Latest Syrian News
The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon on Friday issued the following statement: “In support of our steadfast Palestinian people in Gaza and in solidarity with their brave and honorable resistance, the mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance shot down an Israeli enemy drone at 12:00 midnight on Friday, March 1, 2024, in the Wadi al-Azzieh region.’
Source: National News Agency-Lebanon
Reactions to the massacre committed by Israeli occupation forces in the al-Rashid Street west of Gaza City have poured in from around the world.
The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip condemned the Israeli massacre, saying 112 people were martyred and more than 750 wounded.
A field source from the Palestinian Resistance said that Israeli armored vehicles and tanks ran over the bodies of several martyrs, while others fired incendiary shells toward civilians in the area.
The occupation forces also arbitrarily detained hundreds of civilians in the same area, transferring them to an unknown location, the source mentioned.
The Israeli occupation military claimed that a “stampede” occurred when thousands of Gazans surrounded a convoy of 38 aid trucks. An Israeli source said troops had opened fire on the crowd, believing it “posed a threat.”
Washington will be ‘pressing for answers’
Though his country continues to veto a call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, US President Joe Biden said the incident would
complicate delicate ceasefire negotiations in the almost five-month-old war, with the White House calling the deaths “tremendously alarming”.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters the United States was “urgently seeking additional information on exactly what took place,” failing to blame the Israeli occupation forces for the massacre.
Washington will be monitoring an upcoming investigation closely and “pressing for answers,” he said.
Israeli soldiers firing at civilians is ‘unjustifiable’: France
The French Foreign Ministry said that “the fire by Israeli soldiers against civilians trying to access food is unjustifiable.”
The “tragic event” came as an “increasing and unbearable number of Palestinian civilians” were suffering from hunger and disease, it added, stressing that “Israel” must abide by international law and protect aid deliveries to civilians.
Writing on X that Palestinian “civilians have been targeted by Israeli soldiers,” French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his “str
ongest condemnation” of the killings.
‘Israel’ commits ‘another crime against humanity’: Turkey
Turkey accused “Israel” of committing “another crime against humanity,” with the Turkish Foreign Ministry saying that “the fact that Israel… this time targets innocent civilians in a queue for humanitarian aid, is evidence that (Israel) aims consciously and collectively to destroy the Palestinian people.”
Colombia suspends purchases of weapons from ‘Israel’
Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro denounced a “genocide” of the Palestinian people and suspended purchases of weapons from the Israeli occupation entity.
“Asking for food, more than 100 Palestinians were killed by Netanyahu. This is called genocide and recalls the Holocaust,” Petro wrote on X.
“The world must block Netanyahu.”
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares wrote on X that “the unacceptable nature of what happened in Gaza, with dozens of Palestinian civilians dead as they were waiting for food, underlines the urgency of a ceasefire.”
Sim
ilarly, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani called for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza and urged “Israel” to protect the Palestinian population after the “tragic deaths”.
“We strongly urge Israel to protect the people in Gaza and to rigorously ascertain facts and responsibilities,” he said on X.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also expressed her “deep dismay and concern.”
Guterres ‘appalled by the tragic human toll’
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the incident and was “appalled by the tragic human toll of the conflict,” his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
“The desperate civilians in Gaza need urgent help, including those in the besieged north where the United Nations has not been able to deliver aid in more than a week,” Dujarric said.
‘Totally unacceptable’: Borrell
European Union foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell denounced the deaths as “totally unacceptable”.
“I am horrified by news of yet another carnage among civilians in Gaza desperate for humanitarian aid,” he sai
d on X.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry condemned “in the strongest terms the heinous massacre committed by the Israeli occupation.” calling for “urgent international action” to halt the war in Gaza.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry condemned the deaths and reiterated “the need to reach an immediate ceasefire”. It also renewed its “demands to the international community to take a firm position to oblige Israel to respect international humanitarian law, immediately open safe humanitarian corridors, allow the evacuation of the injured, and enable the delivery of relief aid”.
Source: National News Agency-Lebanon
US Ambassador to Lebanon Lisa A. Johnson met with LAU President Michel E. Mawad on the Beirut campus and, along with her delegation, was accompanied on a tour of the premises by the president, VP Roy Majdalani and VP Elise Salem.
During the meeting, Dr. Mawad updated the ambassador on the status of the university, introduced her to the LAU medical centers, and spoke about the continued support from the US government.
Source: National News Agency-Lebanon
The Israeli enemy’s Air Force on Friday carried out an airstrike targeting the southern Lebanese town of Aita al-Shaab.
