Lebanon files complaint with UN over Israeli memorial

Lebanon has filed a complaint with the UN Security Council over a memorial Israel inaugurated this week in the disputed Shebaa Farms border region, the foreign ministry said Friday.

The ministry said the memorial was inaugurated on Wednesday but did not specify the nature of the edifice.

“This is a flagrant violation of international law and UN Security Council Resolution 1701,” the ministry said. (more…)

Berri welcomes Sfeir statement on sectarianism

Speaker Nabih Berri issued a statement on Friday that Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir’s Thursday address in which he said that sectarianism should be abolished as a whole and not just political sectarianism , is a starting point to work toward having all the Lebanese agree on the matter.

“Let us form the national committee to abolish political sectarianism to suggest how sectarianism can be abolished completely ,” Berri added. (more…)

Wave of Bombings Kills Dozens in Iraq

A series of bombings on Friday struck mosques, a market and a shop in Baghdad, as well as the homes of a prosecutor and police officers in western Iraq on Friday, killing dozens, only five days after a joint Iraqi-American raid killed the country’s top two Al Qaeda leaders. (more…)

Hezbollah official: We don’t need scud missiles

Hezbollah political bureau member Ghaleb Abu Zainab said during an interview with NBN television on Friday, that his party does not need Scud missiles to defend Lebanon.

Last week, Israeli President Shimon Peres publicly accused Syria of sending Scuds to Hezbollah. Syria has denied the charge and said Israel might be using the accusation as a pretext for a military strike. (more…)

Netanyahu: Iran provoking Israel-Syria conflict

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Iran is trying to provoke a war between Israel and Syria.

Netanyahu says Iran is trying to convince Syria that an Israeli attack is imminent, which he says is a “lie.”

“Israel wants peace. Israel does not want war,” Netanyahu claimed. (more…)

Hezbollah: A war against Iran will set the entire region on fire

Hezbollah’s second in command Sheikh Naim Qassem warned Thursday during an interview with the ( Iranian) Islamic Republic News Agency IRNA that any war waged by Israel against Iran will will set the entire region on fire.

“I don’t have a final vision for the region’s situation at that time because this matter is related to the aggression’s nature, timing and area,” Qassem told IRNA . (more…)

Greece Calls for Activation of Financial Rescue Package

The Greek government formally requested an international funding package Friday aimed at pulling the euro-zone member out of a debt crisis.

Prime Minister George Papandreou announced on Greek television the activation of up to €45 billion, or $60 billion, in loans expected from the European Union and International Monetary Fund, Reuters reported. (more…)

Netanyahu again rejected US calls to halt construction in occupied East Jerusalem

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has again rejected US calls to halt construction in occupied East Jerusalem.

He was speaking as US Middle East envoy George Mitchell arrived in the region to try to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

It is his first visit since a row broke out between Israel and the US over home construction plans in East Jerusalem. (more…)

Earth Day 2010

By Ghassan Karam
Forty years ago Earth Day was born and it validated what is perhaps the most promising social movement of the last century and arguably at least the last two centuries.

Geagea: Some cabinet members instigated the strike

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea criticized Thursday’s strike called by the unions and syndicates for land transportation, saying that they were instigated by political sides that are represented in government and also aim at targeting it.

“The strike we witnessed today and the blocking of roads and burning of tires that accompanied it was farthest from the spirit of labor and syndicates,” he told the Central News Agency. (more…)