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Showing posts with label Lebanon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lebanon. Show all posts

Report says explosion at Beirut Port equivalent to 4.5 magnitude earthquake, the blast killed more than 100 says Lebanese Red Cross

Report says explosion at Beirut Port equivalent to 4.5 magnitude earthquake, the blast killed more than 100 says Lebanese Red Cross

State of emergency can not be rule out

"This is not just ammonium nitrate," former CIA operative says of explosion

UK says too early to speculate on cause of massive blast in Beirut



The Jordanian Seismological Observatory of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources recorded the explosion that occurred at the Beirut Port on Tuesday, and stated that its intensity was equivalent to an earthquake with the magnitude of 4.5 on the Richter Scale, RT reported. 

Lebanese President Michel Aoun called for an emergency cabinet meeting on Wednesday and said a two-week state of emergency should be declared following a massive explosion in Beirut that killed at least 100 people and injured 4,000 others.

Prime Minister Hassan Diab called for a day of mourning on Wednesday.

According to an AFP report, the entire port engulfed was in fire, ships ablaze at sea and crumbling buildings: the site of the massive blast in Beirut's harbour area resembled a post-nuclear landscape.

Ambulance sirens rang throughout the area as vehicles ferried the dead out for at least three hours and fire trucks rushed in and out of the blast zone.

Inside the port itself, the hangars looked like charred cans, everything destroyed beyond recognition as fire-fighting helicopters flew overhead, dumping water.

Every parked vehicle within a radius of several hundred metres sustained damage from blast, so big that it was felt in Cyprus, 240 kilometres (150 miles) away.

The cars closest to the site of the explosion were reduced to scrapyard metal, their wailing alarms and flashing lights adding to the chaos.

The head of the observatory, Mahmoud Al-Qaryouti, said in a press statement that the Jordanian earthquake monitoring stations recorded the explosion at 06:08 minutes, and that the explosion was equivalent to a 4.5-magnitude tremor.

Al-Qaryouti described the energy released from the explosion as “very strong”.

The source of the powerful explosion that rocked the city of Beirut on Tuesday has yet to be determined; however, some reports claim that the blast was a result of a massive nitrate storage catching fire at the 12th Ward.

The Earlier report confirmed that as a result of this massive explosion, over 80 people have been killed and more than 3,500 others have been hospitalized for injuries sustained during and after the blast.

Meanwhile, more than 100 people have been reportedly killed in the blast in Beirut, Sky News Arabia TV channel reported on Wednesday citing the Lebanese Red Cross.

According to the report, more than 4,000 people were injured.

"Until now over 4,000 people have been injured and over 100 have lost their lives. Our teams are still conducting search and rescue operations in the surrounding areas," Lebanese Red Cross says.

Lebanese officials said they expect the death toll to rise further as emergency workers dig through the rubble to search for survivors.

The cause of the explosion was not immediately clear. Officials linked the blast to some 2,750 tonnes of confiscated ammonium nitrate that were being stored in a warehouse at the port for six years. 


"This is not just ammonium nitrate," former CIA operative says of explosion

Robert Baer, a former CIA operative with extensive experience in the Middle East, said videos of Tuesday's blast showed that while ammonium nitrate may have been present in the warehouse, he does not believe it was responsible for the massive explosion that ensued, CNN reported.

Initial reports blamed the blast on a major fire at a warehouse for firecrackers near the port, according to Lebanese state news agency NNA.

Lebanon's Prime Minister, Hassan Diab, later said that 2,750 metric tons of ammonium nitrate, a highly explosive material used in fertilizers and bombs, had been stored for six years at a port warehouse without safety measures, "endangering the safety of citizens," according to a statement.

Baer said he thinks that there were military munitions and propellants present. He speculated it could have been a weapons cache, but it's unclear who it belongs to.
"It was clearly a military explosive," he said. "It was not fertilizer like ammonium nitrate. I'm quite sure of that."

"You look at that orange ball (of fire), and it's clearly, like I said, a military explosive."

Baer noted that white powder seen in the videos of the incident before the major blast are likely an indicator that ammonium nitrate was present and burning. He also noticed a lot of munitions going off ahead of the larger explosion.

No evidence of an attack: Baer said while he believes the explosion does not look like solely ammonium nitrate, there's still no evidence that this was an attack. The government has blamed poor management and vowed to get to the bottom of it.

"It almost looks like an accident," he said. "It was incompetence, and maybe it was corruption, but the question is whether it was military explosives, who was it going to or why was it stored there?"

Baer isn't confident we'll ever know the truth.

"I've worked in Lebanon for years, and no one is going to want to admit they kept military explosives at the port. It's a stupid thing to do."

Investigation launched: Prime Minister Diab's account appeared to be backed by Lebanon's General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim, who said a "highly explosive material" had been confiscated years earlier and stored in the warehouse, just minutes' walk from Beirut's shopping and nightlife districts.

The Prime Minister has launched an investigation into the explosion, saying he "will not rest until we find those responsible for what happened, hold them accountable, and impose maximum punishment."

As yet, there is no clear evidence to suggest the source of the blast.

An investigation committee has been tasked to determine who was responsible for the explosion within five days.

The families of victims will be paid compensation.

 Import traffic will be routed to the Tripoli port in northern Lebanon.


UK says too early to speculate on cause of massive blast in Beirut


The United Kingdom has said it was too early to speculate on the cause of a massive blast that ripped through Beirut.

When asked about speculation about the causes of the blast, British junior education minister Nick Gibb said: "The Lebanese authorities are of course investigating the cause of that tragedy and before we have the results of that inquiry it is premature to speculate."

Gibb also told Sky that Britain was discussing what technical and financial assistance could be offered to Lebanon.


