Rakka'dan Kamışlı'ya 'sınav' yolculuğu- Al-Jazeera Turk

Suriye'de üniversite giriş sınavları yapılıyor. IŞİD kontrolündeki Rakka'da ise bu sınava girmek 'yasak'. IŞİD'den kaçmayı başarıp PYD kontrolündeki Kamışlı'ya sınava girmek için gelen Rakkalı öğrenciler, zorlu yolculuklarını Al Jazeera'ye anlattı.

http://www.aljazeera.com.tr/haber/rakkadan-kamisliya-sinav-yolculugu

Michel Kilo: Elections will not grant Assad legitimacy- Al-Monitor

In the 1980s, late Syrian President Hafez al-Assad said in a speech at the Defense Ministry: "You are the people. You are socialism, unity, the Arab nation and justice. You are the people. And there are no people in this country except you.”

Read more: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/politics/2014/05/michel-kilo-syria-elections-regime-support-minorities.html

Aoun: Beware of repeating the “presidential sin” of 2008- Al-Akhbar

In the absence of any serious external intervention to end the stalemate concerning the presidential elections – with the major powers limiting their efforts thus far to issuing a UN Security Council statement calling for the election of a new president – MP Michel Aoun has now warned against repeating the scenario where an undeserving candidate is installed in Baabda Palace.

For the second day in a row, the Lebanese were preoccupied with the vote that took place at the Syrian embassy in Lebanon, as part of the Syrian presidential election. Amid the fractious and widely divided political reactions over the massive turnout of Syrian voters, which lasted throughout the early hours of Friday, the head of the Change and Reform bloc in parliament, MP Michel Aoun, has made a significant statement on the presidential elections in Lebanon. Aoun has been quoted as saying, “We have started to detect suspicious attempts to rig the presidential election, using suspicious tactics. It is as if what’s needed is to sugar coat the vacuum rather than agree on a worthy president.”

Sources close to Aoun explained this further, saying, “the General [Aoun] will not allow a repeat of the mistake – or sin – of 2008, when the constitution was trampled, institutions were subverted, and the country moved from vacuum to vacuum. Nor will he accept a repeat of the farce of extending the parliament’s term. The Lebanese all agree that Lebanon is not a farm [i.e. ungovernable], and that what is needed is a president who upholds the [National] Pact and its balances, upholds the constitution and all its provisions, and abides by the law when ruling.”

http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/aoun-beware-repeating-presidential-sin%E2%80%9D-2008

Syria opposition powerless as Assad holds election- Al-Ahram

Syria's divided rebels and their foreign backers have been watching in disbelief as the regime gears up for an election to give Bashar al-Assad another presidential mandate despite their uprising.

The vote, which the Damascus regime can hold only in territory it controls and embassies abroad, signals confidence by Assad and his allies that they will win the war.

"Two years ago, we used to think it was impossible the regime would last long enough to hold the 2014 election. I just can't believe it's going to happen," sighed Thaer, an activist from Homs city, once known as "the capital of the revolution".

http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/102480.aspx

Patriarch Rai meets with SLA collaborators- Al-Akhbar

In the village of Kfar Nahum on the shores of Lake Tiberias, overlooking the southern Lebanese borders, Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rai met yesterday evening with former members of the South Lebanon Army (SLA)- Antoine Lahad’s militia that collaborated with Israel during its occupation of South Lebanon.

http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/patriarch-rai-meets-sla-collaborators

Pope Francis’ Middle East Travels Are Being Overhyped- TIME

The Pope's influence in the Middle East is definitely symbolic, but that's about it.

Pope Francis has garnered a great deal of popularity worldwide for his bold stands on behalf of social justice and his simple gestures of humility. His papacy seems to be transforming the global image of the Catholic Church. Still, it is essential to keep things in perspective. 

http://time.com/137923/pope-francis-middle-east-travels-are-being-overhyped/

STL Rejects al-Amin Request to Postpone Initial Appearance beyond May 29- Naharnet

The Special Tribunal for Lebanon on Tuesday rejected a request by al-Akhbar newspaper editor-in-chief Ibrahim al-Amin to postpone his initial appearance before the court in the contempt case beyond the scheduled May 29 session.

“On May 26, 2014, I received a letter from Mr. al-Amin, raising several concerns in relation to the initial appearance. However, I consider that a letter is not the appropriate way to bring such matters to my attention,” Contempt Judge Nicola Lettieri said in an order dated May 27, 2014.

