Source: BBC
Security & Justice
Mawlawi Ensures Strict Monitoring for Wanted Syrian Regime Figures at Beirut Airport
Caretaker Minister of Interior, Bassam Mawlawi, conducted an inspection tour of Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut to review the security arrangements and measures implemented by the Airport Security Apparatus ahead of the holiday season.
Thursday, December 19, 2024
Hezbollah Faces Internal Criticism Over Missing Fighters and Captured Prisoners
Hezbollah is grappling with increasing internal and external pressure as the fate of over 1,000 of its fighters remains uncertain following the recent war with Israel, Asharq al-Awsat newspaper revealed.
Thursday, December 19, 2024
Opinion
Lebanon After the Assads
The United States has important equities in Lebanon, including a desire for a generally friendly government’s economic and political stability; security cooperation; long-standing relations with the large Christian community in Lebanon and Lebanese diaspora in the United States; and ultimately peace between Israel and Lebanon within a broader regional settlement. Achieving these objectives will require navigating a tumultuous period in the country’s history following a war between Hezbollah and Israel that has devastated a large part of the country, exacerbating Lebanon’s already challenging economic conditions. But perhaps the most important dynamic will be how a likely Sunni-dominated state of uncertain composition in Syria will differ in its intentions toward Lebanon from the previous Alawite-led minoritarian Assad regime.
Thursday, December 19, 2024
Europe’s Syrian Dilemma
The news of the sudden and unexpected demise of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria has met a mixed response in Europe. The jubilation that a murderous dictator and close ally of Russia and Iran has fallen is not just good for the Syrian people but serves as a morale booster for Eastern Europeans wondering whether Russia can be defeated
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
Sports
Cristiano Ronaldo Unveils New Private Jet Worth $73 Million
Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the richest global athletes, has unveiled his upgraded private jet reportedly worth $73 million. With its top-notch design, exceptional speed and range of 7500 nautical miles, the Gulfstream G650 is among the fastest jets in the world.
Monday, December 16, 2024
Guardiola Accepts Man City May Need to Sign More Players to Cope with Schedule
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes he will need a bigger squad to handle soccer’s ever-expanding fixture schedule.
Saturday, December 14, 2024
Wednesday 13 March 2024 16:56:19
China Says Tiktok Ban Would 'Come Back To Bite' The US
China has warned that a proposed ban on TikTok would "come back to bite" the US, ahead of a congressional vote that could lead to the app being banned.
The bill in the House of Representatives would force the Chinese-owned app to sever ties with China or become unavailable in the US.
US officials have long expressed concern about TikTok, citing potential national security risks.
TikTok's owners have repeatedly rejected that it poses any threat.
Ahead of Wednesday's vote, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin accused the US of "suppressing TikTok" despite the fact that it "never found evidence that TikTok threatens national security."
"This kind of bullying behaviour that cannot win in fair competition disrupts companies' normal business activity, damages the confidence of international investors in the investment environment, and damages the normal international economic and trade order," Mr Wang added.
"In the end, this will inevitably come back to bite the United States itself."
The move was similarly pilloried by Chinese media, with several newspapers featuring satirical cartoons ridiculing the US effort to ban the app.
As is the case with other social media platforms, TikTok is banned in China. Users in the country use a similar app, Duoyin, which is only available in China and subject to monitoring and censorship by the government.
The House vote on the bill - officially known as the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act - is expected to take place at 10am ET (1400 GMT).
It is widely expected to pass, with bipartisan support from both sides of the political spectrum.
The bill would then head across Capitol Hill to the Senate, where it is unclear if it has enough support to pass.
If it does, the White House has said that President Joe Biden will sign it into law.
TikTok is owned by a Beijing-based, Cayman Islands-registered firm, Byte Dance.
If the US bill becomes law, ByteDance would be required to sell TikTok within six months or face a ban from US app stores and web hosting platforms.
Last week, TikTok distributed a message to many of its American users, calling on them to call their representatives to prevent the government from stripping "170 million Americans of their Constitutional right to free speech."
This, in turn, prompted a letter from the House China Select Committee telling the company to stop "spreading false claims in its campaign to manipulate and mobilise American citizens on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party".
TikTok has denied it has any links with China's government and said it has restructured the company to keep US data in the US.
Former President Donald Trump unsuccessfully tried to ban the app in 2020.
Mr Trump, who on Tuesday passed the delegate threshold to clinch the Republican nomination to become its presidential candidate, is now against the ban, saying it would unfairly benefit Facebook.
