.

Fighting has plunged Sudan into a humanitarian catastrophe, senior UN officials say
UNITED NATIONS (AP)/August 5, 2023
The conflict in Sudan has left 24 million people — half the country’s population — in need of food and other assistance, but only 2.5 million have received aid because of vicious fighting and a lack of funding, two senior U.N. officials said Friday. Eden Worsornu, director of operations for the U.N. humanitarian agency, and Ted Chaiban, deputy executive director of the U.N. children’s agency UNICEF, who just returned from Sudan, painted a dire picture of devastation and upheaval in Sudan, with no peace talks in sight. Worsornu said hotspots, such as the capital of Khartoum and the southern Kordofan and western Darfur regions, "have been shattered by relentless violence.” Nearly 4 million people have fled the fighting, facing scorching heat up to 48 degrees Celsius (118 F), and threats of attacks, sexual violence and death, she said. The now nearly four-month conflict has killed more than 3,000 people and wounded over 6,000 others, according to the last government figures, released in June. But the true tally is likely much higher, doctors and activists say. “Before the war erupted on the 15th of April, Sudan was already grappling with a humanitarian crisis,” Chaiban said. “Now, more than 110 days of brutal fighting have turned the crisis into a catastrophe, threatening the lives and futures of a generation of children and young people who make up over 70% of the population.”The fighting pits forces loyal to top army Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan against his rival, Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Worsornu and Chaiban, who previously worked in Sudan, said ethnic violence has returned to Darfur, where attacks two decades ago by the notorious Janjaweed Arab militias on people of Central or East African ethnicities became synonymous with genocide and war crimes. Now “it is worse than it was in 2004," Worsornu said. The statistics are grim: 24 million people need food and other humanitarian aid, including 14 million children, a number equivalent to every single child in Colombia, France, Germany and Thailand, Chaiban said. The U.N. has been trying to get aid to 18 million Sudanese, but 93 of its humanitarian partners were able to reach only 2.5 million between April and June because of the severe fighting and difficulties getting to those in need. “Right now, Sudan is one of the most dangerous places to operate,” Chaiban said. “So, to do 2.5 million people, 780 trucks, mobilizing and negotiating to get in, has been no small feat.”Worsornu said 18 aid workers had been killed so far in Sudan. But, she added, “Humanitarian aid is just a band aid. Basic social services have completely broken down, banking systems do not work and schools have collapsed.” After the conflict erupted, the U.N. increased its humanitarian appeal to $2.6 billion. Woorsornu said the appeal had received just $625 million, barely 25%. “We cannot do more without funding,” she said. Chaiban said 3 million children under age 5 are malnourished, “with 700,000 at risk of severe acute malnutrition and mortality.” He said UNICEF has gotten life-saving treatment to 107,000, but that is only about 15% of those who need it. Sudan borders seven nations — Central African Republic, Chad, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, Libya and Egypt — and most of them would be vulnerable to upheaval if the conflict should spill over. “We need to be careful that if the situation in Sudan is not contained, it will have a devastating impact on the region,” Worsornu said.

Tel Aviv shooting leaves one man critically injured and one dead
JERUSALEM (Reuters)/Sat, August 5, 2023
At least one man is in a serious condition after a shooting on a street in central Tel Aviv on Saturday, Israeli police said. The suspected shooter was then shot dead by a municipal patrol officer, Tel Aviv's mayor Ron Huldai told Israel's public broadcaster. The Inspector General of the Israel Police said the attacker was "apparently" a resident of the Palestinian town of Jenin, in the occupied West Bank. A police spokesman told the Israeli public broadcaster the shooter had been "neutralized", but did not provide further details on the suspected attacker. The shooting comes a day after a Palestinian teen was killed in an attack by Israeli civilians on a Palestinian village in the West Bank. Washington has expressed concern over a growing number of attacks by Jewish settlers on Palestinian villages in the West Bank, where violence has worsened since last year with increased Israeli raids amid Palestinian street attacks on Israelis. The man in critical condition is a municipal patrol worker, according to the city's mayor, who said he had approached the attacker after noticing something suspicious and was then fired at by the shooter. "We are standing at a very sad incident," Huldai said. "We are praying for the well-being of the injured."

Two Israelis arrested after Palestinian teen killed in settler attack
JERUSALEM (Reuters)/Sat, August 5, 2023
Two Israelis were arrested on Saturday after a Palestinian teen was shot dead in the occupied West Bank in an attack by Israeli civilians on a local village, Israeli police said. Residents of the Palestinian Burqa village said Israeli settlers entered their village Friday night, threw rocks and set fire to cars. The Palestinian Health Ministry said a 19-year-old died in the incident. A statement from the Israeli military said an initial investigation has found that clashes began when Israelis arrived to herd sheep near the village and Palestinians from the town came to move them away, at which point "verbal confrontations ensued which were followed by the hurling of rocks by both sides, and the firing of fireworks by Palestinians." "During the confrontation, Israeli civilians shot toward the Palestinians," the statement said. "As a result of the confrontation, a Palestinian was killed, four others were injured, and a Palestinian vehicle was found burnt."Washington has expressed concern over growing attacks by Jewish settlers on Palestinian villages in the West Bank, where violence has worsened since last year with stepped-up Israeli raids amid Palestinian street attacks on Israelis.

