Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is set to visit Lebanon on 19 May to announce the disarmament of Palestinian resistance factions Palestinian and Lebanese sources told MEE that Abbas will travel to Beirut on an official visit to meet the Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun and other top officials the Lebanese government and Abbas will announce the demilitarisation of the Lebanon branch of his own Fatah movement as well as other Palestinian factions based in refugee camps across the country Sources said Abbas has already agreed to a plan to remove Fatah’s weapons from the camps He will also explicitly call on other Palestinian factions fighting against Israel to disarm a military operation will target those who defy the Lebanese state’s disarmament orders Abbas is expected to provide political cover for such an operation under the banner of the Palestinian leadership A Palestinian source told MEE that Abbas intends to form a security committee tasked with overseeing the disarmament process and setting a clear timetable for the surrender of weapons Should the factions fail to comply with the Lebanese state’s directives and Abbas’ decision they will lose all organisational and political backing and will be vulnerable to forcible disarmament The sources also revealed that Abbas’ decision to disarm Fatah and other factions followed a Saudi request conveyed through the Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud Palestinian resistance groups remain active in Lebanon’s refugee camps due to historic displacement and ongoing political marginalisation Following the creation of Israel in 1948 and the subsequent Arab-Israeli wars around 750,000 of Palestinians were expelled from their homes and later Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) established a presence in the camps to continue their resistance against Israel 'Hamas and other factions will not be allowed to endanger national stability' - Lebanese Brigadier General Mohammed al-Mustafa Palestinian refugees in Lebanon are still denied basic civil rights including access to many professions and the right to own property Palestinians in Lebanon also carry the memory of the 1982 Sabra and Shatila massacre when Israel-backed Christian Lebanese militiamen killed between 800 and 3,500 civilians The move to disarm the factions is seen as part of a broader effort to reshape Lebanon’s political landscape amid Hezbollah’s relative military decline following Israeli strikes that decapitated much of its leadership in 2024 Abbas’s visit comes shortly after Lebanon’s top security body issued a warning to Hamas on 2 May threatening it with “the harshest measures” if it launches attacks on Israel from Lebanese territory followed a spate of arrests of Lebanese and Palestinian suspects allegedly involved in cross-border rocket fire targeting northern Israel in recent weeks “Hamas and other factions will not be allowed to endanger national stability,” said Brigadier General Mohammed al-Mustafa “The safety of Lebanon’s territories is above all.” Calls for Palestinian disarmament in Lebanon are not new when the Lebanese parliament annulled the 1969 Cairo Agreement which had formalised the PLO military presence in the country Signed by Yasser Arafat and the Lebanese government under Egyptian mediation the agreement granted the PLO the right to resist Israeli occupation from Lebanese territory for nearly two decades Abbas has become increasingly vocal in his criticism of Palestinian resistance groups, even as Israel’s war on Gaza, described by Amnesty International as a “live-streamed genocide” accusing it of giving Israel a pretext to continue its onslaught on Gaza At least 52,535 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's war on Gaza since October 2023 according to the Palestinian health ministry Israeli strikes killed 40 people and wounded 125 bringing the total number of wounded to 118,491 Copyright © 2014 - 2025. Middle East Eye Only England and Wales jurisdiction apply in all legal matters Middle East Eye          ISSN 2634-2456                      Create an account for a 7-day trial to access this article and all of AL-Monitor For subscription inquiries, please contact subscription.support@al-monitor.com For all other inquiries, please use contactus@al-monitor.com Polling stations opened at 7:00 am Sunday across Mount Lebanon’s six districts in the first round of Lebanon’s municipal elections The National News Agency said 9,321 candidates are running for municipal and mayoral seats Political and partisan balances and alliances have shifted since the last municipal elections in 2016 with all eyes on the presidency of the union of Northern Metn municipalities amid a competition between the incumbent Mirna Michel Murr and the municipal chief of Bekfaya-Mhaydtheh The most heated battle in Metn will take place in Jdeideh-Bouchrieh-Sadd the Lebanese Forces and MP Ibrahim Kanaan is vying against a list backed by the Free Patriotic Movement In Jounieh meanwhile a list backed by the FPM and Juan Hbeish is competing against a list backed by MPs Neemat Frem and Farid al-Khazen President Joseph Aoun meanwhile toured the ministries of interior and defense and Baabda's serail to inspect the taken security and administrative measures He also inspected the state-run Tele Liban television in Beirut Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders Complete digital access to quality analysis and expert insights complemented with our award-winning Weekend Print edition Terms & Conditions apply Discover all the plans currently available in your country See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker The Secretary-General of the Lebanese Hezbollah movement, Sheikh Naim Qassem, recently asserted that continued instability in Lebanon does not serve U.S Qassem made the remarks following an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s southern suburbs which Israel claimed had targeted a Hezbollah weapons depot “Put pressure on America and make it understand that Lebanon cannot rise if the aggression doesn’t stop,” he said addressing senior Lebanese state officials He added that Washington has interests in Lebanon and that “stability achieves these interests.” have strengthened Lebanese Shiite support for Hezbollah as their most reliable protector against a Sunni extremist threat interests in Lebanon will likely translate into much broader popular acceptance across the country there is reason to believe that the Shiite movement would commit to its word which still considers the group a terrorist organization and Hezbollah have been historically hostile that animosity stems largely from Washington’s support for Israel as opposed to ideological anti-Americanism support for an Israeli offensive against Lebanon and its occupation of the southern part of the country Hezbollah officials have also recently gone on the record stating that its issues with the United States do not stem from animosity towards Washington per se but rather its policies, particularly its support for Israel. In an interview with Responsible Statecraft in March Hezbollah parliamentarian Ali Fayyad remarked that the Lebanese Shiite movement “didn’t have bilateral problems with the Americans,” and that "the antagonism owes largely to Washington's pro Israel policies." coupled with deteriorating security and humanitarian conditions would seriously undermine Aoun’s position and the weakening of Lebanon’s state security apparatus undermines Washington’s declared aim of the state assuming full responsibility for securing the country Pressing Israel to refrain from unnecessary escalation would bolster Aoun’s position and potentially make Hezbollah more cooperative with the Lebanese president’s initiatives Some pundits in Washington have dismissed Aoun’s approach as unworkable. A policy analysis by David Schenker of the influential pro-Israel Washington Institute for Near East Policy argued that integrating Hezbollah fighters into the army would not be consistent with the goal of disarming the Lebanese Shiite movement He also asserted that integrating Hezbollah forces would “undercut” the Lebanese army and that now is the time to disarm Hezbollah This argument prioritizes the disarmament of the Lebanese Shiite movement over other considerations making it more closely aligned with Israel’s objectives as opposed to U.S Any attempt by the Lebanese army to forcefully disarm Hezbollah would almost certainly lead to civil strife and weaken Lebanon’s military by splitting it along sectarian lines and/or provoking the defection of Shiite officers and soldiers within its ranks thus severely degrading the very national institution in which Washington has invested so much in strengthening the Lebanese president’s