“After the initial appearance will be the appropriate time to discuss the issues raised by Mr. Amin in his letter. This includes arguments on the jurisdiction of the Tribunal over the crime with which Mr. al-Amin and Akhbar Beirut S.A.L. are charged as well as the extension of any deadlines to make sure that the Accused have adequate time to prepare for the case,” Lettieri added.

http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/132505

Assad's Staying Power Leaves Turkey Frustrated, Exposed- VOA

ANKARA — Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's certain victory in an election next month, derided internationally as a charade, leaves Turkey facing a bitter truth - its assumption of his quick demise was a costly miscalculation.

 

With al-Qaida-linked armed groups controlling patches of territory across Turkey's southern border and a registered refugee influx set to top a million within months, Syria's three-year old war presents Ankara with an increasing financial burden and a growing security threat.

http://www.voanews.com/content/assads-staying-power-leaves-turkey-frustrated-exposed/1923493.html

Nusra says behind Homs suicide attack- Al-Akhbar

Al-Qaeda's Syria branch on Monday claimed responsibility for two car bomb attacks a day earlier in the central city of Homs that according to the governor killed 12 people.

"God generously made it possible for the jihadists of al-Nusra Front in Homs... to break through the strongholds of the regime's shabiha (militia)... despite the many obstacles, security barriers and checkpoints," the jihadist group said on Twitter.

http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/nusra-says-behind-homs-suicide-attack

Jordan expels Syrian ambassador over 'repeated insults'- BBC News

Jordan says it has expelled the Syrian ambassador over "repeated insults" against the kingdom.

The Jordanian foreign ministry said it considered Bahjat Suleiman a persona non grata and gave him 24 hours to leave the country.

It said he had made numerous false allegations, accusing Jordan of harbouring Syrian rebels.

Syria has responded by expelling the Jordanian charge d'affaires in Damascus.

The Syrian ministry of foreign affairs denounced the decision to expel Mr Suleiman as "unjustified", Syrian state media said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-27580654

'IŞİD'in yabancı savaşçılarının çoğu İngiltere'den'- BBC Türkçe

Özgür Suriye Ordusu (ÖSO) Yüksek Askeri Konseyi Başkanı Tuğgeneral Abdullah El Beşir, Irak-Şam İslam Devleti'nin (IŞİD) yabancı savaşçılarından çoğunun İngiliz vatandaşı olduğunu öne sürdü.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/turkce/haberler/2014/05/140526_isid_ingiltere.shtml

Lebanon Arrests Radical Cleric Who Backed Militants- The New York Times

BEIRUT, Lebanon — Lebanese security forces on Sunday arrested a radical Islamic cleric who was long prominent in Britain and was wanted here under a new security plan to curb violence in the northern city of Tripoli that has been exacerbated by the war in neighboring Syria.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/26/world/middleeast/lebanon-arrests-radical-omar-bakri-muhammad.html

Syria court gives Jumblatt, Khashan legal notice: reports- The Daily Star

BEIRUT: A Syrian court issued legal notices against Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt and Lebanese journalist Fares Khashan, accusing them of undermining the state’s reputation, according to reports Thursday.

Though the local LBCI TV channel reported the Lebanese Foreign Ministry had received the notices from the Criminal Court in Latakia, the ministry issued a statement denying it had received summons from Syria for Jumblatt and Khashan.

The lawsuit dates back to 2006, when Syria’s military court filed a case against Jumblatt and “others revealed by investigation,” accusing the defendants of “defaming” the state by blaming Syria for the series of bombings and assassinations in Lebanon in 2005.

Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2014/May-23/257495-syria-court-gives-jumblatt-khashan-legal-notice-reports.ashx

Lebanon heads for presidential vacuum after final failed vote- Arab News

BEIRUT: Lebanese parliamentarians failed on Thursday in a last effort to elect a successor to President Michel Suleiman before his term expires, leaving a political vacuum as the country struggles to cope with spillover from Syria’s civil war.

Parliament’s fifth attempt to vote for a new president was abandoned when deputies failed to reach a quorum on Thursday, 48 hours before Suleiman is due to leave the presidential palace.

The deadlock stems from deep divisions, worsened by sectarian tensions over Syria’s conflict, between Lebanon’s two main political blocs: the Hezbollah-led March 8 coalition which supports Syrian President Bashar Assad, and the rival March 14 camp which backs Assad’s opponents.

“We are heading for a vacuum in the presidential palace,” parliamentarian Khaled El-Daher told reporters after Thursday’s session which was boycotted by March 8 deputies because of the failure to agree on a consensus candidate.

http://www.arabnews.com/news/575391

No president for Lebanon as deadline looms- Al-Arabiya

Lebanon's parliament has failed in its fifth attempt to hold a session to elect the country's new president.

Thursday's attempt to secure the needed quorum for a vote was seen as a last-ditch effort to elect a new head of state two days before President Michel Suleiman's term expires.

