https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/ex-ussr-leader-mikhail-gorbachev-dies-at-91
Ex-USSR leader Mikhail Gorbachev dies at 91
Former Soviet Union (USSR) President Mikhail Gorbachev died at 91 years old, the Moscow Central Clinical Hospital said on Tuesday.
"Mikhail Sergeevich Gorbachev died this evening after a serious and long illness," the hospital told reporters.
Gorbachev served as the last president of the Soviet Union. His policies are blamed by many to have been one of the chief catalyzers for the fall of the USSR.
He sought to consolidate ties with the West and forged arms reduction treaties with the United States, as well as agreements with Western powers, which led to the incorporation of the Democratic People's Republic of Germany into West Germany.
He was highly lenient toward capitalism and the privatization of various sectors of the Soviet Union, and due to his failure to keep the USSR together, one by one, the Soviet Republics were ceded from the union until its collapse on December 26, 1991.
Following the fall of the USSR, Gorbachev appeared controversially in a Pizza Hut commercial, which to this day, is viewed negatively by most of the Russian public.
He became Secretary-General of the Soviet Communist Party in 1985 at 54. Gorbachev wanted to embark on a path of liberalization, introducing limited political and economic freedoms until his reforms, which were under the title of Perestroika [reconstruction], went out of control.
Many Russians never forgave Gorbachev for the turbulence and crises caused by his heavily criticized reforms, taking into consideration the subsequent decline in their living standards was too expensive a price to pay for the "democracy" pushed by the West.
Gorbachev headed the USSR since he came to power in 1985 until the fall of the union at the end of 1991.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/trump-likely-hid-classified-docs-to-obstruct-federal-probe:
Trump 'likely hid' classified docs to obstruct federal probe: MoJ
A court document issued by the US Justice Department disclosed that classified records obtained from former US President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida were "likely hidden" to prevent the FBI from recovering the material for the federal investigation.
The 36-page document file stated that evidence obtained by the government showed the top-secret records were most probably concealed and moved from the Storage Room and that "efforts were likely taken to obstruct the government’s investigation."
A photograph of the documents seized from the Florida residence was released by the Department of Justice on August 8, which reveals several documents with classified cover sheets that read "Top Secret". One of the documents acquired even had classified markings indicating human source intelligence (meaning that it is collected from interpersonal contact and that it is an FBI responsibility type of document).
The sensitivity of some of the documents was so high that FBI agents and Justice Department attorneys needed to have additional clearance and permission to merely review them. The search warrant, which was also made public, stated that federal officials were looking into potential violations of three distinct federal laws, including one that covers gathering, distributing, or losing defense secrets under the Espionage Act.
The FBI raid on Trump’s residence lasted 9 hours and entailed about two dozen boxes, including what it claimed were 11 sets of classified documents. The boxes included presidential records and other documents including "love letters" from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, a letter left by former US President Barack Obama, and a model of Air Force One.
Trump has since then denied there were classified documents at the Mar-a-Lago residence, claiming that the raid was a continuation of the Democrats’ political ploy against him to prevent his candidacy for president in 2024. According to analysts, the FBI's raid on former US President Donald Trump's home has only strengthened his positioning in the next presidential election in 2024 in case federal law enforcement authorities fail to convict him on felony charges.
The latest update concerns Trump 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 last Monday.
>> Preparing the narrative.
Any Qposts matching the date or any Deltas from Potus?
Now we're talking
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/economics/gas-prices-rise-5-more-after-nord-stream-3-day-suspension
Gas prices rise 5% more after Nord Stream 3-day suspension
Gas supplies via Nord Stream have fallen to zero cubic meters per hour on Wednesday, as the operation of the pipeline has been suspended for three days due to scheduled maintenance work at the Portovaya compressor station, according to data from gas transportation system operators.
Russian gas deliveries to Europe through the Nord Stream pipeline will cease from August 31 to September 2 for "maintenance", Russian energy giant Gazprom said Friday, raising the prospect of energy shortages in Europe.
"It is necessary to carry out maintenance every 1,000 hours" of operation, Gazprom said in a statement, adding, "On August 31, 2022, the only Trent 60 gas compression unit will be stopped for three days for maintenance" involving technicians from Germany's Siemens.
