An initiative to boost joint public and private sector projects in Lebanon took a step forward Tuesday with the committee overseeing the bill finalizing a draft. “The administration and Justice Committee finished deliberations on two laws regarding public-private partnerships [PPPs],” the committee’s chair MP Robert Ghanem said after it met ... Read More »
The following security-related incidents took place across the country Wednesday: BEIRUT BANK ROBBED IN BROAD DAYLIGHT Two masked men stormed into a bank in Beirut and stole an estimated $70,000 a security source told The Daily Star. The suspects, one with a handgun, fired once inside the Al Baraka Bank ... Read More »
United States President Donald Trump sent a message to President Michel Aoun Wednesday to commemorate Eid al-Fitr. “On behalf of the American people, Melania and I send our warm greetings to you and the people of Lebanon as you celebrate Eid al-Fitr,” Trump was quoted as saying in the message ... Read More »
President Michel Aoun plans to meet with Thursday with Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk, a source at the Baabda Palace told The Daily Star. “There is an appointment for Machnouk to meet with Aoun at noon,” the source said. Nevertheless, the source said it wasn’t clear what the two officials will ... Read More »
Speaker Nabih Berri Wednesday announced that the United Nations had expressed its willingness to help Lebanon demarcate its southern maritime border, which would open the door to oil and gas exploration in disputed zones off Lebanon’s coast. During his weekly meeting with lawmakers, Berri said that the U.N. had informed ... Read More »
Finance Minister Ali Hasan Khalil signed a $404 million deal with the World Bank Wednesday to fund projects in the education and transportation sectors. The funding will cover two projects, with $200 million for roads and employment and $204 million for the “Education for All Children” initiative. The deal was ... Read More »
Prime Minister Saad Hariri declared all public administration offices will be closed Monday and Tuesday for Eid al-Fitr, the state-run National News Agency reported Wednesday. The office of the late senior Shiite scholar Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah announced that Sunday would be the celebration to mark the end of Ramadan. ... Read More »
Syrian Bishop Joseph Absi Wednesday was elected the new patriarch of the Melkite-Greek Catholic Church. “It’s great, he’s an educated man, an administrative man, a man of reconciliation and an open man,” President of the Melkite-Greek Catholic League Maroun Bou Rjeily told The Daily Star. The election of Absi comes ... Read More »
Top political party leaders represented in the Cabinet will meet Thursday at the invitation of President Michel Aoun with talks expected to center around means to streamline the work of both the executive and legislative bodies over the coming months. Thursday’s meeting comes after Wednesday’s Cabinet session decided to refer ... Read More »
Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was promoted to crown prince on Wednesday, replacing his cousin in a sudden announcement that confirms King Salman’s 31-year-old son as next ruler of the kingdom. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef has been relieved of his post and replaced by Mohammed ... Read More »
Lebanese Ministry of Information
