Dario Sabaghi

Freelance journalist interested in international news and cannabis.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Al-Monitor: Independent, trusted coverage of the Middle East •

Lebanon: Backlash as MPs introduce bill to decriminalize LGBTQ+ relationships

BEIRUT — Members of the Lebanese parliament have for the first time introduced a bill to decriminalize same-sex relationships. The proposed legislation aims to repeal Article 534 of the Penal Code, which prohibits "any sexual intercourse contrary to the order of nature" with a penalty of up to one year in imprison. Only made public in recent weeks, likely due to a leak in parliament, the bill had been introduced in early July by nine representatives, including independent members from Forces of
dw.com •

How Lebanon was plundered by its own central bank – DW – 08/25/2023

The 30-year tenure of the former governor of the Bank of Lebanon Riad Salameh culminated in controversy, inquiries and sanctions. What role did the once respected financial authority play in Lebanon's economic collapse? Before the start of the economic crisis in Lebanon in 2019, the governor of the country's central bank, Riad Salameh, had a strong reputation as one of the world's best. But by the end of his mandate at the Banque de Liban (BDL) on July 31, he was being described as one of the
dw.com •

How Lebanon was plundered by its central bank – DW – 08/24/2023

The 30-year tenure of the former governor of the Bank of Lebanon Riad Salameh culminated in controversy, inquiries and sanctions. What role did the once respected financial authority play in Lebanon's economic collapse? Before the start of the economic crisis in Lebanon in 2019, the governor of the country's central bank, Riad Salameh, had a strong reputation as one of the world's best. But by the end of his mandate at the Banque de Liban (BDL) on July 31, he was being described as one of the
The New Arab •

Riad Salameh and the making of Lebanon's economic collapse

The farewell of Riad Salameh as the Governor of Lebanon's Central Bank could have been better. Except for a small crowd of colleagues and journalists taking pictures of him to some background music, on 31 July, the last day of his mandate, Salameh left his 30-year-long tenure with a country burdened by a crippled economy and a tarnished reputation as the face of Lebanon's financial crisis. Investigations into him and his associates extended across Lebanon and at least six European countries. I
Weed World •

Has THC Potency Changed Over the Years?

The most common reason to consume cannabis is its psychoactive effects. Cannabis is wildly used worldwide for recreational purposes, even though people have become more aware of its medical benefits in recent years. Therefore, average adult-use cannabis consumers pay significant attention to the potency of delta-9 tetrachydrocannabinol, most commonly know as THC, the main cannabis compound that makes you feel high. Although many experts and cannabis connoisseurs explain that THC is not the onl
Weed World •

Do Bees Love Cannabis?

There are loads of content about cannabis on the internet that can teach every single aspect of this plant. Someone curious about cannabis or hemp may have dug deep enough to discover man facts about cannabis that you didn’t know. Such as cannabis or hemp has been titled the oldest cltivated plant for products in the Guinness World Record, and the first US President George Washington used to grow cannabis. But the relationship between the cannabis plant and bees may be much more interesting. Y
The New Arab •

Behind the fighting in Lebanon's Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp

The Palestinian refugee camp of Ain al-Hilweh in Sidon, Lebanon, became the centre of intense fighting between rival armed groups last week. Between 29 July and 2 August, explosions, rockets, and gunshots shook the camp, resulting in at least 12 deaths, dozens of injuries, and the displacement of 2,000 people. The camp, housing nearly 50,000 registered Palestinian refugees, is now under a fragile ceasefire. The clashes reportedly started with an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate Islamist mi
Weed World •

A Fresh Start?

Is Biden's mass pardon for federal cannabis possession a fresh start for cannabis legalization in the United States? On 16th October, U.S. President Jo Biden announced his intention to pardon all prior federal offenses of simple cannabis possession."There are thousands of people who were previously convicted of simple possession who may be denied employment, housing, or educational opportunities as a result. My pardon will remove this burden," he tweeted.1Furthermore, he encouraged governors to
dw.com •

