The Latest Breaking News from Lebanon

Influencer accuses airline of discriminating because she’s ‘too fat’

Juliana Nehme, 38, was returning from a holiday in Lebanon with relatives to her native Brazil via Doha - but claims Qatar Airlines officials said she would need to buy a significantly more expensive first class seat after already forking out $947 (£783) on economy

Daily Mirror · Nov 25, 2022

‘Humiliated’ plus-size model claims Qatar Airways denied her boarding for being ‘too fat for economy’

Airline says woman was kept off plane for being ‘extremely rude and aggressive to check-in staff’

The Independent UK · Nov 25, 2022

Lebanon’s Central Bank Says Audit of Gold Reserves Completed ‘Successfully’

Lebanon’s Central Bank announced on Friday that the audit of the bank’s gold reserves- coins and ingots- which came at the request of the International Monetary Fund, has been completed “successfully.” The bank said that the amount of gold bullions declared corresponded exactly with the quantity of gold in its…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Nov 25, 2022

Lebanon: Tenfold Increase in Customs Duties

The Ministry of Finance announced on Wednesday that the government will start collecting customs duties with a tenfold increase, starting the first of December. The announcement came a day after the Governor of the Banque du Liban said that the official exchange rate of the dollar would be raised to…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Nov 24, 2022

Lebanon Seeks $5 Mn to Broadcast World Cup on National TV

The Lebanese authorities were unable to reach a legal agreement that gives the Lebanese free access to watch the World Cup 2022, amid a vacuum at the top state post and a caretaker cabinet with limited powers to take such decisions. Officials failed at clinching an agreement to secure a…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Nov 23, 2022

Lebanon Central Bank to Use Forex Rate of 15,000 Pounds per Dollar as of Feb. 1

Lebanon's central bank will adopt an exchange rate of 15,000 Lebanese pounds per US dollar as of Feb. 1 as part of a process to unify the country's multiple exchange-rate system, Lebanese central bank governor Riad Salameh said on Monday. The central bank's official rate is currently set at 1,500…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Nov 21, 2022

WFP to Allocate $5.4 Bln for Lebanon over 3 Years, Caretaker PM Says

The World Food Program has agreed to allocate $5.4 billion for aid to Lebanon over the next three years, Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said on Monday, following a meeting with the agency's country director. Mikati said the aid would be split, with half going to Lebanese and the…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Nov 21, 2022

WFP to allocate $5.4 billion for Lebanon over 3 years, caretaker PM says

The World Food Programme has agreed to allocate $5.4 billion in aid for Lebanon over the next three years, Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said, as the country's economic crisis keeps millions in poverty.

Reuters · Nov 21, 2022

Lebanon Arrests 3 after Over $1M Stolen from Home

Police in Lebanon, where a banking crisis has forced people to stash cash at home, said Friday that three people have been arrested after stealing over $1 million from a private residence. The three Syrians -- a man, his wife and a relative -- were arrested on November 11, a…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Nov 18, 2022

Lebanon's top judge decries political meddling, calls for 'revolution' in courts

Lebanon's most senior judge on Friday said meddling by the political leadership in the work of the judiciary had led to a chaotic situation that required a "revolution in approaches" to resolve, in a rare public rebuke of ruling elites.

Reuters · Nov 18, 2022