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Tag: lebanon

  • India Issues Advisory For Its Citizens In Lebanon Amid Rising Israel-Hezbollah Tensions, Advises To ‘Exercise Caution’ | world news

    The Indian embassy in Beirut has issued a cautionary advisory for its citizens living in Lebanon. The advisory comes in the wake of escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. The embassy urged Indian nationals to stay alert and maintain communication with them due to the recent developments in the region.

    Contact Information For Indians

    In their advisory, the Indian embassy emphasized the importance of remaining vigilant and advised to exercise caution. Indian nationals in Lebanon or those planning to travel there are advised to contact the embassy through email at [email protected] or the emergency phone number +96176860128.

    What is happening in Lebanon?

    The situation has intensified following an announcement by the Israeli military that its jets bombed Hezbollah’s weapons depots and infrastructure in the Bekaa Valley, eastern Lebanon, on Sunday. This action was in response to an earlier incident where a rocket from Lebanon struck a soccer field in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, resulting in the deaths of 12 children and teenagers. The Israeli military described this as the deadliest civilian attack since October 7. There are growing concerns about a broader regional conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

    Notably, Hezbollah denied responsibility for the recent rocket attack. The White House National Security Council has engaged in discussions with Israeli and Lebanese counterparts, aiming for a diplomatic solution to halt the hostilities in the border region.

    Impact On Air Travel

    The tensions have also impacted air travel. Flights at Beirut Airport have faced cancellations or delays, with Lebanon’s Middle East Airlines (MEA) citing insurance risks due to the escalating conflict. Additionally, Lufthansa announced the suspension of five routes to and from Beirut, operated by Swiss International Air Lines, Eurowings, and Lufthansa, until July 30, as a precautionary measure.

  • Salman Rushdie attacker ‘shocked’ the writer survived

    Talking to the New York Put up from prison, Hadi Matar mentioned he made up our minds to look Rushdie on the Chautauqua Establishment after he noticed a tweet closing iciness in regards to the creator’s deliberate look.

    “I don’t like the individual. I don’t assume he’s an excellent individual,” Matar instructed the newspaper. “He’s somebody who attacked Islam. He attacked their ideals, the realization techniques.”

    Matar, 24, mentioned he regarded as overdue Iranian chief Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini “an ideal individual” however wouldn’t say whether or not he used to be following a fatwa, or edict, issued via Khomeini in Iran in 1989 that known as for Rushdie’s demise after the writer printed ‘The Satanic Verses.’

    Iran has denied involvement within the assault.

    Hadi Matar of Fairview, New Jersey seems in reserving images at Chautauqua County Prison in Mayville, New York, US, August 12, 2022. (Chautauqua County Prison/Handout by the use of Reuters)

    Matar, who lives in Fairview, New Jersey, mentioned he hadn’t had any touch with Iran’s Innovative Guard. He instructed the Put up he had handiest learn “a pair pages” of ‘The Satanic Verses.’

    Rushdie, 75, suffered a broken liver and severed nerves in an arm and a watch, in keeping with his agent, within the assault Friday. His agent, Andrew Wylie, mentioned his situation has progressed and he’s at the street to restoration.

    Matar, who’s charged with tried homicide and attack, instructed the Put up he took a bus to Buffalo the day earlier than the assault after which took a Lyft to Chautauqua, about 64 kilometres away.

    He purchased a move to the Chautauqua Establishment grounds after which slept within the grass the evening earlier than Rushdie’s deliberate communicate.

    Matar used to be born in america however holds twin citizenship in Lebanon, the place his oldsters have been born. His mom has instructed newshounds in interviews that Matar got here again modified from a seek advice from to look his father in Lebanon in 2018. After that, he was moody and withdrew from his circle of relatives, she mentioned.

  • Lebanese gunman holds financial institution team of workers hostage to get admission to his financial savings

    A gunman who held 10 other people hostage inside of a Lebanese financial institution with the intention to get admission to his personal financial savings has became himself into police on Thursday after an seven-hour standoff. No person used to be injured right through the ordeal.

    Bassam al-Sheikh Hussein, a food-delivery driving force, stated he had to withdraw his cash to pay for his father’s clinical expenses.

    On Thursday, the 42-year-old entered a Federal Financial institution department in Beirut with a shotgun and a jerrycan of gas. He had round $210,000 (€204,000) deposited there, consistent with his circle of relatives.

    Within, Hussein held seven or 8 team of workers hostage, plus two consumers, and demanded get admission to to his financial savings. One safety supply informed the AFP information company that he additionally poured the gas “far and wide the financial institution.”

