Pope Leo XIV visited Martyrs’ Square in Beirut on Monday, the second day of his Apostolic Journey to Lebanon, where he met with Christian and interreligious leaders to promote dialogue and unity among different faiths.
Pope Leo XIV arrived in Beirut on Sunday, marking the second stop of his first overseas trip since becoming pontiff in May. The visit, coming directly from Türkiye, is being hailed as a moment of spiritual encouragement for a nation struggling with deep political and economic crises.
Pope Leo travels to Lebanon on Sunday to deliver an appeal for peace in a country repeatedly struck by Israeli air raids, completing the second and final leg of his first overseas trip as head of the Catholic Church.
Pope Leo condemned violence in the name of religion on Friday at a landmark event with Christian leaders from across the Middle East, urging them to overcome centuries of heated divisions.
The U.N. human rights office has called for an investigation into Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon, which have killed at least 127 civilians since a ceasefire was agreed nearly a year ago.
Pope Leo will embark on his first trip outside Italy as the leader of the Catholic Church on Thursday, travelling to Türkiye and Lebanon, where he is expected to make appeals for peace in the region.
An Israeli airstrike on the southern Lebanese city of Sidon killed 13 people and wounded several others, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry on Tuesday (18 November).
In southern Lebanon’s Bkassine forest, once famous for its pine nuts, a silent crisis is stripping trees bare and leaving workers without livelihoods.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 7th of November, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Israel launched airstrikes on southern Lebanon after ordering evacuations, accusing Hezbollah of rebuilding its forces despite a year-old ceasefire, as Lebanon and the United Nations warned of renewed border tensions.
Lebanon's Hezbollah said on Thursday that it had "a legitimate right to resist (Israeli) occupation", adding that it would support the Lebanese army.
The Lebanese government must fulfill its commitment to disarm Hezbollah and remove it from southern Lebanon, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Sunday.
Lebanon’s permanent mission to the United Nations will submit an “urgent complaint” regarding airstrikes conducted by Israel on Saturday in a southern economic zone, which caused civilian casualties and substantial property damage.
The U.S. has approved $230 million in aid for Lebanon’s armed and internal security forces, aiming to strengthen state control as pressure mounts on Hezbollah to disarm.
An Israeli drone strike killed five people, including three children and their father, all U.S. citizens on Sunday in Bint Jbeil, southern Lebanon, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said. Two others were wounded, including their mother, in what Lebanese officials condemned as a blatant attack on civilians.
Bulgarian authorities have detained Igor Grechushkin, the Russian owner of a cargo ship linked to the ammonium nitrate at the heart of the 2020 Beirut port explosion, Lebanese judicial officials said.
Lebanon’s cabinet on Friday endorsed an army plan to disarm Hezbollah as Shi’ite ministers stage walk out in protest.
Pope Leo is preparing to visit Lebanon later this year, the country’s most senior Catholic cleric announced on Wednesday, in what would mark the new pontiff’s first trip abroad since taking office.
U.S. envoy Tom Barrack has arrived in Beirut for his fourth visit since June, seeking to reinforce a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, days after the Cabinet backed a plan to disarm Hezbollah and other non-state groups.
A newly appointed Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani has arrived in Baghdad on Monday for his first official visit since taking office on 5th August.
Lebanon experienced a nationwide power outage from midnight on Sunday, officials reported, as authorities work to restore electricity across the country.
The United States has proposed a comprehensive four-phase plan that calls for Hezbollah's full disarmament and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from five positions in southern Lebanon by the end of this year.
Lebanon’s cabinet will meet on Tuesday to discuss the arsenal of Hezbollah, following increased pressure from the United States for ministers to commit publicly to disarming the group, amid fears of renewed Israeli strikes if they fail to do so.
Lebanon has stepped up his calls for Hezbollah to disarm on Thursday, suggesting failure to do so would give Israel an excuse to continue attacks, saying the issue would be on the agenda of a cabinet meeting next week.
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