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☆ Syrian refugees return home as Lebanese repatriation scheme begins
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Syrian refugees sit with their belongings on a pick-up truck as they prepare to return to Syria from Wadi Hmayyed, on the outskirts of the Lebanese border town of Arsal, Lebanon October 26, 2022. REUTERS/Mohamed AzakirARSAL, Lebanon Oct 26 (Reuters) - Hundreds of Syrian refugees living in Lebanon returned home on Wednesday, the first day of repatriations organised by Beirut, amid concerns from rights groups that the scheme may involve elements of coercion. Lebanese authorities say the repatriations, under a revived programme run coordinated by the country's General Security agency, are voluntary. In 2018, the General Security agency launched a mechanism through which any Syrian refugee could signal a desire to return home, liaise with Syrian authorities to make sure that individual was not wanted there. That pathway saw around 400,000 Syrians return home but was put on hold with the outbreak of COVID-19.

☆ Explainer: What's at stake as Lebanon faces presidential vacuum?
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

What makes electing a president so difficult, what's at stake, and who are the candidates? In the event of a vacuum, presidential powers should pass to cabinet led by Sunni Muslim Prime Minister Najib Mikati. The Maronite community is more politically fractured than others in Lebanon, giving rise to many presidential hopefuls. Anti-Hezbollah lawmaker Michel Mouawad has won the most votes in four unsuccessful presidential election sessions so far, but not enough to win. But analysts and political sources say he would face opposition, notably from the Maronite politician Gebran Bassil, President Aoun's son-in-law and a presidential hopeful himself.

A logo of HSBC is seen on its headquarters at the financial Central district in Hong Kong, China August 4, 2020. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterSince his return to HSBC in September, Elhedery has been working on projects for Quinn. He is one of several Lebanese bankers to rise to the top ranks at HSBC, including his predecessor heading the investment bank, Samir Assaf. Shares of Hong Kong-listed HSBC, which makes the bulk of its sales and profit in Asia, fell 2.5% in a firm broader market (.HSI). "This is about how the group executive committee is positioned with potential succession options for the future," Quinn told Reuters.

☆ Lebanon deputy PM says state cannot "save all depositors" who lost funds in crisis
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Maya Gebeily | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterSpeaking on local broadcaster LBCI, Chami said the state's plan to plug a $72 billion hole in the financial system would not be able to "save all depositors." Chami said the government's total foreign currency reserves - including its gold deposits - amount to between $25 billion and $30 billion "at best." Parliament still needs to approve a banking resolution framework to address Lebanon's bloated commercial banking sector and a capital controls law. Chami said he expected that most banks would not face problems in paying back depositors or undergoing a restructuring. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Maya Gebeily; Editing by Andrea RicciOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Israeli court gives Lebanon maritime deal a green light
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

JERUSALEM, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Israel's Supreme Court on Sunday rejected petitions that would have held up a landmark U.S.-brokered deal setting a maritime border with Lebanon. The court's decision eliminates one of the last hurdles in Israel that could disrupt the deal. There has been some opposition in Israel to how the government has handled the deal. Prime Minister Yair Lapid said his government's approval was sufficient, while his opposition says it must be ratified by parliament, especially during an election run-up. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Emily Rose; Editing by Alex RichardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Cholera outbreak hits Syrian refugees sheltering in camps in Lebanon
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-21 | by ( Maya Gebeily | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Syrian refugee children stand near water way at an informal camp in Qab Elias, in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley October 18, 2022. REUTERS/Mohamed AzakirQUB ELIAS, Lebanon, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Syrian refugees in displacement camps are falling victim to a cholera outbreak in Lebanon, already suffering from an economic meltdown that has slashed access to clean water and strained hospitals. Lebanon recorded its first cholera case in early October -- signalling the return of the bacteria for the first time in 30 years. WHO country director Abdinasir Abubakar told Reuters cholera posed a "very high risk" for Lebanon – and that transmission to other countries was likely. "Now it's affecting more Syrian refugees, but sooner or later we will see more cases for Lebanese,” Abubakar said.

