Syrian government airstrikes on a town in the country’s northwest killed at least 11 people. The airstrikes on the town of Ariha came as the government continued its deadly air campaign against the last rebel-held region in Syria.

Airstrike claims 11 lives in Syria

Dozens of Lebanese veterans tussled with security forces in Beirut on Friday (July 19) as they tried to reach parliament in a protest against any cuts to their benefits in the state budget. The protesters, some waving Lebanese army flags and wearing camouflage trousers, breached coils of barbed wire as they sought to approach the parliament building where MPs were voting on the budget. Lebanon, one of the world's most heavily indebted states, is seeking to slash the deficit with the aim of steering the public finances towards a sustainable path.

Lebanese veterans tussle with security forces in budget protest

Iran has stood ready to support the Lebanese government and provide all-around military aid, said Iran's foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, on Monday at a press conference after talks with Lebanese foreign minister Gebran Bassil.

Zarif arrived on Sunday in the Lebanese capital where he met with the country's President Michel Aoun, Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Saad Hariri.

He was the first Iranian government minister to visit Lebanon after Lebanon formed a new government on January 31, 2019.

He said Iran is ready to provide all-round military aid to Lebanon when the Lebanese side deems it appropriate.

On his part, Bassil welcomed Iran's aid, but said it must be unconditional and the Lebanese government will conduct an assessment based on its national interests.

"All the aid to our troops and organizations must be unconditional. As long as it can enhance the strengthening of our country and government organizations, we should embrace it," he said.

Analysts believe that Hezbollah has gained a greater say in the new Lebanese government, which has previously drawn criticism from Israel and caused tensions in the bilateral ties.

Zarif's visit and his offer of military aid are feared to add to uncertainty in the bilateral ties of Lebanon and Israel.

Hezbollah is a militant group and political party that was founded by Shiite clerics in Lebanon following the Israeli invasion in 1982. It is believed to coordinate its efforts closely with Shiite-dominated Iran.

Bassil also announced that his country would not attend the international ministerial meeting on the Middle East on February 13-14 in Warsaw.

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Jan. 11 the meeting would "focus on Middle East stability and peace and freedom and security here in this region, and that includes an important element of making sure that Iran is not a destabilizing influence."

Zarif has dismissed the meeting as an "anti-Iranian circus event."

Iran has stood ready to support the Lebanese government and provide all-around military aid, said Iran's foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, on Monday at a press conference after talks with Lebanese foreign minister Gebran Bassil.

Iran has stood ready to support the Lebanese government and provide all-around military aid, said Iran's foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, on Monday at a press conference after talks with Lebanese foreign minister Gebran Bassil. Zarif arrived on Sunday in the Lebanese capital where he met with the country's President Michel Aoun, Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Saad Hariri. He was the first Iranian government minister to visit Lebanon after Lebanon formed a new government on January 31, 2019. He said Iran is ready to provide all-round military aid to Lebanon when the Lebanese side deems it appropriate. On his part, Bassil welcomed Iran's aid, but said it must be unconditional and the Lebanese government will conduct an assessment based on its national interests. "All the aid to our troops and organizations must be unconditional. As long as it can enhance the strengthening of our country and government organizations, we should embrace it," he said. Analysts believe that Hezbollah has gained a greater say in the new Lebanese government, which has previously drawn criticism from Israel and caused tensions in the bilateral ties. Zarif's visit and his offer of military aid are feared to add to uncertainty in the bilateral ties of Lebanon and Israel. Hezbollah is a militant group and political party that was founded by Shiite clerics in Lebanon following the Israeli invasion in 1982. It is believed to coordinate its efforts closely with Shiite-dominated Iran. Bassil also announced that his country would not attend the international ministerial meeting on the Middle East on February 13-14 in Warsaw. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Jan. 11 the meeting would "focus on Middle East stability and peace and freedom and security here in this region, and that includes an important element of making sure that Iran is not a destabilizing influence." Zarif has dismissed the meeting as an "anti-Iranian circus event."

Iranian FM offers Lebanon all-round military aid in Beirut

A senior US&nbsp;diplomat met Lebanon&#39;s foreign minister on Wednesday in Beirut as part of a US&nbsp;shuttle diplomacy effort to resolve tensions between Israel and Lebanon over a border wall and energy drilling in disputed waters.

