Latest news with #Bekaa
LBCI
19 hours ago
- Business
- LBCI
Zahle named ''World Wine City'' by International Vine and Wine Organization
Zahle has officially been designated a 'World Wine City' by the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV), marking a major milestone for Lebanon's agricultural and cultural recognition. The designation took effect in April 2025, honoring Zahle's historic role in grape cultivation and winemaking. The announcement was made by Louis Lahoud, Director General of Lebanon's Ministry of Agriculture, who noted that the recognition places Lebanon prominently on the global wine map. This achievement stems from a detailed application submitted by former Zahle mayor Assaad Zgheib and Monir El Tini, head of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Zahle and the Bekaa. The file highlighted the city's extensive vineyards, number of wineries, and its leadership in Lebanon's wine sector. Current mayor officially adopted the initiative, with full support from the Agriculture Minister. The OIV formally notified Lahoud of the decision, recognizing Zahle based on scientific and professional criteria. According to Lahoud, the announcement was the result of fieldwork, studies, and coordination between the ministry's technical teams and local wine producers. 'This designation not only affirms Zahle's agricultural and cultural identity,' Lahoud said, 'but also opens new prospects for Lebanon's wine industry and strengthens its standing in global vine and wine production.'
Asharq Al-Awsat
5 days ago
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Legal Complaints Target Hezbollah Officials in Lebanese Courts
Legal complaints are mounting against Hezbollah officials in Lebanon, accusing them of threatening national security and inciting violence against citizens, calling for the disarmament of all non-state actors, including the powerful Iran-backed group. The latest complaint was filed by Sami Gemayel, head of the Kataeb Party and an MP, against Hezbollah's deputy chief for the Bekaa region, Faisal Shukr. In the filing submitted to the Court of Cassation, Shukr is accused of 'death threats, inciting violence and sectarian strife, and endangering Lebanon's sovereignty and unity.' The complaint centers on remarks made by Shukr during a speech at a Hezbollah-organized Ashura procession in the Bekaa on July 6. 'Whoever calls for disarming the party, we will rip their soul out,' Shukr said in a video now submitted as evidence. Gemayel's legal team argued that the speech amounted to 'direct incitement to violence and civil strife,' calling for Shukr's arrest and prosecution. This is the second high-profile legal action against Hezbollah in recent days. A group of lawyers, journalists, and activists had earlier filed a complaint against Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem. The complaint cited Qassem's open declaration of support for Iran during its confrontation with the United States following the Gaza war. The plaintiffs say his statements constitute 'a direct threat to Lebanon's state policy' and 'an incitement to rebellion that endangers Lebanese lives.' While these legal actions may not advance quickly, observers say they mark a significant shift in Lebanon's political landscape. For years, few dared to challenge Hezbollah through the courts - even after the group's 2008 military takeover of parts of Beirut and a string of political assassinations targeting its critics. But the judiciary, which once routinely dismissed complaints against the group, is now formally registering them. A judicial source told Asharq Al-Awsat that while investigations depend on the strength of the evidence, claims that the judiciary is biased in favor of Hezbollah are 'not entirely accurate.' 'All serious cases are documented,' the source said. 'But summoning individuals for questioning is easier when their whereabouts are known. That's not always the case with Hezbollah officials.' Beyond high-level political disputes, a number of Lebanese citizens, particularly southerners living abroad, have begun filing lawsuits against Hezbollah for allegedly endangering civilians during the recent war. The complaints accuse the group of storing weapons under residential buildings and digging tunnels beneath homes without the owners' knowledge, which plaintiffs say turned these areas into targets for Israeli airstrikes. A legal source said many lawyers refused to take on these cases for fear of reprisals by Hezbollah supporters. 'Some plaintiffs were attacked simply for inspecting the ruins of their homes,' the source said, adding that business owners also claimed their shops were looted during the conflict and blamed Hezbollah for failing to protect property in areas under its control. However, the judiciary has not yet launched formal investigations into these complaints. The legal source acknowledged that lawsuits filed against Hezbollah as an organization, without naming specific individuals, make it harder for courts to initiate proceedings. The growing number of complaints reflects what some legal experts call a historic shift. Political activist and lawyer Elie Kairouz said the public is beginning to shed its fear of challenging Hezbollah, as the party's once-firm grip on the state, security agencies, and judiciary weakens. 'The old consensus that the army, people, and resistance form Lebanon's defense doctrine is gone,' Kairouz told Asharq Al-Awsat. 'Today, the government is calling for exclusive state control over weapons and is working to enforce that.' He said Hezbollah's narrative of defending Lebanon and deterring Israel has lost traction along with the reverence once attached to its weapons. 'The real turning point,' he said, 'will be when courts stop merely registering these lawsuits and begin issuing rulings. Only then can Lebanese citizens be truly protected.'
