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Women sit-in in at Shiite Council for raising age of custody

22-3-2019

On the occasion of Mother’s Day, the National Campaign to Increase Age of Custody for the Shiite Sect staged a sit-in yesterday in front of the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council to demand raising the age of custody from 2 to 7 years for males, and from 7 to 9 for females. Demonstrators also called for enacting a joint custody arrangement between parents after set age. During the protest, women raised their voices against blatant corruption inside the Sharia courts, decrying deprivation of their motherhood. The Campaign pledged to take similar moves until demands are met. Coinciding with the sit-in, a meeting was held between a delegation of mothers and the secretary general of the Shiite Awkaf Department, Hassan Sharifeh, who listened to the stories of anguished mothers about injustices practiced by Jaafari courts. To name some, the procrastination in hearings and pronouncing verdicts and the suffering by mothers as a result of not raising the age of custody of their children. Al Akhbar newspaper wrote that, the meeting was meant to alleviate the impact of the protest, since Sharifeh did not deliberate or discuss any case, but rather listened to what the mothers had to say. He only promised to relay their demands to involved parties after six years from the start of the protest movement. “Demands cannot be voiced on the streets,” the Sheikh said, adding, “these women are my daughters, and the doors of the Council are always open.” Al Akhbar saw this as a restatement of the patriarchal system which views the female as a “daughter” who is ushered to designated places to request and claim her rights. (Al Akhbar, March 22, 2019)

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Two new economic zones in Batroon, Tyre

22-3-2019

The joint parliamentary committees headed by Deputy House Speaker Elie Ferzli, ratified two draft bills involving the construction of special economic zone in the districts of Batroon and Tyre, and another related to Horj Beirut natural reserve. The session held on March 20 was attended by the foreign minister Jibran Bassil, the minister of energy and water resources Nada Bustani and the environment minister Fadi Jreisati. Two sub-committees were also formed to study proposals concerning natural reserves, particularly the Lizab-Diniyeh reserve and the amendment of the water decree No. 77. Bassil described the setting up of the two zones in Tyre and Batroon as a stimulant to the economic cycle and an instigator for investments in the country. Such zones attract concerned people to sectors that boast tax and service incentives as well as administrative facilities. This is an excellent move, he said, which can be a starting point for export bound to Syria, Iraq, the Arab world and globally. (An Nahar, March 21, 2019)

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Empowerment certificates to 100 Regie women

21-3-2019

Le Regie Libanaise Des Tabacs et Tombacs distributed yesterday certificates to 100 of the daughters of tobacco farmers who completed women empowerment training courses in cooperation with the British Spring Board Program in a number of towns across Lebanon, including Duress (Beqaa), Haisa (Akkar) and Qseibeh, Aitaroun and Yater (South). The ceremony held at the Regie premises in Hadath was hosted by the NCLW vice president, Randa Assi Berri. The workshops were aimed to enhance the role of the working woman through empowering her to have more self-confidence and self-appreciation, and help her to make a positive impact in her community, personally and professionally. Berri on the occasion, praised the Regie’s efforts to ensure economic and social solidarity as well as economic development, and to strengthen the relationship between men and women through empowering them equally at various levels. She stressed the need to endorse the conviction of decision makers in committing to the principle of female representation quota in any future electoral law which she described as the cornerstone to start implementing mechanisms of actual women empowerment. (An Nahar, Al Diyar, March 21, 2019)
 

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LAU honors Nidal Ashqar

21-3-2019

During the NEXT 2019 festival organized annually at its campus, the Lebanese American University (LAU) honored yesterday the grande dame of theatre Nidal Ashqar in recognition of her cultural contributions. On the occasion, LAU president, Joseph Jabra, sketched the biography of Ashqar who represents a cultural model par excellence, pointing to her considerable impact on the lives of others in the immediate and distant surroundings. Jabra also mentioned Ashqar’s Masrah al Madina feat which signaled a landmark in the modern history of Beirut and Lebanon at large by serving as a lever for the Lebanese theatre. LAU, Jabra concluded, is privileged to honor Ashqar, the woman who contributed on a grand scale to inspiring and elevating art, culture and theatre in Lebanon and the Arab world. (An Nahar, March 21)