Disputes over Israeli construction of the border wall, Lebanon&#39;s start of oil and gas exploration at sea and the growing arsenal of Lebanon&#39;s Iran-backed Shi&#39;ite group Hezbollah have caused a spike in tensions between Lebanon and Israel, both friends of the United States that regard each other as enemies.&nbsp;

Lebanon this month signed its first offshore energy exploration and production agreements with a consortium of France&#39;s Total, Italy&#39;s Eni and Russia&#39;s Novatek. One of two blocks given to the consortium, Block 9, contains waters claimed by Israel.

David Satterfield, the acting US&nbsp;assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern Affairs, has been shuttling back and forth between Israel and Lebanon in a bid to resolve the disputes.

He met Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil on Wednesday in Beirut. The two had last met on Friday, after which Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri reiterated Lebanon&#39;s rejection of U.S. proposals to resolve the maritime dispute as &quot;unacceptable&quot;.

This was an apparent reference to a maritime demarcation line proposed by US&nbsp;diplomat Frederic Hof in 2012, which would give Lebanon around two-thirds and Israel around one-third of a disputed triangular area of sea of around 860 sq km (330 square miles).&nbsp;

A senior Lebanese government source said Satterfield did not come with any new plan, and talks still revolve around the Hof line.&nbsp;

A source in the foreign ministry said he discussed the disputed area, how Lebanon can preserve its rights and how to keep exploration and drilling from being affected.&nbsp;

Satterfield left without making any public comments.

The US&nbsp;Embassy in Lebanon said Satterfield &quot;continues to engage&quot; on regional issues and on helping Lebanon develop its resources in agreement with its neighbours.

A senior US diplomat met Lebanon's foreign minister on Wednesday to resolve tensions between Israel and Lebanon

A senior US diplomat met Lebanon's foreign minister on Wednesday in Beirut as part of a US shuttle diplomacy effort to resolve tensions between Israel and Lebanon over a border wall and energy drilling in disputed waters. Disputes over Israeli construction of the border wall, Lebanon's start of oil and gas exploration at sea and the growing arsenal of Lebanon's Iran-backed Shi'ite group Hezbollah have caused a spike in tensions between Lebanon and Israel, both friends of the United States that regard each other as enemies. Lebanon this month signed its first offshore energy exploration and production agreements with a consortium of France's Total, Italy's Eni and Russia's Novatek. One of two blocks given to the consortium, Block 9, contains waters claimed by Israel. David Satterfield, the acting US assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern Affairs, has been shuttling back and forth between Israel and Lebanon in a bid to resolve the disputes. He met Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil on Wednesday in Beirut. The two had last met on Friday, after which Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri reiterated Lebanon's rejection of U.S. proposals to resolve the maritime dispute as "unacceptable". This was an apparent reference to a maritime demarcation line proposed by US diplomat Frederic Hof in 2012, which would give Lebanon around two-thirds and Israel around one-third of a disputed triangular area of sea of around 860 sq km (330 square miles). A senior Lebanese government source said Satterfield did not come with any new plan, and talks still revolve around the Hof line. A source in the foreign ministry said he discussed the disputed area, how Lebanon can preserve its rights and how to keep exploration and drilling from being affected. Satterfield left without making any public comments. The US Embassy in Lebanon said Satterfield "continues to engage" on regional issues and on helping Lebanon develop its resources in agreement with its neighbours.

US envoy visits Beirut, mediating in Lebanon-Israel dispute

Saad al-Hariri attended independence day celebrations in Beirut on Wednesday after returning to Lebanon for the first time since resigning as prime minister in a broadcast from Saudi Arabia.

Hariri, whose sudden resignation on November 4 pitched Lebanon into crisis, flew into Beirut late on Tuesday. He stood alongside President Michel Aoun and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri at a military parade in central Beirut.

Lebanese state officials and senior politicians close to Hariri say Riyadh forced him to quit and held him in the kingdom, which Saudi Arabia and Hariri have denied.

The resignation took even Hariri`s aides by surprise.