LBCI
15-07-2025
- Politics
- LBCI
Israeli airstrikes kill 12 in Lebanon's Bekaa, including Syrian refugees
Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA) reported that Israeli warplanes launched airstrikes on the Wadi Faara area in northern Bekaa on Tuesday, with one of the raids targeting a Syrian refugee camp. At least 12 people were killed in the attack, including seven Syrian nationals, while eight others were wounded.
LBCI
15-07-2025
- LBCI
Inside Lebanon's biggest drug lab: Lebanese Army tightens grip on Bekaa drug lords
Report by Edmond Sassine, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi Lebanese Army Intelligence has dismantled what is described as the largest drug manufacturing facility uncovered to date in the Bekaa region, operated by one of the most notorious narcotics traffickers in Lebanon and the Middle East. The operation, conducted in the town of Yammouneh, revealed a sprawling underground drug lab outfitted with hidden tunnels, camouflaged walls, and high-tech equipment. The drug dealer, identified as Jalal Sh., whose criminal career began in 2010 in Beirut, first entered the drug world by importing raw materials and specialized equipment for captagon production, which he then sold to major manufacturers. He later moved his operations to Yammouneh, where he established his own production network. Security officials say he recently monopolized the production of crystal captagon in Lebanon, employing a network of individuals from multiple nationalities—including a European expert wanted by Interpol — to oversee the complex chemical processes. Over the years, the military has raided several of his facilities, seizing large quantities of drugs, machinery, and precursor chemicals. Despite an intensified crackdown on the drug trade, Jalal remained one of the few high-profile traffickers able to maintain operations, partly due to his advanced manufacturing capabilities and his role in supplying pills to other dealers for $1,000 per crate. Security agencies have linked Jalal to several wanted narcotics traffickers, including Ali and Hassan Sh., Hamza and Mohammad Jaafar, and Malek A. His network was behind numerous professionally concealed shipments of drugs intercepted before reaching international markets. Monday's raid marks a significant blow to Lebanon's narcotics underworld. The Lebanese Armed Forces and Army Intelligence have vowed to continue their campaign against drug manufacturing and smuggling networks. In 2025 alone, they have uncovered 20 drug labs and seized more than 13,300 kilograms of captagon pills.
Al Mayadeen
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Mayadeen
Twelve martyrs in Israeli airstrikes on Bekaa, Baalbek: Lebanon
The Israeli occupation carried out a series of airstrikes on Tuesday targeting several areas in Lebanon, including Bouday, the vicinity of Shmestar, and Wadi Umm Ali in the western Baalbek district, according to Al Mayadeen's correspondent. Initial reports from the Public Health Emergency Operations Center at Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health confirmed that twelve civilians were killed and six were injured in the attacks. The occupation also launched airstrikes on the town of Brital in the Bekaa region, as part of its ongoing assault on Lebanese towns and villages. Israel just carried out a series of airstrikes on several residential areas in Lebanon, violated Security Council resolution SCR 1701, ceasefire agreement, and international law with absolutely no has the right to defend itself under international law. latest strikes are part of a broader campaign of continuous Israeli aggression against areas in the south, the Bekaa, and Beirut's southern suburb, while "Israel" continues to occupy five border points in southern Lebanon in an ongoing violation of the ceasefire agreement. Since the ceasefire officially took effect on November 27, 2024, Israeli attacks on Lebanon have resulted in the martyrdom of 203 people, according to updated figures. This comes amid US-Israeli pressure to disarm the Islamic Resistance, which has fully committed to the ceasefire brokered in November 2024. The US Special Envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, has issued a series of pointed threats to Lebanon, declaring that the country faces existential risks, including collapse or foreign domination, if it does not fully disarm the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon (Hezbollah). His comments, made in an interview with The National on Friday, reflect escalating US pressure on Lebanon to dismantle its national resistance. "You have Israel on one side, you have Iran on the other, and now you have Syria manifesting itself so quickly that if Lebanon doesn't move, it's going to be Bilad Al Sham again," Barrack said, invoking the historic name for Greater Syria, adding that "Syrians say Lebanon is our beach resort. So we need to move." In language criticized by observers as condescending and overtly interventionist, Barrack positioned the "disarmament" of the Resistance not as a domestic Lebanese decision, but as a prerequisite for US and Gulf financial aid. Read more: Flame of resistance will remain ignited: Hezbollah's Sheikh Qassem
