By Najia Hassari -- arabnews.com -- BEIRUT: Lebanon’s security services seized over 1 million Captagon pills hidden in a shipment of grapes at Beirut port, it was announced on Saturday. Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi said that the illicit haul was heading to Kuwait via Sudan, and that investigations are underway to “pursue the dealers.” Lebanese authorities insist they have stepped up efforts to combat the illegal trade in Captagon after Gulf states, led by Saudi Arabia, issued warnings about a rise in the number of attempts to smuggle the stimulant. In 2021, the Kingdom suspended fruit and vegetable imports from Lebanon after seizing more than 5 million Captagon pills hidden in a shipment of pomegranate bound for the country. Authorities said that in the past six years, there have been attempts to smuggle up to 600 million narcotic pills from Lebanon to Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, calm returned to Lebanese streets after at least five customers using pellet guns or toy weapons stormed banks across the cash-strapped country on Friday demanding access to withheld savings.

The Association of Banks in Lebanon said it was closing all branches for three days to protest against the attacks and protect banking staff. However, there are fears of widening chaos if protesters take to the streets following the banks’ closure next week. One political observer, who declined to be named, said: “Depositors are storming banks, people are carrying weapons, individual fights are turning into armed clashes, while families and clans are firing at each other in rural areas, even in villages affiliated with Hezbollah.” Security services are all but powerless to act because their members are “suffering under the economic collapse just like everyone else,” the observer said. In an already febrile atmosphere, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah condemned a recent amendment in the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force deployed along the border with Israel.

by AFP -- The choreographer leading a Lebanese dance troupe that shot to fame by winning the 'America's Got Talent' TV contest castigated Lebanese politicians and called for revolution upon landing back in Beirut Friday. Dozens of relatives offered the Mayyas troupe flowers at Beirut airport while thousands of Lebanese were glued to their televisions to catch a glimpse of the performers who filled them with pride and joy in a country wrecked by nearly three years of economic crisis. "We don't need you (politicians), Mayyas made Lebanon proud without your help" choreographer Nadim Cherfan told AFP at Beirut's airport, echoing the frustration of many Lebanese who blame the political class for the country's woes. His comment came as a snub to top Lebanese politicians who had praised the group -- including the country's president and prime minister.

Amid Lebanon's worst-ever economic crisis, the national currency has lost more than 90 percent of its value on the black market since 2019 while poverty and unemployment have soared. In a reflection of deep popular discontent, five banks were stormed Friday by depositors seeking to unlock savings frozen in the banking system after the economy crumbled. "People should break all the banks, shake up the country and turn the table over politicians’ heads," Cherfan said. Mayyas this week snatched a $1 million prize and the chance to headline a Las Vegas show for their extravagant television performance featuring belly dancing, feather fans and white orbs of light. Judges and viewers hailed the troupe for their hypnotic and mesmerising performances -- despite enduring hardships at home that include long daily power cuts.

By Elsa Maishman -- bbc.com -- Banks in Lebanon will close for three days next week after a string of raids by customers demanding access to their frozen savings. A woman armed with a toy gun staged a hold-up at a bank on Wednesday to pay for family medical bills. Several copycat raids around the country have followed, with reports of at least five on Friday. Security forces were deployed to a bank in the capital Beirut as a crowd gathered during one such attempt. Details of the situation at the Blom Bank branch are unclear.

Witnesses told AFP that a shop owner struggling to pay debts had demanded access to his savings, but was thought to be unarmed. He was locked inside the bank with police officers, they said. Lebanon is in a severe economic crisis, with more than 80% of the population struggling to afford food and medicine. Banks have limited withdrawals of dollars since 2019, when the value of the Lebanese pound plummeted and inflation soared. A woman held staff hostage at a bank in Beirut on Wednesday, saying she needed to withdraw savings to pay for her sister's cancer treatment. She left with $13,000 (£11,000). It is not clear if she was arrested. In one similar event on Friday, a man threatened staff at a bank in Ghaziyeh with a gun, which may have been a toy. He was given $19,000 (£16,500), but turned himself in to police as a crowd gathered outside the bank to support him. As the number of raids snowballed on Friday, Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi called for an emergency meeting. Banks will close for three days from Monday, the Association of Banks in Lebanon said. The raids have mostly drawn support from the general public, and have been seen as acts of desperation by people who do not have criminal records and are trying to settle bills.

سجعان قزي

@AzziSejean

ليس الغيابُ أن تغادرَ هذا العالم، بل أنْ يُغادرَك الناسُ، حيًّا كنتَ في عَجقةِ الحياةِ، أو ميتًا في سكينةِ ملكوتِ السماوات. الأُلفَةُ هي البقاءُ، والرِفقةُ هي الأزَلُ. ومراسِمُ الغيابِ، بالتالي، احتفالٌ مَجازِيٌّ لأخْذِ العلم. هذا المفهومُ يُعطي عبارةَ "بشير حيٌّ فينا" أبعادَها الفلسفيّةَ والوِجدانيّة. وبشير "الحيُّ فينا" صار بعدَ أربعينَ سنةً ذخيرةً وطنيّةً لكلِّ مُحبّيه؛ إليها يَتوجَّهون كلّما لاحَ خَطْبٌ أو جَفَّ نَبعُ القادةِ أو تاقوا إلى مجدٍ مَليح. لا يُصبحُ إنسانٌ ذخيرةَ شعبٍ، مهما كان مقامُه المدنيُّ أو الدينيُّ، ما لم يَتحَلَّ بالوفاءِ وفي حالٍ استثنائيّةٍ استوقَفَت التاريخَ فاصْطَفاها. والّذين يُتابعون التنقيبَ عن ظاهرةِ بشير الجميّل ليَحَسِموا موقفَهم منه، طبيعيٌّ أن يأخذوا وقتَهم، فتحديدُ موقِفٍ من العظماءِ جدليّةٌ تاريخيّةٌ لا تَستقرُّ إلّا بعدَ تفكيرٍ طويلٍ وعميق.

كان لهذه الذخيرةِ أن تَنموَ أكثرَ وتَنتشرَ في مختلَفِ البيئاتِ لو أنّ الّذين احتَضنوا ذكرى بشير الجميّل طَرحوا قضيّتَه من موقِعٍ وطنيٍّ يَتعدّى الحزبيّاتِ والطوائف، ولم يَحصِروا الرجلَ في المرحلةِ التي كان فيها فريقًا، وكانت مليئةً بذنوبِ الحربِ إلى جانبِ إنجازاتِ المقاومةِ العظيمة. فإذا شكّلَ بشير لأنصارِه المباشَرين مثالَ القائدِ المقاوِم، فشَكّلَ للعمومِ نَموذجَ الحاكمِ القويِّ والنزيهِ والإصلاحيِّ والشُجاع. كمُقاوِمٍ انتصَر على أخصامِه، وكحاكِمٍ مُنتخَبٍ انتصر على الفسادِ وغيّرَ ذِهنيّةَ المجتمع، ولو رَدْحًا من الزمن. كان التغييرُ جُزءًا تكوينيًّا في شخصيّةِ بشير الذاتيّة والوطنيّة. وكانت الكرامةُ مِعيارَ علاقتِه بالآخرين. آهٍ لو تَعلمون كَم سفراءَ دولٍ كبرى طردَهم بشير من مكتبِه لأنّهم طرحوا عليه تسوياتٍ على حسابِ لبنان.