BEIRUT, (Xinhua) — A massive fire broke out on Friday after midnight in Lebanon’s city of Jbeil and spread over an area of more than 70,000 meters, LBCI local TV channel reported. The fire reached not only houses but also a number of plastic agricultural tents. No casualties have been recorded. Lebanon’s civil defense personnel […]

by arabnews.com — NEW YORK: Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the UN, Abdallah Al-Mouallimi, reaffirmed the Kingdom’s support for the Lebanese people in their crisis, especially after the explosion that rocked Beirut in August. He expressed great sadness about the extensive damage and human fatalities that resulted. Al-Mouallimi was addressing the meeting of the Regional Bureau for Arab States of the UN Development Program with the permanent representatives of the Arab Group on Lebanon. He said: “I am pleased to be with you today to discuss the measures taken to deal with the crisis in Lebanon; Lebanon is an important member of the Arab Nation and holds a special place in the heart of the Saudi people.” He reiterated the support for Lebanon and its people in confronting the challenges that have been aggravated by the explosion and the impact of COVID-19.

by BY REBECCA COLLARD — foreignpolicy.com — Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri is back by unpopular demand, pledging to do better this time (his fourth as premier) as Lebanon reels from its months of political paralysis, its worst financial crisis in decades, the coronavirus pandemic, and the aftermath of the deadly Aug. 4 explosion at the port of Beirut. On Thursday, a slim majority of the Lebanon’s members of parliament agreed to have Hariri return as prime minister-designate and form a new cabinet—which will be his first tough test. His return will not be welcomed by the hundreds of thousands of Lebanese who have been in the streets in protest since last October, when they secured their biggest victory by forcing Hariri’s resignation. But after a year of dashed hopes, protesters are greeting his return with more despair than anger.

Wait, Hariri resigned a year ago in answer to the popular protests. How is his return supposed to be the solution to Lebanon’s problems, which have only gotten worse since then? Hariri is back as prime minister in large part because there’s not really anybody else whom Lebanon’s political parties would agree on. Hassan Diab, who succeeded Hariri last fall, resigned himself after the August explosion, which killed almost 200 people and was widely seen as the result of government incompetence and corruption. After him came Mustapha Adib, then (and now again) Lebanon’s ambassador to Germany. But he couldn’t form a new cabinet and stepped down as prime minister late last month.

By Nimotalai Oki, Editorial Assistant – Netflix is paying tribute to Lebanese filmmakers by creating a collection of 34 locals films, available exclusively on the streaming platform. Lebanon is the home to some of the most iconic Arab movies, so this news is music to our ears! Netflix’s news to create the “Made in Lebanon” catalogue […]

by NAJIA HOUSSARI — arabnews.com —BEIRUT: The new Lebanese prime minister to head the next government is expected to be named within two days. Meanwhile, questions are being raised regarding Thursday’s parliamentary consultations, with President Michael Aoun rumored to be considering delaying them for a second time. Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri is the only name proposed to form the new government, with the two Christian parties — the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) and the Lebanese Forces — objecting to his nomination. Richard Kouyoumjian, former minister and serving member of the Lebanese Forces parliamentary bloc, said that his party’s objection does not mean it is refusing to participate in the binding consultations. “The mere participation of the bloc’s representatives in the parliamentary consultations makes it legal as per the common agreed values and laws, whether or not the bloc names the person who will be assigned to head the new government,” he said. Kouyoumjian called for “the implementation of the constitution” and said: “Enough bidding in the name of the sect.”

The stance of the Lebanese Forces means the FPM is the only bloc disrupting the parliamentary process. The Lebanese Forces’ decision not to propose anyone to head the government differed from its position in the two previous parliamentary consultations. In these consultations, the party proposed Ambassador Nawaf Salam. Future parliamentary bloc member Mohammad Hajjar hoped that the consultations would not be postponed as “it will not be in the interest of the country and the people.” He told Arab News: “The first postponement was not justified. We said that the French initiative is an opportunity to rescue the country and that it should not be wasted. We said that postponement does not change anything, but rather will be an obstruction that does not benefit the country. We hope to have a prime minister assigned on Thursday by a parliamentary majority.”

khazen.org thanks the Lebanese Authority in taking prompt action against the thugs that has invaded lands that are owned by our Maronite Church.  by imlebanon.org —  أزالت عناصر الفهود بمؤازرة الجيش، فجر الاثنين، التعديات عن أملاك الكنيسة المارونية في لاسا. وفي هذا السياق، غرد النائب شوقي الدكاش على حسابه عبر “تويتر” قائلًا: “إن ازالة التعديات […]

By Nahal Toosi — politico — Several U.S. officials, including a senior figure at the State Department, are now self-isolating after meeting with a Lebanese spymaster who has tested positive for the coronavirus. David Hale, the undersecretary of State for political affairs; CIA Director Gina Haspel; and national security adviser Robert O’Brien were among the Americans who met with Lebanon’s Major Gen. Abbas Ibrahim during his recent visit to Washington, people familiar with the situation told POLITICO. Hale, as well as several other employees from the State Department and other executive branch divisions, are now self-isolating for 14 days, a U.S. official said. It was not immediately clear whether Haspel is among them. O’Brien has already had the virus in the past.