Last month July, Russian gas deliveries via the Nord Stream pipeline fell to 20% of their capacity and reached 1.3 million cubic meters per hour, which according to the operator Nord Stream AG, was due to the withdrawal of another Siemens turbine.
At the end of this period, deliveries will be restored to a flow of 33 million cubic meters of gas per day, Gazprom mentioned.
Data showed that October futures for gas (TTF index) reached a high of $2,883.1 (+5%) as of 06:21 GMT, up from the previous settlement of $2,743.5.
Gas futures prices in Europe earlier this month surpassed $3,500 per thousand cubic meters for the first time since March and futures (TTF hub) grew by 6.6% to $3,507.7 per thousand cubic meters. The settlement of the day before $3,290.2 became a record for the whole period of operation of gas hubs in Europe, since 1996.
In March, European gas futures reached an all-time high of over $3,600 per 1,000 cubic meters, according to the London-based ICE exchange.
Just two weeks ago, 40.9 million cubic meters of gas has been supplied by Russia's energy mogul Gazprom to the Sudzha entry point in Russia on Sunday for further transit to Europe, as verified by Ukraine, according to its spokesperson Sergey Kupriyanov.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/economics/euro-zone-inflation-hits-yet-another-record-high-in-august
Euro zone inflation hits yet another record high in August
Eurozone inflation has risen to a new high and is expected to reach double digits soon, signaling a series of major interest rate hikes even as a harsh recession appears increasingly likely.
Consumer prices rose more than predicted in August, owing to high gas costs and terrible drought, and further increases are already on the way, implying more pain for people and businesses as they deplete their cash reserves.
This combination of high prices and sluggish growth, known as stagflation, leaves the European Central Bank with only harsh options that will exacerbate the misery of the eurozone's 340 million citizens.
The bloc's stimulus will only fuel further inflation and, in the end, harm the bank's reputation, jeopardizing the very foundations of its inflation-fighting mandate. However, policy tightening will restrict growth even further, aggravating a downturn that is now almost certain to occur before the start of the warm season.
Policymakers will ultimately opt to battle inflation, and rates are likely to rise at every remaining meeting this year, raising borrowing costs for governments, businesses, and families at a time when budgets are already tight.
Wednesday's inflation numbers will bolster the case for an extremely strong 75-basis-point ECB rate hike next week, and policy hawks will face an uphill battle to reduce the movement to a still significant 50 bps.
Inflation in the eurozone's 19 member countries rose to 9.1% in August from 8.9% the previous month, above forecasts once more as price pressures widened.
"The inflation rate is likely to leap upward in September," Commerzbank economist Christoph Weil said. "Consequently, the pressure on the ECB to continue raising interest rates significantly is likely to remain high."
While the increase in food and energy prices was predictable, the increase in service costs and the 5% inflation rate for non-energy industrial products will undoubtedly concern ECB policymakers.
They will also be concerned about the sustained rise in underlying prices, which suggests that high costs are now permeating the entire economy via so-called second-round effects.
Indeed, inflation excluding food and fuel increased to 5.5% from 5.1%, while an even narrower measure that also includes alcohol and cigarettes increased to 4.3% from 4.0%.
"We now expect the ECB to hike by 75 basis points next week even if new staff projections for growth are approaching the downside scenario," Nordea said in a note.
Inflation in Italy hits a new record of 8.4% in nearly 40 years
Preliminary figures issued by ISTAT on Wednesday revealed that Italy's annual inflation rate reached 8.4% this month, the highest level since December 1985, when it was 8.8%.
In July, the inflation rate was 7.9%.
The national statistics agency revealed that the increase was driven by higher energy prices, which increased by 44.9% in August compared to 42.9% in July. ISTAT said its consumer-price index was up 0.8% in month-on-month terms.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/technology/google-worker-who-protested-1bn-contract-with-israeli-milita
Google worker who protested $1bn contract with Israeli military quits
A Google employee who has been a prominent critic of the company's billion-dollar relationship with the Israeli military announced her resignation on Tuesday, accusing the internet giant of trying to retaliate against her for her advocacy.
A marketing manager for Google's educational products, Ariel Koren, published a memo on Medium to colleagues announcing her plan to quit.
"Due to retaliation, a hostile environment, and illegal actions by the company, I cannot continue to work at Google and have no choice but to leave the company at the end of this week," she said in her letter.
