_News_ | *Amchit illegal construction site update: Environmental activist Farid Abi Younes still detained* 👇 Environmental activist Farid Abi Younes has been held at the Jbeil police station since yesterday, after he and a group of environmental activists went to Roula Bahnam’s illegal construction site in Amchit to try to stop the concrete pouring and prevent damage to the environmentally sensitive area above the Seal Cave. Three of the activists were assaulted by those in charge of the site, and one of them was taken to the hospital. Farid Abi Younes was referred to the military court for defending himself against an assault in front of security forces. He used pepper spray to fend off the attackers, some of which accidentally reached the security personnel. Although the officers involved did not file a complaint because they did not consider the incident to be a personal attack, the government commissioner filed charges against Abi Younes on behalf of the public interest. The security forces and judiciary ended up punishing activists who put themselves at risk to defend a resource the Lebanese government should have protected, instead of investigating Roula Bahnam’s violations and the environmental damage she is causing to the area around the Seal Cave, or holding those overseeing the construction—caught on camera—accountable for their attack on the activists.

_News_ | *The pope pushes back against the war secretary: God cannot be enlisted in darkness* 👇 Days after US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth claimed his country’s war on Iran was waged at God’s request, and that divine providence protects American troops in their attacks, Pope Leo XIV pushed back against those claims on Sunday. The pope emphasized the need to return to dialogue to reach peace, rather than wage wars and justify them in God’s name. In his Sunday homily, the pope again called for peace in the Middle East, mentioning Lebanon in particular, and addressed those he called “responsible” for the conflict: “Cease fire! Let paths of dialogue be reopened!”

_Reportage_ | *Tres Marias: A kitchen for displaced migrant workers* 👇 With the start of the Israeli war on Lebanon, the “Tres Marias” kitchen in Dora transformed from a Filipino restaurant into a space of solidarity for migrant workers and displaced families. Every day, it prepares between 150 and 300 hot meals for people forced to flee their homes by the bombing. Led by Mira Aragon and May Ibrahim, the initiative goes beyond simply providing food. It also offers a safe space and a “family home” for those who found themselves alone or forgotten amid the war. In addition to running the kitchen, the team works to secure alternative shelters and distribute mattresses, blankets, and cleaning supplies to migrant workers who were displaced without being able to take any of their belongings. https://youtu.be/AbfMGQVT0VE

_News_ | *Trump threatens to bomb Kharg Island “just for fun”* 👇 In a phone interview with NBC News on Saturday, Donald Trump said he is not currently prepared to reach an agreement to end the war with Iran, despite what he described as Tehran’s readiness to do so. He said that “the terms aren’t good enough yet,” without specifying what those terms might be. Trump added that he is working with other countries on a plan to secure shipping in the Strait of Hormuz amid rising global oil prices. He also downplayed American concerns about higher fuel prices since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran two weeks ago. Trump also addressed the US strikes on Kharg Island, saying they “totally demolished most of the island,” adding that the United States might target it again “just for fun.” He also expressed doubt about whether the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, “is still alive.”

_News_ | *Katz calls for accused rapists of detainees to return to service* 👇 On Monday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz received at his office a group of reservists from “Force 100” implicated in the rape of a Palestinian detainee at Sde Teiman camp in 2024. The soldiers were suspended from service after the investigation began. Katz expressed his support and called for their reinstatement, despite lacking the authority to do so. This comes days after the case was closed on March 12, following political pressure that led Military Advocate General Itai Ofir to conclude “insufficient evidence for conviction,” without stating that the accusations were “groundless” and without dismissing them altogether. The crime took place in July 2024, and after being exposed it prompted solidarity protests with the accused soldiers after being detained by military police. Heated debates erupted in the Israeli Knesset over the legality of raping Palestinian detainees. The investigation ended with indictments against five soldiers on “assault” charges only. Now, with Katz’s backing, the case appears to be closed.

_News_ | *Bardem at Oscars: No to war* 👇 Spanish actor Javier Bardem used his Oscars platform on Sunday to call for freedom for Palestine and, this time, also to demand an end to the war on Iran. Bardem and several other attendees wore pins calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and showing solidarity with Palestine. He also wore the same anti-war pin he had worn in 2003 to protest the US war on Iraq.

_News_ | *Iran launches 64th missile wave at Israeli sites* 👇 The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps launched its 64th wave of missiles at Israeli military sites on Thursday. The Israeli Ministry of Health said at least 117 people were injured over the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of injured to 3,924 since the start of the aggression against Iran. Meanwhile, shrapnel from an Iranian missile struck a beauty salon in the town of Beit Awwa, near al-Khalil, killing four Palestinian women and injuring at least 13 others.

_News_ | *Gravedigger killed in Aitit while preparing to bury paramedics killed yesterday* 👇 In less than half an hour, Israeli warplanes launched three airstrikes on the southern town of Aytit, targeting the village cemetery as graves were being prepared for those killed in yesterday’s raids. One gravedigger was killed and two others were injured. The Israeli forces had targeted the town yesterday, killing one of its residents, and then targeted the same location again when ambulances arrived, killing three paramedics from the Islamic Health Society.

_News_ | *Activists call for action after construction resumes in Amchit* 👇 Outside the illegal construction site above the Seal Cave in Amchit, a group of environmental activists issued an urgent appeal to the relevant authorities, including the president, the prime minister and the responsible ministries, urging immediate intervention before concrete is poured and irreversible damage is done to the site. The site contractors resumed work a few days ago, taking advantage of the country’s current situation. They have already installed the steel framework in preparation for pouring the concrete. https://youtube.com/shorts/P99NxOkl9R0?feature=share

_Report_ | *Who is Ron Dermer, Netanyahu’s man now handling Lebanon?* 👇 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu handed the Lebanon file to his closest adviser, Ron Dermer, after Lebanon officially announced its readiness to negotiate with Israel. But Dermer is not just a government official. He is one of the key figures who shaped Israel’s relations with the United States and promoted normalization with the Gulf states. He was also among the leading figures who managed the war politically during the genocide in Gaza. https://youtu.be/ENl8VDEJQHo