Municipal election: March 14 declares victory in Sidon

In Sidon the electoral list backed by Future Movement has reportedly won 10484 votes while the competing list that is backed By Hezbollah’s ally Osama Saad reportedly won 4096 , based on preliminary results . (more…)

Hariri to meet Obama on Monday

Lebanon Prime Minister Saad Hariri headed to Washington on Sunday to meet with President Barack Obama on Monday.

Hariri’s first official visit as a PM to the US takes place at a time of increased tension in the Middle East , a drill by Israel near the Lebanese border, efforts to restart the indirect Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and pressure to impose new sanctions against Iran . (more…)

Chomsky met with Hezbollah official in Lebanon

Jewish-American intellectual and an outspoken critic of Israeli policy Professor Noam Chomsky held a meeting in southern Lebanon on Friday with Sheikh Nabil Qaouk, a senior official of the Lebanon-based Hezbollah movement, and discussed several issues regarding the Middle East conflict, Israel and the United States policies.

Hezbollah inaugurated last Friday a permanent war museum, complete with replicas of guerrillas in action on the battle field and in underground tunnels, and a memorial for its war dead. Chomsky was invited for the event. (more…)

Municipal elections: March 14 declares victory in Sidon

The local media started reporting some unofficial results based on exit polls and partial vote count.

The March 14 Mustaqbal-backed mayoral candidates have reportedly won all the seats in the city of Sidon, NBN TV reported . (more…)

Lebanese went to polls as Israel launched its defense drill

South Lebanon went to the polls on Sunday as Israel held a defense drill across the border.

The Municipal election in Lebanon took place despite the Israel launch of a five-day nationwide drill codenamed “Turning Point 4″ that the military said aims to prepare the Israeli public for emergencies but is not linked to any specific threat. (more…)

Municipal election: Army intervenes in Nabatiyeh incident

The Lebanese army and Internal Security Forces (ISF) reportedly intervened in an incident Sunday evening near a polling station in the southern town of Nabatiyeh after a Hezbollah member reportedly shot into the air during a traffic incident. (more…)

Baroud: The voices of south Lebanon were higher than the sounds of the Israeli drill

During a press conference following the closing of the polling station of the Municipal election in south Lebanon Interior Minister Ziad Baroud said ” It is unacceptable to spill blood for the sake of an election that is supposed to be democratic.

He added: “Spilling blood for the sake of defending the border against the enemy is reasonable while it is inappropriate in the context of an electoral competition among brothers.” (more…)

Drill: Assad accuses Israel of trying to ignite war

Syrian president Bashar al assad wo met on Sunday with the visiting French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner in Damascus was very critical of the Israeli drill and pleaded with the West to restrain Jewish state ‘in light of its dangerous tendencies and attempts to spark wars and conflicts, ‘ he said.

“It’s unthinkable that the West keeps silence in light of the Israeli aggression,” Assad said. (more…)

Municipal election update: Voter turnout in south Lebanon

NBN TV , which is own by Amal leader speaker Nabih Berri predicted that the lists which are backed by Hezbollah and Amal in Marjeyoun and other Shiite areas in south Lebanon will be victorious in Sunday’s municipal election

NBN TV reported that the voter turnout in Jedeidat Marjeyoun reached 15.9 %, 56.15 % in Bilat, 44%in Toulin , 47% in Houla, between 30 -45 % in Khiam areas, 23 % in Misas, 29.46 % in Odaisah , 30 % in Bint Jbeil 45 % in Deir antar 45 % in Majdel Sulm. In Deir Zahrani the voter turnout reached 60 % , in upper Houmain 49 % , in Nabatiyah 49% (more…)

Lebanon’s UN envoy denied that session to discuss Iran sanctions started

Lebanon’s Special Envoy to the U.N. Nawaf Salam, has denied that the United States had asked the Security Council to to start the discussion of a draft resolution on new sanctions on Iran.

During a phone interview with Asharq al-Awsat newspaper , Ambassador Salam said information that Lebanon had officially received a draft resolution on new sanctions was “completely false.” (more…)