Lebanon

Lebanese president says blast probe looking into external interference among possible causes

Lebanon's president said an investigation into the Beirut port warehouse explosion was looking at whether it was caused by negligence, an accident or possible external interference, his office cited him…

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Death toll from Beirut port blast rises to 154 persons

The death toll from the Beirut port explosion has risen to 154, state news agency NNA cited Lebanon's health minister as saying on Friday. Minister Hamad Hasan said one in…

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Thousands sign petition for France to take control of Lebanon

Over 44,000 people have signed an online petition to "place Lebanon under a French mandate for the next 10 years" as of Thursday afternoon. The petition on the community petition website…

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Anti-government protests break out in Beirut

Protesters clashed with Lebanese security forces at anti-government demonstrations in Beirut on Thursday. Officers deployed tear gas on dozens of people near parliament. Demonstrators were angered by Tuesday's devastating blast,…

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Countries rally round Lebanon after Beirut blast

Countries and international organisations lined up to help Lebanon after a massive warehouse explosion sent a blast wave across Beirut, killing at least 100 people and injuring nearly 4,000. Below…

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Lebanon’s financial capacity ‘very limited’, economy minister says after blast

The Lebanese state and central bank have "very limited" financial capacity to confront the impact of the port warehouse explosion that devastated Beirut without foreign aid, its economy minister said…

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Photo Story: Eiffel Tower goes dark in support for victims of explosion in Beirut

A combination image shows the Eiffel Tower is seen illuminated before its traditional night-time illumination is switched off (L) and after (R) in support of the victims of a massive explosion…

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Beirut collective losses after Aug 4 explosion may reach $15 billion

Beirut’s governor told Al Hadath TV on Wednesday that collective losses after Beirut’s blast on Aug. 4 may reach $10 billion to $15 billion, with the governor explaining the number…

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U.S. has not totally ruled out that Beirut blast was an attack

White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said on Wednesday that the U.S. government has not totally ruled out that a deadly explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, was an attack but…

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Photo Story: Wednesday morning in Beirut: The tragic devastation

A series of photos sent by thee EPA photographer Wael Hamzeh in Beirut of the aftermath of massive blast in Beirut Tuesday afternoon. According to media reports, at least…

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UPDATED: Initial investigations point to negligence as cause of Beirut blast

Initial investigations indicate years of inaction and negligence over the storage of highly explosive material in Beirut port caused the blast that killed over 100 people on Tuesday, an official…

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Offers of assistance pour in for Lebanon after deadly Beirut explosions

Countries around the world have been paying tribute to victims of two deadly blasts in Beirut on Tuesday and sending offers of assistance to Lebanon, a country already reeling from…

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UPDATED: Lebanon in shock as toll continues to rise in blast that shook Beirut

Lebanese rescue workers dug through the rubble looking for survivors of a powerful warehouse explosion that shook the capital Beirut, on Tuesday. The death toll from a massive explosion that…

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Watch: Major explosion rocks Lebanon’s Capital Beirut UPDATED

Update 2155h The Lebanese Health Minister Hamad Hassan says more than 50 people have been killed and 2,700 are wounded in a massive explosion at the port in Lebanon's capital,…

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Analysis: Timeline of bombings in Lebanon

A huge explosion near the centre of Beirut killed at least 10 people, injured hundreds and sent shockwaves across the Lebanese capital on Tuesday, shattering windows and causing apartment balconies…

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Lebanon’s Prime Minister vows that those responsible for explosion will pay the price

Lebanon's Prime Minister Hassan Diab said that those responsible for an explosion at a "dangerous" warehouse in Beirut port area that rocked the capital would pay the price. "I promise…

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Lebanon’s foreign minister resigns over lack of “will to reform”

Lebanon's Foreign Minister Nassif Hitti resigned on Monday over what he described as lack of political will to reform as his nation wrestles with a financial crisis posing the biggest…

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Lebanon hit by Eid holiday surge in Covid-19 infections

Lebanon is enduring an Eid holiday surge in COVID-19 infections, with a record 224 new coronavirus cases recorded on Saturday. The new patients bring the total number of cases in…

