Lebanon

NNA - The Parliamentary Finance and Budget Committee on Tuesday held a session chaired by MP Ibrahim Kanaan to review the budgets of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, Social Affairs, and Information within the 2026 draft budget, in the presence of Information Minister Paul Morcos, Social Affairs Minister Haneen El-Sayed, MPs, and senior […]

NNA - The Supreme Judicial Council and Justice Minister Adel Nassar on Tuesday said in a joint statement that they held a meeting on 30 December 2025, stressing the importance of continued cooperation to restore regular judicial work.  They cited progress in improving judges’ conditions, securing funding for the Judges’ Mutual Fund, rehabilitating […]

NNA - Former Progressive Socialist Party leader, Walid Jumblatt, on Tuesday wrote on “X” platform that developments reaffirm the reality of U.S.–Israeli relations at various levels, saying that “Israel’s new king has obtained everything he wants,” and warning that the Arab and Middle Eastern region will witness further instability. Jumblatt […]

NNA - Prime Minister, Dr. Nawaf Salam, on Tuesday welcomed at the Grand Serail a delegation from the State Security Command Council, headed by Major General Edgar Lawandos, in a courtesy visit marking the Christmas and New Year holidays. Prime Minister Salam also received Talal Al-Shaer, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Dar […]

NNA - The United Arab Emirates expresses concern regarding the statement issued by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the fundamental inaccuracies it contains regarding the UAE’s role in the ongoing developments in the Republic of Yemen. The UAE categorically rejects any attempt to implicate the country in tensions among Yemeni parties and strongly […]

NNA - The UAE on Tuesday announced it is withdrawing all remaining counter-terrorism teams from Yemen hours after a Saudi strike hit armoured vehicles belonging to its forces in the southern port of Mukalla. The UAE ended its military presence within the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen in 2019 but retained a limited number of specialised teams as part of […]

NNA - Lebanese Army Commander, General Rodolphe Haykal, on Tuesday welcomed United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert at his office in Yarzeh.  The meeting focused on the general situation in Lebanon and the region.   =========R.H.

NNA - Minister of National Defense Major General Michel Menassa on Tuesday received US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa at his office in Yarzeh in a courtesy and acquaintance visit, during which bilateral relations between Lebanon and the United States were discussed. The US ambassador reaffirmed his country’s commitment to continuing its support for […]

NNA - MP Dr. Charbel Massaad on Tuesday submitted a formal parliamentary question to Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr. Rima Karami, through the Presidency of Parliament, invoking Article 124 of the Parliament’s Rules of Procedure. The question addresses measures to protect the right to education for students who are forcibly absent from […]

NNA - Prime Minister, Nawaf Salam, on Tuesday received a delegation from the Depositors’ Association at the Grand Serail, where discussions focused on the future course of the draft financial regularization law. Speaking after the meeting, association representative Raed Bou Hamdan said the delegation presented its position as a depositors’ advocacy […]

NNA - Ukraine on Tuesday ordered the evacuation of more than a dozen settlements in the northern Chernigiv region, which borders Moscow-allied Belarus and has been the target of Russian shelling. "At the Defense Council, a decision was made on mandatory evacuation from 14 border villages," regional leader Viacheslav Chaus said, adding:  "The border area […]

NNA - Syrian authorities imposed an overnight curfew in the port city of Latakia on Tuesday after attacks in predominantly Alawite neighborhoods a day prior. The interior ministry announced a “curfew in Latakia city, effective from 5:00 p.m. (1400 GMT) on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, until 6:00 am (0300 GMT) on Wednesday, December 31, 2025.” -- AFP   […]

NNA - House Speaker Nabih Berri, on Tuesday received at the Second Presidency headquarters in Ain al-Tineh, Prime Minister, Dr. Nawaf Salam, with whom he discussed the current general situation and recent political developments. Speaker Berri later received Public Health Minister Rakan Nasser El-Din, with whom he discussed the general situation, matters […]

NNA - The American University of Beirut (AUB) hosted the “Schools for the Future: Across Lebanon & Beyond” conference, part of Jana, an initiative by Lebanon & Beyond, dedicated to shaping the future of education in Lebanon.  Held at the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at AUB, the event brought together a […]

NNA - Minister of Interior and Municipalities Ahmad Hajjar received, on Tuesday at his office in the ministry, the Acting Director of the Joint Administrative Directorate, Rasha Hourani, along with officers and staff of the directorate, who came on a visit to offer holiday greetings. During the meeting, Minister Hajjar expressed his gratitude and […]

