A Bundle Of English Reports, News and Editorials For March 13-14/2020 Addressing the On Going Mass Demonstrations & Sit In-ins In Iranian Occupied Lebanon in its 149th Day
A Bundle Of English Reports, News and Editorials For March 13-14/2020 Addressing the On Going Mass Demonstrations & Sit In-ins In Iranian Occupied Lebanon in its 149th Day Compiled By: Elias Bejjani March 14/2020
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on March 13-14/2020 Nasrallah Denies Virus Cover-Up, Says Up to Govt. to Declare Emergency Tight Measures Against Coronavirus Deathblow to Restaurants in Lebanon MoPH reports 77 confirmed cases Aoun Informs UN of Swift Action on Reform Plan Aoun receives letter from Al-Sisi Presidency Media Office: News promoted about nationalization of non-Lebanese is false, and will bring its perpetrators to legal accountability US ambassador visits Diab: Only by accountability can Lebanon initiate difficult process of restoring international confidence Diab chairs meeting over coronavirus preventive measures Diab chairs meeting to discuss Energy Ministry affairs Hitti, Shea discuss challenges facing Lebanon Salameh instructs bank to prioritize transfers to purchase supplies to fight coronavirus Fahmy’s media office: No naturalization decree filed since Fahmy assumed duties Hoballah: Government’s priority is to fight corruption Majzoub extends educational institutions’ closure until March 22 79-year-old man becomes third victim in Lebanon; 15 nurses quarantined U.S. ‘Supports’ Lebanon and the Calls of Its People, Says Ambassador Salameh: Priority for Transfers to Buy Equipment to Combat Virus Report: Legal, Financial Advisers Begin Talks with Creditors Religious Services Curbed in Lebanon over Virus Fears Lebanon Banks Close Saturday over Coronavirus Geagea Urges Country’s Lockdown, Says LF May Sue Diab, Hasan Coronavirus pushes Lebanon to the brink of collapse/Georgi Azar/Annahar/March 13/2020 Will Lebanon’s Eurobond default spur much-needed reform/Simon Speakman Cordall/The Arab Weekly/March 13/2020 Prayers restricted across Middle East amid coronavirus fears/Al Jazeera/March 13/2020 The Shia crescent is still America’s biggest Middle East challenge/Steven Bucci/Al Arabiya/Friday, 13 March 2020 Hamas, Hezbollah and coronavirus/Yuval Karni|/Ynetnews/March 13/2020 Preventive measures against the covid19 coronavirus in Canada except for the province of Quebec./Paul Marwan Tabet/Bishop of Canada for Maronites/March 12/2020
The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on March 13-14/2020 Nasrallah Denies Virus Cover-Up, Says Up to Govt. to Declare Emergency Naharnet/March 13/2020 Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Friday stressed that the Health Ministry has been transparent in reporting coronavirus cases, as he noted that it is up to the government to declare a state of emergency should the need arise. “The Health Ministry has been transparent from the first day and all claims about a cover-up by the Health Ministry or Hizbullah are baseless and mere lies,” Nasrallah said in a televised address focused on the coronavirus crisis. Some activists and media reports had in recent days claimed that undeclared coronavirus cases are present at the Hizbullah-affiliated Great Prophet Hospital. “We put all our capabilities, health and medical cadres, manpower, institutions and resistance fighters at the government’s disposal,” Nasrallah added. He also stressed that it is up to the government to declare a state of emergency over coronavirus, emphasizing that his party is not preventing it from making such a move. Separately, he called on the country’s banks to “act responsibly” regarding the virus crisis. “You have a lot of money and you have made huge profit and now you must shoulder your responsibility. You are the first side that must offer help to the government, the health sector and social solidarity, so that the people and the country can triumph,” Nasrallah said. Turning to the controversy over the government’s measures in the face of the virus, Nasrallah said: “There is no problem in critics voicing their opinions, but we must shun divisions and I hope you will not discriminate regionally, racially or confessionally over this virus. We are before a humanitarian battle par excellence.” “In the battle against coronavirus, the state, the people and the institutions must cooperate and the time is not for settling scores or bickering,” Nasrallah added. Noting that the objective of containing the disease is “realistic and achievable,” Nasrallah said success requires “a decision, a will, patience and an accurate follow-up.” “Until the world discovers a cure for this pandemic, the objective must be to limit the spread of the virus as well as human losses,” he said. “People’s lives are the priority. The academic year and the economic losses can be compensated,” he added. Addressing citizens, he urged them to pray in their homes and not to go to mosques and churches. “I urge people to fully abide by the government’s instructions… All people must be transparent if they have any symptoms,” Hizbullah’s leader said. He also warned that it is a “religious duty” to abide by the instructions of the health authorities. Lebanon has so far confirmed 78 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. Health Minister Hamad Hasan said Thursday that Lebanon cannot declare an official state of emergency seeing as that would harm daily income workers.
