Six Noteworthy Stories You Might Have Missed in Lebanon This Week (11/22)
1. Twin Explosions Rock Beirut Near Iranian Embassy (Photo via the Daily Star)
On Tuesday, at least 25 people were killed in twin explosions near the Iranian Embassy in Jnah. Both suicide bombers were allegedly linked to the Abdullah Azzam brigades as Sheikh Sirajeddine Zuraiqat, the group’s religious guide, claimed responsibility for the blasts on his Twitter feed.
According to the Daily Star newspaper, one of the embassy’s guards shot the first bomber as he rushed toward the embassy and minutes later, the other bomber detonated an explosives’ filled vehicle less than 50 meters from the embassy.
Sheikh Ibrahim Al Ansari, Iran’s cultural attache was among the 23 dead. More than 150 people were injured in the blast.
2. Syrian Warplanes Fire Rockets in Bekaa’s Arsal Region (Photo via the Daily Star)
According to the Daily Star newspaper, a Syrian aircraft fired two rockets at Aqabat al-Mubyadah, a deserted area in Arsal on Tuesday. No one was injured. This marks the third attack by Syria’s air force on Arsal in two weeks.
3. Report: 95 Domestic Workers Die Yearly in Lebanon
According to a Human Rights Watch report released earlier this week, more than 95 migrant domestic workers have died yearly in Lebanon since 2007.
4. Woman Sentenced to Jail for Beating Domestic Worker (Photo via Al-Akhbar)
According to Al-Akhbar newspaper, Judge Dina Daaboul issued a ruling in the case of Filipino domestic worker Anali Portugal after a complaint was filed on her behalf by the Philippine Embassy in April 2008.
Portugal’s employer, identified as Wafaa M., was sentenced to three months in jail and ordered to pay 10 Million LL for beating Portugal.
5. Baabda Palace Violates Protocol on Independence Day
According to Naharnet, the Baabda Palace press office violated protocol by excluding the name of Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam on the list of attendees of the reception of well-wishers at Baabda Palace on the occasion of the country’s 70th Independence Day. And while the names of Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Najib Mikati were included, Salam did not make it to the list.
6. New 50,000 LL Released with Spelling Error (Photo via Twitter)
The 50,000 LL initially tweeted by LBCI last week, became a national joke when it clearly showed “Independence” written incorrectly on the French side of the note.
Although the official bank denied that it was to blame for the spelling mistake ,faulting the Britain-based company that printed it, the note was still released to commemorate 70 years of Lebanese independence on Friday, November 22.