Source: RT, CNN, AFP

State of emergency can not be rule out

"This is not just ammonium nitrate," former CIA operative says of explosion

UK says too early to speculate on cause of massive blast in Beirut



The Jordanian Seismological Observatory of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources recorded the explosion that occurred at the Beirut Port on Tuesday, and stated that its intensity was equivalent to an earthquake with the magnitude of 4.5 on the Richter Scale, RT reported. 

Lebanese President Michel Aoun called for an emergency cabinet meeting on Wednesday and said a two-week state of emergency should be declared following a massive explosion in Beirut that killed at least 100 people and injured 4,000 others.

Prime Minister Hassan Diab called for a day of mourning on Wednesday.

According to an AFP report, the entire port engulfed was in fire, ships ablaze at sea and crumbling buildings: the site of the massive blast in Beirut's harbour area resembled a post-nuclear landscape.

Ambulance sirens rang throughout the area as vehicles ferried the dead out for at least three hours and fire trucks rushed in and out of the blast zone.

Inside the port itself, the hangars looked like charred cans, everything destroyed beyond recognition as fire-fighting helicopters flew overhead, dumping water.

Every parked vehicle within a radius of several hundred metres sustained damage from blast, so big that it was felt in Cyprus, 240 kilometres (150 miles) away.

The cars closest to the site of the explosion were reduced to scrapyard metal, their wailing alarms and flashing lights adding to the chaos.

The head of the observatory, Mahmoud Al-Qaryouti, said in a press statement that the Jordanian earthquake monitoring stations recorded the explosion at 06:08 minutes, and that the explosion was equivalent to a 4.5-magnitude tremor.

Al-Qaryouti described the energy released from the explosion as “very strong”.

The source of the powerful explosion that rocked the city of Beirut on Tuesday has yet to be determined; however, some reports claim that the blast was a result of a massive nitrate storage catching fire at the 12th Ward.

The Earlier report confirmed that as a result of this massive explosion, over 80 people have been killed and more than 3,500 others have been hospitalized for injuries sustained during and after the blast.

Meanwhile, more than 100 people have been reportedly killed in the blast in Beirut, Sky News Arabia TV channel reported on Wednesday citing the Lebanese Red Cross.

According to the report, more than 4,000 people were injured.

"Until now over 4,000 people have been injured and over 100 have lost their lives. Our teams are still conducting search and rescue operations in the surrounding areas," Lebanese Red Cross says.

Lebanese officials said they expect the death toll to rise further as emergency workers dig through the rubble to search for survivors.

The cause of the explosion was not immediately clear. Officials linked the blast to some 2,750 tonnes of confiscated ammonium nitrate that were being stored in a warehouse at the port for six years. 


"This is not just ammonium nitrate," former CIA operative says of explosion

Robert Baer, a former CIA operative with extensive experience in the Middle East, said videos of Tuesday's blast showed that while ammonium nitrate may have been present in the warehouse, he does not believe it was responsible for the massive explosion that ensued, CNN reported.

Initial reports blamed the blast on a major fire at a warehouse for firecrackers near the port, according to Lebanese state news agency NNA.

Lebanon's Prime Minister, Hassan Diab, later said that 2,750 metric tons of ammonium nitrate, a highly explosive material used in fertilizers and bombs, had been stored for six years at a port warehouse without safety measures, "endangering the safety of citizens," according to a statement.

Baer said he thinks that there were military munitions and propellants present. He speculated it could have been a weapons cache, but it's unclear who it belongs to.
"It was clearly a military explosive," he said. "It was not fertilizer like ammonium nitrate. I'm quite sure of that."

"You look at that orange ball (of fire), and it's clearly, like I said, a military explosive."

Baer noted that white powder seen in the videos of the incident before the major blast are likely an indicator that ammonium nitrate was present and burning. He also noticed a lot of munitions going off ahead of the larger explosion.

No evidence of an attack: Baer said while he believes the explosion does not look like solely ammonium nitrate, there's still no evidence that this was an attack. The government has blamed poor management and vowed to get to the bottom of it.

"It almost looks like an accident," he said. "It was incompetence, and maybe it was corruption, but the question is whether it was military explosives, who was it going to or why was it stored there?"

Baer isn't confident we'll ever know the truth.

"I've worked in Lebanon for years, and no one is going to want to admit they kept military explosives at the port. It's a stupid thing to do."

Investigation launched: Prime Minister Diab's account appeared to be backed by Lebanon's General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim, who said a "highly explosive material" had been confiscated years earlier and stored in the warehouse, just minutes' walk from Beirut's shopping and nightlife districts.

The Prime Minister has launched an investigation into the explosion, saying he "will not rest until we find those responsible for what happened, hold them accountable, and impose maximum punishment."

As yet, there is no clear evidence to suggest the source of the blast.

An investigation committee has been tasked to determine who was responsible for the explosion within five days.

The families of victims will be paid compensation.

 Import traffic will be routed to the Tripoli port in northern Lebanon.


UK says too early to speculate on cause of massive blast in Beirut


The United Kingdom has said it was too early to speculate on the cause of a massive blast that ripped through Beirut.

When asked about speculation about the causes of the blast, British junior education minister Nick Gibb said: "The Lebanese authorities are of course investigating the cause of that tragedy and before we have the results of that inquiry it is premature to speculate."

Gibb also told Sky that Britain was discussing what technical and financial assistance could be offered to Lebanon.


Source: RT, CNN, AFP

Court prohibits US ambassador to Lebanon from making media statements

Court prohibits US ambassador to Lebanon from making media statements

The Judge of Urgent Matters in Soor (var. Tyre), Mohammad Mazeh, issued a decision prohibiting the American ambassador to Lebanon from making media statements and preventing any Lebanese media outlets from taking a permit for her in this context.

The U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea said on Friday that “the Lebanese do not suffer from Washington’s policy but rather decades of corruption”, stressing that “Washington is one of the biggest supporters of Lebanon.”

