by thenationalnews.com -- Joyce Karam -- The US is considering a broad set of options to respond to the unprecedented crisis in Lebanon, including sanctions on corrupt figures, sending cash and non-perishable aid to the Lebanese Army and directing humanitarian assistance to non-governmental organisations. In a joint statement released on Friday by the US Secretaries of State and Treasury, Antony Blinken and Janet Yellen, the Biden administration welcomed the EU's adoption of a new sanctions regime. "As an increasing number of Lebanese suffer from the country’s worsening economic crisis, it is critical that Lebanese leaders heed their people’s repeated calls for an end to widespread corruption and government inaction and form a government that can initiate the reforms critical to address the country’s dire situation," the joint statement read. "The United States looks forward to future co-operation with the EU in our shared efforts."

On Friday, the EU announced it had adopted a framework for sanctions that would focus on corrupt figures and “persons and entities who are responsible for undermining democracy or the rule of law” in Lebanon. With Lebanon experiencing a power vacuum, rampant fuel and medicine shortages, and with the local currency in a free fall, President Joe Biden's administration finds itself forced to think outside the box to manage the situation and prevent the country from becoming a failed state. The threat of sanctions, one Arab diplomatic source said, is aimed at both speeding up the government formation and showing a US-EU united front on the issue. This week, Lebanese business tycoon Najib Mikati became the third prime minister-designate to attempt to break the year-long paralysis in forming a government. US officials have dealt with Mr Mikati before, when he served as prime minister in 2005 and 2011, and are privately welcoming the pick. But publicly, the US is withholding judgment.

The Daily Star -- BEIRUT: The Lebanese pound was little changed on the black market Thursday, trading at LL18,100 against the dollar, with all eyes on the latest push to form a new government quickly. Exchange dealers said they were buying the greenback for LL18,050 and selling it for LL18,150, compared to LL18,000-LL18,100 Wednesday. The national currency's rose sharply earlier this week after former Prime Minister Najib Mikati was designated to form a new government charged with implementing reforms, restarting negotiations with the International Monetary Fund over a rescue package and supervising next year's parliamentary elections. Mikati has expressed his optimism that he could form his Cabinet in a short time. The local currency has lost more than 90 percent of its value since late 2019 as the country plunged into its worst financial and economic crisis in modern times, pushing more than half the population below the poverty line.

Lebanon's Aoun and Mikati at odds over interior ministry in government formation talks

by nna-leb.gov.lb --

وطنية - الفاتيكان - أشاد سفير لبنان في الفاتيكان فريد الياس الخازن بمبادرة البابا فرنسيس في الأول من تموز الجاري، لجمع رؤساء الكنائس، الكاثوليكية والأرثوذكسية والإنجيلية. وقال في حديث الى "الوكالة الوطنية للاعلام" إن اللافت في هذا اللقاء كان "تلقف الفاتيكان المبادرة والإعداد له بأقصى سرعة، فضلا عن الاهتمام الخاص بالمدعوين الذين مكثوا مع الوفود المرافقة في مركز إقامة البابا في Santa Marta".

أضاف: "لعل الأبرز في اللقاء حضور قداسة البابا فرنسيس الجلسات الثلاث التي تخللها مداخلة في كل منها ونقاش بين المشاركين، بإدارة السفير البابوي في لبنان، عكس التنوع في الآراء، بينما ظل البابا ومعاونوه الأربعة مستمعين. وفي الختام، كانت صلاة في بازيليك القديس بطرس معدة بإتقان بلغات الكنائس المشاركة، حضرها عدد كبير من السفراء المعتمدين لدى الكرسي الرسولي وكبار مسؤولي الفاتيكان، بالإضافة الى رجال دين لبنانيين وعلمانيين مقيمين في روما. أما الكلمة الختامية، التي تلاها البابا بالإيطالية وترجمت في كراس الى العربية والإنكليزية، فجاءت بمثابة بيان رسمي عن اللقاء وخارطة طريق لتوجهات الكرسي الرسولي. كان يمكن ألا يحضر البابا كل الجلسات، أي أن يكتفي بالمشاركة في الصلاة الختامية، إلا أن حضوره وتدوينه ملاحظات جاء تأكيدا على حرصه وقلقه على الأوضاع الشائكة في لبنان، ولاسيما معاناة الناس اليومية جراء الأزمات المتفاقمة".