Lebanon
Latest stories
3 Lebanese Sentenced to Death for Spying for Israel

Three Lebanese were sentenced to death by the Military Court on Friday for spying for Israel, a judicial source said.

The tribunal "condemned to death Moussa Ali Moussa, who was found guilty of having contacted the Israeli enemy and passing on information," the source said.

W140 Full Story
Gemayel Discusses with Berri 'Ideas to Reinforce Consensus'

Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel on Friday met with Speaker Nabih Berri in Ain al-Tineh, saying he discussed with him “some ideas that could reinforce consensus among all parties amid these circumstances.”

Gemayel said the proposed ideas would help “immunize our domestic arena in the face of all the storms around us.”

W140 Full Story
Suleiman: Some Flaws in the State Need to Be Addressed to Fortify Taef Accord

President Michel Suleiman revealed on Friday that he will propose a number of constitutional reforms to cabinet in the upcoming months.

He said before the new council of Arab journalists in Beirut: “I believe in the Taef Accord as it is, but in order to fortify the agreement, some flaws in state need to addressed.”

W140 Full Story
Nasrallah: Lebanon Chose to Distance Itself from Regional Events to Preserve the Govt.

Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah defended on Friday Lebanon’s decision to distance itself from regional developments.

He said: “Lebanon is part of the region, but its decision is aimed at preserving the government.”

W140 Full Story
Lebanon Files Complaint with U.N. Over Israeli Razor Wire Near Blue Line

Lebanon filed a complaint with the U.N. against Israel for erecting a barbed wire near the U.N.-drawn Blue Line in the town of Adaisseh, the foreign ministry announced on Friday.

The ministry said in a statement that the incident took place on Feb. 8 when Israeli forces “erected a 40-meter concertina wire near the Blue Line in the town of Adaisseh to block the road leading to the Blue Line and that crosses into a minefield.”

W140 Full Story
Hizbullah Operative in Iraq to Face U.S. Military Charges

Ali Moussa Daqdouq, a Lebanese Hizbullah operative and the last prisoner held by American forces in Iraq, is set to face U.S. military charges, reported the New York Times on Thursday.

The American administration is cooperating with Iraq to transfer the detainee to the United States in accordance with Iraqi law, it added.

W140 Full Story
Change and Reform Rejects Finding Comprehensive Settlement to Controversial Spending

MP Ibrahim Kanaan, who is a member of MP Michel Aoun’s Change and Reform bloc, rejected the formation of a parliamentary committee tasked with studying spending made by the current and previous governments to find a comprehensive settlement to the issue.

In remarks to An Nahar daily published Friday, Kanaan said: “The idea of the (formation of) the committee was proposed by (Speaker Nabih) Berri on the eve of the (legislative) session given that the $5.9 billion spending bill and other draft laws on the agenda would be adopted.”

W140 Full Story
Cabinet to Kick Off Sessions on Monday, Miqati Keen to Rectify Relations with Aoun

The cabinet is back on track as Prime Minister Najib Miqati revealed on Friday that it will convene again, considering it a fresh start to rectify relations with Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun.

Miqati told As Safir newspaper that the cabinet will meet at 9:30 a.m. on Monday at the Baabda Palace.

W140 Full Story
Al-Mustaqbal Says Aoun Lost on 3 Fronts, Blames him for Adjournment of Legislative Session

The al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc stressed on Friday that Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun lost on three fronts when the March 14 lawmakers withdrew from a parliamentary session the day before.

Al-Mustaqbal sources told An Nahar that Aoun lost Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas, failed to win support for a $5.9 billion cabinet spending bill, and witnessed the removal of the Value Added Tax on red and green diesel, a move rejected by Energy Minister Jebran Bassil.

W140 Full Story
Judge Salim Jreissati Succeeds Nahhas as Labor Minister

President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Najib Miqati signed on Friday a decree appointing Judge Salim Jreissati as the successor of former Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas, the National News Agency reported.

Miqati and Suleiman signed the decree at the Baabda Palace, a day after Nahhas officially resigned.

W140 Full Story