United Nations

Blinken Hopes for “Lasting Peace” in Lebanon as Israeli Troops Withdraw

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has expressed optimism on Wednesday for a “lasting peace” as Israeli troops begin withdrawing from southern Lebanon. Speaking at a news conference in Paris, Blinken confirmed that the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, in place for nearly a month, continues to hold. “The ceasefire is ...

The National Moderation Bloc Endorses General Joseph Aoun's Presidential Candidacy

The National Moderation Bloc has officially thrown its support behind General Joseph Aoun, the Army's Commander-in-Chief, for the upcoming presidential election set for Thursday. During a meeting at the bloc's headquarters in Saifi, MPs Walid Baarini, Mohammad Sleiman, Abdelaziz Samad, Sagih Atieh, Ahmad Rustom and Ahmad Kheir issued a statement ...

Is the world ready for the next pandemic?

An awkward question remains five years after Covid-19 began its deadly rampage: is the world ready to handle the next pandemic? The World Health Organization, which was at the heart of the pandemic response, has been galvanising efforts to determine where the next threat might come from and to ensure the planet is ready to face it. But while the ...

LAF Resumes its Deployment in the South

Following the withdrawal of Israeli forces, the Lebanese Army (LAF) announced Monday that its units had started deploying to take up positions in towns in the western and central sectors, including Ras al-Naqoura, Alma al-Shaab, Tayr Harfa-Tyre, Beit Liv-Tyre, and Beit Liv-Bint Jbeil. “While the deployment is being completed in Naqoura, ...

Hochstein Calls for Full Implementation of the Taif Agreement

US Envoy Amos Hochstein visited MP Fouad Makhzoumi's residence on Tuesday in the presence of Lebanese MPs from different parliamentary blocs. He stressed “the need for Lebanon and for the future President to commit to the full implementation of the Taif Agreement and to the implementation of the reforms necessary for the country's ...

Lebanese Army to Deploy in Aita al-Shaab

The Lebanese army is preparing to take up position in Aita al-Shaab for the first time since the November 27 ceasefire was concluded between Hezbollah and Israel. Army tanks were stationed on Tuesday in the Bayada area, getting ready to deploy in Naqoura, along with a patrol from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Lebanese ...

UN Envoy in Rare Yemen Visit to Push for Peace

Hans Grundberg, the United Nation's special envoy for war-torn Yemen, arrived Monday in the rebel-held capital in a bid to breathe life into peace talks, his office said. Grundberg last visited the capital Sanaa, controlled by the Iran-backed Houthis, in May 2023 for meetings with the rebels' leaders in an earlier effort to advance a roadmap for ...

Lebanese-French Group: The Outcome of Presidential Vote to Shape Lebanon's Future

The Lebanese-French Coordination Committee and the World Lebanese Cultural Union-France expressed grave concerns about Lebanon's presidential election on January 9, 2025, stressing that the outcome will shape the nation’s future. They emphasized the critical role of the new president and the subsequent government in establishing long-term peace ...

North Korea Fires Missile as Blinken Warns of Russia Cooperation

North Korea on Monday fired a missile as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited South Korea, where he warned Pyongyang was working ever closer with Russia on advanced space technology. Blinken visited as investigators were trying to arrest conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol, who has entrenched himself in his residence after being ...

UN Experts Slam Israel's 'Blatant Assault' on Health Rights in Gaza

UN experts on Thursday denounced Israel's raid on an embattled hospital in northern Gaza, demanding an end to the "blatant assault" on health rights in the besieged Palestinian territory. Reiterating charges that Israel is committing "genocide" in Gaza something the Israeli government strongly denies, two independent United Nations rights experts ...

Magro Hopes January 9 Will Be the Start of a New Era for Lebanon

Hervé Magro, the French Ambassador to Lebanon, reiterated that France would “not relax its efforts to work together (with the Lebanese) so that Lebanon and its people regain the future they deserve” during his New Year’s greetings for 2025. After two years and two months of presidential vacancy, Magro said in a press release from the ...