https://english.almayadeen.net/news/technology/instagram-fined-402mln-for-invading-childrens-privacy-in-eu
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/borrell-less-optimistic-about-reaching-iran-nuclear-deal
Borrell 'less optimistic' about reaching Iran nuclear deal
Foreign policy chief for the European Union, Josep Borrell, said he's feeling less optimistic about reaching a quick agreement on reviving the Iran nuclear deal compared to just a day or so ago.
“I am sorry to say that I am less confident today than 28 hours before … about the prospects of closing the deal right now,” he told reporters in Brussels, according to Reuters.
In August, the EU put forward a "final text" for a deal renewal, to which Tehran responded last week. Borrell described the response as "reasonable."
“Israel” leads campaign to prevent US from signing nuclear deal
Yesterday, Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said “Israel” will continue to add pressure on the US not to rejoin the Iran nuclear deal, but not to the point of causing a diplomatic crisis.
Lapid spoke the day before Mossad chief David Barnea was scheduled to leave for Washington to speak to the House and Senate Intelligence Committees about the “Iranian threat and the dangers of a nuclear deal”, and several days after the Israeli PM reportedly spoke with US President Joe Biden about the Iran deal.
On the other hand, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi stressed last week, "our peaceful nuclear capability is our right, and no one can obstruct Iran from preserving this right," adding that "the Zionist entity never wanted it [Iran] to obtain the technology, but it got it against their will."
The Israeli occupation exerted strained efforts to sway the US from an agreement to return to the landmark 2015 deal with Tehran, yet it is attempting not to overplay its hand in order to avoid straining relations with the Biden administration the way Netanyahu did with the Obama administration at the time of signing of the first nuclear deal.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/us-judge-orders-independent-review-of-trumps-seized-document
US judge orders 'independent' review of Trump's seized documents
A US judge, Aileen Cannon, fulfilled former US president Donald Trump's request to appoint a "special master" to independently review material that was seized in the FBI raid on his house in Florida, constituting a bite-back against prosecutors.
Government attorneys opposed Trump's request, saying that the appointment of a special master to screen for privileged material could harm national security, and was also unnecessary given that the investigation team completed a screening already.
Trump denounced the seizing of classified materials from his home as "one of the most egregious assaults on democracy in the history of our country."
Cannon, in her order, wrote that "a special master shall be appointed to review the seized property, manage assertions of privilege and make recommendations thereon, and evaluate claims for return of property."
The ruling made an exception for "intelligence classification and national security assessments," given that the government is temporarily blocked from looking into or using materials seized in the raid.
Both sides need to come up with a list of candidates for the 'special master' role as of Friday.
A government court filing revealed that FBI agents found material so sensitive that "even the FBI counterintelligence personnel and DOJ attorneys conducting the review required additional clearances before they were permitted to review certain documents."
The detailed list of what was seized in the August 8 raid on the former president's Mar-a-Lago estate showed that Trump held on to more than 11,000 unclassified government records that he claims are his to keep - but legally are owned by the National Archives.
In their warrant for the raid, the FBI cited the Espionage Act, which bans the retention and sharing of highly sensitive documents pertaining to national defense; the law against obstructing investigation; and a law against the destruction of government documents.
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.
Among the papers seized in the raid were 18 documents labeled "top secret", 53 labeled "secret" and another 31 marked "confidential". Of those, seven top secret files, 17 secret files, and three confidential files were retrieved from Trump's private office.
>>18, 53,31 & 17.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/germany-to-reverse-nuclear-power-plant-policy-until-mid-apri
Germany to reverse nuclear power plant policy until mid-April 2023
In a policy reversal, Germany announced, on Monday, that it will maintain two nuclear power plants in standby status through the end of the year as the cutoff of Russian gas imports causes Europe to look for alternative energy sources.
Following a new network stress test, Economy Minister Robert Habeck announced in a statement that two of the three remaining nuclear power plants will "remain available until mid-April 2023 in case needed," somewhat postponing a nuclear withdrawal envisaged under the previous chancellor Angela Merkel.
The facilities would be held in reserve in case they were needed to "make a further contribution to the electricity grid in southern Germany," where the development of renewable energy lagged behind throughout the north.
According to Habeck, such a catastrophe is still "very unlikely" because Germany has "very high security of supply."
The Green Minister also emphasized that Germany was sticking to its plan to abandon nuclear power, with all plants being disconnected from the grid at the end of the year, and that it was not changing course.
