Press Review: Lebanon Facing the Risk of War

Front page: Lebanon seeks to stand out of a new war

The U.S. result does not dispel the threat

The refusal of a new war crosses the Lebanese press on 5 November 2026. In Al Sharq, Nawaf Salam asks that the country escape confrontations for external interests. He spoke after meeting Joseph Aoun in Baabda. The Prime Minister refers to lost lives, destroyed incomes and abandoned homes. He insists on the price already paid by the people of the South. Ad Diyar reproduces the same warning and its central demand: war and peace are the responsibility of state institutions. Al-Quds Al-Arabi also holds back the refusal of a destiny that the Lebanese would not have chosen. These statements appear then that the newspapers announce a democratic majority in both chambers of the American Congress. However, they do not describe an acquired lull. In Ad Diyar, Ibrahim Nassereddine reports the concern of political and diplomatic sources. They say they have no American guarantee against escalation. Their fears concern both Donald Trump’s reaction and Israeli choices. On the other hand, Paul Salem presents a less alarmist reading in an interview given to the same daily. He believes that the chances of a great escalation have diminished, without having disappeared. This divergence therefore exists within the same journal. It separates a pessimistic anticipation from a more favourable appreciation of diplomatic time. Neither is an announcement of an operation or a guarantee of peace. Asharq Al-Awsat, in its edition of November 5, 2026, highlights another limit. The future Congress will have means of control, but the President will retain his military and diplomatic functions. The new majorities will take office in January. The American vote, therefore, does not alone produce a new policy towards Beirut. Ad Diyar also distinguishes the control of future appropriations from expenditure already voted. Its pages on American powers recall the weight of the presidential veto and the reinforced majorities. The press thus observes two calendars. The electoral calendar opens an increased control phase in Washington. The military calendar still leaves room for immediate decisions. For Lebanese leaders, this difference makes the prevention of a new war more urgent. She also explains why their message is primarily about national decision-making, rather than the promises of American change.

The terrain gives this warning a concrete reach. Al Sharq of 5 November 2026 reported one death and one injury after a motorcycle strike in Qabrikha. It assigns this assessment to the emergency centre of the Ministry of Health. A first brief of the same number mentions only one injured. The page devoted to the South then provides a more complete overview. Al-Quds Al-Arabi takes this last count. Both dailies evoke low-altitude overflights in several southern localities. They also mention Beirut, its southern suburbs and Iqlim al-Kharroub. In Hadatha, they report destruction and house fires. Near Halta, deafening grenades were reportedly thrown around olive pickers, without any injuries reported. These elements do not describe a fully respected truce. They show the continuing pressure on displacement, housing and agricultural work. To this insecurity is added the Yemeni file. According to Asharq Al-Awsat of 5 November 2026, Joseph Aoun calls Rachad Al-Alimi after accusations of a Hezbollah presence in Yemen. The Lebanese President affirms his respect for Yemeni sovereignty. It rejects the activities of individuals or groups that would jeopardize the security of that country. Hezbollah categorically denies the accusations. Ad Diyar and Al-Quds Al-Arabi repeat this denial, covering the presence of experts, operations, weapons and training. The prosecution and the party’s response are the two elements of the published file. The newspapers do not provide evidence in these records independent of the alleged presence. The subject, however, is widening the Lebanese debate. Salam links territorial protection to respect for the sovereignty of Arab partners. Wael Abu Faour, quoted by Al Sharq, believes that a new involvement of Hezbollah would be unforgivable. He insists on destruction and the lack of sufficient prospect of a return to the South. The same edition reports Malak Akil’s concerns about the future of the international machinery in this region. His analysis is based on anonymous military sources and refers to pressures for direct coordination with Israel. These scenarios are not presented as executed agreements. However, they add a question to the immediate risk: what guarantees can protect the territory and its inhabitants sustainably?

Internal emergencies remain at the forefront

Electricity, financing and public services occupy a major place in Al Sharq on 5 November 2026. The daily newspaper announces the postponement of the Council of Ministers on the electricity sector. The meeting scheduled for Thursday at 15.00 is scheduled for the following week. The official motive is the relocation of Minister Joe Saddi to Doha. It must continue discussions on a Qatari offer of modernization. Al-Quds Al-Arabi reports the same motive, while referring to political tensions around ministerial participation. In Al Sharq, Yassine Jaber links any increase in production to distribution and recovery reforms. He refused to reduce the crisis to the construction of new capabilities alone. His interview with the International Finance Corporation also focuses on small and medium-sized enterprises. Long-term loans are discussed as a means of supporting investment. No signed funding is announced in this passage. The Minister also plans to resume the legislative path of the text on the financial gap after the budget. He hopes to be successful next March. This is a announced political deadline, not a guarantee of adoption. In parallel, Electricité du Liban defends its cut-off campaign targeting public debtors. The institution claims to restore the current after a first payment and a written commitment. It then requires regular payment of invoices. It states that it does not validate the lists of receivables and amounts distributed outside of its communications. Ibrahim Kanaan, for his part, disputes that users bear the consequences of public unpaid payments. The Finance Committee has completed its review of the articles of draft budget 2027. Some fee increases remain suspended for consultation with the authorities concerned. According to its president, the 2025 final account remains awaited. Ad Diyar of 5 November 2026 opens another financial debate. Joseph Farah presented a proposal for $2 billion in credits divided between businesses and households. Banks see this as a way to boost activity. Others first call for clarification of losses and repayment of deposits. The daily describes a project and its economic assumptions. He does not announce a decision by the Bank of Lebanon. Between electricity reform, budget and credit, the common question is the order of priorities. The desired recovery also depends on known rules, established accounts and mechanisms that can last.

Food security and judicial investigations complement this photograph of Lebanese emergencies. In Ad Diyar and Al Sharq of November 5, 2026, Joseph Aoun called for surveillance of the entire food chain. He receives the Lebanese Food Security Authority after cases involving Beirut and Akkar. The President recalled everyone’s right to healthy food. It requires accounts from suppliers, warehouses and those who would have protected against infringements. It considers closures necessary but insufficient when they occur after the damage. His purpose is therefore prevention, from import to restaurant. In Al Sharq, Elijah Naji Awad refers to trichinellosis and flaws revealed by recent incidents. The person in charge requests coordination of controls and a protected scientific decision on interventions. The President also called for the Authority’s material resources: staff, premises, budget and laboratories. Consumer confidence here joins the economic stakes of restaurants, tourism and exports. On the judicial front, Asharq Al-Awsat of 5 November 2026 details the hearings of four retired officers in the investigation into the port of Beirut. Tarek Bitar heard Walid Salman, Georges Moussa, Mounir Abu Zeid and Manuel Keljian. The record shows the presence of Judge Mohammad Saab. The article does not contain any detention or trial decisions against the persons concerned. Hearings therefore do not make it possible to conclude their responsibility. In another case, Ad Diyar announces for November 19 the hearing of Charles Atta about Ramzi Irani. The newspaper explains that statements about an old telephone inquiry have revived the procedure. Again, claims must be examined by the courts. Finally, cultural life does not disappear from this press edition. Asharq Al-Awsat announces the next steps of the Baabdat Musicales, free and open until November 26. Al-Quds Al-Arabi presents Elissa’s new album and Abbas Beydoun’s collection of houses destroyed in the south. These pages describe specific creations and appointments. They also show how war, memory and attachment to places continue to cross Lebanese cultural production. In Babdat, several Lebanese artists are on the programme. The dates announced make it possible to distinguish future appointments from events already completed.

Local policy: sovereignty is also measured by public decisions

Protection of the country and the functioning of the State

The meeting between Joseph Aoun and Nawaf Salam organized a large part of the political pages of November 5, 2026. Al Joumhouria is also the point of support for his national report. Al Sharq presents their exchange in Baabda as a discussion of the national and regional situation. The Prime Minister states a clear limit: Lebanon must not become the ground for the conflicts of others. This is not just a general call for peace. Salam affirms that constitutional institutions must decide war and peace alone. Ad Diyar points to the reference to the inhabitants of the South and the losses already suffered. Al-Quds Al-Arabi reiterates its refusal to impose on the Lebanese a destiny they have not chosen. This formula links national sovereignty with the protection of citizens. It also places the choices of armed groups in the face of State responsibility. Waël Abu Faour developed this criticism in Al Sharq. He believes that Hizbullah’s participation in a new regional war would be an unforgivable mistake. It distinguishes Iran’s interests from Lebanese interests in their institutions. Conversely, sources close to Hezbollah interviewed by Ad Diyar refuse to give guarantees to Israel. They distinguish political coordination from the fronts of military entry into conflict. They also claim that Iran would not need an additional support front. These assessments are reported anonymously. They therefore do not replace a public decision of the party. The press thus describes a disagreement on the risk, but also on the authority to decide. The Yemeni file adds a second level. Aoun assures Rahad Al-Alimi that Lebanon refuses to intervene in his country’s affairs. Salam also condemns military activities that threaten Arab partners. Hezbollah denies being involved in Yemen. The political scope of this sequence does not depend on an established conclusion on the charges. It insists on the leaders’ assertion of Lebanese responsibility to their partners. In Al Sharq of 5 November 2026, Wadih El-Khazen finally links sovereignty to inner coexistence. He calls for institutions and the military to be the only reference. His remarks associate the authority of the State with the dialogue between communities and the treatment of daily difficulties. The national debate thus goes beyond the military border: it also focuses on trust in common rules.

The postponement of the Council of Ministers shows the constraints on the implementation of these priorities. According to Al Sharq of November 5, 2026, Mahmoud Makkieh announced the relocation of the electricity session. It was scheduled for 15.00 on Thursday, 5 November. The Minister of Energy must visit Doha for discussions with Qatar. The government appointment is therefore postponed to the following week. The administrative reason is explicit. Al-Quds Al-Arabi adds a political reading, linked to tensions over the participation of Lebanese Forces ministers. The daily refers to their position on the Dahr al-Baydar explosive file. This interpretation should not be confused with the reason announced by the Council Secretariat. The judicial record follows its own path. The newspapers indicate that Ghada Abu Alwan received the case and planned interrogations. The mandates referred to are possible or expected, not already reflected in these minutes. In Parliament, Ibrahim Kanaan asks for answers on the revenue and expenditure of the budget. Al Sharq reports the completion of its review of its articles, with several provisions suspended. The credits must be studied the following week. The chairman of the committee also asked for the final account of 2025. This audit accompanies a very concrete controversy over services. Kanaan refuses to allow citizens who pay their bills to suffer the debts of public bodies. It cites electricity, water and possible effects on the airport. Electricity in Lebanon responds by defending common rules for settling arrears. Its release requires a first payment, a written commitment and regular payments. The disagreement is therefore not only about the principle of paying. It concerns how to restore finances without interrupting essential services. Yassine Jaber, in the same issue, insists on the need to reform distribution and recovery. The Qatari project should not duplicate previous defects, he said. This link between investment and management gives material content to the concept of effective state. A political decision is not enough if revenues, maintenance and responsibilities remain fragile. The press presents these questions as ongoing issues, without announcing a definitive solution to the electrical crisis.

