English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For April 12/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 11/55-57/12,01-11/:"Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. They were looking for Jesus and were asking one another as they stood in the temple, ‘What do you think? Surely he will not come to the festival, will he?’Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who knew where Jesus was should let them know, so that they might arrest him. Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, ‘Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?’ (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.’ When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus."

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on April 11-12/2025
Text & Video: The Heresy and Nonsense of the So-Called "National Dialogue for the Disarmament of the Terrorist Hezbollah"—A False Pretense and an Evasion of Confrontation/Elias Bejjani/April 09/ 2025
The Sower Of Discord and the Supreme Shiits Duopoly Council/Dr. Ali Khalifa/Nidaa Al-Watan, April 11, 2025
Video Link to a powerful commentary on Al-Mashhad TV by journalist and writer Dr. Saleh Al-Mashnouk titled: "There Is No Solution Except by Subduing Iran."
Banners Proclaiming 'A New Era for Lebanon' Burned Just Hours After Installation
Aoun-Hezbollah talks over arms: Latest developments
Lebanon's civil war fighters working for reconciliation, 50 years on
No reconstruction or aid unless Hezbollah disarmed, Rajji says
Israeli troops cross into Lebanon as shells hit Aita al-Shaab
Fayyad says Hezbollah open to 'any dialogue over pending files'
Lebanon’s civil war anniversary poll: Half of respondents fear conflict could return
Bitar interrogates Ibrahim and Saliba in port blast case
Aoun inspects Beirut port and Traffic Management Authority
Geagea: President Aoun Wants a Hezbollah Disarmament Plan
What comes first -- Hezbollah disarmament or Israel withdrawal?
Ambush on the border: 107 illegal crossings closed as Lebanese Army thwarts arms smuggling
Culture and Public Works Ministers tour historic Mar Mikhael train station as part of restoration effort
PM Salam reaffirms reform commitment, pushes forward with IMF deal and regional partnerships
A "LEAP" into the future: Lebanon begins five-year AI transformation plan
The Government Approves Compensation for Public School Teachers
Students Have Until April 23 to Share Their Education Reform Priorities in National Survey
Does the State Belong to a Party or to Everyone?/Johnny Kortbawi/This is Beirut/April 11/2025
Lebanon’s Forests Are Crying Out. Will We Answer in Time?/Karl Hajj Moussa/This is Beirut/April 11/2025

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on April 11-12/2025
Trump envoy Witkoff meets Putin in Saint Petersburg
Witkoff: Muscat Talks with Iran to Focus on Trust-Building, Not Deal Terms
Germany Urges 'Diplomatic Solution' Ahead of Iran-US Nuclear Talks
Iran says seeks 'real and fair' deal in nuclear talks with US
US insists talks with Iran will be 'direct'
EU delivers 40 tons of medicines and emergency supplies to Lebanon via UNICEF
Israel's army says it will fire air force reservists who condemned the war
Saudi Foreign Minister says aid entry to Gaza cannot be linked to ceasefire
Gaza ‘hell on earth’ as hospital supplies running out, warns head of Red Cross
UN: 36 Israeli strikes in Gaza killed ‘only women and children’
Yemen ‘not a battleground for settling scores,’ says top government official
Erdogan accuses Israel of seeking to ‘dynamite’ Syria ‘revolution’
Turkey to seek lifting of Syria sanctions: Erdogan tells Sharaa
Syria extends deadline for probe into killings of Alawites
UN aid chief says to cut 20% of staff due to funding shortfall
China hits back at Trump tariff hike, turmoil rings recession alarm
Chinese president calls on Western countries to support multilateralism
Sudan paramilitaries kill 32 in attack on key Darfur city: Activists

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on April 11-12/2025
The Sahel: Emerging Center of Global Islamism...The West Is Nowhere to Be Seen/Nils A. Haug/Gatestone Institute/April 11, 2025
Ahead of Trump admin-Iran talks, new report says Iran nuclear threat rises to 'extreme danger'/Benjamin Weinthal/Fox News/April 11, 2025
Question: “What is the significance of the triumphal entry?”/GotQuestions.org/April 11/2025
Iraq’s electricity crisis: Turning point or tipping point?/Jessica Obeid/Arab News/April 11, 2025
Hopes of an imminent Ukraine peace deal are fading/Luke Coffey/Arab News/April 11, 2025
Turkiye aims to align with Damascus and Baghdad/Dr. Sinem Cengiz/Arab News/April 11, 2025
Safeguarding Saudi Arabia’s precious forests/Eduardo Mansur/Arab News/April 11, 2025

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on April 11-12/2025
Text & Video: The Heresy and Nonsense of the So-Called "National Dialogue for the Disarmament of the Terrorist Hezbollah"—A False Pretense and an Evasion of Confrontation
Elias Bejjani/April 09/ 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/04/142096/
In yet another act of political theater—an all-too-familiar Lebanese charade—the ruling establishment, across the three presidencies, the government, and Hezbollah’s propaganda apparatus, continues to promote the farcical notion of a so-called “national dialogue” and “national defense strategy” to address the armed presence of Hezbollah. As if this were merely a matter of differing viewpoints or strategic disagreement—not the blatant, armed, and declared Iranian occupation of Lebanon that paralyzes the state and threatens its very existence, sovereignty, and stability.
President Joseph Aoun’s oath of office was clear: exclusive legitimacy of arms must reside with the Lebanese state. His mandate, grounded in the internationally endorsed ceasefire agreement with Israel—signed not only by the Lebanese government but by ministers affiliated with Hezbollah and blessed by Speaker Nabih Berri, Hezbollah’s so-called “elder brother”—was to implement this agreement and disarm the terrorist militia. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s ministerial statement also affirmed unwavering commitment to this same agreement and to UN resolutions.
Yet the glaring and dangerous contradiction lies in the fact that President Aoun was not elected by national consensus, nor with the backing of Hezbollah or its allies. He was imposed by the international Quintet Committee (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the U.S., France, and Qatar) as a rescue candidate, entrusted with a singular mission: to enforce the ceasefire and dismantle Hezbollah’s military apparatus—not to maneuver, stall, or deceive.
The same betrayal of mission applies to Nawaf Salam, who swiftly abandoned the task entrusted to him. Yielding to the pressures of Nabih Berri and the mafia-like political class, Salam shamelessly handed key ministries—most notably the Ministry of Finance—back to the Amal Movement, thus reaffirming the dominance of the very forces he was supposed to oppose. His actions exposed the hollowness of his claims to neutrality, independence, and reform, and revealed his readiness to barter national responsibility for personal political gain.
More troubling still is President Aoun’s post-France visit retreat. Instead of honoring his oath, he regressed into the deceptive discourse of “national dialogue,” recycling misleading terminology such as “defense strategy” and “national security” to mask surrender and submission to Hezbollah’s narrative. This linguistic acrobatics is nothing but a shameful capitulation, a deliberate evasion of the urgent need for a bold, decisive stance: to disarm Hezbollah and dismantle its terrorist military, financial, and intelligence infrastructure.
President Aoun must now choose: either fulfill the mission for which he was internationally installed or resign. His current approach—marked by political acrobatics, equivocation, and appeasement—serves only to entrench Hezbollah’s occupation and reinforce its stranglehold over Lebanon’s security, sovereignty, and future.
As for Nawaf Salam, the mask has fully dropped. His Arab nationalist, Nasserist agenda—obsolete and counterproductive—has surfaced, echoing the flawed stances of figures like Tarek Mitri and Ghassan Salamé, who never hesitated to issue statements that align with Hezbollah’s interests and obstruct the enforcement of international mandates. Meanwhile many ministers have even grown too timid to utter Hezbollah’s name, speaking instead in vague terms like “components” and “stakeholders”—just as some avoid calling cancer by its name, as though truth itself were taboo.
The path forward is unequivocal: President Aoun, Prime Minister Salam, and their government must implement—word for word—the terms of the ceasefire agreement. They must set a strict, short-term timeline to disarm Hezbollah and dismantle its operational structure. If they cannot, or will not, they must resign. Lebanon cannot afford further betrayal or paralysis, especially now, when a rare and historic opportunity has emerged: the disintegration of the Iranian terror axis, the effective defeat of Hezbollah through the ceasefire, and the collapse of its logistical backbone following the Assad regime’s fall in Syria.
In this context, the message from Ms. Morgan Ortagus, President Donald Trump’s representative, was crystal clear: no financial aid, no investment, and no political support will come before Hezbollah is disarmed and the ceasefire implemented. Her statement was blunt, both to Lebanese officials and in media interviews: “Hezbollah is a cancer and must be eradicated from its roots.” This is the reality that Lebanon’s political class either fears or refuses to confront—but the consequences of fear or complicity are the same: no state.
Evidence of this cowardice and duplicity is overwhelming. As Al Arabiya reported on April 8, 2025, Hezbollah still fully controls the Port of Beirut—using it for rampant smuggling in full defiance of state authority, economic integrity, and national security. This flagrant breach exposes not only Hezbollah’s criminal impunity but the Lebanese government’s impotence in confronting it.
Ultimately, Lebanon stands at a crossroads. The choice is stark and urgent: either a unified, sovereign, and independent state—or the continued decay under Hezbollah’s Iranian-backed shadow-state that devours everything in its path.

The Sower Of  Discord and the Supreme Shiits Duopoly Council
By Dr. Ali Khalifa/Published in Arabic by Nidaa Al-Watan, April 11, 2025
(Free translation by Elias Bejjani)
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/04/142169/
More dangerous than killing is the sermon delivered by the so-called “Excellent Jaafari Mufti” — a man whose stances and inclinations betray the very essence of religious leadership. He routinely issues fatwas in favor of re-electing the Amal–Hezbollah duo, with or without occasion, before and after every calamity this duo has inflicted—and continues to inflict—on the Shiits community and the Lebanese nation. Their reign has been marked by disastrous choices, reckless gambles, and a ruthless abuse of power.
This Mufti has become little more than a tool of partisan propaganda, functioning more like a loyal employee of the “duo” than a religious official serving under the Lebanese state. His salary, allowances, and the expenses of his institution are funded by Lebanese taxpayers, as stipulated in the law governing the Shiits Islamic sect in Lebanon. And yet, his most prominent fatwas—resembling his misfortunes—echo blind allegiance:
“Voting for the duo is a national, religious, and moral duty!”
“Hesitation is forbidden!”
“Abstaining is forbidden!”
“Casting a blank ballot is forbidden!”
These are the obsessions of a seducer—not the contemplations of a devout and ascetic Mufti, well-versed in jurisprudence, qualified in the nuances of issuing fatwas, and committed to addressing the evolving religious, social, and cultural dilemmas of the time. A true Mufti may engage with political matters, but only from the moral high ground—offering guidance rooted in ethics and truth, not in partisan loyalty.
Today, the Shiits community in Lebanon is misrepresented by a Mufti who seduces rather than enlightens. Its rupture from the broader Lebanese mosaic—its elites, its conscience, its very identity—was cemented when the Supreme Shia Islamic Council was transformed into a closed, sectarian echo chamber, reduced to a partisan megaphone. No longer the inclusive body its founders envisioned, it has devolved into what must now be called the Supreme Shiits Duopoly Council.
This Council has become a breeding ground for brazen legal violations, unchecked corruption, and appalling injustice. It has institutionalized nepotism, squandered communal endowments, and made self-serving appointments—including that of the seducer himself. It has fallen under complete political control, enslaved by the ambitions of power and the recklessness of authoritarian governance.
Worse still, the Supreme Shiits Duopoly Council now resembles a joint-stock company—one dealing in everything from iron and concrete to lingerie! In its current form, it breeds chaos rather than serving the needs of the Shia sect. It has abandoned its oversight responsibilities and financial duties as outlined in its own internal charter, even to the point of participating in the crime of money laundering.
The dysfunction of the Jaafari Fatwa Authority and the Supreme Shiits Islamic Council is not a matter of internal sectarian concern alone. It affects every Shiit citizen, given the Council’s political and national influence, and it concerns all Lebanese due to the nature of Lebanon’s sectarian balance and social structure. The current positions of the Jaafari Mufti, and the corrupt practices of the Council, are nothing short of an affront to the Shiits sect itself—its intellectuals, its values, its conscience, and its identity.
This insult must not be met with silence. It is time to raise our voices, mobilize our pens, and commit our efforts toward reclaiming and reforming the Shiits role in Lebanon’s public life.

Video Link to a powerful commentary on Al-Mashhad TV by journalist and writer Dr. Saleh Al-Mashnouk titled: "There Is No Solution Except by Subduing Iran."
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/04/142185/
In this bold episode from "Al Mashhad" channel, journalist and writer Dr. Saleh Al-Meshnouq analyzes the Iranian nuclear file and the upcoming talks between the US and Iran in Oman tomorrow. He sheds light on the complex political reality in the Middle East, asserting that peace is impossible as long as Iranian weaponry, represented by Hezbollah, remains. He Stresses on the fact that peace needs the Subduing Iran.April 11, 2025

Banners Proclaiming 'A New Era for Lebanon' Burned Just Hours After Installation
This is Beirut/April 07/2025
Barely installed, already in flames. The banners bearing the slogan “A New Era for Lebanon,” unveiled on Thursday along the road leading to Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport, survived only a few hours. By Friday morning, photos circulating on social media showed the signs reduced to ashes—targets of a deliberate act of vandalism. Part of an initiative to give this strategic artery a more unified and welcoming image, the banners had replaced portraits of Hezbollah figures and Iranian leaders, including former general Qassem Soleimani. Their appearance marked a symbolic departure from the partisan imagery that had long dominated the area. But not everyone welcomed the change. Less than 24 hours after their installation, the hopeful message of a “new era” was set ablaze, reigniting tensions over the contested representation of public space in Lebanon. An optimistic vision, quickly smothered by the enduring weight of political division.

