Newspapers focus on death penalty, media law, and negotiations

Newspapers today, Wednesday 12 August 2026, highlighted the abolition of the death penalty and the shock it caused in the media or the resulting government crisis, a contentious media law, and a heated legislative session with widespread disputes. Other headlines focused on Aoun’s insistence on negotiation and reported progress, as well as Lebanese-Israeli talks remaining stalled. Kuwaiti newspapers also quoted the U.S. ambassador from the Balamand Patriarchal seat saying President Trump loves Lebanon and wants peace there, and reported that Lebanon will not leave the negotiations and wants U.S. guarantees against Israeli treachery. Other headlines referred to a death sentence for Bashar, Maher al-Assad and Atef Najib, justice for the children of Daraa, and economic challenges including falling remittances and pressure on the balance of payments.