A Bundle Of English Reports, News and Editorials For March 31- April 01/2020 Addressing All That is happing In the Iranian Occupied & Oppressed Lebanon
A Bundle Of English Reports, News and Editorials For March 31-April 01/2020 Addressing All That is happing In the Iranian Occupied & Oppressed Lebanon Compiled By: Elias Bejjani April 01/2020
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on March 31-April 01/2020 Lebanon Registers 17 New Coronavirus Cases, One More Death Ending Coronavirus Lockdown ‘Depends’ on People’s Behavior UNIFIL Donates to Naqoura Municipality to Fight COVID-19 Hizbullah Unveils Its Anti-Coronavirus Plan Despite Lockdown People Queue Near Sidon Banks, Normal Motion in Some Areas Lawsuit Filed against Man who Transmitted Coronavirus to Others Israeli Jets Spark Panic in Lebanon during Syria Raid Troops Quarantined after Major Infected with Coronavirus Franjieh Says Marada to Withdraw from Govt. if Appointments Unsatisfactory Lebanese Govt. to Approve BDL, Financial Appointments Thursday Lebanese Govt. OKs Plan to Bring Home Expats as of April 5 Lebanon: Upcoming Appointments Instigate Sharp Debate Lebanon, in Virus Lockdown, to Allow Expats to Come Home, Tunisia Frees Prisoners
The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on March 31-April 01/2020 Lebanon Registers 17 New Coronavirus Cases, One More Death Naharnet/March 31/2020 Lebanon registered 17 new cases of coronavirus and one more death, the Health Ministry said in its daily tally on the pandemic on Tuesday. The Ministry said the tally includes laboratory-confirmed cases reported by the state-run Rafik Hariri University Hospital and private hospitals and laboratories. The new tally brings the total of cases to 463 infected and 12 dead. The Notre Dame Des Secours hospital said in a statement earlier that one of its patients suffering from chronic illness was infected and died of coronavirus. The patient, in his 50s, was being treated at the intensive care unit at the hospital.
Ending Coronavirus Lockdown ‘Depends’ on People’s Behavior Naharnet/March 31/2020 Lebanon’s security forces on Tuesday vowed to take stricter measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus outbreak, stressing that it was vital for people to abide by instructions and stay at home otherwise the lockdown could be extended further, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Tuesday. A senior security source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the daily: “If the two-week extension of the lockdown fails to achieve the required result, certainly the lockdown period could be extended with even tighter security measures.” Lebanon’s security forces have been monitoring the extent people are abiding by the government-imposed lockdown agreed early in March and extended over the weekend. Police have been fining people for not complying with measures to combat the virus spread. “There is no doubt that we are in a very sensitive phase. The danger we face has swept the whole world and has led to catastrophic situations in many countries,” stated the source. “The military and security services have strict instructions in obliging citizens to protect themselves. This phase requires the utmost degree of response and it must not be underestimated,” he emphasized. He said it was “unfortunate” how many are not abiding by the instructions out of “recklessness” compelling the security and military agencies to “take even more rigorous measures which is necessary to ensure their safety.”Lebanon has reported 446 COVID-19 cases to date, with 11 deaths. To try to contain the spread of the virus, Lebanon has imposed isolation measures on its population until April 12, with a nighttime curfew in effect. Schools, universities, restaurants and bars are closed.Many fear the country’s healthcare system could be overwhelmed by cases.
UNIFIL Donates to Naqoura Municipality to Fight COVID-19 Naharnet/March 31/2020 UNIFIL on Tuesday handed over a number of equipment and other accessories to the Naqoura Municipality, which hosts the U.N. Mission’s Headquarters in south Lebanon. “This donation is part of UNIFIL’s broader effort to assist the local population and communities in the common fight against the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic,” the U.N. mission said in a statement. UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Stefano Del Col said: “During these trying times, it’s imperative to care for one another.”“The unprecedented situation requires exceptional measures, maximum cooperation as well as a pro-active approach in assisting the local population that has welcomed us since 1978,” he added. The donated items included 750 surgical masks, 10 N95 masks, 300 pairs of ordinary gloves, 30 pairs of heavy-duty gloves, 10 protective suites and 10 shoe covers. After receiving the items, Mayor Abbass Awada thanked UNIFIL for the support while stressing that the Municipality is doing its best to contain the spread of the virus. “This is the time to work all together shoulder-to-shoulder in fighting COVID-19,” he said. “The Municipality of Naqoura is continuing its efforts and measures aimed at fighting the spread of the virus and urges residents to stay home.” On UNIFIL’s part, the Mission, from the very beginning of the virus outbreak, has taken “all the necessary precautionary measures to prevent any infection of the virus among the Mission’s more than 11,000 military and civilian peacekeepers as well as the host populations,” the UNIFIL statement said. “Despite the difficult situation, UNIFIL continues to carry out its operational activities 24/7 in coordination with the LAF (Lebanese Armed Forces) in order to ensure stability along the Blue Line,” it added. Lebanon has so far confirmed 463 coronavirus cases among them 12 deaths and 37 recoveries.
