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Lebanon parliament discusses state budget after 12-year absence

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BEIRUT, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Lebanese Parliament kicked off Tuesday a 3 day session to discuss the 2017 state budget, the first budget to be discussed since 12 years. At the beginning of the session, the parliament re-elected the current members and heads of parliamentary committees, replacing only MP Elie Aoun with MP Khaled Zahraman on the Youth and Sports Committee, before moving on to discuss the 2017 draft state budget. Speaker Nabih Berri commended the committee for its hard work at the beginning of the session before Head of Parliament's Finance and Budget Committee Ibrahim Kanaan began the budget-focused talks, explaining that the budget draft law included 76 articles divided into four chapters. Kanaan said Parliament's Finance and Budget Committee had held 42 sessions between April 25 and Aug. 28 to work on the draft law. Entering Parliament before the session, Prime Minister Saad Hariri described the session to discuss the budget as an achievement that all Lebanese could expect to see the fruits of. Hariri and Berri reportedly held a meeting before the session commenced. Tuesday's session is the first of three successive legislative sessions, which have been slated for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in order to elect members of parliamentary committees and begin debating the 2017 draft state budget in a bid to ratify the country's first fiscal plan in 12 years. Tuesday marks the beginning of Parliament's regular sessions, which will run until Dec. 31. The inauguration of these sessions has ended the extraordinary parliamentary period.

Elie Saab says not considering IPO

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by arabianbusiness.com - Prominent Lebanese designer Elie Saab said he is not considering an Initial Public Offering (IPO) for his multi-million dollar fashion house. However, Saab said he would consider equity injection in order to fuel the group's ongoing expansion plans. Speaking to Arabian Business, the designer said he has “a lot” of plans for his luxury brand including expansion plans in US cities such as Los Angeles and Miami. While the Middle East remains one of the brand’s main markets, it is Europe and the US where its sales are strongest, according to the designer. The designer opened his first US flagship store in New York in February this year. According to Saab, his long term vision for the brand is to build it on a strong foundation that will allow it to remain strong for future generations. Other expansion plans include a three-storey shop in Geneva set to open this year, as well as a seasonal store in winter ski resort Courchevel.

Fifty-three-year-old Saab has been making and selling dresses since he was 11 years old, having had a large client following in Lebanon. He quickly shot to fame in Hollywood in 2002 when he dressed award-winning actress Halle Barry for the 74th Academy Awards. Since then, his dresses have been frequently worn on red carpets by some of the world’s most famous celebrities and royals including Meryl Street, Angelina Jolie and Queen Rania of Jordan.

Syrian Refugees Should Return to Calmer Areas: Lebanon President

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BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon can no longer handle vast numbers of Syrian refugees, its president said on Monday, urging world powers to help them return to the calmer parts of their war-torn homeland. More than six years into the Syrian war, 1.5 million refugees who fled the violence now account for a quarter of Lebanon's population. Lebanese President Michel Aoun told international envoys he wanted to find ways for them to return safely but would not force people back to places where they could face persecution. "My country cannot handle it anymore," Aoun told representatives of the European Union, the Arab League and the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council at a meeting in Beirut, his media office said.

The long-term presence of refugees is a particularly sensitive issue in Lebanon where some politicians say the influx of mainly Sunni Syrians might destabilize the delicate sectarian balance with Christians, Shi'ite Muslims and others. As the Syrian government regains more territory from rebels and militants, calls have increased in Lebanon for Syrians to return. A series of ceasefire deals has reduced fighting to some extent in parts of western Syria. But rights groups have warned against forcing people back to a country still at war, and refugees have often said they fear facing arrest or conscription into the army. The U.N. refugee agency does not yet consider Syria safe for refugee to return to. Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri has said there can be no forced returns. Aoun told the envoys there were parts of Syria not currently at war and territory where calm has returned, a spokesman said. "The return of displaced to stable and low-tension areas must be carried out without attaching it to reaching a political solution," the president's Twitter account said. Aoun said it was in the everyone's interest to solve the refugee crisis so that political, economic and social problems in Lebanon do not get out of hand. Officials at the meeting thanked Lebanon for its generosity in hosting refugees. "They expressed their full understanding of the concerns that are being voiced," a statement from the envoys said. "A return of refugees to their country of origin must take place in safety, dignity and voluntarily, in accordance with principles of international law," it said. (Reporting by Lisa Barrington and Tom Perry; Editing by Richard Balmforth and Robin Pomeroy)

Pope Francis, Lebanese prime minister discuss Middle East

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Pope Francis meets with Lebanese prime minister Saad Hariri and his wife, Lara Bashir Al Azem, at the Vatican, Oct. 13, 2017. Credit: L'Osservatore Romano.

