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Lebanese marijuana among ‘best in the world,’ minister says

A Lebanese minister hinted that marijuana could bring a major boost to Lebanon’s economy, and stand out as “among the best in the world,” Bloomberg News reported.

Minister of Economy and Trade Raed Khoury said marijuana, which is illegal in Lebanon, could diversify the economy and open new markets.

“The quality (of cannabis) we have is one of the best in the world,” Khoury told Bloomberg News, adding that marijuana could become a one-billion-dollar industry.

Lebanese Minister of Economy and Trade Raed Khoury. (Facebook/Raed Khoury)
Lebanese Minister of Economy and Trade Raed Khoury. (Facebook/Raed Khoury)

In a plan to help grow Lebanon’s economy, the New York-based consulting firm McKinsey & Company suggested “quick wins” to help the country in the short term.

The plan reportedly included investing in prefabricated housing for reconstruction in Iraq and Syria, investing in tourism and growing two crops — avocados and cannabis.

RELATED: Officials: 15 tons of marijuana seized at Beirut paint warehouse

RELATED: LAU to study ‘potential medical value’ of marijuana in Lebanon

Khoury said implementing the McKinsey & Company report would substantially help Lebanon’s economy, which is the third most-indebted nation in the world.

He believes Lebanon, which has marijuana farms in the Bekaa Valley, could legalize the growing and exporting of the drug for medical treatment.

Khoury is not the first minister to stand by the legalization of marijuana. In 2015, former minister Walid Jumblatt suggested the economic impact would be significant for the region.

RELATED: Jumblatt renews call for legalizing weed in Lebanon

“Never in my life have I smoked marijuana, but I support growing cannabis for medical use and to improve the living conditions of farmers in north Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley,” Jumblatt previously told Al-Jadeed television.

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 News

Lebanese tourist accused of ‘insulting Egypt’ sentenced to 8 years in jail

A Lebanese tourist accused of “insulting Egypt” on a viral video has been sentenced to 8 years in prison by a Cairo court, Al Jazeera reported.

Mona El-Mazboh, 24, was arrested last month after posting a Facebook video complaining of sexual harassment and poor conditions in Egypt.

Egyptian authorities deemed the comments illegal, and transferred the tourist to jail pending a criminal trial.

El-Mazboh was sentenced with 8 years in prison with hard labor, and ordered to pay a $600 fine, the Egyptian Independent reported.

The profanity-laced video, which has since been removed, included comments that Egypt was a “lowly, dirty country,” and “Egyptian men are pimps and women prostitutes,” Al Jazeera added.

She also called Egypt a “son of a b—- country,” and said she “hopes God sends (Egyptians) someone more oppressive than Sisi,” referring to President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

The court argued that El-Mazboh deliberately spread “false rumors” that would harm society, and attacked religion and the Egyptian government.

Mona El-Mazboh responds to controversy in a second video posted to her Facebook. (YouTube screenshot)
Mona El-Mazboh responds to controversy in a second video posted to her Facebook. (YouTube screenshot)

Her attorney argued that she suffered from neurological and psychological disorders, including depression, which impaired her ability to control anger.

El-Mazbouh’s attorney Emad Kamal said he would appeal the sentence.

“Of course, God willing, the verdict will change. With all due respect to the judiciary, this is a severe ruling,” Kamal told Al Jazeera. “It is in the context of the law, but the court was applying the maximum penalty.”

Shortly after the first video went viral, El-Mazboh posted a second video apologizing to “respectable Egyptians” for her comments.

Egyptian rights activists believe the arrest and sentence is an intense crackdown of Internet censorship.

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 Lifestyle

Four Seasons Hotel in Beirut wins award for ‘Best Luxury Hotel’ in 2018

The Four Seasons Hotel in Beirut has been named the ‘Best Luxury Hotel’ in 2018 by MEA Markets, a monthly investors publication based in England.

Four Seasons received GCC Enterprise Award, which honors the accomplishments of “innovative entities and individuals” across the Middle East region.

Four Seasons Beirut is just a one minute walk from Zaytounay Bay (Booking.com)
Four Seasons Beirut is just a one minute walk from Zaitunay Bay (Booking.com)

The luxury hotel has several nearby gourmet restaurants, a spa room and a rooftop pool with a 360-degree view of the Mediterranean sea, mountains and city.

Rami Sayess, the hotel’s general manager, said the hotel staff has worked hard to develop its luxurious brand in the region.

“I am delighted to receive this accolade on behalf of the team at Four Seasons Hotel Beirut,” Sayess said. “This recognition belongs to each and every one of them for all that they do to make the Four Seasons brand an iconic symbol of luxury.”

RELATED: This hotel suite in Broumana costs $80,000 per night!

The hotel is located about 20 minutes from the Beirut airport, near Zaitunay Bay along the Beirut Marina.

To find out more information about the hotel, click here.

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 News

Councilwoman apologizes after comparing violence in Nashville to Beirut

A politician in Tennessee issued an apology after she compared youth violence in Nashville to Beirut during a public city council meeting.

