Berri downbeat over Cabinet formation

(Lebanon Twitte)-Discords amongst the Lebanese political forces and inter-religious problems in the country, which hinder the development of Lebanon, can be solved only through political change, as a result of which the country could become a modern state in both economic and political sense, the Speaker of Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri believes.


Development and Liberation bloc MP Michel Moussa said on Wednesday that despite Speaker Nabih Berri's despair, the new cabinet is that of a nation and will ultimately have to be formed.


Berri described the situation in Lebanon as “appalling” as a result of the country being left without a government. He spoke during a meeting at his residence in Ain al-Tineh with a delegation from the Arab and international news agencies currently visiting Beirut to attend a conference to mark the Silver Jubilee of the state-run National News Agency.


Moussa said March 8 forces are the only ones considered with the formation process, since March 14 coalition has expressed its refusal to join the new cabinet headed by Prime Minister Designate Najib Mikati, although contact between the 2 coalitions still exists.


An agreement on an equal number of Muslims and Christians in the Lebanese Parliament has been achieved 20 years ago. This agreement, called the Taif Accord, put an end in 1990 to the bloody confrontation that existed in the country since 1975.


He called on Sleiman and Mikati to shoulder their historic responsibilities by forming “a government of conscience, not a government of hatred, a national salvation government on the basis of a strict implementation of the National Accord Document and all U.N. resolutions.

Lebanon boys drop three league matches

(Lebanon Twitte)-LEBANON - The Corvallis High baseball team defeated Lebanon 7-3 on Tuesday in a Mid-Willamette Conference game to help its playoff cause.
Garrett Miller led the way for Corvallis (13-7, 12-4) on the mound. He struck out 13 in a complete-game victory.


Kyle Weber had the Warriors most competitive match on April 25, losing 7-5 in a tight opening set before falling to West Albany’s Snowden Bristow 6-0 in the second.
Weber had another solid effort at Crescent Valley on April 27, but fell 6-2, 7-5 in the No. 3 singles match.


This week, CV plays Woodburn (0-15) and West plays South Albany (3-12) before the two leaders play each other next week in a potential three-game series for the championship.
Corvallis and Lebanon play this week with the loser almost certainly out of the running for a title.
West Albany would win tiebreakers with Corvallis and Lebanon having won two of three games from each of those teams this season.


April 25
West Albany 8, Lebanon 0
Tyler Day, West Albany d. Brad Weber, 6-0, 6-1
Anthony Van Eaton, West Albany d. Carter Shank, 6-0, 6-1
Snowden Bristow, West Albany d. Kyle Weber, 7-5, 6-0
Caleb Riley, West Albany d. Austin Kleint, 6-2, 6-0
CV coach Ryan Starwalt said Woodburn pitcher Joe Palafox kept the Raiders guessing.
"He was pitching a good game, throwing strikes and keeping us off-balance," Starwalt said.
Grant Mattes matched Palafox, finishing with 11 strikeouts and giving up two hits in six innings.
Jamie Alsip went 3 for 4 with a double, triple and four RBIs and Tanner Sanders went 3 for 5 with two doubles and three RBIs.
The Bulldogs have a good shot at the Mid-Willamette's second seed into the play-in games if they can sweep South Albany (1-13) this week and Crescent Valley (6-8) next week.
Lebanon (8-6) can move closer to claiming the fourth seed with at least two wins this week against Corvallis (5-10).
South looks to be locked into the seventh spot. The Rebels would have to win five of their last six against West and Woodburn (0-15) in addition to having Corvallis (5-10) get swept by Lebanon and Silverton in order to move up.

U.N. voices concern over Lebanon's Cabinet delay

(Lebanon Twitte)-UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Michael C. Williams said in a statement following his meeting with Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati in Beirut, that his interview with him had been good. We discussed domestic issues and particularly the process of government formation as well as some of the regional developments," he said, while adding that he expressed his "strong support for Najib Miqati as Prime Minister-designate and his endeavors to form a new government. I also expressed my concern to him that this process was taking such a long time. We talked about the needs of the Lebanese people at every level, social, economic and political, and that these needs necessitated the early formation of a government. So I very much want to see Prime Minister-designate Miqati successful in his efforts to form a new government as soon as possible.


Williams said discussions had focused on the government formation process as well as regional developments.


“I take this opportunity to express my strong support for Najib Mikati as prime minister-designate and his endeavors to form a new government,” Williams told reporters after the meeting.


They also discussed some of the security issues, mentioning for example the recent controversy about illegal construction. "Najib Miqati told me that he was very concerned about these matters," Williams said. "We also discussed the fate of the missing Estonian cyclists, who have now been missing I believe for six weeks. I take this occasion again to appeal on humanitarian grounds for their immediate release.


At the regional level, Williams said he reiterated Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s concerns about “some of the developments in the region, in Syria, in Libya and in Bahrain among others.


“And the message of the secretary-general is very clear, it underlines the need for dialogue, it underlines the need to avoid violence and to respect human rights,” Williams added.

Rafic Hariri

(Lebanon Twitte)-Rafic Baha El Deen Al-Hariri (November 1, 1944 – February 14, 2005, رفيق بهاء الدين الحريري‎), was a business tycoon and the Prime Minister of Lebanon from 1992 to 1998 and again from 2000 until his resignation, 20 October 2004.
He headed five cabinets during his tenure. Hariri dominated the country's post-war political and business life and is widely credited with reconstructing Beirut after the 15-year civil war.
Hariri was assassinated on 14 February 2005 when explosives equivalent to around 1000 kg of TNT were detonated as his motorcade drove past the St. George Hotel in the Lebanese capital, Beirut. The investigation, by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, into his assassination is still ongoing and currently led by the independent investigator Daniel Bellemare. In its first two reports, UNIIIC indicated that the Syrian government may be linked to the assassination. According to a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation news investigation, the special UN investigation team had found strong evidence for the responsibility of the Hezbollah in the assassination. Hariri's killing led to massive political change in Lebanon, including the Cedar Revolution and the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon.


