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Lebanon’s women basketball team champion of West Asia 2019

28-8-2019

Players of Lebanese Women National Basketball team won the gold medal for the West Asian Champions Cup hosted by the Jordanian capital Amman on Monday, August 26 with the participation of Iran, Iraq, Syrian and Lebanon. Lebanon’s League, to recall, scored victory in four matches in the regional championship. Rebecca Akl, the League star, seized the titles of best player and best distributer, while Lama Mokadam won the best stealer title. The winning team was welcomed at Beirut Airport by member of the National Basketball Federation Ghazi Boustani who congratulated the players, describing their victory as a new achievement for Lebanese Basketball abroad. He repeatedly stressed the support of the Federation for all national teams of all age groups. For her part, the head of the mission, Shada Nasr, thanked the Lebanese Federation led by Akram Halabi for expending all possible resources to the team. (An Nahar, August 28, 2019)

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Tunisian women researchers address sensitive issues (Women, Islam & Power)

27-8-2019

In a special feature on August 17, Al Akhbar daily highlighted three books published recently by a group of women Tunisian researchers on Islam, power and other controversial topics. The publications include a series of research works which vary in their commitment to an accurate methodology often but which sometimes are partial to literature. The research is high-impact, serious borrowing correct anthropological tools to avoid falling in the trap of western perceptions of women and Islam. The researchers seek to give a better understanding of history itself not the history of the ruling power in order to have the proper knowledge tools to comprehend the present. One of the co-editors, Salwa Belhaj Saleh, Al Akhbar wrote, draws a historic relation of Islam with women through its relation with female priests in the pre-Islamic era. Samah Yahyawi, maintained that Islamic history has ignored accounting the history of women in Sufism, reporting only what men related. Ulfa Youssef addressed complex and controversial issues in the Islamic law making concerning hijab, women and alcohol. (for more on the feature, kindly visit the link below: https://bit.ly/2NBvBs7). (Al Akhbar, August 17, 2019)
 

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Cabinet approves gender-sensitive law amendments related to rape

26-8-2019

Following the repeal of provisions of Article 522 of the Penal Code which exempted the rapist from punishment should he marry his victim (https://bit.ly/33XtPYd), the cabinet in its recent August 22 session, approved the proposal of the law to amend Articles 505 and 519 and abolish Article 518. Recalling, that the above repeal of Article 522, despite its positive implications, was still wanting, as it retained the effects of the article which pardons the rapist if he married his victim who completed her 15 years but did not reach 18. While the first article relieves the rapist from prosecution, the second stipulates a six-month imprisonment for he who non-consensually has sex with a 15 up to 18 years’ minor and one year if the victim was under 15. The third article relates to “seduction” with promises of marriage. On the development, NCLW asked the Legislature to step up its ratification of the approved laws for they constitute a positive step in combating violence against women. (Al Diyar, August 25, 2019)

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Al Hol camp: Yazidi women abused under the eyes of international organizations

26-8-2019

Following the death of a Yazidi woman by ISIS women at Al Hol Camp in Syria ( https://bit.ly/2L58ljw), the mayor of Sinjar, the stronghold of Yazidis in Iraq, Mahma Khalil, said in a statement yesterday that women in the camp are being brutally beaten and humiliated. He appealed to the Iraqi government and the government of Kurdistan-Iraq, as well as spiritual authorities and the international community to rescue them. The said camp which is run by the Syrian Democratic Forces and international organizations, is a hotspot for appalling violations of human rights against Yazidi women, who are not allowed to return home to their families, Khalil said. Such violations are a disgrace to these organizations who turn a blind eye to similar abuses, Khalil added. Ironically, these organizations transfer and sort out ISIS families while refuse to evict Yazidi victims of ISIS out of the camp, he concluded. (Al Diyar, August 26, 2019)

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"World Fair Trade Day" for promoting Lebanese products

26-8-2019

Fair Trade Lebanon organized for the 8th consecutive year a ceremony at St. Georges’ Convent Roumyeh- Qleiyat to mark the World Fair Trade Day which falls on August 25 of each year. The event, held under the slogan ‘Meet the producers’, saw the presence of 1500 persons, including show goers and producers, in addition to concerned bloggers and Fair Trade advocates. It included a live culinary workshop prepared by Fair Trade Lebanon Coops offering an assortment of authentic Lebanese dishes, like frikeh, stuffed grape leaves and kibbeh. Participating as well, was Souk Jana Loubnan, which showcased a variety of veggies and fruits, and some 30 cooperative associations. The ceremony featured a number of heritage and cultural activities, notably sessions on saj making, painting, honey extraction and recycling. FTL said it is providing a sustainable economic model for farmers in rural areas through the provision of necessary equipment and training on food industries to 50 coops in line with international standards and fair trade principles. Lebanese producers now export more than 70 products through the FTL network to Europe, USA, UK, Australia and GCC states. On the occasion, economy minister Mansour Bteish, explained that through the FTL concept, brokers connecting producers and consumers draw back, motivating farmers to develop their production. The government is working to stimulate various productive sectors to gradually restore the trade balance in favor of domestic exports, Bteish said. (Al Mustaqbal, L’Orient Le Jour, August 26, 2019)

