Lebanon

Prime Minister Najib Miqati affirmed that France has informed him that Information Minister George Kordahi must resign before French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Riyadh, al-Akhbar newspaper said. “If Information Minister George Kordahi doesn’t resign before December 4, Lebanon will not be on the agenda of French President Emmanuel Macron’s …

One of Lebanon’s main Christian politicians accused foe Hezbollah and its allies of working to postpone a parliamentary election set for March over fears of electoral losses, warning such a move would condemn Lebanon to a “slow death”. Western donors that Lebanon is relying on to stem its financial implosion …

The Beirut Fire Brigade pleaded Tuesday for help to extinguish a fire that has ripped through a forest in Bshamoun. The firefighters urged those who can help to secure water for the fire engines, as the wind caused the fire to spread. The schools in the area evacuated the students …

U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Joanna Wronecka, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix and UNIFIL Force Commander Maj. Gen. Stefano del Col briefed Tuesday the U.N. Security Council on the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006) and the situation in Lebanon, with a focus on the latest report of …

President Michel Aoun has said that he will leave the Baabda Palace when his presidential term ends in 2022, while noting that he would “stay” if parliament decides that he should stay. “The parliamentary elections will be held and we’re taking all measures to hold the polls,” Aoun, who is …

Scores of protesters blocked major roads across Lebanon on Monday to express anger against the country’s political class for the worsening economic crisis and harsh living conditions. The road closures with burning tires were mainly in the capital Beirut, the northern city of Tripoli, the southern port city of Sidon, …

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Sunday lauded the latest decision by the Court of Cassation on the flurry of lawsuits and legal motions that had paralyzed the probe into the catastrophic Beirut port blast. “The unanimous decision of the general commission of the Court of Cassation confirmed the rightfulness of …

Hizbullah central council member Sheikh Nabil Qaouq on Sunday stressed that his party is supporting efforts aimed at resolving the governmental crisis and resuming Cabinet sessions. “Addressing the governmental crisis represents a necessary gateway for alleviating the suffering of the Lebanese and curbing collapse in the various fields,” Qaouq said. …

Lebanon’s Hezbollah leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, said on Friday the group had spent more than $10 million on free and subsidized fuel sourced from Iran for the Lebanese people since September. In a televised address, Nasrallah said $2.6 million worth of fuel had been provided for free to Lebanese NGOs, …

President Michel Aoun has promised to let the competent Judiciary set up the legal mechanism to the Baabda meeting decisions, a parliamentary source told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper. Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Najib Miqati had agreed in a meeting they held in Baabda, on Independence day, to …

The Beirut Bar Association has urged all officials to refrain from interfering with the judiciary and respect the law and work of institutions. Nader Kaspar, head of the association, said: “The lawyers stand in solidarity with the judges and the Judicial Council.” His statement came as the confrontation between Hezbollah …

Prime Minister Najib Miqati has dismissed the reports about a possible Cabinet reshuffle that would involve the replacement of the Justice Minister as “incorrect and baseless.” He added, in remarks to al-Joumhouria newspaper published Friday, that he is satisfied with the outcome of his Thursday talks with Pope Francis. The …

Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Friday decried anew the presence of what he called selectivity and politicization in the Beirut port blast probe as well as in the judiciary’s response to legal motions filed by the accused ex-PM and former ministers. “The judicial decisions of the past two days …

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi has warned that the postponement of the upcoming parliamentary elections would lead to “the total destruction of the country.” “It is very necessary to hold the parliamentary and presidential elections next year, or else we will face the total destruction of the country,” al-Rahi said. Moreover, …

A small group of protesters broke into the Ministry of Social Affairs in Beirut early Friday and removed a photo of President Michel Aoun from one of its main rooms, as the Lebanese pound hit new lows amid a worsening economic and political stalemate. The nearly dozen protesters who entered …

The Lebanese Petroleum Authority (LPA) set out the plan in a last-minute arrival at the Petex conference, held this week in north London. The round covers the eight blocks still available in the offshore. Lebanon licensed Blocks 4 and 9 in 2018 to TotalEnergies, Eni and Novatek. The companies drilled …

The U.S. and the West do not mind postponing the elections nor extending Parliament’s term, on the condition that the legislature elect Army Commander General Joseph Aoun as president, diplomatic circles in Beirut reportedly said. Al-Liwaa newspaper observed for its part that there is regional, international and Arab consensus on …

Prime Minister Najib Miqati gave Pope Francis on Thursday a tile from a 19th-century Beirut church that was seriously damaged in the August 2020 port explosion that killed 216 people and injured more than 6,000. Miqati met privately with Francis who told him that he was praying that God would …

Families of the victims of last year’s explosion in Beirut’s port rallied Thursday outside the Justice Palace against what they say are intentional obstructions to the probe of the devastating blast. They said their message to authorities was: “We are sick of waiting.” The investigation into the August 2020 explosion …

Three Lebanese judges have resigned over interference by politicians in the work of the judiciary, including a probe into last year’s Beirut blast, a judicial source said Thursday. In a country where political leaders determine judicial appointments, including in top courts, there is little room for the judiciary to work …

Israeli fighters F-16 fired 12 missiles at Syria last night, the Syrian military destroyed 10 of them with Russian-made air defense systems Buk-M2E and Pantsir-S, Rear Adm. Vadim Kulit, deputy head of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of Warring Parties in Syria, said.”From 2:28 to 2:38 a.m., six Israeli F-16 …

UNIFIL Spokesperson Andrea Tenenti has dismissed what he called “unsubstantiated allegations,” after al-Mayadeen TV mentioned UNIFIL’s naval force in a report about the Beirut port blast and the ship that carried the huge quantity of the explosive ammonium nitrate substance. “Some recent media reports speculating on the activities of the …

