Naharnet
Latest stories
Saudi Arabia Places 12 Hizbullah Leaders on Terror List for 'their Operations in Mideast'

Saudi Arabia placed on Thursday a number of Hizbullah leaders and investment companies on its terrorism list due to their involvement in “operations throughout the Middle East.”

The Saudi Interior Ministry announced in a statement that 12 Hizbullah leaders and officials have been placed on the list.

W140 Full Story
Report: Turkish Embassy Requests Tightened Security Measures

Turkey's embassy in Lebanon has requested the security apparatus to tighten their measures at the embassy's locations in Rabieh in the wake of the latest confrontations over the Mount of Turkman northern Syria that led to the downing of a Russian plane, reports said.

“We have tightened security measures around most of the targeted embassies, and we have already embarked on that in the vicinity of the Russian and Egyptian missions,” an unnamed security source told al-Joumhouria daily on Thursday.

W140 Full Story
Report: Hizbullah Adheres to Aoun as Presidnet

A meeting between Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil and Hizbullah leader's political assistant Hajj Hussein Khalil has reportedly took place late on Wednesday where talks tackled the latest developments at the presidential level, reports said.

Despite the latest settlement that saw the possible nomination of Marada leader MP Suleiman Franjieh for the top state post, Hizbullah continues to support its sole candidate MP Michel Aoun, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Thursday.

W140 Full Story
Brussels to Stay at Highest Security Alert Level amid Major Police Operation

Brussels will remain at the highest possible alert level on Monday with schools and metros closed over a "serious and imminent" security threat in the wake of the Paris attacks, the Belgian prime minister said, shortly before a major police operation got underway in the capital.

"Various operations are underway" in connection with the "terrorist threat," police said.

W140 Full Story
Hariri on Independence Day: Vacuum at Presidential Post an Insult

Former Prime Minister and al-Mustaqbal movement chief Saad Hariri stated on Saturday that Lebanon celebrates its Independence Day this year with sorrow and that the vacuum at the top state post is an insult to the Lebanese.

“The vacuum at the presidential post is the biggest insult to the Lebanese people on their national day of Independence,” said Hariri via Twitter.

W140 Full Story
Zaspykin Surprised at Russian Request: It Was not passed to the Embassy in Lebanon

Russian ambassador to Lebanon Alexander Zasypkin expressed astonishment at the recent Russian request to divert air routes from Lebanon stressing that he had “no information on the subject,” al-Joumhouria daily said on Saturday.

Zaspykin said that he was totally surprised by Russia's request that Lebanon ensures that flights from Beirut airport avoid an area over the eastern Mediterranean for the next three days.

W140 Full Story
Hollande Congratulates Salam on Independence Day, Reiterates France Support for Lebanon

Prime Minister Tammam Salam received a congratulation letter from French President Francois Hollande on Independence Day in which he confirmed “his country's support to Lebanon to overcome the challenges facing the nation,” the National News Agency said on Saturday.

Hollande praised Salam's efforts in light of the difficult circumstances that the country is witnessing, saying that his country will continue its efforts to help Lebanon end the presidential vacuum.

W140 Full Story
Zoaiter Says no Israeli Intrusion on New Aviation Routes, as Kuwait Airways Cancels Two Flights

Public Works and Transport Minister Ghazi Zoaiter revealed on Saturday that Lebanon has taken assurances from Cyprus that Israel will not intrude upon Lebanon's new aviation routes, nor will it carry out maneuvers in light of the latest Russian demand to avoid overflying the eastern Mediterranean area.

“Lebanon has taken assurances from Cyprus that Israel will not intrude upon Lebanon's aviation or carry out any maneuvers on the new air routes,” Zoaiter told al-Joumhouria daily on Saturday.

W140 Full Story
Report: Franjieh-Hariri Meeting Happened, Did not Happen

Despite the statements negating that a meeting has taken place between head of al-Mustaqbal movement Saad Hariri and Marada leader MP Suleiman Franjieh, well informed sources assured that the meeting has happened and that the two man have met at the house of business man Jilbert Chagouri, al-Akhbar daily reported on Saturday.

The sources added that mutual friends have arranged for the meeting at Chagouri's place in Paris during Suleiman's visit to the French capital last week.

W140 Full Story
Planes to Fly Longer as Russia Asks that Beirut Flights Avoid Area over Mediterranean

Russia asked Lebanon Friday to ensure that flights from Beirut airport avoid an area over the eastern Mediterranean for the next three days, Transport and Public Works Minister Ghazi Zoaiter said.

Russia, which is carrying out air strikes in Syria, "has asked the Lebanese authorities that planes leaving Beirut airport towards the west avoid overflying an area in Mediterranean territorial waters because of maneuvers on Saturday, Sunday and Monday," he said.

W140 Full Story