Future Movement: Baroud is not convincing

Future Movement did not buy the explanations provided by Lebanese Interior Minister Ziad Baroud with regards to the efforts of the ministry following the explosion in Haret Hraik .
A high-ranking source from Future Movement told As-Safir newspaper in remarks published Thursday that Baroud’s statement was “not convincing.”
“His (Baroud’s) statement constitutes an attempt to escape from his responsibilities as interior minister,” the source said.
He accused Baroud of “negligence” in dealing with the incident “in terms of explaining the circumstances and determining the reasons behind the hindrances to the work of authorities in charge of the probe.”
The explosion occurred in a Hezbollah stronghold in southern Beirut and targeted Hamas officials

8 Americans, 4 Canadians killed in Afghanistan

An attack by a suicide bomber at a military base in eastern Afghanistan on Wednesday killed eight Americans believed to be CIA employees, a senior U.S. official told CNN.
Also Wednesday, four Canadian soldiers and a Canadian journalist were killed when a roadside bomb hit their armored vehicle in southern Afghanistan, Canada’s defense ministry said. CNN

Nasrallah has no intention of ‘Lebanonizing’ Hezbollah

Nasrallah made four mistakes in his Ashura speech. He, once again, overstepped his boundaries in the context of the Lebanese system of sectarian compromise by taking an entire religious community to task when no one asked for his counsel. He addressed, therefore implicitly criticized, Christians in general, forgetting that his beef was allegedly only with a minority that once sided with Israel. He sounded threatening. And he blithely ignored the fact that when he told the Christians to be Lebanese above all, he had no credibility to do so inasmuch as he and his organization come across as being Iranian above all.

The Ashoura speech once again served to remind us that Nasrallah has no intention of “Lebanonizing” Hezbollah; rather he is seeking to mold Lebanon in Hezbollah ’s image. It won’t work, and the secretary general, for the umpteenth time, has overestimated his capacities. Someone should have reminded him that Ashura is, above all, a commemoration of self-sacrifice, in other words a day to embrace humility. The Daily Star

Lebanese military fired on Israeli jets

Lebanese military forces fired on Israeli jets flying over the southern part of the country in a possible sign of renewed border tensions.
The Lebanese military said it fired on four Israeli planes flying over southern Lebanon on Tuesday. A military statement said no hits were recorded, though Lebanese gunners were able to force the planes to a higher altitude for safety.
Andrea Tenenti, a spokesperson for the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon, said the Israeli incursion was a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions dealing with Lebanese security issues. UPI

Yemen in focus over US failed airline bomb attemp

The US is increasing its security assistance to Yemen following a failed airline bombing attempt in the US.
A Yemen group calling itself al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula claimed to be behind the attempted attack and Yemeni officials said security forces clashed with suspected al-Qaeda fighters on Wednesday in the western part of the country. Al Jazeera

Zahra slams Nasrallah’s speech

Lebanese forces MP Antoine Zahra slammed Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah ‘s speech last Sunday in which he criticized the Christian community . Zahra said we reject all the accusations and as Dr Geagea said we don’t want Israel to have any excuses to attack Lebanon and the war and peace decisions should be exclusively made by the state.
Zahra said ever since 2000 there has been no justification for Hezbollah weapons because both Shebaa Farms and Kfarshouba hills require a documented proof from Syria that they are Lebanese territories.
Zahra added that May 7 2008 was suicidal for the logic of resistance. accusing others of allegiance to Israel and US is totally rejected because we are the Cedar Revolution and what it stood for in independence , freedom and democracy

Killer of Filipina housekeeper of Lebanese ambassador in vienna arrested

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Killer of the 30-year-old Filipina housekeeper who worked at the Lebanese ambassador’s residence in the Austrian capital was found and arrested by the Austrian security authorities according to the Lebanese ministry of Foreign affairs. He pleaded guilty and acknowledged that the motives were emotional and personal . The ambassador, Izhaya al-Khoury, was out of the country, but cut short his trip and returned as soon as he heard about the murder . The ambassador expressed his gratitude to the Austrian authorities for finding the killer within such a short period ( 48 hours)

Lebanese Decadence?

By Ghassan Karam
It has often been said that the clearest image of the values and mores of a country can best be seen in the way that it treats its poor.

Aoun: Haret Hraik blast being blown out of proportion

Following Change and Reform bloc meeting FPM leader MP Michel Aoun defended his Hezbollah allies and said : Haret Hraik blast is being blown out of proportion.
Hezbollah waited for 19 hours before allowing the Lebanese military judge to enter its Dhahiyah stronghold where the explosion took place and this was criticized by the Lebanese majority
Aoun also defended his comparison between the Shiite Ashura and the Christian Good Friday .
“This is Bishop Rahi’s opinion ( to reject the comparison between Good Friday and Ashura), and I think that other bishops had different stances, I think the comparison between Good Friday and Ashura is feasible .
commenting on the municipality elections Aoun said : We want to know if municipal elections will take place on the specified date “

Yemeni forces storm al-Qaida hide-out, arrest 1

A Yemeni security official says forces have stormed an al-Qaida hide-out in the country’s west, setting off clashes.
A government statement confirmed the clashes and said at least one suspected al-Qaida member was arrested.
The fighting took place in Hudaydah province, a principle al-Qaida stronghold. It was home to most of the attackers who struck outside the U.S. Embassy in 2008, killing 10 Yemeni guards and four civilians.