Aoun-Hezbollah talks over arms: Latest developments
Naharnet/April 07/2025
President Joseph Aoun is communicating with Hezbollah’s leadership to “coordinate over the issue of Hezbollah’s arms south of the Litani River and over the mechanism that the Lebanese Army Command is adopting to remove Hezbollah’s weapons,” al-Binaa newspaper reported on Friday. “There is also communication on certain levels between the president and Hezbollah over the group’s weapons north of Litani and the defense or national security strategy, ahead of bilateral and direct dialogue between the president and Hezbollah representatives to seriously discuss the issues of arms and the defense strategy,” the daily added. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam will meanwhile raise the issue of Hezbollah’s weapons in Cabinet while a roadmap will be devised for addressing this issue across Lebanese territory within a month, the newspaper said. “Executive mechanisms for limiting weapons to the state and for the defense strategy will be devised within six to 12 months,” al-Binaa said.

Lebanon's civil war fighters working for reconciliation, 50 years on
Agence France Presse/April 07/2025
Near front lines where they once battled each other, former fighters in Lebanon's civil war now gather to bear the same message, half a century after the devastating conflict erupted: never again. The war killed 150,000 people, destroyed the country and left an indelible mark on the Lebanese psyche. Years after it ended in 1990, some buildings in the freewheeling capital remain riddled with bullet holes, and 17,000 people who went missing were never found. "It was a useless war," said Georges Mazraani, a Christian who took up arms in Beirut's working-class neighborhood of Ain al-Remmaneh, where the conflict started. The Christian district is separated from the Muslim neighborhood of Shiyyah by just one street that went on to become a key front line. On April 13, 1975, members of the right-wing Christian Kataeb Party machine-gunned a bus of Palestinians, leaving 27 dead, hours after assailants opened fire outside a nearby church, killing one of theirs. The incident that ignited the war remains seared in Lebanon's memory.
'Reconciliation'
The country had been on a knife-edge, with Palestinian fighters, and their Lebanese leftist and Muslim allies preparing for a confrontation against Christian groups, who were doing the same. For 15 years, a country once known as "the Switzerland of the Middle East" was ravaged by war along sectarian lines, with alliances shifting year after year with warlords building and breaking loyalties. And while the civil war ended in 1990, Lebanon has never recovered its former glory, remaining until 2005 under Syrian control, and with part of the country under Israeli occupation for two decades.Now gray, Mazraani was just 21 when he and other young men in his neighborhood took up arms. He later went on to command hundreds of fighters. "I lost 17 years of my life and 14 family members," he said, now 71 and ill. Near him plaques commemorating the "martyrs" of the Christian "resistance" adorn street corners. Today, "some people are encouraging civil war in Lebanon," Mazraani said. "They should be quiet and open up to reconciliation, so we can be finished with this problem."
'Ask for forgiveness' -
With Mazraani is Nassim Assaad, who fought for the Lebanese Communist Party, a onetime foe. "It's the poor" on both sides "who paid the price," not the militia leaders, said Assaad, who was 18 when the war began. He and Mazraani are now part of Fighters for Peace, which brings together former enemies for peace-building activities including community outreach and awareness-raising at schools and universities. Assaad said many people were worried about a possible return to civil war in the country still reeling from a recent conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. "Today, the circumstances are even more conducive for it than in 1975," he said.The key issue dividing Lebanon today is the arsenal of Hezbollah, the only group which refused to surrender its weapons to the state after the civil war ended. In Shiyyah, the fighters of old have disappeared. Israel's 1982 invasion and siege of Beirut dislodged Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and his fighters, while the leftist presence was replaced by Hezbollah, created with Iranian backing that year to fight the Israeli troops. The civil war ended with the Saudi-brokered Taif agreement, which established a new power-sharing system between Lebanon's religious sects. An amnesty for war crimes left victims and their families without justice, and the country has chosen collective amnesia in order to move on. "We must go back over our experience of war and ask for forgiveness in order to reach a real reconciliation," said Ziad Saab, president of Fighters for Peace. The power-sharing system was meant to be temporary, but in practice has enshrined the control of some former warlords, who swapped their military fatigues for suits, or their family members.Still today, periodic violence shakes the fragile balance.
'Lessons of the past' -
In the town of Souk al-Gharb, overlooking Beirut, former fighters from different backgrounds walk through grass covering the old front line to an abandoned bunker. The strategic town saw ferocious battles during the Mountain War between Christians and Druze that began in the wake of the Israeli invasion. "When I walk here, I'm afraid -- not of mines, but because the ground is stained with the blood of my comrades," said Soud Bou Shebl, 60, who fought with Christian militia the Lebanese Forces. Karam al-Aridi, 63, who led Druze fighters from the Progressive Socialist Party, said "war only causes death and problems," saying his village of Baysour alone lost 140 men. "We must learn the lessons of the past," he said. "No party must feel stronger than another, otherwise our country will be lost."

No reconstruction or aid unless Hezbollah disarmed, Rajji says
Naharnet/April 07/2025
Lebanon has been clearly informed that it can't rebuild what Israel has destroyed in more than a year of war with Hezbollah unless Hezbollah is disarmed. Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji told Asharq al-Awsat, in remarks published Friday, that Deputy U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Morgan Ortagus has herself, among others before her, told Lebanese leaders that Lebanon will not receive foreign aid before disarming Hezbollah. "The U.S. administration wants to help Lebanon liberate its land, rebuild (war-hit regions), and revive its economy, but in return two things are required of us - economic reforms and arms monopoly," Rajji said, adding that Ortagus did not mention a timeframe but said these prerequisites must be achieved as soon as possible and that what has been done is "good but not enough."In an interview with Al-Arabiya this week, Ortagus said she was encouraged by her meetings in Lebanon. "Yes and no," she answered, once asked if the Lebanese government is doing a good job. The government is working "very quickly", she said, but added that the situation is "not easy" and that reforms and change are "challenging" and will take time.
The U.S. envoy had said last month that Washington will be "bringing together Lebanon and Israel for talks aimed at diplomatically resolving several outstanding issues between the two countries" -- the release of Lebanese prisoners, the remaining disputed points along the Blue Line, and the remaining 5 "Strategic" hills where Israeli forces are still deployed in south Lebanon. She said she hopes diplomat-led working groups will soon negotiate these outstanding issues. "The Israeli and the Americans want to form three working groups to negotiate (these issues) but we told them Lebanon is only ready to negotiate the disputed points along the Blue Line as Israel's withdrawal and the release of prisoners are non-negotiables and need to be done immediately and without conditions.
He added that the U.S. has suggested these working groups be civilian but that this topic has not been raised again since. Lebanon wants the border demarcation to be negotiated through a military committee and not through direct talks -- like in 2022 when Lebanese and Israeli leaders separately signed a U.S.-brokered maritime demarcation deal after months of indirect talks -- and Lebanese politicians have unanimously said that the normalization of ties with Israel and direct negotiations are not on the table. "Lebanon is calling on all countries to pressure Israel to withdraw from the occupied Lebanese territories. Hezbollah will then have no excuse to hold onto its weapons and this will strengthen the position of the Lebanese state, which insists on liberating its land through diplomacy. However, until now, the Israelis are refusing to respond," Rajji said. Israel deems the five hilltops "strategic" and says they are important for security and provide key vantage points to monitor Hezbollah movements and prevent potential threats along the border. Israel has also continued to launch strikes on Lebanon despite a November ceasefire that largely halted more than a year of hostilities with Hezbollah. Israel says the strikes target Hezbollah members or weapons but it has also targeted prefabricated homes set up for residents whose homes in south Lebanon were destroyed in the conflict.

Israeli troops cross into Lebanon as shells hit Aita al-Shaab
Naharnet/April 07/2025
An Israeli infantry force on Friday crossed the border into the al-Wazzani parks in south Lebanon, the National News Agency said. The Lebanese Army had overnight confronted an Israeli force that crossed into the outskirts of Alma al-Shaab, forcing it to retreat, after it carried out bulldozing works and cut some trees. Israeli artillery shells meanwhile targeted the Abou Laban neighborhood in the southern town of Aita al-Shaab on Friday, as Israeli warplanes overflew the western and central sectors of south Lebanon.

Fayyad says Hezbollah open to 'any dialogue over pending files'
Naharnet/April 07/2025
MP Ali Fayyad of Hezbollah has stressed that the party is “open to any domestic dialogue course launched by the Lebanese state to address the pending files.”“The official Lebanese stances have reflected deep understanding of the importance of dialogue in protecting the domestic stability that is threatened by the U.S. stances and policies that are in the service of Israel,” Fayyad added. “There is a direct threat to Lebanese stability in pressing the Lebanese Army to disarm Hezbollah as they say; besieging Lebanon financially and withholding aid it from it; obstructing the reconstruction process; fabricating lies about the role of its ports, the last of which the targeting of Beirut port with the aim of subjecting it to U.S. security hegemony; and in providing cover to the assassinations that the Israeli enemy is conducting,” Fayyad warned. President Joseph Aoun announced Thursday that “Hezbollah has shown a lot of leniency and flexibility over the issue of cooperating in the weapons file according to a specific timeframe.
”Aoun added that “Hezbollah’s positivity must also be met with positivity and understanding of the new situation that the country is living.”Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam are “directly communicating with the aim of finding a complete solution for the file of the handover of Hezbollah’s arms,” MP Michel Moussa of Berri’s parliamentary bloc also said on Thursday. “Cabinet will play the biggest executive role in this regard, in cooperation with the Lebanese Army,” Moussa added, in a radio interview. “Speaker Berri is open to any dialogue and he had previously played a key role in finding compromises and solutions that can rescue the country,” Moussa went on to say.

Lebanon’s civil war anniversary poll: Half of respondents fear conflict could return
Arab News/April 11, 2025
BEIRUT: As Lebanon marks 50 years since the outbreak of its civil war on April 13, a new poll has revealed half of the Lebanese people questioned are worried the conflict could return amid a fragile ceasefire. The survey, conducted jointly by Annahar newspaper and International Information, sampled 1,200 Lebanese citizens across all regions between March 25 and April 2. It showed that 51.7 percent expressed varying degrees of concern about the war’s return, while 63.3 percent believed establishing a secular civil state by abolishing the sectarian political system represented the best path forward for the country. A total of 42.5 percent of respondents reported direct harm to themselves or family members, including deaths or injuries (23.7 percent), property damage (19.9 percent), and forced displacement (19.5 percent). In assessing Lebanese attitudes toward Iran’s role in Lebanon, 78.6 percent of respondents evaluated this role as negative, and 75.3 percent identified Israel as Lebanon’s primary adversary. The survey came as Israel resumed attacks on Lebanon, claiming it is targeting Hezbollah infrastructure. In a statement, Annahar’s management described the poll as an essential tool to understand present realities by examining present and past questions, noting the significant timing on the half-century mark of a conflict whose full lessons remain unlearned. Public opinion remains deeply divided on how to characterize the war that erupted on April 13, 1975, with 40.7 percent describing it as a Lebanese civil war while 38.5 percent view it as a war for others “fought on our soil.”A smaller segment (8.8 percent) consider it primarily a war related to Palestinian settlement issues. Information about the war continued to be transmitted largely through personal channels, with 81.9 percent citing family and friends as their primary source of knowledge, followed by media (44.8 percent), personal experience (28.3 percent), and academic sources (13.4 percent), according to the poll.

Bitar interrogates Ibrahim and Saliba in port blast case
Naharnet/April 07/2025
Beirut port blast investigator Judge Tarek Bitar on Friday interrogated former General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim in the case, in the latter’s first appearance before the magistrate. Ibrahim appeared before the judge although he has filed a lawsuit against the state in connection with the case. He was later allowed to leave the Justice Palace pending further investigations. "I came here to stress that the lawsuit against Judge Tarek Bitar is not aimed at obstructing investigations and to shed light on the violations committed by the judicial investigator," Ibrahim said after the session. Sources close to Ibrahim told MTV that the interrogation session was "calm and smooth yet meticulous" and that it lasted for more than two hours. Former State Security chief Tony Saliba later appeared before Bitar after having arrived from abroad. Bitar resumed his investigation in January after a two-year pause, charging 10 people including security, customs and military personnel. The August 4, 2020 explosion, one of history’s biggest non-nuclear blasts, killed more than 220 people, injured thousands and devastated swathes of the Lebanese capital.
The explosion was caused by the detonation of hundreds of tons of poorly-stored ammonium nitrate fertilizer following a blaze. Security sources initially suggested welding work could have started the fire that triggered the blast, but experts have since dismissed the theory as unlikely and an attempt to shift the blame off high-level failings. The probe stalled two years ago after Hezbollah accused Bitar of bias and demanded his dismissal, and after officials named in the investigation filed a flurry of lawsuits against him. The resumption of work comes with Hezbollah's influence weakened after its recent war with Israel and follows the election of a Lebanese president after a more than two-year vacancy.

Aoun inspects Beirut port and Traffic Management Authority
Naharnet/April 07/2025
President Joseph Aoun on Friday inspected the Port of Beirut and met with acting Customs chief Raymond Khoury, the Presidency said. Aoun visited the key facility to examine “the flow of work at the Customs department and at the port’s security posts,” the Presidency added. He was accompanied by Public Works and Transportation Minister Fayez Rasamny. Aoun had earlier in the day inspected the Traffic and Vehicles Management Authority in Dekwaneh, accompanied by Interior Minister Ahmad al-Hajjar. The president’s visit to the port comes days after a media report claimed that Hezbollah was using the facility to smuggle arms and cash. MP Hassan Fadlallah of Hezbollah denied the report on Thursday as "lies."Rasamny inspected the port on Wednesday and assured that "security at the Beirut Port is held with an iron fist."