Institutions to be equipped and territories to be linked

Joseph Aoun’s meeting with the Food Security Authority illustrates another gap between legal mission and means of action. Al Sharq of 5 November 2026 recalls that this structure must coordinate ministries, municipalities and services concerned. The President asked for a seat, staff, budget and laboratories. It also requires accurate information from an identifiable reference. This request responds to the loss of confidence caused by recent cases. In Ad Diyar, Aoun insists on the responsibility of all the links, without exception. Closures are not presented as unnecessary. They are described as late when they occur after poisoning or fraud. Periodic checks must therefore range from import to place of consumption. Elie Naji Awad associates this change with the fight against corruption. He cites interventions that can neutralize control, distort a certificate or protect an establishment. These are the risks he wants to prevent, not a list of individual culprits already tried. A parliamentary workshop, also covered by Al Sharq, extends this theme from a civil society perspective. Georges Adwan called for the protection of witnesses and whistleblowers. Michel Moussa describes the associations as partners of the institutions and recalls their obligations of transparency. The Minister of Defence, Michel Menassa, refuses their demonization as much as their political or confessional capture. He spoke of their role in care, education and help after the explosion of the port. Statements are not yet new laws. They define the protections that stakeholders demand to be implemented. The youth governance programme offers a more limited but concrete example. Al Sharq reports closing of a promotion of nine trainees at Saint Joseph University. Their work focused on tourism administration, with the Ministry, the University and their partners. Laura Khazen Lahoud welcomes the results of this work. Her assessment remains the Minister’s, not an independent audit. All of these reports reveal a similar practical requirement. Institutions must be able to monitor, explain their decisions and receive external contributions without losing their responsibility. Today’s announcements focus on these operating conditions, rather than on a reform already completed. In Al Jumhouria, November 5, 2026, Mohammad Haidar also returns to his visit to Damascus. He claims to have represented the Lebanese government there, not Hezbollah. The Minister of Labour describes exchanges on the regularity of Syrian employment and technical coordination. It announces inspections in several sectors. Its statements specify a ministerial direction, without constituting a review of the controls alone.

Territorial projects provide another measure of public action. In Al Sharq, November 5, 2026, Rodolphe Haykal inspects the René-Moawad airport in Qleiaat with Fayez Rassamny and Sajih Atiyé. He visited the work carried out by the army and the units responsible for protecting the site and maintaining its track. Ad Diyar brings an additional element. MP Sajih Atiyé announces a first link to Cairo on 15 November. This announcement is not proof of a flight already completed. The newspaper still mentions the layout of the terminal and luggage equipment. Practical information on the operator, tickets and schedules is not detailed in the passages examined. In Nabatiyah, a municipal delegation led by Abbas Fakhreddine presented Salam with the status of projects undertaken after his visit. According to Al Sharq, she presents photographs of the works before, during and after their realization. The Southern Council and the Council for Development and Reconstruction are mentioned as speakers. No total amount or specific percentage of promotion is given. The same daily reports Salam’s interview with Mark Daou on Choueifat. Three topics are discussed: the Sahra farms and slaughterhouses, a free zone near the airport and the municipal rights linked to Costa Brava. These are files discussed, not executed decisions. Telecommunications follows a logic of continuity of services. Alfa starts offering Starlink to companies and institutions, according to Al Sharq’s report. Salam presents it as a complement to existing networks and as a protection against interruptions. It also insists on areas without infrastructure. Al Liwa of 5 November 2026 brings the rates declared by Alfa. It indicates $2,100 per year for 500 gigabytes per month and $3,588 per terabyte. The terminal costs $550, in addition to the subscription, excluding value added tax. These conditions apply to the offer made to companies, with no announced date of generalization to individuals. Finally, Ad Diyar describes the preparation of a visit of Bilal Erdogan to Lebanon, with a stage in Tripoli. Sonia Rizk refers to scholarships, heritage, port and the Rachid-Karamé fair as possible areas of influence. These projects remain in the register of reported intentions. The press thus brings the needs of the North, the South and the outskirts of Beirut closer together. For everyone, the immediate issue is identifiable: completing work, guaranteeing a connection, protecting an activity or clarifying a skill. The next steps will be measured by formal decisions and services that are effectively accessible. Each ad thus retains its calendar and status.

Quote and speeches by politicians: preventing war and asking for accountability

National decision in the face of external interests

« We will not accept the imposition of a fate on the Lebanese that they have not chosen. Al-Quds Al-Arabi of 5 November 2026 took this statement from Nawaf Salam after his interview with Joseph Aoun. The formula summarizes a discourse focused on institutional responsibility. The Prime Minister is not just seeing a regional risk. He states that the population must be protected from military choices decided for other interests. Ad Diyar of the same day repeats his warning against a new absurd adventure. Salam links this warning to human losses, destroyed housing and lost livelihoods. The South has a special place in its intervention. It presents its inhabitants as citizens entitled to security and a future. Al Sharq also underlines his demand for a state monopoly on war and peace. The choice of words therefore distinguishes three elements. The cost of conflict is described through daily lives. Sovereignty is defined by the authority of the institutions. Political responsibility is to prevent a new cost from being imposed on the population. Waël Abu Faour adopted a more directly accusing tone in Al Sharq on 5 November 2026. He described as an unforgivable fault the possibility of Hezbollah entering a new regional war. It contrasts Iranian interests with Lebanese interests defined in constitutional institutions. This does not describe a military decision already taken. He tries to fix the political price before it can happen. Wadih El-Khazen chooses another formula: superiority on the ground does not mean victory in politics. In his statement taken from Al Sharq, he considers that people also assess living standards and stability. He calls for a single reference, that of the State and the army. It combines this reference to the coexistence pact and dialogue. The three statements thus converge on the public authority, but their register differs. Salam has been speaking since government responsibility. Abu Faour refers to an actor and a red line. El-Khazen extends the debate to the link between strength, consent and living conditions. This difference matters to read the sequence. A convergence of vocabulary does not mean that all actors propose the same political path, or that they have the same means of action.

The statements on Yemen make it possible to follow this distinction between national responsibility, accusation and denial. Al Sharq of 5 November 2026 reports Joseph Aoun’s appeal to Rahad Al-Alimi. The President affirmed Lebanon’s concern to respect Yemeni sovereignty. He refused to allow individuals or groups to intervene in the affairs of that country. He also wished to see the return of security and to reduce the suffering of his people. In Ad Diyar, Salam condemns the military activities that threaten the Arab partner countries. It presents them as harmful to Lebanese interests and those of their nationals. The presidential speech and the government speech thus come together on an obligation of non-interference. However, their resumption does not make it possible to determine the reality of the acts alleged against Hezbollah. The party categorically denies the presence of its experts in Yemen. Al-Quds Al-Arabi replicates his response to the accusations of operations, military capabilities and training. The denial belongs to the same file as the prosecution. Deleted would change the meaning of the published sequence. Official statements should also be distinguished from anonymous statements in the press. In Ad Diyar of November 5, 2026, sources close to Hezbollah say Iran would not need an additional support front. However, they refuse to present this assessment as a guarantee to Israel. Their words describe a strategic reading, not a public commitment that can be opposed. Paul Salem, interviewed in the same issue, believes that the chances of a great escalation have declined. However, he maintains that such an escalation remains possible. This shade contrasts with the chronicles that are considering Donald Trump’s forward flight. She recalls that an expert interview is not a government announcement. The distinction also applies to Iranian statements taken from newspapers. Mojtaba Khamenei warned that a new attack would widen the conflict. In Al-Quds Al-Arabi, Massoud Pezeshkian also insists on keeping the path of dialogue open. These words do not describe the same function. Some are aimed at discouraging, others at preserving a negotiating space. For Lebanon, their scope will depend on subsequent actions and the ability of the authorities to maintain their own lines.

Public services and the protection of citizens

 » Fraud is a crime that suffers no indulgence. In Ad Diyar of November 5, 2026, Joseph Aoun uses this formula after the food business of Beirut and Akkar. His statement focuses on the chain of responsibility. It requests that suppliers, warehouses and those who have covered offences be held accountable. Al Sharq details his reasoning. Closing an establishment may be necessary, but this often happens after the damage. The president therefore calls for regular inspections, from import and slaughterhouse to transport and restaurant. The strongest sentence of the speech is thus accompanied by a request for a method. Aoun adds a resource requirement for the Food Authority and a consumer information requirement. It links controls to confidence in Lebanese products, catering and tourism. Elie Naji Awad, head of the Authority, then expanded the problem. In Al Sharq of 5 November 2026, he explains that food security is not just about health or technology. It also affects the economy and trust in institutions. It describes the forms that corruption can take: to protect a company, to prevent control, to modify a result, or to allow goods to circulate without safe origin. This passage lists risks to be combated. It does not assign each practice to a specific person or institution. In Parliament, Georges Adwan calls for the protection of whistleblowers and witnesses. Al Sharq also wishes to see the meetings lead to concrete implementation. Michel Moussa argues that civil society must have freedom, while respecting transparency and accountability. Michel Menassa, for his part, refused to demonize the associations and put them under partisan control. It recalls their interventions after the explosion of the port and in social crises. These declarations place the protection of the citizen at several levels. The consumer must receive a safe product. The witness must be able to report an offence. The association must act without being intimidated or captured. In this sequence, the language of firmness is therefore not separated from the means of control and protection. Stakeholders call for institutions that can act before damage, and then make their decisions understandable and verifiable.

Words about the economy also reveal priorities that do not always coincide. In Al Sharq of 5 November 2026, Ibrahim Kanaan refused to charge citizens for failing public bodies. It takes the example of users who pay their bills but then undergo a service interruption. His speech focused on electricity, water and possible effects on the airport. It calls for the State to assume the necessary resources and solutions. In parallel, Electricité du Liban defends a collection line without exception. Its board of directors states that it will only restore food after a first payment and a written commitment. He announced a further cut in case of non-compliance with the agreement. Both positions are not entirely opposed. They meet two different responsibilities: to ensure continuity of services and to obtain payment of amounts due. Yassine Jaber links these two requirements in his interview with the International Finance Corporation, reported by Al Sharq. It believes that increasing production will not solve the crisis without improving revenue collection and management. He wants to avoid repeated charges for the treasury. On another pitch, Salam presents Starlink as an additional option, not as a replacement for existing networks. His remarks focused on underserved areas and the continuity of business communications. Al Liwa of 5 November 2026 supplements this statement by the commercial conditions submitted by Alfa. However, prices are not an independent performance measure. Tamara El-Zein, in the same edition, finally asks that the victims of war not pay alone for reconstruction and its climatic effects. It defends the priority of grants over loans for fragile countries. It also calls for a comprehensive assessment of the environmental cost of technologies, including artificial intelligence. His intervention prepares the Lebanese delegation for the climate conference in Antalya. This is a negotiating position, not an international decision adopted. These speeches link funding to a question of burden-sharing. Kanaan talks about users. Jaber talks about the sustainability of public services and accounts. El-Zein talks about war-affected populations and international donors. The next step announced for everyone remains concrete: review of credits, continuation of energy discussions or submission of Lebanese demands in climate negotiations. None of these appointments guarantees the expected result.