"Instead of listening to employees who want Google to live up to its ethical principles, Google is aggressively pursuing military contracts and stripping away the voices of its employees through a pattern of silencing and retaliation towards me and many others."
Koren spent almost a year agitating against Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion partnership between Google and Amazon to provide cloud and computing services to "Israel" and its military.
The Los Angeles Times reported in March that her employer advised her to transfer to Brazil or leave her job after she helped create a letter among Google and Amazon employees claiming Project Nimbus would enhance surveillance of Palestinians and aid in the expansion of Israeli settlements.
A Google spokeswoman claimed in a statement reported by the New York Times that "we prohibit retaliation in the workplace and publicly share our very clear policy."
“We thoroughly investigated this employee’s claim, as we do when any concerns are raised,” she added.
The spokesperson added that the company is proud to have been "selected by the Israeli government to provide public cloud services to help digitally transform the country".
'Living off my family's oppression'
Fifteen more Google employees gave testimony on YouTube on Tuesday and spoke with the New York Times, denouncing the company's treatment of Palestinians and suppression of employees who support them. For fear of retaliation, all but two of the workers chose to remain unidentified.
"Google systematically silences Palestinian, Jewish, Arab and Muslim voices concerned about Google’s complicity in violations of Palestinian human rights — to the point of formally retaliating against workers and creating an environment of fear," Koren wrote in her letter.
One of the workers said that "Project Nimbus makes me feel like I am making my living off my family’s oppression."
Some employees reported being disciplined when coworkers accused them of antisemitism for shouting, "Support Palestine." Another employee said a coworker accused them of antisemitism because they identified as "Palestinian-American".
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/ukraine-lost-over-1700-soldiers-in-48-hours
Ukraine lost over 1,700 soldiers in 48 hours: Russia MoD
The Ukrainian armed forces lost some 1,700 soldiers over the past two days during Kiev's attempts to resume counteroffensives in Ukraine's south, the Russian Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday.
"During the two days of unsuccessful attacks on the Mykolaiv-Kryvyi Rih and other directions, Ukrainian troops lost four combat aircraft — two Su-25s, one Su-24, and one MiG-29. Three Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopters were shot down in the air," Moscow's ministry said.
Just two days ago, 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.
"Today, during the day, on the direct orders of Zelenskyy, Ukrainian troops attempted an offensive in Mykolaiv and Kherson regions in three directions," the Russian defense ministry said on Monday.
"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."
Today, the ministry revealed that the Russian troops destroyed 63 Ukrainian tanks, 59 infantry fighting vehicles, 48 other armored fighting vehicles, 14 pickup trucks with large-caliber machine guns, and over 1,700 Ukrainian soldiers.
The 57th Motorized Brigade of the Ukrainian ground forces was defeated near the Sukhyi Stavok village, the ministry's statement read.
This comes after Monday's major losses in the region, which amounted to more than 560 troops, 26 tanks, and two attack aircraft.
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.
All of the Ukrainian losses come despite heavy financing of Kiev from the West, mainly the European Union and the United States.
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.
The Pentagon signed a $182 million contract with Raytheon arms manufacturer for the purchase of NASAMS short-and medium-range anti-aircraft missile systems for Ukraine, the US Defense Department announced on Friday.
US President Joe Biden last week said the newly instated $2.98 billion military assistance 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."
Since the beginning of the war, the United States has donated the equivalent of $13.5 billion to Ukraine in arms and monetary aid.
>> 1700
2 days ahead of schedule
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/miscellaneous/us-army-grounds-chinook-helicopter-fleet-amid-engine-fire-co
US army grounds Chinook Helicopter Fleet amid engine fire concerns
The US Army has grounded its entire fleet of Chinook helicopters due to engine fire concerns, according to US Army Spokesperson Cynthia Smith in a statement to Sputnik.
"The Army has identified the root cause of fuel leaks that caused a small number of engine fires among an isolated number of H-47 [Chinook] helicopters and is implementing corrective measures to resolve this issue," Smith said on Tuesday.
"Based on the results of our investigation some aircraft may not require corrective measures and may soon return to normal flight operations. While no deaths or injuries occurred, the Army temporarily grounded the H-47 fleet out of an abundance of caution, until those corrective actions are complete."
Individuals with knowledge of the situation reported that the US Army Materiel Command decided to ground the fleet out of caution while inspecting over 70 helicopters that include a part suspected of being involved in the problem, according to US media.