initiatives deserve American support given that this would be consistent with U.S interests in a stable and unitary Lebanese state that can lay the groundwork for reinvigorating the economy attracting badly needed foreign investment and dealing with longstanding problems of corruption and clientelism Today, there are only three global naval powers: the United States, China, and Russia able occasionally to deploy further afield If Donald Trump wants European states to look after their own collective security Britain might be better off keeping its handful of ships in the Atlantic although still able to inflict severe damage on Ukraine few people talk about the real Russian naval capacity to challenge Western dominance how this will increasingly come up against U.S That is an incredible message to our adversaries It is an incredible show of unity to our allies and our commitment to NATO.” almost half of Britain’s fighting ships embarked from Portsmouth and Devonport to much fanfare “the world’s most advanced air defense destroyer,” has been in the dry dock since 2017 I’ve just finished reading “The Royal and Russian Navies, Cooperation, Competition and Confrontation,”written by Britain’s former Naval Attache to Moscow retired Principal Lecturer at the Defence Centre for Languages & Culture at the UK’s Defence Academy The authors argue that while we have focused most of our attention on Russia’s army in Ukraine And thinking about Russia as a relic of its Cold War self is a huge mistake laboring under sanctions and the tight fiscal constraints of the war in Ukraine Russia’s naval yards have built new vessels non-stop for the past decade Russia has taken delivery of 27 submarines Many more are under construction and will arrive by the end of this decade The Royal Navy, on the other hand, has continued to shrink in the teeth of defense cuts, and each new efficiency drive makes it smaller. The two Albion-class landing vessels and negotiations about their sale to Brazil are at an advanced stage The increase in defense spending to 2.5% of GDP will mostly be swallowed by the MoD’s bloated procurement programs that are typically delayed and always over budget It will not produce a rapid conveyor belt of ship-building that has seen Russia overtake Britain at a rapid pace since the Ukraine crisis started The book also underlines the importance of dialogue as a key component of deterrence and reminds the reader of the significant naval cooperation that took place between the two navies after the Cold War When HMS Battleaxe sailed into Baltiysk in 1992 the first Royal Navy ship visit to modern-day Russia it discovered the remnants of the Soviet Navy The Russian Navy had become the main beneficiary of Russia’s state armament program and a Russian admiral was saying the UK’s decision to give up the Nimrod Maritime Patrol Aircraft in 2010 made his “life easier.” practically all direct engagement between the Royal and Russian navies was cut at the instigation of the UK government the UK and Russia have no serving military attachés in their respective embassies in London and Moscow for the first time since 1941 Our modern generation of seafarers are now only able to view Russians through binoculars Britain has literally watched a modernizing Russian navy sail off into a distant horizon as we’ve criticized Russia from an ivory conning tower From his ridiculous photo op on the deck of HMS The Prince of Wales, it’s not clear that Keir Starmer has understood that the world now contains just three global naval powers: the United States of America Russian naval ambitions have now grown in the High North (Arctic) and in the Pacific While Britain’s modest Carrier Strike Group steams east, Russia has already been active in joint naval exercises with China and Iran as well as ship visits to Myanmar and other locations Britain has practically no scope to control Russia’s increasingly assertive naval posture in Asia This decade-long lack of engagement — not just by Britain but by America pre-Trump — has left us sailing blind on how Russian doctrine and tactics have shifted in the forge of war in Ukraine It's clear to me that in this new world order of military burden sharing between America and Europe Britain would be better placed keeping its handful of ships in the Atlantic while America increasingly comes into contact with the Russian Navy in the Pacific In President Donald Trump’s first 100 days his administration has arrested and detained visa holders and other non-citizens in the U.S for speaking out against Israel’s military actions in Gaza That’s not how the administration frames it but that is the connective tissue in each of the cases “We’re either a free society governed by the Constitution Paul was specifically addressing the Antisemitism Awareness Act which would codify a Trump-era executive order declaring that antisemitism is a prohibited form of discrimination in schools and universities and would use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism in assessing cases of antisemitic discrimination through the Department of Education Critics say that it would allow the government to conflate criticism of Zionism and the Israeli government with antisemitism and serve as a dangerous tool to shut down free speech Paul wondered aloud if campus police would be used in enforcing new speech rules As The Jewish Chronicle reported after the vote was postponed Paul was part of “a testy hearing on Wednesday that covered objections to the bill ranging from whether a Christian would be barred from saying that Jews killed Jesus to the acceptability of making contemporary political allusions to Nazi Germany and even the comedy of Jerry Seinfeld and Joan Rivers.” Paul cited the landmark 1969 Brandenburg v. Ohio case in which Ku Klux Klan member Clarence Brandenburg was convicted under two Ohio laws of allegedly inciting violence against Jews and African-Americans with his speech Brandenburg claimed that his punishment violated the First Amendment “Brandenburg was a Nazi and an antisemite and he said horrible things,” Paul said the Supreme Court ruled that you can say terrible things.” The senator compared the American concept of free speech with Europe’s recent crackdowns on speech “That’s unique about our country,” Paul said. “In Europe if you call a boy who thinks he’s a girl a boy If you say something about the Holocaust in Europe Do we want to replicate Europe’s speech laws in the U.S. “We’re codifying what Europe did to speech The Congressional debate is taking place as non-citizen students have been snatched away ostensibly for what they said or wrote about Israel the former co-president of Columbia University’s Palestinian Student Union of using “threatening rhetoric and intimidation” against Jewish students during a protest on campus in 2024 A 34-year-old permanent resident of the U.S who was born and raised in a Palestinian refugee camp in the West Bank before moving to the U.S Mahdawi was detained by ICE agents while at his naturalization hearing in Vermont on April 14 He was never formally charged with a crime We don't know if the other non-citizen students detained by immigration authorities in the last month have actually been involved in threats or intimidation because the administration has been deliberately vague about its reasons for detaining them Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the administration has the right to deport non-citizens when their "presence and activities in the United States would have serious adverse foreign policy consequences and would compromise a compelling U.S He is invoking a little-used clause in the Immigration and Nationality Act which stipulates that the Secretary of State can determine what kind of activity rises to the level of having “potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences” for the country Others are still in detention awaiting hearings Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil claims he was arrested on March 8 for a speech he gave during campus protests, though he too was never charged with anything. A judge has said the administration’s attempt to deport him will be decided in court He has been accused by Department of Homeland Security officials of spreading Hamas propaganda something his family and supporters vehemently deny the detainees’ support for the Palestinians’ plight and criticism of Israel’s war in Gaza appear to be the primary reasons behind their arrests But if America did ignore the First Amendment and allowed rigid UK-style speech laws instead Do the purveyors of the new antisemitism speech legislation on Capitol Hill know that this could boomerang on them when their ideological opponents someday get back into power As journalist Glenn Greenwald observed about the antisemitism legislation “this is not a hate speech code applying to foreign nationals It's a hate speech code that applies to American citizens where people can be punished for the expression of ideas on college campuses cheered for by the right wing faction that has long claimed there's nothing worse than hate speech codes and other forms of suppression of ideas on college campuses.” Carving out one country in the world and making it forbidden to criticize its government is the complete antithesis of the Constitution’s protections and a betrayal of the American tradition The First Amendment allows anyone on American soil to critique the U.S but now condemning a foreign government could land you in jail or deported to another country One would think that putting America first might include putting its First Amendment first The U.S.