The judge asked for a two-year extension “to significantly advance its work toward completion,” Guterres said. Lebanon’s economic and financial crisis, which began in late 2019, is the country’s worst in modern history, with the economy contracting 19% in 2020. Damascus denied involvement but was forced to withdraw its troops from Lebanon after 29 years there. The Netherlands-based Special Tribunal sentenced Salim Ayyash, a member of the Hezbollah militant group, in absentia to life imprisonment in December for his involvement in Hariri’s assassination. Summary :The UN Security Council has given a green light to keep the UN-backed tribunal investigating the 2005 assassination of Lebanon’s former prime minister Rafik Hariri operating and funded for at least this year.

Source: Ethiopian News February 20, 2021 04:20 UTC