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Here's a thought for you..........about scale.

Lebanon is just over 10,000km2

Or almost exactly the same size as the Golden Horsehoe.

Within that space there are in the vicinity of 2M refugees, Palestinians and Syrians. The overall population is under 7M

Perhaps, but how does France taking over help any of that? Just imagine the reception French troops might get over there.
 
Perhaps, but how does France taking over help any of that? Just imagine the reception French troops might get over there.

I don't recall suggesting that the French do any such thing.
 
Perhaps, but how does France taking over help any of that? Just imagine the reception French troops might get over there.
I'm not sure that they would be as unpopular as you suggest.

Lebanon is rather small, and it does not have the history with France like say, Algeria. There are some French dependents such as Réunion that enjoy high standard of life that Lebanon might look towards as example of how renewing such a relationship might look like.
 
That maybe. But you're now putting French troops directly into contact with Hezbollah. There's really no way for any Western power to get involved and have it go well. We can and should send them aid. Leave it at that.
 
Beirut explosion: Lebanon security forces fire teargas at protesters as anger mounts

Aug 7, 2020

Lebanese security forces fired teargas at demonstrators in Beirut, as rage over the country’s leadership grew following a massive explosion that laid waste to large parts of the capital on Tuesday.

State media reported late on Thursday that security forces confronted dozens of anti-government protesters in central Beirut. Some in the small protest were wounded, the National News Agency (NNA) reported.

Protesters had gathered near parliament, where a small fire was lit and stones were thrown at security forces, according to NNA.

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Lebanon’s ambassador to Jordan announced her resignation on Thursday, saying “total negligence” by the country’s authorities signalled the need for a leadership change.

In a televised statement aired by the Lebanese broadcaster MTV, Tracy Chamoun said she could no longer tolerate the government’s ineptitude.

“I am announcing my resignation as an ambassador … in protest against state negligence, theft and lying,” said Chamoun, who was appointed to her post in 2017 with the endorsement of the president, Michel Aoun.

“This disaster rang a bell: we should not show any of them mercy and they all must go,” she added. “This is total negligence.”

Compounding the country’s woes, Lebanon recorded 255 coronavirus cases on Thursday – its highest single-day infection tally – after the explosion upended a planned lockdown and sent thousands streaming into overflowing hospitals.

The disaster death toll rose from 137 to 149 on Thursday evening, the health ministry said, and was expected to further increase as rescue workers kept digging through the rubble.

 
Lebanon information minister quits in first cabinet resignation

Aug 9, 2020

Lebanon’s information minister, Manal Abdel Samad, has quit in the first government resignation since an explosion in the port of Beirut killed more than 150 people and destroyed swathes of the capital.

“After the enormous Beirut catastrophe, I announce my resignation from government,” she said on Sunday in a statement , apologising to the Lebanese public for failing them.

The head of Lebanon’s Maronite church called on the entire government to step down over the explosion, widely seen as proof of the rot at the core of the state.

Lebanese protesters enraged by the blast vowed to rally again after a night of street clashes in which they stormed several ministries.

The Maronite patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rahi joined the chorus of people pressing the prime minister Hassan Diab’s cabinet to step down over the explosion which he said could be “described as a crime against humanity”.

 
Lebanon's entire government has resigned.


Those ministers who haven't previously left the government in the last few days will stay on a in a caretaker role, pending elections or other changes.
 
Japan has a new PM; Yoshihide Suga.

Seems to be a bit of an Abe clone, was the former PM's press person and Cabinet Secretary.

 
Asia Today: India's gov't criticized over handling of virus

September 17, 2020

NEW DELHI — India reported another record daily increase in coronavirus infections Thursday after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government faced scathing opposition criticism in Parliament over its handling of the pandemic and a contracting economy that has left millions jobless.

Confirmed cases jumped by 97,894 in the past 24 hours, raising India's total past 5.1 million, 0.36% of its nearly 1.4 billion people, the Health Ministry reported.

It also said 1,132 more people died in the past 24 hours, for a total of 83,198. India's fatalities are the third most in the world, but experts say India has undercounted the COVID-19 toll.

India's infection numbers are expected within weeks to pass the United States, where more than 6.6 million people have been infected.

On Wednesday, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari became the second key minister after Home Minister Amit Shah to test positive. Shah was hospitalized for a second time this week due to COVID-19.

 
Asia Today: India's gov't criticized over handling of virus

September 17, 2020

NEW DELHI — India reported another record daily increase in coronavirus infections Thursday after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government faced scathing opposition criticism in Parliament over its handling of the pandemic and a contracting economy that has left millions jobless.

Confirmed cases jumped by 97,894 in the past 24 hours, raising India's total past 5.1 million, 0.36% of its nearly 1.4 billion people, the Health Ministry reported.

It also said 1,132 more people died in the past 24 hours, for a total of 83,198. India's fatalities are the third most in the world, but experts say India has undercounted the COVID-19 toll.

India's infection numbers are expected within weeks to pass the United States, where more than 6.6 million people have been infected.

On Wednesday, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari became the second key minister after Home Minister Amit Shah to test positive. Shah was hospitalized for a second time this week due to COVID-19.

Imagine if Bolsonaro were to run India... But again, Modi is very similar to Bolsonaro.
 
South Korea seeks $4 million in damages from church accused of coronavirus spread

Sept 18, 2020

The metropolitan government in South Korea’s capital Seoul said on Friday it would seek 4.6 billion won (US$4 million) in damages against a church for causing the spread of the coronavirus by disrupting tracing and testing efforts.

A fresh wave of infections erupted at a church whose members attended a large protest in downtown Seoul in mid-August, becoming the country’s largest cluster in the greater capital area. The outbreak has driven triple-digit increases in daily COVID-19 cases for more than a month.

The Seoul city government said it will file a lawsuit against the Sarang Jeil Church and its leader, Rev. Jun Kwang-hoon, accusing them of disrupting coronavirus tests and providing inaccurate lists of its members which it said aggravated the latest epidemic.

 
Thailand is in a State of Emergency; because of protests against the government/military/monarchy.

Apparently student protesters demanding a return to something resembling democracy (the last election was arguably rigged), deeply offended the powers that be by heckling the Royal Motorcade......some even standing up while doing so.

This is a country where insulting the monarchy can carry a penalty of up to 15 years in prison; and where apparently it is custom when the royal motorcade passes to sit on the ground in a prostrate position.

 

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