Friday, 20 February 2015

Honoring the Women of the Civil Rights Movement, Both Past and Present


First Lady Michelle Obama delivers remarks at "Celebrating Women of the Movement"

First Lady Michelle Obama delivers remarks at "Celebrating Women of the Movement," an event honoring Black History Month, in the East Room of the White House, Feb. 20, 2015. The First Lady introduces moderator Vanessa De Luca, Editor-in-Chief of Essence magazine and the panel of intergenerational women who have played a pivotal role in the civil rights movement – both past and present. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)




In 1957, Carlotta Walls, a 14-year-old African American girl living in Little Rock, Arkansas, elected to attend Little Rock Central High School. One of the nine students who desegregated the school, Carlotta was subjected to constant bullying, physical abuse, and violent attacks -- her parents' home was bombed in February of 1960. Shortly after, she earned her high school diploma.


In 1961, Charlayne Hunter became the first African American woman to attend the University of Georgia. Enduring everyday bigotry and racial slurs, and bottles and bricks thrown at her windows, Charlayne went on to get her degree -- which has since propelled her to a successful career as a journalist with NPR, PBS, CNN, and the New York Times.


These are just two of the influential women that took part in a special panel discussion this afternoon at the White House in celebration of Black History Month.


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Week in Review: Free and Fair Trade, Health Care Enrollment Numbers, and Opening the Outdoors to More Kids

This week, the President received the newest enrollment numbers for those who found quality, affordable health insurance under the Affordable Care Act; spoke at the White House Summit on Countering Violent Extremism, designated three new National Monuments, and launched his Every Kid in a Park initiative.


Find out more about the past week at the White House in our latest "Week in Review."


11.4 Million


During the latest Open Enrollment period under the Affordable Care Act, 11.4 million Americans signed up or re-enrolled for quality, affordable health insurance.


As the President said after hearing the news, "It gives you some sense of how hungry people were out there for affordable, accessible health insurance. And that's really the top-line message: The Affordable Care Act is working."



See what else the President said about the enrollment numbers -- and make sure to share this video.


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Celebrating Lunar New Year at the White House

Yesterday evening, we hosted the first-ever Lunar New Year celebration at the White House. Members of Asian American and Pacific Islander community from across the country joined together to ring in the first day of the Lunar New Year with keynotes from Administration officials, a discussion with diverse AAPI leaders, and three lively cultural performances. President Obama also sent his greetings by video message.



Traditional Chinese Lion Dance, performed by the Wong People Association

Traditional Chinese Lion Dance, performed by the Wong People Association.




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Hariri vows to speed up presidential election


BEIRUT: Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri vowed Friday to use his talks with MP Michel Aoun and the ongoing dialogue between his Future Movement and Hezbollah to accelerate the election of a new president, calling it a top priority.


He was speaking just hours before visiting Speaker Nabih Berri at the latter’s residence in Ain al-Tineh.


Hariri also underlined that the election of a president was pivotal in Lebanon’s battle against terrorism.


The Maronite Church, meanwhile, lamented Parliament’s repeated failure since April to choose a successor to former President Michel Sleiman, warning that the lingering presidential vacuum would plunge Lebanon into political turmoil.


“We consider the election of a president a top priority and we should shorten the waiting period as much as possible,” Hariri told members of the new board of the Press Federation who visited him at his Downtown Beirut residence.


“We hope through our relations with Gen. Michel Aoun and with our [March 14] allies, and through the ongoing dialogue with Hezbollah and the Amal Movement in Ain al-Tineh to open the door for electing a president,” he said.


Hariri’s remarks came two days after Parliament failed to elect a new president over a lack of quorum, prompting Berri to postpone the session to March 11.


Wednesday’s session was the 19th abortive attempt by Parliament since April to end the 9-month-old presidential vacuum as the rival political factions remain at odds over who should be chosen to assume the country’s top Christian post.