Hizbullah Unveils Its Anti-Coronavirus Plan Naharnet/March 31/2020 Hizbullah on Tuesday unveiled its plan to confront the novel coronavirus pandemic in Lebanon, titled “Societal Resistance for a Country Free of the Coronavirus Pandemic”. Under the plan, the party will deploy 1,500 doctors, 3,000 nurses and medics, 5,000 health workers and 15,000 field services cadres and will cooperate with municipalities and municipal crews, it said in a statement. Noting that it will seek to “work loyally in service of the people away from any political motives,” Hizbullah said its crews will “support the Health Ministry and the government’s measures and will abide by the regulations and instructions of the Health Ministry and the World Health Organization.” “Hizbullah’s assets, capabilities, expertise and health cadres will be utilized to their maximum level in all regions and the priority in the general efforts of Hizbullah and the Islamic resistance will be given to confronting the pandemic,” it said in a statement. The party added that it will also benefit from volunteers and will urge people to volunteer, noting that it will stand by citizens socially and regarding their livelihood to enable them to face the economic repercussions of the crisis. “Five practical plans have been devised to deal with this situation,” Hizbullah added, revealing that it will seek to “support government hospitals at all levels, especially in terms of providing volunteering doctors and nurses.” “Sections specialized in coronavirus will be equipped at some of our hospitals,” the party said, noting that “the Saint George Hospital will soon be exclusively dedicated to receiving coronavirus cases while its patients will be transferred to the Great Prophet Hospital.”As for quarantine and isolation measures, Hizbullah said “public spaces will be provided and hospitals will be rented and equipped to be used for quarantine and isolation should the situation deteriorate.” It said resorts, scout cities and hotels would be used for such purposes. Britian’s the Guardian newspaper has reported that health and other officials focused on Lebanon, Iraq and Syria fear the numbers of people infected with coronavirus far exceed the official figures disclosed by all three governments. “Officials, including bureaucrats, aid workers and international observers, who spoke with the Guardian over the past week say parts of Lebanon and Iraq in particular are likely to be holding thousands more infected people, and that a lack of disclosure poses a serious health risk over the next three months,” the newspaper added. “They also claim coronavirus patients are being housed and guarded by political groups in central and southern Iraq and southern Lebanon,” it said. Returnees to Lebanon had arrived from all over the world, with a priest traveling from Italy thought to be responsible for one cluster, and travelers from Milan and London for others. However, “the focus of concern has been on arrivals from the Iranian city of Qom, to where the biggest regional outbreak has been sourced,” the Guardian added. “Large numbers of Iraqi and Lebanese people, including religious pilgrims and merchants, had been in Qom as the crisis escalated and were gradually brought back by bus and plane to Baghdad and Beirut, where only small numbers of patients from their communities are being treated in public hospitals,” it said. Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has said party members returning from abroad – mainly Iran, Iraq and Syria — have been placed in quarantine and has vowed to be transparent about infections. However, so far there have been no announcements from the group about the numbers of suspected or confirmed cases among its ranks, and concerns are mounting that Lebanon’s relatively low official number of cases – 463 as of noon Tuesday – is actually much higher. “We are not saying this to make a problem for a certain political party, or area of the country,” said one Lebanese official who, like all others spoken with by the Guardian, refused to be named. “But we know there is a much bigger problem in Lebanon than has been acknowledged,” the official added. A second Lebanese official claimed that over recent weeks Hizbullah had quarantined areas in many towns in the south of the country and provided food and water to suspected patients. The neighborhoods were guarded by party members, the official claimed.
