Lebanon

Lebanon’s Mikati hopes to form government soon

Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati said that he hoped to form a government shortly after securing the approval of President Michel Aoun for most of his nominees. Mikati, a businessman,…

Read More Here

UPDATED: Lebanon’s Mikati secures majority to be nominated PM-desginate

Leading Lebanese businessman Najib Mikati secured enough votes in parliamentary consultations on Monday to be designated the next prime minister, raising hopes for an urgently needed viable government to tackle…

Read More Here

Over 71% of Lebanon’s population risks losing access to safe water – UNICEF

The United Nations warned that more than four million people in Lebanon, including one million refugees risked losing access to safe water as shortages of funding, fuel and supplies affect…

Read More Here

Lebanon says consultations on new government will start next week

Lebanon's presidency said parliamentary consultations to choose a new prime minister will begin on July 26 in another attempt to push Lebanon’s fractious political class to form the country’s next…

Read More Here

Lebanon faces even tougher times

France urged Lebanon on Friday to designate a prime minister as soon as possible after Saad al-Hariri abandoned efforts to form a government, but prospects for a new cabinet being…

Read More Here

UPDATED: Lebanon’s PM-designate Hariri says he has given up on cabinet formation

Lebanese politician Saad al-Hariri abandoned his effort to form a new government on Thursday, saying it was clear he would not be able to reach an agreement with President Michel…

Read More Here

Schooling crisis in Lebanon as teachers flee

Sorbonne-educated Chryssoula Fayad spent nearly two decades teaching history and geography at Lebanon's elite French schools, ultimately heading departments. Now she is a substitute teacher in Paris, part of an…

Read More Here

Lebanon is “days away” from social explosion, PM Diab warns

Lebanon is a few days away from a "social explosion", caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab said on Tuesday, calling on the international community to save the country. Diab, in a speech…

Read More Here

Pope, Lebanon Christian heads begin summit on country’s crisis

Pope Francis and Lebanon's Christian leaders began a summit on Thursday to discuss how religion can help the country overcome its worst crisis since its civil war ended in 1990.…

Read More Here

Lebanon raises fuel prices in bid to ease shortages

BEIRUT, June 29 (Reuters) - Lebanon's government raised fuel prices by more than a third on Tuesday, a move aimed at alleviating crippling shortages but which will mount pressure on…

Read More Here

EU warns Lebanon’s leaders of sanctions over ‘home-made’ crisis

The European Union's foreign policy chief told Lebanon's leaders on Saturday they were to blame for the country's political and economic crisis and some could face sanctions if they continue…

Read More Here

Photo Story – General strike in Lebanon

A roadblock made of garbage bins during a general strike, in Beirut, Lebanon, 17 June 2021. The strike was called by the General Labor Union in all Lebanese governorates to…

Read More Here

French prosecutors open probe into Lebanese bank governor – AFP

French prosecutors have opened a preliminary investigation into money laundering allegations against Lebanon's central bank governor, Agence France-Presse reported on Sunday. Riad Salameh is under investigation in relation to possible…

Read More Here

Lebanese president says central bank directive on bank withdrawals still in force

Lebanese President Michel Aoun said on Thursday a directive allowing depositors to withdraw from their dollar accounts at a fixed rate of 3,900 to the dollar was still in force.…

Read More Here

Lebanon’s caretaker PM calls on ‘friends’ to stand by Lebanese

Lebanon is "in the heart of great danger", and needs friendly countries to save it, the caretaker prime minister, Hassan Diab, said on Wednesday. "Either you save it now before it's too…

Read More Here

Lebanon’s central bank says not enough reserves for medical supplies

Lebanon's central bank said that a system for importing subsidised medical goods could not be sustained without using its mandatory reserves and asked the relevant authorities to find a solution…

Read More Here

Lebanon’s president did not mean to revoke Hariri’s mandate, son-in-law says

Lebanese President Michel Aoun did not intend to revoke prime minister designate Saad Hariri's mandate when he wrote to parliament last week declaring that Hariri could not form a government,…

Read More Here

Lebanon president says PM-designate incapable of forming cabinet

Lebanon's parliament will convene on Friday to discuss a letter written by the president saying Prime Minister-designate Saad al-Hariri had shown he was incapable of forming a government that could…

Read More Here

Lebanese president seeks to avert crisis with Gulf over minister’s comments

Lebanon's president said on Tuesday that critical comments made by the foreign minister about Gulf states did not reflect official policy, seeking to avoid further strain on ties with countries…

