English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For March 27/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
The Miracle Of the Seven Loaves and the small few fish
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 15/29-39:”After Jesus had left that place, he passed along the Sea of Galilee, and he went up the mountain, where he sat down. Great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the maimed, the blind, the mute, and many others. They put them at his feet, and he cured them, so that the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel. Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ‘I have compassion for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way.’ The disciples said to him, ‘Where are we to get enough bread in the desert to feed so great a crowd?’ Jesus asked them, ‘How many loaves have you?’ They said, ‘Seven, and a few small fish.’Then ordering the crowd to sit down on the ground, he took the seven loaves and the fish; and after giving thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all of them ate and were filled; and they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. Those who had eaten were four thousand men, besides women and children. After sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan.

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on March 26-27/2025
The Fundamental Differences Between the Right and the Left in Culture, Faith, Order, Morality, and Family/Elias Bejjani/March 26/2025
There is no light at the end of the tunnel/Hussain Abdul-Hussain/X site/
Aoun calls on French envoy to pressure Israel
Israel Conducts Large-Scale Military Drill Near Lebanese Border
Le Drian begins talks with Lebanese officials
Report: Ortagus to visit Beirut to float 'reconstruction for disarmament' proposal
Salam: Normalization with Israel rejected by all Lebanese
Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem rules out any possibility of normalization or surrender
Lebanese defense minister visit to Syria postponed
Cabinet inclined to name Karim Soaid as central bank chief
Syria Postpones Visit by Lebanese Security Delegation
UN says more than 21,000 people fled Syria sectarian violence for Lebanon
Pre-crisis levels: Lebanon's Social Security resumes higher coverage for healthcare and medication
Public Works Minister Rasamny inspects Rafic Hariri International Airport, monitoring operations
Information Minister: Télé Liban is a private company, not subject to administrative appointment mechanism
Speaker Berri meets French envoy Le Drian
Lebanon's bondholders select Houlihan Lokey as financial advisor for debt talks
Air Algérie Set to Resume Flights to Lebanon
Report'Praise be to God!' Really?/Marilyne Jallad/This Is Beirut/March 26/2025
Referral of Daraj and Megaphone to the Public Prosecution in Beirut
Lebanon’s Digital Transformation: A Key to Economic Revival, Says Shehadeh
Ireland Increases Its Aid to Lebanon with a €2.5 Million Donation
Between the "Support" Disaster and the "Missiles" Farce/Marwan Al-Amin/Nidaa Al-Watan/March 27, 2025

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on March 26-27/2025
Palestinians protest Hamas in a rare public show of dissent in Gaza
Nearly 200,000 Palestinians perform prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque
Israeli legislators pass budget in a move that shores up Netanyahu's government
Israel threatens to seize parts of Gaza over fate of hostages
Israel's response to Gaza protests: Plans for full Gaza control
Israel orders evacuation of parts of Gaza City
Increase of US military assets in Middle East points to potential strikes on Houthis
Houthis say US warplanes carried out 17 strikes in Yemen
Houthi media reports new US strikes in capital after wave of attacks
Is US pressure on Iraq over reliance on Iranian electricity a blessing in disguise?
Poilievre draws thousands at Hamilton rally: 'The great Canadian promise'
'We're seriously outgunned' in trade war, warns former Bank of Canada governor
Sudan’s army chief returns to Khartoum for first time in 2 years of war after airport recaptured
Trump will announce auto tariffs at a White House news conference
Syria slams 'flagrant' Israeli violation after deadly bombardment
Syria is at a crossroads: It can return to violence or transition to peace, says UN envoy
Erdogan accuses the opposition of wrecking Turkey's economy during protests over mayor's jailing
Atlantic releases entire Signal chat showing Hegseth’s detailed attack plans against Houthis
Rubio says US to examine Russia conditions, peace to ‘take time’
Macron says a proposed European force for Ukraine could ‘respond’ if attacked by Russia
Israel strikes gunmen in southern Syria; Damascus says civilians killed/Seth Frantzman/FDD's Long War Journal/March 26/2025

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on March 26-27/2025
Little Christian Girl Stoned for Eating During Ramadan in Egypt/Raymond Ibrahim/Coptic Solidarity/March 26/2025
Iran Apparently Planning to Outwit or Outwait Trump, Not Relinquish Its Nuclear Programme/Con Coughlin/Gatestone Institute/March 26, 2025
Iran strengthens its military in the Persian Gulf/Janatan Sayeh/FDD's Long War Journal/March 26/2025
Saudi Arabia’s pragmatic approach to US transactionalism/Adrian Moncki/Arab News/March 26, 2025
New regional order could restore historic inter-Arab relations/Nadim Shehadi/Arab News/March 26, 2025

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on March 26-27/2025
The Fundamental Differences Between the Right and the Left in Culture, Faith, Order, Morality, and Family
Elias Bejjani/March 26/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/03/141592/
The divide between the right and the left is not merely a political disagreement; it is a clash of values that determines the future of our societies. While the right is rooted in faith, order, morality, respect for the family, and adherence to stable principles, the left moves in the opposite direction—undermining traditions, rejecting national identity, and dismantling societal structures under the guise of “progress.” But in reality, what they promote is chaos, moral decay, and the destruction of fundamental human values.
1. Culture and Faith
The right upholds faith as the foundation of civilization, recognizing its role in shaping moral and social values. In contrast, the left has historically waged war against religion—from the French Revolution to communist regimes that persecuted believers, destroyed churches, and sought to eradicate faith from public life. Today, the left continues this war by silencing religious voices, forcing secularism upon society, and promoting ideologies that contradict divine and natural law. It is no coincidence that, in the Bible, on the Day of Judgment, the righteous are placed on the right while the wicked are cast to the left (Matthew 25:31-46).
2. Order, Law, and Stability
The right respects law and order, believing in strong national institutions that ensure security and prosperity. Meanwhile, the left thrives on chaos and rebellion, constantly seeking to overthrow established systems. From the Bolshevik Revolution to the so-called “Arab Spring,” leftist movements have spread anarchy, dismantled nations, and paved the way for terrorism. They claim to champion democracy but only as a tool to seize power—once in control, they attempt to reshape the system to serve their destructive agenda.
3. Morality and Society
The right believes that morality is essential for a healthy society. The left, on the other hand, seeks to redefine moral principles, pushing radical ideologies under the pretense of “individual rights.” They promote abortion as “freedom,” normalize promiscuity, and dismantle social boundaries, leading to the erosion of traditional values. Worst of all, they actively push LGBTQ+ ideologies onto societies, not as private choices but as enforced norms, compelling even those with religious objections to comply.
4. The Family Unit
A strong family is the foundation of a stable society. The right supports policies that strengthen family bonds, encourage marriage, and protect children from harmful influences. The left, however, wages a relentless war against the family, promoting no-fault divorce, glorifying single parenthood, and encouraging alternative lifestyles that defy biological and natural realities. By pushing gender confusion, indoctrinating children, and erasing traditional family roles, they seek to dismantle the most fundamental human institution.
5. Respect for International Order
The right upholds national sovereignty and respects international law, while the left has a history of supporting violent uprisings and radical movements that destabilize nations. From Marxist guerillas in Latin America to Islamist terror groups like Hezbollah and the Houthis, the left consistently aligns itself with forces that oppose stability, democracy, and peace. Under the pretext of “human rights,” they provide political cover for rogue regimes like Iran while undermining the security of Western and allied nations.
6. The Convergence of Destructive and Terrorist Goals Between the Left and Political Islam
The most dangerous link between the left and political Islam—both Shiite and Sunni—is their shared hostility toward Western values and independent national identities. While the left claims to be secular, it consistently aligns itself with radical Islamist groups whenever it serves their agenda of destabilizing nations and weakening societies. In Gaza, leftists defend Hamas despite its extremist ideology. In Lebanon, they ally with Hezbollah, ignoring its terrorism and illegal weapons. In Syria and Iraq, they have backed Iran-aligned regimes under the guise of “anti-imperialism.” Meanwhile, in Africa, they collaborate with Islamist terror groups to advance their political interests. This alliance is not coincidental—it is a deliberate strategy where forces of chaos and extremism unite to undermine global stability.
Conclusion
The left is not a force of progress but a force of destruction. It aims to dismantle faith, family, morality, and order—replacing them with moral relativism, lawlessness, and cultural decay. The battle today is not merely political; it is a fight between good and evil, between builders and destroyers, between those who defend divine and natural law and those who seek to erase them. And as Scripture warns, in the end, the wicked will be cast to the left, while the righteous will stand victorious on the right.

There is no light at the end of the tunnel.
Hussain Abdul-Hussain/X site/March 26/2025
Feeling down today for Lebanon. The people who live on that piece of land do not have the capacity or the capability to practice self-determination, sovereignty, or set up and manage a government. Forget about Nawaf Salam and the elite like him. They're as bad as Nabih Berri and the Hezbollah militia. The same applies to Syrians, Palestinians and Iraqis. There is no light at the end of the tunnel.

Aoun calls on French envoy to pressure Israel
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/March 26, 2025
BEIRUT: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has called on the sponsors of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah to “pressure Israel to abide by it in order to maintain their credibility and ensure the implementation of what was agreed upon to restore stability.”Aoun met France’s presidential envoy, Jean-Yves Le Drian, on Wednesday. Le Drian is visiting Lebanon as part of preparations for the French-Lebanese summit set to be held next Friday at the Elysee Palace. According to the presidential media office, Aoun assured the French envoy that he is “determined, along with the government, to overcome the difficulties that may hinder Lebanon’s reform process in the economic, banking, financial, and judicial sectors, and to find appropriate solutions in cooperation with the relevant parties.”Aoun said: “The administrative measures that will be taken will send a positive message both domestically and internationally.”The president also clarified that he will raise during the Paris summit “topics of mutual interest and ways to strengthen and develop Lebanese-French relations.”Le Drian also met with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, parliament speaker Nabih Berri, and Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji. In a statement, he reaffirmed “France’s continuous support for Lebanon and its stability.”He praised “the inaugural speech of the president and the vision it presented for Lebanon, as well as the seriousness of the Lebanese government's work,” highlighting “the importance of maintaining the international momentum that accompanied the new presidency and the formation of the government by implementing the necessary reforms and preserving Lebanese unity to enhance the confidence of the international and Arab communities in Lebanon and attract investments to the country.”Salam said that “the purpose of the French envoy’s visit is to discuss reconstruction,” but warned that “no one in Lebanon wants normalization with Israel.”He said the “international and Arab diplomatic pressure on Israel to cease its aggressions has not been exhausted,” but expressed concern over the situation in the south “in light of the ongoing Israeli attacks, especially following the rocket launch that occurred last week.”Salam said the “five hills that Israel insists on retaining hold no military or security value, except for maintaining pressure on Lebanon.”
He rejected “all Israeli talk regarding the displacement of residents from Gaza and the West Bank, as well as the establishment of a Palestinian state outside of historical Palestine,” emphasizing the “importance of rallying Arab and international support to confront this project.”
The premier received a call last Monday from Morgan Ortagus, deputy special envoy of the US to the Middle East, following the escalation in the south due to unidentified rockets being fired from southern Lebanon toward the Metula settlement in Israel. A source in Salam’s office told Arab News: “Ortagus assured Salam that she is closely monitoring the situation in Lebanon and will be making a visit to the country soon, but no specific date has been provided.”Meanwhile, the visit scheduled for Wednesday by Lebanese Defense Minister Michel Mounir to Damascus to meet with his Syrian counterpart, Murhaf Abu Qasra, has been canceled. The source from Salam’s office said that “the PM’s office was informed on Tuesday night that the visit had been postponed.”It added that “this is attributed to the delayed announcement of the new Syrian government, which will lead to changes in the distribution of responsibilities, particularly the official in charge of the security file with Lebanon.”On the ground, an Israeli drone carried out two strikes on Al-Shaara, near the eastern mountain range between Lebanon and Syria.Israeli media outlets stated that “the Israeli Air Defense bombed two targets east of Lebanon.”Reconnaissance planes continue to violate Lebanon’s airspace, reaching Baalbek and Bekaa. The Israeli military started on Tuesday a field maneuver in western Galilee and the Lebanese border area, which will last until Thursday. Israeli Army spokesperson Avichay Adraee said that the military exercise will include “training on different scenarios, namely protecting the area and responding to immediate threats in the field with multifaceted cooperation.”He added that “the exercise has been planned under the 2025 annual deposition plan,” noting that “there is no fear of security incidents.”

Israel Conducts Large-Scale Military Drill Near Lebanese Border
This is Beirut/March 26/2025
Israel’s Northern Command launched on Wednesday a large-scale military exercise involving the 91st and 146th divisions, alongside the Air Force, Navy, police, Fire and Rescue Authority, and rapid response teams tasked with protecting border communities. The drill, announced by the Israeli army’s Arabic spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, on his X account, simulates complex defensive and offensive scenarios designed to enhance security measures in towns near the border fence. It also enhances coordination between security forces operating in the region to ensure an effective response to potential threats. During the exercise, Northern Command Chief Major General Ori Gordin conducted an operational assessment with division and brigade commanders, evaluating the region’s preparedness and response strategies.

Le Drian begins talks with Lebanese officials
Naharnet/March 26/2025
The French President's Special Envoy to Lebanon Jean-Yves Le Drian held talks Wednesday with President Joseph Aoun in Baabda.
He left without making a statement.
A statement issued by the Presidency said Aoun told Le Drian that he is looking forward to meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday in Paris to “thank him again for the role he is playing in supporting Lebanon,” especially “his personal role in facilitating the presidential election.”Aoun added that the issue of reforms is his top priority in addition to “the reconstruction of the towns and villages destroyed by Israeli bombardment during the latest war.”“Work will continue to restore confidence inside the country and with the foreign forces, especially amid the presence of available chances that must be benefited from, topped by the French support for Lebanon and the efforts that President Macron is leading in this regard,” the president added. He also lamented the continuation of Israeli attacks and stressed the need for the ceasefire sponsors to “press Israel to commit to it to preserve their credibility.”Talks also tackled the situation on the Lebanese-Syrian border. Le Drian later held meetings with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji. The Progressive Socalist Party’s al-Anbaa news portal said Le Drian will discuss with Lebanese officials “the file of reconstruction and the appointments in sensitive posts, topped by the central bank governor post, after Samir Assaf apologized for not being able to assume this sensitive post and consensus was apparently reached on Karim Soaid.”Le Drian will also discuss the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel and the security situation in the South, as well as preparations for a French conference for supporting Lebanon and its reconstruction, al-Anbaa added.