NNA - The Kremlin said Tuesday it would not provide evidence for an alleged Ukrainian drone attack on one of Vladimir Putin's residences, as the drones were all shot down and Russia's military typically handles such inquiries. "I don't think there should be any evidence if such a massive drone attack is being carried out, which, thanks to the […]

NNA - The Israeli Knesset on Monday gave final approval to a bill to cut electricity and water supplies to offices of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), with the measure taking effect immediately. According to Army Radio, lawmakers approved the bill in its second and third readings, with 59 Knesset members voting in favor and seven opposed in […]

NNA - European leaders will convene on Tuesday at 1000 GMT to discuss the war in Ukraine, a Polish government spokesman announced. "At 11:00 am, Prime Minister Donald Tusk will take part in another conversation of European leaders on the subject of Ukraine," government spokesman Adam Szlapka wrote on X.   ===================

NNA - Jailed Turkish Kurd leader Abdullah Ocalan said in a message published Tuesday that it was "crucial" for the Turkish government to broker a peace deal between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Damascus government. "It is essential for Turkey to play a role of facilitator, constructively and aimed at dialogue... This is crucial […]

  NNA - President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, on Tuesday received "Strong Republic" bloc MP Melhem Riachy at Baabda Palace, delegated by Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, offering him congratulations on the holidays. The meeting was an opportunity to discuss the current general situation and political dossiers.. On the other hand, President […]

Israel’s PM travels to Mar-a-Lago as US administration reported to be running out of patience over Gaza ceasefireBenjamin Netanyahu met Donald Trump at the US president’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Monday amid growing fears Israel could launch new offensives against regional enemies, potentially plunging the Middle East further into […]

Strikes were latest violation of year-long ceasefire and targeted what Israel said were Hezbollah sites Israel has carried out several airstrikes in southern Lebanon on what it said was Hezbollah infrastructure, as a new year’s deadline for the Lebanese state to disarm the group in the south of the country loomed.Israeli warplanes bombed the valleys of […]

Broken ceasefires, bombing, ground incursions and mounting deaths: Israeli imperialism is now expanding across the regionIt is clear now that the ceasefire in Gaza is only a “reducefire”. The onslaught continues. There are near-daily attacks on the territory. On a single day at the end of October, almost 100 Palestinians were killed. On 19 November, 32 […]

Pope Leo XIV delivered a speech in Lebanon on Sunday where he repeated his call for representatives to do their part to help achieve peace in the region. Speaking in a room with several senior government and religious figures, the pope praised the Lebanese people for their resilience, adding: 'You always know how to rise again with courage'Pope Leo urges […]

Pontiff tells politicians and religious heads they must persevere with peace efforts despite facing ‘highly complex, conflictual’ situationPope Leo has urged political leaders in Lebanon to make peace their highest priority in a forceful appeal as he is visiting the country, which remains a target of Israeli airstrikes, on the second leg of his first […]

Two Palestinian children reportedly killed on Saturday as Israel continues its strikes after latest ceasefireThe Palestinian death toll has surpassed 70,000 since the Israel-Gaza war began, Gaza’s health ministry said on Saturday, while a hospital reported Israeli fire killed two Palestinian children in the territory’s south.The toll has continued to […]

Leo welcomed by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as he begins six-day itinerary that will also include visit to LebanonA new world war is being fought “piecemeal” and is endangering the future of humanity, Pope Leo has warned, as he arrived in Turkey for his first foreign trip since becoming head of the Catholic church.Speaking in Ankara, where he was welcomed on […]

Israel’s latest strike in Beirut on Sunday, which killed at least five people and wounded 28, has dramatically escalated existing tensions in the region and left many in Lebanon anxious about what may follow.Beirut-based journalist William Christou speaks to Nour Haydar about the Lebanese government and Hezbollah’s responses to the strike and Israel’s […]

A year since deal agreed, UN calls for investigation into possible violations of international law by all partiesAt least 127 civilians have been killed in Israeli attacks on Lebanon since a ceasefire was declared nearly a year ago, the UN has said as it called for an impartial investigation into the strikes.“We continue to witness increasing attacks by […]

President signs executive order for Rubio and Bessent to submit report on chapters in Lebanon, Egypt and JordanDonald Trump on Monday began the process of designating certain Muslim Brotherhood chapters as foreign terrorist organizations and specially designated global terrorists, a move that would bring sanctions against one of the Arab world’s oldest […]