person:marwan tahtah

Too Far or Not Enough?: Lebanese React to Political Propaganda Removal Campaign
▻http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/too-far-or-not-enough-lebanese-react-political-propaganda-removal

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Beirut Governor Ziad Chebib (L) watches as his body guard tears down an #amal Movement poster in #Beirut on the first day of the implementation of taking down all political posters in #Lebanon's major cities. Al-Akhbar/Marwan Tahtah Beirut Governor Ziad Chebib (L) watches as his body guard tears down an Amal Movement poster in Beirut on the first day of the implementation of taking down all political posters in Lebanon’s major cities. Al-Akhbar/Marwan Tahtah

Last week, an otherwise fruitless dialogue between rival political parties #Hezbollah and the #Future_Movement culminated in a decision to remove all political posters and party flags from the walls of Lebanon’s major cities. The decision, aimed at defusing sectarian (...)

#Culture_&_Society #Articles #Ashraf_Rifi #Saida #Tripoli

#turkey’s #Arab_Alawis Show Support for #Lebanon’s #Jabal_Mohsen Victims
▻http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/turkey%E2%80%99s-arab-alawis-show-support-lebanon%E2%80%99s-jabal

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The Abu Omran café in Jabal Mohsen in ruins following a double suicide bombing on January 11, 2014 in #Tripoli, Lebanon. Al-Akhbar/Marwan Tahtah The Abu Omran café in Jabal Mohsen in ruins following a double suicide bombing on January 11, 2014 in Tripoli, Lebanon. Al-Akhbar/Marwan Tahtah

Arab Alawis took to the streets of the Turkish capital of Ankara on Monday in #solidarity with the victims of Saturday’s double suicide bombing in the Lebanese city of Tripoli. “If you remain silent over the massacre you will become an accomplice,” read one of the banners the demonstrators raised as they gathered on one of the capital’s cold streets to condemn the twin suicide bombing that hit a popular cafe in Tripoli’s Jabal Mohsen (...)

#Al-Nusra_Front #ISIS #syria

’A new day at Abu Omran’
▻http://english.al-akhbar.com/photoblogs/new-day-abu-omran

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Text by Mohammad Nazzal, translated by Naria Tanoukhi Photos by Marwan Tahtah

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Lebanese Security Forces Fear Return of #suicide_bombings
▻http://english.al-akhbar.com/node/23181

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Security forces stand at the doorway of a cafe that was hit by two suicide bombers in the #Jabal_Mohsen neighborhood of #Tripoli, #Lebanon, Sunday January 11, 2015. Al-Akhbar/Marwan Tahtah Security forces stand at the doorway of a cafe that was hit by two suicide bombers in the Jabal Mohsen neighborhood of Tripoli, #Lebanon, Sunday January 11, 2015. Al-Akhbar/Marwan Tahtah

Up to 32 Lebanese youths are preparing to carry out suicide attacks inside Lebanon. The security services are tracking down around 200 suspects who might have links to #Al-Nusra_Front (ANF) and the “Islamic State” (IS), after the two groups decided to resume attacks in the country. Once again, Lebanon is vulnerable to devastating suicide attacks. (...)

#Articles #Islamic_State #syria

#Tripoli's poor are denied even a grave
▻http://english.al-akhbar.com/node/22986

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Tripoli, #Lebanon's second largest city, continues to suffer from state neglect, an unstable security situation, and corruption. Al-Akhbar/Marwan Tahtah Tripoli, Lebanon’s second largest city, continues to suffer from state neglect, an unstable security situation, and corruption. Al-Akhbar/Marwan Tahtah

A destitute citizen from #Bab_al-Raml in Tripoli died on Tuesday after spending the past year sick in bed. As his family prepared for his burial in the neighborhood cemetery, they were confronted with the city’s graveyards committee requesting a burial fee.