-Ukraine minerals agreement is not a diplomatic breakthrough and will not end the war but it is a significant success for Ukraine both in the short term and — if it is ever in fact implemented — in the longer term It reportedly does not get Ukraine the security “guarantees” that Kyiv has been asking for. It does not commit the U.S. to fight for Ukraine, or to back up a European “reassurance force” for Ukraine. And NATO membership remains off the table. Given its basic positions, there is no chance of the Trump administration shifting on these points But since the Ukraine peace process appeared to run out of steam and Trump threatened to “walk away” from the talks Kyiv and Moscow have been engaged in an elaborate diplomatic dance of semi-proposals and hints to try to ensure that if Trump does walk away he will blame the other side for the talks’ failure This agreement makes it far more likely that he will blame Russia, and therefore that he will continue military and intelligence aid to Ukraine. He may also, as threatened, try to impose additional sanctions on Russia — though given the resistance of most of the world to these sanctions, and tensions over tariffs between the U.S. and Europe it is not at all clear how effective new sanctions would be military and intelligence aid will not win the war for Ukraine nor allow it to drive the Russians from occupied territory It will however help the Ukrainian army to slow down Russia’s advance on the ground and impose heavy casualties on the Russian army This should not be taken by the Ukrainians or their European supporters as an excuse to maintain impossible conditions for peace that will make a settlement impossible; because the military and economic odds are still strongly against Ukraine and a collapse of Ukraine’s exhausted troops is a real possibility it will make it more likely that Russia will abandon or heavily qualify its impossible demands for example for Ukrainian disarmament and withdrawal from additional territory it is clearly far more favorable for Ukraine than Trump’s original — and grotesque — proposal that Ukraine should essentially hand its entire reserves of minerals to the U.S the profits of mineral extraction will be equally shared As Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said: “This agreement signals clearly to Russia that the Trump administration is committed to a peace process centered on a free … President Trump envisioned this partnership between the American people and the Ukrainian people to show both sides’ commitment to lasting peace and prosperity in Ukraine no state or person who financed or supplied the Russian war machine will be allowed to benefit from the reconstruction of Ukraine.” money go to develop mineral extraction in the Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine keep a lot of bad actors out of the country or certainly out of the area where we’re doing the digging." absolute Western security guarantees for Ukraine after a peace settlement have never really been on offer because the Biden administration and almost every other NATO government stated repeatedly that they would not fight to defend Ukraine will however ensure a strong continued U.S It greatly reduces the risk that in the event of future Russian aggression would simply look away and not respond as it has in this war with military supplies and extreme sanctions But the deal won’t be implemented until the war comes to an end. Thereafter, it will depend on the willingness of U.S private companies to invest in this sector — and that will depend on their assessment of both the risks and the profits involved For it is vital to note that this agreement does not commit the U.S government to invest in Ukraine; and to judge by the present profitability of minerals extraction in the world it is not certain that private investors will see major benefits from doing so China has developed its rare-earth sector on such a scale mainly through huge state-directed investment; and no-one has so far done a thorough analysis of the actual profitability and scale of most of these Ukrainian resources. So, only a tactical success for Ukraine and one over which there hang many questions; but nonetheless one that hopefully will lead Moscow to respond with some serious and acceptable peace proposals of its own. About UsPrivacy PolicyPitchRS@quincyinst.org©2025 Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, Inc. All Rights Reserved. ©2025 Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Subscribe now to our weekly round-up and don't miss a beat with your favorite RS contributors and reporters, as well as staff analysis, opinion, and news promoting a positive, non-partisan vision of U.S. foreign policy. with the plan being to transfer all weapons held by Palestinian 'resistance' organizations in refugee camps to the Lebanese army during which he will push for the disarmament of Palestinian factions in the country's refugee camps First reported in the UK's Middle East Eye a source in the Palestinian Authority confirmed the details of the visit to i24NEWS. Abbas's trip is scheduled for May 21 with the plan being to transfer all weapons held by Palestinian "resistance" organizations in the camps to the Lebanese army This will be done "with force if necessary," the Middle East Eye reported Abbas is expected to meet with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and other senior officials Celine Haidar sits in her wheelchair on the balcony of a rehabilitation center an hour outside of Beirut the 20-year-old Lebanon midfielder has been resilient despite emerging from a coma just three months ago to discover a life unrecognizable to the one she once knew “I shouldn’t have said that,” she says via video call That day was Nov. 16, 2024, the moment Haidar was struck in the head by shrapnel from an Israeli airstrike on Lebanon’s capital She had been a rising star on the Lebanese national soccer team The injury put her in a coma for nearly 60 days made her a symbol of the war’s destruction and changed her focus toward restoring any semblance of normalcy in recovery Life in Lebanon’s capital has been delineated by sounds and sights of conflict for decades, but the insect-like hum of drones and screams of evacuation sirens have been ever-present since Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Shiite movement, and Israel began exchanging cross-border attacks in the wake of the war in Gaza is aching to restore a semblance of normalcy to her life “Can I show you the view?” Haidar asks as she is wheeled out onto the balcony blanketing the skyline in streaks of pink and yellow even as she turns the camera towards her legs She remembers almost nothing from the day she was injured only that she had returned home and that her parents had told her to run and they’re telling me there’s an airstrike coming now and to stay here She asked questions about how she was injured Haidar watched herself lying among the still-settling rubble her dark hair spooling in eddying puddles of red Escaping reminders of her tragedy is nearly impossible a surgical procedure that creates an opening in the neck to aid breathing she must lift her phone speaker to her mouth and raise a voice she has only recently learned to reuse Her right eyebrow is partially shaven where the shrapnel struck her head “It took time to know that my hair was like this because I didn’t have my phone at first,” Haidar says She smiles again. “Stubborn” was a word used by her coaches and friends to describe her as they waited for her to awake, certain that she would. “She wants her life as she wants it,” her father, Abbas, told The Athletic earlier this year as he described a young girl who refused to acquiesce to her country’s historic conservatism who captained her senior club team to a national title despite being its youngest player by nearly four years Haidar’s recovery journey is evidence of that Haidar was handed what doctors