Aoun: No Fear of Bankruptcy in Presence of Lebanon Oil Wealth

by naharnet -- President Michel Aoun on Thursday slammed “those who voice stances that weaken confidence in the Lebanese economy and the national currency,” reassuring that Lebanon cannot go bankrupt in the presence of its “oil wealth.” “No one will manage to halt the campaign of reform and combating corruption that I started upon assuming the presidency and this reform path will continue with the efforts of all those who believe in Lebanon, no matter how much those annoyed by it try to obstruct it... whether they are politicians or anyone else,” Aoun said. Wondering about “the real objectives of those who voice stances that weaken confidence in the Lebanese economy and the national currency,” Aoun said “Lebanon has an oil wealth that will be extracted and there is no fear of bankruptcy in its presence/” He added: “We are working on reviving the economy, but this cannot happen overnight. It rather requires further patience and as much resilience as possible from all sectors because we have inherited a heavy burden.”

Croatia's World Cup soccer coach clings to the rosary as he finds success

by catholicnewsagency.com -- Zagreb, Croatia, Jul 11, 2018 / 02:34 pm (CNA).- On Sunday, Croatia’s soccer team will play France in the championship game of the 2018 World Cup, after running victoriously through a string of soccer powerhouses in the tournament. Here’s one reason Catholics in the US might be rooting for the small Central European country: Croatia is a deeply Catholic country, and the coach of its national team, Zlatko Dalic, is a man of sincere faith. Dalic said recently that his current success is due to his faith in God, and that he always carries a rosary to hold onto in difficult times. Dalic spoke about his faith on Croatian Catholic radio when the World Cup began. “Everything I have done in my life and in my professional career I owe to my faith, and I am grateful to my Lord,” Dalic said. Croatia got a ticket to the final match of the World Cup after defeating England 2-1 in a game that went to overtime July 11. "I can be very happy with my life,” Dalic said, adding that "without strong faith and that motivation, it would be very difficult to achieve it." "When a man loses any hope, then he must depend on our merciful God and on our faith," he said. In that sense, Dalic explained that "I always carry a rosary with me" and "when I feel that I am going through a difficult time I put my hand in my pocket, I cling to it and then everything is easier.”

Regarding the expectations of the Croatians for the success of their selection at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, he indicated that "I know what our people expect, how many people love Croatian football and our team." He stressed that “finding the good in life always brings satisfaction, happiness, a result. Man must always be honest with himself and with others. " Before the July 11 game, Dalic said of his Cinderella-story team: “we do not fear anyone, not even England." The coach is 51 years old, married and has two children. During his youth he played on Croatian soccer teams, among them Hajduk Split, Inter Zapresic and Varteks Varazdin. In 2000, he finished his career as a professional soccer and started coaching Croatian teams. In 2010 he went to Saudi Arabia to lead the teams of Al-Faisaly Harmah and then Al-Hilal. A year later he moved to the United Arab Emirates to be the coach of the Al-Ain club. In October 2017 he was appointed head coach of the Croatian national team. This article was originally published by our sister agency, ACI Prensa. It has been translated, adapted, and updated by CNA.

Beirut named in world’s top 15 cities by Travel + Leisure magazine!

lebaneseexaminer.com -- Beirut was named in the world’s top 15 cities Tuesday in a list released by the New York-based Travel + Leisure magazine. The magazine ranked Beirut as the fifteenth best city in the world with a score of 87.04 out of 100. The score took into consideration the city’s landmarks, culture, cuisine and friendliness, among other categories. Jaw-dropping architecture, distinctive restaurants, a rich array of cultural offerings, and intriguing shops are a must,” Travel + Leisure wrote in the article. “A teeming street life, a friendly population, and a harmonious relationship with nature are equally essential.” Magazine readers voted for their favorite cities from November 2017 to March 2018. The combined votes helped determine the list of world’s best cities, Travel + Leisure added.

Cannabis and avocados: Can they save Lebanon's economy?

by middleeasteye.net -- Cannabis and avocados are among the exports which could help open up Lebanon's ailing economy, a firm hired by the world's most indebted nation has reportedly suggested. US-based McKinsey & Co. propose the country legalise production of the drug already widely grown in eastern Lebanon and open its produce to new markets. The report also suggested Lebanon set itself up as a provider of homes in battle-battered areas of Syria and Iraq, Bloomberg reported. In January, Lebanon hired the firm to draw-up a plan on how to restructure their fragile economy, which leans heavily on banking and remittances from the millions of Lebanese living abroad. McKinsey's proposals, not released publicly but shown to the government and President Michel Aoun, still need approval from the Lebanese cabinet.

