https://english.almayadeen.net/news/sports/qatar-detains-fifa-workers-protesting-lack-of-salaries

Qatar detains FIFA workers protesting lack of salaries

Qatar has arrested at least 60 foreign workers who were protesting their lack of payment and their arbitrary deportation, a human rights advocacy group said three months before the biggest event in football takes place in Doha, the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The 2022 World Cup is the most controversial in FIFA history, as Qatar has been facing accusations of vote-buying ever since its naming 12 years ago in 2010 and questions over its suitability for hosting the World Cup due to authorities' violations of human rights.

The arrests come amid a horrid reputation for Qatar, as the country is facing mounting international criticism over its labor practices ahead of the World Cup, as it heavily relies on foreign labor like its neighboring Gulf States.

Additionally, workers protesting going months without pay, as well as their deportation, and the Qatari authorities' reaction to the protests, are raising more concerns about the grave violations committed by Doha.

The head of a labor consultancy investigating the incident said the detentions cast new doubt on Qatar's pledges to improve the treatment of workers. "Is this really the reality coming out?" asked Mustafa Qadri, executive director of the group, Equidem Research.

"A number of protesters were detained for breaching public safety laws," Qatar said in a statement to the Associated Press on Sunday night.

Videos circulated online showed some 60 workers protesting their salaries on August 14 outside of Al Bandary International's offices in Doha, a conglomerate that includes construction, real estate, hotels, and food services. Equidem revealed that some of the protestors have not received their salaries for as many as seven months.

The Qatari government acknowledged that the firm hadn't paid salaries, claiming that its Labor Ministry would pay "all delayed salaries and benefits" to those affected.

"The company was already under investigation by the authorities for nonpayment of wages before the incident, and now further action is being taken after a deadline to settle outstanding salary payments was missed," the government further claimed.

Activists like Qadri have called on Doha to do more, particularly when it comes to ensuring workers receive their salaries on time and are protected from abusive employers.

"Have we all been duped by Qatar over the last several years?" Qadri asked, suggesting that recent reforms might have been "a cover" for authorities allowing prevailing labor practices to continue.

Meanwhile, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, a millionaire, said migrant workers "gain pride" from hard work when asked about the conditions of workers building World Cup stadiums and infrastructure in Qatar.

According to Infantino's assertions, workers would feel "proud" about building stadiums for the tournament that will be held later this year in the Gulf state, though they are subjected to horrid working conditions, leading many to die.

Infantino was asked if FIFA would make any sort of commitment to helping the families of workers who had died in Qatar.

He did not directly respond to the question, but he highlighted the introduction of a minimum wage and the "improved" employment rights in Qatar.

He, himself, said three people had died in construction work for the stadiums, acknowledging that the working conditions are highly hazardous.

Other workers, he said in an attempt to absolve FIFA from responsibility, "might have died in other works and so on, and of course, FIFA is not the police of the world or responsible for everything that happens around the world."

The Qatari authorities refute the number of deaths of migrant workers reported by some international media, claiming it had introduced a series of reforms to its employment regulations since its selection to host the 2022 World Cup.

The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) revealed the financial prizes that the participating teams will receive in the upcoming World Cup Qatar 2022. The total sum of financial prizes for the international tournament, which will be played between November 21 and December 18, will be $440 million. Simultaneously, migrant construction workers are still not being paid their already meager wages compares to what the average Qatari makes.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/sports/lebanese-chess-player-withdraws-from-uae-open-refusing-norma

Lebanese chess player withdraws from UAE open refusing normalization

The Lebanese chess champion, Maggie Qassem Fawaz, decided to withdraw from the 4th Abu Dhabi International Open Festival after the classification pitted her against an Israeli player in her fourth round, thus following in the footsteps of her fellow Lebanese sports champions who have rejected normalization with "Israel" in support the Palestinian cause.

Activists, on social media, considered that the Lebanese youth's refusal to normalize with "Israel" expresses the true face of Lebanon's resistance, which rejects normalization.

Earlier, the Lebanese boxer, Charbel Abu Daher, withdrew from the World Junior Championships, which also took place in Abu Dhabi, rejecting all forms of normalization.

The father of the Lebanese boxer expressed his pride in what his son had done, while he thanked the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, for the stance that praised the Lebanese player's decision.

It is noteworthy that Fawaz and Abu Daher followed the example of Mark Abou Deeb, the 8-year-old who withdrew from the World Cadet Chess Championships in Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain for the same reason as Fawaz and Abdullah Miniato, who withdrew from the World Mixed Martial Arts Championship last year in Bulgaria after a draw set him up to confront an Israeli contestant.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/economics/uk-economy-faced-largest-drop-in-300-years-amid-recession-sc

UK economy faced largest drop in 300 years amid recession scare

The UK economy witnessed in 2020 an 11% drop, the biggest since the Office for National Statistics (ONS) began keeping records and the UK’s largest GDP slump since 1709, the year of the ‘Great Frost,’ when the country’s economy shrank by 13.4%, according to historical data provided by the Bank of England.