The Boeing Chinook is a heavy-lift helicopter that is primarily utilized for transporting troops and equipment. Since the 1960s, variants of helicopters have been deployed by the US military and other armed forces around the world.
The grounding coincides with the suspension of a number of military drills due to the depleted US weaponry arsenal. 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). On its part, 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.
In another context, this year, US military aircraft have been involved in a number of crash accidents that left several soldiers dead.
On June 9, a US military plane carrying five Marines crashed in southern California, according to a spokesperson.
There was no information on deaths immediately, but the military disputed claims that the plane was transporting radioactive material when it crashed near Glamis, about 20 miles (35 kilometers) from the Mexican border.
In March, Sputnik reported that a US military plane, Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey Tilt-Rotor Military Aircraft, crashed in Nordland, northern Norway late Friday with four people on board.
Local police announced that all four people died in the crash.
On January 25, a US Navy F35C Lightning II combat jet, which was conducting exercises in the South China Sea, crashed in an attempt to land on the US craft carrier's deck. The event resulted in the injury of 7 sailors.
>> Not long ago, it was F35s that were grounded. What's going on? Is it a chip problem?
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/pope-francis-stance-on-ukraine-is-not-political-stance:-vati
Pope Francis stance on Ukraine is not political stance: Vatican
Pope Francis' statements regarding the conflict in Ukraine should not be taken as a political position, but as a "voice in defense of human life," the Holy See press office said on Tuesday.
The Pope and other officials of the Vatican have made several statements regarding the war in Ukraine. According to the Holy See, these statements aim to "invite pastors and the faithful to prayer" to rebuild peace.
"In this regard, it is reiterated that the Holy Father's words on this dramatic issue should be interpreted as a voice raised in defense of human life and the values associated with it, and not as a political stance. As for the large-scale war in Ukraine, initiated by the Russian Federation, the Holy Father Francis' interventions are clear and unequivocal in condemning it as morally unjust, unacceptable, barbaric, senseless, repugnant, and sacrilegious," the Holy See said in a statement.
During the weekly general audience last week, Pope Francis commented on the death of Russian journalist Darya Dugina, saying it is an example of "the madness of war," and of the "innocents" who pay its price.
In response, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry summoned the Holy See's diplomatic mission to Ukraine to express dissatisfaction with the prayer for Dugina and urged Pope Francis to avoid "unfair statements that cause disappointment in Ukrainian society" in the future.
Darya Dugina was murdered on the evening of August 20 in a car explosion in the outskirts of Moscow. She and her father were leaving an event, where Dugin was a speaker, in separate vehicles. The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Monday that the Ukrainian intelligence services were behind the murder of Dugina and named the perpetrator as Ukrainian citizen Natalya Vovk.
the door of all doors.
Does Alice in Wonderland cartoon have a clock in it? What is the clock of the rabbit saying?
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/russia:-western-sanctions-wont-obstruct-russian-iranian-coop
Russia: Western sanctions won't obstruct Russian-Iranian cooperation
The Russian Foreign Ministry asserted Tuesday that the West's hostile acts and its sanctions against Iran and Russia will not stop the 2 countries from developing mutually beneficial cooperation in all areas.
"In January-July 2022 the bilateral trade [between Russia and Iran] accounted for $2.7 billion, which is 42.7% more than in the same period last year," the ministry said.
The ministry added that there has also been progress in negotiations on a comprehensive free-trade agreement between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union.
On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, alongside his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, will discuss the situation around the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) as well as Russian and Iranian projects in energy and transport at talks in Moscow.
The ministry, furthermore, said that talks planned to continue an exchange of views on a number of domestic and international issues, including the JCPOA situation, the state affairs in Ukraine, Syria, Afghanistan, Transcaucasia, and the Caspian Sea.
Iran and Russia have been warming up their relations, with reports in July revealing that Iran had become Russia's top customer in purchasing Russian wheat with 360,000 metric tonnes in deliveries according to data-intelligence company Kpler.
Earlier this month, the Iranian Finance Ministry's banking and insurance department said Iran could join the Russian Mir payment system within months of when talks between Tehran and Moscow reach a conclusion - this, according to Qorban Eskandari, the department's head, could be in the very near future.
The two countries' close collaboration comes against a backdrop of targeted and comprehensive sanctions waged by the West against them, which has prompted closer cooperation in the long run. The US-led world order has only polarized alliances further.
