Lebanon

BEIRUT (AP) — Over a thousand Syrian refugees each week fleeing to Lebanon from their country’s worsening economic and financial conditions “could create harsh imbalances” in the small Mediterranean nation, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati warned Thursday.

Over the past months, thousands of Syrian citizens made it to Lebanon through illegal crossing points seeking a better life. But Lebanon is going through its own four-year meltdown, with a drowning economy pinning its hopes on tourism and crumbling infrastructure where electricity and water cuts are widespread.

BEIRUT, Sept 2 (NNN-NNA) – Around 111 Lebanese judges, yesterday, announced their cessation of work, amid a shortage of funds, to guarantee the regular operation of Lebanon’s judiciary bodies.

The judges released a statement, saying, they have to do so “in light of the state’s inability to cover medical care and education for themselves and their families, and with the lack of decent working conditions.”

They added that, the strike would continue until Lebanese authorities can successfully secure them dignified living and working conditions.

BEIRUT, Sept 1 (NNN-NNA) – Qatar announced yesterday that, it would supply the Lebanese army with fuel aid valued at 30 million U.S. dollars, over a period of six months.

Lebanese Army Commander, Joseph Aoun, thanked Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, for the generous donation, it reported.

Aoun said, the Lebanese army appreciated Qatar for standing by Lebanon’s military establishment and being committed to providing various forms of support to the military.

BEIRUT, Sept 1 (NNN-NNA) – Iranian Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, arrived in Beirut yesterday, for an official visit to Lebanon, after wrapping up his tour in Syria.

Upon his arrival at the airport, the Iranian diplomat told the press that, his country called on the international community to help Lebanon, which has been mired in a major financial crisis and political impasse.

BEIRUT, Aug 31 (NNN-NNA) – The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), yesterday said, it is seeking 15.5 million U.S. dollars, to address the emerging needs arising from armed clashes in Ain Al-Helweh Palestinian refugee camp, in southern Lebanon.

“Thousands of civilians were forced to flee their homes, which were damaged or destroyed. All eight UNRWA schools, providing education for 5,900 children, have been occupied by armed militants and severely damaged,” the agency said in a statement.

BEIRUT, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian arrived in Beirut Thursday for an official visit to Lebanon after wrapping up his tour in Syria, Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA) reported.

Upon his arrival at the airport, the Iranian diplomat told the press that his country called on the international community to help Lebanon, which has been mired in a major financial crisis and political impasse, according to the NNA.

BEIRUT (AP) — Anti-government protests in southern Syria have stretched into a second week, with demonstrators waving the colorful flag of the minority Druze community, burning banners of President Bashar Assad’s government and at one point raiding several offices of his ruling party.

The protests were initially driven by surging inflation and the war-torn country’s spiraling economy but quickly shifted focus, with marchers calling for the fall of the Assad government.

BEIRUT, Aug 27 (NNN-NNA) – Lebanon’s Ministry of Health, yesterday warned that, the number of Hepatitis A cases has sharply increased, since the beginning of this year.

The ministry said, some 1,785 cases have been detected in Lebanon so far, of which 204 are in the Baalbek district in eastern Lebanon.

There were less than 600 Hepatitis A cases in 2022.

The districts of Tripoli, Akkar, Minyeh-Danniyeh and Baalbek registered the biggest surge in cases, and water samples have been collected from epicentres for epidemiological analysis.

BEIRUT, Aug 24 (NNN-NNA) – A Lebanese Air Force helicopter crashed last night, in Hammana, a town in central Lebanon, about 26 kilometres east of Beirut, killing two army service members and injuring another, local TV channel LBCI reported.

LBCI said, the helicopter crashed while conducting a training flight.

The reason behind the incident is still unknown.

BEIRUT, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Five people were killed, and six others were injured in a car accident on the Qalamoun highway in northern Lebanon, LBCI local TV channel reported.

The accident happened as two cars collided, causing one to hit a utility pole.

The victims were transported to nearby hospitals.