The downward spiral was triggered by new data showing the effect the COVID-19 pandemic had on healthcare and individual retailers, and forcing the Bank of England to raise its interest rate from 1.25 percent to 1.75 percent.

ONS analyst Craig McLaren explained: “The health service faced higher costs than we initially estimated, meaning its overall contribution to the economy was lower,”, adding that retailers also faced higher costs, which prompted statisticians to go over their contribution to the economy.

Last year, the British economy largely returned to its pre-pandemic levels. However, since the start of this year, it has been increasingly battered by rising inflation, which has reached its highest since 1982, and analysts now fear the country could tip into a recession by the end of the year.

The GDP in Britain dropped by 0.1% between April and June. In the previous quarter, the UK GDP witnessed a rise of 0.8%. It is worth noting that the ONS also stated that in June, the UK economy fell by 0.6%. A recession is marked by a GDP fall in two consecutive quarters.

Christopher Dembik, head of macro analysis at Saxo Bank, said that “What Brexit has not done by itself, Brexit coupled with Covid and high inflation have succeeded in doing,” adding that “The UK economy is crushed.”

The ONS is due to publish its updated growth figures for 2021 and the first half of 2022 in September. The agency routinely updates its GDP estimates when it obtains more data.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/egyptian-archeologist-to-take-back-rosetta-stone-from-britai

Egyptian archeologist to take back Rosetta Stone from Britain

Renowned Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass will be launching an initiative to bring the Rosetta Stone back to Egypt from the British Museum, as the latest move against museums that have looted artifacts away from their homeland and relocated them to their imperial captors' countries.

Hawass, a prominent archaeologist and a former antiquities minister, remarked that European peoples "are really awakening" to this cause.

The stone, aged 2,200 years old, has been in the British Museum since 1802, taken from France after the Napoleonic Wars on a signed treaty. The stone has unraveled the mystery of Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and is one of the three artifacts that Hawass is demanding to return to Egypt from Europe. The other treasures are a bust of Queen Nefertiti which is stored in Berlin, and a sculpted Zodiac ceiling at the Louvre in Paris.

“I believe those three items are unique and their home should be in Egypt. We collected all the evidence that proves that these three items are stolen from Egypt,” he told The National.

Hawass looks to relaunch his efforts by pushing forward a petition signed by a group of Egyptian intellectuals which he will send to European museums in October.

“The Rosetta Stone is the icon of Egyptian identity. The British Museum has no right to show this artefact to the public.”

The museum said there hasn't been a formal request to return the tablet to Egypt, arguing that not everyone holding Egyptology as an interest shares Hawass' "fixation" with the stone.

However, the trend is turning in a different direction, as Germany has recently taken the decision to return the looted Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, praising itself as "moving into the future."

“There is a change in the air in this respect,” said Alexander Herman, the director of the Institute of Art and Law in Britain. “Some of the old arguments, the ones that used to hold sway for so long, are beginning to wear thin.”

Soldiers in Napoleon's army stumbled upon the Rosetta Stone while they were building a fort near Rashid - or, Rosetta - realizing the importance of hieroglyphics. The stone, which enabled the understanding of hieroglyphics for the first time in hundreds of years, became one of the museum's most famous treasures.

Hawass asserts that the stone left Egypt illegally, and campaigned for its return when he was in office as antiquities minister. During his reign, he brought back thousands of artifacts to Egypt.

In 2003, Hawass informed former British Museum director Neil MacGregor that he will battle the museum if it did not return the Stone.

"They left Egypt completely illegally and they should come back," he said, asserting that he will not back down anytime soon on his quest to return the Rosetta Stone to the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo, even if it takes over a lifetime.

“If I did not succeed, at least people after me will continue,” he said. “This is a case that you cannot stop.”

>> This is a bit strange because Hawass is a famous swamp creature in Egypt.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/politico:-us-shipping-some-unannounced-weapons-secretly

Politico: US shipping some unannounced weapons secretly

According to Politico, the US has been shipping and delivering more weapons than declared to Ukraine.

Last Friday, a high-ranking Pentagon representative affirmed during a briefing that the US has been shipping HARM anti-radar missiles (that are used for targeting radar systems) to Ukraine without actually announcing it publicly.

"When we first announced the initial provision of HARM missiles, the way that we characterized it in the announcement was not specific. We described that we were providing a counter-radar capability," the official said.

Politico, however, added in their report: "If true — and it’s not clear that it is — that would go against what the administration has said publicly."