Abdel Kafi al-Samad

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#Culture_&_Society #Articles #burial_rights #Dar_al-Fatwa #Department_of_al-Awqaf #Malik_al-Shaar #Sheikh_Hussam_Sbat

#Lebanon’s #Public_Corporation_for_Housing under attack
▻http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/lebanon%E2%80%99s-public-corporation-housing-under-attack

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A new high-rise residential building in Beirut’s Sodeco neighborhood. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) A new high-rise residential building in Beirut’s Sodeco neighborhood. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah)

A number of banks have circulated internal memos asking their housing loans departments to stop accepting applications for loans backed by al-Iskan, the Public Corporation for Housing (PCH). The memos seem to have been the result of a decision adopted by the board of the #Association_of_Banks_in_Lebanon (ABL), after the PCH failed to pay $25 million owed to five Lebanese banks. The majority of banks have since decided to suspend the implementation of the decision, however, following a backlash from their clients, while other banks have (...)

#Economy #Articles #BLOM_Bank #Rony_Lahoud

How far can #Lebanon’s anti-corruption initiatives go ?
▻http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/how-far-can-lebanon%E2%80%99s-anti-corruption-initiatives-go

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A protestor in Beirut demonstrating against the endemic corruption holds a sign in Arabic saying "A person steals a loaf of bread and they go to jail, a person steals a country and they become a leader.’ (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) A protestor in Beirut demonstrating against the endemic corruption holds a sign in Arabic saying "A person steals a loaf of bread and they go to jail, a person steals a country and they become a leader.’ (Photo: Marwan Tahtah)

#Lebanon has witnessed the emergence of several new anti-corruption initiatives in recent months, raising awareness about the magnitude of the issue in the country. But these campaigns, while aiming for laudable goals, do not seem to be fully prepared for the tasks they chose (...)

#Articles #Dany_Haddad #European_Union #Ghassan_Moukheiber #Lebanese_Transparency_Association #Nadine_Moussa #Sakker_al-Dekkeneh

#Lebanon’s street remains muted over Israeli attacks on #Gaza
▻http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/lebanon%E2%80%99s-street-remains-muted-over-israeli-attacks-gaza

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A women’s organization holds a #Protest in front of the #ESCWA headquarters in #Beirut in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza on July 18, 2014. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) A women’s organization holds a protest in front of the ESCWA headquarters in Beirut in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza on July 18, 2014. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah)

As Israel begins its ground invasion of Gaza following 10 days of brutal airstrikes that have killed over 260 Palestinians, the Lebanese public has remained fairly silent.

Azza el-Masri

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#Culture_&_Society #amal #Articles #Future_Movement #Hezbollah #Palestine

Small shareholders in #Solidere mulling lawsuit against board on mismanagement grounds
▻http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/small-shareholders-solidere-mulling-lawsuit-against-board-mismana

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Beirut’s central district which is owned by real estate giant Solidere. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) #Beirut's central district which is owned by real estate giant Solidere. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah)

Solidere board members are making side profits from being part of companies that do business with Solidere, such as Bank Med and real estate developers, or subsidiary tourist enterprises established in a way that violates the laws related to the company’s scope of work. Small shareholders are disgruntled about this situation as well as the company’s financial results, and some plan to sue on mismanagement grounds.

Mouhamad Wehbe

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#Economy #Articles #BankMed #Beirut_central_district #Beirut_Waterfront_Development_Company #Joseph_Esseili #Lebanon #Raphael_Sabbagha

#Beirut’s public libraries quietly building a new generation of readers
▻http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/beirut%E2%80%99s-public-libraries-quietly-building-new-generation

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An elderly man reads quietly in the municipal library in #Bachoura. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) An elderly man reads quietly in the municipal library in Bachoura. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah)

Situated past a firehouse and up two flights of cigarette-littered stairs, in a municipal building overlooking a cemetery in Bachoura, Beirut’s first municipal public library is turning 14 this year. Mohammed, 12, was the only patron in the three hundred square meter Bachoura branch on a recent afternoon. “My school isn’t that good,” said Mohammed, who has been coming to the library every day for the past nine months to read books and use the computers. He brings his three younger siblings once a week, but said his friends would rather stay home (...)

