https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/camilo-guevara-son-of-che-dies

Camilo Guevara, son of Che, dies

The eldest son of revolutionary leader Che Guevara, Camilo, died from a stroke on a trip to Venezuela.

Born in the early 1960s, he passionately lived his life to preserve Che's legacy and ensure that his father's timeless words, as well as actions, are remembered worldwide.

When one looks at him or listens to his words, it becomes clear that Camilo Guevara has always unmistakably been his father's son. His look hints at how Che's well-known features would have matured hadn't he been killed in Bolivia at the young age of 40, during the height of his anti-imperialist efforts.

Despite not having any official title, the vocal activist reiterated that any talks between Washington and Havana can only succeed if the US respects Cuban sovereignty, and take out the remaining obstacles that D.C. itself planted, most notably the economic embargo - the longest in human history -and the US navy occupation of Guantánamo Bay.

Who is Che Guevara?

Ernesto Guevara de la Serna, better known as Che Guevara, was born in Rosario Argentina on June 14,1928.

He has earned his nickname from his frequent use of the expression—Che an interjection commonly used in Argentina.

The iconic leader was a theoretician and tactician of guerrilla warfare, a prominent communist figure in the Cuban Revolution, and a guerrilla leader in South America.

Che roamed the world and helped multiple revolutions across Africa and the Arab world with his guerilla tactics and views.

He also became known for being a staunch fighter against neocolonialism and imperialism.

It is worth noting that the Cuban revolutionary leader supported the Palestinian cause. Guevara's historic visit to Palestinian Gaza in 1959 continues to stand as a token of resilience for liberation and resistance movements in Palestine and the world.

He was executed by the Bolivian army in 1967.

On this occasion, it goes without saying that Che's resistance, integrity, and solidarity are what we are in need of to liberate the oppressed nations, such as Palestine, Yemen, and any country in the world from Western imperialism, colonialism, and military occupation.

Aleida Guevara: "We Must Fight Alongside the Palestinians”

“My father would have always stood on the side of oppressed nations,” said Elaida Guevara, daughter of famed revolutionary Che Guevara on the 54th anniversary of his assassination.

In an interview with Al Mayadeen, Aleida revealed her belief that had her father remained alive, things would have been different in Bolivia and Argentina, as he most assuredly would not have surrendered due to his belief in “fight for the oppressed or die fighting.”

Che’s visit to the Middle East was also recalled, with Aleida describing his conscious realization of the boiling nature of the region due to colonization, the harsh circumstances surrounding its populations, and the endless pressures performed by major powers trying to steal its resources, “notably its oil.”

Linking the current divisions of the Arab world with the Marxist revolutionary’s experience in Cuba, she stressed the importance of “people’s unification”, notably as the sectarian rifts sowed by European colonial powers are dangerously threatening the Arab World’s unity and ability to progress.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/us-weapon-supplies-uncomfortably-low-due-to-ukraine-supplies

US weapon supplies 'uncomfortably low' due to Ukraine aid - WSJ

The war in Ukraine has reduced US military inventories of certain types of ammunition, as the US continues to supply Kiev with billions of dollars worth of weaponry, according to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ). In turn, the US Department of Defense has been hesitant to replenish its arsenal, raising fears among US officials that the shortfall might undermine military readiness.

According to the WSJ, citing defense sources, the US has armed Ukraine with 16 HIMARS rocket launchers, hundreds of drones, missiles, and other weapons during the previous six months, a large portion of which, including the ammunition, has come directly from US inventories, depleting supplies intended for unforeseen threats.

Howitzers, of which Kiev received 806,000 rounds of ammunition, can accurately strike targets dozens of kilometers away with 155mm ammunition weighing nearly 100 pounds each, are among the deadliest weapons the Pentagon has delivered, said the WSJ.

At that time, the newspaper reported citing a US defense official, the quantity of 155mm combat ammunition in US military storage has dropped to "uncomfortably low" levels in recent weeks. The official added that the US has not been involved in significant military confrontation, as such the levels are not currently critical, noting that "It is not at the point where we would wish to engage in battle."

Last week, the US occupation in Syria launched a howitzer attack targeting Syrian territory and residents in violation of its sovereignty. This shows that the US does use such weaponry in its ongoing confrontations.

The US army claimed that in order to help Ukraine while safeguarding "our own supply needs," the military is now undertaking "an ammunitions industrial base deep dive." The Army said it also requested $500 million in annual upgrades for its munitions factories from Capitol Hill. According to military officials, as per the WSJ report, the military is relying on existing contracts to enhance ammunition output but hasn't signed new ones to cover the greater sums it will need to replace its inventories.