Tight Measures Against Coronavirus Deathblow to Restaurants in Lebanon Beirut- Paula Astih/Asharq Al-Awsat/Friday, 13 March, 2020 A decision last Wednesday to close all restaurants across Lebanon as part of measures to limit the spread of coronavirus in the country seriously places this sector at risk, particularly that restaurants are already suffering from the country’s economic crisis. Between September 2019 and February 2020, the number of restaurants and cafes that closed in Lebanon reached almost 800. The month of January alone witnessed the closing of 240 institutions. Meanwhile, more than 25,000 employees were laid off. According to Information International, the restaurant sector generates $5 billion every year and it constitutes 10 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). “The coronavirus crisis came to send a deathblow to the restaurant sector,” said Maya Bekhazi Noun, general secretary of the Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants, Nightclubs, Cafes, and Patisseries. Noun told Asharq Al-Awsat that before last September, the sector employed 150,000 workers, who are now at risk. She said before the coronavirus crisis, restaurants were already suffering from several changes due to the political and economic instability in the country. “Until now, we cannot determine for how long restaurants will remain closed or what would be the direct economic and financial repercussions of such a decision,” Noun explained. Sources at the Tourism Ministry told Asharq Al-Awsat that in order to contain the virus outbreak in Lebanon, it is essential that restaurants remain closed, even if such a decision would engender dire economic consequences. “Disease has worse repercussions on the Lebanese than an economic deterioration,” the sources said, adding that the ministry would update its assessments regarding the closure of several sectors on a weekly basis, based on the authorities’ capacity to contain the virus.
MoPH reports 77 confirmed cases NNA/March 13/2020 The Ministry of Public Health issued this Friday its daily COVID-19 report, which reads: “To this date (March 13, 2020 noontime), the total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus is 77, including those diagnosed at the Rafic Hariri University Hospital, and those reported by other university hospitals. The Ministry of Public Health also announces that one of its employees in the central administration had contracted the virus from an infected relative. The Ministry shall follow the necessary procedures to isolate the said employee, identify those who had been in contact with her inside and outside the ministry, collect samples from them, and place them under home quarantine.”
Aoun Informs UN of Swift Action on Reform Plan Beirut – Asharq Al-Awsat/Friday, 13 March, 2020 Lebanese President Michel Aoun informed the United Nations Special Coordinator to Lebanon, Jan Kubis, that the government was working at a rapid pace to implement the reform plan that would address debt and banking restructuring and other financial, administrative and social reforms. Finance Minister Ghazi Wazni also said Thursday that Lebanon’s plan to address its financial and economic crisis would meet the recommendations of the International Monetary Fund and be ready within weeks. During his meeting with Kubis on Thursday, Aoun stressed that the government was taking all appropriate measures to combat the coronavirus outbreak and limit its spread through several preventive measures. He also noted that work has begun for the implementation of the electricity plan, in addition to the adoption of a series of steps to push economic development forward. Kubis informed the Lebanese president of the ongoing preparations for the Security Council meeting that would discuss recent developments in the country mentioned in the report on the implementation of Resolution 1701. Meanwhile, Wazni said on Friday that Lebanon’s economic and financial plan would meet the IMF recommendations. He stressed that any decision to resort to the Fund must be approved by political consensus, adding that conditions should not cause sufferings.
Aoun receives letter from Al-Sisi NNA/March 13/2020 President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, received the Egyptian Ambassador to Lebanon, Yasser Mohamed Alawi, with whom he tackled the overall situation and the latest developments in Lebanon and the region. Alawi delivered to Aoun a message from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
Presidency Media Office: News promoted about nationalization of non-Lebanese is false, and will bring its perpetrators to legal accountability NNA/March 13/2020 The Information Office in the Lebanese Presidency issued the following statement: Some media and social media outlets reported that President Michel Aoun issued nationalization decrees for a number of non-Lebanese individuals. This news is false and fabricated, and falls within the framework of fake news, which some deliberately promote for reasons well-known reasons. The truth that exposes these allegations is that restoring citizenship decrees, published in the latest issue of the Official Gazette, which were reported by various media outlets, were belonging to individuals residing abroad and of Lebanese descent. These decrees are issued according to Law No. 41 (24/11/2015), “Defining the conditions for regaining Lebanese citizenship”.The law has set specific conditions with the process mechanism of requesting citizenship restoration, starting with the submission of an application in Lebanese missions abroad, sent to the Foreign Affairs Ministry and then to the Interior Ministry, so the Directorate of General Security and then to a special committee stipulated by the law and that has full authority to accept or reject requests, after studying. Then, to the Directorate of Personal Status, which in turn establishes the draft decree for each application to be signed according to rules. The law set a maximum 18-month period for this transaction. Thus, since 2016 till now, dozens of decrees have been issued and all those who have obtained restoration of nationality have submitted documents proving that they are of Lebanese origin and it is their natural right, granted to them by the aforementioned law. The Information Office again stresses, on different mass media outlets, on the need to refer to the media office in all news related to the Presidency of the Republic, in order to prevent the publication of any false or misleading news, noting that the repetition of such acts is violating laws and regulations, and perpetrators will be held accountable.– Presidency Press Office
