DAILY SCOPE: Franjieh to Address Presidency Matter in Talk Show, Syrian Army Captures Nouba Mountain
Local Editor
NEWSPAPER HEADLINES:
AS-SAFIR:
Hariri-Geagea: Adjourning Confrontation, Awaiting ‘Initiative's' Fate
AN-NAHAR:
Vacuum "Exported" to 2016.. Franjieh Files for President
AL-AKHBAR:
Geagea to Hariri's Advisors: Franjieh's Election Surrender
AL-JOMHOURIA:
Presidency "Exported" to Next Year; Future, LF Disagreement Continues
AL-BINAA:
Categorizing Terrorism in NY Tomorrow; Geneva Says Halting Raids Condition to Success
Lebanese newspapers on Thursday focused on the political discourse in the country on the latest presidential initiative that was launched by former PM Saad Hariri which implied to electing head of the Marada party Suleiman Franjieh as president for Lebanon. Newspapers noted that people and politicians alike, are waiting for his appearance in a talk show tonight.
Meanwhile, papers also highlighted that head of the Lebanese Forces Samir Geagea holds a lot of anger and fatigue towards Hariri for this initiative.
The dailies also followed up on the waste management crisis that has been pending since July, and touched on the latest developments in the region.
AL-AKHBAR: Waste Management Crisis Dealt in Discreet, Being Finalized
Lebanese Agriculture Minister Akram Shohayeb assured that "the case of exporting wastes is being finalized," adding that by the beginning of the coming week, the country will witness the first steps to the process, reported al-Akhbar newspaper on Thursday.
The minister told the paper that "currently, the infrastructure required for the process is being prepared," pointing out that the different elements of the process are being sorted out so that a ministerial session can convene and make the final decision on the case.
As for the prices presented by different companies on the wastes exportation, sources in the Change and Reform bloc told al-Akhbar that it has been reported that the final price for exporting wastes will not exceed 160 dollars per ton.
The source added "But what about the cost of gathering the garbage; which would cost around 70 to 80 dollars? And what about the transportation fees that would reach 70 dollars per ton? The price of 170 dollars starts from the point where the garbage is on board of the ship, but what about the phase preceding that?"
All this, according to the source, takes place amid discretion on the source of funding as well as the details of the process and the identities of the companies to be involved in the exportation.
The waste management crisis erupted on July 17 following the closure of the Naameh landfill south of Beirut, which had been receiving trash from the capital and Mount Lebanon since 1997. The landfill was meant to operate for only a few years until a comprehensive solution was devised. But the government has so far failed to resolve the issue.
AN-NAHAR: Franjieh to Address Lebanese through Talk Show Tonight
Marada Movement Chief MP Suleiman Franjieh is expected to announce his nomination for the presidency later during the day, reported An-Nahar on Thursday.
Franjieh is set to make his announcement during a talk show interview on LBCI television, said the newspaper.
According to the source, Franjieh's move comes in the context of retrieving the trust of Mach 8, and that he will particularly address Hizbullah and Head of the Change and Reform Bloc Gen. Michel Aoun.
Future Movement Head MP Saad Hariri, of the March 14 alliance, has been leading efforts to nominate Franjieh as part of a greater settlement that would resolve Lebanon's political impasse.
Informed sources said on Wednesday that "the March 8 and 14 camps will soon hold separate meetings in order to "resolve the internal rifts" that emerged in wake of the presidential proposal. Upon an initiative made by Hariri to end the vacuum in the presidency, Franjieh emerged in recent weeks as a potential presidential candidate.
Lebanon has been without a president since May 2014 when the term of Michel Suleiman ended without the election of a successor.
AL-AKHBAR: Syrian Army Captures al-Nouba Mountain, Kweires Airport Running Again
A military source told al-Akhbar newspaper that the Syrian army has achieved a big accomplishment through capturing al-Nouba Mountain in Latakia, owing to its strategic importance and to the fact that it exposes the Ariha-Latakia highway as well as the surrounding areas.
The source also told the paper that the Syrian army uncovered a net of underground tunnels in which the terrorists would take refuge during the battles or attacks, and confiscated a huge number of arms and artillery in addition to a mortar shell depot and several armored vehicles.
Moreover, field sources told the newspaper that the aerial activity in Kweires military airport went back to normal, as the airport witnessed the landing of 6 helicopters on Wednesday after 3 years of being in hands of the terrorist groups.
Earlier on Wednesday, state news agency SANA reported that Syrian troops and allied forces pushed the terrorist gunmen back from the hilltop overlooking a strategic highway in the northern countryside of Latakia province.
The army units, the source said, carried out special military operations suitable for the mountainous and wooded area and the numerous caves spreading there, adding that the units combed the mountain and removed the explosive devices and mines planted by the terrorists.
Source: al-Ahed news
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