Nashville councilwoman Erica Gilmore said her comments were meant to address issues of youth violence in the Tennessee capital.

“My comment was not meant to disparage Lebanon or to imply any negativity regarding the wonderful people of Lebanon,” Gilmore said in a statement. “I have always held Lebanon and its citizens in high regard and even lived there during my study at the American University of Beirut.”

During a televised meeting, the councilwoman said youth poverty and violence has become a crisis, and the issues compare to the challenges facing an underdeveloped nation.

Gilmore apologized after comparing violence in Nashville to Beirut. (EricaGilmore.com)
Gilmore apologized after comparing violence in Nashville to Beirut. (EricaGilmore.com)

“People do not recognize there are kids out there that are in such poverty that we are like a third world country,” she said during the meeting. “I feel like I was in Beirut.”

RELATED: Tennessee politician compares violence in Nashville to Beirut

Gilmore responded to Lebanese Examiner’s story three days later with a statement posted to Facebook.

“I hope this situation can be turned into a positive for both cities of Nashville and Beirut. Both cities are beautiful and have great people that live there.” Gilmore added. “However, we can always do more to improve the lives and safety of our great cities.”

According to her online biography, Gilmore completed a study-abroad program at the American University of Beirut while studying at Howard University in Washington, D.C.\

READ FULL STATEMENT HERE:

Recently, I made a comment comparing the prevalence of violent crime in my hometown of Nashville to similar situations in Beirut Lebanon. My comments were based on U.S. State Department travel advisories to Lebanon and news reports regarding increasing violent crime rates in Beirut. My intention was only to create attention regarding issues of violence to my hometown so that we could begin to more proactively address this serious matter. My comment was not meant to disparage Lebanon or to imply any negativity regarding the wonderful people of Lebanon. I am sorry that some have mistakenly believed that my comment was intended to disparage Lebanon. I have always held Lebanon and its citizens in high regard and even lived there during my study at the American University of Beirut. I had a wonderful experience and was treated with kindness and respect by the Lebanese people. I will forever cherish my time in Beirut and the people that were so generous to me.

I hope that this situation can be turned into a positive for both cities of Nashville and Beirut. Both cities are beautiful and have great people that live there. However, we can always do more to improve the lives and safety of our great cities. I wish the people of Beirut all the best in their efforts to elevate the lives of its fine citizens, and I will continue every day trying to elevate the lives of Nashvillians the best that I can. May God bless our two great cities and our people.

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 Business

British-Lebanese banker now executive vice-chairman of Swiss Bank UBS

British-Lebanese banker Paul Raphael is now an executive vice-chairman of the Swiss multinational investment bank UBS, a source told finews.asia.

According to the website, UBS said it was discussing options to terminate Raphael earlier in the year but he made a comeback. He will now be Head of Europe and Emerging Markets for the company.

The 56-year-old banker is fluent in Arabic, French, Portuguese, and Spanish and English. Raphael received a bachelors in Economics from the University of Maryland and a Master of Science in Management from the MIT Sloan School of Management.

Raphael is now the head of Head of Europe and Emerging Markets at UBS Wealth Management (finews.com)
The latest move marks a dramatic shift from news reported earlier this year (finews.com)

Paul Raphael previously served as a managing director for Credit Suisse and Merill Lynch. His experiences include Chairman of Central Europe, Middle East and Africa & Head of IBD for the Asia-Pacific Region.

A spokesman for UBS did not confirm or comment on the story.

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 News

Tennessee politician compares violence in Nashville to Beirut

A politician in Tennessee compared youth violence in Nashville to Beirut during a public city council meeting, according to CBS-affiliate WTVF-TV.

Nashville councilwoman Erica Gilmore said youth poverty and violence has become a crisis, and the issues compare to the challenges facing an underdeveloped nation.

UPDATED: Erica Gilmore issued an apology after Lebanese Examiner’s story about her comments.

“People do not recognize there are kids out there that are in such poverty that we are like a third world country,” Gilmore said. “I feel like I was in Beirut.”

According to her online biography, Gilmore completed a study-abroad program at the American University of Beirut while studying at Howard University in Washington, D.C.

Tennessee politician Erica Gilmore compared youth violence in Nashville to Beirut. (YouTube/Metro Nashville)
Tennessee politician Erica Gilmore compared youth violence in Nashville to Beirut. (YouTube/Metro Nashville)

In reported crime rates, Beirut ranks at 36.84 — a lower score than Nashville, which ranks at 49.11, according to two independent crime databases.

A study at the American University of Beirut found that disadvantaged Beirut neighborhoods, which have higher crime rates, are more likely to have problems with youth violence.

“Lebanon has a history of civil and cross-border war, which may influence the production of violence at the individual level,” the study said.

Gilmore pointed to a lack of respect among Nashville youth as a contributing factor to the violence. FOX-affiliate WZTV-TV reported that youth violence has been increasing in some Nashville neighborhoods.