The repeated failure to elect a president has plunged the country into a prolonged presidential vacuum, which has paralyzed Parliament’s legislation and is threatening to cripple the government’s work. The Cabinet did not hold its weekly session Thursday due to differences among its 24 members over a mechanism to govern its work and its decision-making during the presidential vacuum.


Regarding his meeting with Aoun, the leader of the Free Patriotic Movement, Hariri stressed that the simple fact of holding this meeting was a positive development that came after more than a year of dialogue between the Future Movement and the FPM.


“Our dialogue with him [Aoun] began more than a year ago. We hope for this dialogue to continue in a positive way,” the head of the Future Movement said, according to a statement released by his media office. “We encourage all parties to engage in dialogue because it is the only way to achieve the required solutions.”


The presidential deadlock was among the topics discussed by Hariri and Aoun during their meeting at the former’s Downtown Beirut residence Wednesday which was also attended by Aoun’s son-in-law, Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil. Hariri hosted a dinner for Aoun.


Aoun, the Hezbollah-backed presidential candidate, last year launched a dialogue with the Future Movement in order to enlist Hariri’s support for his bid for the presidency.


But the Future Movement and its March 14 allies are backing Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea, Aoun’s arch political foe, for the presidency.


Hariri praised the Lebanese Army’s fight against Islamist militants entrenched in areas near the border with Syria and threatening to destabilize Lebanon, but underlined that the election of a president was crucial in the battle against terrorism.“The Army and security forces are fighting terrorism, but this cannot be completed without the presence of a new president, which is essential and necessary because he can talk with everyone without exception,” Hariri said. “It is shameful not to elect a president.”


Hariri assured the Lebanese that bolstering the Lebanese Army’s capabilities with French weapons funded by a $3 billion Saudi grant and another $1 billion Saudi grant to buy arms for the military and security forces were on the right track.


“This issue is progressing normally. The time it is taking is due to the manufacturing, delivery and training mechanisms,” he said. “But I assure you that there are no obstacles or veto, as some are saying.”


French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told Prime Minister Tammam Salam earlier this month during a meeting on the sidelines of a security conference in Munich that France would begin delivering weapons purchased with the $3 billion Saudi grant to the Lebanese military during the first week of April.


Hariri’s remarks came two days after the Future Movement and Hezbollah began discussing a joint national strategy to fight terrorism.


Meanwhile, the Council of Maronite Bishops warned of the dire consequences resulting from the continued vacancy in the presidency.


While welcoming the positive atmosphere that has prevailed as a result of the Future-Hezbollah dialogue and the preliminary dialogue between the FPM and LF, the bishops stressed that talks should lead to electing a new president.


“The bishops regret that the country continues to be left without a president, and Parliament’s failure to elect a president as it is required to do according to the Constitution,” said a statement issued after the council’s monthly meeting chaired by Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai in Bkirki, north of Beirut.


The statement said the election of a president has become a pressing necessity in view of the deteriorating socioeconomic crisis and security threats facing the country.


“Lebanon has entered a new stage with regard to the Cabinet crisis,” the statement said, referring to a rift among ministers over the Cabinet’s decision-making mechanism. “Searching for solutions [without] the election of a president will take the country to an unknown future with regard to the political system and will aggravate the socio-economic crisis, in addition to security threats,” the statement added.


The bishops hailed the Lebanese Army and security forces for combating “terrorist organizations” and ensuring security for all the Lebanese, but warned against linking Lebanon to regional axes, a move that contradicts the country’s national coexistence pact.


Maronite Bishop of Beirut Boulos Matar praised Hariri’s stances in defense of moderation in the Middle East and sectarian coexistence in Lebanon.


Speaking to reporters after meeting Hariri Friday night as an envoy from Rai, Matar said : “The talks were on developments of the situation in Lebanon and on the election of a president. During the bishops’ meeting in Bkirki this morning, we reaffirmed that the situation in Lebanon will not be normalized unless we have a president. This is very essential.”