Read More Here

Death toll rises as violence rocks Gaza, Israel and West Bank

sraeli planes renewed air strikes in Gaza early on Saturday and Hamas militants responded by firing rockets into Israel as their battle entered a fifth night and U.S. and Arab…

Read More Here

Turkey’s Karpowership shuts down power to Lebanon

Turkey's Karpowership, which provides electricity to Lebanon from two barges, said on Friday it was shutting down supplies over payment arrears and a legal threat to its vessels as the…

Read More Here

Lebanese judge orders asset freezes for individuals tied to major banks

A Lebanese judge has ordered a protective freeze of some properties and company stakes of 14 individuals with links to some of Lebanon's biggest banks, a move the lenders said…

Read More Here

Israeli military says it shot down Hezbollah drone on Lebanon border

JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israeli forces shot down a drone belonging to the Lebanese Hezbollah group that crossed into northern Israel from Lebanon on Tuesday, the Israeli military said. In a statement,…

Read More Here

Lebanon’s Hariri: Pope to visit if government is formed

Pope Francis will visit crisis-hit Lebanon but only once its fractious politicians can agree on a new government, Prime Minister-designate Saad al-Hariri said during a visit to the Vatican on…

Read More Here

With food and fuel, Hezbollah braces for the worst in Lebanon collapse

BEIRUT, April 16, (Reuters) - Lebanon's Hezbollah has made preparations for an all-out collapse of the fracturing state, issuing ration cards for food, importing medicine and readying storage for fuel…

Read More Here

EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Beirut, Lebanon

The Dora area north Beirut, Lebanon. Photo: EPA-EFE/WAEL HAMZEH

Read More Here

UK crime agency considers investigating Lebanon corruption report, sources say

Britain's organised crime agency is reviewing a report by a group of London-based lawyers which accuses Lebanon's central bank governor Riad Salameh and associates of money laundering and corrupt practices,…

Read More Here

Germany to propose Beirut port reconstruction with ‘strings attached’ – sources

Germany will next week present a multi-billion-dollar proposal to Lebanese authorities to rebuild the Port of Beirut as part of efforts to entice the country's politicians to form a government…

Read More Here

Lebanon’s top Christian cleric criticises Hezbollah in leaked video

Lebanon's most senior Christian cleric has made unusually direct comments criticizing the Shi'ite Hezbollah movement, accusing it of harming the country by dragging it into regional conflicts. A leaked video…

Read More Here

France says EU to raise pressure on Lebanese officials

France's foreign minister on Monday warned key Lebanese officials that the European Union was now exploring ways to exert pressure on those who have obstructed finding a solution to the…

Read More Here

Lebanon’s president asks PM-designate to form government or go

BEIRUT, March 17 (Reuters) - Lebanese President Michel Aoun called on prime minister-designate Saad al-Hariri on Wednesday to form a new cabinet immediately or else make way for someone who…

Read More Here

Photo Story – Anti-government protest in Lebanon

An anti-government protester shouts slogans as other demonstrators burn tires to block the road during a rally against the power cuts, the high cost of living and the low purchasing…

Read More Here

Lebanese army starts clearing roadblocks after week of protests

The Lebanese army said on Wednesday it had started clearing roadblocks eight days after protesters burnt tyres to block roadways across the country in anger over the country’s economic meltdown…

Read More Here

Lebanon enters seventh day of street protests

Demonstrators burnt tyres to block main roads all over Lebanon for the seventh straight day on Monday in anger at more than a year of economic crisis and six months…

Read More Here

Lebanon on edge as protests persist

Demonstrators blocked various roadways across Lebanon for the fifth day in a row on Saturday, and a heavy army presence filled parts of the capital as anger simmered over the…

Read More Here

Photo Story: Protests in Beirut

Families and relatives of those arrested in anti-government protests from Tripoli, Beqaa and Beirut shout slogans and block the roads with burning tires in front the house of Judge Fadi…

Read More Here

Photo Story: Snowstorm hits Lebanon

People take selfie at snow covered area of Sawfar village eastern Beirut, Lebanon. According to the Lebanese meteorology authority, Lebanon is under the effect of a snowstorm for several days,…

Read More Here

Lebanon starts its COVID-19 vaccination drive, PM says will wait his turn

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon started its COVID-19 vaccination drive on Sunday by inoculating the head of critical care at its biggest public hospital, followed by 93-year-old celebrated Lebanese actor and…