Russian missile strike hits Ukraine aeronautics firm: Zelensky
AFP/August 05, 2023
KYIV: A Russian missile strike on Saturday hit a facility of the Ukrainian aeronautics group Motor Sich, one of several companies requisitioned by the government since Moscow’s invasion, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
“Today there was another Russian missile attack against our country. Kinzhals, Calibers. They hit Motor Sich” near Khmelnytskyi in western Ukraine, around 300 kilometers (190 miles) southwest of Kyiv, Zelensky said in his evening address.
Motor Sich, which makes plane and helicopter engines and other components, was among the “strategic” firms taken over by Ukraine’s defense ministry last November. Zelensky said the strike included Russia’s hypersonic Kinzhal weapons, which are designed to elude air-defense systems, though he added that “some of the missiles were shot down.”The Khmelnytskyi region, hundreds of kilometers from the front lines of the fighting in eastern Ukraine, has been regularly targeted by Russian strikes. The region is home to a major Ukrainian air base.
Motor Sich’s headquarters are in the partially Russian-controlled region of Zaporizhzhia in southeast Ukraine. Its governor said earlier Saturday that a Russian strike had caused a fire at a site outside the city. It was unclear if the Russian strikes had hit the Motor Sich headquarters.

Russia says intercepted US drone over Black Sea
AFP/August 05, 2023
MOSCOW: Russia said Saturday it scrambled an Su-30 fighter jet to “prevent a violation of the Russian state border” by a US Reaper MQ-9 military drone over the Black Sea. “As the Russian fighter approached, the foreign reconnaissance drone performed a U-turn away from the border,” the Russian defense ministry said. The ministry said the drone belonged to the US Air Force. “The Russian aircraft returned safely to its air base, there was no violation of the border,” it added. Incidents involving Russian and Western aircraft have multiplied over the Black Sea and Baltic Sea in recent months, as Moscow pursues its offensive in Ukraine. Tensions grew between Moscow and Washington when another US Reaper drone crashed after colliding with a Russian fighter jet over the Black Sea in mid-March. Moscow said in May it had intercepted four US strategic bombers above the Baltic Sea in two separate incidents in the space of one week. Russia also said it has intercepted French, German, Polish and British aircraft.

Ukraine Attacks Russian Oil Tanker in Kerch Strait With Naval Drone
Storyful/Sat, August 5, 2023
Ukraine hit a Russian oil tanker in the Kerch Strait, near the Crimean Bridge, with a naval drone equipped with explosives, the military and Russian state reports said on Saturday, August 5. The strike on the oil tanker Sig was carried out by the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) and the navy, Ukrainian state broadcaster Suspilne said, citing sources. The drone was packed with 450 kg of explosives, the report added. Russian state media reported that the drone punched a hole in the tanker but no one was injured. Other boats arrived to help the crew of 11, a local Telegram channel said. Tass said oil tanker was in the Kerch Strait, which runs between the Sea of Azov and the Black sea. Ukraine has repeatedly attacked the Kerch bridge connecting occupied Crimea to Russia. United24, which is associated with the president’s office, said the SIG was previously supplying aviation fuel for Russian warplanes in Syria. It is the second such surface drone attack on a Russian vessel around the Black Sea in as many days after Ukraine said on Friday that it had struck the Ropucha-class landing ship Olenegorsky Gornyak at Russia’s naval base in Novorossiysk. Credit: Ukrainian Military via Storyful