Unlimited 'aid' packages

In addition, Politico’s sources also said that the new package of military aid to Kiev announced last week also includes Excalibur guided artillery shells, a GPS-guided and extended-range weapon - a matter not mentioned separately in the Pentagon’s official announcement. Furthermore, Politico obtained the official notification that the US Administration handed over to Congress in regards to the recent aid package.

In May of this year, $40 billion was sent to Ukraine, then in June, the US sent arm supplies in the amount of $450 million, followed by another weapons package of $1 billion at the beginning of this month.

According to the report, this document mentions that the weapons sent to Ukraine are not "limited" to what’s featured in the notification. "We admit this is all speculation. No member of the administration confirmed or even hinted that there were secret shipments of weapons to Ukraine. Even if there were, there’s little to no chance they’d share a classified decision with us," Politico says.

In July, national security adviser Jake Sullivan told the Aspen Security Forum that sending those missiles would further provoke Russia and potentially instigate World War III. Ukraine has also been receiving weapons from Germany that Germany doesn't even sufficiently own, as was confirmed most recently by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz with the anticipated shipment to be delivered in November, according to reports.

Interestingly, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu previously said the arms supplied by the West to Ukraine were ending up on the black market and spreading across West Asia. Even Kiev's policy of arming civilians and paramilitary organizations to repel Russian soldiers has already had unintended repercussions, with stories of gang warfare, looting, and extrajudicial killings emerging from Ukraine since the conflict began.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/bolsonaro-a-cheap-copy-of-donald-trump:-lula

Bolsonaro a 'cheap copy' of Donald Trump: Lula

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is a "cheap" copy of his former US counterpart, Donald Trump, for constantly having something negative to say about the Brazilian election system, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the chief candidate for the Brazilian presidency, said on Monday.

Bolsonaro is habitually making allegations that the Brazilian election system is riddled with fraud with little to no evidence that would not even amount to sufficient, which has brought life to fears that the far-right president might try to cling to power if he loses in the upcoming election in October.

The right-wing President "has lied, spread fake news, and defied our institutions," Lula said in an interview with foreign correspondents.

"He's a cheap copy of Trump," added the leftist leader who was president of Brazil from 2003 to 2010. However, he said he was confident Brazilian institutions would adhere to the election result "without question."

Bolsonaro has long been critical of the computerized voting machines, which have been in use since 1996 in Brazil. That led to fears that the "Tropical Trump" will be following in the footsteps of his American counterpart upon his potential loss in the upcoming election.

A new poll ahead of Brazil's presidential election in October shows former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva maintaining a significant lead over Jair Bolsonaro, but the right-wing incumbent is gaining ground.

Lula's strong showing in the poll means there is a small chance he could ultimately receive over 50% in the first round, avoiding a runoff against 67-year-old Bolsonaro.

"Trump also tried to avoid accepting the result. They tried to invade the Capitol, and in the end, he had to give in," Lula said. Similarly, as there have been fears surrounding this issue in the United States, the Brazilian public is highly concerned that this will happen in the Latin American country, too.

Bolsonaro claimed Monday that he would respect the results, "as long as the elections are clean and transparent."

Thousands of Brazilians flocked earlier this month to the University of Sao Paulo's law school to stand up for Brazil's democratic institutions. Nearly 45 years ago, a similar gathering took place where citizens joined together to denounce military dictatorship under far-right then-President Emílio Garrastazu Médici.

During the protests, the people of Brazil heard statements defending the democratic process and the nation's electoral framework, which President Jair Bolsonaro has regularly attacked in the spur of his reelection campaign.

The Brazilian President adopted extremist views against women, Afro-Brazilians, and the left. The deforestation of the lungs of the planet, the Amazon rainforest, has surged exponentially under his watch.

Before Jair Bolsonaro’s term began in January 2019, the Brazilian Amazon hadn’t recorded a single year with more than 10,000 square kilometers of deforestation in over a decade. Between 2009 and 2018, the average was 6,500 square kilometers. Since then, the annual average leaped to 11,405 square kilometers.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/too-tribal:-colorado-senator-switches-from-republican-to-dem

'Too tribal': Colorado Senator switches from Republican to Democrat

“I have become increasingly worried about our planet and the climate crisis we are facing,” Kevin Priola said, in a letter posted to social media on Monday, as he announced his switch to the Democrats, adding: “The Republican party I joined decades ago created national parks, preserved federal lands, and protected wildlife. President Nixon signed the legislation that created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Today, my Republican colleagues would rather deny the existence of human-caused climate change than take action.”

Priola commented such inaction would affect the residents of Colorado already subject to “a near year-round wildfire season” and “a seemingly never-ending drought”, referencing Republican attempts to block “reasonable climate measures”, and not being able to stay silent on the matter, with the last being Trump's withdrawal from the 2015 climate pact.

