Source: Kataeb.org
The official website of the Kataeb Party leader
Security & Justice
Southern Lebanon Endures Massive Damage: 40,000 Homes Leveled Across 37 Towns
Israeli forces have systematically destroyed entire neighborhoods in southern Lebanon, leveling more than 37 towns and wiping out over 40,000 residential units, according to Lebanon's National News Agency.
Tuesday, November 5, 2024
Gaps in Coastal Radar Enabled Israeli Raid in Batroun, Army Commander Says
Lebanon’s army chief, General Joseph Aoun, detailed to Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati how Israeli forces likely exploited gaps in the country's coastal radar system during the recent raid carried out in Batroun. The briefing comes as Lebanese officials seek answers on how Israel’s elite Shayetet 13 unit carried out the landing undetected.
Monday, November 4, 2024
Opinion
The Emptying of Baalbek Is a Moment to Take Stock
“Large numbers of people continue to flee their homes every day, as Israel’s military operations in Lebanon have been going on unabated.” These disturbing words could be from almost any news report about Israel’s invasion of its northern neighbour over the past month. However, they can be found in a report by the Norwegian Refugee Council’s Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre issued on July 27, 2006.
Saturday, November 2, 2024
A Future Without Hezbollah
At the end of September, when Israel’s campaign to destroy Hezbollah was reaching its height, I met one of the group’s supporters in a seaside café in western Beirut. He was a middle-aged man with a thin white beard and the spent look of someone who had not slept for days. He was an academic of sorts, not a fighter, but his ties to Hezbollah were deep and long-standing.
Thursday, October 31, 2024
Sports
Tottenham Forward Son Heung-min Crowned Asia’s International Player of the Year
Tottenham forward Son Heung-min was crowned as Asia’s International Player of the Year for the fourth time by the Asian Football Confederation at its annual awards ceremony Tuesday.
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
Real Madrid Launch Investigation into Racist Insults After El Clasico Defeat
Real Madrid has launched an investigation into racist insults directed at players during Saturday’s 4-0 home loss to Barcelona in LaLiga, it said on Sunday.
Monday, October 28, 2024
Thursday 18 July 2024 21:38:47
Lebanon’s Food Security Crisis Deepens as Essential Costs Soar
The World Food Program's (WFP) recent findings reveal a concerning trend in Lebanon's economic landscape, particularly impacting the affordability and availability of essential goods. As of May 2024, the cost of basic necessities has skyrocketed, with significant implications for Lebanese households.
The SMEB, which covers the bare minimum required to meet lifesaving needs, now costs LBP 37.3 million (USD 414) for a family of five, reflecting a 50% annual increase in local currency and a 58% rise in US dollars. The MEB, which encompasses broader essential needs, costs LBP 46.2 million (USD 513), also marking significant increases over the past year.
According to WFP’s latest report, the cost of food has also seen a sharp rise. The food SMEB per person reached LBP 3.13 million (USD 34.5) in May, a 25% increase in Lebanese pounds and a 30% increase in US dollars compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, the food MEB per person stood at LBP 4.13 million (USD 45.8), showing a 22% increase in local currency and 28% in US dollars over the same period.
Monthly changes were primarily driven by a 2% increase in bread prices, attributed to uncertainties regarding wheat import subsidies, and an 11% increase in potato prices due to labor shortages affecting local production.
These rises are largely driven by increases in the prices of staple foods such as bread and potatoes, exacerbated by uncertainties over import subsidies and labor shortages.
Non-food items have not been spared from price hikes. The Non-Food SMEB reached LBP 21.7 million (USD 241.5) and the Non-Food MEB LBP 25.6 million (USD 284.7) in May 2024. Over the past year, these costs have surged by 75% and 86% in Lebanese pounds, respectively, with even higher increases in US dollars. Significant contributors to these increases include skyrocketing rent prices and higher costs for residency renewals.
Lebanon's broader economic landscape remains bleak. The World Bank and Bloomberg have downgraded growth forecasts for 2024, while the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) highlighted a continuous decline in the Human Development Index (HDI). The protracted financial crisis and conflict have also led to significant human and economic costs, estimated at USD 8.4 billion in 2023 by the Global Peace Index.