A Bundle Of English Reports, News and Editorials For March 12-13/2020 Addressing the On Going Mass Demonstrations & Sit In-ins In Iranian Occupied Lebanon in its 148th Day
Compiled By: Elias Bejjani
March 13/2020
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on March 12-13/2020
Father Majdi Allawi, takes to the skies to ‘bless and protect’ the country against coronavirus/The New Arab/March 12/2020
Seven new coronavirus cases confirmed in Lebanon, total 66
Lebanon, Algeria Register Coronavirus Deaths
Lebanon Records 3rd Coronavirus Death
Iraq stops flights to India and Lebanon over coronavirus fears
MP Says Coronavirus Testing Should be ‘Free’ for All Lebanese
Standard & Poor’s Downgrades Lebanon’s Rating to ‘Selective Default’
Aoun Meets Kubis
Hasan Lauds ‘Civil Health Emergency’, Araji Says 8 Hospitals being Prepared
Govt. Boosts Internet for Citizens to Stay Home over Coronavirus
Lebanese Cabinet convenes at Baabda Palace: Freeing 39 million USD from a World Bank loan to equip governmental hospitals against Corona
Diab discusses with World Bank delegation common projects, chairs financial meeting
Diab heads meeting at Grand Serail over coronavirus developments
Berri tackles developments with new US Ambassador, UN’s Kubis, Zasypkin
Murtada tackles bilateral relations with Indonesian Ambassador
Hassan, UNICEF Representative tackle joint projects
Hariri: Fight coronavirus away from politics and outbidding
Four injured in stabbing incident in northeast London – police
Virus-Hit Iran Asks IMF for Its First Loan since 1962
Hariri to Officials: Fight Coronavirus Away from Politics
Jumblat Says Lebanon Must Seek IMF Aid, Cites Iran Move
IMF Urges Lebanon to ‘Quickly’ Implement Economic Reforms
LibanPost Launches Passport, Residency Card and Municipality Fee Services
If Iran can call on the IMF, why can’t Hezbollah in Lebanon?/Sulaiman Hakemy/The National/March 12/2020
Lebanon needs its friends as state disintegrates/Khaled Abou Zahr/Arab News/March 12/2020
Lebanon set to legalise medical, industrial cannabis cultivation/Timour Azhari/AlJazeera/March 12/2020
As Lebanon grapples with economic collapse and a coronavirus outbreak, refugees appeal for international help/Abby Sewell/The New Arab/March 12/2020
The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on March 11-12/2020
الأب مجدي علاوي استأجر طائرة خاصة وحلق فوق بلدات وقرى ومدن لبنان وقام وهو يصلي ويرتل ويرشها (بالماء المصلى عليه) المبارك كنسياً ويطلب من الله حماية لبنان واللبنانيين من وباء فيروس الكورونا
Father Majdi Allawi, takes to the skies to ‘bless and protect’ the country against coronavirus
The New Arab/March 12/2020
Father Majdi Allawi, a Maronite priest, took to the skies over the weekend. A Lebanese priest has hired a private plane to fly over and bless the country to protect it from an outbreak of coronavirus.
Majdi Allawi, a Maronite priest, took to the skies over the weekend and prayed for God to watch over and protect Lebanon, local media reported.
Equipped with a cross, a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and a monstrance, the priest flew over Beirut and surrounding areas for two hours as he “pleaded with the Lord to protect Lebanon”, media reported.
Allawi said the flight was designed to “bless the country, protect the homeland, and heal those who have been infected by the virus”.
Lebanon reported its third death related to the new coronavirus on Thursday, and has halted flights from countries most affected by the virus.
Public and private sectors have been receiving painful strikes as the country passes through its worst economic and financial crisis in decades, and the virus is the latest blow.
The country’s restaurant association said all eateries around the country will be closed until further notice, though delivery services would continue.
Religious groups have also taken measures to stop the virus from spreading, with some more unorthodox than others.
Suspending centuries-old tradition, Maronite priests are administering the Holy Communion by placing the wafer into the hands of worshipers rather than directly onto the tongue.
Churchgoers have also been encouraged not to greet each other with handshakes, while holy water fonts have been emptied and hand-sanitisers dispensers set up.
In a more controversial measure, some Christian worshipers have been delivering a mixture of holy water and soil from the grave of Saint Charbel Makhlouf to the Rafik Hariri Hospital in Beirut where dozens of infected patients are being treated.
Saint Charbel is widely believed by both Christians and Muslims to have miraculous healing properties for those who visit his tomb.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.
The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organisation, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.
In mainland China, where the virus first emanated from, more than 80,000 people have been diagnosed and more than 58,000 have so far recovered.
