Lieberman: Israel, UN are close to a deal on northern Ghajar

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who is on an official visit to Madrid said Israel and the UN were close to reaching an agreement regarding the northern village of Ghajar.

“Israel has held five meetings with UN representatives so far. The disputed points are resolvable in a matter that could achieve a positive outcome, ” Lieberman said. (more…)

Grenade explodes in Tripoli

A grenade exploded in Syria street in the Tripoli neighborhood of Bab al-Tabbaneh, National News Agency (NNA) reported on Thursday

According to the NNA, security forces launched an investigation into the incident.

U.S. VP Biden: Iran sanctions soon, no Israeli strike likely

Vice President Joe Biden said on Thursday he expects new U.N. sanctions on Iran by late April or early May and dismissed the notion that Israel might attack the Islamic Republic before first allowing sanctions to take their course.

Biden issued the latest U.S. warning to Iran, which is locked in a standoff with the West over its nuclear program, in an appearance on ABC television’s “The View” talk show.

“Everyone from the Israeli prime minister straight through to the British prime minister to the president of Russia, everyone agrees the next step we should take is the U.N. sanction route,” Biden said. (more…)

Baroud: We are determined to hold the elections on time

Interior Minister Ziad Baroud held a press conference to brief the media on the upcoming municipal elections. He said:

- We are determined to hold the elections on time and implement the current municipal electoral law. Our duty as an executive power is to implement the law no matter what. I regret that the draft municipal electoral law was not adopted by the parliament. I reiterate that the reforms were not dropped, but unfortunately they will not be applied during the 2010 municipal elections. (more…)

Iran begins war games in Gulf, Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard on Thursday started large-scale war games in the Persian Gulf and the strategic Strait of Hormuz, state television reported.

Iran has been holding military maneuvers in the gulf and the Strait of Hormuz annually since 2006 to show off its military capabilities. The last four editions of the games were held in the summer, but there has been no official explanation why they were brought forward this year. (more…)

Lebanon’s public transport drivers go on strike

Lebanon’s taxi and public bus drivers went on strike Thursday and blocked roads across Lebanon to protest rising petrol prices and condemn the cabinet’s neglect of the transportation sector.

The strike was called by the Lebanese unions and syndicates for land transportation.

They issued a statement calling on all public vehicle drivers in Lebanon to halt their work and protest peacefully against “increasing taxes and fees through the weekly rise in gasoline prices with the aim of serving the budget deficit and the public debt.” (more…)

FPM may boycott Beirut Muncipality election

Former Minister of Social Affairs Mario Aoun, a key member of the Free Patriotic Movement, told Voice of Lebanon on Thursday that his party might boycott the upcoming municipal elections in Beirut if no consensus was reached regarding the division of the city’s municipal council seats.
FPM wants to be granted at least 40 percent of Beirut municipal council seats allocated to the Christians, said Aoun, which amounts to approximately 5 seats.

Jordan investigating possible rocket attack

An explosion struck an industrial area in the Red Sea port of Aqaba on Thursday, and authorities were investigating whether rockets had been fired toward the area, a senior Jordanian security official said Thursday. (more…)

Residence permits Oked for families of Lebanese women married to foreigners

Following Wednesday’s cabinet meeting at the Grand Serail , State Minister Jean Ogassapian briefed the media (more…)

Syria begins smoke ban

Syria began on Wednesday implementing a smoke ban in enclosed public places including restaurants, coffee shops and internet cafes.

Mixed feelings greeted the decree, which has been a law since late 2009 but without any measure to enforce it. Not all establishments were compliant on the first day of the smoke ban.

“We’re expecting to receive the formal directive from the authorities in the next day or two,” said Doris Kallab, manager at Gemini Group, which owns several restaurants throughout Syria. (more…)