Citing US military sources, the WSJ revealed that Army Gen. Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has been reviewing the military arsenal on a monthly basis to see if the readiness levels are still suitable given the demand for ammunition in Ukraine. According to the authorities, the US last week sent Ukraine 105mm howitzer ammunition as a result of worries over its stockpiles of 155mm ammunition.

This week, Washington stated that it was allocating over $3 billion for long-term aid meant to be sent to Ukraine, increasing the country's total expenditure on weapons to $14 billion knowing that, according to the WSJ report, US President Joe Biden has requested a $773 billion Pentagon budget for the following year.

>>17465014

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/trumps-unique-offer:-declare-him-president-or-redo-the-2020

Trump's unique offer: Declare him president or redo the 2020 elections

Former US President Donald Trump called on Monday for himself to be announced the “rightful winner” of the 2020 presidential election, or if not, for the votes to be recounted again. Trump’s tantrum came after Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg claimed that he limited the spread of a story damaging to Joe Biden’s campaign on the advice of the FBI.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote "So now it comes out, conclusively, that the FBI buried the Hunter Biden laptop story before the election," adding that the agency did so deliberately “if they didn’t, ‘Trump would have easily won the 2020 Presidential Election’.”

“This is massive fraud and election interference at a level never seen before in our country,” Trump continued, stating that as a “remedy,” he should be declared the “rightful winner,” or that the government in this case should “declare the 2020 election irreparably compromised and have a new election, immediately!”

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told podcast host Joe Rogan last week that Facebook strived to limit the reach of a New York Post story concerning Hunter Biden’s laptop in the lead-up to the 2020 election. Since having been independently verified as genuine, the laptop contained details of Joe Biden’s son’s drug use, activities with prostitutes, and foreign business transactions - some of which stood to benefit his father.

The FBI “came to us”, Zuckerberg noted, and warned that “there’s about to be some kind of dump” of “Russian propaganda.” The Biden campaign also falsely indicated that the laptop’s contents as “Russian propaganda” at the time, but not much could be done, regardless of Trump's objections, as he already pointed fingers at Biden for winning by fraud and referring to ballot harvesting (the practice of groups collecting and turning in individual voters’ completed election ballots, which sometimes implies voter fraud).

Trump also accused Biden of alleged abuse of mail-in voting, and claims of late-night pauses in counting followed by “dumps” of ballots for Biden at voting locations in key swing states. Trump filed multiple lawsuits opposing his loss, but none were successful as of the few that courts agreed to hear.

However, Facebook was not the sole platform limiting the spread of Hunter's laptop story, since Twitter banned any mention of the New York Post article and temporarily suspended it from its platform, while other media outlets, who now acknowledge that the laptop controversy was real, refused to cover the story.

In a statement released following Zuckerberg’s interview, the FBI disclosed that it "routinely notifies US private sector entities, including social media providers, of potential threat information, so that they can decide how to better defend against threats." But the agency noted that it “cannot ask, or direct, companies to take action.” and did not clarify why it classified the contents of the laptop as a “threat.”

Zuckerberg's revelation comes amid the FBI investigation into Trump's Mar-a-Lago home for his mishandling and hiding of top-secret documents. US Senator Lindsey Graham warned on Sunday of "riots in the streets" if the former president faces charges over this case, making the volatile prediction during an interview with Fox News' Sunday Night in America's host and former congressman Trey Gowdy, stressing, “If there’s a prosecution of Donald Trump for mishandling classified information, after the Clinton debacle… there’ll be riots in the streets.”

Later that evening, Trump shared a clip of the interview on Truth Social.

>>Trump continued, stating that as a “remedy,”

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/ukrainian-shelling-on-zaporozhye-tore-through-fuel-storage-b

Ukrainian shelling on Zaporozhye tore through fuel storage building

The Ukrainian troops, upon shelling the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, tore through the roof of the special building where the fuel for the nuclear reactor is stored, breaking it as a result of the aggression, according to Vladimir Rogov, a member of the main council of the Zaporozhye region military-civil administration.

"The roof of the special building No. 1 of the Zaporizhzhia NPP has been broken as a result of a strike by [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy's militants. Fresh fuel for the ZNPP reactors is stored in this building," Rogov wrote.