Seven new coronavirus cases confirmed in Lebanon, total 66
Souad El Skaf, Al Arabiya English/Friday, 13 March 2020
Lebanon reported seven new confirmed cases of the deadly coronavirus, raising the total number of recorded cases in the country to 66 on Thursday, according to the Ministry of Public Health which also reported the country’s third death due to the virus. The Lebanese Minister of Public Health Hamad Hassan said that eight government hospitals have been equipped to increase the capacity to deal with additional cases.The National News Agency (NNA) citing a daily report issued by Rafik Hariri University Hospital in Beirut said the hospital alone has at its isolation unit 38 confirmed cases. “during the past 24 hours, 158 cases in the emergency unit designated to receive cases suspected of being infected with the disease, whereby 17 of them had to be admitted to the quarantine section while the rest adhered to home quarantine,” read the hospital’s statement carried by the news agency. It added “Laboratory tests were conducted over 206 cases, 199 of which were negative and 7 positive.” the Hospital report indicated. It also disclosed that 19 cases that were held in quarantine were released today,” after their test results came out negative. Fourteen cases are currently present in the quarantine section. The Hospital added that the health condition of coronavirus cases is stable, except for 2 in critical condition, all of whom receiving the necessary care in the isolation unit. In a related development Restaurants, cafes, shopping malls and shops across the country shut their doors to customers on Thursday. Meanwhile, former PM Saad Hariri said that the situation cannot tolerate any outbidding, and that fighting coronavirus requires the utmost seriousness. He stressed that the mistakes that have occurred are now behind us, and what is in front of us is only the mobilization of all efforts within the State, health institutions and civil society to fight the epidemic. He said on Twitter: “The danger of the virus does not depend on the sectarian and political identity, and if the health requirements necessitate strict measures to control land crossings and to place a neighborhood or region where the virus is found in quarantine, we should not hesitate. The world has declared a state of emergency, from America to China and Italy. What is needed is to isolate government decisions from politics.” He added: “This is an opportunity to praise the medical staff and all the employees of the Rafic Hariri University Hospital, the Lebanese Red Cross and all the health institutions that established spaces dedicated to fight the epidemic,” according to a statement issued by Hariri press office and was carried by NNA.
Lebanon, Algeria Register Coronavirus Deaths
Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday, 12 March, 2020
A third Lebanese man has died from the coronavirus, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Thursday. The 79-year-old had cancer, it said.According to the state-run National News Agency the man’s immune system was impaired. Local media reported that the virus was transmitted to him from the first man who had died in Lebanon earlier this week. The Health Ministry said the number of infections stands at 61. Outside of Iran, only Iraq, Egypt and Lebanon have recorded deaths from the virus in the Middle East. Iran has one of the world’s worst death tolls outside of China, the epicenter of the outbreak. Algeria has registered its first death from the novel coronavirus, the Health Ministry announced on Thursday. No further details on the death were provided in the ministry statement, cited by the official APS press agency. Another five new cases of COVID-19 have been recorded, bringing the total number of confirmed cases on Algerian soil to 24, the ministry added. A 25th case — and the first registered in the country — concerns an Italian who tested positive in February but who has since left Algeria. Of the five new cases announced on Thursday, two are Algerians who had been in France. Egypt, the Arab world’s most populous country, reported seven more cases late Wednesday, bringing the country’s total number of cases to 67. In the southern tourist-driven city of Luxor, 70 Egyptian workers and guides remained in quarantine on a Nile cruise ship called the Asara. Earlier this week, 83 foreign tourists left quarantine on the ship and flew home week after testing negative for the virus.
Lebanon Records 3rd Coronavirus Death
Associated Press/Naharnet/March 12/2020
Lebanon on Thursday recorded its third coronavirus death one day after the country received a flight from Iran despite the Cabinet announcement that flights from countries hit hardest by the novel virus were suspended. Lebanon has recorded 66 cases of COVID-19 according to the health ministry. NNA said the man’s immune system was impaired because he had cancer. Local media reported the man was 79 years old and that the virus was transmitted to him from the first man who had died in Lebanon earlier this week. Prime Minister Hassan Diab said Wednesday that Lebanon would suspend all trips to and from Italy, South Korea, Iran and China, the hardest hit countries. It would also stop arrivals from France, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom, he said. Lebanese and their families, diplomats, employees of international organisations, as well as UN peacekeepers would still be allowed in, the premier added. After four days, all trips from those countries would be suspended, Diab said, without specifying the precise date.
Iraq stops flights to India and Lebanon over coronavirus fears
Reuters/Friday, 13 March 2020
Iraqi Airlines announced on Thursday it would stop all flights to India and Lebanon over the coronavirus outbreak, the state news agency reported. The statement from the company added that evacuation flights from India will be excluded from this decision, and March 15 will be the last day for Iraqis in Lebanon to return. On Thursday, Lebanon reported seven new confirmed cases of the deadly coronavirus, raising the total number of recorded cases in the country to 66, according to the Ministry of Public Health which also reported the country’s third death due to the virus. Coronavirus continues spread across Middle East and North Africa with over 1,600 infected across the region. The coronavirus first started spreading from Wuhan, China, earlier this year and has since infected nearly 90,000 people, with over 3,000 dead.
MP Says Coronavirus Testing Should be ‘Free’ for All Lebanese
Naharnet/March 12/2020
Lebanon’s National Social Security Fund set the cost of testing for coronavirus at 150,000 Lebanese pounds, a move criticized by many including MP Qassem Hashem who said it should be free for all. “Although the steps taken by the government and health ministry are good and necessary to limit the spread of coronavirus epidemic, making citizens pay the cost of laboratory testing amounting to 150,000 Lebanese pounds in these circumstances can not be accepted,” the Development and Liberation parliamentary bloc MP said in a tweet. Hashem said the testing “must be free and available for all,” stressing the need to “reconsider” the decision. On Wednesday, NSSF General Director, Mohamad Karaki issued a memorandum setting the cost of the testing, and saying it was taken “pursuant to the memorandum issued by the Minister of Health (Hamad Hassan) No. 48 of 10 March 2020.”
Standard & Poor’s Downgrades Lebanon’s Rating to ‘Selective Default’
Naharnet/March 12/2020
Standard & Poor’s Global Ratings downgraded Lebanon’s sovereign debt in foreign currency to a “selective default” from (CC / C), warning that talks on debt restructuring may be complicated and prolonged.