Report: Ortagus to visit Beirut to float 'reconstruction for disarmament' proposal
Naharnet/March 26/2025
Deputy U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Morgan Ortagus will visit Lebanon next week and will discuss “the need to fully disarm Hezbollah,” MTV reported overnight. She will propose a “reconstruction in return for disarmament” equation, the TV network added. Diplomatic sources meanwhile told Al-Arabiya Wednesday that a phone call took place between Ortagus and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.

Salam: Normalization with Israel rejected by all Lebanese
Naharnet/March 26/2025
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stressed Wednesday that “international and Arab diplomatic pressure on Israel to halt its attacks has not been exhausted,” noting that “no one wants normalization with Israel in Lebanon, which is rejected by all Lebanese.”Salam added, in a meeting with a delegation from the Lebanese Press Editors Syndicate, that “the five points that Israel is clinging to have no military or security value other than maintaining its pressure on Lebanon.”Responding to a question, Salam said “Hezbollah has its supporters, MPs and representation,” explaining that he has recently said that “the army-people-resistance equation has ended, because it was not mentioned in the ministerial statement, which emphasizes on the exclusivity of arms in the hands of the state.”

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem rules out any possibility of normalization or surrender
LBCI/March 26/2025
Hezbollah's Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem declared that Israel has failed in its objectives to eliminate the resistance in Lebanon and has been unable to reach the Litani River. Qassem emphasized that the resistance remains steadfast and strong despite the ceasefire. "The resistance remains present, operating where necessary and where it is capable. It is a deeply rooted faith and a firm choice, acting wisely according to the demands of the confrontation," he said. Qassem stressed that it is now the responsibility of the Lebanese state to implement the agreement and pressure the influential international actors who sponsored it. He insisted that Hezbollah would not accept the continuation of the Israeli occupation and demanded the release of detainees, ruling out any possibility of normalization or surrender. Regarding Palestine, Qassem asserted that despite 75 years of Israeli occupation, the Palestinian identity remains intact. "Israel has failed to legitimize a single inch of Palestine," he said. He also highlighted the impact of the "Al-Aqsa Flood" operation, stating that the past 18 months have reinforced global attention on the Palestinian cause while exposing Israel's aggressive actions.
Qassem accused the United States of orchestrating a large-scale scheme using Israel as a tool of oppression. He claimed that the plan aims to eliminate the Palestinian cause fully, forcibly displace Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank, occupy additional territories in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt, and divide regional states to weaken them. "They want a fragmented Middle East that they can manipulate and control," he warned.

Lebanese defense minister visit to Syria postponed
Agence France Presse/March 26/2025
Syria's authorities delayed a visit planned for Wednesday by the Lebanese defense minister that aimed to discuss tensions along the border, officials from the two countries told AFP. "We were informed on Tuesday by the Syrian party of the postponement of the visit" of Lebanese minister Michel Menassa, a Lebanese official said on condition of anonymity. The delay was "in no way related to tensions or conflicts," the official added, without specifying the date to which it had been postponed. A Syrian government source meanwhile told AFP that the delay was due to "preparations for the formation of a new government."Menassa had been set to meet his Syrian counterpart, Murhaf Abu Qasra, in the first visit by a Lebanese minister since the cabinet was formed in February. Border tensions flared earlier in March after Syria's new authorities accused Hezbollah of kidnapping three soldiers into Lebanon and killing them. The Iran-backed group, which fought alongside the forces of toppled Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, denied involvement. But the ensuing cross-border clashes left seven Lebanese dead. Islamist-led rebels ousted Assad in December.

Cabinet inclined to name Karim Soaid as central bank chief
Naharnet/March 26/2025
Cabinet is inclined to name Karim Soaid as central bank governor in its session on Thursday, media reports said. “Finance Minister Yassine Jaber submitted three names -- Karim Soaid, Eddy Gemayel and Jamil Baz -- amid consensus between President Joseph Aoun and Speaker Nabih Berri over Karim Soaid and following a meeting between Berri and Jaber that discussed the proposed names,” An-Nahar newspaper reported. “As for the reports about the exclusion of ex-minister Jihad Azour, it turned out that these reports are baseless, seeing as Azour had informed those who contacted him that he was not nominating himself for the central bank governor post,” the daily added. Soaid is the brother of former lawmaker and March 14 secretariat-general coordinator Fares Soaid.

Syria Postpones Visit by Lebanese Security Delegation
This is Beirut/March 26/2025
A visit to Syria by a security delegation led by Minister of Defense General Michel Menassa has been postponed at the request of the Syrian authorities. The Lebanese delegation comprised the Director General of General Security, General Hassan Choucair (who had previously accompanied former Prime Minister Najib Mikati on his visit to Syria as Deputy Director of State Security), as well as the Director of Intelligence, General Tony Kahwaji. The delegation was due to meet the Syrian Minister of Defense in the transitional government, Mourhaf Abou Qasra, formerly known as Abou Hassan al-Hamwi, who acted as head of the military arm of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham. The President of the Republic had informed security officials of the details of the visit and its timetable at the last security meeting at the presidential palace in Baabda on March 21.
It should be noted that during a phone call between President Aoun and Ahmad al-Sharaa on March 4, the two agreed to set up joint commissions between the two countries after a new Syrian government is formed.

UN says more than 21,000 people fled Syria sectarian violence for Lebanon
Agence France Presse/March 26/2025
The United Nations refugee agency said that more than 21,000 people had arrived in Lebanon this month fleeing the worst bloodshed in Syria since Bashar al-Assad's ousting. A Syrian committee investigating the wave of sectarian killings in the heartland of the country's Alawite minority said Tuesday that it had collected scores of accounts of the violence, with its probe ongoing. The U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) reported "21,637 new arrivals from Syria" into northern Lebanon, in a report citing figures provided by Lebanese authorities and the Lebanese Red Cross. For days from March 6, Syria's Mediterranean coast was gripped by mass killings, mainly targeting the Alawite community, to which Assad's family belongs. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said some 1,600 civilians, mostly Alawites, were killed, accusing security forces and allied groups of participating in "field executions, forced displacement and burning of homes," with entire families killed, including women, children and the elderly. The Syrian authorities have accused armed Assad supporters of starting the violence by staging attacks on the new security forces, with military reinforcements then sent to the areas. UNHCR said that "fleeing families are continuing to cross unofficial border crossing points including through rivers on foot, and are arriving exhausted, traumatized, and hungry." It also reported "ongoing reports of insecurity hampering people's movements before they reach Lebanon."Around 390 Lebanese families were also among the recent arrivals, it said.
Collecting testimony
Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who led the Sunni Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) that spearheaded Assad's overthrow, has vowed to prosecute those behind the "bloodshed of civilians," and set up the fact-finding committee. Committee spokesman Yasser al-Farhan said Tuesday that the body had recorded "more than 95 testimonies" and received "more than 30 oral and written reports through direct communication," with some messages still being received electronically. He said the committee began field work on March 14 in Latakia province, where its members met with local and security officials, and interviewed "hundreds of family members and witnesses."The committee has examined "93 pieces of digital evidence," he said, adding that investigations were still ongoing and that it was too early to provide details or results.
Farhan also said the body, which plans to go to other areas including Tartus, met with U.N. rights officials and investigators. The committee has not experienced any "attack from regime remnants or any party, or any threat," he said, but the area was still dangerous due to the presence of "outlaws implicated in crimes against humanity." "We are waiting for the adoption of a law on transitional justice in Syria," Farhan said, referring to pledges to prosecute the crimes of Assad's government, whose brutal repression of peaceful pro-democracy protests in 2011 triggered Syria's civil war. Many Syrians, he added, believed that "a special national court" should be established "to prosecute those involved in war crimes and crimes against humanity."

Pre-crisis levels: Lebanon's Social Security resumes higher coverage for healthcare and medication
LBCI/March 26/2025
Lebanon's National Social Security Fund (NSSF) is set to gradually restore its pre-crisis coverage for medical treatments and medications, marking a significant step toward easing the financial burden on insured citizens. The Labor Ministry, in coordination with the NSSF and the Syndicate of Hospitals, has signed off on new tariff rates. Starting next week, the NSSF will increase its coverage from the current 20% of medical and pharmaceutical expenses— a rate in place since 2019— to a maximum of 90%, depending on the case. However, medical supplies remain excluded from this adjustment for now. For medications, the NSSF's contribution will be higher for lower-cost drugs, with coverage ranging between 80% and 90% of their price. Citizens can check the official NSSF website for a detailed list of medication prices and the corresponding reimbursement rates. In terms of hospital payments, an agreement has been reached to implement fast-track advances covering 60% to 80% of accumulated bills, amounting to LBP 300 billion from 2011 to 2023. Additionally, efforts are underway to introduce a plan that allows companies, employers, and insured individuals to pay their contributions through financial institutions or banks, facilitating smoother transactions and ensuring sustainable funding for the system.

Public Works Minister Rasamny inspects Rafic Hariri International Airport, monitoring operations
LBCI/March 26/2025
Lebanese Public Works and Transport Minister Faysal Rasamny conducted an inspection visit to Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut. During the visit, he held a meeting with the air traffic controllers’ committee to discuss the challenges facing the sector. Minister Rasamny emphasized his commitment to improving working conditions and ensuring the safety of air traffic operations. The tour included visiting the prayer area within the airport, where the minister listened to the concerns and feedback from those responsible for services in the area. Rasamny also toured several operational facilities and sections, monitoring the flow of operations and the measures in place to ensure smooth passenger movement and the safety of logistical and technical operations.

Information Minister: Télé Liban is a private company, not subject to administrative appointment mechanism
LBCI/March 26/2025
The office of Information Minister Paul Morcos clarified that the proposal of candidates for Télé Liban's board of directors falls within the minister's legal authority, while the final decision rests with the Cabinet. In a statement, the office reiterated the minister's remarks at the end of the last Cabinet session, confirming that Télé Liban appointments are not subject to the administrative appointment mechanism. It emphasized that Télé Liban is a private company governed by commercial law rather than a public institution, with its own regulatory framework established by decree. The statement stressed that the minister remains committed to upholding the law as a foundation for institutional governance in Lebanon, underscoring the need for collective efforts to elevate the media sector to the desired standards.

Speaker Berri meets French envoy Le Drian
LBCI/March 26/2025
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri met with French Presidential Envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian at the second presidency in Ain el-Tineh. The meeting, attended by French Ambassador to Lebanon Hervé Magro and Berri's advisor Mahmoud Berri, focused on political developments in Lebanon and the region and bilateral relations between Lebanon and France. Berri also continued discussions on the latest political developments during a separate meeting with former Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Elias Murr in the presence of MP Michel Murr.

Lebanon's bondholders select Houlihan Lokey as financial advisor for debt talks
LBCI/March 26/2025
Lebanon's bondholders have chosen U.S. investment bank Houlihan Lokey as their financial advisor for potential debt negotiations, two informed sources told Reuters. The country has been grappling with a severe economic crisis since 2019, when its financial system collapsed under the weight of massive government debt, leading to a sovereign default in 2020. Hopes for progress in addressing Lebanon's prolonged default were revived in early February with the formation of a new government led by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. One of the sources said that six firms had submitted proposals to the group representing the bondholders, with Houlihan Lokey and GSA making the shortlist. Lebanon has outstanding international bonds with a face value of $31.3 billion. According to Tradeweb data, these bonds are currently trading at deeply distressed levels, between 16 and 17 cents on the dollar.

Air Algérie Set to Resume Flights to Lebanon
This Is Beirut/March 26/2025
Air Algérie is preparing to resume flights to Lebanon after suspending operations last August due to the military conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. According to An-Nahar, the Algerian government plans to send a delegation to assess security conditions at Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport before resuming services. Notably, Algeria’s new ambassador to Lebanon, Kamel Bouchama, recently assumed his post in Beirut.

Report'Praise be to God!' Really?
Marilyne Jallad/This Is Beirut/March 26/2025
As the sun begins to rise at the start of spring, a sense of calm seems to have settled into the daily lives of the Lebanese, following a ceasefire reached a few months ago between Israel and Hezbollah (despite occasional breaches of the truce in southern Lebanon and the Beqaa). We sought to understand how the Lebanese are faring. Behind the repeated phrases heard from those interviewed on the streets of Beirut, such as “Kater Kheir Allah (Praise be to God), I’m breathing, I’m alive,” and “Thank God, I haven’t lost a loved one in the war,” lie much deeper and more complex emotions.
Measured Hope and Optimism
A closer look reveals that hope and optimism still hold a fragile place in the lives of Hussein, Nabil and Bilal. Hussein is in high spirits this March morning. The man in his 40s, who works in security, proudly shows me the denim jacket and pants he bought “at a low-cost store” for his two daughters, aged four and nine. “Of course, I have hope; without it, I’d die,” he assures me. Yet, behind this single father’s smile lies a man with deeper concerns. “If the opportunity arose, I wouldn’t hesitate to change my life and move to a country where people are respected,” he confides. For 60-year-old banker Nabil, who splits his time between Monaco and Beirut, “the tide has turned for the better.”“We were in a very bad place. Now, I’m optimistic. There are people who genuinely want to move the country forward,” he stresses, referring to President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Salam’s government. However, Nabil tempers his optimism, saying these changes must “become tangible” in the economic sector. Bilal, who is 50 years old, also expresses a positive outlook on recent political and security developments in Lebanon. Yet, like Nabil, his hope remains “measured” as “only promises are being made” for now, he adds.
According to psychoanalyst Reina M. Sarkis, the positive news mentioned above—including the fall of the Baath Party, the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime and the diminishing power of Hezbollah—“are most welcome” after six years of violent upheaval that have taken a heavy toll on the Lebanese psyche. “We reached such depths of despair and degradation that, at one point, it seemed almost impossible to envision optimistic scenarios. Now, however, things have changed,” she says. While Sarkis senses a growing desire for optimism, she clarifies that “it’s not euphoria, far from it.”This feeling must be taken “with caution and much apprehension,” as many people “are still confronted by a harsh reality and no longer dare to believe,” especially those over 40 who “have seen it all”—having lived through the immense disillusionment following the 2005 Cedar Revolution, the 2019 “Thawra” and the 2020 Beirut port double explosion.
Without My Children’s Help, I’d Be Begging
Jessica, the owner of a mini-market, acknowledges that without the support of her two sons, who work in Africa, she wouldn’t be able to support herself. “Thanks to my children, I was able to treat my dental and skin issues and even buy a car,” she shares before adding, “As long as the cost of living remains this high, I have no real hope for any meaningful change in the country.”Psychoanalyst Sarkis explains that the Lebanese have experienced “a severe fall” following the 2019 economic crisis, from which “they have yet to recover—both financially and psychologically.” She adds, “One of the main pillars of their lives has been undermined, including their sense of security, as the small savings they had—whether modest or substantial—have disappeared,” she adds. According to Sarkis, the financial factor is “a central issue that lingers in the background. It’s the common thread connecting the major upheavals of wars and violence, including the most recent conflict (the war between Israel and Hezbollah), which affected everyone, even if the bombs didn’t directly target all of them.”
‘I Don’t Know Where My Life Is Heading’
Carla, a 55-year-old waitress, feels that “nothing is going right.” With a sorrowful expression, she confides, “I no longer feel joy; I don’t know where my life is going anymore! My days end at 11:30 PM after 10 hours of work for a modest salary of $500, which barely covers my rent, health insurance and the neighborhood generator.” Additionally, she is housing her daughter and granddaughter, whose home was destroyed in the war. This loss of direction in life is something psychoanalyst Sarkis observes in some of her patients. “They are unhappy, unsure of where to turn and don’t know what life has in store for them.” “It takes immense courage to keep hoping,” she asserts.
‘Deep Changes Take Time’
Bilal, speaking realistically, acknowledges that profound changes, whether psychological or national, “take time.” The Lebanese people have endured too many setbacks in their country’s recent history. This perspective is shared by Sarkis, who observes that “everything unfolds in nuance, in paradoxes and especially over long periods, particularly when it comes to a nation’s history.”For her, the Lebanese are “in a period of respite, during which everyone is trying to heal their wounds.” However, she adds, “The traumas remain, and they won’t disappear unless we take the time to address and work through them. It’s a process that happens not only on an individual level in therapy, but should ideally involve a broader movement. It needs to spill over from private spaces into the social and political spheres, ultimately becoming a national effort—a collective will to rebuild both the land and the minds. Unfortunately, I don’t think we’re there yet,” concludes Sarkis.

