UN warns Lebanon could face same ‘spiral of doom’ as Gaza

DAVOS: In a virtual address at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday, US President Donald Trump highlighted his administration’s pivotal role in brokering the ceasefire in Gaza and securing the release of hostages.

“Before even taking office, my team negotiated a ceasefire agreement in the Middle East, which wouldn’t have happened without us,” Trump said in his first major speech on the world stage since returning to the White House.

“Earlier this week, the hostages began to return to their families. They are returning, and it’s a beautiful sight, and they’ll be coming in more and more.”

The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, mediated by the US, Qatar, and Egypt, came into effect on Jan. 19, ending 15-months of fighting which has left more than 47,500 Palestinians dead, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

The deal was structured in multiple phases, the first involving a six-week ceasefire, during which Hamas agreed to release 33 hostages abducted during the Oct. 7, 2023 attack.

In exchange, Israel committed to releasing 90 Palestinian prisoners to the West Bank and allowing hundreds of aid trucks carrying food and fuel into the Gaza Strip through border crossings in Israel and Egypt.

The negotiation process was marked by significant diplomatic efforts, with both the outgoing Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration playing instrumental roles.

Brett McGurk, a Middle East negotiator for the Biden administration, collaborated closely with Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East. This bipartisan cooperation was driven by a mutual desire to resolve the conflict prior to the presidential inauguration.

Trump had issued stern warnings, stating that failure to release the hostages, including seven American citizens, before his inauguration would result in severe consequences.

The US president, who began his second term on Monday, also used his WEF speech to welcome Saudi Arabia’s $600 billion investment, and said that he hoped there would be room for it to grow to $1 trillion and lower oil prices.

“I’ll be asking the Crown Prince (Mohammed bin Salman), who’s a fantastic guy, to round it up to around $1 trillion. I think they’ll do that,” Trump said.

He did, however, add: “I’m also going to ask Saudi Arabia and OPEC to bring down the cost of oil.” Four days into his presidency, Trump said he wants to lower global oil prices, interest rates and taxes, and warned they will face tariffs if they make their products abroad.

“I’ll demand that interest rates drop immediately. And likewise, they should be dropping all over the world,” he said.

Some of his harshest criticism was reserved for traditional US allies Canada and the EU who he threatened again with new tariffs, while berating their import policies blaming them for the US’s trade goods deficit with these partners.

“One thing we’re going to be demanding is we’re going to be demanding respect from other nations. Canada. We have a tremendous deficit with Canada. We’re not going to have that anywhere,” he said.

Trump promised to reduce inflation with a mix of tariffs, deregulation and tax cuts along with his crackdown on illegal immigration and commitment to making the US a hub of artificial intelligence, cryptocurrencies and fossil fuels.

He also criticized levels of taxation in the EU.

“The US has the largest amount of oil and gas of any country on Earth, and we’re going to use it,” Trump said. “Not only will this reduce the cost of virtually all goods and services, it will make the US a manufacturing superpower.”

Declaring the US had entered the “golden age of America,” Trump highlighted the sweeping reforms of his administration, which he said were correcting the “disasters” left by his predecessor, Joe Biden.

Trump criticized Biden’s economic policies, saying: “His $8 trillion in wasteful deficit spending, energy restrictions, regulations, and hidden taxes resulted in the worst inflation crisis in modern history.”
 

QATIF: Aziza Alghanim is the woman behind Khairat Laziza, an initiative born from her passion for the land on her picturesque farm in the charming town of Saihat, which became a sustainable agriculture business.

Her journey began in 2001 when she began growing aromatic citrus fruits and vibrant buckthorn trees while also tending to a small herd of goats.

In 2014, she began making cheese by hand. Her initial offerings were met with overwhelming enthusiasm, selling out swiftly and fueling her motivation to pursue her passion.

Building on this success, she established a specialist factory in 2016, which allowed her to expand the range of crops and products available.

To meet the ever-growing demand, she founded a second specialist factory in 2019, taking the total number of products offered to more than 100.

Now, Khairat Laziza is a fully-fledged business dedicated to serving the community, creating a direct pathway from the fields to consumers’ tables.

Alghanim told Arab News: “My journey in cheese making began in 2014 when I established the Khairat Laziza Foundation, a non-profit organization where the entirety of its revenue is dedicated to supporting charitable causes.”

This commitment to giving back has become a fundamental aspect of her work.

Alghanim has participated in a number of festivals, collaborating with the Al-Ataa Charitable Society and other organizations.

What began as a modest selection of only 10 types of cheese has blossomed into a diverse portfolio.

Today, Khairat Laziza features an array of cheeses, labneh, milk, gelatos, flavorful jams, rich sauces, zesty pickles, biscuits and pizzas, pre-made cheese platters and dried produce, in addition to other dairy-free options, bringing the total number of products to 118.

All are 100 percent natural, free from preservatives and harmful chemicals, and mostly made from ingredients sourced from Alghanim’s farm, she said.

She takes immense pride in finding ways to transform the land’s resources into healthy, nutritious products for the community.

Among her standout creations are “zalloum” cheese, which blends the flavor of halloumi with the texture of mozzarella, healthy biscuits, and an eclectic selection of gelato flavors.

Looking to the future, Alghanim says she is entering a new phase in her journey — shifting her focus to teaching the fundamentals of cheese making.

She has been sharing her expertise through a series of workshops designed for enthusiasts and beginners alike. They teach valuable skills, providing participants with the chance to learn the intricacies of cheese production and providing a deeper appreciation of the art of cheese-making.