Day 21 of protests in Lebanon with banks, roads shut
November 6, 2019, 9:51 am

Day 21 of protests in Lebanon with banks, roads shut

People hold up anti-corruption signs outside the Justice Palace in Beirut on Thursday. (AP)

Protests in Lebanon entered their twenty-first day as protesters shut roads and banks in areas throughout the country on Wednesday.

Although the Lebanese army forced open some roads on Tuesday, demonstrators continue to disrupt traffic and businesses across the country.

A protest march in Aley, southeast of Beirut, closed banks and certain government buildings, reported Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA) on Wednesday.

In Beirut, protesters gathered in in front of the Justice Palace, the Ministry of Education, and the American University of Beirut.

In the country's northern province of Akkar, protesters shut down the local electricity building, reported NNA. Electricity shortages have been one of the many factors fuelling discontent.

On Tuesday, the ratings agency Moody’s downgraded Lebanon’s sovereign debt, saying sweeping anti-government protests had hit investor confidence and threatened marco-economic stability.

On the same day, four journalists resigned from Lebanon’s pro-Hezbollah newspaper Al-Akhbar over the daily’s stance on an unprecedented wave of anti-government protests. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has warned his supporters from joining the protests and said he does not support the resignation of the government.

Demonstrators continue to call for the resignation of the entire government following Prime Minister Saad Hariri's resignation on October 29.

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