As in previous sessions over the past month, the vote could not be held as lawmakers allied with the militant Hezbollah group boycotted the voting for lack of agreement on a consensus president.

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/05/22/No-president-for-Lebanon-as-deadline-looms.html

Veto blocks Western intervention in Syria: Russia- PRESS TV

The Russian ambassador to the United Nations says Moscow vetoed an anti-Syria resolution to prevent any Western military intervention in the Arab country.

Vitaly Churkin said on Thursday that his country vetoed the anti-Syrian move in the United Nations Security Council over fears of Western intervention there.

Churkin added that the French-sponsored document could refuel attempts to use the International Criminal Court for garnering political support, and eventually lay the groundwork for military intervention in Syria.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/05/22/363744/veto-blocks-western-meddling-in-syria/

Suriye: Uluslararası Ceza Mahkemesi'ne sevke veto- BBC Türkçe

Suriye'de işlenen savaş suçlarının Uluslararası Ceza Mahkemesi(UCM)'ne sevk edilmesi için 60'a yakın ülkenin Birleşmiş Milletler'e sunduğu öneri, Rusya ve Çin tarafından veto edildi.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/turkce/haberler/2014/05/140522_suriye_veto.shtml

Top Prosecutor to Target Syria-Trained Fighters Returning to US- ABC News

The Justice Department has asked a top prosecutor in its National Security Division to lead U.S. efforts aimed at stemming the flow of foreign fighters to war-torn Syria, department officials said Thursday.

“The problem of foreign fighters going to Syria is a significant national security threat that we’re facing right now,” said Assistant Attorney General John Carlin, the head of the National Security Division. “It’s at the top of the agenda for the Department of Justice and U.S. government at large, but also for our European partners and others throughout the world.”

In addition to his usual responsibilities, Stephen Ponticello will now be the point-man for prosecutions across the country involving Americans and others who have gone to Syria to train or fight with terrorists there, according to a Justice Department official.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/top-prosecutor-target-syria-trained-fighters-returning-us/story?id=23831850

1,000 Days of Syria – turning war journalism into a game- The Guardian

The sound of a gunshot rattled against the back of Mitch Swenson’s teeth as he sprinted across a Turkish field. If the guards had fired to scare rather than wound, the warning had its intended effect.

Swenson, a 26-year-old in his final year of a creative non-fiction course at Columbia University, was utterly terrified. As he and his three accomplices pressed through a tight hole in the fence, stepping into an unexpectedly peaceful Syrian pomegranate orchard, the relief was palpable, even if it was short-lived.

This was not, as Swenson describes his journey into a war zone, his “first rodeo”. In 2011, he found himself in Cairo’s Tahrir Square on the first day of the revolution that helped instigate the Arab Spring. Since then he’s visited a clutch of troubled nations: Libya, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. “I've been around men with guns before," he says.

Even so, this murky night was different. “Syria is a type of conflict that humanity has never really seen before,” explains Swenson. “All of the rules are out of the window.”

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/may/22/1000-days-of-syria-war-journalism-online-game

No sign Syria is handing over remaining chemical weapons- Reuters

(Reuters) - Syria has made no progress in relinquishing a last batch of chemical weapons it says is inaccessible due to fighting, making it increasingly likely it will miss a final deadline to destroy its toxic stockpile, Britain said on Thursday.

The British deputy representative to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) told delegates in The Hague that packaging material had arrived for the 100 metric tons of toxic chemicals.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/22/us-syria-crisis-chemicalweapons-idUSBREA4L0PJ20140522

Aleppo prison siege 'broken by Syrian troops'- BBC News

Government forces have broken a year-long rebel siege of a prison in Syria's northern city of Aleppo, reports say.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said troops had entered the complex, but this is not confirmed.

There are thousands of inmates at the prison, which has been the scene of fierce fighting for months as rebels have tried to capture it.

The area is strategically important as it lies near a key supply route for fighters in rebel-held parts of Aleppo.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-27514897

Lebanon bans Syrian political meets- Al-Akhbar

Lebanon on Thursday banned all political gatherings by Syrians on its territory, citing a wish to preserve security two weeks ahead of a controversial Syrian presidential election.

Damascus has called on all Syrian refugees -- except those who fled illegally -- to cast their votes at embassies for the election, which is widely expected to return President Bashar al-Assad to office.

"The interior ministry calls on Syrian refugees not to organize any gatherings or public meetings of a political character that may affect the security and stability of Lebanon, and relations with Lebanese citizens," a statement carried by Lebanon's National News Agency said.

http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/lebanon-bans-syrian-political-meets

Aoun, Hariri, Nasrallah Lebanon's power 'trinity': FPM head- The Daily Star

BEIRUT: Head of the Free Patriotic Movement MP Michel Aoun said Wednesday that he along with former Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah form Lebanon's power 'trinity."