Saudi Arabia dives into Ukraine peace push with Jeddah talks
Agence France Presse/August 5, 2023
Saudi Arabia is hosting talks on the Ukraine war on Saturday in the latest flexing of its diplomatic muscle, though expectations are mild for what the gathering might achieve. The meeting in the Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah underscores Riyadh's "readiness to exert its good offices to contribute to reaching a solution that will result in permanent peace", the official Saudi Press Agency said Friday. Invitations were sent to around 30 countries, Russia not among them, according to diplomats familiar with the preparations. The SPA report said the meeting would bring together national security advisers and "representatives of a number of countries", without providing details. China, which says it is a neutral party in the conflict but has been criticised by Western countries for refusing to condemn Russia, announced on Friday it would send its special representative for Eurasian affairs, Li Hui. "China is willing to work with the international community to continue to play a constructive role in promoting a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis," said foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin. India has also confirmed its attendance in Jeddah, describing the move as in line "with our longstanding position" that "dialogue and diplomacy is the way forward". South Africa said it too will take part. France said its delegation was being headed by Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic adviser to President Emmanuel Macron. Saturday's meeting follows Ukraine-organised talks in Copenhagen in June that were designed to be informal and did not yield an official statement. Instead, diplomats said the sessions were intended to engage a range of countries in debates about a path towards peace, notably members of the BRICS bloc with Russia that have adopted a more neutral stance on the war in contrast to Western powers.
- 'Balancing' -
Speaking on Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the wide range of countries represented in the Jeddah talks, including developing countries which have been hit hard by the surge in food prices triggered by the war. "This is very important, because on issues such as food security, the fate of millions of people in Africa, Asia, and other parts of the world directly depends on how fast the world moves to implement the peace formula," he said. Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, failing in its attempt to take Kyiv but seizing swathes of territory that Western-backed Ukrainian troops are fighting to recapture. Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest crude exporter which works closely with Russia on oil policy, has touted its ties to both sides and positioned itself as a possible mediator in the war. It has backed UN Security Council resolutions denouncing Russia's invasion as well as its unilateral annexation of territory in eastern Ukraine. Yet last year, Washington criticised oil production cuts approved in October, saying they amounted to "aligning with Russia" in the war. This May, the kingdom hosted Zelensky at an Arab summit in Jeddah, where he accused some Arab leaders of turning "a blind eye" to the horrors of Russia's invasion. In sum, Riyadh has adopted a "classic balancing strategy" that could soften Russia's response to this weekend's summit, said Umar Karim, an expert on Saudi politics at the University of Birmingham.
Middle power
Saudi officials see Saturday's talks as evidence of its diplomatic clout and vindication of its emphasis on diversifying diplomatic partners. "These talks are a prime example of the success of Saudi Arabia's multipolar strategy of maintaining strong ties to Ukraine, Russia and China," said Ali Shihabi, a Saudi analyst close to the government. "In hosting the summit, Saudi Arabia wants to reinforce its bid to become a global middle power with the ability to mediate conflicts while asking us to forget some of its failed strategies and actions of the past, like its Yemen intervention or the murder of Jamal Khashoggi," said Joost Hiltermann, Middle East programme director for the International Crisis Group. The 2018 slaying of Khashoggi, a Saudi columnist for The Washington Post, by Saudi agents in Turkey once threatened to isolate Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom's de facto ruler. But the energy crisis produced by the Ukraine war elevated Saudi Arabia's global importance, helping to facilitate his rehabilitation. Moving forward Riyadh "wants to be in the company of an India or a Brazil, because only as a club can these middle powers hope to have impact on the world stage," Hiltermann added. "Whether they will be able to agree on all things, such as the Ukraine war, is a big question."

Talks on the War in Ukraine Launched in Saudi Arabia, Deemed Challenging by Kyiv
LBCI/August 5, 2023
On Saturday, talks on the war in Ukraine commenced in Saudi Arabia, which Kyiv considered difficult due to the divergent positions of the participating countries. This marks a new political endeavor by the kingdom to play a diplomatic role on the international stage. Participants in the meetings, attended by representatives from around 40 countries, began in the afternoon in the coastal city of Jeddah. According to the agenda seen by Agence France-Presse (AFP), the sessions were scheduled to include three hours of statements from various delegations, followed by two hours of closed-door discussions, and finally, a working dinner. On Friday, before arriving in Jeddah to lead his country's delegation, the head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Andriy Yermak, said, "I expect the talks not to be easy," adding, "We have many disagreements and have heard many positions, but it is important for us to share our ideas." He continued, "Our mission is to unite the whole world around Ukraine."

Running for the White House behind bars? It's been done before
Agence France Presse/August 5, 2023
Could Donald Trump run his presidential re-election campaign from jail? It may sound like a far-fetched scenario for the former leader of the free world, who is facing a slew of serious court cases, but it would not be the first time in US history. In fact, it has happened twice before, in the cases of presidential hopefuls Eugene V. Debs and Lyndon LaRouche. Potentially following in their footsteps, Trump -- who appeared before a judge in Washington on Thursday on charges of trying to subvert the last U.S. election -- said that even if he is convicted, he will not end his campaign. According to experts, nothing in the Constitution prevents it. Here are the stories of the trade union leader and the far-right polemicist who campaigned from their prison cells.
Debs the anti-capitalist -
His name may not mean much to the general public these days, but in his day Eugene V. Debs, born in 1855, was a famous political figure whose deeds frequently made headlines. And he remains a defining figure for American left-wing activists. Senator Bernie Sanders, one of his admirers, even made a documentary in 1979 on the ardent anti-capitalist and union leader who crisscrossed the country to defend the rights of workers. Debs was five times the Socialist presidential candidate and it was as such that he ran in 1920 from a cell in Atlanta. He had been sentenced to 10 years in prison, accused of having called, in the summer of 1918, for Americans to resist conscription to WWI. "I have been accused of obstructing the war. I admit it. Gentlemen, I abhor war," he told the jury during his trial. Prisoner Number 9653 ended up winning more than 900,000 votes that year.
His sentence was commuted in 1921 and he was released, but Debs died five years later.
LaRouche the conspiracy theorist
Lyndon LaRouche campaigned for the White House no less than eight times, running in every election from 1976 to 2004. A far-right polemicist and follower of conspiracy theories who was born in 1922, he began his political career after WWII on the far left before founding the US Labor Party, on whose ticket he ran in 1976. Later, LaRouche, who died in 2019 at age 96, ran as a Democrat -- to the annoyance of the party -- and as an independent. During his life, he evolved toward far-right leanings and was often accused of anti-Semitism, which he denied. A climate change skeptic, he defended many conspiracy theories, such as that Britain's Queen Elizabeth was involved in drug trafficking or that Henry Kissinger was an "agent of influence" for the Soviets. In the late 1980s, LaRouche was sentenced to 15 years in prison for tax evasion. This did not stop him from running in the 1992 election from federal prison. He recorded messages on topics like the economy and education, which were broadcast while he was in his cell. He got just over 26,000 votes in the ballot.Roger Stone, a close associate of Trump, has in the past called LaRouche a "good man" and said he was "very familiar with the extraordinary and prophetic thinking of Lyndon LaRouche."

