Lebanon, Brazil to boost trade ties

(MENAFN) Mohamed Choucair, head of the Chamber of Commerce, stressed the significance of eliminate all the difficulties that stand against the process of exporting Lebanese goods to Brazil shop. Choucair said, "The presence of Lebanese businessmen in Brazil, already facilitates the increase in trade between the two countries, but more efforts should be done, to promote Lebanese products in Brazil." Choucair's stated that, during his coference with President of the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Rubens Hanoun. The purpose of the meeting was to support and foster bilateral relations between Lebanon and Brazil.

Child dies as migrant boat capsizes off Lebanese coast

BEIRUT, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- A group of the maritime Lebanese army rescued Saturday 30 Syrian refugees trying to escape Lebanon illegally off Akkar shore, local media reported. After being rescued, the escaping refugees were transferred to one of the army centers in El Abde, according to Elnashra, an independent online newspaper. Meanwhile, Al Mustaqbal local TV Channel reported that a 7 years old Syrian boy has died while two others were suffocated while trying to escape. Over 1 million Syrian refugees are registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Lebanon, while Lebanon's government estimated the actual number is 1.5 million. Normally, Syrian refugees willing to return to their homeland must register in centers created by Lebanese General Security. The General Security outlined earlier punishments for returnees who violated residency requirements, including lifetime bans on many refugees of returning to Lebanon.

FBI chief meets Lebanese leaders, expresses support to army

by AP -- Lebanon says FBI Director Christopher Wray has expressed support to the Lebanese army during a visit to Beirut. A statement released by the presidential palace in Beirut said President Michel Aoun received Wray on Friday and told him that Lebanon has succeeded in fighting terror groups thanks to U.S. support and that of friendly countries. Washington has been a major supporter of Lebanon's army, and has provided more than $1 billion in military assistance to Lebanon since 2006. The Lebanese army last year captured areas along the Syrian border that were controlled by the Islamic State group and al-Qaida-linked fighters. IS and al-Qaida had claimed responsibility for a wave of bombings in Lebanon over the past years that killed dozens. Lebanese security agencies are still pursuing militants across the country.

Lebanon aims to address housing loans crisis via subsidies: minister

BEIRUT, (Xinhua) -- Lebanese caretaker Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil said the ministry aims to address the housing loans crisis in the country through subsidies, an independent online newspaper reported. The government will allocate 100 billion Lebanese pounds (66.3 million U.S. dollars) to subsidize part of the interest rate on housing loans valued at 1,500 billion pounds for 5,000 housing units offered by the Public Corporation for Housing (PCH), the minister was quoted as saying by Elnashra. PCH announced on July 8 that no applications for housing loans will be accepted from July 9. The Central Bank of Lebanon usually funds housing loans though PCH and the banks. It provided commercial banks with a fund of 500 dollars in February to subsidize housing loans taken out by Lebanese citizens to buy apartments. The fund, however, was drained within a month. The commercial banks therefore offered housing loans with an interest rate of around six to seven percent compared to three percent for subsidized loans, making people hesitate to purchase real estates.

At 100, Holy Family’s Lebanese roots still strong

by Matthew Davis -- thecatholicspirit.com -- Before the turn of the 20th century, Catholic immigrants fleeing persecution in Lebanon were settling in St. Paul, but they had no church of their own. They were members of the Maronite Church, an eastern rite of the Catholic Church. They initially worshipped with Roman Catholics at St. Michael on the city’s West Side, but, when Maronite Catholics at St. Maron in Minneapolis offered to share their pastor, they made their own worship space in St. Michael’s basement. For 15 years, that was where St. Paul’s Maronite Catholics celebrated Divine Liturgy. That changed in 1918, when the Lebanese settlers purchased a former Lutheran church for $2,250 and established Holy Family Maronite Catholic Church in St. Paul. The parish is celebrating its 100th anniversary Oct. 13 at a sold-out event at the InterContinental Hotel in St. Paul.

The parish of 200 families seems small and tight-knit, which lifelong parishioner Stephen Abbott appreciates. “You go on Sunday and you pretty much know everybody there,” he said. “Whether you’re 90 or 9, you know everyone. That’s pretty cool because you can’t find that everywhere.” Abbott, 34, hopes to see the parish thrive well into its second century. He worked on a video for the centennial, interviewing parishioners of all ages. He felt inspired by older members’ approach to parish life. “That was their spiritual, their family [and] their social life,” Abbott said. “They had a simpler life and even tighter community than what we have. I’d like to see us get back to that.”

Holy Family’s pastor, Father — or “Abouna” — Emmanuel Nakhle, said parishioners’ connection to their Lebanese heritage remains strong. Parish office manager Carolyn Marker, whose family goes back to the early years of the parish, agrees, adding that the community’s emphasis on collaboration reflects the spirit of their immigrant ancestors. After the Lebanese Catholics established their parish, the church building’s maintenance problems soon wore on the community, so they built a second church at the same location in 1950 on East Robie Street in St. Paul. In 2009, Holy Family parishioners moved the parish to its present location, another former Lutheran church, in Mendota Heights to be closer to many parishioners’ homes. Holy Family has become well known for its fall Lebanese dinner, as well as its Lenten fish fries with Lebanese side dishes. Many other meals, including regular breakfasts after Sunday Masses, mark the calendar. “Other than the church, this is the busiest room,” Marker said of the social hall. “It’s a great opportunity for people to spend time with each other [and] get to know each other. Bishop Elisa Zaidan, the eparch of the Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles, is expected to attend the parish’s centennial celebration. Holy Family is part of the eparchy, which functions like a diocese in the Maronite Catholic Church.

Fund shortage hinders transport strategy in Lebanon

(MENAFN) Lebanon's transport plan failed to be executed as of yet as a result of financing shortage, as explained Lebanese caretaker Minister of Public Works and Transport Youssef Fenianos. The remark has been made by the Lebanese minister after being hit with a blast by Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil. The Lebanese foreign minister claimed that Fenianos was not able to propose a good strategy, leading for the traffic mayhem witnessed in Lebanon. The National News Agency cited Fenianos responding: "we have already drafted a strategy which was referred to the council of ministers in January 2017 right after the formation of the previous government."