Subscribe to newsletter

Custom Search 1

You are here

Home

News

Error message

  • Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in include() (line 51 of /var/www/weeportal-lb.org/new/sites/all/themes/crtda/node--ressource_center.tpl.php).
  • Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in include() (line 51 of /var/www/weeportal-lb.org/new/sites/all/themes/crtda/node--ressource_center.tpl.php).
  • Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in include() (line 51 of /var/www/weeportal-lb.org/new/sites/all/themes/crtda/node--ressource_center.tpl.php).
  • Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in include() (line 51 of /var/www/weeportal-lb.org/new/sites/all/themes/crtda/node--ressource_center.tpl.php).
  • Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in include() (line 51 of /var/www/weeportal-lb.org/new/sites/all/themes/crtda/node--ressource_center.tpl.php).
  • Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in include() (line 51 of /var/www/weeportal-lb.org/new/sites/all/themes/crtda/node--ressource_center.tpl.php).
  • Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in include() (line 51 of /var/www/weeportal-lb.org/new/sites/all/themes/crtda/node--ressource_center.tpl.php).
  • Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in include() (line 51 of /var/www/weeportal-lb.org/new/sites/all/themes/crtda/node--ressource_center.tpl.php).
  • Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in include() (line 51 of /var/www/weeportal-lb.org/new/sites/all/themes/crtda/node--ressource_center.tpl.php).
  • Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in include() (line 51 of /var/www/weeportal-lb.org/new/sites/all/themes/crtda/node--ressource_center.tpl.php).
English

Evacuation of Ethiopian women workers in stalemate

24-6-2020

The head of the Owners of Recruitment Offices, Ali Amin, disclosed yesterday information that action for the repatriation of migrant workers, especially Ethiopians, is still in deadlock. Speaking to Al Markaziya portal, Amin said however that the Ethiopian government’s promises to secure planes remain unfulfilled. As per the mandatory quarantine of the returnees, the Ethiopian state has withdrawn its decision to cover the expenses due to the overwhelming number of returnees. It further required PCR tests to be conducted 72 hours ahead of the flights. Amin also stressed that any delay exacerbates the situation, noting that with the rocketing price of the dollar against the Lebanese lira (nearly LBP 6000), many sponsors are now unable to bear additional burdens and pay the wages which have touched one million LBP. Yet, they are willing to return their MWDWs to their country if flights can be organized, he added. In a related development, Caritas announced that around 13 of 35 Ethiopian MWDWs (https://bit.ly/31feW4z), housed by the organization decided to leave and stay in front of the consulate of their country. According to Ruba Dirana, Caritas media officer, they wanted to put pressure on their government to speed up repatriation. (Al Diyar, June 24, 2020)
 

Share on

Physicians ask cabinet to revoke decision on shisha

23-6-2020

The president of the Order of Physicians in Beirut, Sharaf Abu Sharaf, said during his June 19 press conference that the tourism ministry’s decision to allow hookah services at Lebanese restaurants and cafes (https://bit.ly/2V9lEWa) in the time of corona has confused the medical, social and youth circles. He underlined the need to continue to disallow the use of shisha in public places, requesting a stricter observance of the No Smoking Law. Similarly, the Consumer Protection department outlined in a statement, the grave health risks associated with smoking and the risk of infection with coronavirus, to say nothing about the act of sharing various parts and accessories of the hookah itself. This jeopardizes social distancing and health standards while contributing to reducing the immune responsiveness and increasing the risk of respiratory infection, the statement explained. The latter called on the minister of tourism to reverse his decision immediately to prevent undermining health efforts taken so far to confront Covid-19. In response to the Consumer Protection statement, the Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants pointed out that smoking in closed touristic venues is unlawful, cautioning that smoking will be allowed outdoors only with the application of stringent precautions. The Consumer Protection department has more important matters to take care of… the tourism sector is our subject and we know better what is good for the industry…. ( Al Diyar, June 21, 2020)

Share on

Women pay the price for corona's economic fallout

23-6-2020

In its issue of today, An Nahar published an AFP feature on Corona and women’s work, noting that, compared to men, they bear the economic brunt of Covid-19 pandemic. Women are more vulnerable to lose or quit jobs in order to care for and teach their children at home. According to a study released last week by the British think-tank, the Institute of Fiscal Studies, women received the biggest blow as a result of coronavirus because they assume a larger share in the vulnerable services sectors and workplaces, like bars, conference venues, hairdressing salons, hotels and restaurants. This was also confirmed by Nicole Mason, head of the US-based Institute for Women’s Policy Research. AFP cited a concerned message in the Times of Higher Education magazine by a group of renowned international women scientists denouncing sexism and the return to patriarchal society which they have struggled against since the outbreak of the pandemic. The signatories voiced concern that the huge progress women achieved in sciences has become a silent sufferer of the crisis, and charged the media with inviting men to talk about the coronavirus, albeit less qualified and accomplished than their women peers. (An Nahar, June 23, 2020)

