DAILY SCOPE: 2016 Cabinet Session Due Today, Waste Crisis Pending
Local Editor
NEWSPAPER HEADLINES:
AS-SAFIR:
Iran...Lifting Sanctions Needs ‘a press of button'
AN-NAHAR:
FPM Boycotts the Cabinet Once Again
AL-AKHBAR:
Riyadh Tells Geagea: Nominating Aoun is Not Allowed
AL-JOMHOURIA:
Military Appointments in First Ministerial Council Session in 2016...Waste Crisis Ongoing
AL-BINAA:
Franjih and Hariri Enhance their Relations; Geagea Studies His Relationship with Aoun in Depth
Lebanese newspapers on Thursday sounded skepticism over the cabinet session to be convened during the day, especially in light of ongoing objection from the Free Patriotic Movement to take part in the session if the military and security appointments were not resolved according to their viewpoint.
The dailies also followed up on the different domestic and foreign files, with focus on the advances made by the Syrian army in Latakia's Salma town.
AN-NAHAR-Waste Exportation Needs Decisive Decision, Rift on Cabinet Session
Experts said on Wednesday that approving the waste exportation plan is a critical need and should be decisively implemented, reported An-Nahar newspaper on Thursday.
Sources that were present at the Environment Parliamentary Committee meeting on Wednesday told the newspaper that experts stressed the importance of signing the contracts and respecting commitments as a first step, by that allowing the concerned companies to start their work.
Agriculture Minister Akram Shehayeb on Wednesday held a joint press conference with Head of the Environment Parliamentary Committee, MP Marwan Hamadeh, and announced that "the exportation of waste is not a plan; it is more of an insane solution in a country that rejected all the previous logical ones."
"It is the only solution at hand," Shehayeb said, noting that the countries which will be receiving the exported garbage are still under wraps.
On the ministerial level, An-Nahar newspaper said that communication among politicians continued during the late hours of Wednesday night, trying to reassure that all sides should attend the cabinet session which will be held today Thursday.
This step, according to the paper, comes in the context of prioritizing the fulfillment of people's needs, stressing that the government should carry out its duties. Many files have been pending due to the presidential void.
Yet, sources told the paper that the Free Patriotic Movement conditioned their presence to the discussion of military appointments and were not positive about attending the session.
The FPM have abstained from taking part in cabinet sessions because its demands for the appointment of top military and security officials and its call for changing the decision-making mechanism of the cabinet in the absence of a president have not been met.
Salam is expecting Thursday's session to be held as scheduled if there is a quorum of two-thirds of the 24-member cabinet.
AL-JOMHOURIA-Berri Objects Waste Exportation Plan, Suggests Local Solution
Al-Jomhouria newspaper on Thursday reported that House Speaker Nabih Berri objects the waste exportation plan, and rather has suggested that the wastes of the southern suburbs be transported to an appropriate landfill in Beirut's northern area of Costabrava, with the help of the municipalities instead of being dumped haphazardly in different places, while the garbage from Beirut can be transferred to the Srar landfill.
Berri, according to the paper, encouraged establishing environmental landfills in the areas of Srar and Costabrava and dividing the waste appropriately rather than exporting it.
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.
AL-AKHBAR: Syrian Army Makes More Advances in Syria's Salma
The number of ISIL leaders being assassinated is on the rise in Syria, especially during the past three months, sources told al-Akhbar newspaper.
Most of the assassination operations are being carried out by ‘Osoud al-Sunna' battalion who belong to ‘Jyash al-Hurr', one of the terrorist groups active in Syria.
In Dara'a only, 105 assassinations took place during 2015. Well-informed sources told al-Akhbar newspaper that the Jordanian intelligence is directly involved in these ops, in an attempt to find a balance in the areas adjacent to Jordan's borders and to prevent the terrorist groups from posing a threat to Jordan.
On another note, field sources told the newspaper that the Syrian army has not stopped its advances since it took control over the town of Salma in northern Latakia, noting that it retrieved 5 strategic points in the area.
Also, the sources said that a number of Russian army generals visited the town along with Syrian army commanders to check out the situation on the ground.
The advances came with the support of Russian aerial forces that targeted the terrorist groups in the Salma and its outskirts. The Syrian army announced it had controlled strategic hills of the town after being engaged in fierce clashes with the militants. Both heavy and small arms were used in the clashes, the Syrian sources said.
Source: Lebanese dailies, Translated and Edited by website team
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