Lebanon
Lebanon’s Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri resigned today after failing to form a government for almost nine months. The country is in economic freefall, at least half of the population is now living in poverty, food inflation is at 400% and imported medicine is running out. Hariri and President Michel Aoun are deadlocked over cabinet appointments and other issues. It’s hard not to see this latest development sending Lebanon spiralling further into political and economic chaos.
More from Middle East Eye here.
Syria
Syria’s ten-year-old war grinds on, though it rarely makes the international headlines anymore. Government rockets today hit two villages in the last major rebel stronghold, killing at least nine civilians, including three children, according to the UN children’s agency. UNICEF says 512 children were killed in Syria last year.
More from the Associated Press here.
South Africa
At least 117 people now dead and 25,000 troops deployed to the streets. South Africa’s riots over the jailing of former president Jacob Zuma show no sign of abating.
More from the Associated Press here.