The Lebanese pound rose against the dollar Monday, trading at LL8,800 on the black market, as renewed French efforts revived hopes of a breakthrough in the country's political impasse.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh on Monday announced the coronavirus vaccination program in the West Bank is set to begin in mid-February. Speaking at a Cabinet meeting in Ramallah, Shtayyeh said the Palestinian Authority (PA) was expecting a first shipment of 50,000 vaccines...

Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group said its fighters shot down an Israeli drone on Monday over a southern village near the border with Israel. The Israeli military did not confirm the shootdown but said a drone had crashed on Lebanese territory. Tensions in the region have been rising...

Iran on Monday ruled out possibility of any bilateral talks with the new U.S. administration over the nuclear deal saying the U.S. must return to the deal first and end sanctions that are hurting its economy. Saeed Khatibzadeh, spokesman of the foreign ministry said at a weekly press...