Egypt’s El-Sisi holds bilateral talks with UAE president, Bahraini king
Arab News/August 05, 2023
LONDON: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Saturday held talks in El-Alamein with the UAE’s President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed on relations and ways to develop them further, the Emirates News Agency reported.
The two leaders “reviewed existing areas of cooperation and collaboration, especially in the areas of economy and investment, which further enhance the ongoing progress and prosperity of both countries and their people,” WAM said.
They also focused on ways to develop cooperation in new areas, and regional and international developments. The two sides stressed the importance of joint Arab action to ensure security, stability, peace and development in the region, and affirmed their support in enhancing bilateral coordination in light of the challenges facing the region. El-Sisi also met Bahrain’s King Hamad in El-Alamein, the Bahrain News Agency said. “The two leaders affirmed the strength of the distinguished fraternal relations between the two countries. They also discussed ways to continue bolstering joint cooperation in the economic and development fields to achieve the aspirations of the two peoples for more progress and prosperity,” the statement from the BNA said. While reviewing the latest regional and global developments, King Hamad and El-Sisi also agreed on the need to intensify joint Arab action to confront growing regional and international challenges. They also underlined their enthusiasm to continue with joint coordination at all levels, in light of the solid deep-rooted relations between the two countries.

Police say one person stabbed, eight others hurt as Toronto protest turns violent
The Canadian Press/Sat, August 5, 2023
Toronto police say nine people were sent to hospital today during a protest at a park in the city’s west end, most of whom had non-life-threatening injuries. Police issued a series of tweets saying one person suffered serious injuries from being stabbed and offering no details on the other eight patience besides describing their injuries as non-life-threatening. Paramedics were also treating other people at the scene for various injuries. Police say there was a report of a fight involving a person with a knife where a large crowd had assembled in Earlcourt Park near Caledonia Road and St. Clair Avenue West. They did not offer details about the nature of the gathering. They say some tents in the park were on fire and roads in the area were blocked to allow access by emergency vehicles.

