Rice: US pledge for Lebanon totals near $770m

The United States will pledge almost $770 million (€592 million) to help rebuild Lebanon and support its fragile government, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday. Rice told reporters flying with her that the money will be part of international pledges that analysts have said will total $5 billion (€3.8 billion) at a conference starting in Paris on Thursday. Much of the US money comes with strings attached. The government of Prime Minister Fuad Saniora will get the money only as it meets standards for political and financial reform.