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Lebanese media: major parties agree on ex-minister Safadi as PM

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BEIRUT (Reuters) By Tom Perry and Laila Bassam- Three major Lebanese parties have agreed on nominating Mohammad Safadi, a former finance minister, to become prime minister of a new government, the Lebanese broadcasters LBCI and MTV reported on Thursday. The agreement was reached in a meeting on Thursday between outgoing Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, Lebanon's leading Sunni politician, and senior representatives of the Shi'ite groups Amal and Hezbollah. There was no official comment from the parties or Safadi. The broadcasters did not identify their sources.

Hariri quit as prime minister on Oct. 29 in the face of an unprecedented wave of protests against ruling politicians who are blamed for rampant state corruption and steering Lebanon into its worst economic crisis since the 1975-90 civil war. Hariri remains caretaker prime minister for now. Since quitting, Hariri, who is aligned with the West and Gulf Arab states, has been holding closed-door meetings with parties including the Iran-backed Hezbollah, which had wanted him to be prime minister again. Lebanon's prime minister must be a Sunni Muslim according to the country's sectarian power-sharing system. Mustaqbal Web, a Hariri-owned news website, said a meeting between Hariri, Ali Hassan Khalil of the Amal Movement and Hussein al-Khalil of Hezbollah had discussed recommending Safadi for the post.

MTV said the government would be a mixture of politicians and technocrats. Mustaqbal Web said the type of government was not discussed, and neither was the question of whether Hariri's Future Movement would be part of the Cabinet. LBCI said the Free Patriotic Movement, a Christian party allied to Hezbollah, had also agreed to Safadi's nomination. They did not identify their sources. Safadi is a prominent businessman and member of parliament from the northern city of Tripoli. He served previously as finance minister from 2011-2014 under prime minister Najib Mikati. Prior to that, he served as minister of economy and trade in the government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, who was backed by the West. He held that post again in the Hariri-led Cabinet that took office in 2009. Hariri had said he would only return as prime minister of a Cabinet of specialist ministers which he believed would be best placed to win international aid and steer Lebanon out of its economic crisis, sources close to Hariri have said. (Reporting by Laila Bassam, Eric Knect, Tom Perry in Beirut; Writing by Tom Perry; Editing by Sandra Maler and Matthew Lewis)

Lebanon protesters tell the president: ‘it’s time for father of all to leave’

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by thenational.ae -- Sunniva Rose and James Haines-Young -- Protesters closed the highway from the Lebanese capital to Baabda Palace on Wednesday and refused an invitation to meet President Michel Aoun. The demonstration outside the presidential palace came on the 28th day of the mass uprising against the government and decades of corruption. On Wednesday evening, men with guns and knives arrived at a protest in Jal El Dib, north of Beirut, leading to fights with protesters. At least one man fired into the air before being disarmed. Earlier in the day, Mr Aoun conveyed a message through the presidential guard for the protesters outside the palace to send in a delegation to discuss their demands. But the demonstrators refused to send a small number of people, insisting that if the president wanted to hear their complaints he would have to speak to all those gathered.

Protesters expressed anger at an interview Mr Aoun gave on Wednesday evening, in which he said: “If they do not like any person in authority, let them emigrate.” “He told us, ‘If you don’t like what is happening, just leave',” said Guy Younes, 29, a civil engineer. "How is that possible in any country in the world? This is so stupid. He wants us to leave, 250,000 people to leave. Architecture student Nicholas Habib, 25, said: “We have a lot of requests. The first is the resignation of Michel Aoun and then we have to make selections and a technocratic Cabinet. “We want technocrats, we do not want politicians. It is engineers who are going to be judges and in the ministries, people who have nothing to do with politics.”

Mr Habib said Mr Aoun’s speech on Wednesday night angered him. “How can a president of a republic say that to his people?” he asked. But Mr Habib said he was optimistic that the president would eventually be forced to resign. People chanted, “We won’t go until the ‘father of all’ leaves,” using Mr Aoun’s self-given title. “Leave, leave, leave, your presidency is starving people.”

