The gift card — what you get someone when you typically can’t think of what to buy — has suddenly become one …

by TAREK ALI AHMAD -- arabnews.com -- LONDON: In 2005 and at the young age of 23, Nayla Tueini’s whole world virtually turned on its head. The young journalist was catapulted from undergoing a month-long training program at French newspaper Le Figaro, to being prepped to take over and lead one of the biggest Lebanese dailies, Annahar, after her father — renowned editor and publisher Gebran Tueini — was killed in a car bombing in the Mkalles suburb of Beirut. “It was a big challenge because I was a young woman starting. I was in the middle of people with 30, 40, 50 years’ experience, and they were saying, ‘Who is she? She doesn’t know anything. She’s just a young girl … trying to have fun’,” Nayla told Arab News. Fifteen years later, at 38, she has been chosen as Media Personality of the Year at the 2020 Arab Media Forum, held virtually from Dubai, for her strong and steady leadership of Annahar through what has been described as Lebanon’s worst year ever.

In 2020, the country experienced an unprecedented financial crisis, devaluation of the local currency, the coronavirus pandemic, the Aug. 4 blast at the Port of Beirut and ongoing political corruption. The blast shattered the newspaper’s glass-facade headquarters, which stands not 700 meters from the port. “Having 30 injured people, blood around you, all the glass, everything … it was worse than the war,” Nayla said. “It was a difficult year.”

by catholicweekly.com.au -- The Maronite Eparchy of Australia and Caritas Lebanon have launched a “Lebanese Family Appeal” to address massive poverty and social dislocation in the nation in the aftermath of August’s tragic explosion in the Port of Beirut. A monthly contribution of $50 for twelve months or a once-off $600 payment can provide basic food necessities for a small family in Lebanon for one year, a statement by Bishop Tarabay said. Lebanon’s situation is dire. The 4 August explosion magnified the devastation of the implosion of the Lebanese economy and government earlier in the year and has led to hundreds of thousands of Lebanese now counted as homeless. Meanwhile, the 6.8-million strong nation is host to an estimated 1.5 million Syrian refugees, 75 per cent of whom have no legal status. On a per capita basis, Lebanon hosts more refugees than any other nation on earth.

The impact of the August explosion in the Port of Beirut has and will continue to exacerbate the grim economic and food security situation in Lebanon,” Bishop Tarabay said. “Prior to the explosion, the country had already been going through the worst economic crisis in its history, whilst having to deal with the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak, leaving more families vulnerable and unable to meet their daily needs. “This amount of $50 per month will help a small family provide necessities. “We aim to sponsor 500 families unable to meet their daily needs, profiles of whom have been provided by Caritas Lebanon.” Bishop Tarabay said donors can choose to select a specific family profile or contribute to a family randomly selected based on its urgent need. Contributions can be made via the designated envelopes and forms, available through Maronite Parishes and or via the Eparchy’s website.

by AFP — BEIRUT: Israeli missile strikes on Syria killed at least six Iran-backed fighters on Friday, a war monitor said. The …