Lebanese security forces re-open all blocked roads
December 5, 2019, 10:45 am

Lebanese security forces re-open all blocked roads

Demonstrators carry national flags during a protest in Beirut, Lebanon (Photo AFP)

The security forces have succeeded in opening all the blocked roads across Lebanon, according to an Al Arabiya correspondent.

Clashes and road blocks continued into Thursday morning in various parts of Lebanon as the protests near their 50th day.

Earlier in the south, demonstrators blocked the main entrance to Nabatieh’s vehicle registration department and demanded it be shut down, reported the NNA.

Employees and demonstrators clashed when the employees refused to disrupt the business and interests of the citizens.

Meanwhile in Sidon, a group of protesters, mostly school students, marched from Elia Square to public facilities to shut them down, starting with Electricite du Liban, telecommunications company Ogero as well as a number of banks, while another group headed to the public market of Sidon to close the shops. Shop owners re-opened their shops after closing for two hours at the request of the protesters. Others held demonstrations in front of the Lebanese University and the LIU in order to interrupt their studies and encourage the others to join the demonstrations.

There were also major traffic delays in downtown Beirut due to the Ring Bridge being blocked by demonstrators once again Thursday morning. It was later opened by anti-riot police. Many clashes have taken place in this area since the start of the demonstrations, including clashes when Lebanon's Hezbollah and Amal supporters attacked protesters.

Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun called on Wednesday for binding parliamentary consultations to designate a new prime minister to take place on Monday.

According to Al Arabiya sources, it is expected that the protests will continue and possibly escalate due to people objecting the nomination of Samir Khatib for the prime minister position.

Lebanon has been in political deadlock since Saad Hariri resigned as prime minister in late October.

SOURCE: Al Arabiya EN

Pentagon denies US mulling 14,000 more troops for Mideast Iran moving short-range missiles into Iraq: NYTimes report

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”