New fuel rods won't be installed, and the reserve program will end after mid-April 2023, according to Habeck. Following a preliminary stress test in March, it was determined that the remaining nuclear fleet could be gradually disposed of by year's end as originally intended since it was not necessary to maintain energy security.
In reference to the summer drought that has caused Germany's rivers to dry up and hampered the transportation of fuel, Habeck remarked, "War and the climate crisis are having a very concrete impact."
The Energy Crisis in Germany
Protests over the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 prompted former German Chancellor Angela Merkel to set in motion the process of abandoning nuclear power just over a decade ago.
Germany, where nuclear power has long been a source of controversy before Merkel's decision, has seen a surge of discussion over extending the lifetime of the facilities, which produce 6% of the nation's electricity.
Habeck is particularly concerned about the decision because his Green party has anti-nuclear origins.
However, Germany has already taken steps to prepare for the winter by filling gas storage tanks and restarting coal power reactors that had been idled.
Gas supplies via Nord Stream have completely stopped since August 31st and the operation of the pipeline has been suspended due to scheduled maintenance work at the Portovaya compressor station, data from gas transportation system operators showed.
A leak was located at the main gas turbine at the Portovaya compressor station near St. Petersburg.
On August 19, Gazprom said it would halt the flow of gas through the pipeline from August 31 until September 2 due to routine maintenance.
Gazprom said, on September 2, that supplies would remain halted through Saturday due to ongoing repair. The pipeline will reopen once repairs are fully completed.
Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller stated on August 31st that Siemens Energy, a pipeline equipment supplier, could not carry out regular maintenance because of sanctions.
According to Habeck, Germany no longer considers Russian supplies when evaluating its energy security.
German statistics office Destatis, in May, reported another hike in food and energy prices as inflation continues. Europe’s top economy, Germany, has reached 7.9%, the highest level since the 1973 oil crisis.
The surge came as the Ukraine war resulted in the collective-West imposing unprecedented sanction packages on Russia. The sanctions imposed on oil and gas hit Europe the hardest and consequently impacted inflation rates the most since late February said Destatis.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/european-council:-algeria-reliable-energy-supplier
European Council: Algeria 'reliable' energy supplier
Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, asserted that Algeria is a "reliable" energy supplier during a visit to Algiers as Europe struggles with an energy crisis.
"Given the international circumstances that we're all aware of, energy cooperation is obviously essential, and we see Algeria as a reliable, loyal, and committed partner in the field of energy cooperation," Michel said after meeting President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.
Europe has been keeping an eye on Algeria, which is the African continent's biggest exporter of gas. The situation grows increasingly desperate as Russia announces the halting of gas supply to Germany through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline just weeks before Autumn.
Before the war in Ukraine, Algeria accounted for 11% of Europe's gas exports, whereas Russia accounted for 47%.
Algeria, with this reality, has been seeing a surge in European visitors for some energy.
At the end of last month, French President Emmanuel Macron made his way to Algiers to make nice, and polish France's image as a colonizer, and also to request Algerian energy to Europe.
In July, Italian energy company Eni, US' Occidental, France's Total, and Algeria's Sonatrach signed a $4 billion oil and gas production contract that would supply Italy with "significant volumes of natural gas."
In addition, Algeria also promised to boost gas deliveries to Italy through the undersea Transmed pipeline by the end of 2022.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/mass-protests-against-high-energy-prices-underway-in-leipzig
Mass protests against high energy prices underway in Leipzig - Reports
Mass protests against high energy prices kicked off Monday in Leipzig, with the Left party and Alternative for Germany (AfD) being among the organizers, as per local media.
As of 17:44 GMT, some 2,000 people have already gathered at Augustusplatz in Leipzig city center to protest against the German government's high prices and social policy, the Leipziger Volksnachrichten newspaper said.
"Since there is no bulky relief package, there will be strong protests on the streets. We are starting today in Leipzig and last week, we already had a demonstration in Frankfurt on the Oder, and we will have one in Erfurt on Sunday. There will be many other demonstrations in whole Germany. And these 'hot protests', I hope, will keep the pressure on the German government," co-leader of the Left party, Martin Schirdewan, said.
Alternative for Germany party also announced demonstrations in Leipzig, calling on the government to cease the sanctions war that has been causing a sharp increase in prices.
Last week, the German government agreed on a relief package worth $64.7 billion relief package, which includes continued cheaper public transport and tax breaks for energy-reliant companies, as they have been affected the most by the biggest surge in prices. The opposition sharply criticized the measures provided for in the package, calling them insufficient.