Diplomacy: Beirut seeks guarantees against regional tensions

Lebanese sovereignty tested on regional fronts

In its November 5, 2026 edition, Asharq Al-Awsat places sovereignty at the centre of the exchanges between Joseph Aoun and Nawaf Salam. The President and the Prime Minister refuse a new Lebanese participation in a regional war. Their position also covers activities lent to Lebanese nationals in the Arab countries. The Yemeni file gives this statement immediate scope. Yemeni interior minister Ibrahim Haydan accuses foreign experts of supporting the Houthis. Al-Quds Al-Arabi of 5 November 2026 reports his count of twenty-one experts. It would include fourteen members of the Revolutionary Guards and seven members of Hezbollah. These figures are the responsibility of the Yemeni prosecution. They do not constitute a presence established by an independent investigation in the newspaper. Hezbollah opposes a categorical denial. It challenges any participation in operations, training or development of weapons. Ad Diyar of 5 November 2026 reproduces his answer: the charges are « fully unfounded and not based on any facts ». Joseph Aoun nevertheless called Rachad Al-Alimi, President of the Yemeni Presidential Governing Council. According to Al Sharq of 5 November 2026, he reaffirmed his respect for the sovereignty of Yemen. He refuses the intervention of individuals or groups that compromise his safety. This approach expresses the position of the Lebanese State without ruling on the veracity of the accusations. For its part, Nawaf Salam formulates a general rule. Al-Quds Al-Arabi of 5 November 2026 attributes this sentence to him: « The decision on war and peace must be the exclusive responsibility of the State and its constitutional institutions. The Prime Minister also refused to allow the country to become the scene of conflicts between others. Several newspapers thus reproduce the same official message. Their convergence confirms the place of the subject in the coverage of the day. It does not provide several independent evidence of the alleged activities in Yemen. The diplomatic consequences remain immediate. Beirut seeks to preserve its Arab relations while accusations circulate. The denial of Hezbollah and the official condemnation must therefore be presented together.

The search for guarantees also concerns southern Lebanon and the future of the international presence. In Asharq Al-Awsat of 5 November 2026, Michel Abu Najm describes the concerns of French officials. They fear that the Israeli occupation will continue for a long time. They also call on the Lebanese authorities to clarify their means of action on non-State weapons. According to these sources, Hezbollah’s refusal to disarm provides Israel with an argument to maintain its occupation. This French assessment does not exempt from distinguishing the obligations of each actor. The newspaper also reports on Paris’ actions concerning the succession of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. Several options remain open. The first is to strengthen the capacity of the Lebanese army. A supporting conference is mentioned, with no fixed date in the article. Another route concerns equipment and training by Europeans. Paris and Rome are also considering a European force alongside the army. At least 10 countries would have expressed their availability, according to the correspondent. This availability does not constitute a force or agree on its mandate. The possible need for international authorisation remains. The Israeli refusal of a French military presence further complicates the discussion. Al Sharq of 5 November 2026 highlights the limitations of alternatives. In an analysis by Malak Akil, the truce observers appear as a separate device from the current force. Their unarmed presence does not give them the same means. The article also refers to a European advisory mission, whose scope differs from the deployment south of the Litani. It is therefore necessary to separate existing arrangements, announced decisions and still negotiated projects. None of the texts makes it possible to present a complete succession as acquired. Asharq Al-Awsat finally states that Paris does not want to push for a war between the army and Hezbollah. The French request concerns the translation of public commitments into acts. It is part of a broader discussion on Israeli withdrawal, national deployment and international safeguards.

Dialogue with Damascus links borders, work and justice

The relationship with Syria develops on several issues that go beyond security alone. Ad Diyar of 5 November 2026 recalls the visit to Damascus on 2 November. Tarek Mitri led a delegation including Mohammad Haidar, Rima Karamé and Hanine Sayed. Ministers met with Assad Al-Chaibani at Tichrine Palace. Discussions focused on Syrian returns, education, birth registrations and border crossings. Technical cooperation should enable these subjects to be dealt with on an ongoing basis. In an interview published by Al Joumhouria on 5 November 2026, Mohammad Haidar insisted on his position as a government representative. He claims not to have visited Damascus as an emissary of Hezbollah. The Minister of Labour describes frank exchanges and wishes to expand cooperation between administrations. He also explains his willingness to regularize the employment of Syrians according to Lebanese law. It announces controls with the General Security in several sectors. Bakeries, hairdressers and butchers are among the activities mentioned. The Minister distinguishes between the ownership of certain establishments and the possibility of legally employing Syrian employees. His statements express a governmental orientation. They are not sufficient to describe the results of the remaining controls. Ad Diyar also addresses a sensitive judicial issue. According to its sources, Beirut challenged the release of 57 detainees transferred to Syria. The daily refers to a Syrian announcement of 28 October. He warned Mitri about the consequences of these releases for new transfers. The judicial agreement signed in February provides a framework for this discussion. However, the text of this agreement and the individual decisions are not reproduced. It would therefore be premature to conclude a specific legal violation. The newspaper states that exchanges should continue with the Minister of the Interior. A separate commission is also mentioned for the responsibility of perpetrators. Work, returns and justice follow related paths, but their decisions are not confused. Educational cooperation and civil registration also remain autonomous subjects of bilateral dialogue.

The Syrian opening to Riyadh forms another part of this diplomatic recomposition. Asharq Al-Awsat of 5 November 2026 announces a cooperation agreement between the Saudi and Syrian defence ministries. Mohammed bin Salmane and Ahmed Al-Charaa attended his signature after their interviews in Riyadh. The daily does not provide the clauses for defining military commitments. The concept of defence cooperation must therefore be retained. Transforming it into an automatic guarantee of intervention would expand the scope of the text without proof. Al Liwa of 5 November 2026 also mentions an industrial memorandum and development finance. The report includes infrastructure, health, housing and financial services. Al Sharq of 5 November 2026 states that this visit follows that of 6 October. The trip therefore takes place less than a month after a previous summit exchange. Several publications also address the hypothesis of Syrian accession to the so-called Mecca Pact. Al-Quds Al-Arabi of 5 November 2026 presents this possibility as a topic of discussion. The daily does not report officially announced membership. This distinction avoids confusing a signed bilateral agreement with a regional architecture still under discussion. The Saudi-Syrian talks also address the safety of maritime routes. Asharq Al-Awsat calls for an end to acts threatening the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb and Ormuz. Trade and energy supplies thus link the concerns of the two capitals. In the same issue, Houda Al-Husseini analyses Chinese efforts to reduce tensions. She mentions Wang Yi’s meeting with Ali Bagheri Kani in Beijing. Movements of Chinese emissaries are also announced in the Gulf and Horn of Africa. The author links this activity to China’s oil, port and commercial interests. However, it highlights the lack of public details on the guarantees sought. Economic influence can facilitate trade with Tehran. It does not demonstrate an ability to impose a decision on the Iranian authorities or their related groups.

Still open mediations and audit commitments

The US elections change diplomatic calculations without stopping the ongoing negotiations. In Asharq Al-Awsat of 5 November 2026, Hassan Al-Moustafa describes an Iranian proposal presented by Abbas Araqchi. She’d arrange a two-day sequence. Washington would first take economic and security measures. The reopening of Ormuz would then take place. The columnist states that no American acceptance has been announced. The formula is therefore a negotiating proposal, not an executed agreement. Discussions with Qatari mediators would have focused on the timing and order of commitments. This point is central. The parties may discuss the same outcome while remaining opposed to the first step. The text also refers to Saudi and Pakistani approaches. He reports a letter from J.D. Vance to Mohsen Rezaei, according to information disclosed. The presence of the nuclear issue in future negotiations would be an American demand. Again, the content reported is not official publication of the letter. The fate of the enriched uranium stock and the return of inspections remain separate navigational issues. The author recalls that the rights of States using the Strait cannot be settled only between Washington and Tehran. On military risk, newspapers present divergent readings. Paul Salem estimates in Ad Diyar of November 5, 2026 that the chances of a great escalation have diminished. He adds that it remains possible. Other diplomatic sources of the same daily fear a flight ahead before January. These assessments should not be merged into a single forecast. In Asharq Al-Awsat of 5 November 2026, Elie Youssef recalls the American institutional calendar. The new majority took office on 3 January 2027. It can monitor appropriations, appointments and investigations. The President nevertheless retains executive powers and his veto power. A majority hostile to its conduct of war therefore does not mean the adoption of Iranian objectives. The diplomatic effects of the election will depend on the votes, decisions and commitments that follow.

Lebanon is also preparing negotiations with financial and environmental implications. Al Sharq of 5 November 2026 details the directions of Tamara El-Zein for the climate conference in Antalya. The minister wants to see the burden borne by war-affected countries recognized. His argument concerns destruction, reconstruction and conflict-related emissions. She asked to consider the full cycle of military activities. The manufacture, transport, use and reconstruction of weapons would be part of this process. This is a Lebanese preparatory position, not an international rule already adopted. The Minister also wants to focus on donations rather than loans. It calls for faster access to financing for fragile countries. Indicators should take into account economic capacity and the level of development. Environmental assessment of new technologies, including artificial intelligence, is one of the other areas. These priorities extend Lebanese diplomacy to the cost of repair and to the conditions of financing. In the same issue, Al Sharq reports Nawaf Salam’s exchanges with the International Finance Corporation. A five-year World Bank Group strategy is under preparation. Its completion is expected in the first quarter of 2027. Energy, transport, small businesses and employment were discussed. No new signed envelopes are announced in this report. This distinction is important for reconstruction prospects. Meetings set priorities, but they do not yet guarantee disbursements. Another, more discreet cooperation concerns education. Asharq Al-Awsat of 5 November 2026 reports the meeting of the Lebanese ambassador to Iraq with the Iraqi Minister of Education. Both sides wish to expand trade in this sector. He also thanked Iraq for hosting Lebanese families. There is no detailed costed program. These contacts nevertheless show the diversity of open files. Security guarantees, returns, education and funding are subject to different approaches. Each has its interlocutors, steps and points still to be clarified.

International politics: Trump’s setback opens a new battle of power

Washington between electoral sanction and institutional limits

Al Arabi Al Jadid of 5 November 2026 describes an electoral sanction exceeding the only disputed constituencies. In his Washington report, Mohammad al-Badawi highlights the democratic breakthroughs in several Republican bastions. The newspaper announces 54 seats for the Democratic bloc in the Senate and 228 in the House. Asharq Al-Awsat of 5 November 2026 advanced, for his part, at least 231 democratic seats in the House. These counts therefore differ according to the editions and their status of counting. They must not be added up or presented as a common certification. Both newspapers, however, retain the changeover of the two chambers. In Kansas, they emphasize the historical significance of democratic success. In Texas, they also describe a double Republican defeat, in the Senate and as governor. Al Joumhouria of 5 November 2026, taking up an analysis by Lisa Lerer, places these results in the crisis of purchasing power. Fuel costs, tariffs and the war against Iran dominate this reading. However, Qassem al-Haroub brings a nuance in Al Arabi Al Jadid of 5 November 2026. A sanction vote does not necessarily constitute a lasting conversion to the other party. Voters can reject a team without adopting the entire competing offer. This distinction counts for Republican debates on Trump’s succession. It also counts for the Democrats, now expected on their solutions. The same daily describes the progress of critical candidates for military aid to Israel. Abdul El-Sayed, elected in Michigan according to these results, occupies a central place in this presentation. The newspaper also distinguishes federal gains from victories in state assemblies. These institutional levels have different powers. Finally, Ad Diyar of 5 November 2026 recalls that some races remain uncut. The newspaper explicitly separates media projections from official validation. This reserve prevents reading each morning figure as a permanently fixed composition. Above all, it calls for a distinction between three events: the political shift, the end of counting and the installation of new elected representatives. Their effects do not all start at the same time.

