Source: Kataeb.org
Security & Justice
Judicial Panel Clears Way for Beirut Port Blast Investigator to Move Forward
Lebanon’s Investigative Judges’ Panel has upheld a ruling barring the prosecution of Tarek Bitar, the judicial investigator leading the probe into the 2020 Beirut Port explosion, effectively removing a major obstacle that had impeded his work for more than two years, Al-Modon reported.
Wednesday, February 11, 2026
U.S. Treasury Targets Hezbollah Revenue Networks With New Sanctions
The U.S. Department of the Treasury on Tuesday imposed new sanctions aimed at choking off key financial mechanisms used by Hezbollah to sustain its operations, particularly through revenue generation linked to Iran and the exploitation of Lebanon’s informal financial sector, the Treasury said.
Tuesday, February 10, 2026
Opinion
A Second Devaluation Looms Over Lebanon’s Fragile Currency Regime
After one of the most severe currency collapses in recent economic history, the Lebanese pound (Lira) has been held at roughly 89,500 to the US dollar, a level that appears, at least superficially, to signal a return of stability after years of hyperinflation.
Tuesday, February 10, 2026
A First-Year Assessment of Lebanon’s Governing Coalition
In January 2025, President Joseph Aoun took the oath of office and in his inaugural address declared the start of a “new era.” The government then began to reconstitute itself as a functioning center of authority after prolonged executive paralysis. This transition unfolded in a moment of political fluidity shaped by two facts: the severe debilitation of Hezbollah following the 2023-2024 war with Israel, and the general consensus that Lebanon must end its endemic patronage, corruption, and institutional dysfunction. The extensive damage and disruption caused by Israel’s military campaign has turned reconstruction into the defining test of whether the state can restore national trust by reasserting its authority and delivering recovery.
Thursday, February 5, 2026
Sports
PSV Lament Unnecessary Defeat in Champions League Clash at Juventus
PSV Eindhoven felt they should have taken more from Tuesday's Champions League away clash against Juventus where they conceded a late goal to go down 2-1 in the first leg of their Champions League knockout phase playoff tie on Tuesday.
Wednesday, February 12, 2025
Man City's 115 Charges Outcome 'in a Month' - Guardiola
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says the club expects to learn the outcome of the hearing into its 115 charges of alleged Premier League financial rule breaches "in one month".
Saturday, February 8, 2025
Tuesday 17 February 2026 15:44:45
Kataeb Party Rejects Tax Hikes, Vows to Vote Against in Parliament
The Kataeb’s Political Bureau held its weekly meeting under the chairmanship of party leader Samy Gemayel and, following discussions on recent developments, issued the following statement:
1. The Political Bureau rejects the government’s decision to raise fuel prices and increase the value-added tax (VAT), particularly at a time when Lebanon is facing severe economic and living conditions. What the government is giving public employees with one hand, it is taking back with the other.
The Bureau stresses that meaningful reform must begin with improving revenue collection, shutting down channels of waste and smuggling, and undertaking a comprehensive review of Lebanon’s public administration with the aim of restructuring and modernizing it. Such measures would promote tax fairness, restore discipline to public finances, and secure sustainable state revenues without placing additional burdens on citizens.
The party reaffirms that the Kataeb bloc will oppose any such tax increases when they are put to a vote in Parliament.
2. The Political Bureau considers that addressing the issue of illegal weapons can no longer be postponed under any pretext. It calls for Hezbollah’s arms to be handed over to the Lebanese State immediately and without conditions, warning that time is running out and that deadlines cannot remain open-ended.
The continued presence of an armed structure operating outside the authority of the State and openly defying the government is unacceptable. This constitutes a violation of the Constitution and a usurpation of the State’s exclusive authority over decisions of war and peace, placing Lebanon in a persistent state of confrontation beyond its capacity to endure.
The Bureau urges the Lebanese State to act decisively and move swiftly to ensure that weapons are held exclusively by the State across all Lebanese territory. It also calls on officials to provide clear and unequivocal political backing to ongoing efforts aimed at supporting the army, enabling the military institution to fully carry out its responsibilities.
