by Najia Houssari – arabnews.com — BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Feminist Civil Society Platform has released a list of demands addressed to male and female candidates in the parliamentary elections scheduled for mid-May as the country continues to reckon with its low rates of female political representation. The platform called on candidates to commit to “achieving full equality between women and men, include that in their priorities as future parliamentarians and work seriously to ensure full participation of women in decision-making levels.” The candidates were also asked that all decisions they make are free of all forms of violence or discrimination. The details were reiterated at a press conference held on Monday with 15 days left until the door closes on applications for candidacy in the upcoming elections. There are just five female candidates registered on the lists of the Ministry of Interior throughout Lebanon.

Claudine Aoun, head of the National Commission for Lebanese Women, said: “Women in Lebanon are present in all the economic, cultural and scientific fields, and their percentage in the judiciary and some private professions is close to or more than 50 percent.” She added: “But the percentage of women in parliament does not exceed 4.7 percent and does not exceed 6 percent in municipal councils, and in the government, it is reduced to one minister.” Her remarks came as the commission held a meeting with representatives from political parties in Lebanon within the framework of the implementation of the national action plan for UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, security and peace, which was approved by the Lebanese government.

The commission — with the support of UN Women — has called for the increase of women’s participation in representative bodies across the country and in leadership positions in the public and political sectors. Last October, parliament rejected the amendment of a text in the electoral law to include a quota for women, which angered the only female MP in the Development and Liberation parliamentary bloc headed by parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. She withdrew from the session and said: “They refused even to discuss the proposal at a time when they talk daily about the role of women and the necessity of their participation in public political life. They have failed us.” Lebanese women obtained the right to vote and run as candidates in 1953. Mirna Al-Bustani was the first woman to serve in the Lebanese parliament after she took charge of representing her father Emile Al-Bustani’s parliament seat upon his death in 1963. Other women entered parliamentary work, succeeding either brothers or husbands, or taking over the position due to having children. These female MPs include Nohad Saeed, Nayla Moawad, Solange Gemayel, Bahia Hariri, Strida Geagea and Nayla Tueni.

by middleeastmonitor.com — Saudi Arabia and France agreed to establish a joint working mechanism to provide support to Lebanese people and finance the activities of international non-governmental organisations in the field of relief and public aid in Lebanon, the Saudi state news agency (SPA) reported on Monday and also reported by Reuters. The agreement came […]

By G. P. Rodriguez — the-sun.com — ELON Musk has said SpaceX will rescue the International Space Station if Russia tries to drop it from orbit after threats by Vladimir Putin’s space chief. Dimitry Rogozin warned that Russian tech and expertise is needed to prevent the ISS from crashing down onto the US or Europe. Elon Musk claimed SpaceX would rescue the International Space Station after threats from Russian leadership “If you block cooperation with us, who will save the ISS from an uncontrolled deorbit and fall into the United States and Europe?” Rogozin tweeted on Friday, following president Joe Biden’s announcement of sanctions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. But Musk weighed in by replying to Rogozin’s threat with the SpaceX logo. When a Twitter user asked the billionaire if this meant SpaceX would keep the ISS from falling onto Earth, Musk replied: “Yes.” He also replied to a tweet that showed the ISS without the Russian segment and a SpaceX Dragon attached instead. “Good thread,” Musk wrote.

Russia is a key part of the 15-nation partnership that has kept the ISS orbiting Earth for 23 years but relations are at an all-time low because of Russia’s decision to invade Ukraine. On Thursday, Joe Biden unveiled new sanctions that he said would “degrade” Russia’s “aerospace industry, including their space program.” Roscosmos Director General Rogozin then warned that Russian engines control the station’s orbit and location. “There is also the possibility of a 500-ton structure falling on India and China,” added Rogozin. “Do you want to threaten them with such a prospect? “The ISS does not fly over Russia, therefore all the risks are yours. Are you ready for them?”