In Ad Diyar of November 5, 2026, Trump’s dossier on powers sets the next milestone on January 3, 2027. The new Congress will then take office. Democrats will be able to monitor committees, organise hearings and demand documents. The Senate will also have leverage on appointments submitted for approval. It may delay or refuse judicial, diplomatic and administrative applications. These prerogatives concern the positions to be filled. They do not automatically remove their current holders. Another major area of confrontation is the budget. However, compulsory expenditure and certain multiannual appropriations do not disappear with the change of majority. The newspaper notes in particular this difficulty in the area of migration. It also recalls the thresholds that limit the new majority. In most ordinary legislative procedures, interrupting obstruction requires sixty votes in the Senate. Overcoming a presidential veto requires two thirds in each chamber. The conviction of a President after indictment also requires a stronger majority in the Senate. An election defeat therefore does not render his removal automatic. Al Arabi Al Jadid of 5 November 2026 describes the same tension between parliamentary control and executive power. Trump shows a willingness to work with his opponents, while brandishing his veto. Democratic projects on health, taxes or weapons will have to overcome these obstacles. The prospects for controlling technological enterprises are also still open. In Ad Diyar of November 5, 2026, Brian Katulis recalls a illuminating precedent. George W. Bush had lost parliamentary majorities in 2006. He then strengthened US troops in Iraq in 2007. This reminder does not predict a repetition. He simply pointed out the limitations of an immediate military reading of the election. The Iranian question will depend on appropriations, binding texts and presidential decisions. For the American allies, the change announces more internal negotiations in Washington. It alone does not constitute a new treaty or a guarantee of peace.

Ormuz, Israel and other confrontational fronts

Al Arabi Al Jadid of 5 November 2026 opposes Trump’s assurances against the threats made in Tehran. The US President says he is not planning an imminent attack on Iran. Mojtaba Khamenei, for his part, rejects the hope of American change based only on partisan alternation. His message promises a wider confrontation in case of new strikes. Hamid Reza Moghaddamfar, media adviser to the Revolutionary Guards Commander, targets countries hosting American bases. He cited in particular the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. The reported threats go beyond the only military installations used to attack Iran. The newspaper distinguishes these statements from the transactions claimed in the Strait of Ormuz. The Guardians claim that four tankers fired after striking mines. They also announced the boarding of two ships and the destruction of an American drone. Their statements do not constitute an independent confirmation of these events. Asharq Al-Awsat of November 5, 2026 describes competing stories about navigation. Washington claims to have secured the passage, while Tehran claims control. The daily also reports warnings against a resumption of fighting. On the Chinese side, Mao Ning presents the avoidance of a new war as a diplomatic priority. Al Arabi Al Jadid of 5 November 2026 cites his support for the negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Beijing also links the opening of the maritime passage to a political solution to the Yemeni conflict. On this last front, the Houthis claim further attacks against Riyadh airport. Their claims of direct strikes and damage remain those of a belligerent. At the same time, government forces are announcing progress in Al-Jawf province. Asharq Al-Awsat of 5 November 2026 describes their operations and the needs of displaced families. Thus, declarations of victory coincide with very concrete humanitarian situations. Sea routes, airports and population movements link several conflicts. None of the newspapers, however, provide a comprehensive agreement simultaneously resolving these crises. Diplomatic announcements should therefore be read with their conditions, authors and limitations.

In Israel, Al Arabi Al Jadid of 5 November 2026 reports that the election commission did not find any irregularities affecting the results. The October 27 election, however, leaves a strong political challenge. Naïf Zeidani describes Likud’s accusations against the Arab lists, credited together with 19 seats. It also reports the conflict around the investigations desired by the Shin Bet leader. These charges remain contested and are not evidence of fraud. Isaac Herzog condemns racist statements and initiates government consultations. Ad Diyar of 5 November 2026 recalls the absence of a constituted majority. The Netanyahu Block counts 53 seats, compared to 48 for Eisenkot. The Arab parties thus become central in the calculations, despite the reluctance to cooperate. The question of US aid adds uncertainty. Al Arabi Al Jadid of 5 November 2026 reports a statement by Trump announcing his arrest at the end of the year. The newspaper, however, recalls an agreement that normally existed until 2028. It distinguishes between $3.3 billion spent on military procurement and half a billion spent on missile defence. The reported announcement does not yet demonstrate the execution of an interruption. Elsewhere, governments seek to preserve their own diplomatic margins. Asharq Al-Awsat of 5 November 2026 reported the signing of a Saudi-Syrian military cooperation agreement to Riyadh. The daily newspaper does not publish any detailed amounts or operational clauses. In Ukraine, reactions focus on the continuity of American mediation. Al Arabi Al Jadid of 5 November 2026 quotes Dmitri Peskov wishing Trump to continue his efforts. It also reports an increase to 37 deaths from a strike against an aid point in the Zaporizhzhia region. Military operations therefore continue during election comments. Finally, the same newspaper describes the Sudano-Ethiopian tensions, against the background of the Nile dam and cross accusations. The announced expulsion of six Sudanese diplomats highlights the deterioration of the dialogue. However, analyses differ on the risk of direct confrontation and Egypt’s potential role. In France, Al Arabi Al Jadid of 5 November 2026 follows another balance of power. Trade unions rely on a joint strike between the public and private sectors. They want measures on wages, pensions and public services. Mahmoud al-Haj highlights the link sought with student mobilizations. However, the movement remains announced at the time of writing. Its real effects cannot therefore be inferred from trade union appeals. Researcher Dominique Andolfatto recalls that the major demonstrations of 2023 had not prevented pension reform. A union official also insists on the personal cost of unpaid days. The ability to mobilize depends on these material constraints. Organizations are asking for more revenue on distributed wealth and profits. They thus contest the government’s budgetary choices, without yet having an agreement on a joint renewal of the strike at this stage.

Economy: deposits, credit and public services at the heart of Lebanese arbitration

Withdrawals are progressing, credit recovery still under discussion

Al Liwa of 5 November 2026 announces an increase in the amounts foreseen by two bank withdrawal schemes. The newspaper quotes interim decisions 13901 and 13902 of the Bank of Lebanon. Dated on 3 November, they shall take effect on 1 December. For Circular 158, the monthly amount would increase from $1,000 to $1,200. This sum comprises two different parts. Eight hundred dollars would be available by withdrawal, transfer, card or account in fresh money. The remaining four hundred dollars would be reserved for terminal payments by traders. For Circular 166, the amount would increase from $500 to $600. Four hundred dollars would fall into the first category, two hundred of the payments per terminal. This distribution limits the scope of the word withdrawal. Beneficiaries should not understand that the entire amount becomes available in cash. The daily also shows annual ceilings of $14,400 and $7,200. They would replace the $12,000 and $6,000 ceilings for the cycle up to 30 June 2027, respectively. The amounts allocated to electronic payments remain adjustable according to the monetary policy described. These announcements improve access to part of the funds. They do not constitute a general refund of blocked deposits. Their application remains linked to the conditions of each device. Al Sharq of 5 November 2026 places the issue in the broader legislative process. Finance Minister Yassine Jaber wants to resume the review of the Financial Gap Act after the budget. He hopes to be finalized in March 2027. This deadline corresponds to an announced political objective, not a guarantee of voting. Accessible amounts, loss sharing and bank restructuring therefore remain separate issues. Ad Diyar of 5 November 2026 publishes a defense of Saad Azhari’s positions. The newspaper underlines its support for a loss law and restitution. It also evokes exits or mergers of banks. This is a comment in favour of a previous interview, not a new decision by the sector.

At the same time, there is a debate among banking players about credit recovery. In Ad Diyar of November 5, 2026, Joseph Farah presents a proposal of two billion dollars. Bank sources are considering advances from the Bank of Lebanon to institutions. The latter would then distribute the funds to businesses and households. One billion would be allocated to each of these categories. The mechanism remains a proposal. No release by the central bank is announced. Proponents refer to margins of two percent for businesses and three percent for consumers. These margins cannot be presented as the full rates that would be charged to borrowers. The productive component provides $700 million for working capital. Three hundred million would finance machines. Sources estimate that the industry currently uses half of its capacity. They project a recurring annual production gain of $2.9 billion. This result depends on their assumptions. It does not measure growth already achieved. The household component includes $400 million for the automobile over five years. Five hundred million would finance personal expenses over a year. The text does not break down the remaining one hundred million of this envelope. This limit should be retained rather than complete the model. In addition, the promoters estimate induced imports at $1.07 billion. They estimate the initial income remaining locally at nine hundred and thirty million. The scenario also foresees additional exports and increased tax revenues. All of these data describe the results expected by the proponents of the project. Other banks seek clarification of losses and liabilities to depositors. Their concern is the order of priorities. Credit can support production, but old bonds remain to be dealt with. Al Sharq of 5 November 2026 also reports discussions with the International Finance Corporation on small business loans. Again, he does not mention a signed line. Both files express a need for funding without establishing that a new offer is already open.

Electricity and the budget confront the state with its own unpaid payments

Al Sharq of 5 November 2026 describes the third day of the cut-off campaign targeting the electricity-debt administrations of Lebanon. The institution notes an influx to reconcile tables, invoices and receipts. The restoration of feeding is subject to several conditions. A first payment must be made. A written undertaking must then specify the repayment of arrears. The new monthly invoices must finally be paid on a regular basis. According to the news release, a new defect will cause an immediate cut. The public undertaking claims that it granted no exceptions. However, it refuses to validate lists of names and amounts broadcast outside its channels. The review cannot therefore take these lists as a certified statement of debts. Al Liwa of 5 November 2026 places this campaign in the debate on the supplementary budget appropriation. The Ministry of Energy states that this demand is not a new loan. It would cover, inter alia, public arrears, exemptions for the South and war reparations. The department also disputes the existence of a $700 million reserve. He opposed his own availability figures at the beginning of 2025. These data are involved in a political and financial dispute. Without the corresponding accounts, they must remain presented as the arguments of each party. The cost of the cuts also exceeds the agencies concerned. Several elected representatives questioned their effects on pumping facilities and water supply. Ibrahim Kanaan refused to allow households paying their bills to bear institutional shortcomings. Al Sharq of 5 November 2026 also reports a meeting between Joe Saddi and the leadership of the United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees. The Minister is asking for a regular payment mechanism for camp electricity. The text does not establish that the Agency recognizes that it is legally liable for all the sums mentioned. The file therefore requires a distinction between consumption, billing, payment liability and protection of users. This development complements the information already available on public cuts. It does not describe a separate campaign.

