UN expected to extend UNIFIL term for another year

The Security Council is expected to address this issue of extending the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon ( UNIFIL) at the end of the month.

UNIFIL commander General Alberto Asarta expected the U.N. Security Council to extend UNIFIL term for another year. (more…)

Aridi calls protests over power cuts ‘uncivilized’

Transport Minister Ghazi Aridi said in Bint Jbeil that civilized public expression is good, but “we all lose” when people block roads and attack public utilities to protest power cuts, the National News Agency (NNA) reported.

Aridi acknowledged the “old deprivation in historically oppressed regions,” but said that the government has produced a plan to solve Lebanon’s electricity woes. (more…)

Bassil: water problem is much greater than the electric

Protests against the power blackouts continued over the weekend … Yesterday Hezbollah and Amal closed the Airport road with burning tires and today they blocked the road that links al-Nabatieh al-Fawqa with the city of Nabatieh with burning tires.

The Beqaa region also witnessed protests at the Masnaa road but security forces soon intervened and reopened all the roads. (more…)

Iran inaugurates nation’s first unmanned bomber

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has inaugurated the country’s first domestically-built long-range unmanned bomber.

The 4-meter long unmanned plane, dubbed as Karrar or striker, was inaugurated by Ahmadinejad on Sunday, the national day for the country’s defense industry.

The ceremony was aired live on state TV. (more…)

Hezbollah MP calls for declaring a state of emergency in Lebanon

Hezbollah MP Ali Ammar called on Saturday for declaring a state of emergency in Lebanon to solve the electricity crisis which he said is “threatening the lives” of citizens.

Ammar told al-Risala radio station that the cabinet should “act with seriousness” and hold an emergency session to discuss ways to solve power rationing. (more…)

LF calls for restoring rights of Lebanese

Lebanese Forces issued a statement on Saturday in which it said that since the parliament has granted labor rights to Palestinians in Lebanon, the government should now restore the rights of Lebanese citizens whose houses in villages east of Saida (Sidon) and elsewhere are occupied by Palestinians .

The approval of labor rights is a “historic event,” (more…)

Hezbollah Knows Hariri’s Killers, says Miqdad

Hezbollah MP Ali Moqdad said Hezbollah knows the identity of the killers of Lebanon’s former PM Rafik Hariri and won’t wait for another five years to unveil the truth behind the assassination.

Hezbollah “won’t remain silent from now on to any accusation or distortion of the resistance image,” Moqdad said during an Iftar banquet. (more…)

Hezbollah official denies his party wants to topple STL

Minister of State for Administrative Reform Mohammed Fneish, a key Hezbollah official denied that his party has called for toppling the international tribunal and reiterated demands to punish false witnesses in former PM Rafik Hariri’s assassination . (more…)

Analysis: U.S. weighs tough choice over aid for Lebanon

The State Department has strongly defended the military aid to Lebanon, saying that withdrawing the money could create a dangerous vacuum.

Lebanon’s Gaza bound aid ship is now scheduled to depart on Aug 29

Samar al-Hajj, coordinator of the Gaza bound Mariam aid ship said on Saturday that the ship is now scheduled to depart Tripoli port on August 29, instead of Aug 22 (more…)