US ambassador visits Diab: Only by accountability can Lebanon initiate difficult process of restoring international confidence NNA/March 13/2020 Prime Minister Hassan Diab on Friday met with US Ambassador to Lebanon, Dorothy Shea, in presence of Deputy Chief of Mission, Win Dayton, and Counselor for Political and Economic Affairs, Hans Wechsel, as well as PM’s Consultants Khodr Taleb, Gebran Soufan, and Khaled Akkari. After the meeting, Ambassador Shea said: “Good morning. Sabah al-kheir. I want to thank Prime Minister Diab—as well as President Aoun, Speaker Berri, and Foreign Minister Hitti—for their very warm welcome. I am honored to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon and to work alongside the Lebanese people, who are famous not only for their hospitality, but also for their resilience, diversity, and entrepreneurship. Today I discussed with Prime Minister Diab the strength and potential of the U.S. partnership with Lebanon, and our shared stake in a Lebanon that is stable, secure, and sovereign. This is a partnership that is vitally important not only to both of our countries, but to all of the countries in the region. The people of Lebanon have rightly called for reform, an end to corruption, and the imposition of effective policies necessary to extricate Lebanon from its unprecedented economic crisis. The United States continues to back the protestors’ legitimate demands for economic opportunity, accountability, and transparency. Only by meeting those demands can Lebanon initiate the difficult process of restoring international confidence. The United States is proud to have been a committed partner to Lebanon since the 1800s. We have deep ties in education, in business, in security, and in people-to-people and family relationships, including my own, that touch all walks of life. We seek a bright future for the Lebanese people, who deserve a stable, secure, sovereign, and prosperous country. We stand with the Lebanese people in encouraging their government to effect real change in its policies, and to chart a course that will earn the confidence of those it means to govern – and, in doing so, secure the support of the international community. Thank you again for the warm welcome that you have extended me. Shukran.” — Presidency of the Council of Ministers
Diab chairs meeting over coronavirus preventive measures NNA/March 13/2020 A meeting chaired by Prime Minister Hassan Diab, was held this evening at the Grand Serail to discuss latest developments regarding preventive measures to deal with coronavirus in Lebanon.The meeting took place in presence of Ministers of Defense Zeina Akar, Public Health Hamad Hassan, Foreign Affairs Nassif Hitti, Interior Mohammad Fahmi, Economy Raoul Nehme, Energy Raymond Ghajar, Labor Lamia Yammine, and Public Works and Transportation Michel Najjar. Discussions touched on means of increasing the alert level. Meetings will be carried out tomorrow to announce new measures.– Grand Serail Press Office
Diab chairs meeting to discuss Energy Ministry affairs NNA/March 13/2020 Prime Minister Dr. Hassan Diab chaired a meeting to discuss affairs related to the Ministry of Energy. The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Zeina Akar, Minister of Energy Raymond Ghajar, Chairman of EdL Kamal Al-Hayek and a number of officials and consultants from the Ministry of Energy. Discussion featured high on setting a price ceiling for fuel purchase for EdL.–Grand Serail Press Office Hitti, Shea discuss challenges facing Lebanon NNA/March 13/2020 Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, Nassif Hitti, tackled with the Ambassador of the United States to Lebanon, Dorothy Shea, the means by which Lebanon can address the challenges facing it. Salameh instructs bank to prioritize transfers to purchase supplies to fight coronavirus NNAGovernor of the Central Bank, Riad Salameh, instructed all Lebanese banks to give priority to transfers for the purchase of medical supplies and equipment to combat coronavirus.
Fahmy’s media office: No naturalization decree filed since Fahmy assumed duties NNA/March 13/2020 The media office of Minister of Interior and Municipalities, Mohamed Fahmy, issued the following statement: “Some have circulated through social media a list of names published in the Official Gazette, claiming it was part of a new naturalization decree that has been issued. The media office of Minister Fahmy is keen to clarify that the Minister has not filed any new decrees for naturalization since he assumed his duties as Minister of the Interior, and that the aforementioned names fall within the context of the decrees to restore Lebanese citizenship to those who deserve it, as per Law 41 promulgated in 2015. It is to note that this measure has been in place for more than five years; decrees are issued periodically based on a study conducted by a committee headed by a judge. The media office also calls on all citizens to verify information before they publish them, and to communicate with the ministry for clarifications over any piece of information.”
Hoballah: Government’s priority is to fight corruption NNA/March 13/2020 Minister of Industry, Imad Hoballah, said in a statement that “Lebanon can only be saved with hope and action. No one can expect from this government, or any other government, anything more than what it has already done at the level of fighting coronavirus. There seems to be a mobilization against the state and the government, and that is not acceptable.””Do those calling to declare a state of emergency realize the implications of such a declaration? Do they know that a state of emergency requires the deployment of the army, forced curfews and many other decisions, measures and procedures?” he wondered, stressing that the government was aware of the basis on which to declare a state of emergency, and that it is studying its implications carefully and meticulously. “We know that the issue will develop, and we will act accordingly. We are doing what the countries of the world are doing, and sometimes more, to confront and deal with [the crisis].” Hoballah emphasized that “one of the priorities of our government is to fight corruption and recover the stolen money. We are fighting the battle of Lebanon’s survival and revival, away from any foreign dependency, and we feel that the people are giving us the opportunity. (…) They killed the industry intentionally, to keep Lebanon dependent on foreign sides abroad.”He concluded by stressing that “suspending the payment of Eurobonds was the right decision.”
Majzoub extends educational institutions’ closure until March 22 NNA/March 13/2020 Minister of Education and Higher Education Tarek al-Majzoub, on Friday requested that classes continue to be suspended in all public and private educational institutions until Sunday evening, March 22, 2020, in a circular addressed to elementary and secondary schools, vocational institutes and public and private universities today. “In order to preserve the health and safety of students and administrative and educational bodies, and after communicating with the Public Health Minister and the official committee tasked with following-up on the fight against the Coronavirus, and based on public interest requirements, all directors of public and private educational institutions are requested to continue to suspend classes in all public and private educational institutions until Sunday evening, March 22, 2020,” the circular read. It also called for “completing the preparation of emergency programs to end the educational curricula and compensate for the lessons lost by the students.”