According to the Federal Statistical Office, Germany's inflation rose to almost 8% in August after declining slightly in the months of June and July.
13 EU nations have either ceased getting Russian gas entirely or are only receiving a portion of it due to the temporary blockage of the Nord Stream pipeline 1, according to TASS.
This is the third relief package by the German government this year. The two previous ones included a gasoline rebate that expired at the end of August, the €9 transportation ticket, and an energy price flat payment to workers.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/biden-rejects-russias-designation-as-a-state-sponsor-of-terr
Biden rejects Russia's designation as a "state sponsor of terrorism"
US President Joe Biden reacted negatively on Monday when asked if it is necessary to add Russia to the US list of state sponsors of terrorism.
"No," Biden told reporters from the White House pool after returning to Washington when he was asked a relevant question.
This comes at a time when Ukraine, with the help of US lawmakers, is forming pressure groups in Congress in order to obtain this designation.
Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry warned that if Washington declared Russia a "sponsor of terrorism", this could lead to the severing of diplomatic relations with the United States.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that "this step could lead to the severing of diplomatic relations," and that "Moscow is ready for any development in the US position."
Zakharova stressed that "the United States cannot abuse the regimes that the Americans accuse of terrorism."
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/turkey-talks-with-us-on-liquefied-natural-gas-purchase
Turkey talks with US on liquefied natural gas purchase
Turkey is in negotiations with the United States about purchasing liquefied natural gas (LNG) to avoid potential winter interruptions, according to the Turkish newspaper Dunya, citing sources.
Later on Tuesday, the European Commission will propose imposing a price restriction on Russian gas in order to counter the energy crisis and increase sanctions against Russia, according to a European Union source.
G7 finance ministers reiterated last Friday their intention to impose a price cap on Russian oil as part of wider sanctions against the country, and they urged all nations to support the initiative. The price restriction is set to go into effect on December 5 for crude oil and February 5 for Russian refined goods. In response, Moscow promised to stop supplying Russian oil to the countries that would impose the restrictions.
This comes two weeks after Turkey's business community faced mounting US pressure to sever its growing ties with Russia or risk crushing sanctions as the US grew more concerned that Russian enterprises and the government are using Turkey to get over banking and trade sanctions imposed by the collective West against Russian following the Ukraine war.
At a conference last month in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan decided to expand their economic cooperation. Through that cooperation, official statistics show that Turkish exports to Russia increased in value from May to July of last year by about 50%.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/bou-saab:-september-decisive-for-border-demarcation-negotiat
Bou Saab: September "decisive" for border demarcation negotiations
The Lebanese presidency quoted Tuesday President Michel Aoun as saying that the French oil and gas company TotalEnergies could be a third party to help Lebanon solve maritime demarcation issues with the Israeli occupation.
The Presidency tweeted that Aoun is scheduled to make "contacts to help in this regard."
On Sunday, the Lebanese presidency was informed by the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Elias Bou Saab, that the US mediator, Amos Hochstein, will arrive in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, this weekend.
In the same context, Bou Saab held talks Tuesday in Baabda with Aoun.
According to Bou Saab, maritime demarcation negotiations with the Israeli occupation are "going in the right direction," affirming that "Communication and contacts will intensify in September and we hope we will be able to reach a result."
The Lebanese diplomat indicated that "We don’t want to let go of optimism, but we don’t want to say that we’re pessimistic," noting that Hochstein "has told me that there are conflicting reports in the Israeli media."
Bou Saab pointed out that "There are major complications but are being resolved one after another," stressing that "The month of September will be decisive."
The Deputy Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament also warned that "If it turns out that the Israelis are intransigent and do not want a solution, Lebanon will have other choices."
Bou Saab considered that Hochstein's coming visit does not necessarily carry the final solution to the file of demarcation of the border but is a positive step.
In late August, the Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri said that “every cubic meter of gas and oil and the maritime borders with occupied Palestine are usurped by the Israeli occupation,” stressing that “Lebanon will defend its gas and oil with all its capabilities, and will not wait indefinitely."
The Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, had stressed that the Israeli threats are to no avail, adding that Hezbollah's decision and approach are clear and "we are waiting for the coming days to act accordingly."
US President Joe Biden had stressed to the Israeli occupation Prime Minister, Yair Lapid, the importance of completing negotiations to demarcate the maritime borders with Lebanon in the coming weeks.
