#LEBANON: Former Foreign Min. Grilled Over Lack Of 24-Hour Electricity

[world politics news]

Former Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil was grilled on his government’s record by fellow panelists at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Fellow panelists Dutch Foreign Minister Sigrid Kaag and CNBC anchor Hadley Gamble challenged Bassil’s former role as electricity minister and the Lebanese government’s continued failures to provide basic infrastructure, including electricity.

When asked by Gamble what had happened to Bassil’s plan to provide 24-hour electricity, Bassil said that the Lebanese system was hampered by immigration and confessionalism - the unique merger of religious and political system that keeps governments in the country unstable.

He's currently the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, the largest bloc in parliament, which includes Hezbollah.

Bassil's attendance at the elite conference drew criticism in his home country, which is currently experiencing widespread anti-government protests amid corruption and economic crises. He denies the protesters are targeting him and his party.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#BRAZIL: Lawmaker, Son Of Pres. Bolsonaro, Assures Israel Embassy Will Move To Jerusalem

[world politics news]

Brazilian lawmaker Eduardo Bolsonaro, son of president Jair Bolsonaro, told lawmakers in Israel that a move of its country's embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is a matter of "when, not if" and signaled other pro-Israel moves to come, including declaring Hezbollah a terrorist organization.

He made the comments on a trip to Israel to open a trade office in Jerusalem, a move other nations have made rather than (or in anticipation of) moving their full embassies there. He said Brazil's trade office signaled a move of its embassy to Jerusalem within a year.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#LEBANON: PM Resigns, Citing Meddling From Iran, Hezbollah Death Threats

[world politics news]

Saad Hariri has announced his resignation as Lebanon's prime minister and implicitly blamed Iran and its Lebanese ally, Hezbollah, for his decision. In a televised speech on Saturday, he said he suspected there were covert plans to target his life, but he did not elaborate. Hariri, who made the statement during a visit to Saudi Arabia, said Iran planted "disorder and destruction" in the country and meddled in the internal issues of Lebanon as well as other Arab countries.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#LEBANON: For The 45th Time, Parliament Fails To Elect A President; Next Try Oct 31

[world politics news]

Lebanese parliamentarians met once again Wednesday to attempt to elect a president, but a quorum wasn't present so the vote was delayed until Oct. 31st. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri says 51 MP's showed up, but 35 more members were needed to make a quorum in the 128-member body. Lebanon has been without the head of a state since 2014, when the term of then-President Michel Suleiman ended.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#LEBANON: Parliament Will Try (For the 44th Time) To Elect A President Tomorrow

[world politics news]

The Lebanese parliament will meet again tomorrow, and for the 44th time in a row, will seek to elect a president to replace Michel Suleiman, whose term ended on May 25 , 2014. Parliament failed in August to reach a quorum because the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group and its ally MP Michel Aoun’s Change and Reform bloc MPs boycotted the session, because they could not guarantee Aoun’s election as a president.

#LEBANON: Arab States Again Label Hezbollah A "Terrorist Organization"

[world politics news]

A statement by the six-state members of the Gulf Cooperation Council again designated the Lebanese Hezbollah group a terrorist organisation, three years after making the same statement. Officials said the decision was adopted due to the continuation of the group's "hostile" activities to recruit youth in GCC states to execute attacks, smuggle arms and explosives, incite sedition, chaos and violence.

#LEBANON: International Fears Rising About Lebanon's Security After 9 Months With No President

[world politics news]

After nine months of political deadlock over the election of a new president, international fears are growing that Lebanon may not be able to effectively secure its borders against terrorist threats like ISIS, or control its militias its the southern border with Israel.

Pictured: Walid Jumblatt, leader of the mostly Druze Progressive Socialist Party

QATAR

Gulf Countries to Blacklist Hezobollah As Terrorist Group [world politics news]

The Gulf Cooperation Countries - Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman - are beginning to stake steps to officially blacklist Hezbollah, the Lebanese group that has declared allegiance to Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad and has been seen as a threat to several Gulf countries. Bahrain blacklisted Hezbollah in April.