Referral of Daraj and Megaphone to the Public Prosecution in Beirut
This is Beirut/March 26, 2025
On Wednesday, Public Prosecutor Judge Jamal al-Hajjar referred the complaint filed by lawyers Elie Shahla, Joseph Zeidan and George Moussally against the media platforms Daraj Media, represented by editor-in-chief Hazem Al-Amin, chairwoman Aliya Ibrahim and managing editor Diana Moukalled, as well as Megaphone, represented by CEO Jean Kassir and editor-in-chief Samer Frangieh, to the Beirut Public Prosecution for investigation. He instructed the Beirut Appeal Public Prosecution to take the necessary actions.
The referral, numbered 664/M/2025, was handed over to Judge Ziad Abu Haidar, the Beirut Appeal Public Prosecutor, to carry out Judge al-Hajjar’s directive. The investigation will address the complaint and determine the appropriate actions against the accused.
The complaint alleges that Daraj and Megaphone, along with their managers, are responsible for crimes including, “undermining the state’s financial standing, destabilizing trust in the national currency, inciting people to withdraw their funds from banks and sell state bonds, damaging the state’s reputation, conspiring against the state, weakening national sentiment, obtaining suspicious foreign funds, and financing media campaigns aimed at undermining confidence in Lebanon and its economy.”The information and documents contained in the complaint are expected to prompt the Public Prosecution to expedite the investigation and uncover the circumstances surrounding the case, particularly concerning the direct link between the accused and George Soros, a figure notorious for orchestrating crises in several countries. The judicial investigation is anticipated to examine the destructive impact of Soros in countries such as Jordan, the UK, Thailand, the US, Turkey, Italy and others, which led to the bankruptcy of major banks and economic collapses. The investigation aims to uncover how Soros’ harmful agenda was promoted in Lebanon through the accused, who allegedly incited the public against the banking sector, encouraging them to withdraw their deposits. This contributed to the severe financial and economic collapse Lebanon has faced in recent years. Legal and judicial sources closely monitoring this case and similar complaints believe that how these proceedings are handled will serve as a crucial test for the Lebanese judiciary. It will determine whether the judiciary is truly capable of supporting the new presidency and the oath of office in which President Joseph Aoun vowed to fight corruption, criminals and wrongdoers.

Lebanon’s Digital Transformation: A Key to Economic Revival, Says Shehadeh
This is Beirut/March 26, 2025
Lebanon’s Minister of the Displaced and State Minister for Technology and Artificial Intelligence, Kamal Shehadeh, has underscored the critical role of digital transformation in driving the country’s economic development. In an interview with CNBC Arabia, Shehadeh described digital transformation as “a key step to strengthening economic growth,” highlighting the importance of advancing digital governance. According to him, improved digital systems would boost public sector efficiency and streamline administrative procedures. Shehadeh emphasized that the artificial intelligence (AI) industry holds significant potential to fuel Lebanon’s digital economy, create jobs, and foster innovation in the tech sector. He noted that AI could enhance government operations, improving the speed and transparency of public services.
The minister called for a comprehensive strategy to build Lebanon’s capacity in IT and AI, pledging to turn the country into a “digital hub” despite ongoing challenges.
He stressed that the private sector would play a leading role in AI development, while the government must ensure fair competition by introducing appropriate legislation. Shehadeh also highlighted the need to attract investments and secure funding to fast-track Lebanon’s digital transformation. “Lebanon has a strong pool of tech talent,” Shehadeh said, expressing confidence that the country’s skilled youth could drive a major leap in the digital sector.
He also pointed to the potential economic impact of establishing tech industry free zones, arguing they could play a pivotal role in Lebanon’s recovery. Restoring investor confidence, he added, is a top priority in the months ahead. Lebanon currently ranks 76th out of 193 countries in the 2023 Government AI Readiness Index and 7th among lower-middle-income nations. The index evaluates countries based on 39 factors across 10 pillars, grouped under three main indicators: “Governance,” “Technology Sector” and “Data and Infrastructure.”Shehadeh encouraged Lebanon to learn from regional leaders such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which have invested billions in advancing artificial intelligence.

Ireland Increases Its Aid to Lebanon with a €2.5 Million Donation
This is Beirut/March 26, 2025
Minister of Foreign Affairs Youssef Rajji announced on Wednesday an additional €2.5 million donation from Ireland, aimed at funding the United Nations Humanitarian Fund in Lebanon.
The announcement was made during a meeting held at the ministry, in the presence of Irish Deputy Prime Minister Simon Harris and the Irish delegation, which included the Irish Ambassador to Lebanon, Nuala O’Brien, as well as officials from both countries. This contribution is allocated to the fund managed by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), of which Ireland is one of the five largest contributors. In 2025, according to the OCHA website, three countries have already made contributions: Australia, Switzerland and Canada, with a total amount of $4.93 million. Ireland, with its €2.5 million donation, joins the list of donor countries for 2025.
UNIFIL and Bilateral Relations
Harris also expressed his pride in the involvement of Irish peacekeeping forces in Lebanon since 1978. He added, “We remain fully committed to supporting the mission of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and to maintaining peace in Lebanon.” It is worth noting that the Irish contingent of UNIFIL includes 339 Irish soldiers. The Irish Deputy Prime Minister added, “Although Lebanon faces many challenges, it also represents a moment of hope for the Lebanese people. We hope that essential reforms will be undertaken to secure the country’s future and establish peace,” he stated. Finally, he emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation between the two countries, both bilaterally and through their joint commitment within the European Union, to promote regional stability, particularly in Syria. For his part, Rajji expressed his gratitude to Ireland for its continued support to Lebanon, highlighting the importance of this aid in meeting the growing humanitarian needs in the country. “Lebanon deeply thanks Ireland for this significant contribution. Your support is essential during this difficult time,” he concluded.
Murder of the Irish Peacekeeper
The Irish minister also met on Wednesday morning with Minister of Defense Michel Menassa. According to a post on his X account, Harris expressed concern “about the lack of progress in prosecuting those responsible for the murder of soldier Seán Rooney,” stressing the urgency of moving this case forward. Seán Rooney was killed during a patrol in southern Lebanon in December 2022. On X, Harris explained that he submitted a formal request to Minister Rajji for justice to be served in the case of the murdered Irish soldier.

Between the "Support" Disaster and the "Missiles" Farce
Marwan Al-Amin/Nidaa Al-Watan/March 27, 2025
(Translation from Arabic by Google)
The missile launching sparked tension and anxiety at both the official and popular levels, but it revealed fundamental changes in the approaches of Hezbollah and its allies, undermining narratives they had previously considered unquestionable axioms. Military action from Lebanon against Israel has become a "bastard" act, publicly disavowed by Hezbollah, while its allies have described it as a "suspicious act" that could bring calamity upon the country. This position reflects a fundamental contradiction with the party's previous positions, which considered any objection to the opening of the "Support Front" a failure to support the Palestinian cause. It even went so far as to accuse opponents of the "Support Front" of serving Israel and justifying its military operations against Lebanon.
The official position of Hezbollah and its allies reflects a significant shift in their political and field approach, clearly indicating the extent of Hezbollah's deterrence following the recent war. This action coincides with ongoing negotiations between the United States and Iran, renewed wars in Gaza and Yemen, and the Houthis and Hamas targeting Israel with missiles. In this context, the missiles launched from Lebanon, whose perpetrators were unknown but politically known, appear to complement the "unity of arenas" scene, conveying an Iranian message to Washington and Tel Aviv that Tehran still possesses the ability to move the fronts. Hezbollah's disavowal of these missiles comes within the framework of mitigating the consequences of this action after the message reached those concerned. Here, it must be noted that the perpetrator who entered an area in broad daylight that is a Hezbollah-friendly environment, conducted surveillance, prepared and launched the missiles, and then safely withdrew, remains unknown nearly a week after the incident. Previous experience confirms that Hezbollah has a hand in every security operation whose perpetrator remains "unknown."
At the popular level, the rocket fire was met with anxiety coupled with widespread discontent in southern circles, with widespread objections emerging against what was seen as a new attempt to "implode" the south in a military confrontation, at a time when the repercussions of the last war are still weighing heavily on them. Anger increased with the circulation of narratives accusing a Palestinian party of this act, sparking widespread condemnation and rejection of what southerners viewed as a continued price-paying effort for Palestine. These positions reflect a growing southern tendency toward ending the open-field equation and refusing to reopen the front. It seems that the option of turning the page on the confrontations that have drained their resources since the Cairo Agreement of 1969 is becoming more mature and gradually becoming the clearest option.
What is clear is that these missiles did not hit Israeli military targets, but they did damage the narrative that has long been based on boasting about adopting or endorsing every military action against Israel under the banner of resistance or support for Gaza. They also undermined the narrative that military action launched from the south enjoys popular support in the south. Therefore, Hezbollah's continued stubbornness in refusing to acknowledge that the south is no longer an "arena," as well as its delay in disarming, will increase the political, human, and urban cost, but will not change anything in reality. If the "support front" represented the epitome of the disaster, then the least that can be said about the "bastard missiles" is that they are a farce. Spare the southerners the evil of disaster and farce!!

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on March 26-27/2025
Palestinians protest Hamas in a rare public show of dissent in Gaza
AP/March 26, 2025
CAIRO: Thousands of Palestinians marched between the wreckage of a heavily destroyed town in northern Gaza on Wednesday in the second day of anti-war protests, with many chanting against Hamas in a rare display of public anger against the militant group. The protests, which centered mainly on Gaza’s north, appeared to be aimed generally against the war, with protesters calling for an end to 17 months of deadly fighting with Israel that has made life in Gaza insufferable. But the public calls against Hamas, which has long repressed dissent and still rules the territory months into the war with Israel, were rare. In the town of Beit Lahiya, where a similar protest took place Tuesday, about 3,000 people demonstrated, with many chanting “the people want the fall of Hamas.” In the hard-hit Shijaiyah neighborhood of Gaza City, dozens of men chanted “Out, out out! Hamas get out!” “Our children have been killed. Our houses have been destroyed,” said Abed Radwan, who said he joined the protest in Beit Lahiya “against the war, against Hamas, and the (Palestinian political) factions, against Israel and against the world’s silence.” Ammar Hassan, who took part in a protest Tuesday, said it started as an anti-war protest with a few dozen people but swelled to more than 2,000, with people chanting against Hamas. “It’s the only party we can affect,” he said by phone. “Protests won’t stop the (Israeli) occupation, but it can affect Hamas.” The militant group has violently cracked down on previous protests. This time no outright intervention was apparent, perhaps because Hamas is keeping a lower profile since Israel resumed its war against it. Senior Hamas official Bassem Naim, in a post on Facebook, wrote that people had the right to protest but that their focus should be on the “criminal aggressor,” Israel.
’We want to stop the killing’
Family elders from Beit Lahiya expressed support for the protests against Israel’s renewed offensive and its tightened blockade on all supplies into Gaza. Their statement said the community fully supports armed resistance against Israel. “The protest was not about politics. It was about people’s lives,” said Mohammed Abu Saker, a father of three from the nearby town of Beit Hanoun, who joined a demonstration Tuesday. “We want to stop the killing and displacement, no matter the price. We can’t stop Israel from killing us, but we can press Hamas to give concessions,” he said. A similar protest occurred in the heavily destroyed area of Jabaliya on Tuesday, according to witnesses. One protester in Jabaliya, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, said they joined the demonstration because “everyone failed us.”They said they chanted against Israel, Hamas, the Western-backed Palestinian Authority and Arab mediators. They said there were no Hamas security forces at the protest but scuffles broke out between supporters and opponents of the group. Later, they said they regretted participating because of Israeli media coverage, which emphasized the opposition to Hamas.Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz urged Palestinians to join the protests.“You too should demand the removal of Hamas from Gaza and the immediate release of all Israeli hostages. That is the only way to stop the war,” he said. A 19-year-old Palestinian, who also spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution said he planned to join demonstrations on Wednesday. His mother has cancer and his 10-year-old brother is hospitalized with cerebral palsy, and he said the family has been displaced multiple times since their home was destroyed.
“People are angry at the whole world,” including the United States, Israel and Hamas, he said. “We want Hamas to resolve this situation, return the hostages and end this whole thing.”
Renewed fighting
The protests erupted a week after Israel ended its ceasefire with Hamas by launching a surprise wave of strikes that killed hundreds of people. Earlier this month, Israel halted deliveries of food, fuel, medicine and humanitarian aid to Gaza’s roughly 2 million Palestinians.
Israel has vowed to escalate the war until Hamas returns the 59 hostages it still holds — 24 of them believed to be alive. Israel is also demanding that the group give up power, disarm and send its leaders into exile. Hamas has said it will only release the remaining captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The war was triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack into Israel, in which Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed over 50,000 people, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Israel’s bombardment and ground operations have caused vast destruction and at their height displaced some 90 percent of Gaza’s population. Hamas won a landslide victory in the last Palestinian elections, held in 2006. It seized power in Gaza from the Western-backed Palestinian Authority, dominated by the secular Fatah movement, the following year after months of factional unrest and a week of heavy street battles.