Axios quoted a White House official as saying that resolving the maritime issue between "Israel" and Lebanon is a major priority for the administration of US President Joe Biden.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/eu-commission-adopts-proposal-to-halt-visa-facilitation-with
EU Commission adopts proposal to halt visa facilitation with Russia
The European Commission adopted a proposal to fully halt the visa facilitation agreement with Russia, EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson revealed on Tuesday.
"Today, the Commission has adopted a proposal to fully suspend the visa facilitation agreement with Russia," Johansson said, adding that the new visa regime will be effective on September 12.
"This suspension means Russian citizens will no longer enjoy privilege access to EU for example for tourism and leisure purposes they will face a lengthier, more expensive — more than double the price — and more difficult application process as well as more restrictions for multiple entry visas," she explained.
EU member states should be permitted to reject a visa application for certain categories of Russian applicants who could potentially pose a threat to public policy, internal security, or international relations of a member state, Johansson added.
Russian official: EU suspension of visas to be met with consequences
The decision of the EU to suspend the facilitated visa regime with Russia will not remain without consequences, Moscow can respond with both symmetrical and asymmetric measures, which are not expected in Brussels — if they decide to “shoot themselves in the foot” once again, then this is their choice, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told sources last week.
This came after EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that EU countries had reached a political agreement to completely suspend visa facilitation with Russia, but that certain categories of Russian citizens would still be able to obtain EU visas.
The EU top diplomat also said that the bloc's common approach will help to avoid circumvention of visa restrictions.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/eu-jeopardizing-european-security-with-ukraine-military-aid:
EU jeopardizing European security with Ukraine military aid: Moscow
The European Union is not taking into consideration the consequences of giving military aid to Ukraine, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko told Sputnik on Monday.
The EU leadership is determined to continue dragging out the conflict and further jeopardizing the security of Europe, Rudenko added.
"They do it without thinking about the consequences. Borrell continues to make belligerent statements that have nothing to do with diplomacy. This indicates that the EU does not want to invest in peace in Ukraine and keeps pursuing a policy aimed at extending the conflict," he said.
He underlined how these actions were dangerous for civilians, women, and children, who he said were "being killed by weapons supplied to Kiev."
"As a result of shelling, civilian infrastructure is being destroyed. Strikes are also targeting critical facilities, including the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). The security of the entire European continent is under threat," the top Russian diplomat highlighted.
Germany, the biggest Europeancontirbutor to Kiev's military, pledged an additional 200 million euros ($199.02 million) for Ukraine, though this time it's for aid programs for internally displaced refugees, claimed German Development Minister Svenja Schulze on Sunday.
A German government official said last month that the European Union sought to finance an aid package worth some 8 billion euros by September for Ukraine, which goes to show that the EU found it easier to finance arms than aid for refugees.
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.
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.
German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said in July 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.
EU plans to supply drones to Moldova concern Moscow
Brussels' plans to supply Moldova with UAVs raise questions in Russia about the EU's policy, especially in light of the 27-nation bloc's openly hostile approach toward Russia.
"The allocation of EU assistance almost equal to the country’s annual military budget to cover the costs associated with the provision of non-lethal military equipment, including mobile platforms and drones, raises serious questions about the true goals of such a policy, especially against the backdrop of Brussels’ openly hostile line towards Russia," Rudenko said.
The diplomat stressed that Russia had repeatedly voiced concerns in relation to Moldova's growing involvement in close cooperation with Euro-Atlantic structures in the military and military-technical spheres.
He highlighted that each state seeking to ensure its own security is an internal affair, though he acknowledged that it was "doubtful that its strengthening will be facilitated by sharp military supplies to the republic, which officially declares its neutral status."
Truss poses threat to Russian embassy work in UK
Incoming United Kingdom Prime Minister Liz Truss could jeopardize the work of the Russian embassy in Ukraine in light of her anti-Russian sentiment, said Sergey Belyaev, the head of the Russian foreign ministry's Second European Department.
Truss previously underlined that she would adhere to her predecessor's policies upon taking the premiership.
"The flame of freedom in Ukraine [will continue] to burn bright", if she wins, stressing that "under my leadership, President Zelensky will have no greater ally."
She has several times accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of "barbarism" and pledged not to allow him to win in Ukraine.
Russia cannot rule out that the response of the new UK leadership to a large-scale economic crisis within the country will be a further increase in anti-Russian hysteria in the country's elite circles, Belyaev noted.