#Culture_&_Society #Articles #Assabil #Azadea #Beirut_Municipality #Beirut_public_library #Geitawi #Lebanon #Monot #Sanayeh_Park #Tariq_al-Jdideh

#Lebanon : How safe are #Beirut’s hotels ?
▻http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/lebanon-how-safe-are-beirut%E2%80%99s-hotels

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Tourists leave the Golden Tulip Hotel in the Hamra neighborhood of Beirut. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) Tourists leave the Golden Tulip Hotel in the Hamra neighborhood of Beirut. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah)

After the recent wave of security incidents in hotels in Beirut, it has become apparent that hotels are one of the preferred lodging options for individuals recruited for terrorist attacks by various “jihadi” groups due to their lax security measures.

Rana Harbi

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#Articles #DuRoy_Hotel #Lebanese_Hotels #Lebanon #Raouche #Saudi #suicide_bombing

#Lebanon heightens security measures as terrorist groups threaten more attacks
▻http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/lebanon-heightens-security-measures-terrorist-groups-threaten-mor

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An ISF officer stands outside the #ministry_of_interior in Beirut. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) An ISF officer stands outside the Ministry of Interior in Beirut. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah)

As the #Abdullah_Azzam_Brigades has threatened to carry out more terrorist attacks, and with the ongoing targeting of the Lebanese army, investigations with members of terrorist cells who were apprehended over the past two weeks are bringing important revelations to light, most recently, the fact that the Interior Ministry tops the list of these cells’ targets. read (...)

#Al-Nusra_Front #Articles #Bekaa #Jean_Kahwaji #Lebanon #Nouhad_Machnouk #Roumieh_Prison #Samir_Mokbel #syria #Tripoli

15 suicide bombers recently arrived to #Lebanon: Western intelligence
▻http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/15-suicide-bombers-recently-arrived-lebanon-western-intelligence

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Lebanese security forces secure the area around the #DuRoy_Hotel after a suicide bomber blew himself up on the third floor. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) Lebanese security forces secure the area around the DuRoy Hotel after a suicide bomber blew himself up on the third floor. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah)

Lebanese army intelligence apprehended a suicide bombings operative known as Abu Ubaida Zahraman while his partner remains in hiding. Makers of the explosive belts used in DuRoy Hotel in #Raouche were also arrested. Amid rumors and false news about the proliferation of suicide bombers and terrorist cells, Western intelligence sources indicated that around 20 suicide bombers arrived in #Lebanon in the past two months. (...)

#Abdullah_Azzam_Brigade #Articles #Beirut #Fnaideq #ISF #ISIS #Saifi #Saudi #Tripoli

Dealing with #Lebanon’s chronic #water shortages
▻http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/dealing-lebanon%E2%80%99s-chronic-water-shortages

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Men deliver fresh drinking water to apartments in #Beirut. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) Men deliver fresh drinking water to apartments in Beirut. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah)

Lebanon’s water issues are not new, but the recent drought has helped display the government’s inability to properly manage and distribute the country’s water resources. Consequently, Lebanon’s water supplies have shrunk to unprecedented levels, forcing residents to individually deal with the issue every summer.

Azza el-Masri Raed Khalil

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#Culture_&_Society #Articles #AUB #Blue_Gold_Project #Choueifat #CIH #Hamra #Ministry_of_Water_and_Energy #MP_Mohammed_Qabani #Qab_Elias #Qoreitem #Saida #Zahleh

Defining “civil society” and its role in a changing region
▻http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/defining-civil-society%E2%80%9D-and-its-role-changing-region

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Civil society group, Kafa, demonstrate for a domestic violence law. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) #civil_society group, Kafa, demonstrate for a domestic violence law. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah)

“Civil society is not an end in itself. It is a basic step to transition to a vibrant democratic society,” this was the conclusion of a study addressing the controversial issue of the definition and role of civil society in light of what it called “transformations in the Arab region.”

