Lebanese fishermen struggle amid ongoing Israeli attacks

Fishermen in the city of Sidon in southern Lebanon have seen their livelihoods severely impacted due to the Israeli attacks, which have disrupted their daily operation of fishing.

Sidon is situated along the Mediterranean coast. Despite being the farthest from the country's borders, it has not been spared from Israeli airstrikes.

Fishing represents a vital source of income for many residents, with small boats often seen anchored along the coast.

"I left school at 16 and took over the job from my father. Fishing runs in my family, and I love it more than studying. I still fish today. I have three children, two girls aged 21 and 10 and a boy aged 20. They are all in school," said Rabie Sonbol, a local fisherman.

Fishing is the only source of income for Sonbol and over 200 residents in this small port city.

When Israel escalated its offensive on Lebanon, the Lebanese army gave orders prohibiting fishing activities.

As Sonbol and his fellow fishermen are not allowed to sail, they lose money every day while their boats lay idle.

"This is a very difficult time for us without work, as we have no insurance or social benefits. Our income relies solely on fishing. We also have daily expenses to maintain our boats, equipment and nets," he said.

Local markets that once thrived with fishermen, sellers, and customers purchasing fish daily are now deserted completely. Only cobwebs inhabit the place.

Fishermen have sought assistance from their syndicate, but the syndicate's chief said he has exhausted all avenues without success.

"We take orders from the Lebanese Army. If they say stop, we stop. The army gives us permission cards for fishing and prioritizes our safety. We are under their command and totally support them. What can the syndicate do? We went there and it's empty. The taxes and fees are so high that we can't work here. We want the government to help us, treat us like the displaced. They are given money and food. We should, too," said Mohamed Bojy, chief of Sidon Fishermen Syndicate.

Lebanese fishermen struggle amid ongoing Israeli attacks

Lebanese fishermen struggle amid ongoing Israeli attacks

Police in Shenzhen City of south China's Guangdong Province have deployed 24-hour drone patrols around the Shenzhen Sports Center to enhance public safety control during the 2026 Chinese Super League season.

The Shenzhen Xinpengcheng Football Club has officially made the Shenzhen Sports Center its home ground for the 2026 Chinese Super League season. Football matches have attracted more than 10,000 fans per match, leading to intense crowd density and severe traffic congestion, which places immense pressure on security.

Amid the excitement of tens of thousands, the calmest "guards" aren't in the stands, but stationed over 100 meters above, in the sky.

Before a match began, police officer Wang Yiyuan and two teammates would be already deployed with well-defined roles: one would pilot the drones, another would keep an eye on the spectrogram to monitor the drone activity, and the third would coordinate with other ground police via his walkie-talkie.

Just before the end of the second half, a sudden alert for crowd flow popped up at the south square, where a large number of spectators had begun to gather as they leave the site. As this area served as the only passage for leaving the stadium, the crowd pressure could easily lead to a stampede.

From the initial alert to the loudspeaker broadcast and then to the arrival of police reenforcements on the scene, it took Wang and his colleagues just three minutes to complete the communication, and the crowds began to disperse.

Police deploy 24-hour drone patrols during football matches in south China's Shenzhen