Source: News Agencies
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 January 2024 17:50:28
US Treasury Sanctions Lebanon-Based Hydro Company, Yara Offshore Company for Links to Hezbollah, IRGC Quds Force
On Wednesday, the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned three entities and one individual in Lebanon and Turkey for delivering essential financial support to an Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) and the Hezbollah financial network.
"Today's action underscores our resolve to prevent the IRGC-QF and its proxy terrorist groups from exploiting the international trading system to fund their destabilizing activities," said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson.
"The United States will continue to take action to expose and disrupt these illicit schemes," Nelson added.
The Lebanon-based Yara Offshore SAL (Yara) is a Hezbollah-affiliated company that facilitated large sales of Iranian commodities to the Syrian regime, which the latter paid millions of dollars to Yara.
"Yara also conducted transactions on behalf of US-designated Hezbollah and IRGC-QF front company Concepto Screen SAL, which OFAC previously designated under EO 13224, as amended, on May 25, 2022 because it was used by Muhammad Qasir and US-designated Hezbollah illicit finance team official Muhammad Qasim al-Bazzal to facilitate commercial transactions likely benefiting the IRGC-QF and Hezbollah," said a press release.
Yara Offshore SAL is designated under EO 13224 "for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Hezbollah."
Lebanon-based Hydro Company for Drilling Equipment Rental (Hydro) was also designated under EO 13224 "for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, the IRGC-QF."
The company was involved in financing the IRGC-QF by facilitating the shipment of Iranian commodities worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Syria.
"Hydro operates under the direction of senior IRGC-QF officers and maintains commercial ties with US-designated Hezbollah and IRGC-QF front company Lebanon-based Concepto Screen SAL," the press release said.
