Lebanon

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Turkish-backed Syrian rebels attacked government-held positions northeast of Aleppo on Saturday, rebel sources and a war monitor said, opening a new front against Syrian army forces that have made significant advances in nearby Idlib over the last week.

The attack was focused on territory near the city of al-Bab, which has been controlled by Turkey and its Syrian opposition allies since 2017. Syrian state media made no mention of a new attack. Turkish forces were not taking part, rebel sources said.

BEIRUT, Jan 28 (NNN-NNA) — Lebanon’s Parliament endorsed, on Monday, the 2020 state budget, Al-Jadeed local TV channel reported.

The 2020 state budget estimates revenues to stand at 13,325 billion Lebanese pounds (8.8 billion U.S. dollars), which are not enough to pay the public sector salaries, social aid and debt servicing, according to head of the finance and budget committee, Ibrahim Kanaan.

BEIRUT (AP) — The Islamic State group’s self-styled “caliphate” across parts of Iraq and Syria seemed largely defeated last year, with the loss of its territory, the killing of its founder in a U.S. raid and an unprecedented crackdown on its social media propaganda machine.

But tensions between the United States and Iran and the resulting clash over the U.S. military presence in the region provide a comeback opportunity for the extremist group, whose remnants have been gradually building up a guerrilla campaign over the past year, experts say.

27 Jan 2020; MEMO: Lebanese protesters gathered yesterday to air their rejection of the newly formed government of Prime Minister of Hassan Diab.

An-Nahar newspaper said the protesters accused the new government of being “a Syrian and Iranian government”.

The Lebanese Internal Security Forces said on Twitter that “riots and attacks on members of the security forces began, so we ask the peaceful protesters to leave Riyad el-Solh Square to preserve their safety.”

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Projected revenues in Lebanon’s 2020 budget may be unrealistic because of a contraction in the country’s economy, the chairman of the parliamentary budget committee said on Monday, as protesters hurled rocks at police near to where the draft law was under debate.

Lebanon is in the throes of a financial and economic crisis caused by decades of bad governance and state corruption twinned with a liquidity crunch that has led banks to impose informal capital controls and the currency to slump.

25 Jan 2019; MEMO: Lebanon’s central bank said on Saturday there would be no “haircut” on deposits at banks due to the country’s financial crisis, responding to concerns voiced by a prominent Arab billionaire about risks to foreign investments there.

BEIRUT, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese President Michel Aoun urged the new cabinet to start dealing with economic and financial crises, the Presidency said in a statement on Wednesday.

"The cabinet has been formed amid very tough economic circumstances which require extra efforts to restore the confidence of the Lebanese and the international community," Aoun said during the first meeting of the cabinet.

"We have to reassure the Lebanese about their future," he said. "The coming days will witness several cabinet meetings to achieve our goals."

BEIRUT (AP) — Iran has long sought the withdrawal of American forces from neighboring Iraq, but the U.S. killing of an Iranian general and an Iraqi militia commander in Baghdad has added new impetus to the effort, stoking anti-American feelings that Tehran hopes to exploit to help realize the goal.

The Jan. 3 killing has led Iraq’s parliament to call for the ouster of U.S. troops, but there are many lingering questions over whether Iran will be able to capitalize on the sentiment.

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s new government made up of appointees nominated by the Shiite group Hezbollah and its allies got down to business Wednesday, a day after it was formed. Questions arose immediately about its ability to halt spiraling violence and economic and financial collapse.

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon’s new cabinet is due to meet for the first time on Wednesday, bearing a message of support from the United Nations as ministers begin the urgent task of addressing an unprecedented economic crisis.

The government, under Prime Minister Hassan Diab, was formed on Tuesday after the Iranian-backed Shi’ite group Hezbollah and its allies agreed on a cabinet of 20 specialists.