"Our planet and our democracy depend on it"

Once a Republican bastion, Colorado has been trending towards the left. Democrats already control the state senate, by 20-15 before Priola’s switch.

In his letter, Priola discussed discontent with the direction of the Republican party under Donald Trump, the former president who refuses to accept his defeat in 2020 while indicating he will run again in two years’ time.

“Like many Coloradans,” Priola wrote, “I watched the events on January 6 [2021] with horror. I felt that clearly this would be the last straw and that my party would now finally distance itself from Donald Trump and the political environment he created," before adding: “Week after week and month after month, I waited for that response. It never came.”

Priola commended “brave and honorable” Republicans who stood against Trump after the Capitol attack, including Utah senator Mitt Romney and Liz Cheney, the Wyoming congresswoman who last week lost her primary after taking a leading role in the House January 6 committee which is looking over the Capitol attack.

“Fear-mongering to raise money or motivate voters is nothing new,” Priola wrote, “but it has been taken to a dangerous and destabilizing level. I cannot continue to be part of a political party that is OK with a violent attempt to overturn a free and fair election and continues to peddle claims that the 2020 election was stolen,” he argued.

Priola said he became a Republican due to the examples of Richard Nixon – the only president to resign in disgrace – and Ronald Reagan, but would now caucus with Democrats despite not sharing many of their positions. Priola was elected in 2020 after he won a narrow race in the 25th senate district in the Denver suburbs. He is due to serve until 2025.

“Our affiliations have become too tribal,” he wrote. “I’ve always been an independent thinker and … I don’t plan to change that. I do not believe either party has a monopoly on the truth. For instance, my pro-life position, school choice [support], and pro-second amendment stance often run counter to the Democratic party platform.”

Looking towards the November elections in which Republicans on the national stage will seek to take back Congress, he further stated: “we are in the midst of an election that will determine which party controls the [Colorado] senate chamber. Even if there continue to be issues that I disagree with the Democratic party on, there is too much at stake right now for Republicans to be in charge.”

Saying he had decided to “align with truth over conspiracy”, Priola concluded: “We need Democrats in charge because our planet and our democracy depend on it.”

Priola has often voted with Democrats on legislation intended to address climate change and other issues. He said he will caucus with Senate Democrats but continue an independent streak that includes strong opposition to abortion.

>> Saving the planet!? What a stupid excuse.

>>17431693

Mayadeen use double talk. Depending on the context, when they say USA it actually means Deeps State; and when they say Ukraine, they actually mean Israel. When Putin makes comments about Ukraine, not all are about Ukraine per say, but some are for Israel. It's a game in the end.

>>17431697

Hawass is swamp creature

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/najib-razak-first-malaysian-pm-to-be-jailed-following-1mdb-s

Najib Razak first Malaysian PM to be jailed following 1MDB scandal

Malaysian prosecutors have said some $4.5 billion were stolen from the 1MDB (1Malaysia Development Berhad) state fund, which was co-founded in 2009 and was supposed to promote development when Najib Razak was the prime minister.

“We find the appeal devoid of any merits. We find the conviction and sentence to be safe,” Chief Justice Maimun Tuan Mat said on Tuesday on behalf of a five-judge panel, adding: “Based on the foregoing, it is our unanimous view that the evidence led during the trial points overwhelmingly to guilt on all seven charges.”

Much of the money raised was allegedly embezzled. The US Justice Department says that some $2.7 billion of the $6.5 billion the Goldman Sachs Group (a global investment banking, securities and investment management firm) helped raise for 1MDB was stolen by people connected to Najib and diverted for bribes, a luxury yacht, fine art, and even funding for the Martin Scorsese film “The Wolf of Wall Street.”

Najib’s loss in his final appeal indicates that he will have to begin serving his sentence immediately, becoming the first former prime minister to be jailed. The former prime minister has been on bail since 2018, pending the appeal as an appellate court in December denied his appeal, prompting him to go to the Federal Court for a final recourse.

A lower court in July 2020 found Najib guilty of abuse of power, money laundering, and criminal breach of trust over the transfer of $10.1m (42 million Malaysian ringgit) from SRC International, a former unit of 1MDB, to his personal bank account.

The Chief Justice commented that “it would have been a travesty of justice of the highest order if any reasonable tribunal, faced with such evidence staring it in the face, were to find that the appellant is not guilty of the seven charges preferred against him”.

The Federal Court decision was handed down after a tribunal threw out a last-minute move by Najib’s lawyers to protest the chief justice from hearing the case, alleging bias on her part.

Najib is a UK-educated son of one of Malaysia’s founding fathers who had been groomed for the prime minister’s post from a young age.

