NNA – Caretaker Minister of the Displaced, Issam Sharafeddine, visited today the Syrian state, accompanied by a Lebanese Democratic Party delegation, where they met with the Minister of Local Administration and Environment, Hussein Makhlouf, in charge of the displaced Syrians' dossier, and Interior Minister, Major General Mohammad al-Rahmoun. Talks centered on the plan set by Minister Sharafeddine to ensure a safe, dignified and voluntary return of the displaced Syrians to their homes, and the measures taken by the Syrian side to provide a safe and quick return for them according to specific timetables agreed upon by both sides.

Makhlouf confirmed in a statement after the meeting, that "there is a consensus in the vision between the Syrian and Lebanese sides regarding the return of all refugees, not just 15,000 displaced persons per month, as stated in the plan presented by the Lebanese side," noting that "the amnesty decrees that were issued included all Syrians, in addition to facilitating and simplifying procedures in the border areas and providing services for returnees, including transportation, relief, humanitarian aid, medical care, education and others, to provide them with a safe and comfortable stay.” "One of the priorities of the Syrian state is to create conditions for the return of all Syrians to their homes and to rehabilitate the infrastructure in the areas liberated by the Syrian Arab Army," Makhlouf asserted. He added: “What the state has done in this context allowed the return of five million displaced Syrians, including one million displaced from abroad and four million from the inside...They have become stable in their areas with full services being provided." "Syrians in Lebanon and in any other country are invited to return," Makhlouf reiterated. He called on the United Nations organizations to be "an active partner in the return of the displaced, especially that the Syrian side is open to cooperation with the Lebanese side and others to facilitate the return of all the displaced and to have an active role in the reconstruction."

by english.sawtbeirut.com — In his Sunday sermon from Diman, Maronite Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi said that Lebanon cannot live in accordance …

NNA – Free Patriotic Movement Chief, MP Gebran Bassil, stressed Saturday on the factor of “representation” as being the foremost characteristic of the future president of the republic. “The position of the president is linked to his powers and characteristics, particularly his representation,” he said, emphasizing that “the first and most important factor is his real and natural representation, i.e. his actual representation of the people,” which is embodied by a parliamentary bloc and a ministerial bloc that supports him and increases the strength of his powers and position. “Without this, the president would lose much of this power,” deemed Bassil. His words came following his visit to Al-Diman this afternoon, where he held a two-hour closed meeting with Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, touching on the latest developments prevailing in the country.

Bassil continued to stress that "the president of the republic must be part of his environment and its conscience, and a good representative of it,” while emphasizing that “he is the president of all the Lebanese, so he must enjoy the endorsement of the majority of the Lebanese.” “The decision on this issue must be in the first place with the actual representatives, and this is an occasion for Bkirki to take any possible initiative and we support it in carrying out its endeavors,” the MP went on. “Today, as you know, is the season of specifications, with the bazaar on specifications including the future president’s character, patriotism, humanity, competence, understanding, knowledge...as well as his concept of the state and the state’s monetary and financial economy in this circumstance and his ability to communicate abroad and internally,” Bassil continued. “However, the first and foremost characteristic, I would even say the last and most important, is representation; otherwise, why democracy or the elections?” he reiterated.

by english.alaraby.co.uk -- Lebanon saw an outpouring of sympathy on Thursday for an unlikely recipient: a bank robber and hostage-taker. Bassam Al-Sheikh Hussein entered a Federal Bank of Lebanon branch in Beirut and pulled out a shotgun when he was told he could not access the money in his bank account he needed to fund life-saving medical care for his family. He resorted to holding six bank employees hostage to gain access to his life savings. Though his methods were shocking, people gathered outside the bank and online expressed compassion for the 42-year-old, who they said was pushed to violence by Lebanon's endemic corruption.

What happened?

Hussein entered a Federal Bank of Lebanon branch in the Hamra neighbourhood of west Beirut just before noon on Thursday. He demanded $200,000, from his own bank account. When employees refused the request, Hussein began screaming that his relatives were in hospital and pulled out a gun, according to videos circulating on social media. The 42-year-old threatened to set himself on fire unless he was allowed to take his money. Six hostages were stuck in the building, including one customer and five employees, Reuters reported. The stand-off ended after six hours with the hostage-taker in police custody after he was promised $300,000 of his savings. No one was hurt. Dozens of protesters gathered to support Hussein amid the hostage-taking situation, exclaiming that corrupt politicians and bankers had pushed individuals to the brink. "For the Lebanese people and for the depositors, this man is a hero," Hassan Moghnieh from the Lebanese Depositors Association told Al Jazeera. "His father is in the hospital. The bank is giving him 8 million (Lebanese pounds) per month, which means less than 300 dollars while he is paying for electricity 10 million a month. How can he survive? How can he survive?", he asked.

According to the Lebanese Depositors' Union, the father of the gunman requires $50,000 for medical treatment. Hussein was only able to withdraw $1,000 from his account over the last three years due to strict withdrawal limits in Lebanon, despite having around $209,000 in deposits. "Riad Salameh, any drop of blood that falls inside is on you," said the crowd of protesters, referring to the widely-condemned central bank governor who Lebanese accused of enriching himself and his friends while normal citizens suffer.