Lebanon

23 Sep 2020; MEMO: A Hezbollah-owned weapons cache in southern Lebanon exploded yesterday afternoon as a result of a “technical error”, Al Jazeera reports.

The explosion, according to local media outlets, killed at least four people and injured several others. Hezbollah, however, has denied claims the blast resulted in casualties.

23 Sep 2020; MEMO: Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun has called for international help to secure the safe return of Syrian refugees, saying that the Mediterranean state can no longer afford to host them.

23 Sep 2020; MEMO: Lebanon’s Maronite Patriarch Moran Mor Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi on Sunday refused to discuss any changes to the country’s political system, while arguing that this step cannot be taken at a time when many forces are engaged in an illegal arms race, and “until all political components adhere to legitimacy” in the country.

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon’s army said it had found 1.3 tonnes of fireworks during a search of Beirut port, which was devastated last month in a huge blast that was blamed on a large quantity of chemicals kept in poor condition.

The army said in a statement, released on its website on Friday, that 1,320 kgs of fireworks were found in 120 boxes in a warehouse during a search of the port. It said army engineers disposed of them.

BEIRUT (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron called Lebanon’s president on Friday to discuss the need to press on with efforts to form a new government, seeking to give new momentum to an initiative by Paris that aims to pull the Middle East nation out of crisis.

France has been leaning on Lebanon’s sectarian politicians to name a cabinet swiftly and embark on reforms to get the country out of the worst crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war.

But the process has been bogged down by a dispute over the allocation of ministries in the new cabinet.

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri said on Wednesday no sect had the exclusive right to the ministry of finance or other government portfolios, a reference to an issue at the centre of a dispute over the formation of a new government.

In a tweet, Hariri said rejecting the idea of switching control of ministries was frustrating “the last chance to save Lebanon and the Lebanese”, in reference to a French efforts to get Lebanese leaders to adopt a new government and reforms.

15 Sep 2020; MEMO: Hamas refused US presidential adviser Jared Kushner’s proposal that the movement hold talks with the American administration, the group’s chief, Ismail Haniyeh, told Al Jazeera in an interview.

14 Sep 2020; MEMO: Lebanon’s Christian Maronite Patriarch Beshara Al-Rai yesterday reiterated his demand for an international investigation into the Beirut port explosion which killed nearly 200 people and wounded thousands more, Anadolu reported.

BEIRUT, Sept 14 (NNN-NNA) – Two political parties announced yesterday their decision not to participate in the next Lebanese cabinet.

A statement issued by Parliament Speaker, Nabih Berri’s office, indicated that he has informed the newly appointed Prime Minister, Mustapha Adib, of a decision not to participate in the government, which will mainly be “a technocrat cabinet that lacks affiliation and belongs to one’s political party, while being formed with foreign intervention.”

14 Sep 2020; MEMO: Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament and head of the Amal Movement, Nabih Berri, said yesterday that his movement does not plan to participate in the next government led by Prime Minister Mutafa Adib, Anadolu reported.

A statement issued by Berri’s media office said the movement had informed Adib that it was willing to offer maximum cooperation to ensure Lebanon’s stability, enact reforms and save the economy.