“[Former] Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah and I should be the main pillars of Lebanon's trinity,” Aoun told Hezbollah's Al-Manar television station.

“And this trinity can never be disconnected,” he added.

Aoun has recently mended his ties with the Future Movement, dispatching his son-in-law, Foreign Affairs Minister Gebran Bassil, to hold talks with Hariri overthe presidential election.

Aoun is reportedly waiting for Hariri’s green light to announce his candidacy for the presidential seat but no positive signs have yet emerged in that regard.

Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2014/May-21/257328-aoun-hariri-nasrallah-lebanons-power-trinity-fpm-head.ashx

Syria government allows first large food aid distribution in Aleppo- The Guardian

The first major distribution of emergency food rations in Aleppo since October has begun on both sides of the frontlines, the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Wednesday.

The Syrian government finally gave approval this week for the operation – plans for which were submitted in January – to feed 60,000 people in the divided northern city, with the distribution carried out by the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, the president of ICRC, Peter Maurer, said.

"We have a major food distribution ongoing in Aleppo. It is the first time in months on that scale," Maurer said in Geneva.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/21/syria-government-first-large-food-aid-distribution-aleppo

Lübnan'daki Suriyeli mültecilerin sağlık sorunları- BBC Türkçe

Uluslararası Af Örgütü, maddi kaynak eksikliğinden ötürü Lübnan'daki Suriyeli mültecilerin hayati önemdeki sağlık hizmetlerinden yoksun olduğunu açıkladı.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/turkce/haberler/2014/05/140521_suriye_multecie.shtml

Syria calls for help rebuilding health system wrecked by "terrorists"- The Daily Star

GENEVA: Syria's government begged the world for help on Wednesday to rebuild a healthcare system it said had been destroyed by "terrorists", despite reports by U.N. officials that Syrian government forces were largely to blame for the damage.

In a speech to ministers from World Health Organization member countries, Syrian Health Minister Saad al-Nayef said his government was "doing its utmost" to save lives.

Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2014/May-21/257325-syria-calls-for-help-rebuilding-health-system-wrecked-by-terrorists.ashx

Eight Lebanese soldiers wounded in Tripoli grenade attack- Daily Star

TRIPOLI, Lebanon: Eight Lebanese soldiers, including a lieutenant, were wounded when their vehicle came under attack in the northern city of Tripoli overnight, security sources and the military said Tuesday.

The sources told The Daily Star that gunmen fired machine guns and a rocket-propelled grenade at an Army unit carrying out raids hunting for wanted suspects in the Tripoli neighborhood of Bab al-Tabbaneh.

A Lebanese Army statement said eight soldiers, including a lieutenant, were wounded when a military patrol came under machine gun and rocket fire in Bab al-Tabbaneh at 1:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2014/May-20/257098-lebanese-soldiers-wounded-in-grenade-attack-in-tripoli.ashx

Ethnic tensions erupt in Burj Hammoud- Daily Star

BEIRUT: The stout, gray-haired man, who says he is “bigger than the mukhtar” in the community, stares coldly and speaks with authority.

“The Kurds have no religion,” Serge says firmly, standing only a block away from where a Syrian Kurd put a local man in intensive care Saturday. “They have no Jesus, no God.”Serge is one of many in Beirut’s northeastern suburb of Burj Hammoud who harbors a flagrant resentment toward Kurds. Enmity between some runs so deep that tensions have even descended into gang warfare in the past.

That sentiment boiled over during the weekend after Lebanese citizen Elias Kalash was knocked unconscious by a gas canister thrown by a Syrian Kurdish man.

The ensuing tensions were only quelled Monday when local municipality figures and representatives comprising various security forces held a series of meetings aimed at preventing a recurrence of Saturday’s events. A representative from the Kurdish Lebanese Razgari Party was also in communication with the Burj Hammoud municipality in an attempt to further defuse ethnic and communal hostilities.

Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2014/May-20/257075-ethnic-tensions-erupt-in-burj-hammoud.ashx

Michael Aoun eyes the presidency in a divided Lebanon- The National

Lebanon is fast approaching the end of the month-long period in which it must elect a president to succeed Michel Suleiman. Parliament votes for the president, and until now no consensus has emerged behind any candidate. But one man who still has hopes is Michel Aoun, the head of the largest Christian bloc.