The closer cooperation will ameliorate the aggressive impacts of the West-led sanctions on the two countries by locating new markets for their products and boosting military cooperation. Recently, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan called the ties a "profound threat".
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/biden-determined-to-ban-assault-weapons-opposes-attacks-on-f
Biden 'determined to ban assault weapons', opposes attacks on FBI
US President Joe Biden has called on banning the sales of assault-style weapons to regular civilians, addressing Pennsylvania supporters on Tuesday regarding gun crime and prevention.
"I'm determined to ban assault weapons in this country," he said.
His trip to Pennsylvania is the first of three trips going to take place in the next days as he garners support for November's midterm elections.
Furthermore, he denounced Republican attacks on the FBI after the agency raided former US President Donald Trump's Mar-A-Lago residency.
"It's sickening to see the new attacks on the FBI… There is no place in this country for endangering the lives of law enforcement. No place. None. Period. I'm opposed to defunding the police, I'm also opposed to defunding the FBI," Biden said in a speech in Pennsylvania.
Biden's bid to curb gun violence
In late July, the US House of Representatives passed a bill that, if signed on, would ban assault weapons, marking a first in decades in light of a mass shooting epidemic in the country.
The United States is deeply divided about reforming gun laws despite an erratic episode of gun violence that has seen an escalation in recent months. The bill passed the House floor with the support of two Republicans who joined efforts with their democratic counterparts and backed the measure.
The bill is "a crucial step in our ongoing fight against the deadly epidemic of gun violence in our nation," US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said.
The recent spike in tragic shootings has pushed guns to the forefront of a national debate as US leaders grapple with how to reduce the alarming rate of violence.
Two shootings in May that left 21 people dead, mostly young children, at an elementary school in Texas and 10 Black grocery patrons dead in upstate New York revived the US' bitter debate over gun regulation.
US President Joe Biden pleaded for lawmakers to pass stricter gun control laws, including a ban on assault weapons, in a bid to clamp down on unprecedented levels of mass shootings across the United States that have been turning American communities into "killing fields".
Profit from misery
Gunmakers in the United States have seen a tremendous hike in earnings from their sales of AR-15-style rifles, a US House Oversight Committee probe revealed on Wednesday as the country undergoes a mass shooting crisis and while lawmakers call for holding the industry accountable for crimes committed using their products.
"Gun manufacturers collected more than $1 billion from the sale of AR-15-style semiautomatic weapons in the last decade - and sales are increasing as gun deaths and mass shootings rise," a memorandum on the Oversight Committee investigation said.
Firearm manufacturer Daniel Defense earned more than $120 million in revenue from selling AR-15-Style rifles in 2021, a three-fold increase from the amount it made two years earlier in 2019.
Gunmaker Ruger's earnings, on the other hand, witnessed a near-three-fold increase over the same time period, going from $39 million in 2019 to more than $103 million in 2021, the memorandum revealed.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/japan-and-israel-agree-on-military-collaboration
Japan, 'Israel' agree on military collaboration
Japan and the Israeli occupation are working on military collaborations, where they will be exchanging military equipment and technology, as revealed by Israeli Security Minister Benny Gantz on Tuesday.
"Today, the two ancient nations, powerful democracies and engines of innovation, embark on a new venture, the partnership based on trust," Gantz was quoted making these claims by the Kyodo news agency.
Earlier today, Gantz met his Japanese counterpart Yasukazu Hamada in Tokyo, Japan. The two did not specify what weapons will be included in the agreement.
Hamada also addressed Russia's involvement in Ukraine, slamming Moscow's 'efforts to change the status quo in the region.'
Japan, within this context, is seeking more influence in the region to counter China, as per US interest.
Last week, a major Japanese newspaper, Yomiuri, revealed that the US military and Japan's Self-Defense Forces (SDF) reportedly forged an agreement in December to set up an attack base on the Nansei Islands in the case of an "emergency," should war arise between Taipei and Beijing.
The proposal, if implemented, would see US troops stationed on the Nansei Islands at a temporary attack base, with the SDF providing support in the form of additional troops if a military danger to Taiwan was near, according to Tokyo officials cited by the Kyodo news agency.
Japan has also been maneuvering to establish its print on the African continent, announcing its plans on Saturday to invest around $30 billion in Africa over the next 3 years and that it will also appoint a special envoy to the Horn of Africa.
