DAILY SCOPE: Franjieh for Presidency, Saudi Relations with al-Qaeda in Documents
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NEWSPAPER HEADLINES:
AS-SAFIR:
Syrian Solution: Russian-American Test Today
AL-AKHBAR:
Syria without Black Gold
Franjieh: I am a Candidate of Consensus
AL-BINAA:
Putin: Understanding with Washington, No Normalization with Turkey
Al-Assad: War Can be Ended in Less than a Year... Yemen Negotiations to Build Trust
AL-JOMHOURIA:
Franjieh: I am Nominated for Presidency
Lebanese newspapers on Friday reported the details of the televised interview in which head of the Marada party Suleiman Franjieh declared himself as a candidate for presidency, and assured that he is a candidate upon which the majority of Lebanese agree. On another note, the dallies followed up on the latest domestic and regional developments taking place.
AL-JOMHOURIA: Exporting Wastes will Cost Half A Billion Yearly, No Time to Make Bids
Al-Jomhouria newspaper reported on Friday that the plan suggested by Lebanese Agriculture Minister Akram Shohayeb to export wastes outside Lebanon will cost around half a billion dollars annually [235 dollars per ton].
Shohayeb told the newspaper that "there is no time to make more bids because Lebanon is already in a case of emergency," assuring that he presented to the Prime Minister the best offer possible.
Moreover, sources told the paper that the premier Tammam Salam will call for a ministerial session to convene for Saturday or Monday at most, in order to discuss the report presented on exporting wastes as well as discussing and approving its annual budget.
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.
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.
AS-SAFIR: So-Called Islamic Coalition to Invite Lebanon to Terrorism Meeting, Rift Over Participation
As-Safir Lebanese daily reported on Friday that an invitation to attend a meeting on the recently announced Islamic coalition will be made soon to those countries invited including Lebanon.
According to sources, the invitation will be addressed to the Defense Ministry [including the Army Command], to choose who will represent it at the meeting that will likely be held by the end of next week in Riyadh.
Concerned sources on the matter told the newspaper that "the army will decide its next step in light of what officials decide on the matter.
Leading a military intervention against civilians in Yemen, Saudi Arabia said Tuesday that 34 nations agreed to form a new "military alliance" to allegedly fight terrorism with a joint operations center based in the kingdom's capital, Riyadh, noting that the statement didn't name "ISIS" terrorist group in particular.
Prime Minister Tammam Salam had given Saudi Arabia Lebanon's preliminary agreement to take part in the alliance without informing other powers, which drew their criticism.
Hizbullah on Thursday rejected the call to join the coalition, saying that "This step violates the Constitution, the law and all applicable norms in Lebanon."
Earlier on Tuesday, Foreign and Expatriates Ministry categorically affirmed in a statement that it was not at all consulted over the issue of the establishment of an Islamic alliance to fight terrorism.
"What happened tampers with Lebanon's status and the powers allocated to the Foreign Ministry," statement said, stressing that the Ministry has by no means received any correspondence or phone call related to the subject of the formation of this alliance.
AL-AKHBAR: Documents Reveal Relation Between Saudi Forces and al-Qaeda in Yemen, Saudis Maneuvering
Well-informed sources on the Yemeni talks told al-Akhbar newspaper that the Ansarullah delegation have shown strong will to reach a serious solution to the crisis. Sources also reported that at the time Saudi Arabia is trying to maneuver during the talks to have dozens of arrested set free, the Ansarullah and its allies said they obtain documents that uncover al-Qaeda networks in Yemen and their relation and cooperation with the Saudi coalition forces and their supporters.
On the third day of the UN-sponsored Yemeni talks in Switzerland, the Saudi-backed delegation attempted to restrict the negotiations to avoid confirming the 7-day truce which took effect on Tuesday.
According to sources, the delegation which represents the fugitive president Mansour Hadi and the resigned government tried to avoid discussing the issue of confirming the ongoing ceasefire and insisted on restricting the hostages swap. The Saudi-backed delegation seems to be quibbling so that the terrorist militants could manage their ranks across all the Yemeni provinces.
Source: al-Ahed news
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