Source: Asharq Al-Awsat
Security & Justice
State Action Signals Change in Tackling Longstanding Illegal Land Grabs in Jbeil District
For years, the serene villages of Jbeil's highlands have been far from peaceful. Ghabat, a Maronite village nestled between the predominantly Shiite towns of Afqa and Lassa, has become a focal point of growing tensions due to territorial disputes.
Friday, December 20, 2024
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
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
Friday 1 March 2024 17:32:05
EU Suggests Using Frozen Russian Assets to Fund Ukraine
Russia's frozen assets should be used to purchase badly needed military equipment for Ukraine, European Commission Ursula von der Leyen proposed on Thursday.
“There could be no stronger symbol and no greater use for that money than to make Ukraine and all of Europe a safer place to live,” she said.Russia's frozen assets should be used to purchase badly needed military equipment for Ukraine, European Commission Ursula von der Leyen proposed on Thursday.
“The threat of war may not be imminent, but it is not impossible. The risks of war should not be overblown, but they should be prepared for,” von der Leyen added.
Her comments came shortly after the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell warned that “Putin has not won yet, but Europe has to wake up.” He then called on EU member states to increase and accelerate aid to Ukraine.
Von der Leye’s controversial proposal, at least from a legal point of view, comes after the EU and the G7, the group of seven leading industrialized nations, proposed to use profits from the estimated $285 billion frozen Russian funds to rebuild Ukraine after the war.
However, some countries raised concerns that confiscating Russian assets would have repercussions on the future of foreign investments in Europe.
On Thursday, von der Leyen’s comments acknowledged there is another recommendation for how to use the Russian reserves, not only to the reconstruction of Ukraine, but to purchase weapons for Ukraine.
“There could be no stronger symbol and no greater use for that money than to make Ukraine and all of Europe a safer place to live,” she said.
The Russian invasion has exposed glaring weaknesses in Europe’s arms manufacturing capacities.
Currently, the EU is attempting to put the final touches on a common European defense strategy which aims to establish a committee that jointly purchases military equipment and work for a financial increase of the fund in this sector.
Also, EU member states are concerned about a possible return of former US President Donald Trump to the White House. They fear his comeback would engender a deterioration of relations between Washington and Brussels and could lessen Washington's defensive commitments made to NATO.