By Nick Koutsobinas and Eric Mack — newsmax.com – The United States Embassy in Moscow made an announcement telling all U.S. nationals to leave Russia “immediately.” “An increasing number of airlines are canceling flights into and out of Russia, and numerous countries have closed their airspace to Russian airlines,” a U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Russia security alert read Sunday. “U.S. citizens should consider departing Russia immediately via commercial options still available.” The alert comes after Vladimir Putin put Russia’s nuclear deterrence arsenal at the ready, pointing to the sanctions being put in place by the U.S. and other NATO countries. “This particular decision is not in response to the situation in Ukraine, not even what is going on in Ukraine right now, but as a response to American readiness to apply to sanctions,” Andrei Illarionov, senior fellow at the Center for Security Policy in Washington, D.C., told Sunday’s “Wake Up America” on Newsmax. “The situation now is unbelievably grave.”

The move is “incomparable” to any nuclear threat the world has faced to date, and the U.S. and NATO must respond in kind immediately, Illarionov told co-host Amanda Brilhante. “If the United States will not respond with adequate reaction to this decision, it means not only Ukraine but the whole Europe and at some point the United States will be under nuclear threat, direct nuclear threat,” Illarionov said in a dire warning. “That is why United States and NATO countries need to respond immediately, right now, to this nuclear blackmail of Putin.” Illarionov made an urgent call for the Biden administration to activate the U.S. nuclear deterrence arsenal. “That should be exactly the same,” he said. “It should be putting all nuclear arsenal of the United States and NATO on the highest alert – at least equal response to what Putin has done.”

By Najia Houssari – arabnews.com — BEIRUT: A stone’s throw from the famous National Museum of Beirut, a cornerstone has been laid for a new and unique museum to showcase modern and contemporary art. The launch took place in a ceremony attended by Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati as well as political and cultural figures. The museum is set for completion by 2026. Sandra Abu Nader, who founded the Beirut Museum of Art Association together with Rita Nammour, said that the idea of establishing the museum “was based on the fact that art is not a luxury but a means of peace and a necessity for the integrity of our culture, development, quality of life and role in the world.” Abu Nader added that the museum, which will bear the name of the association, will be a space for science, work, culture and will aspire to show a positive and prosperous future, and a civilized legacy for future generations. She said: “Only the cultural and artistic imprint remains to embody and document civilizations and nations, no matter how much they suffer from wars and turmoil.”

Nammour said that laying the foundation stone was “the culmination of a path that Sandra Abu Nader and I planned for more than seven years to be a platform for artistic, civic and cultural education in close cooperation with artists and cultural institutions.” She added: “We are convinced today more than ever that the museum should be committed to a culture of change and be a platform that takes into account the world we live in, and the values and principles that made Lebanon the beacon of the Middle East.” The prestigious Saint Joseph University in Lebanon, which is located in the cultural square that includes the National Museum, the French Cultural Center and the Museum of Minerals, allocated a piece of land to build the new museum.

By Serenhedd James — catholicherald.co.uk — As the BBC reported a mounting death-toll in Ukraine, on Friday afternoon I spoke about the rapidly-developing situation to the Rt Revd Kenneth Nowakowski, the Bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of the Holy Family of London. A member of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England & Wales, Bishop Nowakowski leads a community of nearly 14,000 Greek Rite Catholics in Great Britain; having previously been Eparchial Bishop of New Westminster in his native Canada, he was appointed to lead the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the UK by Pope Francis in January 2020.

The Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, had already urged his worldwide flock to pray urgently for the defence of Ukraine. In a robust letter he stated that “all of humanity has been placed in danger […] we consider the defence of our native land, our historical memory and our hope, [and] our God-given right to exist to be the personal responsibility and sacred duty of the citizens of Ukraine.” Meanwhile the Archbishop of Westminster called it “a precarious moment”, and urged all Catholics to “pray for the people of Ukraine, who are suffering the brunt of this conflict”. Cardinal Nichols went on to state that “the international community must unite in seeking an end to this conflict through peaceful means, including dialogue and negotiation, as the only way forward.” He said that he would remember victims of the conflict at mass on Sunday in Westminster Cathedral.