"It cannot be completely ruled out that under these conditions, the diplomatic presence of Russia in the UK and, as a result, of the UK in our country, may also be put at risk," he concluded.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/germanys-gas-dependency-blamed-on-russia:-german-fm
Germany's gas dependency blamed on Russia: German FM
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Tuesday that the European Union does not plan to lift sanctions on Russia due to the current energy crisis tied to the suspension of gas deliveries.
During a speech delivered on the occasion of the business day of the 20th Conference of Heads of German Missions Abroad, Baerbock said that Berlin opposes a total embargo on Russian gas and oil as the country cannot abandon Russian fossil energy resources in one day.
"We do not want to repeat the mistakes made by Germany in the past and do not promise things that we cannot deliver. That is why we said that we cannot abandon fossil energy from Russia from one day to the next," Baerbock said during an event at the German foreign ministry.
Baerbock added that Germany has never received "cheap gas" from Russia, adding the country paid for it at the expense of its national security.
"In fact, we have never received cheap gas from Russia. The market price may have been advantageous at times, but it led to a blind dependency or exchange of infrastructures that was actually a security risk. We paid for every cubic meter of Russian gas double and triple at the expense of our national security," she said in her speech.
In other words, Germany is blaming Russia for developing a dependency on Russian gas.
"The Kremlin believes that it now occupies a more advantageous position. We see this in increasingly overt blackmail attempts. Recently, these were baseless technical reasons [the situation around the Nord Stream gas pipeline's turbine], now … they oppose our sanctions [against Russia] in general, which allegedly hinder further gas supplies. We must make it clear that we will not succumb to this blackmail," Baerbock said.
The temporary halt of gas flows in the Nord Stream pipeline has been frequent since the conflict between Russia and Ukraine began in February.
Since the G7 agreed on imposing a price cap on Russian oil on September 2, the flow of gas has completely stopped, although Gazprom has reported that this was a temporary maintenance issue.
Russia has indeed stated that it will stop exporting Russian oil to European states that are applying the decision.
Germany stands among the most exposed to a gas supply shock due to its extensive use of natural gas and significant reliance on Russia.
The consecutive sanctions against Moscow prompted a race against the clock to diminish Germany's reliance on Russian gas before winter. Groceries and food are other sectors experiencing the aftermath of soaring inflation which saw prices surge 12% in June before reaching 16.6% in August.
The government has recently approved a $64.7 billion relief package which includes continued cheaper public transport and tax breaks for energy-reliant companies, as they have been affected the most by the biggest surge in prices.
>> Kek!
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/israeli-occupation-forces-launch-mass-arrest-campaign-in-wes
Israeli occupation forces launch mass arrest campaign in West Bank
The Israeli occupation launched on Tuesday a campaign of mass raids and arrests in the occupied cities of the West Bank, which included a number of liberated prisoners.
The occupation forces arrested eight Palestinians from Al-Khalil, including the four liberated prisoners, Hashem Abu Turki, Youssef Abu Hussein, Abdel Karim Abu Ramoz, and Yaqoub Al-Zaarir.
In Al-Khalil, Israeli occupation forces also arrested Mohammad Al-Atrash, Mohammad Husayn Abu Hadid, Mohammad Naim Abu Sneina, and Mohammad Ayoub Al-Rajabi.
The occupation forces stormed Al-Lubban Al-Sharqiya village, south of Nablus, and arrested two Palestinian youths: Mujahid Daraghmeh (21 years) and Musa Ismail Owais (22 years).
They raided their homes, broke down their gates, destroyed some properties, confiscated their phones, and fired live bullets in the center of the village.
The occupation forces also raided two houses in Umm Al-Sharayet neighborhood in the city of Al-Bireh, before arresting Mohannad Ramadan and Qassam Walid Abd Rabbo.
In Beit Lahm, the occupation forces arrested four Palestinians, including Mohammad Suleiman Obayat Abu Farwa and Ibrahim Obayat Nawara, from the Wad Shaheen area in the center of the city.
They also arrested two brothers, Nabil and Khalil Saleh Abayat, who are in their twenties, after raiding their home in the village of Kisan, east of Beit Lahm.
Earlier today, the director of Jenin Hospital, Wissam Bakr, announced the martyrdom of young Mohammad Saba'aneh, and the wounding of others by Israeli occupation forces' gunfire in the city of Jenin, in the northern West Bank, while confronting the occupation forces.
A large number of occupation forces, accompanied by a bulldozer, stormed the city from several sides and closed its entrances, while a number of Israeli snipers were deployed on the roofs of some buildings.
The occupation forces carry out almost daily arrests in the cities of the West Bank, sparing no Palestinian, even children, women, and the elderly.