Beginnings in philanthropy


Having accumulated his wealth, Hariri started a number of philanthropic projects, including the building of educational facilities in Lebanon. Hariri became progressively more embroiled in politics. His appeals to the U.N. and services as an emissary to the Saudi Royal family won him international recognition on the political stage for his humanitarian efforts but also slowly caught him in the web of Lebanese politics.


Political career


Hariri returned to Lebanon in the early 80s as a wealthy man and began to build a name for himself by making large donations and contributions to various groups in Lebanon. He was implanted as the Saudis' strong man following the collapse of the PLO and the paucity of any viable Sunni leadership in the country, as well as a response to the rising power of the Shiite militia Amal. In 1992, becoming prime minister under Syria's watchful military occupation of Lebanon, he put the country back on the financial map through the issuing of Eurobonds and won plaudits from the World Bank for his plan to borrow reconstruction money as the country's debt grew to become the largest per capita in the world.


1992-1998 economic political policies


Hariri implemented an aggressive new economic policy. Perhaps Hariri's most important creation in the beginning of his career was "Horizon 2000" the government's name for its new rejuvenation plan. A large component of "Horizon 2000" was Solidere, the privately-owned  construction company that was established to reconstruct post-war Lebanon. Solidere was owned by the government and private investors. Solidere was largely focused on redeveloping Beirut's downtown and turning it into a new urban center as quickly as possible as one aspect of the various infrastructure redevelopment plans that would be implemented by "Horizon 2000". Another aspect of the decade-long plan was the privatization of major industries. Numerous contracts were awarded in important industries such as energy, telecommunications, electricity, airports and roads. The last and perhaps most significant aspect of "Horizon 2000" was economic stimulus via foreign direct investment. Specifically, Hariri supported foreign firms and individuals taking an interest in Lebanon's developmental potential.


Hariri and Lebanon's political environment
Amid the political crisis brought on by the extension of President Émile Lahoud's term, Hariri resigned as Prime Minister, saying: "I have... submitted the resignation of the government, and I have declared that I will not be a candidate to head the (next) government."
During a BBC interview in 2001, Harīrī was asked by Tim Sebastian why he refused to hand over members of Hezbollah that were accused by America of being terrorists. He responded that Hezbollah were the ones protecting Lebanon against the Israeli occupation and called for implementation of passed United Nations resolutions against Israel. He was further accused of making the American coalition in the War on Terrorism worthless and asked if he was ready for the consequences of his refusal, reminding him that George W. Bush had said: "Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists.


Assassination
On 14 February 2005 Hariri was killed, along with 21 others, when explosives equivalent of around 1,000 kg of TNT were detonated as his motorcade drove near the St. George Hotel in Beirut. Among the dead were several of Hariri's bodyguards and his friend and former Minister of the Economy Bassel Fleihan. Hariri was buried along with his bodyguards, who died in the bombing, in a location near Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque.
The latest progress report by Brammertz has indicated that DNA evidence collected from the crime scene suggests that the assassination might be the act of a young male suicide bomber.


Background


Hariri was born in a modest Sunni Muslim family, along with two siblings (brother, Shafic and sister Bahia) in the Lebanese port city of Sidon. Hariri attended elementary and secondary school in his city and pursued his business administration studies at the Beirut Arab University.
Rise to wealth


In 1969, Hariri established Ciconest, a small subcontracting firm, which went out of business soon. He then went in business with the French construction firm Oger for the construction of a hotel in Ta’if, Saudi Arabia, the timely construction of which brought him in good graces with King Khaled. Hariri took over Oger, forming Oger International, which became the main construction firm used by the Saudi Royal family for all of their important developments. As a result, only a few years after his first contract with King Khaled, Hariri had become a multi-billionaire.


Aftermath
Hariri was well regarded among international leaders, for example, he was a close friend of French President Jacques Chirac. Chirac was one of the first foreign dignitaries to offer condolences to Hariri's widow in person at her home in Beirut. The Special Tribunal for Lebanon was also created at his instigation.
Syria was initially accused of the assassination, which led to the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon following widespread protests.
Following Hariri's death, there were several other bombings and assassinations against minor anti-Syrian figures. These included Samir Kassir, George Hawi, Gebran Tueni, Pierre Amine Gemayel, and Walid Eido. Assassination attempts were made on Elias Murr, May Chidiac, and Samir Shehade (who was investigating Hariri's death).
The United Nations special tribunal (see Special Tribunal for Lebanon) investigating the murder of Hariri is expected to issue draft indictments accusing Hezbollah of murdering Hariri.

Fouad Siniora

(Lebanon Twitte)-Fuad Siniora,Fouad Sanyoura, Fuad Sinyora, Fouad Sanioura, Fouad Seniora, Fouad Siniora, فؤاد السنيورة ‎, Fu'ād as-Sanyūrah) is a Lebanese politician, a former Prime Minister of Lebanon, a position he held from 19 July 2005 to May 25, 2008 the date of the election of the new President of Lebanon; he was renominated to the post on 28 May 2008 and held the post as Acting President between those dates. He stepped down on 9 November 2009 in favor of Saad Hariri, the late Rafiq Hariri's son. He currently serves as a member of Parliament from Saida.


Member of National Assembly


Fuad Siniora has strong ties with the international financial community. Strongly pro-business, he is considered a moderate partisan of free trade. He was a very close adviser to late Rafik Hariri and he is very close to his son Saad Hariri. He served as finance minister from 1992 to 1998 and again from 2000 to 2004 during which he was the architect of the national debt that climbed from US $2 billion to US $50 billion . Siniora was the main architect of the Paris II conference in November 2002 which allowed Lebanon to get US $2.6 billion and the Paris III Conference in January 2007 which pledged 13 billion dollars to Lebanon. He was accused of corruption and mismanagement after Hariri's ousting in 1998, in what was mainly viewed as a conflict between Hariri and Syria, and a Syrian-orchestrated move to keep him in line. Siniora was cleared of all charges in 2003 by the parliament and the Judicial Court. In 2002, he abolished most of Lebanon's duty taxes and introduced a Value Added Tax.