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MoET: Extra food should be distributed to the needy

21-3-2019

The minister of economy & trade (MoET), Mansur Bthaysh, issued a circular yesterday instructing restaurants and hotels to channel the edible food leftover to the Lebanese Food Bank, under the motto, Together Against Hunger. According to the circular, that within the framework of Sustainable Development Goals which engage joint efforts of the public and private sectors, as well as, civil society, and since social responsibility requires all institutions to contribute to supporting their communities particularly those within their geographic area. And since the Lebanese Food Bank follows a clear-cut mechanism which ensures the safety and edibility of leftover food from the time it is received to the time it is delivered to the needy and homeless persons, and since it is responsible for the safety of delivered food, therefore, we advise all eateries and hotels to cooperate with the Lebanese Food Bank to this effect. The Bank will accordingly inform them with the names of the beneficiaries. (Al Mustaqbal, March 21, 2019)
 

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Government memo gives preference to Lebanese goods

21-3-2019

Following the meeting headed by PM Saad Hariri to discuss national industry (https://goo.gl/G8SMiV), the prime minister issued a circular yesterday requesting all public institutions and departments, municipalities and municipal federations to give preference to made-in-Lebanon goods in all bids and state procurements. This includes in particular, the goods that have been classified along with their required specifications in the decrees released by the council of ministers. Hariri asked all above bodies to submit a quarterly report to the presidency of the cabinet about all completed transactions indicating their compliance with the said circular. For his part, the minister of industry, Wael Abu Faour, thanked Hariri for his quick response, pledging to follow up the commitment of the public institutions as monitored by the Lebanese Audit Bureau and the Public Procurement Management Administration. Abu Faour stressed that above circular will make a quantum leap in terms of increasing the productive capacities of the national industry or in securing a broad outlet for national products. The size of public procurement is exceptionally large, explained Abu Faour. They exceeded USD 5 billion according to 2016 and 2017 figures of the Procurement Administration, especially in certain departments and municipalities whose purchases are monitored and audited by said administration. Likewise, the head of the Lebanese Industrialists Association, Fadi Gemayel, considered the prime minister’s circular as a new hope for the sector. (Al Diyar, Al Mustaqbal, March 21, 2019)
 

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Akkar farmers’ protest against imports of Egyptian potatoes

20-3-2019

Potato growers in the Akkar plains staged a sit in on March 18 in front of the Agriculture Department in the town of Abdeh to protest the entry of Egyptian potatoes to the local markets. Participating in the demo, were the head of the Awkaf in Akkar, Sheikh Malek Jdeideh, Future Movement MP, Walid Baarini, the head of the Lebanese Popular Movement, MP Mustafa Ali Hussein, along with the mayors and makhatir of the area. Protestors voiced their anger about dumping the domestic market with imported Egyptian potato which makes it difficult to dispose of the local produce. During the sit-in, Hussein appealed to the government, namely to the agriculture minister, Hassan Lakiss, to intervene to prevent the entry of large quantities of the produce at the peak of the harvest season in Akkar. This, Hussein warned, leaves the locally-grown potatoes to slump and rot, adversely affecting the produce of the Beqaa as well. Sheikh Jdeideh for his part, asked prime minister Hariri and House Speaker Berri to play fair to anguished Akkar farmers. Baarini in turn, said the symbolic sit-in is part of a series of actions to be taken pending the outcomes of negotiations and meetings during the past few days with concerned officials to this effect. Similarly, the head of the Federation of Municipalities of Nahr Ustwan, Omar Hayek, pressed the need for an immediate end to the importation of potatoes from Egypt, as Lebanon cannot accommodate the inflow of 70,000 tons into its territory. In the same vein, Lebanese Forces LF Party MP, Wehbi Qatisha, and Future MP, Tarek Mer’bi, called on the minister of agriculture to step up measures to protect Akkari produce. (Al Mustaqbal, March 19, 2019)