For his part, MP Walid Jumblatt welcomed intra-Lebanese talks, saying the ongoing dialogue between the Future Movement and Hezbollah would help reduce Sunni-Shiite tensions. “All political parties are responsible for preventing the country’s slide toward the fire of conflicts raging around us,” he said during a meeting of the Druze spiritual council.


Separately, FPM MP Ibrahim Kanaan discussed with Geagea the agenda for an expected meeting between the LF chief and Aoun. In his second preparatory visit to Geagea’s residence in Maarab, Kanaan discussed details of the joint document to be issued following the meeting between Geagea and Aoun.



Hariri’s legacy of leadership


SIDON, Lebanon: Under the slogan of “Educate, Empower, Engage,” the Hariri Foundation launched Friday an academy from the very place where late Prime Minister Rafik Hariri received his primary school education.


The Outreach and Leadership Academy, established in partnership with the Lebanese American University, will organize various workshops on subjects such as engagement in civil society and the importance of emotional intelligence. Joint programs between the Hariri Foundation for Sustainable Human Development and LAU Network are also in the works.


OLA will train both teachers and students on the newest theories in different fields such as economy, finance, diplomacy, human rights, environmental science, health and public affairs.


The launch ceremony took place at OLA’s headquarters, situated in an Ottoman-era house in Sidon’s old downtown, and brought the city’s rival politicians together. Aside from MP Bahia Hariri, the late prime minister’s sister, and former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, former MP Osama Saad was also present.


Giving a speech to the attendees, Hariri revealed that the building where OLA is now housed has a special place in the nation’s history.


“This is where the first days of Rafik Hariri were, here is where he learned the alphabet [and] here is where he learned honesty and regularity before the academy closed its doors six decades ago,” she said. The project, she said, was made possible by Hariri’s son, Bahaa Rafik Hariri, “who wanted to rehabilitate the first school from which his father, martyr Rafik Hariri, took off.”


The opening ceremony was attended by Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh, French Ambassador to Lebanon Patrice Paoli and a host of other officials. “We are happy to see attendees from all the categories of society,” LAU’s president Dr. Joseph Jabra said.


“This is being done to build a new society, which is very important not only for Sidon but for the whole society, because change come from the youth’s thoughts and capacities.”


Hariri and Jabra signed a cooperation agreement between the HFSHD and LAU.


The agreement is “about enhancing citizenships through social development,” said LAU’s Assistant Vice President for Outreach and Civic Engagement Elie Samia.


“The academy brings together all the different people and movements in order to establish the culture of civil integration and social awareness, as well as to hone leadership skills,” he said.


Samia highlighted the institute’s emphasis on both leadership and civic engagement.


“We have an important strategy at the academy which is teaching young students how to become leaders and including this in our educational curricula,” he said. “We are a tool of communication.”


Sidon’s Mayor Mohammad Saudi spoke at the end, thanking Hariri and Jabra for their help and care while stressing the basic importance of the academy. “Through these sessions the students’ leadership talents get discovered,” he said. “Talents exist, they just need a place to grow and get refined.”


Aside from being the site of Rafik Hariri’s earliest scholarship, the academy’s building has a long history. The building which now has 14 rooms, one main office and a backyard, is located at the entrance of al-Shakiriya street in Sidon. It was built by Ali Hammoud in the early 1730s. It was used at first as a residence for the Hammoud family, then as a school in the second half of the 19th century. In 1997, the al-Makassed al-Islamiyya organization and the HFSHD signed an agreement that gave the foundation permission to rehabilitate the building.


Other notable attendees at the ceremony included former Minister Raymond Audi, the Muftis of Sidon and Tyre, Sidon’s Greek Catholic Bishop Elie Haddad and Al-Jamaa al-Islamiya’s political representative in south Lebanon Bassam Hammoud.