In an interview with Al-Hadath, Shea pointed out that “Washington has grave concern from Hezbollah in Lebanon, which we classify as terrorists. Hezbollah has built a state within the state that has drained Lebanon.”

She said: “the Hezbollah state cost the Lebanese state billions of dollars, and that billions of dollars went to the Hezbollah state instead of the government treasury.”

Shea stressed that the “Caesar Law” is not directed at the Lebanese people and the Lebanese economy, and that it targets only the Syrian government and its supporters.

She declared that “there are sanctions that may affect Hezbollah allies and supporters from other sects, and that there are sanctions against terrorists that affect Hezbollah and its supporters.”

“The Lebanese demands are right, and the government must abide by the demands of October 17,” she said. “This movement is my demand, organic and spontaneous.”


Source: AMN
The Judge of Urgent Matters in Soor (var. Tyre), Mohammad Mazeh, issued a decision prohibiting the American ambassador to Lebanon from making media statements and preventing any Lebanese media outlets from taking a permit for her in this context.

The U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea said on Friday that “the Lebanese do not suffer from Washington’s policy but rather decades of corruption”, stressing that “Washington is one of the biggest supporters of Lebanon.”

In an interview with Al-Hadath, Shea pointed out that “Washington has grave concern from Hezbollah in Lebanon, which we classify as terrorists. Hezbollah has built a state within the state that has drained Lebanon.”

She said: “the Hezbollah state cost the Lebanese state billions of dollars, and that billions of dollars went to the Hezbollah state instead of the government treasury.”

Shea stressed that the “Caesar Law” is not directed at the Lebanese people and the Lebanese economy, and that it targets only the Syrian government and its supporters.

She declared that “there are sanctions that may affect Hezbollah allies and supporters from other sects, and that there are sanctions against terrorists that affect Hezbollah and its supporters.”

“The Lebanese demands are right, and the government must abide by the demands of October 17,” she said. “This movement is my demand, organic and spontaneous.”


Source: AMN

New US sanctions aim to "starve" Syria, Lebanon says Hezbollah

New US sanctions aim to "starve" Syria, Lebanon says Hezbollah

New US sanctions against the Syrian government aim to "starve" the country and its neighbour Lebanon, the head of the Lebanese movement Hezbollah said Tuesday.

"The Caesar Act aims to starve Lebanon just as it aims to starve Syria," Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised speech.

"Syria has won the war... militarily, in security terms and politically," he added, describing the law which comes into force Wednesday as Washington's "last weapon" against Damascus.

The US law targets companies that deal with President Bashar al-Assad's regime, which Hezbollah, Tehran and Moscow support in Syria's conflict.

It imposes financial restrictions on the Damascus government to compel it to halt "attacks on the Syrian people", and it is expected for the first time to target Russian and Iranian entities active in Syria.

The Syrian government and loyalist businessmen are already targeted by US and European economic sanctions.

After nine years of war which have cost more than 380,000 lives, Syria is mired in an economic crisis compounded by a coronavirus lockdown and a dollar liquidity crisis in Lebanon, a major conduit for regime-held regions.

A large chunk of Syria's population is living in poverty, prices have soared and the value of the Syrian pound has hit record lows against the dollar on the black market.

Nasrallah also accused the United States of engineering the collapse of the Syrian currency, but vowed that Assad's allies would stand by the regime.

"The allies of Syria, which stood by its side during the war... will not abandon Syria in the face of economic warfare and will not allow its fall, even if they are themselves going through difficult circumstances," he said.

Lebanon too is experiencing the worst financial meltdown since the end of its own 1975-1990 civil war, as well as being rocked by months of anti-government protests.

"The Americans are pressurising the Bank of Lebanon to prevent it from putting enough dollars into the market," he said, charging that Washington was just using claims that Hezbollah was sending dollars into Syria as a pretext.


He also accused the US government of trying to get Lebanon to push Hezbollah into giving up its weapons but it would never do so.

Nasrallah called on the Lebanese government "not to submit" to the Caesar Act.

The United States on Tuesday warned Assad that he would never secure a full victory and must reach a political compromise.

Kelly Craft, the US ambassador to the United Nations, urged him to accept a Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire, elections and political transition along with UN-led talks.

"The Assad regime has a clear choice to make: pursue the political path established in Resolution 2254, or leave the United States with no other choice but to continue withholding reconstruction funding and impose sanctions against the regime and its financial backers," Craft said.



(AFP)
New US sanctions against the Syrian government aim to "starve" the country and its neighbour Lebanon, the head of the Lebanese movement Hezbollah said Tuesday.

"The Caesar Act aims to starve Lebanon just as it aims to starve Syria," Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised speech.

"Syria has won the war... militarily, in security terms and politically," he added, describing the law which comes into force Wednesday as Washington's "last weapon" against Damascus.

The US law targets companies that deal with President Bashar al-Assad's regime, which Hezbollah, Tehran and Moscow support in Syria's conflict.

It imposes financial restrictions on the Damascus government to compel it to halt "attacks on the Syrian people", and it is expected for the first time to target Russian and Iranian entities active in Syria.

The Syrian government and loyalist businessmen are already targeted by US and European economic sanctions.

After nine years of war which have cost more than 380,000 lives, Syria is mired in an economic crisis compounded by a coronavirus lockdown and a dollar liquidity crisis in Lebanon, a major conduit for regime-held regions.

A large chunk of Syria's population is living in poverty, prices have soared and the value of the Syrian pound has hit record lows against the dollar on the black market.

Nasrallah also accused the United States of engineering the collapse of the Syrian currency, but vowed that Assad's allies would stand by the regime.

"The allies of Syria, which stood by its side during the war... will not abandon Syria in the face of economic warfare and will not allow its fall, even if they are themselves going through difficult circumstances," he said.

Lebanon too is experiencing the worst financial meltdown since the end of its own 1975-1990 civil war, as well as being rocked by months of anti-government protests.