The physical damages sustained on the facilities will be assessed by the IAEA mission upon arrival, where they will also determine the operability of the main and backup security and safety systems, according to the organization's statement.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said on Monday that the IAEA mission is already heading to the ZNPP and will be arriving on site this week.

"Once reaching Zaporizhzhya later this week, ISAMZ will assess the physical damage to the facilities, determine the functionality of the main and backup safety and security systems, and evaluate the working conditions of the control room staff. At the same time, the mission will undertake urgent safeguards activities to verify that nuclear material is used only for peaceful purposes," the statement says.

Washington, on its part, believes that a controlled shutdown of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant (ZNPP) reactors will be the most secure option in the short term, according to White House National Security Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby.

"We continue to believe that a controlled shutdown of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear reactors would be the safest and least risky option in the near term," Kirby said.

On Monday, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said that a group of IAEA experts headed by Grossi are going on a mission to ZNPP, arriving later in Kiev in the day.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/egypt-rations-power-to-increase-foreign-reserves

Egypt rations power to increase foreign reserves

Egypt has been plunged into darkness due to the crisis caused by the Ukraine war, as the government is trying to set aside some energy for export and boost its reserves of hard currency.

Egypt, the world's biggest wheat importer, was heavily reliant on Russia and Ukraine for its supplies of grain, taking in 80% of its imports from the two countries, which meant that the Ukraine war and the imposition of sanctions on Moscow took their toll on the Arab state.

In the wake of the war, Egypt went to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a loan. It took on the path of pumping more natural gas abroad to bolster its hard currency reserves, which drew a lot of criticism against Cairo.

The Ukraine war also affected the country's lucrative tourism sector, restricting holidaymakers to the country suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic and still trying to recover from the 2011 political crisis.

Economic growth slowed to 3.2% in the fourth quarter of 2021-2022 against 7.7% last year, although the annual expansion was 6.6%.

The Egyptian economy has taken a huge hit, with inflation reaching 14.6% in July, which prompted a hike in the price of imports and slashed forex reserves by $7.8 billion since February to $33.1 billion in July.

Egypt is currently holding talks for an IMF loan to help mitigate the fallout from the Ukraine war on the country, where 30% of its population of 103 million lives in poverty.

Biden said in July that Washington will be providing $1 billion in assistance to ease the food security situation in the Middle East, with $50 million provided to Egypt in particular.

Egypt has contracted 180,000 tonnes of wheat from India, which will be delivered in the near future, Egyptian Minister of Supply and Internal Trade Ali Moselhi said in late June.

On May 14, India imposed a ban on wheat exports to ensure the country’s food security. Consequently, the price of wheat in Europe soared to a record $455 per ton.

Less than three months into the war, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said the Egyptian economy suffered $7 billion in direct losses due to the Ukraine crisis.

The Egyptian government has adopted some measures to reduce the negative impact of global events on the economy. The measures include strengthening the private sector and localization of industry while boosting the Egyptian stock exchange.

>>17465049

Yup, it's coming.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/moscow:-kiev-offensive-in-kherson-failed

Moscow: Kiev offensive in Kherson failed

Russia's military repelled an offensive launched by the Ukrainian armed forces in Mykolaiv and Kherson, which they carried out at the behest of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday, adding that the Ukrainian units suffered major losses.

"Today, during the day, on the direct orders of Zelenskyy, Ukrainian troops attempted an offensive in Mykolaiv and Kherson regions in three directions," Moscow said.

"As a result of the active defense of the grouping of Russian troops, units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces suffered heavy losses," the ministry added. "Another attempt at offensive actions by the enemy failed miserably."

The Ukrainian armed forces lost more than 560 troops, 26 tanks, and two attack aircraft during the attempted offensive, the Russian ministry revealed.

Ukrainian forces have launched a counter-attack to retake the southern region of Kherson, which is currently under the control of Russian troops, a local government official said on Monday.

"Ukrainian armed forces have launched their offensive in several areas in the south," the head of the regional administration, Yaroslav Yanushevych, said on Telegram.

"Today there was a powerful artillery attack on enemy positions in … the entire territory of the occupied Kherson region," Sergey Khlan, a local deputy and adviser to the regional governor told Ukraine's Pryamyi TV channel.

"This is the announcement of what we have been waiting for since the spring - it is the beginning of the end of the occupation of the Kherson region."

"What is happening now is a prepared, well-balanced start of a counteroffensive," Khlan told AFP.

"Today there was a powerful artillery attack on enemy positions in … the entire territory of the occupied Kherson region," Sergey Khlan, a local deputy and adviser to the regional governor told Ukraine's Pryamyi TV channel.