Delegations representing ministers, deputies and other political, religious and business officials were also present.



UNIFIL: Probe into Jan. 28 attack ongoing



BEIRUT: UNIFIL said Friday that an investigation into last month’s killing of a Spanish peacekeeper was ongoing, adding that media speculations over the circumstances surrounding the incident did not serve the case.


“It should be noted that UNIFIL investigations into the incidents of Jan. 28, 2015, including the tragic loss of life of the UNIFIL peacekeeper, are still ongoing,” a UNIFIL statement said.


Spanish Lance Corporal Francisco Javier Soria Toledo was killed on Jan. 28 during Israeli shelling of south Lebanon which followed a Hezbollah attack on an Israeli military convoy in Lebanon’s occupied Shebaa farms. The Hezbollah operation killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded seven others.


In an article published Thursday, The Daily Star quoted a UNIFIL officer as ruling out the possibility that the post where the Spanish peacekeeper was serving was hit by Israeli fire by mistake.


“As per established procedure, UNIFIL investigations are carried out in cooperation with both the parties and, once completed, UNIFIL shares the findings with the parties and with U.N. headquarters,’ the statement said.


“Given the seriousness of the day’s events that had a dangerous potential to escalate and endanger further innocent lives, it is imperative to thoroughly investigate and determine the facts and circumstances of the incidents, as well as identify measures to prevent their recurrence. This is the focus of UNIFIL,” it added. “Speculation of this nature only serves to undermine the common interest of all concerned.”


Hezbollah’s military operation came 10 days after an Israeli airstrike killed six Hezbollah fighters in Syria’s Golan Heights along with an Iranian general.


UNIFIL said its spokesperson was ready to address questions by media outlets on issues pertaining to UNIFIL’s mission.



A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Daily Star on February 21, 2015, on page 2.

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Hariri holds court, political and religious figures visit


BEIRUT: Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri discussed local and regional developments during meetings with diplomats, politicians and religious figures Friday.


The Future Movement leader received Italian Ambassador Giuseppe Morabito at his downtown Beirut residence.


Speaking after the meeting, the Italian diplomat said that he discussed with Hariri the situation in the region “which is worrying us a lot.”


“I also expressed Italy’s support for Lebanon’s stability and independence, particularly our support to the Lebanese Army and the security forces, which are waging a very important and crucial battle to maintain security in this country and face terrorism,” Morabito said.


Hariri also received Tourism Minister Michel Pharaon, who stressed that Parliament and government, should work with a “caretaking spirit,” as long as there was no president.


“We should not paralyze the institutions and in this sense the work of the government should be facilitated without giving the impression that we accept the continuation of the presidential crisis, which should be solved,” Pharaon said.


“As for what is being said about a new mechanism for the decision-making in Cabinet, there is some ambiguity in the political stances and we should respect the Constitution and its spirit and at the same time find solutions to end the presidential and governmental crises soon.”


Hariri also saw MP Robert Ghanem and former MP Fares Soueid, coordinator of the general-secretariat of the March 14 coalition.


“We discussed the situation in the country and the region with former Premier Hariri. We perceived his full adherence to the March 14 movement and its future as a national cross-sectarian movement. This reassured us and we consider that former Premier Hariri’s presence in Beirut a factor that brings the Lebanese together,” Soueid said.


Later, Hariri received Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdel-Latif Derian at the head of a delegation comprising muftis of Lebanese districts.


Hariri also met Canadian Ambassador to Lebanon Michelle Cameron, Michel Mouawad, head of the Independence Movement, Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbas, Information Minister Ramzi Joreige and Deputy-Speaker Farid Makari.



Active citizenship: holding Lebanon together


BEIRUT: Every healthy society is built on strong individuals that hold their leaders accountable and work for the greater good. In Lebanon, where the government is crippled by deadlocks and vacuums, the need for these people – known as active citizens – is great.


