BEIRUT (AP) Zena Karam — The reverberations of terrorism across the oceans and war in their own neighborhood have left Lebanon and its fellow nations in the Middle East struggling with the consequences, Lebanon’s president said Friday, calling for international help to save his own crisis-hit country. With Lebanon mired in an unprecedented economic and financial meltdown, President Michel Aoun told the U.N. General Assembly’s meeting of world leaders that the country could not rise without assistance from the global community. Lebanon is in the grips of multiple crises that exploded in succession beginning in late 2019, largely caused by decades of corruption and mismanagement by the country’s ruling class. A currency crash has plunged about three quarters of the population into poverty in the past year and triggered a brain drain not seen since its 1975-90 civil war days. That has been accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic and a massive explosion at the port of Beirut in August 2020 that killed more than 200 people and destroyed parts of the city. Hundreds of thousands of refugees from neighboring Syria have put an additional strain on the tiny Mediterranean country.

The international community has refused to offer financial assistance before Lebanese leaders undertake critical reforms and stamp out endemic corruption. Aoun described the recent formation of a new government in Lebanon after more than a year of political paralysis a “promising step on the road to recovery,” and appealed for the world’s help. “We now look to the international community to finance vital projects in the public and private sectors in order to revive the economy and create job opportunities,” he said. Aoun also said Lebanon welcomes any international effort to rehabilitate and develop Beirut’s port following the catastrophic Aug. 4. 2020 explosion. The blast happened when a fire ignited hundreds of tons of ammonium nitrates that had been haphazardly stored for years at a port warehouse.

by AFP — After repeating previous criticism of Lebanon’s political class, Macron told Mikati it was “urgent to implement measures and essential reforms” and that Lebanon “could count on” former colonial power France for support. The reforms should include tackling power and other infrastructure problems, improving public finances, reducing corruption, and stabilising the banking system, he said. Mikati said he had come to the French capital to reassure Macron that he and his new government, approved by the Lebanese parliament on Monday, were committed to reforming. “I expressed my determination to implement … the necessary reforms as soon as possible in order to restore confidence, to give hope and reduce the suffering of the Lebanese population,” he said. He also vowed to respect the country’s political timetable and hold general elections next year.

The billionaire’s nomination has brought an end to 13 months of political deadlock since an August 2020 blast that killed at least 214 people and devastated swathes of the capital Beirut. An economic meltdown since then has depleted central bank reserves, devalued the currency by more than 90 percent and plunged three out of four citizens below the poverty line, while those who can are emigrating by the thousands. France has led the international response to the tragedy, organising three international conferences devoted to Lebanon and delivering aid in exchange for promises of political reform and accountability. Macron travelled to Lebanon two days after the blast, and returned for a second trip.

DUBAI, (Reuters) – Lebanon bond investors could see their holdings slashed by 75%, Goldman Sachs said, should the newly formed government solve losses in the financial system, embark on credible reforms and unlock funding from the International Monetary Fund. Lebanon defaulted on its international debt in March 2020, after years of political upheaval and economic mismanagement left it unable to service a debt burden that Goldman Sachs estimated at over 300% of GDP at current market exchange rates. After a year of political deadlock, a new government was formed this month under Sunni Muslim tycoon Najib Mikati, with three-quarters of the population now in poverty after one of the deepest depressions of modern history. “The ratification by parliament of the Mikati government on Monday represents the first step on a long and narrow path to Lebanese economic recovery that is likely to be fraught with difficulty and risk”, Goldman said in a report this week.

The bank’s debt recovery projections are based on assumptions including a strengthening of the Lebanese pound to 8,000 to the dollar in the medium term from around 14,500 in the parallel market currently, as well as negative or low real interest rates on public debt, and certain levels of economic growth and fiscal balance adjustment. “Given these assumptions and constraints, we arrive at an estimated haircut to the nominal value of the current Eurobonds of 75%”, it said. Resolving losses in the financial system will be the government’s first challenge, Goldman said, estimating foreign exchange liabilities in the banking sector at $70 billion, against $13 billion in usable reserves at the central bank.