The region has been undergoing heavy battles for the past month, with Moscow reporting earlier this month that Russian forces neutralized approximately 500 Ukrainian nationalists in the Kherson region by strikes and artillery fire.

The Kherson Region in Ukraine is set to hold a referendum to become a full-fledged entity of the Russian Federation, according to the deputy head of the region’s military-civilian administration, Kirill Stremousov.

"The Kherson Region will forget about neo-Nazism already in the near future. We are getting ready for the referendum, we will hold it. I hope that in the near future already we will become a full-fledged territorial entity of the Russian Federation," Kirill Stremousov said in a video published on his Telegram channel.

Earlier in June, the first 23 Russian passports have been issued in the Kherson region, including to Vladimir Saldo, the head of the region's administration, a Sputnik correspondent reported on Saturday, June 11.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/international-concern-mounts-over-latest-developments-in-ira

International concern mounts over latest developments in Iraq

The situation in Iraq escalated after the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada Al-Sadr, announced his retirement from political work, followed by protests in Baghdad, which resulted in several deaths and injuries.

Moscow: Everyone in Iraq needs to calm down and resort to dialogue

A source in the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced, on Tuesday, that Moscow is closely following the developments in Iraq, and calls on the conflicting parties to exercise restraint and resort to dialogue.

"We are following how events develop. Of course, everyone needs to calm down and conduct a constructive dialogue," the source told Sputnik.

"Russia does not believe there is any serious danger for Russians in Iraq, but will continue to analyze the situation from the security point of view," the source added.

France: We call for maximum restraint

France expressed its "extreme concern". In a statement, the French MFA said that "France calls on the parties to exercise the utmost restraint, and calls on them to assume responsibility and stop the bloody clashes immediately."

It also called on "all Iraqi political leaders to reaffirm their adherence to the Iraqi constitutional framework and respect the integrity of Iraqi institutions that must operate without hindrance," highlighting "the need for all Iraqi political actors to engage in a true and constructive national dialogue that serves the interests of the Iraqi people to meet their aspirations for peace, stability, and security."

The United States: Now is the time for dialogue to resolve differences

The US Embassy in Baghdad stressed that Iraq's security, stability, and sovereignty should not be jeopardized, noting that "Now is the time for dialogue, not escalated confrontation."

"Reports of unrest throughout Iraq today are disturbing as Iraqi institutions are not being allowed to operate. The United States is concerned about escalating tensions and urges all parties to remain peaceful and refrain from acts that could lead to a cycle of violence. Iraq’s security, stability, and sovereignty should not be put at risk," the embassy said in a statement.

The statement further read that "the right to peaceful public protest is a fundamental element of all democracies, but demonstrators must also respect the institutions and property of the Iraqi government, which belong to and serve the Iraqi people and should be allowed to function."

UN urges steps to de-escalate the situation in Iraq

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged to take immediate steps to calm the situation and avoid any violence in Iraq.

"The Secretary-General has been following with concern the ongoing protests in Iraq today, during which demonstrators entered government buildings. He is particularly concerned about reports of casualties," said the spokesperson for the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

The statement noted that the SG "Appeals for calm and restraint and urges all relevant actors to take immediate steps to de-escalate the situation and avoid any violence," adding that "The Secretary-General strongly urges all parties and actors to rise above their differences and to engage, without further delay, in a peaceful and inclusive dialogue on a constructive way forward."

EU calls for 'utmost restraint'

In a brief statement, the European Union mission in Iraq called "on all parties to exercise the utmost restraint."

The Arab League: We are following with concern the developments in Iraq

Part 1

>>17465099

The official spokesperson for the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Jamal Rushdie, said, "The Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, is following with more concern the successive and dangerous developments on the Iraqi arena, and calls on all Iraqi parties to give priority to the national interest over any considerations."

The Secretary-General warned, according to the statement, of the situation's sliding into "more violence, chaos, and bloodshed," stressing "the need for restraint and directing the demonstrators of different groups to stay away from all armed manifestations."

In the same context, the Arab League called on the political parties in Iraq to uphold the national interest, stop the escalation and sit at the dialogue table.

On Monday, August 29, the head of the Sadrist parliamentary bloc in Iraq, Hassan Al-Adhari, announced that Al-Sadr will go on a hunger strike until the violence stops.

Dozens of Al-Sadr's supporters stormed the Green Zone in Baghdad, shortly after he announced his retirement from politics, and the police used water cannons against the demonstrators, where the government building and foreign embassies are located.

