Protesters march to parliament to reject Tuesday’s vote of confidence
- Two marches, one from Furn el Chebbak and another from the Interior Ministry in Hamra, set off in Beirut and converged in front of parliament Saturday, in spite of a heavy storm. Amid a vast deployment of security forms, demonstrators marched holding up banners reading “No Confidence”, in anticipation of Tuesday’s parliamentary session, when MPs are expected to give PM Hassan Diab’s cabinet their vote of confidence.
- To make a statement against rampant unemployment rates, several protesters hung up their resumes on the walls barricading parliament in Riyad el Solh.
- A demonstration set to take place in Tyre was postponed due to bad weather after winds tore down protesters’ tents.
Lebanese farmers outraged over Agriculture Minister’s repeal of produce protection law
- Representatives of the Agricultural Syndicates of Lebanon have called on farmers to participate in massive protests on Tuesday in rejection of new measures by Agriculture and Culture Minister Abbas Mortada that endanger their livelihood.
- Mortada has repealed a law that protected Lebanese farmers by subjecting fruit and vegetable imports from Egypt to pre—authorization. The decision to scratch the law is expected to flood Lebanese markets with thousands of tons of Egyptian potatoes. According to newspaper Nida’ el Watan, Mortada could benefit from the “surplus” by pressuring the Lebanese state to allow exports to Syria, paving the way for trade relations.
- Farmers also planned a protest at the Beirut Port on Monday, when the first shipment arrives.
Storm ‘Karim’ leaves damages in its wake, destroys refugee tents
- Strong winds, high waves, heavy rain, and snowfall at 900 meters have wreaked havoc as Storm Karim arrived in Lebanon on Friday.
- In Sidon's port, activity got suspended and fuel supply ships were unable to unload, worsening an already dire electricity situation. Power was completely cut off in several villages neighboring Tyre, due to strong winds. Crops and agriculture were also damaged in the South, the Bekaa, Hermel, and Akkar. Several mountain roads remain completely blocked due to heavy snowfall.
- In Qaa, Arsal, and Hermel, the storm caused grave damages to Syrian refugee tents.
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