Despite Lockdown People Queue Near Sidon Banks, Normal Motion in Some Areas Naharnet/March 31/2020 Lebanese in the southern city of Sidon stood in long queues for the second day in a row on Tuesday in front of ATMs without any protective gear against the novel COVID-19 that infected 463 individuals and killed eleven so far in Lebanon. Main streets in the city, mainly in Riad el-Solh, saw traffic jam and citizens standing in ques outside banks as monthly salaries came through after two weeks of ongoing home confinement. No one was wearing any protective gear like masks or gloves. People were standing close and not keeping a two-meter distance from each other in a bid to prevent any possible transmission from an infected person. Media reports even said that some citizens were up in arms about the government-imposed lockdown. Separately, citizens in the northern city of Tripoli also did not comply with the “general mobilization” period imposed by the government. Videos and pictures of the city showed normal traffic movement. MTV station said in a report that motion was also normal in the Metn areas of Dbayyeh and Jal Dib, and in the Beirut neighborhood of Tarik el Jdideh. Lebanon has reported 446 COVID-19 cases to date, with 12 deaths. To try to contain the spread of the virus, Lebanon has imposed isolation measures on its population until April 12, with a nighttime curfew in effect. Schools, universities, restaurants and bars are closed. Many fear the country’s healthcare system could be overwhelmed by cases.
Lawsuit Filed against Man who Transmitted Coronavirus to Others Naharnet/March 31/2020 Akkar Governor Imad al-Labaki on Monday filed a lawsuit against a young coronavirus patient who infected several people after refusing to isolate himself. “Akkar young man Y.F. did not abide by the instructions given to him by the health and medical sides that examined him, in terms of pledging to stay in preventative home isolation pending additional lab tests to confirm his infection with the COVID-19 virus,” the National News Agency said. “He dishonored the pledge and mixed with a lot of his relatives in his town and in other regions after which tests revealed that he had the novel coronavirus and that he transmitted it to several people,” NNA added, noting that he was tested after being arrested by the Intelligence Branch of the Internal Security Forces. His behavior “sparked a state of anxiousness in his town and among all those he mixed with and the municipality concerned did not commit to monitoring him and obliging him to stay in home isolation as required,” the agency said. The governor filed a lawsuit against him on charges of spreading an infectious disease, NNA added, noting that the penalties range between a few months to three years in jail in addition to a fine. Labaki also decided to refer the municipal chief to the Higher Disciplinary Commission, the Interior Ministry and the relevant judicial authorities over “his negligence and failure to carry out the missions he’s entrusted with under the law.” Lebanon has so far confirmed 446 coronavirus cases among them 11 deaths. The government has imposed a four-week lockdown, shuttering non-essential businesses, public administrations and educational institutions and the air, land and sea ports of entry. It has also asked citizens to stay home unless it is urgent while imposing a night curfew. Israeli Jets Spark Panic in Lebanon during Syria Raid Associated Press/March 31/2020 Israeli warplanes flew at low altitude Tuesday over the Lebanese regions of Metn and Keserwan, sparking a state of panic, state-run National News Agency reported. Syria’s state news agency SANA later reported that Syrian air defenses were engaging “hostile targets” over the central Syrian region of Homs. It later said that a number of missiles were shot down by the Syrian defenses after being fired from Lebanese airspace. The outlet said the warplanes sought to attack a Syrian army position without saying where exactly, but the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Shayrat Airbase in Homs was targeted with eight missiles. There was no immediate comment from Israel. Israeli jets frequently violate Lebanon’s airspace to bomb targets inside Syria, usually arms shipments and depots belonging to Hizbullah and Iran.
Troops Quarantined after Major Infected with Coronavirus Naharnet/March 31/2020 The Army Command has ordered that all officers and soldiers be placed under quarantine at the Land Border Regiment in Ras Baalbek after a major was infected with the novel coronavirus. An army statement confirmed the officer’s infection and said he was undergoing treatment. “The necessary precautionary measures have been taken and the regiment continues to perform the missions it is tasked with,” the statement added. LBCI TV reported that “after returning to his service place from a vacation, the officer showed coronavirus symptoms and the Army Command immediately sent him to hospital, where he underwent the necessary tests and turned out to be infected.”“An investigation was launched to identify the servicemen whom he mixed with and the military personnel who came in contact with him were immediately quarantined,” the TV network added. Lebanon has so far confirmed 463 coronavirus cases among them 12 deaths and 37 recoveries.