Bassam Alkantar

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#Culture_&_Society #American_University_of_Beirut #Articles #Habib_Maalouf #Lebanese_civil_society #Lebanese_sports_teams #Lebanon

Private hospitals in #Lebanon: Blame the patients
▻http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/private-hospitals-lebanon-blame-patients

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Employees walk through an outdoor corridor in one of Beirut’s hospitals. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) Employees walk through an outdoor corridor in one of Beirut’s hospitals. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah)

The #Syndicate_of_Private_Hospitals in #Lebanon complained about “a fruitless and absurd” smear campaign targeting the sector two days after a private hospital in northern Lebanon turned away a pregnant woman suffering from a hemorrhage, leading the health minister to cancel the ministry’s contract with the hospital.

Mouhamad Wehbe

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#Articles #Lebanese_healthcare #NSSF #Wael_Abu_Faour

#state_security : One man’s den of corruption
▻http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/state-security-one-man%E2%80%99s-den-corruption-0

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A State Security officer escorts an official to the Lebanese parliament. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) A State Security officer escorts an official to the Lebanese parliament. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah)

State Security is just a fancy name for what is in fact a den of incompetence and corruption. In this so-called directorate, the talents of around 2,500 officers, noncommissioned officers, and servicemen and women are squandered, as well as millions of dollars each year in taxpayer money. Is it not time to abolish, or at least rein in the corruption at the General Directorate of State Security that has not made any noteworthy achievement in years?

Radwan Mortada

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#Lebanon #Abdo_Faddoul #Antoine_Lahd #Articles #Elias_Kaikati #George_Qaraa #Hezbollah #Major_General_Nabih_Farhat #Michel_Suleiman #Ministry_of_Telecommunications #resistance

Foiled terrorist attack on hospitals in #Dahiyeh
▻http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/foiled-terrorist-attack-hospitals-dahiyeh

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Members of the #Internal_Security_Forces stop a car passing through Beirut’s southern suburbs. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) Members of the Internal Security Forces stop a car passing through Beirut’s southern suburbs. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah)

The Resistance and the security forces on Monday foiled a terrorist attack targeting hospitals in Dahiyeh, Beirut’s southern suburbs. The operation prevented the aftershocks of the Iraqi crisis from reaching #Lebanon. However, the threat does not stop at the expected tragic effects of such an act, but involved the political masterminding that took such a decision.

Firas Choufi

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#Abdullah_Azzam_Brigades #Articles #Burj_al_Barajneh_camp #Hermel #Hezbollah #Hospital_Rasoul_al_Azam #Iraq #ISIS #Lebanon #Palestinian #Qalamoun #syria

The risks of rent-seeking: What kind of future do we want for our industry and energy?
▻http://english.al-akhbar.com/node/20209

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Protesters against the rise of rent prices in #Lebanon on April 8, 2014. Large poster reads :"Free us from the new rent laws." (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) Protesters against the rise of rent prices in Lebanon on April 8, 2014. Large poster reads :"Free us from the new rent laws." (Photo: Marwan Tahtah)

I am not debating the issue of whether or not to extract #Oil, except to warn against wrongly believing hydrocarbons are a panacea for all ills. On the contrary, as many experts have warned, if oil is dealt with as a silver bullet, it could destroy what is left of our productive economic activity.

Alain Tabourian

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#Opinion #Articles #Beddawi #electricite_du_liban #energy_and_water #PPPs #privatization #rentier_economy #Zahrani

Lebanese army cracks down on al-Nusra Front in #Ersal
▻http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/lebanese-army-cracks-down-al-nusra-front-ersal

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Lebanese army soldiers stationed outside a neighborhood in Beirut after capturing a wanted jihadist earlier this year. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) Lebanese army soldiers stationed outside a neighborhood in Beirut after capturing a wanted jihadist earlier this year. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah)

The Lebanese army intensified its security measures near the country’s borders with #syria’s #Qalamoun region amid a crackdown on al-Nusra Front #militants fleeing Syria. The #military_operation will in fact take some time, and is expected to further intensify if the Syrian army decides to regain control over al-Zabadani.