Japan will be pumping about $8.3 million into the Liptako-Gourma tri-borders between Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, which have been recently experiencing heavy armed conflict. It is noteworthy that the region is rich in gold and other resources.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/iraqi-pm-threatens-to-quit-if-chaos-persists
Iraqi PM threatens to quit if chaos persists
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi said that "the security forces refused to aim their weapons at the Iraqis' chests, no matter how angry they were."
Al-Kadhimi added, "We formed an investigation committee to determine those responsible for placing weapons in the hands of those who opened fire on the demonstrators," and "If they want to continue to stir up chaos and conflict, I will take my moral and patriotic step by declaring the position vacant in accordance with Article 81."
Earlier in the day, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi praised Muqtada Al-Sadr's call to stop violence, noting that it represents "the highest levels of patriotism, and keenness to preserve Iraqi blood."
Al-Kadhimi said, in a Tweet, that Al-Sadr's speech gives everyone a "moral and national responsibility to protect Iraq's capabilities, stop the language of political and security escalation, and initiate a quick and fruitful dialogue to resolve the crisis."
The words of the Iraqi Prime Minister came after Muqtada Al-Sadr's speech, in which he apologized to the Iraqi people for the armed clashes in which some of his supporters participated, and which resulted in the killing of 23 people and the wounding of hundreds.
Al-Sadr addressed his supporters participating in the protests by saying, “the party is disciplined and obedient, and I wash my hands of those who do not withdraw from the parliament building within an hour.”
Iraq witnessed bloody events that began on Monday and continued today after Al-Sadr announced quitting politics and closing his party offices.
In today's series of political stances in Iraq toward Al-Sadr's resignation and speech, the Iraqi Coordination Framework called on Parliament and all the other state institutions to resume their constitutional duties following the latest round of tensions in the country.
The Coordination Framework stressed the importance of swiftly forming a government that serves the national interests and implements reforms, combats corruption, and strays away from meeting quotas.
For his part, Iraqi President Barham Salih said that the "scenes hurt the souls of all Iraqis, hurt their feelings, and made their hearts bleed, and we have to admit that the political system and constitutional institutions were unable to avoid what happened."
In turn, the Iraqi Popular Mobilization said, "We appreciate the calls for calm and an end to armed violence, launched by Muqtada Al-Sadr."
In a statement, the Popular Mobilization called for the establishment of security and the implementation of national duties in accordance with the law and the constitution.
>> He looks like he's got something stuck in his throat.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/trump-accuses-fbi-of-staging-photos-of-scattered-docs-during
Trump accuses FBI of staging photos of scattered docs during raid
Former US President Donald Trump accused the FBI on Wednesday of staging a scene during the raid of his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, claiming that they scattered documents on the floor and took pictures of them for the public.
"Terrible the way the FBI, during the Raid of Mar-a-Lago, threw documents haphazardly all over the floor (perhaps pretending it was me that did it!), and then started taking pictures of them for the public to see," Trump wrote on his Truth Social account.
The FBI recovered 11 sets of classified documents among roughly two dozen boxes it seized as part of its investigation into potential criminal violations by the former president, according to the inventory from the raid.
Following the raid, A New York Times report said a Trump lawyer made a written statement in June that the former US President had returned all classified documents to the US government.
Trump said FBI agents were "planting" evidence at his residence and filed a federal lawsuit seeking the appointment of a neutral third party to review material seized by the FBI.
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 US District Court for the Southern District of Florida released last Friday a redacted affidavit and related explanatory files associated with the FBI’s raid.
The affidavit claims that an FBI investigation established there was probable reason to believe that more sensitive records may have been improperly kept at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence, prompting the raid.
Two days ago, the FBI concluded an initial review of the documents seized in the raid, according to a court filing on Monday.
The court filing also revealed that the FBI set aside documents potentially covered by attorney-client privilege, which Trump had been claiming was violated.
The raid led to Trump 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 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.
For his part, Trump claimed the raid was a continuation of the Democrats’ political ploy against him to prevent his candidacy for president in 2024. According to analysts, the FBI's raid on his home has only strengthened his positioning in the next presidential election in 2024 in case federal law enforcement authorities fail to convict him on felony charges.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/taiwan-increasing-orders-for-us-weapons
Taiwan increasing orders for US weapons
The Taiwanese Ministry of Defense confirmed on Wednesday that it bought a new batch of the US Javelin anti-tank missiles and announced that it was planning on increasing its order of the HIMARS rocket systems amid heightened tensions with China.