Nearly 200,000 Palestinians perform prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque
Arab News/March 26, 2025
LONDON: Nearly 200,000 Palestinians performed evening and Taraweeh prayers on Wednesday, the 26th day of Ramadan, at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. It is one of the highest numbers of worshippers recorded at Al-Aqsa during Ramadan by the Jerusalem Waqf and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, which is responsible for managing the site.The organization reported that 180,000 people attended the evening and Taraweeh prayers, despite Israel’s restrictive measures in Jerusalem, with thousands of worshippers choosing to stay at Al-Aqsa Mosque overnight to commemorate Laylat Al-Qadr, also known as the Night of Power. Muslims consider Laylat Al-Qadr to be the holiest night in the Islamic calendar as it marks the occasion when the first verses of the Qur’an were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. Laylat Al-Qadr occurs during the last 10 days of Ramadan, a period when many Muslims fully dedicate themselves to worship. Upon the conclusion of Ramadan on Saturday or Sunday, majority-Muslim countries celebrate the holiday of Eid Al-Fitr over three days, marking the festivities of breaking the fast with family visits and trips.

Israeli legislators pass budget in a move that shores up Netanyahu's government
Associated Press/March 26, 2025
Israel's parliament has passed a state budget, a move that shores up Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's governing coalition even as the embattled leader faces mounting public pressure over the war in Gaza and the hostage crisis. The budget vote was seen as a key test for Netanyahu's coalition, which is made up of ultranationalist and ultra-Orthodox parties that had demanded and largely received hefty allocations for their constituents in exchange for supporting the funding package. Failure to pass a budget by March 31 would have triggered early elections, potentially threatening Netanyahu's nearly unbroken 15-year rule.Critics say the budget lacks much needed wartime funding for secular education, health and welfare. They accuse Netanyahu of channeling funding to his political allies to ensure his survival rather than thinking of the country's best interests. "The greatest theft in the country's history officially begins," opposition leader Yair Lapid said Monday, ahead of an hours-long, marathon debate in parliament on the budget. He said the middle class, including many reservists who have been fighting in Gaza, was being trampled for the sake of the coalition's survival. Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a key Netanyahu ally, said the budget had "everything needed to win on the front and at home."With its passing, Netanyahu's government is more likely to survive to the end of its term in October 2026, a rarity in Israel's fractious politics. It's a political win for Netanyahu, who faces mass protests over his decision to resume the war in Gaza while hostages are still held by Hamas, and over his government's recent moves to fire top legal and security chiefs. In theory, Netanyahu now has more freedom to negotiate a lasting ceasefire with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. His allies, who want to continue the war, have little incentive to trigger new elections while their polling numbers are down, said Gayil Talshir, a political scientist at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. But she expects Netanyahu to stick with his coalition partners and further their ultranationalist agenda to galvanize the right ahead of any future vote.
"Netanyahu is always thinking about the next elections," Talshir said. "His goal is to make sure the extreme right will be in his government now and in the future."Netanyahu, who is on trial for alleged corruption, faces mass protests in Israel over his return to war, with 59 captives, 24 of whom are said to be alive, still in Gaza. Demonstrators are also angry over Netanyahu's firing of the head of the internal Shin Bet security agency and his government's push to fire the attorney general. Both moves are seen by opponents as part of the government's attempt to undermine state institutions and as part of Netanyahu's crusade against a "deep state" that he says is out to get him. Ahead of the budget vote, anti-government protests erupted outside the Knesset and police scuffled with demonstrators who blocked the entrances to the parliament.

Israel threatens to seize parts of Gaza over fate of hostages
AFP/March 26, 2025
JERUSALEM: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened Wednesday to seize parts of Gaza if Hamas does not release hostages, while the militant group warned they would return “in coffins” if Israel does not stop bombing the Palestinian territory. Just over a week since the military resumed operations following a January truce, Israel said two projectiles were fired from the Gaza Strip, with one intercepted and the other landing near the border, and with no immediate reports of any casualties or damage. The rocket fire came a day after hundreds of Palestinians staged a rare protest against Hamas, chanting slogans against the movement and calling for an end to the war. Shattering weeks of relative calm in the war brought by the fragile ceasefire, Israel last week resumed intense bombardment and ground operations across Gaza, while militants returned to launching rocket attacks. According to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, 830 people have been killed in the territory since Israel resumed its strikes on March 18. No deaths have been reported on the Israeli side. Israeli officials say the resumption of operations was meant to pressure Hamas into releasing the remaining hostages, after a stalemate in talks with mediators on extending the truce — which saw 33 Israeli captives freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.Israel wanted an extension of the truce’s initial phase, while Hamas demanded talks on a second stage that was meant to lead to a permanent ceasefire. Netanyahu told parliament that “the more Hamas persists in its refusal to release our hostages, the stronger the pressure we will exert.” “This includes the seizure of territories, along with other measures I will not elaborate here,” he added, days after his Defense Minister Israel Katz had warned: “The more Hamas refuses to free the hostages, the more territory it will lose, which will be annexed by Israel.”Of the 251 hostages seized during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel which triggered the war, 58 are still held in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. “Every time the occupation attempts to retrieve its captives by force, it ends up bringing them back in coffins,” Hamas said in a statement.The group said it was “doing everything possible to keep the (Israeli) occupation’s captives alive, but the random Zionist bombardment is endangering their lives.”Gal Gilboa-Dalal, an Israeli survivor of the 2023 attack whose brother was taken hostage, has told AFP he can “constantly imagine our reunion.”“This moment felt closer than ever and unfortunately, it’s drifting away from me again,” he said of his brother Guy Gilboa-Dalal, taken from a music festival near the Gaza border and last seen in a video shared by Hamas last month. “We are fighting here against a terrorist organization that only understands force,” said Gal. “On the other hand, I am terrified that these bombings and this operation... will endanger the hostages there. There’s no way to know what the terrorists might do to them or if a missile might accidentally hit them,” he added. The Hamas attack that sparked the war resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Israel’s retaliatory military offensive has killed at least 50,183 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry. In northern Gaza on Tuesday, Palestinians gathered for the biggest anti-Hamas rally since the start of the war, chanting “Hamas out” and “Hamas terrorists.”Majdi, a protester who did not wish to give his full name, said the “people are tired.”“If Hamas leaving power in Gaza is the solution, why doesn’t Hamas give up power to protect the people?“Hamas seized power in Gaza in 2007 after winning a Palestinian election the year before. No vote has been held since. Levels of discontent toward Hamas in Gaza are difficult to gauge, in part because of its intolerance for public expressions of dissent. Fatah, the Palestinian movement of president Mahmud Abbas, has called on Hamas to “step aside from governing” Gaza to safeguard the “existence” of Palestinians in the war-battered territory.

Israel's response to Gaza protests: Plans for full Gaza control
LBCI/March 26, 2025
After the staggering toll of over 50,000 killed and 113,000 wounded in Gaza, voices of suffering began to rise, expressing a resounding call for change. Hundreds of citizens took to the streets of Gaza in protests demanding that Hamas leave the region and that the war cease. These demonstrations were also amplified on social media. Despite the outcry, Israel dismissed the protests, labeling them as a coordinated tactic with Hamas, as the demonstrations did not align with Israeli intelligence information about Hamas' control over Gaza. However, voices within Israel called for intensifying the crisis, urging further airstrikes and a total siege of the population. In response, Israeli military officials, including Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and other defense leaders, pushed forward a plan for total control of Gaza, aiming to displace hundreds of thousands of its residents. This military strategy is carried out with joint operations involving air, land, and naval forces as the Israeli government continues its offensive. While these developments unfold, Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz has attempted to quell growing domestic frustration, asserting that continued military operations will weaken Hamas and help bring back captured soldiers. The Israeli government's focus remains on pursuing the war strategy in Gaza, while closely monitoring potential impacts on other fronts, particularly the northern border. In light of these ongoing military efforts, Israel has implemented a series of drills to prepare its ground forces for any escalation. The Israeli military also conducted a tour of Haifa's naval base to assess the readiness of the navy to handle potential security scenarios.

Israel orders evacuation of parts of Gaza City
Associated Press/March 26, 2025
The Israeli military has ordered the evacuation of parts of Gaza City as it steps up its renewed offensive against Hamas. The latest orders issued Wednesday apply to Zeitoun, Tel al-Hawa and other neighborhoods where Israeli forces have carried out previous operations during the 17-month war. The military said it will soon respond to rocket fire from the area and ordered residents to move south. Israel ended its ceasefire with Hamas last week when it launched a surprise wave of strikes that killed hundreds of Palestinians.It has vowed to increase military pressure until Hamas returns the remaining 59 hostages it holds – 24 of whom are believed to be alive. Israel has also demanded that Hamas disarm and send its leaders into exile.Hamas has said it will not release the remaining hostages without a lasting ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Increase of US military assets in Middle East points to potential strikes on Houthis
Arab News/March 26, 2025
LONDON: The significant increase of US military assets positioned in the Middle East points to the potential of heavy strikes on Iran-backed Houthi positions in Yemen. The US has recently deployed highly sophisticated aircraft and a second aircraft carrier to the region. At least five B-2 stealth bombers have been deployed to Diego Garcia, a British military base used by the US in the Indian Ocean. More are reportedly en route. Seven C-17 aircraft have also been tracked landing on the remote atoll, suggesting transportation of equipment, personnel and supplies, and refueling aircraft have been repositioned to strategic locations. The Pentagon recently ordered the USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike group to extend its deployment in the Red Sea by a month, and a second strike group, led by the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier, is heading for the Middle East. It is an unusual surge in military assets and an indication, perhaps, that the US is planning heavy strikes on the Houthis in Yemen and possibly looking to send a strong message to Iran. The Houthis have repeatedly attacked Red Sea shipping and Israel during the conflict in Gaza. Those attacks stopped while the ceasefire was in force but have restarted following a resumption of Israeli military operations in Gaza. The Houthis have vowed to strike Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport and have fired ballistic missiles toward Israel on an almost daily basis in recent weeks, triggering air raid sirens in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The militia claimed to have launched drones at Israel on Tuesday night, but the Israeli military has not confirmed this. The Trump administration has launched attacks against the Houthis to restore the freedom of shipping in the Red Sea, a crucial waterway for global commerce as it is linked to the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal.
The first wave of those attacks was the subject of a major security breach when a journalist was mistakenly included in discussions between senior US government personnel on the messaging app Signal. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has promised to continue striking the Houthis for as long as it takes, and President Trump has warned Iran he might be forced to take military action against its nuclear facilities if Tehran does not agree to talks.

Houthis say US warplanes carried out 17 strikes in Yemen
Agence France Presse/March 26, 2025
Houthi media in Yemen reported Wednesday at least 17 strikes in Saada and Amran, blaming the United States for the attacks. The rebels' Ansarollah website said U.S. warplanes carried out "aggressive air raids... causing material damage to citizens' property", but gave no details of casualties. Washington on March 15 announced a military offensive against the Iranian-backed Houthis, promising to use overwhelming force until the group stopped firing on vessels in the key shipping routes of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. That day saw a wave of U.S. air strikes that officials said killed senior Houthi leaders, and which the rebels' health ministry said killed 53 people. Since then, Houthi-held parts of Yemen have witnessed near-daily attacks that the group has blamed on the United States, with the rebels announcing the targeting of U.S. military ships and Israel. The Houthis began targeting shipping vessels after the start of the Gaza war, claiming solidarity with Palestinians, but paused their campaign when a ceasefire took effect in Gaza in January. Earlier this month, they threatened to renew attacks in the vital maritime trade route over Israel's aid blockade on the Palestinian territory, triggering the first US strikes on Yemen since President Donald Trump took office in January. Last week, Trump threatened to annihilate the Houthis and warned Tehran against continuing to aid the group.

Houthi media reports new US strikes in capital after wave of attacks
AFP/March 26, 2025
SANAA: Houthi media said late Wednesday that new US strikes had hit the militia-held capital Sanaa, after earlier reporting 19 American raids elsewhere in Yemen. “A series of strikes by the US aggression have hit the south and north of the capital,” the Al-Masirah channel said, without providing further details. The station had earlier reported 17 raids by the United States “on the Saada governorate,” on top of two more on Amran. The Houthi news agency, Saba, said “the American aggression targeted the Oncology Hospital building in Saada.”The hospital, which Houthi media said was under construction, was also hit last week. The Houthi health ministry said two civilians were wounded in the latest hospital attack, which they described as “a full-fledged war crime.”Early on Wednesday, a Houthi military spokesperson said the group targeted “enemy warships in the Red Sea, led by the US aircraft carrier (USS Harry S.) Truman” blamed for the Yemen strikes. The militia also claimed a drone attack on Tel Aviv, but did not specify when it occurred. Israel did not report such an attack. Washington announced a military offensive against the Houthis on March 15, promising to use overwhelming force until the group stopped firing on vessels in the key shipping routes of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.That day saw a wave of US air strikes that officials said killed senior Houthi leaders, and which the militia’s health ministry said killed 53 people. Since then, Houthi-held parts of Yemen have witnessed near-daily attacks that the group has blamed on the United States, with the militia announcing the targeting of US military ships and Israel. The Houthis began targeting shipping vessels after the start of the Gaza war, claiming solidarity with Palestinians, but paused their campaign when a ceasefire took effect in Gaza in January. Earlier this month, they threatened to renew attacks in the vital maritime trade route over Israel’s aid blockade on the Palestinian territory, triggering the first US strikes on Yemen since President Donald Trump took office in January. Last week, Trump threatened to annihilate the Houthis and warned Tehran against continuing to aid the group.