☆ Meet the Pop Icons Who Inspired a Generation of Arab Queens
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Shane O Neill | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +6 min

Surfacing Meet the Pop IconsWho Inspired a Generation ofArab QueensAs children, the drag queens of Beirut didn’t have to look far for inspiration. ... / ... Click to unmute RotanaShe doesn’t particularly like Haifa’s voice, and doesn’t think she’s a good dancer either. Just this year, Feghali appeared on Lebanese TV impersonating her. ... / ... Click to unmute Télé LibanFor Diva, performing as Sabah and incorporating Arab culture into her drag represents a paradigm shift in how Beirut’s L.G.B.T.Q. The sender’s bio read, “Future Lebanese drag queen.”“This is what I want to see,” Anya said, using an expletive.

☆ U.S. envoy in Lebanon next week with maritime deal to sign
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIRUT, Oct 19 (Reuters) - U.S. energy envoy Amos Hochstein will be in Beirut next week carrying a copy of the maritime agreement with Israel for Lebanese officials to sign, Lebanese negotiator Elias Bou Saab told Reuters on Wednesday. "Hochstein will be in Beirut next week with the agreement that we will sign," Bou Saab said. A traditional signing protocol with leaders from both countries present is unlikely given that Israel and Lebanon remain technically in a state of war. U.S. envoy Hochstein told a webinar hosted by the Middle East Institute on Tuesday he would be travelling to the region next week but did not give dates or destinations. "The President of Lebanon and Prime Minister of Israel will decide on the signing.

NAPERVILLE, Ill., Oct 18 (Reuters) - Ukraine’s grain exports have recently increased to within striking distance of the year-ago numbers, but that could be a brief phenomenon as the recent harvest is significantly smaller than last year’s record. October grain shipments through Monday of 2.12 million tonnes were just 2.4% below the same period a year earlier. Still, Ukraine’s total grain exports for the 2021-22 year ended June 30 rose 8.5% on the year, but 2022-23 is well behind last year’s pace even with the October boost. Old corn could continue padding near-term corn shipments despite an incoming harvest down 25-40% on the year. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent wheat prices to new highs as the two countries could previously account for nearly 30% of global wheat exports.

☆ Lebanon says Israeli gunboat violated its waters, Israel denies it
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Oct 18 (Reuters) - The Lebanese army said on Tuesday that an Israeli gunboat had violated Lebanese territorial waters on Monday morning, an allegation denied by Israel in the second such dispute this week as the countries work toward a maritime border demarcation. The alleged naval incursion took place in an area of the Mediterranean sea opposite Ras Naqura, the Lebanese army said. In response, an Israeli military spokesperson said "there was no crossing" into Lebanese terrorial waters on Monday. The countries are technically at war but this month clinched a U.S.-brokered agreement to demarcate a maritime border. On Sunday, the Lebanese army said Israeli gunboats had violated Lebanese territorial waters several times on Saturday opposite Ras Naqura.

☆ Lebanon MPs pass second attempt at new banking secrecy law
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIRUT, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Lebanon's parliament on Thursday passed another round of amendments to a banking secrecy law after the International Monetary Fund said a previous draft retained key deficiencies. The IMF has laid out a list of reforms, including amending its banking secrecy law, that Lebanon must implement before it can gain access to $3 billion to relieve its economic crisis, one of the worst in modern history. Parliament passed an amended banking secrecy law in late July but the IMF recommended a slew of changes and Lebanese President Michel Aoun sent it back to parliament to make them. The latest draft still does not lift banking secrecy as a whole. The law still needs to be signed into law by Aoun, whose term ends on Oct. 31.

☆ Lebanese president calls on Totalenergies to start drilling after deal with Israel
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

CAIRO, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Lebanese President Michel Aoun called on Totalenergies (TTEF.PA) to quickly start drilling in block 9 in the Mediterranean sea. The Lebanese Presidency said Aoun met with a delegation from the company and called for a start to drilling to offset the time spent in indirect negotiations with Israel to demarcate the southern maritime borders. Earlier this month, Lebanon and Israel reached an agreement demarcating a disputed maritime border between them after years of U.S.-mediated negotiations. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Nayera Abdallah, Writing by Yasmin Hussein, Editing by Angus MacSwanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

"The Hezbollah leadership scrutinized the understanding line by line before agreeing to it," said one of the sources familiar with the group's thinking. Two Hezbollah lawmakers told Reuters the group was open to the idea of a deal as a pathway to alleviate some of Lebanon’s economic woes. At one point, Hezbollah conveyed its frustration at the slow pace of the talks to Hochstein via Ibrahim, the Western source said. A U.S. official told Reuters Hezbollah had nearly "killed the deal with their provocative rhetoric and actions threatening war". "Once the pipes are in the water, war becomes a long way away," said a source familiar with Hezbollah's thinking.

