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
Thursday 14 March 2024 15:33:55
Turkey's Erdogan Warns Against Spreading Ukraine Conflict To NATO, Exacerbating War
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday any steps that would exacerbate the war in Ukraine and possibly spread the conflict to NATO must be avoided, adding he would host Russian President Vladimir Putin after elections later this month.
NATO member Turkey supports Ukraine's territorial integrity. But it also maintains cordial relations with Russia and regularly speaks with both sides in the conflict. It has provided Ukraine with military and political support but also opposes sanctions on Moscow.
Speaking at a Ramadan fast-breaking dinner with foreign ambassadors in Ankara, Erdogan said Ankara would continue to work to revive the defunct Black Sea grain deal it brokered between Moscow and Kyiv with the United Nations.
"While putting forth our support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, we have already said that peace plans excluding Russia will not yield any results," Erdogan said, in a reference to a planned Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland later this year, which Russia will not attend.
"We are working to re-establish navigational safety in the Black Sea and ensure grain trade can be done safely. We believe steps that would exacerbate conflicts in the region, that would spread to NATO as well must be avoided," he added.
Last month, French President Emmanuel Macron said Western allies should not rule out deploying troops to Ukraine. However, most allies and NATO's chief have distanced themselves from the idea.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited Istanbul last week and Erdogan offered to host a Ukraine-Russia peace summit. He said on Tuesday that Putin would visit Turkey after elections in March, without elaborating.
The Kremlin has previously said Putin's visit to Turkey will be after Russia elections on March 15-17. Turks will also go to polls on March 31 for nationwide municipal elections.
Turkey hosted peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in 2022 but has since complained that no diplomatic step has been taken to advance these discussions. It has repeatedly offered to host further talks, saying a summit of leaders was needed.