    Financial institution withdrawals limited

    Lebanon is in the course of a critical financial disaster — the rustic’s worst in fashionable historical past. Crucial items are briefly provide, whilst a plummeting native foreign money has led banks to impose tight restrictions on withdrawals.

    Armed guy who held workers hostage at a financial institution in Lebanon’s capital Beirut hailed as a hero percent.twitter.com/1Mru4PzhID

    — TRT International Now (@TRTWorldNow) August 12, 2022

    Lenders have additionally avoided consumers from moving cash out of the country.

    “What led us to this case is the state’s failure to get to the bottom of this financial disaster and the banks’ and Central Financial institution’s movements, the place other people can simplest retrieve a few of their very own cash as though it’s a weekly allowance,” stated Abou Zour, who’s with the criminal advocacy workforce the Depositors’ Union is representing the gunman and his circle of relatives.

    “This has ended in other people taking issues into their very own palms,” he added.

    Gunman hailed a ‘hero’

    Outdoor the financial institution, supporters of Hussein accumulated to protest in opposition to the rustic’s dire financial state of affairs. Some even referred to as him a hero.

    BREAKING: Video of hostage state of affairs in #Lebanon at a significant financial institution in downtown Beirut. An armed guy is preserving financial institution team of workers till they unencumber his deposits, he says are $210,000: percent.twitter.com/xG9A9H3Yl8

    — Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam) August 11, 2022

    “My brother isn’t a scoundrel. He’s a good guy. He’s taking what he has from his personal pocket to offer to others,” Hussein’s brother Atef stated right through the standoff.

    Hussein’s spouse, Mariam Chehadi, informed journalists outdoor the financial institution that her husband “did what he needed to do.”

    After hours of negotiations, Hussein’s attorney stated he agreed to obtain $35,000 of his financial savings and hand himself over to police.

    “Identical incidents stay taking place,” stated George al-Hajj, head of Lebanon’s financial institution worker’s union. “We’d like an intensive resolution.”

    “Depositors need their cash, and sadly their anger explodes within the face of financial institution workers as a result of they can’t succeed in the control,” he added.

  • Hezbollah says ‘in a position’ to behave if Lebanon says Israel violating water rights

    Hezbollah is in a position to do so “together with drive” towards Israeli gasoline operations in disputed waters as soon as the Lebanese govt adopts a clearer coverage, the closely armed motion’s deputy chief instructed Reuters on Monday.

    Sheikh Naim Qassem’s feedback got here an afternoon after a vessel operated through London-based Energean arrived off the coast to broaden a gasoline box referred to as Karish.

    Israel says the sphere is a part of its unique financial zone whilst Lebanon has begun to say it lies inside its territory.

    Lebanon’s president and premier in statements each warned Israel towards operations in Karish, prompting fears of a violent escalation over the problem.

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    Hezbollah, which possesses an arsenal which some professionals say opponents that of the Lebanese military, stated on Monday it will act provided that Lebanon’s govt officially accuses Israel of violating maritime rights.

    “When the Lebanese state says that the Israelis are assaulting our waters and our oil, then we’re in a position to do our section when it comes to force, deterrence and use of suitable way – together with drive,” Qassem stated.

    “The problem calls for a decisive choice from the Lebanese state,” he added, pronouncing that Hezbollah “advised the federal government to speed up, to set a closing date for itself”.

    Qassem stated the Iran-backed crew would act “regardless of the responses” even supposing it ended in a broader warfare.

    Lebanon stated on Monday it will invite a U.S. mediator to Beirut to renew oblique negotiations with Israel over the disputed maritime limitations, that have been stalled since final yr.

    Beirut is hoping to achieve an settlement that would then assist it free up treasured gasoline reserves to ease its worst-ever monetary disaster.

    In past due Might, Lebanon’s cupboard handed a long-awaited restoration roadmap, regardless of objections through Hezbollah ministers.

    On Monday, Qassem hinted {that a} contemporary plan would need to be negotiated since Lebanon’s parliamentary elections final month had induced a brand new govt formation procedure.

    Hezbollah and its allies misplaced the parliamentary majority within the vote, however have retained regulate over the jobs of parliament speaker and deputy speaker.

    “Crucial step that we should take once conceivable is forming a central authority, since the nation with out a central authority will cave in against a fair worse state of affairs,” he stated.

    He declined to touch upon whether or not Hezbollah would approve a brand new time period for caretaker premier Najib Mikati or if it had prompt names as a successor to President Michel Aoun, a key best friend of Hezbollah whose time period results in past due October.

    Qassem stated the following precedence can be that specialize in monetary restoration. Whilst Hezbollah has expressed skepticism about Lebanon’s initial reduction settlement with the World Financial Fund, he stated this sort of deal was once a “important bridge” to get admission to different investment.