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Russia looks for ‘concrete results’ at Moscow talks

Marlene Khalifeh

Despite the deterioration of the Russian-Western relations following the Ukraine crisis and the intensification of the European-American-Russian clash, Russia continues to put forth a “constructive global agenda” that includes the Middle East. Meanwhile, the Russians will set consultations regarding Syria, to be held in Moscow, as a key item on the agenda at the end of this month.

Amid the inevitable prolonged Syrian

Four years later, Egypt's January 25 Revolution is faded dream

The fourth anniversary of the revolution is drawing near. Four years of struggle and fighting have led to a society falling prey to the clash of the titans, a clash that belongs to the previous century.

The revolution’s dreams and hopes of building a new society have faded away. The past year in Egypt was marred with blood, fear and murder; the two major powers of the society declared a fierce war to eliminate the other, and neither of

Will Arbin be part of the settlement agreements?

Jumblatt: Aoun, Geagea won’t make any compromises

These days, rare are the local issues that could raise the ire of Walid Jumblatt or push him to participate in cross-platform debates. This is not because he decided to distance himself from the internal arena and its “absurdity,” but because of the fatal deadlock that is gradually draining life from the Lebanese political scene, pushing it farther down into a deep pit.

Jumblatt is keeping his eyes on the outside,

Female engineers in Lebanon push the glass ceiling

Even though the number of working women in Lebanon is less than that of men, 26% of working women have specialized careers, such as medicine and engineering, in comparison to 8% of men. According to 2009 figures from the Central Statistics Directorate, 21% and 27% of the total number of engineers in the Beirut and Tripoli syndicates, respectively, are women.

These rates are lower than what is required. However, Lebanese women engineers are

Lebanon cracks down on prison 'terrorist command centers'

The state imposing a security plan on its own prisons is a very bold step indeed, even if this plan is filled with conflicting ironies.

In theory, prisons serve a penal-reformative-social purpose. However, in practice in Lebanon and in most countries (including those in the "First World") the ugliest and most bloody model of prison administrations has prevailed, with Alcatraz and Guantanamo [in the United States] as two of the many

Poverty exacerbates problems in Tripoli

Once again politicians and influential people meet in Tripoli to lament the poverty of this city, which is thoroughly documented in studies showing that social, economic, health and humanitarian indicators are declining in Lebanon’s second city.

Once again, funds are [given to undertake] a study of the poverty level while official [development] funds are withheld from any project that would actually reduce this poverty, provide job

International aid lags for Lebanon’s displaced

Lina Fakhreddine

As the number of displaced Syrians has reached 2,200,000, the Lebanese government tightened its measures on its borders, along land crossings with Syria as well as at Beirut’s international airport. This came as an expression of finally noticing the blocked horizon regarding the Syrian crisis on the one hand, and the displacement issue which is beginning to threaten Lebanon’s stability on the security, economic and social levels on the other. Not to mention the desperation regarding the possibility of interpreting the said international support for Lebanon, despite the dozens of visits to Beirut and several meetings and international conferences for the displaced. All of this only resulted in disappointment.

Islamic State announces new province in Syria

Abdullah Suleiman Ali

Although the international alliance has so far dropped nearly 5,000 bombs in air raids on the Islamic State (IS) as the Pentagon reported Jan. 7, IS is still moving around and consolidating its presence in new areas.

In Yemen, IS was able to impose its presence on al-Qaeda and acquire a hierarchical structure and leaders who move around both secretly and publicly. Elsewhere, IS is reportedly about to take new action in Algeria, while

Lebanon's Frangieh quashes rumors about presidential run

Lately, Suleiman Frangieh has been floated as a potential presidential candidate, and sources close to him believe that it's not far-fetched. Although this talk is flattering and not offensive to the politician, Frangieh responded in line with his official stance on the presidential elections: “We are committed to our support to Gen. Michel Aoun. As long as he's a candidate, we support him. If his candidacy is withdrawn, all other choices and possibilities would be studies and we would then act accordingly.”

Yemen’s revolutionary ideals stumble

Decisions made during the National Dialogue Conference (NDC) in Yemen have not been implemented, particularly those that are not linked to the drafting of a new constitution.

A transitional justice law was not issued, and the National Commission for Transitional Justice was not formed, nor was an independent national commission formed to investigate human rights violations that occurred in 2011. No law was issued for the recovery of funds and

Homs beginning to rise from the ashes

In the middle of Homs, there is a large block of ruined houses facing a small hill with a fortress. The devastation reflects the fierceness of the battles that rocked the city and left buildings completely destroyed and walls bullet riddled. Before parking his car on the roadside, the taxi driver said, “Upon seeing the destruction, you would think that the old city was completely destroyed. This is not true, though. It was a demarcation line between the Syrian army, the National Defense Forces and the security forces, on the one hand, and the militants who hid in neighborhoods, on the other hand. This is why you see massive destruction here [Bab Houd, Bab Tadmor, the main al-Hameediye Street, al-Qousour, al-Qarabees and Jouret al-Shiyah].”

Battles continue in Homs countryside

Although the city of Homs has been experiencing calm, except for the nightly sounds of the battle in al-Waer neighborhood, Homs’ countryside has been witnessing daily battles — chosen by fate, dictated by geography — that have been turning residents' agricultural lands and modest homes into battlefields.

“The war in Homs has not yet ended. Despite the army’s control over the entire neighborhoods in

Daily life in Homs

Nearly four years after the start of the war in Syria, visitors to Homs — a city considered by the opposition as the capital of the revolution — can easily feel the magnitude of the tragedy caused by the battles. Tragedy has turned the capital of humor into a wounded city. The stench of death still wafts from the streets of Homs. Half of the city is uninhabited and the other half is inhabited by a wounded population. Nevertheless, the city is trying to rise up from the ashes and return to life. Homs receives visitors coming from Damascus through a large military checkpoint, where thorough searches are carried out for wanted people or explosive materials. As you pass Baath University, one can still feel it bustle with life, as more than 120,000 students are enrolled.

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