Lebanon, Syria, Argentina.

Today's three stories you should know.

Sep 14, 2022

Lebanon

This is heartbreaking. A woman today held up a bank in Lebanon with a toy gun to take $13,000 from her own savings account to pay for cancer treatment for her sister. Lebanon has been hit by one of the world’s worst economic crises in living memory, forcing about three-quarters of the population into poverty. Banks have restricted people to taking out between $200 to $400 of their own money each month, leaving many with large amounts of savings devalued and effectively trapped. Today’s “robbery” was just the latest in a string of such incidents, all of which have inspired widespread sympathy for the people who resorted to such a desperate measure.

Syria

A worrying report from the UN today warned growing violence in Syria could lead to “larger-scale” fighting erupting again. Though the now 10-year-old civil war grinds on, it is at a much lower level than at its height with the forces of President Bashar al-Assad now back in control of most of the country. The UN pointed the finger at many different countries for their involvement in the ongoing conflict, including Turkey, Israel, the US and Iran. “Syrians face increasing and intolerable hardships, living among the ruins of this lengthy conflict. Millions are suffering and dying in displacement camps,” Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, chair of the UN’s Syria commission, said.

Argentina

A third person has been arrested in connection with this month’s assassination attempt on Argentina’s Vice President Cristina Fernández. In a dramatic scene, a man aimed a handgun at Fernández outside her home. He pulled the trigger twice but the gun, which was loaded with five bullets, failed to go off. His girlfriend was also later arrested. This latest arrest could indicate the attempted murder was a wider conspiracy than originally thought. Fernández is one of the most significant leaders in Argentine history, having served two terms as president from 2007 to 2015.