Read more: http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/comment/michael-aoun-eyes-the-presidency-in-a-divided-lebanon

Go Beyond Diplomacy on Syria- The New York Times

NEWPORT, R.I. — Along with President Obama, most Americans disapprove of direct military intervention in Syria. They believe it would immerse the United States in another Middle East war with unpredictable consequences. They much prefer a diplomatic solution.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/22/opinion/go-beyond-diplomacy-on-syria.html

Exclusive: Al Qaeda’s American Fighters Are Coming Home—And U.S. Intelligence Can’t Find Them- Daily Beast

The number of American extremists who have flocked to Syria is higher than previously understood, American intelligence sources say. And some of the fighters are coming home.

Western intelligence services have been warning that European and American jihadists have been flocking to Syria to fight. But they’ve been reluctant to say how many Americans have joined the extremist forces there—until now. The latest U.S. intelligence estimates say that more than 100 Americans have joined the jihad in Syria to fight alongside Sunni terrorists there.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/05/20/exclusive-more-than-100-americans-are-waging-jihad-in-syria-u-s-intelligence-says.html

Syria conflict: Deadly missile strike on northern town- BBC News

At least 13 people, including eight children, have been killed in a missile strike on the town of Marea in north-eastern Syria, activists say.

Several more were reportedly wounded when the missile hit overnight, while most residents were asleep.

Witnesses told the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that the missile was fired by a government warplane.

On Tuesday morning, an aerial attack killed another 10 people in nearby Azaz, the UK-based group reported.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-27488133

Lübnan'da tıkanıklık sürüyor- Al-Jazeera Turk

Lübnan parlamentosu dört kez toplanmasına rağmen yeni cumhurbaşkanını seçemedi, Başbakan Temmam Selam ülkede yaşanabilecek cumhurbaşkanlığı boşluğu konusunda uyarıda bulundu.

Selam, Maruni Patrik Beşara Rai ile görüşmesinden sonra yaptığı açıklamada, cumhurbaşkanlığı krizinin yaratacağın boşluğun ülke için yararlı olmayacağını söyledi.

Selam, Lübnan'ın yıllar sonra böyle bir durum yaşanmasından üzüntü duyduğunu belirterek, cumhurbaşkanı seçecek milletvekillerin parlamentoda görevlerini yapmalarının anayasal ve milli bir görev olduğunu ifade etti.

Parlamento 25 Mayıs’a kadar bir cumhurbaşkanı seçmeyi başaramazsa, anayasanın 62. maddesine göre cumhurbaşkanlık yetkileri kabine ait olacak.

http://www.aljazeera.com.tr/haber/lubnanda-tikaniklik-suruyor

Study sheds light on high levels of racism against Syrians in Lebanese regions- Al-Akhbar

Over 90 percent of Lebanese in the areas of Wadi Khaled, Sahel Akkar, and the Bekaa Valley support restricting the movement, political freedoms, and work opportunities of Syrian refugees, and in some cases, a significant percentage of Lebanese support violence directed towards the refugees, according to a study examining the impact of the Syrian refugee crisis on Lebanon.

http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/study-sheds-light-high-levels-racism-against-syrians-lebanese-regions

Cabinet discusses services and utilities issues in provinces- SANA

Damascus, (SANA) The Cabinet approved a draft resolution for providing monetary contributions to support the budgets of a number of provinces to better deal with current circumstances and improve services, development and economic efforts in them.

Chairing a weekly Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Dr. Wael al-Halaqi said the government is continuing work to provide the logistic and media requirements of the elections in a manner that guarantees fairness, transparency, and credibility.

http://sana.sy/eng/21/2014/05/20/545633.htm

“Ebu Ömer Şişani öldürüldü”- YDH

YDH- El Meyadin televizyonunun haberine göre iki gün önce Deyr ez-Zor’da el-Kaide’nin Suriye kolu olarak nitelenen Nusra Cephesi ile girdiği çatışmada yaralanan IŞİD Komutanı Ebu Ömer Şişani öldü.

http://www.ydh.com.tr/HD12842_ebu-omer-sisani-olduruldu.html

Lebanon to host 1.5mn Syria refugees, UN official says- PRESS TV

The United Nations has expressed concern over the rising number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, saying the total is likely to reach 1.5 million by the end of 2014.

The figure accounts for one third of Lebanon’s estimated population of 4.5 million.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Monday that more than one million Syrian refugees are registered with UN agencies in Lebanon, and 50,000 new arrivals keep signing up each month. 

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/05/20/363365/lebanon-to-host-15mn-syria-refugees/

Lebanon PM visits regional kingpin Saudi Arabia- Ahram Online

Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam visited regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia Tuesday as his country struggled to elect a new president.

Salam told reporters in the Red Sea city of Jeddah the repeatedly-delayed election of a leader to replace President Michel Sleiman's whose mandate expires on May 25 is an "internal Lebanese affair".