Rameh Hamieh

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#Lebanon #Articles #Nusra_front

#Lebanon: Migrant workers face ignorant officials, negligent prosecutors in battle for justice
▻http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/lebanon-migrant-workers-face-ignorant-officials-negligent-prosecu

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Migrant #domestic_workers call for an end to the slave-like sponsorship system at a labor day rally in 2012 in Beirut. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) Migrant domestic workers call for an end to the slave-like sponsorship system at a labor day rally in 2012 in Beirut. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah)

“As for the domestic workers who go out on Sundays, what about the employer? He has children, what about their safety? What if she goes out on Sunday and is infected with AIDS?”

Bassel Habbab

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#Culture_&_Society #Articles #Caritas #ILO #Labor_Arbitration_Council #maids #migrant_labor

A corrective interpretation of an inadequate #law: The first implementation of the #domestic_violence law
▻http://english.al-akhbar.com/node/20103

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Members of #KAFA sit-in at Samir Kassir square in Downtown Beirut on January 30, 2013 to protest against violence against women. Top poster: “Even if you forget, the people won’t forget.” Bottom poster: “Women’s lives are more important than your chairs.” (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) Members of Kafa sit-in at Samir Kassir square in Downtown Beirut on January 30, 2013 to protest against violence against women. Top poster: “Even if you forget, the people won’t forget.” Bottom poster: “Women’s lives are more important than your chairs.” (Photo: Marwan Tahtah)

The fact that a court has ruled based on the Law on the Protection of Women and Family from Domestic Violence is a watershed event, not only because it sets a precedent after (...)

#Lebanon #Articles #Lebanese_judiciary #Legal_Agenda #Women’s_Rights

Ratifying the grades and salaries scale is Berri’s and Aoun responsibility
▻http://english.al-akhbar.com/node/20102

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Public workers protest in front of the Parliament on April 9, 2014. Left poster: Left poster: “[They] only come together when it has to do with gaining from us.” Right poster: “Are you a representative of the people or are you pretending?” (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) Public workers protest in front of the Parliament on April 9, 2014. Left poster: Left poster: “[They] only come together when it has to do with gaining from us.” Right poster: “Are you a representative of the people or are you pretending?” (Photo: Marwan Tahtah)

The story says that former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora made a short and private visit to Parliament Speaker #Nabih_Berri to explain to him, in detail, his perspective on the grades and salaries scale. (...)

#Opinion #Articles #FPM #Hassan_Nasrallah #Hezbollah #Michel_Aoun #official_school_exams #Saad_Hariri #UCC #wage_hikes #Walid_Jumblatt

Liberalizing the rent market: #Real_Estate speculators to evict both tenants and landlords
▻http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/liberalizing-rent-market-real-estate-speculators-evict-both-tenan

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An aerial view of #Beirut, Lebanon, taken on February 24, 2014. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah)

Over 200,000 apartments in Lebanon are vacant. This figure raises legitimate questions about soaring apartment prices, when the population in Lebanon has been more or less stable. In this context, it seems that speculators are capitalizing on the drama involving landlords and tenants renting their properties on old contracts. In other words, one outcome of the affair could be not only the eviction of old tenants by their landlords, but eventually, also the “eviction” of landlords by real estate speculators.

Mouhamad Wehbe

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#Economy #Articles #Charbel_Nahas #GCC #Mohammad_Younis #rent_law #speculation

Battle against #domestic_violence in #Lebanon takes another step forward
▻http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/battle-against-domestic-violence-lebanon-takes-another-step-forwa

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Women take a heroic pose during a #KAFA protest in Lebanon on February 24, 2013. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah) Women take a heroic pose during a Kafa protest in Lebanon on February 24, 2013. (Photo: Marwan Tahtah)

Lebanon’s law against family violence was enforced for the second time on Thursday, when a judge granted a protection order to a mother of two who had been thrown out of her house by her violent husband. After the first Order of Protection (OFP) was issued last week against a man who had been physically abusing his wife, judge of urgent matters Zalfa al-Hasan issued a second OFP in another domestic violence case on Thursday.

Rana Harbi

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#Domestic_Violence_Law