Standard & Poor’s said it would likely cancel this designation whenever Lebanon exchanges any debt or activates a restructuring agreement between Lebanon and its creditors.
Aoun Meets Kubis
Naharnet/March 12/2020
President Michel Aoun received UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jan Kubis at Baabda Palace, the National News Agency reported on Thursday. NNA said the two men’s meeting came ahead of the report that Kubis would submit to the UN Secretary-General in the coming days on Lebanon’s action to address its economic crisis.
“The government is working at a rapid pace to implement the reform plan that deals with debt restructuring, banks, financial and administrative reform, in addition to the social and economic plan,” NNA quoted Aoun as telling Kubis. The UN envoy to Lebanon had earlier reiterated that the government must take its own steps to mitigate the economic crisis before any outside help.
He had said that “the conditions are reforms, reforms, reforms,” and that “the new government will come with a clear action plan with deadlines, and then, we will try to help, but it must start with the work of the government,” Kubis had said. On coronavirus, Aoun said during the meeting held in the presence of ex-minister Salim Jreissati: “The government is taking all appropriate measures to combat coronavirus and limit its spread through preventive measures taken on more than one level.”
Hasan Lauds ‘Civil Health Emergency’, Araji Says 8 Hospitals being Prepared
Naharnet/March 12/2020
Health Minister Hamad Hasan announced Thursday that the country’s anti-coronavirus committee had declared Wednesday what resembles a “civil health emergency,” stressing that “the Lebanese people enjoy awareness” regarding the COVID-19 coronavirus.
Responding to a reporter’s question, Hasan said Lebanon cannot declare an official state of emergency seeing as that would harm daily income workers. Speaking at the same press conference, the head of the health parliamentary committee, MP Assem Araji, said ten centers for coronavirus lab tests will be set up in the various regions. He also announced that eight state-run hospitals are being prepared to receive coronavirus cases. Lebanon has so far confirmed 66 coronavirus cases among them three fatalities. On Wednesday, the country closed restaurants and cafes and announced the suspension of flights from 11 virus-hit nations, giving Lebanese citizens a four-day deadline to return from seven countries. Educational institutions, sport clubs, nightclubs, pubs and other gathering venues had been closed since several days.
Govt. Boosts Internet for Citizens to Stay Home over Coronavirus
Naharnet/March 12/2020
The Lebanese government on Thursday decided to “double the speed and quotas of internet services” in order to encourage citizens to stay home amid a local and global coronavirus outbreak. During a cabinet session held in Baabda, the government also decided to utilize a $39 million loan from the World Bank to equip state-run hospitals in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. It also called on international organizations to “shoulder their responsibilities as to providing health care and the necessary preventative services to displaced Syrians and Palestinian refugees.”
As for the internet decision, the information minister said it will apply to OGERO subscribers and will run until the end of April. Prime Minister Hassan Diab meanwhile told Cabinet that “the number of virus infections in Lebanon is among the lowest in the world,” decrying what he called “political exploitation and a systematic intimidation campaign against the government.”Lebanon has so far confirmed 66 coronavirus cases among them three fatalities. On Wednesday, the country closed restaurants and cafes and announced the suspension of flights from 11 nations, giving Lebanese citizens a four-day deadline to return from seven countries. Educational institutions, sport clubs, nightclubs, pubs and other gathering venues had been closed since several days.
Lebanese Cabinet convenes at Baabda Palace: Freeing 39 million USD from a World Bank loan to equip governmental hospitals against Corona
NNA/March 12/2020
The Cabinet convened today at the Presidential Palace, in a session chaired by President Michel Aoun and attended by Prime Minister, Hassan Diab and Ministers.
Cabinet decisions were to release the loan provided by the World Bank for Governmental hospitals to confront Corona, which is valued 39 Million US Dollars. The Cabinet also requested international organizations to assume responsibilities in terms of caring for the displaced Syrians and Palestinian refugees, to provide necessary healthcare and proactive services, to fight Corona.
In addition, the Council of Ministers also decided to double internet speed and consumption volume for the final and insured internet subscribers on OGERO network, for free until end of April.
At the beginning of the session, President Michel Aoun stressed the necessity to continue taking preventive measures to limit spread. The President also welcomed the assistance which could be provided to Lebanon in this sense.
Prime Minister, Hassan Diab stated that “The number of infections in Lebanon, till now, is among the lowest in any country worldwide, numerically speaking, or in relative to population. It is true that the number of infected individuals may rise, however this is a global situation that worldwide countries have not been able to prevent. Lebanon is not an isolated island”.
“The positive results of the suspension of the repayment of Eurobonds began to be translated quickly. The Finance Minister informed us about the decrease in debt service securities in Lebanese pounds by 2.24%, roughly equivalent to around 300 Billion Pounds. This is a very important positive indication. We also started studying the capital Control Bill project” PM Diab added.
Cabinet Statement:
After the session ended, Information Minister, Manal Abdel Samad, read the Cabinet’s statement:
“The Council of Ministers convened in its weekly session, chaired by His Excellency the President of the Republic and attended by the Prime Minister, and Ministers. At the beginning of the session, His Excellency pointed out that the financial markets are still relatively calm after the Government announced the suspension of the payment of Eurobonds, which matured this March 9th, indicating that it is required to speed up the comprehensive plan that the Government referred to in its Policy statement.