President Michel Aoun on Wednesday lamented the presence of “systematic campaigns that are based on lies and aimed at political assassination.” The President, however, stressed that he is determined to “try and make the necessary change, no matter the challenges.” “Politically, there are fabricated and normal crises, and the forensic …

In his meeting with President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister Najib Miqati, Speaker Nabih Berri “won the issue of settling investigative judge Tarek Bitar’s issue in parliament, should the judiciary fail to find a solution within a week,” informed sources said. Miqati was meanwhile promised with the resumption of Cabinet …

A “scenario” for resolving the governmental and judicial crises is making progress, highly informed sources said. The reported solution is based on the pledges that President Michel Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Najib Miqati made to each other in their latest meeting in Baabda, the sources told al-Joumhouria …

Lebanon has yet to give the IMF its estimate of losses in the financial system as discussions on the issue continue, but is working hard to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Fund by year-end, governor Riad Salameh told Reuters on Tuesday. Disagreements in Lebanon over the size of …

U.S. envoy to the Lebanon-Israel sea border demarcation talks Amos Hochstein will return soon to Lebanon to convey an Israeli stance, LBCI TV reported. “It is believed that the envoy has managed to make a certain breakthrough in the Israeli stance,” the TV network quoted sources as saying. “Israeli and …

President Michel Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri and PM Najib Miqati agreed in their meeting on Monday on “finding a solution through the judiciary for the issue of Beirut port blast investigative judge Tarek Bitar,” LBCI TV said. They also agreed that “should the judiciary fail to resolve it, a solution …

President Michel Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Najib Miqati held a meeting Monday at the Baabda Palace after overseeing a military parade marking Lebanon’s Independence Day. “Independence would not have been achieved had the Lebanese not gathered shoulder to shoulder in Rashaya,” Miqati said after the talks. …

On behalf of the United States, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday extended his “heartfelt best wishes to the people of Lebanon on their Independence Day.” “The United States recognizes both the rich culture and perseverance of the Lebanese people, who have faced and overcome many challenges over …

Russia has sent Lebanon the satellite images it has for Beirut’s port before and after a huge explosion rocked it last year, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after talks with his Lebanese counterpart in Moscow on Monday. Russia’s space agency Roscosmos said last week it agreed to provide the …

President Michel Aoun is holding contacts with local and regional leaders to secure the resumption of Cabinet session and resolve the crisis with Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries, Baabda Palace sources said. “Aoun is communicating with Hizbullah to soften its stance and prevent the Shiite ministers’ boycott of the …

President Michel Aoun on Sunday noted that the solution for the country’s governmental paralysis is “not implausible.” “It is found in the constitution, specifically in Article E of its preamble, which stipulates that the Lebanese system is based on the principle of the separation of powers,” Aoun said in an …

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati stressed the government’s commitment to implementing international resolutions and maintaining security and stability, as a US congressional delegation stressed the need to end political disagreements and focus on addressing the country’s economic and social crises. Mikati expressed his appreciation for the US standing by Lebanon’s …

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced on Friday that he will soon call a cabinet session, saying that the situation in the country is “very difficult and the people should not have to deal with more crises.” His remarks came after protesters stormed the Ministry of Health building in Beirut …

Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh on Friday met with Prime Minister Najib Miqati and said he handed him “a report prepared by the BDO, Semaan, Gholam & Co auditing company.” “The report was prepared at my request and it includes an auditing of my personal bank accounts and the accounts …

President Michel Aoun has said that he won’t sign a decree that reschedules the parliamentary elections for March 27. “If I receive it, I will return it for reevaluation,” Aoun said. Aoun told al-Akhbar newspaper that he will not approve that the elections take place on any other dates than …

Information Minister George Kordahi has stressed that remaining in his post is the “sacrifice,” not his resignation. Speaking to al-Joumhouria newspaper in remarks published Friday, Kordahi said he is “open to any solutions that would achieve the national interest.” “I’m willing to leave the information ministry immediately if that would …

On his first visit over two-days to Lebanon’s second largest city, British Ambassador to Lebanon Ian Collard toured UK-funded projects in Tripoli and surrounding areas and met city officials, as well as the embassy’s project partners and beneficiaries. In his messages to the citizens of Tripoli, Ambassador Collard reaffirmed the …

A Progressive Socialist Party delegation led by MP Taymour Jumblat and MP Wael Abu Faour has met with al-Mustaqbal Movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri in the United Arab Emirates, al-Jadeed television reported. PSP sources meanwhile told al-Jadeed that the talks were “comprehensive” and that several topics were discussed. PSP general …

The Court of Cassation’s general assembly on Thursday finished a meeting on two lawsuits filed against the state in the port case without taking any decision, the National News Agency said. The meeting, presided over by Court chief Judge Suheil Abboud, tackled two lawsuits filed by ex-ministers who are charged …

Airstrikes took out a secret hideout in Yemen housing experts belonging to the Iran Revolutionary Guard and Hezbollah, the Arab coalition said on Thursday. The capital, Sanaa, as well as locations in the governorates of Dhamar, Saada, and Al-Jawf were hit in a wide-ranging coalition operation to weaken the Iran-backed …

Through funding from the U.S. Government, UNICEF said it has delivered 97 tons of lifesaving medical supplies valued at over one million U.S. dollars to the Ministry of Public Health, in response to severe shortages of supplies and medicines affecting health facilities across Lebanon. The humanitarian shipment arrived Tuesday to …

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has called for “grabbing the parliamentary majority” in the upcoming elections to “prevent Hizbullah from controlling the formation of governments.” “If they want to make troubles, let them make troubles. A clear political confrontation is necessary,” Geagea added, in an interview with Annahar newspaper published …