Lebanon Political Corruption

DAVOS: Public and private sector funding is vital for Ukraine’s reconstruction in a post-war scenario, but it is also essential to ensure that corruption does not block reconstruction efforts, said a Maryam Forum Foundation panel at the World Economic Forum (WEF). The Ukraine4All: Building an Inclusive Future event invited leading figures from business and politics, …

The recent Lebanese elections, which saw Hezbollah lose its allies and the parliamentary majority, and the entry of independents into parliament, are not only a lesson for the party, Iran and the Lebanese, but rather a message for the whole region. The first lesson is “not to trust the agents”, be they personalities, families or …

“Human trafficking is not only an injustice to the victim, but it is an injustice to the families and friends of that victim” -Asa Don Brown The world today is in turmoil. A quick glance around us would show signs of unrest, dissatisfaction, economic collapse, rising inflation, armed conflict, political upheaval, pandemics, terminal illnesses, accidents …

The Lebanese people were able to elect a 128-member parliament, a dozen of whom are independent, as Reuters reported on Tuesday. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati met Wednesday in Beirut with Qatar’s envoy to the country, Ibrahim Al Sahlawi, following the Lebanese legislative elections. According to Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar (MOFA), the Gulf …

BEIRUT: Hezbollah and its allies in Lebanon are on the verge of losing their parliamentary majority after voters delivered a stunning rejection of the country’s corrupt political elite. Election results showed major victories for non-traditional political forces since polls closed at 7 p.m. Sunday. Vote counting continues after Sunday’s election and full results are not …

The country’s currency has lost 90% of its value to the US dollar since 2019 as people lack access to their savings at local banks. Lebanese President Michel Aoun expressed the importance of Qatar’s support for Lebanon in these difficult times in an exclusive interview with Doha State News Agency (QNA) the Saturday. In his …

Speaking in a televised speech broadcast live from the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital, Beirut, on Tuesday evening, Seyed Hassan Nasrallah said Lebanese voters would face a choice in the upcoming legislative elections between a faction whose main concern is Lebanon and another that seeks to please. United States, “Today you choose between those …

BEIRUT (Reuters) – Lebanon is holding elections on May 15 that could see a change of power that sends shockwaves far beyond this tiny country wedged between Syria and Israel. Here is a timeline of the nation’s recent history, from assassinations and war to a devastating explosion and economic collapse. 2005 Lebanese billionaire former Prime …

MIAMI (AP) — A former ally of Hugo Chávez wanted to be prosecuted by his socialist successor Nicolás Maduro has quietly visited Miami as part of a major corruption scheme involving oil joint ventures with foreign partners. Jhonnathan Marín was mayor of the port city of Guanta in 2017 when he abruptly resigned and fled …

To manage these investments and ensure that they are safe and secret, these kleptocrats and their cronies need facilitators: bankers, lawyers, auditors, real estate agents and other financial advisers from Wall Street, London, Zurich and more and more Dubai, the new favorite haven for Russian oligarchs who are now feeling the heat of sanctions in …

By JIM GOMEZ – Associated Press MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A supporter has penned a moving campaign song that has been played nearly 4 million times on Spotify. Other volunteers are breaking into Filipino villages, canvassing to support Vice President Leni Robredo in next week’s presidential election. The stakes are high: if Robredo’s opponent, Ferdinand …

By ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON and DÁNICA COTO – The Associated Press MIAMI (AP) — The prime minister of the British Virgin Islands appeared in federal court in Miami on Friday following his arrest on charges of cocaine trafficking, while the British governor of the Caribbean territory announced that a corruption investigation had found good reasons …

April 28, 2022 Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) sent a bipartisan letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, urging the administration to engage with Lebanon to ensure fairness and transparency in its next parliamentary session. May 15 elections. In light of the ongoing political, economic and health crises …

By SYLVIE CORBET – Associated Press PARIS (AP) — In just five years as president of France, Emmanuel Macron has gone from a young political novice to a key global player and heavyweight decision-maker in the European Union who has been deeply involved in the efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. And now he …