Then His Excellency spoke about the measures taken to combat the Corona, stressing the need to persevere in taking preventive measures that prevent its spread, welcoming the assistance that can be provided to Lebanon in this framework.
Then, PM Diab said:
“Corona has become a Lebanese priority. There is a real state of terror, and there is political investment against the Government in this matter, in addition to an organized intimidation campaign.
The Government took all possible measures, and what is being said about Lebanon’s delay is not true. On the contrary, measures have become a model for some European countries and the world. Unfortunately, some deal with matters on the basis of “It is a goat even if it flies” because of allegations and accounts even if it causes harm to the country.
Financially, we all clearly felt the great satisfaction at all levels with the decision taken by the Government last week to suspend the payment of Eurobonds, and it appears that the positive results have begun to show quickly and on multiple levels”.
Cabinet Decisions:
Afterwards, the Cabinet studied Agenda topics and took appropriate decisions:
– Concerning “Corona”, the preparation of Governmental hospitals in the governorates is in full swing, in parallel with the release of the loan provided by the World Bank, which is intended to equip Government hospitals to cope with Corona, and its value is $ 39 million. The Health Minister pointed to the initiative of some private hospitals to allocate departments to receive the suspected epidemic. He also stressed the importance of compulsory home quarantine and social protection from non-contact with the injured, and included, for example, the cases from Egypt and France, which each resulted in the injury of about ten others, which strengthens the need to adhere to the decisions and guidelines of the National Committee to combat Corona. The Minister stated that two thermal surveillance devices were received from a Chinese company to monitor arrivals from Masnaa region.
– The Council of Ministers asked international organizations to assume their responsibilities in terms of caring for the displaced Syrians and Palestinian refugees to provide the necessary health care and pre-emptive services for them in relation to “Corona”.
– The Council of Ministers decided to double the speed of the Internet and double the volume of consumption for the end-users of the internet services, affiliated and insured on the Ministry of Communications OGERO network in residential places, free of charge and for a period ending in the end of April 2020, within the available technical capabilities.
– The Cabinet completed the research with the waste plan according to the concept set by the Environment Minister. After the available options were presented, the relevant Ministerial committee was charged with studying these options and returning to the Cabinet to take a decision on them.
-As for the issue related to the appointment of a Lebanese law firm to handle international cases to defend the interests of the state in the Al-Fattoush case, the Minister of Justice was tasked to do the necessary to secure the defense of rights of the Lebanese state, and work to end the file.
On the other hand, Justice Minister, Marie-Claude Najm, informed the Council of Ministers of the developments in the matter of transfers and judicial appointments, and noted the work of the Supreme Judicial Council and the advantages contained in the project prepared from it.
Najm stated that she is awaiting the Supreme Judicial Council’s response on this matter, hoping that all efforts will be poured into strengthening the capabilities of the judiciary in this crucial stage of the country’s history. The Cabinet session was preceded by a meeting between the President and Prime Minister, during which agenda topics were discussed. —-Presidency Press Office
Diab discusses with World Bank delegation common projects, chairs financial meeting
NNA/March 12/2020
Prime Minister Dr. Hassan Diab on Thursday held a meeting at the Grand Serail in presence of Ministers of Defense, Justice, Education, Economy, and Tourism and Social Affairs, as well as a delegation from the World Bank headed by the regional director Saroj Kumar Jha to discuss common projects with the World Bank. PM Diab also convened with Central Bank Governor Riad Salame and the Chairman of the Association of Banks Salim Sfeir, in presence of Ministers of Defense, Economy, Justice, and Administrative Development, as well as financial and legal consultants to follow up on the financial situation.The Prime Minister finally received a delegation from the Lebanese Customs.–Grand Serail Press Office
Diab heads meeting at Grand Serail over coronavirus developments
NNA/March 12/2020
A meeting, headed by Prime Minister Hassan Diab, was held this afternoon at the Grand Serail to discuss latest developments. Attendees reviewed the required mechanism for implementing procedures and measures related to coronavirus prevention. The currency exchange issue was also featured on the meeting’s agenda. The importance of respecting the exchange rate of the national currency and pursuing illegal money changers was highlighted. The meeting was held in presence of Deputy PM and Minister of Defense Zeina Akar, Ministers of Finance Ghazi Wazni, of Interior Mohammad Fahmi, and of Justice Marie-Claude Najm, as well as Central Bank Governor Riad Salame, State Prosecutor Judge Ghassan Oueidat, Army Commander General Joseph Aoun, General Security Chief, Major General Abbas Ibrahim, ISF Chief, Major General Imad Othman, State Security Chief, Major General Tony Saliba, President of the Banking Control Commission Samir Hammoud, Army Intelligence Director, Brigadier-General Tony Mansour, and ISF Information Branch Chief Khaled Hammoud.
—-Grand Serail Press Office
Berri tackles developments with new US Ambassador, UN’s Kubis, Zasypkin
NNA/March 12/2020
House Speaker, Nabih Berri, met this Thursday at his Ain Tineh residence the new US Ambassador to Lebanon, Dorothy Shea, who came on a protocol visit upon her assumption of her duties in Lebanon. Talks between the pair reportedly touched on the general situation and the bilateral relations between Lebanon and the US. Speaker Berri also met with UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jan Kubis, with whom he discussed most recent developments. The Speaker also received today the Russian Ambassador to Lebanon, Alexander Zasypkin, with talks reportedly touching on the general situation in Lebanon and the region, as well as the Lebanese-Russian bilateral relations.