Geagea: President Aoun Wants a Hezbollah Disarmament Plan
This is Beirut/April 07/2025
In an interview on MTV’s Sar el-Waet program, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea highlighted the Lebanese authorities’ commitment to restricting the right to bear arms to legal forces only. He emphasized that the disarmament of Hezbollah, both south and north of the Litani River, is inevitable. Geagea revealed that he was initially surprised when he heard President Joseph Aoun call for dialogue regarding Hezbollah’s weapons. “But I later understood that he proposed this dialogue to establish a plan for Hezbollah’s disarmament, not to reopen debate on the weapons file itself,” he explained. “This is a step forward that we fully support,” he continued, adding, “President Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and I all want the same thing: that all weapons be handed over to the army, both south and north of the Litani, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement and UN Security Council Resolutions 1701 and 1559.”According to Geagea, Hezbollah’s disarmament “is first and foremost a Lebanese demand, even before being an American or Israeli one.” He further stated, “Former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri was assassinated because he wanted to limit weapons to the state’s legal forces.”He stressed that Lebanon must notify the United States of a clear timeline to settle the weapons issue. “In return, Washington must respond positively to Lebanon’s demands and work to secure an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and an end to Israeli airstrikes,” Geagea said, firmly rejecting any idea of integrating Hezbollah cadres into the Lebanese Army. The Lebanese Forces leader downplayed fears of a civil war, often cited by those who consider Hezbollah's disarmament untimely. “I haven't heard Hezbollah threaten such a scenario, and no one in Lebanon wants a war—nor does anyone have the capacity to start one. A civil war between whom, exactly?” he asked. In this context, he criticized the approach taken by Culture Minister Ghassan Salamé on the weapons issue, calling it inappropriate.
Municipal Elections and Parity
On the upcoming municipal elections scheduled for May, Geagea said there is no veto against the Future Movement. He paid tribute to this Movement, which he praised as one of the few forces to have genuinely worked for the country's well-being over the past thirty years.
However, he acknowledged that talks with the Future Movement regarding the Beirut elections had come to a halt. “We understood that its leader, Saad Hariri, preferred not to get too involved,” Geagea explained. He voiced support for forming a coalition list that would ensure parity within Beirut’s municipal council. To that end, he revealed that contacts are ongoing with the Free Patriotic Movement, the Kataeb Party, and other Christian parties. MP Fouad Makhzoumi, he said, is also working with other groups toward the same goal.
“If parity is not respected, we will move toward a new municipal law,” Geagea warned. When asked about a possible visit to Syria, the Lebanese Forces leader said he is considering it, but “it’s not on the table for now, as the new Syrian administration is still being formed.”

What comes first -- Hezbollah disarmament or Israel withdrawal?
Naharnet/April 07/2025
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has criticized calls for dialogue with Hezbollah over its arms, calling for a deadline for disarming the group south and north of the Litani river. In an interview on Thursday night with MTV, Geagea said there is no room for defense strategies and dialogues, calling instead for immediately setting a deadline of six months for the disarmament of Hezbollah. President Joseph Aoun, who vowed to monopolize arms, said many times that Hezbollah’s weapons cannot be removed by force but through dialogue and a defense strategy. "Hezbollah has shown a lot of leniency, flexibility and cooperation over the arms issue," Aoun said Thursday. Hezbollah is reportedly ready to hold talks with Aoun about its weapons in the context of a national defense strategy but only after Israel withdraws from south Lebanon and stops its strikes and violations. Geagea warned that if Hezbollah does not disarm "Israel will not stop but rather increase its assassinations and the five points (it is still occupying in south Lebanon) will become ten."
He said maintaining good relations with the United States is what would resolve the problem. "We must win the U.S.' support in order to make Israel withdraw (from the five hills)."Deputy U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Morgan Ortagus, who visited Lebanon twice since the election of President Aoun, has said that Washington will be "bringing together Lebanon and Israel for talks aimed at diplomatically resolving several outstanding issues between the two countries" -- the release of Lebanese prisoners, the remaining disputed points along the Blue Line, and the remaining 5 points where Israeli forces are still deployed. "We are asking, demanding and hoping for generational change in Lebanon and if they don't do it they won't save their country," she said this week in an interview with al-Arabiya, stressing the need to fully disarm Hezbollah.
In her first visit to war-hit Lebanon on February, Ortagus voiced from Baabda pro-Israel statements. "We are grateful to our ally Israel for defeating Hezbollah," Ortagus said, adding that the United States has set a "red line" that Hezbollah should not be a member of Lebanon's next government. The comments provoked Hezbollah supporters and many Lebanese still suffering from the consequences of more than a year of war with Israel. Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah said Thursday the Lebanese government's priorities must be how to stop Israeli aggressions through a national (defense) strategy and dialogue, after Prime Minister Nawaf Salam revealed that Cabinet will soon discuss the monopolization of weapons and extending the state's authority on all Lebanese territories.

Ambush on the border: 107 illegal crossings closed as Lebanese Army thwarts arms smuggling
LBCI/April 07/2025
A Lebanese Army ambush in the border village of Aaiha in Rachaya district disrupted a weapons smuggling operation from Syria, triggering a blast and resulting in the injury and arrest of one smuggler. The smugglers were transporting weapons and ammunition from Syria into Lebanon using mules through illegal mountain crossings. Following the ambush, the army conducted a series of raids and made additional arrests in connection with the smuggling network. The operation marks part of a broader crackdown by the Lebanese military on smuggling and cross-border incidents along the eastern and northern frontiers with Syria. In response to recent tensions and clashes in northern Bekaa, Lebanese and Syrian Defense Ministers officials held a high-level meeting in Saudi Arabia. The talks between Lebanese Defense Minister Michel Mnassa and his Syrian counterpart, Murhaf Abu Qasra, created a joint operations room. The unit, headed by Lebanese-Syrian Coordination Office Chief General Michel Boutros and including representatives from General Security, aims to bolster bilateral coordination on border security. Additional sub-operations rooms were established in the Bekaa and northern regions, integrating army and General Security units to respond to cross-border threats swiftly. These units relay incidents to the central command room, which engages with Syrian counterparts, occasionally resulting in joint meetings for on-the-ground resolution. One example of this mechanism in action occurred in Yanta, a village in Rachaya, where a cross-border shooting at Lebanese soldiers was addressed through bilateral coordination. Since the beginning of the year, the Lebanese Army has shut down 107 illegal border crossings with Syria. The crackdown intensified following the Saudi-hosted defense talks. In northern Lebanon, army patrols have increased security patrols, focusing on high-risk towns and known smuggling routes.

Culture and Public Works Ministers tour historic Mar Mikhael train station as part of restoration effort
LBCI/April 07/2025
Lebanese Culture Minister Ghassan Salameh and Public Works and Transport Minister Fayez Rasamny visited the historic Mar Mikhael train station in Beirut, reaffirming their joint commitment to preserving and reviving the iconic landmark. The station, which stands as a symbol of Beirut’s rich cultural and historical heritage, is set to undergo restoration as part of a broader initiative supported by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation. Officials said this initiative reflects Italy’s continued dedication to safeguarding Lebanon’s cultural heritage and marks a new phase in efforts to breathe life back into one of the capital’s most storied sites.

PM Salam reaffirms reform commitment, pushes forward with IMF deal and regional partnerships
LBCI/April 07/2025
Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam reaffirmed the government’s commitment to implementing its reform agenda and passing financial legislation necessary to reach an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). During a meeting with a delegation from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), headed by the bank’s Vice President Matteo Patrone, Salam emphasized that reforms are in Lebanon’s vital interest and essential for placing the country on a path to sustainable development. The EBRD delegation expressed the bank’s readiness to support and assist Lebanon once the required reforms are implemented and a deal is signed with the IMF. Salam also met with U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert to discuss the political situation and recent developments related to the implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701 and the ceasefire agreement. The Prime Minister received Norway’s Ambassador to Lebanon, Hilde Haraldstad, for talks on bilateral relations and the overall situation in Lebanon and the region. In a separate meeting, Salam welcomed a delegation from the Lebanese-Iraqi Business Council, headed by Hassan Jaber. The delegation presented a memo outlining proposals to enhance Lebanese-Iraqi relations, including the formation of specialized sectoral committees to follow up on key priorities. These priorities include activating the 2002 Free Trade Agreement, reactivating the joint ministerial committee and ensuring its regular meetings, implementing reciprocal treatment for citizens of both countries, and facilitating investment, residency, and movement. The memo also called for using Lebanese and Iraqi ports as transit hubs for goods and oil, establishing a joint Lebanese-Iraqi office to track requests and files, and converting Iraqi debt into services and public projects. Additionally, it highlighted the need to strengthen land transportation between the two countries.

A "LEAP" into the future: Lebanon begins five-year AI transformation plan
LBCI/April 07/2025
Could Lebanon be a digital nation powered by artificial intelligence in five years, managing its own affairs?
This vision is no longer confined to the imagination—it is now a government-backed initiative that has officially taken off. The Artificial Intelligence Ministry has unveiled a five-year strategy under the title "LEAP," a digital transformation roadmap aimed at positioning Lebanon as a regional tech hub. The plan kicks off with a 100-day launch phase, during which pilot AI programs will be introduced in partnership with key Ministries, including Education, Justice, and Health. Officials stress that the AI Ministry cannot implement this plan alone, and cross-ministerial cooperation is essential. In the first year, the initiative will focus on passing new legislation, forming strategic partnerships, organizing digital rights, and beginning to scale practical applications. By the third year, Lebanon aims to join the ranks of regional technology leaders. If successful, the country could transform into a hub for talent, innovation, and an inclusive digital economy by the end of the five-year plan. Despite the enthusiasm, uncertainty looms as Lebanon remains behind countries already keeping up with technological developments. Past digital transformation strategies—three since 2000—have largely failed to materialize. However, infrastructure issues like slow internet, unreliable electricity, and the lack of data centers and clear regulatory frameworks pose major obstacles.  Still, officials say funding is being secured to address these gaps, and implementation has already begun this time. The plan is in place, and the intent is there. Execution is underway — slowly but surely, but the success of Lebanon's digital leap depends on one key factor: sustained coordination and follow-through.

The Government Approves Compensation for Public School Teachers
This is Beirut/April 11/2025
The Cabinet on Friday approved a long-overdue decree granting financial compensation to employees of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, marking what many are calling a long-awaited victory for public school teachers. The decree, which incorporates revisions suggested by the State Council, will take effect immediately upon the expected signature of the President of the Republic, likely on Monday or Tuesday. In a move hailed by educators and unions, the government will begin disbursing the payments without waiting for the measure to be published in the Official Gazette — a departure from standard protocol aimed at expediting long-stalled entitlements. “This decision restores justice for the teachers,” MP Ashraf Baydoun wrote in a Facebook post, emphasizing the financial and emotional toll the delay has taken on Lebanon’s already fragile education sector. The decree comes at a critical moment, as teachers across the country continue to demand fair compensation amid worsening economic conditions and rising inflation. Lebanon’s public sector workers, including educators, have borne the brunt of the country’s financial collapse since 2019, with many reporting salaries that have lost over 90% of their value. In parallel, the Cabinet deliberated on the banking sector reform law during the same session, held at the Grand Serail and chaired by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. Minister of Information Paul Morcos said that discussions have progressed past the halfway mark, though technical and legal details still require further debate. The government is expected to resume discussions in a follow-up session scheduled for 10 AM Saturday. According to Morcos, several amendments have already been introduced to the draft law. The Cabinet has authorized Finance Minister Yassine Jaber and Energy and Water Minister Joe Saddi to travel to Iraq. The two officials will lead a delegation to continue negotiations over the import of Iraqi fuel oil. In a separate move, the government agreed to launch a comprehensive review of public sector salaries. The aim is to address long-standing imbalances, with adjustments expected to be reflected in the upcoming draft budget. The Cabinet also approved a proposal from the Ministry of Public Works and Transport concerning the maintenance and operation contract for Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport. The deal, signed between the Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR) and Middle East Airports Services, will now be reactivated. A mechanism has been set in place for transferring the necessary funds to the CDR. Separately, the Cabinet cleared the release of value-added tax (VAT) funds to support the rehabilitation of the Chekka highway. Works on the northern road had stalled due to a major rockslide.

Students Have Until April 23 to Share Their Education Reform Priorities in National Survey
This is Beirut/April 11/2025
Minister of Education Dr. Rima Karami reiterated her call on Friday for students across all academic levels to participate in a nationwide education survey launched nearly a month ago. The initiative calls on students to share their perspectives and help shape reform priorities within Lebanon’s education sector. The survey, available online, aims to collect feedback on students’ aspirations and concerns regarding the future of education in Lebanon. Furthermore, Karami stressed the importance of student participation, urging responses to be submitted no later than Wednesday, April 23, 2025, shortly after the Easter holiday. She noted that the survey will officially close after this date to allow researchers time to analyze the results and present key insights to the public. “These responses will help identify the expectations of young people and guide efforts to implement meaningful educational reforms,” Karami indicated.

Does the State Belong to a Party or to Everyone?
Johnny Kortbawi/This is Beirut/April 11/2025
One of the biggest questions since the outbreak of the crisis in the fall of 2019 concerns the issue of determining responsibility for the losses that led to the default on payments, the suspension of external debt servicing and the freeze on deposits. In reality, the way one views the Lebanese economy is the main driver behind the different perspectives. Some see it through a liberal lens, while others approach it from a background closer to communism, viewing public ownership as fundamental and treating the state as the property of everyone – thus, any assumption of responsibility would fall back on the taxpayers. As a general principle, responsibility should be shared between private banks, the central bank and the state, based on the idea that each has a specific role in the crisis. However, at its core, the facts confirm that the state is neither innocent nor a victim in this case, contrary to what some portray in order to justify fierce attacks on the banks and to oppose liberal ideas like privatization and the establishment of a sovereign wealth fund to manage state assets. Those who argue that the state is above all seem to forget that successive governments bear no small part of the blame. The Lebanese pound has not been truly worth 1,500 to the dollar since 2001, yet it remained pegged at that rate for 18 years, maintained through a policy of fixed exchange rates, despite the series of political and economic crises, wars and assassinations that should have caused the currency to collapse or at least decline. The amount of money injected into the markets was not small – it equaled about a third of the losses incurred to maintain stability. And the decision to do this was not made by private banks or the central bank, but by political authorities, with no president or prime minister wanting the lira to collapse during their term.
As for the electricity sector, the story is long, but half of the money spent was on electricity that never reached households. Then there is the issue of smuggling, with the state – both politically and in terms of security – taking no serious actions to curb it, even as subsidies ended up fueling large-scale, unaccounted-for smuggling operations, worsened by Hezbollah’s military dominance. In this case, the state took no measures, did not cut subsidies, and drained the public treasury, even though the amounts spent could have been enough to return the funds of small depositors (those with less than $100,000). Yet this same state – which some refuse to hold accountable – acted in a purely populist manner, doing nothing to stop the bleeding, while opting instead for measures that served electoral interests and sold illusions to the public.
This very state is seen by the “new communists” as infallible. This is the same state that borrowed – indeed begged for loans – from the central bank and private banks, then decided to default on payments without any negotiations. It is the same state that some illusion-sellers seek to remove from the equation, leading inevitably to the bankruptcy of banks and the erasure of deposits. And this same state continues to waste millions on poorly studied salary scale adjustments, on decaying administrations, and on resources it does not know how to manage. In the end, these people want to reward the failing student and punish the teacher who did everything expected of him – yet the student failed because he did not study enough. This equation reflects just how well these individuals understand the economy.