Source: National News Agency-Lebanon
The Human Environmental Association for Development organized a side event during the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA6) in Nairobi, focusing on “Climate and Disaster-Induced Human Mobility Within National Strategies and Policies.” The session was moderated by Mr. Mohamed Abdelraouf, Chair, Major Groups and Stakeholders at UNEP, with the participation of speakers from West Asia region, league of Arab States, Latin America, UK, and Lebanon .
Communities, especially in the Arab region, are increasingly exposed and vulnerable to various hazards and pressures that lead to stresses and shocks impacting their everyday lives. These setbacks hinder sustainable development gains and slow down progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) is a crucial node in global and regional networks, serving as an origin, destination, and transit region for those on the move. The region is experiencing the effects of climate change at an alarming rate
, heating up twice as fast as the global average. Additionally, it is prone to various natural disasters, exacerbating the challenges faced by communities already dealing with political conflicts. The climate crisis amplifies existing disadvantages, making the lives of threatened communities even harder and pushing more people onto human mobility pathways.
Dr. Mahmoud Fathallah, Director of Environmental and Meteorological Affairs (EMA) in the League of Arab States, highlighted the consequences of climate change and limited natural resources, such as drinking water, becoming scarce in many areas hosting refugees. He presented Lebanon as a case study, identifying the effects of the Syrian crisis on the solid waste sector, water and wastewater sectors, air quality, and land use and ecosystems. The displacement resulting from these crises leads to trauma and mental health issues among displaced populations, further complicating their situation.
Mr. Doug Weir explored the intersecting environmental and security
drivers of human mobility in the MENA region, emphasizing the need to address climate change, environmental degradation, displacement, and conflict holistically.
Mr. Manuel discussed how climate change is displacing communities in Latin America and the Caribbean, increasing the vulnerability of those who depend on natural resources. He highlighted those hurricanes, floods, and drought force people to leave their homes in search of safety and sustenance, posing challenges in protection and human rights. Urgent measures are crucial to ensure the safety and dignity of those affected.
Mrs. Marie Therese Seif provided recommendations, emphasizing the need to protect nature as the key to securing a livable future. she stressed the importance of ecosystem restoration on a large scale, involving all stakeholders, including states, governments, associations, and individuals. She called for abandoning material and political ambitions and establishing a rescue unit to protect and rationalize the consumption of natural
resources, making environmental protection a lifestyle rather than a social luxury. She also highlighted the importance of using technology for pollution reduction and treatment.
Source: National News Agency-Lebanon
Today, the Commission has decided to allocate an additional EUR 68 million to support the Palestinian population across the region to be implemented through international partners like the Red Cross and the Red Crescent. This comes in addition to the foreseen EUR 82 million of aid to be implemented through UNRWA in 2024, bringing the total to EUR 150 million. The Commission will proceed to paying EUR 50 million of the UNRWA envelope next week.
Furthermore, the Commission has allocated EUR 125 million of humanitarian aid for Palestinians for 2024. The Commission is contracting the first EUR 16 million today.
As set out on 29 January, the Commission has assessed its funding decision for UNRWA in light of the very serious allegations made on 24 January that implicate several UNRWA staff in the heinous 7 October attacks. It took account of the action taken by the UN and the commitments the Commission required from UNRWA.
The Commission welcomes the UN’s Office for Internal Oversight Services investigation to
shed light into the serious allegations against UNRWA staff. Furthermore, it commends the UN for creating an independent Review Group led by Catherine Colonna to assess whether the Agency is doing everything within its power to ensure neutrality and respond to allegations of serious breaches.
Following exchanges with the Commission, UNRWA has also indicated that it stands ready to ensure that a review of its staff is carried out to confirm they did not participate in the attacks and that further controls are put in place to mitigate such risks in the future.
UNRWA has agreed to the launch of an audit of the Agency to be conducted by EU appointed external experts. This audit will review the control systems to prevent the possible involvement of its staff and assets in terrorist activities.
Finally, UNRWA agrees to the strengthening of its department of internal investigations and the governance surrounding it.
UNRWA and the Commission have today confirmed their understanding on these points. On this basis,
and following the exchange of letters with UNRWA confirming its commitments, the Commission will proceed disburse a first tranche of EUR 50 million out of the EUR 82 million foreseen for UNRWA for 2024.
The second and third tranches of EUR 16 million will be released in line with the implementation of this agreement.
Beyond its support to UNRWA, the Commission remains fully committed to addressing the humanitarian plight of the Palestinian people, particularly in Gaza but also more widely in the region. For this purpose, it will allocate an additional EUR 68 million for in 2024.
President von der Leyen said: “We stand by the Palestinian people in Gaza and elsewhere in the region. Innocent Palestinians should not have to pay the price for the crimes of terrorist group Hamas. They face terrible conditions putting their lives at risk because of lack of access to sufficient food and other basic needs. That is why we are reinforcing our support to them this year by a further EUR 68 million.’