"The Americans are pressurising the Bank of Lebanon to prevent it from putting enough dollars into the market," he said, charging that Washington was just using claims that Hezbollah was sending dollars into Syria as a pretext.


He also accused the US government of trying to get Lebanon to push Hezbollah into giving up its weapons but it would never do so.

Nasrallah called on the Lebanese government "not to submit" to the Caesar Act.

The United States on Tuesday warned Assad that he would never secure a full victory and must reach a political compromise.

Kelly Craft, the US ambassador to the United Nations, urged him to accept a Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire, elections and political transition along with UN-led talks.

"The Assad regime has a clear choice to make: pursue the political path established in Resolution 2254, or leave the United States with no other choice but to continue withholding reconstruction funding and impose sanctions against the regime and its financial backers," Craft said.



(AFP)

Israeli Army accuses Nasrallah, Soleimani of killing Hezbollah commander

Israeli Army accuses Nasrallah, Soleimani of killing Hezbollah commander

Iranian Soleimani
On Wednesday, the Israeli Army spokesman, Avichay Adraee, accused Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah of killing military commander, Mustafa Badreddine, in Syria in 2016.

Adraee said via Twitter that Sayyed Nasrallah and the late commander of the Quds Force, Qassem Soleimani, who was assassinated by the United States on January 3 in Iraq, masterminded the killing of Badreddine at Damascus International Airport.

“I expected Nasrallah to tell the truth to the Lebanese, Hezbollah and Shiite activists and the Badreddine family, but he continued to lie,” Adraee tweeted.

“Nasrallah kills the man and attends his funeral. Every time Hezbollah fails, he blames another party and removes it from his path, so it happened with the Prime Minister of Lebanon, Rafic Hariri, and with Mustafa Badreddine,” he added.

Adraee’s comments came in response to the speech by Sayyed Nasrallah in which he said that Israel had wagered on armed groups in southern Syria and had repeatedly failed since 2011.

“The Israelis and those with them lost their war on Syria and they are now targeting new dangers after these losses. They attack everything related to the manufacturing of missiles in Syria because of the strength this poses from the axis of the resistance,” the Secretary-General said.

Sayyed Nasrallah expressed his confidence that the Israelis see in Syria a future threat, and they are concerned about the presence of Iran and the factions of the resistance there.

He said: “The Zionist entity is terrified of developments in Syria, which may take it to unaccounted adventures.”

On May 13, 2016, Hezbollah announced that Badreddine had been killed by an explosion targeting one of the party’s centers near Damascus International Airport.
Iranian Soleimani
On Wednesday, the Israeli Army spokesman, Avichay Adraee, accused Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah of killing military commander, Mustafa Badreddine, in Syria in 2016.

Adraee said via Twitter that Sayyed Nasrallah and the late commander of the Quds Force, Qassem Soleimani, who was assassinated by the United States on January 3 in Iraq, masterminded the killing of Badreddine at Damascus International Airport.

“I expected Nasrallah to tell the truth to the Lebanese, Hezbollah and Shiite activists and the Badreddine family, but he continued to lie,” Adraee tweeted.

“Nasrallah kills the man and attends his funeral. Every time Hezbollah fails, he blames another party and removes it from his path, so it happened with the Prime Minister of Lebanon, Rafic Hariri, and with Mustafa Badreddine,” he added.

Adraee’s comments came in response to the speech by Sayyed Nasrallah in which he said that Israel had wagered on armed groups in southern Syria and had repeatedly failed since 2011.

“The Israelis and those with them lost their war on Syria and they are now targeting new dangers after these losses. They attack everything related to the manufacturing of missiles in Syria because of the strength this poses from the axis of the resistance,” the Secretary-General said.

Sayyed Nasrallah expressed his confidence that the Israelis see in Syria a future threat, and they are concerned about the presence of Iran and the factions of the resistance there.

He said: “The Zionist entity is terrified of developments in Syria, which may take it to unaccounted adventures.”

On May 13, 2016, Hezbollah announced that Badreddine had been killed by an explosion targeting one of the party’s centers near Damascus International Airport.

Syria strongly condemns Germany’s decision to designate Hezbollah a terrorist organization

Syria strongly condemns Germany’s decision to designate Hezbollah a terrorist organization

The Foreign and Expatriates Ministry said on Thursday that the Syrian Arab Republic condemns, in the strongest terms, the German government’s decision that considers Hezbollah a terrorist organization.

“The German government decision frankly embodies its yielding to the dictates of the world Zionism and its heinous subjection to the US policies which support the occupation entity,” a source from the Foreign Ministry told the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) on Thursday.

Syria, a close ally of Hezbollah, currently has no diplomatic ties with the German government, but they do maintain a communication channel via the Czech Republic’s embassy in Damascus.

Many countries have labeled Hezbollah’s military wing as a terrorist entity, but Germany has joined the U.S. and U.K. in designating the organization’s political wing as such.

Hezbollah’s political wing plays a part in the Lebanese government, as they boast a number of ministers in parliament.
The Foreign and Expatriates Ministry said on Thursday that the Syrian Arab Republic condemns, in the strongest terms, the German government’s decision that considers Hezbollah a terrorist organization.

“The German government decision frankly embodies its yielding to the dictates of the world Zionism and its heinous subjection to the US policies which support the occupation entity,” a source from the Foreign Ministry told the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) on Thursday.

Syria, a close ally of Hezbollah, currently has no diplomatic ties with the German government, but they do maintain a communication channel via the Czech Republic’s embassy in Damascus.

Many countries have labeled Hezbollah’s military wing as a terrorist entity, but Germany has joined the U.S. and U.K. in designating the organization’s political wing as such.

Hezbollah’s political wing plays a part in the Lebanese government, as they boast a number of ministers in parliament.

