Aoun considers himself “Saint Maroun the Second”

National Liberal Party leader Dori Chamoun on Thursday strongly criticized both Druze leader Walid Jumblat and Free Patriotic Movement chief Michel Aoun, calling them “pillars” of the Syrian government.

Aoun and Jumblat “have become pillars of the Syrian regime,” Chamoun said in an interview with the weekly Al-Masira magazine. (more…)

Iran’s president in Syria to meet with Assad, Nasrallah, Meshaal

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran’s president, is in Damascus for talks with his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s official SANA news agency said.

According to other reports the Iranian president will also meet with Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Lebanese group Hezbollah, and Khaled Meshaal, Hamas’ leader, while in Damascus.

Thursday’s visit comes after Walid Mouallem, Syria’s foreign minister, said Damascus was eager to help Iran and the West engage in a “constructive” dialogue over Tehran’s contested nuclear program.

“Sanctions are not a solution [to the problem] between Iran and the West,” Mouallem said on Saturday. (more…)

Lebanese Olympian fulfills childhood dream

By Olivia Sterns
When Olympic skier Chirine Njeim tells people she’s from Lebanon, they often laugh in disbelief.

ET409: Airline accuses authorities of misleading investigation

Ethiopian Airlines chief Girma Wake accused Lebanese authorities on Wednesday of making misleading comments on the cause of the Ethiopian plane’s crash in January. Wake said that his main concern is with “the authorities who come out with guesses every morning,” rather than the investigators. “I am not happy with the way they are handling it,” he added. (more…)

Clinton pushing Syria to end interference in Lebanon

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Wednesday the United States is urging Syria to distance itself from Iran as well as to stop arming Hizbullah and interfering in Lebanon. It was the first time Clinton stated so bluntly that Washington wants to drive a wedge between Damascus and Tehran, which is the target of a U.S.-led drive for sanctions aimed at halting the Iranian nuclear program. (more…)

Lebanon continues to inspire fashion designers

Two up and coming designers with roots in Lebanon will be competing in the “Oscars Designer Challenge 2010”, a competition to have the winning dress worn during the Oscars ceremony.

Rania Salibi is a Lebanese-American who graduated from Lebanon’s Sagesse High School in 2002. Salibi relocated to Los Angeles in 2005 to pursue her dreams of fashion design. “Living in Lebanon influenced my design perspective towards the Mediterranean and European flavor. I enjoy European art and history and the richness of Mediterranean culture.”

Hagop Ari Sheuhmelian the designer behind the couture house of Pogah. The origins of Ari’s artistic expression came together through his upbringing in both Lebanon and Syria. (more…)

Dubai identifies 15 more suspects in Hamas assassination

Police in Dubai have identified 15 more suspects in the killing last month of a senior member of the Palestinian Islamist militant group, Hamas. The accusations Wednesday give the names and passports of the suspects in the Jan. 19 killing of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh. The latest suspects include 10 men and five women traveling on British, Irish, French and Australian passports. (more…)

Postponing elections not an option in Lebanon

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said Wednesday that any attempt to postpone the municipal elections is aimed at weakening the regime in Lebanon. The polls “should be held on time … so that we don’t lose faith in the regime,” Geagea said during a meeting with a visiting LF delegation from Zahle.

“We will use our constitutional right to stop any attempt by parliament to postpone the municipal elections,” he said. (more…)

Hamas founder’s son spied for Israel

The son of a leading Hamas figure, who famously converted to Christianity, served for over a decade as the Shin Bet security service’s most valuable source in the militant organization’s leadership.

Mosab Hassan Yousef is the son of Sheikh Hassan Yousef, a Hamas founder and one of its leaders in the West Bank. The intelligence he supplied Israel led to the exposure of a number of terrorist cells, and to the prevention of dozens of suicide bombings and assassination attempts on Israeli figures. (more…)

Gas prices drop

Energy Minister Gebran Bassil issued a statement on Wednesday noting the price changes for gasoline, oil and fuel in Lebanon for the coming week. (more…)