Latest LCCC English analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on August 05-06/2023
Iran, Russia Evade Sanctions; Biden Administration 'Funding Both Sides of Ukraine War'
Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone Institute./August 05, 2023
The Biden Administration also tried to deny that it had issued another waiver to Iraq to pay $500 million to the Iranian regime. According to a report by the Free Beacon, the waiver was issued "a day after Biden administration officials denied Iran's claims that the United States had paved the way for Tehran to receive the $500 million."
The regime will most likely use the funds to further arm and assist Russia in its invasion of Ukraine, to brutalize its own citizens, to undermine US national security interests, to fund its terrorist and militia groups across the Middle East and to expand more deeply into Latin America.
"Of course the Biden administration lied that they wouldn't waive sanctions on Iran just days before they did so. They know that by allowing money to pour into Iran, they are not only endangering the safety and security of Americans but also undermining everything they claim to believe about defeating Putin. They say that Iran is a terror sponsor and Russia's top military backer, but appeasing Iran and getting back into a nuclear deal with the Ayatollah is more important to them. They are funding both sides of the Ukraine war." -- Senator Ted Cruz, Free Beacon, March 24, 2023.
Russia is learning from Iran on how to evade sanctions as well.... Examples include: "the switching of ownership of companies and properties to family members or affiliates, the use of trading companies to source foreign exchange...."
Russia and Iran have signed an agreement to build a sanction-proof $1.7 billion intercontinental rail system for global trade in an apparent effort to compete with the Suez Canal. To bypass sanctions, Iran and Russia in February 2023 also signed an agreement to integrate their banking systems.
Iran recently joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), headed up by Russia and China. The SCO will allow the mullahs to further increase their trade and revenues in spite of sanctions.
Last year, the Biden Administration issued a waiver that had been rescinded by the Trump Administration, permitting companies from Europe, Russia and China to advance work in Iran's nuclear sites. This was most likely done in the hope of reviving the nuclear deal...
Only because of the Biden administration's weak leadership, policies of appeasement and reluctance to seriously enforce sanctions have Russia and Iran been able to create so much devastation at such an unprecedented level.
One of the reasons that rogue states such as Iran and Russia have become so empowered is that, thanks to the Biden Administration's apparent decision not to enforce sanctions, both countries have been freely evading them.
Instead of enforcing sanctions, the Biden Administration has actually been issuing waivers, making the sanctions appear to be simply cosmetic. On June 10, 2023, for instance, the Biden Administration gave Iraq a sanctions-waiver along with a green light to make a payment of $2.76 billion to the Iranian regime.
The Biden Administration also tried to deny that it had issued another waiver to Iraq to pay $500 million to the Iranian regime. According to a report by the Free Beacon, the waiver was issued "a day after Biden administration officials denied Iran's claims that the United States had paved the way for Tehran to receive the $500 million."
The regime will most likely use the funds to further arm and assist Russia in its invasion of Ukraine, to brutalize its own citizens, to undermine US national security interests, to fund its terrorist and militia groups across the Middle East and to expand more deeply into Latin America. As Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) pointed out:
"Of course the Biden administration lied that they wouldn't waive sanctions on Iran just days before they did so. They know that by allowing money to pour into Iran, they are not only endangering the safety and security of Americans but also undermining everything they claim to believe about defeating Putin. They say that Iran is a terror sponsor and Russia's top military backer, but appeasing Iran and getting back into a nuclear deal with the Ayatollah is more important to them. They are funding both sides of the Ukraine war."
Russia is learning from Iran on how to evade sanctions as well, according to a report from Britain's Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), published on June 6. Examples include:
"the switching of ownership of companies and properties to family members or affiliates, the use of trading companies to source foreign exchange to avoid the sanctions imposed on the Central Bank of Russia, and import substitution.... Alongside these steps, Russia is now gravitating further towards other states that have faced similarly sweeping restrictive measures or that facilitate sanctions evasion, to learn best practices, secure necessary services and establish trade relationships."
In addition, Russia and Iran have signed an agreement to build a sanction-proof $1.7 billion intercontinental rail system for global trade in an apparent effort to compete with the Suez Canal. To bypass sanctions, Iran and Russia in February 2023 also signed an agreement to integrate their banking systems.
Iran recently joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), headed up by Russia and China. The SCO will allow the mullahs to further increase their trade and revenues in spite of sanctions. "By signing the document for full membership of the [SCO], now Iran has entered a new stage of various economic, commercial, transit and energy cooperation," stated foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian.
Last year, the Biden Administration issued a waiver that had been rescinded by the Trump Administration, permitting companies from Europe, Russia and China to advance work in Iran's nuclear sites. This was most likely done in the hope of reviving the nuclear deal which would further facilitate the flow of funds to the Iranian regime, lift sanctions, and enhance Tehran's global legitimacy. As US Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) pointed out:
"Iran continues to thumb its nose at U.S. sanctions, at our allies, and continues to work to undermine the state of Israel and abolish it. We need to be very unified, along with our allies, in pushing back vociferously against actions that Iran is taking, whether it is producing and disseminating petroleum or whether it is trying to undermine the sanctions that have been put in place."Only because of the Biden administration's weak leadership, policies of appeasement and reluctance to seriously enforce sanctions have Russia and Iran been able to create so much devastation at such an unprecedented level.
**Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a business strategist and advisor, Harvard-educated scholar, political scientist, board member of Harvard International Review, and president of the International American Council on the Middle East. He has authored several books on Islam and US Foreign Policy. He can be reached at Dr.Rafizadeh@Post.Harvard.Edu
© 2023 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

