banks

Iranian Missiles Sow Panic, Destruction in Israeli Towns

Sheltering from an Iranian missile attack on his town in southern Israel on Saturday, 17-year-old Ido Franky heard "terrifying" blasts like nothing he had experienced before. An Iranian missile hit Franky's town of Arad, hours after another struck Dimona -- home to a nuclear facility -- wounding dozens and leaving entire apartment ...

Israeli Reservist Arrested on Suspicion of Spying for Iran

Israeli police said on Friday they had arrested an army reservist who served on the Iron Dome air defence system on suspicion of passing secrets to Iran. The arrest comes as Israel and the United States are locked in a war with Iran that has spread across the Middle East. “Raz Cohen, a 26‑year‑old resident of Jerusalem who served in the ...

Oil Dips Under $100, Stocks Back in Green Tracking Mideast War

Oil dipped under $100 Friday, but remained far above pre-Mideast war levels with no end in sight to the disruption in supplies of crude. With the conflict heading towards its third week, equity markets were back in the green, having earlier lost ground amid investor worries about an extended crisis that could fan inflation and hammer the global ...

Hamas Calls for Sanctions Against Israel Over New West Bank Moves

Hamas on Tuesday called for sanctions against Israel, welcoming a joint condemnation by nearly 20 countries of new Israeli measures aimed at tightening control over the occupied West Bank. Israel has approved a series of initiatives this month backed by far-right ministers, including launching a process to register land in the West Bank as ...

Hamas Official Says Group in Final Stage of Choosing New Chief

A senior Hamas official told AFP on Sunday that the Palestinian Islamist movement was in the final phase of selecting a new leader, with two prominent figures competing for the position. Hamas recently completed the formation of a new Shura Council, a consultative body largely composed of religious scholars, as well as a new political ...

For a Better Druze Future, Jumblatt Needs New Ideas

Walid Jumblatt, Lebanon’s most seasoned and cunning political operator, has navigated every twist of the country’s turmoil since taking the reins of the Druze community in 1977. Convinced that his father Kamal’s assassination stemmed from political overreach, Jumblatt has pursued relentlessly cautious and conservative policies, always ...

Trump Hosts Netanyahu at White House, Says U.S. to Continue Iran Nuclear Talks

U.S. President Donald Trump said, following his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Wednesday, that he did not reach any agreement with Netanyahu, but insisted on negotiations and told him that negotiating with Iran is currently the preferred option. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with ...

Eight Muslim Countries Condemn Israel's 'Illegal' West Bank Control Measures: Statement

Saudi Arabia and seven other Muslim countries on Monday condemned new Israeli measures to tighten control of the West Bank and pave the way for more settlements on the occupied Palestinian territory. Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the UAE, Qatar, Indonesia, Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey "condemned in the strongest terms the illegal Israeli decisions and ...

ABL Secretary General Warns Against Risks of Unrealistic Implementation of the Gap Law

The Secretary General of the Association of Banks in Lebanon (ABL), Fadi Khalaf, warned against the risks of an unrealistic implementation of the Gap Law in the introduction of the ABL’s January 2026 monthly report. According to Khalaf, this draft law, which aims to unlock the issue of bank deposits, can only succeed if the liquidity required ...

WB Approves $350 Million to Support Lebanon’s Recovery and Digital Transformation

On Monday, the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved $350 million in new financing to help Lebanon address the basic needs of its poorest and most vulnerable populations while advancing the digital transformation of public services. The funding, split between two projects, aims to provide social protection, promote economic ...

Salam Says Lebanon to Expand State Control as International Confidence Grows

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced in Davos, Switzerland on Thursday that Lebanon has full operational control over southern Lebanon and will expand operations north of the Litani river as international engagement with Lebanon increases.  Salam outlined a two-part policy driving the Lebanese state’s governance goals: institutional and ...