>> Botox lips.

>>17431727

Thank you for pointing it out.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/nasrallah:-israels-threats-regarding-demarcation-deal-are-wo

Nasrallah: ‘Israel’s’ threats regarding demarcation deal are worthless

Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said on Monday that the 2000 victory ended the so-called "Greater Israel" project and shattered the myth of the "invincible army".

Sayyed Nasrallah's speech came during a festival organized by Hezbollah on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of its establishment.

The Resistance leader considered that one of the results of the legendary steadfastness in the July 2006 war was thwarting the so-called "New Middle East" project and ending the "Greater Israel" project, not to mention the Resistance's engagement in the file of restoring Lebanon's oil and gas rights.

Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that propaganda campaigns, distortion attempts, and lies can never destroy the will of this Resistance.

"In 2006, they failed to crush the Resistance, which came out stronger and more powerful than ever," he stressed.

He also indicated that the Resistance is heading in the direction of developing its military structure and capabilities to keep pace with the developments at the level of weapons and technology.

During his speech, Sayyed Nasrallah emphasized that the "Army, People, and Resistance" golden equation has become solid, whether included in the ministerial statement or not, stressing that liberating the rest of the occupied Lebanese land is a national responsibility.

The Lebanese leader pointed out that the Resistance's responsibilities in the next stage are to establish the deterrence equations necessary for protecting Lebanon's land, people, and wealth.

Regarding the file of border demarcation with occupied Palestine, Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that the Israeli threats are to no avail, adding that Hezbollah's decision and approach are clear and "we are waiting for the coming days to act accordingly."

In his speech, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah underlined that the Palestinian cause is part of the religion, culture, and honor of this nation, stressing that there is no place for abandonment, neutrality, or retreat when it comes to this cause.

The core of Hezbollah's strategy toward the Palestinian cause is based on the ultimate conviction that the Palestinian people will continue to resist and reject nationalization and normalization, he indicated.

Part 1

>>17431742

"Our bet is on young people like Charbel Abu Daher and Nadia Fawaz, who refused to compete against the Israeli," he said.

Addressing Syria, which Hezbollah Secretary-General described as the backbone of the Axis of Resistance and the steadfastness front, characterized by ultimate refusal to Israeli conditions, he stressed, “By the day, we grow increasingly convinced of the validity of our choice and decision to go to Syria."

In this context, Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that "if Syria is exposed to any similar attacks, we will not hesitate to engage in the battlefields on its side.”

He said, "It is our duty to thank our fellow brothers in Syria who, throughout 40 years, stood by us, welcomed us with arms wide open, and provided us with political, diplomatic, and security protection, which we deeply thank Syria and its leadership for."

Sayyed Nasrallah added, "We will remain an integral part of the Axis of Resistance, which we trust will always be the solid basis for confronting hegemony projects and defending holy sites," pointing out that "Iran is the major regional power on which all the Resistance movements and the downtrodden people in the region rely."

He also revealed that Hezbollah contributed within its capabilities to fighting ISIS in Iraq and stressed that "if Iraq is exposed to this again and asks us, as in previous years, for help, we will not hesitate to send our leaders and fellow freedom fighters to go and fight side by side with our Iraqi brothers there."

On the relationship with Gulf states, the Lebanese leader said, "We had no problem in developing Lebanon's relations, especially with the Gulf, but some aim at turning Lebanon into an affiliate, which cannot be tolerated.”

Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that Hezbollah “will never be dragged and will not go into a civil war or engage in a sectarian strife,” recalling the Tayouneh ambush, in which a number of Lebanese citizens were martyred after snipers opened fire at unarmed peaceful protesters in Tayouneh, Beirut from the rooftops of buildings where they had stationed themselves.

Therefore, he called for addressing this issue, just as others, as it is linked to civil peace.

Hezbollah chief stressed that throughout the party's 40 years in Lebanon, "we avoided slipping into any civil war or sectarian strife, and this was what was being prepared for Lebanon in 2005, but we cooperated with the political forces to save Lebanon from going into war and falling prey to sectarian strife."

In this context, Sayyed Nasrallah considered that “internal security and stability are the responsibility of the state and should be governed by the cooperation of the various state components."

"Some are making every effort to drag the Resistance into a clash with the Lebanese army and security forces, and this is a permanent and declared American project," he stressed.

To this end, Sayyed Nasrallah reminded the people that "the shooting on the Airport Bridge demonstration against the Oslo agreement was not the decision of the army, but rather a major breach within the personnel on the ground.”

The Resistance leader pointed out that among the achievements is the transition of the relationship between Hezbollah and the Amal movement from a negative position to a very positive one, leading to integration.

