Source: News Agencies
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
Thursday 24 October 2024 19:30:12
Four Arrested in Spain Over Hate Campaign Against Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr
Four people have been arrested and questioned in Spain on suspicion of conducting an online hate campaign encouraging Atletico Madrid fans to racially abuse Real Madrid star forward Vinicius Jr, police said.
The men were detained on October 14 and 15 and then released as investigations continued into social media slogans that urged fans to wear face masks so they could insult the Black Brazil international without being identified, police added on Thursday.
They were the first detentions announced by police linked to the campaign, which set out to target the 24-year-old in the build-up to the Spanish capital’s derby on September 29 at Atletico Madrid’s Metropolitano stadium. It used the hashtag #MetropolitanoConMascarilla (Metropolitano with a Mask).
Vinicius Jr, who has faced abuse at several matches, last year called LaLiga – the nation’s premier football league – and Spain “racist” after hearing slurs from the stands during a match at Valencia’s Mestalla stadium.
In a landmark case, three Valencia football fans were each sentenced to eight months in prison in June for hate crimes against Vinicius Jr – the first conviction for racist insults in a football stadium in Spain.
On Thursday, Spain’s National Police did not name the four men and there was no immediate statement from any lawyers representing them. Under Spanish legal procedures, a judge will investigate and eventually consider whether there is enough evidence to proceed to trial.
Police said the online campaign went viral, raising “significant social alarm”. The investigation remains open and could lead to more arrests, police added.
LaLiga stepped in the day before the September 29 Madrid derby, saying it was calling for the arrest of anyone involved in the campaign, which it said amounted to the crime of incitement to hatred.
Atletico Madrid did not immediately reply to a request for comment, but they said earlier this month that they were committed to adopting internal disciplinary measures against their associates involved in racist, xenophobic, or intolerant incidents.
