The planned reopening of the hotel, which was damaged in the 2020 port explosion, follows Saudi-backed Gen. Joseph Aoun's becoming president of Lebanon.

French President Emmanuel Macron called on Israel on Friday to accelerate its troop withdrawal from southern Lebanon, as a deadline nears for the pullout under the terms of a ceasefire that ended the war with Hezbollah last year.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is preparing to reopen its embassy in Beirut after more than three years, a high-level delegation confirmed during a visit to Lebanon on Monday. The move marks a significant step in mending ties between the Gulf Arab state and Lebanon, following the embassy’s closure in October 2021.

BEIRUT - French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Lebanon on Friday to help speed up the formation of a government that can quickly implement reforms and open the door to reconstruction following last year's war between Israel and Hezbollah.

French President Emmanuel Macron is in Lebanon, a former French protectorate, to meet with its new leaders. He aims to offer assistance as they seek to pull the country out of its long-running economic crisis.

In Riyadh meeting, US and Saudi Arabia agreed they had 'once in thirty-year opportunity' to sideline Hezbollah with election of new president

Presidents in Lebanon are brought to power by near political consensus, but more than six contenders were still in play. Debates were heated and army chief Joseph Aoun was dismissed by many politicians as constitutionally unqualified for the presidency because of his military post.

Disarming Hezbollah, getting financial aid, rebuilding and restoring sovereignty among the tasks facing the new leaders

Lebanese army chief Joseph Aoun, widely seen as favored by US and Saudi Arabia, is likely to win, after endorsement by Hezbollah pick Suleiman Frangieh

A high-level Emirati delegation is in Lebanon to make arrangements for the reopening of the UAE's embassy in Beirut after more than three years, state news agency WAM reported on Monday. The arrival of the delegation on Sunday came a day after UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and newly elected Lebanese President Joseph Aoun agreed to take the necessary steps to reopen the embassy.

The election of army commander Gen. Joseph Aoun garnered rare consensus among the Lebanese, backed by the United States and Saudi Arabia in the first presidential election for Lebanon following the fall of the Assad regime.

Macron also spoke to Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ahead of the visit. Paris has sought to get Riyadh to re-engage in Lebanon for months and the arrival of Joseph Aoun to the presidency and Nawaf Salam as prime minister has helped that process.