Lebanon

BEIRUT, Apr 5 (NNN-NNA) – The fourth Consultative Group (CG) meeting of the Reform, Recovery and Reconstruction Framework (3RF), yesterday warned against an escalating humanitarian crisis in Lebanon, a statement by the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon reported.

The group emphasised the need for Lebanon to swiftly embark on a roadmap to exit this unfolding crisis, through an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and a comprehensive economic stabilisation and recovery programme.

BEIRUT (AP) — Pope Francis will visit Lebanon in June, the president’s office said Tuesday, in an apparent show of support for the country experiencing an unprecedented economic meltdown.

Francis has held special prayers for Lebanon and has repeatedly said he plans to visit the small country since the economic meltdown began in October 2019.

BEIRUT, April 2 (Xinhua) -- UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon Najat Rochdi on Saturday urged the Lebanese government to work to rebuild the country's education system.

"For the future of Lebanon and its children, it is critical that the Lebanese government and all stakeholders work together to rebuild the education system," Rochdi said in a statement, noting that UN agencies have provided significant support.

BEIRUT, March 31 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has opened a general security academy in Lebanon to implement effective border and migration management policies, a statement by the United Nations reported on Thursday.

The General Security Academy for Training and Education and Cybersecurity aims to ensure that the Lebanese General Security and its partners have professional and well-trained personnel to implement effective border and migration management policies that respond to the rapidly changing needs, said the statement.

28 March 2022; MEMO: Lebanese Central Bank Governor, Riad Salameh, is a suspect in a case the European Union's criminal justice agency said, on Monday, had led to the freezing of some 120 million Euros ($132 million) of Lebanese assets, prosecutors in Germany said, and Reuters reports.

BEIRUT (AP) — Layal Aswad was already exhausted by Lebanon’s devastating two-year economic collapse. Now, as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sends food and energy prices soaring even further, she finds herself struggling to put food on the table for her family of four.

“Even bread is not something we take for granted anymore,” said the 48-year-old housewife, standing recently in a supermarket aisle in front of gallons of cooking oil whose prices had risen to an all-time high.

BEIRUT (AP) — Talks between the Lebanese government and the International Monetary Fund over an economic recovery plan should make progress in the next two weeks, Prime Minister Najib Mikati said Saturday.

Speaking to reporters in Qatar, where he is attending the Doha Forum, Mikati said an IMF delegation will resume talks with the government in Beirut on Tuesday over the country’s economic meltdown that began more than two years ago.

25 March 2022; MEMO: The British Embassy in Beirut said on Friday it was "deeply concerned" by Lebanese banks closing accounts belonging to people who are nationals or residents of the United Kingdom, Reuters reports.

In a statement, the Embassy said "this unilateral action" by banks had singled out account holders on the basis of their British residency or nationality, in "what appears to be a targeted and discriminatory manner".

24 March 2022; MEMO: The details of torture in an Israeli-run prison in Lebanon, including the electrocution of a female detainee and denial of medical care, have been uncovered in newly declassified Israeli documents.

BEIRUT, March 24 (Reuters) - When a Lebanese bank told Aref Yassin it had closed accounts worth $20 million belonging to the professional syndicate he heads and issued a cheque for the balance that was worth a fifth of its face value, he took the matter to court.

The money, saved from engineers' subscriptions and deposited at Fransabank, was earmarked for healthcare and pensions covered by the syndicate for about 100,000 people who now face losing a lifeline in a country in the third year of an economic meltdown.