Lebanon’s Forests Are Crying Out. Will We Answer in Time?
Karl Hajj Moussa/This is Beirut/April 11/2025
Lebanon’s forests, crucial to the nation’s ecological stability, are facing a growing threat from illegal logging, rapid urbanization, and the accelerating effects of climate change. These vital green lungs are on the verge of disappearance. In a race against time, the minister of Agriculture is urgently acting to reverse this alarming trend and safeguard what remains. Lebanon, a country where forests cover only 13.6% of its total land area, is confronting a severe environmental crisis. Recent estimates from the Ministry of Agriculture (2021), the CNRS and FAO show that Lebanon has approximately 137,000 hectares of natural forests. Yet, this crucial forest cover continues to diminish due to illegal logging, unchecked urbanization, and the intensifying effects of climate change – threatening the country’s ecological balance. In response to this alarming situation, Minister of Agriculture Nizar Hani declared a state of forest emergency on March 27, outlining a series of strict measures aimed at halting the degradation of these vital ecosystems.However, for these initiatives to be successful and sustainable, they require nationwide mobilization and strengthened collaboration across all sectors.
A Forest Emergency to Protect Lebanon's Ecosystems
Lebanon’s forests – essential green lungs – play a vital role in climate regulation, biodiversity conservation and natural disaster prevention. Yet, they are increasingly vulnerable to mounting pressures, and their ongoing degradation poses grave consequences for the broader ecosystem. Minister Hani’s declaration of a state of emergency is an unprecedented step to confront the dual threats of illegal logging and rising desertification – two critical dangers facing Lebanon’s forested landscapes. Several key measures have been implemented under a “national plan to protect and strengthen the sustainability of Lebanon’s forests.” As of April 1, 2025, the government suspended all tree-cutting permits, allowing ecosystems to naturally regenerate. Additionally, starting June 1, 2025, the production of charcoal – an activity known to severely damage forests – will be banned. “The degradation of our forests not only threatens biodiversity but also increases the risks of natural disasters such as floods and landslides,” warned Hani.
Lebanon’s Green Lungs Under Threat
In an interview with This is Beirut, Ralph Zgheib, an agricultural engineer and expert in soil and forest management, warned about the serious threats facing Lebanon’s forests. Among the foremost dangers are forest fires, often caused by human negligence. “These fires are becoming increasingly frequent and destructive due to a lack of preventative measures and poor management,” Zgheib stated. Uncontrolled urbanization and the illegal expansion of construction are also major threats, particularly in areas like Akkar and the Beqaa. “Illegal construction is encroaching on essential forest areas,” the expert confirmed. Excessive grazing, especially in protected zones like the Qammouaa Oak Forest, is accelerating soil erosion and the loss of biodiversity. “Overgrazing weakens our forests and destroys critical vegetation,” he explained. The rising demand for firewood is placing growing pressure on Lebanon’s forests. “In the north, the influx of Syrian refugees has exacerbated this over-exploitation,” Zgheib noted, adding that “the Ministry of Agriculture’s lack of resources is preventing effective and sustainable forest management.”
Climate change is further aggravating the situation, with droughts weakening trees and disrupting water cycles, “reducing their ability to store carbon,” he added. Moreover, the absence of effective forest management and outdated forestry practices add further strain to Lebanon’s already fragile ecosystems. For Zgheib, immediate action is essential. “We must strengthen legislation, modernize fire prevention infrastructure, and invest in environmental education,” he urged, calling for collaboration between local communities and the government. Finally, he underscored the importance of municipal involvement and the role of rural cooperatives in forest monitoring, reforestation and fire prevention. According to Zgheib, the Ministry of Agriculture must take the lead in coordinating forest policies and providing training for forestry agents to safeguard Lebanon’s forests.
A Collective Commitment to Safeguard Lebanon’s Forests
Despite the numerous challenges, several initiatives are actively working to restore and protect Lebanon’s forests. The National Reforestation Plan (NRP), although constrained by the ongoing economic crisis, aims to plant over 40 million trees by 2030. NGOs like the Lebanon Reforestation Initiative (LRI), the Association for Forests, Development and Conservation (AFDC) and Jouzour Loubnan, supported by the FAO and the European Union, are at the forefront of forest restoration and agroforestry efforts, while also raising public awareness about the importance of environmental preservation. On April 10, Environment Minister Tamara al-Zein met with the World Bank to finalize a strategic fire prevention project for the Akkar and Chouf regions. This partnership is aimed at improving coordination between public and civil stakeholders, ensuring more effective and sustainable forest management. The agreement seeks to enhance cooperation between the government and local communities, strengthen firefighting capabilities, and restore forests through tree planting and biodiversity protection. Furthermore, a cross-ministry collaboration has been established to strengthen the enforcement of measures proposed by the Ministry of Agriculture, which has shared a list of areas affected by illegal logging with the Ministry of Defense, enabling swift action against offenders. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to mitigate the risks of natural disasters. The Ministry of Justice is also involved to expedite the processing of violations and impose stricter penalties. Enhanced on-the-ground monitoring is underway through additional patrols, in collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior. Immediate sanctions will be applied to offenders, with the support of security forces if needed. Finally, Minister Hani called on citizens to actively engage in this vital mission, underscoring that “the preservation of Lebanon’s forested environments is a shared responsibility between the state and society.” He emphasized the importance of public awareness, urging every citizen to “recognize the impact of their actions and contribute to environmental conservation,” as the protection of Lebanon’s forests depends on collective effort. As the urgency grows, the future of these ecosystems hinges on our ability to unite in action. Without a coordinated effort, these invaluable treasures of biodiversity may fade into oblivion.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on April 11-12/2025
Trump envoy Witkoff meets Putin in Saint Petersburg
Agence France Presse/April 07/2025
Russian President Vladimir Putin began talks with U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff in Saint Petersburg on Friday, the Kremlin said. Moscow released footage of Putin greeting Witkoff and earlier said the pair would discuss the Ukraine conflict, but that no breakthrough was expected. U.S. President Donald Trump meanwhile appeared to criticize Russia's lack of movement on stopping the Ukraine war. "Russia has to get moving," Trump wrote Friday on his Truth Social app. He said the war -- started by Russia invading its neighbor -- is "senseless" and "should have never happened."

Witkoff: Muscat Talks with Iran to Focus on Trust-Building, Not Deal Terms
This is Beirut/April 07/2025
US President Donald Trump’s envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, who met with president Vladimir Putin, in Moscou, said Friday that the initial meeting with Iranian officials in Muscat will focus on rebuilding trust rather than hashing out the fine details of a nuclear deal. “The initial meeting in Muscat will be centered on building confidence,” Witkoff stated, adding that the insistence on dismantling Iran’s nuclear program does not rule out the possibility of compromise. However, he warned that if Iran refuses to dismantle its nuclear infrastructure, “President Trump will take the next decision.”Witkoff clarified that Saturday’s discussions will not address specific deal conditions but rather serve as a stepping stone. “Any agreement will require guarantees that Iran will not obtain a nuclear bomb,” he said. These indirect negotiations, facilitated by Oman, come amid renewed US sanctions on Iran’s nuclear and oil sectors and warnings from both Washington and Tel Aviv about the consequences of continued Iranian defiance.

Germany Urges 'Diplomatic Solution' Ahead of Iran-US Nuclear Talks
AFP/April 07/2025
Germany urged Friday a "diplomatic solution" ahead of this weekend's nuclear talks between Iran and the United States after President Donald Trump said military action was possible if negotiations fail. Longtime adversaries Iran and the United States are set to hold talks on Saturday in Muscat on Tehran's nuclear programme. The West has voiced fears Iran is seeking nuclear bombs, an ambition Tehran denies. "We need a diplomatic solution," German foreign ministry spokesman Christian Wagner told a press conference, while stressing it was a "positive development that there is a channel for dialogue between Iran and the United States". Trump last month sent a letter to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urging negotiations and warning of military action if Tehran refuses. On Wednesday Trump said military action against Iran was "absolutely" possible if talks failed to produce a deal.
Wagner said that Germany "remains extremely concerned about the Iranian nuclear programme... Iran has continuously escalated the situation, significantly expanding enrichment capacities. "Finding a resolution to this issue becomes increasingly urgent." Germany was among the countries that struck a historic accord with Iran in 2015 that saw sanctions relief in exchange for limits on the nuclear programme. Trump, during his first period as president, withdrew from the deal, and tensions between the West and Tehran have repeatedly flared since. Iran has held several rounds of talks with Germany, France and Britain about its nuclear programme after reviving engagement with the trio, known as the E3, last year. Wagner said the "shared goal" of the three European powers was to find a solution that "ensures Iran does not develop nuclear weapons, as this would have enormous destabilising effects on the entire region".The Europeans were "of course" working "in close coordination with the United States on this matter", he added.

Iran says seeks 'real and fair' deal in nuclear talks with US
Agence France Presse/April 07/2025
Iran is seeking a "real and fair" agreement with the United States on its nuclear program, a senior aide to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Friday, setting the stage for a diplomatic showdown this weekend in Oman.
Longtime adversaries Iran and the U.S. are set to hold talks on Saturday in Muscat, aimed at reaching a potential nuclear deal. U.S. President Donald Trump last month sent a letter to Khamenei urging negotiations and warning of possible military action if Tehran refuses. "Far from putting up a show and merely talking in front of the cameras, Tehran is seeking a real and fair agreement, important and implementable proposals are ready," Khamenei adviser Ali Shamkhani said in a post on X. He said Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was heading to Oman "with full authority for indirect negotiations with America," adding that if Washington showed honesty and a genuine will to reach a deal, the path forward would be "clear and smooth." In the lead-up to Saturday's talks, both sides have engaged in a war of words that saw Trump threaten military action if the discussions fail. Responding to Trump's threat, Shamkhani said Iran could expel United Nations nuclear inspectors, prompting in turn a U.S. warning that such action would be an "escalation". On Friday, foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Iran was "giving diplomacy a genuine chance in good faith and full vigilance." "America should appreciate this decision, which was made despite their hostile rhetoric," Baqaei said in a post on X.
Threats
Tehran responded later to Trump's letter, saying it was open to indirect negotiations and dismissed the possibility of direct talks as long as the United States maintains its "maximum pressure" policy. Trump said the talks would be "direct" but Iran has insisted they would be "indirect". Araghchi and US special envoy Steve Witkoff are due to lead the talks in Oman. Ahead of the planned talks, Washington imposed additional sanctions on Iran targeting its oil network and nuclear program. The talks will be held as Iran reels from significant setbacks suffered by its regional allies -- including Palestinian Hamas militants and Hezbollah in Lebanon -- in conflicts with Israel since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023. The war saw rare direct attacks between Iran and Israel for the first time, after engaging in a shadow war for years. On Wednesday, Trump said military action against Iran was "absolutely" possible if talks failed to produce a deal. "If it requires military, we're going to have military. Israel will obviously be very much involved in that, be the leader of that," Trump said. Shamkhani later warned such threats could prompt measures including the expulsion of U.N. nuclear watchdog inspectors from Iran and consideration of the transfer of "enriched materials to secure locations," referring to the country's uranium enrichment. Washington responded by saying the threat was "inconsistent with Iran's claims of a peaceful nuclear program" and that expelling U.N. nuclear inspectors would be "an escalation and a miscalculation on Iran's part."Iran has consistently denied seeking to acquire nuclear weapons.
Cautious approach
Ahead of the talks, hardline media in Iran voiced skepticism. The Kayhan newspaper ran editorials warning the new U.S. sanctions showed that Washington was "an enemy of Iran and its people," and dismissing negotiations to lift sanctions as a "failed strategy."In contrast, several reformist media outlets struck a more optimistic tone, emphasizing the potential economic and investment opportunities the talks could create. Tehran has long been wary about engaging in talks with Washington, often citing previous experience and undermined trust. During his first term, Trump unilaterally withdrew from a landmark 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers and reimposed sweeping economic sanctions. Tehran adhered to the 2015 deal for a year after Washington withdrew but later began rolling back its own commitments. In its latest quarterly report in February, the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, said Iran had an estimated 274.8 kilograms (605 pounds) of uranium enriched to up to 60 percent. Weapons grade is around 90 percent. Iran has also increased the number of centrifuges. Baqaei said Iran will "neither prejudge nor predict" ahead of Saturday's meeting in Oman, a long-established venue for Iranian talks. "We intend to assess the intentions and seriousness of the other side on Saturday and adjust our next moves accordingly," said Baqaei.

US insists talks with Iran will be 'direct'
LBCI/April 11, 2025
U.S. talks with Iran will be direct, the White House said Friday, despite denials from Tehran, as the two sides prepare for a diplomatic showdown this weekend in Oman. "These will be direct talks with the Iranians, and I want to make that very clear," White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters. "The president believes in diplomacy, direct talks, talking directly in the same room."

