Lebanon

Lebanon president: Syrian refugees should return to homeland’s calmer areas

October 16th, 20170 BEIRUT ― Lebanon can no longer handle vast numbers of Syrian refugees, its president said on Monday, urging world powers to help them return to the calmer parts of their war-torn homeland. More than six years into the Syrian war, 1.5 million refugees who fled the violence now account for a quarter of Lebanon’s population. Lebanese...

Woman’s murder prompts mass eviction of Syrians from Lebanese town

October 5th, 20170 MIZIARA, Lebanon ― Abu Khaled had lived in the Lebanese town of Miziara for almost 20 years until a woman’s suspected murder by a Syrian refugee led to his expulsion alongside several hundred other Syrians. “They gave us notice to evict at 2 a.m.,” said Abu Khaled, standing outside a bare building in a nearby village with some...

Lebanon to complain to U.N. over Israel violating airspace

September 14th, 20170 BEIRUT ― Lebanon will file a complaint to the United Nations against Israel for violating the country’s airspace and causing damage by breaking the sound barrier in the south of the country, its foreign minister said on Monday. Israeli jets flew low over the southern city of Saida on Sunday, causing sonic booms that broke windows...

Hezbollah declares Syria victory, Russia says much of country won back

September 13th, 20170 BEIRUT/MOSCOW — The Lebanese group Hezbollah has declared victory in the Syrian war while Russia said government forces had driven militants from much of the country where President Bashar al-Assad’s rule seemed in danger two years ago. The comments from two Syrian government allies mark the most confident assessments yet of...

ISIS forced out form Lebanon-Syria border, Nasrallah declares victory

August 29th, 20170 BEIRUT  - A convoy of ISIS fighters and their families left the Lebanon-Syria border region on Monday under Syrian military escort, surrendering their enclave and traveling to eastern Syria after a week-long battle. A line of ambulances and buses were shown on Syrian state television driving slowly through the arid countryside, the...

Six dead in clashes in Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon

August 24th, 20170 SIDON, Lebanon ― Two members of the Palestinian group Fatah were killed in clashes with Islamist groups in a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon on Wednesday, medical sources said, bringing the number of dead to six in nearly a week of fighting. The two sides later agreed a ceasefire deal, Palestinian officials said, as a security...

Nasrallah says U.S. can’t hurt Hezbollah, dismisses sanctions

August 16th, 20170 BEIRUT — On Sunday, the leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah dismissed the prospect of tougher U.S. sanctions against his group, which is backed by Iran, and said the U.S. administration had no way to harm it. "The American administration, with all available and possible means, will not be able to damage the strength of the resistance,"...

Old cinemas find new life in Lebanon as cultural hubs

August 4th, 20170 TRIPOLI, Lebanon — With paint peeling from the ceiling and crumbling plasterwork, renovating an abandoned picture house in the northern Lebanese town of Tripoli is more than a dream for Qassem Istanbouli. The 31-year-old has reopened three such cinemas— two in his home city of Tyre in southern Lebanon and another in Nabatiyeh—...

Lebanon-Syria refugee transfer delayed

August 1st, 20170 BEIRUT ― The transfer of thousands of Syrian militants and refugees from a Lebanese border region into rebel territory in Syria stalled for a second day on Tuesday. Lebanese television station al-Mayadeen said Nusra Front militants were demanding the release of a fifth prisoner being held by Beirut and accused of killing Lebanese...

Hezbollah: Nearing victory in battle at Lebanon-Syria border

July 28th, 20170 BEIRUT — The leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah said on Wednesday that the group was close to defeating Nusra Front militants in the battle along the Syrian-Lebanese border. "We are in the face of a very big military victory," Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised speech. The militants have "effectively lost" most of the land they...

Hariri stays silent as Trump mistakenly says he is fighting Hezbollah

July 27th, 20170 WASHINGTON - Questions have once again been raised over President Donald Trump’s grasp on foreign policy after he appeared to misunderstand the political and militery role played by the pwerful Lebanese party of  Hezbollah in the Middle East’s complex geopolitics. During a news conference with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad...

U.S. pledges extra $140 million to Lebanon for Syrian refugees, fighting ISIS

July 27th, 20170 BEIRUT ― The United States will give Lebanon an extra $140 million to help Syrian refugees and the communities hosting them, the State Department said during a U.S. visit by Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri. Lebanon is hosting at least 1.5 million Syrian refugees who have fled the more than six-year conflict there and who now make...