79-year-old man becomes third victim in Lebanon; 15 nurses quarantined Najia Houssari/Arab News/March 13/2020 BEIRUT: Lebanon has reported its third death from the coronavirus. A 79-year-old man with cancer died on Wednesday while being treated in a hospital in Jbeil. He was sharing the room with a man, whose infection was not yet been confirmed. Doctors’ syndicate chief Sharaf Abu Sharaf said: “There are 15 nurses and two doctors being quarantined at home who have not showed any symptoms.”The streets have been almost empty as all entertainment and recreational facilities in the country have shut. The Lebanese Cabinet has doubled internet speed and capacity for Ogero users until the end of April, to encourage them to work and study at home. Mohammed, a taxi driver in Beirut, told Arab News: “People have stopped going to malls and Beirut souks are empty. They are even refusing to take a cab and are walking instead.” Salam, a saleswoman in Sodeco, said: “Buying clothes is no longer a priority as people are afraid of the coronavirus. We are making sure to disinfect and sterilize the shop everyday but it seems like we will be closing soon.”The Lebanese General Directorate of General Security has begun implementing the decision of the Ministerial Committee for Combating Coronavirus to close all border crossing points with Syria, preventing entry without residence permits. The directorate has also banned the Lebanese from entering Syria, where all border crossing points are expected to close four days after the issuance of the decision. On Wednesday, the Lebanese prime minister stopped all flights between Italy, South Korea, Iran and China for a week. Lebanon has also banned the entry of passengers from France, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Germany, Spain and the UK.
U.S. ‘Supports’ Lebanon and the Calls of Its People, Says Ambassador Naharnet/March 13/2020 The newly-appointed US ambassador to Lebanon, Dorothy Shea, said from the Grand Serail on Friday that the United States continues to “support” Lebanon and the calls of Lebanese protesters demanding reforms and an end for corruption. Shea who spoke after meeting with PM Hassan Diab said in a statement after: “The Lebanese are calling for fighting corruption, and they have taken to the streets for this purpose. We support their demands and call for their fulfillment in order to overcome the economic crisis,”She stressed the need for Lebanon to adopt transparency which would facilitate the way for “formal Lebanon to gain global trust,” she said. “The United States continues to support Lebanon and insists on the importance of supporting the economy, business and bilateral relations and we hope for a better future,” she concluded.
Salameh: Priority for Transfers to Buy Equipment to Combat Virus Naharnet/March 13/2020 Central bank governor Riad Salameh instructed Lebanese banks on Friday to prioritize transfers for the purchase of medical supplies and equipment to combat coronavirus, the National News Agency reported on Friday. The disease has infected 77 individuals in Lebanon so far according to the health ministry. On Friday, an employee at the ministry was diagnosed with the virus which the ministry said was “contracted from a relative.”In light of a liquidity crisis, Lebanese banks have imposed a strap on transfers abroad. But Salameh said it was a priority to transfer money for the purchase of protective equipment against the virus. Report: Legal, Financial Advisers Begin Talks with Creditors Naharnet/March 13/2020 The two US-based firms to act as legal and financial advisers on Lebanon’s public debt restructuring began negotiating with major creditors abroad after the government decided to default on its $1.2 billion Eurobond debt, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Friday. The daily said that financial adviser and asset management firm Lazard Cleary Gottlieb Steen, and legal adviser on the country’s Eurobond debt Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, began talks mainly with Ashmore Group Plc, Fidelity Investments and Goldman Sachs. It is not yet known whether the creditors will initiate lawsuits, said the daily, because Lebanon is actually in the stage of suspending the payment of its debt. Earlier in March, Prime Minister Hassan Diab said the government will suspend payment of $1.2 billion in loans, marking the crisis-hit country’s first-ever default on its sovereign debt amid ongoing popular unrest. He said the country will seek to restructure its massive debt.The default marks a new chapter in the crisis and could have severe repercussions on Lebanon, risking legal action by lenders that could further aggravate and push Lebanon’s economy toward financial collapse. Religious Services Curbed in Lebanon over Virus Fears Associated Press/Naharnet/March 13/2020 Religious authorities moved to cancel or limit weekly prayer gatherings in Lebanon on Friday to help prevent the spread of the new coronavirus as they encouraged the faithful to pray for those afflicted by the global pandemic. Friday prayers have been temporarily suspended in all Shiite mosques. The country’s top Sunni authority has said it is forbidden for anyone with a contagious disease to attend prayers and has urged elderly people and those with weakened immune systems to pray at home. For most people, the 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 and the COVID-19 illness it causes. But the rapid spread of the virus has caused worldwide alarm, tanking financial markets, disrupting travel and leading to large-scale shutdowns in some areas.
Lebanon Banks Close Saturday over Coronavirus Naharnet/March 13/2020 Lebanon’s banks issued a statement suspending work on Saturday over coronavirus fears. Lebanon bank employee union said in the statement that the “number of coronavirus cases is increasing despite the health ministry’s instructions.”The statement criticized the administrations of some banks and how they failed to take precautionary measures against the virus, noting that several employees have been buying the necessary personal protective equipment from their own money. The union decided to suspend work on March 14 as a protest against the “negligence” of related authorities in order to “protect the colleagues and employees.”Banks meanwhile will embark on disinfecting and sanitizing their buildings during the temporary closure.
