By Kareem Chehayeb -- middleeasteye.net -- Lebanon's Michel Aoun said on Monday he'd take the Covid-19 vaccine, hours after his spokesman told Middle East Eye the president had not decided whether to take it or not. The issue had become a hot topic in the country after al-Jumhurriah newspaper reported Aoun would refuse to take the vaccine and as healthcare officials attempt to tackle disinformation and conspiracy theories about the pandemic. "The President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, will receive the vaccine against corona, in contrast to what was published today in the media and social media," Aoun's twitter account said on Monday. Earlier, his spokesman told MEE: "The president has not taken a decision yet," noting that the vaccine was not going to be rolled out in Lebanon until February anyway.

Other political officials, including Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri and Speaker Nabih Berri, have not yet commented on the matter. Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah said in an interview on Al-Mayadeen television that he would refer to his doctors' advice regarding the vaccine, but would "definitely not" take what he called "the American vaccine". Dr Firass Abiad, who heads the government-run Rafic Hariri University Hospital, told MEE that public officials needed to step up, endorse the vaccine and counter disinformation about it. "We need people with moral, social, scientific, and even religious authority coming up and endorsing the vaccine, to start some kind of a wave of acceptance," he said. "Unfortunately, up until now, we see that a lot of the people doing the talking are the sceptics with [only] some individual authorities fighting back."

BY AMY-MAE TURNER -- Mashable.com -- We're huge fans of Wikipedia. The nonprofit organization represents the largest collection of knowledge collaboratively accumulated in one place — ever. While the concept of a free, community-managed, online encyclopedia had been around for some time, Wikipedia, as we know it now, officially began with its first edit on Jan. 15, 2001, two days after the domain was registered by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger. Whether over the last 20 years you've used Wikipedia for study or for work, to satisfy random bursts of curiosity, to settle arguments, or to cheat at Zoom quiz nights, we're all indebted to the amazing free service. In order to celebrate Wikipedia's 20th anniversary, we're sharing 20-plus facts about the free encyclopedia that you never knew you never knew...

1. Wikipedia's stats are jaw-dropping. It currently has more than 55 million articles across more than 300 languages.

2. There are more than 280,000 editors who take time to contribute to Wikipedia every month.

by AFP -- Lebanon’s army said it had arrested eight people after a dispute led a group of Lebanese nationals to set fire to an informal refugee settlement in the country’s north. The army said on Sunday it “arrested two Lebanese nationals and six Syrians over a personal dispute … between a number of Lebanese men and Syrian workers,” according to a statement. “The Lebanese men fired bullets in the air and torched the tents of Syrian refugees,” it added, without elaborating on the cause of the altercation. The fire on Saturday night tore through the tented shelters of some 75 families near the town of Bhanine in the north Lebanon Miniyeh region, leaving only a charred wasteland. The camp’s more than 370 residents were forced to flee, according to the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR), and at least four people were taken to hospital for injuries The National News Agency (NNA) reported that the fire followed an “altercation” between a member of a Lebanese family and “Syrian workers”. Other youths from the Lebanese family then “set fire to some of the refugees’ tents”, the NNA added. The Lebanese Civil Defence worked to control the blaze while the army and police were deployed to restore calm, according to the report. A security source told AFP shots were heard, saying the fight in the Bhanine area was set off when Syrian workers demanded a wage which their employers refused to pay.

by pinkvilla.com -- Let us find out what 2021 - 2022 has in store for Astrology, Horoscopes and your zodiac sign.

Aries: You are going to make an impact on the environment in 2021 as you know and are aware of human’s disastrous effect on the planet. You are going to lose some old friends and make new friends that might spark up a romance in your life. If you are already in a relationship, you might think of this as a good time to introduce your partner to your friends and connect on a deeper level. Aries, this year is all about establishing a deeper connection with friends, lovers and the planet.

Taurus: Things that were put on hold this year will finally come into action in 2021. This year is going to be massive for you with lots of beginnings in your career, love life and health. You will be working on projects, you will expand your reach professionally, so, taking calculative risks is wise. Stay open to experimenting when it comes to your life as you might end up in an unexpected relationship that will blossom into something fruitful next year.

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