Lebanon

Syrian refugee camp in Lebanon destroyed by fire

The blaze took hold at the camp near Qab Elias town in the Bekaa Valley. Footage from the scene showed near total devastation.

The UN refugee agency told Reuters the camp had housed 102 families.

Lebanon has one million registered Syrian refugees, but believes the number is more like 1.5 million.

Many Syrians, displaced by more than six years of fighting in their own country, live in makeshift camps dotted around Lebanon.

The UNHCR's Dana Sleiman said it is thought the fire was caused by a cooking stove, but added "we are waiting to confirm it".

Manus detainee's injuries not self inflicted

Mr El Sheikh physically resisted two attempts to move him from Manus to Papua New Guinea's capital, Port Moresby, from where authorities planned to deport him to Lebanon.

The advocate, Marilyn Beech, said during that time, Mr El Sheikh was the victim of several beatings by security forces and suffered injuries to his ribs, kidneys, ankle and neck, resulting in a loss of sensation in his left side.

Former soldier granted bail over botched child recovery in Lebanon

Child recovery specialist and former Australian soldier Adam Whittington has been ordered to pay $US20,000 ($26,000) in bail.

Brisbane mother Sally Faulkner, Channel Nine's 60 Minutes crew members and Whittington and his associates were accused of trying to forcibly take Ms Faulkner's children — who were living in Beirut with her estranged ex-partner Ali Elamine — and return them to Australia.

Shooting in Lebanon refugee camp leaves 2 dead, 3 wounded

Tuesday's shooting in the Ein el-Hilweh camp comes three days after an official from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party — Talal Baladneh, who was also known as Talal the Jordanian — was ambushed and killed in a hail of gunfire near the camp.