Lebanon in smoke: Cigars for the rich, hookah for the poor – DW – 07/25/2023

Lebanon's economic crisis hasn't stopped people from smoking. While smoking hookah remains affordable for almost everybody, cigars have become a status symbol for all those who profit from the crisis. When taking a walk along the cafes and restaurants in Beirut, it is impossible not to notice the intense smell of fruity tobacco permeating the nostrils as it wafts from hookahs. Hookah, locally known as narghile or shisha, is a waterpipe used for smoking tobacco or flavored tobacco (or moassal).
CannIntelligence •

Right wing’s rapid U-turn – government keeps Italy guessing on hemp flowers

A proposal by Italy’s ruling right-wing coalition to regulate the sale of hemp flowers was met with some surprise – and was then withdrawn, without any official explanation, less than 24 hours after being put forward. The attempt marked something of a change in approach from politicians who, until that point, had been heavily critical of cannabis and hemp flower sales and had opposed any liberalisation of them.
The New Arab •

Have Lebanon's new opposition MPs made a difference?

The results of the 2022 Lebanese general elections highlighted two significant changes within the country's political landscape. Firstly, Hezbollah and its allies lost their majority in terms of seats in the parliament and, secondly, 13 independent MPs belonging to the opposition movement were voted in. Lebanon’s revolution, or thawra, began in 2019 after mass protests by civil society groups called to dismantle the corrupt, sectarian ruling class and demanded social and economic rights and ac
dw.com •

Lebanon: Soaring inflation turns olive oil into a luxury – DW – 05/08/2023

Lebanese olive oil has become unaffordable for many in the crisis-ridden country. As inflation bites and the US dollar reigns supreme, poorer people are forced to part with their traditional local diet. Imad Waresbi is a 43-year-old resident of Tripoli in northern Lebanon who produces and trades olive oil for a living. He sells his oil for a wholesale price of $5 (€4.50) per liter, which is a fairly reasonable price for the product, he said. In the shops, however, a liter nowadays costs around
Al-Monitor: Independent, trusted coverage of the Middle East •

In Lebanon, journalists come under legal intimidation as press freedom declines

BEIRUT — The recent summoning by state authorities of the editors-in-chief of two independent Lebanese news media outlets has sparked an outcry from civil society, bringing the issue of press freedom to the forefront once again. Lebanese independent news media outlet Megaphone News' editor-in-chief, Jean Kassir, was summoned by Lebanon's State Security on March 30. Megaphone News claims that Ghassan Oueidat, prosecutor general in the Court of Cassation, is responsible for the summons of Kassir
Al-Monitor: Independent, trusted coverage of the Middle East •

Lebanon's LGBTQ community faces digital exploitation, blackmail

BEIRUT — Lebanon's LGBTQ community is no longer safe online, as its members have become a target of both security officers and private individuals seeking to exploit them. In a report published by Human Rights Watch (HRW) last week, the human rights organization documented extensive cases of digital targeting of the LGBTQ community through interviews with 90 people in Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq and Tunisia. Rasha Younes, the senior LGBTQ rights researcher at HRW, said that security forces ac
CannIntelligence •

Court ruling frees Italian hemp farmers and manufacturers from narcotics law

The Regional Administrative Court (TAR) of Lazio has anulled an Italian government decree on officinal plants which put the use of hemp flowers and leaves under narcotics law. This marks the first time the Italian hemp sector has appealed against a ministerial decree on hemp, which aimed to limit the use of the plant. According to the court’s ruling, the hemp plant cannot be divided by its parts and must be considered in its entirety.
The New Arab •

Is freedom of expression in Lebanon under threat?

Freedom of expression and the press are under threat in Lebanon, something that some TV stations and journalists have learned the hard way in recent months. TV station faced three attacks between December and January after airing a comedy sketch that some viewers deemed offensive to the Shia community in the south of Lebanon. In the sketch, Joanna Karaki, a Lebanese comedian wearing a black hijab and mimicking a southern Lebanese accent, said that "the majority of children in the South have gr
The New Arab •

The war within Lebanon's judiciary over the Beirut blast

The investigation into the Beirut port explosion on 4 August 2020 has entered a fierce new battle. Head of the Beirut criminal court Tarek Bitar has unexpectedly restarted the investigation after a 13-month hiatus, entering into a confrontation with top judiciary bodies. The announcement was made following a series of protests in early January by relatives of the victims of the explosion and civil rights groups against the stagnation of the investigation and calling on judicial bodies to unbloc
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