The Iraqi authorities imposed a nationwide curfew that began at 19:00 local time (16:00 GMT) on Monday until further notice, the Iraqi Security Forces Joint Command announced.

Part 2 - End

>>17465093

>>17465102

Bleached by HRC

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/russia-to-us:-pay-back-20-years-of-occupation-to-afghanistan

Russia to US: Pay back 20 years of occupation to Afghanistan

During the UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan, Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya called on his US counterpart Linda Thomas-Greenfield to return the money stolen from the Afghan people, rather than trying to make others pay for someone else’s bills.

In response, Thomas-Greenfield claimed during the council meeting that Russia allegedly lacks contribution to fund the restoration of Afghanistan, adding: "From the long-winded speculations of our US colleagues, this could be perceived as a call to Russia and China to pay for the restoration of Afghanistan. Allegedly, it is the US and its allies who are paying for everything, while all that Russia and China only do is just empty talk."

Nebenzya fired back at the US' representative comment with: "The cynicism of such claims is simply shocking. We are being called upon to pay for restoring the country, whose economy was effectively destroyed by the 20-year-long occupation by the US and NATO," the diplomat noted. "Instead of admitting its own mistakes and trying to fix them, we are being accused of being unwilling to pay for someone else’s bill. It is an interesting proposal.

"No, our dear former Western partners, it is you who must pay for your own mistakes," the diplomat specified. "And, for starters, it is necessary to return the money stolen from the Afghan people back to them. We have been helping and will help Afghanistan. And we suggest that you focus on paying the bills to the Afghan people for the 20 years of [your] pointless occupation, which destroyed Afghanistan and which put its people on the brink of survival."

He insisted that money cannot measure everything, nor can it measure the lives lost during the US' "imposition of democracy" in the region, and "nor can money buy the loyalty of the people of Afghanistan, which the US has completely lost, apparently".

Washington and its allies, according to Thomas-Greenfield, have been working to exclude Russia from the UN human rights council following Ukraine's appeal to oust Russia from the UN in late February.

The US officially withdrew its troops from Afghanistan in August of 2021 after 20 years of occupation, which left battles raging across Afghanistan between the Taliban and the Afghan army, with the former now controlling vast areas of the borders throughout the country.

After the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in August of last year, the US-backed government was dissolved, leaving behind over $7 billion in central bank assets deposited with the US Federal Reserve Bank in New York. US President Joe Biden then signed an executive order to release the $7 billion, claiming that they will be used for humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan and compensating American victims of "terrorism", including 9/11 families.

In response, the Taliban movement saw the US decision as a showcase of theft and US moral decline, according to Mohammad Naeem, a spokesperson for the Taliban political office, as he took to Twitter to say: "The theft of blocked money belonging to the people of Afghanistan by the United States, as well as taking possession of it, is a showcase of the human and moral decline of the country and people".

The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing US officials, that the United States will not release any of the $7 billion in Afghan central bank assets held on American soil and has halted relevant talks with the Taliban movement in the wake of the assassination of Al-Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri in Kabul last month.

Russian special envoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov affirmed Russia's stance on backing the demand of Afghanistan's new government that Afghan sovereign assets frozen on foreign bank accounts be restored to it. Kabulov reiterated Russia's position by commenting: "They — the West — froze Afghan assets, these are not the money of the Taliban, but the money of the Afghan people. And Russia now takes a highly moral position, we are already helping Afghanistan with humanitarian supplies".

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/us-survey:-40-of-americans-expecting-civil-war-within-decade

US survey: 40% of Americans expecting civil war within decade

More than two-fifths of US citizens consider a civil war inevitable in the next ten years, a figure that rises to more than half among self-identified "strong Republicans."

The findings of YouGov and the Economist research follow similar results in previous polls.

US Senator Lindsey Graham warned on Sunday of "riots in the streets" if former US President Trump faces charges over his handling of documents found when the FBI searched his Mar-a-Lago home.

His remarks prompted widespread anger.

On Monday, Mary McCord, a former acting deputy attorney general, said, as quoted by CNN, that it was “incredibly irresponsible for an elected official to basically make veiled threats of violence, just if law enforcement and the Department of Justice … does their job”.

Stating “People are angry, they may be violent”, McCord added, indicating “what [Trump] knows and what Lindsey Graham also knows … is that people listen to that and people actually mobilize and do things”.

"January 6 was the result of this same kind of tactic by President Trump and his allies," he stressed.