Taiwan announced last week plans on increasing its security budget in light of rising tensions with Beijing, especially due to the latest developments that drove a wider wedge between China and Taipei.
Taipei proposed a security budget of $13.7 billion for 2023, marking a 13% year-on-year increase, pending parliamentary approval.
The island will also create a special budget allocated specifically for the acquisition of fighter jets and other aircraft and naval vessels to boost its capabilities in the maritime and aerial arenas.
"The Javelin system is in the production and delivery phase. The program is being implemented as planned," Taiwan Army Chief of Staff Chang Yuan-shiun told a press briefing.
Washington and Taipei are actively cooperating to ensure that the order is delivered to the self-governed island on time, Chang added.
The state-run Central News Agency (CNA) reported, citing information obtained from the Taiwanese Defense Ministry, that Taipei is aiming to acquire more HIMARS multiple rocket launchers, increasing the initial request of 11 to 29. The island also added 864 precision rockets compatible with HIMARS to its order.
Tensions soared between China and Taiwan earlier this month, reaching their highest in decades, due to a visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the island after Beijing warned both Washington and Taipei against such a trip.
The bipartisan trip sparked a caustic response from Beijing, which said it had carried out "combat readiness patrol and combat drills in the sea and airspace around Taiwan island."
In response to the delegation's visit, Beijing called on Washington to "stop going further down the wrong path of hollowing out and distorting the one-China principle, so as not to cause further damage to China-US relations and peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait."
Since early August, China has carried out several large-scale military exercises near Taiwan in response to the visits of high-ranking US officials to the island.
Pelosi's visit also led China to announce ending cooperation with the United States on a number of issues such as climate change, anti-drug efforts, and military talks.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/beijing:-nato-warnings-on-china-russia-arctic-alliance-irres
Beijing: NATO warnings on China-Russia arctic alliance 'irresponsible'
NATO's 'irresponsible' criticism of the Russian-Chinese partnership in the Arctic shows Alliance efforts to perpetuate the Cold War mentality, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Wednesday.
On August 25, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the Russian-Chinese cooperation in the region did not meet alliance interests and urged the organization to boost its presence there.
"NATO irresponsibly stated that the cooperation between Russia and China challenges the value system and interests of the alliance, which once again exposes NATO's efforts to export the Cold War mentality and recreate bloc confrontation," Zhao noted.
According to Zhao, NATO should immediately abandon "dangerous thinking", causing confusion in the world. The spokesperson added that China respects the sovereignty of the Arctic states as well as their sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the region, adhering to the principles of international law.
Last Thursday, Stoltenberg wrote in the Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail that Moscow "has significantly increased its military activity in recent years" in the region and that China is also expanding in the region, calling itself a "near-Arctic state" and planning to create a "Polar Silk Road" that links it to Europe through the Arctic.
At the same time, Stoltenberg said that when Finland and Sweden join NATO, "seven out of eight Arctic nations will be NATO members."
A day later, it was reported that the US announced its plan to establish a position of Arctic ambassador to boost diplomatic efforts. State Department Spokesperson Vedant Patel said that "An Arctic region that is peaceful, stable, prosperous and cooperative is of critical strategic importance to the United States and a priority for Secretary Blinken"
Russia's Ambassador-at-Large for Arctic Cooperation has previously commented on the matter saying that the arctic region was starting to become an international theater of military operations and that "the policy of non-alignment to military alliances, the traditional policy of Sweden and Finland, has long provided a solid basis for maintaining peace and stability in polar latitudes. The possible accession of these countries to NATO is unlikely to contribute to this goal."
On Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded to Stoltenberg's comments, saying that the Arctic is an area of Russian economic activity and Moscow's cooperation with China in the region poses no threat to any other country or organization.
Will Qpost 1945 do?
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/miscellaneous/saudi-authorities-brutally-attack-girls-in-asir-orphanage
Saudi authorities brutally attack girls in Asir orphanage
Saudi security authorities aggressively committed violence toward young girls in an orphanage in the Asir province, which came after the girls had demanded to get their rights in the orphanage.