Prime minister


After the victory of the anti-Syrian opposition in parliamentary elections held in May and June 2005, Fuad Siniora was asked by President Lahoud on 30 June to form a government. He resigned from the chairmanship of Group Méditerranée (a banking holding controlled by the Hariri family). After laborious negotiations with the President and the different political forces, Siniora formed a government on July 19, 2005. It is the first government formed after the Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon and the first government to include members of the pro-Iranian militant group Hezbollah. With regards to Hezbollah, the Siniora cabinet's official stance in the Pre-Doha Government was that "The government considers the resistance a natural and honest expression of the Lebanese people’s national rights to liberate their land and defend their honour against Israeli aggression and threats.


The July War


On July 12 , 2006, Hezbollah launched a deadly cross-border attack against Israel and initiated the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war. On July 27, 2006, Siniora seeking to end the devastating conflict, presented a seven-point Siniora Plan at a 15-nation conference in Rome. Siniora also called for an Arab League meeting in Beirut. During a televised address at the conference, he famously sobbed as he described the suffering of the Lebanese people. On 12 August, Siniora cautiously welcomed the newly-passed UNSCR 1701.
The Lebanese Government even declared that unauthorised rocket launching towards Israel would constitute High Treason, as the Israelis "would gain much propaganda.
Events leading to the Doha Agreement


On November 13, 2006, Shiite ministers backed by Hezbollah and Amal resigned from Siniora's cabinet. This took place on the eve in which the International Tribunal trying the murderers of Rafik Hariri was to be discussed in a cabinet meeting. Although the resigned ministers were only 6, nearly 40% of the Lebanese MPs are in the opposition. Unlike Western democracies, no party in Lebanon has ever had a monopoly on power and decision-making, therefore the Government never took a decision unless it was agreed upon with the opposition.
The Lebanese opposition claimed that this resignation meant that the Siniora Government was not a legitimate one because it did not represent all religious groups in Lebanon, namely the Shiite Lebanese. According to the constitution, the government is legal as long as it has two-thirds of the ministers, and so the majority believed the Siniora government was still a totally legal cabinet. The opposition demanded an increase in opposition representation in the cabinet, sufficient to hold veto power over decision making, as their requirement for returning. The majority saw this as a Syrian-orchestrated move to block the establishment of the Hariri tribunal.


Early life


Siniora was born into a Sunni-Muslim family in Sidon on April 14, 1943. He earned a Masters in Business Administration from the American University of Beirut after attending the American School for Boys in Sidon. He speaks fluent English. In the 1970s, Siniora worked for Citibank and taught at his alma mater in Beirut and at the Lebanese University. He then joined the audit committee at Lebanon's Central Bank in 1977. In 1982, he was recruited by successful businessman Rafik Hariri to help him manage and expand his massive business empire. Upon the end of Lebanon's Civil War, Hariri became Lebanon's Prime Minister. Hariri appointed Siniora as his Minister of Finance in his successive cabinets. He was the Chairman and Managing Director of Groupe Mediterranee which encompasses four Hariri-owned banks. He is known for his interest in Arab literature and poetry.

Remove illegal buildings in 48 hours, ISF warns

(Lebanon Twitte)- Internal security forces patrol was intercepted on Sunday as it was heading to the town of Aitet in the Tyre area in order to thwart a construction violation, reported the National News Agency.
It said that a Renault Rapid car, without a license plate and with tinted windows, followed by 20 vehicles intercepted the patrol.


A number of men soon came down from the cars, with sticks, stones, and construction equipment in hand.


Meanwhile, before the statement was released and as officials of Hezbollah and Amal Movement were discussing the situation with Lebanese Army and Internal Security Forces officers, six policemen were injured as they tried to stop illegal construction on public property in east Tyre.


They stressed that priority should be given to removing illegal construction near the airport wall.


The majority of the violations have been removed and the second phase will focus on removing construction violations on public property, which will then be followed by the removal of all public property violations," he stated.


Last week the ISF, backed by the army, demolished illegal construction around Rafik Hariri International Airport, as part of an effort to safeguard operations there.


Despite the clashes, caretaker Public Works and Transportation Minister Ghazi Aridi praised security forces for taking action against violators upon the request of caretaker Interior Minister Ziyad Baroud.

Internal Security Forces – ISF

(Lebanon Twitte)-Internal Security Forces – ISF, المديرية العامة لقوى الأمن الداخلي | al-Mudiriyya al-'aama li-Quwwa al-Amin al-Dakhili) or Forces de Sécurité Intérieure (FSI) in French, are the national police and security force of Lebanon. Modern police were established in Lebanon in 1861, with creation of the Gendarmerie. In April 2005, Gen Ashraf Rifi became head of the ISF, replacing Gen Ali Hajj.

Rocco Forte embarks on Arabian expansion

(Lebanon Twitte)-Luxury hotelier Sir Rocco Forte has announced plans to open a new hotel in Beirut. Speaking at Arabian Travel Market he said the opening comes part of a programme to open six properties in the Middle East over the next three years.


Speaking at Arabian Travel Market, Forte revealed that Beirut would hopefully open in 2014 and expressed his desire to grow the collection to 30 to 40 hotels.


The hotel group currently has 13 hotels across Europe but has plans to put 6 in the MENA region in the next three years.


bu Dhabi will open later this year and the other three will open in 2013.


Marrakech will have 99 rooms and Luxor 80 rooms.


Forte gave few details on Beirut but the other MENA properties will be in Abu Dhabi, Jeddah, Marrakech, Luxor and Cairo.


The Cairo property will be in the location of The Shepherd Hotel, which will close in July for two years refurbishment work.


Meanwhile Ritz-Carlton also unveiled plans at ATM to increase properties in the Middle East. The luxury chain plans to operate 24 hotels by 2014.


Earmarked locations include Abu Dhabi, Oman, as well as Saudi Arabia, starting with Ritz-Carlton Riyadh.


The expansion see Ritz-Carlton, which is owned by Marriott International, go head-to-head with other luxury chains Park Hyatt and St Regis, which are also scheduled to open hotels on Saadiyat island later this year.


The US operator will open its first property in Saudi Arabia this year in a bid to tap into the kingdom’s untapped tourism market.