The funding of services is in line with the 2027 budget review. According to Al Sharq of 5 November 2026, the Finance Committee completed its study of the articles. However, some fee increases were suspended for additional consultations. The Ministries of Youth and Sports, Labour and Works are concerned in particular. Provisions concerning General Security are also under discussion. The credit review should begin the following week. The final 2025 account has not yet been received, notes the daily. The adoption of the budget in committee is therefore not valid. The newspaper also mentions an increase in the mukhtar stamp. Its amount would increase from £50,000 to £1,000,000 to provide a social and health fund. This commission measure should not be presented as an already applicable tariff. Ibrahim Kanaan also refers to a lottery linked to invoices. The objective would be to bring consumer-reported purchases closer to business reporting. The modalities are still to be defined by the Ministry of Finance. Tax control is thus discussed together with levies. Al-Quds Al-Arabi of 5 November 2026 reports the twelve measures handed over to Joseph Aoun by the economic agencies. In particular, they call for the private sector not to increase its burden. They also cite funding, end-of-service allowances and the fight against smuggling. However, the losses attributed to it are not accompanied by an estimate documented in the report. The President reaffirmed the central role of enterprises. He also referred to the responsibility of certain commercial behaviour in the crisis. Employers’ requests therefore do not replace the debate on government revenues and their distribution. Al Sharq finally reports the requirements expressed by Yassine Jaber on the Qatari electrical project. Increased production should be accompanied by distribution and recovery reforms. Reduction of waste and better management are also required. The Minister wishes to avoid new recurring expenses for the Consolidated Revenue Fund. Discussions on production capacity thus remain linked to discussions on revenue from the service.

Essential services and distribution of bank losses

Another example of funding for essential services is telecommunications. Al Liwa of 5 November 2026 details the first phase of distribution of the satellite service by Alfa. The daily reports an agreement signed on September 18, after the regulatory and security stages. Thirty-seven entities are included in the first set described. It comprises twenty public and security agencies, eleven hospitals, three embassies, two associations and the municipality of Rmeich. The latter would have received the first activation. Alfa also reports more than 100 client companies. These categories should not be automatically added without knowing their possible overlaps. The company announces the order of five hundred additional devices. The rates reported are annual, with prepayment. The offer of 500 gigabytes per month costs $2,100 per year. The monthly terabyte rate is $3,588. The terminal costs five hundred and fifty dollars in one time. Value added tax is not included. The newspaper indicates a 12-month guarantee. It states that the State collects twenty-five per cent of subscription revenues, excluding terminal revenues. These conditions describe the tenders mentioned in the closure, not the entire market. Al Sharq of 5 November 2026 reproduces Nawaf Salam’s insistence on their complementary role. The service must support continuity during breakdowns and in poorly equipped areas. It is not presented as a replacement for existing networks. The same caution applies to territorial economic projects. Al Liwa describes the work of the Investment Development Authority and the Zahlé and Bekaa Chamber. Partners want to select three to five projects in the following weeks. Agriculture, food processing, storage, packaging and renewable energy are among the priorities. Logistics infrastructure is also mentioned. However, studies, contracts, jobs and funding must be specified in the files. Neither the list of sectors nor the creation of a joint group constitutes an investment made. The immediate challenge is to transform these guidelines into documented and financially sound projects.

Finally, there is explicit opposition between newspapers to the distribution of losses. In Al Akhbar of 5 November 2026, Mohammad Wehbe criticizes the proposals discussed to deal with deposits. His analysis describes a repayment of the first hundred thousand dollars over six years. Sixty thousand dollars would be paid for four years, then forty thousand for two more years. Payments already made under Circulars 158 and 166 would be recorded in this envelope. This imputation is central to his criticism. A nominal promise would therefore not necessarily correspond to an additional hundred thousand dollars to be received. The balance could be converted into instruments maturing over 20 to 30 years. Bank participations without voting rights are also reported. Any dividends would only occur after at least five years. These mechanisms remain proposals described by the newspaper. They do not constitute a new right applicable to applicants. A box in the same issue contains four to six years of cash protection. This difference in timing confirms that the modalities are not fixed in the available narratives. Wehbe also reports partial conversions at the rate of fifteen thousand pounds per dollar. It describes partially met deadlines and requests, not a general rush. Its reading insists on haircuts and the progressive erasure of debts. This judgment must be attributed to him. It cannot become a charge of fraud made by the magazine. Azhari’s defence published in Ad Diyar on 5 November 2026 is taking another reading. It presents the recognition of the systemic nature of the crisis as compatible with restitution and restructuring. It also distinguishes the opposition to taxes on accounting profits from the refusal of any taxation. The two newspapers therefore differ on the real scope of the mechanisms discussed. The two-billion credit proposal adds a third priority to the debate: to finance the activity immediately. It remains to be seen how these objectives can be reconciled. The available legislation does not give any definitive legislation, guaranteed timetable or fully documented funding. They mainly identify the points to be checked: sums already paid, value of future instruments and order of absorption of losses. The increase in withdrawal ceilings alone does not address any of these issues.

Justice: Lebanese investigations advance without prejudging responsibilities

The port of Beirut and the Irani affair are experiencing new stages

In Asharq Al-Awsat of 5 November 2026, Youssef Diab reports a new series of interrogations about the explosion in Beirut port. Judge Tarek Bitar heard four former officers as the accused. Their functions cover several levels of the military hierarchy. Walid Salman was Chief of Staff. Manuel Keljian was responsible for the equipment. Georges Moussa ran the ammunition department. Mounir Abu Zeid was in charge of the equipment. The interrogations took place in the presence of lawyers and civil parties. Mohammad Saab, Advocate General for Cassation, also attended. According to the daily newspaper, this presence is a first in the sessions conducted by the judicial investigating judge. The newspaper sees this as a sign of cooperation with the prosecution. It recalls the rupture that had marked the period of Ghassan Oueidate. The new sequence is based on a request for an expansion of the investigation. Suspicions include prior knowledge of ammonium nitrate stored in the harbour. They must be reviewed for each individual. The fact of being prosecuted or questioned does not prove a responsibility in the explosion. The correspondent stated that no detention warrant had been issued after these hearings. Nor has the judge issued a procedural decision on release or residence. The question therefore remains pending. Al Arabi Al Jadid of 5 November 2026 provides information on the progress of the case. Rita Al-Jammal states that Mohammad Saab’s petition was received on 15 September. It would exceed two hundred pages and propose an extension of the investigations. This opinion does not automatically bind the judge. The daily also recalls the procedures that had slowed down the investigation and then their evolution this year. Asharq Al-Awsat finally reports that Bitar intends to issue his indictment before the end of 2026. This perspective is not an announced verdict. The Public Prosecutor’s Office has yet to file a supplement concerning the officers interviewed. Further hearings are still possible before the decision. The reports thus converge on an effective resumption of the investigative acts, while leaving open individual responsibilities and their qualifications.

Another old case comes to court with a scheduled hearing. Ad Diyar of November 5, 2026 announces that Charles Atta must be heard on November 19. The first investigating judge in Beirut, Rula Othman, follows this step in the Ramzi Irani case. The daily refers to a report by lawyer Eliane Fakhry for the family and the Lebanese Forces. The retired general claims to have identified kidnappers and telephone numbers in 2002. He explained that he had used telephone data and transmitted a report to Hatem Madi. According to the newspaper, this information was not included in the file under review. This account justifies the interest of a new hearing. It does not, however, make it possible to present the murder as resolved. The existence of the work described, its content and its transmission remain precisely the elements to be clarified. The newspaper does not provide a decision establishing voluntary concealment. It also does not refer to persons whose guilt would have been recognized. The chronology must therefore remain that of the affirmations and judicial procedures. A former official said he had elements. A representative of the family is taking justice. A judge plans to hear it. These steps each have a different scope. The need for access to old documents also appears in Al Liwa of 5 November 2026. Omar Al-Bardan reports that Justice Minister Adel Nassar is calling for access to the security archives of the former Syrian regime. The aim is to advance investigations into assassinations in Lebanon. This request does not prove that a specific fund has already been transferred. It also does not make it possible to announce the content of parts still sought. The steps to Atta’s archives and hearing should not be presented as a single procedure. They concern distinct ways of seeking truth. Their common point remains the attention given to information that may be missing from the files. For families, the next steps mentioned by the newspapers are concrete: the hearing of 19 November in the Irani case and the continuation of requests for documentary access in other investigations.

Procedures and procurement require specific distinctions

The Dahr al-Baydar explosive file is entering a new phase of investigation. Al Sharq of 5 November 2026 indicates that Ghada Abu Alwan received the documents. The Military Investigating Judge must hear Haitham Amhaz and Ali Al-Kurdi on Thursday. The newspaper refers to possible mandates and the convening of other identified persons. Default mandates could be considered in case of absence. These formulations describe the acts announced at the closure. They do not make it clear that hearings or mandates have already taken place. Al Liwa of 5 November 2026 reports the same procedural progress. Al-Quds Al-Arabi stresses the political dimension of the choice of jurisdiction. The Lebanese Forces request that the case be referred to the Council of Justice. The daily newspaper links this claim to their position on government participation. This political challenge does not replace the judicial decision on the facts. Nor does it allow for the inference of guilt of persons summoned. The distinction between jurisdiction and substance of the case appears in another case. Al Sharq of 5 November 2026 recaptures the prosecution of Touch’s building in Bachoura. Former ministers Mohammad Choucair and Jamal Jarrah are mentioned in this lease and purchase case. The daily reports about a hundred million dollars of alleged waste. He reported a decision of the ninth chamber of the Court of Cassation issued the previous week. According to his reading, certain ministerial acts would fall under Parliament rather than ordinary justice. The original text of the decision, however, is not included in the record. It would therefore be imprudent to draw a general rule covering all offences attributable to a minister. The question of the competent body must remain separate from that of the acts charged. A decision on the route of prosecution alone does not establish innocence or guilt. The two dossiers thus set out different discussions on procedures. Today’s information relates to referrals, summons and interpretation of jurisdiction, without final judgement on responsibilities.

Ad Diyar of 5 November 2026 examines a public procurement in terms of competition and proximity to power. The contract covers eighty-five vehicles for the Internal Security Forces. The tender was published on 29 September. The daily reports a provisional assignment on 30 October to Rasamny Younis Motor Company. The amount announced is $3,904,425 including taxes. The fleet includes five prisoner vans and 25 off-road vehicles. There are also fifty double-cabin vans and five trays. The newspaper highlights the company’s family ties with Public Works Minister Fayez Rassamny. He recalls that he was its leader. These elements give a public dimension to the debate on the distance between ministerial and private interests. They do not demonstrate intervention in the proceedings. According to Gherbal information cited by the daily newspaper, the company was the only bidder. The journal describes several requirements of the specification. These include the origin of vehicles, authorized representation in Lebanon and maintenance in the supplier’s facilities. The article also gives the committee’s response. The Commission asserts that the single offer does not result from exclusive conditions. This answer must be kept with critics, not relegated from the narrative. The newspaper itself states that the family bond and the uniqueness of the offer do not prove an offence. Its conclusion is a preventive choice: it suggests voluntary forbearance from the undertakings concerned. This editorial recommendation should not be confused with a legal ban already pronounced. The provisional nature of the award also requires that the contract not be reported as definitively executed. No delivery or court order is reported. The available file therefore raises specific questions on access conditions, number of candidates and guarantees of impartiality. It does not authorize a charge of favouritism presented as established. To go beyond this review, the full call for tenders, the decisions of the panel and the parties’ responses would be necessary.