A long-time Saudi ally, Hariri cited fear of assassination in his resignation speech, and attacked Iran and its powerful Lebanese Shi`ite ally Hezbollah for sowing strife in the Arab world.

The resignation thrust Lebanon to the forefront of a regional tussle between the Sunni monarchy of Saudi Arabia and Shi`ite Islamist Iran, which backs Hezbollah.

Hariri`s return to Lebanon followed an intervention by France. It is not yet clear if he will stick by his resignation or rescind it.

Ahead of his arrival on Tuesday, Hariri said he would declare his &quot;political position&quot; in Beirut.

Aoun has said he will not consider Hariri`s resignation until he returned to Beirut and delivered it in person. Hariri is expected to meet Aoun at the presidential palace later on Wednesday.

Hariri left Riyadh for Paris at the weekend. He journeyed back to Beirut on Tuesday, stopping in Egypt and Cyprus.

The resignation shook the power-sharing deal that brought him to office last year and resulted in Aoun, a Hezbollah political ally, becoming head of state.

Hezbollah, a heavily armed military and political movement, is part of the Lebanese government.&nbsp;

Hariri, who flew into Beirut late on Tuesday, stood alongside President Michel Aoun and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri at a military parade in central Beirut

Saad al-Hariri attended independence day celebrations in Beirut on Wednesday after returning to Lebanon for the first time since resigning as prime minister in a broadcast from Saudi Arabia. Hariri, whose sudden resignation on November 4 pitched Lebanon into crisis, flew into Beirut late on Tuesday. He stood alongside President Michel Aoun and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri at a military parade in central Beirut. Lebanese state officials and senior politicians close to Hariri say Riyadh forced him to quit and held him in the kingdom, which Saudi Arabia and Hariri have denied. The resignation took even Hariri`s aides by surprise. A long-time Saudi ally, Hariri cited fear of assassination in his resignation speech, and attacked Iran and its powerful Lebanese Shi`ite ally Hezbollah for sowing strife in the Arab world. The resignation thrust Lebanon to the forefront of a regional tussle between the Sunni monarchy of Saudi Arabia and Shi`ite Islamist Iran, which backs Hezbollah. Hariri`s return to Lebanon followed an intervention by France. It is not yet clear if he will stick by his resignation or rescind it. Ahead of his arrival on Tuesday, Hariri said he would declare his "political position" in Beirut. Aoun has said he will not consider Hariri`s resignation until he returned to Beirut and delivered it in person. Hariri is expected to meet Aoun at the presidential palace later on Wednesday. Hariri left Riyadh for Paris at the weekend. He journeyed back to Beirut on Tuesday, stopping in Egypt and Cyprus. The resignation shook the power-sharing deal that brought him to office last year and resulted in Aoun, a Hezbollah political ally, becoming head of state. Hezbollah, a heavily armed military and political movement, is part of the Lebanese government.

Hariri, back in Beirut, attends national day parade

Prime Minister Saad Hariri said he will return to Lebanon for Wednesday&#39;s Independence Day celebrations and explain his situation after his shock resignation announcement in Saudi Arabia sparked political turmoil.

Speaking after talks in Paris on Saturday with French President Emmanuel Macron, who is seeking to broker a way out of the crisis, Hariri said he would &quot;make known my position&quot; once back in Beirut.

&quot;As you know I have resigned, and we will discuss that in Lebanon,&quot; he told reporters, saying he needed to meet with President Michel Aoun before taking further steps.

The news follows two weeks of deep uncertainty after Hariri&#39;s surprise announcement to step down on November 4.

His failure to return to Lebanon since sparked rumours that he was being held in Riyadh against his will, which both he and Saudi officials denied.

&quot;To say that I am held up in Saudi Arabia and not allowed to leave the country is a lie,&quot; he said in a Twitter post just before flying to Paris overnight.

Hariri&#39;s wife and eldest son Houssam joined him for lunch with Macron at the Elysee Palace, but their two younger children, who live in Saudi Arabia, have remained there &quot;for their school exams&quot;, a source close to the premier said.