Murtada tackles bilateral relations with Indonesian Ambassador
NNA/March 12/2020
Minister of Culture, Abbas Murtada, welcomed at his office this Thursday the Ambassador of Indonesia to Lebanon, Hajriyanto Thohari, accompanied by the embassy’s cultural attaché.
The meeting touched on the overall situation and the latest developments, in addition to the existing bilateral relations between the two countries, especially at the cultural level, with emphasis on the prospects of developing cooperation by signing a memorandum of understanding covering all sectors, including the Lebanese National Library’s cooperation with the Indonesian National Library and the centers of study specialized in Middle East affairs. Thohari presented Minister Murtada with a symbolic gift from the Indonesian heritage. The Minister stressed “the need to promote the spirit of communication and openness through culture,” noting that “all of the Ministry’s cultural centers are open to Indonesian activities and events in Lebanon.”
Hassan, UNICEF Representative tackle joint projects
NNA/March 12/2020
Minister of Public Health, Dr. Hamad Hassan, met Thursday at the Ministry with UNICEF Representative in Lebanon, Yukie Mokuo, with whom he discussed the joint programs between the international organization and the Ministry and the possibility of strengthening them to keep pace with the Ministry’s efforts in combating the novel corona epidemic. Mokou described the measures taken by the Ministry of Public Health as “serious”, reiterating call not to believe false news.
Hassan chairs coordination meeting over governmental hospitals’ equipment amid coronavirus outbreak
NNA/March 12/2020
Minister of Public Health, Hamad Hassan, chaired Thursday at the Ministry a meeting devoted to coordinate the equipment of the governmental hospitals nationwide amid the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The meeting was attended by World Health Organization (WHO) Representative in Lebanon Iman Shankiti, and a panel of public hospitals’ chairmen. “Governmental hospitals will begin assuming this responsibility that is national par excellence,” said the Minister. He also thanked the private hospitals for their initiative to contribute to the fight against coronavirus. Hassan did not fail to highlight the importance of the role of media amid the current juncture. In response to a question, he indicated that over 12500 hospital beds are available in Lebanon’s public and private hospitals. “In light of the tally of the cases diagnosed in the past few weeks, the healthcare system in Lebanon still enjoy full containment capacities to assume medical and social duties,” he said. “There’s no need to think of the worst since the situation is still under control,” he underlined. “The Lebanese state, with all its apparatuses and institutions, is in the service of the society and its protection,” he concluded.
Hariri: Fight coronavirus away from politics and outbidding
NNA/March 12/2020
Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri said that the situation cannot tolerate any outbidding, and that fighting coronavirus requires the utmost seriousness. He stressed that the mistakes that have occurred are now behind us, and what is in front of us is only the mobilization of all efforts within the State, health institutions and civil society to fight the epidemic. He said on Twitter: “The danger of the virus does not depend on the sectarian and political identity, and if the health requirements necessitate strict measures to control land crossings and to place a neighborhood or region where the virus is found in quarantine, we should not hesitate. The world has declared a state of emergency, from America to China and Italy. What is needed is to isolate government decisions from politics.”He added: “This is an opportunity to praise the medical staff and all the employees of the Rafic Hariri University Hospital, the Lebanese Red Cross and all the health institutions that established spaces dedicated to fight the epidemic.”–Hariri Press Office
Four injured in stabbing incident in northeast London – police
NNA/March 12/2020
British police said four boys sustained injuries in a stabbing incident in Walthamstow, northeast London late on Wednesday.
The boys, aged around 15-16, were taken to hospital with stab injuries not believed to be life-threatening, the police said in a tweet bit.ly/39NKbVS early on Thursday. Seven were arrested for “violent disorder, possession of offensive weapon & affray,” the police said. — REUTERS
Virus-Hit Iran Asks IMF for Its First Loan since 1962
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/March 12/2020
Iran said on Thursday that it has sought financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund, which has not lent it money since 1962, to help it combat the novel coronavirus. “Our central bank requested access” to the IMF’s Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI), Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Twitter, urging the fund’s board to respond to the request “responsibly”.
Hariri to Officials: Fight Coronavirus Away from Politics
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/March 12/2020
Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri said Thursday that fighting the COVID-19 coronavirus requires the utmost seriousness, noting that “the mistakes that have occurred are now behind us.””What is in front of us is only the mobilization of all efforts within the State, health institutions and civil society to fight the epidemic,” he tweeted, according to an English-language statement distributed by his office. He added: “The danger of the virus does not depend on the sectarian and political identity, and if the health requirements necessitate strict measures to control border crossings or to place a neighborhood or region under quarantine, we should not hesitate.”Noting that the world has declared a state of emergency, Hariri called for separating the government’s decisions from politics. He added: “This is an opportunity to praise the medical staff and all the employees of the Rafik Hariri University Hospital, the Lebanese Red Cross and all the health institutions that established spaces dedicated to fight the epidemic.”
Jumblat Says Lebanon Must Seek IMF Aid, Cites Iran Move
Naharnet/March 12/2020
Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat on Thursday said Lebanon has “the right to ask for help from the International Monetary Fund,” citing Iran’s request for aid from the IMF on Thursday in the face of its coronavirus outbreak. “Amid the enormous explosion of this pandemic, only human solidarity remains essential and down with the narrow political calculations,” Jumblat tweeted. “We have the right to ask for help from the IMF, accompanied with a serious reform program, and to ask for help for the Lebanese people and the refugees. This is the simplest protection measure,” the PSP leader added. “Iran has requested aid and we voice solidarity with it,” he went on to say. Several officials of Iran-backed Hizbullah have warned against Lebanon asking for financial assistance from the IMG, cautioning that such a move would place the country under political hegemony.
