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Beirut Fashion Week for the creation of jobs, promotion of local designers

21-20-2016

The minister of tourism, Michel Pharaon, pointed out on Tuesday that notwithstanding the political instability, the country is witnessing an extraordinary cultural resurgence at all levels. Pharaon who was speaking during the opening of the Beirut Fashion Week which will last till tomorrow, noted that culture is rooted in freedom and democracy and is nurtured by intellectual and artistic dynamism. He stressed that Lebanon will remain the capital of culture and Beirut will always boast itself as a fashion hub. Yet, Pharaon pressed the need for better organization in the field to accommodate more exhibitions that showcase the creations of Lebanese designers and propel them globally. “We should be encouraging and sponsoring similar events which generate jobs and contribute to an integrated economic activity,” Pharaon said. In the same spirit, the external relations officer at the Beirut Fashion Week Organization, Claire Damaa, underlined the importance of the fashion week at this time as a boost to the designers steadfastness. “In supporting the domestic industry, we restore Beirut to the map of the international fashion,” Damaa maintained. The Organization’s CEO, Johny Fadlalah, for his part, disclosed that there will be a competition for young designers on the sidelines of the week-long event at the end of which a winner for distinguished design will be announced in the presence of a professional jury, led by the Lebanese international fashion designer, Nicolas Gebran. (Al Diyar, October 19, 2015)
 

 

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Court of Cassation repeals decision in the case of Manal Assi

21-10-2016

The case of Manal Assi who was murdered by her husband back in February, 2014 resurfaced after the Court of Cassation, led by Judge Suheir Harakeh, decided on Tuesday to repeal an early ruling by the Criminal Court of Beirut, under Judge Helena Iskandar, and repeat the trial setting a new date, December 1, for the hearing. To note, the Public Prosecutor Discriminatory, Judge Samir Hamud, has appealed on August 22 to the Court of Cassation to revoke the mitigating sentence from the death penalty to 5 years in prison against the perpetrator husband Mohammad Nuheili issued by Judge Iskandar on July 14. Hamud saw that the decision was a mistake in explaining and implementing Article 525 of the Penal Code, and called for criminalizing the husband in accordance to Article 549, Paragraph 4, which is the death sentence in the incidence of torture and cruelty. On the subject, the information officer at Kafa Enough Violence and Exploitation organization, Maya Ammar, pointed out to Al Akhbar newspaper that court decisions and judicial interpretations are  often influenced by the cultural background of the judge himself. Ammar was referring to Judge Iskandar whom she explained had overlooked the legal aspects involved in the case, which is quite appalling, when noting the contribution of the Judge in question to the drafting of the domestic violence related law. (Akhbar, October 21, 2016)
 
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Banana, citrus, olive, potato and grapes all in recession after wheat, apple and 3arsal fruits

20-10-2016

In the wake of protests by apple and wheat growers and 3arsal farmers, which resulted in the cabinet offering financial compensation, farmers across the Lebanese have started demanding equal treatment, and solutions to the marketing crisis, an end to foreign competition, and the re-opening of the borders with Syria. To be noted that the marketing crisis which is endemic, is compounded by government incapability to halt illegal trade. Thus, citrus and banana farmers of South Lebanon staged a sit in at Abul al Aswad district, Saida, in protest against the export activity and to demand to be treated like apple farmers, while appealing to Lebanese officials and Syrian authorities to allow the entry of Lebanese bananas to the neighboring country> for his part, MP Kazem Kheir, also drew the attention to the aggravated situation of citrus farmers in Minyeh and Akkar for the same reasons mentioned above. Olive growers in Akkar also blocked the Halba-Arqa road this week in protest of the invasion of what he termed as imported but poor quality olive oil, asking the Higher Relief Council (HRC) to compensate for their losses similar to the apple and fruit growers in other areas. Protests also reached olive farmers located in the southern border villages, Kura and North Lebanon areas. Meanwhile, the General Trade Union of Cooperative Association in Lebanon asked the government to commission HRC for purchasing 500 thousand crates of olive oil directly from farmers at favorable prices in compensation for part of their losses. Similarly, potato growers of Akkar staged a demonstration at the premises of the Cooperative Association for Potato Growers in Halba, for the same reasons. Furthermore, grapes growers in Rashayya and Marj Kfarmeshkif in West Beqaa criticized the high cost associated with maritime export and their inability to provide the large quantity needed for viable shipping. (An Nahar, Al Diyar, As Safir, October 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 2016)
 

