Paris Conference Raises $1B for Lebanon Support

An international conference organized by France has garnered $1 billion in pledges to support Lebanon amid the ongoing conflict with Israel. "We have collectively raised $800 million in humanitarian aid and $200 million for the security forces, that's about $1 billion," said French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot. "We're up to the challenge," Barrot said.

President Emmanuel Macron had emphasized the need for "massive aid" to address the country's deepening crisis; the conflict has displaced a million people and resulted in over 2,500 fatalities. Over 70 nations and international organizations participated in the conference, whose organizers had hoped to raise enough money to supply the $426 million in humanitarian aid the UN described as being urgently needed. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)