Pope Francis meets with Lebanese prime minister Saad Hariri and his wife, Lara Bashir Al Azem

by Hannah Brockhaus Vatican City, Oct 13, 2017 / 11:21 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis and the prime minister of Lebanon, Saad Rafic Hariri, discussed Friday the current situation in the Middle East and Lebanon, which has received a large number of refugees from Syria. According to an Oct. 13 statement from the Vatican, the meeting took place “in an atmosphere of great cordiality,” which enabled a productive discussion of various issues in Lebanon and the Middle East. Among these, the two expressed hope for “increasingly fruitful collaboration between the various political powers” in support of the common good of the nation.

They also focused on the importance of the Christian presence in the Middle East and the “historic and institutional role of the Church in the life of the country.” In the half-hour meeting, Francis and Hariri spoke about the need to find a “just and comprehensive solution” to conflicts in the region and Pope Francis also expressed his appreciation for the welcome Lebanon has shown to refugees fleeing Syria and other countries of the Middle East. Now more politically stable, before Oct. 2016 and the election of President Michel Aoun, the Lebanese parliament was under a 29-month deadlock to choose the next president. Bordered by Syria to the north and east, and Israel to the south, the situation in Lebanon is closely tied to that of the Middle East.

The country has welcomed the largest number of refugees per capita, which now represent an estimated one quarter of the country's 4.5 million population. In an effort to keep refugees from overwhelming any one area of the country, Lebanon has banned formal refugee camps, but already in some Lebanese towns there are now more Syrians than native Lebanese. In Lebanon, Christians make up about 41 percent of the population, and Muslims, evenly divided between Sunnis and Shiites, around 54 perecent. Maronite Catholics are the largest Christian group. In the meeting the Pope and Prime Minister also conversed on the importance of interreligious and intercultural dialogue, as well as the value of collaboration between Christians and Muslims in promoting peace and justice. Francis gave Hariri a gift of an olive branch sculpture, symbolizing peace. On his part, the Prime Minister gave Francis a silver necklace with a cross. As is usual for heads of state, following his meeting with Francis, the Prime Minister also met with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Secretary for Relations with States Msgr. Paul Richard Gallagher.

Christians facing worst persecution in history, report says

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by catholicherald.co.uk/ Christians today face worse persecution than at any time in history, yet the UN and the international community are largely ignoring them, a new report says. ‘Persecuted and Forgotten?’ by the UK office of Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) says the persecution of Christians reached a new high between 2015 and 2017, as groups such as ISIS and Boko Haram stepped up attacks. The report accuses the international community of failing to respond adequately to the violence, stating: “Governments in the West and the UN failed to offer Christians in countries such as Iraq and Syria the emergency help they needed as genocide got underway. “If Christian organisations and other institutions had not filled the gap, the Christian presence could already have disappeared in Iraq and other parts of the Middle East.”

As well as Iraq and Syria, Christians are under increasing threat in several major Islamic countries, as well as under authoritarian regimes such as North Korea and Eritrea. John Pontifex, who edited the report, said: “In terms of the numbers of people involved, the gravity of the crimes committed and their impact, it is clear that the persecution of Christians is today worse than at any time in history. “Not only are Christians more persecuted than any other faith group, but ever-increasing numbers are experiencing the very worst forms of persecution.” Researchers focused on 13 countries, providing an overview of the state of religious freedom for the country’s various denominations. In China, for example, Christians have come under increasing pressure as authorities try to force their religion to conform to Communist ideals. More than 2,000 churches have been demolished in the coastal province of Zhejiang, and police are still routinely detaining clergy. Christians have also been disproportionately affected by Islamist violence in the Middle East. In Iraq, more than half of the country’s Christian population became internal refugees, while Syria’s second city of Aleppo, which until 2011 was home to the largest Christian community, saw numbers dropping from 150,000 to barely 35,000 by spring 2017 – a fall of more than 75 per cent. Local Church leaders in the Middle East have repeatedly said that they feel forgotten by the international community. A number of bishops have accused the UN of overlooking the needs of displaced Christians, despite pledging to deliver aid “neutrally and impartially”. Extremism is also a growing problem in Africa – particularly in Nigeria where Boko Haram have displaced more than 1.8 million. In one diocese alone – Kafanchan – within five years, 988 people had been killed, and 71 Christian-majority villages had been destroyed, as well as 2,712 homes and 20 churches. “The pervasive nature of persecution – and evidence implicating regimes with whom the West has close trading and strategic links – mean that it behoves our governments to use their influence to stand up for minorities, especially Christians. “No longer should Christians be sacrificed on the altar of strategic expediency and economic advantage.”