Becoming an active citizen in Lebanon poses problems, however, due to the weakness of the state, and sectarian and political influence, experts say, though there are some people online that manage to operate outside these constraints.


To truly fulfill the role of an active citizen, a concerned person must meet a certain criteria.


“[Active citizenship] goes beyond the idea that citizenship is simply the legal bond of a citizen to a country that entails rights and obligations,” Fateh Azzam, the director of the Asfari Institute for Civil Society and Citizenship, told The Daily Star. “Active citizenship [is] the idea that if you are a citizen in your country, you’re part of your society you have to actively participate in all aspects of the conduct of life in that society.”


An active citizen’s role in the country goes beyond simply paying taxes on time but actually holding the government accountable for how that money is spent, Azzam explained. This involves having an opinion – and expressing that opinion – on politics and policies.


The topic of active citizenship was the focus of a three-day conference organized by the Asfari Institute at the American University of Beirut which started Friday. The conference brought together a range of academics and activists that work on issues related to active citizenship to discuss the issues it faces across the region.


Rania Masri, associate director of the Asfari Institute, said that active citizens are required in Lebanon due to the absence of a strong state.


“Since 2005 we have not had a legal budget and we have not had any budget for the past eight years, so how can we claim that we have a state?” Masri said. “When we have a state that has decided not to have a census since [its] creation ... then how can it be a state?”


Announcing a public spending budget is a necessary precursor to having a strong and healthy state, so that citizens can know where their taxes are being spent and hold their government accountable accordingly, she explained.


The lack of strong government institutions has opened the door for civil society groups, such as NGOs and charities, to provide services that the government is failing to, in fields such as health care and education.


Joining a civil society group is one method for someone to practice active citizenship, as they are working toward helping their respective communities. Masri warned, however, that in Lebanon these civil society groups may be counterproductive when they are simply replacing the government and not holding it accountable.


“If I’m active in active citizenry and I take ... work on behalf of the government by providing schools for my community, by providing health care for my community, that’s a short-term relief that I need to recognize [is the government’s] duty, not mine,” she explained.


Trade unions are another form of active citizenship that is vibrant in Lebanon, and Azzam highlighted the Teachers’ Union as a great example of healthy active citizenship.


However, unions in Lebanon can often become corrupted as they are influenced by political parties that have their own agendas.


“Lebanese unions are struggling for independence,” Azzam said. “Active citizenship in broader terms in Lebanon is problematic because everything gets funneled through the sectarian system.”


The idea of being an active citizen is rooted in thinking of one’s broader community. But, Azzam said, problems arise if one identifies their community along sectarian lines, as that further weakens the broader community. However, there is a growing online sphere that is breaking this mold.


Habib Battah, founder and editor-in-chief of Beirut Report an investigative journalist, has been following grassroots organizations that utilize social media to spread their message and inspire active citizenry.


“What I’ve been kind of been covering over the last couple years is a kind of digital citizenship that we’re seeing in Lebanon,” Battah said. “In the absence of, basically, functioning government ... activists and general netizens [Internet users] are making their voices heard through these media platforms, and there’s really interesting effects.”


Battah explained that advocacy groups such as Save Beirut Heritage, Protect Lebanon Heritage, and Daliyeh have been able to use social media to spread their message. Sometimes this is done by presenting their message using interesting images that go viral or by simply opening the floor for discussion. They have already experienced success, Battah added.


For instance, a coalition of these organizations was able to halt the construction of the controversial $75 million Boutros Highway that threatened to demolish one of Beirut’s last green spaces.


The project has been halted for over a year and a half now due to pressure from activists.


Furthermore, these activists have been able to change the conversation in the media.


“They’ve been popularizing these issues, these local issues, that aren’t really getting a lot of attention in the mainstream media,” Battah said. “The media is often infatuated with geopolitical, transnational issues and ... so little attention is given to the local crumbling institutions here in Lebanon.”


