Israel tried to kidnap a Lebanese shepherd, but failed- Update

LBC TV reported on Thursday that Israeli forces attempted to kidnap a Lebanese shepherd in Tallet As-Saddana in Shebaa farms in South Lebanon, but failed. (more…)

Suicide bombings target a mosque in southeastern Iran

Two blasts tore through a crowd of Shiite worshippers outside a mosque in southeastern Iran on Thursday, killing an unspecified number of people, Iranian media reported. (more…)

France: Clashes with UNIFIL were not spontaneous

Gérard Araud, Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations said recent confrontations between UNIFIL troops and villagers in southern Lebanon were “not spontaneous,” Al-Akhbar daily reported Thursday.

“These incidents were neither isolated nor spontaneous,” Al-Akhbar quoted him as saying. (more…)

Geagea: Deep flaws in Lebanon-Syria ties

There are deep flaws in Lebanese-Syrian ties, said Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Thursday adding that as long as they are flawed they will remain an Arab and international political issue.

“If our Syrian brothers are bothered by this, then the solution is simple (more…)

Lebanon: UNRWA deficit is ‘dangerous’

Head of Lebanon’s Justice and Administration parliamentary commission MP Robert Ghanem told LBCI television on Thursday that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has had a budget deficit for the last few years, calling it “dangerous”. (more…)

Russia awaits explanations from Iran on nuclear program

Russia is expecting “appropriate” explanations from Iran on its controversial nuclear program, said President Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday at Urals city of Yekaterinburg.

Regarding Iran as Russia’s “active and historically proven trade partner,” Medvedev nonetheless said Moscow cannot be “indifferent to how it is developing its nuclear program” and “how the military components of this program look like.” (more…)

parliament meeting over Palestinian rights postponed till Aug.17

Lebanese parliament Speaker Nabih Berri postponed on Thursday the discussion over the rights of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon until the next legislative session scheduled for August 17. (more…)

Israel demolishes two more West Bank homes

The Israeli military demolished two Palestinian houses in the West Bank on Thursday because they were built without permits, according to witnesses and the military.

The 13 members of the Al-Shawamreh family, including nine children, were ordered out of the houses at dawn (more…)

Al-Jazeera sued over Hezbollah ties, report

Victims of Hezbollah rocket attacks on Israel during a 34-day war in 2006 charged al-Jazeera with helping the Shiite movement with its campaign, lawyers say.

Israeli forces reacted with overwhelming force in 2006 when Hezbollah abducted two Israeli soldiers. Hezbollah was able to strike targets deep inside Israel and hit naval targets from Lebanon, (more…)

UN: No evidence to support Israeli claims over Hezbollah arms

U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon said UNIFIL has found no evidence to support Israeli allegations about Hezbollah weapons cache south of Lebanon’s Litani River.

“UNIFIL has found nothing to support these Israeli claims,” Michael Williams, said in an interview with Al-Akhbar daily. (more…)