BEIRUT,  (Xinhua) — Majed Halabi, who owns 120 beehives in a rich citrus orchard in Lebanon’s southern town of Hasbaya, has seen a worrying decline in his honey production from 12 kg to fewer than seven kg per beehive during a regular honey season. Climate change and economic crisis in Lebanon, in the eyes of the 40-year-old beekeeper, are the top causes of such a sharp decline. “The weather turns from severe cold in winter to high heat in summer, hitting hives and exposing bees to death,” Halabi told Xinhua. The economic crisis that affects the honey season in Lebanon involves mainly the high cost of maintaining beehives, according to Halabi. In addition, the pesticides used by farmers against weeds kill the bees and turn fresh green pastures into dry barren lands. Experts in the honey industry told Xinhua that the Lebanese authorities haven’t given much attention to the industry over the past years, urging support for beekeepers in different ways given the environmental importance of the industry and its role in creating job opportunities for rural residents.

According to the Lebanese Agriculture Ministry, the honey industry in the country hosts 10,000 beekeepers who own 300,000 beehives and produce 2,000 tons of honey annually. Jalal Mansour, head of the Environmental Association for the Protection of Bees in Western Bekaa in Lebanon, told Xinhua that the authorities must hold a series of seminars that invite specialists to expound on the important role of bees in maintaining a balanced healthy environment and improving food security by pollinating crops. Tariq Abou Faour, head of the Cooperative Society for Bee Care in Khalwat in southern Lebanon, agreed that the beekeeping in Lebanon has been largely neglected by the authorities and is supported only by non-governmental initiatives such as those of the beekeepers cooperatives across the country. Ghaith Maalouf, a local agricultural engineer, called on local and international organizations to help compensate for beekeepers’ losses suffered from natural disasters by providing the necessary equipment for sorting and preserving honey and medicines for bees’ diseases, and promoting the use of biological pest control instead of chemical pesticides.

by reuters — Sources said the Lebanese Army Commander General Joseph Aoun had today, Wednesday, in France warned that die Economic crisis die Army on the verge of collapse and that Paris offered to provide urgent food and medical aid to the armed forces in the hope of maintaining law and order. France, that die Led relief efforts to Lebanon, tried to put pressure on rival Lebanese politicians die have not yet agreed to form a new government and carry out reforms, die would provide foreign financial aid to their country. Dissatisfaction among the Lebanese security forces is growing over the currency collapse, the die ruined most of their salaries.

In unusual statements in March, Aoun said his warnings to Lebanese officials that it could lead to an internal collapse fell on deaf ears. According to three sources, die with his visit in Paris were familiar, Aoun told senior French officials that die The situation is fragile and unsustainable. A source, die familiar with the meetings held today, including a meeting with President Emmanuel Macron, said: “We are concerned about that die Lebanese army is the backbone of the country. “Two sources said France would provide food and medical supplies to the military, their salaries in have fallen sharply recently, leading many of them to take on additional jobs. A source said France was working to organize a conference in June to provide International community support to help the lebanese army. The Lebanese pound has lost 90 percent of its value since the end of 2019. This is a financial crisis die die greatest threat to die Represents stability of Lebanon since the civil war from 1975 to 1990.

By Najia Houssari — arabnews.com — BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Ministry of Health will launch a “vaccination marathon” next Saturday for people aged over 30 to receive Astrazeneca jabs in health centers across the country. In an effort to promote mass vaccination, Lebanese authorities will declare the province where the largest number of people receive vaccinations as the winner of the marathon. A significant number of Lebanese citizens have refused to receive vaccines produced by AstraZeneca, despite receiving text messages outlining appointment dates. It comes after viral news circulated that purported to show dangerous side effects of the vaccine, including risks of stroke and death. Reports said that a man died three days after receiving an AstraZeneca vaccine. However, Hamad Hasan, Lebanon’s health minister, said that an investigation into the case “is still underway.” Another eight other people were also reported dead after receiving the vaccine, but “whether their deaths were linked to the vaccine” is another question, Hasan added.