Lebanon's PM-designate says Hezbollah 'tumor': leaks

(Lebanon Twitte)-BEIRUT — Lebanon's prime minister-designate Najib Mikati describes the powerful Hezbollah, whose backing was key to his nomination, as a "tumour," in a 2008 US diplomatic cable revealed by a Lebanese daily on Tuesday.


WikiLeaks cables published by al-Joumhouria newspaper on Tuesday exposed the dislike for Hezbollah and Syria by their current allies . Aoun predicted back in 2005 that the Syrian regime will collapse, while Mikati called Hezbollah a cancer and Jumblatt said Berri is a liar.


Billionaire businessman, who was appointed premier in January, is quoted as telling US officials that the Iranian- and Syrian-backed militant party was a "tumor that must be removed", according to the Al-Jumhuriya.
The newspaper was citing a WikiLeaks cable filed by the US embassy in Lebanon on January 12, 2008.


Mikati also reportedly called for better U.S. ties with Lebanon and Syria to “contain” Hezbollah, warning that the main objective of the Shiite party was to form an Iranian military base on the Mediterranean.


The dream of Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ruhollah Khomeini of exporting the Iranian revolution needed a “launch pad which is Lebanon, he said. Achieving this objective requires a lot of time but Hezbollah is “patient, he added.


Mikati's office released a statement saying the comments did not "reflect his convictions" and had political motives, without specifying.
"The prime minister will not get involved in debates with any party, especially over ... words and positions that are in part untrue, in part inaccurate and most of which go back years," read the statement.


Mikati was appointed in January as the PM designate with the backing of the Hezbollah-led March 8 alliance , MPs Walid Jumblatt and Mohammad Safadi . March 14 leaders have repeatedly stated that intimidation from Hezbollah’s weapons helped secure the parliamentary majority for Mikati’s nomination.


Jumblatt and his PSP parliament members reportedly switched allegiance to Hezbollah’s PM candidate, following threats by Hezbollah.


Jumblatt, Mikati and Safadi were all elected on March 14 electoral tickets during the 2009 parliamentary elections.


March 8 is now claiming the parliament majority .


According to observers , up until now Hezbollah has been hiding behind FPM leader Michel Aoun in creating obstacles for Mikati .

FACTBOX-Key political risks to watch in Lebanon

(Lebanon Twitte)-Beleaguered Syrian authorities are seeking negotiations with opposition leaders to end six weeks of unprecedented street protests that threaten to topple the Assad regime, according to Western diplomatic sources. They say that Bouthaina Shaaban, a top adviser to President Bashar al-Assad, has been placed in charge of exploring ways to launch a dialogue.


Alredy deeply divided Lebanon, with no government since January, now faces extra risks from instability in its powerful neighbour Syria, where President Bashar al-Assad is staging a violent crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.


Syrian Opposition sources said Syrian troops have been seen in northern Lebanon in pursuit of alleged Islamic insurgents. They said the Syrian Army has been deployed on both sides of the border in an effort to stop people from fleeing to Lebanon.
Meanwhile, the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood issued a rare statement: "You were born free, so don't let a tyrant enslave you.


The domestic political crisis and the spillover effects of the turmoil in Syria are damaging the Lebanese economy, expected to grow only 2.5 percent this year, down from 7.5 percent in 2010, according to the International Monetary Fund.


The Syrian Days of Rage Facebook page, a forum for the protest movement, claimed that security forces transported 244 bodies over the weekend from Deraa to the Tishreen hospital in Damascus. Citing “a very authoritative medical source,” it added that 81 dead soldiers also were transported from Deraa, showing wounds that suggested they had been shot by their fellow soldiers.


The prolonged political uncertainty in Lebanon, now coupled with turmoil in Syria and elsewhere, is taking its toll on an economy badly in need of reform and infrastructure investment.


Apart from lower growth, the IMF report also forecast that inflation would rise to 6.5 percent from 4.5 percent in 2010 and that the fiscal deficit would widen to 10.5 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from 7.2 percent last year.
But even if a proper government was in place, higher food and fuel prices have increased public discontent, making it harder to implement any austerity measures.

U.S. slams 'outrageous' Hamas condemnation of bin Laden murder

(Lebanon Twitte)-United States Department Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner slammed comments on Monday made by a Hamas leader who criticized the U.S. for killing 'holy warrior' Osama bin Laden.


Ismael Haniyeh, head of the Hamas administration, said in response to the U.S. operation against bin Laden "we regard this as a continuation of the American policy based on oppression and the shedding of Muslim and Arab blood.


It goes without saying bin Laden was a murderer and a terrorist. He ordered the killings of thousands of innocent men, women and children, and many of whom were Muslim," Toner said.


Bin Laden that "did not die a martyr. He died hiding in a mansion or a compound far away from the violence that was carried out in his name. And his defeat is a victory for all human beings seeking to live in peace, security and dignity.


Our policy on this is that if Hamas wants to play a political role or a role in the political process, then it needs to abide by the Quartet principles,Toner said. It needs to accept those principles, which are renouncing violence and terrorism, recognizing Israel's right to exist and abiding by previous diplomatic agreements.

Public holidays in Lebanon

January 1 New Year's Day رأس السنة ‎ Le Nouvel an

January 6 Armenian Christmas عيد الميلاد - الأرمن الأرثودكس ‎ Noël Arménien The holiday was officially recognized in Lebanon in 2003. It is exclusively celebrated by Armenian-Lebanese.

February 9 St. Maroun Day عيد مار مارون La Fête de Saint-Maron The holiday is celebrated by the Maronites, hence the name.

March 25 Feast of the Annunciation عيد البشارة La Fête de l'Annonciation

Friday immediately before Easter Sunday Good Friday جمعة الآلام ‎ Vendredi saint Both the Eastern and Western dates are observed. Also called الجمعة العظيمة in Arabic.

moveable Easter Sunday الفصح المجيد ‎ Pâques Both the Eastern and Western dates are observed.

May 1 Workers' Day عيد العمّال Fête du Travail

May 25 Resistance and Liberation's Day عيد المقاومة والتحرير ‎

August 15 Feast of the Assumption عيد إنتقال العذراء ‎ L'Assomption de Marie

November 1 All Saints' Day عيد جميع القديسين Toussaint

November 22 Lebanese Independence Day عيد الإستقلال ‎ La Fête nationale Lebanon gained its independence from France in 1943.