The January 6 Capitol attack left seven people dead and more than 100 officers injured, including four officers who later committed suicide. More than 700 persons have been charged as a result of the investigation.

According to a YouGov and the Economist poll, 65% of all respondents believe political violence has increased since the beginning of 2021. Furthermore, 62% expected political violence to increase in the coming years.

Eyeing its long history of political violence and assassination, current rising radicalism and fighting words increase jagged political division and explicitly warn of inevitable political violence.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/saudi-arabia-jails-another-woman-for-using-twitter

Saudi Arabia jails another woman for using Twitter

Court records reviewed by a human rights organization show that a second Saudi Arabian woman, Nourah bint Saeed Al-Qahtani, has been sentenced to decades in jail for using social media to "violate the public order" by the country's terrorism court.

A specialized criminal court allegedly found Al-Qahtani guilty of "using the internet to tear [Saudi Arabia's] social fabric" and sentenced her to 45 years in prison as a result, according to documents obtained and examined by Democracy for the Arab World Now (Dawn).

Dawn informed the Guardian of its findings, which the latter said had been corroborated by Saudi sources, in hopes that the public would be able to shed light on Al-Qahtani's case.

Abdullah Alaoudh, the director for the Gulf region at Dawn, said that Saudi authorities appear to have imprisoned Qahtani for “simply tweeting her opinions,” adding that “It is impossible not to connect the dots between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s meeting with [US] President Biden last month in Jeddah and the uptick in the repressive attacks against anyone who dares criticize the crown prince or the Saudi government for well-documented abuses.”

It doesn't seem like Qahtani had a Twitter account under her real name. Other Saudis who are thought to have posted satirical or critical information on Twitter behind aliases have also been detained and arrested according to The Guardian.

The laws of Saudi Arabia are made to give the government the most amount of discretion possible, including the ability to hold people in custody for violating broadly defined anti-terrorism laws like "disturbing public order" and "endangering national unity."

Earlier, Salma Al-Shehab, a 34-year-old mother of two, aged four and six, was initially sentenced to three years in prison for the "crime" of using an internet website to "cause public unrest and destabilize civil and national security."

However, on Monday, August 15, an appeals court handed down the new sentence, of 34 years in prison followed by a 34-year travel ban, after a public prosecutor requested that the court consider other alleged crimes.

Shehab was not a prominent or particularly vocal Saudi activist, neither in Saudi Arabia nor in the United Kingdom.

On Instagram, where she had only 159 followers, she described herself as a dental hygienist, medical educator, Ph.D. student at Leeds University, lecturer at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, wife, and mother to her sons, Noah and Adam.

“MBS’s ruthless repression machine”

The European Saudi Organization for Human Rights condemned Shehab's sentence, which it said was the longest ever imposed on an activist. It was noted that many female activists had been subjected to unfair trials that resulted in arbitrary sentences, as well as "severe torture," including sexual harassment.

Khalid Aljabri, a Saudi living in exile whose sister and brother are detained in Saudi Arabia, said the Shehab case demonstrated Saudi Arabia's view that dissent equals terrorism.

“Salman’s draconian sentencing in a terrorism court over peaceful tweets is the latest manifestation of MBS’s ruthless repression machine,” he said.

“Just like [journalist Jamal] Khashoggi’s assassination, her sentencing is intended to send shock waves inside and outside the kingdom – dare to criticize MBS and you will end up dismembered or in Saudi dungeons.”

While the case has received little attention, the Washington Post published a sarcastic editorial about Saudi Arabia's treatment of the Leeds student on Tuesday, stressing that her case demonstrated that the "commitments" the US President received on reforms were "a farce."

“At the very least, Mr. Biden must now speak out forcefully and demand that Ms. Shehab be released and allowed to return to her sons, 4 and 6 years old, in the United Kingdom, and to resume her studies there,” it read.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/kremlin:-eu-visa-ban-on-russians-cannot-remain-without-an-an

Kremlin: EU visa ban on Russians 'cannot remain without an answer'

The proposal that would ban Russian tourists from Europe has divided EU nations recently, with some nations in full support and others opposing the idea such as Georgia, which has underlined its stance on not joining the "sanctions train" that other European countries and the US have jumped on, with secretary general of the ruling Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia party, Kakha Kaladze, confirming that Georgia was open to Russian tourists.

During a two-day meeting in Prague that starts on Tuesday, EU foreign ministers will discuss the matter, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters: "We know that there are different views among Europeans on the matter. We will follow this closely. This is a very serious decision that could be directed against our citizens, …of course, such decisions cannot remain without an answer".