Israel, US welcome Germany's ban of all Hezbollah activities on its soil

Israel, US welcome Germany's ban of all Hezbollah activities on its soil

Berlin (AFP) - Germany on Thursday completely banned Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement from carrying out activities on its soil, as police raided mosques and venues linked to the group.

Like the European Union, Germany had until now only outlawed Hezbollah's military wing while tolerating its political wing.

But in a shift immediately welcomed by the United States and Israel, the German interior ministry said it now considered the entire movement a "Shiite terrorist organisation".

"Hezbollah is a terrorist organisation deemed responsible for numerous attacks and kidnappings worldwide," Interior Minister Horst Seehofer told Germany's Bild daily.

The interior minister "has banned the operation of the group" in Germany with immediate effect, his spokesman tweeted. "Even in times of crisis the rule of law is upheld," he wrote. Raids were taking place in several places across the country, he added.

Dozens of police and special forces stormed mosques and associations linked to Hezbollah in Bremen, Berlin, Dortmund and Muenster in the early hours of the morning, German media reported.

The Al-Irshad mosque in Berlin was sealed off with at least 16 police vans parked outside, an AFP photographer saw. Masked police officers were seen walking in and out of the mosque.

Although Hezbollah has no official presence in Germany, security forces estimate it has roughly a thousand members in the country.

They are thought to use Germany as a safe haven to make plans, recruit sympathisers and raise funds, including through criminal activities. The group's "criminal activities and plannings for attacks are also taking place on German soil," Seehofer told Bild.

He also recalled that Hezbollah has openly called for "the violent destruction" of the Israeli state. "It's part of our historic responsibility that we use all means under the rule of law to act against this," he said, in a nod to Germany's responsibility for the Holocaust during World War II.

- 'Significant step' -

The United States and Israel have long designated Hezbollah as a terrorist group and urged allies to follow suit.

US ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell welcomed Berlin's change in stance and called on "all European Union member states to take similar action".

In Jerusalem, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz praised what he called "a significant step in the global fight against terrorism." He too urged the European Union "to do the same."

Britain outlawed Hezbollah's political wing last year, making membership of the Shiite movement or inviting support for it a crime.

The decision followed outrage over the display of the Hezbollah flag, which features a Kalashnikov assault rifle, at pro-Palestinian demonstrations in London.

The mood began shifting in Germany too with parliament passing a resolution last December that urged the government to ban the group from operating in Germany altogether.

The interior ministry's prohibition order means the group's supporters are no longer allowed to display Hezbollah symbols or hold gatherings, and that funds can be frozen.

Hezbollah sympathisers had in recent years waved their flag at the anti-Israel al-Quds rally that is controversially held in Berlin each year.

Hezbollah, which backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the country's civil war, is seen by Israel as an Iranian proxy, seeking to extend the Islamic republic's military reach to the Jewish state's northern border.

Israeli warplanes have carried out hundreds of air strikes in Syria over the past few years against what Israel says are Iranian and Hezbollah targets.

Hezbollah was established in 1982 during Lebanon's civil war.

It is now a major political party in the country, where it holds a majority in parliament along with its allies.

Israel and Hezbollah also fought a 2006 war.


Berlin (AFP) - Germany on Thursday completely banned Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement from carrying out activities on its soil, as police raided mosques and venues linked to the group.

Like the European Union, Germany had until now only outlawed Hezbollah's military wing while tolerating its political wing.

But in a shift immediately welcomed by the United States and Israel, the German interior ministry said it now considered the entire movement a "Shiite terrorist organisation".

"Hezbollah is a terrorist organisation deemed responsible for numerous attacks and kidnappings worldwide," Interior Minister Horst Seehofer told Germany's Bild daily.

The interior minister "has banned the operation of the group" in Germany with immediate effect, his spokesman tweeted. "Even in times of crisis the rule of law is upheld," he wrote. Raids were taking place in several places across the country, he added.

Dozens of police and special forces stormed mosques and associations linked to Hezbollah in Bremen, Berlin, Dortmund and Muenster in the early hours of the morning, German media reported.

The Al-Irshad mosque in Berlin was sealed off with at least 16 police vans parked outside, an AFP photographer saw. Masked police officers were seen walking in and out of the mosque.

Although Hezbollah has no official presence in Germany, security forces estimate it has roughly a thousand members in the country.

They are thought to use Germany as a safe haven to make plans, recruit sympathisers and raise funds, including through criminal activities. The group's "criminal activities and plannings for attacks are also taking place on German soil," Seehofer told Bild.

He also recalled that Hezbollah has openly called for "the violent destruction" of the Israeli state. "It's part of our historic responsibility that we use all means under the rule of law to act against this," he said, in a nod to Germany's responsibility for the Holocaust during World War II.

- 'Significant step' -

The United States and Israel have long designated Hezbollah as a terrorist group and urged allies to follow suit.

US ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell welcomed Berlin's change in stance and called on "all European Union member states to take similar action".

In Jerusalem, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz praised what he called "a significant step in the global fight against terrorism." He too urged the European Union "to do the same."

Britain outlawed Hezbollah's political wing last year, making membership of the Shiite movement or inviting support for it a crime.

The decision followed outrage over the display of the Hezbollah flag, which features a Kalashnikov assault rifle, at pro-Palestinian demonstrations in London.

The mood began shifting in Germany too with parliament passing a resolution last December that urged the government to ban the group from operating in Germany altogether.

The interior ministry's prohibition order means the group's supporters are no longer allowed to display Hezbollah symbols or hold gatherings, and that funds can be frozen.

Hezbollah sympathisers had in recent years waved their flag at the anti-Israel al-Quds rally that is controversially held in Berlin each year.

Hezbollah, which backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the country's civil war, is seen by Israel as an Iranian proxy, seeking to extend the Islamic republic's military reach to the Jewish state's northern border.