December 25 Christmas عيد الميلاد Noël

Dates following the lunar Islamic calendar

1 Muharram Islamic New Year رأس السنة الهجرية ‎ Le Nouvel an islamique In French, it is also known as 1er Muharram.

10 Muharram Day of Ashura ذكرى عاشوراء ‎ La Fête de l’Achoura Maqtal al-Husayn is sometimes read on this day.

12 Rabi' al-awwal Mawlid مولد النبي Le Mawlid The holiday is celebrated on 12 Rabi' al-awwal by the Sunnis while it is celebrated on 17 Rabi' al-awwal by the Shi'ites. Also known as mouloud, mouled, maoulide or Mawlid al-Nabi in French.

1 Shawwal Eid ul-Fitr عيد الفطر L'Aïd el-Fitr The holiday lasts for three days until 3 Shawwal. Also known as Id-ul-Fitr, Eid, and the Festival of the Breaking of the Fast.

10 Dhu al-Hijjah Eid al-Adha عيد الأضحى L’Aïd el-Kebir The holiday lasts three days, ending on 13 Dhu al-Hijjah. Also known as la Fête du sacrifice, Aïd al Adha, or Eid el-Kebir in French.

Higher education in Lebanon

Following secondary school, Lebanese students may choose to study at a university, a college, or a vocational training institute. The number of years to complete each program varies. While the Lebanese educational system offers a very high quality and international class of education, the local employment market lacks sufficient opportunities, thus encouraging many of the young educated to travel abroad.

Lebanon has forty-one nationally accredited universities, several of which are internationally recognized. The American University of Beirut (AUB) and the Université Saint-Joseph (USJ) were the first Anglophone and the first Francophone universities to open in Lebanon, respectively. Another internationally recognized university is the Lebanese American University (LAU) that has campuses in Beirut and Byblos. The universities, both public and private, largely operate in French or English.

At the English universities, students who have graduated from an American-style high school program enter at the freshman level to earn their baccalaureate equivalence from the Lebanese Ministry of Higher Education. This qualifies them to continue studying at the higher levels. Such students are required to have already taken the SAT I and the SAT II upon applying to college, in lieu of the official exams. On the other hand, students who have graduated from a school that follows the Lebanese educational system are directly admitted to the sophomore year. These students are still required to take the SAT I, but not the SAT II. The university academic degrees for the first stage are the Bachelor or the Licence, for the second stage are the Master or the DEA and the third stage is the doctorate.

The United Nations assigned Lebanon an education index of 0.871 in 2008. The index, which is determined by the adult literacy rate and the combined primary, secondary, and tertiary gross enrollment ratio, ranked the country 88th out of the 177 countries participating.

Ghassan Salhab

Ghassan Salhab (Arabic; غسان سلهب ) is a Lebanese film director, writer and producer.

Ghassan Salhab was born in 1958 in Dakar, Senegal to Lebanese parents. In Addition to making his own films, Salhab collaborates on various scenarios in Lebanon and in France, and teaches film at ALBA and USJ. He has directed three feature films: Beyrouth Fantome, Terra Incognita and The Last Man. He has also made numerous short films and videos, including: Posthume, Narcisse Perdu, My living body, my dead body, La Rose de Personne, Afrique Fantome, and Apres la Mort. He has published his texts and articles in Various magazines. His fourth feature film, 1958 Autoportrait d'hier, was screened at Cinema Metropolis / Empire Sofil on May 4, 2009.

Beyrouth Fantôme (1998)

Terra Incognita (2002)

The Last Man (2006)

1958 Autoportrait d'hier (2009)

Maroun Bagdadi

Maroun Bagdadi (Arabic: مارون بغدادي‎) (January 21, 1950 – December 11, 1993) was a Lebanese film director known for his vivid portrayal of Lebanon's civil war. Bagdadi was internationally the best-known Lebanese filmmaker of his generation. He worked with American producer/director Francis Coppola and made several films in French that became hits in France.

The Girl in the Air (1992)

Out of Life (1991)

The Veiled Man(1987)

Little Wars (1982)

Wispers (1980)

The Procession (1980)

We Are All for the Fatherland (1979)

The Story of a Village and a War (1979)

The Martyr (1979)

Ninety (1978)

The Most Beautiful of All Mothers (1978)

Greetings to Kamal Jumblat (1977)

The South Is Fine, How About You (1976)

The Majority Is Standing Strong (1976)

Kafarkala (1976)

Beirut Oh Beirut (1975)

Jocelyne Saab

Jocelyne Saab (born 30 April 1948 in Beirut) is a journalist and film director from Lebanon.

1975: Portrait d'un mercenaire français

1975: Lebanon in a Whirlwind

1976: Les Enfants de la guerre

1976: Sud-Liban - Histoire d'un village

1976: Pour quelques vies

1976: Beyrouth, jamais plus

1978: Égypte, la cite des morts

1979: Lettre de Beyrouth

1985: Adolescente, sucre d'amour

1995: Kanya Ya Ma Kan, Beyrouth

2005: Dunia

2010: What's Going On, Once Upon A Time: Beirut

Nomination for Grand Prix des Amériques Dunia 2005.

Nomination for the Grand Jury Prize of the Sundance Film Festival 2006

Joumana Haddad

Joumana Haddad (born December 6, 1970, Beirut) is a renowned Lebanese poet, translator and journalist.

Haddad is head of the cultural pages for the prestigious An Nahar newspaper, as well as the editor-in-chief of Jasad magazine, a controversial Arabic magazine specialized in the literature and arts of the body.She’s been the administrator of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction (the "Arab Booker") from 2007 till 2011, and is now a member of the prize’s board of trustees.

She has already published several poetry collections, widely acclaimed by critics. Her books have been translated to many languages and published abroad.

Speaking seven languages, Haddad is a polyglot and has published several works of translation, including an anthology of Lebanese modern poetry in Spanish, published in Spain as well as in many Latin American countries, and an anthology of 150 poets who committed suicide in the 20th century.