Hezbollah says battle with Nusra Front almost won at Syria-Lebanon border

July 24th, 20170 BEIRUT – Hezbollah said on Monday its battle with Nusra Front jihadists at the Syria-Lebanon border was almost over and urged remaining insurgents in the area to give up, pressing its campaign to take their last foothold at the frontier. With the Nusra Front almost beaten in the mountainous area on the outskirts of the Lebanese town...

Hezbollah, Syrian army launch offensive at Syrian-Lebanese border

July 21st, 20170 BEIRUT — The Lebanese group Hezbollah and the Syrian army launched an offensive on Friday to clear militants from an area of the Syrian-Lebanese frontier, a commander in the military alliance fighting in support of President Bashar al-Assad said. The operation is targeting insurgents from the Nusra Front group in the Juroud Arsal...

Lebanon names former Bloomfield Hills resident Gabriel Issa as its ambassador to Washington

July 20th, 20170 BEIRUT — On Thursday, the Lebanese Cabinet passed long-awaited diplomatic appointments as President Michel Aoun called for “improving the state's revenues” in the wake of parliament's approval of a new wage scale for civil servants and the armed forces. As per protocol, the names of the appointed ambassadors will be announced...

Rights group urges Lebanon to probe deaths of Syrians in custody

July 5th, 20170 BEIRUT ― Human Rights Watch on Wednesday demanded an independent inquiry into the deaths of four Syrians who died while in Lebanese army custody and said anyone responsible for wrongdoing should be held to account. The Lebanese army said on Tuesday that the four Syrian men arrested during a raid on a refugee camp on Friday had died...

Lebanese ministry bans ‘Wonder Woman’ film over Israeli actress

June 2nd, 20170 Lebanon's Interior Ministry banned the new "Wonder Woman" film from cinemas on Wednesday because an Israeli actress plays the lead role, a ministry source and a security official said. Lebanon considers Israel an enemy country and the Ministry of Economy and Trade oversees a boycott of any business transactions concerning...

Lebanese army chief visits Washington, meets officials

May 5th, 20170 WASHINGTON, D.C. — Newly-appointed army commander General Joseph Aoun arrived in Washington, D.C. April 29 on an official visit, the first since assuming his post in March. The visit, which runs through May 6, is part of the ongoing Lebanese-U.S. military cooperation. Aoun received the invitation "through the established...

Lebanon’s Aoun takes tumble as Arab summit starts

March 29th, 20170 AMMAN ― Lebanese President Michel Aoun tripped and fell face down as Arab heads of state gathered at the start of their summit at the Dead Sea in Jordan on Wednesday, television footage showed. Aoun, 82, appeared to trip on a low, red-carpeted podium where flags of Arab states had been arranged. Two men in suits rushed to help him...

Lebanon’s Gumblatt affirms son as political heir

March 19th, 20170 BEIRUT - Lebanon's main Druze leader, Walid Gumblatt, on Sunday publicly confirmed his son Taymour as his political heir, extending the tradition of dynastic politics that plays a big part in the country's sectarian government. Gumblatt, the leading politician of the minority Druze community, took off his Palestinian koufieh...

Lebanese consulate moves to accomodate community growth

March 15th, 20170 SOUTHFIELD — A vast, green vista, dotted with skyscrapers and notable landmarks, unfolds below the large windows of a contemporary office – a landscape reminiscent of millions' homeland of Lebanon. Bilal Kabalan, consul general of Lebanon, looks through binoculars from his office and points out the several observable towns where...

Lebanon appoints new army chief

March 10th, 20170 BEIRUT — Lebanon appointed General Joseph Aoun as army commander on Wednesday, replacing General Jean Kahwaji at the head of a force that has been guarantor of civil peace since the 1975-90 civil war. The Lebanese government also filled several high-ranking security and judicial posts, Information Minister Melhem Riachi said in a...

Lebanese security forces foil suicide attack in Beirut’s crowded street

January 21st, 20170 BEIRUT, Lebanon - Lebanese security forces arrested a would-be suicide bomber inside a crowded cafe in one of the busiest neighbourhoods in the capital Beirut on Saturday night, security sources told AFP. The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a man wearing an explosive bomb belt had been detained by authorities after...

Bomb blast rocks north Lebanon

August 15th, 20080 A bomb explosion in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli has killed at least 18 people, including nine soldiers. The blast, which also left 45 others injured, hit a military bus in central Nour Square early on Wednesday, officials said. The explosion happened near a bus pick-up point in the busy commercial district as people...