Read More Here

Lebanon starts its COVID-19 vaccination drive

Lebanon started its COVID-19 vaccination drive on Sunday by inoculating the head of critical care at its biggest public hospital, followed by 93-year-old celebrated Lebanese actor and comedian Salah Tizani.…

Read More Here

UK-registered firm possibly linked to Beirut blast

Two senior British parliamentarians called on Friday for an investigation into a British-registered company possibly linked to last year’s devastating explosion in Beirut, after Reuters found that the firm had…

Read More Here

Beirut blast chemicals possibly linked to Syrian businessmen – report, company filings

BEIRUT/LONDON/MOSCOW, Jan 17 (Reuters) - The company that bought the ammonium nitrate which exploded in Beirut last August had possible links to two Syrian businessmen under U.S. sanctions for ties…

Read More Here

Lebanon can stretch reserves for six more months of subsidies, PM says

BEIRUT, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Lebanon can ration $2 billion in reserves left for subsidies to last six more months, the caretaker prime minister said on Tuesday, as the country's…

Read More Here

Lebanon secures COVID-19 vaccines for 20% of its citizens – health minister

BEIRUT, Dec 28 (Reuters) - Lebanon has secured about 2 million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine, which will cover 20% of the country's nationals, the health minister said on Monday.…

Read More Here

Hundreds of Syrians flee Lebanon camp after tents torched

BEIRUT, Dec 27 (Reuters) - Hundreds of Syrian refugees fled their makeshift camp in north Lebanon after their tents were torched when fighting broke out between local youths and camp…

Read More Here

Photo Story: A Christmas tree with a difference in Beirut

A Christmas tree is decorated with uniforms of firefighters and rescuers of the Civil Defense to pay tribute to those who died at the Beirut port explosion on 04 August,…

Read More Here

Lebanon’s collapse is like the Titanic’s sinking, only without the music – Le Drian

PARIS (Reuters) - French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Lebanon's political and economic collapse was like the sinking of the Titanic, only without the music. "Lebanon is the Titanic…

Read More Here

Businessman linked to Sarkozy corruption allegations detained in Beirut

Lebanon detained a French-Lebanese businessman linked to allegations of covert Libyan financing for former French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s 2007 election campaign, two Beirut security sources said on Friday. The sources…

Read More Here

Lebanon investigates death of former customs official

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanese authorities are investigating the killing of a retired customs officer in what a leading politician described as a "terrible incident". Colonel Munir Abu Rjeili was found…

Read More Here

Lebanon says COVID cases rising, beds won’t suffice

Lebanon will not have enough hospital beds to cope with increasing COVID-19 cases, the health minister in the caretaker government warned on Thursday, saying compliance with a two-week lockdown that…

Read More Here

More than 60 prisoners escape Lebanese jail, say security sources

More than 60 prisoners broke out of a Lebanese jail on Saturday and five of them were killed when their car hit a tree while under pursuit, security sources and…

Read More Here

UPDATED: Hariri named as Lebanon’s new prime minister

Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun designated Sunni Muslim politician Saad al-Hariri as prime minister on Thursday to form a new government to tackle the worst crisis since the country’s 1975-1990 civil…

Read More Here

FBI says it has reached no conclusion on cause of Beirut blast

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation said it has reached no firm conclusion about what caused the Aug. 4 explosion in the port of Beirut that killed nearly 200 people…

Read More Here

Lebanon, Israel to meet again October 28 after brief border talks

Israeli and Lebanese negotiators met briefly on Wednesday for talks on their disputed maritime border, ending their meeting after only an hour and agreeing to meet again on Oct. 28,…

Read More Here

Al-Hariri calls for restoration of French plan for Lebanon

Lebanon's leading Sunni Muslim politician, former Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, called for the restoration of a French plan to lift the nation out of its worst financial crisis since its…

Read More Here

UPDATED: Beirut hit by another tragedy

Four people were killed and several more were wounded when a fuel tank exploded in a Beirut building on Friday, the Lebanese Red Cross said. The explosion caused a large…

Read More Here

Fears of civil strife in Lebanon as financial crisis hardens

Lebanon’s leading Sunni Muslim politician, former premier Saad al-Hariri, said he feared civil strife as the country sinks into its worst financial crisis since a 1975-1990 civil war. “I fear…

Read More Here

Lebanon asks Interpol to arrest Russian ship captain, owner over port explosion

Lebanon has asked Interpol to issue arrest warrants for the Russian captain and owner of the ship that brought the explosive material that detonated at Beirut port in August, killing…

Read More Here