Russia to Donate 25,000 Tons of Wheat to Lebanon

An employee unloads wheat grains inside a storage in the village of Zghurivka, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv region, Ukraine August 9, 2022. (Reuters)
An employee unloads wheat grains inside a storage in the village of Zghurivka, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv region, Ukraine August 9, 2022. (Reuters)
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Russia to Donate 25,000 Tons of Wheat to Lebanon

An employee unloads wheat grains inside a storage in the village of Zghurivka, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv region, Ukraine August 9, 2022. (Reuters)
An employee unloads wheat grains inside a storage in the village of Zghurivka, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv region, Ukraine August 9, 2022. (Reuters)

Russia will donate 25,000 tons of wheat to crisis-hit Lebanon, the public works minister said on Monday.

Russia would also donate 10,000 tons of fuel oil to Beirut, minister Ali Hamie told Reuters, without elaborating.

The Russian embassy in Lebanon did not respond to a request for comment.

News of the donation comes after Russia said on Saturday it was halting its participation in the United Nations-brokered Black Sea Grain Initiative that facilitates the passage of cargo ships through the Black Sea amid the war.

The initiative had eased food security concerns, especially in parts of the developing world heavily dependent of imports of grain. Ships carrying grain continued to sail from Ukrainian ports on Monday.

Lebanon is in the fourth year of the most serious crisis since a 1975-90 civil war. The national currency has lost more than 90% of its value since 2019, leaving the cash-strapped government struggling to pay for imports of basic goods.



Canadian PM Urges Citizens to Leave Lebanon as Evacuations Top 1,000

Smoke rises over Beirut's southern suburbs, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as seen from Sin El Fil, Lebanon October 5, 2024. (Reuters)
Smoke rises over Beirut's southern suburbs, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as seen from Sin El Fil, Lebanon October 5, 2024. (Reuters)
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Canadian PM Urges Citizens to Leave Lebanon as Evacuations Top 1,000

Smoke rises over Beirut's southern suburbs, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as seen from Sin El Fil, Lebanon October 5, 2024. (Reuters)
Smoke rises over Beirut's southern suburbs, amid the ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as seen from Sin El Fil, Lebanon October 5, 2024. (Reuters)

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged Canadian citizens still in Lebanon on Saturday to sign up to be evacuated on special flights which have already helped more than 1,000 leave as security there deteriorates.

Canada has 6,000 signed up to leave and officials are trying to reach another 2,500 over the weekend, an official in Trudeau's office said, adding that more flights were being added for Monday and Tuesday.

"We've still got seats on airplanes organized by Canada. We encourage all Canadians to take seats on these airplanes and get out of Lebanon while they can," Trudeau said at a summit of leaders from French-speaking countries in France.

Canada has not been able to fill flights with its citizens and has offered seats to people from the Australia, New Zealand, the United States and some European countries, the official in his office said.

Israel has expanded its strikes on Lebanon in recent weeks after nearly a year of exchanging fire with Lebanon's Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah.

Fighting had been mostly limited to the Israel-Lebanon border area, taking place in parallel to Israel's year-old war in Gaza against Hamas.

Trudeau said an immediate ceasefire from both Hezbollah and Israel was needed so the situation could be stabilized and United Nations resolutions could begin to be respected again.