Source: Reuters
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
Wednesday 31 May 2023 11:39:59
Lira Hits Record Low as Turkey Prepares for New Cabinet
Turkey's lira tumbled on Wednesday to a fresh record low against the dollar as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan prepared to decide the shape of his new cabinet and the direction of economic policy after an election triumph.
In its third successive day of losses, the lira weakened nearly 1.5 percent to a record of 20.75 against the US currency, taking its losses this year to nearly 10 percent.
Investors have been concerned about the sustainability of Turkey's unorthodox economic policies as it followed a low-rate program championed by Erdogan.
The focus is now on whom he will appoint to top economic policymaking roles and if there will be a course change towards economic orthodoxy.
A meeting this week between Erdogan and Mehmet Simsek, a former economy chief respected by investors for his orthodox policy credentials, fueled speculation over a possible pivot to more conventional policies.
"I don't know whether he will be the new finance minister or not, but any credible name is important to give a signal to the market that there will be change. Action speaks more than intention," said Cagri Kutman of KNG Securities.
"If you have Mehmet Simsek or a similar person in charge that is a big move. But then the market will be curious about the first move of the economic team — will there be more orthodox policies or will they do something worse or will they do something to buy time and see how it goes?"
First-quarter economic growth stayed buoyant despite the impact of southern earthquakes, high inflation and a cost of living crisis.
Turkey's economy expanded 4.0 percent in the first quarter of the year, just above expectations, official data showed on Wednesday, despite the impact of February's earthquakes that killed more than 50,000 and left millions homeless.
First-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) grew 0.3 percent from the previous quarter on a seasonally and calendar-adjusted basis, data from the Turkish Statistical Institute showed.
A Reuters poll forecast the economy to have expanded 3.9 percent in the first quarter, with growth of 2.8 percent in 2023.