He said that Hezbollah is keen to maintain a permanent relationship with the Amal movement that is based on integration, cooperation, and unity, especially on major issues, pointing out that in the next stage, "we will remain keen on maintaining our understanding with the Free Patriotic Movement, as well as strengthening and developing it."

Nasrallah affirmed that Hezbollah will continue to be present in future governments to defend the people's interests mainly due to the party’s clear political vision about the internal situation, indicating that Hezbollah’s main aim in the next stage is to cooperate with various political forces in order to build a just and capable state.

“We strongly believe in the principle of partnership between the Lebanese components away from exclusivity," he said.

The Hezbollah Secretary-General stressed that the Resistance party will continue to serve people in all frameworks, institutions, and regions, despite the siege, sanctions, pressure, and threats against anyone who donates money to Hezbollah, reiterating that the Lebanese party will strengthen its institutions and that serving people is a core commitment and one of the greatest acts of worship.

“We are now in the eye of the storm, and this expresses the extent of our commitment to alleviate the living conditions and economic situation of the Lebanese people," Sayyed Nasrallah said.

Part 2

>>17431770

The Lebanese leader considered that "we are looking forward to a real sovereign country that is not subjugated to an American embassy or any other embassy or foreign hegemony," noting that "the interference of the US embassy in the affairs of the Lebanese ministries is at its utmost level."

Sayyed Nasrallah indicated that Hezbollah sees that the international developments are positive and "in the interest of the Axis of Resistance and true sovereignty.”

Part 3 - End

>> Ya Sayyidna, enta woul general 3a rasna, bass b7eb wassil risélé: mish kel el sha3eb 3am bi youssallo moussé3adét. El wade3 bi yer3oub wou shaba7 el mot 3a wjouh ktir men yalli biyed3amouk, bas hénné men joumhour téné. Fi ness 7aléta 7alé, ma ma3a tékoul. Wou manno shakhess 2aw tnén = 3addad kbir men el sha3eb taba2 wousta saro bel fe2er. Ana fehmén yalli 3am bi sir, bass shfa2o 3al 3alam ba2a. Sarlna fo2 el 50 sénné ma7rou2 dinna kermel halwassét nès m3a2adine wou maridine. Ma bé2elna rou7 ta tetela3. 2akalna ktir dareb. El 7aké yalli 3am bi2oulo manno fantaza. Wou ba3doun el za3ran henné zétoun wou 3ayshin merte7in ma3 kel el massaré yalli 3am tejioun men 2asyédoun men barra. El shitan 3am bi yed3am wou yisnoud el shitan, bass min 7essis bi waja3 el sha3eb?

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/netherlands-to-send-80m-to-ukraine-in-new-aid-package

Netherlands to send $80m to Ukraine in new aid package

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/trump-sues-fbi-over-mar-a-lago-raid

Trump sues FBI over Mar-a-Lago raid

Former US President Donald Trump is taking the US government to court over the FBI's raid and search of his Mar-a-Lago estate.

Trump aims to initiate this bid to stop the federal agency from delving into the material seized from him until a special court official can be appointed to review the documents in question.

"The suit argues that the court should appoint a special master – usually a retired lawyer or judge – because the FBI potentially seized privileged materials in its search and the Department of Justice (DoJ) should not itself decide what it can use in its investigation," Trump's lead attorney told The Guardian on Saturday regarding the suit issued on Monday.

Trump is facing a criminal investigation over potential violations of the Espionage Act and additional statutes relating to obstruction of justice, as well as the destruction of federal government records, according to the search warrant executed by FBI agents at the former President's home.

The violation of the Espionage Act has a possible punishment of 10 years in federal prison, the statute for obstruction carries a maximum sentence of 20 years, and the statute for the destruction of records carries a potential lifetime ban on holding public office.

The suit called the search "a shockingly aggressive move" with "no understanding of the distress that it would cause most Americans". The suit also detailed the raid in a subjective manner and detailed so-called "unfair actions" by the DoJ.

Trump's suit also made an attempt to highlight that the former president was intending to run again in 2024 and continue his pursuit of sitting in the oval office once again.

The suit asserted that the investigation into Trump is politically-motivated, saying: "Politics cannot be allowed to impact the administration of justice."

"President Donald J Trump is the clear frontrunner in the 2024 Republican presidential primary and in the 2024 general election, should he decide to run," the suit added.

"Law enforcement is a shield that protects Americans. It cannot be used as a weapon for political purposes," it said, further asserting that the probe into Trump and the raid on his home were politically-motivated.

Days after the FBI raided Trump's Mar-a-Lago property in Palm Beach, Florida, the contents of the search warrant were made public.

The FBI took 11 boxes worth of papers, including data deemed to be so secret that they could not be stated individually in the "receipt" of what was taken.