Israeli warplanes have carried out hundreds of air strikes in Syria over the past few years against what Israel says are Iranian and Hezbollah targets.

Hezbollah was established in 1982 during Lebanon's civil war.

It is now a major political party in the country, where it holds a majority in parliament along with its allies.

Israel and Hezbollah also fought a 2006 war.


COVID-19: Lebanon records second death, total infections now 59

COVID-19: Lebanon records second death, total infections now 59

A second person has died of COVID-19 in Lebanon, state news agency NNA on Wednesday. 

The country also recorded eight new coronavirus cases, bringing the total to 59 in the country, according to the health ministry, NNA state news agency reports.
A second person has died of COVID-19 in Lebanon, state news agency NNA on Wednesday. 

The country also recorded eight new coronavirus cases, bringing the total to 59 in the country, according to the health ministry, NNA state news agency reports.

COVID-19: Lebanon records first novel coronavirus death, according to health ministry

COVID-19: Lebanon records first novel coronavirus death, according to health ministry

(AFP). A Lebanese man died Tuesday from the novel coronavirus, a health ministry official said, marking the country's first recorded death from an epidemic that has infected 41 people nationwide.

The 56-year-old had been receiving treatment at Beirut's Rafic Hariri state hospital, the ministry official told AFP, adding that he had recently returned from Egypt, where coronavirus infections have also been detected.

Lebanon, already hit by economic collapse and anti-government protests, is now grappling with an outbreak of the deadly COVID-19 virus -- its latest in a long list of crises.

Health Minister Hamad Hassan said last week that the country has moved beyond the phase of "containment" and was bracing for a more serious outbreak.

Schools, universities, cafes, pubs and other public places have since been ordered shut over fears of the virus.

Sport tournaments have been postponed and cultural events cancelled.

According to the health minister, the origins of Lebanon's cases have mostly been traced to other countries.

Lebanon has said it would deny entry to non-resident foreigners arriving from China, South Korea, Iran and Italy, which are among the hardest hit by the epidemic.

But domestic concern is still high amid fears that Lebanon is not equipped to face a mass outbreak.

With a grinding liquidity crunch and dwindling foreign reserves, Lebanon has struggled to secure the dollars needed for medical imports even before coronavirus arrived.

Prime Minister Hassan Diab announced on Saturday that the country would suspend payment on Eurobonds.


AFP
(AFP). A Lebanese man died Tuesday from the novel coronavirus, a health ministry official said, marking the country's first recorded death from an epidemic that has infected 41 people nationwide.

The 56-year-old had been receiving treatment at Beirut's Rafic Hariri state hospital, the ministry official told AFP, adding that he had recently returned from Egypt, where coronavirus infections have also been detected.

Lebanon, already hit by economic collapse and anti-government protests, is now grappling with an outbreak of the deadly COVID-19 virus -- its latest in a long list of crises.

Health Minister Hamad Hassan said last week that the country has moved beyond the phase of "containment" and was bracing for a more serious outbreak.

Schools, universities, cafes, pubs and other public places have since been ordered shut over fears of the virus.

Sport tournaments have been postponed and cultural events cancelled.

According to the health minister, the origins of Lebanon's cases have mostly been traced to other countries.

Lebanon has said it would deny entry to non-resident foreigners arriving from China, South Korea, Iran and Italy, which are among the hardest hit by the epidemic.

But domestic concern is still high amid fears that Lebanon is not equipped to face a mass outbreak.

With a grinding liquidity crunch and dwindling foreign reserves, Lebanon has struggled to secure the dollars needed for medical imports even before coronavirus arrived.

Prime Minister Hassan Diab announced on Saturday that the country would suspend payment on Eurobonds.


AFP

Lebanon will seek negotiations to restructure debt: PM

Lebanon will seek negotiations to restructure debt: PM

Beirut (AFP) - Lebanon said Saturday it would default on its Eurobond debt for the first time and seek out restructuring agreements due to a spiralling financial crisis that has hit foreign currency reserves.

The country, hit by a severe liquidity crunch and months of anti-establishment protests, was due on Monday to repay a $1.2-billion Eurobond, while another $700 million matures in April, and a further $600 million is due for repayment in June.

But Prime Minister Hassan Diab said that foreign currency reserves have fallen to "a worrying and dangerous level which pushes the Lebanese government to suspend payment" of the Eurobonds due on March 9.

Foreign reserves stood at $35.8 billion at end-February, according to the central bank.

"The Lebanese state will seek to restructure its debts, in a manner consistent with the national interest" through negotiations with creditors, Diab said in a live address.

Diab's government was nominated in January to handle the economic crisis amid unprecedented protests that began in October demanding a complete overhaul of the political class.

He said a default -- the first decision taken by his government -- was the "only way" to stop reserves from depleting.

In taking this path, Diab's administration is in effect overruling objections from banks who say it would pile added pressure on domestic lenders and compromise ties with foreign creditors.

The move also exposes the country to legal action by creditors.

"How could we pay creditors while the Lebanese people are unable to access their own money in their bank accounts?" Diab said.

Lebanon's debt burden, long among the largest in the world, is now equivalent to nearly 170 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP).

Despite a series of crises, the country has never before defaulted, but in recent months it has grappled with its worst economic turmoil since the 1975-1990 civil war.

Foreign currency has become increasingly scarce, Lebanon's pound has plunged in value and banks have imposed tough restrictions on dollar withdrawals and transfers.

- Rescue plan -

Diab said debt restructuring is part of a wider economic rescue plan, that seeks to cut state spending and save more than $350 million annually.

He said downsizing the banking sector is part of the reform plan.

Seeking to assuage public concern, the prime minister pledged to protect bank deposits, especially those of small depositors.

He assured foreign backers of Lebanon's commitment to reforms pledged at a conference dubbed CEDRE in Paris in April 2018.