Geagea Urges Country’s Lockdown, Says LF May Sue Diab, Hasan Naharnet/March 13/2020 Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Friday urged the government to lockdown the entire country as a precaution against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, warning that the LF may file lawsuits against Prime Minister Hassan Diab and Health Minister Hamad Hasan should the infections increase dramatically. “If the government doesn’t take the necessary measures, and if we reach the state which we believe will be reached – a significant increase in the coronavirus infections in Lebanon in a manner that exceeds the capacity of hospitals and medical crews and infrastructure and people start dying on the streets, we will file lawsuits against PM Hassan Diab and Health Minister Hassan Diab, seeing as we represent broad popular segments,” Geagea said at a press conference. He said the government should immediately lockdown the whole country, warning that should the disease spread “we will see people dying before reaching hospitals and others piled at the gates of hospitals for a simple reason, which is that we don’t have medical equipment.” Lebanon has so far confirmed 77 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. Health Minister Hamad Hasan said Thursday that Lebanon cannot declare an official state of emergency seeing as that would harm daily income workers.
Coronavirus pushes Lebanon to the brink of collapse Georgi Azar/Annahar/March 13/2020 Initiate a total lockdown and screech its already fledgling economy to a halt, or implement lax measures and risk a full-blown outbreak. BEIRUT: Already reeling under the worst financial crisis in decades, the novel coronavirus which has brought the world to its knees risks pushing Lebanon over the edge. A great deal of pain is coming to the small Mediterranean country, whose unemployment rate has already soared above 40 percent while almost two million people dropped below the poverty line. Last month, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said the outbreak is the world’s “most pressing uncertainty,” with Lebanon stuck between a rock and a hard place. Initiate a total lockdown and screech its already fledgling economy to a halt, or implement lax measures and risk a full-blown outbreak. Lebanon’s Health Minister alluded Friday to the “possibility of declaring a state of emergency,” saying that 20 new cases could be announced, bringing the total to near the 100 mark. Experts have continuously warned that Lebanon can absorb a mere 300 cases of coronavirus patients. Lebanon’s central bank governor also asked Friday the country’s cash-strapped banks to prioritize foreign currency for the import of medical supplies needed to combat the outbreak, as banks have implemented strict capital controls limiting the outflow of dollars since the currency crisis erupted in October 2019. “Lebanon is already living on borrowed time. The GDP is said to have shrunk to $44 billion from $50 billion, many businesses are closing and laying off workers and Lebanon’s foreign exchange reserves are drying up,” Dr. Sumru Altug, a professor of economics at the American University of Beirut, told Annahar. China, where the virus originated, has seen its economy drop dead, indicating its first contraction since the 1970s. Local businesses have already gone into a tailspin, with concern and fear growing among Lebanese. Earlier this week, authorities ordered the complete shutdown of all movie theaters, gyms, computer cafes, restaurants and pubs. Shopping malls, gambling establishments and sports venues are also on lockdown. 240 F&B businesses closed shop in January alone, with 25,000 employees being laid off since September 2019. Other hospitality establishments halved salaries or shifted full-time workers to a part-time basis. Lebanon’s debt burden meanwhile, one of the largest in the world, is now equivalent to nearly 170 percent of its gross domestic product. Last week, it defaulted on its debt obligations for the first time in its history. “A figure of around $20 billion is being discussed as the needed amount of funds to recapitalize the banking sector and to undertake the other structural reforms to get the Lebanese economy growing again,” Altug said, further highlighting that if people stay home from school, refrain from going out to stores, doctors or the gym, the economic consequences facing Lebanon could be cataclysmic. The global economy is staring at a negative growth rate in Q1 of 2020, with overall growth projected at 2.4 percent. “Even the most developed countries are putting together fiscal stimulus packages to avert recessions and declines in economic activity,” Altug said, a luxury that Lebanon cannot afford since “half of its fiscal expenditures are going towards paying its debt.” “In the event of further declines in economic activity, estimated by another 10 percent drop in GDP, we are looking at a very dire situation,” she said. A total lockdown, similar to Italy and China, is expected to be put in place as early as next week, sources told Annahar, as fears over a spike in community spread grow. Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea called Friday for “the immediate and complete closure of the country, coupled with a “lockdown of land, sea and air crossings for 21 days to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.”The virus, which has infected around 135,000 people and killed 5,000 worldwide, has caused immense disruptions to global supply chains with countries reporting shortages to everything from disinfectants to generic medicines. Dr. Souha Kanj however, an infectious disease expert at the American University of Beirut Medical Center, cautioned against a total locked down just yet. “It’s not justified for us to have a complete lockdown as we don’t have such a high number of people infected. What’s more important is that people coming from abroad go into home quarantine,” she said. If and when a lockdown is initiated, factories are the first line to be shut down, sources say. “Almost all workers are expected to be placed on unpaid leave for at least 20 days,” Nicolas Abi Nasr, a local factory owner managing 360 employees, told Annahar. These employees, who live paycheck to paycheck and support their families, will find it increasingly difficult to make ends meet. With each employee supporting at least three to four family members, over 1,500 individuals stand to be impacted by the closure of just one factory, he said. Lebanese’s purchasing power has already taken a massive hit as a result of inflation and the local currency losing more than 50 percent of its value. “Electricity and household costs are surging while their source of income has