Marie-Therese Tabet, 65, who lives in Beirut, called for a new government that could stop the brain drain. “Our children, who are supposed to work, are highly educated people, hyper-responsible, but can’t find a way out so they go abroad where they succeed," Ms Tabet said. "Why not take advantage of these brains to maintain this country?” Two women standing on the motorway to Baabda said the president’s message had been provocative and spurred people to hit the streets on Wednesday. “Instead of calming things down, people got very angry and it’ll probably push the level of anger and tension even higher,” one of the women said. “Of course we don’t trust him. Why would the people trust a government that failed them for years and years? "He was just not listening to what people were saying, and it ended up with a terrible outcome last night.”

Breakdown of trust deepens financial crisis in Lebanon

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A protester throws a tomato at Lebanon's central bank during a demonstration in Beirut

middle-east-online.com -- BEIRUT - Lebanese student Fatima Jaber's family is struggling to pay off multiple loans with double-digit interest rates. Even before the start of protests that have forced out Lebanon's prime minister, her confidence was fading in a financial system long regarded as a pillar of stability. But now, like many Lebanese, she thinks the system is broken.

The loss of trust is eroding liquidity in the banking sector, increasing concerns that banks may not be able to help the government fund high budget and current account deficits. One of the world's most indebted countries, Lebanon has a public debt equal to about 150% of its gross domestic product. "We need a change to the system because everyone has at least one loan from the bank and the rates are very high and we can't pay them," said Jaber, 22, as she and a small crowd protested outside the central bank in the capital, Beirut. Dollar loans have to be repaid in the same currency, which is especially difficult because there is a hard currency squeeze in Lebanon. With big banks' websites showing the annual interest on some loans is about 27%, any people are in dire straits.

Central bank governor Riad Salameh sought to ease concerns on Monday, saying the bank had a usable foreign cash reserve of $30 billion and total assets of $38 billion. The central bank has taken steps to protest depositors by ensuring no bank would fail and will seek to lower interest rates through liquidity management, he said. But the imposition by banks of controls on dollar withdrawals and transfers overseas has failed to rebuild confidence.

Lebanese protests reignited as demonstrator killed following Aoun's speech

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by middleeasteye.net -- Violence flared-up in Lebanon on Wednesday following the killing of a protester and a televised speech by President Michel Aoun overnight which triggered fresh rage against the country's sectarian leadership. Clashes broke out Wednesday afternoon at the Jal el-Dib bridge and highway, a major route from Lebanon's north to the capital, between protesters blocking the thoroughfare and local residents armed with knives and sticks. A video circulated on social media showed one man shooting into the air and pointing the machine gun towards protesters. A separate video showed protesters disarm the man and smashed the car in which he had arrived. At least four people were injured, local media reported. The Lebanese army intervened later in the afternoon to reopen the road. Hundreds also gathered along a highway leading to the presidential palace in Baabda as Lebanese army officers and riot police placed metal barriers and barbed wire on the road.

Security forces have been criticised for failing to adopt similar measures earlier this month when supporters of Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) gathered near the palace to support the president and his son-in-law, FPM leader Gebran Bassil. Aoun had invited protesters to send a delegation to meet with him, but the offer yielded no results. Previous invitations were also turned down as protesters argued it was not possible to appoint representatives to speak on behalf of the leaderless movement. Two main intersections - the Ring Bridge above Beirut’s central district and the Chevrolet intersection in the capital’s southern outskirts - were also blocked by protesters on Wednesday. Scuffles broke out between protesters and army officers at the Chevrolet intersection in the morning as the officers attempted to reopen the roads. No serious injuries were reported. Protesters also occupied the Cola intersection in east Beirut late on Wednesday.

