Lebanon

28 July 2022; MEMO: The leader of the Christian Lebanese Forces party, Samir Geagea, has backed a proposal by the Hezbollah movement to import fuel from Iran.

27 July 2022; MEMO: The Lebanese parliament approved a loan agreement with the World Bank on Tuesday worth $150 million to secure wheat supplies. The agreement comes as the country witnesses an unprecedented shortage of bread.

Images of long queues of people waiting outside bakeries to buy government-subsidised bread have gone viral. Queuing has not been without problems, with occasional intervention by security officers required in some locations.

BEIRUT, Jul 23 (NNN-NNA) – Lebanon’s Health Ministry, yesterday announced that, it has so far detected four cases of monkeypox in the country.

The ministry confirmed that the cases are males with travel history.

It added that, cases had home isolation, with follow-up for contacts with no reported hospital admissions.

The ministry urged the public to remain at a safe distance from infected people, not share their personal items, avoid animals from countries where the disease is endemic, and refrain from eating bushmeat.

BEIRUT, Jul 22 (NNN-NNA) – Lebanese President, Michel Aoun, yesterday, urged the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to conclude the aid agreement with the country, saying, Lebanon has been adopting the needed structural reforms.

The Lebanese president made the remarks during his meeting in Beirut with Pierre Duquesne, French presidential envoy for coordinating international support to Lebanon, said a presidential statement.

21 July 2022; MEMO: Secretary-General of the Lebanese Hezbollah group, Hassan Nasrallah, said yesterday that his movement will not allow Israel to extract gas from the disputed maritime area unless Lebanon gets its share, Israel's Kan channel reported.

"War is not inevitable, but Hezbollah will respond to any attack by Israel," Nasrallah is reported to have said, adding that confrontation with Israel is "possible" but it is not the best option.

BEIRUT, Jul 19 (NNN-NNA) – Lebanese President, Michel Aoun, yesterday called on the United States, to activate its mediation, in the indirect border demarcation negotiations between Lebanon and Israel.

“It is not acceptable to delay the process of demarcating the southern maritime borders,” Aoun was quoted as saying in a statement, released by Lebanon’s Presidency.

BEIRUT, Jul 14 (NNN-NNA) – Lebanese President, Michel Aoun, yesterday said, he hoped the UN Security Council would extend the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which is expected to end on Aug 31, 2022.

“Lebanon appreciates the important role of the UNIFIL in maintaining security and stability in the southern county,” Aoun said in a statement, released by Lebanon’s Presidency.

13 July 2022; MEMO: Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said yesterday that Beirut will defend its marine resources just like it had defended its land from the Israeli occupation.

08 July 2022; MEMO: The United Nations Security Council yesterday called to expedite the formation of a new government in Lebanon, to implement the necessary reforms, Anadolu reported.

The press statement issued by Council President Ronaldo Costa Filho said the members of the Security Council took note of the appointment of Najib Mikati as the new prime minister designate on 23 June, as well as the presentation by the latter of his government line-up to the President of the Republic of Lebanon on 29 June.

06 July 2022; MEMO: The Deputy Secretary-General of Hezbollah demanded on Tuesday that Lebanon should be given its full oil and gas rights in its territorial waters, agencies have reported.

"Today we are facing a rightful demand related to Lebanon's restoration of its oil and gas wealth in its territorial waters," said Sheikh Naim Qassem in a speech at a ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of the foundation of the movement. "The promises made by some about postponing the solution are not useful."