Minister of Information, Manal Abdel Samad, spoke in the wake of the Cabinet session held at the Grand Serail this Tuesday, saying: “Prime Minister Hassan Diab believes the government will have to decide whether to pursue [repatriation] flights or freeze them temporarily.” “The PM pointed out that the adopted procedures ... Read More »
China tightens Russia border checks, approves coronavirus vaccine trials
China has approved early-stage human tests of two experimental vaccines to combat the new coronavirus as the country where the virus was first detected battles to contain imported cases, especially from Russia. Russia has become China’s largest source of imported cases, with a total of 409 infections originating in its ... Read More »
Lebanon Economy to Shrink by Massive 12% This Year
The economy of Lebanon, which has defaulted on its mountain of debt, is expected to contract by a massive 12 percent this year, while Iraq, OPEC’s second-largest producer, is headed for a fall of 4.7 percent, the IMF said Tuesday. The Middle East and North Africa economy will meanwhile contract ... Read More »
Financial aid to families in need postponed: ministry
The Social Affairs Ministry announced Monday night that it was postponing the distribution of the emergency aid for poor families affected by the coronavirus measures. “Due to a number of errors the lists contained, the ministry decided to postpone the distribution aid until the Army finishes examining [the lists],” the ... Read More »
Berri Stresses Any Haircut Proposal ‘Shall Not Pass’
Speaker Nabih Berri has sent the government a clear message saying parliament “will not legislate fraud or the theft of depositors’ money and savings,” al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Tuesday. “This plan is not the finance minister’s plan and we do not agree to it at all,” the daily quoted Berri ... Read More »
Ministry of Health: 9 new Coronavirus cases reported
The Ministry of Health issued on Tuesday its daily report on Coronavirus cases in Lebanon. In its report, the ministry said that 9 new cases were reported, bringing the total number of cases in Lebanon to 641. One death was reported bringing the number of total deaths to 21. LBCI Read More »
Diab chairs meeting of follow-up committee for social aid
Prime Minister Hassan Diab chaired on Tuesday at the Grand Serail the meeting of the follow-up Committee for social aid. The meeting included Minister of Social Affairs and Tourism Ramzi Musharrafieh, Major-General Elias Chamieh, and PM advisors Hussein Kaafarani and Roula Moussa. The Committee informed the PM about the main ... Read More »
Abdel Samad: Evil Attracts Evil, Positivity Serves Everyone
Information Minister, Dr. Manal Abdel Samad Najd, commemorated the “painful Lebanese civil war” via her Twitter account on Monday, calling on all political counterparts to “learn from bitter experiences of the past.” She added: “Evil attracts evil and that the positive attitude lies in everyone’s interest .” “Remember that our country, ... Read More »
Coronavirus vaccine unlikely to be available within next 12 months, says WHO
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said a vaccine for coronavirusis unlikely to be available for at least 12 months amid rising hopes that a cure could be developed by the end of the year. Teams of scientists and pharmaceutical groups across the world are racing to produce an effective ... Read More »
Global Covid-19 cases near 2 million as Putin warns Russia faces ‘extraordinary’ crisis
Russian president suggests army could be drafted in as China also sounds alarm at cross-border cases The number of Covid-19 cases recorded worldwide is nearing 2 million, as Vladimir Putin warned warned officials to brace for “complex and extraordinary” scenarios in Russia as a result of the outbreak. The country ... Read More »