According to Saudi activists, the security authorities entered the orphanage with permission from the facility's administration, and a leaked video shows the authorities chasing the girls inside and beating them.
Saudi news outlets have reported that Asir's Prince, Turki bin Talal bin Abdel-Aziz, has ordered the formation of a committee to convene on the incident, which the Asir Emirate has not released any information about, with the hashtag "Khamees Mushayt Orphans" going viral on social media platforms.
It is important to note that Saudi authorities practice oppression on their citizens, specifically targeting social activists and human rights advocates in the Kingdom who often end up charged with years in prison or execution.
Sentence after sentence, woman after woman
A mere two weeks ago, Salma Al-Shehab, a dental hygiene student at Leeds University and a mother of two, who had returned home for a vacation was sentenced to 34 years in prison for following and retweeting dissidents and activists on her personal Twitter account - for the "crime" of using an internet website to "cause public unrest and destabilize civil and national security." On Twitter, she regularly shared pictures of her young children and tweets about Covid burnout.
Court records reviewed by a human rights organization show that another Saudi Arabian woman, Nourah bint Saeed Al-Qahtani, has been sentenced to decades in jail (45 years) for using social media to "violate the public order" by the country's terrorism court.
Abdullah Alaoudh, the director for the Gulf region at Dawn, said Saudi authorities appear to have imprisoned Al-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.”
Saudi prisons, regardless of whether for females or males, are notorious for techniques of torture and abuse that go beyond human rights violations and that suspiciously resemble brutal methods used at US Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib prisons. Methods of abuse range from electric shocks, to psychological torture and sexual abuse.
MBS concealing the truth with top-dollar parties
Since Mohammad bin Salman (MBS) became the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia in 2017, the country has jailed hundreds of activists, bloggers, academics, and others for political activism, demonstrating almost zero tolerance for dissent despite international condemnation of the crackdown. Muslim academics have been executed and women's rights activists have been imprisoned and tortured, while the Kingdom's authorities continue to deny freedom of expression, association, and belief.
The case poses evidence of how MBS has targeted Twitter users in his repression campaign, while also controlling a significant indirect stake in the US social media company through Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Most recently, the Kingdom has been using the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and its corresponding entertainment performances by renowned artists like Justin Bieber and A$AP Rocky and actresses like Elite's Maria Pedraza to polish its image in the international arena, diverting its controversial reputation to a more moderate one as planned by MBS himself.
Non-Saudi women residing in the Kingdom, such as domestic workers under the Kafala sponsorship, are among those dramatically affected by the abuse of women's rights, as not only are their passports taken away, but their freedom of communication and movement is limited and sexual harassment and abuse are unfortunately a daily occurrence in the household.
>> The ugly face of Wonderland.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/economics/gazprom-suspends-deliveries-to-france-engie-due-to-non-payme
Gazprom suspends deliveries to France Engie due to non-payment
Gazprom decided to suspend supplies to French energy company Engie, due to non-payment for July in full, according to Gazprom on Tuesday.
Earlier on Tuesday, Engie said that Gazprom had notified it that gas supplies would be suspended from August 30 onwards due to disagreements over some contracts.
According to a decree signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 31, 2022, gas supply exports are prohibited if payment is not paid in full within the contractual payment period.
"In this regard, Gazprom Export has notified Engie of a complete suspension of gas supplies starting from September 1, 2022, until the receipt of funds for the supplied gas in full," Gazprom concluded.
France faces energy production crisis, needs to restart nuclear plants
Due to the escalating energy crisis in Europe, France will desperately need to restart its nuclear reactors, which were shut down previously, to avoid electricity shortages in winter, as announced by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne on Monday.
Borne stressed that if there is no immediate alternative to gas supplies from Russia, this measure is necessary.
On August 25, EDF, a French energy company, launched 4 out of 12 nuclear reactors that were previously shut down for maintenance over corrosion which was detected in May by the French Nuclear Safety Authority.
As Europe struggles with unaffordable energy prices, it is reported that 32 out of 56 French nuclear reactors remain dormant for different reasons.
France is facing a crisis in energy production, described as "unprecedently difficult" in late July by government spokesperson Olivier Veran. France has taken rationing measures, such as banning illumination and air conditioners in stores at night time.
>> Owww! This one's going to hurt.
second time for 321 today. What does the post mean though?