Focus on World Economic Forum shifts to Middle East

Lebanon’s prime minister today abruptly pulled out of an international gathering of world political and business leaders in Switzerland, reflecting tensions in his nation.

Fuad Saniora’s decision not to attend the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos was the latest sign of the crisis gripping Lebanon. His Western-backed government is locked in confrontation with Iranian-backed Hezbollah and its allies, struggling under debt and facing the task of rebuilding after last summer’s 34-day conflict that left much of southern Lebanon in ruins.