Lebanon
Latest stories
Geagea: Death of Hizbullah Members in Syria will have Very Dangerous Repercussions

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Friday said he was not surprised by the blast that rocked the Bekaa town of Nabi Sheet, but rather by “the news of the death of Hizbullah members in Syria, who were unfortunately contributing to the killing of the innocent Syrian people.”

Speaking after a meeting in Maarab with U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Maura Connelly, Geagea warned that “the death of these members in Syria will have very dangerous repercussions, especially on the Shiite community.”

W140 Full Story
In Maarab, Connelly Urges Insulating Lebanon from 'Effects of Syria Violence'

U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Maura Connelly on Friday said “the United States calls on all parties to work together to insulate Lebanon from the effects of the violence in Syria resulting from the Assad regime’s brutal crackdown on the Syrian people.”

Speaking after a meeting with Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea in Maarab, Connelly said she discussed with the LF leader their “deep concern over the destabilizing actions of Syria in Lebanon.” 

W140 Full Story
Lebanese German Charged with Spying on Syrian Dissidents

German federal prosecutors on Friday charged a 48-year-old man of dual German-Lebanese nationality alleged to have been spying for Damascus on opponents of the Syrian regime in Germany.

Prosecutors said the man, named only as Mahmoud El. A, was a Syrian secret service operative between April 2007 until his arrest in February 2012.

W140 Full Story
Berri Cables Assad: Your Experience in Defiance Will Help You Overcome Current Crisis

Speaker Nabih Berri cabled on Friday Syrian President Bashar Assad on the occasion of the anniversary of the October 1973 Arab-Israeli War.

He said: “Your country is passing through one of its most difficult tests and I am certain that your experience in defying Israel will enable you to overcome your current crisis.”

W140 Full Story
Lebanese Man Pleads Not Guilty to Cyprus Plot

A Lebanese man accused of plotting an attack on Israeli tourists in Cyprus pleaded not guilty on Friday before a criminal court in the southern city of Limassol, court sources said.

Hossam Taleb Yaacoub, who was arrested in the southern resort city some three months ago, appeared before the court under tight security.

W140 Full Story
ISF Detains Two Syrians who Entered Shebaa Illegally

Internal Security Forces detained on Friday two Syrian nationals who infiltrated the outskirts of Shebaa from their Syrian town of Beit Jin, the National News Agency reported.

Khaled Ahmed Kamal and Ahmed Qassem Kamal crossed into Lebanon through Mount Hermon, the news agency said.

W140 Full Story
Report: Hizbullah Arms Cache Explosion Caused by Fuse Combustion

The Nabi Sheet explosion in a Hizbullah arms depot occurred due to a flame in one of the shells percussion caps which led to the series of explosions, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Friday.

According to information obtained by the daily, the security report says that the high temperature in the area helped the fire to combust swiftly.

W140 Full Story
Discussions on Electoral Law Have Been Limited to Govt. Proposal, Says Interior Minister

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel reiterated on Friday the need to reach an agreement over a new parliamentary electoral law four or five months before the 2013 elections are set to take place, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Friday.

He told the daily: “Discussions on the electoral law have been limited to the government proposal on the matter despite the various draft laws presented by different political powers.”

W140 Full Story
Charbel Says Security Situation in Lebanon Stable Compared to Region

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel stressed on Friday that Lebanon remains one of the “very secure” countries, pointing out that the reasons behind the Nabi Sheet explosion that happened in a Hizbullah arms depot are technical.

“Lebanon remains one of the very secure countries, if we compare the local situation to the developments around us. We are still fine,” Charbel told Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3).

W140 Full Story
Roux Says Visit to Lebanon a 'Routine,' Trials Date Could be Modified

Head of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon's defense office Francois Roux said that his current visit to Lebanon is a routine visit as he is keen to maintain the ties with authorities and the Beirut and Tripoli Bar Associations to remind all sides of the right of the defendants to have a fair trial, noting that the date of trials on March 25 could be changed.

He described the visit in comments published in An Nahar as “good and useful.”

W140 Full Story