Lebanon

21 Nov 2021; MEMO: A group of US congressmen will hold meetings with crisis-hit Lebanon's leaders to report back to US President Joe Biden, The New Arab reported.

The delegation headed to Lebanon on Friday and will stay three days, goes with the intention of how to best help the country through the economic crisis.

BEIRUT, Nov 19 (NNN-NNA) – Lebanese Culture Minister, Mohammad Mortada, yesterday launched a 13-million U.S. dollar plan, funded by the World Bank (WB), for the reconstruction and restoration of heritage buildings damaged by the Beirut blasts.

The launching came during a meeting held at Movenpick hotel in Beirut, attended by the World Bank Regional Director, Saroj Kumar Jha and Beirut Governor, Marwan Abboud.

Mortada said, the ministry conducted a field survey to assess the damage to the heritage buildings and the degree of destruction that resulted from the blasts.

BEIRUT, Nov 18 (NNN-NNA) – Lebanon’s Central Bank Governor, Riad Salameh, yesterday denied media allegations, that he transferred public funds to a company owned by his brother.

Salameh said in a statement that, “not a single penny” was taken from public funds to pay fees and commissions to his brother’s company, Forry Associates Ltd, a firm whose transactions and investments have been the focus of media reports.

Salameh said, his opponents had disseminated the false information.

14 Nov 2021; MEMO: A Lebanese municipality has imposed a series of measures on Syrian refugees, including a night curfew and a limit on the hours they work and wages they earn daily.

The municipality of Ras Baalbeck issued an order this week that male Syrian workers must not be paid more than 40,000 Lebanese liras per day and can only work from 8AM till 3PM. Female workers are also limited to an hourly wage of 10,000 Lebanese liras.

BEIRUT, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- A senior UN official on Friday warned that Lebanon may be turned into a "failing state" if the government does not succeed in implementing quick and serious reform measures amid the current unprecedented financial crisis.

"The prime minister should exercise his authority and move the country forward. There is no time to waste," said Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, during a press conference held at the end of his mission in the capital Beirut.

BEIRUT, Nov 12 (NNN-NNA) – Lebanese Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, yesterday, launched a 25 million-U.S. dollar-fund, to support the recovery of targeted micro and small enterprises (MSEs), damaged by the Port of Beirut explosion, a statement by Lebanon’s Council of Ministers reported.

BEIRUT, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- A senior UN official on Friday warned that Lebanon may be turned into a "failing state" if the government does not succeed in implementing quick and serious reform measures amid the current unprecedented financial crisis.

"The prime minister should exercise his authority and move the country forward. There is no time to waste," said Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, during a press conference held at the end of his mission in the capital Beirut.

09 Nov 2021; MEMO: The head of the Lebanese Progressive Socialist Party, Walid Jumblatt, has said that the dismissal of Information Minister George Kordahi is the only way to solve the crisis in Lebanon-Gulf relations.

In an interview with MTV aired on Monday, the veteran Druze leader added that he is very patient with Hezbollah. The movement has, he said, "destroyed the homes" that Lebanese people have in the Gulf States. He also described Prime Minister Najib Mikati's performance as "excellent at this stage."

09 Nov 2021; MEMO: Lebanon's Hezbollah rejected a proposal on Monday put forward by the Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League to help end the crisis in relations with the Gulf States sparked by comments made by Information Minister George Kordahi.

BEIRUT, Nov 8 (Reuters) - A senior Arab League official held talks in Lebanon on Monday in a bid to ease a rift with Saudi Arabia over criticism of its role in the Yemen war, saying the crisis could have been defused if the minister who made the comments had resigned.

Arab League Assistant Secretary General Hossam Zaki met Lebanon's president, prime minister and parliament speaker during his visit. President Michel Aoun said he welcomed any Arab League initiative to restore ties with Saudi Arabia.