Share on

Gaelle Ghanem French Young Writers Award finalist

23-6-2020

Lebanese Gaelle Ghanem and Tareq Bou Omar were qualified to the Prix des Jeunes Ecritures finals organized by Radio France International (RFI) and Francophone University Agency (AUF). The competition attracted some 1000 short stories by young people from 212 universities in 45 countries, including Lebanon which reaped two out of 30 places in the finals. According to An Nahar daily, the fictional narratives of contestants will be assessed by a jury headed by exile francophone Afghan writer and director, Atik Rahimi, winner of Goncourt prize for his novel, ‘Patience Stone’. The name of the winner will be announced on June 30 and will receive a trip to France including a life encounter with Rahimi. Gaelle, 21, from Halat, Byblos, who is studying civil engineering at the Lebanese University (LU), told An Nahar that writing has been her passion since she was 9. Five years ago, Gaelle recalled, she won the global Generation Bilingue competition organized by the French Institute with the participation of some 5000 contenders. This, she boasted, facilitated her travel to France to represent her country in the Prix des Jeunes Ecritures. For his part, Tariq, from Heri, North Lebanon, electrical engineering student at LU, explained that he wrote a short story during the quarantine period imposed by coronavirus, saying, reading is food for the writing talent. (An Nahar, June 22, 2020)

Share on

Cattle farmers critical of subsidy on imported powder milk

22-6-2020

In its issue on Saturday, Al Akhbar daily wrote that while dairy cow breeders awaited support in light of the dollar and lira crisis, the government opted for subsidizing importation of powder milk at the expense of local production. In the details, the newspaper said that rather than protecting the domestic dairy sector, the Lebanese state decided to back imported powder milk packed in 25 kg bags hence encouraging dairy and cheeses factories to replace fresh milk with powder milk and sell it as organic milk products. Al Akhbar went on to say, that dairy plants which directly import milk save nearly LBP 400 per a kg of powder milk compared to the fresh product. On this subject, the head of Cattle Breeders, Omar Kheir, disclosed that the Syndicate has asked the economy ministry to reconsider the subsidization decision which as he said, harms local breeders and violates LIBNOR standards. The latter to note, disallows the use of powder milk in this industry with the exception of labneh, provided that it mentions the ingredients are powder-milk based, which the majority of factories do not observe. Kheir stressed that the above decision has exacerbated the situation, noting that problems facing the sector have increased since last October with a slump of the fresh milk production from 700 tons to 400 tons per day due to the fluctuation of the dollar. This has forced many to relinquish the business which no longer subsists a decent livelihood, Kheir lamented. (Al Akhbar, June 22, 2020)

Share on

Local initiative to boost Lebanese food security

22-6-2020

The Lebanese National Energy (LNE) organization working in the field of human and economic development, announced in a statement yesterday that it has launched earlier in April called “Amnak al Ghizai Amno” (Secure Your Food Security) initiative to boost national food security. LNE to this end has distributed trees and more than 19,000 packs of multiple seeds in various Lebanese regions as a contribution to increasing individual agricultural produce to face the growing food crisis. The LNE statement also revealed that more than 50 young men and women have joined the “Jayeen Niqtof Sawa” campaign to experience the farm and back to the roots life in support of cherry growers in the Upper Matn areas last Saturday and Sunday. The LNE, according to the statement, aims to provide technical support through a workshop run by specialists in collaboration with Rene Mouwad Foundation; ease financial burdens through assisting in the picking season; highlight the need to create seasonal jobs for the Lebanese youth; prop internal eco-tourism and promote the role of women in rural areas with focus on the Lebanese kitchen through a rural dinner featuring home-made products. (Al Diyar, June 22, 2020)
 

