Source: The National
Security & Justice
Lebanon’s Border Villages Face Renewed Devastation Amid Israeli Withdrawal
The Israeli army withdrew from the southern Lebanese village of Bani Hayyan on Friday morning, two days after entering the area in the Marjayoun district. According to local reports, Israeli forces demolished multiple homes as they retreated.
Friday, December 20, 2024
Interview Set to Shed Light on Mossad’s Decade-Long Covert Operation Against Hezbollah
In a highly anticipated episode of CBS’s 60 Minutes, recently retired Mossad agents provide unprecedented insights into a decade-long covert operation targeting Hezbollah. The agents, whose identities remain concealed with masks and altered voices, share with journalist Lesley Stahl the intricate details of their mission to sabotage Hezbollah’s communications network.
Friday, December 20, 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
Saturday 17 July 2021 12:07:00
Bali to Offer Travellers Vaccines in Bid to Boost Tourism
Famed for its volcanic mountains, Instagram-worthy beaches and rice terraces, the resort island of Bali in Indonesia is keen to boost tourism by offering Covid-19 vaccinations to travellers.
The South-East Asian nation’s government said that vaccines would be available to both domestic and international tourists.
Plans include free access to AstraZeneca and Sinovac for domestic travellers, and paid access to Sinopharm and other jabs for foreign travellers, reported the Financial Times.
The initiative was announced by Sandiaga Uno, Indonesia's Minister for Tourism and the Cultural Economy.
No launch date has been set for the plan which remains subject to approval by President Joko Widodo.
The global pandemic has devastated the economy of Bali, which relies heavily on tourism.
The paradisiacal island surrounded by the Java Sea has been a prime holiday destination for decades thanks to its stunning beaches, vibrant nightlife, and thriving coral reefs and seas.
Bali to Delay Reopening Plans
Plans to reopen the island to international holidaymakers are also set to be delayed.
"We were targeting end of July, beginning of August, but we just have to be mindful of where we are in this recent spike [in coronavirus cases]," Uno told Reuters.
Case numbers have surged across Indonesia in recent weeks, including in Bali.
Uno told journalists he wanted Bali's daily coronavirus infections to drop to 30 or 40 per day before reopening the country to visitors.
Domestic travellers can continue to visit Bali from across the country, but they must now have a negative PCR test before entering the island.
Visa-free travel to international visitors is suspended and only those with pre-approved visas who are willing to quarantine for five days in Jakarta can enter as a tourist.
Bali also has plans to attract more digital nomads to the island with a five-year visa and zero tax on earnings from overseas initiatives, according to Reuters.
More than six million travellers visited the island in 2019. In 2020, the island welcomed around 1 million tourists before the Covid-19 pandemic halted visits.