Source: National
News Agency-Lebanon
Israeli enemy aircraft launched two air raids targeting the outskirts of Jabal Blat towards Shihin and Ramya, our correspondent reported on Friday.
Israeli enemy aircraft also launched an air raid on the southern Lebanese town of Aita al-Shaab.
Additionally, the Israeli warplanes carried out an air raid on the outskirts of Marwahin.
Source: National News Agency-Lebanon
Marjeyoun – Israeli enemy artillery shelling targeted the towns of Houla and Al-Wazzani – Marjayoun district, our correspondnet reporetd on Friday.
Source: National News Agency-Lebanon
Today, Pepsi®?’s new look takes flight worldwide, taking over iconic global locations as its first major global redesign in fourteen years was unleashed across over 120 markets. The artwork in Lebanon featuring the re-designed and refreshed Pepsi®? globe logo was unleashed in Pigeon Rock (Al Raouche Rock) to showcase Pepsi’s new visual identity, in a blaze of pulsing electric blue and black, carrying the brand into its new era.
The installation appeared on the rocks in Beirut, appropriate to the occasion as it is an iconic landmark and touristic attraction, in picturesque seaside surroundings. Pepsi®? took over with a digital artwork of colored lanterns using Pepsi colors lighting up the sky to form the new logo directly above the rock.
This is an activation that took place worldwide. A hot air assembly, forming a giant Pepsi®? logo, took over skylines in Warsaw, Poland and Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, each comprised of over 70 balloons. Pepsi also put on vast shows on the Nile in Egypt and Ain Dubai, each harnes
sing innovative technology – giving consumers cutting-edge experiences to discover.
The new logo thoughtfully borrows equity from Pepsi’s past, whilst incorporating modern elements to create a look that is unapologetically current and undeniably Pepsi. The updated color palette introduces electric blue and black to bring a contemporary edge to the classic Pepsi®? color scheme, whilst the signature Pepsi pulse evokes the ‘ripple, pop and fizz’ of Pepsi-Cola – moving in time to the beat of music, the roar of the crowd, the heartbeat of culture. The logo was first unveiled in the US and is now launching in over 120 countries worldwide, through various consumer touchpoints – spanning digital, experiential, and retail.
The takeover of the Pigeon Rock marks the first step in Pepsi’s new, bold era across design, storytelling, and partnerships. Pepsi will continue to drive culture forward in 2024 by delivering one-of-a-kind experiences, all deeply connected to fan passions and desire to live Thirsty for More, the b
rand’s philosophy, which champions anyone who challenges conventions in pursuit of enjoyment, whilst celebrating people’s thirst for the unexpected and eagerness to discover, experience and do more.
Mr. Karim elFiqi, Marketing Vice President for Middle East, Africa and South Asia commented: ‘We wanted to show how Pepsi, through this visual identity change, brings to life its brand platform ‘Thirsty for More’ which is the attitude, and mindset we encourage amongst our consumers to try new things and live new experiences. We’ve always been a bold brand that challenges conventions, challenges the status quo, and always puts enjoyment first.’
‘Our new visual identity is bold, unapologetic, modern, and iconic. And what better way to showcase the brand’s transformation than through the iconic installations in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon and Dubai! This exciting change is our endeavour to stay true to our roots while embracing the future and it isn’t just limited to a logo, it’s a commitment to innovat
ion, design, and storytelling. As we move ahead, our fans can expect the same great taste they’ve come to love with even more of the immersive and entertaining experiences we’re known for across music, sports and culture.’
Pepsi continues to move at the speed of culture, delivering on what people are thirsty for – innovative products and iconic collaborations. As a champion of those who like to step out of their comfort zone and enjoy more of what they really like, Pepsi fans in Lebanon are urged to keep their eyes peeled for more unforgettable experiences that will land later this year.
Source: National News Agency-Lebanon
The Islamic Resistance issued on Friday the following statement: ‘In support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, and in support of their valiant and honorable resistance, the Mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance targeted, at 01:55 pm on Friday, March 1, 2024, a gathering of enemy soldiers in the vicinity of the Ramim barracks with missile weapons.”
The Islamic Resistance issued another statement, indicating: ‘In support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, and in support of their brave and honorable resistance, the Mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance targeted at 01:55 pm on Friday 1, 2024, the enemy’s Al-Baghdadi’s site with missile weapons, and achieved direct hit.”
Source: National News Agency-Lebanon
Caretaker Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Abbas Hajj Hassan, on Friday received in his office, a delegation from the International Labor Organization (ILO), headed by the ILO Regional Director for Arab States, Dr. Ruba Jaradat.
Discussions reportedly touched on various joint projects between the Ministry and the ILO, including the green project, cooperatives and agricultural guidance.
Source: National News Agency-Lebanon