Naharnet
Latest stories
Lebanese-U.S. Terrorism Defendant Sentenced to Life in New York

A former personal secretary to Osama bin Laden got a strong rebuke from a judge Tuesday as he was sentenced to life in prison for a second time after claiming the Sept. 11 attacks and Superstorm Sandy were "God's punishment" for injustice against himself and others by the United States.

"You sir, in my judgment, are a committed terrorist who has betrayed his country," U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan told Wadih El-Hage after listening to the claims of the Lebanese-born man who became a U.S. citizen.

W140 Full Story
Geagea Demands Govt. Session to Put Immediate Stop to Hizbullah Fighting in Syria

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea condemned on Tuesday Hizbullah's fighting in Syria alongside the Syrian regime, accusing the party of violating the Baabda Declaration that calls for Lebanon to distance itself from regional crises.

He said during a press conference: “The government must hold a session to put an immediate stop to Hizbullah's fighting in Syria.

W140 Full Story
Archbishops Yaziji, Ibrahim Abducted in Aleppo, Driver Killed

Syriac Orthodox Archbishop of Aleppo Youhanna Ibrahim and Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Aleppo and Iskanderun Boulos al-Yaziji were kidnapped on Monday at the hands of gunmen near the northern Syrian city, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported.

Archbishop Ibrahim picked up Archbishop Yaziji in his car from a village on the Turkish border and his deacon was driving the vehicle, NNA said.

W140 Full Story
Gunmen Kidnap Syrian Shepherds in Akkar, Take Them to Syria

Syrian gunmen kidnapped two shepherds of the same nationality in the northern Akkar region and took them back to Syria, the state-run National News Agency reported on Saturday.

“The shepherds were captured in the kherbet al-Rumman-Shekhlar area of Akkar and were taken to Syria,” the NNA elaborated.

W140 Full Story
Three Syrians Wounded as Their Bus Overturns in Masnah

Three Syrian nationals were wounded when a bus carrying them to Lebanon overturned near the Masnah border crossing, the state-run National News Agency reported on Saturday.

“The bus that was coming from Syria overturned before reaching the General Security checkpoint in al-Masnah,” the NNA said, noting that the bus has a Syrian number plate.

W140 Full Story
Russia Slams U.S. Deployments in Jordan as Islamists Call for review of Decision

Russia on Friday called the deployment of U.S. troops in Jordan over the Syria crisis an unconstructive step that threatens to expand the conflict as the kingdom's Islamist opposition said Amman's government should review its decision.

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel revealed Wednesday that 150 U.S. military specialists had been deployed in Jordan since last year and that he had ordered the army to bolster the mission by bringing the total American presence to more than 200 troops.

W140 Full Story
Aoun Urges Suleiman, Salam to Respect Constitution: Neutral Govt. is Unconstitutional

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun stated on Tuesday that he is open to a “fair and just” solution over the formation of a new government, saying that it should not be unconstitutional.

He said after the Change and Reform bloc's weekly meeting: “A neutral government that is being proposed is unconstitutional.”

W140 Full Story
Syria Rebels Confirm Shelling Bekaa, Hizbullah Buries More Fighters

Syrian rebel commanders have confirmed insurgents had fired shells into Hermel towns on Saturday and Sunday, but denied there were any attacks on Monday.

"Yesterday (Sunday), Hizbullah bombarded Qusayr, Nahriyeh, Burhaniyeh and Saqarji (near the Lebanese border) from its positions in al-Qasr and Hawsh al-Sayyed Ali. They bombed civilians and killed many women and children," said Abu Oday, a commander of the rebel Independent Farouq Division.

W140 Full Story
Syria Air Force Pounds Arsal, Wounded Transferred to Region's Hospitals

Syria's air force pounded a rural area near the eastern border town of Arsal for the second time in 24 hours on Thursday, officials said.

"I can confirm there was a raid," said Ahmad Fliti, deputy head of Arsal council.

W140 Full Story
Mustaqbal Bloc Rejects 'Spiteful' Acts over Electoral Law

The Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc renewed on Tuesday its demand for the adoption of the hybrid parliamentary electoral law for the elections.

It said that discussions over the law should steer away from “spiteful acts”.

W140 Full Story