Brussels had enforced an abundance of continuous unexpected sanctions on Moscow as a response to the launch of the war in Ukraine. "Step by step", Peskov added, "Brussels and individual European capitals demonstrate an absolute lack of reason… This mix of irrationality, bordering on the insane, allows for such decisions (on visas) to be discussed".

The EU had already suspended the facilitation of Schengen visa procedures for Russian official delegations and business leaders, but short-stay visitors are exempt and are allowed to travel to the EU. Despite Ukraine's appeal to have Russian tourists forbidden completely from entering the EU, a symbolic suspension of the facilitation of visa applications is anticipated to take place.

Estonia proposed banning Russian citizens from entering Europe altogether in late July, with Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu saying that as a general rule, Estonia will recommend restricting Russian individuals' access to Europe. The Polish government underlined that it supported Estonian authorities' proposal for a European entry ban on Russian tourists and other types of travelers from Moscow as part of sanctions imposed on Russia due to the war in Ukraine.

Peskov previously touched on the issue of the Schengen region denying visas to Russians, underlining that this would prompt Moscow to take retaliatory measures.

Russian leisure travelers use Schengen visas, which are usually valid across 26 EU and associated countries including Switzerland and Norway. Schengen visas normally allow stays of up to 90 days in a 180-day rolling period. The Schengen Area is an area comprising 26 European countries, namely Austria, Hungary, Norway, Belgium, Iceland, Poland, Czech Republic, Italy, Portugal, Denmark, Latvia, Slovakia, Estonia, Liechtenstein, Slovenia, Finland, Lithuania, Spain, France, Luxembourg, Sweden, Germany, Malta, Switzerland, Greece, and the Netherlands.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/berlin-rules-out-sending-german-eu-troops-to-ukraine

Berlin rules out sending German, EU troops to Ukraine

Germany and the other member states of the European Union will not be sending their troops to Ukraine, Siemtje Moeller, the parliamentary state secretary of the Germany Defense Ministry, said on Tuesday.

Moeller, however, said the allied western countries would continue sending military assistance to Ukraine in light of the ongoing war.

"From our point of view, it is excluded," Moeller told reporters in Prague upon arrival for an informal EU defense ministers summit when asked about the prospect of Germany and other EU countries sending their military to Ukraine.

The official revealed that the informal meeting will see the defense ministers discussing - among other things - sending a high-level training mission for the Ukrainian armed forces, the official added.

Despite pledging more assistance, senior EU officials admit that there will most likely be a "crunch point" in the fall or early winter when EU countries begin to feel acute domestic economic pain as a result of the crisis.

Macron said that France will continue to support Ukraine with military, financial, and humanitarian aid until "victory" has been achieved on terms acceptable to Kiev. But behind these public statements of support for Ukraine lies a tug-of-war between Germany, France, and — before Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s downfall — Italy on the one hand, and Poland, the Baltics, and Nordics on the other.

The countries of the EU, mainly France and Germany, do not know what a "victory" might entail, and they continue to blindly aid Ukraine without knowing whether the war can be "won" without any escalations that directly involve NATO or the EU, or even Russia's use of unconventional weapons.

Germany is Ukraine's biggest European backer, with Berlin continuing to transfer weaponry to Ukraine that even its own forces do not have.

"We delivered whatever we had: anti-tank and anti-aircraft systems, mines, guns, tons of ammunition, and non-lethal aid. Since then, we've progressed to more intricate and valuable systems," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said earlier in the month.

Due to the transfer of arms to Ukraine, Russia already addressed a note to all countries. According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, any convoy containing arms for Ukraine will become a valid target for Russia.

Last month, German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht, reported by Germany's DPA news agency, said the German military is running out of weapons that can be sent to Ukraine, but Ukraine may still rely on Germany's assistance in the future.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/china-warns-sovereignty-violation-if-us-supplies-taipei-with

China warns sovereignty violation if US supplies Taipei with weapons

The spokesperson of the Chinese embassy to the US, Liu Pengyu, responded to the White House declaration asking the US Congress to approve a $1.1 billion weapons deal to Taiwan by saying that the US, through its military contact with Taipei and its decision to send arms, is violating the One China principle and thus should refrain from approving the deal.

"The US side needs to immediately stop arms sales to and military contact with Taiwan, stop creating factors that could lead to tensions in the Taiwan Strait, and follow through on the US government statement of not supporting ‘Taiwan independence,'" Liu Pengyu said.

