DAILY SCOPE: Saudis Inflicted with Major Losses in Yemen, Russia Continues Fighting Terrorism

Local Editor

NEWSPAPERS' HEADLINES:

AS-SAFIR:

Nasrallah: If We Lose Major Cases... We Lose Everything

Yemen: Hadi Government Rejects Houthi Peace Initiative

AL-AKHBAR:

Government in ‘Coma'

Arsal Kidnapped Soldiers: Deal with al-Nusra Was Canceled in Last Moment

AN-NAHAR:

The Fiercest Clash Since the Beginning of Protests... What's the State's Position over Growing Violence in Streets?

AL-BNAA:

Palestine Enters Intifada Age Again

AD-DIYAR:

Fierce Confrontations between ‘Protest Movement' and Security Forces, Settlement Halted and Situation to More Escalation

AL-JOMHOURIA:

Berri: Disabling Government, Parliament Myth Aoun Escalates

THE DAILY STAR:

Pandemonium Reigns in Beirut Over trash; New Commando Unit Chief Appointment Derails Deal

Lebanese newspapers on Friday the 9th of October 2015 discussed the latest political and security developments on the domestic level. As the cabinet seems to be in ongoing stalemate, the streets of Beirut witnessed fierce clashes between the protesters and security forces.

On the regional level, the dailies focused on the rapid developments as Russian forces continue to pound targets of terrorist armed groups are located in Syria; a move that exposed that American attacks on these groups were relentless attempts to contain these extremist groups rather than eradicate them.

Cabinet Should Resolve people's Issues, Reach Common Ground ---AL-AKHBAR

Lebanese House Speaker Nabih Berri has echoed that the cabinet should convene to resolve the people's issues, describing the paralysis of the government and the parliament as a "myth."

According to al-Akhbar newspaper on Friday, Berri told his visitors that the national dialogue, which he is chairing, has not discussed the issues that are on the cabinet's agenda, except for the waste crisis.

"The government should resolve the people's affairs and should resume its meetings because obstructing it and the parliament is a myth," he said, adding that the postponement of the dialogue to October 26 did not come as a result of differences between the rival leaders.

"The conferees have so far held seven sessions, which all focused on the presidential deadlock, except for once when they discussed the waste crisis," he said.

He said that he has received from the majority of the rival leaders, documents describing the characteristics of the next president, noting that only two officials have not yet submitted their documents. Berri plans to study the files and try to find common ground.

Berri also assured that if Lebanese officials do not manage to find consensus among themselves and reach a common ground, then a solution from outside Lebanon would be imposed on them which would probably not serve Lebanon's interest.

Lebanon has been without a head of state since President Michel Suleiman's six-year term ended in May 2014. The Baabda Palace vacuum has caused the parliament's paralysis and huge differences among cabinet members.

Session Allocated for Waste Crisis This Week ---AS-SAFIR

Lebanese daily As-Safir newspaper quoted ministerial sources as saying that "the cabinet will more likely meet the beginning of this coming week in a session that will be dedicated to approve the draft plan of the waste management crisis."

The source noted that the plan, which was first presented by Agriculture Minister Akram Shehayeb, witnessed a few amendments in a session that was held between the latter, Prime Minister Tammam Salam and the Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq on Thursday in the Grand Serail.

Shehayeb's waste crisis plan had received momentum from the parties at the national dialogue meeting earlier.
The waste crisis erupted in July when Lebanon's largest landfill in Naameh was closed.

Trash began piling up on the streets of Beirut and Mount Lebanon, forcing the dumping of waste in makeshift sites and along riverbanks.

Jones to Replace Hale Pending Arrival of New Mission ---AL-JOMHOURIA

Al-Joumhouria daily reported on Friday that US diplomat Richard Jones is expected to replace Ambassador David Hale pending the arrival of the new head of mission.

Jones, who served as Ambassador to Beirut between 1996 and 1998, will arrive in the coming days to take over the mission, informed sources told the daily, adding that he will temporarily take charge of Hale's duties until US administrative arrangements are completed for Elizabeth Richard to officially begin her mission in Beirut.
Hale is expected to leave Lebanon after around 10 days, they said.

Richard is currently a deputy assistant secretary of state in the US State Department's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. She is expected to assume her post at the start of next year once the US Congress approves her appointment.

Saudi Forces Inflicted with Major Losses, Hiding Defeat ---AL-AKHBAR

Military sources in Jizan at the Yemeni-Saudi borders assured to al-Akhbar newspaper on Friday that the Saudi forces have been inflicted with major losses, whether in terms of their armored vehicles and equipment or in terms of the high numbers of dead and injured soldiers, as Saudi Arabia continues its aggression against Yemen.

According to the source, casualties among the Saudi forces have doubled, adding that it is putting ts utmost efforts to evacuate the battle ground from any destroyed vehicles or armory to blackout the intensity of its losses.

The source also told al-Akhbar that "In almost all qualitative operations being carried out against the attacking Saudi forces, tens of their soldiers are killed or injured."

The daily reiterated what the source had reported, noting that its correspondent witnessed the immense losses through following up on the military operations that took place in the village of Hameda, where Saudi Arabia was trying to retrieve its destroyed vehicles from the battle ground.

On March 26, Saudi Arabia and some of its Arab allies backed by the United States began to launch a military aggression against Yemen by launching airstrikes against the country in an attempt to restore power to the fugitive former Yemeni President, Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi, a close ally of Saudi Arabia. The airstrikes had not been authorized by the UN.

Russia Eradicating Terrorist Groups, US Embarrassed ---AS-SAFIR

In an interpretation to the latest developments on Russia's campaign against the terrorist groups in Syria, As-Safir said on Friday that the United States and NATO feel embarrassed due to the Russian action in Syria, which prompted US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter to declare in the Brussels that Russia should soon expect casualties.

The paper said that several US sources said this Russian action in fact a source of US military, security and political leaderships' discomfiture and embarrassment. The paper questioned whether such would be interpreted in a blatant increase in US support and funding to the terrorist groups, similar to what the Persian Gulf countries and Turkey did earlier.

On a related note, a source told the newspaper that the battle which took place on Thursday in Latakia's outskirts is of major significance, especially as the Russians managed to resolve the hurdle of al-Job al-Ahmar hills that impeded the ability of the Syrian army to engage in a more effective and successful battle; an area that was in the hands of the terrorist groups.

Moreover, the source added that the Russian war against the terrorist groups is also significant to Russia itself, as the ground battles take place with Russian aerial protection to the Syrian army and forces on ground in face of the ‘Jaysh al-Fateh'; the wing of the Turkish-Qatari operations room in Antakia. According to the source, this wing includes members from al-Nusra Front, Ahrar al-Sham, and other terrorist factions that include tremendous numbers of Chechen, Uzbek and Uyghur fighters who are considered in the ideological terms the declared and clear enemy of Russia.

Moscow launched its military operation against "ISIL" terrorists at the request of the Syrian government on September 30. Since the start of the operation, the Russian military have destroyed at least 112 objects belonging to Takfiris.

Source: al-Ahed News