United Nations

Armistice, Normalization, Peace: What Are the Differences?

Whenever an agreement—whether purely technical or otherwise—between Lebanon and Israel is discussed, confusion arises, often followed by accusations and excessive speculation. Many Lebanese tend to mix up and confuse the terms "armistice," "normalization," and "peace." This makes it necessary to clarify the differences between these three ...

UN Security Council Urges Syria to Protect All People Regardless of Religion or Ethnicity

The UN Security Council on Friday condemned recent massacres of civilians in Syria and urged its transitional authorities to respect all people regardless of religion or ethnicity. In a statement, the council said it condemned widespread violence in western Syria since March 6 that has included "mass killings of civilians," particularly among the ...

Mass Layoffs at UN Migration Agency as US Aid Cuts Take Toll

The UN migration agency, which has been hit hard by US foreign aid cuts, has launched more mass layoffs, impacting around a fifth of staff at its Geneva headquarters, employees said Friday. Fresh cuts at the International Organization for Migration are expected to impact at least 20 percent of the more than 1,000 current headquarters staff, ...

March 14: 20 Years Later, Revisiting a Defining Moment

On March 14, 2005, a human tidal wave flooded Martyrs' Square. Lebanese people of all faiths gathered around a single cause: rising up against the Syrian occupation of Lebanon, one month after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri. It was a first in the history of independent Lebanon. Today, the 20th commemoration has a new ...

EU Calls for 'Justice' After Syria Violence

The EU has welcomed Syria's establishment of a fact-finding committee to investigate a recent wave of deadly violence, calling for perpetrators to be "brought to justice". "We strongly condemn the attacks by pro-Assad militias against security forces," the EU said in a statement released late Tuesday. "We also condemn in the strongest terms the ...

Over 6,000 Syrians and Lebanese Fled to Lebanon from Syria

Akkar Governor Imad al Labaki revealed that the Disaster Management Room in Akkar recorded around 1,476 displaced families (6,078 individuals) from Syria, including 40 Lebanese families and 1,184 Syrian families. In an interview with the National News Agency, Labaki addressed the issue of displacement from Syria to Akkar, stating that "The ...

Lebanon’s First Lady Attends UN CSW69 in New York

The First Lady of Lebanon and President of the National Commission for Lebanese Women, Neemat Aoun, arrived this Sunday in New York to take part in the work of the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69), which is being held at the UN headquarters from March 10 to 21, 2025. The session, chaired by Saudi Arabia, includes a ...

UN Report Finds Women's Rights Weakened in Quarter of Countries

Women's rights regressed last year in a quarter of countries around the world, according to a report published by UN Women on Thursday, due to factors ranging from climate change to democratic backsliding. "The weakening of democratic institutions has gone hand in hand with backlash on gender equality," the report said, adding that "anti-rights ...

Syria leftover explosives kill and injure over 180 children: NGO

Landmines and unexploded ordnance in Syria have killed or injured at least 188 children since president Bashar al-Assad's overthrow in December, Save the Children charity said Thursday. Of that figure, more than 60 children were killed, the UK-based group said, warning the toll could rise as more families return to the war-ravaged country. Since ...

Arab Leaders Endorse Plan to Rebuild Gaza Under Palestinian Authority

Arab leaders endorsed on Tuesday a plan to rebuild the Gaza Strip under the future administration of the Palestinian Authority, presenting an alternative to US President Donald Trump's widely condemned proposal to take over the territory and displace its people. The prospect of the Palestinian Authority (PA) governing Gaza remains far from ...

Washington Reaffirms Its Conditional Support for the Lebanese Army (LACC)

The Lebanese-American Coordination Committee (LACC) conducted a tour in Washington, D.C. and held a series of meetings as part of its ongoing efforts to support the Lebanese cause. During a meeting with Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Natasha Franceschi, the committee was informed that despite budget cuts under the Trump administration, the ...