Is US pressure on Iraq over reliance on Iranian electricity a blessing in disguise?
NADIA AL-FAOUR & ROBERT EDWARDS/Arab News/March 26, 2025
DUBAI/LONDON: Iraq has long had to balance its relationships between competing regional powers, particularly Iran and the Gulf states. Now, with renewed US harrying of Iraq to stop buying gas and electricity from Iran, Baghdad could be drawn further into the Arab orbit. On March 8, the US State Department said it was not renewing a sanctions waiver that had allowed Iraq to import Iranian electricity. The waiver, initially introduced in 2018 after the US withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal, has been a lifeline for Iraq’s struggling power grid. Despite its vast oil and gas wealth, years of conflict, corruption, and underinvestment have left Iraq highly dependent on Iranian gas and direct electricity imports to meet its energy needs. Power outages are commonplace, especially in the scorching summer months. The US decision came as part of President Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran, which is “designed to end Iran’s nuclear threat, curtail its ballistic missile program and stop it from supporting terrorist groups,” according to a statement from the US Embassy in Baghdad. “We urge the Iraqi government to eliminate its dependence on Iranian sources of energy as soon as possible, and welcome the Iraqi prime minister’s commitment to achieve energy independence,” the statement added. In a call with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani on March 9, US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz encouraged Baghdad to welcome more Western and US energy companies into Iraq’s oil and gas sectors.
According to a readout from that call, Waltz also urged the Iraqi government to work with the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government of northern Iraq to address remaining contract disputes over energy and to pay arrears owed to US energy companies. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi took to social media on March 10 to criticize the US move, saying it targeted the people of Iraq by attempting to deprive them of access to basic services such as electricity, particularly ahead of the approaching summer months. With the waiver rescinded, it remains unclear whether Iraq will be permitted to continue importing gas from Iran to feed its power plants. Indeed, some 43 percent of the country’s electricity is generated from Iranian gas. On March 12, Farhad Alaaeldin, the Iraqi prime minister’s foreign affairs adviser, told a local TV channel that the waiver guaranteed by the US on the import of gas was still in effect — and that only the exemption on imported power has been canceled. Alaaeldin said the US was, for now at least, merely encouraging Iraq to secure gas from other sources. “The American administration says … diversify your import sources. Go to other countries,” he said. The US Embassy statement asserted that electricity imports from Iran represent only 4 percent of electricity consumption in Iraq. But a spokesperson for Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity, Ahmad Moussa, told the Associated Press that should gas imports also be forbidden, it “would cause Iraq to lose more than 30 percent of its electricity energy.”Although this renewed pressure on Baghdad has officials scrambling to find alternatives, it arguably presents an opportunity for Iraq to pivot toward the Gulf states, integrate into the Arab fold, and thereby reduce its reliance on Tehran.
The question now is whether the Iraqi government will seize the moment to achieve energy independence or remain tethered to Iran’s energy infrastructure.
Achieving true energy independence will not be easy. In 2022, Iran exported 3.5 terawatt hours of electricity to Iraq through four transmission lines. Iraq also imports up to 50 million cubic meters of gas per day from Iran. The neighbors signed a five-year extension to their gas export agreement in March 2024. Talks on Iranian gas exports to Iraq began in the second half of 2010, shortly after the US military withdrawal following the 2003 invasion, leading to the signing of a supply agreement for Baghdad in July 2013. A contract for gas exports to Basra was signed in November 2015. Iraq spends about $4 billion annually on Iranian energy, but US sanctions have delayed the country’s ability to make timely payments, leading to substantial debt accumulation, estimated at $11 billion. To settle this debt, Iraq proposed an oil-for-gas deal in 2023, allowing it to repay Iran with crude. However it chooses to make these repayments, this significant debt burden poses a further challenge to severing links.
According to Iraq’s Parliamentary Oil, Gas and Natural Resources Committee, securing alternative sources of energy has proven difficult, with past diversification efforts delayed by bureaucracy and political resistance from Iran-backed factions in Baghdad.
Despite the challenges, Iraq has begun taking concrete steps toward integrating with the Gulf Cooperation Council’s energy network. An Oct. 9, 2024, agreement to connect Iraq to the GCC Interconnection Authority marked a significant milestone. The GCCIA was originally established to link the power grids of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Iraq’s inclusion in this grid would not only reduce its reliance on Iranian gas but also enhance regional energy cooperation. Under the agreement, Iraq will receive 500 megawatts of electricity through transmission lines from Kuwait’s Al-Wafra station to Al-Faw in Basra. A separate deal with Saudi Arabia is expected to add another 1,000 megawatts to Iraq’s power supply.
Given its own significant domestic energy challenges, including infrastructure problems and environmental factors such as droughts that have reduced its hydroelectric output, there is even a case to be made for Iran benefitting from integration into the broader GCCIA grid.
Elsewhere, Iraq has partnered with Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power, the UAE’s Masdar, and France’s TotalEnergies to develop solar power plants, although these projects are still years away from completion. Beyond the Gulf grid, Iraq is pursuing additional measures to reduce its dependence on Iranian energy, including an agreement with Turkmenistan in October 2023 to import 20 million cubic meters of gas per day. Meanwhile, a 115-km transmission line with Turkiye now supplies 300 megawatts of electricity to northern Iraq. Iraq is also building a liquefied natural gas terminal in Al-Faw with a storage capacity of 300,000 cubic meters. Despite these efforts, Iraq’s transition away from Iranian energy still faces major hurdles. “The current production of domestic gas cannot replace Iranian imports at this stage, as achieving self-sufficiency requires several years of development and investment,” Iraqi economic analyst Nabil Al-Marsoumi said in a recent social media post. Even as Iraq moves toward energy diversification, Iran is unlikely to relinquish its grip without resistance. Tehran exerts significant political influence in Baghdad through Iran-backed militias and Shiite political factions. These groups view stronger GCC ties as a threat to their dominance and have historically opposed efforts to reduce Iraqi dependence on Iranian energy. Prime Minister Al-Sudani initially sought a waiver extension until 2028, arguing that Iraq needed more time to secure alternative energy sources. However, under US pressure, he ultimately relented and announced Iraq’s compliance with sanctions. His decision sparked criticism from pro-Iranian factions within Iraq, further illustrating the political tightrope he must walk. Ordinary Iraqis, meanwhile, remain skeptical. Many citizens believe their leaders are beholden to Iran’s interests rather than prioritizing national energy security. “As long as those in power remain loyal to Iran, they will do whatever it takes to keep us reliant on it,” Modhar, a Baghdad-based driver, told Arab News.
For Gulf states, deepening energy ties with Iraq presents both opportunities and risks. A more integrated Iraq could serve as a bridge between the Arab world and Iran, facilitating broader regional cooperation.
Additionally, stronger economic ties with Baghdad could help Gulf economies diversify their own economies beyond oil exports. However, Gulf countries must also navigate Iraq’s internal political landscape carefully. Any overt effort to pull Iraq away from Iran risks provoking retaliation from Iran-backed militias, which have launched attacks on US and Gulf interests in the past. That said, energy interdependence has the potential to be a stabilizing factor. As regional energy demand grows, a Gulf-wide electricity grid that includes Iraq could provide a reliable supply and reduce dependence on volatile suppliers like Iran. With the GCC currently producing 272 gigawatts of electricity, a fully integrated power grid could transform Iraq’s economy and cement its position within the Arab fold. How Iraq responds in the coming months will define its future for years to come. The suspension of the US sanctions waiver has forced Baghdad to confront its reliance on Iranian energy. While the road to energy independence is fraught with challenges, Iraq’s deepening ties with the GCC present a viable alternative. Whether Iraq can successfully integrate into the GCC’s energy network while balancing its relationship with Iran remains to be seen. However, if Baghdad seizes this historic opportunity, it could finally achieve the energy security and regional influence it has long sought. As Al-Marsoumi warned: “Key energy projects remain years away from completion.” But the long-term potential of Iraq’s pivot to the GCC is undeniable. The coming months will determine whether Iraq charts a new course toward the Arab world — or remains in Iran’s shadow.

Poilievre draws thousands at Hamilton rally: 'The great Canadian promise'
Spiro Papuckoski/Toronto Sun/March 26, 2025
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre rallied enthusiastic supporters Tuesday night in Hamilton, promising to make the country work again for every Canadian after a decade of Liberal rule. Just three days into the federal election campaign, rally organizers said they attracted a crowd of 4,500 to the warehouse of Fero International Inc., a modular building manufacturer in the city’s Stoney Creek neighbourhood. “Who’s ready to axe the tax?” Poilievre asked the crowd to roaring cheers. “Who’s ready to make some steel? Who’s ready to bring home the great Canadian promise?”Poilievre spoke of how people in Canada, if they worked hard and did the right thing, would be able to buy a home in a safe neighbourhood. “That was the deal in this country,” he said. “That was what made this country so special. It’s what attracted people from around the world. That was the Canadian promise.”However, after a decade of Liberal leadership in Ottawa, that promise was broken, Poilievre said. “This Liberal government does not deserve a fourth term. We need to put Canada first for a change with a new Conservative government.”He reeled off the broken record of the governing Liberals under Justin Trudeau, noting that housing costs doubled, the national debt ballooned, lineups at food banks increased and crime spiraled out of control. He added that the Liberals changed their leadership from the unpopular Trudeau to his unelected economic adviser, Mark Carney. “He’s already acting like he runs the world,” Poilievre said as the crowd began to boo. “I don’t want to run the world. I want to put you back in charge of your life. I’m not running to take power, I’m running to give it back.”Poilievre said he wants to run a decent government that lives within its means and will restore the Canadian promise. He also reiterated that U.S. President Donald Trump would favour a Liberal government to negotiate with, which the American leader sees as the weaker option. “He knows, first of all, that Mark Carney will sell out our country as he’s done so often,” Poilievre said. “He’s a guy, up until recently, had three passports, moved his corporate headquarters out of Canada to New York only days after Trump threatened tariffs, leaving behind Canadian workers.”Poilievre said reports earlier in the day revealed that Carney went to China and took a quarter-billion dollar loan from a state-backed Chinese bank. “Which means that the prime minister of our country is now beholden to a hostile foreign regime that has executed four Canadian citizens, taken two others hostage, that incursions into our Arctic waters, and has interfered in our democracy.”He demanded that Carney come clean about his foreign conflicts of interests and to stop selling out Canada.

'We're seriously outgunned' in trade war, warns former Bank of Canada governor
Jordan Gowling/Financial Post/March 26, 2025
Former Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz says we are “seriously outgunned” by the Americans in a trade war, arguing Canada will still need the United States down the road. “When the dust settles, we will need our U.S. partnership, just as much as we need it today,” said Poloz, now special adviser to Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, during a webinar recorded on Monday. “We need to keep our eye on that long-term. This is not the Hatfields and the McCoys. We have to think long-term and make the best of a bad hand at this stage, knowing that there will be another hand in due course sometime in the future.”
U.S. President Donald Trump is set to announce reciprocal tariffs on all countries on April 2, and it isn’t clear if goods covered by the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) will remain exempted from tariffs beyond that date. The Bank of Canada estimates a protracted trade war with the U.S. would cause Canada’s GDP to decline by three per cent over the next two years. Desjardins Group economists predict Canada’s economy will head into a contraction as soon as the second quarter of this year. Poloz said while the forecasts for the Canadian economy are “grim” he does not believe them to be “existential.” He said he is optimistic that Canada can find a practical solution. “People forget that trade doesn’t happen between countries, it happens between people,” he said. “And those people still like each other, still respect each other, still want to do business together.”The trade war with the U.S. is set to dominate the federal election, which kicked off on Sunday, with Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre and Liberal Party leader Mark Carney both promising income tax cuts to Canada’s lowest earners. Poloz said the trade war will require a fiscal response, though he does not think it will require one at the same scale seen during the pandemic. “My hope is it will lean on promoting investment, more than we have in other slowdowns, as opposed to just household spending,” he said.Last week, the federal and provincial governments announced their plans to remove internal trade barriers, and have free trade within the country by July 1.Poloz said the gains will be significant for the Canadian economy.Trump says auto tariff coming, teases reciprocal duty breaks
Why this is shaping up to be the trade war election
How Trump's 'liberation day' could work in Canada's favour
Moving forward, Poloz also had a number of suggestions to make Canada’s economy more competitive. These include declaring energy and resource projects within the national interest, leaning into technological innovation, creating a better tax system for the manufacturing sector and using revenue from retaliatory tariffs to fund tax cuts. “We’re on the cusp of a major technological revolution. The world is going to change in so many different ways, more of the trade will be in services, not in goods,” said Poloz. “There are just so many other things changing in a positive way. What we need to do is get ourselves in a position to take advantage of it all, and we can.”

Sudan’s army chief returns to Khartoum for first time in 2 years of war after airport recaptured
Associated Press/March 26, 2025
Sudan's army said Wednesday it had recaptured Khartoum's international airport, and the military chief flew back to the capital for the first time in nearly two years of war, bringing the military closer to regaining full control of the city from the rival Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group.
Footage put out by the military showed army chief Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan landing at Khartoum International Airport, kissing the ground and raising his fist in the air to troops as he emerged from the helicopter onto the tarmac. “Khartoum is now free. It’s over. Khartoum is free,” Burhan is heard telling cheering troops, according to video footage aired by Al Jazeera television. He later went to the Presidential Palace, the pre-war seat of the government which troops wrested from RSF control on Friday. The RSF is still believed to hold scattered positions in Khartoum, and the government had not yet declared full victory in the city. But Burhan's return capped a series of gains by his forces in the capital and marked a major symbolic landmark in the war. Burhan and his military-led government had to flee Khartoum, moving to the Red Sea coastal city of Port Sudan, soon after the war erupted in April 2023. The war broke out when the military and the RSF turned against each other in a struggle for power. Their battles around Khartoum left the RSF in control of the airport, Presidential Palace and other neighborhoods, as the fighting spread around the country. Seizing the capital doesn’t end the conflict, as the RSF still controls parts of the western Darfur region and other areas. Earlier in the day, the military announced it had recaptured the RSF’s last major stronghold in Khartoum, the Teiba al-Hasnab camp. There was no immediate RSF comment. “This is a pivotal and decisive moment in the history of Sudan,” Information Minister Khalid Aleiser, spokesman of the military-controlled government, declared on social media. “Khartoum is free, as it should be.” Military control of the airport, along with calm in Khartoum, could allow aid groups to fly more supplies into the country where the fighting has driven some 14 million people from their homes and pushed some areas into famine. At least 28,000 people have been killed, though the number is likely far higher.

