News

In its issue of Saturday, Al Akhbar newspaper wrote, that with the start of the collapse of the exchange rate of the Lebanese lira against the US dollar, several community and official circles encouraged the return to agriculture as the main gateway to food security. Calls have focused on propping wheat cultivation which the country imports nearly 85% of. For South Lebanon residents who responded to back-to-the-roots calls, they were not lured into growing wheat for a number of reasons. Notably, the scarcity of agricultural lands unlike the Bekaa area, in addition to the insignificant benchmarked price of the wheat crop which is sold to the State at less than LBP 500 per kg. Another reason is the quality of the southern-grown wheat which is mainly the hard and durum type suitable for home made mouneh dishes, like Samid, Burgul and Friek as compared to the soft Italian wheat best for flour. On the subject, Mohamad Srour, from Aita al Shaab, who rented a piece of land to grow wheat, explained that the agricultural and consumer related conditions have changed extensively. The one truth remaining, he lamented, is that we should never sell our produce to government-run institutions. This is totally useless, he said, recalling the tobacco farmers’ anguish and suffering as a result of the extortionist attitude on part of banks who refused to release the Regie subsidies deposited in banks at the end of last year. Therefore, Mohamad went on, many people grew wheat to meet their daily needs following the surge in prices of essential goods rather than for profit. Likewise, farmer Mohamad Souli from Marjeyoun, said some people regretted having planted wheat after discovering that small-scaled cultivation is non-profitable. On the other hand, the head of Lebanese Farmers’ Association, Antoine Howayek, explained that farmer veterans had a good harvest season, but they still need two or more seasons to start reaping net profits. The mayor of the southern town of Aitroun, Salim Morad, for his part, noted that the size of wheat cultivation this year is relatively average compared to the size of home gardens which increased by nearly 50%. For more, kindly visit the link below: https://bit.ly/31LTTXw). (Al Akhbar, July 4, 2020)
 

The Sporting Club in Ain Mreisseh, banned entry of a veiled (muhajaba) woman who was accompanied by her daughter Farah Choucair and granddaughter, justifying this act by the policy of the resort which disallows muhajabat from entering the pool with clothes on. On the subject, Choucair told Al Akhbar daily that when the receptionist could not explain why her mother was barred from entering, and when she insisted that her mother only wanted to have coffee near the pool and help her out with her child, Farah said: I saw one of the managers who did not clearly state his point of view but repeatedly said she should be wearing the swimsuit. Said club, Farah lamented, does not spell out its policy through a sign that shows clearly its entry rules. Meanwhile, while tourism ministry sources confirmed to Al Akhbar that the tourism police will open an investigation to this effect, the Sporting Club administration reiterated in a statement that no one can enter the pool except in a swimsuit, irrespective of sect or gender. For his part, the president of travel and tourism companies in Lebanon, Jean Beiruti, said veiled women cannot be unconditionally disallowed from entering swimming pools. But if the private swimming club has specific rules within a specific area, these should be visible to all, provided they don’t disagree with public order or suggest any form of racism or violation of public freedoms. Similarly, Rana Bou Karim of the Anti-Racism Movement, pointed out that the party grieved can sue the Sporting Club, stressing that similar practices are in clear breach with the circular of the ministry of tourism which bans discrimination in all its forms. (Al Akhbar, July 6, 2020)
 

Industry minister Imad Hobballah, inaugurated on Saturday “Khairat Jabal Amel” Farmer’s in the Tyre town of Abbasiyeh. Organized by the Regional Cooperative Union in South Lebanon in collaboration with “Good Tree Association” (al Shajarah al Tayibah), the market will be open to the public every Saturday from 9 am- 8 pm throughout the year. On the occasion, Hobballah stated that the economy should be productive, stressing that no economy, food security or social security is complete except when citizens return to their roots and lands. The minister hoped the farmers’ market will boost commercial and reciprocal exchange activity while contributing to the marketing of agro-food production in Tyre and the environs. He looked forward to streamline the model in various Lebanese regions. In conclusion, Hobballah said he anticipated the farmer’s market will become an opportunity for joint cooperation on the way to achieving sustainable development through building up real partnership between the government and public sectors. (Al Diyar, July 5, 2020)
 

Citing a study published by AUB, Al Akhbar reported that around 21.5% of adult females and 48.6% of adult males in Lebanon are cigarette smokers against respectively 46.2 % and 32.7% young females and males who smoke water-pipe or hookah. The prevalence of smoking among underage, Al Akhbar wrote, is more staggering. Nearly 32.9% of young women against 40.9% of young men aged between 13-17 years, are current smokers (with an average of more than 36% of total underage), according to the Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS) for 2017. Citing an earlier study by AUB, Al Akhbar also mentioned that Lebanon ranked first out of 68 countries around the world in terms of rates of water-pipe smokers’ among the young population. It pointed to different types of tobacco consumption by minors which made imperative to enter Medwakh pipes (Arabian product consisting of dried shredded tobacco mixed with herbs and spices) in the student targeted surveys. It said that respectively 2.7% and 6.7% of young males and females (aged 12 to 18) are current Medwakh smokers! On the subject, Rana Saleh, Advocacy and Evidence Lead Specialist at the Knowledge to Policy (K2P) Center, AUB, told Al Akhabr that smoking rates in Lebanon are alarming, adding that when a person starts nicotine intake at a young age, Saleh explained, he/she will develop other forms later on in life.  (For more, kindly review the following link: https://bit.ly/2NHfisV). (Al Akhbar, June 30, 2020)
 

A group of students of the Faculty of Architecture- Design & Built Environment, Beirut Arab University (BAU) were the first runner-up in a pan-Arab competition of startups for best innovative solutions. The group comprising Louai Ghazawi, Iman Najjar, Haidar Mikdad and Jana Chami has been qualified for the finals which include contesters from 11 countries around the world. Recalling, that the above team has established an enterprise, INFRASTIC, specialized in the production of construction materials of which more than 60% are recyclables (normally un-recyclable). The project, to note, is one of the newest concrete technology companies. The INFRASTIC team came first runner-up in the 13th Edition of Arab Startup Competition “Ideas Track” organized by MIT Enterprise Forum (MITEF)- Pan Arab. Eleven groups reached the semifinalist stage. (An Nahar, July 1, 2020)