Ogassapian: Amending any agreement needs bilateral consent

Lebanon’s Minister of State Jean Ogassapian told Voice of Lebanon on Sunday said that amending any agreements signed between Lebanon and Syria would require the consent of both countries.

Ogassapian headed a Lebanese delegation to Damascus last week and met with the country’s prime minister, Naji al-Otari and other key Syrian officials. (more…)

Lebanese rally for a secular system

“Civil marriage, not civil war” was among the banners carried by the mostly young, educated protesters

Bank of Beirut may acquire 2 foreign banks

Bank of Beirut SAL, a Lebanese lender, may acquire by September two banks in Africa and Asia with assets of about $1 billion each, Chairman Salim Sfeir said

“Bank lending is growing but not as much as deposits are growing and this is why we are compelled to look for other opportunities out of the country,” Sfeir said in an interview in Muscat, Oman, today. He didn’t identify the banks involved. (more…)

Can Lebanon Afford its Current Fixed Exchange System?

By Ghassan Karam
There is hardly an opportunity given to individuals connected to the Ministry of finance, the Central Bank or the commercial banking system where they do not stress the substantial volume of funds that has been flowing into the country.

Abbas calls on US to ‘impose’ a solution to Middle-East conflict

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas today called on the US to “impose” a solution to the Middle-East conflict. (more…)

Obama cites `devastating chapter’ in Armenia past

President Barack Obama calls it “one of the worst atrocities” of the 20th century — the mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks around the time of World War I. (more…)

Bassil: Electricity Problem Needs Bold Decision by Government

Lebanon’s Energy and Water Minister Gebran Bassil said Saturday that “solving the electricity problem needs a bold, strategic and clear decision by the government in order to face the ongoing major deficiency.”

He revealed that he prepared a plan of ” ten points, among them three related to renewable energy, in addition to the proper management of (power) demand and effective energy.” (more…)

Suleiman: Lebanon is no longer an easy target for Israel

President Michel Suleiman , who is in Brazil on an official visit addressed the Lebanese expatriates in Sao Paolo on Friday and told them that Israel knows that Lebanon is no longer an easy target (more…)

Kahwaji: No Scud missiles in Lebanon

There are no Scud missiles in Lebanon, Lebanese army commander Jean Kahwaji said on Saturday, denying allegations voiced last week that Syria had transferred ballistic missiles to Hezbollah. (more…)

Armenians mourn victims of mass killings

Hundreds of thousands of Armenians laid flowers Saturday at a monument in Armenia’s capital Yerevan to the victims of mass killings (more…)