DAILY NEWS
Hospitals Warn Power Cuts Will Lead to Catastrophe
Today the syndicate of private hospitals in Lebanon warned of a looming catastrophe as power cuts increase and hospitals are running out of fuel to keep life-saving equipment operational. Power outages are lasting up to 23 hours per day in some parts of the country. [The Daily Star]
Lebanese MPs Sign Motion for Officials to Be Tried Through the Supreme Council
Some Lebanese MPs are supporting a motion that would allow officials surrounding the August 4 Beirut blast to be investigated and tried through a special judicial body, the Supreme Council. These officials include four ex-ministers that Judge Tarek Bitar has previously called in for questioning. If the motion passes and these ex-ministers are called into the Supreme Council, Bitar will be unable to charge them. Legal activists and blast victim family members have criticized this move as an attempt to obstruct accountability. [Al Jazeera]
Beqaa Industrialists to Support Lebanese Armed Forces
Yesterday the head of the Association of Industrialists in Beqaa announced that industrialists in the region will be helping support the Lebanese Armed Forces. Their efforts will focus on the maintenance of LAF vehicles. LAF Commander General Joseph Aoun approved and welcomed the move. [The 961]
OPINION & ANALYSIS
SDRs: For The People Or For The Government
Jean AbiNader
AbiNader writes, “While it is attractive to use the SDRs to alleviate the humanitarian needs of the Lebanese, it does not excuse the caretaker government or parliament from taking responsibility for economic reforms. This appears to be a calculated move by politicians to gain traction in the upcoming elections by rewarding their constituents with cash cards purchased at the cost of the country’s longer term economic stability and financial integrity. They are literally holding the cards at this point and the Lebanese people will only really win by changing the game in the spring elections.”
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.