Al-Sudani’s war on corruption in Iraq is an uphill struggle
Hafed Al-Ghwell/Arab News/August 05/2023
Since assuming the Iraqi presidency in October 2022, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani has made a veritable crusade against corruption the heart of his domestic agenda. Despite this long overdue commitment to tackling the country’s most debilitating challenge, his progress has been, to put it politely, underwhelming. Systemic corruption continues unabated under the control of an entrenched and sectarian power-sharing system. For all its colossal oil wealth, Iraq remains stricken by inefficiency, bureaucracy, endemic kleptocracy, and sprawling patronage networks. Pilfering of public funds has more or less become a national sport, from the intensely politicized civil service, which is sinking under its own weight, to the famously crisis-hit electricity sector, which was recently awarded a whopping $13.5 billion. The entrenched nature of the corruption, backed by various factions with vested interests in maintaining the status quo, has impeded efforts to create more accountable governance for the Iraqi people. The roots of this corruption crisis can be traced back to decisions made during the 2003 war and subsequent US-led “reconstruction.” During this period, Washington poured unregulated and unmonitored funds into multiple projects, creating a culture of graft in nearly every echelon of Iraqi governance, exacerbating the pre-existing patterns of corruption.
Instead of being transformed into an agent of much-needed change and progress for the Iraqi people, the public sector emerged from the post-war construction epoch as a center of corruption fueled by indiscriminate spending and lackadaisical supervision. A striking example of this occurred when aid contractors, Iraqi officials and US personnel were found to have directly engaged in corruption during reconstruction projects.
The US Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction estimated that at least $8 billion, about 13 percent of the total amount allocated for reconstruction, was frittered away in this way. As a result, any hopes of building a robust, efficient and corruption-free public sector were blighted, leaving ordinary Iraqis to grapple with rampant structural deficiencies, made worse by a now interminable legacy of corruption.
The issue is exacerbated by the continual influence of Iran, which uses the corrupt power-sharing system to maintain a foothold in internal Iraqi affairs. This influence, executed through pro-Iran militias, has ensured the survival of systemic corruption. The state-sanctioned Popular Mobilization Forces, a collection of pro-Iranian armed groups, is a prime example of this. They command an annual budget of $2 billion, part of which flows into largely fictional state payrolls.
The involvement of Iran in Iraq’s nexus of corruption can be seen in the tentacles Tehran extends into key state ministries, in which pro-Iran militias have been successfully institutionalized and legitimized as autonomous actors. The PMF, established in 2014, has expanded into various activities, legal and illegal. It dominates markets and oversees illegal border crossings, customs evasion, and trafficking. Iraq's porous borders mean that about $10 billion in customs revenue is diverted and lost each year.
The PMF’s power not only lies in its weaponry but also in its economic reach and Iranian patronage, which have enabled the organization to embed itself even deeper into Iraq’s political and economic affairs. This entrenchment of Iranian influence means that attempting to tackle corruption is an almost insurmountable challenge for Al-Sudani’s government. The unchecked, unassailable presence of such malign external forces within Iraq’s institutional fabric serves only to bolster the resistance to reforms and perpetuate the corrupt power-sharing system that plagues the country.
At this rate, it is highly unlikely Iraq will be able to reduce the more than $3.5 billion it spends annually on natural gas imports from Iran to fuel its power stations, which are still only able to produce a little over half of the country’s total electricity needs.
If Iraq could only harness the power generation potential of its flared gas, it could yield output equivalent to double that of the current gas imports from sanctions-hit Iran. Unfortunately, while this makes sense on paper, in terms of avoiding the expense of imported gas and the trouble of finding alternatives when dollars are hard to come by, it is unlikely the current flawed situation will change given the extent of pro-Iranian influence in Baghdad.
Is there any chance that Al-Sudani might succeed in his anti-corruption efforts? Given the entrenched and widespread nature of the corruption, he faces a Herculean task. Overturning the current state of disarray would require not only radical institutional reforms but also a sea change in the culture of governance.
Iraq’s road to reform is littered with obstacles, many of which seem nearly insurmountable under the current political order.
Several complex and interwoven mechanisms of corruption, from informal patrimonial networks to the instruments of state capture, are entrenched deep within the Iraqi core. Al-Sudani’s job is akin to that of an arborist whose task is not merely to prune a tree's dead or diseased branches but to surgically remove the malign roots that are preventing the tree of governance from flourishing.
Futile as it may seem, the prime minister could attempt to unilaterally foster change by restructuring key institutions marred by the scourge of corruption. Enhancing the autonomy of anti-corruption bodies would be a crucial first step in this process. His administration could work toward depoliticizing these institutions with the aim of insulating them from partisan influences. Taken together, these actions would slowly start to shift the culture within the corridors of power, cultivating a growing intolerance for corruption.
This, though, would be merely the first step in a marathon. A more systemic and profound shift would require greater societal involvement. Al-Sudani’s reign will be marked not by swift victories but by a continuing and relentless effort to cleanse the state of the widely entrenched corruption.
Further, the shaky legitimacy of the current government — propelled to power despite securing fewer seats than in preceding elections — casts a long shadow over his ambitions, as the very factions that prop up his government are among the beneficiaries of the labyrinthine corruption.
Where exactly does the US figure in this chaotic landscape? Missteps of the past might have left Washington with an unenviable role in the history of Iraq’s corruption saga, but it still has some key strategic levers that continue to function despite the influence vacuum left by its disengagement from the country.
Any “new” US strategy can be easily shaped to actively support efforts to tackle corruption and implement reforms, chiefly through Washington’s capacity to impose sanctions, lend money, and mediate. It could wield this influence by lending support to honest brokers within Iraq’s public institutions, thereby encouraging the development of oases of integrity that resist the tide of corruption. In doing so, the US would be throwing its weight behind those seeking to enact legislative change, strengthen judicial independence, and enhance institutional transparency.
Washington could further manage the narrative by shining a spotlight on corruption. By highlighting the thefts, the culture of patronage and systemic abuses in a high-profile manner, it might galvanize public opinion and encourage greater support for reform-focused candidates in future elections.
In addition, the US could maintain the economic pressure on corrupt entities through the judicious use of sanctions, ensuring that corruption is an unprofitable enterprise. At the same time, Washington and its international allies could bolster efforts to seize and refund illicitly acquired Iraqi wealth that is squirreled away abroad. Enhanced coordination with global watchdogs could also help ensure that aid and bilateral cooperation is contingent on the achievement of clear anti-corruption benchmarks.
Nurturing a robust civil society in Iraq to supplement Al-Sudani’s efforts could be another area in which the US might play an instrumental role. Nonetheless, the creation of a few oases of integrity will not be a panacea for the deep-seated and systemic corruption Iraq currently faces, nor is some clever maneuvering by Al-Sudani’s government likely to be enough.
However, the maneuvering could serve as a moral and functional counterexample, proof that there is sufficient will to make sure Iraqi public institutions operate with integrity and efficiency, even amid a sea of malfeasance.
That being said, Al-Sudani’s road to reform is littered with obstacles, many of which seem nearly insurmountable under the current political order. If a more accountable, democratic Iraq is the objective, the US strategy for achieving this needs a fundamental reset, one that shifts its role from that of passive observer to an active catalyst of change. Politics is, after all, the art of the possible.
• Hafed Al-Ghwell is a senior fellow and executive director of the North Africa Initiative at the Foreign Policy Institute of the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, DC, and the former adviser to the dean of the board of executive directors of the World Bank Group. Twitter: @HafedAlGhwell