A health ministry study estimated that herd immunity reached 42 percent among Lebanese citizens and about 47 percent among Palestinian refugees in the country. “This means that the herd immunity rate is rising to 50 percent, and is expected to reach about 75 percent in August, with large quantities of vaccines expected to be delivered,” said Hasan. Lebanon is due to receive 2 million vaccines in June and July. Dr. Abdul Rahman Bizri, head of the National Committee for the Administration of the Coronavirus Vaccine, told Arab News: “A high percentage of those registered to take the vaccine refrained from taking AstraZeneca. As part of our initiatives to encourage people to get vaccinated, we organized an open day enabling citizens to receive the vaccine without booking an appointment.” Bizri said that a new Lebanese study showed an improved presence of antibodies among the population, but that total immunity had not yet been achieved. “The result should not make us feel reassured, as we need to continue to abide by the precautionary measures,” he added. He said: “Lebanon is buying vaccines from the state treasury and will give priority to Pfizer vaccines.”

رغم اهمية وعظمة تحرير الجنوب من الاحتلال الاسرائيلي الذي حققته المقاومة عام ٢٠٠٠ في مثل هذا اليوم، فان اهدافه الوطنية لم تستكمل بنشر الجيش في البقعة المحررة بسبب عدم سماح القرار السياسي بذلك الى حين انتشاره بعد حرب تموز ٢٠٠٦ التي دمرت قرى وبنى تحتية حيوية لبنانية في الجنوب وعلى امتداد مساحة الوطن. وبالتالي لم […]

By Najia Houssari – arabnews.com — BEIRUT: Lebanese political parties have reacted strongly to a Beirut demonstration on Sunday by the Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP), with the speaker of the Lebanese parliament reiterating the need for a national government on Monday. Chants by SSNP members were “a return to the language of the civil war,” the parties said. The demonstration, authorized by the Ministry of Interior, took place in light of a complex and deadly political stalemate. It also came after four days of raising pictures of Syrian President Bashar Assad, with Syrian workers and refugees, who were cheering Assad, being attacked by some Lebanese citizens. The SSNP demonstration came within the framework of the commemoration of the liberation of southern Lebanon from the Israeli occupation. At the forefront of the celebrating parties was Hezbollah, whose supporters spread in the border areas.

Those groups waved Lebanese and Hezbollah flags, and drove their cars and motorbikes to smash an iron gate bearing an Israeli symbol before travelling to the town of Naqoura. The speaker of the Lebanese parliament, Nabih Berri, warned on Monday that “creating crises on purpose, if it continues without a quick initiative to address them, will topple Lebanon.” Berri called on “the loyalists and the opposition to feel the danger of the fateful stage.” He urged political forces and NGOs “to liberate Lebanon from the complex of choosing personal interests over the interests of the homeland by some people, and recognize that our governmental problem is 100 percent internal.” Berri said: “The only solution is to form a national government, without preconditions, with non-partisan competencies, no obstructing third for anyone, according to the French initiative, and its only program of action should be to restore the confidence of the Lebanese and the Arab brothers in Lebanon.”

By Najia Houssari — arabnews.com — BEIRUT: Economic and entertainment activities have been restarted in Beirut and other Lebanese tourist centers as the number of COVID-19 cases starts to fall. Some hospitals have announced that they will close their COVID-19 departments, and the Follow-up Committee on Coronavirus Preventive Measures has recommended allowing the reopening of cinemas and theaters, provided they only fill 50 percent of their capacity. Restaurants and cafes have also been allowed to extend their opening hours. Last Saturday, for the first time since Aug. 4, tents were set up in the center of Beirut under the banner “Souk Al-Balad,” an initiative started by Association Ardona, with the support of Beirut markets and in cooperation with Solidere Company to encourage small producers to promote their artisanal or agricultural production.