Battah believes that having focused advocacy groups operating within an online space may even be stronger than the more traditional form of street protest in attempts to push for reform within Lebanon.


“What goes online stays online,” Battah explained.


“It also continues to build upon itself. The more it’s reshared, the more it reappears on your timeline, it kind of continues to have ... an extended life.


“By having these issue-specific groups, they will continue to publish things on that topic and continue to follow and monitor. This is the kind of digital accountability that we’re seeing today.”



Governors Meeting Allows 2016 Hopefuls To Grab The Spotlight



Audio for this story from All Things Considered will be available at approximately 7:00 p.m. ET.





This weekend's National Governors Association meeting in Washington, D.C., offers an opportunity for ambitious governors to grab the spotlight and preen for 2016.




Copyright © 2015 NPR. For personal, noncommercial use only. See Terms of Use. For other uses, prior permission required.


Copyright © 2015 NPR. All rights reserved. No quotes from the materials contained herein may be used in any media without attribution to NPR. This transcript is provided for personal, noncommercial use only, pursuant to our Terms of Use. Any other use requires NPR's prior permission. Visit our permissions page for further information.


NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by a contractor for NPR, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of NPR's programming is the audio.



A Memo to the American People from U.S. Chief Data Scientist Dr. DJ Patil:

Ed. note: This is cross-posted on Medium.


Memorandum: Unleashing the Power of Data to Serve the American People

To: The American People

From: Dr. DJ Patil, Deputy U.S. CTO for Data Policy and Chief Data Scientist

Date: February 20, 2015


Overview: What Is Data Science, and Why Does It Matter?


The data age has arrived. From crowd-sourced product reviews to real-time traffic alerts, “big data” has become a regular part of our daily lives. In 2013, researchers estimated that there were about 4 zettabytes of data worldwide: That’s approximately the total volume of information that would be created if every person in the United States took a digital photo every second of every day for over four months! The vast majority of existing data has been generated in the past few years, and today’s explosive pace of data growth is set to continue. In this setting, data science -- the ability to extract knowledge and insights from large and complex data sets -- is fundamentally important.


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West Wing Week: 02/20/15 or, “Hello, ‘Chiberia!’”

This week, the President spent time in sunny San Francisco and subzero Chicago, spoke at two different summits on two different coasts, and named three new national monuments.


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Lebanon health minister terminates contract with major hospital



BEIRUT: Health Minister Wael Abu Faour has ended the government's contract with one of Lebanon's most prestigious hospitals over violating the agreement.


A ministry statement released Friday said that it has ended its contract with Hotel Dieu Hospital in Beirut's Ashrafieh district.


It said Hotel Dieu violated the contract with the ministry by refusing to admit a patient with a disability.


The statement did not elaborate.


The closure comes amid an ongoing and wide-ranging health ministry campaign launched in November to stamp out corruption in food establishments and health care centers.


Last month Abu Faour terminated the ministry's contract with Al-Hayat Hospital in Beirut's southern suburbs over the hospital's "bad dealings with patients."



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Kanaan, Geagea discuss upcoming dialogue


Kanaan, Geagea discuss upcoming dialogue


Prominent Free Patriotic Movement MP Ibrahim Kanaan discussed Friday with Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea the...



Meeting with Aoun 'positive': Hariri


BEIRUT: Future Movement leader and former Prime Minister Saad Hariri said his landmark meeting with head of the rival Free Patriotic Movement Michel Aoun earlier this week was a positive development that came after more than a year of dialogue.


“The fact that this encounter took place is a positive matter, and our dialogue with him started more than a year ago,” Hariri told the new board of the Press Federation Awni al-Kaaki who visited him at his residence in Beirut’s central district Friday.


“We hope that upbeat dialogue will continue, and we encourage all factions to conduct such dialogue as it is the only means to achieve aspired solutions,” Hariri said, according to remarks released by his media office.


