French special envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian met Wednesday with Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil, as he returns to Lebanon to help resolve divisions that have left the presidency vacant for nearly nine months.
Later on Wednesday, Le Drian met with Marada leader Suleiman Franjieh and Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea.
Full StoryCaretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati met Wednesday morning with central bank vice-governors, Wassim Mansouri, Bashir Yakzan, Salim Chahine and Alexander Mouradian, in an attempt to find a solution to a looming leadership crisis at the central bank.
Minister of Finance Youssef Khalil, who attended the meeting, said that so far the vice-governors are not inclined to resign.
Full StoryWilliam Noun and Maria Fares were united by loss after a devastating blast ripped through Lebanon's capital three years ago. Now engaged, the couple pledge to keep fighting for justice.
As they prepare to take their wedding vows, Noun and Fares, both 28, sit at his family's house in the hills northeast of Beirut, surrounded by photographs of Noun's brother who perished in the tragedy.
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French special presidential envoy for Lebanon Jean-Yves Le Drian arrived Tuesday in Beirut on a several-day official visit.
Full StoryParliament Speaker Nabih Berri met tuesday with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati in Ain el-Tineh and discussed the looming leadership crisis at the central bank.
Berri stressed during the talks "the need to hold a Cabinet session to appoint a new Central Bank governor."
Full StoryOutgoing Central Bank chief Riad Salameh and the political forces and money changers he cooperates with are seeking monetary and financial instability in the Lebanese market, a media report said on Tuesday.
“The Central Bank on Friday stopped purchasing dollars from the market until further notice,” al-Akhbar newspaper reported.
Full StoryA meeting Monday between caretaker PM Najib Mikati and the Central Bank’s four vice governors was “not encouraging,” media report said on Tuesday.
“The offer presented by Mikati to them was not tempting: he asked them not to tender their resignations in the next 48 hours while promising to find a way to cover expenditure from the foreign currency reserves, as they had requested in the plan presented to the Administration and Justice Committee,” al-Akhbar newspaper reported.
Full StoryLebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said Tuesday that his party is fighting a battle, along with its allies, "to win back the country from its hijackers."
"If the Axis of Defiance manages to take control of the presidency, this would lead to a continued deterioration of the economic and financial situations and would aggravate the suffering of the Lebanese," Geagea added.
Full StoryThe caretaker Cabinet convened Monday at the Grand Serail to discuss the much delayed 2023 state budget.
The Council of Ministers’ General-Secretariat received the budget draft law from the Finance Ministry last week, and cabinet will hold successive sessions to discuss and approve it.
Full StoryFrench Envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian will arrive Tuesday in Lebanon on a two-day visit to meet with Lebanese officials and leaders, including Maronite Patriarch Beshara al Rahi and Speaker Nabih Berri, media reports said.
Le Drian will start his tour in Lebanon with a visit to Berri during which the two will discuss the national dialogue over the presidential file, al-Akhbar newspaper reported Monday.
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