Ibrahim, who leads Lebanon’s directorate of general security, has had to delay his return to Beirut and cancel meetings in France because of his Covid-19 results, his directorate said in a Twitter thread. He “is in good health,” his office said in the thread. The State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Neither did the National Security Council, nor the CIA. Ibrahim had told the Middle East-based news organization The National that he was visiting the U.S. in part to boost intelligence-sharing with Washington and work on releasing more hostages held in Iran and Syria. Ibrahim is believed to be involved in efforts to free Austin Tice, an American journalist who may be in Syrian custody. Lebanon has been in economic and political turmoil for months, a situation aggravated by a massive August explosion that devastated Beirut. A vast cache of improperly stored ammonium nitrate has been blamed for the blast, which killed more than 200 people, wounded thousands and left many more homeless. Daniel Lippman and Natasha Bertrand contributed to this report.

by dailystar.com.lb — Hussein Dakroub — BEIRUT: French President Emmanuel Macron is outraged by Lebanese political leaders’ failure to act quickly to form a new government to deliver reforms and has therefore decided to wash his hands of the Lebanese crisis for now, a Western diplomatic source said Sunday. However, despite Macron’s frustration with rival Lebanese politicians’ lack of seriousness in dealing with the country’s worst economic and financial crunch in decades, the French initiative to rescue Lebanon from a series of multiple crises is still alive, the source told The Daily Star. “President Macron has washed his hands of the Lebanese crisis, in a move reflecting his disappointment with Lebanon’s political leaders’ continued obstruction of the formation of a new government to enact urgent reforms. He has relegated to the French cell of former French ambassadors who served in Lebanon the job of following up on the implementation of the French initiative to save Lebanon,” the source said.

Macron’s fiery stance came after President Michel Aoun this week suddenly postponed until Oct. 22 binding parliamentary consultations to designate a new prime minister that were set to take place Thursday, apparently due to a lack of strong Christian support for former Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s nomination. Hariri had appeared assured of gaining the support of a parliamentary majority sufficient to designate him to form a new government despite opposition from the two main Christian blocs — the Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese Forces. Hariri, backed by France and regional powers, had emerged as the favorite candidate to form the next government in the absence of a serious Sunni rival. Aoun cited what he called “difficulties that need to be resolved” for his decision to postpone the parliamentary consultations. But Future Movement MP Assem Araji had told The Daily Star that Aoun acted at FPM leader MP Gebran Bassil’s behest to postpone the parliamentary consultations in a bid to block Hariri’s designation for the premiership. A source at Baabda Palace Sunday said the binding consultations would go ahead as scheduled Thursday. “So far, the consultations will take place as planned on Thursday. Barring last-minute hitches, Prime Minister Hariri is expected to be designated as prime minister Thursday,” the source told The Daily Star.

by euronews.com — Lebanon’s fashion industry is currently enduring a triple crisis. The current economic recession is the worst in the country’s history, COVID-19 has decimated sales and August’s port explosion has destroyed many outlets. To support the sector, a global crowdfunding campaign called “United for Lebanese Creatives” was established. The initiative identified & raised funds for more than 30 Lebanese designers & artists, many of them with ateliers & shops destroyed. Collection collateral Twenty-eight-year-old Lebanese designer, Roni Helou, is a recipient of the aid provided by United for Lebanese Creatives. Helou’s business suffered badly following August’s port explosion, with his atelier, equipment and machinery destroyed. The designer, who did not have insurance, estimates his losses will run to around $15,000.The young creative established his Beirut-based label in 2017, with a focus on sustainability, ethical & local fashion. His latest menswear collection, due for September release in the UAE, was also lost in the port blast. The pieces were made from environmentally friendly, discarded fabrics and so-called ‘dead stock’ materials. The collection took more than a month to construct at a cost of approximately $2,000.

Couturier comeback

by arabnews.com — BEIRUT: Lebanon’s top Christian cleric urged Lebanese leaders to stop delaying talks on forming a government in a scathing Sunday sermon in which he blamed them for the country’s financial crisis and political deadlock. Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, leader of the Maronite church, was speaking a day after demonstrators marched through Beirut […]