Franjieh Says Marada to Withdraw from Govt. if Appointments Unsatisfactory Naharnet/March 31/2020 Marada Movement chief Suleiman Franjieh warned Tuesday that his movement will withdraw from the government if it does not get two posts in Thursday’s financial appointments. “There will be six Christian posts in the appointments, which means that we are entitled to two,” Franjieh said in an interview with the Mustaqbal Web news portal. “We have nominated candidates who enjoy competency and if two of our candidates don’t get chosen, we will leave the government,” he added. “Had the government adopted a certain mechanism for appointments, we would have been the first to abide by it, but the picks will happen on the basis of favoritism and in this case we want two posts,” Franjieh went on to say. Asked about reports that he had refused to hold a meeting with Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil, the Marada leader said: “He has not requested one and I don’t have the intention to see him.”According to TV networks, Cabinet will on Thursday appoint four deputies for the central bank governor, a chairman and four members for the central bank’s Banking Control Commission and three members for the Capital Markets Authority. Lebanese Govt. to Approve BDL, Financial Appointments Thursday Naharnet/March 31/2020 The Cabinet will on Thursday approve administrative appointments related to Banque du Liban and the Capital Markets Authority, TV networks said. The appointments include four deputies for the central bank governor, a chairman and four members for BDL’s Banking Control Commission and three members for the Capital Markets Authority after which the finance minister would name a state commissioner to the central bank and a state commissioner to the Control Commission, the reports said. “All those who will be appointed are new figures and 16 CVs have been distributed to ministers for the four posts of deputy central bank governor, 20 CVs for the Control Commission and 12 CVs for the Capital Markets Authority,” LBCI TV said. “The appointments will be approved during the Cabinet session that will be held Thursday in Baabda,” it added. The issue of the appointments has sparked a wave of political bickering in recent days. Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc warned of a “governmental-presidential plot” to name a new BDL administration and control commission that “meet the desires of a certain political group”. Al-Akhbar newspaper meanwhile reported Tuesday that Mustaqbal leader ex-PM Saad Hariri has threatened that his bloc would resign from parliament should the appointments oust Mohammed Baassiri, one of the central bank governor’s deputies. The daily added that the Lebanese Forces and the Progressive Socialist Party are also opposed to the slated appointments.
Lebanese Govt. OKs Plan to Bring Home Expats as of April 5 Naharnet/March 31/2020 The Cabinet on Tuesday approved a mechanism for bringing home willing Lebanese expats amid the global coronavirus crisis. “The plan will be implemented from April 5 to April 12,” Information Minister Manal Abdul Samad announced after a Cabinet meeting at the Grand Serail. “Prime Minister Hassan Diab stressed that the government is keen on protecting the Lebanese and that any expat return must be subject to the conditions laid out with the health minister,” Abdul Samad added. “We will not be lenient in enforcing the measures and I call for cooperation calmly and scientifically, away from any other calculations,” she quoted Diab as saying during the session. According to a leaked copy of the governmental plan, the priority will be given to citizens who have chronic illnesses, the elderly, families, those who have critical social situations and those who left on short-term visas. The returnees will pay for their travel tickets and they will only be allowed to leave Beirut’s airport if the results of PCR tests conducted at the facility come out negative. They will also undergo PCR tests prior to boarding planes and will sign pledges that they would isolate themselves at homes or at quarantine centers (hotels, complexes and other places) under the supervision of the ministries of health, interior and defense and under penalty of criminal prosecution. The first stage of the plan (April 5-12) has a cap of 10,000 returnees while the number of returnees in the second stage of the plan (April 27-May 4) will be determined “in light of the outcome of the first stage,” the leaked copy says. “Should the need arise for further stages, the issue will be studied then according to the available data,” it adds. The Cabinet also decided to grant financial aid worth LBP 400,000 to each needy family and the money will be distributed by the army, Abdul Samad said. “The premier called for stricter enforcement of the general mobilization measures, noting that the reports coming from some regions over the past two days are alarming,” she added. Many expats, especially students, have urged Lebanese authorities to evacuate them in recent days, decrying financial difficulties and health concerns. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah have led political calls for bringing home the expats, with Berri threatening to suspend his ministers’ participation in the government and Nasrallah urging a “safe, calculated and quick” repatriation. Lebanon has so far confirmed 463 coronavirus cases among them 12 deaths and at least 35 recoveries. The government has imposed a four-week lockdown, shuttering non-essential businesses, public administrations and educational institutions as well as the air, land and sea ports of entry. It has also asked citizens to stay home unless it is urgent while imposing a night curfew.
