News

Jordan PM holds talks on supplying Lebanon with electricity, gas

Mikati speaks during a joint news conference with Jordanian Prime Minister Bishr al-Khasawneh in Beirut, Sept. 30, 2021. (The Daily Star/Mohamad Azakir)

BEIRUT: Jordanian Prime Minister Bishr al-Khasawneh Thursday held talks with top Lebanese leaders focusing on supplying Lebanon with Jordanian electricity and transferring Egyptian gas to help the crises-hit country plagued by chronic power cuts for decades. Khasawneh arrived in Beirut Wednesday night on a visit aimed at showing solidarity with Lebanon, which is reeling from its worst economic and financial …

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Hezbollah says downed Israeli drone in south Lebanon

FILE: Hezbollah said it downed an Israeli drone, Feb. 1, 2021. (The Daily Star/Hezbollah media, HO)

BEIRUT: Hezbollah said Thursday its fighters downed an Israeli drone flying over south Lebanon. The group said in a statement the drone, targeted with the “appropriate weapons”, crashed near the village of Yater at 1:55 pm local time. There was no immediate comment from Israel. Israeli drones and warplanes routinely breach Lebanese airspace in violation of UN Security Council resolutions. …

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Lebanon threatened with total darkness: Ghajar

Lebanon threatened with total darkness: Ghajar

BEIRUT โ€” Lebanon is facing a severe electricity crisis, with caretaker Energy Minister Raymond Ghajar warning that the country could plunge into “total darkness” by the end of the month. The state electricity company, Electricitรฉ du Liban, is running out of funds to purchase fuel necessary for power generation. Ghajar highlighted the dire consequences, including the disruption of essential services …

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Sri Lanka tea storm swirls around Lebanon president

Sri Lanka tea storm swirls around Lebanon president

In a recent controversy, Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun has faced criticism following the revelation that a donation of tea from Sri Lanka, intended for victims of the Beirut port explosion, was instead distributed to families of his presidential guards. On August 24, 2020, President Aoun’s office released a picture showing him receiving the Sri Lankan ambassador, with reports stating that …

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Diabโ€™s resignation clears way for national unity government

Diabโ€™s resignation clears way for national unity government

In August 2020, Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab resigned amid public outrage following the devastating Beirut port explosion. This resignation, accepted by President Michel Aoun, is seen as a critical step towards forming a national unity government. The explosion, which killed at least 164 people and injured over 6,000, was linked to the improper storage of ammonium nitrate at the …

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Amid deadly second-wave, virus monitoring halted following Beirut blast

Amid deadly second-wave, virus monitoring halted following Beirut blast

In August 2020, the catastrophic explosion at Beirut’s port compounded Lebanon’s public health crisis by halting virus monitoring efforts amid a deadly second wave of COVID-19. The blast, one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history, caused widespread devastation, killing over 200 people, injuring thousands, and leaving around 300,000 homeless. The destruction overwhelmed Beirutโ€™s already struggling healthcare system, which was …

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Cabinet declares state of emergency, port officials placed under house arrest

Cabinet declares state of emergency, port officials placed under house arrest

In response to the devastating explosion at Beirut’s port on August 4, 2020, the Lebanese government declared a two-week state of emergency in the capital. The explosion, caused by the detonation of approximately 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored unsafely at the port, resulted in over 135 deaths, injured more than 5,000 people, and left approximately 300,000 residents homeless. The …

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Rwandan genocide trial to open in France in September

Rwandan genocide trial to open in France in September

In September 2020, a significant trial opened in France, marking a pivotal moment in the pursuit of justice for the Rwandan genocide. The trial centers around Fรฉlicien Kabuga, an alleged financier and mastermind of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus over a span of 100 days. Background on Fรฉlicien …

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