DAILY SCOPE: Garbage Crisis Complicated, Security Forces Arrest Terrorist

Local Editor

NEWSPAPER HEADLINES:

AS-SAFIR:

Russia: Cooperating With Syrian Opposition to Target ‘ISIL'

AL-AKHBAR:

War of Tunnels, Barricades to Fight ‘ISIS' in Syria's Deir al-Zour

AN-NAHAR:

Exporting Wastes Might Need Months, 250 Dollars Per Ton

AL-BINAA:

Russia Prepares for Syrian ‘Moscow III' Round; Government and Opposition to Participate

OSCE: No Place for Turkey in EU after Elections Scandal

AL-LIWAA:

Garbage Dialogue Puts State to Coma, Salam Upset

AS-SAFIR: Exporting Garbage Impractical, Costly

Agriculture Minister Akram Shehayyeb told As-Safir newspaper on Wednesday that "some politicians who had showered him with theoretical support have let him down."

He expressed his disappointment with the manner in which the waste disposal crisis has been handled amid the ongoing failure to resolve the problem, said the paper.

He further added that some media outlets are held responsible for creating incitement against his plan, which was expected to have positive practical and environmental effects. He also assured that the suggestion of exporting garbage is impractical, because it is very costly and there are international conditions in terms of carrying out the process that Lebanon cannot provide.

The waste crisis had 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 wastes in makeshift sites and along riverbanks.

The cabinet has been unable to convene because of major differences between its members on the promotion of high-ranking military officers and the decision-making mechanism that it should adopt in light of the presidential impasse.
Sources following up on the case told the Lebanese daily there is still time to resolve the problem before the country reaches a point of no return in terms of the garbage crisis, explaining that the dumps near the Rafik Hariri International Airport can take in a month's worth of trash even though it already holds more than 100,000 tons so far.

There are fears the uncollected waste, coupled with the rain season, could spread diseases such as cholera among the population.

AN-NAHAR: Garbage Crisis Getting Complicated, Garbage Diluted

Well-informed sources told An-Nahar newspaper that the garbage crisis is only growing more complicated even with the suggestion of exporting the piles of wastes to Syria, as it is a complex and costly process.

According to the source, the garbage that has been exposed to rain and is wet cannot be transferred anywhere especially after it has been diluted. It added that any company, to carry out the process would need at least a few months to double-check the deals and sign them before the process of exporting garbage begins, not to mention that the cost would be very high and that would consume all the budget of the municipalities and make them fall into financial deficit.

The health and water ministries in September sounded the alarm over the risks that rain would pose on public health if the trash crisis wasn't resolved before winter. It warned that the random spread of landfills and rainfall constitute enormous health risks due to the contamination of the crops, the leakage of fluid from waste into groundwater leads to an increase of germs, and the flooding of streets due to the clogging of drains if water channels are not properly cleaned.

AL-JOMHOURIA: Security Forces Arrest Major Terrorist

Once again, Lebanese security forces foil a dangerous terrorist plot as they arrested Ahmad Sabbagh, a Lebanese official with a fake Palestinian ID card in the Baddawi Palestinian camp.

According to al-Jomhouria, he is accused for carrying out major terrorism operations including preparing explosive devices and belts, preparing and planning for terrorist acts against the Lebanese army, as well as training terrorists and suicide-bombers and providing them with weapons and explosives.

Earlier on Saturday, Lebanese General Security announced the arrest of another Lebanese on suspicions of belonging to the "ISIS" terrorist group. It said in a statement that the detainee confessed to transferring funds to the "ISIS" leadership in Syria through dormant cells of the group in Lebanon.

He also admitted to preparing a suicide attack by way of explosive belt against members of the Lebanese army in the northern city of Tripoli.

AL-MANAR: Resistance Reason for Inviting Lebanon to Vienna Talks

Lebanese sources from the March 8 camp told al-Manar website that were it not for the Lebanese Resistance and its fighters who stood in the face of takfiri terrorism, Lebanon would not have been part of the Vienna talks today.

According to the source, "Lebanon is not in the calculations of the major players and Western countries, yet the role of the resistance forces has made it equivalent to a major player and changed the equation."

The source further added that "the resistance played the vital role in protecting Lebanon from the takfiri and terrorist movements and preserved its stability and security."

Moreover, the source noted that any future solution in Syria will take Hizbullah's stance into consideration, as it is a major player in the game just like world powers involved in this matter.

Source: al-Ahed news