Lebanon: Upcoming Appointments Instigate Sharp Debate Beirut – Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 31 March, 2020 Former prime ministers joined the debate over the financial appointments, which are expected to be presented at Lebanon’s government session this week. The appointments will include the deputies of the Central Bank governor and the members of the Banking Supervision Authority. On Monday, Former Prime Ministers Saad al-Hariri, Najib Mikati, Fouad Siniora and Tammam Salam issued a joint statement denouncing what they described as “attempts to monopolize the State’s positions.”“At a time when Lebanon is going through political, economic, financial and administrative crises, the pandemic of coronavirus comes to deepen and complicate further the situation,” they said. “The Lebanese can see how their government tends to make appointments with an intention to grasp control of administrative, financial and monetary positions without respecting to the standards of competence and merit,” they added. Sources close to the former premiers told Asharq Al-Awsat that the statement was “more than a warning bell, and sends a direct message to Prime Minister Hassan Diab, stating that we will not allow the country to be kidnapped by President Michel Aoun and his political movement.”For his part, Lebanese Forces Leader Samir Geagea issued a statement, saying: “Despite all expectations, the current government is about to make appointments on the same basis that used to be followed previously.” “Search for the trio,” he stressed, referring to Aoun and the Shiite duo, Hezbollah and Amal, as explained by sources to Asharq Al-Awsat. There cannot be any solution as long as this trio continued to grab power in Lebanon, Geagea underlined. Sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Shiite duo has informed Aoun and Diab that their bilateral agreement would not be sufficient to pass the appointments. The duo emphasized, according to the sources, that there would be no appointments without taking into consideration the demands of the leader of Marada Movement, former Minister Sleiman Franjieh.
Lebanon, in Virus Lockdown, to Allow Expats to Come Home, Tunisia Frees Prisoners Asharq Al-Awsat/Tuesday, 31 March, 2020 Lebanon’s government agreed a procedure on Tuesday to allow citizens abroad to come back despite a coronavirus lockdown after its expat policy drew criticism from political leaders. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri had threatened to withdraw support for the cabinet if it did not act to bring home Lebanese stranded abroad during the pandemic. Beirut airport has been closed to flights for two weeks as part of efforts to limit transmissions of the virus, which has so far infected 463 people with 12 deaths. The government has ordered a shutdown and an overnight curfew until April 12 in a country where dollar shortages had drained the healthcare system of critical supplies months before the outbreak. Prime Minister Hassan Diab, whose government was already grappling with a severe financial crisis before the virus hit, pledged strict measures to ensure safe returns of expatriates, his office said on Tuesday after a cabinet session. “We cannot bear any faltering step, and none of the political forces can bear having on its conscience the spread of the (virus) and the collapse of the health system,” Diab said. Information Minister Manal Abdel Samad said returns would start on Sunday and all passengers would be screened before they board flights to Lebanon. She said cabinet may make changes to the procedure for returns in a session on Thursday. Foreign Minister Nassif Hitti told local broadcaster al-Jadeed earlier on Tuesday that based on an initial tally from embassies, some 20,000 Lebanese may want to return home. With the world’s big cities in lockdown, Lebanese overseas have faced complications due to curbs by Lebanon’s banks which have blocked transfers abroad in recent months and severely limited cash withdrawals from ATMs. Lebanon’s banking association said on Sunday that the lenders were “committed to transferring the appropriate sums for Lebanese students living abroad.”Other leaders have also echoed Berri’s call for returning expats, including Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea. Most of Lebanon’s main politicians have close ties to the country’s large diaspora communities from which they draw support. Tunisia releases prisonersTunisia’s President Kais Saied on Tuesday ordered the release of 1,420 prisoners in an amnesty to combat the spread of the coronavirus in prisons, a presidency statement said. Tunisia has declared a general lockdown to slow infection rates, and has confirmed 362 cases of the coronavirus, with nine deaths. The government said in a separate statement that it would provide food assistance to thousands of families in their homes, starting Friday, for a period of about two months. Saied last week ordered the army to deploy in the streets to force people to respect the lockdown.