read moreIt will take effect once Lebanon and Israel send letters to Washington, which will issue a notice announcing the deal is in place. Parties to the deal would seek to resolve any further maritime differences through the United States, securing an ongoing guarantor role for Washington. A centrist, Lapid's caretaker government wants the deal done soon but has denied that the country's election is the deadline. TotalEnergies is set to begin exploration at the Qana prospect immediately after the deal takes effect, though Lebanon's energy minister said preparations would take a number of months. Seeking to play down future Lebanese profits, Israeli Energy Minister Karine Elharrar told Tel Aviv's 103 FM radio initial estimates put that prospect's total value at some $3 billion.

☆ Israel and Lebanon reach historic agreement to resolve a long-running maritime border dispute
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Israel and Lebanon have brokered a historic agreement to resolve a long-running maritime border dispute on Tuesday, following months of negotiations mediated by the United States. Israel and Lebanon reached a historic agreement to resolve a long-running maritime border dispute on Tuesday, following months of negotiations mediated by the United States. "This is a historic achievement that will strengthen Israel's security, inject billions into Israel's economy, and ensure the stability of our northern border," Israel's Prime Minister Yair Lapid said in a statement. Negotiations pertaining to the Israeli-Lebanese border dispute over gas-rich waters off the countries' Mediterranean coasts have been ongoing since October 2020. The Israel president also thanked U.S. special envoy Amos Hochstein for his "hard work" in mediating the agreement.

☆ At war for decades, Lebanon and Israel edge towards a rare deal
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A general view shows the Lebanese-Israeli border as seen from the southern Lebanese village of Khiam, Lebanon October 11, 2022. Some 100,000 Palestinians who fled or were expelled from their homes in Palestine during the war arrive in Lebanon as refugees. 1978Israel invades south Lebanon and sets up an occupation zone in an operation against Palestinian guerrillas. 1985Israel establishes an occupation zone in southern Lebanon, about 15 km (nine miles) deep, after it pulled back from a line further north, controlling the area with a proxy force, the South Lebanon Army. 2000Israel withdraws from southern Lebanon, ending 22 years of occupation.

A view shows the border wall between Lebanon and Israel as pictured from Kfar Kila village, southern Lebanon, October 11, 2022. The agreement is meant to resolve a territorial dispute in the eastern Mediterranean sea in an area where Lebanon aims to explore for natural gas. It was also endorsed by the heavily armed, Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah, which until recently has threatened to attack Israeli gas facilities, according to two officials. While Israel has moved ahead with production and export of natural gas, Lebanon's efforts have been hamstrung by political dysfunction. An Israeli official said final approval was expected within the next three weeks.

☆ EXCLUSIVE Lebanon satisfied with final draft of Israel maritime border deal -top Lebanese negotiator
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( Timour Azhari | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIRUT, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Lebanon has received a final draft of a U.S.-mediated maritime border deal with Israel that satisfies all of Lebanon's requirements and could imminently lead to a "historic deal," Lebanese lead negotiator Elias Bou Saab told Reuters. "We received minutes ago the final draft... Lebanon felt that it takes into consideration all of Lebanon's requirements and we believe that the other side should feel the same," Bou Saab said. Israel's official view of the latest draft of the deal was not immediately clear. Israel last week rejected last-minute amendments to the deal by Lebanon that briefly appeared to jeopardize longstanding efforts to reach an agreement. Lebanon's president said that a deal would not signify a "partnership" with Israel, a country Lebanon does not recognize and officially regards as an enemy.

On Wednesday, OPEC+, the oil cartel led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, agreed to slash production by 2 million barrels per day, twice as much as analysts had predicted, in the biggest cut since the Covid-19 pandemic. “Saudi Arabia is looking to head off a repeat of 2008 when the market crash sent the global economy into a recession and oil prices suddenly plummeted, requiring emergency action by OPEC,” said Wald. Analysts also say Saudi Arabia cannot afford to let oil prices go below a certain level for budgetary reasons. For its budget to break even, global oil prices must be at around $79 a barrel, according to the International Monetary Fund. That was a warning sign for Saudi Arabia and other oil exporters, who depend on oil for a majority of their revenue.