believed to be an ambitious prognosis: one year to use a wheelchair with only the gentle assistance of a physio’s hand or forearm Haidar can already walk alone in physio sessions “I achieved this result in two months,” she says She is not yet permitted to do so outside of those sessions though she insists she is more than capable She clutches her hand close to her chest and clenches it into a distorted fist “My hand was like this every day,” she says before lifting her arm high into the air and opening her hand so that her fingers spread into the twilight sky The journey has not been without dark moments Being in a rehabilitation centre means being an hour’s drive from her family and friends coaches and teammates could visit frequently The rare times she is permitted to leave to visit friends “I’m in depression because I’m here alone,” Haidar says I thought that I would never go back to how I was though this time something more visceral burns behind it the memories of their elation at her waking She says he was shot in the leg when he was a prisoner of war during the conflict between Lebanon and Israel in the 1980s “I always told my dad that I’m like him,” she says That she has had to be this manifestation of herself has been emotional for her and her father Speaking to The Athletic earlier this year Abbas bemoaned the “zero-sum” nature of war were within range of Israel’s strike on Sunday God is stronger than everything and will never keep this going,” she says Instead of speaking at length about how her life ground to a halt Simply making a full return to the sport that has been her life is the bottom rung of Haidar’s ambitions to start to achieve my dreams again.” Haidar smiles once again Celine Haidar; Illustration: Will Tullos / The Athletic) Toward Racial Justice: Voices from the Midstate A recent executive order threatens federal support for the emergency resources and educational programming you rely on and love For a full listing of this week’s Lancaster County restaurant inspections, click here. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture uses a risk-based inspection reporting process for restaurants and other food handlers READ: What do restaurant inspectors look for and can they close a restaurant? Food Facility received a shipment of flour that had damaged packaging/exposed food and was in distressed condition Flour was removed from sales and disposed of during this inspection Observed a 50 lb bag of onions stored directly on the floor in the walk-in cooler rather than 6 inches off of the floor as required Onions were placed on shelving at the time of this inspection 3 cases of frozen pork shoulders and 2 cases of frozen raw shrimp observed thawing at room temperature on the floor in the prep room which is not an approved thawing method Proper thawing procedures and guidance was provided to owner and staff All food items were moved to the walk-in cooler during this inspection Side exit door of the food facility has a busted screen/holes and does not protect against the entry of insects Employee personal item (cell phone) was observed on a cutting board in the food prep area and not stored in dressing rooms or identified storage area as required Cell phone was removed from the food prep area/cutting board egg rolls and assorted cooked breaded chicken (cooled) in the walk-in cooler stored open with no covering All food items were covered during this inspection Food dispensing utensil in bulk salt and rice observed stored in the food and not with handle above the top of the food and the container Non-food contact surfaces (hood filters) not cleaned at a frequency to preclude accumulation of grease and grime Become a WITF sponsor today » your mornings are just too busy to catch the news beyond a headline or two enlightened and up-to-date on what’s happening in central Pennsylvania and the rest of this great commonwealth Driving Directions Request a Tour there are plenty of performances to highlight from the latest week around Lebanon County and eight student athletes are up for voting to decide the best Want to nominate an athlete for the weekly polls Email Zavier Gussett at zgussett@ldnews.com by noon each Sunday sport and a little bit about their accomplishment "Everyone wins:" Palmyra's Tyler, Jacob Burgess lead gold medal relay at 2025 county meet 'Living a dream:' Lebanon football's Jamil Gordon maturing through each new opportunity (WHP) — Police are investigating a crash killed two people and sent a child to the hospital Saturday in North Annville Township Cleona Borough Police said a motorcycle and SUV collided around 7 p.m at the intersection of Palmyra Bellegrove Road and Snyer Road The drivers of both vehicles were pronounced dead on scene Police identified the motorcyclist as 26-year-old Zachary Long of North Annville Township and the driver of the SUV was identified as 28-year-old Luis Enrique Ortiz of South Annville Township a technician at Sahley's Automotive in Annville said the area is seeing more crashes “I think a lot of people are on their phones— I’ve been riding for probably close to 15 years and I’ve still had people look me directly in the eye and pull out like they’re gonna go and I’ve had people pull out.” A 7-year-old boy was also in the SUV during the crash The child was able to crawl out of the vehicle and onto the road He was taken to the Hershey Medical Center for evaluation and turned over to his mother Annville/Cleona Fire Department and Lebanon County Coroner's Office all helped Cleona officers at the scene The details leading up to what caused the crash are still being investigated “People definitely fly up and down going in to Annville and the speed limit drops," said Schrum "I don’t know if everyone knows that but there’s definitely a lot of speeding going on." Officers and families of those involved returned to the crash site Monday to take measurements and gather a better understanding of what happened but for two people— for each driver to have passed it just had to have been terrible like it had to have been a terrible scene," said Schrum Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInLEBANON (KY3) - One man is dead and another person is in the hospital after a shooting in Lebanon According to the Lebanon Police Department officers responded to a house in the 400 block of N they found one person with a gunshot wound who was then taken to the hospital and is undergoing surgery According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol some of their SWAT members were sent to assist Lebanon Police with a barricaded subject After a couple hours-long stand-off investigation officers went inside the house and found the suspect Police are still processing the scene and say residents in the area can return to their homes Several agencies assisting at the scene included the Lebanon Police Department The Lebanon police chief tells KY3 they are still investigating the incident as a homicide at this time To report a correction or typo, please email digitalnews@ky3.com Please include the article info in the subject line of the email Two people were involved in a shooting incident on Sunday in Laclede County The Lebanon Police Department (LPD) was dispatched to the 400 block of North Monroe Street around noon on May 4 for a report of shots fired officers discovered one person with a gunshot wound who was taken to a local hospital for treatment LPD noted that the investigation is ongoing and more information will be shared at a later date LebTown Lebanon County’s most essential weekly read non-partisan journalism?Become a champion of local news and unlock additional benefits as a LebTown member Already a member? Log in here to hide these messages If you value the journalism LebTown provides to the community then help us make it sustainable by becoming a champion of local news Join the 1,000+ LebTown readers who support our work as members Once a week we share the most recent obituaries in a post like this, but you’ll find the full list of Lebanon County obituaries in the Obituaries section Christman’s Funeral HomeLebanon Thompson Funeral HomeLebanon Kreamer Funeral HomeAnnville Kreamer & LumJonestown Snyder Bean Funeral HomeLebanon Grose Funeral HomeMyerstown Obituaries may also be submitted on an individual basis for $25 per obituary. Submit an obituary online here or email us at obits@lebtown.com for more information. You can help LebTown grow. If you rely on us for your Lebanon County news, now is the time to join as a member. Join the 1,000+ LebTown readers who support our work as members. Christman’s Funeral HomeMary C. Sullivan (1960-2025) Grose Funeral HomeScott E. Woodard (1950-2025)CDR Patrick D. Bowe (1952-2025)Marthalynn Ruth Moon (1943-2025) Kreamer Funeral HomeWilliam J. “Bill” Gildea (1932-2025) Kreamer & Lum Funeral HomeRoy W. Kreider (1940-2025)Cassandra L. Wright (1994-2025) Snyder Bean Funeral HomeHugh Francis Schick (1933-2025) Thompson Funeral HomeBarbara A. Romberger (1950-2025) Barley Snyder BlueScope Buildings North America Brick Property Services Caring Transitions of Hershey & Lebanon PA Community Health Council of Lebanon County Cornwall Manor Greater Lebanon Refuse Authority Gretna Music Henise Tire Service In The Net Jono Hardware Lebanon Area Fair Lebanon County Bar Association Lebanon Internal Medicine Associates Reliable Moving & Storage Salvation Army Lebanon Corps Steckbeck Engineering & Surveying, Inc. The Original Mount Gretna Cicada Music Festival Lebanon police are investigating an incident early Sunday afternoon that left one person dead and another injured were called to a house in the 400 block of North Monroe and found one person suffering from a gunshot wound who was taken to the hospital Assisting at the scene were the Lebanon Fire Department the Laclede County Sheriff’s Office and the Missouri State Highway Patrol Previous Article Next Article We use third-party advertising companies to serve ads when you visit our Website. These companies may use information (not including your name, address email address or telephone number) about your visits to this and other Web sites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies, click here 2025 Viper Communications Inc.   |   Grow Your Online Presence with BEST Digital Lebanon County needs modern local journalism that works accurate reporting without paywalls or corporate mandates Here are the latest real estate transfers recorded in Lebanon County Get peace of mind in your moving experience with Reliable Moving and Storage. Get a free estimate. Annville Township437 East Main StreetSantelli Properties LLC to Amy S. Berrier for $222,500.1103 East Main StreetWindswept Rentals LLC to Robert T. Barnes Jr., Sandra M. Barnes for $320,000.120 South Spruce StreetMichael A. and Deborah A. Frattaroli to Julie Campbell for $360,000.316 Water StreetTheodore R. Keller to Rebecca Kramarich, Matthew Leo for $345,000. Cleona Borough224 South Wilson StreetRobert and Daphne Wagner to Willie and Lisa Medero for $330,000. East Hanover TownshipSS Jonestown RoadWesley B. and Heidi M. Schrock to Josiah and Hope Grunwald for $345,000.NS Mountain RoadCarlton B. Geesaman to Edward A. and Donna J. Murphy for $265,000. Heidelberg Township152 Marissa CourtLandmark Homes at 897 Inc. to Steven A. and Joanna E. Burkholder for $1.327 Distillery RoadDale A., Kerry D., and Dona L. Nye to Randy D. and Kerry D. Nye for $373,333.212 Gravel Hill Road Lot 7Bernice Hartman to Josh and Noemi Champagne for $1,000,000. Jonestown Borough130 North King StreetEric W. Drupp to Eric W. and Jennifer K. Drupp for $1. Myerstown Borough242 East Main AvenueKristin A. Rhoads to Ask4Noah-Property Solutions LLC for $170,000.28 East Park Avenue Lot 2 and Part of Lot 1Matthew L. and Jill C. Gettle to Tammy S. Landis for $70,000. North Annville Township1150 Thompson AvenueScott E. and Catherine M. Houser to Jolan L. and Michelle A. Weaver for $565,000.65 Horseshoe BoulevardJolan L. Weaver to Nevin Horst for $315,200.1712 Blacks Bridge RoadRobert E. Armstrong to Jason A. Gastley for $213,027. North Cornwall Township423 Wilshire Drive Lot 59ABRH Homes in PA Southeast LLC, BNH PA Southeast Homes LLC to Christopher P. and Melanie A. Breuer for $469,990.47 Creekside DriveChelsea Eckerd, Brian Beltz to Jiali Liu for $375,000.618 Pondside Lane Lot 183 Final Plan for the VillagesThe Rhonda K. Mazzoni Revocable Trust, Rhonda K. Mazzoni to Rhonda K. Mazzoni, Robert J. Mazzoni Jr. for $1. Richland Borough216 East Main StreetSara H. Weaver Estate, Theodore O. Weaver to Trevor P. Kellenberger for $240,000.820 East Linden StreetJena L. Koppenhaver, Dustin Miller to Evelyn R. Firestine, Benjamin M. Horst for $230,000. South Londonderry Township210 Royal RoadJoseph L. and Leanne N. Shoemaker to Nicholas J. Danielson, Janine N. Payne for $365,000.126 Lawn RoadStephen M. Stine Sr. to Proverbs Home Buyers LLC for $120,000.231 Timber Road Lot 13Larry Q. and Sandra K. Hall to Galen M. and Elaine N. Good for $365,000. Swatara Township406 South Lancaster StreetDaniel Roman to Hari Om Enterprises Inc. for $110,000. Union Township8 and 10 Ridge Road Corrective DeedFrancis Boyer Estate, Sheila R. Boyer to Sheila R. and Christy L. Boyer for $0.26 Yingst DriveLinda S. and John D. Light to John D. Light for $1. West Cornwall Township311 First Street Lots 36 and 45 Mount Gretna CampmeetingBillie and Melora Hartman to Laurie and Mark P Crawford for $410,000.133 Northwest DriveSandra L Isaac Carpenter for $340,000.103 Pine AvenueElizabeth Gatland to Sara E Reliable Moving and Storage provides quality detailed and professional moving services for both local and long distance relocations With our services you can be assured that your move will be on schedule done in a professional manner, all while respecting and carefully moving your belongings to and from your desired location. When you trust us for your move you can have peace of mind knowing that your relocation experience will be as pleasant and stress free as possible New businesses are coming soon and just opened The town just welcomed a rebuild of a popular restaurant due to fire a relocation and an expansion with an additional service The Front Porch Cafe: A community gathering place with specialty coffee and unique homemade foods is the business concept husband and wife owners John and Mary Besse are aiming for The Front Porch Café will be located 106 Winwood Drive just behind the Dollar Tree on West Main Street The Besses’ are partnering with Crema Coffee out of Nashville and Durci Chocolate in Lebanon Ideas for The Front Porch Café were gathered from family trips taken to visit Mary Besse’s son military son Jaco Hopes are to have a soft opening in late May and a grand opening in June Stroud’s Barbeque: An after-hours fire last fall temporarily closed the building at 1400 West Baddour Parkway in Lebanon Stroud’s has continued to operate on a limited basis in Lebanon with its food trailer in the parking lot The building rebuild is underway and hopes are to reopen in late summer Hand-breaded chicken tenders will be added to the menu in Lebanon The Stroud’s trailer will also be at the Wilson County – Tennessee State Fair The Trailer Park Food Trucks: The food truck park is under construction on Callis Road near State Route 109 The Trailer Park Food Trucks will have 29 spaces with power hookups available for food trucks to lease a covered area for music and outdoor seating with turf for play structures and lawn games are also planned In-N-Out Burger: Work is underway for a new 3,885-square-foot restaurant on South Hartmann Drive across from Home Depot The company hasn't given an estimated opening date Aubrey’s: A public opening was scheduled for April 28 at 1648 W The business has been issued a temporary certificate of occupancy city Economic Development Director Sarah Haston said The restaurant came to Lebanon with a $1.5 million incentive approved by the city council and the Industrial Development Board A second $500,000 installment was tied to a completion date of May 1 “Everything is on schedule” for Aubrey’s to receive its second installment Haston said leading up to the restaurant's opening Aubrey's is established in East Tennessee with multiple locations Lebanon Mayor Rick Bell and Haston visited Aubrey's in recent weeks before the public opening and said they were pleased with the design and style of the restaurant The Plaza at Five Oaks: Planning commissioners have approved a plan to build multiple commercial buildings for restaurants and retail along with a 40,000 square foot hotel just off Lebanon Road near the Five Oaks neighborhood The Plaza at Five Oaks will be on 16.5 acres at the Five Oaks Boulevard intersection A central plaza and greenspace that will include shaded seating and a stage for events and entertainment seasonal festivals and informal gatherings can also be held Split Bean Roasting Co.: Has opened a new location at 1050 Hamilton Station Boulevard Split Bean closed its former store just off the Lebanon square in September with plans to move to a space on West High Street in Lebanon the move wasn’t going to be cost-effective and owner Chris Cox continued to look for a new location Business continued in between locations as Cox also has done consumer shipping orders from Split Bean’s website while expanding retail and corporate partners locally and outside the state Split Bean also does select public and private events with its mobile trailer Online orders are at www.splitbeanroasting.com Gibbs Pharmacy: A Lebanon landmark that opened in 1989 is expanding with The Clinic at Gibbs