But an $11 billion (10 billion euro) aid package pledged at the conference has not been unlocked by donors due to a lack of commitment to reforms.

As Diab spoke, demonstrators who have stayed on the streets since October rallied against deteriorating living conditions.

They have lobbied for a default for weeks, fearing a depletion of reserves could further limit access to their savings.

"We shouldn't have to pay the price of government shortcomings," said Nour, a 16-year-old demonstrator, during a rally outside the central bank's headquarters in Beirut.

Jad Chaaban, an economics professor at the American University of Beirut, blamed the political class for Lebanon's predicament, accusing it of decades of corruption.

The crisis "is the creation of a failed and criminal political class that has lied and robbed for more than 30 years," he said on Facebook.

- 'Painful measures' -

Diab said Lebanon must now enter into debt restructuring negotiations, which "will take time, effort, and will require painful measures."

According to Marwan Barakat, head of research at Bank Audi, Lebanese banks owned $12.7 billion of the country's outstanding $30 billion Eurobonds as of the end of January.

The central bank held $5.7 billion and the remainder was owned by foreign creditors, he said.

"Lebanon needs first and foremost an imminent debt restructuring plan within the context of a comprehensive plan for debt management," Barakat told AFP, adding that it would be best for such a plan to be formed under the auspices of the International Monetary Fund.

Diab met last month with a delegation from the IMF to discuss how to tackle the crisis, but he has yet to request funds.

Beirut (AFP) - Lebanon said Saturday it would default on its Eurobond debt for the first time and seek out restructuring agreements due to a spiralling financial crisis that has hit foreign currency reserves.

The country, hit by a severe liquidity crunch and months of anti-establishment protests, was due on Monday to repay a $1.2-billion Eurobond, while another $700 million matures in April, and a further $600 million is due for repayment in June.

But Prime Minister Hassan Diab said that foreign currency reserves have fallen to "a worrying and dangerous level which pushes the Lebanese government to suspend payment" of the Eurobonds due on March 9.

Foreign reserves stood at $35.8 billion at end-February, according to the central bank.

"The Lebanese state will seek to restructure its debts, in a manner consistent with the national interest" through negotiations with creditors, Diab said in a live address.

Diab's government was nominated in January to handle the economic crisis amid unprecedented protests that began in October demanding a complete overhaul of the political class.

He said a default -- the first decision taken by his government -- was the "only way" to stop reserves from depleting.

In taking this path, Diab's administration is in effect overruling objections from banks who say it would pile added pressure on domestic lenders and compromise ties with foreign creditors.

The move also exposes the country to legal action by creditors.

"How could we pay creditors while the Lebanese people are unable to access their own money in their bank accounts?" Diab said.

Lebanon's debt burden, long among the largest in the world, is now equivalent to nearly 170 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP).

Despite a series of crises, the country has never before defaulted, but in recent months it has grappled with its worst economic turmoil since the 1975-1990 civil war.

Foreign currency has become increasingly scarce, Lebanon's pound has plunged in value and banks have imposed tough restrictions on dollar withdrawals and transfers.

- Rescue plan -

Diab said debt restructuring is part of a wider economic rescue plan, that seeks to cut state spending and save more than $350 million annually.

He said downsizing the banking sector is part of the reform plan.

Seeking to assuage public concern, the prime minister pledged to protect bank deposits, especially those of small depositors.

He assured foreign backers of Lebanon's commitment to reforms pledged at a conference dubbed CEDRE in Paris in April 2018.

But an $11 billion (10 billion euro) aid package pledged at the conference has not been unlocked by donors due to a lack of commitment to reforms.

As Diab spoke, demonstrators who have stayed on the streets since October rallied against deteriorating living conditions.

They have lobbied for a default for weeks, fearing a depletion of reserves could further limit access to their savings.

"We shouldn't have to pay the price of government shortcomings," said Nour, a 16-year-old demonstrator, during a rally outside the central bank's headquarters in Beirut.

Jad Chaaban, an economics professor at the American University of Beirut, blamed the political class for Lebanon's predicament, accusing it of decades of corruption.

The crisis "is the creation of a failed and criminal political class that has lied and robbed for more than 30 years," he said on Facebook.

- 'Painful measures' -

Diab said Lebanon must now enter into debt restructuring negotiations, which "will take time, effort, and will require painful measures."

According to Marwan Barakat, head of research at Bank Audi, Lebanese banks owned $12.7 billion of the country's outstanding $30 billion Eurobonds as of the end of January.

The central bank held $5.7 billion and the remainder was owned by foreign creditors, he said.

"Lebanon needs first and foremost an imminent debt restructuring plan within the context of a comprehensive plan for debt management," Barakat told AFP, adding that it would be best for such a plan to be formed under the auspices of the International Monetary Fund.

Diab met last month with a delegation from the IMF to discuss how to tackle the crisis, but he has yet to request funds.

IMF experts visit Lebanon amid worsening economic crisis

IMF experts visit Lebanon amid worsening economic crisis

BEIRUT: A team of IMF experts met Prime Minister Hassan Diab on Thursday at the start of a visit to provide Lebanon with advice on tackling a deepening financial and economic crisis, an official Lebanese source said. According to Reuters.

The IMF has said the team will visit until Feb. 23 and provide broad technical advice. Lebanon has not requested financial assistance from the Fund.

The long-brewing economic crisis spiraled last year as capital flows into the country slowed and protests erupted against the ruling elite over decades of corruption and bad governance.

Diab’s government, which took office last month, must decide what to do about upcoming debt payments, notably a $1.2 billion dollar-denominated sovereign bond due on March 9.

Lebanese President Michel Aoun meanwhile said on Thursday measures would be taken to hold to account all those who contributed to Lebanon’s financial crisis through illegal actions be they transfers abroad, manipulation of Eurobonds or other acts.

“There is information that we are still in need of with regards to the banking situation. There are measures that we will take to hold to account all who participated in bringing the crisis to where it is,” Aoun said, according to his Twitter account.

