Politics

New York, Syria’s permanent representative to the UN, Dr. Bashar al-Jaafari, affirmed that the US, British, French, Turkish and Israeli governments moved from the war in proxy, based on supporting, arming and financing the terrorist and separatist groups in Syria to the direct war through launching aggression and direct military occupation, looting natural resources, and resources of Syrian energy in addition to cutting off water. “The US and Turkish occupation forces have deliberately set fire to the agrarian crops in Syrian al-Jazeera regions in order to empty the Syrian food baskets from their resources, and this crime represents a new economic terrorism which rises up to the level of war crimes perpetrated by the occupation forces against the Syrian people,” al-Jaafari said in an of

NNA In a first visit by a Prime minister to the northeastern border, Prime Minister Hassan Diab has toured today Friday, Hermel, the gate point of Al-Qasr town, Horta Tower in Ras Baalbek and the Command of the 2nd Land Border Regiment at Elias El-Khoury barracks. PM Diab was accompanied by his Advisor Khodr Taleb. Gate point - Al-Qasr PM Diab first headed to Nasiriyah district in Hermel, where he was received by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Zeina Akar and LAF Commander General Joseph Aoun. The delegation made an inspection tour along the gate point aboard military vehicles, where PM Diab was briefed about the missions undertaken by the Army in order to counter smuggling operations.   Ras Baalbek - Horta Prime Minister and the accompanying delegation he

President of the Republic, Gen. Michel Aoun, asked the Council of Ministers to reconsider the decision taken in a previous session related to the electricity plan, and to proceed with the plan as scheduled in the year 2019, while Prime Minister Dr. Hassan Diab stressed on the implementation of the previous government decisions adopted last year including the  Construction sites for electric power production plants, considering that the cabinet decision dated 5/14/2020 comes in the context of implementing the previois plan without contradicting it. This came during the cabinet session held this afternoon in Baabda Palace that was preceded by a meeting between President Aoun and PM Diab during which they discussed items on the agenda. The Council of Ministers decided to approve the reque

Hezbollah Secretary General, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, deemed Tuesday that combating corruption is harder than fighting the Israeli enemy, stressing on combating corruption through an impartial judiciary. Speaking in a dialogue interview with “Al-Nour” Radio Station, broadcasted by “Al-Manar” TV Channel this evening, marking the twentieth anniversary of the Resistance and Liberation Day, Nasrallah proposed "the establishment of a special judicial body, which preserves the sectarian balance, and is formed from the most impartial judges of these sects, who would be the martyrs to fight corruption." Addressing those who are awaiting a revolutionary act, all at once, he said “this is difficult, and needs time," reiterating his call to "fight corruption, but with an impartial judiciary."

In a press release by the British Embassy in Beirut, it said: "The United Kingdom is working together with countries across the Middle East to tackle coronavirus and protect the most vulnerable The United Kingdom is working together with countries across the Middle East to tackle coronavirus and protect the most vulnerable, UK Minister for the Middle East James Cleverly said today (22 May) as Muslims around the world celebrate Eid al Fitr. He called, at this time of celebration and reflection, to consider how we have come together to address the unprecedented global challenge of responding to coronavirus, and continue to work side-by-side. The UK has to date dedicated £764 million to the global fight against coronavirus. It is also leading international efforts to develop a safe,

House Speaker, Nabih Berri, met this Wednesday at his Ain el-Tineh residence with Japanese Ambassador to Lebanon, Takeshi Okubo, with whom he discussed the general situation in Lebanon and the broad region, as well as the bilateral relations between the two countries. Speaker Berri also met with UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jan Kubis, with talks reportedly touching on the latest developments. This afternoon, Berri received a delegation from the "Strong Republic" bloc, which included MPs Ziad Hawat and Antoine Habchi. On emerging, MP Hawat said that they briefed the Speaker on what had happened in Lassa, underlining Jbeil district’s keenness on national coexistence. MP Hawat stressed the importance of the application of law in this regard, underlining that the issue is ag

Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed in a phone conversation with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi settlement of crisis in Syria, issues of bilateral cooperation, and a number of regional issues. The two sides agreed on further cooperation of steps in preserving Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, The Kremlin said in a statement published on its website on Monday. The Kremlin added that the two sides also discussed cooperation issues aimed at stabilizing the global oil market, praising the agreements reached with the participation of Russia and Iraq in the OPEC+ format with the goal “to overcome the acute phase of the oil crisis”, affirming the importance of continuing effective joint efforts in this regard.   Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed Alexander Efimov as Special Envoy of the Russian President for Developing Relations with Syria. This came in a decree issued by President Putin on Monday which appointed Efimov, who is the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Syrian Arab Republic, as Special Envoy, effective immediately.   Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

In his religious sermon marking the Fitr Eid on Sunday, the Grand Mufti Al-Jaafari, Sheikh Ahmed Qabalan, denounced injustice, corruption and persecution, and categorically refused to accept a corrupt form of rule, unjust compromises, and power based on sectarianism and political opportunism. Qabalan called for dropping the sectarian formula, saying: “We confirm that Lebanon’s origin was on a sectarian basis, with the function of serving the colonial and monopolistic project, and this formula has ended, and what Bchara Al-Khoury and Riyadh Al-Solh did is no longer suitable for the state of the individual and the citizen; it is a phase that has come to an end.” “In order to protect the country and break political paganism, and in order to save Lebanon, and affirm its mutual coexistenc

Marking World Al-Quds Day, Hezbollah Secretary General, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, on Friday delivered a televised speech, in which he reiterated his vow not to abandon Palestine. “Hezbollah’s position from the Palestinian cause, Al-Quds, and the Zionist entity is ideological, spiritual, humane and moral. Our stance on Palestine is religious and ethical, and hence it can’t be changed,” Sayyed Nasrallah said. “The responsibility of regaining Palestine is mainly that of the Palestinian people but is also the religious responsibility of the Ummah,” he added. “Palestine from river to sea is the property of Palestinian people and shall return to them,” Nasrallah said, adding that “rights don’t end with time and what was taken by force would never be considered legitimate even if the whole w