Pharmacy at the business 1427 W The Clinic at Gibbs Pharmacy will allow patients to be tested and treated for certain conditions and fill prescriptions at one location The Clinic at Gibbs Pharmacy will be operated by pharmacists and pharmacy technicians and the pharmacists can prescribe treatment Consultations and prescribing for urinary tract infections Diabetes care will feature insulin pump training and custom shoes for patients with diabetes Some insurance plans are currently accepted with more expected Reach Andy Humbles at ahumbles@tennessean.com and on X (WHP) — Two motorcyclists were injured after a three-vehicle crash in Millcreek Township The crash happened Thursday around 7:22 p.m on North Fort Zellers Road near North Kalbach Road Millcreek Township Police said a motorcycle crossed into oncoming traffic and struck a 2025 Lexus RX350 before crashing into another motorcycle Both motorcyclists were hospitalized for injuries who was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the wreck Millcreek Township Police are still investigating the crash This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page the escalation of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel which began in October 2023 just one day after the start of the Gaza conflict with the greatest humanitarian impacts felt in southern Lebanon – including the displacement of approximately 110,000 people the conflict’s intensity spiked dramatically Over 1 million people were displaced within Lebanon between September and November 2024 and more than 560,000 fled the country into Syria and other countries of the region The 27 November cessation of hostilities agreement once again marked a moment of rapid transition as some 90 per cent of those displaced began to return to their areas of origin nearly overnight basic services and other public infrastructure outstripping that of the 2006 conflict conflict-affected people in many areas of return as well as those who remained displaced – nearly 161,000 people at the end of December continued to be in urgent need of critical assistance with thousands of households navigating complex challenges as they seek stability in the aftermath of the conflict and amidst ongoing violations of the cessation of hostilities agreement some 92,000 people remained displaced outside their cadaster of origin the situation of Syrian refugees in Lebanon continues to present significant humanitarian challenges In addition to a long-standing refugee population more than 110,000 individuals have arrived from Syria since December 2024 Along with the catastrophic impact of the conflict and the refugee’s influx Lebanon continues to face a multi-layered crisis characterized by deep-rooted vulnerabilities and acute humanitarian needs The crisis is driven by a combination of factors including financial and socio-economic downturn and political deadlock Lebanon's municipal and local elections began on Sunday in the Mount Lebanon Governorate marking the first such elections in nine years after several postponements As Israel continues to fight and thwart threats to its security on multiple fronts it faces increased international criticism of Israel’s presence and strikes in Lebanese and Syrian territory This criticism is often biased and misleading international pressure on Israel is also mounting The recurring international criticism claims that Israel’s presence in Lebanon and Syria is not driven by security needs but rather indicates Israel’s intention to occupy territory in violation of the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon and international law regarding Syrian sovereignty the international criticism asserts that Israeli strikes in Lebanon and Syria are harming uninvolved civilians the criticism against Israel argues that the Lebanese government and army are working to enforce their authority Israel’s presence and continued strikes undermine Lebanon’s ability to enforce the ceasefire terms.In the context of Syria the argument is that there is no longer any threat to the State of Israel The old regime supported by Iran has fallen and the new regime has declared that it is not interested in conflict with Israel there is no justification for Israel’s presence in Syrian territory or for conducting strikes there In both Lebanon and Syria, Israel maintains a limited presence in areas near the border at several strategic points that allow for monitoring and detection of activities that pose a threat to Israel (see article) Hezbollah’s activity in southern Lebanon—including south of the Litani—is on the rise This constitutes a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement.Although the Lebanese Army’s activity in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah’s violations is occasionally mentioned in headlines and general statements—including claims that several Hezbollah sites were allegedly destroyed—there is practically no actual evidence of this on the ground.On April 14 Lebanese President Joseph Aoun declared that Lebanon is committed to disarming Hezbollah but he added that the process would occur through dialogue Expecting Hezbollah to willingly disarm is and Israel cannot ignore Hezbollah’s ongoing rehabilitation efforts while the Lebanese government and president make declarations and the actions of the Lebanese Army remain ambiguous.Since the ceasefire there have been four shooting incidents from Lebanese territory into Israeli territory constituting blatant violations of the ceasefire terms and severely harming the sense of security among residents of northern Israel who are currently in the process of returning to their homes.While Hezbollah denied responsibility for the shootings and the Lebanese Army stated it is working to locate the suspects it did not act to prevent the attacks in the first place—highlighting its ineffectiveness and the necessity for Israel to continue operating against threats This requires a certain level of presence in Lebanese territory and continued strikes against violations of the agreement and against clear and immediate threats Syria:Changes are indeed taking place in Syria—but are they truly for the better?The new Syrian regime and its leader are at a crossroads between the desire to build a state with Western support and the radical Islamic ideology they embrace it is still unclear which path al-Julani has chosen The image he presents to the Western world does not align with the actions of his forces within Syria.On April 26 it was reported that al-Julani conveyed a message to the United States stating that Syria does not intend to pose a threat to Israel and would even be open to future normalization talks Syria remains divided and subject to considerable pressure and external interference from actors that even if the new regime does not wish to engage in conflict with Israel it may not be capable of enforcing its will or preventing internal or external actors involved in Syria from establishing infrastructure that could potentially threaten Israel Israel’s activity in Syria is intended to prevent hostile entities from gaining a foothold and becoming a threat Below are the key recent developments in Syria that may pose a security threat to Israel: In addition to the developments listed above it is important to remember that the ongoing instability further amplifies the threat of tactical terrorism from southern Syria against Israel This threat did not vanish with the collapse of the Assad regime or the weakening of the Shiite axis This threat could manifest in the form of infiltrations into Israeli territory The Human Shield:Despite the numerous pieces of evidence that Israel has published since the beginning of the war (and even in the years prior) regarding Hezbollah’s use of civilians as human shields to make it more difficult for Israel to act against it—knowing that Israel operates in accordance with international law—and to delegitimize Israeli actions.Unfortunately many in the international community refuse to acknowledge the fact that this is a deliberate policy by Hezbollah.Hezbollah’s military activity takes place within the civilian population among whom it operates Israel conducts precise and targeted strikes and makes every possible effort to minimize harm to civilians in accordance with international law even as Hezbollah continues to use the civilian population as part of its rebuilding efforts.In addition Israel reports every violation it detects to the mechanism that is supposed to operate under the ceasefire framework and acts only when those violations are not addressed.Many European countries differentiate between Hezbollah’s military and civilian wings only 9 have recognized Hezbollah in its entirety as a terrorist organization—among them are the Netherlands The