Trump had 300 classified documents after leaving office

Trump reportedly had more than 300 classified documents in his possession after leaving office, half of which the National Archives unsealed in January, alerting the DoJ to what eventually led to the FBI raid of his Florida estate.

A New York Times report revealed Monday that the large amount of classified materials recovered by the government is what led to a federal criminal investigation into Trump.

In addition to the 150 documents recovered by the National Archives in January and the documents given to the DoJ in June by Trump aides, the documents recovered in the Mar-a-Lago raid raised a total of more than 300 classified documents recovered by Washington, the NYT said.

Trump and the National Archives have been at each other's throats since the former left office in 2021 after the agency found that he was in possession of White House documents that he should have turned over to the government upon the end of his term.

The dramatic FBI raid on Donald Trump's palatial Florida residence has supercharged the bitter, polarizing political debate around the slew of judicial investigations facing the former President as he considers another White House run.

The whole debacle with the Department of Justice deals a Trump mighty legal blow, which constitutes his latest, as he fights numerous other cases, including the January 6 Capitol riots, which could obstruct his path to a new presidency at the White House in 2024.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/90-dutch-troops-training-ukrainian-soldiers-in-uk:-mod

90 Dutch troops training Ukrainian soldiers in UK: MoD

Some 90 Dutch troops have direct involvement in the training of Ukrainian armed forces in the United Kingdom, the Defense Ministry of the Netherlands said Tuesday.

Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren paid on Monday a working visit to the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, where she discussed military support for Ukraine with Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov.

"At present, 90 Dutch military personnel are in the United Kingdom to give basic military training to Ukrainian soldiers," the Dutch Defense Ministry said in a statement.

"The Netherlands has also provided equipment to the Ukrainian explosive ordnance disposal service, and together, with a partner country, is investigating the possibilities for support to Ukraine through related training and sharing expertise," it said.

The Netherlands had agreed in late February to ship 200 Stinger air defense missiles to Ukraine in response to a request by the Ukrainian government.

"There was a careful but, given the circumstances, shortened check to make sure this meets weapons exports criteria," Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra and Defense Minister Kasja Ollongren said in a briefing to MPs at the time.

Stinger missiles can be used against aircraft at a range of up to five kilometers. The Dutch army has two types of Stinger missiles: portable missiles that can be fired from the shoulder and another type that can be mounted on armored vehicles.

The Netherlands announced earlier today that it would be sending Kiev $80 million in aid and investment, in addition to further funds.

"Additional funds (10 million euros) will also be allocated to projects aimed at clearing mines and other explosive ordnances left by the war. Furthermore, the Netherlands has reserved 1 million euros to support the first plans for the reconstruction of the municipalities of Kherson, Odesa, and Mykolaiv," the Dutch foreign ministry announced.

The Dutch support for Kiev comes amid mass energy shortages in the country, as Amsterdam, like the entire of Europe, will not be able to pump enough gas into the storage facilities by winter without contingency measures.

In June, the European Union agreed to put an end to all Russian oil imports, despite Europe's heavy dependence on Russian energy.

The Netherlands is not alone in providing training and arms to Ukraine, as the United States has been providing training for Ukrainian soldiers when it comes to arms they are not accustomed to. However, these arms are still ending up on the black market due to "inexperience".

So far, the US has sent 16 HIMARS to Ukraine and pledged to send two NASAMS on July 1.

The US State Department issued a statement earlier this month written by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, announcing that he is authorizing the US' largest single drawdown of arms and equipment to support Ukraine.

"This eighteenth drawdown since August 2021 of up to $1 billion includes arms, munitions, and equipment from US Department of Defense inventories for Ukraine’s self-defense," the statement said.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/poland:-germany-is-the-force-behind-eu-imperial-tendencies

Poland: Germany is the force behind EU imperial tendencies

Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau has commented in a lengthy opinion piece for the Polish Rzeczpospolita journal, that despite Brussels claiming to be standing up to "the imperialist threat posed by Russia", the EU itself is not free of “imperialistic tendencies," - naming Germany as one of the driving forces behind these aspirations.

Rau described one of the indicators of imperialist behavior being the EU frequently witnessing its larger members attempt to “dominate one’s partners, impose one’s arguments on them, disregard their rights, interests, and needs, or pay no attention to their protests,”.

He further urged the EU to reform decision-making processes that would fortify the role of smaller bloc members, arguing that the bloc hardly suffers from a lack of “the most powerful member states’ aspirations to hold sway", adding: “Small and medium-sized states, who are disproportionately less capable of building effective coalitions” are “doomed to lose” the vote even when their own essential interests or needs are affected.

