Lebanon protests

Amnesty International is accusing police in Beirut, Lebanon, of excessive violence after at least 135 people were injured when police broke up a peaceful protest on Dec. 14.

Protests in Lebanon regarding income inequality and the high rate of unemployment were ongoing at press time. Protesters had demanded that the prime minister resign, which he did on Dec. 18. Hezbollah, a militant group that holds seats in Lebanon’s Parliament yet is considered a terrorist organization by the US and EU, appointed one of their members as the new prime minister on Dec. 19; however, that appointee did not have the backing of non-Hezbollah members of Parliament, meaning he is unlikely to keep the seat long-term.