After the meeting, Macron&#39;s office said the president will &quot;continue to take all necessary initiatives for Lebanon&#39;s stability.&quot;

&quot;We are helping to ease tensions in the region,&quot; the Elysee Palace added.

Hariri&#39;s mysterious decision to step down -- which president Aoun has refused to accept while Hariri remains abroad -- has raised fears over Lebanon&#39;s fragile democracy.

Hariri&#39;s camp has sought to allay the concerns, with a source saying the premier had a &quot;fruitful and constructive&quot; meeting with the powerful Saudi crown prince.

Hariri -- whose father, ex-prime minister Rafiq Hariri, was killed in a 2005 car bombing blamed on Hezbollah -- took over last year as head of a shaky national unity government which includes the powerful Shiite movement.&nbsp;

A dual Saudi citizen who has previously enjoyed Riyadh&#39;s backing, he resigned saying he feared for his life.

He accused Saudi Arabia&#39;s arch-rival Iran and its powerful Lebanese ally Hezbollah of destabilising his country.

Saudi Arabia&#39;s Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir meanwhile insisted from Madrid on Friday that &quot;unless Hezbollah disarms and becomes a political party, Lebanon will be held hostage by Hezbollah and, by extension, Iran&quot;.

Battle for influence&nbsp;

Hariri&#39;s resignation was widely seen as an escalation of the battle for influence between Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran, which back opposing sides in the conflicts in Syria and Yemen.

His attempt to step down also coincides with a purge of more than 200 Saudi princes, ministers and businessmen.

Riyadh on Saturday recalled its ambassador to Berlin in protest at comments by Germany&#39;s Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel which were interpreted as a suggestion that Hariri acted under Saudi orders.

Without mentioning Saudi Arabia directly, Gabriel had said Thursday that he shared concerns about the threat of instability and bloodshed in Lebanon and warned against &quot;adventurism&quot;.

&quot;Lebanon has earned the right to decide on its fate by itself and not become a pinball of Syria or Saudi Arabia or other national interests,&quot; he had said earlier in the week.

 
Germany&#39;s foreign ministry had yet to comment on the row, but in a statement it welcomed Hariri&#39;s &quot;imminent return to Lebanon&quot;.

&#39;Start of a solution&#39;&nbsp;

France&#39;s intervention was the latest in a string of European efforts to defuse tensions over Lebanon, where divisions between Hariri&#39;s Sunni bloc and Shiite Hezbollah have long been a focal point in a broader struggle between Riyadh and Tehran.

Paris, which held mandate power over Lebanon for the first half of the 20th century, plans to bring together international support for Lebanon, depending on how the situation develops.&nbsp;

The French president has also telephoned his counterparts in the US and Egypt, Donald Trump and Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, as well as the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to discuss &quot;the situation in the Middle East&quot;.

He and Trump &quot;agreed on the need to work with allies to counter Hizballah&#39;s and Iran&#39;s destabilizing activities in the region&quot;, according to a White House statement Saturday.

However, Macron told reporters Friday that France wanted &quot;dialogue&quot; with Iran and aimed to &quot;build peace&hellip; not to choose one side over another&quot;.

Ahead of Hariri&#39;s departure, Aoun -- an ally of Hezbollah -- welcomed the trip to Paris, expressing hope that it was the &quot;start of a solution&quot;.

&quot;If Mr Hariri speaks from France, I would consider that he speaks freely,&quot; Aoun said.

&quot;But his resignation must be presented in Lebanon, and he will have to remain there until the formation of the new government.&quot;&nbsp;