EU delivers 40 tons of medicines and emergency supplies to Lebanon via UNICEF
LBCI/April 07/2025
The European Union has delivered 40 tons of essential medicines and emergency medical supplies to Lebanon's Public Health Ministry through UNICEF as part of ongoing international efforts to support the country's healthcare sector. Part of the shipment arrived in January aboard a UNICEF-chartered flight, while the remainder was delivered by sea last month. The supplies include a wide range of vital medications such as antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and painkillers. These will be distributed based on need and usage to approximately 300 primary healthcare centers and units across the country.
The shipment also contains 15 emergency medical kits designed to meet the urgent healthcare needs of around 150,000 people over three months. Public Health Minister Rakan Nasreddine described the donation as a reaffirmation of the international community's support, saying it demonstrates that "the government remains fully committed to working with international organizations and partners to ensure the delivery of health services and the implementation of joint projects."

Israel's army says it will fire air force reservists who condemned the war
Associated Press/April 11, 2025
Israel's military said Friday it will fire air force reservists who signed a letter condemning the war in Gaza and claiming it only serves political interests instead of bringing the hostages home. In a statement to The Associated Press, an army official said there was no room for any body or individual, including reservists in active duty, "to exploit their military status while simultaneously participating in the fighting," calling it a breach of trust between commanders and subordinates. The army said it decided that any active reservist who signed the letter will not be able to continue serving. It did not specify how many people that included or if the firings had begun. Nearly 1,000 Israeli Air Force reservists and retirees signed a letter, published in Israeli media Thursday, demanding the immediate return of the hostages, even at the cost of ending the fighting. The letter comes as Israel ramps up its offensive in Gaza, trying to pressure Hamas to agree to free hostages, 59 of whom are still being held, more than half of which are dead. Israel's imposed a blockade on food, fuel and humanitarian aid that has left civilians facing acute shortages as supplies dwindle. It has pledged to seize large parts of the Palestinian territory and establish a new security corridor through it. While the soldiers who signed the letter didn't refuse to keep serving, it's part of a growing number of Israeli soldiers speaking out against the 18-month conflict, some saying they saw or did things that crossed ethical lines. "It's completely illogical and irresponsible on behalf of the Israeli policy makers … risking the lives of the hostages, risking the lives of more soldiers and risking lives of many many more innocent Palestinians, while it had a very clear alternative," Guy Poran, a retired Israeli Air Force pilot who spearhead the letter told The AP. He said he's not aware of anyone who signed the letter being fired, and since it was published, it has gained dozens more signatures. Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu downplayed the letter on Friday, saying it was written by a "small handful of weeds, operated by foreign-funded NGOs whose sole goal is to overthrow the right-wing government." He said anyone who encourages refusal will be immediately dismissed. Soldiers are required to steer clear of politics, and they rarely speak out against the army. After Hamas stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, Israel quickly united behind the war launched against the militant group. Divisions here have grown as the war progresses, but most criticism has focused on the mounting number of soldiers killed and the failure to bring home hostages, not actions in Gaza.

Saudi Foreign Minister says aid entry to Gaza cannot be linked to ceasefire
Arab News/April 11, 2025
ANTALYA: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan said on Friday aid entry to Gaza cannot be linked to a ceasefire. Prince Faisal also said the international community must pressure the Israeli government to allow aid deliveries to Gaza. The Saudi minister was speaking at a joint press conference in Antalya following a meeting of the Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee on a Gaza ceasefire, which discussed developments in the enclave, as well as efforts to achieve an immediate and sustainable ceasefire. The meeting also emphasized the need for efforts to continue to enable the Palestinian people to exercise their inherent rights. Prince Faisal said any displacement of Palestinians was categorically rejected. He added that the Kingdom appreciated the efforts of Egypt and Qatar in the ceasefire negotiations. “We categorically reject any proposal related to the displacement of Palestinians from their land, this applies to all forms of displacement, he said. “There are some who attempt to describe certain types of Palestinian departures as "voluntary," but you cannot speak of voluntary departure while Palestinians in Gaza are being deprived of the most basic necessities of life. “If aid is not getting in, if people are unable to find food, water, or electricity, and if they are under constant threat of military bombardment — then even if someone is forced to leave, this is not a voluntary departure. This is a form of coercion,” he added. He also said that any proposal that tried to frame the departure of Palestinians — or what is called “allowing the opportunity” for voluntary departure under these circumstances — was “simply a distortion of the truth.”He continued: “The reality is that Palestinians in Gaza are being deprived of the most basic requirements for life. That’s why we must continue to clarify this reality, work consistently, and we hope this message is clear to everyone, especially within the framework of the action plan we agreed upon today in the committee.”The minister also condemned Israeli violations of international law in the West Bank, including settlement expansion, home demolitions, and land seizures.

Gaza ‘hell on earth’ as hospital supplies running out, warns head of Red Cross
Reuters/April 11, 2025
GENEVA: The president of the Red Cross described the humanitarian situation in Gaza on Friday as “hell on earth” and warned that its field hospital will run out of supplies within two weeks. “We are now finding ourselves in a situation that I have to describe as hell on earth ... People don’t have access to water, electricity, food, in many parts,” Mirjana Spoljaric said at the International Committee of the Red Cross headquarters in Geneva. No new humanitarian supplies have entered the Palestinian enclave since Israel blocked the entry of aid trucks on March 2, as talks stalled on the next stage of a now broken truce. Israel resumed its military assault on March 18. Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said 25,000 aid trucks had entered Gaza in the 42 days of the ceasefire and that Hamas had used the aid to rebuild its war machine, an allegation that the group has denied. Spoljaric said supplies were running critically low. “For six weeks, nothing has come in, so we will, in a couple of weeks, run out of supplies that we need to keep the hospital going,” she said. The World Health Organization said supplies of antibiotics and blood bags were dwindling fast. Twenty-two out of 36 hospitals in the enclave are only minimally functional, Dr. Rik Peeperkorn told reporters in Geneva via video link in Jerusalem. It is extremely dangerous for the population to move, but it’s especially also dangerous for us to operate.
Mirjana Spoljaric, ICRC president
The Red Cross president also raised concerns about the safety of humanitarian operations. “It is extremely dangerous for the population to move, but it’s especially also dangerous for us to operate,” Spoljaric said. In March, the bodies of 15 emergency and aid workers, including eight members of the Palestinian Red Crescent, were found buried in a mass grave in southern Gaza. The UN and Red Crescent accused Israeli forces of killing them. The Israeli military said on Monday that an initial investigation showed that the incident occurred “due to a sense of threat” after it said it had identified six Hamas militants in the vicinity. Spoljaric called for an immediate ceasefire to release the remaining hostages held by Hamas and to address the grave humanitarian issues in Gaza. Israel began its military campaign in Gaza in October 2023. Since then, more than 50,800 Palestinians have been killed and much of the territory has been reduced to rubble.

UN: 36 Israeli strikes in Gaza killed ‘only women and children’
AFP/April 11, 2025
GAZA: Dozens of Israeli air strikes on Gaza have killed “only women and children” after a ceasefire collapsed, the UN said, as an Israeli attack in the territory’s south on Friday left a family of 10 dead. A UN rights office report also warned that expanding Israeli evacuation orders were resulting in the “forcible transfer” of people into ever-shrinking areas, raising “real concern as to the future viability of Palestinians as a group in Gaza.”Israel’s military said it was looking into the attack that killed members of the same family in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza, adding separately that it had struck approximately 40 “terror targets” across the territory over the past day. Israel resumed its Gaza strikes on March 18, ending a two-month ceasefire with Hamas. Since then, more than 1,500 people have been killed, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory to which Israel cut off aid more than a month ago. “Ten people, including seven children, were brought to the hospital as martyrs following an Israeli air strike that targeted the Farra family home in central Khan Yunis,” civil defense spokesperson Mahmud Bassal told AFP. AFP footage of the aftermath showed several bodies wrapped in white shrouds and blankets, and footage of the house showed mangled concrete slabs and twisted metal. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lashed denounced Israel, saying: “If this is not barbarism, I ask you, what is it?“Early Friday, Israel’s military issued an evacuation warning to residents of several areas east of Gaza City ahead of a new offensive there. The UN decried the impact of the ongoing Israeli strikes, finding that “a large percentage of fatalities are children and women.”“Between 18 March and 9 April 2025, there were some 224 incidents of Israeli strikes on residential buildings and tents for internally displaced people,” the UN human rights office said in Geneva. “In some 36 strikes about which the UN Human Rights Office corroborated information, the fatalities recorded so far were only women and children.”Israel’s military has repeatedly said Palestinian militants often hide among civilians, a charge Hamas denies. UN rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani also raised concerns over “the denial of access to basic necessities within Gaza and the repeated suggestion that Gazans should leave the territory entirely.”Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, after meeting regional counterparts in Turkiye, urged “maximum pressure to ensure” aid is delivered into Gaza.The war broke out after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. Militants also took 251 hostages, 58 of whom are still held in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.
Gaza’s health ministry said Friday at least 1,542 Palestinians have been killed since March 18, taking the overall death toll since the war began to 50,912. A truce brokered by the United States, Egypt and Qatar that took effect on January 19 and lasted until March 17 saw the return of 33 Israeli hostages, eight of them in coffins, in exchange for around 1,800 Palestinian prisoners. In a Passover holiday message, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his pledge to bring the remaining captives home. He spoke after US President Donald Trump suggested progress in hostage release talks, telling a cabinet meeting on Thursday that “we’re getting close to getting them back.”Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff was also quoted in an Israeli media report as saying “a very serious deal is taking shape, it’s a matter of days.”
Israeli media reported Friday that Egypt and Israel had exchanged draft documents on a ceasefire-hostage release deal. The Times of Israel said Egypt’s proposal would mean eight living hostages and eight bodies released in exchange for a truce of between 40 and 70 days and a large number of Palestinian prisoner releases. A senior Hamas leader who declined to be identified told journalists the group had “not received any new ceasefire offer.”“The movement is open to any new proposal that would achieve a ceasefire, withdraw the occupation’s forces, and end the suffering of the Palestinian people.”In his message for Passover — a holiday celebrating the biblical liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt — Netanyahu said that “together we will return our hostages.” He has insisted that increased military pressure is the only way to get the captives home.

Yemen ‘not a battleground for settling scores,’ says top government official
Arab News/April 11, 2025
DUBAI: Yemen is “not a battleground for settling scores, nor part of any external compromises,” a top government official told Asharq Al-Awsat in an exclusive interview. Brig. Gen. Tariq Mohammed Abdullah Saleh, a member of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council with vice-presidential rank, further emphasized that diminishing the country to a pawn between powerful nations engaged in political play undermines its sovereignty and regional security. “The world would be making a mistake by accepting Yemen as a bargaining chip in Iranian negotiations,” said Saleh, who also heads the Political Bureau of the National Resistance. He also emphasized Yemen’s strategic importance to global shipping routes. Saleh has remained largely out of public view since the US intensified its air campaign against the Iran-aligned Houthis to stop the threat they pose to civilian shipping and military vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. He further warned that keeping Yemen “a base for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard” threatens not only Yemenis but also regional and international interests. But achieving stability in the conflict-ridden country hinges on supporting a national state rooted in constitutional rule and genuine popular consensus, not on short-term geopolitical deals, Saleh added. He called for stronger support for Yemeni forces on the ground to restore balance, not as a tool for escalation, but because it is a national imperative to protect civilians and preserve hard-won gains. He said the Yemeni government was in ongoing coordination with international partners and the Saudi-led coalition backing legitimacy in Yemen to secure further assistance for the national struggle. Cooperation with regional and international partners to bolster the country’s coast guard, particularly in the Red Sea, a strategic artery for global trade, also continues, the Yemeni official said. Maritime security cannot be separated from national sovereignty, and defending sea lanes was integral to restoring state authority on land and at sea, Saleh said.
On achieving peace in Yemen, Saleh said: “There is no meaning to any settlement that does not subject the Houthis to the Yemeni constitution and the rule of law.” He discounted any notion that the militia group could be accommodated outside a constitutional framework.
“Peace cannot be granted to a group that rejects the state,” he said. “It is forged when the state regains the capacity to enforce the law and protect its citizens.”For Saleh, forging a peace agreement with the Houthis — whom he describes as a bloodthirsty group with no commitment to national frameworks and an ideology rooted in an enemy state — was virtually nonexistent. He accused the Houthis of placing their leadership and institutions tied to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps above Yemen’s state institutions. “Governance is about managing people’s affairs based on shared frameworks,” Saleh said. “The Houthis do not abide by any of that.”Saleh has put direct blame on Iran for perpetuating the conflict through its armed proxies, keeping Yemen hostage to violence and rebellion, although Tehran has continually denied its involvement. Saleh also acknowledged the challenges facing the Presidential Leadership Council, and described the internal disagreements as “natural,” given the complexity of the crisis in Yemen. “In the end,” he said, “what unites us is greater than any differences. “Disagreements are natural in any leadership body, particularly in exceptional conditions like Yemen’s,” he said. “But more important is our ability to navigate this diversity and divergence while remaining committed to the national interest.”

Erdogan accuses Israel of seeking to ‘dynamite’ Syria ‘revolution’
AFP/April 11, 2025
ANTALYA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday accused Israel of sowing divisions in Syria in a bid to “dynamite” the “revolution” that toppled strongman Bashar Assad. Turkiye is a key backer of Syria’s new leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa whose Islamist group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) led the rebel coalition which ousted Assad in December. “Israel is trying to dynamite the December 8 revolution by stirring up ethnic and religious affiliations and turning minorities in Syria against the government,” Erdogan told a diplomacy forum in the southern Mediterranean resort of Antalya. Erdogan’s comments come as officials from Turkiye and Israel began talks this week aimed at easing tensions over Syria. Israel has launched air strikes and ground incursions to keep Syrian forces away from its border. “Israel is turning into a problematic country that directly threatens the stability of the region, especially with its attacks on Lebanon and Syria,” Erdogan said. He also said Israeli strikes were denting efforts to combat the Daesh jihadist group.

Turkey to seek lifting of Syria sanctions: Erdogan tells Sharaa
Reuters/April 07/2025
President Tayyip Erdogan told Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Friday that Turkey will continue its diplomatic efforts to lift international sanctions against Syria, Erdogan's office said. During their meeting at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey, Erdogan said efforts should be increased to revitalize trade and economic cooperation with Syria and that Turkey will continue to provide support to the country, the statement said.