rest attribute terrorist activity solely to Hezbollah’s military wing.) Hezbollah’s civilian activities enable its military operations The civilian and military functions are intertwined and Hezbollah itself has stated that it is one single organization with no separate branches—therefore it will not give up its military activity.As a result international media often misleadingly portray Hezbollah operatives (who are dressed in civilian clothing while carrying out military terrorist activity) as uninvolved civilians harmed in Israeli strikes It is highly likely that in the near future criticism and pressure on Israel will intensify—especially if conciliatory messages continue to emerge from Lebanon and Syria conciliatory messages do not actually neutralize threats Radical Islamic ideology—both Sunni and Shiite—is here to stay proved that our understanding of the other side’s intentions is limited and we will not always have advance warning regarding the realization of such intentions Israel’s presence and strikes in Lebanese and Syrian territory are necessary International coverage must be based on accurate and balanced information that provides a full overview of Israel’s security situation Alma is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) education and research organization made possible in part by the Galila Foundation Game Recap: Baseball | 5/4/2025 7:15:00 PM Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here Fighters from the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah train in southern Lebanon An Israeli soldier from an EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) poses with a weapon used by Hezbollah seized during combat operations in Lebanon displayed during a government-organized media tour on a base in southern Israel A trailer carrying the coffins containing the bodies of Hezbollah’s former leader Hassan Nasrallah and his cousin and successor Hashem Safieddine drives through the crowd as it enters the Sports City Stadium during a funeral procession in Beirut Flames rise from a metal tent that was hit by an Israeli airstrike on Dahiyeh in the southern suburb of Beirut Weapons and other equipment said to belong to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and seized by the Israeli military in its ground invasion of southern Lebanon are displayed at Northern Israel military base Hezbollah fighters attend the funeral procession of their two comrades who were killed by Israeli shelling A Hezbollah fighter stands next to an armed drone during a training exercise in Aaramta village in the Jezzine District Fighters from the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah carry out a training exercise as they stand in front of launcher rockets trucks in Aaramta village in the Jezzine District stand guards as he watches Hezbollah fighters attending the funeral procession of their commander Ali Jawad who was killed by an Israeli airstrike Hezbollah fighters shout slogans during the funeral procession of their top commander Fouad Shukur who was killed by an Israeli airstrike on July 30 Flames and smoke rise from an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh but when and how it will happen - if it does - is contested Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun has said he is committed to bringing all arms in the country under state control but that it will happen through discussions around a national security plan and not through force Many fear that an attempt to force the issue would lead to civil conflict Hezbollah officials have said in principle that they are willing to discuss the group’s arsenal but leader Naim Qassem said in a speech earlier this month that any serious discussions are contingent on Israel withdrawing its forces from territory they occupy in southern Lebanon and halting near-daily airstrikes “The Lebanese have to strike a delicate balance” on disarmament a senior associate with the Center for Strategic and International Studies and you will lose internal momentum and international legitimacy Go too fast and you get accused by a still-hurting and battered Shia community” — who make up most of Hezbollah’s constituency — “of acting as a proxy for Israel waging an insurgency against the Lebanese government.” After Lebanon’s 15-year civil war ended in 1990 the country went through a process of disarming most of the militias that had taken part given special status as a “resistance force” fighting against Israel’s occupation of southern Lebanon at the time Aoun has outlined his vision of a similar disarmament process Former Hezbollah fighters could apply to join the Lebanese army as individuals Weapons deemed “usable” by the army would become part of its arsenal while those deemed “unusable” would be destroyed Nerguizian said that more than 90% of Hezbollah’s “sophisticated and heavy weapons” — which once included tens of thousands of missiles and drones — are believed to have been destroyed already would not be compatible with the Lebanese army’s arsenal Nerguizian said it is unlikely that large numbers of Hezbollah’s tens of thousands of fighters would be incorporated into the army because their ideology has not been compatible as a paramilitary force that has largely been “tied to the preferences of Iran.” Hassan Jouni agreed that much of Hezbollah’s arsenal would not be easily integrated but said the post-civil war era provides a precedent for integrating fighters “they become like any other soldier,” he said While there might be a “religious and ideological obstacle” for some Hezbollah fighters “I do not think this is the case for everyone.” a member of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc told The Associated Press that “everything is open for discussion.” “We don’t want to jump into discussing the details,” he said “This is something that is being left in the hands of the president and the Hezbollah leadership to deal with.” Mousawi said the destruction of Hezbollah’s arsenal “shouldn’t be acceptable to Lebanon.” The cash-strapped Lebanese army has struggled to maintain its aging arsenal “We are part of the Lebanese strength,” Mousawi said ”If the Americans are really keen to show us that they really respect Lebanon and they care for the Lebanese why don’t they equip the Lebanese army with defensive weapons?” envoy Morgan Ortagus said earlier this month in an interview broadcast on Lebanese channel LBCI that Hezbollah should be disarmed “as soon as possible.” A Lebanese diplomat said there is ongoing pressure from the Americans on that front He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly Hezbollah’s stance that it will not discuss giving up its armed wing before Israel withdraws from five key border points in southern Lebanon appears likely to drag out the process Israeli officials have said that they plan to remain there indefinitely to secure their border and guard against any ceasefire violations by Hezbollah Israeli officials did not respond to a request for comment on the issue of Lebanon’s army integrating former Hezbollah weapons and fighters Lebanese officials say that the Israeli presence violates the ceasefire agreement in November under which Israel and Hezbollah were supposed to withdraw their forces from southern Lebanon with the Lebanese army taking control alongside U.N officials had acknowledged that Israeli forces remaining in the five border points constituted an “occupation” but had not put strong pressure on Israel to withdraw quickly A “smart way to break the deadlock” and avoid further escalation is for Washington to increase its support for the Lebanese army and push Israel to withdraw a former Pentagon official and senior managing director of the Washington-based TRENDS US consulting firm Elias Hanna said he believes that Hezbollah is “still in the phase of denial” regarding the diminution of its military and political clout He said disarmament needs to take place as part of broader discussions about Lebanon’s military doctrine and strategy The Lebanese army could benefit from the experience of Hezbollah which for many years maintained deterrence with Israel before the latest war Saab said he believes the outcome is not in doubt “Either lay down its arms or have them removed by Israeli force.” Associated Press writer Sam Mednick in Jerusalem contributed to this report You can submit an event here, or even advertise on our Lebanon Valley calendar. If you have a website where events are posted on their own pages, email the link to us at events@lebtown.com and we can set your events to be automatically imported into our Lebanon Valley calendar Note: We cannot accept event submissions via email This Lebanon Valley calendar is made possible as a community service by our esteemed sponsors and member supporters you’ll