Libya, EU patch up visa dispute

Libya lifted a visa ban on citizens of 25 European countries on Saturday after EU president Spain said a Swiss-instigated visa blacklist against 188 Libyans in those countries had been scrapped. (more…)

Geagea: They are trying to take away our second independence

Lebanese Forces party leader Samir Geagea said during 16th commemoration of banning the LF party that the occasion paves way for a better future. He also thanked thousands of LF members for their sacrifices. He commented the following on other issues. (more…)

DSL service to Aley and Chouf

Lebanon Telecom minister Charbel Nahas inaugurated DSL service in Aley and Chouf region of Mt. Lebanon and met with PSP leader Walid Jumblatt.

HRW urges Libya to reveal fate of Lebanese Shiite cleric Sadr

Human Rights Watch has urged Libya to reveal the fate of missing people in the country, including the prominent Shiite cleric Imam Moussa Sadr.

The call by the New York-based rights watchdog comes as the 22nd Arab League summit opens in Libya with Israel’s expansion policies in Jerusalem high on its agenda.

Lebanese President Michel Suleiman has boycotted the summit in Sirte amid a lingering dispute with Libya over the disappearance of Sadr. The Lebanese cabinet decided to designate country’s envoy to the Arab League in Cairo as its representative at the summit. (more…)

Libya summit:Moussa warns of Mideast peace failure

The chief of the Arab League is warning that Israel’s actions could bring about a final end to the Middle East peace process.

Amr Moussa urged an Arab leadership summit in Libya on Saturday to forge a new strategy to pressure Israel.

He said the peace process cannot be “an open ended process.”

Earlier this month, Arab nations opened the door for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to enter four months of indirect, American-brokered peace talks with Israel. (more…)

The Libya summit is unpredictable like its host

The Arab League Summit is being held in Libya this year by default.

The venue of the conference is determined on a rotational basis among the organisation’s 22 members.

This year it was Iraq’s turn to host the summit meeting: however it was mutually agreed that this might not be an appropriate time.

Next in the roster was Djibouti: but this Republic in the Horn of Africa decided to opt out as host, and so in rotation the summit came to Libya. (more…)

2 Israeli soldiers, 1 Palestinian civilian killed in Gaza fighting

Two Israeli soldiers and a Palestinian civilian were killed Friday as a gunbattle between troops and Palestinian militants widened into some of the fiercest fighting in the Gaza Strip since Israel’s military offensive there last year. (more…)

Iraq: Allawi wins, ready to form a government

Former Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi’s secular Iraqiya bloc won the most seats in Iraq’s March 7 parliamentary election, two more than incumbent Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s State of Law Alliance bloc, official results showed Friday.

Iraqiya won 91 seats in the 325-member Council of Representatives, compared to the 89 won by Maliki, a fellow Shia, election officials said. (more…)

Mechanism for administrative appointments to be finalized next week

The committee tasked with putting a mechanism for administrative appointments met at the Center House under Lebanon PM Saad Hariri.
Following the meeting Minister Mohammed Fneish said the committee will hold a final meeting next Tuesday at the Grand Serail to finalize discussions.

STL prosecutor: Speculation unfortunate, unhelpful

Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare’s office issued a statement on Friday dismissing the media reports as speculation on the tribunal’s work, saying they are “unfortunate and unhelpful as they would only confuse the public.”

The media attributed their reports to ‘unidentified sources,’ some were described as ‘well informed sources’ or ’sources close to the investigation.’ (more…)