Trump will announce auto tariffs at a White House news conference
Josh Boak/The Associated Press/March 26, 2025
President Donald Trump on Wednesday will announce tariffs on auto imports, a move that the White House claims would foster domestic manufacturing but could also put a financial squeeze on automakers that depend on global supply chains. “We’re going to go with the tariffs on cars,” Trump said at a White House event ahead of a news conference scheduled for the afternoon. The tariffs could be complicated as even U.S. automakers source their components from around the world, meaning that they could face higher costs and lower sales. Shares in General Motors have fallen roughly 3% in Wednesday afternoon trading. Ford's stock was up slightly. Shares in Stellantis, the owner of Jeep and Chrysler, have dropped nearly 4%. Trump has long said that tariffs against auto imports would be a defining policy of his presidency, betting that the costs created by the taxes would cause more production to relocate to the United States. But U.S. and foreign automakers with domestic plants still depend on Canada, Mexico and other nations for parts and finished vehicles, meaning that auto prices could increase and sales could decline as new factories take time to build. “We are going to be doing automobiles, which you’ve known about for a long time,” Trump said Monday. “We’ll be announcing that fairly soon, over the next few days probably."The auto tariffs are part of a broader reshaping of global relations by Trump, who plans to impose what he calls “reciprocal” taxes on April 2 that would match the tariffs, sales taxes charged by other nations. Trump has already placed a 20% import tax on all imports from China for its role in the production of fentanyl. He similarly placed 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada, with a lower 10% tax on Canadian energy products. Parts of the Mexico and Canada tariffs have been suspended, including the taxes on autos, after automakers objected and Trump responded by giving them a 30-day reprieve that is set to expire in April. The president has also imposed 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports, removing the exemptions from his earlier 2018 taxes on the metals. He also plans tariffs on computer chips, pharmaceutical drugs, lumber and copper. His taxes risk igniting a broader global trade war with escalating retaliations that could crush global trade, potentially hurting economic growth while raising prices for families and businesses as some of the costs of the taxes get passed along by importers. When the European Union retaliated with plans for a 50% tariff on U.S. spirits, Trump responded by planning a 200% tax on alcoholic beverages from the EU. Trump also intends to place a 25% tariff on countries that import oil from Venezuela, even though the United States also imports oil from that nation. Trump's aides maintain that the tariffs on Canada and Mexico are about stopping illegal immigration and drug smuggling. But the administration also wants to use the tariff revenues to lower the budget deficit and assert America's preeminence as the world's largest economy. The president on Monday cited plans by South Korean automaker Hyundai to build a $5.8 billion steel plant in Louisiana as evidence that tariffs would bring back manufacturing jobs. Slightly more than one million people are employed domestically in the manufacturing of motor vehicles and parts, about 320,000 fewer than in 2000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Another 2.1 million people work at auto and parts dealerships. The United States last year imported nearly 8 million cars and light trucks worth $244 billion. Mexico, Japan and South Korea were the top sources of foreign vehicles. Imports of auto parts came to more than $197 billion, led by Mexico, Canada and China, according to the Commerce Department.

Syria slams 'flagrant' Israeli violation after deadly bombardment
Agence France Presse/March 26, 2025
Syria slammed Israeli attacks as a "flagrant violation" of its sovereignty after a deadly bombardment Tuesday in the country's south, where Israel's military said it had responded to incoming fire. The violence near the U.N.-patrolled buffer zone on the Golan Heights followed Israeli air strikes in central Syria, the latest in a string of attacks on military sites since Islamist-led forces overthrew longtime president Bashar al-Assad. The Syrian foreign ministry in a statement condemned "the continued Israeli aggression on Syrian territory, which saw a dangerous escalation in the village of Kuwayya" in the southern Daraa province. It said "heavy artillery and air bombardment targeted residential and farming areas, leading to the death of six civilians", raising an earlier toll provided by local authorities. "This escalation comes in the context of a series of violations that started with Israeli forces' penetrating into Quneitra and Daraa provinces, in an ongoing aggression on Syrian territory, in flagrant violation of national sovereignty and international law," the ministry said. Earlier Tuesday, the Israeli military said that its troops "identified several terrorists who opened fire toward them in southern Syria", without providing a specific location.
"The troops returned fire in response and the IAF (air force) struck the terrorists," it added in a statement. Daraa governor Anwar al-Zoabi said in a statement that "Israeli occupation army violations and repeated attacks on Syrian territory pushed a group of residents to clash with a military force that tried to penetrate" Kuwayya, northwest of Daraa city. The situation "led to an escalation" by Israeli forces "with artillery shelling and drone bombardment", said the statement posted on Telegram.Provincial authorities said some 350 families had fled to shelters in a nearby village.
'Dangerous'
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor that relies on a network of sources inside Syria, has reported near-daily Israeli military incursions into southern Syria beyond the demarcation line in recent months. The foreign ministry in neighboring Jordan condemned Tuesday's incursion and bombardment as "a dangerous escalation" that risked fueling "further conflict and tension in the region." Qatar's foreign ministry in a statement also slammed the attack, calling it "a brazen violation of international law."Saudi Arabia also denounced the strikes, and accused Israel of undermining "the security and stability of Syria and the region through their blatant and repeated violations of relevant international laws". Israel has launched hundreds of strikes on military sites since Assad's fall in December, saying it wants to prevent weapons from falling into the hands of the new authorities, whom it considers jihadists.
On Tuesday the Israeli military said it had "struck military capabilities that remained at the Syrian military bases of Tadmur and T4", referring to a base in Palmyra and another 50 kilometers (30 miles) west of the city. On Friday, the military carried out strikes on the same bases.
Israel has also deployed troops to the Golan Heights buffer zone, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has demanded the demilitarization of southern Syria, which borders the Israeli-annexed Golan. United Nations special envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen told the Security Council on Tuesday that he was "concerned by Israeli statements on the intention to stay in Syria" and demands for the full demilitarization of the south. At an Arab summit in Cairo in early March, Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa called on the international community to pressure Israel to "immediately" withdraw its troops from southern Syria, calling it a "direct threat" to peace in the region.

Syria is at a crossroads: It can return to violence or transition to peace, says UN envoy
Associated Press/March 26, 2025
Three months following the overthrow of President Bashar Assad, Syria is at a crossroads, the top U.N. envoy for the country said. Geir Pedersen told the U.N. Security Council that Syria can return to violence or start an inclusive transition and end decades of conflict. He said the road back to conflict, fragmentation and violations of Syrian sovereignty by external powers "must not come to pass." The other road, which would restore Syria's sovereignty and regional security, is "viable," but "requires the right Syrian decisions" and international support, Pedersen said. Syria's civil war had gone on for 13 years when a lightning insurgency led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, overthrew Assad in December, ending his family's more than 50-year rule. Former HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa was announced as the country's interim president after a meeting of armed groups that took part in the offensive.Pedersen spoke weeks after clashes between al-Sharaa's security forces and armed groups loyal to Assad spiraled into sectarian revenge attacks that killed hundreds of civilians, most of them Alawites, a minority sect to which Assad belongs. It was the worst violence since December. Pedersen told the council that while the situation was "comparatively calmed" after several days, the U.N. continues to receive reports "of harassment and intimidation, including with heavy sectarian overtones."He said the interim authorities announced an independent investigation. Pedersen said he stressed that it must be transparent, in line with international standards, and its findings made public. The U.N. special envoy, who will be returning to Damascus shortly, highlighted several priority areas for action and attention. The latest atrocities, he said, "laid bare the urgent need for credible and efficient accountability for crimes" committed over decades. He said the U.N. and the international community will be watching whether the soon-to-be-announced transitional government and transitional legislative council reflect Syria's diversity and include both men and women. Pedersen said his team was consulted on a temporary constitution and gave advice on international best practices and norms. "Some of this was taken on board, some was not," he said. In mid-March, al-Sharaa signed a temporary constitution that leaves the country under Islamist rule while promising to protect the rights of all Syrians for five years during a transitional phase. "Some Syrians have commended the effort to fill the constitutional vacuum, and noted the incorporation of international human rights norms," Pedersen said. "But others have expressed reservations about the non-transparent process of its drafting and the substance itself — particularly a very strong presidency with unclear checks and balances between state powers and ambiguity regarding the transition steps."Pedersen also cited other issues that demand action, including dealing with armed groups and foreign fighters, and reviving the economy.

Erdogan accuses the opposition of wrecking Turkey's economy during protests over mayor's jailing
Andrew Wilks/The Associated Press/March 26, 2025
Turkey’s president on Wednesday accused the political opposition of “sinking the economy” during the country’s largest protests in more than a decade over the arrest of Istanbul’s mayor, the biggest challenger to Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s 22-year rule. The opposition has called for a boycott of companies that it says support Erdogan’s government. The Turkish president accused the opposition of being “so desperate that they would throw the country and the nation into the fire.”In his address to lawmakers with his Justice and Development Party, or AKP, Erdogan added that “sabotage targeting the Turkish economy will be held accountable before the courts.”Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who was arrested a week ago, faces charges related to corruption and supporting terrorism within the Istanbul municipality alongside some 90 other suspects. A court ordered him to be imprisoned Sunday. A trial date has not been announced. Many consider the case against Imamoglu to be politically motivated. The government says the judiciary is free of political influence. The evidence against Imamoglu has not been officially disclosed. Many Turkish media outlets have reported that it is largely based on “secret witnesses.” The use of such testimony has been seen in previous criminal cases against opposition politicians. The head of the opposition Iyi Party, Musavat Dervisoglu, questioned the evidence of corruption in Istanbul municipality. “Dozens of inspectors have gone, 1,300 inspections have been made, nothing has come out of these inspections,” he told party lawmakers. Also Wednesday, Istanbul’s municipal assembly voted for a proxy mayor to stand in for Imamoglu. His Republican People’s Party, or CHP, which has a majority in the assembly, selected Nuri Aslan, previously the deputy mayor. While the CHP has said it will no longer organize mass rallies at City Hall, students across Turkey continue protesting. Demonstrations in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, as well as smaller cities and towns, have been largely peaceful. Protesters demand Imamoglu’s release and an end to democratic backsliding. In Istanbul's Kadikoy, thousands of protesters marched through the neighborhood Wednesday night as residents leaned from windows and balconies, clapping and banging pots and pans in support. The few police in attendance did not intervene, despite a citywide ban on protests. Imamoglu, in a social media post from prison, condemned police violence against protesters. “I cannot call them police because my honorable police would not commit this cruelty to the young children of the nation,” he said. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya has said that 1,418 people have been detained in the past week over the protests. Egitim-Sen, a trade union representing teachers and university lecturers, said its Istanbul University representative was detained. Student leftist groups said some of their members were also detained at their homes. Turkey is not due for another election until 2028, but it's possible that Erdogan will call for an early vote to seek another term. Imamoglu has been confirmed as the candidate for the CHP and has performed well in recent polls against Erdogan. His election as mayor of Turkey’s largest city in 2019 was a major blow to Erdogan and his party.

Atlantic releases entire Signal chat showing Hegseth’s detailed attack plans against Houthis
AFP/March 26, 2025
WASHINGTON: The Atlantic magazine on Wednesday published what it said was the entire text of a chat group mistakenly shared with a journalist by top US national security officials laying out plans of an imminent attack on Yemen. The stunning details, including the times of strikes and types of planes being used, were all laid out in screenshots of the chat, which the officials had conducted on a commercial Signal messaging app, rather than a secure government platform. The magazine, which initially only published the broad outlines of the chat, said it was now publishing the details after the Trump administration confirmed it was genuine and repeatedly denied that any classified information had been included. The scandal has rocked President Donald Trump’s administration, which for now is reacting defiantly — attacking The Atlantic and denying any wrongdoing. National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes had said Monday the chain cited by The Atlantic appeared to be “authentic.”However, Vice President JD Vance, who was on the Signal chat, said The Atlantic had “oversold” the story, while White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said “the entire story was another hoax.”National Security Adviser Mike Waltz likewise insisted on X that the Signal chain revealed “no locations” and “NO WAR PLANS.” However, the depth of detail in the now published chat will fuel a furious outcry from Democrats in Congress who are accusing the Trump officials of incompetence and putting US military operations in peril.
The House of Representatives was set to discuss the scandal in a hearing Wednesday. The story first broke Monday when Atlantic journalist Jeffrey Goldberg said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sent information in the Signal chat about imminent strikes against the Houthi rebels on March 15. For reasons unknown, Goldberg’s phone number had been added to the group, also including Central Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe, among others. Goldberg also revealed disparaging comments by the top US officials about European allies during their chat. The Atlantic initially did not publish the precise details of the chat, saying it wanted to avoid revealing classified material and information that could endanger American troops. But on Tuesday, Ratcliff and other officials involved in the chat played down the scandal, testifying before Congress that nothing critical had been shared or laws broken — and that nothing discussed was classified. Trump himself brushed the breach off as a “glitch” and said there was “no classified information” involved. The Atlantic said on Wednesday that it therefore asked the government whether in that case there would be any problem in publishing the rest of the material. It got no firm indications to the contrary. The Atlantic said its full publication Wednesday included everything in the Signal chain other than one CIA name that the agency had asked not to be revealed. The text discussion includes Hegseth laying out the weather conditions, times of attacks and types of aircraft being used.
The texting was done barely half an hour before the first US warplanes took off and two hours before the first target, described as “Target Terrorist,” was expected to be bombed.
The details are shockingly precise for the kind of operation that the public usually only learns about later — and in vaguer terms.“1410: More F-18s LAUNCH (2nd strike package),” Hegseth writes at one stage. “1415: Strike Drones on Target (THIS IS WHEN THE FIRST BOMBS WILL DEFINITELY DROP, pending earlier ‘Trigger Based’ targets).”A short time later, Trump’s National Security Adviser Mike Waltz sent real-time intelligence on the aftermath of an attack, writing “Building collapsed. Had multiple positive ID” and “amazing job.”The Houthis, who have controlled much of Yemen for more than a decade, are part of the “axis of resistance” of pro-Iran groups staunchly opposed to Israel and the US. The Trump administration has stepped up attacks on the group in response to constant Houthi attempts to sink and disrupt shipping through the strategic Red Sea.

Rubio says US to examine Russia conditions, peace to ‘take time’
KINGSTON, Jamaica: Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday the United States will examine Russia’s requested conditions for agreements with Ukraine, but cautioned that a peace deal would take time. “It won’t be simple. It’ll take some time, but at least we’re on that road and we’re talking about these things,” Rubio told a news conference in Jamaica. Russia and Ukraine agreed in parallel separate talks with US envoys in Saudi Arabia to halt strikes in the Black Sea, as President Donald Trump pushes for an end to the war. The Kremlin said Wednesday that a revival of a deal on Black Sea shipping was subject to “a number of conditions” and that Russia was discussing sanctions relief from the United States. “We’re going to evaluate that. Some of those conditions include sanctions that are not ours. They belong to the European Union,” Rubio said. He said that the US negotiators would meet and “then we’ll present that to the president, who will ultimately make a decision about what the next step” is. “I think it’s a good thing that we have both the Ukrainians and the Russians talking about ceasefires, be they energy or be they potentially in the Black Sea,” Rubio said.
Rubio had earlier called on Russia to accept without preconditions a proposed 30-day general ceasefire agreed by Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron, meanwhile, renewed the call on Russia to accept without conditions and said it was “much too early” to consider lifting sanctions.

