DAILY NEWS
Vatican Envoy to Lebanese President: Pope Francis to Visit Lebanon This June
According to a tweet from the Lebanese presidency, President Michel Aoun confirmed via a Vatican envoy that Pope Francis will visit Lebanon this June. [Reuters]
Judge Ghada Aoun Lifts Travel Ban on Blom Bank, Bank Audi Heads Ahead of Hearings in Lebanon
According to Reuters, “Judge Ghada Aoun said she lifted the travel bans on Blom Bank head Saad Azhari and Bank Audi boss Samir Hanna to facilitate their return to Lebanon from abroad so they could attend hearings as part of the investigation.” [Reuters]
Deputy Prime Minister Uses Word ‘Bankrupt’, Corrects Context
Deputy Prime Minister of Lebanon and head of the team negotiating with the International Monetary Fund Saade Chami said in an Al Jadeed TV interview last Sunday that “Lebanon’s government and its central bank are bankrupt.” According to L’Orient Today, “Chami explained later in an interview with local television station OTV that his words were taken out of context, and he meant the government has no liquidity to deal with the existing problems facing the country. ‘No official can declare the bankruptcy of the government,’ he added.” [L’Orient Today]
OPINION & ANALYSIS
L’Orient Today
#2 Can The Shiite Opposition To Hezbollah-Amal Make A Breakthrough In The Legislative Elections?
Zeina Antonios
Antonios writes, “The Shiite opposition, which has been long overshadowed by Hezbollah and the Amal Movement that have monopolized Shiite representation in Parliament for decades, is preparing for the electoral battle and intends to make its way into Parliament. This opposition, which is little known to the general public because of the parties’ stranglehold on the internal political landscape, does exist. It had already fought the 2018 elections battle, but could not stand in the face of the duo’s “steamrollers.” Four years later, the political climate has changed drastically; the country witnessed the October 2019 popular uprising, followed by the Beirut port explosion and an acute economic and social crisis.The traditional political parties, including Amal and Hezbollah, have since lost a part of their electoral bases. Will the Shiite independents be able to take advantage of this situation so as to win seats in the main predominantly-Shiite constituencies?”
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the American Task Force on Lebanon, a non-profit, nonpartisan leadership organization of Lebanese-Americans.