By Najia Houssari — arabnews.com — BEIRUT: Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit has praised Lebanon as “a beacon of knowledge that spares no effort in backing every activity that enriches joint Arab action.” Aboul Gheit was speaking on Saturday at a ceremony held by the Council of Arab Justice Ministers in Beirut for Arab doctoral thesis award winners in the field of law and justice. His remarks came after comments by Lebanon Prime Minister Najib Mikati, who said at the ceremony: “We expect our Arab brothers to understand our reality and stand by us to spare Lebanon more risks and help us bear the burdens that have exceeded our capabilities. “Lebanon, which was and will remain part of the Arab world, is experiencing an unprecedented crisis, and our government is trying to solve it with all available capabilities, relying on the support of its Arab brothers and international friends,” Mikati added. “It is unfair to burden Lebanon with more than it can handle,” the prime minister said. Mikati added: “We are unable to stand in a trench here or on a front line there. We have thus adopted a neutrality policy when it comes to Arab conflicts, and we insist on implementing it.” He said that the only loser in any regional dispute “is our Arab world, which has always been seeking unity.”

The prime minister added that Lebanon’s “bitter experience has taught it that fighting leads nowhere and everyone comes out a loser.” He said: “The homeland loses and the people lose. Whoever thinks they can win against their Arab partner is wrong. “Victory can only be achieved through understanding, looking after future generations, and charting a future that fulfills their ambitions.” Aboul Gheit added during his speech that Arab universities are still experiencing “low rankings worldwide due to their lack of innovation and seriousness in scientific research, and the dwindling volume of scientific publications.” He highlighted the need to “recover from this shortfall by increasing the budget for scientific research, providing opportunities for the youth, preparing them to face modern challenges and allowing them access to equal opportunities to compete with other societies.”

وفي اليوم السابع ……  ينقسم اللبنانيون بين مؤيد لاحتلال روسيا لأوكرانيا ومعارضٍ له، بين من يعتبر الغزو تصحيحاً للتاريخ ( دون التنبه الى أن هذا المبدأ سيفتح شهية العديد من الدول لاعتماده ) وبين من يعتبره منافٍ لحق الشعوب في تقرير مصيرها. وفي وقتٍ يبرز فيه موقف ديمقراطي شجاع لوزارة الخارجية، تستفيق فجأةً الجهات الممانعة […]

By Najia Houssari — arabnews.com — BEIRUT: Lebanese President Michel Aoun sent a cable of congratulations Friday to King Salman on the occasion of Saud Arabia’s Founding Day. “This occasion holds many bright milestones in the Kingdom’s history, which, with its vision and efforts, has managed to reserve an advanced position among the modern countries striving for broader horizons. Saudi Arabia has never spared any effort to defend the just humanitarian and Arab causes, and to preserve the unified Arab world despite all the circumstances in the region,” Aoun said. He further praised the Kingdom’s support for Lebanon and the Lebanese, hoping “bilateral ties will recover for the good of the two brotherly peoples.” Aoun also sent a cable of congratulations to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, stressing the importance of this occasion, which “is one of the brightest milestones in the history of Saudi Arabia that overcame many challenges in order to build a brighter tomorrow.”

Speaking before a delegation of Arab justice ministers in Lebanon on Friday, Aoun stressed “Lebanon’s full desire to cooperate with Arab countries and show solidarity in all issues that help develop and strengthen laws and unify legislation in these countries.” He hoped that the delegation would contribute to alleviating the problems that sometimes arise between the Arab brothers. “Beirut’s doors are open to everyone, especially to the Arab brothers,” Aoun said. Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit and Assistant Secretary-General Hossam Zaki arrived in Beirut on Friday to participate in a ceremony to honor three winners of the award for the best doctoral thesis in the Arab World in the field of law and justice. Meanwhile, several pro-Syrian regime and Hezbollah figures objected to the position expressed by the Lebanese Foreign Ministry condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

BEIRUT (Reuters) -Russia’s embassy in Lebanon was surprised by the Lebanese foreign ministry statement that condemned the Russian military operations in Ukraine, it said in a statement on its Facebook page. “The statement… surprised us by violating the policy of dissociation and by taking one side against another in these events, noting that Russia spared no effort in contributing to the advancement and stability of the Lebanese Republic,” the statement said. Lebanon condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Thursday and called on Moscow to halt its military operations at once. The foreign ministry statement led to internal criticism from some cabinet ministers, members of parliament and political parties including the powerful Iran-backed group Hezbollah. “What foreign policy is Lebanon following and where is Lebanon’s interest in that? Please clarify for us foreign minister,” Hezbollah lawmaker Ibrahim Al Moussawi wrote on Twitter. Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib could not immediately be reached for comment.