This Is Beirut 2023-12-17 14:07 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
The Lebanese Army reported rescuing 51 people, mostly Syrians, from a sinking migrant boat off the country's north coast on Sunday. The military obtained "information about a vessel that was sinking off the coast of Tripoli while it was being used for illegal people smuggling,” the Army said in a statement. Naval forces were able to "rescue ...
This Is Beirut 2023-12-17 13:37 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
The Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Beirut, Bishop Elias Audi, declared during Sunday Mass that "Lebanon is not ready to slide into the arena of conflict, nor is it prepared for its unity to be threatened.” He stated that with a presidential vacuum, Lebanon is "in the eye of the storm" and will face dire consequences as the conflict persists: ...
This Is Beirut 2023-12-17 12:31 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai welcomed the renewal of Army Commander Gen. Joseph Aoun’s mandate for another year, a move that he said spared the Army’s unity and integrity. “We thank God that he spared Lebanon a security risk by having the Parliament renew the mandates of the commanders of the Army and security forces,” al-Rai said in ...
This Is Beirut 2023-12-17 12:04 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Former US Assistant Secretary of State, David Schenker, was affirmative that “Iran has already decided that it will not waste its assets in Hezbollah to save Hamas,” stressing that although it is an asset for Tehran, “the Palestinian movement is much less valuable than Hezbollah.” In an interview with the pan-Arab Al-Arabiya TV, Schenker ...
Lyne Sammouri 2023-12-16 17:41 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
biodiversity Eco Movement environment
At a time when biodiversity and the environment are considered “abstract” or “rich people's problems” by most, the Lebanon Eco Movement thought otherwise in their “Biodiversity National Dialogue" event, organized alongside the Institut Français on Friday, December 15. Lebanon’s biodiversity has been heavily affected following the ...
This Is Beirut 2023-12-16 16:38 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Civil servants in the public administration voiced their concerns on Friday evening, threatening an all-out strike. They had previously engaged in a partial strike, maintaining a permanent presence one day per week. The League of Civil Servants called on the government to approve the civil service decree at Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting. In a ...
This Is Beirut 2023-12-16 16:14 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
The Lebanese Parliament passed a law on Thursday that establishes a comprehensive pension system for private sector workers and fundamentally reshapes the governance of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF). The International Labor Organization (ILO), which provided extensive technical support to this project, described it as “one of the most ...
ici 2023-12-16 15:09 - Reading : less than a minute
French Minister of Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna, originally scheduled to travel to Lebanon this Saturday, had to reschedule her trip to Monday due to a technical issue with the plane transporting her to Beirut. The pilots of the Falcon 900, boarding the minister, advisors, journalists, and security personnel, decided it was safer to return ...
This Is Beirut 2023-12-16 14:45 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Tensions in South Lebanon rose on Saturday as Hezbollah led several attacks on Israeli military positions and Israeli shelling of border villages intensified. Hezbollah announced drone attacks on Israeli military positions in Birkat Risha (attacked twice), Metula, and near the Ramim barracks, claiming to have killed and wounded soldiers. This was ...
2023-12-16 14:33 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Over a span of three days, the Global Refugee Forum in Geneva conducted a comprehensive exploration of worldwide refugee challenges. Governments, NGOs, and refugees’ representatives convened to share their cases and advocate for solutions. These included considerations such as the possibility of returning to their countries of origin or ...
Michel Touma 2023-12-16 12:32 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
The tug-of-war lasted until the very end. Driven by the sovereignist faction's MPs — widely branded as the "opposition" — the Lebanese witnessed a cleverly orchestrated political drama. This culminated on Friday in a crucial parliamentary vote in favor of a proposed law deferring the retirement of active generals and division generals by one ...
2023-12-16 09:30 - Reading : less than a minute
The targeting of olive fields in the south of Lebanon by Israel has been a matter of grave concern. By delving into the personal narratives of olive farmers in the region, this report sheds light on the profound impact of Israeli shellings on their livelihoods. The deliberate targeting of olive fields not only inflicts economic hardships but also ...