Lebanon

19 Sep 2021; MEMO: Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said Iranian fuel shipments imported by the Hezbollah movement constitute a breach of Lebanon's sovereignty, according to comments published by his office, reports Reuters.

"The violation of Lebanon's sovereignty makes me sad," Mikati told CNN in an interview, his office said in a posting on Twitter.

BEIRUT, Sept 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The lead judge investigating Lebanon’s massive port explosion last year has issued an arrest warrant for a former government minister who failed to appear for questioning, state media has reported.

Youssef Fenianos, the former public works minister, is one of several former government officials who have declined to appear before investigating judge Tarek Bitar.

A judicial source confirmed that the warrant was issued on Thursday.

BEIRUT, Sept 17 (NNN-NNA) – Lebanon yesterday received tanker trucks carrying Iranian gas oil, in a move aimed at easing energy shortages in the country, al-Manar local TV channel reported.

A vessel carrying Iranian oil docked in Syria on Sunday, and the oil was uploaded into trucks and sent by land to the Bekaa Valley.

Lebanon has been suffering from shortage of U.S. currency reserves, which deprives the country from importing its oil needs.

17 Sep 2021; MEMO: Lebanon's energy ministry further raised gasoline prices today, effectively narrowing its fuel subsidy, Reuters reports.

The price of 95-octane gasoline and 98-octane gasoline were raised by more than 37 per cent.

The increase in gasoline prices is to be implemented immediately, an official document showed.

Worsening gasoline shortages across Lebanon have led to hours-long queues to get barely any fuel, with violence sometimes erupting at gas stations.

16 Sep 2021; MEMO: Hezbollah began bringing Iranian fuel into Lebanon via Syria today, a move the group says should ease a crippling energy crisis but which opponents say risks provoking US sanctions, Reuters reports.

Dozens of trucks carrying Iranian fuel oil entered northeastern Lebanon near the village of Al-Ain, where Hezbollah's yellow flag fluttered from lampposts.

"Thank you Iran. Thank you Assad's Syria," declared a banner, referring to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad.

16 Sep 2021; MEMO: The judge investigating last year's Beirut port blast today issued an arrest warrant for former public works minister Youssef Finianos after he failed to show up for questioning, the state National News Agency reported.

QLEIAT, Lebanon (AP) — Saydi Mubarak and her mother share a bond that goes beyond a close mother-daughter relationship: They were both diagnosed with breast cancer a year ago and underwent months of chemotherapy at a Beirut hospital, together facing the anxiety, the hair loss and the uncertainty for the future.

Now they share the fear of not being able to get the medication they need to complete their treatment because in Lebanon, where a devastating economic crisis has upended daily life, there are almost no drugs to be found.

13 Sep 2021; MEMO: Lebanese doctors in the northeastern Hirmil district stopped working yesterday in protest against fuel shortages and the inability to reach their workplace, the official Lebanese News Agency reported.

The doctors said in a statement that they took the decision after they were unable to secure petrol for their cars, and after making all efforts at all levels and appealing to officials, but to no avail.

11 Sep 2021; MEMO: The crime rate in Lebanon's northern capital of Tripoli has reached alarming levels as the country's economic collapse deepens.

The economic situation in the last few years has pushed tens of thousands of people into poverty and triggered large anti-government protests.

In Tripoli unemployment and poverty have risen to over 60 per cent since the government applied a strict lockdown to fight rising coronavirus rates.

BEIRUT, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati announced on Friday the formation of a new cabinet of 24 ministers, breaking over one year of political deadlock in the crisis-torn country, according to Lebanon's Presidency.

Mikati spoke to reporters at Baabda Palace, swearing that he will stop the country's collapse and spare no efforts to get in contact with international organizations to secure the country's basic needs, MTV local TV channel reported.

"We will work seriously on serving all people regardless of their sects," he said.