IMF Urges Lebanon to ‘Quickly’ Implement Economic Reforms
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/March 12/2020
Lebanon should move quickly to implement reforms to stabilize the country’s economy, the International Monetary Fund said Thursday. Lebanon is facing its worst economic crisis since its 1975-1990 civil war, and Prime Minister Hassan Diab suspended payment of a $1.2 billion Eurobond maturity due on Monday and is seeking debt restructuring because of dwindling foreign currency reserves. “Given the severity of economic conditions in Lebanon, it’s important that the government designs and implements promptly a comprehensive package of reforms to effectively address the economic challenges and improve Lebanon’s economic prospects,” IMF spokesman Gerry Rice told reporters. While the country has not requested aid from the Washington-based crisis lender, “We stand ready… to assist the authorities in those efforts.” Lebanon’s debt burden, long among the largest in the world, is now equivalent to nearly 170 percent of its gross domestic product. The value of the Lebanese pound has plummeted by more than a third on the black market, prices have risen, and many businesses have been forced to close. Diab also announced plans to slash state spending and downsize an inflated banking sector. An IMF team has met with Lebanese officials, and is now waiting to see their plans “on how to tackle the economic challenges they face,” Rice said.
LibanPost Launches Passport, Residency Card and Municipality Fee Services
Agence France Presse/Naharnet/March 12/2020
LibanPost has resumed the handling of the “Lebanese Biometric Passport” renewal as well as that of the “Temporary Residence for Syrian Nationals” and has launched the possibility to pay for the “Beirut Municipality Fee” at any of its 100+ offices across the country.
In a statement, the company said the new services aim to prove anew “its commitment to serve all residents and facilitate their daily lives.”Regarding the Lebanese Biometric Passport, citizens may now proceed with its replacement upon expiry at any LibanPost office. The new passport will be delivered to them at the address of their choice, upon completion. Furthermore, Syrian nationals residing in Lebanon may renew their temporary biometric residency cards at any LibanPost office. The new cards will be remitted to the authorized person (applicant, guarantor, member of the family) at the pre-defined address.
LibanPost has also launched the possibility for taxpayers to pay for the Beirut Municipality Fee at any of its branches, without having to commute to the municipality building. “With this additional offering, LibanPost confirms once more, its positioning as the convenient intermediary between citizens and public entities, and showcases an example of successful partnership between the public and the private sectors,” the company said. “For further convenience, all LibanPost services may be handled from the customer’s doorstep, without having to head to any office, by simply calling 1577 and asking for a ‘Home Service’,” it added.
If Iran can call on the IMF, why can’t Hezbollah in Lebanon?
Sulaiman Hakemy/The National/March 12/2020
As both countries face economic crisis and a coronavirus emergency, Tehran is opting for pragmatism where Beirut will not
Last week, Hezbollah – the Iran-backed militant political party that controls the Lebanese parliament – warned that the government in Beirut would have a “popular revolution” on its hands if it accepted an aid package from the International Monetary Fund.
Every member of the fund, including Lebanon, has the right to request financial assistance from it. Lebanon has been in desperate need of such assistance, as the country has been grappling with its worst economic crisis since the end of a 15-year civil war in 1990 and waves of protests against the government over the last six months.
To compound the issue, Lebanon is being afflicted with a rapid spread of coronavirus in the country, thought to have started three weeks ago with a Lebanese national returning from Iran, which has the highest number of coronavirus cases – and deaths – in the region. Ever keen to put solidarity with the Iranian government above the interests of its own people, Lebanon’s Hezbollah-backed government waited until Tuesday to halt flights between Iranian airports and Beirut.
IMF officials have been in talks with the Lebanese government for months – though, as a result of Hezbollah’s obstruction, the most the fund has been allowed to do is offer limited “technical assistance”.
There are a few reasons that Hezbollah would rather that IMF money was kept out of Lebanon’s state coffers. The first is that assistance would come with a range of conditions – including the implementation of austerity measures, which will prove unpopular among Hezbollah’s base.
Second is that outside assistance from the IMF on the scale of what Lebanon needs would send a formal signal to the international community that Hezbollah is a poor steward for the Lebanese state. This is already apparent to many – hence the protests in Beirut and the reluctance of Western countries to step in as single donors. But to file a financial assistance request to the IMF would be to put it all in writing.
Another reason is to do with Hezbollah’s penchant for rhetoric and propaganda. The Hezbollah deputy leader, Sheikh Naim Qassem, has labelled the IMF a tool of the US, and warned that giving it influence over Lebanon’s affairs would risk turning the Mediterranean nation into an American marionette. Hezbollah would rather, of course, that its strings were pulled from Tehran. But yesterday the Iranian government announced that, last week, its own central bank governor, Abdulnaser Hemmati, had formally reached out to the fund, asking for $5 billion in emergency assistance to deal with its own coronavirus outbreak. On Instagram, he emphasised Iran’s right to draw from the fund, stating that “no one should lose their life due to a lack of funds”.
Mr Hemmati’s strenuous effort to justify his actions was unnecessary. The coronavirus has infected at least 10,000 Iranians and killed more than 400, according to the country’s own official figures. Iran needs the money, and ordinary Iranians deserve help. And if the coronavirus continues to spread across the country, it may be Tehran that fears a popular revolution. But if Iran is willing to use a so-called “American tool” to pull itself out of a full-blown crisis, why shouldn’t its client, Lebanon? If Iranian lives should never be lost due to a lack of funds, why should Lebanese lives be so exposed?