been cut off,” he told Annahar, shining a light on the ultimate economic impact of the coronavirus in Lebanon. “We’ve already had to ration our food expenses after my paycheck was reduced by more than 30 percent,” Ali, a father of four told Annahar. “By being forced to sit at home, I’m not sure how much longer we can survive,” he said. Lebanon already lacks an effective social safety net, with austerity cuts across the board further slashing social welfare services. Despite the urgency of the situation, Lebanese have yet to grasp the extent and severity of the coronavirus outbreak. Social interactions, albeit limited, remain common, as a number of Lebanese seemingly go about their daily lives as usual. Travelers who are returning from countries with large numbers of cases are also failing to take the home quarantine recommendations seriously. “I think the government is doing a great job and is acting rigidly considering we have less than a hundred cases, the only problem is that some people are not abiding by government’s home quarantine suggestions,” Kanj said. A number of hospitals also continue normal operations by taking in non-urgent patients. Hotel Dieu Hospital, however, decided Thursday to enter emergency mode and bar elective cases. In response, doctors at the American University Hospital launched a petition Friday, calling for “a lockdown to limit the Coronavirus spread.”“I don’t think we reached a stage where we should restrict entries to emergencies only but I do think that hospitals should regulate them and check exactly who is coming in and out,” Kanj said. *Elissa Hassan contributed to this article
Will Lebanon’s Eurobond default spur much-needed reform? Simon Speakman Cordall/The Arab Weekly/March 13/2020 TUNIS – Lebanon has defaulted on its international debts for the first time. Through civil war and social and political turmoil, Lebanon had always met its economic obligations. However, convulsed by a long-foreshadowed currency crisis and battered by the spread of coronavirus, Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab said in a televised address March 7 that he was placing the needs of Lebanon’s citizens ahead of its fiscal responsibilities. Announcing the country would not be paying the $1.2 billion Eurobond due March 9 he said: “How can we pay the creditors while there are people in the streets without the money to buy a loaf of bread?” Few were surprised by Diab’s decision. Lebanon’s economy has been in decline for several years. Reports by the Financial Times in 2011 suggested Lebanon’s reliance on domestic consumption and hard currency remittances from the diaspora placed its economy at risk. Over the following years, corruption and mismanagement along with Lebanon’s confessional system of government produced an economic crisis with no immediate solution. Lebanon is one of the most indebted countries in the world, owing more than $90 billion, approximately 170% of GDP. Official estimates in January stated that inflation was running at a year-on-year rate of 10%. However, a leading consumer association told Bloomberg News that prices have risen 45% since October, affecting purchasing power at an “unprecedented rate” as companies slash both jobs and pay. “Since around August of 2019 and the dollar shortage at the banks, we’ve seen price hikes, a decline in consumer confidence and difficulties in importing and pricing basic goods such as wheat and fuel,” said Kareem Chehayeb an investigative journalist at the Public Source, an independent Lebanese media organisation. Banks that remained open throughout Lebanon’s 15-year civil war are now closing early, cutting credit card limits and dramatically curtailing the public’s access to the country’s diminishing dollar supply. “As the conditions worsened, we saw mass layoffs and salary cuts,” Chehayeb said. “Couple that with an inflated black market exchange rate dominating the markets and people’s lives have clearly worsened significantly.” Mona Yacoubian, a senior adviser at the United States Institute of Peace, said: “Estimates already indicate that as much as 50% of the population live below the poverty line. Many people have faced layoffs and inflation is rising as the Lebanese pound continues to lose value. Many people are taking a de facto ‘haircut’ as their dollar-denominated accounts are translated into lira at a devalued rate. “Unfortunately, more pain lies ahead in the short to medium term as austerity measures eventually are put in place following the default.” “The medium- and long-term implications of the Eurobond default will very much depend on what measures and reforms Lebanon undertakes following the default. Obviously, a default is never good and Lebanon will necessarily pay a price in the markets for having failed to repay its debt,” she added. Yacoubian said there remained the possibility that the default may spur much-needed reform, which, while including austerity, should “include a shift towards greater transparency and accountability and measures to combat widespread corruption, then the long-term prognosis for Lebanon is far better as the economy will be on a far more solid footing.” Under typical circumstances, a country experiencing similar conditions would look to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for support. An IMF delegation made a technical visit to Lebanon in February that it described as “very informative and productive.” However, in the absence of a credible economic plan, the IMF is unlikely to offer Lebanon the level of support required to see it either through its present difficulties or to fund the fiscal stabilisation fund — estimated by former Economy Minister Nasser Saidi to be around $20 billion — to underpin any reform programme. Lebanon’s unique political circumstances may impede any IMF bailout. The Iran-backed Hezbollah, which wields strong influence in the country’s government, is unlikely to welcome what it would see as a surrender of sovereignty over any IMF bailout. An analysis by the global risk consultancy HIS Markit after Lebanon’s default noted that Hezbollah “has repeatedly expressed its opposition to an International Monetary Fund bailout and the measures it would require.” These are said to include cutting bread subsidies, taxing fuel and raising the value added tax. It is possible that the government may undertake reforms without IMF support, looking to cut spending and commence a longer-term plan of tax hikes without an internationally funded stabilisation programme. Credit ratings agency Fitch has suggested that Beirut might raid deposits and savings held by the country’s banks, a possibility the government has yet to rule out. *Simon Speakman Cordall is a freelance writer.
