Coronavirus policy: Lebanon’s Berri threatens to suspend support
March 28, 2020, 5:36 pm

Coronavirus policy: Lebanon’s Berri threatens to suspend support

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. (File photo AP)

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri threatened on Saturday to suspend his support for Prime Minister Hassan Diab’s government if it did not act to bring home expatriates stranded abroad during the coronavirus pandemic. Lebanon’s Berri threatens

Foreign Minister Nassif Hitti said on Thursday that Lebanese citizens abroad must undergo a test to make sure they are not carrying coronavirus before boarding a flight home.

“If the government keeps its position on the issue of the expatriates beyond this coming Tuesday we will suspend our representation in the government,” Berri, head of the Shiite Amal Movement, said in a statement from his office.

Berri is one of Lebanon’s most powerful figures and named the finance minister and others in the government which is grappling with a financial crisis and would be paralyzed were he to withdraw his backing.

Like all of Lebanon’s main politicians, Berri has a significant support base in the country's large diaspora.

Leading Christian politician Samir Geagea also attacked the government on the issue on Saturday, expressing concern that countries struggling to cope with outbreaks would prioritize the treatment of their own nationals over expatriates.

Some Lebanese stuck abroad are struggling to get by, their situation complicated by tight restrictions imposed by Lebanese banks on transfers abroad and cash withdrawals from ATMs overseas. Lebanon has been struggling with a crippling financial crisis since October.

Hitti said this week the ceilings for bank transfers to students stuck abroad would be increased. Lebanon’s Berri threatens

“We hope to bring home Lebanese today, before tomorrow, and understand the feelings of families and their children but the PCR tests must be secured because there is great danger in a person infected with corona boarding a plane with those who are not infected,” he wrote on Twitter.

The government would arrange flights to bring home those stuck abroad, he said, urging Lebanese abroad to register with embassies to provide them with help. levant

source: Reuters levant

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”