There is a difference between a financial assistance package and rapid emergency funds. But as the ongoing economic and health crises in both countries merge and peak, the average person on the street will very quickly begin to see that difference as merely semantic.
*Sulaiman Hakemy is deputy comment editor at The National
Lebanon needs its friends as state disintegrates
Khaled Abou Zahr/Arab News/March 12/2020
It took the newly Hezbollah-appointed Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab more than a month to stop flights to and from Iran in response to the difficult COVID-19 situation. Flights to and from Italy, which experienced a spike in cases long after Iran, were cancelled within a week. But it was impossible to do the same with Tehran. This is truly symbolic of the relationship between a vassal state and its master. Even though — after a major public outcry — the government finally took the decision to stop flights, one could ask who will stop Hezbollah fighters or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps from arriving by land via Syria? Who has the capacity to do so?
Unfortunately, the Lebanese people are not only facing a threat to their health due to the Hezbollah-controlled government. The financial health of the state and even its future are also at high risk. As expected, Lebanon will default on its Eurobond debt and will probably also default on all its upcoming liabilities payments. It is now clear to everyone that the entire banking system is in negative equity, starting from Banque du Liban, the central bank. It wouldn’t be a surprise — as banks might also default and go bankrupt — to see a wave of consolidation and nationalization and tighter government control of the sector. Lebanese bondholders are also set to see the value of their holdings go down or disappear. Finally, the “haircut” everyone has been talking about will look more like a crew cut than anything else. Even if it starts with large account holders, the size of the problem will mean everybody is affected.
Despite promises of change by the current government, little should be expected. As difficult as it is, restructuring the debt is the easy part. The hard part is restructuring government. Indeed, how can a state function properly while a militia acting as the army can choose what laws apply to its members and threaten those who do not serve its interests? All three branches of power are under Hezbollah’s thumb: Executive, legislative and judiciary. The state is bleeding sovereign capital due to this corruption and mismanagement. All indications point to the fact that it is heading for collapse and an inability to honor its commitments, from the salaries of public officials to pension payments and other obligations. This will cause more instability and plunge many into poverty, and the country into high levels of insecurity.
As difficult as it is, restructuring the debt is the easy part. The hard part is restructuring government
What, therefore, can the best experts do if any restructuring of government institutions cannot go forward because it would conflict with Hezbollah’s interests? Can they change the electricity sector? Can they impose border controls? Can they even control construction permits? Hezbollah, which has systematically weakened the state, will always put its own interests first. Today, the government cannot even exert its authority on illegal activities being conducted in plain sight; it can’t even impose its control over the country’s full territory. So how can this government be capable of bringing change to the public sector, which currently benefits many financially and politically?
As the situation worsens, Iran has a plan for Lebanon. Do not think otherwise. It will not let go of its best foreign covert and diplomatic tool, which is Hezbollah. Now that full control is asserted, the Iranian plan is a broader integration with Iraq, which does not face the same international sanctions as Tehran. It can also count on Syria for logistics; yet Iraqi integration will be easier and can also help Iran. Iran has stronger control in Iraq compared to Syria and can create new alliances, starting from the energy sector, which benefits its axis. Incidentally, when Hezbollah focused on taking control of Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health — as the Iranian-affiliated parties also did in Iraq — no one investigated the reason. It is clearer now.
In this arrangement, Lebanon will not get a full solution, but just enough to keep limited government functioning to face domestic challenges, while Hezbollah keeps calling the shots. Lebanon will no longer honor any of its international commitments. Hezbollah wants to keep this structure as it enables it to use the government as a shield for all of its activities. Worse, it is ready to change the regime and take full control of the state: A regime of terror. Oppression will be more visible in the coming months in any case.
The alternative solution, which is the solution protesters want and Lebanon should aim for, would require a complete overhaul of Lebanese politics and would start with Hezbollah giving up its military arsenal and control of government institutions. This is, of course, wishful thinking. Even the reforms required by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that could bring some financial aid require more control over government activities — starting from border control — and this does not suit Hezbollah, which initially refused this course of action. Negotiations with the support of France might nevertheless take place to try and reduce the IMF’s requirements in order to get at least part of the bailout. If, by some miracle, this happens, it is condemning Lebanon to even more hardship and will further sink it into debt that it won’t be able to honor.
As the situation deteriorates and people suffer, the true friends of Lebanon will certainly help, but most probably through humanitarian channels and not through the government. Shadow financial structures will be developed to support some businesses. In short, the Lebanese state will continue its disintegration. Yet, as the situation with COVID-19 clears, protests can force change. It is not impossible. Iran is weakened for many obvious reasons and Lebanon still has friends in the US and the Arab world. They need to see a way forward, as the Lebanese people do too. It is time for a new leadership with a new vision.
• Khaled Abou Zahr is CEO of Eurabia, a media and tech company. He is also the editor of Al-Watan Al-Arabi.
Lebanon set to legalise medical, industrial cannabis cultivation
Timour Azhari/AlJazeera/March 12/2020
Draft law, headed for final parliamentary vote, could boost Lebanon’s crippled economy and curb illicit production.
Beirut, Lebanon – Lebanon’s parliament is set to vote on a law that would legalise the cultivation of cannabis for medical and industrial use in an effort to boost its crippled economy and curb illicit production of the psychoactive plant.
