🇩🇰🇬🇱🇺🇸 After multiple threats by Donald Trump to use coercion measures to annex Greenland, the Danish Foreign Ministry stated that Greenland may become independent if its residents want, but is unlikely to become a US state.


📝 Reuters
🗺 @PoliticsGR

🇱🇧 A day before the presidential election, Marada leader and Hezbollah ally Suleiman Frangieh announced that he is withdrawing from the presidential race in favour of the army's commander-in-chief, General Joseph Aoun, who is now becoming the favourite:

Following what I declared in previous stances, I support General Joseph Aoun.

I wish the Parliament success in the electoral process and the country to navigate this stage with unity, awareness, and responsibility.

💬 Tomorrow is the 13th session of Lebanon’s presidential election, an effort to resolve the ongoing presidential crisis since 2022. There will be exclusive graphics and real-time coverage, therefore stay tuned.


📝 L’Orient Today
🗺 @PoliticsGR

🇺🇸🇩🇰🇬🇧 A day ago, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Meta will be removing fact-checkers and replace them with community notes like X, as part of “getting back to our roots around free expression”.

Today, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, co-chair of Meta's oversight board, expressed concerns about the viability of this change. But instead of expressing a general viewpoint, she particularly focused on the repercussions for LGBT and minority communities.

Interestingly, Thorning-Schmidt is a former PM of Denmark. The oversight board was established by Nick Clegg, a former LibDem politician in the UK, who governed in coalition with the Tories and served as deputy PM from 2010 to 2015. Thus, it can be clearly seen how Meta’s policy was politically influenced to favour a neoliberal narrative.

💬 While nothing special has been done yet, it’s quite interesting how social media are evolving to move closer to the right wing as Trump is taking office.


📝 BBC
🗺 @PoliticsGR

🇺🇸 At least 2 people have died, over 1,000 structures have been damaged, and more than 80,000 people have evacuated their homes due to the ongoing fires in the Los Angeles area. Furthermore, about 300,000 households remain without power.

The wildfire was caused by a combination of dry conditions and powerful winds.


📝 NBC News
🗺 @PoliticsGR

📊 Macroeconomic Indicators Update (8/1/2025):

🇵🇭 Unemployment Rate: 3.9% ⬇️ 3.2%
🇩🇪 Retail Sales y/y: 2.4% ⬆️ 2.5%
🇸🇪 Inflation Rate y/y: 1.6% ⬇️ 0.8%
🇫🇷 Trade Balance: €-7.5 billion ⬆️ €-7.1 billion
🇹🇿 Interest Rate: 6 ➡️ 6
🇪🇺 Economic Sentiment: 95.8 ⬇️ 93.7
🇹🇿 Inflation Rate y/y: 3.0% ⬆️ 3.1%
🇨🇱 Inflation Rate y/y: 4.2% ⬆️ 4.5%
🇮🇪 Unemployment Rate: 4.1% ⬆️ 4.2%
🇨🇷 Inflation Rate y/y: -0.10% ⬆️ 0.95%


📝 Myfxbook, Tradays
🗺 @PoliticsGR

🇱🇧 Today it's election day in Lebanon, as the Parliament will convene to elect a president in order to resolve the ongoing crisis since 2022.


📃 Main contestant:
🗳 Joseph Aoun: general and commander-in-chief of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) since 2017

📃 Potential contestant:
🗳 Jihad Azour: economist and former finance minister (2005-2008)

📃 Endorsed Aoun:
🗳 Souleiman Frangieh: leader of Marada Movement


🏛️ To make it through the first stage, a candidate needs two-thirds of the vote, or 86 lawmakers (the Parliament has 128 seats). An absolute majority is required in subsequent rounds. According to the constitution, the president must be a Maronite Christian.


⚖️ Most parties are likely to endorse Aoun, with the position of Hezbollah, Amal and FPM being uncertain after Frangieh’s withdrawal.


🌍 The election has garnered significant interest from international actors:
🇫🇷 France has endorsed Aoun through Macron’s envoy to Lebanon Jean-Yves Le Drian.

🇮🇷 Iran hasn’t endorsed any candidate, but will likely negotiate with the eventual winner to continue providing its support for Hezbollah.

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia has endorsed Aoun, preparing to invest millions of dollars if he gains power.

🇸🇾 Syria’s new ruler Ahmed Al Sharaa said that Damascus will no longer interfere in Lebanese political procedures.

🇺🇸 The United States reiterated its support for Aoun in a meeting in Riyadh, saying it’s the best opportunity to sideline Hezbollah.


🕚 The vote will take place at 11:00 AM local time.

🇺🇸🇱🇧🇮🇱🇪🇬 The Biden administration is shifting more than $100 million in military aid from Israel and Egypt to Lebanon in order to boost the army’s capacities in implementing the ceasefire.


📝 Naharnet
🗺️ @PoliticsGR

🇱🇧 The Lebanese Parliament has began the election procedure about 30 minutes ago.

So far nothing special, you can watch the election at the live stream of Al Araby.


🗺️ @PoliticsGR

🇱🇧🗺 Lebanese Presidential Election 2023 (12th Session)
📝 Source: MTV


🗺️ @PoliticsGR

🇱🇧 Head of parliament Nabih Berri confirmed that no deputy was absent.


📝 L’Orient Today
🗺️ @PoliticsGR

🇱🇧 Independent Shia MP Jamil Sayed:

This is not an election session, but a session to ratify the appointment of a president.

📝 L’Orient Today
🗺️ @PoliticsGR

🇱🇧 Head of Hezbollah’s coordination and liasion unit Wafiq Safa announced that the party won’t veto the election of Joseph Aoun for president.


📝 Beirut Today
🗺️ @PoliticsGR