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WORLD NEWS Thursday 12 december 2019

Diplomats to Lebanon: Expect no aid before government formed

By CLAIRE PARKER bailout,” Schenker told The
Associated Press Associated Press. “Lebanon
PARIS (AP) — Lebanon can- is not being saved from its
not expect to receive inter- financial mess.” Schenker
national aid to its battered said the group is consider-
economy until a new gov- ing sending some humani-
ernment undertakes serious tarian aid to Lebanon to
reforms, diplomats decid- alleviate residents’ suffer-
ed at a closed-door meet- ing, though it was unclear
ing in Paris on Wednesday. when or how much. French
The international group, led Foreign Minister Jean-Yves
by France and the United Le Drian said in closing re-
Nations, met to discuss marks the group supports
conditions for helping ease protesters who have taken
turmoil in Lebanon, which is to the streets since Oct. 17
facing its worst financial cri- to call for an end to cor-
sis in decades and political ruption and the overhaul of
uncertainty amid an on- the Lebanese political sys-
going protest movement. tem. “The Lebanese have
Lebanese businesses and mobilized for many weeks
households are growing to demand reforms. They
increasingly desperate as must be heard,” he said.
cash supplies there have Hariri stayed on as care-
dwindled. taker prime minister after
Representatives from sev- Lebanese protesters gather outside of the French foreign ministry in Paris, Wednesday, Dec. 11, politicians proved unable
eral countries, including 2019, to denounce a closed-door meeting of diplomats from several countries on aid to Lebanon. to form a new government.
Associated Press
the United States, and in- Protesters want to see a
ternational financial insti- U.S. Assistant Secretary for tions but they won’t provide France, Turkey, the United non-sectarian, technocrat-
tutions agreed on a set of Near Eastern Affairs David the bailout that caretaker States, China, and Egypt to ic government — and they
principles Lebanon must Schenker said attendees Prime Minister Saad Hariri send funds to help Lebanon want all traces of the old
meet before it can expect agreed to give technical had requested. Hariri had finance imports.“There’s no regime, including Hariri, out
to receive foreign cash. advice to Lebanese institu- called on Saudi Arabia, aid package, there is no of office.q

Denmark: Police foil suspected Islamist terror attack plans

Associated Press Joergen Bergen Skov said country were involved.
COPENHAGEN, Denmark some of them would be The raids and arrests were
(AP) — Danish police charged under the Scan- coordinated by the Co-
have arrested “some 20 dinavian country’s terror penhagen police.
people” suspected of in- laws on Thursday behind No details were given as
volvement in Islamist ter- closed doors. to what the target was
rorism in a series of raids “Some had have procured or when an attack would
across the country, au- things to make explosives take place.
thorities said Wednesday. and have tried to acquire Danish authorities have
Flemming Drejer, the weapons,” Bergen Skov reported foiling several
operative head of the told a joint press confer- extremist attacks in re-
Denmark’s Security and ence with the domestic in- cent years, including
Intelligence Service, said telligence service. ones linked to the 2005
the suspects were “driv- Bergen Skov said police publication in a newspa-
en by a militant, Islamist Police conduct searches at Ramsingvej in Copenhagen, raided about 20 addresses per of 12 cartoons by vari-
motive.”Copenhagen Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019. in Denmark and six police ous artists depicting the
Police Chief Inspector Associated Press departments across the Prophet Muhammad.q