The official further stated that China will continue to take decisive and forceful action to vehemently protect its security and sovereignty interests.

Politico previously reported that the White House is examining a package of weaponry for Taiwan that includes 60 AGM-84L Harpoon Block II anti-ship missiles ($355 million), 100 air-to-air AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder missiles ($85.6 million), as well as an extension of the deal for radars for $655.4 million.

China carried out its largest military drills around the self-governed island after a visit this month by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, which raised global alarms and pushed Beijing to resort to the use of military security to bring the island under control. The significance of Pelosi's visit is that it came at a time of great tensions between the US and China over Taiwan - marking the first visit made by a US House Speaker to the Island since 1997.

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https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/biden-requests-1bln-package-plan-for-taiwan-military

Biden requests $1bln package plan for Taiwan military

According to a Politico report published on Monday citing sources, the Biden administration intends to request an estimated $1.1 billion arms sale to Taiwan for the US Congress to approve, which consists of 60 anti-ship missiles and 100 air-to-air missiles, amid heightened tensions with China.

China carried out its largest military drills around the self-governed island after a visit this month by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, which raised global alarms and pushed Beijing to resort to the use of military security to bring the island under control. The significance of Pelosi's visit is that it came at a time of great tensions between the US and China over Taiwan - marking the first visit made by a US House Speaker to the Island since 1997.

Visits followed afterward when Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen met with a US Congress delegation consisting of five members and led by Democratic Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts, 2 weeks after the Pelosi visit. The latest was by Tennessee Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn on a visit to Taiwan from August 25 to 27 for which a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson stated that the US legislator's visit to Taiwan violates the One-China policy and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiqués, as well as the US commitment to maintain only non-official ties with Taiwan.

The Taiwanese military also held another round of live-fire drills in the Taiwan Strait after the Chinese army concluded its drills in the South China Sea in light of tensions with Taipei over US regional interference.

Reuters reported last week that Biden's administration, alongside US lawmakers, emphasizes their ongoing advocacy for the government in Taipei, and there are items on the waitlist for approval for the Taiwan agenda that could be announced in the coming weeks or months.

The focus, however, will be on maintaining Taiwan's current military structure and fulfilling existing orders, instead of offering new potentials more likely to agitate already existing tensions with China, as stated by three sources, who requested to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the matter.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Politico report.

This comes after Biden announced last Wednesday a newly instated $3 billion military assistance that will allow Ukraine to acquire air defense systems, artillery systems and munitions, drones, and other equipment “to ensure it can continue to defend itself over the long term.”

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/borrell-wants-political-green-light-to-train-more-ukrainian

Borrell wants 'political green light' to train more Ukrainian troops

Defense ministers of the EU will convene to discuss a high-level training mission for the Ukrainian military at an informal meeting in Prague, according to EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Tuesday, adding that he expects the ministers to achieve a political agreement on the matter.

At a press conference in Santander, northern Spain, Borrell disclosed the matter to reporters by saying: "Today, it is an informal meeting, so no decision can be taken, but, in general, an overall political agreement, that is what I think we have to get today. Later the details will come, we have a procedure, quite complex, in order to identify the objective, the purpose that I mentioned, the resources, but today, I hope that we will have a political green light for this mission".

He stated that the military training project would need to be agreed upon by all EU member states, as "several" nations already provide military training to Ukrainian forces under bilateral agreements such as the United Kingdom and other European countries that regularly deploy to Ukraine. Close to 20,000 European mercenaries have already joined since the beginning of the war.

Just last month, Borrell urged the EU to amp up cooperative weapons purchases to restore stocks depleted by the military support provided to Ukraine, improving NATO and the bloc's military capacities, and adding that the EU needs more deployable and interoperable armed forces to confront the whole spectrum of dangers and threats the unit is now experiencing.

The US has also demonstrated its stance on the matter, by not only providing its own troops for the Ukrainian forces but also recruiting former Afghan special forces and IS members to join the Ukrainian forces.

Both the US and the EU have been stacking military aid packages, with the former's latest package including a $3bln arms supply and the latter's seen through Germany's continuation of weaponry transfer to Ukraine, including new equipment that the German Armed Forces do not have enough of, according to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

The UK is also in deep water, according to a source cited by The Times newspaper, given that it is running out of weapons and financial contributions for Ukraine, which means that the new UK Prime Minister will face the question of whether to make billions of pounds of additional support at a time when public finances are under strain.

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