The news follows two weeks of deep uncertainty after Hariri's surprise announcement to step down on November 4.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri said he will return to Lebanon for Wednesday's Independence Day celebrations and explain his situation after his shock resignation announcement in Saudi Arabia sparked political turmoil. Speaking after talks in Paris on Saturday with French President Emmanuel Macron, who is seeking to broker a way out of the crisis, Hariri said he would "make known my position" once back in Beirut. "As you know I have resigned, and we will discuss that in Lebanon," he told reporters, saying he needed to meet with President Michel Aoun before taking further steps. The news follows two weeks of deep uncertainty after Hariri's surprise announcement to step down on November 4. His failure to return to Lebanon since sparked rumours that he was being held in Riyadh against his will, which both he and Saudi officials denied. "To say that I am held up in Saudi Arabia and not allowed to leave the country is a lie," he said in a Twitter post just before flying to Paris overnight. Hariri's wife and eldest son Houssam joined him for lunch with Macron at the Elysee Palace, but their two younger children, who live in Saudi Arabia, have remained there "for their school exams", a source close to the premier said. After the meeting, Macron's office said the president will "continue to take all necessary initiatives for Lebanon's stability." "We are helping to ease tensions in the region," the Elysee Palace added. Hariri's mysterious decision to step down -- which president Aoun has refused to accept while Hariri remains abroad -- has raised fears over Lebanon's fragile democracy. Hariri's camp has sought to allay the concerns, with a source saying the premier had a "fruitful and constructive" meeting with the powerful Saudi crown prince. Hariri -- whose father, ex-prime minister Rafiq Hariri, was killed in a 2005 car bombing blamed on Hezbollah -- took over last year as head of a shaky national unity government which includes the powerful Shiite movement. A dual Saudi citizen who has previously enjoyed Riyadh's backing, he resigned saying he feared for his life. He accused Saudi Arabia's arch-rival Iran and its powerful Lebanese ally Hezbollah of destabilising his country. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir meanwhile insisted from Madrid on Friday that "unless Hezbollah disarms and becomes a political party, Lebanon will be held hostage by Hezbollah and, by extension, Iran". Battle for influence Hariri's resignation was widely seen as an escalation of the battle for influence between Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran, which back opposing sides in the conflicts in Syria and Yemen. His attempt to step down also coincides with a purge of more than 200 Saudi princes, ministers and businessmen. Riyadh on Saturday recalled its ambassador to Berlin in protest at comments by Germany's Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel which were interpreted as a suggestion that Hariri acted under Saudi orders. Without mentioning Saudi Arabia directly, Gabriel had said Thursday that he shared concerns about the threat of instability and bloodshed in Lebanon and warned against "adventurism". "Lebanon has earned the right to decide on its fate by itself and not become a pinball of Syria or Saudi Arabia or other national interests," he had said earlier in the week. Germany's foreign ministry had yet to comment on the row, but in a statement it welcomed Hariri's "imminent return to Lebanon". 'Start of a solution' France's intervention was the latest in a string of European efforts to defuse tensions over Lebanon, where divisions between Hariri's Sunni bloc and Shiite Hezbollah have long been a focal point in a broader struggle between Riyadh and Tehran. Paris, which held mandate power over Lebanon for the first half of the 20th century, plans to bring together international support for Lebanon, depending on how the situation develops. The French president has also telephoned his counterparts in the US and Egypt, Donald Trump and Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, as well as the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to discuss "the situation in the Middle East". He and Trump "agreed on the need to work with allies to counter Hizballah's and Iran's destabilizing activities in the region", according to a White House statement Saturday. However, Macron told reporters Friday that France wanted "dialogue" with Iran and aimed to "build peace… not to choose one side over another". Ahead of Hariri's departure, Aoun -- an ally of Hezbollah -- welcomed the trip to Paris, expressing hope that it was the "start of a solution". "If Mr Hariri speaks from France, I would consider that he speaks freely," Aoun said. "But his resignation must be presented in Lebanon, and he will have to remain there until the formation of the new government."

Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri announces return to Beirut as crisis simmers

The Syrian army and its allies have taken Albu Kamal, Islamic State&rsquo;s last major stronghold in Syria, representing the end of Islamic State&rsquo;s project in the region, the army general command said on Thursday.

The army said it is now fighting the last remaining IS pockets in the country&rsquo;s eastern desert, an army statement said.

&ldquo;The liberation of Albu Kamal city is very important because it signals the general fall of the terrorist Daesh organisation&rsquo;s project in the region,&rdquo; a statement from the general command said.

Alongside Lebanon&rsquo;s Hezbollah and other Shi&lsquo;ite militias, and backed by Iran and Russia, the Syrian army has recently seized swathes of land from Islamic State.

Albu Kamal, on the Euphrates River, is located in Syria&rsquo;s eastern Deir al-Zor province on the Iraqi border.