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Yazidi woman killed by ISIS women inside Al Hol camp

23-8-2019

Citing Iraqi journalist, Issa Saado, Sputnik correspondent in Iraq reported yesterday the death of an abducted Yazidi girl by women of the terrorist ISIS group inside a refugee camp in Syria. Saado said the girl, in her twenties, has been kidnapped in Sinjar during the genocide in early August 2014. She was beaten to death on Wednesday by the families and wives of ISIS inside Al Hol displacement camp in Hasaka, northeastern Syria, during her attempt to escape. Noting that the Kurdish Asayish organization in charge of the camp’s security, was trying to bring the girl back to Sinjar. Sputnik recalled that on August 3, 2014, ISIS invaded Sinjar province and neighboring villages and towns massacring thousands of Yazidi men, women, children and elderly, in a genocidal slaughter and shooting and then burying them in mass graves. Women and girls were taken captives to serve as sexual slaves for ISIS members who used all forms of violence and torture to rape them, including underage girls. (Al Diyar, August 23, 2019)

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Nike bows to demands of pregnant athletes

23-8-2019

Today, Al Akhbar newspaper highlighted the discrimination exercised by the multinational sports apparel corporation, Nike, against women athletes around the world. It referred to campaigns launched by these women to claim their rights, that are often ignored by sports unions and sponsors which contemplate profits only. The newspaper cited the story of the six-time Olympic gold medalist, Allyson Felix, who published an article in May stating that Nike has decided to cut her sponsorship contract by 70% since she was out of the field during her pregnancy last year. This incident has reportedly sparked global backlash and criticism during the past few months against the company’s harsh treatment of its sponsored women athletes who become pregnant. However, Al Akhbar went on to say, things changed recently after the sportswear giant was pressured to adjust its policy, as confirmed Felix on August 16. Felix said she received a letter from Nike that it will end financial penalties for sponsored pregnant athletes for 18 months should they consider to have children. Al Akhbar also brought to mind the story of another female US runner, Alysia Montano, one of the top 3 world runners, who said that Nike was not the sole brand that financially penalizes its pregnant sponsored athletes. After this uproar, the newspaper said, many fitness wear brands have started implementing a new strategy which plays fair to their pregnant sponsored athletes through giving them guarantees that secure their maternity protection. (Al Akhbar, August 23, 2019)

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"Barakat" by Lebanese Manon Namoor to Toronto Festival

22-8-2019

Lebanese director, Manon Namoor will launch her new short film ‘Barakat’ within the short film competition at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival. Namoor, who graduated from the Audio Visual Art division at Notre Dame University was selected as one of the rising directors in the Arab world by the Arab Stars of Tomorrow magazine and by juries of short films at several festivals, notably, Namur’s Festival International du Film Francophone (Francophone Film Festival in Namur) and the Beirut International Women Film Festival. Currently, she is the coordinator of Notre Dame International Film Festival and the art director in a number of films. (NNA, August 21, 2019)

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Women's Cultural Week in Ehden

22-8-2019

The Rishat Itr Forum inaugurated on August 17 the women’s cultural week at the Ehden Serail with the participation of women poets, painters, singers and women associations. The event included poetry readings, as well as painting and handicraft shows. Within this week, Koura Government Hospital, in collaboration with Rishat Itr, conducted free blood and diabetes screening tests for people of all ages. Endocrinologist Dr. Salam Sisi lectured on the risks of diabetes, its symptoms and how to treat it. (NNA, August 19, 2019)

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Women only beaches in Lebanon: Religion is not the only reason

22-8-2019

In its issue of August 20, Al Akhbar daily featured the women only beaches in Lebanon, drawing attention to the deceptive clichés raised about them and which to a great extent are not true. The newspaper cited a New York Times article published a year ago that attributed the booming business to a resurgence of religiosity within the Islamic environment. In its analysis, Al Akhbar said NYTimes has exposed only a partial truth about such places, stating that faith is but one of many reasons involved. While the majority of these beach goers are conservative devout women, others go because they are simply shy about exposing their bodies in mixed-gender beaches. Or, they just do it for social reasons because they enjoy and are more comfortable in decent swimming pools tailored for families, away from the ‘immoral and wild behavior’ invading mixed sex beaches. Contrary to the commonplace, the women only pools are not exclusive to Muslim women; Christian women go in large numbers as well. Some accompany their Muslim friends who prefer segregated beaches, while others have different motives, including ‘dieting’ or just for ‘meddlesomeness’. Such ‘religious diversity’ inspired women only beach resorts to offer spirits, noting that the music and dance atmosphere is all-over. (Al Akhbar, August 20, 2019)

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