The official SPA news agency said Salam spoke after meeting King Abdullah at Jeddah airport.

Earlier, after meeting Saudi Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz, an adviser to Salam said his visit "is not related to the presidential election in Lebanon".

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/101841/World/Region/Lebanon-PM-visits-regional-kingpin-Saudi-Arabia.aspx

Marches across the country in support of Army, presidential elections- SANA

Provinces, (SANA) Responding to national duty, the Syrian people continued Monday organizing solidarity stands and marches, stressing their support to presidential election process, army and the national principles all over the country.

A mass march was organized in the workers suburb, Homs, in support of the army, the presidential election process and the national principles.

Homs Province witnessed many activities hailing the presidential elections and expressing support to the Syrian Arab Army in the face of terrorism and its backers.

Ma'yar town in Tartous countryside witnessed a stand in which families of 35 martyrs and 5 families of kidnapped persons were honored.

http://sana.sy/eng/21/2014/05/20/545264.htm

British Father Guilty Of Syria Terror Plan- SKY News

Mashudur Choudhury plotted to join the rebel uprising with a group he called the 'Britani brigade Bangladeshi bad boys'.

http://news.sky.com/story/1265456/british-father-guilty-of-syria-terror-plan

Daliyeh as a case study to rebuild Beirut- Al-Akhbar

“To the sea,” a veiled lady said to stop the taxi I was riding to the same place she wanted to go to. I had asked him to go to “Raouché” a common name for the coastal area overlooking the infamous Pigeon Rocks of Beirut. I preferred her way of telling him where she wanted to go, and thought I should tell my taxis to take me to the sea from now on, but in a few years they would probably think I’m joking and drive off.

In Lebanon, we don’t like the sea. It’s probably too blue, too relaxing and causes too many problems to melt away that it’s hazardous to what we consider daily life to be. Daliyeh, a huge area extending from the coastal corniche downwards to the sea has been fenced off during the past few weeks. It has been owned since the 1990s by late Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, and is now run by companies owned by his legal beneficiaries. Now, walking along the corniche, you feel like you’re looking across a rather transparent apartheid wall that lets you see what was once yours before it transforms into your worst nightmare. The area’s wild greens have been trimmed. Its fishermen residents have been shaved off as well. A vernacular, public space has been confiscated and it’s all okay. We [are supposed to] love it.

http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/daliyeh-case-study-rebuild-beirut

Syrian exams bring Yarmouk students siege respite- BBC News

In a shattered space where even basics like bread and medicine are missing, one of life's most normal routines has finally been allowed.

At the 11th hour, safe passage was agreed to enable 120 teenagers to leave the besieged Palestinian camp of Yarmouk, in southern Damascus, to sit their exams.

On the eve of Syria's nationwide tests, they emerged from the ghostly warren of streets haunted by blackened shells of buildings shot through with mournful gaping holes. On the students' final stretch, aid workers hastened toward them, helping to carry bulky bags and backpacks.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-27477598

Jordan redeploys military along border with Syria- Jerusalem Post

The Jordanian military is redeploying its forces along the Hashemite Kingdom’s lengthy border with Syria in light of the deteriorating security situation on the frontier, the London-based Arab-language newspaper Al-Hayat reported on Monday.

Last month, Jordanian state television reported that Jordan’s air force hit and destroyed military vehicles trying to cross from Syria.

http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Report-Jordan-redeploys-military-along-border-with-Syria-352676

Lebanese University Study: Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) has no authority over the Lebanese- Al-Akhbar

In a legal study conducted with the aim of defending the “existence of the Lebanese justice system as a whole,” the Faculty of Law and Political and Administrative Sciences concluded that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) has no authority over the Lebanese population. The study judged that any body must first be established by law to acquire a judicial capacity; otherwise, it would not have the power to issue rulings restricting freedoms. The study highlighted irregularities in the establishment and funding of the STL, calling on parliament to pass laws regulating the work of the tribunal and specifying its jurisdiction.

http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/lebanese-university-study-special-tribunal-lebanon-stl-has-no-authority-over-lebanese

Riyad-Tahran savaşında yeni aşama (Alptekin Dursunoğlu-YDH)

Suudi Arabistan Dışişleri Bakanı Suud el-Faysal’ın 13 Mayıs’ta İranlı meslektaşı Muhammed Cevad Zarif’i davet etmesi, bölgedeki birçok krizin çözülebileceği yönünde iyimser bir hava yarattı.

