Lebanon

Parliament Renews Confidence in Salam's Government After Heated Debate

This is Beirut 16/07 14:05 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Lebanese Army Nawaf Salam lebanon parliament government confidence

Parliament renewed confidence in Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s government on Wednesday, as it concluded a two-day session dedicated to the general policy debate. The vote of confidence was called for by MP and leader of the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) Gebran Bassil. The majority of the 82 MPs present at the closing session, notably 69 ...

Lebanon Launches National Conference on Legal Cannabis Cultivation

This is Beirut 16/07 10:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam lebanon Nizar Hani Cannabis

The Grand Serail hosted a national conference on Wednesday titled “Cannabis Cultivation: Between Reality and Aspiration,” marking a key milestone in the path toward legalizing and regulating the cultivation of cannabis for medical and industrial use. The event, sponsored by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, brought together key ministers, lawmakers ...

CGTL Suspends Strike After Meeting President Aoun

This is Beirut 16/07 10:55 - Reading : less than a minute

Joseph Aoun CTGL lebanon

The General Confederation of Labor (CGTL) announced on Wednesday that it is suspending its nationwide strike following a meeting with President Joseph Aoun. Speaking after the talks, CGTL head Bechara al-Asmar said the decision came after the president pledged to place the union’s demands on the agenda of Thursday’s Cabinet session in ...

Parliament Debates Security, Sovereignty and State Reforms

This is Beirut 15/07 20:40 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Hezbollah United Nations lebanon Nabih Berri Samy Gemayel

Parliament reconvened on Tuesday afternoon to resume discussions on the government’s general policy agenda, following a break announced by Speaker Nabih Berri earlier in the day. The morning session had opened at 11 AM in the presence of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, cabinet ministers and MPs. Although the session was largely calm and orderly, a ...

How Effective Is UNIFIL?

Mario Chartouni 15/07 16:40 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Hezbollah Israel UN Security Council UNIFIL Lebanon

With its mandate set to expire on August 31, 2025, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) is once again facing scrutiny over its effectiveness in fulfilling its mission. Enlarged under UN Security Council Resolution 1701 in 2006 to prevent the presence of armed groups south of the Litani River, UNIFIL has struggled to enforce its ...

WindowBDL Takes Action: Ban on Transactions with Al-Qard Al-Hassan & co.

This is Beirut 15/07 14:50 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Banks Banque du Liban Central Bank of Lebanon

The circular (No. 170) published by the Banque du Liban, accompanied by Basic Decision No. 13335, marks a decisive turning point in regulating the Lebanese financial sector. By formally banning banks and financial institutions from any relationship with unauthorized entities, particularly the association Al-Qard Al-Hassan, the Banque du Liban is ...

At least 12 killed in Israeli Airstrikes on Eastern Lebanon

This is Beirut 15/07 10:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Baalbeck Hezbollah Israel

Israeli fighter jets launched a series of airstrikes on eastern Lebanon Tuesday. At least 12 people were killed and eight injured, Bachir Khodr, governor of the Baalbeck-Hermel region said on his X account. An afternoon strike targeted a machine used for drilling wells and a refugee tent in the area of Wadi Faara, in the district of Hermel, ...

Cannabis in Lebanon: Danger on Every Level or Real Opportunity?

Makram Haddad 15/07 10:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Baalbeck Lebanon Cannabis

In the medical world, cannabis is no longer a taboo. Its derivatives, such as CBD or THC, are used in several countries to relieve chronic pain. A Plant with Proven Medical Virtues Medical cannabis is prescribed in many countries to relieve chronic pain resistant to standard treatments, notably in patients with cancer, HIV or neurological ...

Op-edHezbollah Is a State within the State, Not Only “Heavy and Medium” Weapons

Hussain Abdul-Hussain 15/07 10:20 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Lebanon Hezbollah Syria Iraq Israel United States

In policy, simplicity is valuable; naiveté is catastrophic. Lebanon has by now diluted UNSCR 1701 from dismantling Hezbollah’s militia, arms production, and illicit funding to merely surrendering “heavy and medium” weapons, or as U.S. Envoy Tom Barrack frames it: Hezbollah must hand over weapons that threaten Israel. Such oversimplification ...

Op-edBarrack, Greater Syria and Lebanon’s Precarious Future

Johnny Kortbawi 15/07 09:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Syria Lebanon Hezbollah Israel Middle East

It is remarkable how a single phrase—whether a diplomatic misstep or a calculated message—can ignite such a storm of debate and unease, both in Lebanon and abroad, especially at a moment when the specter of redrawn borders looms once again over the Middle East. Thomas Barrack’s recent remark ...

Barrack’s Third Visit: Lebanon at a Crossroads

Philippe Abi-Akl 15/07 08:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Hezbollah Lebanon Israel Thomas Barrack Nabih Berri Joseph Aoun

As US envoy Thomas Barrack prepares for a potential third visit to Beirut on July 28, Lebanon stands at a critical juncture. Barrack is expected to deliver Washington’s official response to Lebanon’s recent proposal—alongside the “miracle solution” he hinted at before his last departure. At the heart of Lebanon’s plan is a coordinated ...

Barrack: Hezbollah Must Hand Over Weapons That Threaten Israel

This is Beirut 14/07 22:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Hezbollah Israel United States lebanon Tom Barrack

Washington made clear on Monday, via its envoy Tom Barrack, that the disarmament of Hezbollah should focus specifically on “weapons that threaten Israel’s security.” Barrack stressed in a statement that the United States continues to classify Hezbollah as a terrorist organization and called on the Lebanese government to take the lead in ...