 

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Gold medal award of distinction for Al Mawarid Bank Chief of Operations Nahla Bu Diab

20-10-2016

The Arab Women Council for Social Responsibility presented the gold medal award of distinction for the chief of operations at Al Mawarid Bank in Beirut, Nahla Khadaj Bu Diab in recognition of her distinguishing influence and activity in the domain of social responsibility in the banking sector. The ceremony took place on October 4th during a gala dinner held at Hotel Al Bustan Rotana in Dubai in the presence of concerned senior political, economic, banking and social figures. During her career which span over 32 years, Bu Diab held many leadership and managerial positions between Canada and Lebanon, running the restructuring of a great number of institutions, notably the Central Bank of Canada. Presently, she is the chief of operations at Al Mawarid Group and lectures for the Executive MBA program at the American University of Beirut. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, October 20, 2016)
 

 

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Enforcing the domestic violence law in Lebanon is challenged by religious authorities

20-10-2016

In its edition of today, Al Hayat daily brought to light the law for the Protection of Women and Family Members Against Domestic Violence approved in April 2014 by the Lebanese Parliament. Two years after its promulgation, Al Hayat wrote, the law still faces challenges and its enforcement remains incomplete in terms of guarantying protection to battered women. For more insight into the subject, the newspaper spoke to the head of the Women’s Committee at the Beirut Bar Association, Asmaa Dagher Hamadeh, who criticized the overwhelming powers given to various religious authorities in the country who, inopportunely, still retain the exclusive power in family issues by virtue of the Constitution. This, Hamadeh explained, despite the fact that the said law is stringent in penalizing the crimes specified in the Penal Code which occur between family members, prohibits acts of beating and abuse and endorses protection from the violent husband at the wife’s request. But the patriarchal mindset coupled with outdated social traditions still justify violence and condone it, obstructing the reporting of incidences of domestic violence, she lamented. Hamadeh disclosed to Al Hayat that the concerned authorities have not acted or responded fully to setting up a security apparatus specialized for cases of violence against women. Meanwhile, the judge for matters of special urgency in Mount Lebanon, Elias Risha, pointed out to some legal hindrances in the application of the above law. He mentioned for example, the need to identify or clarify the notions of domestic violence which, legally and judicially, raise a lot of questions. Nevertheless, the head of the Research and Studies Department, colonel Elie Asmar, underlined the significant role his institution plays in protecting women subjected to domestic violence, but which, he said, still lacks a referral system to properly manage the cases of violence. Besides, he added, it is in need of judicial detachment facilities and social support for members of security forces commissioned with the task. (Al Hayat, October 20, 2016)
 

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Lebanon Business and Professional Women’s Club to promote economic role of women

19-10-2016

The first regional conference of the Lebanon Business and Professional Women’s Club was held yesterday in Byblos, under the title ‘Together for economic development’ in the presence of the minister of trade and economy, Alain Hakim. On the occasion, Hakim stressed the role of the Lebanese and Arab women in the world of business for achieving a sustainable development of societies. He pressed the need to draw a strategic economic roadmap for entrepreneurship which covers legal, constitutional and administrative aspects, with the aim to activate and promote the role of women in business and economy. Similarly, the chair of the Council of Arab Businesswomen and ambassador of the Arab Region to International Associations, Dr. Hossa Saad Abdallah Salem al Sabah, advised the introduction of certain measures at the level of governments, local authorities and non-government organizations that would contribute to the empowerment and enhancement of women’s capacities in economic activity, including their participation in planning and development. Some of these measures include 1) improving economic opportunities available for the rural women through removal of all the legal, social, cultural and educational obstacles; 2) supporting the role of women in social upbringing within the family, with special national emphasis on the work of committed housewives; 3) enhancing women’s participation at the public, political and development levels; 4) advocating the work of women as a fundamental right and as a main condition for achieving sustainable development; 5) developing and enacting laws and regulations which guarantee gender equality at the workplace, equality in appointment and recruitment, wages, training and capacity building, and finally, 6) activating and forming women committees inside the professional syndicates and leagues to create better prospects for women’s participation in the labor market. (Al Mustaqbal, Al Diyar, October 19, 2016)
 

 

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Chantal Sarkis from Akkar becomes LF secretary general