Syria extends deadline for probe into killings of Alawites
AP/April 11, 2025
BEIRUT: Syria’s presidency announced on Friday that it would extend a probe into the killings of Alawite civilians in coastal areas that left hundreds dead after clashes between government forces and armed groups loyal to former President Bashar Assad spiraled into sectarian revenge attacks. The violence erupted on March 6 after Assad loyalists ambushed patrols of the new government, prompting Islamist-led groups to launch coordinated assaults on Latakia, Baniyas, and other coastal areas. According to human rights groups, more than 1,000 civilians — mostly Alawites, an Islamic minority to which Assad belongs — were killed in retaliatory attacks, including home raids, executions, and arson, displacing thousands. The sectarian violence was possibly among the bloodiest 72 hours in Syria’s modern history, including the 14 years of civil war from which the country is now emerging. The violence brought fear of a renewed civil war and threatened to open an endless cycle of vengeance, driving thousands of Alawites to flee their homes, with an estimated 30,000 seeking refuge in northern Lebanon. On March 9, President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, the former leader of an Islamist insurgent group, formed a fact-finding committee and gave it 30 days to report its findings and identify perpetrators. In a decree published late Thursday, Sharaa said the committee had requested more time and was granted a three-month non-renewable extension. The committee’s spokesperson, Yasser Farhan, said in a statement on Friday that the committee has recorded 41 sites where killings took place, each forming the basis for a separate case and requiring more time to gather evidence. He said some areas remained inaccessible due to time constraints, but that residents had cooperated, despite threats from pro-Assad remnants. In a report published on April 3, Amnesty International said its probe into the killings concluded that at least 32 of more than 100 people killed in the town of Baniyas were deliberately targeted on sectarian grounds — a potential war crime. The rights organization welcomed the committee’s formation but stressed it must be independent, properly resourced, and granted full access to burial sites and witnesses to conduct a credible investigation. It also said the committee should be granted “adequate time to complete the investigation.” Witnesses to the killings identified the attackers as hard-line Sunni Islamists, including Syria-based jihadi foreign fighters and members of former rebel factions that took part in the offensive that overthrew Assad. However, many were also local Sunnis, seeking revenge for past atrocities blamed on Alawites loyal to Assad. While some Sunnis hold the Alawite community responsible for Assad’s brutal crackdowns, Alawites themselves say they also suffered under his rule.

UN aid chief says to cut 20% of staff due to funding shortfall
Reuters/April 11, 2025
NEW YORK: The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs will cut 20 percent of its staff as it faces a shortfall of $58 million, UN aid chief Tom Fletcher has told staff after OCHA’s largest donor — the US — cut funding. OCHA “currently has a workforce of around 2,600 staff in over 60 countries. The funding shortfall means we are looking to regroup to an organization of around 2,100 staff in fewer locations,” Fletcher wrote in a note. OCHA works to mobilize aid, share information, support aid efforts, and advocate for those in need during a crisis. It relies heavily on voluntary contributions.
FASTFACT
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs mobilizes aid, shares information, supports aid efforts, and advocates for those in need during a crisis.
“The US alone has been the largest humanitarian donor for decades, and the biggest contributor to OCHA’s program budget,” Fletcher said, noting that its annual contribution of $63 million would have accounted for 20 percent of OCHA’s extrabudgetary resources in 2025. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres last month announced a new initiative to improve efficiency and cut costs as the world body turns 80 this year amid a cash crisis. Fletcher said OCHA would “focus more of our resources in the countries where we work” but would work in fewer places. OCHA “will scale back our presence and operations in Cameroon, Colombia, Eritrea, Iraq, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Gaziantep (in Turkiye) and Zimbabwe,” Fletcher said. “As we all know, these exercises are driven by funding cuts announced by member states and not by a reduction of needs,” he said. “Humanitarian needs are on the rise and have perhaps never been higher, driven by conflicts, climate crises, disease, and the lack of respect of international humanitarian law.”

China hits back at Trump tariff hike, turmoil rings recession alarm
Reuters/April 11, 2025
BEIJING/WARSAW/WASHINGTON: Beijing on Friday increased its tariffs on US imports to 125 percent, hitting back against US President Donald Trump’s decision to hike duties on Chinese goods to 145 percent and raising the stakes in a trade war that threatens to up-end global supply chains.
China’s retaliation intensified the economic turmoil unleashed by Trump’s tariffs, with markets tumbling further and foreign leaders puzzling how to respond to the biggest disruption to the world trade order in decades. The brief reprieve for battered stocks seen after Trump decided to pause duties for dozens of countries for 90 days quickly dissipated, as attention returned to the escalating trade conflict between the US and China that has fueled global recession fears. Global stocks fell, the dollar slid and a sell-off in US government bonds picked up pace on Friday, reigniting fears of fragility in the world’s biggest bond market. Gold, a safe haven for investors in times of crisis, scaled a record high. “Recession risk is much, much higher now than it was a couple weeks ago,” said Adam Hetts, global head of multi-asset at Janus Henderson. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent shrugged off the renewed market turmoil on Thursday and said striking deals with other countries would bring certainty. The US and Vietnam have agreed to begin formal trade talks, the White House said. The Southeast Asian manufacturing hub is prepared to crack down on Chinese goods being shipped to the United States via its territory in the hope of avoiding tariffs, Reuters exclusively reported. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, meanwhile, has set up a trade task force that hopes to visit Washington next week.
Trade war with China
As Trump suddenly paused his ‘reciprocal’ tariffs on other countries hours after they came into effect earlier this week, he ratcheted up duties on Chinese imports as punishment for Beijing’s initial move to retaliate. He has now imposed new tariffs on Chinese goods of 145 percent since taking office. China hit back with new tariffs on Friday, although Beijing indicated that this would be the last time it matched the US, should Trump take his duties any higher. “Even if the US continues to impose even higher tariffs, it would no longer have any economic significance and would go down as a joke in the history of world economics,” the finance ministry statement added. “If the US continues to play a numbers game with tariffs, China will not respond,” it added, however, leaving the door open for Beijing to turn to other types of retaliation, and reiterating that China would fight the US to the end.
Trump had told reporters at the White House on Thursday that he thought the United States could make a deal with China and said he respected Chinese President Xi Jinping. “In a true sense he’s been a friend of mine for a long period of time, and I think that we’ll end up working out something that’s very good for both countries,” he said. Xi, in his first public remarks on Trump’s tariffs, told Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez during a meeting in Beijing on Friday that China and the European Union should “jointly oppose unilateral acts of bullying,” in a clear swipe at Trump’s tariff policies.
“There are no winners in a trade war,” the Chinese leader told his guest, adding that by acting together, the world’s second-largest economy and the 27-strong European trade bloc could defend their interests and help uphold “the global rules-based order,” China’s state news agency Xinhua reported.

Chinese president calls on Western countries to support multilateralism
AP/April 11, 2025
BEIJING: China calls on Western countries to work to support multilateralism and open cooperation, President Xi Jinping told Spain’s visiting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday. “The two sides should promote the building of a fair and reasonable global governance system, maintain world peace and security, and promote common development and prosperity,” Xi told Sanchez at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing, according to a readout of the meeting by the Xinhua News Agency. The visit comes at a complex moment for Europe and China. The tariffs announced last week — and then paused — by US President Donald Trump could mean that the European Union pursues more trade with China, the world’s third-largest consumer market after the US and the EU. Xi made no direct mention of Trump or the tariffs totaling 145 percent the US is imposing on Chinese goods, but he referred to “multiple risks and challenges” facing the world that can only be dealt with through “unity and cooperation.” Sanchez is making his third trip to the country in two years as his government seeks to boost investment from the Asian giant. He was also expected to meet with business leaders from several Chinese companies, many of which produce electric batteries or renewable energy technologies. After meeting Xi, Sanchez said Spain favored “more balanced relations between the EU and China, of finding negotiated solutions to our differences, which we have, and of greater cooperation in common interest.”He added: “Trade wars are not good, nobody wins. And this is clear; the world needs China and the US to talk.” Spain’s government spokesperson Pilar Alegría said earlier this week that Sanchez’s trip “has special importance” and is an opportunity to “diversify markets” as Spain faces US tariffs. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called out Spain for its move toward China, saying on Tuesday that Spain — or any country that tries to get closer to China — would be “cutting their own throat” because Chinese manufacturers will be looking to dump goods that they cannot sell in the US. “Expanding the trade relations that we have with other countries, including a partner as important as China, does not go against anyone,” Spain’s Agriculture Minister Luis Planas, who is accompanying Sanchez, said in Vietnam on Wednesday.
“Everyone has to defend their interests,” Planas said.
Spain — the euro zone’s fourth-largest economy and a leader in growth — has been less adversarial toward China in recent years than other EU countries. After initially supporting EU tariffs placed last year on Chinese-made electric vehicles over concerns that they enjoy unfair advantages, Spain abstained from a vote on the proposal. Planas insisted that Spain’s approach to China “contributes to the collective effort made by certain countries in the European Union to get out of this situation.”While China’s investments in Spain have grown, the Iberian nation trades less with China than Germany or Italy. “Spain’s position has changed to be more pro-China ... than the average European country,” said Alicia García-Herrero, an economist for Asia Pacific at the French investment bank Natixis and an expert on Europe’s relations with China. The Southern European country, which generated 56 percent of its electricity last year from renewable sources, needs Chinese critical raw materials, solar panels, and green technologies — similar to other European countries transitioning from fossil fuels. In December, Chinese electric battery company CATL announced a €4.1 billion($4.5 billion) joint venture with automaker Stellantis to build a battery factory in northern Spain. That followed deals signed last year between Spain and Chinese companies Envision and Hygreen Energy to build green hydrogen infrastructure in the country. García-Herrero, the economist at French bank Natixis, stressed the political value of the trip for Sánchez at a time when his leftist minority coalition lacks the support needed to get much passed at home and while Europe may be looking to thaw its strained relations with China. For Spain, the key thing is “to get a leadership position in Europe at a time when the transatlantic alliance is not only at risk but in shambles,” she said.

Sudan paramilitaries kill 32 in attack on key Darfur city: Activists
AFP/April 11, 2025
Sudanese paramilitaries attacked the besieged Darfur city of El-Fasher on Friday killing 32 civilians, 10 of them children, a volunteer aid group said. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces pounded the city with "120 mm artillery shells and sniper rounds," accompanied by a wave of one-way attack drones, the group said.