On Wednesday, during the battle, Hezbollah forces entered Iraq and the Iraqi Popular Mobilisation Forces crossed into Syria to help capture the town, a commander in the pro-Damascus alliance told Reuters on Wednesday.

The Syrian army and its allies have taken Albu Kamal, Islamic State?s last major stronghold in Syria, representing the end of Islamic State?s project in the region, the army general command said on Thursday.

The Syrian army and its allies have taken Albu Kamal, Islamic State’s last major stronghold in Syria, representing the end of Islamic State’s project in the region, the army general command said on Thursday. The army said it is now fighting the last remaining IS pockets in the country’s eastern desert, an army statement said. “The liberation of Albu Kamal city is very important because it signals the general fall of the terrorist Daesh organisation’s project in the region,” a statement from the general command said. Alongside Lebanon’s Hezbollah and other Shi‘ite militias, and backed by Iran and Russia, the Syrian army has recently seized swathes of land from Islamic State. Albu Kamal, on the Euphrates River, is located in Syria’s eastern Deir al-Zor province on the Iraqi border. On Wednesday, during the battle, Hezbollah forces entered Iraq and the Iraqi Popular Mobilisation Forces crossed into Syria to help capture the town, a commander in the pro-Damascus alliance told Reuters on Wednesday.

Syrian army takes last Islamic State bastion in Syria

In a first for Lebanon, the country&#39;s lively capital city of Beirut is hosting its first ever gay pride event. According to the organisers, this is also the first event of its kind in the &#39;Arab world.&#39;&nbsp;

The week-long event is set to host&nbsp;fashion shows, storytelling and an ending party in one of the city&#39;s nightclubs.&nbsp;

Even as the #BeirutPride is taking place in perhaps one of West Asia&#39;s most liberal cities, the organisers are still uneasy. The first event, which was to be held on May 14th, had to be cancelled after&nbsp;threats from conservative religious groups. &nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Cliffhangers LGBTIQ+ storytelling night, from older &amp; younger generations, was massive. Courage, authenticity &amp; determination.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BeirutPride?src=hash">#BeirutPride</a> <a href="https://t.co/VCW4CF1iw6">pic.twitter.com/VCW4CF1iw6</a>
&mdash; Beirut Pride (@BeirutPride) <a href="https://twitter.com/BeirutPride/status/864766960390766593">May 17, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Beirut might be a lively party-friendly capital, but this does not mean automatically that it is also a gay-friendly city. Article 534 of the Lebanese penal code, &quot;prohibits having sexual relations that are contradicting the laws of nature&quot;, which is punishable by up to a year in prison. &nbsp;

Article 534 does not give any legal ground to act against the normal unfolding of the event, but the fear of possible episodes of violence made the organisers decide to cancel the first venue. The &#39;Gender fluidity fashion exhibition&#39;&nbsp;was scheduled to happen inside a hotel.

Reuters spoke to the organisers who said that the&nbsp;League of Muslim Scholars (Ulemas) in Lebanon threatened them to actively protest against the event.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/BeirutPride">@BeirutPride</a> was lit <a href="https://t.co/HWueYsL4Is">pic.twitter.com/HWueYsL4Is</a>
&mdash; Queen Latiza (@DakdoukMostafa) <a href="https://twitter.com/DakdoukMostafa/status/865158821135691776">May 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

The organisers are aware of Lebanon&#39;s conservative soul and it is to break the wall of silence enveloping the Lesbian Gay Transgender Bisexual and QUEERS (LGBTQ) community that they decided to organise the event. &nbsp;

A statement on the event&#39;s <a href="https://www.beirutpride.org" target="_blank">website&nbsp;</a>says it clearly: &quot;Whilst the armed street combats from the Lebanese civil war series might have ended in 1990, the social war, on the other hand, is wreaking havoc, and the speech that calls for hate and for the rejection of the other is still ongoing.&quot; &nbsp;

On LGBTQ&#39;s rights and awareness read here:

