The following are summaries of today's major stories published in the
Arabic press. LBCI does not edit press digest articles for content, giving
English-language readers insight into the various views expressed in newspapers
across the Arab world.
Informed sources reported to
Al Liwaa Daily that the Turkish authorities announced that the Lebanese pilgrims who were kidnapped in Syria’s Aazaz are now in Turkey after the death of their abductor known as “Abu Brahim”.
The sources expected that the detainees will soon be released.
The
eleven Lebanese pilgrims were kidnapped on their way back from Iran by
insurgents hoping to use them for a prisoner swap on the 20th of May.
Only two have so far been released.
As Safir Daily published on Thursday that ISF Chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi’s mandate that ends on the 1st of April 2013, will be extended.
The newspaper quoted Rifi as saying that he will retire at the specified time and will not “beg” for the extension of his mandate, stressing that he will only remain in his position if parliament passes a law that legalizes the extension.
According to the Daily, Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi and Army Commander Jean Kahwaji’s mandates will be extended according to a law expected to be ratified during the parliament session in which the electoral law will be voted upon.
In an interview with
Al Joumhouria Daily, Telecommunications Minister Nicolas Sehnaoui expressed surprise at the "fuss" created over the issue of telecom data that “have not even been subject to administrative procedures.”
Sehnaoui stressed that there is a big difference between handing over “specified data” which occurs on a regular basis, and surrendering what he called “ALL DATA” which is far more complex of an issue.
Sehnaoui added that the Ministry of Telecommunications did not reject any request for specified data in over a year and a half, emphasizing that each month more than 300 requests are approved by the ministry and the specified data is granted to the security apparatuses.
A security source reported to
Al Liwaa Daily that gunmen fired on Wednesday night at a Lebanese truck suspected to be transporting fuel oil to Syria.
According to the sources, the gunmen deployed during the afternoon on the northern entrance of the city and started stopping and inspecting all trucks heading towards the Syrian borders.
The sources added that the gunmen fired at one truck whose driver refused to stop and followed him to the Beddawi region. The man was captured and beaten, only to later be released upon finding that the fuel tanker of the truck had been empty all along.
Al Joumhouria Daily published on Thursday that according to Israeli newspapers, the discussions between US President Barack Obama and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu during Obama’s visit to Israel next spring will feature high on ways to protect Tel Aviv and US interests in the region after the latest Israeli attack on Syria.
According to the Israeli dailies, “Obama and Netanyahu are worried about the Iranian-Syrian response to the Israeli airstrike against Syria, fearing that Hezbollah may conduct electronic warfare operations to hinder any attempts to attack Iran.”