Prayers restricted across Middle East amid coronavirus fears Al Jazeera/March 13/2020 Religious authorities limit, cancel weekly prayer gatherings in states across region as COVID-19 cases persist. Religious authorities across the Middle East have moved to cancel or limit weekly prayer gatherings to help prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. In Kuwait on Friday, religious authorities asked Muslims to pray at home as the Gulf states stepped up measures to fight the spread the novel virus. In Jerusalem, Christian, Muslim and Jewish leaders said services would continue to be held in the Holy Land but moved to limit indoor gatherings after the Israeli Health Ministry said they should not exceed 100 people. The Islamic endowment that oversees the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem, the third holiest site in Islam, said Friday prayers would be held as normal but encouraged people to pray in the outer courtyards and refrain from crowding inside the mosques. It advised the elderly and sick not to enter crowded mosques. Hard-hit Iran cancelled Friday prayers in major cities, and Egypt has ordered all mosques to limit Friday prayers, including the weekly sermon, to no more than 15 minutes. The prayers usually last around an hour.The outbreak has reached Iran’s top officials, with its senior vice president, cabinet ministers, members of parliament, Revolutionary Guard members and Health Ministry officials among those infected. Iran has reported more than 10,000 cases and over 400 deaths, making it among the worst outbreaks worldwide. There are concerns that the number of infections is much higher. Iraq, which has reported more than 80 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and eight deaths so far, scrapped Friday prayers in Karbala and in the country’s predominantly Kurdish northern region. Last week, Iraq’s most influential Shia cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, urged people to abide by a ban on mass prayers. In Lebanon, Friday prayers have been temporarily suspended in all Shia mosques. The country’s top Sunni authority has said it is forbidden for anyone with a contagious disease to attend prayers and has urged elderly people and those with weakened immune systems to pray at home. Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia banned “Umrah” for residents and citizens. Umrah, which can be completed in a few hours, is a pilgrimage that can be undertaken at any time of year, unlike the much more intensive and time-consuming Hajj – one of the five pillars of Islam performed during a few specific days each year. Saudi Arabia also said it was preventing foreigners from reaching the holy city of Mecca and the Kaaba, the building at the centre of the Great Mosque, and said travel was suspended to Prophet Muhammad’s mosque in Medina. Other events cancelled Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa released nearly 1,500 prisoners, around 900 of whom were pardoned. The move appeared aimed at preventing the virus from spreading inside detention facilities. The moves to limit religious gatherings come on the heels of several cancellations of sporting events, conferences and other meetings worldwide. To date, the virus has infected nearly 130,000 people worldwide and caused more than 4,700 deaths. The vast majority of people recover from the new virus and the COVID-19 illness it causes. But the rapid spread of the virus has caused worldwide alarm, tanking financial markets, disrupting travel and leading to large-scale shutdowns in some areas.
The Shia crescent is still America’s biggest Middle East challenge Steven Bucci/Al Arabiya/Friday, 13 March 2020 The Middle East today has many issues categorized as challenges for the United States, but the biggest and most daunting has been, and remains, the so-called Shia crescent and the mischief the Mullahs of Tehran work throughout its troubled areas. The leaders of the Iranian revolutionary regime continue to expend enormous amounts of national capital – time, money, and personnel – to make the current unrest in the region permanent and to, in fact, expand their regional influence. The crescent is the strategic center of gravity. For the Iranian regime and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ overseas arms the Quds Force, building, maintaining, and exploiting the Shia crescent constituents their most significant ongoing effort. What is the Shia crescent? It is the area including Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, and the Shia populations in each of those countries. It is anchored by Iran proper, and includes major surrogate groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, and southern Iraqi militias. Together this band of peoples and territories, split the larger Sunni Muslim world in the Middle East, and allow Iran to utilize interior lines of operation to conduct conventional military operations, terrorism, and funding across the region. General Qassem Soleimani, the late commander of the IRGC-Quds Force, was the master of the crescent. He almost single handedly built the network of relationships and alliances that allowed Iran to wield an enormous amount of influence and cause a huge amount of damage to US interests and those of our allies. Using denial, obfuscation, and outright lies, the Iranians sowed deadly seeds of discord and death, and then simply shrugged their shoulders. They recognized that they had insufficient conventional power to directly confront the US and the West, but these asymmetric means worked wonderfully for them. Most nation states try to build allies and power blocks in regions they consider strategically important to them. After the debacle of the Iranian nuclear agreement, known technically as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the Mullahs used Soleimani to not just push the envelope when it comes to developing regional power, but to obliterate it. It is one thing to actively supply surrogates, but it is another to send in uniformed special operators to plan for, lead, and fight alongside those surrogates. These efforts are not acts of diplomacy, they are acts of war. Operating within their self-defined privileged zone of the crescent, the IRGC-Quds Force, whose only real analog was the old Soviet Spetsnaz, conducts terror, murder, supplies advanced IEDs, and works continually to shape the area into the docile subordinates Tehran believes its neighbors should be. The efforts of the Obama administration to conduct Iranian “negotiations” was ludicrous. Then-US Secretary of State John Kerry and his team were outmatched. Former US Secretary of Defense and Marine Corps General James Mattis must have been reminded of the phrase, “The Persians have not won a battle in a 1000 years. They also have not lost a negotiation in the same time period.” This sentiment was echoed by the ambassador of a different Shia country to Washington, who asked during the JCPOA discussions, “Why are you Americans negotiating with the Persians? No one negotiates with them, because they always win.” Kerry was not up to the task and got taken for a ride. The Americans were so obviously salivating for a deal (they were after all building Obama’s legacy), that the Iranians just kept demanding more and more, and low and behold, they got it all and several pallets with millions in cash besides. Iran was even honestly indignant that their “rightfully won” – in their minds – victory that could be taken back by President Donald Trump. Absent that, they returned to active subversive operations across the crescent, which led to Soleimani’s death. Again they were shocked that America was no longer playing by “the rules.” This is not about a preference for Sunnis over Shia, or Arabs over Persians. It is simply a preference for friends over enemies, and the side America can trust more. The mullahs are not to be trusted in any way. Despite the setbacks in the abrogation of the JCPOA, and the decisive elimination of their principle operator across the Shia crescent, the Iranians are still active. The crescent is still alive with challenges for America and its allies. The fight is not over, and cannot be ignored. The biggest challenge must still be confronted with strength and resolve. *Steven P. Bucci, who served America for three decades as an Army Special Forces officer and top Pentagon official, is a visiting research fellow at The Heritage Foundation. He tweets @SBucci.