find things to do in Lebanon County and things to do in Lebanon and events from every Lebanon County municipality: Annville Township We strive to be the best Lebanon Valley events calendar MENA The production plant was found in Harf Al Samaka in the Hermel area, where last month the army intercepted a vehicle loaded with the equipment and raw materials needed to make Captagon The often porous, demarcated Syria-Lebanon border has long been the site of rampant smuggling of people Captagon was state-produced on a mass scale in Syria during the recent years of the Bashar Al Assad regime providing a vital income source to help prop up the government during the prolonged civil war The drug was often smuggled into Lebanon through border areas where Hezbollah – the Lebanese armed group and political party that supported the Assad regime – held sway Mr Al Assad was overthrown in a rebel offensive in December Syria's new rulers have sought to eliminate production networks and publicly destroyed seizures of vast amounts of the drug Lebanon often seizes of vast amounts of Captagon and other drugs. In 2023, an estimated 10 million Captagon pills meant to be smuggled to Senegal then on to Saudi Arabia were intercepted Riyadh suspended fruit and vegetable imports from Lebanon after it said shipments were being used as cover for drug smuggling It came amid a deterioration of relations between Lebanon and Gulf countries and a perceived rise in Hezbollah and Iran's influence over Lebanese affairs With a new Lebanese government and Hezbollah severely weakened there have been signs of closer ties developing between Lebanon and Gulf countries At the weekend, the UAE announced it was lifting a ban on its citizens travelling to Lebanon – days after Lebanese President Joseph Aoun visited the capital Abu Dhabi UAE schools should encourage 'creation and innovation' over curriculums  Life in the UAE among the best in the world, according to the latest human development report Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty” which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30  Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances • Remittance charges will be tackled by blockchain • UAE's monumental and risky Mars Mission to inspire future generations, says minister • Could the UAE drive India's economy? • News has a bright future and the UAE is at the heart of it • Architecture is over - here's cybertecture • The National announces Future of News journalism competition • Round up: Experts share their visions of the world to come Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute Checking: the obsession or thoughts focus on some harm coming from things not being as they should which usually centre around the theme of safety the obsession is “the building will burn down” therefore the compulsion is checking that the oven is switched off Contamination: the obsession is focused on the presence of germs dirt or harmful bacteria and how this will impact the person and/or their loved ones the obsession is “the floor is dirty; me and my family will get sick and die” Orderliness: the obsession is a fear of sitting with uncomfortable feelings or to prevent harm coming to oneself or others Objectively there appears to be no logical link between the obsession and compulsion For example,” I won’t feel right if the jars aren’t lined up” or “harm will come to my family if I don’t line up all the jars” so the compulsion is therefore lining up the jars Intrusive thoughts: the intrusive thought is usually highly distressing and repetitive Common examples may include thoughts of perpetrating violence towards others or questions over one’s character or deeds usually in conflict with the person’s true values An example would be: “I think I might hurt my family” which in turn leads to the compulsion of avoiding social gatherings Hoarding: the intrusive thought is the overvaluing of objects or possessions while the compulsion is stashing or hoarding these items and refusing to let them go “this newspaper may come in useful one day” the compulsion is hoarding newspapers instead of discarding them the next day clinical psychologist at Lighthouse Arabia National Editorial: What 'Fight Island' means for Abu Dhabi and the world National Editorial: The UAE looks to cycling for exercise and for the planet Gareth Cox: Sporting week in pictures, as Covid-19 makes its presence felt UAE coins Dh5 note Dh10 note Dh20 note In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000 The local average wage is £15,458.  4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah5.10pm: Continous5.45pm: Raging Torrent6.20pm: West Acre7pm: Flood Zone7.40pm: Straight No Chaser8.15pm: Romantic Warrior8.50pm: Calandogan9.30pm: Forever Young Who are the bidoon? Custom-made smuggling vests used to smuggle ivory onto aircraft UAE ranks high for animal trafficking as smugglers target Dubai International Airport, report finds Favourite drink: Must have karak chai and Chinese tea every day Favourite non-Chinese food: Arabic sweets and Indian puri Favourite Chinese dish: Spicy boiled fish or anything cooked by her mother because of its flavour Favourite book: Chairman Mao Zedong’s poems head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey At this rate, Lebanon may not survive to see its 100th birthday Dr Nawal Al-Hosany: Why more women should be on the frontlines of climate action Samar Elmnhrawy: How companies in the Middle East can catch up on gender equality The National Editorial: Is there much to celebrate on International Women's Day 2021? Justin Thomas: Challenge the notion that 'men are from Mars, women are from Venus' Education: Bachelor’s degree in business management and marketing at American University of Sharjah her current favourite is the poke superfood bowls Likes reading: autobiographies and fiction runs in other emirates on the group's Instagram account @Anagowrunning Has created a database of Emirati and GCC sportspeople on Instagram @abeermk a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives the party focused on the reformation of British democracy Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024 and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court UKInnovator Founder Visa is aimed at those who can demonstrate relevant experience in business and sufficient investment funds to set up and scale up a new business in the UK It offers permanent residence after three years GermanyInvesting or establishing a business in Germany offers you a residence permit The investment must meet an economic need and you have to have lived in Germany for five years to become a citizen ItalyThe scheme is designed for foreign investors committed to making a significant contribution to the economy Requires a minimum investment of €250,000 which can rise to €2 million SwitzerlandResidence Programme offers residence to applicants and their families through economic contributions The applicant must agree to pay an annual lump sum in tax CanadaStart-Up Visa Programme allows foreign entrepreneurs the opportunity to create a business in Canada and apply for permanent residence.  There are different types of travel available for pets: The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal If your pet is traveling as excess luggage they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days In others it can be up to six months or more What vaccinations does my pet need to travel The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans Ministry of InteriorMinistry of DefenceGeneral Intelligence DirectorateAir Force Intelligence AgencyPolitical Security DirectorateSyrian National Security BureauMilitary Intelligence DirectorateArmy Supply BureauGeneral Organisation of Radio and TVAl Watan newspaperCham Press TVSama TV Clean water and solar homes: Zayed prize finalists present sustainability solutions  What is the Zayed Sustainability Prize? In post-Saddam Hussein Iraq, hope turned into despair – but wheels are beginning to turn again Bristol statue provides UK with a 'Saddam Hussein moment' in Black Lives Matter protests Stars:Jenny Slate, Charlie Day Fujairah is a crucial hub for fuel storage and is just outside the Strait of Hormuz a vital shipping route linking Middle East oil producers to markets in Asia The strait is 33 km wide at its narrowest point but the shipping lane is just three km wide in either direction Almost a fifth of oil consumed across the world passes through the strait Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait a move that would risk inviting geopolitical and economic turmoil Iran issued a new warning that it would block the strait if it was prevented from using the waterway following a US decision to end exemptions from sanctions for major Iranian oil importers