“We’re seeing so much violence in the neighborhoods amongst the youth that I’m really concerned. The other day I was walking down Pearl Street and there were about 60 kids in the middle of the street. They were throwing bricks at one another. And I tried to get them to stop, and I could not get them to stop.”

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 Lifestyle

Sleepless in Beirut: Study shows 40% of the city sleeps less than six hours

A sleep expert at the American University of Beirut Medical Center estimates that nearly 40 percent of the 2 million people living in Beirut sleep less than six hours every night.

While this is common in other Arab countries, associate professor Hassan Chami says this could be more common in Beirut than any other place in the region.

“I have good evidence based on my surveys that about 40 percent of Beirutis sleep less than six hours, which is a shocking number,” Chami said.

RELATED: Lebanon: ‘Best party place,’ says guy who visited every country

Chami believes these numbers are problematic and can lead to sleep deficiency. He believes the sleep deficiency among Beirut residents is approximately one third higher than the rate in the United States.

Lebanon has one of the most active nightlife activities in the region (POSH Club Beirut)
Lebanon has one of the most active nightlife activities in the region (POSH Club Beirut)

Sleep specialist and researcher Neil Stanley said the number of people who are short on sleep is high, and it’s a problem.

“In the past, people would have taken a siesta (Nap) in the Gulf, which allowed them to stay up at night,” Stanley said. “But that doesn’t happen anymore… People are still living like that but are missing out on the afternoon nap.”

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 Entertainment

Soccer star Mohamed Salah vacations in Beirut as World Cup continues

Egyptian soccer player Mohamed Salah and his family arrived in Beirut late Friday for a vacation, reports said.

According to the daily newspaper Al Liwaa, Salah, his wife Maggie and their daughter Makkah will be in Lebanon for three days. They will also meet with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri during their trip.

Salah is staying at a hotel in downtown Beirut, but the exact location is not being released for security purposes, the newspaper added.

Salah was recently dumped out of the World Cup tournament in the group stages after his team lost all three of their matches and failed to receive any points to advance to the round of 16.

Mohamed Salah plays for the Egyptian National team (Express and star)
Mohamed Salah plays for the Egyptian National team. (File photo)

However, Salah led the national team to their first World Cup since 1990 and managed to score two goals himself during the tournament.

RELATED: Man stabbed to death during World Cup argument

Salah is expected to be at Liverpool FC training camp in three weeks.

The team will be at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan on July 28 for their showdown with rival Manchester United.

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 Business

Report: Arab newspaper Al-Hayat closes office in Lebanon

Pan-Arab newspaper Al-Hayat closed its office in Beirut Saturday in an effort to cut costs and downsize its operations, Agence France-Presse reported.

The Saudi-owned news organization was founded in Lebanon in 1946, and survived multiple bombing attempts before the Lebanese Civil War forced its shut down in 1976.

The newspaper reopened its Beirut offices in 1988, but was quickly bought out by Saudi Prince Khalid bin Sultan.

After 30 years in business, a source told AFP the office closed this weekend as a result of downsizing and “financial reasons.”

“This closure is part of a decision to close all foreign bureaus for financial reasons and transfer the headquarters to Dubai,” the source told AFP.

Al-Hayat shut down its office in Beirut. (File photo)
Al-Hayat shut down its office in Beirut. (File photo)

Al-Hayat has been experiencing changes in its news operation since the beginning of 2018, when the newspaper closed its main headquarters in London and moved to the Gulf.

The newspaper stopped printing in Lebanon, and could soon change its operation to serve readers in the Gulf only, AFP added.

Al-Hayat was founded by journalist Kamel Mroueh, who was later assassinated, as a daily Arabic newspaper.

The newspaper’s Beirut office employed about 100 people.

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 News

Beirut airport security arrest man with $108k in counterfeit cash

A Romanian man was arrested Friday at the Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut after being found with counterfeit money and suspected stolen jewelry, officials announced.

Lebanese Internal Security Forces recovered $108,200 USD and 350 euros in counterfeit cash from the traveler, who was planning to fly to Romania from Beirut.

It is not clear why he was in Lebanon, officials added.

The 34-year-old man, identified only by the initials V.L., also had $50,000 worth of suspected stolen jewelry in his bag.

Security forces said the jewelry, mostly diamond, belonged to a woman who lost the items. Investigators returned the jewelry to the woman after the recovery.

Photos posted to the Lebanese Internal Security Forces Facebook page show several bags of money and the suspect’s Romanian passport.

Counterfeit money seized at the Beirut airport. (Lebanese Internal Security Forces)
Counterfeit money seized at the Beirut airport. (Lebanese Internal Security Forces)

Lebanese security officials are still investigating the case.

According to the U.S. Department of Treasury, an estimated $70 million in counterfeit bills are in global circulation.

U.S. officials said counterfeit money can be identified by holding the bill up to a light and looking for a holograph of the face image.

The bill should also reveal a thin vertical strip containing text that spells out the bill’s denomination.

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