RAMALLAH: The UN has expressed deep concern over the escalation of violence between Israel and the Palestinians, as clashes erupted again at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem on Friday. “We are deeply concerned by the escalation of violence in the occupied Palestinian territory and in Israel over the past month,” said Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson …

CHICAGO: A leading Israeli journalist has launched a scathing attack on the Tel Aviv government for the manner in which police and soldiers brutalized civilians and journalists inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the Haram Al -Sharif over the past week, and called for an investigation into their actions. Nir Hasson, who covers Jerusalem and …

Abu Dhabi, UAE (CNN) – Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati is due to visit Saudi Arabia within the next two weeks, a first trip by a Lebanese prime minister to the Arab powerhouse in nearly four years following a unprecedented breakdown of relations. The last visit was in 2018 by then-Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who …

People pass a mother and her daughter begging in Beirut’s Hamra shopping street. Lebanon and the International Monetary Fund have reached an agreement in principle on comprehensive policies that could eventually pave the way for the release of billions of dollars in loans to the crisis-hit country. (AP File Photo/Hussein Malla) BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon …

By KATHY GANNON and MUNIR AHMED – Associated Press ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s political opposition ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan in a no-confidence vote in parliament early Sunday after several political allies and a key party in his ruling coalition deserted him. The opposition, which spans the political spectrum from leftists to religious radicals, will …

“I am here to implement an independent policy. There is no political interference in my regime, I have made that very clear to the authorities,” new governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said in a later press briefing. “I have the full support and blessing of the government, the opposition parties and, above all, the general public.” Weerasinghe’s …

By ILAN BEN ZION – Associated Press JERUSALEM (AP) — A lawmaker quit Israel’s ruling coalition on Wednesday after a dispute over religious observance during the Passover holiday, throwing the fragile alliance into disarray with no majority in parliament and raising the prospect of a new round of elections. Backbencher Idit Silman had recently objected …

By JAVIER CÓRDOBA – Associated Press SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) — President-elect Rodrigo Chaves said Monday his second-round victory was a “revolution” by marginalized communities against Costa Rica’s elites. The conservative economist, who served briefly as finance minister in the outgoing administration of President Carlos Alvarado, had cast himself as the underdog in the …

DHAHRAN: Anas Bukhash was on stage at Ithra’s first Sync Summit wearing a traditional light-colored Emirati dishdasha and a big smile. In a sea of ​​suits, he was authentically himself. A well-known Emirati serial entrepreneur, who speaks seamless Arabic or English, he is a professional interviewer with one of the most beloved voices in the …

BEIRUT: As Ramadan approaches, Beirut and other cities lack the decorations that filled the streets for this occasion. Instead, photos of parliamentary candidates are plastered everywhere. Only a few modest banners are raised, reminding people to donate to charity during the holy month. Lebanon is grappling for the third year in a row with a …

DUBAI: The empowerment of women in leadership positions around the world continues to lag behind, with too few governments taking steps to encourage women leaders, says a senior UAE minister. Ohoud Al-Roumi, Minister for Development in the Government of the United Arab Emirates, made the statement during a session titled “Women in Government: Shaping a …

PA DILI, East Timor (AP) — East Timor is heading to a runoff in the presidential election after Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jose Ramos-Horta failed to secure more than 50 percent of the vote despite a considerable lead over another veteran independence fighter, incumbent President Francisco “Lu Olo” Guterres. Ramos-Horta won 46.6% of the vote …

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Iran’s foreign minister, said the entire Middle East would benefit from a renewed nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers. But during a meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Thursday evening, Amir-Abdollahian said “we have not yet reached the final point on lifting sanctions”. Opponents of reviving the 2015 nuclear deal …

ATLANTA (AP) — A jury on Wednesday found a political operative and former Atlanta city employee guilty on charges of money laundering, wire fraud and conspiracy to commit bribes resulting from a lengthy federal investigation into corruption at City Hall. Mitzi Bickers was the first person to stand trial for the corruption investigation during the …

foreign direct investment is a cross-border investment in which a resident or company of one country exercises control or significant influence over the management of a business in another country. (On the other hand, these are the the most self-sufficient economies in the world.) To determine the countries where foreigners control the largest share of …

LONDON: A special UN event for the humanitarian crisis in Yemen saw world powers pledge increased financial support to the country and condemn the Iran-backed Houthi militia for its attacks on Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates . Opening the event, attended by Arab News and co-hosted by Sweden and Switzerland, UN Secretary-General Antonio …

With more than 2 million Ukrainian refugees fleeing to Europe to escape the Russian onslaught and many more on the move, European social services are beginning to buckle under the strain. Having taken in millions of refugees from Syria, Afghanistan and elsewhere over the past decade, Europe simply cannot afford another major crisis that not …

The leader of the Free Patriotic Movement, Jebran Bassil, stressed on Sunday that “victory over the enemy is not achieved exclusively by arms”. “I’m with a solution for the maritime border that would preserve our right to undersea gas,” Bassil said at the FPM’s seventh annual conference. “The water is nobody’s, but the gas is …

In downtown Beirut, empty buildings are covered with representations of more than 200 faces. These are the faces of the lives lost on August 4, 2020, when a neglected stockpile of ammonium nitrate stored in the port of Beirut ripped through metal and flesh, taking over 200 livesleaving more 6000 people injured and more than …

By HYUNG-JIN KIM and KIM TONG-HYUNG – Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Yoon Suk Yeol, a conservative former prosecutor and foreign policy neophyte, was elected president of South Korea in a victory that should herald a desire to seek a stronger alliance with states. United States and take a tougher line on North …

By KIMBERLEE KRUESI and JONATHAN MATTISE – Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – A Republican lawmaker in Tennessee resigned Monday shortly after court documents were unsealed revealing she faces a federal wire fraud charge involving a disgraced former state House speaker . Representative Robin Smith’s legal team also reached a plea deal with prosecutors, according …

By MICHAEL TARM and JOHN O’CONNOR – Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) — Michael Madigan, the former speaker of the Illinois House and for decades one of the nation’s most powerful lawmakers, was charged Wednesday with a nearly $3 million racketeering and bribery scheme dollars, becoming the most high-profile politician swept up in a federal investigation …

By WILL WEISSERT and PAUL J. WEBER – Associated Press AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas voters will kick off the midterm campaign season with primaries that will test just how far right the Republican Party will change in a state where many GOP members have already tightened their grip on former President Donald Trump. Outgoing …

BEIRUT: Lebanese President Michel Aoun on Friday sent a telegram of congratulations to King Salman on the occasion of Saudi Arabia’s founding day. “This occasion marks many brilliant milestones in the history of the Kingdom, which, with its vision and efforts, has succeeded in securing a leading position among modern countries in search of broader …

“IIf a war breaks out between Iran and Israel, Hezbollah might not get involved,” said Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah. He gave the very public assessment in an interview with an Iran-based news channel, according to Naharnet, a Lebanese online news source. Faced with increasing pressure from within and without, is it possible that Hezbollah …

(MENAFN-IANS) By Sanjeev Sharma New Delhi, Feb 22 (IANS) At least five senior Arab leaders, including heads of state or government, held accounts at Credit Suisse, according to leaked data. The former Sultan of Oman, Qaboos bin Said, had two accounts, including one opened in 1971 that was worth more than 177 million Swiss francs …

By SHEIKH SAALIQ – Associated Press FATEHGARH SAHIB, India (AP) — Amandeep Kaur Dholewal stood up from a traditional Indian crib and began speaking to a small gathering of men and women sitting cross-legged in a park in front of a domed gurdwara white, a place of worship for Sikhs. The 37-year-old doctor was surrounded …

Beirut, Lebanon – A dozen teenagers gathered outside the French Embassy in the Lebanese capital holding portraits of their 15-year-old classmate Elias Khoury, who was killed in the Beirut port explosion in August 2020. They called last week for an international inquiry to help move forward a local investigation that senior Lebanese officials have obstructed …

BEIRUT: Eighty-nine percent of respondents in a recent poll said they trusted the Lebanese Armed Forces to ensure the country’s stability, while 80% felt the same about religious leaders and 75% about the justice system. In contrast, only 19% of those polled – regardless of their religious beliefs – believed that political parties could be …

PA SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Residents in parts of San Francisco are voting for a new member of the state Legislature in Tuesday’s special election, a seat that opened following a scandal in federal public corruption in the city. The main candidates to replace Democrat David Chiu, who left the state Legislature to become San …

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA – Associated Press BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq’s top court banned a former Kurdish politician from the country’s presidency on Sunday, citing lingering corruption allegations. Hoshyar Zebari, a former foreign minister and longtime Iraqi diplomat, had been a favorite against incumbent President Barham Salih. In the Iraqi political system, parliament votes to choose …

DUBAI: When the United Arab Emirates set to work planning Expo 2020 Dubai, organizers had one important goal in mind: to ensure that every country was represented, regardless of size, wealth or condition current social and political life. It is this commitment that allowed Lebanon in crisis to participate. It was only in May 2021, …

The imbalance between rich and poor is the oldest and most deadly evil of all republics. —Plutarch, ancient Greek philosopher In the current Covid-19 economic environment, the call of one of this country’s largest and most powerful corporations for the privatization of public assets brings to the fore the challenge of eradicating income inequality – …

TEHRAN — Ali Scott Vitkovic, a scholar and theologian, says Israel, as an apartheid regime, has lost all support in the world. “The genocidal Zionist military apartheid in Palestine has finally lost support in all parts of the world, including many Jewish communities in the United States,” Vitkovic told the Tehran Times. Vitkovic says, “Even …

PA TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Tunisia’s president announced a plan to dissolve the national judiciary, citing suspicions of corruption and possible mishandling of politically charged cases, local media reported Sunday. Opposition members said the move was just the latest example of the president’s extreme power grab. President Kais Saied’s decision to dissolve the Superior Council …

Arbil, Iraq: Turkey carried out airstrikes in northern Iraq on Tuesday against Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) rebel positions, causing casualties, authorities in the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan said. “Turkish fighter planes targeted several positions of Kurdistan Workers’ Party fighters”, particularly in the Makhmur and Sinjar regions, the Kurdish anti-terrorist services said in a statement. …

BEIRUT (Reuters) – Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah group said on Sunday it saw no reason to delay May’s legislative elections, days after politics were upended by the withdrawal of Saad al -Hariri of public life. Hariri, Lebanon’s leading Sunni Muslim politician and three-time former prime minister, said on Monday he would boycott the vote https://www.Reuters.com/world/middle-east/lebanons-hariri-expected-announce- election-boycott-party-members-say-2022-01-24, …

Human rights activist Narges Mohammadi was sentenced to an additional eight years in prison and seventy-four additional lashes after a cursory five-minute trial in Tehran in late January. This is yet another shameful chapter in the shameful history of Iran’s theocratic regime. Mohammadi is vice president of the Defenders of Human Rights Center, led by …

A Lebanese man who robbed a bank to withdraw his own money has been hailed as a hero in Lebanon, where citizens are furious at capital controls that prevent them from accessing their savings amid a financial meltdown. Abdallah Assaii, a 37-year-old cafe owner, is accused of holding seven employees of a BBAC bank hostage …

The collapse began in October 2019 and plunged more than 75% of the country’s population into poverty. The same political class blamed for decades of corruption and mismanagement that led to the crisis has done next to nothing to help Lebanon out of the crisis. The Lebanese pound has lost more than 90% of its …

The Cabinet on Monday approved the granting of transport allowances to members of the armed forces, set at a monthly sum of 1.2 million Lebanese pounds for each soldier. The Council also appointed the members of the National Anti-Corruption Commission and decided to double the hourly salary of contract public teachers. Regarding the state budget, …

(Reuters) – Lebanese officials will start talks with the International Monetary Fund on Monday, an official government source told Reuters. An IMF spokesman also told Reuters on Saturday that a team would begin virtual talks with Lebanese authorities next week. The Lebanese government has said it hopes to reach an initial agreement with the fund …

THE Lebanese hope that in 2022 there will be a change in the fortunes of the country after several years of worsening economic, social and political chaos. So far, however, there is no sign of the turnaround the country is yearning for. Lebanese Christians are counting on the support in the form of prayers from …

Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko landed in Kyiv on Monday to face treason charges in a case he says was trumped up by allies of his successor, Volodymyr Zelenskiy. During a brief standoff at border control after arriving on a flight from Warsaw, Poroshenko accused border guards of confiscating his passport. He then emerged in …

The experience of northeast Syria presents a challenge to end the use of children in conflict DUBAI: Rawan Al-Aleku was visiting a friend in Debrassiye, northeast Syria, in the summer of 2020 when she was drafted into the Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias formed in 2014 to fight Daesh. She …

Photo credit: Lauren Smith Do you like Morning Chalk Up? Access additional exclusive interviews, analysis and stories with an Rx subscription. Five years ago, Ramzi Kamareddine opened 9616 CrossFit in Lebanon, and within three years he had a thriving gym with over 200 members. But in the past two years, the country has been hit …

Lebanon is suffering from one of the worst economic crises the world has ever seen, forcing many of its citizens to seek a better life abroad. Some join other migrants in making the dangerous journey across the Mediterranean Sea. Lebanon is currently in the grip of a brutal economic crisis, with more than half of …

VATICAN CITY (RNS) – In his annual address to the Vatican Diplomatic Corps on Monday, January 10, Pope Francis once again expressed support for global vaccination efforts, while condemning “ideological divisions” fueled by disinformation. In the speech, in which the Pope traditionally takes stock of the world’s most pressing problems, Francis called for “a multiple …

Austin Bay At the start of 2022, four strategic challenges to the post-WWII international order generate psychological ambiguity – that is, simple human fear – which promotes ethnic and sectarian slaughter and sows gender. bloody “proxy” wars that degenerate into major regional wars. Warning to all who care about planet Earth: when major regional wars …

The US-led coalition fighting ISIS in Syria said on Tuesday it thwarted an attack in the northeastern region of Deir Ezzor, the day after the second anniversary of the murder of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. After spotting “several indirect fire rocket launch sites that posed an imminent threat,” coalition forces “carried out strikes to eliminate …

Turkey’s historically strong relationship with Lebanon has been overshadowed by geopolitics and regional rivalries, namely the Iranian-Saudi battle for influence in the Middle East. Nevertheless, Ankara did openings in Lebanon in the form of aid and political support, and this is felt especially in areas with a Sunni majority. Tripoli is the poorest region in …

A series of events suggests that the utility of at least some of the militias – in Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq and Palestine – is declining. As their popularity wanes, their relationship with Iran faces headwinds. This is an important development. After all, Iran’s basic strategy and defense concepts, in place since the clergy-led revolution overthrew …

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said on Tuesday central bank governor Riad Salameh is expected to remain in office for now, signaling continued political support for him despite investigations into embezzlement at home and abroad . “You don’t change your officers during a war,” Mikati said at a press conference referring to Mr. Salameh, adding …

By TASSANEE VEJPONGSA – Associated Press BANGKOK (AP) – A military-controlled Myanmar court on Monday deferred verdicts on two charges against ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi, accused of importing and detaining walkie-talkies without following official procedures , said a legal official familiar with the matter. noted. The case in court in the capital, Naypyitaw, …

CHICAGO: Teachers and educators in Iran continued to protest in more than 100 cities this week against the mullahs’ regime’s oppressive policies that target educators, officials from the US-based National Council of Resistance of Iran said on Friday. United. NCRI officials said the protests began on December 15, demanding better treatment of teachers and educators. …

Mandatory vaccination passes aimed at limiting the spread of Covid-19 went into effect in Tunisia on Wednesday, despite some popular opposition and criticism from the rights group Amnesty International. Only people with a vaccination record and their national identity card can now access cafes, banks, shopping centers and state institutions. Dozens of people demonstrated Tuesday …

BEIRUT (AP) – The UN chief warned on Tuesday that the international community is unlikely to provide much needed support to Lebanon amid the continued paralysis of his government and as the country goes through a “very dramatic crisis “. Antonio Guterres’ remarks came at the end of his three-day visit in which he repeatedly …

Lebanon could reach a preliminary agreement for financial support with the International Monetary Fund in January or February, according to local press reports citing the country’s deputy prime minister. Saadeh Al Shami was quoted by broadcaster Al Jadeed on Sunday as saying that a ministerial committee agreed with the governor of Lebanon’s central bank that …

BEIRUT: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres will travel to Lebanon on Sunday for an official visit to the country. The UN Information Office in Beirut said the visit was a gesture of solidarity and that the Secretary-General “will reiterate the support of the whole United Nations family, the political mission, the peacekeeping forces and humanitarian …

Lebanon’s national currency collapsed again on Monday, exacerbating inflation and people’s desperation (Photo: AP) The diplomatic crisis between Saudi Arabia and Lebanon is far from over. Lebanese Agriculture Minister Abbas Hassan added salt to the insult on Tuesday by declaring that the war in Yemen must end, whoever wins. Former Lebanese Information Minister George Kurdahi …

The bloc addressed a variety of topics, including the ongoing war in Yemen, developments in Lebanon, the illegal occupation of Palestine and the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Gulf countries have declared their readiness to deal “seriously and effectively” with the Iranian nuclear issue among several others at the 42nd Gulf Cooperation Council [GCC] summit Tuesday …

Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi’s call for national unity strikes a chord on the centenary of the Iraqi nation-state DUBAI: Iraq was a cradle of civilization long before it became a modern nation state exactly 100 years ago, the country’s Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi said in a speech on Saturday at the occasion of the country’s …

LONDON: “I’m the one who strikes,” said Lebanese investigative journalist Riad Kobeissi – repeating the infamous line from American drama “Breaking Bad” – while looking straight into the camera. In his Al-Jadeed show “The Corrupt Regime Falls”, Kobeissi spoke directly to the now jailed former director general of Lebanese port customs, Badri Daher after the …

SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (AP) – The Bosnian Minister of Security was formally charged with embezzlement and corruption for illegal sale of arms and military equipment ten years ago while serving as Minister of defense. The highest court in the Balkan country confirmed the indictment against Selmo Cikotic on Wednesday, accusing him of depriving the …

For months, protesters in Lebanon remained in the streets after the spark of the October 2019 uprising, when tens of thousands of people gathered to protest against corruption and the economic downturn and call for accountability and social rights. Now they have focused their energy not on the barricades but on the ballot boxes, hoping …

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – The French President and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia had a joint phone call with the Lebanese Prime Minister during Emmanuel Macron’s visit to the kingdom on Saturday, in a meaningful gesture amid a crisis between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. In calls with Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Macron said …

Located in the eastern Mediterranean, Lebanon was home to the ancient Phoenicians and Romans. A small country, it has sandy beaches, high mountains and historic ruins. At the turn of the 20th century, France left a lasting and sophisticated impression after two decades of control. Sadly, Lebanon’s history since its independence in 1943 has been …

Al-Nahar, Lebanon, November 25 Anyone who listened to President Michel Aoun’s speech on Lebanon’s Independence Day would immediately realize that the intractable problems Lebanon is facing today are caused either by Hezbollah or by the one of his allies, including President Aoun himself. This is the case of the axes taken up in Aoun’s speech: …

Next week, US President Joe Biden will convene his World Summit for Democracy, a virtual gathering of world leaders that aims to promote human rights, fight corruption and discuss ways to strengthen democracy against a rising tide of authoritarianism across the world. The event fulfills a campaign promise made by then-candidate Biden to host a …

Beirut, November 26, 2021 – The government of the Netherlands and UNESCO today signed a media funding agreement for the upcoming parliamentary elections in Lebanon, as part of UNESCO’s flagship initiative Li Beirut. Hans Wesseling, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to UNESCO and Tawfik Jelassi, UNESCO ADG for Communication and Information, signed the …

By NICOLE WINFIELD, Associated Press ROME (AP) – Pope Francis told the Lebanese Prime Minister on Thursday that he prayed that God would help Lebanon to “rise up” and to get back on its feet following an unprecedented economic crisis that has thrown the three quarters of the country’s 6 million inhabitants, including one million …

through Naharnet press office November 22, 2021, 12:48 AM The Beirut Bar Association elected a new leader on Sunday in a vote that saw big losses for opposition candidates and big wins for representatives of the country’s ruling elite. Nader Gaspard has been chosen to replace Melhem Khalaf, an independent candidate whose election two years …

DUBAI: Progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in the Middle East and North Africa region has been hit hard by the global pandemic, and many of the achievements of the past decade have been reversed, according to a new report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. At least 132 …

BEIRUT (AP) – The governor of Lebanon’s central bank said on Wednesday that he had requested an audit of transactions and investments during his tenure and the results showed that no public money had been embezzled. Riad Salameh, 70, once hailed as the guardian of Lebanon’s financial stability, has come under intense scrutiny since the …

WASHINGTON, DC: It was a morning in late October 1983 when two suicide trucks driven by members of a then little-known terrorist group named Hezbollah crashed into a United States Marine Corps barracks in Beirut, killing 241 American soldiers and 58 French soldiers and six civilians. Armed, funded and indoctrinated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard …

An American mediator has reportedly informed Israel and Lebanon that if they cannot agree on a compromise on a disputed maritime region, he will end his participation in the talks. US envoy Amos Hochstein, who visited Israel this week, suggested to senior Israeli officials that they must complete the deal before the March 2022 parliamentary …

Sawa Li Lubnan, a political organization funded solely by Lebanese billionaire Bahaa Hariri, will present its own electoral roll in the Lebanese elections in March 2022. Bahaa Hariri insisted he didn’t want to be prime minister, but said he was “more than happy” to show leadership [Getty] Sawa Li Lubnan, a political organization funded solely …

There is a dispute between the Lebanese as old as the country itself. It can be summed up in two opposing approaches to understanding things and making sense of them. The first approach prioritizes the homeland over the idea, while the second puts the idea before the homeland. The first approach was developed by Maronite …

From traditional to abstract, Arab pavilions at Expo 2020 Dubai capture the imagination DUBAI: Universal exhibitions have a long and illustrious past, especially for their enduring contributions to urban horizons and architectural world premieres. The Eiffel Tower and the Chicago Ferris Wheel are two of the most recognizable examples. Despite these permanent contributions, the exhibits …

At 6.30am last Monday, John Sagherian and Elie Heneine descended into the lobby of their three-star hotel in eastern Sudan and found a crowd gathered around a television. While filtering, they heard the news. The army had staged a coup in the capital, Khartoum, 90 miles to the northwest. “Instantly everything we had planned for …

Editor’s Note: This is the web version of our weekly subscriber-only newsletter, Middle East Memo, which examines what’s happening, what’s being said and what’s on the horizon in the Middle East. . Subscribe to receive it by email every Tuesday. If you are already subscribed, adjust your newsletter settings to receive it. Saudi Arabia withdrew …

Biden’s Euro trip. President Joe Biden has opened a big euro trip that includes a series of bilateral meetings on both sides of the G-20 summit in Rome, which took place last weekend. The US President and the First Lady kicked off the trip by meeting Pope Francis at the Vatican – a meeting that …

When Najib Mikati became Prime Minister of Lebanon in September, he insisted in his first speech that re-establishing ties with the country’s allies in the Gulf was a priority for his government. Three months later, Lebanon faces a new diplomatic crisis with Saudi Arabia, the second in six months. Lebanese Information Minister George Kordahi said …

Under Secretary Victoria Nuland’s October 14 visit to Beirut only resulted in the latest largesse – $ 67 million – in a seemingly endless gravy train for the Lebanese state. Seemingly indifferent to snipers firing at Lebanese protesting the state’s investigation into the explosion in the port of Beirut a few blocks away, the Under-Secretary …

Diab’s plan also included a forensic audit of the central bank, the Banque du Liban, which is responsible in particular for safeguarding the country’s monetary and economic stability. Riad Salameh, who has been the bank’s governor since 1993, is recognized worldwide, especially for his so-called financial engineering. It basically worked like this: Commercial banks would …

A street is empty after taxis blocked the streets during a protest against rising oil prices in Beirut, Lebanon on Monday. Photo by Nabil Mounzer / EPA-EFE BEIRUT, Lebanon, October 26 (UPI) – A further surge in fuel prices – spurred by the central bank’s inability to provide hard currency for fuel imports, the national …