Hariri hosted a dinner Wednesday for Aoun, who is also an MP, during which they said they discussed the political situation in Lebanon and regional developments.


Stressing that electing a new president is a top priority, Hariri said his Future Movement will seek to open the way for the election as soon as possible through relations with Aoun and ongoing dialogue with Hezbollah and the Amal movement.


Hariri hailed the Army's fight against terrorism, underlining, however, that such a bid won’t be complete and effective without a new head of state.


He also said that two separate Saudi grants of $3 billion and $1 billion to equip and train the Lebanese Army were on the right track.


The Free Patriotic Movement launched dialogue with the Future Movement last year.


During their dinner Wednesday, Hariri stressed to Aoun that he had no issues with his presidential candidacy, but that an agreement with Christian leaders, particularly Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, was necessary.


Geagea is the presidential candidate of the Future-led March 14 coalition.



NSSF won't cover unapproved generic medicine: minister


Casino du Liban to fire 120 employees


The committee assigned to study the files of Casino du Liban has recommended the expulsion of 120 redundant staff...



Lebanon belongs outside regional axes: Maronite bishops


US wants Mosul offensive on ISIS in April-May


The United States wants Iraq to launch its offensive to retake the strategic northern city of Mosul from ISIS in April...



White House Worries Extremists Are Winning The Propaganda War



Audio for this story from Morning Edition will be available at approximately 9:00 a.m. ET.





The Obama administration's effort to counter violent extremism includes trying to find a way to fight the messages of sectarian strife coming from groups like the self-proclaimed Islamic State.




Copyright © 2015 NPR. For personal, noncommercial use only. See Terms of Use. For other uses, prior permission required.


Copyright © 2015 NPR. All rights reserved. No quotes from the materials contained herein may be used in any media without attribution to NPR. This transcript is provided for personal, noncommercial use only, pursuant to our Terms of Use. Any other use requires NPR's prior permission. Visit our permissions page for further information.


NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by a contractor for NPR, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of NPR's programming is the audio.



Tripoli traffic grinds to a halt in bus driver protest


Pro-Islamic State militants seize Libyan university: residents


Militants claiming loyalty to Islamic State have seized the university in the central Libyan city of Sirte, residents...



Georges Abdallah supporters protest outside French mission in Beirut


Qatar recalls ambassador from Egypt


Qatar recalled its ambassador to Egypt Thursday following a row over Cairo’s airstrikes on jihadi targets in Libya,...



Breakthrough in Lebanon hostage case: report


BEIRUT: Qatar has achieved a breakthrough in its mediation to secure the release of Lebanese servicemen held captive by jihadi militants on the Syrian border, daily As-Safir reported Friday.


The newspaper said the Qataris, who have reportedly relaunched mediation efforts recently, informed General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim that they have reached a partial deal in the negotiations with Al-Qaida-affiliated Nusra Front.


A list of the names of Islamist prisoners in Lebanon and Syria that the militants want to be swapped in exchange for the hostages was finalized, the report said.


Ibrahim heads the mediation cell tasked with negotiating the hostage crisis. Nusra and ISIS together hold 25 Lebanese police and soldiers captive, but their negotiations are being conducted separately.


As-Safir quoted "well-informed" sources as saying that Ibrahim traveled to Doha last week, got in touch with the Syrian leadership more than once, and visited Ankara on Thursday for new talks with Qatari intelligence chief Ghanem al-Kubaisi aimed at reaching an agreement on a clear and specific system for carrying out the swap.


The sources said the deal will be limited to the Lebanese hostages held by the Nusra Front only, and not ISIS.


ISIS is believed to be holding about nine of the 25 hostages, while the rest are with Nusra.


The sources disclosed that negotiations with ISIS had reached an advanced stage in January through an unofficial Lebanese mediator, including an agreement to carry out the swap in three stages.


ISIS was supposed to release all nine soldiers it holds in exchange for several Islamist prisoners by the end of March, but the militants froze the talks at the last minute without any reason or justification, the sources said.