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Lebanon’s economy minister says country is a ‘failed state’

The economic crisis in Lebanon has turned the country into a "failed state" but there "is light at the end of the tunnel", according to the country's economy minister. Speaking…

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Lebanon’s Christian patriarch blames Hezbollah for crisis

Hezbollah should take the blame for Lebanon's economic collapse, the country's top Christian cleric said in an interview this week, his most direct criticism yet of the Iran-backed Shi'ite movement.…

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Lebanon records new coronavirus infection high

Lebanon’s number of new coronavirus infections increased for a third consecutive day to a record 86, the government said on Saturday. Lebanon has recorded 2,168 infections and 36 deaths since…

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Night of anti-Government protests in Beirut

Anti-government protesters carry Lebanese flags and burn tires as they block the main highway during a protest over deteriorating living conditions and after the Lebanese government raised subsidized bread prices,…

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Lebanon’s Aoun sees “civil war” climate as critics boycott meeting

President Michel Aoun warned of an "atmosphere of civil war" during recent unrest in Lebanon and what he described as attempts to stir up sectarian tensions as a financial crisis…

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EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Harissa, Lebanon

The statue of Our Lady of Lebanon is pictured empty of people during a curfew lockdown implemented to stem the spread of the ongoing coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic in the town…

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Lebanon to re-open Beirut international airport from July 1

Lebanon will re-open Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport for commercial flights beginning July 1 but will keep air traffic at 10% of capacity from a year ago, a statement from…

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Protesters in Lebanon demand new government to tackle crisis

Hundreds of protesters rallied in Beirut on weekend against the government and its response to the worst economic crisis Lebanon has seen since the end of its brutal civil war…

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Protests escalate in Lebanon as currency collapses

Hundreds of people have taken to the streets in cities across Lebanon amid escalating protests as the country faces a collapse in its currency. Anger has surged as the Lebanese…

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EU adopts €55 million package for Syrian refugees and local communities in Jordan and Lebanon to mitigate coronavirus pandemic

As part of the EU's global response to the coronavirus outbreak, the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis has mobilised an additional €55 million for refugees…

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EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Beirut, Lebanon

A picture taken with a drone shows deserted streets during curfew lockdown against the ongoing coronavirus pandemic at Al Ring Bridge in Beirut, Lebanon. Photographer: WAEL HAMZEH

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Lebanon at risk of major food crisis

Lebanon is at risk of a major food crisis and many Lebanese may soon find it hard to afford bread because of an acute financial crunch and the fall-out of…

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Lebanon imposes ‘total’ shutdown

Lebanon has imposed a "total" shutdown after experiencing a resurgence in reported coronavirus cases. The curfew will start on the evening of 13 May and stay in place until the…

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Lebanon extends coronavirus shutdown, PM warns of second wave

Lebanon extended its coronavirus lockdown by two weeks on Tuesday with the prime minister warning that failure to comply with a gradual easing of curbs risked a second wave of…

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Moments of tension along Israeli Lebanese border

Lebanese media outlet Al-Manar reported that Lebanese troops mobilized to the Israel-Lebanon border on Sunday after Israeli soldiers pointed their weapons at Lebanese farmers. Al-Manar, which is affiliated with the…

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Lebanon hit by violent protests because of economic hardship

Protests against growing economic hardship erupted in Tripoli and spread to other Lebanese cities on Tuesday, with banks set ablaze and violence boiling over into a second night. One…

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Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon put on lockdown over coronavirus

A Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon has been put on lockdown after the UN announced the first confirmed case of coronavirus in one of the country’s numerous and crowded camps.…

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Lebanon legalizes cannabis farming for medicinal use

The Lebanese parliament legalized cannabis farming for medicinal use on Tuesday, a potentially lucrative export for an economy in dire need of foreign currency as it grapples with a…

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Coronavirus precautions in Lebanon increase

Workers spray disinfectant as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus and COVID-19 in Beirut, Lebanon, 16 March 2020. According to reports, Lebanon registered its third death from the COVID-19…

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Lebanon to ban flights from 11 coronavirus-hit countries

