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Army Commander, General Joseph Aoun, on Thursday received at his Yarzeh office, Egyptian Ambassador to Lebanon, Dr. Yasser Alawi, accompanied by the Embassy’s Military Attaché, Brigadier General Ahmad Abdel Maqsoud.
Discussions reportedly touched on cooperation relations between the armies of both countries.
Source: National News Agency
Lebanon’s military tribunal on Thursday charged seven suspects in last month’s attack that killed an Irish peacekeeper when a group of armed local residents ambushed his convoy and opened fire, officials said.
The shooting took place near the town of Al-Aqbiya in southern Lebanon, a center of support for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which has denied any role in the killing.
The attack killed Pvt. Seán Rooney, 24, of Newtowncunningham, Ireland, and seriously wounded Pvt. Shane Kearney, 22. The wounded peacekeeper was medically evacuated from Lebanon to Ireland. Two other Irish troops in the vehicle sustained light injuries
In late December, the Lebanese military arrested a suspect, allegedly “in cooperation with Hezbollah,” according to the group, which said the man was not a Hezbollah member.
The arrested man and six others were charged in the attack, according to a judicial official familiar with the investigation, a legal official following the case, and a military official. All spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.
The officials said that a search is underway for the other six suspects and that officials are trying to determine whether they had left the country.
The Lebanese military in a brief statement said the case was transferred to the “appropriate judiciary” on Tuesday, but did mention the charges or other developments.
The U.N. peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, also known as UNIFIL, told The Associated Press that it has not received any information about the arrest or the charges in the case. Hezbollah did not immediately respond to inquiries about the latest developments.
UNIFIL was created to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon after a 1978 invasion. The U.N. expanded its mission following the 2006 war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah, allowing peacekeepers to deploy along the Israeli border to help the Lebanese military extend its authority into the country’s south for the first time in decades.
Hezbollah supporters in Lebanon frequently accuse the U.N. mission of collusion with Israel, while Israel has accused the peacekeepers of turning a blind eye to Hezbollah’s military activities in southern Lebanon.
Source: Voice of America
Riyadh, Saudi Minister of Energy His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud today received Sustainable Development Minister Noor bint Ali Al Khulaif, on the sidelines of her visit to Riyadh.
She hailed solid fraternal relations binding the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, led by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
She noted the support of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister and HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
She stressed the importance of continued efforts and exchanging expertise in all development fields, including investing in the renewable energy sector and doubling its sources.
During the meeting, they discussed issues of common interest in various fields of energy, and ways to enhance cooperation and partnership, especially in energy projects, in a way that achieves the common interests of the two countries.
Source: Bahrain News Agency
Baghdad, The Central Bank of Iraq’s sales of dollars in an auction, today, Thursday, were devoid of any external remittances, so that sales were limited to cash only.
According to a document: the Central Bank of Iraq sold today, during its auction for buying and selling US dollars, 43 million and 500 thousand dollars, which the bank covered at a basic exchange rate of 1460 dinars per dollar.
Sales were limited to cash only, which amounted to 43 million and 500 thousand dollars.
Source: National Iraqi News Agency
Fuel prices have increased in Lebanon on Thursday, with the price of a canister of gasoline rising by LBP 17,000, that of diesel by LBP 19,000, and that of LP gas by LBP 11,000.
Consequently, prices are as follows:
95-octane gasoline: LBP 713,000
98-octane gasoline: LBP 732,000
Diesel: LBP 792,000
LP gas: LBP 451,000
Source: National News Agency
Baghdad, The President of the Republic, Abd al-Latif Jamal Rashid, stressed the need to expedite the approval of the budget to provide the requirements for reconstruction in the country.
A presidential statement stated that the President of the Republic received, in the Baghdad Palace, the Minister of Finance, Taif Sami, and discussed with her the developments of the financial and economic situation in the country.
According to the statement, the President of the Republic spoke at the outset of the meeting about Iraq’s upcoming participation in the Davos Conference, and his determination to work for Iraq to have a pivotal role by encouraging businessmen and capital to invest in projects that will contribute to the development of the local economic reality, especially after Iraq witnessed security and economic stability, pointing out that supporting the private sector is a national necessity to be a catalyst in supporting the country’s economy.
The President of the Republic stressed the need to expedite the approval of the draft budget law, to ensure the provision of the requirements for reconstruction in the country, the continuation of the wheel of progress and the development of the service and living reality for citizens in a manner that meets their legitimate rights to a free and dignified life.
The President stressed the need for appropriate reforms to combat corruption, which is an obstacle to any progress in the country. In this context, he pointed out the importance of relying on electronic governance to reduce financial waste and undermine corruption.
For her part, the Minister of Finance gave an explanation of the developments in the financial situation and the obstacles facing the advancement of the economy and the ways to overcome them, expressing her thanks to the President of the Republic for his support for everything that would achieve stability in the country at various levels.
Source: National Iraqi News Agency
Damascus, Minister of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform, Hassan Mohammed Qatana, discussed with Chargé d’affaires of the Lebanese Embassy in Damascus, Talal Daher, the development of relations in the agricultural field between the two countries.
During a meeting held on Thursday at the Ministry’s headquarters in Damascus, Qatana highlighted Syria’s interest in developing joint projects , especially with regard to preventing the transmission of transboundary livestock diseases , and protection of border areas, as well as cooperation in the fields of transport and the exchange of agricultural products between both the two brotherly countries.
He pointed out to the importance of activating signed agreements between the two sides and constituting a Syrian-Lebanese supreme committee to discuss further cooperation in all fields and to tackle challenges in mutual relations.
Daher, for his part, affirmed the strong ties between Syria and Lebanon, recalling the importance of a continuing dialogue between both sides in order to address issues related to transportation and marketing of products.
Source: Syria Arab News Agency
Riyadh, Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal bin Fadel Al-Ibrahim met here with the Minister of Sustainable Development in the Kingdom of Bahrain, Noor bint Ali Al Khulaif, currently on a visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
During the meeting, they discussed ways of joint cooperation in the areas of sustainable development goals, and the latest developments of common interest to achieve the goals of sustainable development in the two fraternal countries.
Source: Saudi Press Agency