By NAJIA HOUSSARI — arabnews.com — BEIRUT: Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun congratulated King Salman on the occasion of Saudi National Day, praising his efforts to “strengthen Arab solidarity, which is what we need the most today to address the challenges facing our region and the world.” Aoun stressed “the brotherly ties between Saudi Arabia and Lebanon, since the era of King Abdulaziz Al-Saud, who laid the foundation for unity and convergence, the values that your Kingdom has remained committed to toward our nation and people.” His warm comments follow recent statements where Aoun expressed his rejection “for Lebanon to be the source of anything that might offend or harm Saudi Arabia and Gulf countries,” after the Saudi government’s decision in April to ban the entry of Lebanese fruits and vegetables into or via its territories over drug smuggling. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s government obtained the parliament’s vote of confidence this week, based on the ministerial statement that stressed the need to “promote the Lebanese relations with Arab countries, activate the historic cooperation among Arab countries and urge Arab brothers to support the Lebanese during these difficult times.”

Aoun is expected to deliver via video a speech on Friday at the UN General Assembly in New York from his office, to express “Lebanon’s position regarding local and regional developments as well as the topics on the session’s agenda.” Mikati headed to Paris on Thursday, his first official visit after the formation of the government, and is expected to meet French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday. France exerted intense pressure on Lebanese politicians to form a government in line with the initiative launched by Macron in the aftermath of the Beirut blast, which rocked the country last August. On the eve of Mikati’s visit to the French capital, the International Support Group for Lebanon welcomed the formation of the new government and the parliament’s vote of confidence in the administration and its program.

 تفصيلٌ أن نكونَ مع هذه الحكومة، وتحصيلٌ حاصِلٌ أن نكونَ ضِدَّها. فتَمنّي النجاحِ لها في معالجةِ القضايا اليوميّةِ، الَّلهُمَّ عبرَ المؤسّساتِ الشرعيّة، لا يَحجُبُ جُنوحَ أكثريَّتِها نحو المحورِ السوريِّ/الإيرانيِّ رغمَ التَبنّي الفرنسيِّ الجانِحِ نسبيًّا هو أيضًا، ورغمَ خصوصيّةِ تقديرِنا رئيسَها وبعضَ وزرائِها الأكفياء تقنيًّا وأخلاقيًّا. إنَّ اعتبارَ هذه الحكومةَ “مجلسَ إدارةِ” الأزمةِ الاقتصاديّةِ والمعيشيّة، لا يَحولُ دونَ اعتبارِها أساسًا “مجلسَ حكمِ” المنظومةِ السياسيّةِ والعسكريّةِ الشرعيّةِ وغيرِ الشرعيّةِ التي انْقلبَت على مفهومِ لبنان ووجودِه ودورِه وهويّتِه، واتّبعَت سياسةً تَقصَّدَت إفقارَ الشعبِ وإفلاسَ البلد.

بمنأى عن ذلك، مُنِحَت هذه الحكومةُ فترةَ سَماحٍ، لكنّها أخفَقَت في استخدامِها، إذ اعْتكَفَت منذ يومِها الأوّل عن مواجهةِ ظواهرَ تَـمُسُّ دستورَ لبنان وسيادتَه، وحدودَه شرقًا وجنوبًا، وتنالُ من استقلاليّةِ قضائِه. هكذا فقَدت ثقةَ الشعبِ قبلَ نَيلِ ثقةِ المجلسِ النيابيِّ المختصَرِ فيها، وسَقطَ الفارقُ بين السلطتَين التشريعيّةِ والتنفيذيّة، وبين المحاسِبِ والمحاسَب.

منذ سنواتٍ والبياناتُ الوزاريّةُ ليست خريطةَ طريقِ الحكومات، إنّما مجرّدُ مَـمرٍّ تقليديِّ لتبريرِ التصويتِ على الثقة. والعَجَلةُ الاستثنائيّةُ التي تُلِيَ فيها البيانُ الوزاريُّ ونوقشَ وصُوِّتَ عليه، يؤكّدُ أنَّ الثقةَ معلَّبةٌ مثلُها مثلُ التأليف. ليس في هذا البيانِ الوزاريِّ سيفٌ. وليس فيه روحُ شعب. وليس فيه روزنامةٌ تنفيذيّة. وليس فيه ثقافةٌ سوى نِصفِ سطرٍ من أصلِ تسعِ صفحات. غَلبَت على البيانِ الوعودُ على الالتزاماتِ، والمساوماتُ اللغويّةُ على وضوحِ المواقف. جاء البيانُ سَرْديًّا في وطنٍ سَئِمَ الحَكواتيّين، وتقليديًّا في ظرفٍ استثنائيّ، ومُسرِفًا في مواضيعِه كأنَّ الحكومةَ باقيةٌ دهرًا.