Fight at a roadblock

Man killed as protests sweep Lebanon after Aoun interview

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Lebanese security forces at a blocked road in Tripoli

by reuters.com -- Ellen Francis, Laila Bassam --BEIRUT (Reuters) - President Michel Aoun said on Tuesday Lebanon faced a catastrophe if protesters did not go home, igniting a new wave of demonstrations during which a protester was shot and killed after an altercation with Lebanese soldiers near Beirut. The shooting in Khaldeh south of Beirut was the first of its kind in nearly four weeks of nationwide protests against Lebanon’s ruling elite, escalating tensions in a country mired in deep political and economic crisis. The man who was killed was a member of the political party led by Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, a civil war adversary of Aoun. Jumblatt urged his supporters to remain calm during a visit to the hospital where the man had been taken. In a statement, the army said a soldier had opened fire to disperse protesters who were blocking a road in Khaldeh, wounding one person. The soldier was detained and the incident was under investigation.

Addressing protesters in his interview, he said, “If you continue in this way, you will strike Lebanon and your interests.” “We are working day and night to get the situation in order. If they keep going, there is a catastrophe. If they stop, there is still room for (us) to fix things,” he said. As Aoun’s interview was ending, protesters blocked several main roads across Lebanon, some with burning tyres. Linda Boulos Mikari, protesting on a road north of Beirut, said Aoun’s interview had brought her back onto the street. “We are tired of the authorities always (acting) as if we are doing nothing. The president goes live and talks to us as if we are children, ‘go home’. Respect us a little,” she said.

AOUN FOUND HARIRI “HESITANT” ON BEING PM

Harassment debate erupts after Lebanese reporter kissed on live broadcast

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by gulfnews.com -- Bassam Za za, Special to Gulf News-- Beirut: A video of a Lebanese protestor kissing Sky News Arabia’s anchor surprisingly while she was live on air went viral yesterday and triggered debate on social media. Lebanese popular anchor Darine El Helwe was on live broadcast with UAE-based Sky News Arabia from Riad Soloh Square when a male protestor kissed her on her cheek. In the video, Al Helwe was taken aback by the kiss and froze for a few seconds nervously laughing and then collecting herself before she resumed reporting. The shared footage triggered a debate online between social media users, activists and journalists, who were divided on the incident. Some considered it cute and funny while others said it was inappropriate and a form of harassment.

Famous TV host Neshan shared the video on his twitter and commented ‘revolutionist’s kiss’. Human rights activist Georges Azzi retweeted Neshan’s tweet but said there was nothing funny about the kiss. Lebanese have been protesting since October 17 demanding an overhaul of the country’s ruling elite widely considered as corrupt. While the protesters have somber and serious demands, it hasn’t stopped many from enjoying their time whilst demonstrating. Many protesters have taken selfies and videos with television reporters widely considered to be heroes of the uprising. Speaking to Gulf News, El Helwi called the kiss “unacceptable”. “I was live when I felt the kiss, without seeing him. I tried to continue reporting professionally although my voice was shaky. Despite the unacceptable act, I remained emotionally stable and maintained eye contact with the camera,” she said. However, after the kisser publicly apologised on Facebook, El Hewli said she felt less angry about the incident.

Lebanon leaders try to buy time to address protests

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Lebanese protesters have voiced their anger at monetary policy outside the central bank in Beirut (AFP Photo/ANWAR AMRO)

by news.mb.com.ph -- Nearly four weeks into nationwide protests calling for the ouster of the ruling elite, radical changes demanded by demonstrators have not been implemented. The peaceful protests against corruption and sectarianism have paralysed Lebanon, worsening an economic crisis that has brought the country to the brink of default. Central bank governor Riad Salameh — increasingly under fire for his monetary policies — insisted however that deposits were safe and the country’s currency would remain pegged to the dollar. “The central bank’s first and foremost goal is to protect the Lebanese pound’s stability,” he told a news conference.

The bank has taken measures “to protect depositors and protect deposits”, he said. Salameh said he had asked local banks to lift restrictions imposed after protests started on October 17. Recent decreases in capital inflows have cause dollar shortages, leading banks to cap withdrawals. On the unofficial market, the greenback has sold at up to 20 percent more than its official rate. While Salameh insisted the financial sector would remain solvent, trust in the central bank has plummeted and outside the news conference dozens of protesters voiced their anger. “All of them means all of them. Salameh’s one of them,” they chanted, in a variation of a common call for all political figures to resign.

– Victory of sorts –