Macron says a proposed European force for Ukraine could ‘respond’ if attacked by Russia
AP/March 26, 2025
PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday that a proposed European armed force for possible deployment in Ukraine in tandem with an eventual peace deal could “respond” to a Russian attack if Moscow launched one.
Macron spoke in the evening after talks with Ukraine’s president and ahead of a summit in Paris of some 30 nations on Thursday that will discuss the proposed force for Ukraine.
“If there was again a generalized aggression against Ukrainian soil, these armies would be under attack and then it’s our usual framework of engagement,” Macron said. “Our soldiers, when they are engaged and deployed, are there to react and respond to the decisions of the commander in chief and, if they are in a conflict situation, to respond to it.”Macron. has been driving coalition-building efforts for a Ukraine force with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. it is still far from clear exactly what kind of aid they are preparing that could contribute toward their goal of making any ceasefire with Russia lasting. Macron is expecting 31 delegations around the table Thursday morning at the presidential Elysee Palace. That’s more than Macron gathered for a first meeting in Paris in February — evidence that the coalition to help Ukraine, possibly with boots on the ground, is gathering steam, according to the presidential office. The big elephant in the room will be the country that’s missing: the United States. US President Donald Trump’s administration has shown no public enthusiasm for the coalition’s discussions about potentially sending troops into Ukraine after an eventual ceasefire to help make peace stick. Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, has dismissed the idea of a European deployment or even the need for it. “It’s a combination of a posture and a pose and a combination of also being simplistic,” he said in an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson. That’s not the view in Europe. The shared premise upon which the coalition is being built is that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions in Ukraine — starting with the illegal seizure of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and culminating in the 2022 full-scale invasion that unleashed all-out war — shows that he cannot be trusted. They believe that any peace deal will need to be backed up by security guarantees for Ukraine, to deter Putin from launching another attempt to seize it.

Israel strikes gunmen in southern Syria; Damascus says civilians killed
Seth Frantzman/FDD's Long War Journal/March 26/2025
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducted an airstrike in southern Syria, stating it acted after gunmen opened fire toward Israeli soldiers. The clash occurred in the Yarmouk Basin area, a triangle of Syrian territory between the Golan and Jordan. The IDF said it had identified “several terrorists” and “Hits were identified.” The state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) said four civilians were killed. This reported death toll may have wider ramifications, marking one of the most significant clashes between the IDF and Syrians since the fall of the Bashar al Assad regime.
The fight on March 25 took place near the village of Kuwaya, around a mile from Israel’s Golan border. The village sits on the Yarmouk River, downstream from the Al Wehda dam on the Jordanian border. Syrian state media claimed the IDF had “penetrated the town amid intense reconnaissance flights” and that Israel “bombed” the village and tanks fired shells that killed “four civilians, wounding others, including a woman.”
Iranian state media also reported on the clash, claiming seven people were killed. It appears that pro-Iran media outlets across the region have highlighted this incident, apparently to increase tensions with Israel. This coverage includes reports from Al Mayadeen, a pro-Iranian Lebanese channel, and Al Manar, Hezbollah’s media arm. Syria’s Foreign Ministry condemned “the ongoing Israeli aggression on Syrian territory, which saw a dangerous escalation in Koya [Kuwaya] town in Daraa.” The Kingdom of Jordan also reportedly condemned the Israeli strike.
The clashes happened around the Yarmouk Basin, which was controlled by the Islamic State affiliate Jaysh Khalid ibn Walid between 2016–2018, and several other rebel groups previously. The routinely contested area is the furthest point from Damascus in Daraa Governorate. The new Syrian government has sought to extend its control to southern Syria and the border crossings with Jordan over the past months.
The recent strike in southern Syria is the latest IDF operation that is part of a wider policy Israel has enacted since the fall of the Assad regime on December 8, 2024. The IDF initially moved into a buffer zone along the border with Syria, a series of ceasefire lines dating from 1974 that separated Israeli forces from the Syrian regime. When the Assad regime collapsed, the IDF entered the zone and began erecting posts and carrying out ground patrols. The Israel Air Force has also attacked sites previously held by the Assad regime, removing what the IDF says are potential threats.
Since late February, Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have demanded that southern Syria be demilitarized. On February 25, the IDF carried out strikes in southern Syria, including one that hit Tell al Hara, a former Syrian regime position on a small mountain. The Assad regime, along with its backers in Moscow and Tehran, had used these types of sites for surveillance, especially after the regime returned to the border with the Golan in 2018 after defeating Syrian rebels in the area. On March 4, the IDF raided Tell al Mall, another hill fort several kilometers from the border. These operations have essentially cut off access to the border area. The strikes in Syria have continued weekly. On March 17, the IDF struck more sites linked to the former regime in Daraa province. The latest targets were the airfield and bases near Palmyra in the Syrian desert, hit on March 21 and between March 24 and 25. Iranians used the T-4 base there to move weapons into Syria over the last decade. The Iranians left when the Assad regime fell, but it appears some military assets remained.
The IDF has also been increasingly active on the ground in Syria. Elements of the Paratroopers Brigade, along with tanks and combat engineers, have conducted missions in the last few weeks. These forces are under the command of the IDF’s 474th Brigade, part of the 210th Division, territorial units responsible for defending the Golan. The IDF said on March 25 that the paratroopers and combat engineers from the IDF’s Yahalom unit raided locations in southern Syria, finding “explosives, ammunition, mortar shells, military vests, combat equipment, munitions and bullets.”Reporting from Israel, Seth J. Frantzman is an adjunct fellow at FDD and a contributor to FDD’s Long War Journal. He is the senior Middle East correspondent and analyst at The Jerusalem Post, and author of The October 7 War: Israel's Battle for Security in Gaza (2024).

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on March 26-27/2025
Little Christian Girl Stoned for Eating During Ramadan in Egypt
Raymond Ibrahim/Coptic Solidarity/March 26/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/03/141598/
Once again, fanaticized Muslims in Egypt have made clear that, if they have to feel any kind of deprivation for their faith, everyone has to also feel it.
On the morning of March 16, a man hurled rocks at a very small girl, hitting her in and severely wounding her head (leaving very visible bumps and scare). Her crime? She was eating in public, and he, the pious Muslim, was fasting for Ramadan and simply incapable of seeing anyone else eat.
The little girl’s mother, Marcelle Fouad (a Christian name), shared the incident, which occurred in Alexandria, on her Facebook page:
I was on my way to drop my daughter off at daycare around 9:00 in the morning. As we walked, we ate some food we had bought. Suddenly, a man got out of a private car, shouted, “Oh Allah—I am fasting!” and hurled stones at us three times. One of them hit my daughter’s head.
Although the perpetrator was identified by surveillance cameras, according to the report, “Ms. Marcelle wonders what legal action can be taken to obtain her rights—or whether it’s pointless?”
This is hardly the first time a Christian in Egypt gets attacked in the context of Ramadan. As one example, during Ramadan of 2022, a man berated and beat a Coptic Christian woman because she entered his establishment with her head uncovered.
According to the Arabic-language report, Nevin Sobhi, a 30-year-old married mother, went to her local drugstore to pick up some medication for her young son, who accompanied her. On entering, she noticed that the head pharmacist, Dr. Ali Abu Sa‘da, was giving her “the evil eye.” Before long, what was in his eyes reached his tongue: he launched into a loud and “hate-filled tirade” against her for daring to enter his store during Ramadan without any head covering and while wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt.
It should be noted that Ali was aware that Nevin – a regular client – was Christian and, therefore, not obligated to observe Ramadan’s rules. When the Copt told him as much, he responded with a violent slap to her face. When the startled woman responded with shock and anger, he slapped her again—all while her scared, young son cried. Nevin ran outside, “in a state of collapse, crying and incapable of absorbing the shock.” She contacted her family, and they went to the local police station to report the incident. There, Nevin received what she called her “third slap.” According to the Christian woman:
Inside the police station, I was surprised by attempts and pressure to “conciliate.” The perpetrator’s lawyer steered the writing of the report [in a manner] that contradicted reality, and they forced me to sign the report which contained statements from the pharmacist’s lawyer without taking my statements. […] We were especially shocked to see the report said that “the pharmacist is a friend of the family, who was just bantering and joking around with Mrs. Nevin, because he is close to the family.”
Continued the woman: “I was so shocked; it was as a third slap to me—that such a radical character could emerge victorious, even as I lose my rights as an Egyptian woman!”In short, violence against those who do not outwardly conform to the strictures of Ramadan—even if they are non-Muslims and therefore exonerated—is common throughout Egypt and the Muslim world at large. Some days before the pharmacy incident, for example, a video surfaced of a woman in hijab yelling at and hitting Coptic girls in a bus for not being properly veiled. Muslim women have even been known to clandestinely—and sometimes not so clandestinely—cut off the uncovered hair of Christian women. To quote from a report, Two niqab-wearing women assaulted and forcefully cut the hair of a Christian woman on the metro Sunday, the third such reported incident in two months, raising fears of a growing vigilante movement to punish Egyptian women for not wearing the veil in public…. [T]he assaulters called the Christian woman, who is 28 years old, an “infidel” and pushed her off the train, breaking her arm.
https://www.copticsolidarity.org/2025/03/26/little-christian-girl-stoned-for-eating-during-ramadan/

Iran Apparently Planning to Outwit or Outwait Trump, Not Relinquish Its Nuclear Programme
Con Coughlin/Gatestone Institute/March 26, 2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/03/141604/
"Something's going to happen one way or the other. I hope that Iran — and I've written him a letter, saying, 'I hope you're going to negotiate.' Because if we have to go in militarily, it's going to be a terrible thing — for them." — US President Donald J. Trump, interview with Fox News, March 7, 2025.
So long as the Islamic Republic of Iran indulges in its usual tactic of prevarication in the hope that, by engaging in delaying tactics, it can buy more time to achieve its nuclear ambitions, the credibility of the Trump administration taking direct action against Tehran needs to increase.
Iran's demand, for example, that it might consider opening negotiations with Washington if the Trump administration first agreed to lift punitive economic sanctions, is a classic exercise in the regime's attempts to play for time.
Iran's refusal to accept US President Donald Trump's demand that it completely dismantle its controversial nuclear programme, which Western intelligence officials are convinced is ultimately designed to build nuclear weapons, raises the very real risk of the US launching direct military action to destroy the programme.  Iran's refusal to accept US President Donald Trump's demand that it completely dismantle its controversial nuclear programme, which Western intelligence officials are convinced is ultimately designed to build nuclear weapons, raises the very real risk of the US launching direct military action to destroy the programme. Trump's initial offer to negotiate an end to Iran's nuclear programme was contained in a letter he wrote to the ayatollahs on March 7, in which he indicated he was willing to engage in talks concerning Iran's nuclear activities. But the letter also contained an explicit warning that any failure by Tehran to respond positively to his overture could lead to direct military action. The Trump administration's determination to end the threat posed by Iran's nuclear ambitions once and for all was confirmed by the recent revelation by the Axios news website which, quoting a US official and other sources, said the American president had set a "two-month deadline for reaching a new nuclear deal."The new administration's focus on Iran was confirmed by Steve Witkoff, Trump's envoy, who confirmed in an interview with Fox News that Trump's personal approach to Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was aimed at avoiding direct military action. "We don't need to solve everything militarily... Our signal... to Iran is 'Let's sit down and see if we can, through dialogue, through diplomacy, get to the right place'. If we can, we are prepared to do that. And if we can't, the alternative is not a great alternative."
Meanwhile, US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz has warned that Iran needs to "hand over and give up" all elements of its nuclear programme including missiles, weaponization and enrichment of uranium "or they can face a whole series of other consequences," adding that "Iran has been offered a way out of this." The latest comments made by Witkoff and Waltz reflect a deepening resolve with the Trump administration to end Iran's long-running nuclear plans. As Trump himself remarked after announcing his initial overture to Iran, "You can't let them have a nuclear weapon."
"The time is coming up. Something's going to happen one way or the other. I hope that Iran — and I've written him a letter, saying, 'I hope you're going to negotiate.' Because if we have to go in militarily, it's going to be a terrible thing — for them."
While Iranian media have confirmed that Trump's letter was delivered to Tehran by a senior United Arab Emirates diplomat, Iran's refusal to respond positively to his overture means there is now a very real possibility that the Trump administration is giving serious consideration to launching military action against Tehran. The chances of the Trump administration authorising direct military attacks against Iran have risen even more sharply after the US attacked Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have conducted a series of attacks against Israel claiming they are acting in support of Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists.
After the US military launched a wave of air strikes against Houthi positions in Yemen, Trump warned that he would hold Tehran directly responsible for any future attacks carried out by the Houthi rebels in Yemen:
"Let nobody be fooled! The hundreds of attacks being made by Houthi, the sinister mobsters and thugs based in Yemen, who are hated by the Yemeni people, all emanate from, and are created by, IRAN. Any further attack or retaliation by the "Houthis" will be met with great force, and there is no guarantee that that force will stop there."The Trump administration's willingness to confront Iran will have increased, moreover, following the latest assessment by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the body responsible for monitoring Iran's nuclear activities, that the ayatollahs have continued to work on their nuclear programme to the extent that they now have enough material to construct at least five nuclear warheads.
So long as the Islamic Republic of Iran indulges in its usual tactic of prevarication in the hope that, by engaging in delaying tactics, it can buy more time to achieve its nuclear ambitions, the credibility of the Trump administration taking direct action against Tehran needs to increase.
Iran's demand, for example, that it might consider opening negotiations with Washington if the Trump administration first agreed to lift punitive economic sanctions, is a classic exercise in the regime's attempts to play for time.
Nor will the White House have been impressed by Khamenei's latest defiant comments regarding the US. "The Americans should know threats will get them nowhere when confronting Iran," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in his live annual televised speech marking Nowruz, the Persian New Year.
He said Americans "and others should know that if they do anything malign to the Iranian nation, they will get a hard slap."If this is going to be the Iranian regime's response to Trump's offer of negotiating an end to Iran's nuclear programme, then the only realistic response available to the White House is to launch military action to end once and for all the threat Iran's nuclear programme presents to global security.
**Con Coughlin is the Telegraph's Defence and Foreign Affairs Editor and a Distinguished Senior Fellow at Gatestone Institute.
© 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/21505/iran-plans-outwit-outwait-trump