☆ EXCLUSIVE Lebanon to slash official exchange rate from end of October, finance min says
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIRUT, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Lebanon plans to slash its official exchange rate from the end of October, replacing the 1,507 per dollar rate adopted 25 years ago with a rate of 15,000 in a step towards unifying numerous exchange rates, the finance minister told Reuters. The pound has slumped by more than 95% from the official rate since Lebanon fell into financial crisis three years ago, with dollars currently changing hands at around 38,000 on a parallel market. Finance Minister Youssef Khalil said doing away with the 1,507 rate was a "good start". He said the government would be explaining the move to the public over the next month, after which the 1,507 rate would be abolished. Unifying the numerous exchange rates is one of several conditions set by the IMF for Lebanon to secure a badly needed aid package.

BEIRUT, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Lebanon plans to slash its official exchange rate, replacing the 1,507 per dollar rate adopted 25 years ago with a rate of 15,000 in a step towards unifying numerous exchange rates, the finance minister told Reuters on Wednesday. The Lebanese pound has plunged by more than 95% from the official rate since Lebanon fell into financial crisis three years ago, with dollars currently changing hands at around 38,000 on a parallel market. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register"The goal is for there to be a unification of the exchange rates in Lebanon," Finance Minister Youssef Khalil said, calling the decision a "fundamental step" in that direction. Unifying the numerous exchange rates operating in the country is one of several conditions set by the IMF for Lebanon to secure a badly needed aid package. Khalil noted that unification of the exchange rates was an IMF demand, but added it was also something that must happen regardless, saying the government was taking a gradual approach.

☆ Teachers' strike and soaring fees: Lebanon’s public school pupils miss class
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Maya Gebeily | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Public school teacher Claude Koteich poses for a picture with her son and daughter at their house in Deir Qubel, Lebanon September 19, 2022. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterKoteich, 44, has taught French literature at Lebanese public schools for exactly half her lifetime. At the same time, her children's private school was asking for tuition to be paid mostly in cash dollars to guarantee they could afford to pay for expensive fuel and other imported needs. STILL AT HOMESo as their former classmates don their private school uniforms, Koteich and her two children still have no clear idea when they will return to class. Lebanon's education system has long been heavily reliant on private schools, which hosted almost 60% of the country's 1.25 million students, according to the Ministry of Higher Education.

☆ Lebanese MPs to convene to elect new president, no consensus on candidate
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterBEIRUT, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri will call for a session to elect a new president on Sept. 29, state media reported, despite no political consensus on a candidate and dim chances of a sucessful vote. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThe votes of two-thirds of lawmakers in the 128-member legislature are required for a candidate to be sucessful in the first round of voting, after which a simple majority suffices. Aoun came to power after a 29-month presidential vacuum in which parliament was unable to agree on electing a president. Aoun is limited to one term, and major political parties have not announced any agreement on his successor. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Timour Azhari; Editing by Angus MacSwanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Lebanon parliament passes 2022 budget that falls short of IMF reform
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( Timour Azhari | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Sept 26 (Reuters) - Lebanon's parliament passed the 2022 budget on Monday using an exchange rate for customs tax revenues that lies far below the market value of the Lebanese pound, falling short of economic reform measures that would pay the way for an IMF deal. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterBut parliament endorsed a rate of 15,000 pounds to the dollar. The market rate sat at around 37,000 pounds on Friday. Officials view the approval of a higher exchange rate for imports as a move that would be unpopular with their constituencies in the heavily import-dependent country. The budget - adopted with just three months left in the year - calculated expenditures at 41 trillion Lebanese pounds, or $1.1 billion at the market rate on Monday, and revenues at 30 trillion Lebanese pounds.

A picture of Lebanon's Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati is placed on a residential building in the northern city of Tripoli, Lebanon September 23, 2022. The tragedy has underscored soaring poverty in northern Lebanon, and Tripoli in particular, that is driving ever more people to take desperate measures three years into the country's devastating financial collapse. Tripoli, Lebanon's second city with a population of roughly half a million, was already Lebanon's poorest before the country plummeted into financial crisis, the result of decades of corruption and bad governance overseen by ruling elites. The economic crisis has led poverty to sky-rocket, with 80% of the population of some 6.5 million poor, according to the United Nations. Several other boats attempted the voyage from Lebanon last week: Cyprus rescued 477 people from two vessels that left Lebanon.

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