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Lebanon sees record COVID-19 deaths for the second day in a row as hospitals struggle to contain the virus’ surge

BEIRUT — For the second day running, Lebanon saw a record number of deaths Wednesday, with 89 people succumbing to COVID-19 as hospitals continued to strain under pressure from the post-holiday...

Rana Tabbara, 3 February 2021

Closed banks and restrictions on movement put assistance out of reach for some who need it to survive the lockdown

BEIRUT — While the countrywide lockdown instated on Jan. 14 has not always been strictly enforced, aid workers said bank closures and denials or delays in getting permits to move around have...

Abby Sewell, 3 February 2021

The Lebanese Army has referred 10 people to the military prosecutor for "rioting, encroaching on public and private property and the burning of the Tripoli municipality building," the army said in a statement

3 February 2021

Lebanon has registered 3,320 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. A record 89 more people have died from the virus, bringing the death toll to 3,315

3 February 2021

Lebanese customs have seized 5 million Captagon pills at Beirut's port, local media outlets report, adding that the pills were intended to be smuggled to Greece and Gulf countries, and that three people have been arrested in connection with the seizure

3 February 2021

Lebanon is expected to receive 340,800 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine through COVAX in the first half of 2021, a newly published document from the platform states. Caretaker Health Minister Hamad Hassan has previously said the first batch will arrive this month

3 February 2021

Anti-aircraft missiles were fired toward but missed an Israeli drone as it flew over southern Lebanon, the Israeli military has said via its Twitter account. On Monday, Hezbollah reportedly downed an Israeli drone over the southern Marjayoun border town of Blida

3 February 2021

A man has opened fire on a Fransabank ATM in Baalbek, the NNA reports, adding that Baalbek’s mayor has condemned the shooter’s actions while urging banks to keep ATMs stocked with cash so “employees, soldiers and retirees can withdraw their salaries"

3 February 2021

The Iraqi government yesterday approved the sale of 500,000 tons of oil to Lebanon annually in exchange for "services, medical equipment, medicines and consulting services." Experts say Iraqi oil would require costly refinement before it could be used in Lebanon’s power plants

3 February 2021

Caretaker Energy Minister Raymond Ghajar has briefed President Michel Aoun on an agreement to secure oil from Iraq to power electricity plants and the option of immediate fuel shipments from other sources, so-called "spot" purchases, a statement from the president's office says

3 February 2021

Armed men occupied the office of the Syrian Socialist Nationalist Party in Batroun this morning, the town's mayor tells L'Orient Today. The incident comes amid a split in the party over elections following the end of MP Assaad Hardan's term as leader

3 February 2021

The Syndicate of Bakery Workers in Beirut and Mount Lebanon has called on the caretaker economy minister to reverse the Feb. 1 price hike on partially subsidized bread and requested the formation of a committee to transparently study bread pricing

3 February 2021

The mayor of the Jbeil town of Halat, Charles Bassil, has died from COVID-19, the NNA reports

3 February 2021

Abdul Rahman Bizri, an infectious disease specialist and member of the COVID-19 scientific committee, tells VDL radio 100.5 that the government should reopen the country “gradually and carefully” to avoid chaos. The strict lockdown is set to come to an end on Monday

3 February 2021

Record COVID-19 deaths, drug smuggling, Lebanese released from UAE: Everything you need to know to start your day

Want to get the Morning Brief by email? Click here to sign up . In a grim new record, 81 COVID-19 deaths were registered yesterday, while ICU hospitalizations remained at critical levels....

3 February 2021

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri has left Lebanon for Egypt, where he will meet President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and other state officials, his office announces. His visit comes as a deadlock on government formation and tension with President Michel Aoun persist

3 February 2021