İran-Suudi Arabistan ‘soğuk savaşı’, sadece Körfez’i değil; Suriye, Irak, Lübnan ve Afganistan’ı da doğrudan etkilediği için Riyad-Tahran ilişkilerinin seyri, gerek bölgesel ve gerekse uluslar arası düzeyde dikkatle izleniyor.

http://www.ydh.com.tr/YD413_riyad-tahran-savasinda-yeni-asama.html

Tension against Kurds runs high in Burj Hammoud- Daily Star

BEIRUT: Tensions ran high in Burj Hammoud, north of Beirut, after a catcalling incident spiraled out of control prompting security forces to step in twiceover the weekend to contain frictions.

The brawl started Saturday when a man from Lebanon’s Kurdish community verbally harassed the fiancé of one of the residents as the couple was taking a walk which led to a verbal altercation that deteriorated when the friends of each of the two men joined the fight, media reports said.

But matters worsened Saturday afternoon when one of the men from the Kurdish community threw a gas canister at Elias Kalash, badly wounding him. According to media reports, Kalash was still in hospital in critical condition.

Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2014/May-18/256911-tensions-against-kurds-run-high-in-burj-hammoud.ashx

Street by street, Assad extends grip in central Syria- Al-Arabiya

From his base in Damascus, Bashar al-Assad can contemplate a broad sweep of Syria clawed back from rebels who once threatened to drive him out. The capital which they targeted is now plastered with posters inviting Syrians to reelect him president.

Powerful foreign allies have helped Assad hold or retake a chain of cities which form the north-south backbone of the country, keep his grip on the Mediterranean coast to the west and restore control over the Lebanese border.

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/perspective/features/2014/05/18/Street-by-street-Assad-extends-grip-in-central-Syria.html

Official: Head of Syrian Air Defense Killed- ABC News

The head of Syria's air defenses was killed in clashes near the capital, Damascus, a government official and activists said Sunday, one of a few high-ranking military officers to be killed in the country's 3-year-old civil war.

Lt. Gen. Hussein Ishaq's death may boost morale for those fighting against President Bashar Assad's government, as they've faced a series of setbacks and surrendered territory over the last year.

Ishaq was one of the highest-ranking members of the Syria's army, said military analyst Hisham Jaber, a retired brigadier general in the Lebanese military.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/lebanese-president-urges-hezbollah-leave-syria-23763581

Car bomb kills at least 29 in Syria- CNN

At least 29 people were killed and dozens were wounded Thursday by a car bomb in Syria near the Turkish border, an opposition group said.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/05/15/world/meast/syria-civil-war/

UK's William Hague attacks Assad's Syria elections plan- BBC News

Presidential elections in Syria will be a "parody of democracy", UK Foreign Secretary William Hague has said.

Mr Hague said Syria's government had an "utter disregard" for life, and President Bashar al-Assad decision to call an election for 3 June "disgusted" the international community.

The foreign secretary also announced the Syrian opposition would have its diplomatic status in the UK upgraded.

Syria's three-year conflict has left some 150,000 people dead.

The UK is continuing to push for President Assad to stand down, but he has sought a third seven-year term in the elections.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-27419552

Iran and Assad have won in Syria, say top Tehran foreign policy figures- The Guardian

Iran and its close ally President Bashar al-Assad have won the war inSyria, and the US-orchestrated campaign in support of the opposition's attempt to topple the Syrian regime has failed, senior Iranian officials have told the Guardian.

In a series of interviews in Tehran, top figures who shape Iranian foreign policy said the west's strategy in Syria had merely encouraged radicals, caused chaos and ultimately backfired, with government forces now on the front foot.

"We have won in Syria," said Alaeddin Borujerdi, chairman of the Iranian parliament's national security and foreign policy committee and an influential government insider. "The regime will stay. The Americans have lost it."

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/11/syria-crisis-iran-assad-won-war-tehran

Syrian forces regain control of Homs- Al-Akhbar

Syrian forces took full control on Thursday over Homs, handing a major victory to President Bashar al-Assad ahead of a controversial election.

After holding the Old City of Homs for nearly two years, around 1,200 rebel fighters and trapped civilians boarded buses which took them out of the "capital of the revolution" in convoys on Wednesday and Thursday, activists said.

They were driven to rebel-held territory outside the city under a deal agreed between the insurgents and forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.

"Old Homs has been completely cleansed of armed terrorist groups," state television said.

Homs provincial governor Talal Barazi told Reuters earlier on Thursday that Homs would be "declared a secure city" and reconstruction would commence after the evacuation.

http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/governor-rebel-evacuation-syrias-homs-almost-complete

Muhaliflerin bağlantısı kesildi- Al-Jazeera Turk

Son dört buçuk aydır Halep'te muhaliflere karşı ilerleyen Esed güçleri Halep Merkez Cezaevi bölgesine yaklaştı. Halep’teki muhaliflerin kuzeyden dışarıyla bağlantısı büyük oranda kesildi.