Other responsibilities to be established

The fight against food fraud plays an important role in requests for control addressed to administrations. Al Sharq of 5 November 2026 reports Joseph Aoun’s meeting with the Lebanese Food Security Authority. The President responded to reported incidents in Beirut and Akkar, which affected families and children. It describes fraud as « a crime that suffers no indulgence ». This political formula expresses a penalty requirement. It does not replace the qualifications chosen in each procedure. Ad Diyar of November 5, 2026 states that the president is asking for the whole chain to be brought up. Suppliers, warehouses and any protections granted to offenders are affected. It also wants to protect compliant institutions from loss of collective confidence. Control should therefore not be limited to closing a trade after damage has occurred. The inspections requested range from imports to restaurants. They include slaughterhouses, storage and transport. In particular, Al Sharq cites unauthorised meat and establishments. The Authority wishes to move from an emergency response to prevention. Its president mentions the episodes of trichinellosis among the reasons for this development. It also describes risks of corruption or interference. Pressures on controllers, manipulated certificates and lack of traceability are included in his presentation. These risks do not constitute a list of offences nominally proved by the article. They shall identify the points which the monitoring arrangements should cover. Administrative means remain another condition of control. The President requests premises, staff, a budget and laboratories for the Authority. The report recalls its legal framework, as set out in the 2015 Act. It stresses the need for coordination between ministries and departments, with scientific independence. Communication to the public must finally be based on clear reference and precise data. The newspapers do not publish a consolidated record of victims in these articles. They also do not allow for a reliable list of responsible businesses. Requests for prosecution and preventive measures should therefore be reported without adding names or sanctions absent from sources.

The protection of minors results in more direct police intervention. Al Liwa of 5 November 2026 reports the dismantling announced by the Internal Security Forces of a rose sales network. More than 15 miners were reportedly exploited in the river and Mar Mikhaël sectors. Most are said to be Syrian, according to the press release quoted. Interpellations took place and the case was referred to the court. Another case involving the sale of handkerchiefs by children, Place Sassine, is mentioned separately. The two networks or their individuals involved should not be merged. The identity of children and the details of their recognition are not necessary to understand the information. The important dimension is their protection and the examination of adult responsibilities. The reported arrests are not equivalent to convictions. The same issue of Al Liwa also deals with environmental procedures. The Litani National Office delivered two minutes to Tarek Mitri. The first concerns a strike on 26 May 2026 near the Qaraoun dam. The second concerns a change in colour from the lower Litani River, observed on 29 October. The newspaper announces investigations and analyses under the supervision of magistrate Najat Abu Chacra. Such transmission is not sufficient to establish the nature of possible pollution. Nor does it demonstrate a causal link between the two events. The samples, laboratory results and the examination of circumstances must still inform the file. On another ground, Al Liwa of 5 November 2026 publishes Omar Zein’s appeal against impunity for crimes against journalists. The author seeks independent investigation and witness protection, particularly in Lebanon and Palestine. He spoke on the occasion of the International Day of November 2. Its text constitutes a legal plea, not the announcement of a judgment in a particular case. These files therefore have different stages. Some are based on arrests, others on minutes or requests for investigation. The next useful information will be court decisions, analytical results and concrete protection measures.

Society: inclusion of disability, care and fragility of collective protections

In Lebanon, making rights effective and preserving social relays

The National Strategy for the Rights and Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities is entering its announced implementation phase. Al Akhbar of 5 November 2026 describes its launch at the Grand Sérail. The timetable covers the years 2026 to 2030. However, the text dates back to 2023 and its approval on 26 February. Zeinab Hammoud highlights the three years before this public presentation. She asked what had actually been accomplished during that period. Nawaf Salam describes a State commitment to its citizens, beyond a single ministry. Hanine Sayed presents a common framework for these rights in public policy. The newspaper confronts this ambition with the obstacles experienced. Education, health, employment, transport and public participation remain difficult for many people. The ministerial figure of 80% of unemployment quoted dates back to 2021. It should not be presented as a new measure of 2026. The file focuses on ways to make rights effective. Law 220 of 2000 appears to be aged and largely unapplied in the narrative. In particular, it leaves gaps in self-reliance and family life. Four lawyers are studying the choice between amending the text and new legislation. Ibrahim Abdallah explains that a practical preference goes towards the amendment to save time. No final choice has yet been announced. The activist must also monitor work on disability assessment with the International Labour Organization. The approach considered goes beyond the physical impairment alone. It examines functional capabilities and environmental barriers. Access to services could better match individual needs. The planned areas also include accessible information, culture and protection against violence and discrimination. The preparation was attended by Friedrich Ebert, the Lebanese Studies Centre and the United Nations Population Fund. However, funding for implementation remains to be established. The support received to prepare the text does not guarantee the necessary resources for its implementation. The article finally questions the place of the persons concerned. Abdallah reports that some contributors had felt excluded from speaking. He was then able to speak on behalf of the community participants. This story links public participation and monitoring capacity. The commitments relate to sustainable rights. However, the journal does not provide a full budget for implementation, nor does it provide a balance sheet to measure its effects.

Social protection also appears through the role of associations. Al Sharq of 5 November 2026 reports on a parliamentary workshop with the association JAD. Interventions defend public freedoms and the protection of activists. Michel Moussa presents civil society as a transparent partner. Georges Adwan stressed the need to protect witnesses and whistleblowers. The Minister of Defence, Michel Menassa, recalls the shortcomings covered by these organizations. Care, education and relief after the port explosion are among their interventions. He also cited the assistance provided after the Israeli attacks. He rejects their intimidation and political or religious recovery. These statements inform an institutional debate, without constituting an independent assessment of associations. In the same issue, Al Sharq recounts an experience of administrative training at Saint Joseph University. Nine interns completed the summer promotion of a governance program. The Ministry of Tourism, the University and Siren Associates participate, with the support of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie. Work focused on legal, administrative and field research. Minister Laura Khazen Lahoud welcomes their contribution. However, there is no quantitative assessment to conclude that the department is generally changing. In Tunisia, another survey shows the material fragility of associative action. Al Arabi Al Jadid of 5 November 2026 describes the crisis of the National Union of Tunisian Women. Founded in 1956, the organization is experiencing wage delays and social protection interruptions. Regional settlements have closed. Radhia Jerbi, its president, spoke of old debts and the cessation of a wage subsidy. Part of the siege was seized to execute a judgement. The dispute concerns in particular the rights of rural workers. So we must preserve two realities present in the report. Services for vulnerable women are at risk. But women workers also demand remuneration and social rights. The organisation provides reception, legal advice, psychological support and economic support. Its centre housed 25 victims of violence in 2022, according to its own website. This old figure does not measure its current activity. The narrative thus exposes the tensions between continuity of services, public financing and respect for employees. The claims referred to date from a 1996 convention. The judgement applied was said to have been delivered about 14 years earlier.

From precarious shelters to the constraints of daily life

In Gaza, housing conditions directly affect the health of children. Al Arabi Al Jadid of 5 November 2026 describes an increase in meningitis. The doctors interviewed evoke prolonged heat, malnutrition, promiscuity and pollution around tents. The Ministry of Health has recorded 1,140 viral cases since January. There are also 295 bacterial cases and 11 deaths. These two forms should not be confused in the presentation of risks. In Al-Rantissi, approximately 145 cases were recorded between 25 September and 25 October. Family accounts describe persistent fevers and sometimes long journeys before diagnosis. Parents talk about wastewater, waste and lack of hygiene. Their accounts show the daily obstacles, without establishing individually the origin of each infection. Saïd Maarouf, a pediatrician, insists on the exceptional nature of the situation. « The changing seasons no longer determine the moment when diseases spread, » he explains. He also reported a shortage of treatment. In his service, the children described return after healing. However, Ahmad Al-Farra reported four deaths in three months in intensive care at the Nasser complex. This local balance sheet does not automatically add to the ministerial total. Both physicians describe different institutions and periods. The photographic report published in the same issue expands this alert. Approximately 2,000 cracked buildings would be used as temporary shelters despite a risk of collapse. The newspaper also mentions 1.5 million displaced persons. Mahmoud Bassal, spokesman for Civil Protection, fears a winter disaster. Fragile tents are poorly resistant to wind and rain. Construction materials, temporary housing and fuel are still insufficient. Al-Quds Al-Arabi of 5 November 2026 describes the wear and tear of the shelters. It reports that 162,000 out of 270,000 tents would be degraded, or about 60 per cent. The figures relate to different objects or populations. Therefore, they should not be added together. The two newspapers converge on a concrete point: precarious housing maintains several forms of vulnerability. The expected cold, contaminated water and the difficulty of accessing care combine. None of these reports yet present a balance sheet of future weather. Caregiver Ashraf Abu Amouna insists on ongoing surveillance. The first 24 hours after admission require special attention.

Daily health is also affected by a lack of activity and food cost. Al-Quds Al-Arabi of 5 November 2026 relayed a study presented by the World Health Organization. It covers 140 countries and 3.2 million young people aged 11 to 17. One quarter reached 60 minutes of moderate or intense activity on any day of the week. This does not mean a total absence of movement. The distinction is important to understand the measure used. The global estimate is 240 million adolescents. The average is 2.7 active days per week. Only 14% achieve the daily goal over seven days. According to the dispatch, the situation has recently changed for fifteen years. The finding relates to a measured practice, without identifying a single cause. It does not allow each difficulty to be attributed to screens or family choices. In Tunisia, Al Arabi Al Jadid of 5 November 2026 describes another obstacle to healthy habits. Higher prices are driving families to change their purchases. Food inflation reached 8.4% in September, up from 7.5% in August. Overall inflation is 5.6%, according to the statistical data cited. Poultry prices rose 16.5% year-on-year. Fruit, meat and vegetables are also concerned. One mother explained that the awards now guide her arbitrations before the needs. A trader describes smaller quantities purchased. These testimonies illustrate constraints, without representing all Tunisian households. The 2021 expenditure survey gave food 30.1 per cent of the average budget. The share was 35.6% for the poorest. These old proportions serve as context and do not measure directly 2026. Finally, the same newspaper examines the dissemination of the travel in Iraq. Safaa Al-Kubaisi describes now available consultations on social networks and messaging. Researcher Mourouj Al-Ali fears exploitation of family and professional concerns. She recommends an education in evidence, beyond the police response. The report provides no market figures. It documents practices and testimonies, without measuring their frequency across the population. The police authorities interviewed remain anonymous. They do not give any figures of arrests.