Lebanese candidate quits UNESCO race

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by Daily Star - Sam Brennan BEIRUT: The Lebanese candidate for UNESCO director-general dropped out of the contentious electoral race Thursday, as the U.S. and Israel declared their withdrawal from the agency itself. Vera El-Khoury Lacoeuilhe voluntarily dropped out of the election ahead of the fourth round of voting in Paris Thursday night. “The elections were very politicized. [They had] nothing to do with culture and education,” Lacoeuilhe told The Daily Star. “We campaigned on substance and ideas. Politics were always present in these elections but [I’ve] never seen anything like this.” Speaking on local news station MTV after her withdrawal, Lacoeuilhe thanked the Lebanese government and people for supporting the campaign. “There are still a lot of battles and Lebanon is raising its head high,” Lacoeuilhe said, adding that “we had the best campaign, everyone has attested to this. [The election] was politicized in a way that we have never seen before. This will not help stability anywhere in the world.”

The Lebanese diplomat added that candidates from Arab states had aimed to close ranks around one of their number from the region. This is despite the tensions between the Egypt and Qatar, which have both fielded candidates. The roots of the divide stem from the Gulf crisis in which Egypt and three other Arab countries severed ties with Qatar in June this year. The director-general position was unofficially slated to be filled by a candidate from the Middle East, as it is the only region that has never been represented in the post. The agency has, however, recently been a theater for political disputes tied to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, causing some commentators to contend that electing a head from an Arab nation would intensify, rather than ease, tensions.

The remaining candidates after the fourth round of voting represent Qatar, France and Egypt. Qatari candidate Hamad bin Abdulaziz al-Kawari won 22 votes in the latest round, with France’s Audrey Azoulay and Egypt’s Moushira Khattab drawing 18 votes each. Kawari and Azoulay were neck and neck after the third round. The fourth round result requires an eliminating ballot from the 58-member UNESCO Executive Board restricted to the tied candidates in order to produce two contenders for the final vote. This ballot is scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday in Paris; the final and fifth vote will follow at 6:30 p.m.

As the contentious election was underway, the U.S. announced its withdrawal from the agency.Following the U.S. statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would follow suit. “[Netanyahu] welcomed the decision by President [Donald] Trump to withdraw from UNESCO. This is a courageous and moral decision because UNESCO has become the theater of the absurd and because instead of preserving history it distorts it,” a statement from Netanyahu’s media office said. The U.S. withdrawal will go into effect on Dec. 31.

Netflix’s first Middle East production will bring the laughs with Adel Karam

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By Christine Persaud - digitaltrends.com Netflix will be launching its first original production in the Middle East, and it will be a stand-up special with Lebanese comedian and actor Adel Karam. The still-to-be-named comedy special will be produced by Creative Arab Talent and will see Karam deliver his comedy stylings, which cover everything from relationships to social issues that Arabs often face. It will showcase Karam’s “distinctly Arab blend of smart, sarcastic humor,” Netflix said in a statement. The event will be filmed in Karam’s hometown of Beirut, at the Casino du Liban, which will mark the comedian’s first appearance there. The special is expected to launch to Netflix users around the world sometime in 2018.“I am very happy and excited to be a part of Netflix’s first original production to be produced in the Middle East,” Karam said in a statement. “It is a great honor and privilege and I can’t wait to embark on this new adventure.”

Netflix’s Vice President of International Originals Erik Barmack calls Karam “a very strong voice in comedy. We are extremely excited to collaborate with him, and can’t wait for the local audience, who have a deep appreciation of comedy, to watch the show, as well as to introduce him to our global audience.” In addition to appearing on many late night talk shows, Karam has also acted in a handful of Lebanese movies like the 2007 romantic-comedy film Caramel, and, most recently, as the lead character Tony in the 2017 drama The Insult, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival, and follows the media circus surrounding a Lebanese Christian (Karam) and Palestinian refugee in court.

Karam is the latest among a number of international comedians that are offering specials on Netflix, including Gad Elmaleh, a Moroccan French stand-up comedian; English comedian Jack Whitehall; and Beppe Grillo, who hails from Italy. Netflix currently offers a large roster of stand-up specials, including many from high-profile American comedians as well, like Jerry Seinfeld, Dave Chappelle, and Dana Carvey — we’ve rounded up some of the best stand-up routines on Netflix to help get you started. Other comedians will also mark their returns to stand-up, using Netflix as the preferred medium for their via specials, including Ellen DeGeneres and Chris Rock. Netflix has been giving comedy serious attention with some of its latest acquisitions and originals, including not only traditional sitcom-like series, such as Grace and Frankie and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, as well as stand-up routines like those mentioned above, but in other formats as well. Iconic comedian and actor Carol Burnett, for example, will mark her return to television with a child-oriented talk show called A Little Help With Carol Burnett that will launch in 2018.