by middleeastmonitor.com -- A British-Lebanese man has cycled 4,200 kilometres from London to Beirut to raise money to support victims of the devastating blast that rocked the capital city. Nearly 200 people were killed and 300,000 were left homeless after the 4 August explosion which could be felt as far away as Cyprus. Horrified at images from the scene, 38-year-old Eddie El-Lamaa felt compelled to do something to help. The father of three, who moved to the UK from Lebanon with his parents in 1985, embarked on the challenge to cycle to Lebanon, a journey he completed in 40 days. “It was like a mammoth of a task. Even professional cyclists were saying ‘look don’t do it.’ Even speaking to the people at the bike shop were looking at me like I was mad.” El-Lamaa didn’t own a road bike prior to the challenge and had not cycled since he was a teen. However, he successfully pedalled 4,200 kilometres through nine countries in Europe including France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria and Turkey, before taking a ferry to Tripoli, Lebanon, and reaching his final destination. “I didn’t know how long it would take, how many miles it was. I didn’t even own a road bike at the time. I’m not a professional cyclist.”

By Razmig Bedirian -- thenational.ae --Kevork Hadjian, an Armenian-Lebanese opera singer, has died while fighting on the Nagorno-Karabakh frontline. He was 49. Reports of his death first began circulating on social media on Wednesday, October 7. However, it is believed that Hadjian was killed in battle the day before. Hadjian was a member of a regiment of volunteers led by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation – an Armenian nationalist and socialist political party that is also active in Syria and Lebanon. The platoon had been fighting alongside the Artsakh Defence Corps and managed to overrun Azerbaijani positions on the Varangatagh (Lulasaz) height shortly after Hadjian was killed.

Who was Kevork Hadjian?

Born in Anjar, in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, in 1971, Hadjian’s musical prowess was evident from an early age. “He would sing the songs of Sayat Nova when he was just a few years old,” Nancy Hajian, a cousin of Hadjian says, referencing the 18th-century Armenian poet and musician. “The entire family was known for their powerful singing. Even his brother and three sisters have remarkable voices.” Hadjian attended Anjar’s Harach and Calouste Gulbenkian Primary School before being accepted at the Holy Sea of Cilicia’s Zarehian Seminary in Antelias, a town to the north of Beirut. “He would sing sometimes between classes,” Father Aram Deyirmendjian, the parish priest of the Armenian Church in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, says. “We grew up in the same neighbourhood in Anjar and then studied together in Antelias. We often spoke about music, even up to his final days.”

by gov.uk -- During his visit to the United Kingdom at the invitation of the UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter, Lebanese Army Commander General Joseph Aoun alongside General Sir Carter met with Rear Admiral Simon Asquith, Commander Operations for the Royal Navy, Mr David Quarrey, the Prime Minister’s International Affairs Adviser and Deputy National Security Adviser, and other senior Defence and security officials. The visit was an opportunity to appreciate the UK’s support to Lebanon and its army. Discussions focused on UK support to the LAF and ways to expand the partnership to fight terrorism and support land and sea border security. Discussions also covered the LAF’s role in protecting human rights and the right to peaceful protest, and the importance of the LAF upholding the highest standards and being transparent as a general principle in implementing all his missions. At the end of the visit Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter said:

The Lebanese and UK Armed Forces have a long and proud history of working together. As part of today’s visit we discussed how best we can continue to build on our Defence relationship. Our personnel continue to serve and train alongside each other and we remain committed to providing support in the region on countering extremism and reinforcing border security. Lebanese Army Commander General Joseph Aoun expressed his deep thanks to his British counterpart for his invitation, reiterating the strong relationship between both armies and expressed his confidence in continuing cooperation in the interest of the two friendly countries: This visit is to thank the United Kingdom for its effective participation in supporting border security, and to reinforce cooperation and work towards continued support to the Lebanese Armed Forces amidst the huge challenges facing it, especially in fighting terrorism and border security.

by ttnworldwide.com -- Lebanon-based Middle East Airlines (MEA) said it has taken delivery of Airbus’ A320 Family aircraft with manufacturer serial number 10,000 from the Airbus' base in Toulouse. This is the third A321neo aircraft to join the all Airbus MEA fleet, thus taking its total to 18 aircraft. The Lebanese carrier received its first A321neo aircraft earlier this year and will be taking another six A321neos over the coming months. The handover of the aircraft took place in Toulouse in the presence of Mohamad El Hout, Chairman and Director General of MEA. Speaking on the occasion, El Hout said: "We are honoured to receive the state of the art A321neo with its distinctive serial number 10,000 coinciding with the 75th anniversary of Middle East Airlines and specially after receiving MSN5,000 back in 2012." "Since we first acquired an A320 Family aircraft in 2003, we have not only benefited from the outstanding operational efficiency of the aircraft but were also the first airline to introduce the wide-body cabin product on a single-aisle aircraft which has become a trend in the airline industry afterwards," he stated.

The new A321neo is powered by Pratt & Whitney’s PurePower PW1100G-JM geared turbofan engines and is configured in a comfortable two-class layout with 28 seats in Business and 132 seats in Economy Class. It is also equipped with the latest generation in-flight entertainment system and high-speed connectivity. Incorporating the latest engines, aerodynamic advances, and cabin innovations, the A321neo offers a reduction in fuel consumption of 20% as well as a 50% noise reduction. "Unfortunately, due to the current situation in Lebanon, this time we will not be able to celebrate the delivery of the MSN10,000 in Beirut, as we did with the MSN5,000, but I am sure that in these challenging circumstances, it is a ray of light, hope and motivation to surpass our nation’s difficulties," he added.