Lebanon

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s national currency further collapsed Monday, trading on the black market at nearly 20 times its value two years ago, worsening inflation and people’s despair.

The Lebanese pound was trading at 27,000 to the dollar on the black market, hitting a new low in its downward trajectory since October 2019 as the Lebanese economy went into a tailspin. The currency is officially pegged at 1,500 pounds to the dollar.

13 Dec 2021; MEMO: The Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas said that yesterday's explosion at a refugee camp in southern Lebanon was caused by an electrical short-circuit in a storage area for oxygen bottles used for coronavirus patients.

BEIRUT (AP) — The Palestinian Hamas group said Saturday that explosions that shook a refugee camp in southern Lebanon were caused by an electrical short-circuit in a storage area for oxygen bottles used to treat coronavirus patients.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency had reported that arms stored for Hamas exploded Friday in the Burj Shamali camp, killing and injuring a number of people. A security official also said the explosions caused casualties but did not give a breakdown.

BEIRUT, Dec 10 (NNN-NNA) – Lebanon’s Health Ministry said yesterday that, it has detected the first two cases of the COVID-19 Omicron variant, when passengers were tested, upon arrival at the Beirut airport.

“Two cases detected in airport testing were confirmed to be the Omicron variant,” Health Minister, Firas Abiad, said at a press conference.

The two passengers arrived in Lebanon from the African continent, and had been placed in quarantine, he added.

03 Dec 2021; MEMO: Lebanon's Information Minister, George Kordahi, confirmed his resignation at a news conference today.

"The interests of my country and my people and supporters are above my personal interest. Lebanon is more important than George Kordahi, and the Lebanese interests are more important than a ministerial role," he said.

BEIRUT (AP) — A Lebanese DJ was days away from moving to Riyadh to play for a month in one of the newest entertainment centers in Saudi Arabia’s capital when a brief, polite Whatsapp message informed her that the contract won’t go through.

The head of a Beirut-based communications agency had been negotiating to revive a two-year-old contract derailed by the pandemic for hundreds of thousands of dollars. After two days of silence her Saudi client, in an apologetic call, said now is not the time.

MAARAB, Lebanon, Nov 30 (Reuters) - One of Lebanon's main Christian politicians accused foe Hezbollah and its allies of working to postpone a parliamentary election set for March over fears of electoral losses, warning such a move would condemn Lebanon to a "slow death".

Western donors that Lebanon is relying on to stem its financial implosion have said the vote must go ahead. Politicians from all sides, including Shi'ite Muslim Hezbollah, have repeatedly said it should happen otherwise the country's standing would be dealt a further blow.

29 Nov 2021; MEMO: The head of the Hezbollah bloc in the Lebanese parliament warned on Sunday of a possible coup against the Taif Agreement which ended 15 years of civil war (1975-1990) through which power in the country was split among Muslims and Christians, Anadolu has reported. Mohammad Raad said that the coup would favour the axis in favour of normalisation with Israel.

27 Nov 2021; MEMO: Three Lebanese judges have resigned in protest of the interference by politicians in the judiciary, as significant cases continue to be hijacked and influenced by political actors.

BEIRUT (AP) — A small group of protesters broke into a ministry building in Beirut early on Friday and removed a photo of the president from one of its main rooms, as the Lebanese pound hit a new low amid a worsening economic and political stalemate.

The protesters who entered the Ministry of Social Affairs said conditions in crisis-hit Lebanon have become unbearable as a result of the rapid economic collapse and ongoing crash of the pound, which reached 25,100 to the dollar. The previous record was 25,000.