Hava destekli gerçekleştirilen operasyonla Şeyh Neccar, Sanayi ve Muşad bölgelerinden ilerleyen rejim güçleri Davvar Berce bölgesini de ele geçirdi.

Halep’in kuşatılmasına dönük bu operasyon, kentin kuzeyden tüm bağlantılarını kesmesi ve Esed güçlerini merkeze daha fazla yaklaştırması bakımından önem taşıyor.

Bölgenin tamamen Esed’in kontrolüne geçmesi muhaliflerin Halep’in kuzey yönünden kent dışıyla bağlantısının kesilmesi anlamına geliyor.

http://www.aljazeera.com.tr/haber/muhaliflerin-baglantisi-kesildi

Rai defies his predecessors, decides to join papal delegation to Israel- Al-Akhbar

In almost every controversial matter, Maronite Patriarch Mar Bishara al-Rai plays a starring role. After a series of contradictory positions and his visit to Syria in February 2013, he decided to take a step that his predecessors refrained from, visiting occupied Palestine as part of a papal delegation.

During the civil war, the Maronite patriarch opposed the relationship between right-wing militias and Israel. There are a number of Maronite religious orders in the Holy Land and a Maronite diocese headed by Bishop Boulos Sayyah, who for 16 years used the Naqoura crossing to travel between Lebanon and occupied Palestine. Sayyah’s visits took place with the knowledge and permission of the Lebanese state. But no head of a Lebanese church has stepped foot on these lands before because they did not want such a step to be perceived as recognition of or normalization with the Zionist entity.

http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/rai-defies-his-predecessors-decides-join-papal-delegation-israel

Chechen jihadists in Syria: The case of Omar al-Shishani- Al-Akhbar

Chechen jihadists play a major role in the conflict in Syria. They have been fighting in Syria since 2012 and their role has been carefully planned, with direct clerical guidance from certain countries and indirect involvement by a number of intelligence agencies.

The Chechen jihadist role in the Syrian crisis has the covert support of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. The Qatari ties to Chechen jihadists, though relatively recent, are the most effective. The Saudis have provided clerical support, while the Turkish role is mostly logistical.

http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/chechen-jihadists-syria-case-omar-al-shishani

Terrorist attacks kill 4 citizens, injure teachers- SANA

Provinces, (SANA) Terrorists fired Thursday a mortar shell which hit the roof of al-Sa’ada private school in al-Qanawat street in Damascus, causing the injury of two teachers.

A source at Damascus Police Command told SANA that a mortar shell fell over the roof of al-Sa’ada private school, causing the injury of two teachers and material damage to the school.

Armed terrorist groups fired 4 terrorist mortar shells on al-Shagour neighborhood in Damascus two days ago. Two of the mortar shells fell on Bader Eddin al-Hassni Institute for religious science, killing 14 students and injuring 86 others.

A citizen killed of terrorist mortar shell in Damascus

One citizen was killed of mortar shells launched by terrorists on al-Tijara and al-Abassiyeen areas in Damascus.

A police source told SANA a mortar shell fell on al-Tijara Corniche, killing one citizen and causing material damages to the properties.

The source added 3 more mortars fell on the Abassiyeen square and the Mall, causing fire and material damages in the place.     

Terrorist attacks in Jaramana kill one child, wound 22 others

Meanwhile, A child was killed and 22 others wounded of terrorist mortars on Jaramana in Damascus countryside.

A police Command source told SANA that 13 mortar shells launched by terrorists fell on the neighborhoods of al-Rawda, Qraiyat and other areas, claiming the life of one child and wounding 22 others in addition to huge material damages to the properties.  

http://sana.sy/eng/21/2014/05/01/542054.htm

Takfiris crucify two Syria militants- PRESS TV

An al-Qaeda-linked Takfiri group says it has publicly crucified two militants in northeastern Syria in retaliation for an earlier grenade attack on its members.

The terrorist Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) said the two were among a total of seven prisoners put to death in connection with a grenade attack in the Euphrates Valley city of Raqqa earlier this month.

http://www.presstv.com/detail/2014/05/01/360841/takfiris-crucify-two-syria-militants/

Dünya'ya 'onurlu tepki' çağrısı- Al-Jazeera Turk

Suriye savaş uçakları çarşamba günü Halep'teki bir okulu bombaladı, çoğu çocuk 30 kişi öldü. Ancak Dünya'dan herhangi bir tepki gelmedi. Halep Kent Konseyi, dünyayı 'onurlu bir tepki' vermeye çağırdı.

http://www.aljazeera.com.tr/haber/dunyaya-onurlu-tepki-cagrisi