Lebanese communication manager Charbel Matta talks to reporters next to a giant screen that shows voting by Lebanese expatriates in six Arab countries, ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled to be held in Lebanon on… (AP Photo/Hussein Malla by middleeastmonitor.com Lebanese expatriates in six Arab countries today began casting ballots for parliamentary elections, according to the […]

by devdiscourse.com — Lebanon launched the Beirut Historical Museum project on Thursday, which will include archaeological artifacts unearthed during excavations conducted between 1993 and 1997 under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The museum will also feature a host of civilizations that have passed through Beirut since the Bronze Age, […]

The Daily Star — BEIRUT: President Michel Aoun Thursday said the joint statement by the European Union and United Nations after yesterday’s Brussels conference on the Syrian refugee crisis infringed on Lebanese sovereignty. “I declare my rejection of the statement issued by the [EU and UN], including what was stated on ‘voluntary return,’ ‘temporary return,’ ‘will […]

Congratulations from khazen.org to Dr. Cheikh Farid Elias el Khazen for being nominated as the Lebanese Ambassador at the Vatican by elnashra علمت “​النشرة​” أن “​مجلس الوزراء​ عيّن النائب ​فريد الياس الخازن​ سفيراً ل​لبنان​ في ​الفاتيكان​”. وكان قد شغل الخازن وظيفة أستاذ ورئيس قسم الدراسات السياسية في الجامعة الاميركية في بيروت وهو أيضا نائب حالي […]

by business insider –Prachi Bhardwaj — Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos spends a tiny fraction of his net worth to fund Blue Origin, the space company he started back in 2000. For a man worth $127 billion dollars, that tiny fraction amounts to $1 billion a year, which he gets by liquidating Amazon stock, Bezos said at an […]

the dailystar.com.lb –The Constitutional Court is set to convene Thursday to consider an appeal brought forth Tuesday by MP Sami Gemayel against a controversial article in the 2018 state budget, the state-run National News Agency reported. The MP is fighting against Article 49 of the budget, which allows for temporary residency for foreigners who acquire […]

The Daily Star BEIRUT: President Michel Aoun in a televised speech Wednesday evening called on the Lebanese public to exercise their right to vote and reject sectarianism, days before thousands of expatriates head to the polls for parliamentary elections. The president warned voters against those “who foment feelings of sectarianism and fanaticism because they undermine the stability of the country.” He told voters not to the give their support to candidates who offer money in return for their ballots, “because those who buy you will eventually sell you and those who sell the citizen will sell the country just as easily.” Aoun also said to “beware of those who launch campaigns based on the negative aspects of others and who only resort in their political speeches to defamation, slander and rumor without really having a concrete project to showcase.” The full text of the speech: To the Lebanese men and women, in Lebanon and abroad, You will be invited to vote in a few days, nine years after the last [parliamentary] elections, during which Lebanon has seen major events including the scourge of terrorism that has hit the Middle East. Our country, by its strength, was able to combat terrorism, remained intact, and regained its security and stability. After the presidential elections, it was normal to adopt a new law for the legislative elections, as promised in my inaugural speech. This new electoral law guarantees the fairest representation to all the components of the Lebanese people, be it the majority or the minority, and also grants, for the first time, the right to vote to the Lebanese diaspora wherever it may be. In addition to the effective representation, this law determines the political choice through the closed list. Through this choice, it is now possible for the voter to show his personal appreciation of the candidates in the selected list by giving his preferential vote to the candidate he deems the best. However, the reverse of the medal, as pointed out by almost all observers, is a conflict that has emerged between members of the same list to obtain the preferential vote. However, this fact is not attributable to the law per se, but rather to the candidates themselves. Indeed, the law is the framework that gives voters the freedom of choice, while the conflict is due to the lack of cooperation between members of the same list or to the fact that they are still not used to be part of a positive competition. Another downside that has emerged recently is the decline of the political discourse, and the most dangerous is that it is currently moving towards feeding fanaticism.

By reuters –Dahlia Nehme  The May 6 vote will take place using a complicated new electoral law. It is not expected to cause major changes to the government or its policies. Analysts expect Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri will head the next cabinet. But the law has made the outcome less predictable in some places. This […]

Article represents opinion of the author do not necessarily represents khazen.org   by Seth Frantzman –tsarizm.com – On April 22, 2018 Ali al-Amine (Amin علي الامين), a Lebanese politician and journalist was attacked and hospitalized. He was a candidate for the Shbeana Haki (شبعنا حكي) or “we are fed up” list. He is a candidate for […]

by aawsat.com – Nizar Zakka, a Lebanese detainee currently held in Iran, is in “very bad health,” his family members said in a statement presented to Prime Minister Saad Hariri Monday. PM Hariri received a delegation from the town of Kalamoun, headed by the President of the Municipality Talal Dankar, in the presence of the […]