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on April 11-12/2025
The Sahel: Emerging Center of Global Islamism...The West Is Nowhere to Be Seen
Nils A. Haug/Gatestone Institute/April 11, 2025
Global Terrorism Index 2025, published by the Institute for Economics & Peace, reveals that the primary instigator of global terrorism during 2024 was the Islamic State (ISIS) and associated groups -- such as al Qaeda, Jamaat Nusrat Al-Islam wal Muslimeen, Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, and al- Shabaab -- together responsible for more than 7,500 deaths.
Although the West is experiencing escalating terrorism in countries such as Sweden, Australia, Finland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland, the Sahel region evidently remains the "global epicentre of terrorism, accounting for over half of all terrorism-related deaths in 2024." Here, conflict deaths exceeded 25,000 for the first time, of which nearly 4,000 were directly connected to terrorism.
A perturbing factor is that in Europe, "one in five persons arrested for terrorism is legally classified as a child."
The consequence is, of course, that with the West's retreat, ISIS has free rein to action their visions of global influence. They are present in 22 countries at present....
Russia's Wagner mercenary militia, although rebranded as an "Expeditionary Corps," continues its predatory activities in the area, offering "governments in Africa a 'regime survival package' in exchange for access to strategically important natural resources."
Covertly obtained Russian documents reveal how the group strives to "change mining laws in West Africa, with the ambition of dislodging Western companies from an area of strategic importance." The upshot is accelerating anti-Western sentiment, resulting in the local states seeking to expel hitherto entrenched foreign interests.
"This is the Russian state coming out of the shadows in its Africa policy." Russia's patent objective is therefore to "seize control of critical resources," and "aggressively pursue the expansion of its partnerships in Africa, with the explicit intent to supplant Western partnerships." — Jack Watling, Royal United Services Institute, February 20, 2024.
Currently, the significant strategic, political, and economic benefits in the region are reaped by Russia, China and Turkey. The West is nowhere to be seen.
The center of world terrorist activity and violent death is no longer the Middle East. The "Sahel region of Africa is now the 'epicentre of global terrorism,'" responsible for "over half of all terrorism-related deaths" worldwide, according to the respected Global Terrorism Index.
The sub-Saharan Sahel is largely unknown to much of the world. It can be described as the large, mostly flat, strip, nearly 600 miles wide, located between the savannahs of Sudan to the south and the Sahara desert to the north.
During the last ten years or so, according to the Royal United Services Institute, the world's oldest defense and security think tank, headquartered in London, the Sahel has undergone a "significant surge in jihadist violence. Armed actors take advantage of porous borders, fragile states, and local grievances to extend their operational reach,"
Global Terrorism Index 2025, published by the Institute for Economics & Peace, reveals that the primary instigator of global terrorism during 2024 was the Islamic State (ISIS) and associated groups -- such as al Qaeda, Jamaat Nusrat Al-Islam wal Muslimeen, Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, and al- Shabaab -- together responsible for more than 7,500 deaths.
Although the West is experiencing escalating terrorism in countries such as Sweden, Australia, Finland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland, the Sahel region evidently remains the "global epicentre of terrorism, accounting for over half of all terrorism-related deaths in 2024." Here, conflict deaths exceeded 25,000 for the first time, of which nearly 4,000 were directly connected to terrorism.
A perturbing factor is that in Europe, "one in five persons arrested for terrorism is legally classified as a child." This is understandable, as children in Islamist-jihadist communities are exposed to Jew-hatred and the desire for an Islamist caliphate from a very tender age. The same statistics would apply to terrorist actors in the Sahel, as the ideology of martyrdom and sacrifice is ubiquitous to jihadism.
Susceptible countries in the region include Senegal, Sudan, Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali. Unsurprisingly, the region's rich mineral resources – with Niger the world's seventh-biggest producer of uranium -- also attract attention. China and Russia are increasingly represented, while Western nations withdraw from Africa due to growing anti-Western attitudes. Specifically, the US base in Niger in August 2024 and France's base in Chad closed in December 2024.
The consequence is, of course, that with the West's retreat, ISIS has free rein to action their visions of global influence. They are present in 22 countries at present and, as the report points out: "Despite counterterrorism efforts, the group's ability to coordinate, inspire, and execute attacks highlights its resilience and evolving operational strategies." In the remoteness of the Sahel, ISIS finds an accommodating environment to consolidate and establish a central base.
Russia's Wagner mercenary militia, although rebranded as an "Expeditionary Corps," continues its predatory activities in the area, offering "governments in Africa a 'regime survival package' in exchange for access to strategically important natural resources."
Covertly obtained Russian documents reveal how the group strives to "change mining laws in West Africa, with the ambition of dislodging Western companies from an area of strategic importance." The upshot is accelerating anti-Western sentiment, resulting in the local states seeking to expel hitherto entrenched foreign interests.
A February 20, 2024, report by Jack Watling, Fellow for Land Warfare at the Royal United Services Institute, explains that there "was a meeting in the Kremlin in which it was decided that Wagner's Africa operations would fall directly under the control of Russian military intelligence, the GRU."
Watling concludes, "This is the Russian state coming out of the shadows in its Africa policy." Russia's patent objective is therefore to "seize control of critical resources," and "aggressively pursue the expansion of its partnerships in Africa, with the explicit intent to supplant Western partnerships."
Unlike the West, Russia is not particularly interested in countering terror groups such as ISIS but, instead, focuses on its core objectives concerning "critical resources" and replacing "Western partnership" in the Sahel. With the retreat of Western anti-terror forces, ISIS and associates have freedom to expand their activities, while Russia focuses on eliminating Western influence. The result is a vacuum of experienced Western counter-terror forces, a situation in which jihadist groups thrive.
Fortunately, North African nations, such as Morocco and Algeria, realize the dangers of unchecked jihadism in the Sahel, which reaches towards their southern borders. To give effect to its objectives, Rabat implemented the Morocco Atlantic Initiative, which,
"aims to provide landlocked Sahel countries with access to vital maritime trade routes via Morocco's Atlantic port infrastructure. The plan aims to foster economic regional integration to reduce dependence on unstable transit routes, while fostering Morocco's ties with its southern neighbours to counter instability, terrorism and illicit trafficking in the region in the long term."
Similarly, Algeria, with its common "borders and historical ties to Mali, has always played a pivotal role in the region."
In addition, some Sahel states are taking it upon themselves to counter jihadists in their domain. Recently, an alliance of three prominent Sahel states -- Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger -- "unveiled plans for a unified military force of 5,000 soldiers."
"Each of the three AES armies are expected to contribute troops, tasked with conducting joint operations in areas of intense jihadist activity. In their view, establishing a self-sufficient military partnership is the most dependable way to safeguard sovereignty."
This local move came about as a lack of available Western forces to quell jihadism - an absence brought about by the Sahel nations "severing long-standing military and diplomatic ties with regional allies, France, and other Western powers." In 2024, the three Sahel nations agreed "to tackle security threats jointly."
Although a joint force of 5,000 soldiers is a fair starting point, it is to be noted that the region under discussion covers over 2 million square miles – a vast area. It is anticipated that Russia, China and Turkey, who already provide "bilateral military assistance and equipment" might partner, to some degree, with the Sahel forces to counter terrorism.
Meanwhile, ISIS and al-Qaeda, with associates, extend "greater influence over trans-Saharan networks which will expand their external reach and increase the threat of external plots in North Africa and potentially Europe."
In the result, the Sahel predominantly remains the locale of non-Western actors and local states, acting together for mutual benefit, including the possible control of terrorism. Whether or not efforts by these parties, with some North African countries, will have much impact on jihadism activity in the region remains to be seen. Currently, the significant strategic, political, and economic benefits in the region are reaped by Russia, China and Turkey. The West is nowhere to be seen.
**Nils A. Haug is an author and columnist. A Lawyer by profession, he is member of the International Bar Association, the National Association of Scholars, the Academy of Philosophy and Letters. Dr. Haug holds a Ph.D. in Apologetical Theology and is author of 'Politics, Law, and Disorder in the Garden of Eden – the Quest for Identity'; and 'Enemies of the Innocent – Life, Truth, and Meaning in a Dark Age.' His work has been published by First Things Journal, The American Mind, Quadrant, Minding the Campus, Gatestone Institute, National Association of Scholars, Jewish Journal, James Wilson Institute (Anchoring Truths), Jewish News Syndicate, Document Danmark, and others.
© 2025 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/21522/sahel-islamism

Ahead of Trump admin-Iran talks, new report says Iran nuclear threat rises to 'extreme danger'
By Benjamin Weinthal/Fox News/April 11, 2025
'The possibility of Iran deciding to build nuclear weapons has been increased by the ongoing military conflicts in the Middle East,' report says
JERUSALEM — A leading U.S. research institute devoted to monitoring Iran’s illicit nuclear weapons program published an alarming report ahead of this weekend's U.S.-Iran talks, declaring Tehran’s atomic weapons system has reached an extremely dangerous stage.
The Washington, D.C.-based Institute for Science and International Security titled its shocking new report, "The Iran Threat Geiger Counter: Extreme Danger Grows."
According to the study, "Since February 2024, the date of its last report, the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear program has worsened significantly. Major negative factors include Iran’s greater nuclear weapon capabilities, its shorter time frames to build nuclear weapons, and the growing normalization of internal Iranian discussions favoring building nuclear weapons.
"The possibility of Iran deciding to build nuclear weapons has been increased by the ongoing military conflicts in the Middle East, pitting Iran and its proxy forces against Israel and its allies, a conflict Iran is losing. The volatile security situation is now combined with the perception, if not the reality, that Iran is preparing to build nuclear weapons."
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump said, "We have a little time, but we don't have much time, because we're not going to let them have a nuclear weapon. We can't let them have a nuclear weapon." He added "I'm not asking for much. I just — I don't — they can't have a nuclear weapon."
When asked about the potential for military action if Iran does not make a deal on their nuclear weapons, Trump said, "Absolutely."
"If it requires military, we're going to have military," the president told reporters at the White House. "Israel will obviously be very much involved in that. They'll be the leader of that. But nobody leads us. We do what we want to do."
Trump withdrew from the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal — the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action — in 2018 because, he argued, that the accord did not stop Tehran’s drive to build a nuclear weapons device. A state-controlled Iranian news outlet claimed on Monday that Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s alleged fatwa against nuclear weapons does not outlaw their production but bans their use. Fox News Digital sought to obtain a copy of the alleged religious fatwa from Iran, but the regime has so far refused to provide the document. Iran experts have claimed that the fatwa is non-existent.
The Institute for Science and International Security report also warned that "Iran still possesses military capabilities that threaten the region. It has large stockpiles of drones, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles that it can employ against Israel and its allies. Iran also continues to be a major player in the Ukraine war, backing Russia with vast arms transfers, including drones and missiles."
The mouthpiece of Iran’s Khamenei — the anti-American paper Kayhan — just urged the assassination of Trump.
https://www.foxnews.com/world/ahead-trump-admin-iran-talks-new-report-says-iran-nuclear-threat-rises-extreme-danger

Question: “What is the significance of the triumphal entry?”
GotQuestions.org/April 11/2025
Answer: The triumphal entry is that of Jesus coming into Jerusalem on what we know as Palm Sunday, the Sunday before the crucifixion (John 12:1, 12). The story of the triumphal entry is one of the few incidents in the life of Jesus which appears in all four Gospel accounts (Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-40; John 12:12-19). Putting the four accounts together, it becomes clear that the triumphal entry was a significant event, not only to the people of Jesus’ day, but to Christians throughout history. We celebrate Palm Sunday to remember that momentous occasion.
On that day, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a borrowed donkey, one that had never been ridden before. The disciples spread their cloaks on the donkey for Jesus to sit on, and the multitudes came out to welcome Him, laying before Him their cloaks and the branches of palm trees. The people hailed and praised Him as the “King who comes in the name of the Lord” as He rode to the temple, where He taught the people, healed them, and drove out the money-changers and merchants who had made His Father’s house a “den of robbers” (Mark 11:17).
Jesus’ purpose in riding into Jerusalem was to make public His claim to be their Messiah and King of Israel in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. Matthew says that the King coming on the foal of a donkey was an exact fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9, “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Jesus rides into His capital city as a conquering King and is hailed by the people as such, in the manner of the day. The streets of Jerusalem, the royal city, are open to Him, and like a king He ascends to His palace, not a temporal palace but the spiritual palace that is the temple, because His is a spiritual kingdom. He receives the worship and praise of the people because only He deserves it. No longer does He tell His disciples to be quiet about Him (Matthew 12:16, 16:20) but to shout His praises and worship Him openly. The spreading of cloaks was an act of homage for royalty (see 2 Kings 9:13). Jesus was openly declaring to the people that He was their King and the Messiah they had been waiting for.
Unfortunately, the praise the people lavished on Jesus was not because they recognized Him as their Savior from sin. They welcomed Him out of their desire for a messianic deliverer, someone who would lead them in a revolt against Rome. There were many who, though they did not believe in Christ as Savior, nevertheless hoped that perhaps He would be to them a great temporal deliverer. These are the ones who hailed Him as King with their many hosannas, recognizing Him as the Son of David who came in the name of the Lord. But when He failed in their expectations, when He refused to lead them in a massive revolt against the Roman occupiers, the crowds quickly turned on Him. Within just a few days, their hosannas would change to cries of “Crucify Him!” (Luke 23:20-21). Those who hailed Him as a hero would soon reject and abandon Him.
The story of the triumphal entry is one of contrasts, and those contrasts contain applications to believers. It is the story of the King who came as a lowly servant on a donkey, not a prancing steed, not in royal robes, but on the clothes of the poor and humble. Jesus Christ comes not to conquer by force as earthly kings but by love, grace, mercy, and His own sacrifice for His people. His is not a kingdom of armies and splendor but of lowliness and servanthood. He conquers not nations but hearts and minds. His message is one of peace with God, not of temporal peace. If Jesus has made a triumphal entry into our hearts, He reigns there in peace and love. As His followers, we exhibit those same qualities, and the world sees the true King living and reigning in triumph in us.

Iraq’s electricity crisis: Turning point or tipping point?
Jessica Obeid/Arab News/April 11, 2025
Iraq’s electricity crisis has reached a critical juncture, significantly worsened by growing geopolitical tensions and shifting US policy. For years, the country has relied on Iranian electricity and gas imports to meet about 30 percent of its power supply. This arrangement has been sustained through temporary US sanctions waivers, which have allowed the imports to continue despite the broader sanctions regime. However, these exemptions are now ending. In early March, Washington rescinded Iraq’s waiver to purchase Iranian electricity as part of its policy of “maximum pressure” on Tehran and urged Iraq to reduce its reliance on Iranian energy.
Iraq now faces an urgent challenge: to either develop sustainable domestic solutions or deepen its dependency on diesel generators and Iranian gas imports. The latter approach is risky, as Washington has signaled that the remaining exemptions may be revoked. Acknowledging the need for a long-term solution, Iraq has taken significant steps to address its electricity crisis. Reforms to energy infrastructure and policies will be required to ensure Iraq’s energy future is sustainable and secure; otherwise, it will be increasingly vulnerable to supply disruptions and power shortages.
For decades, Iran has been a lifeline for Iraq’s power sector, which struggles to maintain a stable electricity supply due to decades of conflict and persistent mismanagement. The available capacity of the national grid is estimated at less than 28 gigawatts, compared to a peak demand of 48 GW. Iranian energy imports play a vital role in bridging this gap; however, Tehran’s frequent cuts to gas supplies — often due to its own domestic shortages or political motivations, particularly following the implementation of US sanctions on Iran in 2018 — have made this lifeline unreliable.
With Washington now calling on Baghdad to “eliminate its dependence on Iranian sources of energy,” Iraq will need to find alternatives or risk further deterioration of its already unstable grid. Reforms to energy infrastructure and policies will be required to ensure Iraq’s energy future is sustainable and secure
Recognizing the need for a sustainable solution, Baghdad has taken concrete steps to reduce its dependence on Iranian energy and strengthen its energy security. As a result of its efforts, power generation capacity has expanded by an average of 1 GW to 2 GW annually; however, this remains insufficient to meet rising demand. The key initiatives that the government is currently focused on — expanding domestic gas production and infrastructure, diversifying gas suppliers, deploying renewable energy and connecting to regional power grids — come with significant challenges, ranging from a lack of investment to bureaucratic and political hurdles. Overcoming these will be essential for Iraq to establish a stable and self-sufficient power sector.
One of Iraq’s most immediate needs lies in increasing domestic gas production and infrastructure. A key inefficiency lies in gas flaring. While the country produces significant amounts of natural gas, much of it is burned off because the country lacks the facilities to process it into fuel for local consumption. Iraq has committed to end this practice by 2028 — a long-term solution that will require substantial investment and political commitment. Successfully harnessing this resource could reduce the country’s reliance on Iranian imports and strengthen its energy security.
Iraq is also moving forward with an offshore natural gas platform and transmission line to fuel power plants in Basra, as well as a new 40 km pipeline to carry gas from the southern oilfields to power stations. However, building infrastructure in Iraq has historically been subject to bureaucratic delays and political roadblocks, making the execution of these projects uncertain.
In the meantime, the country is seeking to diversify its gas supply by importing gas from countries such as Turkmenistan and Turkiye. In October 2024, Iraq signed an agreement with Turkmenistan to supply up to 20 million cubic meters per day of gas, though the gas will be transported via Iranian pipelines. While this is a step toward diversifying Iraq’s energy sources, it is still dependent on Iran’s infrastructure — a key vulnerability that Iraq must address if it is to ensure energy sovereignty.
Renewable energy also presents a viable long-term alternative. The country has abundant solar resources and has signed contracts with major developers like TotalEnergies to build large-scale solar projects. However, to implement such projects successfully, Iraq will need to invest in upgrades to its grid infrastructure to accommodate intermittent power. Additionally, ensuring the process is efficient will require targeted policy reforms.
Regional integration also offers a vital alternative to Iran’s power supply. In 2024, Iraq started importing electricity from neighboring countries, including Jordan (150 megawatts) and Turkiye (300 MW). A 1,000-MW interconnection with Saudi Arabia is being created, with Iraq expected to start importing electricity from the Gulf by late 2025. Iraq is also working to double its import capacity from Turkiye, which will help reduce its reliance on Iranian imports and provide additional sources of power.
This crisis is not just a technical challenge, it is a reflection of broader geopolitical struggles and internal dynamics
While these initiatives are crucial, they are only part of the solution. The electricity sector’s challenges are not only due to the shortage in gas and power supply, but also elevated subsidies resulting from political dynamics, as well as high transmission and distribution losses, which are estimated at up to 50 percent. These losses are driven by grid inefficiencies, illegal connections and non-billing practices. Iraq’s ability to build a sustainable power sector ultimately hinges on whether it can implement comprehensive reforms and establish reliable infrastructure that can address these systemic issues.
Iraq’s electricity crisis is not just a technical challenge, it is a reflection of broader geopolitical struggles and internal dynamics. The country’s ongoing dependence on Iran, its internal political divisions and the vested interests that benefit from the status quo all present significant obstacles to achieving energy independence. Iraq’s plans are ambitious, yet the country’s success will depend on its ability to tackle the root causes of its electricity challenges.
This crisis represents both a turning point and a tipping point. The failure to implement reforms and establish a sustainable power sector could push the country deeper into crisis, further eroding trust in the government and worsening its dependence on costly short-term fixes, such as diesel generators or additional Iranian imports. However, the crisis also presents an opportunity. If Iraq can harness its gas reserves, diversify its energy sources and build stronger regional ties, it could build a more sustainable energy sector for the future.
• Jessica Obeid is the Head of Energy Transitions at SRMG Think, where she leads research on energy security, clean technology and sustainable supply chains. She has extensive experience in engineering and policy, advising governments and private sector stakeholders on energy technologies, policy and market trends.