Raed Khoury, the acting economy and trade minister, said utilising the cannabis already grown in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley to supply medicinal cannabis markets could become a billion dollar industry. He described Lebanon's Cannabis as "one of the best in the world". Traditionally the government has tried to tackle its cultivation by Lebanese farmers and more recently, Syrian refugees. Canada legalised recreational use of cannabis in June while parts of the US have in recent years allowed sales for medicinal purposes. Latin America has also increasingly shifted towards legalising the drug, including Colombia which has proposed encouraging farmers to grow cannabis for medicinal production instead of the coca leaf used in cocaine. The report suggested both short-term fixes for the economy and more deep-rooted reforms that would require tackling corruption and making Lebanon a hub for investment.

McKinsey also suggested Lebanon take advantage of its increasing production of avocados, second highest in the Arab world, to tap into a global market predicted to be worth $23bn by 2027. Khoury told Bloomberg that the economic plan was crucial for Lebanon to start receiving $11bn of funds pledged by the international community in April. Theme parks and tech zones There has been growing concern about the sustainability of Lebanon's economic model, which relies on foreign reserves and borrowing from banks to maintain currency stability. The country's debt is estimated at around three times the size of the economy. Aoun warned in March that Lebanon was on the verge of bankruptcy. The McKinsey report also proposed boosting Lebanon's tourism industry and building industrial parks. The firm suggested that building a technology zone near the Syrian border could position Lebanon well for assisting in the reconstruction of Syria and Iraq, reported Lebanese newspaper The Daily Star.

Lebanon Hosts More European Tourists Than Gulf Visitors in 2018

By Paula Astih -- albawaba.com -- With the start of the tourism season in Lebanon, a rise in the number of European tourists was registered against a decline in the number of Gulf visitors, who seem to be waiting for a decision by their countries to lift the ban on travelling to Lebanon, which is apparently linked to the formation of a new government. Cultural and musical festivals in various Lebanese regions kicked off last month and would intensify in July - a key factor that attracts European and American tourists – knowing that the number of festivals has diminished this year and may not reach more than a hundred, according to Tourism Minister in the caretaker government Avedis Guidanian. “In contrast, we have been able to monitor an increase in the number of European tourists, especially French, Germans and English, in addition to a big rise in the number of Brazilian tourists, which increased by 50 percent compared to last year. We have also recorded an increase in the number of Canadians and Americans,” he added. Over the past two years, the Ministry of Tourism has adopted a new strategy based on four main axes: promoting Lebanon as a tourist destination and marketing it to foreign tour operators; making Lebanon a regional and international conference and business center in cooperation with regional and international tourism companies; encouraging Lebanese expatriates to visit Lebanon; establishing digital tools to keep pace with tourism development with a focus on finding cooperation between various tourism institutions and securing sites dedicated to recreational and commercial tourism.

Father of jailed Lebanese tourist in Egypt says 'no official effort' to free daughter

by alaraby.co.uk -- The father of Lebanese tourist jailed in Cairo for insulting Egyptians in an online rant has slammed the "silence" from authorities and human rights groups regarding the case. Ali al-Mazbouh told The New Arab's Arabic-language service on Monday that Lebanese authorities have failed to take action to secure the release of his 24-year-old daughter Mona. She was sentenced to eight years in prison on Saturday over insulting Egyptians in a profanity-laced video she posted online after she had been sexually harassed while on holiday in Cairo. "Mona's mother met with the Egyptian consul in Lebanon, Wael al-Sisi, and apologised. He reassured us that it was 'just a video'," Mazbouh said. He said that Lebanese authorities have failed to take action to free his daughter despite the family's efforts. "The Lebanese embassy in Egypt told us that they did not have the power to appoint a lawyer to defend Mona. It is shocking that no human rights organisations have issued statements condemning her imprisonment and there have been no official efforts to secure her release," he said. He said he doesn't have the money to travel to Egypt and "stand by" his daughter. "She travelled to Egypt at the start of Ramadan to spend the holy fasting month there and was sexually harassed - something she is completely opposed to - which is why she made the video," he added. Mazbouh was initially handed down 11 years but the sentence was later reduced to eight. In the offending video, she called Egyptians the "dirtiest people on earth" and a "country of pimps, prostitutes and beggars". Mazbouh later posted an apology video, said: "I definitely didn't mean to offend all Egyptians". She was arrested in May before departing from Cairo.

Human Rights Watch researcher Amr Magdi condemned Mona's imprisonment in a statement to The New Arab's Arabic-language service. "Once again, this is the picture of a hysterical military police state backed by a highly politicised judiciary, all of whom claim to represent morality," Magdi said. "They do not hesitate to imprison innocent people because of freedom of expression under the pretext of protecting morality," he added. Lebanese social media users have called on their government to petition Egyptian authorities to release Mona. In May, Egyptian police detained an activist after she posted a video online criticising the government's failure to address widespread sexual harassment in the country. According to a 2013 report by the UN, 99.3 percent of women in Egypt have experienced sexual harassment. Egyptian authorities regularly detain people who publicly criticise the government.