* Finance minister signals moves to cut public-sector wage bill
BEIRUT Lebanon's draft budget for 2019 projects a deficit of less than 9 percent of GDP compared to 11.2 percent in 2018 and includes "wide reductions" in spending based on the need for "exceptional austerity measures", the finance minister said on Wednesday.
BEIRUT The Syrian government vowed to take back the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights as its allies and enemies alike condemned U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday for moving to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the territory seized in war. | Video
Beirut US-Präsident Donald Trump hat mit einer weiteren Kehrtwende in der Nahost-Politik den Streit zwischen Israel und Syrien um die Golanhöhen neu entfacht. Trump überraschte mit seinem Vorstoß, die USA sollten die Souveränität Israels über das 1967 eroberte und später annektierte Gebiet anerkennen. Syrien protestierte und kündigte an, nun noch entschlossener und mit allen Mitteln um die Golanhöhen zu kämpfen. Scharfe Kritik an Trumps Vorhaben kam zudem nicht nur von Syriens Verbündeten Russland und Iran, sondern auch aus der Türkei. "Die unglückliche Äußerung von US-Präsident Trump gestern hat die Region an den Rand einer neuen Krise gebracht", sagte Präsident Recep Tayyip Erdogan am Freitag. Die EU, Deutschland und Frankreich lehnten eine Anerkennung der Golanhöhen als israelisches Gebiet ab.
Beirut US-Präsident Donald Trump hat mit einer weiteren Kehrtwende in der Nahost-Politik den Streit zwischen Israel und Syrien um die Golanhöhen neu entfacht.
BEIRUT Eight years since Syria began its descent into war, many of President Bashar al-Assad's enemies have been defeated and the bulk of the country is back under his control. But he isn't celebrating.
BEIRUT The powerful Lebanese Shi'ite group Hezbollah on Tuesday urged the new government to launch talks with banks to bring down the cost of servicing the state's massive public debt, setting out its view on the major problem in unusually clear terms.
BEIRUT Lebanon is committed to launching fast and effective reforms that could be "difficult and painful" to avoid a worsening of economic, financial and social conditions, according to a draft government policy statement seen by Reuters on Wednesday.
BEIRUT Hezbollah's bigger role in Lebanon's new unity government points to a growing appetite to shape state affairs and builds on unprecedented military clout the group is wielding after helping turn the tide in Syria's war.
BEIRUT Lebanon formed a new national unity government on Thursday, ending nine months of wrangling, and Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri said bold moves were needed without delay to address chronic problems facing the heavily indebted state.
Two men have been arrested in Northern Ireland over the killing of a journalist during a riot, police said, with politicians calling for calm after the shooting added to concerns about the stability of the region's 21-year-old peace deal.