Source: Associated Press
Security & Justice
From Supporters to Plaintiffs: Shiite Residents Break Fear Barrier with Lawsuits Against Hezbollah
The lawsuits, coupled with mounting financial and political pressures, suggest that Hezbollah is facing a moment of reckoning. As the group’s support base grows increasingly disillusioned, its ability to maintain dominance in the south is being called into question. For many, these legal challenges mark a significant step toward breaking the silence and holding Hezbollah accountable for the consequences of its actions.
Monday, December 16, 2024
One Killed in Israeli Strike in South Lebanon
Lebanon’s health ministry said an Israeli drone strike in the south killed one person on Saturday, the latest deadly raid despite a more than two-week ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
Saturday, December 14, 2024
Opinion
Iran’s Axis Crumbles as Hezbollah and Assad Falter
The dramatic sequence of events that began on October 7, 2023, with Hamas’s strike in Israel, has cascaded through the Middle East, toppling regimes and reshaping the region’s fault lines. On the very day Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire halting hostilities in Lebanon, the Syrian militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched a bold offensive to capture Aleppo, marking the end of an era for Syria. Earlier this month, the reign of President Bashar al-Assad—a tenure synonymous with repression, conflict, and decay—crumbled under the weight of accumulated resistance.
Monday, December 16, 2024
A Diminished Hezbollah Is Made Even Weaker by the Toppling of Assad in Syria
A severely hobbled Hezbollah was in no position to help defend former Syrian President Bashar Assad, a longtime ally, from the lightning-fast insurgency that toppled him. With Assad gone, the militant group based in Lebanon is even weaker.
Sunday, December 15, 2024
Sports
Eddie Jordan Reveals Cancer Battle Which F1 Legend Says Has Spread 'Aggressively'
Former Formula 1 team owner Eddie Jordan has revealed he is fighting an "aggressive" battle with cancer.
Friday, December 13, 2024
Cristiano Ronaldo Says World Cup 2034 in Saudi Arabia Will Be ‘Best’ Ever
Superstar football player Cristiano Ronaldo said the FIFA men’s World Cup that will be held in Saudi Arabia in 2034 will be “the best World Cup ever.”
Thursday, December 12, 2024
Tuesday 24 September 2024 23:02:48
Qatar Is Second Muslim Nation Whose Citizens Can Travel to US Without Visa
The Gulf nation of Qatar on Tuesday became just the second Muslim-majority country to be admitted into a program that allows its citizens to travel to the United States without first obtaining a U.S. visa.
The departments of State and Homeland Security jointly announced that Qatar had met stringent eligibility requirements to join the visa waiver program. Those requirements include a low visa refusal rate, a low rate of visa overstays and a demand of reciprocal treatment of American travelers, who are already allowed to visit Qatar without a visa for up to 30 days.
“Qatar has been an exceptional partner for the United States, and our strategic relationship has only grown stronger over the past few years,” the departments said in a statement. “This is further evidence of our strategic partnership and our shared commitment to security and stability.”
Qatar, which has played a key role in trying to negotiate a cease-fire deal in Gaza and was an instrumental U.S. partner before and during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan, is the 42nd country to be admitted to the program.
Most countries whose citizens can visit the U.S. without a visa are longstanding allies in Europe and Asia. The only other Muslim-majority country in the program is the tiny Southeast Asian nation of Brunei.
Although Qatar's population is just over 3 million people, only a small percentage of those — about 320,000 — are actually Qataris who would be eligible for the program if they hold valid passports. The vast majority of people who live in Qatar are foreign workers and other expatriates who do not hold Qatari passports.
The program allows citizens of qualifying nations to enter the U.S. for business or tourism without a visa for up to 90 days, although they must still obtain approval through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or ESTA, which is done online and doesn't require an in-person interview as visa applications do.
After Oct. 1, U.S. citizens will be allowed to stay in Qatar without a visa for 90 days.
Israel was the last country admitted to the program in 2023, and it was allowed in despite significant concerns that it does not treat Palestinian Americans, Arab Americans or Muslim Americans the same as other U.S. passport holders.