Culture: concerts, books and heritage bring Lebanese memory to life

Scenes open to the voices of literature

In Asharq Al-Awsat, November 5, 2026, Viviane Haddad presents the tenth edition of the Baabdat Musicales. The festival runs from 23 October to 26 November and maintains free concerts. This continuity occupies an important place in the story of its founder, Suleiman Qorbani, despite the crises that have occurred. The program involves Lebanese artists with several foreign guests. For 5 November, the daily announces Nikolaj Knudsen with the trio of Artur Satyan, in the new church of Baabdat. Past programming includes pianist Iyad Sughayer with the National Philharmonic. She also brought together Mario Al-Rahi and Georges Daccache on violin and piano. The upcoming appointments draw several musical paths. On 9 November, the ensemble Exera String Berlin will play Haydn, Mendelssohn and « Le Soir », by Bechara El-Khoury. A second evening of this set was announced on November 11. On November 10, Jean-Samuel Bez and Raphaël Berro propose a trip « From Paganini to the Balkans », to violin and guitar. On November 12, Maxime Zecchini joined Jean-Samuel Bez and Guillaume Lagravière. Their program includes Mel Bonis, Poulenc, Fauré and Lili Boulanger. On November 17, Charbel Rouhana, Makram Aboul Hosn and Elie Khoury met around the ropes. The oud, bass and bouzouki make up this meeting. The evenings of November 20 and 21 then featured Hayk Melikyan. The first associate her with the National Philharmonic, led by Raffi Mikaelian. The second announces an Armenian and American solo program. Finally, the LeBAM orchestra, led by Sergei Bouloun, will close the festival on 26 November. The daily newspaper mentions works by Brazilian composers. This agenda brings together Lebanese creation, European directories and the circulation of interpreters. Dates are program announcements. Not all schedules and practical arrangements are specified in the article. They must therefore be confirmed with the organizers prior to a trip. Nor is it exempt from checking the specific access conditions of each place. Al Akhbar of 5 November 2026 completes this agenda with several meetings around Ziad Rahbani. Salma Mousfi is scheduled to perform her repertoire at Metro al-Madina on 7 and 8 November. The daily also announces a student exhibition at the Lebanese-American University, open until November 12. This visual tribute makes the musician’s memory pass through other forms than the concert. The creations presented are artistic and educational. They do not replace the archives of his performances or public interventions. For the youngest, the newspaper also reports a show around « Pierre et le Loup ». It was announced in the Brothers of Gemmayzé from 6 to 8 November. Music, scene and the formation of the gaze are thus met in proposals intended for different audiences. However, the advertisements available do not guarantee free places or specify all the prices charged.

The country’s memory takes another form in Al-Quds Al-Arabi of 5 November 2026. Hassan Daoud reads there the new collection of Abbas Beydoun, « The road returns with us ». The book is published by Dar Riad El-Rayyes and has 114 pages. Critics attach themselves to the South, to threatened houses, to death and exile. He describes a language far from the emphasis, attentive to what remains difficult to say. A poem dedicated to Amal Khalil bears the title « The South… the last day ». Destruction, therefore, is not a mere decor. It touches familiar places and words that allow them to live. Among the verses cited, this sentence focuses on daily concern: « Danger is also in the ceiling. Another formula moves poetry towards interiority: « I call poetry everything I bury in me. These translated quotations are a literary work. They should not be confused with factual testimony about a specific event. Al Liwa of 5 November 2026 devotes an article to Amin Maalouf. Amer Halwani revisits his interview with Patrick Simonin, broadcast on TV5Monde on October 28. The discussion accompanies « The Century of Our Metamorphosis ». The problem is the gap between technical intelligence and collective wisdom. The author examines the effects of artificial intelligence on work, school and information. He also mentioned the risks of loss of control and the dangerous uses of biotechnology. Scientific progress does not guarantee moral progress in this reading. Literature then retains the function of questioning human choices. Al Arabi Al Jadid of 5 November 2026 also presents the first full English translation of May Ziadé’s « Sawanih Fatat ». Published in Arabic in 1922, the book becomes « Musings of a Young Woman » at ArabLit. Seventeen translators and editors participated in the project. Hussein Jallad highlights the diversity of forms, between essay, meditation and theatrical scene. This publication represents an intellectual voice that is often overshadowed by biographical legend, without reducing its entire work to feminism alone.

Material heritage joins contemporary images

Al Liwa of 5 November 2026 traces, under the pen of Ali Ghalayini, the history of the Tarazi family. This route links Urfa, Damascus and Beirut, then several cities in Morocco. The story began with Mekerdich’s departure from Urfa in 1796. Descendants arrived in Beirut in 1860. A first trade opened two years later in the old souks. The article then follows the diversification of shops, workshops and decors. The achievements mentioned go through several places of Lebanese life. They include Sursock mansions, Pine Residence, palaces and hotels. The Bristol Salon, dated 1955, is a continuation of this. The history of the Alcazar, opened in 1959, also recalls the link between craftsmanship and hospitality. Its closure in December 1975 set war on this family and urban trajectory. The paper also refers to postcards produced in the early twentieth century. They participate in the production of an image of the country, as well as in its conservation. Camille Tarazi’s book « Vitrine of the East », published in 2015, provides another entry point into this heritage. The proposed chronology deserves to be confronted with the archives for each building. However, it allows us to follow trades and uses beyond the only famous names. In Al-Quds Al-Arabi of 5 November 2026, Nadia Elias pays tribute to Georges Khabbaz. A street of the old souks of Batrun must bear his name. The venue maintains a link to the filming of the film « Ghadi ». The mayor’s announcement accompanies a tribute to the actor at the Beirut International Short Film Festival. The daily describes his thanks to his parents and his emotion. Al-Quds Al-Arabi of 5 November 2026 also announces the release of « Elissar », Elissa’s new album, composed of fourteen tracks. The singer explains: « Elissar is not only my real name. That’s the name that bears my story, my identity and every version of the one I’ve been and will be. The newspaper highlights this return to its identity.

Cultural pages also question the stories that shape digital daily life. In Asharq Al-Awsat, November 5, 2026, Nada Hattit presents Kathryn Jezer-Morton’s book on online stories. His analysis describes a branded identity, submitted to formats rewarded by platforms. Weddings, trips and restaurants can be used as decors for a prepared self-representation. Stories of success or healing may erase doubt, hesitation and complexity. The criticism, however, recalls the limits of the anecdotes and the interviews mobilized. This is not an experimental demonstration of mental health effects. Al Joumhouria of 5 November 2026 proposes another reading, signed Khaled al-Ezzi. It deals with the « supervisory capitalism » analyzed by Shoshana Zuboff. Behavioural data feed predictions, but can also be used to guide choices. The debate then concerns the autonomy, transparency and democratic control of large companies. Cinema offers, in the same newspapers, other ways of observing power relations. Al Joumhouria of 5 November 2026 examines Guy Ritchie’s series « The Gentlemen ». Aristocratic inheritance, criminal economy and privileges form a black comedy. Al-Quds Al-Arabi of 5 November 2026 published a more severe critique of Muayad Alayan’s « Dialogue with the Sea ». Salim Al-Beik discusses the scenario and representation of Jerusalem. His reservations about the supposed expectations of the financiers remain a critical interpretation. They do not prove effective intervention in the film. Finally, Asharq Al-Awsat of 5 November 2026 announces the Cairo Festival from 11 to 20 November. The newspaper reports 145 films and works from 64 countries and territories. Hussein Fahmy defends a poster inspired by « something from fear », while announcing a correction of Shadia’s face. The debate links the memory of cinema, new images and the right to criticism. It accompanies a program that also includes restored films, including « The Factor » and « Chafika la Copte ».

Sport: Lebanese basketball under pressure before selection appointments

Injuries, preparation and equipment in Lebanon

Al Akhbar of 5 November 2026 describes the start of a Lebanese basketball championship marked by injuries. Hussein Sammour notes that only thirteen meetings were contested, while the coaches already evoke fatigue. The previous calendar, regional competitions and a short recovery weigh in their explanations. The newspaper quotes travel and tournaments from Syria, Dubai, as well as the Arab competition. At the Central Club, Jihad El-Khatib’s absence changed the balance of the team. After two victories, the team lost to Hoops. Gilbert Nasr, Hoops coach, explains that he took advantage of this absence. Antonine also encounters difficulties. Jeremiah Gambrell hurt himself in the match against Beirut. The club lost its first two championship matches against Batrun and Beirut. The stability of its workforce remains an issue after its second place in the Dubai tournament. Wisdom replaced Jamal Jones with A.J. English. The newspaper also recalls Youssef Khayat’s injury in the lost regional final against Riyadi. Other absences still affect his group. Riyadi includes Waël Arakji’s absence and Ali Mansour’s injury. His coach, Ahmad Farran, says he hasn’t had a full team in several months. Hoops must also do without Johnny Souma, touched in the thigh. These difficulties go beyond club rankings. The selection is scheduled for November 26th and November 29th. The two meetings are announced at the Nouhad Nawfal complex, in Zuk Mikael, in world qualifications. Al Akhbar of 5 November 2026 indicates that Jihad El-Khatib will miss this window. The absence of Ali Mansour is also envisaged. The replacement by Karim Ezzeddine is a projection of the journalist, not an official list reproduced. Several teams finally contest the three or four games in ten days. The management of minutes, care and recovery therefore becomes a central sporting issue, without allowing each injury to be attributed to a single cause.

Al Liwa of 5 November 2026 also examines the material conditions of sports practice. Wassim Sabra reported on Minister Nora Bayrakdarian’s visit to the Tripoli Olympic Stadium. The lawn is presented as ready, but maintenance and safety issues remain. The daily also evokes a deleted forum. Therefore, a recovery cannot be inferred from the ground alone. The site has been inactive since 2006, according to the newspaper. An international opening match is envisaged, but the calendar could still be delayed by a few months. In Beirut, the Sports City follows another pace. The return of meetings is expected the following week. These two announcements must be distinguished, which do not concern the same work or the same deadlines. The same issue also presents several meetings dedicated to sport participation. The Lebanese men’s and women’s rugby teams go to Aqaba. Their Asian competition is announced on November 6 and 7. The daily does not provide any anticipated results or final ranking. In Furn el-Chebbak, a day of sports orientation is planned on November 6 at Notre-Dame des Frères. Entitled « Your health in your hands », it must bring together more than 120 students from five schools. The schedule announced is from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The organizing association and the French partners thus put physical activity in contact with the school environment. In Bazouriyé, the newspaper also reports a race involving 250 participants and ten institutions. It is organized in memory of Dr. Abdel Karim Qaraouni. This information concerns different scales, from national facilities to local initiatives. Above all, they show that sport is not the result of a professional team. The reception conditions, opportunities to participate and travel of selections also count. On the other hand, the advertisements available do not make it possible to assess the regular attendance of all equipment. They are also not enough to guarantee the maintenance of each event without confirmation by the organizers. Al Liwa of 5 November 2026 gives these initiatives wider light. The newspaper reproduces a study published in an international scientific journal on adolescent activity. It collects data on 3.2 million young people in 140 countries and territories. According to this report, a quarter of the adolescents interviewed had no day of activity of up to 60 minutes in the previous week. This definition does not mean a total absence of movement. It measures the crossing of a specific daily threshold. The forecast average is 2.7 days per week. Only 14% of adolescents reach this threshold every day. Girls are less active in the data presented. These global results are not a specific measure in Lebanon. However, they shed light on the value of regular opportunities to practice, beyond competitions alone. A school day can raise awareness among students. Its lasting effect then depends on other possibilities, supervision and continuity of activities over time.

