Ten municipal councils in Koura district elected unopposed
Ten municipalities in Lebanon's Koura district have secured their municipal councils unopposed, following the close of the withdrawal period for candidacies.
According to official sources, the towns of Bkeftine, Bechmizzine, Bsarma, Btaaboura, Darchmezzine, Aafsadiq, Batroumine, Kousba, Kfarsaroun, and Rechdebine will not proceed to a vote, thereby winning by acclamation.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
LBCI
5 hours ago
- LBCI
Between resistance and diplomacy: UNIFIL's mandate under pressure amid Israeli objections and southern tensions
Report by Yazbek Wehbe, English adaptation by Mariella Succar UNIFIL forces in southern Lebanon are facing pressure from two fronts: Israel, which questions the mission's continued relevance, and some residents who oppose the peacekeepers' movements into towns without coordination with the Lebanese Army. Tensions have escalated over the past two weeks, prompting Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to urge southerners to 'avoid any mistakes with UNIFIL that could be used by those seeking to end its mission.' With exactly two months to go before the mandate renewal, the situation remains unclear. Tel Aviv is not in favor of UNIFIL's continued presence and, at best, supports a drastic change to its mission—an approach backed by Washington. France, along with Italy and Spain, which contribute the largest number of troops, opposes any major changes to the mandate. Lebanon's Foreign Ministry has launched a series of diplomatic contacts aimed at securing support for maintaining UNIFIL's current mandate, troop levels, and funding. Beirut argues that this transitional period following the recent war requires UNIFIL's continued cooperation with the Lebanese Army, particularly in mine clearance and in supporting civilians through social and economic development programs. Russia and China already backed Lebanon's position. Beirut is also counting on support from France, which is seen as sympathetic. France holds the so-called 'penholder' role on the U.N. Security Council for the UNIFIL file, meaning it drafts and negotiates relevant resolutions. The United Kingdom, for its part, remains somewhere between the French and American positions. A French diplomatic source told LBCI that the current context is not suitable for changing UNIFIL's mandate. However, technical and operational adjustments may be introduced, which could potentially affect troop contributions from countries with smaller deployments. Budget constraints are also in focus, especially following the U.S. decision to reduce its funding to the United Nations. The source noted that coordination with Lebanon's Foreign Ministry on the renewal process began weeks ago, and once Beirut presents its position paper, France is expected to lend its support. As the Israeli lobby moves swiftly to build momentum inside the United Nations, Lebanon is still preparing its proposal. But time is quickly running out for Beirut—pressure is mounting to act fast.
LBCI
9 hours ago
- LBCI
Beirut Port blast judge questions top prosecutor
Judge Tarek Bitar, the lead investigator in the Beirut Port explosion case, questioned Public Prosecutor at the Court of Cassation, Judge Ghassan Khoury, on Friday. The session lasted about 15 minutes, after which Khoury returned to his office at the Justice Palace, according to the state-run National News Agency. The brief questioning is part of Bitar's ongoing probe into the 2020 blast, which killed more than 200 people and devastated large parts of the capital.
LBCI
11 hours ago
- LBCI
Zafer Nasser to LBCI: Backs Aoun's approach to Hezbollah arms, slams party's moral judgments
Progressive Socialist Party Secretary General Zafer Nasser voiced support for President Joseph Aoun's handling of the Hezbollah weapons issue, describing it as the most effective and reasonable approach compared to others. Speaking on LBCI's "Nharkom Said" TV show, Nasser said Hezbollah has no right to decide who is patriotic and who isn't, stressing that the party cannot grant 'certificates of nationalism' or accuse others of treason. Commenting on the municipal and local elections, Nasser explained that from the moment elections were announced, the party leadership decided to give local communities the freedom to make their own choices. 'We didn't run formal partisan lists in the traditional sense — it wasn't about the party fielding a list against another,' he said.