Rau claimed that their fate is then “decided by others, which means that their freedom is fundamentally violated”, believing the increased role of the majority vote in the EU decision-making process advocated by Berlin poses a particular threat to freedom and equality within the bloc.

The end of Germany’s competitive advantage

Larger EU nations like Germany possess “an unquestionable economic advantage and demographic potential” that also translates into “a voting power in the EU’s decision-making process, which small and medium-sized states are unable to counterbalance even by acting together,” according to Rau. The minister also claimed that Berlin uses this advantage to pursue its national interests at the expense of the “dominated” states.

Germany in particular was blamed by the minister for striking the Nord Stream gas pipeline deal with Russia to ensure a “competitive advantage in the common market” and push the entire bloc into dependence on Russian energy, which has led to the current energy crisis that the EU is now trying to solve by calling on all member states to reduce their gas consumption by 15% between August 1 and March 31, 2023, which amount to a whopping 45 billion cubic meters of gas.

Poland has previously bought gas from Russia, but this past spring it refused to pay for the deliveries in Russian rubles under a new arrangement suggested by Moscow in light of EU restrictions. According to Bloomberg, rather than agreeing to the scheme, Warsaw started buying Russian gas from other EU member states.

“Gaining a dominant market position came at the expense of not only undermining the level playing field but also of European economies becoming dependent on Russian supplies of energy sources and the security interests of some EU member states and Ukraine,” claimed Rau.

“The end of Germany’s competitive advantage in the common market has resulted in a proposal – insisted on by Germany – that all member states voluntarily cut their gas consumption by 15%, including those countries that have persistently warned their European partners against becoming dependent on Russia,” he added, urging that Berlin cut down both its economic and political ambitions. “If the German offer is to defend the EU from imperialism, which Germany feels responsible to do, the Union does not need German leadership but German self-limitation,” he said.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/un-calls-on-an-investigation-into-darya-duginas-assassinatio

UN calls on an investigation into Darya Dugina's assassination

>> a bunch of hypocrites.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/miscellaneous/more-beirut-port-northern-silos-collapse

More Beirut Port northern silos collapse

A new northern part of Beirut port's grain silos collapsed on Tuesday in a cloud of dust after a fire has been noticed burning inside for days, a witness told Sputnik.

"The northern part of the granaries sloped on Monday night and completely collapsed today, raising a large pillar of dust," the witness said.

Fermenting wheat was causing fires in the silos, which have been burning since early July, according to Lebanese Economy Minister Amin Salam.

The southern block still stands next to the charred ruins.

The 48-meter-tall silos had withstood the impact of the massive explosion that shook Lebanon two years ago, shielding the western part of Beirut from the blast that took the lives of over 200 people, wounded more than 6,000, and badly damaged entire neighborhoods.

Experts had been warning for days that the silos could collapse imminently after recording unprecedented inclination rates.

Beirut port's grain silos partially collapsed end of July, just before the second-year anniversary of the disastrous port explosion.

The Minister of Public Works and Transport in the Lebanese caretaker government, Ali Hamiyeh, said that two silos had collapsed from the northern side. The total number of grain silos is 40, and the minister said he expected most of the silos to collapse.

Several more grain silos damaged by the 2020 Beirut port explosion collapsed only days after the first two silos, as hundreds marched toward them to mark the second anniversary of the disaster.

It is worth noting that Hamiyeh said the silos structure building is no longer considered a crime scene as per a judicial decision, stressing, "We are determined to rebuild it."

The fires started to erupt in the northern part of the silos due to the fermentation of the remaining grain stocks, exacerbated by scorching weather temperatures, according to authorities.

Najib Mikati, Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister, had warned that the silos would soon fall.

He warned workers, civil defense members, and firefighters to keep their distance from the location while keeping the army on alert.

The silos hold a capacity of over 100,000 tons and have become a symbol of the Beirut explosion.

In April, the Lebanese government ordered that the premises be demolished; however, it was suspended due to objections, especially from the families of the victims who demand turning the silos into a memorial site of the catastrophe.

The authorities were not able to extract the 3,000 tons of wheat and corn that were stuck in the silos, since the move would probably accelerate the collapse.

The ministries of environment and health have been warning the public to evacuate the port area and wear masks in case the silos collapse.

On August 4, which marked the second anniversary of the explosion, Hezbollah expressed once again its condolences to "the families of all martyrs, Christians, and Muslims, Lebanese and non-Lebanese," as well as the wounded and their families, most notably those who are still in hospitals, on the second anniversary of the tragic explosion at the port of Beirut.

In a statement, Hezbollah reaffirmed its stance, calling for a just investigation into the Beirut port blast which is based on legal principles and away from any political and sectarian bias.

>>17431889

>>17431902

Rapid fire

>>17431914

>>17431913

Grabbing my pop corn for the show.