One of Lebanon’s most influential politicians, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, said on Wednesday that debt restructuring was the best solution for looming maturities.

Lebanon will on Friday review proposals from firms bidding to give it financial and legal advice on its options, a source familiar with the matter said on Thursday. The government aims to take a quick decision on who to appoint, the source said.

So far, firms bidding to be Lebanon’s legal adviser are Dechert, Cleary Gottlieb, and White and Case, the source said.

Lebanon has issued requests for proposals to seven firms to provide it with financial advice.

The government on Wednesday formed a committee tasked with preparing an economic recovery plan that includes ministers, government officials, a central bank representative and economists, according to a copy of a decree seen by Reuters.

ARABNEWS
BEIRUT: A team of IMF experts met Prime Minister Hassan Diab on Thursday at the start of a visit to provide Lebanon with advice on tackling a deepening financial and economic crisis, an official Lebanese source said. According to Reuters.

The IMF has said the team will visit until Feb. 23 and provide broad technical advice. Lebanon has not requested financial assistance from the Fund.

The long-brewing economic crisis spiraled last year as capital flows into the country slowed and protests erupted against the ruling elite over decades of corruption and bad governance.

Diab’s government, which took office last month, must decide what to do about upcoming debt payments, notably a $1.2 billion dollar-denominated sovereign bond due on March 9.

Lebanese President Michel Aoun meanwhile said on Thursday measures would be taken to hold to account all those who contributed to Lebanon’s financial crisis through illegal actions be they transfers abroad, manipulation of Eurobonds or other acts.

“There is information that we are still in need of with regards to the banking situation. There are measures that we will take to hold to account all who participated in bringing the crisis to where it is,” Aoun said, according to his Twitter account.

One of Lebanon’s most influential politicians, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, said on Wednesday that debt restructuring was the best solution for looming maturities.

Lebanon will on Friday review proposals from firms bidding to give it financial and legal advice on its options, a source familiar with the matter said on Thursday. The government aims to take a quick decision on who to appoint, the source said.

So far, firms bidding to be Lebanon’s legal adviser are Dechert, Cleary Gottlieb, and White and Case, the source said.

Lebanon has issued requests for proposals to seven firms to provide it with financial advice.

The government on Wednesday formed a committee tasked with preparing an economic recovery plan that includes ministers, government officials, a central bank representative and economists, according to a copy of a decree seen by Reuters.

ARABNEWS

Lebanon parliament backs new govt in confidence vote

Lebanon parliament backs new govt in confidence vote

Beirut (AFP) - Lebanon's parliament on Tuesday backed the cabinet and programme of incoming Prime Minister Hassan Diab in a confidence vote held despite attempts by protesters to block it.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri congratulated lawmakers who sat through an eight-hour session before 63 out of 84 MPs present voted to back an administration which now faces one of the worst crises in the county's recent history.

Protesters earlier clashed outside with security forces who used teargas and water cannon to disperse them.

The Red Cross said a total of 373 people were treated for teargas exposure and other injuries, including 45 who were hospitalised.

New premier Diab, a little-known academic and former education minister, was tasked with forming a government in December after mass rallies against official corruption and economic woes forced premier Saad Hariri to resign.

But more than three months on, angry demonstrators charge that the new cabinet fails to address their demands and won't be able to rescue Lebanon's ailing economy.

Before the session started in an area cordoned off by riot police and soldiers, protesters mobbed and threw water bottles at the tinted-glass vehicles of lawmakers in a bid to stop them reaching parliament.

But enough lawmakers reached the chamber to make the vote valid.

One member of parliament turned up with a black eye, following a brief trip to hospital after he was wounded trying to reach the chamber.

- 'Emergency rescue plan' -

Earlier, security forces had clashed with demonstrators who had hurled rocks over blast walls erected to block off roads leading to parliament.

Human Rights Watch condemned the use of force against demonstrators.

"Security forces were throwing tear gas and beating people up" said Aya Majzoub, Lebanon researcher at Human Rights Watch.

Demonstrators draped in Lebanese flags and chanting "no confidence" had started gathering early in the morning before parliamentarians were set to arrive for the vote. READ MORE
Beirut (AFP) - Lebanon's parliament on Tuesday backed the cabinet and programme of incoming Prime Minister Hassan Diab in a confidence vote held despite attempts by protesters to block it.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri congratulated lawmakers who sat through an eight-hour session before 63 out of 84 MPs present voted to back an administration which now faces one of the worst crises in the county's recent history.

Protesters earlier clashed outside with security forces who used teargas and water cannon to disperse them.

The Red Cross said a total of 373 people were treated for teargas exposure and other injuries, including 45 who were hospitalised.

New premier Diab, a little-known academic and former education minister, was tasked with forming a government in December after mass rallies against official corruption and economic woes forced premier Saad Hariri to resign.

But more than three months on, angry demonstrators charge that the new cabinet fails to address their demands and won't be able to rescue Lebanon's ailing economy.

Before the session started in an area cordoned off by riot police and soldiers, protesters mobbed and threw water bottles at the tinted-glass vehicles of lawmakers in a bid to stop them reaching parliament.

But enough lawmakers reached the chamber to make the vote valid.

One member of parliament turned up with a black eye, following a brief trip to hospital after he was wounded trying to reach the chamber.

- 'Emergency rescue plan' -

Earlier, security forces had clashed with demonstrators who had hurled rocks over blast walls erected to block off roads leading to parliament.

Human Rights Watch condemned the use of force against demonstrators.

"Security forces were throwing tear gas and beating people up" said Aya Majzoub, Lebanon researcher at Human Rights Watch.

Demonstrators draped in Lebanese flags and chanting "no confidence" had started gathering early in the morning before parliamentarians were set to arrive for the vote. READ MORE

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