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Young Lebanese woman initiative in Ashrafieh to help the poor

20-3-2019

On March 17, Al Mustaqbal electronic portal drew attention to a new initiative launched by young Lebanese woman, Rita Bulos, who having experienced deprivation, decided to collect food and deliver it to people in need. The initiative which started from a Facebook campaign, has expanded with the huge aid it received from people. Bulos has managed to rent a small apartment and transform it into a cozy kitchen that hosts and feeds the hungry. The project, located in Mar Metr neighborhood of Ashrafieh, welcomes any guest who knocks its door to become part of the family. Through this action, Bulos maintained, I spread the culture of compassion, as “it is unacceptable to leave anyone out there hungry. Bulos, who works in handcrafting rosaries, said that three female relatives have volunteered to cook daily meals, in addition to women who also offered to help. The surplus of the cooked food is frozen to be delivered to whoever cannot come in person. Armed with perseverance and consistence, Bulos said, currently, 170 families across Lebanon receive food aid, besides bread and medications for selective cases. All contributions are made by charitable people, Boulos confirmed, denying backing or funding from any political party. (Al Mustaqbal, March 17, 2019)

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2019 flower market opens in Karantina

20-3-2019

At the invitation of the Syndicate for Flower and Seedling Farmers in Lebanon, the governor of Beirut, Ziad Shbib, inaugurated yesterday the 12th edition of the Flower and Seedling Market in Karantina in front of Forum de Beyrouth. During the opening, Shbib said the municipality has opted this year to be the first and main customer of local flower farmers and the Syndicate itself, noting that it has received and planted the first bunch of geranium seedlings (around 10,000 seedlings), awaiting the remaining batches. The purpose of this initiative, Shbib maintained, is to encourage farmers, while sending a message to Beiruti residents that they should cherish and grow this authentic heritage flower of their capital inside their homes and on their balconies. This helps in the revival of the true image of Beirut which sadly has been taken over by concrete buildings, Shbib noted. For his part, the president of the Syndicate of flower farmers, Elias Kamel, demanded the construction of a permanent flower bazaar that sustainably contributes to the development of the sector. He underlined the importance of the market in attracting tourists and flower experts from around the world to come and learn about the excellent quality and amazing flower production of Lebanon, owing to the distinctive expertise of local farmers coupled with the country’s ideal climate. Likewise, deputy chief, Joseph Abu Zeid, thanked Beirut governor and the ministries of agriculture and labor for their serious efforts to shut down illegal flower shops across Lebanon as they sell foreign brands that illicitly compete with domestic industry and impact the livelihoods of Lebanese farmers and producers. (Al Mustaqbal, An Nahar, March 20, 2019)

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First woman to receive "Abel" math award

20-3-2019

The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters/Institute for Advanced Study (Abel) announced yesterday that it awarded the prestigious Abel Prize for Mathematics to American Karen Uhlenbeck, for her work on partial differential equations. This is the first time a woman receives the award launched by the Norwegian government back in 2003, a statement by the Academy said. The American scientist, from Cleveland, Ohio, has revolutionized tools and methods in global analysis that have become in the toolbox of any geometrics specialist. Uhlenbeck, 76, is a senior research scholar at Princeton University and an associate professor at the Institute for Advanced Study in the US. The head of the Abel committee, Hans Munthe-Kaas said Uhlenbeck received the prize for her fundamental work in geometric analysis and gauge theory which dramatically changed the mathematical landscape. Her theories have revolutionized “our understanding of minimal surfaces such as those formed by soap bubbles….” He added. (An Nahar, March 20, 2019)

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