She interviewed many international writers, such as Umberto Eco, Paul Auster, Jose Saramago, Peter Handke, Elfriede Jelinek, and others.

She is member of the Book and Reading committee in the Lebanese Ministry of Culture.

Joumana Haddad has been awarded the Arab Press Prize in 2006.

Time for a dream, poetry, (1995)

Invitation to a secret feast, poetry, (2008)

Two hands to the abyss, poetry, (2000)

I did not sin enough, selected poems, (2003)

Lilith's Return, poetry, (2004)

The panther hidden at the base of her shoulders, selected poems, (2006)

In the company of the fire thieves, Conversations with international writers, (2006)

Death will come and it will have your eyes, Anthology of 150 poets who committed suicide, (2007)

Bad habits, selected poems, (2007)

Mirrors of the passers by, poetry, (2008)

Ishtar Yasin Gutierrez

Ishtar Yasin Gutierrez was born in 1968 in Moscow, Russia to an Iraqi father and Chilean-Costa Rican mother She is a director and scriptwriter. Director of El Camino, a film designed for the Latin American cinema, was described as an "impressive debut", shot in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and France.

Gutierrez was born in Moscow in 1968, and now lives in Costa Rica. Her father is the acclaimed Iraqi theater director Mohsen Sadoon Yasin and her mother was a Chilean ballet dancer and choreographer Elena Gutierrez, the daughter of recognized writer Joaquin Gutierrez.

Yasin's family settled back in Chile, not long before leaving in 1973, as they were threatened by players and supporters of the military coup of General Augusto Pinochet. In 1985, at the age of seventeen, Yasin followed in her father's footsteps and went to Moscow, Russia to the Institute of Art to complete her academic and artistic training, as part of her classes. Here she earned a Master's degree in Theater and Film Interpretation.

Hiam Abbass

Hiam Abbass (Arabic: هيام عباس‎; born November 30, 1960), also known as Hiam Abbas or Hiyam Abbas, is a Palestinian actress and an Arab citizen of Israel. She is known for her roles in the films Satin Rouge (2002), Haifa (1996), Paradise Now (2005), The Syrian Bride (2004), Free Zone (2005), Dawn of the World (2008), The Visitor (2008), Lemon Tree (2008), and Amreeka (2009). She had a small role in Steven Spielberg's Munich, a film depicting the response to the Munich Massacre, where she also served as a dialect and acting consultant.

She directed two short films, Le Pain (2001), La Danse éternelle (2004). She portrays humanitarian Hind al-Husseini in Julian Schnabel's film Miral (2010), based on the life of Husseini and her orphanage.

Abbass was born in Nazareth, Israel and was raised in a traditional Muslim village by the Lebanese border. She became famous in the international film scene through the film Satin Rouge (2002), by Raja Amari, a film about the self-discovery of a middle aged Tunisian widow with her own desires and sexuality. She also played a similar role in The Syrian Bride, about a caged Druze woman eager to break down all sorts of barriers.

Carmen Lebbos

Carmen Lebbos (Arabic: كارمن لبّس‎, born 1963) is a Lebanese actress who has been working in film, television and the theater since 1981. She has been in several television series including Esma lah and will appear in the leading role this fall in The teacher’s daughter. She also appeared in Ziad Doueiri’s West Beirut.

Carmen Elias Lebbos was born in Beirut; to a working-class modest living family,she had early ambitions to be in show business. At the age of 12, she had the opportunity to become a dancer in a troupe (in view of her height 1m. 73 cm), but this move was forbidden by her strict father. At the age of 14, she ran away from home to get married, but later returned to Beirut with her one-year-old baby after she realized it was a mistake and felt trapped in the marriage. Aged sixteen, she wanted to join the Academy of Arts to study acting, and hoped to meet Ziad Rahbani, from whom she would learn many of her acting techniques. Lebbos would be involved in a 15-year romantic relationship with Ziad Rahbani (after his separation & divorce from his estranged ex-wife Dalal Karam)but Lebbos broke it off after realizing Rahabani couldn't provide her with the stability she wanted.In one of her rare interviews, in which she accepted to talk about her relationship with Ziad, Carmen maintained that Ziad, a controversial figure who has invited praise and criticism alike, was simply the man she once loved... she then added "never, during all the 15 years of being together 24 hours a day, did I regard Ziad in the light other people saw him in. To me he was the man I loved and lived with and drank coffee with every morning... And that is that.” Her first actual mentor was Yaacoub Chedrawi, who taught her the basics of Theatre.

Nadine Labaki

Nadine Labaki (Arabic; نادين لبكي ) (born February 18, 1974) is a Lebanese actress and director. She is one of the well known directors in the Arabic music video industry. Nadine is usually credited for bringing artists into the scene.

In 2007, Labaki co-wrote, directed, and starred in her feature-film debut, Caramel, which became an international sensation at film festivals and went on to achieve box office success. It showcases a Beirut that most are not familiar with. Rather than tackle political and religious issues which have plagued Lebanon, she presents a romantic comedy that deals with five Beirut women who gather at a beauty salon and deal with love, sexuality, tradition, disappointment, and everyday ups and downs.

The film garnered Labaki much acclaim as both a director and actress, and put her on Variety's 10 Directors to Look Out for List.

Caramel was distributed in more than 40 countries around the world, and it premiered at some prestigious film festivals along the way. Here is a rundown of its journey around the world.

July 31, 2007: Caramel was the opening movie of the Paris Cinéma Film Festival

August 9: Caramel was released in Beyrouth (a risky decision made by Labaki in order to premiere in Lebanon before any other country). In one week, 2,873 moviegoers saw the movie. It remained number 1 at the Lebanese box office throughout August and September 2007. More than 160,000 Lebanese embraced the film, helping it gross around $667,000 there alone.

August 14: Caramel debuts in France at number 2 at the box office in its first week. More than 500,000 watched the movie in France.

Ramad (Ashes) - a short film by Joanna Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige,

The Seventh Dog - a short film by Zeina Durra,

Non métrage Libanais - a short film by Wissam Smayra,

Bosta - a long feature by Philippe Aractingi,

Caramel or Sukkar Banat (premiered in Cannes 2007).

