Turning 100: Lebanon, a nation branded by upheaval, crises

It was a century ago on Sept. 1, 1920, that a French general, Henri Gouraud, stood on the porch of a Beirut palace surrounded by local politicians and religious leaders and declared the State of Greater Lebanon — the precursor of the modern state of Lebanon. The current French president, Emmanuel Macron, is visiting Lebanon to mark the occasion, 100 years later. Lebanon has been hit by a series of catastrophes, including a financial crash.