19-10-2016

The Information Office for the head of the Lebanese Forces LF, Samir Geagea, announced in a statement yesterday the appointment of Dr. Chantal Sarkis as the new secretary general of the Party. A brief overview of her achievements issued by the Office, described Sarkis as the loyal daughter of the Akkar town of Qobayyat, holder of doctorate in political sciences and an international expert in electoral affairs, who chose the ‘Lebanese electoral system’ as a topic of her dissertation. During the past seven years, the statement went on to say, and before her resignation and appointment at the LF on August 2, 2016, Sarkis acted as a political advisor at the Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon. Before her work at the UN, Sarkis served as director of programs at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, and was a social activist and founder of a number of associations. She also received the academic award of the former UN Secretary General, Kurt Waldheim, in  2002. Sarkis is married, a mother of three and a professor at NDU university, noting that she was also an LF activist from 1998 and until 2005. (An Nahar, As Safir, October 19, 2016)
 

 

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Mary Turner Lane Award to the best two research on gender and women rights

19-10-2016

The Lebanese American University LAU Institute for Women’s Studies in the Arab World (IWSAW) distributed the Mary Turner Lane awards to the two best student papers on women and gender. During the ceremony, LAU President, Dr. Joseph Jabra, applauded the late Mary Turner Lane who has committed herself for over 32 years at the University of North Carolina in the service of women’s issues, rights and gender equality. When the award was first launched, Jabra pointed out, it was aimed at generating awareness on the importance of research in the field of gender and women studies. In honor to all her past accomplishments, Jabra said, her daughter decided to allocate the award to IWSAW. For her part, the Institute’s director, Dr. Lina Abi Rafeh, revealed that she has received 24 research papers which she read and was inspired by the ideas and commitment to issues of gender and the reality of women in the Arab world. To close, Abi Rafeh and Jabra handed the awards to Kaitlyn Smith for her paper on the emigration of women from South East Asia and Mariya Zmiter for her paper ‘Why do they hate us’. (Al Mustaqbal, October 19, 2016)
 

 

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Arab Union for Specialized Women convenes in Tripoli, commends women’s role in all sectors

19-10-2016

The 22-state Arab Union for Specialized Women convened for the first time yesterday in Tripoli, Lebanon, with the participation of its branches in the different Arab countries and under the patronage of German Countess Wald Burg. The conference which emanates from the Arab Economic Unity Council working within the framework of the Arab League took place between October 6 and 10. Burg gave a presentation on ‘the role of women in business from the German perspective’, followed by a talk delivered by the president of the Union’s branch in Lebanon, Nariman Jamal Ghanem, who lauded the role of Arb women in the post-modern political and scientific renaissance. Jamal said the northern capital is honored to host the conference which came to complement the historic glamour of the city. (Al Mustaqbal, October 19, 2016)
 

 

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Lebanon’s real estate market is stagnant but still standing

18-10-2016

The Lebanese real estate sector presently suffers stagnation despite the high 30% discount incentives, at time when prices of property remain unchanged, An Nahar daily reported today, according to the real estate experts Raja Makarem and vice president of the Builders Association, Atef Dagher, who basing their information on a recent study by Ramco for Trading and Contracting, pointed out that real estate dealers have not adjusted their present prices since last year. Makarem explained that the high incentives do not apply to small apartments which have witnessed greater demand, but rather on the 200-250 km square flats, adding that there are currently some 400 new buildings under construction. While pointing to the absence of Arab Gulf dealers, either buying or selling, Makarem attributed the slump to the unstable political and economic situations in the country. “Nevertheless the real estate sector is still standing, but for how long can it remain resilient,” Makarem questioned. For his part, Dagher made clear that the real estate sluggishness extends to all Lebanon and is not restricted to any particular region. On the other hand, the Bank Audi Research Department completed a report under the heading ‘a narrow fluctuation in prices amidst a slight slowdown in a market which has recently witnessed a slow activity as a result of internal political disputes and the continuing unrest in neighboring Syria.’ The report has shown that the real estate sector is still relatively and satisfactorily stable despite the general tension, similar to the banking and monetary sectors which have demonstrated an outstanding steadfastness in the past years. According to Bank Audi weekly monitor, the average value of sales as declared in the real estate department in the first 8 months of 2016 increased to USD 130,807, recording increases across Lebanon, most notably in the South. On the other hand, figures published by the General Directorate of Real Estate for the first 8 months of 2016, indicated that the property market has seen a slight rise in transactions which reached nearly a total of USD 5.3 billion, against USD 5,059 billion for the same period of 2015. The total number of sales operations registered was 40,507 deals. (Al Akhbar, An Nahar, October 17, 2016)

 

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