Rasasa Taycheh (2010)

Mounir Maasri

Mounir Rachid Maasri (born. Aley, Lebanon; April 23, 1940) (Arabic: منير رشيد معاصر‎), born to Rachid Maasri and Shafiqa Haddad, is an actor, director, writer, and teacher for the Performing Arts. Maasri completed his early education in Lebanon, and travelled to the United States at a young age to continue his studies in the field of Performing Arts.

Perhaps one of the biggest roles he has ever played – and continues to do so – is his role as a teacher. Maasri has taught at several different Lebanese universities, such as the American University of Beirut (Off-Campus Program), ALBA, Notre-Dame, Saint-Esprit de Kaslik, and Balamand, as well as Dulcina College for the Performing Arts in Brasília, Brazil. He worked as an acting coach on Brazilian feature film Baile Perfumado (winner of 18 international awards). Since 1998, he has been Dean of the Performing Arts School at the Institute Libano-European of Technology, as well the sole instructor of an intensive, multi-faceted program which trains and teaches students in the four interlinked disciplines of acting, directing, writing and producing for cinema and television. Many of his former students, who have nothing but praise for him (and in true technological generation fashion have set up a group on the social networking site Facebook, which currently has over 100 members), have pursued successful budding careers of their own in Lebanon, the Gulf, Saudi Arabia, Belgium and France, among other places. He also developed a program for teaching the audiovisual arts to children with special needs, and is backed by a diploma in Parental Guidance: The Development of the Human Potential from The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential, Philadelphia – USA. He initially implemented the program at the Institute Libano-European of Technology but was unfortunately unable to continue due to lack of funding.

Frank Lackteen

Frank Lackteen (August 29, 1897 – July 8, 1968) was a Lebanese-born American film actor best known for his antagonistic roles. He appeared in nearly 200 films between 1916 and 1965, including several Three Stooges shorts. He was born in Kubber-Ilias, Lebanon and died in Los Angeles, California. His interment was located at Pierce Brothers Valhalla Memorial Park.

1921 The Avenging Arrow Pablo

1922 White Eagle Crouching More

The Timber Queen Vance

1923 Her Dangerous Path Malay George

1924 Leatherstocking Briarthorn

The Fortieth Door Hamid Bey

Into the Net Dr. Vining

1925 Idaho Tex Osborne

Sunken Silver Rodney Hade

The Green Archer Julius Savini

1926 The House Without a Key Kaohla

1927 Melting Millions

1928 Mark of the Frog

The Tiger's Shadow Dr. Sandro

1929 Hawk of the Hills The Hawk

The Fire Detective Mr. Tarrant

Queen of the Northwoods Jacques De Brun

The Black Book Valdez

Nabih Berri

Nabih Berri (Arabic: نبيه بري‎; born January 28, 1938) is the Speaker of the Parliament of Lebanon. He heads the mostly Shi'a Amal Movement.

Berri again served as a Cabinet minister from 1989 to 1992, and he was elected speaker of the National Assembly on 20 November 1992 at the head of the "Liberation of the South Movement" list. On 8 September 1996, his list, the Liberation and Development list, won the legislative elections and he was once again re-elected Speaker.

On 3 June 2003, he was elected President of the Arab Parliament, which he assumed on 1 March the following year.

He was born in Bo, Sierra Leone to Lebanese parents. He went to school in Tebnine and Ain Ebel in southern Lebanon and later studied at the Makassed and the Ecole de la Sagesse in Beirut. He obtained a law degree in 1963 from the Lebanese University, where he had served as the student body president, and became a lawyer at the Court of Appeals. During the 1960s, he joined the Arab Nationalist Movement.

Najib Mikati

Najib Azmi Mikati (Arabic: نجيب ميقاتي‎) (born November 24, 1955) is a Lebanese politician and businessman. From April 2005 to July 2005 he was Prime Minister of Lebanon in a caretaker government. On January 25, 2011, Mikati was nominated to serve as Prime Minister by a majority of the votes in the parliamentary consultations following the fall of the Lebanese government on January 12. President Michel Suleiman appointed him as the new Prime Minister following the dissolution of the government led by former Prime Minister Saad Hariri. He is independent and not affiliated with or a member of any political party or organisation.

He co-founded the telecommunications company Investcom with his brother Taha in 1982. He sold the company in June 2006 to South Africa's MTN Group for $5.5 billion. In 2008, Forbes estimated his wealth at about $2.6 billion, making him the world's 446th richest person.

On 24 January 2011, the March 8 alliance nominated Mikati to become prime minister and succeed Saad Hariri, whose government was brought down by the resignation of 10 of the alliance's ministers, and one presidential appointee, on January 12, 2011. It was a result of the collapse of the Saudi-Syrian initiative to reach a compromise on the issue of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

On 25 January 2011, the Parliament of Lebanon voted on his nomination with 68 MP's nominating Mikati for Prime Minister. President of Lebanon Michel Suleiman then nominated Mikati to head a new Lebanese government.

Saad Hariri

Saad-eddine Rafiq Al-Hariri ( سعد الدين رفيق الحريري‎; born 18 April 1971) is a Lebanese/Saudi politician and former Prime Minister of Lebanon, following the collapse of his cabinet on 12 January 2011. He is the second son of Rafic Hariri, the former Lebanese Prime Minister who was assassinated in 2005. He has been prime minister since 9 November 2009 and is also Leader of Movement of the Future since 2005.

After his father's death, he inherited the helm of the Movement of the Future, an essentially Sunni movement that was created and led by his late father. He is also the leader of the March 14 Alliance, a coalition of political groups born out of the Cedar Revolution which, through mass popular demonstrations and Western support, led to the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon in 2005 after a 29-year presence.

Saad Hariri is the second son of Rafic Hariri, the assassinated former Lebanese Prime Minister and his wife Nidal Al-Bustani.