Lebanon will ban all travel to and from 11 countries that have witnessed significant outbreaks of the coronavirus, including an immediate ban on Italy, Iran, China and South Korea. Authorities…

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Lebanon to default on debt payments

Lebanon is to default on a foreign debt payment for the first time in its history as the country struggles with a major financial crisis. Prime Minister Hassan Diab said…

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Lebanon closes schools until March 8 to curb coronavirus spread

Lebanon’s Education Ministry announced the closure of all schools until March 8 as a precaution against the spread of the coronavirus. The announcement came as the country’s fourth case of…

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Lebanon bars travel for non-residents from countries with coronavirus

Lebanon halted flights for non-residents from countries with coronavirus outbreaks, including China, Iran, Italy and South Korea, the transport ministry said on Friday. The decision also bars land and sea travel.…

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France assures Lebanon of its financial aid if need be

France is ready to support Lebanon financially - bilaterally or multilaterally - its finance minister said on Sunday, warning against mixing economic recovery in the small Mediterranean state with…

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Lebanon asks the IMF for help

As Lebanon’s government grapples with an economic crisis that has fueled increasingly violent protests, the heavily indebted country must urgently decide on how to deal with fast-approaching debt payments,…

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Photo Story: The weather in Lebanon

A man removes snow from the roof of his car after heavy snowfall in the village of Hammana southeast Beirut, Lebanon, 09 February 2020. According to the Lebanese meteorology, Lebanon…

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Violent incidents near Lebanese Parliament

Lebanese protesters hurled rocks and metal barricades at security forces blocking a road near parliament on Monday ahead of a budget debate as Lebanon grapples with a deep financial crisis.…

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Lebanon’s central bank reassures foreign investors about deposits

Lebanon’s central bank said on Saturday there would be no “haircut” on deposits at banks due to the country’s financial crisis, responding to concerns voiced by a UAE businessman about…

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Angry Lebanese reject new government

Violent demonstrations were witnessed on the streets of central Beirut as protesters gathered in the heart of the capital near the main entrance to parliament, which has been heavily fortified…

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Lebanon forms government ending months of deadlock

Lebanon has formed a new government, ending months of deadlock that have left the country adrift as an economic crisis deepens. Saad Hariri resigned as prime minister in October in…

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Lebanon urgently needs new government to avoid collapse: Hariri

Lebanon needs to quickly form a new government to stop a cycle of collapse and worsening economic and security conditions, caretaker prime minister Saad al-Hariri tweeted on Monday. Politicians…

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Over 370 persons wounded as Lebanon’s protests turns violent

Al Jazeera reported that people have been wounded in Beirut after security forces used tear gas and water cannon to disperse crowds of anti-government protesters trying to reach Martyrs' Square, the…

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Anti-government protests in Beirut

A man reacts as anti-government protesters wave a Lebanese national flag atop a road sign during ongoing protests at Ring Bridge in Beirut, Lebanon, 17 January 2020. Lebanese anti-government protesters…

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Renewed violence hits the streets of Beirut

Lebanese security forces used batons and tear gas to break up hundreds of protesters who gathered outside of Lebanon's central bank for a second night on Wednesday before moving their…

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Concern increases as Lebanese economy collapses

Jan Kubis, U.N. special coordinator for Lebanon, lamented on the sorry state of the Lebanese economy with Lebanese politicians watching as it collapses. Lebanon has been adrift since the…

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Anti-Government Protests In Beirut

Anti-government protesters clash with riot police as they block a road and calling for 'the fall of the rule of the bank' during a protest in front of the Lebanese…

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EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Beirut, Lebanon

A picture taken with a slow shutter speed shows a view of a traffic intersection at downtown Beirut, Lebanon. Photo: EPA/WAEL HAMZEH

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Italian soldiers abroad put on maximum alert after Soleimani killing

As a reaction to the killing this week of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, the Italian military deployed in areas that could be exposed to Iranian retaliation have been put…

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EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Chekka, Lebanon

A picture taken with a drone shows a view of the 29-meter-high Christmas tree, made of discarded plastic water bottles in the northern coastal town of Chekka, Lebanon. The Christmas…

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