European performance and its consequences

In Asharq Al-Awsat on November 5, 2026, European football was dominated by the victory of Paris Saint-Germain against Villarreal. The newspaper reports a six-goal success to zero and a very quick start to the match. He presented four goals in the first seventeen minutes as a record. Al Joumhouria of 5 November 2026 also insists on this sequence. However, the two reports do not detail the game times exactly the same way. The common score should therefore be retained without merging their chronologies. Asharq Al-Awsat of 5 November 2026 quotes Luis Enrique, who combines intensity with respect for the opponent. The coach refuses to consider this demonstration as an already acquired title. He replaced the decisive deadlines later in the season. The daily also reports Barcelona’s victory over Aston Villa, three goals at zero. Unai Emery recognizes the gap shown during this meeting. Bayern scored two goals at zero against Atlético, while Inter beat Feyenoord three goals at zero. These results describe an evening, not a definite hierarchy. Manchester United attracts special attention for a reverse scenario. Two goals led by Roma, the English club finally won three to two. Bruno Fernandes’ penalty precedes Matheus Cunha’s double. In Al Joumhouria, November 5, 2026, Sebastian Stafford-Bloor highlights the relief of supporters, while maintaining his criticism of the leadership. Victory does not erase questions about the depth of the workforce. Asharq Al-Awsat of 5 November 2026 recalls, for her part, that she intervenes after nine meetings without success, all competitions combined. Michael Carrick keeps a cautious speech. Fernandes denies the existence of a conflict followed by a reconciliation meeting. He links his presence on the bench to his performance. The next appointment against Aston Villa becomes a new test. The newspapers do not reduce the evening to a succession of scores. They question the ability of teams to prolong performance and correct their fragility.

This question feeds an Asharq Al-Awsat file of November 5, 2026 dedicated to Manchester United coaches. Based on an ESPN survey, the newspaper reviews the choices made since Alex Ferguson. Its arrival in November 1986 serves as a historical point of comparison. The daily recalls its twenty-eight great trophies in twenty-seven and a half years. He then described a succession of upset recruitments, interim solutions and strategic changes. David Moyes had obtained a long contract, before a much faster start. Louis van Gaal, José Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Erik ten Hag illustrate different directions. The file also examines the names envisaged without final recruitment. However, it is not sufficient for a coach to have been approached to know the exact reasons for his refusal. The account must remain attributed to the above-mentioned investigation. The main thesis concerns the coherence of decisions. The cost of compensation, the availability of the market and the relationship between managers influence choices. The change of coach does not necessarily correct these factors. The victory against the Roma brings an immediate positive result, without alone resolving a question of governance. Al-Quds Al-Arabi, November 5, 2026, also announces Lebanon’s participation in the Basora football tournament from November 9 to 17. The competition brings together Iraq, Iran, Lebanon and Palestine. The programme foresees Iraq-Lebanon and Iran-Palestine opening, then Iraq-Iran and Palestine-Lebanon closing. The daily does not specify the exact dates of Lebanese meetings. The announcement must therefore be distinguished from a detailed schedule. Asharq Al-Awsat of 5 November 2026 also evokes a planned postponement of the Asian Cup. The new dates remain subject to validation. This change cannot therefore be presented as definitively approved. Selections and clubs thus share constraints of availability, recovery and organization. Their situation must nevertheless be assessed separately. Lebanese basketball, national stadiums and European teams do not have the same resources or competitions. The information published invites us to follow concrete decisions rather than confuse an announcement, preparation and outcome.

Technology: digital health, new media and platform power

New uses of medical information and records

Al Jazeera reorganizes its digital offer at the time of his thirty years. Al Akhbar of 5 November 2026 examines this change in an article by Marwa Jordi. The channel, launched on November 1, 1996, presents a new identity and three distinct channels. They separate immediate information, context and analysis, then longer formats. The file also refers to the use of artificial intelligence and the Nawa project. It does not provide technical results for measuring performance. Diversification involves different uses of information. Raed Faqih highlights this evolution of supply. The journal brings the new device closer to a reflection on time, meaning and human place in narratives. These editorial choices accompany tools, without being reduced to a simple graphic modification. The article nevertheless raises a debate on the line of the chain. Hamad bin Thamer defends his independence despite public funding, referring to the BBC. For her part, the author questions the choice of subjects and working conditions. Its criticism is an editorial analysis, not an independent technical evaluation of the new services. It is therefore necessary to distinguish between the announcement of channels, the uses of artificial intelligence and the intentions given to management. No comparative audience indicators are provided to determine the success of the new organization. In Lebanon, Al Sharq of 5 November 2026 presents another technology issue. Tamara El-Zein is preparing for national participation in the climate conference in Antalya. The Minister of the Environment calls for a comprehensive assessment of the effects of digital and artificial intelligence. It also wanted indicators that took into account national capacity and development. Absolute volumes should not be the only measure, according to this preparatory position. The Minister also calls for the climate cycle of wars to be taken into account. This reasoning includes the manufacture of weapons, transport, destruction and reconstruction. It favours donations for fragile countries and faster access to finance. These requests are not international resolutions already adopted. The newspaper does not encrypt the print of the Lebanese digital. He outlined the issues the delegation wished to raise in the negotiations.

In Algeria, digital transformation is first measured in health facilities. Al Arabi Al Jadid of 5 November 2026 describes the generalization of the electronic medical record. Othmane Lahiani presents its intended uses for patients, caregivers and managers. The file includes history, illness and medication. It must facilitate exchanges between hospitals and avoid the permanent transport of paper documents. Abdelmadjid Sedjal, researcher in health policy, insists on travel between wilayas. A region-changing patient could maintain better coordinated management. Data must also support epidemiological investigations and allocation of resources. The newspaper reports essays with representatives of seventeen wilayas. They concern telemedicine and electronic transfer of patients. A specific experiment also targets Algerian pilgrims. Their file must allow a simpler follow-up during the trip. These projects are presented at different stages of progress. Connecting to a network does not mean that all uses already work. According to ministerial data, more than 2,355 health facilities have fibre-optic connections. The total includes hospitals, health centres and clinics. The authorities are still examining the internal networks, equipment and skills available. They also monitor the actual use of the electronic file and the delays encountered. This verification is as important as the number of connected buildings. Mourad Mellah, former head of the pharmaceutical sector, cites the management of appointments. He refers in particular to radiation therapy and the regular care of chronic patients. The patient’s unique identifier could facilitate exchanges with laboratories. The text also describes the monitoring of drug stocks. An up-to-date knowledge of reserves should help anticipate the needs of hospital pharmacies. Equipment maintenance could be monitored with specific indicators. However, the article does not give any numerical declines in wait times or shortages. It does not further detail the rules governing access to personal data. Clinical benefit and record protection therefore remain points to be documented. The survey makes a useful distinction between national ambition, infrastructure already linked and practices still being evaluated. The proposed mapping includes ambulances, laboratories and pharmacies. It must bring the distribution of equipment closer to the health needs observed in each region.

The flow of information and security under surveillance

Platforms also change the economic conditions for the production of information. Al Arabi Al Jadid of 5 November 2026 publishes an analysis of Majdouline Chambouri. It is from the list of thirty-three predators of press freedom established by Reporters Without Borders. Alphabet and Meta are included in the economic category. The analysis distinguishes their power from that of States or armed groups. Controlling the distribution of an article is not the same act as killing or imprisoning its author. However, ranking choices may affect its audience and funding. The newspaper features a screening of the WARC advertising research centre. Alphabet, Meta and Amazon could jointly capture about 60% of advertising expenditures outside China in 2026. Amazon is not listed here as Reporters Without Borders. The share of the three groups could reach 61.5% by 2028. These figures describe projections, with a precise geographical scope. The folder then examines the answers produced by artificial intelligence in Google’s engine. They can provide an unvisited response to the site from which the information comes. According to the Reuters Institute report cited, organic traffic has decreased by 33 per cent for more than 2,500 sites. The comparison covers November 2024 and November 2025. Another analysis, conducted by Define Media Group, concerns 64 media outlets. It notes a 42% decrease in organic clicks since the launch of these automated responses. Samples and periods differ. These two measures must therefore not become a single statistic. Nor do they prove that any decline is the result of artificial intelligence alone. Finally, the file describes restrictions on Palestinian content. It includes Francesca Albanese’s report and the work of the 7amleh centre. Over 3,520 documented digital rights violations were investigated between 2021 and 2025. It includes deletions, restrictions and suspensions of accounts. The article retains an important reservation. These observations do not demonstrate a willingness to stifle every Palestinian user. They nevertheless question the repetition of decisions and their lack of transparency. The Albanese report also mentions 38.8 million publications that have been deleted, blocked or less broadcast on Facebook and Instagram since the end of 2023. The file cites the rates of acceptance of Israeli withdrawal requests reported by Francesca Albanese. They would reach 94% in Meta and 99% in TikTok. These figures remain attributed to this report and its scope.

The security of digital usage also appears in a bank case that is still partially documented. Al-Quds Al-Arabi of 5 November 2026 relayed a dispatch concerning Crédit Mutuel Arkéa. The ZachXBT specialist evokes a cryptoactive theft of at least $133 million. He also claims that a delay in reporting would have facilitated the laundering of at least 30 million. The bank confirms a cyber attack, which it says is controlled. She assures her clients are not affected. However, it does not confirm the amount advanced. The account must keep this separation between recognized fact and external estimate. No final audit is presented in the brief. On another scale, Asharq Al-Awsat of 5 November 2026 examines the possible consequences of the American elections. A democratic majority could strengthen hearings on artificial intelligence and cryptoactives. The issues discussed are model safety and independent assessments. They also cover incident reporting and data centre costs. Water, electricity and network financing are among the possible topics. However, the newspaper does not announce any new legislation. The presidential veto and the necessary thresholds in the Senate limit possible changes. Parliamentary oversight can evolve without automatically stopping investment. Al Arabi Al Jadid of 5 November 2026 presents several more specialized uses of digital tools. In Tunis, a three-day symposium begins around dialect mapping. Researchers need to examine the contribution of artificial intelligence and geographic information systems. The project concerns the Tunisian Language Atlas. This is an announced scientific program, with no technical results evaluated in the brief. A chronicle by Talal Abu Ghazaleh also addresses misinformation. She cited a report of 470 experts from 71 countries. The author insists on the origin, date and overlap of the messages. « Information does not become aware of the mere fact that it is available, » he writes. It also stresses the cost of this vigilance to the public. The text advocates collective responsibility. It does not present a new computer model or experimental measure to quantify the effects of each platform. In Qatar, Al-Quds Al-Arabi announces a conference on three-dimensional printing next Sunday.