The hostages have been held on the outskirts of the northeastern town of Arsal since August, when the Army clashed with militants from both jihadi groups in the town.


The original number of captives was 37, but the Nusra Front has since released eight and shot dead two, while ISIS beheaded two.



Aoun responds to critics over officer extensions


BEIRUT: Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun Friday fired back at those who have criticized him over remarks against extending the retirement age of security and military officers.


“I have presented many constitutional and legitimate points that prove that the decision to extend the terms of some military officers is against all norms,” Aoun said in remarks published by local daily As-Safir.


“I was surprised that some [politicians] have got back to me a political response, rather than a legal or constitutional response,” he added.


Aoun denied that his political or presidential aspirations were behind his objection to the extensions.


"There is an insistence by some [political] experts to distort the facts by linking my objection to this extension to political or presidential desires...," he said. "[But] my stance has nothing to do with any presidential or family considerations.”


“My stance exclusively stems from the need to respect the institutional standards. No more, no less.”


On Tuesday, Aoun voiced opposition to extending the terms of security officials and announced that he no longer has confidence in Lebanon’s defense minister after he signed a unilateral decree to extend the term of Maj. Gen. Mohammad Khair, the secretary-general of the Higher Defense Council.


Khair was supposed to retire on Feb. 20.


“In military law there is no such thing as extending [the terms of] officers, and no authority is allowed to disrupt the military hierarchy and impose the heresy of extension,” Aoun, an ex-Army commander, told a news conference following a meeting of his Reform and Change bloc.


“We withdraw our confidence in Defense Minister Samir Moqbel over his violation of his prerogatives in terms of governance practices.”


The remarks came after Moqbel submitted to the Cabinet a draft law that would raise the retirement age of senior Army and police officers.


Under the proposed draft law, the retirement age of the Army commander would be raised from 60 to 63, a major general from 59 to 62, a brigadier general from 58 to 61, and a colonel from 56 to 59.


Among senior military and security officers who are scheduled to retire soon are Army Intelligence chief Brig. Gen. Edmond Fadel on March 20, gendarmerie chief Brig. Elias Saade on May 22, ISF chief Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Basbous on June 5, and Army Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Walid Salman on Aug. 7.


Army commander Gen. Jean Kahwagi, whose mandate was extended by two years in 2013, retires on Sept. 23. This is in addition to a number of Army brigadiers holding key posts in the administration and the housing department.



Lebanon blizzard blocks mountain roads; schools shut


BEIRUT: Snow continued to fall on mountainous areas across Lebanon Friday, blocking roads, closing schools and leaving thousands stranded in their homes.


Dozens of villages in the eastern, northern and southern parts of the country were cut off by the blizzard.


Schools across Lebanon abided by Education Minister Elias Bou Saab’s decision to shut down Friday and Saturday due to the storm.


Snow fell at elevations as low as 300 meters, an official at the meteorological department at the Beirut airport told The Daily Star.


Water levels rose in rivers as heavy rains, mainly in the north and Mount Lebanon, which resulted in massive flooding causing several roads to collapse.


Public Works Minister Ghazi Zeaiter had called on snowplow centers and parties responsible for drainage networks to be prepared in case of emergencies.


The Lebanese Red Cross said it has increased its emergency response units during the storm to 400 paramedics and 200 ambulances, including 60 4-wheel drive vehicles.


The meteorological department said Storm Windy, which blew over from the Arctic, will start fading away by Friday evening, but it will continue over south Lebanon until midday Saturday.


Extreme cold weather and rain will continue Friday, according to the weather forecast.


Weather experts have warned of a substantial risk of icy conditions.


Saturday’s weather is partly cloudy with scattered rain. Intermittent snow showers are also expected in the morning, particularly in south Lebanon.


“We will have nice weather Sunday,” a source at the meteorological department said.