The EU is a ‘green pioneer’ but it cannot achieve global goals on its own
Andrew Hammond/Arab News/August 05/2023
Since the pandemic and the start of the war in Ukraine, the EU has doubled down on the green economy in an effort to meet global environmental goals such as the aims of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.
Yet it is increasingly clear that Brussels needs more help from the private sector and also the wider international community if it is to get close to success with this vital agenda.
To be sure, the level of commitment within the EU to the green economy is already huge, including a growing momentum behind the European Green Deal megaproject. An example of this commitment is the fact that Brussels has announced more than 50 major sustainability initiatives since the signature policy agenda was announced by the European Commission.
This has helped the EU rebrand itself as a global green superpower, which it hopes will give it a renewed political lease on life to boot. This comes after a few difficult decades during which it faced a number of challenges, such as growing euroskepticism and multiple financial crises.
However, green goals cannot be achieved simply through the announcement by Brussels of endless new political initiatives, however major. More help from the private sector, and international allies, is key.
The monumental scale of the task facing the 27 EU member states is illustrated by the fact that reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 will require about €700 billion in additional investment by the bloc each year. It is a staggering sum and is why the role of the private sector is so crucial.
This is where the EU’s green taxonomy comes in. A cornerstone of the bloc’s environmental strategy, it is a sustainable finance framework in which Europe is yet again a global pioneer. The taxonomy provides businesses and investors with clear and appropriate definitions for which economic activities can be considered the most environmentally sustainable.
It helps to direct capital to the economic activities most needed for the green transition, in line with European Green Deal objectives. These include climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, sustainable use, and protection of water and marine resources, the transition to a circular economy, pollution prevention and control, and protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems.
Perhaps inevitably, this sensitive agenda has generated some controversy. For instance, the European Commission is facing legal challenges from environmental campaigners, and the governments of Austria and Luxembourg, over the inclusion of nuclear and gas in the taxonomy, which some dissenters argue is a backward step that amounts to “greenwashing.”
However, the taxonomy has also had its successes, including some scaling up of sustainable investment volumes. There is also some evidence that it is increasingly being used by businesses to signal their sustainability performance and efforts.
It is increasingly clear that Brussels needs more help from the private sector and also the wider international community if it is to get close to success with this vital agenda.
However, we are far from the final destination on this journey. For example, the results of an EU-wide survey of nearly 700 European firms by ESG Book, published in July, show that nearly two-thirds did not have any revenue from tasks that meet the requirements of the EU’s list of taxonomy-friendly activities. Moreover, half had no planned capital expenditure that could be considered green in this context either.
So there is a significant way still to go for the EU 27 with this agenda, by creating security for investors, and helping companies become more climate-friendly and mitigating market fragmentation. An essential element here will be continuing dialogue between Brussels and the private sector.
One way in which this dialogue is taking place is through a series of European Commission communications since the launch of the taxonomy, to provide further signals to investors. The latest of these communications was in June, and the commission made a series of taxonomy changes. They included extending the rules to cover shipping; only allowing plastics made from biowaste to be considered green; and setting a threshold for the use of chemicals considered high risk.
There will be more changes going forward, including the possibility that critical raw materials might be included in the taxonomy. This prospect reflects the high priority EU policymakers now place on this issue, especially since the launch in March of the Critical Raw Materials Act. It aims to ensure a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials for European industry, and to reduce significantly the dependency of member states on imports from single-country suppliers, including China.
In the short term, however, there are unlikely to be any big taxonomy announcements until after the European Parliament elections in June 2024, and the next European Commission is formed and given a chance to become “bedded in,” which might take us into 2025.
Yet although it is uncertain exactly how the taxonomy will evolve in the next few years, one thing that is clear is that Brussels cannot go it alone, internationally, on this agenda. It needs to bring the rest of the world along with it.
One plausible future pathway toward this would be to align the taxonomy with counterpart international measures that are similar if not identical. Bodies such as the International Sustainability Standards Board would have a key role to play here, in terms of alignment and/or equivalence of standards with other key industrialized powers that have a huge stake in this agenda, too, including Japan and the US.
There is unlikely to be a complete convergence, even between like-minded industrialized democracies. However, the divergences should potentially be manageable enough to help meet the ultimate, shared, global, green-goal objectives, such as those set out in the Paris Agreement.
The EU taxonomy and its international counterparts could therefore help create a foundation for sustainable global development in the decades ahead.
• Andrew Hammond is an associate at LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics.