A women’s marathon was held on Beirut’s waterfront on Sunday, organized by the Beirut Marathon Association. During the coming weeks, downtown Beirut will witness numerous entertainment activities, including a children’s fashion show. Adib Al-Naqeeb, director of the marketing department at Solidere, told Arab News: “Beirut markets are now in a state of stagnation as a result of the lockdowns and the port explosion. Because the time is now more encouraging for people to get out of the lockdown, we wanted to host activities that make people happy and restore hope.” Jean Beiruti, secretary-general of the Tourism and Trade Unions Federation, said: “People decided to resist the crises created by the politicians and to move on with their lives, otherwise they may commit mass suicide.” He said: “People reject the situation in which they found themselves. Therefore, we see that with the relaxation of COVID-19 preventive measures, they have returned to restaurants and cafes and to the nightlife, as far as they can afford to. These tourist institutions have decided to price their dollar exchange rate at 5,000 Lebanese pounds to continue operating even though on the black market the exchange rate is more than double amount.”

by NAJIA HOUSSARI — arabnews — BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri said on Saturday that he will not form a Cabinet that simply caters to President Michel Aoun’s wishes. “I will not form a government as the team of the president wants it, or any other political faction,” Hariri told a parliamentary session. The prime minister-designate added that he “will only form the kind of government needed to stop collapse and prevent the big crash that is threatening the Lebanese.” Hariri’s remarks came in response to the president’s letter to parliament calling on MPs search for an alternative to the prime minister-designate. Parliament’s plenary session was broadcast live and lasted for about two hours. Lebanon has been without a government for seven months after Hassan Diab’s resignation as prime minister in the wake of the Beirut port blast which killed more than 200 people last August.

Hariri told parliament that “the truth of what is happening is that the president of the republic tells the deputies in his message: ‘You named a prime minister, I do not want him, and I will not allow him to form a government. Please, get rid of him.’ This is an attempt to absolve the president of the republic from the accusation of obstructing the formation of the government.” The prime minister-designate also said that Aoun sent messages to foreign capitals similar to his letter to parliament “to protect some of those around him and the political team from European sanctions.” He accused Aoun of “wanting us to amend the constitution. If we don’t, he wants to change the constitution in practice without amendment.”

by Joseph Haboush, Al Arabiya English — US and Lebanese officials held the inaugural Defense Resourcing Conference Friday and the State Department announced $120 million in military aid for the Lebanese army. “In this virtual conference, the delegations highlighted the strength of the US-LAF partnership and discussed ways to deepen security cooperation,” the State Department said. Senior Official for Arms Control and International Security C.S. Eliot Kang headed Washington’s delegation while Lebanese army commander General Joseph Aoun led Beirut’s side. The delegations discussed the deteriorating economic, political, and humanitarian conditions affecting the Lebanese people and military, the State Department said. “The US Department of State renewed its commitment to the LAF by announcing $120 million in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) assistance to Lebanon for fiscal year 2021, subject to Congressional notification procedures, representing a $15 million increase over prior-year levels.”

Discussions also took place on ways the US could provide additional aid to the Lebanese army “as it grapples with the economic crises in Lebanon.” Decades of rampant corruption and mismanagement of public funds, coupled with sectarianism and clientelism, have led to unprecedented economic and social crises in Lebanon. Nationwide anti-government protests in 2019 also rocked the country, forcing the collapse of the government. The political elite was then unable to agree on a new government after Hassan Diab stepped down following the Beirut blast in August 2020.

BEIRUT (Reuters) – Scuffles erupted on Thursday between Lebanese and Syrians, who were on their way to cast votes at their embassy in Lebanon in favour of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, as polling abroad began before next week’s presidential election. The voters were driving in a convoy of cars and buses, waving Syrian flags and […]

by middle-east-online.com — BEIRUT – Lebanon, whose currency has collapsed amid a deep financial crisis, is launching a scheme to obtain dollars via banks at a rate similar to levels offered by unofficial dealers. President Michel Aoun said in March that banks would be allowed to handle transactions at market rates, but the central bank […]