<ul>
	<li>
	<h5><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/the-hard-life-of-dhee-bangladeshs-first-lesbian-comic-book-character-93">The hard life of Dhee: Bangladesh&#39;s first lesbian comic book character</a></h5>
	</li>
	<li>
	<h5><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/gay-comic-book-character-chacha-tries-to-break-homosexuality-taboo-in-pakistan-155">Gay comic book character &lsquo;Chacha&rsquo; tries to break homosexuality taboo in Pakistan</a></h5>
	</li>
	<li>
	<h5><a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/transgender-community-in-the-indian-sub-continent-wion-gravitas-2364">Transgender community in the Indian sub-continent (WION Gravitas)</a></h5>
	</li>
</ul>

Despite the problems they had to face, the organisers are convinced that the Lebanese society is ready for the event. In their Q&amp;A section, they make in very clear:&nbsp;The Lebanese society is not on the verge of collapsing, and therefore is ready for everything. Lebanese people, from the city and the mountains, have access to the TV cable and the Internet.

Beirut Pride is a lighthouse in the middle of the night for the LGBTQ communities in West Asia. The real battle for LGBTQ&#39;s rights, which is ultimately a battle for tolerance, has to be fought on daily basis in families, schools and public places.&nbsp;

In large cities, LGBTQ movements are slowly&nbsp;growing and getting its&nbsp;point across, but in many countries, just talking in public about homosexuality is a social stigma.&nbsp;

(WION)&nbsp;

#BeirutPride is a week-long venue meant to break taboos and improve tolerance towards the LGBT community in West Asia

In a first for Lebanon, the country's lively capital city of Beirut is hosting its first ever gay pride event. According to the organisers, this is also the first event of its kind in the 'Arab world.' The week-long event is set to host fashion shows, storytelling and an ending party in one of the city's nightclubs. Even as the #BeirutPride is taking place in perhaps one of West Asia's most liberal cities, the organisers are still uneasy. The first event, which was to be held on May 14th, had to be cancelled after threats from conservative religious groups. Cliffhangers LGBTIQ+ storytelling night, from older & younger generations, was massive. Courage, authenticity & determination.#BeirutPride pic.twitter.com/VCW4CF1iw6 — Beirut Pride (@BeirutPride) May 17, 2017 × Beirut might be a lively party-friendly capital, but this does not mean automatically that it is also a gay-friendly city. Article 534 of the Lebanese penal code, "prohibits having sexual relations that are contradicting the laws of nature", which is punishable by up to a year in prison. Article 534 does not give any legal ground to act against the normal unfolding of the event, but the fear of possible episodes of violence made the organisers decide to cancel the first venue. The 'Gender fluidity fashion exhibition' was scheduled to happen inside a hotel. Reuters spoke to the organisers who said that the League of Muslim Scholars (Ulemas) in Lebanon threatened them to actively protest against the event. @BeirutPride was lit pic.twitter.com/HWueYsL4Is — Queen Latiza (@DakdoukMostafa) May 18, 2017 × The organisers are aware of Lebanon's conservative soul and it is to break the wall of silence enveloping the Lesbian Gay Transgender Bisexual and QUEERS (LGBTQ) community that they decided to organise the event. A statement on the event's website says it clearly: "Whilst the armed street combats from the Lebanese civil war series might have ended in 1990, the social war, on the other hand, is wreaking havoc, and the speech that calls for hate and for the rejection of the other is still ongoing." On LGBTQ's rights and awareness read here: The hard life of Dhee: Bangladesh's first lesbian comic book character Gay comic book character ‘Chacha’ tries to break homosexuality taboo in Pakistan Transgender community in the Indian sub-continent (WION Gravitas) Despite the problems they had to face, the organisers are convinced that the Lebanese society is ready for the event. In their Q&A section, they make in very clear: The Lebanese society is not on the verge of collapsing, and therefore is ready for everything. Lebanese people, from the city and the mountains, have access to the TV cable and the Internet. Beirut Pride is a lighthouse in the middle of the night for the LGBTQ communities in West Asia. The real battle for LGBTQ's rights, which is ultimately a battle for tolerance, has to be fought on daily basis in families, schools and public places. In large cities, LGBTQ movements are slowly growing and getting its point across, but in many countries, just talking in public about homosexuality is a social stigma. (WION)

Lebanon's first gay pride event kicks off

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