Share on

Abolishing kafala, towards a unified work contract for women migrant workers, 

22-6-2020

As part of the “Kafala System Reform” initiative, the labor ministry organized a workshop on Friday with the theme, “The unified work contract for migrant men and women domestic workers”. Participants included the International Labor Organization (ILO), Amnesty International, Caritas, Kafa and Human Rights Watch. During the workshop, the minister of labor Lamia Yammin disclosed that her ministry has recently completed a draft of the unified work contract as a first step in dismantling or abolishing the kafala (sponsorship) system. Similarly, a senior immigration specialist pointed out that the issue of migrant women domestic workers (MWDWs) is controversial, complex and diverse, stating that developing a solution for that purpose is not easy. “We may not be able to achieve this in the near future, but we have embarked on the reform plan since last year but the latest developments in Lebanon have delayed our work,” he said. (Al Diyar, June 22, 2020)
 

Share on

Government decision to allow shisha in restaurants provokes civil opposition

19-6-2020

Unions, universities, hospitals and health and civil society organizations sent an open letter to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers asking them to withdraw a decision to restore the shisha services in public places due to its multiple health risks. The president of the Lebanese Order of Physicians, Sharaf Abu Sharaf, is expected to hold a press conference today on the above decision and related Banning Smoking or Tobacco Control Law No. 174. This call comes after a circular issued by the minister of tourism Wednesday which allows the serving of shisha outdoors in restaurants and cafes. The Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants, Cafes, Nightclubs and Patisseries has been requesting a relaxation of the smoking ban act (https: //bit.ly/3dabGd6). The letter cautioned the need to reverse the decision and strictly comply to Law 174 especially in the time of coronavirus and after that, citing studies which have shown that smoking of any kind increases the risk of infection with Covid-19. It enumerated the detrimental impact of smoking on coronavirus patients. The signatories of the letter demanded a complete ban of shisha during and after corona advising for taking lessons from the progress made in this direction during the lockdown and coordinating between ministries for a rigorous enforcement of Law No. 174. The letter can be found on the following link: (https://bit. ly/30T7Mmt). According to Al Akhbar newspaper, the parties signing the letter, are, the Orders of Physicians, Nurses, Engineers and the Beirut Bar Association, in addition to private universities, including AUB, USJ, Antonine and LAU, the K2P Center at AUB, Campaign 174 and the WHO Center for Hookah Smoking Research at AUB. (An Nahar, Al Akhbar, June 19, 2020)

Share on

Boosting women entrepreneurship in agro-food sector

19-6-2020

The minister of environment and administrative development, Demianos Qattar, Wednesday visited the Agri-Food and CleanTech (ACT) Smart Innovation Hub in Lebanon launched back in January by Berytech and funded by the Netherlands. During his visit, Qattar said the main focus now should be on fast, feasible and cost-effective local initiatives which present a sustainable solution to a specific problem. Addressing the youth, Qattar said they are the glimpse of hope which will contribute to finding solutions to environment, agriculture and energy impasses. He stressed that Lebanon has always made a comeback supported by the robustness of the private sector. Similarly, the CEO of Berytech, Maroon Shammas, explained that the incubation and acceleration company currently adopts a sectoral approach to achieve economic growth through motivating innovators and entrepreneurs to invest in agri-food and clean energy industries. The present situation in the country, Shammas maintained, suggests the need to boost innovation and create jobs for the young generation, saying, “ the agri-food and clean energy sectors are a priority to Lebanon in which we invest willingly.” Recalling, that the duration of the ACT Smart Innovation Hub program is from September 2019 through August 2022, and consists of two acceleration programs, namely Agritech and Clean Energy. It aims to create around 200 direct and 400 indirect job opportunities with at least 50% targeting the youth and 25% women. (Al Diyar, June 19, 2020)

Share on

Curbing smuggling through cooperation with Syria

18-6-2020

The minister of agriculture, Abbas Mortada, stressed to a delegation of potato growers he met yesterday the need for strict border control in order to stop smuggling activity and protect national economy. Every farmer and citizen has a role in safeguarding domestic production and combatting cross-border smuggling by reporting any smuggled goods in the local market, Mortada stated, endorsing on another occasion a state of emergency to this effect. On the same matter, former minister Hassan Murad, tweeted saying: “Smuggling is a prevalent pattern between neighboring countries that have trade ties, friendly relations and good neighborliness. Smuggling to and from Syria has been there since the establishing of the borders between the two nations. The only way to stop smuggling is through coordination between the governments of the two countries and economic integration, because Syria is our sole gateway to the wider Arab world.” On the other hand, Mortada disclosed after receiving a delegation of grain and sugar beet growers, that export and transit problems on Jordanian border were resolved. He also said that compensations for wheat growers are now on next week’s cabinet agenda. (Al Diyar, June 14, 15, 2020)

Share on

Pages


Subscribe to RSS - News