Hariri married Lara Bashir Al Adem in 1998 and has 3 children: Son Hussam, born 1999; Daughter Lulwa, born 2001; and Son Abdul Aziz, born 2005

Michel Suleiman

Michel Suleiman or Sleiman (Arabic: ميشال سليمان‎, born 21 November 1948) is the President of Lebanon. Before assuming office as President, he held the position of commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces. After LAF commander Émile Lahoud took office as president in November of 1998, Suleiman succeeded him, taking his place in December. Suleiman was later elected President and was sworn into office on May 25, 2008.

On May 28, 2008, President Suleiman reappointed Fouad Siniora as Prime Minister. Siniora was the parliamentary majority's candidate for the position, and Suleiman appointed him in accordance with the country's Constitution and with a majority of 68 MPs who named him.

Shortly after assuming the Presidency, Suleiman departed from tradition when he asked that posters bearing his likeness be removed from public display despite the fact that he thanked "citizens, institutions, municipalities and cultural organizations for the outpouring of support and affection".

The priorities of President Suleiman's presidential term were set out clearly, notably: national reconciliation; affirming Lebanon's active role as a message of dialogue and conviviality; protecting the country's independence, unity and territorial integrity; providing security and favorable conditions for economic and social growth; reinforcing constitutional institutions; fighting terrorism; implementing international resolutions related to Lebanon; opposing any form of settlement for Palestinian refugees on the Lebanese territories.

Riad Salameh

Riad Salameh is the governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon. He was born on July 17, 1950 in Kfardebian, Lebanon, son of Toufic and Renee (nee Romanos) Salameh. He has received acclaim for his policies averting financial catastrophe in Lebanon amid the Financial crisis of 2007–2010.

Governor Salameh received numerous awards including the 1996 Euromoney Award as the best Central Bank Governor in the Arab World; the 1997 Knight of the Legion of Honor bestowed on him by French President Jacques Chirac; the 2003 Euromoney Award’s Man of the Year as the Best Central Bank Governor; the 2004 Shield Award from Bankers for a Better Future, an international academic banking organization, upon his selection as one of the best 20 Central Bank Governors in the world; the 2005 Euromoney Award for Emerging Markets as the Best Central Bank Governor in the Middle East and the 2006 Euromoney Award as the best Central Bank Governor in the world.

In 2009, The Banker Magazine voted Governor Salameh Central Banker of the Year. He became the first Arab central bank governor to ring the opening bell signaling the start of trading at the New York Stock Exchange. The American Lebanese Chamber of Commerce, NY Stock Exchange Euronext, Auerbach Grayson, and The Bank of New York Mellon hosted what was known as "Lebanon Capital Market Day". This came obviously as a reward for Governor Salameh's achievements and strategic decisions through the global economic crisis, the governor was honored on March 2, 2009 at New York Stock Exchange by being invited to ring the starting bell that Monday morning.

Lebanese pound

Lebanese pound (sign: £ or L£; Arabic: lira; French: livre; ISO 4217: LBP) is the currency unit of Lebanon. It is divided into 100 piastres but inflation has eliminated the subdivisions.

The plural form of lira, as used on the currency, is either lirat (ليرات) or the same, whilst there are four forms for qirsh: the dual qirshan (قرشان), the plural qirush (قروش) used with numbers 3-10, the accusative singular qirsha (قرشا) used with 11-99, or the genitive singular qirshi (قرش) used with multiples of 100. In both cases, the number determines which plural form is used. Note that before the Second World War, the Arabic spelling of the subdivision was غرش (girsh). All of Lebanon's coins and banknotes are bilingual in Arabic and French.

Lebanon's first banknotes were issued by the Bank of Syria and Greater Lebanon (Banque du Syrie et Grand-Liban) in 1925. Denominations ran from 25 girsha through to 100 pounds. In 1939, the bank's name was changed to the Bank of Syria and Lebanon. The first 250 pound notes appeared that year. Between 1942 and 1950, the government issued "small change" paper money in denominations of 5, 10, 25 and 50 girsh or qirsh (the change in spelling occurred during these years). After 1945, the Bank of Syria and Lebanon continued to issue paper money for Lebanon but the notes were denominated specifically in "Lebanese pounds" (ليرة لبنانية, livre libanaise) to distinguish them from Syrian notes. Notes for 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100 pounds were issued. In 1964, the Bank of Lebanon took over banknote production. Their notes are denominated in pounds. A 250 pound note reappeared in 1978, followed by higher denominations in the 1980s and 1990s as inflation drastically reduced the currency's value. Banknotes in current use are.

Banque du Liban

Banque du Liban (BDL) (Arabic: مصرف لبنان‎, French: Banque du Liban) is the central bank of Lebanon. It was established on August 1, 1963 and became fully operational on April 1, 1964. It is currently headed by Riad Salameh, who was named the Middle East's best central bank governor by Euromoney in 2005.

One of the main responsibilities of the bank is issuing Lebanon's currency, the Lebanese Pound. Other responsibilities include maintaining monetary stability, regulation of money transfers, and maintaining the soundness of the banking sector. Banking is a very important part of Lebanon's economy with over 100 different banks, which makes the role of Banque du Liban particularly important. It currently owns 99.37% of the shares of Lebanon's national carrier, Middle East Airlines. However, plans call for it to sell its stake in the airline by 2008 as part of government plans to privatize many institutions.

The government has recently launched an ambitious 5-year economic reform program in hopes to cut the country's debt. The outcome of the reform program will largely be dependent on Banque du Liban.

Besides the main branch in Beirut, it has branches in Aley, Baalbeck, Bikfaya, Jounieh, Nabatiye, Sidon, Tripoli, Tyre, and Zahlé.

The Banque du Liban is managed by the Governor who is assisted by four Vice-Governors, as well as by the Central Council.

The Governor is the legal representative of the Banque du Liban, and has extensive authority on the management of the Bank. He is entrusted with the enforcement of the Code of Money and Credit, and the implementation of the Central Council's resolutions. Upon the proposal of the Minister of Finance, the Governor is appointed by decree sanctioned by the Council of Ministers, for a renewable six- year term.

After the consultation with the Governor and upon the proposal of the Minister of Finance, the Vice-Governors are appointed by decree sanctioned by the Council of Ministers for a renewable five-year term. They assist the Governor in managing the Bank, carrying out functions specified by the Governor. In addition, they assume their duties as members of the Central Council.