Hopes of an imminent Ukraine peace deal are fading
Luke Coffey/Arab News/April 11, 2025
The Ukrainian army’s commander-in-chief, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, on Wednesday declared that Russia’s long-anticipated spring offensive had begun. In recent weeks, some of the largest Russian airstrikes of the war have also taken place, targeting both civilian and military infrastructure across Ukraine. If any behind-the-scenes efforts toward peace are underway, they are clearly yet to bear fruit.
US President Donald Trump has made ending the war in Ukraine a central pillar of his foreign policy. On the campaign trail last year, he frequently stated that the war would never have happened had he been president in 2022. Now back in the Oval Office, the Trump administration has taken steps that indicate he is, in fact, prioritizing an effort to end the war. Few question the sincerity of his desire to stop the fighting — but many remain unsure about how he intends to actually achieve this.
Trump once claimed he could end the war in 24 hours. Since returning to power, he has learned that the situation is far more complex than he anticipated. The negotiation process has been a roller coaster, filled with twists and turns. His initial pick for special envoy for Russia and Ukraine, retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, has been sidelined. In practice, Trump’s special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, has taken the lead in backchannel talks with the Kremlin. An agreement between the US and Ukraine on rare earth minerals was reportedly close to being signed — until it fell apart after a spat in the Oval Office between Vice President J.D. Vance and President Volodymyr Zelensky. At one point, the US even temporarily paused intelligence sharing and weapons transfers to Ukraine, although those restrictions have since been lifted. Despite the turbulence, senior delegations from both countries met in Jeddah last month and reportedly had a productive discussion. Trump has since invited Zelensky back to the White House. President Trump also recently spoke by phone with Vladimir Putin. Both sides announced a 30-day ceasefire on airstrikes. But discrepancies quickly emerged: the Russian readout described a ceasefire limited to “energy infrastructure,” while the US readout said “energy and infrastructure” — a subtle but important difference. Regardless, the ceasefire was violated within hours. If Trump is serious about ending the war, then he must begin pressuring the Russians to engage in negotiations in good faith
Trump has oscillated in his approach — one week pressuring Ukraine, the next signaling discontent with Russia. This inconsistency has made it difficult for his administration to clearly explain its strategy to Congress or the American public. That may be because only one person truly understands the plan: Trump himself. At the moment, the Kremlin appears to be in Trump’s crosshairs. In a recent interview, the US president expressed frustration with Putin, indicating growing impatience with Moscow’s foot-dragging. But despite his rhetoric, Trump has yet to apply the same level of pressure on Russia that he has on Zelensky and Ukraine. Right now, it is clear that Kyiv is doing more of the heavy lifting in the peace process. After a rocky start to his relationship with Trump, Zelensky has learned how to manage the transactional nature of this administration. A revised and expanded rare earth minerals deal is reportedly close to being finalized. More significantly, it was Ukraine that proposed a 30-day ceasefire covering land, air and sea operations. Russia, meanwhile, has yet to match that offer with meaningful action.
At some point soon, Trump will have to decide whether he is truly serious about ending the war — or whether he is simply waiting for a more politically convenient moment. If he is serious, then he must begin pressuring the Russians to engage in negotiations in good faith.
Russia’s strategy is increasingly transparent. Publicly, Putin maintains maximalist demands. Privately, he must recognize that these are only opening positions — not realistic end goals. Russia has also suffered deeply from the war. In the last few days, US military officials have testified before Congress that Russia has sustained approximately 800,000 casualties since the full-scale invasion began in 2022. Sanctions and international isolation have also taken a toll on the Russian economy.
Putin is a seasoned political operator and will try to extract as much as possible from any negotiation. Expect him to drag out the process just long enough to coincide with the NATO Summit in the Netherlands this June. That way, while the transatlantic community is focused on Trump’s return to the NATO stage, Putin can attempt to seize the spotlight by claiming he is now serious about peace. Such a move could divide the alliance and distract attention from the summit’s core goals.
Trump badly wants a deal — both for his legacy and to reinforce his image as a peacemaker who can succeed where others failed. He is aware that a failed peace in Ukraine could become his version of Biden’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. Trump and his team are quietly concerned about this, knowing full well that it was his administration’s original deal with the Taliban that laid the groundwork for Biden’s disastrous exit.
Right now, it appears Trump has lost control of the negotiation process, or at least the perception of control. There is also a growing risk that Putin is making him look weak. Despite multiple announcements of temporary ceasefires, nothing substantive has materialized. Much of what is happening is still behind closed doors. The nature of high-stakes diplomacy often means progress is made out of sight. Just because Ukraine and Russia are not making front-page news daily does not mean the work has stopped. But if Putin does not show a genuine willingness to compromise — and if Trump concludes that there is no deal to be had — the US will need to reassess its posture toward NATO and its relationship with Ukraine. Because any outcome that gives Russia the upper hand will not just damage Ukraine — it could also weaken America and damage President Trump’s legacy. This could be what he cares about the most.
*Luke Coffey is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute. X: @LukeDCoffey

Turkiye aims to align with Damascus and Baghdad
Dr. Sinem Cengiz/Arab News/April 11, 2025
US President John F. Kennedy once said of American-Canadian relations: “Geography has made us neighbors. History has made us friends. Economics has made us partners. And necessity has made us allies. What unites us is far greater than what divides us.” This also describes the relationship Turkiye is cultivating with Syria and Iraq: they are becoming economic partners, and allies in the face of shared threats.
With the collapse of the Assad regime, Ankara has intensified its efforts to build bridges between Damascus and Baghdad. Behind the scenes, Turkiye has been preparing for an important meeting between Syria’s new leader Ahmad Al-Sharaa and Iraqi officials, possibly at the Antalya diplomacy forum this weekend. However, it is not clear whether Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani will meet Al-Sharaa.
While Iraq initially took a cautious approach to Syria’s new leadership, recent developments indicate a shift. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani visited Baghdad last month, which helped in a change of heart in Iraq toward Damascus. In Ankara, there is an understanding that constructive relations between Baghdad and Damascus not only serve its interests — particularly counterterrorism efforts and economic cooperation — but also align with the broader regional interest. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan underscored this when he said: “No power can overcome Turkiye, Syria, and Iraq when we unite.”
Since last year, there has been remarkable progress in Ankara’s relations with Baghdad. During President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's visit to Iraq, his first since 2011, 27 agreements were signed. Since then, dozens of meetings have taken place on water, energy, security, and trade. From Ankara’s perspective, a cooperative relationship between Syria and Iraq is vital — not only for Turkish national security and economic interests but also for the broader region’s stability. Turkiye’s approach to Iraq rests on five strategic pillars: transforming Iraq into a regional cooperation platform, advancing the Development Road Project to boost economic connectivity, ensuring unwavering cooperation against terrorism, counterbalancing Iran’s political influence in Iraq, and fostering a diplomatic bridge between Iraq and Syria’s new leadership. This strategy also appears to align with Washington’s objectives in the region. While Turkish-American relations have been strained in Syria, their interests in Iraq seem to converge. Washington seems keen to bring Iraq closer to the Gulf states and Turkiye, in a bid to contain Iran’s influence.
At the heart of the Turkish-Iraqi interests lies the Development Road Project — an ambitious regional infrastructure initiative designed to enhance economic integration. Ankara expects to finalize an agreement with Iraq on the project soon. With funding expected from Gulf partners such as Qatar and the UAE, Turkish officials anticipate that the first parts of the project could become operational by 2027. When asked about Syria’s possible inclusion in the project, Fidan responded: “I think it is possible. It would be good. I think Syria can be a part of this project with certain formulas.”
There was a flurry of diplomatic activity last week between Ankara and Baghdad. An agreement was signed between the Iraq Development Fund and the Turkiye Wealth Fund on a strategic collaboration alliance. Iraqi officials noted that, for the first time, Iraq and Turkiye are going beyond mere trade to embark on long-term strategic initiatives. On the Turkish side, there is optimism about progress on two major projects — one involving Iraq and the other connecting Turkiye to Syria.
Beyond the economic stakes, a significant shift in Turkiye’s Iraq policy took place at the security level. One of Turkiye’s long-standing goals has been to secure firm support from Baghdad in its fight against the Kurdish separatist PKK, which is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the US, and the EU. That goal was finally realized last year when Iraq banned the PKK. In return, Turkiye signed an agreement with Iraq to improve water management in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, committing to “fairly and equally” allocate shared water resources between two neighbors. Turkiye and Iraq also signed an agreement on military and counterterrorism cooperation, focusing on eliminating the PKK threat. If all these stars align, Turkiye is also hoping to secure Iraq’s support for a long-term Turkish military presence in northern Iraq to prevent PKK infiltration across the border.
The Iraqi army also plans new bases near the Turkish border to enhance security, highlighting the close collaboration with the Kurdish Regional Government’s peshmerga forces. The mountainous landscape has long posed a challenge to securing the border, making regional cooperation essential. In the broader perspective, Ankara is working to forge a regional security alliance that includes Jordan and Lebanon, along with Syria and Iraq, aimed at countering the Daesh threat, particularly along the Syrian-Iraqi border.
For Iraq, pitching itself as a regional actor depends on getting its domestic political landscape in order. Turkish-Iranian rivalry plays a significant role in shaping Iraq’s political landscape, which influences Turkish calculations. From Ankara’s perspective, a cooperative relationship between Syria and Iraq is vital — not only for Turkish national security and economic interests but also for the broader region’s stability.
Turkiye’s ability to bring Iraq and Syria together, if it succeeds in doing so, would certainly mark a fundamental shift in the three-way relationship.
*Dr. Sinem Cengiz is a Turkish political analyst who specializes in Turkiye’s relations with the Middle East. X: @SinemCngz

Safeguarding Saudi Arabia’s precious forests
Eduardo Mansur/Arab News/April 11, 2025
Forests in Saudi Arabia are cornerstones of ecological stability, biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and food security. Under the Saudi Green Initiative and the long-term pursuit of planting 10 billion trees and restoring 40 million hectares of degraded lands, Saudi Arabia is achieving remarkable progress, drawing on rigorous research, dynamic collaborations and effective field implementation. The General Directorate of Forests alone has successfully planted more than 3.5 million trees across diverse ecosystems, from mountains to valleys and coastal zones, bolstering carbon sequestration and strengthening the Kingdom’s natural defenses against desertification and land degradation. Equally significant is the identification of more than 645 sites classified as forest lands, which we are actively protecting and rehabilitating to safeguard genetic diversity and conserve invaluable wildlife habitats. Alongside these field efforts, the National Forest Inventory of Saudi Arabia represents a pivotal step toward a comprehensive understanding of the Saudi forests. By systematically surveying and classifying forest lands and analyzing their vegetation cover, this project will enable more precise planning and informed decision-making for forest conservation and sustainable development. These integrated measures exemplify the Kingdom’s commitment to sustainable forest management, balancing ecological imperatives with socioeconomic needs.
Our strategic forest plan guides these achievements. We act to establish protective boundaries, install educational signage and deploy advanced monitoring systems to prevent illegal logging, wildfires and other environmental threats. We also have a specific program to involve local communities in the conservation and sustainable management of forests, generating ecosystem services and sustainable non-wood forest products such as honey and aromatic plants. These integrated measures exemplify the Kingdom’s commitment to sustainable forest management, balancing ecological imperatives with socioeconomic needs.
Looking ahead, the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification will continue to build on best practices through a multifaceted approach that includes restoring and safeguarding forests in mountainous regions, valleys and mangroves.
By expanding greening efforts, reinforcing forest conservation, involving local communities and harnessing cutting-edge research to monitor ecological health, the General Directorate of Forests at the NCVC reaffirms its dedication to maintaining Saudi Arabia’s forests as vital pillars of environmental balance, biodiversity and sustainable development for current and future generations.
• Eduardo Mansur is general manager of Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Forests at the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification.