Naharnet
Latest stories
Arab Summit voices 'solidarity' with Lebanon

The closing statement of the 31st Arab Summit that was held in Algeria on Wednesday said the Arab countries “reiterate their solidarity with Lebanon.”

The Arab League voices support for Lebanon “to preserve its security and backs its steps to extend its sovereignty over its territory on land and at sea,” the statement added.

W140 Full Story
ISG concerned over 'lack of cooperation' among Lebanese parties

The International Support Group for Lebanon on Wednesday noted with concern the “continued lack of cooperation among Lebanese political actors that has precipitated a presidential vacuum, at a time when Lebanon most requires quick and decisive action to address its dire economic, financial and humanitarian crises.”

“More than ever, Lebanon needs fully functioning state institutions that can pursue comprehensive reforms with a strategic vision that generates substantive change for the public good,” the ISG said in a statement.

W140 Full Story
Saudi FM urges election of 'unifying' Lebanese president

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan urged Wednesday for the election of a new Lebanese president who is able to unify the country.

Bin Farhan stressed, in a speech in the Arab summit in Algeria, his country's keenness on the sovereignty of the Lebanese state.

W140 Full Story
At Algeria summit, Mikati urges Arabs not to abandon Lebanon

Caretaker PM Najib Mikati on Wednesday urged the Arab nations to “rescue” Lebanon and not to “abandon it.”

“The Lebanon you know has changed. Yes, it has changed. The glowing beacon has been extinguished, the port that used to be considered the Orient’s gateway has exploded, and the airport that is considered a convergence platform is having its lights turned off due to fuel shortages,” Mikati said, in a speech before the 31st Arab Summit in Algeria.

W140 Full Story
Two depositors storm Credit Libanais bank in Hazmieh

Two depositors, one of them armed with a gun and a gasoline bottle and the other wheelchair-bound, on Wednesday stormed Credit Libanais bank in Hazmieh, demanding their trapped U.S. dollar savings.

The wheelchair-bound depositor, Ibrahim Baydoun, later told al-Jadeed TV that the bank had agreed to give them both a sum of $55,000.

W140 Full Story
Schoolgirl dies in public school ceiling collapse

A 16 years old schoolgirl died Wednesday after the ceiling of her classroom collapsed at a public school in Tripoli.

Another schoolgirl was severely injured and other students were wounded.

W140 Full Story
Why did Berri cancel his national dialogue initiative?

Parliament speaker Nabih Berri cancelled Wednesday his invitation for a national dialogue so that political parties can agree on a new president.

Berri's media office said that the speaker decided to cancel his initiative following "objections" from the Lebanese Forces and the Free Patriotic Movement.

W140 Full Story
Bassil says not presidential candidate and not close to Hezbollah ideologically

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil announced Tuesday that he does not intend to run for the country’s presidency.

W140 Full Story
27 MPs reject 'sectarian' incitement over caretaker govt. powers

Twenty-seven MPs met overnight at the headquarters of the Kataeb Party in Saifi to discuss the stalled presidential election and Speaker Nabih Berri’s call for a session aimed at discussing the letter of ex-president Michel Aoun.

“The conferees express their categorical rejection of the attempts at igniting sectarian polarization through fabricating a debate over the issue of the government’s powers during the presidential vacuum period, because this issue is settled in the Lebanese constitution,” the 27 MPs said in a joint statement.

W140 Full Story
French ambassador urges MPs to elect president without delay

French Ambassador to Lebanon Anne Grillo has called on Lebanon’s lawmakers to “elect a new president without delay,” after the country was plunged into presidential vacuum with the end of President Michel Aoun’s term.

W140 Full Story