The Head of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon Defense Office Francois Roux assigned permanent counsel to the four accused in the case Prosecutor v. Ayyash et al., announced the Special Tribunal for Lebanon in a press release on Friday.

The Trial Chamber decided that the accused will be tried in absentia and on Wednesday Pre-Trial Judge Daniel Fransen requested the assignment of counsel, it added.

Speaker Nabih Berri stated on Thursday that Lebanon’s policy of distancing itself from the developments in the Arab world has preserved the Lebanese people’s interests.

He said: “Lebanon’s positive neutrality on all issues, except those related to Israel, has protected the country’s interests.”

The Trial Chamber of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon has decided to try the four men accused in the 2005 assassination of ex-premier Rafik Hariri in absentia, the STL said on Wednesday in a statement.

“The Trial Chamber examined numerous documents from the Tribunal's Prosecutor (Daniel Bellemare) and the Lebanese Prosecutor-General (Saeed Mirza), which detail the steps taken by the Lebanese authorities to apprehend the accused and inform them about the proceedings,” the Hague-based court said.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati on Wednesday threatened to boycott cabinet sessions if a dispute over the issue of administrative appointments was not resolved, after the Free Patriotic Movement ministers walked out from Wednesday’s session prompting its suspension.

The cabinet, however, managed to reach an agreement over the controversial issue of telecom data before the session was adjourned.

Fresh violence killed at least 56 civilians, 15 soldiers and 14 rebels in Syria on Wednesday after Western powers and the Arab League demanded immediate U.N. action to stop the regime's "killing machine" but holdout Russia said any vote needed more time.

Wrangling at the United Nations came as fierce clashes raged across Syria's powder keg regions between President Bashar al-Assad's security forces and rebel fighters of the Free Syrian Army.

The Audit Bureau’s acting general prosecutor, Judge Bassam Wehbe, announced on Wednesday that he would issue his review on the initial investigation report on the red diesel scandal within a week and hold accountable those involved in the case.

“The Bureau has informed the premiership about the report that it received from the inspectors’ committee tasked by the Bureau to investigate the case,” Wehbe told the National News Agency.

Customs agents at the Rafik Hariri International Airport thwarted on Wednesday an attempt to smuggle 500 iPhones from Australia, reported the National News Agency.

The iPhones were discovered in the luggages of three Australians of Lebanese origin, who arrived in Lebanon from Australia through Dubai.

The Council of Development and Reconstruction began on Wednesday dismantling the metal bridge on the Jal el-Dib highway that links Beirut with the North after warnings the structure could collapse.

Engineer Elie Helou expected the process to take a month, the National News Agency said.

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun stressed on Tuesday that Lebanon is not a broken country, but it has been robbed.

He said after the Change and Reform bloc’s weekly meeting: “Those who plundered it will meet us in court.”

The Thomson Foundation of the UK will be announcing the winners of the Inquirer Award 2011 at a special Awards ceremony which will be held in Amman, Jordan on the 4th of February 2012.

"We received a total of 85 entries to the Print Media category," The foundation said in a press statement.