Iran strengthens its military in the Persian Gulf
Janatan Sayeh/FDD's Long War Journal/March 26/2025
Against the backdrop of escalating tensions between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has reinforced its military presence in the Persian Gulf, deploying advanced missile systems on the islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa on March 22. Iran’s state broadcaster reported that these islands are now fortified with “dozens of missile defense and air defense systems” alongside stationed infantry units. Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, commander of the IRGC Navy, further disclosed that the IRGC’s fast-attack and assault vessels patrolling the Persian Gulf and surrounding waters are now “armed with new cruise missiles and ready for operations” capable of targeting naval assets.
In an interview with Iranian state television, Tangsiri emphasized Iran’s strategic imperative to militarize the islands, stating, “Our tactical approach dictates that we must arm and operationalize this group of islands. We have the capability to strike enemy bases, warships, and assets in the region.”
Over the past several months, the IRGC has intensified military exercises on these contested islands, which are situated along a critical maritime corridor for global energy transit. More than one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes through this strategic waterway, making it a focal point of geopolitical friction. Iran held high-profile military drills in the Gulf in 2023, underscoring its resolve to defend its territorial holdings. During these exercises, the IRGC unveiled a new warship armed with 600-kilometer-range missiles while deploying Fateh ballistic missiles with a 120-kilometer range and Qadir cruise missiles exceeding a 300-kilometer range across the islands. The IRGC Navy also conducted simulated combat scenarios designed to test its defensive capabilities. Iran’s expanding military footprint in the region has elicited a response from the United States, which reinforced its naval presence to counter Tehran’s growing assertiveness. Washington has dispatched additional amphibious assault ships and support vessels to mitigate the risk of Iranian threats to the free flow of commerce through the Strait of Hormuz. Amid concerns over potential Iranian disruptions to maritime trade, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the deployment of two aircraft carrier strike groups to the region. The extended stationing of the USS Harry S. Truman and the anticipated arrival of the USS Carl Vinson next month are expected to enhance operational flexibility for US forces, bolstering their capacity for deterrence and offensive maneuvers. This strategic realignment is also aimed at reinforcing US military operations against the Iran-backed Houthis, whose missile and drone attacks have threatened Red Sea shipping lanes. Iran is concluding its most extensive and complex war games in decades. These exercises, which began in late December 2024, have showcased Iran’s advanced weapons capabilities while simultaneously exposing vulnerabilities in its air defense infrastructure. The drills were designed to signal Iran’s deterrence posture against potential strikes from its primary adversaries—Israel and the United States.
The Islamic Republic’s army staged large-scale war games simulating airstrikes against its nuclear infrastructure on January 11. These maneuvers tested Iran’s air defenses against multi-domain threats, aiming to “fight against air, missile, and electronic threats in real battlefield conditions.” However, it remains contested whether some of the air defense systems were of higher quality than the Russian-made S-300 platforms that Israel struck in its October 26 retaliatory strikes. Iran has also sought to bolster its weapons stockpiles, unveiling 1,000 newly manufactured drones that it claims have “unique capabilities,” including a 2,000-kilometer range, “high destructive power,” sustained autonomous flight, and stealth technology. In addition, Iran’s naval forces are poised to receive a newly commissioned warship, a development designed to bolster the nation’s capacity to project its maritime power, as stated by Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari. Tehran has also intensified its military drills across various domains, signaling its defensive posture and strategic ambitions. In recent months, the IRGC and the Iranian Army have conducted extensive air defense exercises near key nuclear facilities in Natanz, Fordow, and the Arak reactor in Khondab intending to reinforce preparedness against aerial and missile threats. The IRGC also staged naval war games in the Persian Gulf as its ground forces carried out a second round of maneuvers in southwestern Iran, focusing on rapid deployment and combat readiness. In addition, Iran’s Army launched “Exercise Zulfiqar,” which spanned southern Iran, the Gulf of Oman, and the northern Indian Ocean. The most consequential of these drills, Maritime Security Belt 2025, unfolded in coordination with China and Russia in the Gulf of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint through which roughly 20% of the world’s traded crude oil transits. This strategic waterway has witnessed repeated Iranian maritime operations, including the seizure of commercial vessels and suspected attacks on shipping, a pattern that has become more pronounced.
**Janatan Sayeh is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies focused on Iranian domestic affairs and the Islamic Republic’s regional malign influence.

Saudi Arabia’s pragmatic approach to US transactionalism
Adrian Moncki/Arab News/March 26, 2025
In the understated private meeting rooms of Riyadh’s Ritz-Carlton, away from the ornate carpeting and intricate decoration of the hotel’s public spaces, an extraordinary diplomatic dance took place this week. Russian officials met with their American counterparts, following discussions between American and Ukrainian delegations. These talks, focused on a potential limited ceasefire in Ukraine and shipping safety in the Black Sea, did not take place in Geneva or Vienna, but in Saudi Arabia. This is not diplomacy as usual; it is the culmination of a carefully orchestrated Saudi strategy to transform the Kingdom from regional player to global diplomatic powerhouse. To understand how, look at Steve Witkoff’s remarkably unvarnished interview with Tucker Carlson, which offered something rarely seen in diplomatic circles: brutal honesty. “Trump sets the table for all of us,” Witkoff declared with directness. The subtext could not be clearer — America’s power is being redeployed with a vengeance and every nation, including Saudi Arabia, must recalibrate accordingly. Gone are the human rights lectures tucked discreetly into diplomatic portfolios. In their place: unvarnished transactionalism focused on mutual interests, economic integration and hard security. For states accustomed to Washington’s often tortuous rhetorical gymnastics, this represents a refreshingly straightforward proposition: define objectives clearly, negotiate from strength, but — crucially — recognize that sustainable deals require mutual benefit. What previous administrations failed to grasp, this one appears to acknowledge, albeit only partially. What previous administrations failed to grasp, this one appears to acknowledge, albeit only partially: Saudi Arabia’s position on normalization with Israel is nonnegotiable without addressing Palestinian rights. “Without question, (Gaza peace) is a condition precedent to Saudi normalizing,” Witkoff conceded, but this dramatically understates the Kingdom’s actual position.
Saudi Arabia has made it abundantly clear that a comprehensive two-state solution — not merely a temporary ceasefire in Gaza — remains the absolute prerequisite for normalization. This represents the fundamental misalignment in Witkoff’s vision.
His Gaza-centric peace formulation (“Imagine if Lebanon normalizes, Syria normalizes, and the Saudis sign a normalization treaty with Israel because there’s peace in Gaza”) fails to acknowledge the deeper structural changes required for genuine regional transformation.
For any normalization process to succeed, both American and Israeli leaders must shoulder their responsibility by formally accepting and implementing a viable two-state solution. More crucially, Washington must provide substantive guarantees that Israel will abide by such arrangements — not just in principle, but in practice. Without this foundational commitment backed by meaningful enforcement mechanisms, Saudi Arabia’s participation remains a diplomatic fantasy rather than an achievable outcome.
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Witkoff’s revelations was his assessment of the Gulf’s economic potential: “The Gulf coast could be one of the most undervalued opportunities if we get peace and stability throughout the region … It could be much bigger than Europe.”
This is not mere real estate rhetoric. As Saudi Arabia drives forward with its Vision 2030, regional integration offers exponential benefits beyond what any single nation can achieve alone. Witkoff specifically highlighted how Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar are already positioning themselves at the forefront of technology sectors, including artificial intelligence and blockchain.
What is missing is not talent or capital — it is regional stability founded on justice. Here lies the prize worth pursuing, but not at any cost. One particularly insightful observation? The economic rationale behind security treaties: “Everybody thinks the peace treaty is about physical defense. What it’s really about is the United States providing a security wrapper so that they’re all financeable today.”This perspective should resonate with Saudi financial strategists. Without robust security frameworks built on sustainable political solutions, financial institutions must “underwrite war risk” — making capital more expensive and constraining economic development. For the Kingdom, whose Vision 2030 looks to engage global investors, this offers a compelling financial argument for genuine, justice-based regional security arrangements that transcend traditional defense concerns. When capital becomes cheaper and more accessible, transformation accelerates — but this cannot come at the expense of Palestinian rights.
“In that region, you have young leadership,” Witkoff observed. “People who don’t have the old sensibilities, people who want to do business.”This generational shift creates a unique historical moment. The new group of leaders understands that economic prosperity ultimately delivers more benefits than ideological entrenchment — yet they remain firmly committed to core principles of regional justice. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Witkoff’s revelations was his assessment of the Gulf’s economic potential
What should Saudi policymakers make of all this? Three considerations stand out.
First, there appears to be partial understanding in Washington that peace is a prerequisite for Saudi normalization with Israel. However, Witkoff’s Gaza-focused framing suggests a fundamental misreading of Saudi requirements. The Kingdom demands a comprehensive two-state solution, not merely a Gaza ceasefire. Second, the economic benefits of regional stability extend far beyond direct investment from the US. The “security wrapper” that enables lower-cost financing could accelerate Vision 2030 initiatives across sectors — but this security must be founded on justice, not merely power. Third, while the administration’s transactional approach offers potential benefits, it must be accompanied by meaningful American pressure on Israel to accept and implement a viable two-state solution. Without this, no amount of economic incentives will suffice.
The Kingdom’s diplomatic evolution was on full display this week. That Saudi Arabia now serves as mediator in a conflict thousands of kilometers from its borders speaks volumes about its growing global influence.
For Saudi Arabia, positioned at the geographical and strategic center of potential regional transformation, the opportunity is clear: engage pragmatically with this outcome-oriented approach while maintaining firm, nonnegotiable advocacy for Palestinian rights through a viable two-state solution. The prize — a Middle East transformed from conflict zone to innovation hub — remains tantalizingly possible. As Witkoff put it: “Can you imagine all these countries working collaboratively together and creating that type of market? It could be much bigger than Europe.”
That vision aligns remarkably well with Saudi Arabia’s own ambitions — but only if built on foundations of justice and sustainability. The Saudi position remains clear and consistent: normalization requires a comprehensive two-state solution, with meaningful American guarantees that Israel will comply. Without this, no amount of economic incentivization will suffice.
Adrian Monck is a senior adviser at the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence and authors the geopolitics newsletter, “Seven Things.”

New regional order could restore historic inter-Arab relations
Nadim Shehadi/Arab News/March 26, 2025
The Arab world was far more united before Arab nationalist parties calling for Arab unity came to power and will probably become more united after their downfall. If this proves to be true, then the fall of the Assad regime in Syria and the end of Baath Party rule will improve Damascus’ relations with Saudi Arabia and other Arab Gulf states.
This paradox — that the regional order dominated by Arab nationalist parties that emerged in the 1950s and 1960s did more to divide the Arab world than to unite it — occurred to me while reading an Oxford University dissertation by Tommy Hilton. This thesis tells the story of the “Shawam,” referring to Syrians and Lebanese in the Saudi court. These Shawam (the word comes from “Bilad Al-Sham,” or the Levant) served as advisers to the court of King Abdulaziz, the unifier of the Kingdom.
The Shawam belonged to an Arab nationalist elite that moved seamlessly between the courts of an older regional order of monarchies. Some of the Shawam were loyal to the Hashemites in the Hijaz and later in Jordan and Iraq before they joined the court of King Abdulaziz, where they played a major role in establishing the Saudi Foreign Ministry and the Kingdom’s foreign policy. This mobility between states happened as if they all served one Arab world, regardless of boundaries. It mainly happened before the rise of Nasserism and the Baath Party that ruled Egypt, Syria and Iraq.
But who were these Shawam and what was their role in the Kingdom? Most prominent among them were Sheikh Hafiz Wahba, Yusuf Yasin and Fuad Bey Hamza. These three were involved in various negotiations on behalf of King Abdulaziz, even before the unification of the Kingdom in 1932. The Alexandria Protocol that created the Arab League respected the various states’ independence and sovereignty
Wahba was the first ambassador to the UK, as well as envoy to the Vatican, and Hamza was ambassador to France. Together with Yasin, they represented the Kingdom in several negotiations with the British, French, Germans and Italians, as well as in international conferences over border disputes. There were many other notable Shawam, such as Nabih Al-Azmah, who participated in negotiations over Yemen with the Italians together with Yasin and Hamza. Another was Khayr Al-Din Al-Zirikli, who represented the Kingdom in early meetings to found the Arab League in Egypt. His career served as another example of mobility between several courts.
The list is long and includes Jamil Baroody, who represented Saudi Arabia at the UN for more than 33 years — a post later held by another of the Shawam, Samir Al-Shihabi. Yet another Damascene, Dr. Rashad Pharaon, was a personal physician and adviser to King Abdulaziz and was later appointed as ambassador to France. Many others came to Saudi Arabia after the rise of Baath Party rule in Syria and Iraq, including tribal leaders from various parts of those two countries.
The Arab League was created in 1945, before the rise of the Arab nationalist-dominated one-party states. Five of the eight founding members — Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Jordan and Iraq — were monarchies, while Syria and Lebanon were independent republics and there was also Palestinian representation. Arab activists at the time almost behaved as though they were in the same political entity that covered the region. The Alexandria Protocol that created the Arab League respected the various states’ independence and sovereignty and encouraged economic, cultural and security cooperation, as well as collaboration over the question of Palestine.
It is easy to understand how the dominance of single parties with wider Arab nationalist agendas, such as Nasserism and Baathism, in Egypt, Syria and Iraq created an atmosphere in which they posed a threat to each other. The revolutionary pan-Arab parties wanted to dominate other Arab states rather than cooperate with them; they considered them as temporary artificial entities and the order they created had no consideration for state sovereignty.
The revolutionary pan-Arab parties wanted to dominate other Arab states rather than cooperate with them
Each of the modern Arab nationalist parties sought Arab unity under its own dominance and, as such, caused much conflict between Arab states. A perfect example was the experience of the United Arab Republic, which was founded in 1958 as a union between Syria and Egypt and had aspirations of being joined by Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon. The union broke down after three years because of centralized power being in the hands of Nasserists in Cairo. The same happened with the Baath Party, which originally ruled in both Syria and Iraq but then split into two separate branches with intense rivalry.
In fact, many conflicts in the region were caused by the phenomenon of these political parties trying to expand their dominance beyond their borders, disregarding individual states’ sovereignty as agreed in the original protocols of the Arab League. Tensions between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, Egyptian interference in Yemen, Syria’s conflicts with Jordan and Iraq and its intervention in Lebanon and, of course, the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait are all examples of how these parties caused far more division than the unity they ideologically aspired for.
Regional cooperation can be seen as a historic continuity from ancient times, driven by trade routes and migration patterns that have ensured continuous exchanges between the different parts of the Arabian Peninsula. These trans-Arabian routes had existed since pre-Islamic times and continued through tribal and social connections until they were all broken by the Nasserists and Baathists.
There is much talk of a new order in the region and momentum toward renewed involvement by the Arab Gulf states in the affairs of the Levant. In the midst of the major changes in Syria, Lebanon and Palestine, there are new relationships to be made. This new order, which replaces that of the Arab nationalist parties that tried to dominate each other, will perhaps contribute to increased cooperation and a more stable and prosperous region.
**Nadim Shehadi is an economist and political adviser. X: @Confusezeus