How soft power can boost Turkish-Gulf relations
Sinem Cengiz/Arab News/August 05/2023
The regional order in the Middle East is undergoing a serious shift due to the normalization of relations among many regional states, domestic transformations within the Gulf nations, and seismic crises among international actors that are affecting the policies of the regional actors.
Turkish-Gulf relations offer an interesting case study on the broader changes in Middle East politics. Following the normalization efforts of the past two years, Turkish-Gulf relations have entered a new phase based on strategies that seek to maximize economic and political gains. The reciprocal visits of the Turkish and Gulf leaders, along with the agreements signed during these visits, lead us to view the rapprochement process through a politico-economic context.
However, studies suggest that, after any rapprochement process, especially at a time of strategic reordering, states should place a strong emphasis on soft power — cultural relations or, in other words, people-to people relations — to create long-lasting channels of dialogue and cooperation. In order to build crisis-resilient relations between Turkiye and the Gulf states, soft power tools should be employed for more effective engagement.
The previous deterioration of bilateral ties between Turkiye and the Gulf states was due to their limited engagement and the lack of understanding of each other’s politico-ideological perspectives and regional visions. While their economic and political relations were severely tested due to the differences between their respective policymakers, the people-to-people relations were also affected due to the adverse effects of these tensions on the culture, education and media sectors.
In the rapidly changing geopolitical context of the decade ahead, finding ways to create new areas of cooperation between Turkiye and the Gulf states becomes even more valuable and necessary. Strong cultural and educational relations between Turkiye and the Gulf states can seriously contribute to sustainable engagement, even when political relations are going through a difficult time. Turkiye-friendly public opinion in the Gulf states and Gulf-friendly public opinion in Turkiye can strengthen mutual relationships. To build mutual trust and understanding among these societies and encourage popular support for Turkish-Gulf relations, cultural and educational programs are vital.
When people have direct experience of each other’s countries through study, they gain a deeper understanding of the culture, language and society. This also helps in building trust and sympathy in the country where they study. The connection built between people through the educational channel is definitely more resilient to the ups and downs of political relations.
Strong cultural and educational relations can seriously contribute to sustainable engagement.
For example, Kuwait University and Qatar University offer year-long Arabic language scholarships for Turkish people. The other Gulf states could follow the same path and offer such scholarships to help in maintaining people-to-people connections. In the same vein, Turkiye has some effective cultural institutions, such as the Yunus Emre Institute, which promotes learning of the Turkish language and cultural norms worldwide. The institute currently has a branch only in Qatar. Similar offices in other Gulf states would open the doors for dialogue on mutually valued but less politically sensitive areas, such as culture and language.
Since the end of the Cold War, Western countries have engaged in efforts to build cultural centers abroad, such as the Goethe Institute or British Council. The EU also has an effective student exchange program, Erasmus. With the same aim, Ankara and the Gulf capitals can utilize existing programs, such as Turkiye’s Mevlana Exchange Programme, or create a unique new platform for student exchanges.
Through cultural and educational programs, the bond between Turkish and Gulf societies will be created not with force, but through deep understanding of each other’s values. Besides the people, the states that these people belong to will also benefit from this engagement. Studies suggest that cultural institutions have helped advance their respective countries’ strategic interests in terms of protecting their influence and security in a competitive world.
Another possible area of cooperation is the media, which has become an integral part of diplomatic relations because it plays an important role in transforming ties. One of the areas that was influenced by the former tense relations between Turkiye and the Gulf countries was the media. One way to move forward in this sector would be to create a regional media forum organized by the two sides, as there is a serious need for dialogue among media organizations. There could be exchange programs for Turkish and Gulf journalists. For a better cycle of knowledge in which the media feeds society and vice versa, a better understanding of the cultural and political context is crucial, as it remains key to achieving progress during this rapprochement process.
Both Turkiye and the Gulf countries have influential tools for cultural, educational and media dialogue between institutions and the public. Positive perceptions gained through cultural relations can leave a long-lasting impression, increasing people’s willingness to engage with the Gulf states or Turkiye throughout their lives.The success of soft power engagement depends on human investment for the long-term, so that it can overcome any future challenges in bilateral ties. Thus, just as economic investments are key to the flourishing of Turkish-Gulf relations, investing in young people — who will offer important voices within society in the future and eventually play a role in the opportunities and challenges in Turkish-Gulf relations — is equally important.
• Sinem Cengiz is a Turkish political analyst who specializes in Turkiye’s relations with the Middle East. Twitter: @SinemCngz