Hamas, Hezbollah and coronavirus Yuval Karni|/Ynetnews/March 13/2020 Opinion: Threats to the north and south and general electoral exhaustion mean Israel cannot afford to waste time on political squabbles; Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Gantz, we need unity now There are moments in life when the feeling of revulsion is overtaken by real concern. After three long and exhausting election campaigns full of dangerous divisive rhetoric, that moment is now upon us. Revulsion aside, there is now a genuine concern for us citizens, our country, our political discourse, our political system, and the lack of public trust. Truth be told, that one has tried to stop us from deteriorating to the dangers that stem from the current political discourse that only proves how low we’ve come. Worst still is the sanctimonious contention of our politicians that they are on the side of truth. The world of Israeli politics has become over this past year one of extremes. Therefore, we cannot be surprised by what has failed to come out of the recent elections. There is no talk of a national unity coalition by either of the major parties, whose positions are very similar on major policy issues. A decision to form such a government would finally enable us to deal with the real issues facing the country. It is time for politicians to set aside campaign promises, principles and personal animosities for the greater good. Blue & White leader Benny Gantz would like to form a unity government if only Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would be removed. The prime minister in turn tried and failed three times to win the necessary votes to form a government and advance his agenda, which includes legislation that would release him of his criminal trial for bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. Three rounds of elections in less than one year have failed to result in a conclusive winner. So, what made Gantz rush to try to form a narrow government? Why is Netanyahu refusing to push for national unity? Each man is waiting for the other to fail, but if one of them succeeds in establishing a narrow coalition, his government would be hated by half of the public and begin its tenure lacking public trust. Israel is dealing with a real emergency at this time, and though politicians prefer to stay away from unity governments, unity is the solution most favored by the voters who dread the idea of a fourth election cycle. The coronavirus will affect not only the health of its citizens and of its medical establishments but could also devastate its economy. And lest us forget our ongoing security challenges on our northern and southern fronts. We can all dream of our ideal government, but we cannot now, as the window of opportunity is about to close, let the chance of a unity coalition be lost. We must all join forces, and hands, and put the county first. It is also time to heal the wounds so Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Gantz, to you I say: Unity now
Preventive measures against the covid19 coronavirus in Canada except for the province of Quebec. Paul Marwan Tabet/Bishop of Canada for Maronites/March 12/2020 After the development we are witnessing in this matter which is escalating on a national even global level, I ask you to cancel all activities as of tomorrow, Friday, including the “Stations of the Cross”, catechism classes, preparation sessions for the first communion, Arabic language school, scout teams, community meetings and spiritual movements and youth gatherings. And abide by the following preventive directives during the celebration of the Divine Mass, until further notice: • Exchanging of peace with salutation. • Cleansing the hands of offering carriers with an effective sanitizer before handing them out. • Distribution of the Communion in the hand is mandatory until the end of this crisis. • Reducing the use of ritual books in the hands of believers as much as possible. • Emptying the Holy Water dispensers. • Periodic sterilization of places and utensils. • Inviting people who suffer from any sickness symptoms to avoid coming to the church for the safety of all (Every believer that feels any pathological symptoms related to the virus is exempt from the conscientious obligation to participate in the Divine Liturgy or any group prayer in the church..) I also remind you of the important basic precautions that you have become aware of, including the following: For priests and servants of the altar: • Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water, or use an effective sanitizer in the same way before Mass. • Avoid taking communion from the same cup and avoid drinking from it, rather do it by “dipping” (Intinction) • Cleansing hands before and after the distribution of communion with an effective cleanser before the eyes of believers. Generally: • Encourage those around you (believers, employees, etc.) to wash hands frequently. • Avoid touching the face with the hand. • Coughing and sneezing in the elbow. • Avoid shaking hands. I ask God that this tribulation passes quickly and then we return to our regular pastoral activities. I invite all of our children to pray for the sick and for the wounds of the families of the victims, that the Lord may protect us all with His grace. With my love and my prayers,