ارفعوا ايديكم عن القضاء لا تجريح ولا تهديد وحتى لا مديح، فتجاذب القضاء يضعفه وضعفه ينعكس ضعفاً امنياً

BEIRUT (AP Bassem Mroue) — A former Lebanese government minister on Wednesday asked the country’s top court to remove the lead judge investigating last year’s massive explosion in Beirut’s port because of allegedly “legitimate suspicion” over his handling of the case, state media reported. The development is the latest in a year-long saga surrounding the investigation into the explosion, which plunged Lebanon into another political crisis and accelerated an already unprecedented economic meltdown. The country’s government resigned after the Aug. 4, 2020 explosion and bickering political parties only this month agreed on a new government. Also, months into the probe, the lead judge running the investigation was removed by the Court of Cassation after similar charges were filed against him by senior government officials.

The petition Wednesday by the former public works minister, Youssef Fenianos, came a week after Judge Tarek Bitar issued an arrest warrant for him after he failed to appear in court for questioning. It’s not clear whether the Court of Cassation will take up Fenianos’ lawsuit and if it does, it will have to examine the case and then decide whether to dismiss or accept the request The judge has accused Fenianos and three other former senior government officials with intentional killing and negligence that led to the deaths of more than 200 people in the explosion.

al-monitor.com — Lebanon’s new government raised maximum fuel prices in the country again on Wednesday, a reversal from the previous policy of subsidization. The maximum price of 20 liters of unleaded 98 octane gasoline is 209,300 Lebanese pounds ($139 USD). The price of 20 liters of unleaded 95 octane gasoline is 202,400 pounds ($134). The […]

BEIRUT (CNS) – By Doreen Abi Raad — — At the start of a new academic year, uncertainty clouds the future of Catholic schools in Lebanon. Amid the country’s economic meltdown, Catholic schools have exhausted their resources, and their future is at risk. Of Lebanon’s 330 Catholic schools in Lebanon, educating nearly 200,000 students, 80% of the schools are under the risk of closing, said Melkite Father Youssef Nasr, secretary-general of Catholic schools in Lebanon. “We are facing this crisis with empty pockets,” Father Nasr told Catholic News Service. “We are under tremendous pressure.”

In-school learning in Lebanon has been disrupted for two years, first by nationwide protests that swept the country in October 2019, followed by COVID-19 lockdown measures. “We can’t leave our students at home for a third year. They are facing a learning, psychological and a social loss” from not being in school, Father Nasr said. On top of the educational void, the Lebanese currency has plummeted by more than 90% in less than two years, wiping out the middle class. According to the United Nations, 78% of Lebanese now live below the poverty line, up from less than 30% before 2019. Parents have seen their salaries dwindle to barely a tenth of their previous dollar values. Many have not been able to make tuition payments for two years. Of the country’s 330 Catholic schools, 90 serve the disadvantaged; their tuitions are nominal, and the Lebanese government is to provide a subsidy of approximately 50% for a portion of the student body. However, the government has not paid any such subsidies since 2016.

The USNS Choctaw County has arrived in Beirut, Lebanon, to participate in a first-of-its-kind mission intended to strengthen military ties between the countries, the U.S. Navy said Tuesday.

(UPI) — The USNS Choctaw County has arrived in Beirut, Lebanon, to participate in a first-of-its-kind mission intended to strengthen military ties between the countries, the U.S. Navy said Tuesday. As part of the mission, Central Partnership Station, the U.S. Navy and Lebanese armed forces will exchange subject matter experts on topics including mine countermeasures, disaster response, public health and construction capabilities. Explosive ordnance disposal technicians, Navy divers, medical and health engagement team and a construction battalion will work alongside their Lebanese counterparts, according to the U.S. Navy. The construction battalion is building a maritime security support facility with engineers from the Lebanese Armed Forces.