The draft law, which has been endorsed by parliamentary committees and is now headed for a final vote, would only affect cannabis that contains less than one percent of the psychoactive compound tetrahydrocannabidinol, or THC.
THC gives cannabis the recreational effects that have made it the most widely used illicit substance across the globe. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around 147 million people, or 2.5 percent of the world population, consume cannabis.
Lebanon has cultivated the plant for at least 100 years and produces large amounts of hashish, a sticky, sweet-smelling derivative of the cannabis plant that looks like chocolate. Though illegal to produce, sell or use, it is widely available locally and is also illegally exported.
Lebanese hashish can be found in European capitals, and formerly made up about 80 percent of the world’s supply during the country’s civil war years (1975-90) when cultivation was at its peak.
Instead of dealing with that market, this bill would seek to create a new one involving types of cannabis plants that have not traditionally been cultivated in Lebanon.
Member of parliament Yassine Jaber, who headed the subcommittee that drafted the law, said the bill was based on a 2019 report by United States-based consultancy McKinsey & Company that recommended Lebanon legalise cannabis production for “high-added-value medicinal products with export focus”.
Shortly afterwards, then-economy minister Raed Khoury said a legal cannabis sector in Lebanon could generate $1bn in revenue per year because the quality of Lebanon’s hashish was “one of the best in the world”.
“We have a competitive and a comparative advantage in the cannabis business,” Jaber told Al Jazeera. “Our soil is among the best in the world for this, and the cost of production is low compared to other states.”
Regulating the market
Dozens of countries around the world have allowed research in and production of medical cannabis in recent years, with studies repeatedly demonstrating the therapeutic effects of cannabinoids, a major chemical constituent of cannabis, for treatment of nausea and vomiting in terminal illnesses such as cancer and AIDS. The WHO says it has also shown therapeutic uses for “asthma and glaucoma, as an antidepressant, appetite stimulant, anticonvulsant and anti-spasmodic”.
A push in Lebanon to legalise cultivation of medical cannabis
Other countries and regions have gone further and entirely legalised cannabis, including Uruguay, Georgia, South Africa, 10 US states and, most recently, Canada.
The draft law creates a commission with a regulatory authority that would issue licences for everything from importing seeds and saplings, establishing cannabis plant nurseries, planting and harvesting the crop, manufacturing goods from it and exporting its derivatives.
Licences can be awarded to Lebanese pharmaceutical companies, industries permitted to create industrial fibers, oils and extracts, and foreign companies that have a licence to work in the cannabis industry from their country of origin.
Additionally, licences can be awarded to specialised agricultural co-operatives established in Lebanon, Lebanese citizens such as farmers or landowners, and labs and research centres qualified to work with controlled substances.
‘Opportunity missed’
One of the draft law’s stated goals is to reduce pressure on Lebanon’s clogged court and prison system stemming from organised crime involving the local cannabis trade.
But instead of decriminalising consumption of the plant or reducing sentences, it calls for “strengthening criminal penalties on violations against the articles of this law”.
Between 3,000 and 4,000 people are arrested for drug crimes each year in Lebanon, the vast majority for the consumption of hashish, according to statistics from the Central Drug Enforcement Office.
Canada becomes second country to legalise recreational cannabis
The bill would also explicitly prohibit anyone with a criminal record from acquiring a licence to cultivate or work with the cannabis crop in any manner.
It would thereby exclude tens of thousands of people who have served time or have outstanding drug warrants for cultivation and use of cannabis, mostly in the fertile eastern Bekaa Valley region, where most of the crop is grown and processed.
This means that many farmers who have grown cannabis for generations would not be allowed to take part in the new legal sector.
“This law would legalise cultivation without taking into consideration the situation of persons who consume drugs, or those who produce them,” Karim Nammour, a lawyer with progressive NGO Legal Agenda who specialises in drug policy, told Al Jazeera.
“Its an opportunity missed – they have failed to take a holistic approach.”
Sandy Mteirik, a drug policy development manager at Skoun, a Lebanese nongovernmental organisation focused on drug rehabilitation and advocacy, also criticised the move.
“For sure this is not what the farmers of the Bekaa want,” she told Al Jazeera. “There is no clear mechanism to integrate the existing illegal market into the legal market. You can’t just ignore the implications and consequences of criminalising drug use and say this new market is the priority.”
Big companies, big business
Jaber said local farmers would be able to benefit from the sector once a long-awaited amnesty bill is passed expunging the criminal records of cannabis farmers and users, who he said should be seen as “victims”.
Prime Minister Hassan Diab’s government has committed to endorsing an amnesty bill, though who exactly would be included is not clear.
Jaber said the draft law was not meant to address the issue of decriminalising drug users. “One way or another, the state will have to deal with that because the prisons are full,” he told Al Jazeera.
However, he predicted the new legal cannabis market would move forward with or without the involvement of those who have been criminalised by the illegal sector.
“I think big companies will come and other farmers will come and it will be a big business,” he said.
But Nammour warned the law would create a two-tier system where elites benefit from the production of cannabis, while those who have traditionally grown it in impoverished areas will be unable to participate, and everyday Lebanese will be unable to consume any of its products.
He also warned the draft law left the door open to endemic corruption in Lebanon. The commission tasked with overseeing the sector is funded by the licences it issues, while it is at the same time supposed to regulate licensing and prevent a monopoly or oversupply in the market.
“The conflict of interest is clear,” Nammour said.
