DAILY SCOPE: Attempts to Resolve Crises, Presidential Impasse in Lebanon

Local Editor

NEWSPAPERS' HEADLINES:

AS-SAFIR:

Black Oil Day in "Israel"

Political Class Confused, Protest Movement to Declare Slogans, Leadership

AL-AKHBAR:

Al-Akhbar in Dara'a: The Story of Legendary Steadfastness

AL-BINAA

Abdullahian Presents Initiative to De Mistura, Heart of Zabadani in Hands of Syrian Army, Resistance

AL-JOMHOURIA:

Parliamentary Session Soon, Preparing for Dialogue

Christian Summit Following Up on Presidency, Street Protests

AL-LIWAA:

Al-Jubeir Discusses with US Envoy Syrian Developments

Lebanese newspapers on Tuesday discussed several topics, domestic and regional, focusing on several local issues including the initiative made by the Lebanese House Speaker Nabih Berri to start dialogue, the developments related to the street protests as the people expect the government to fulfill their demands as well as other matters.

Newspapers also highlighted the latest developments in Syria on the military level, where Idlib faced a tragedy on Monday as terrorist groups showered the area with hundreds of missiles, at the time the Zabadani area is in the strong grip of the Syrian army and resistance forces. This takes place in the light of diplomatic talks discussing the crisis in the Middle-eastern country.

Waste Management Long Term Strategy on the Way, Should Be Reason for Unity --- AL-LIWAA

Lebanese Minister of Social Affairs Rashid Derbas told al-Liwaa newspaper that Minister Akram Shohayeb has started putting short and long term strategies to solve the trash crisis, in cooperation with technicians and experts concerned with the matter.

"This file ought to leave the spectrum of political arguments and should be a reason for all political sides to unite together to protect Lebanon from poisoning," said the minister.

Furthermore, he explained that "when the atmosphere becomes clean, and a plan is set to deal with the crisis that will be put by minister Shohayeb, then the ministerial council will hold a meeting to approve the plan... we are betting on the clean hearts and minds that should take heed of what is the interest of the people."

Lebanon's garbage crisis continues to persist due to overcapacity. Mountains of garbage were left to pile up in the country's capital and the surrounding mountains, while a lack of suitable alternative dumping grounds has spurred protests over the government's failure to find a solution.

Terrorist Attacks on Syrian Areas ‘Heaviest': 700 Missiles --- AL-AKHBAR

A field source told al-Akhbar newspaper that the recent attacks to which the al-Sawaghiya area was exposed to was the ‘heaviest', as terrorist militants shelled the area with more than 700 missiles, forcing the stationed forces to retreat from three defensive posts. Meanwhile, the sources added that a number of militants were killed including a field commander from the second battalion of the so-called Free Syrian Army.

The source pointed out that the armed terrorists of al-Fateh movement tried to attack all the posts that are in charge of protecting the two Syrian villages of Kefraya and Foua,

Moreover, the source expressed concern over the deteriorating living conditions in the area, as the siege tightens and in light of the severe lack in most basic living needs.

In addition, an official concerned with the humanitarian conditions in the area told al-Akhbar newspaper that most field hospitals are empty of medical supplies and equipment that are necessary to treat the wounded and the injured who doubled in number during the past few days.

Zabadani, 20 kilometres north of Syria's capital Damascus, was captured by rebels in early 2012 and was once a bastion for the rebels.

The Syrian army and resistance forces resumed the military operation in the southwestern city of Zabadani on Saturday, after the two-day ceasefire broke down. The ceasefire came into effect on Thursday and included, besides Zabadani in rural Damascus, two villages to the northwest of the country, Kefraya and Foua.

It had been extended late on Friday but had collapsed by the morning.

The Syrian army and Hizbullah have been since July 4 engaged in the battle of Zabadani, the last city under the control of terrorists in the Qalamoun region on the Lebanese border.

The ongoing battle is part of a wider operation launched by the Syrian forces and the resistance movement's fighters on May 4, which has reportedly driven militants out of more than 90 percent of the territory in the mountainous region.

AL-JOMHOURIA

Lebanese daily al-Jomhouria quoted well-informed sources as saying "there are two alarming dangers in Lebanon that should be avoided, the first is the demonstration that the political authority in Lebanon is unable to solve the crises in the country, most importantly the presidential impasse and the trash management crisis, and the second practically speaking it is ignoring the popular righteous demands in the country.

The newspaper saw that the initiative launched by the Lebanese House Speaker Nabih Berri on dialogue pours into the context of avoiding these two crucial and sensitive matters, knowing that sources close to the speaker told the newspaper that the coming two months hold major developments that will lead to resolving the presidential impasse.

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri called on Sunday for a political dialogue session that joins the leaders of different parliamentary blocs and the Prime Minister Tamam Salam.

During a rally in the southern town of Nabatieh to mark the 37th anniversary of the disappearance of Imam Sayyed Mussa al-Sadr, Berri said that he would call for the dialogue session within the first ten days of September.

The session would focus on the presidential void, the work of the Parliament and the Cabinet, a new electoral law, administrative decentralization and equipping the Army.

The last political dialogue session was in May 2014 and chaired by then President Michel Suleiman.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team