Sarkozy heads to Lebanon after a deal is reached over STL

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is expected to head to Beirut as soon as a compromise settlement over the Special Tribunal for Lebanon indictment is announced to end the country’s political impasse , French diplomatic sources revealed on Friday.

The sources told the Kuwaiti al-Anbaa newspaper that the visit would be aimed at asserting France’s support to the compromise settlement. (more…)

March 14 official: Lebanese people demand justice

March 14 General Secretariat coordinator Fares Soueid told the Voice of Lebanon on Friday:“No one can enforce his opinion on the Lebanon people, who demand justice,”

He also said “no one can affect the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL)’s indictment,” adding, “We reject any compromise reached outside Lebanon.” (more…)

Huge traffic jam at Lebanon-Syria borders

The international road leading to the Aboudiyeh border crossing between Lebanon and Syria, is witnessing a huge traffic jam of hundreds of cars, trucks and buses on the Lebanese side of the border starting from the entrance to the town of Sheikh Ayash, to Aboudiyeh border crossing. (more…)

Facebook tops Google as most visited site in U.S.

Facebook surpassed Google for the first time as the most visited website in the United States for most of 2010.

The social network site edged out Google.com (GOOG.O) with 8.9 percent of all U.S. visits between January and November 2010, (more…)

Former Israeli President Moshe Katsav convicted of rape

Former Israeli President Moshe Katsav was convicted Thursday of raping an aide and sexually harassing two other women, a verdict hailed as evidence of the nation’s independent judiciary and a reminder that no one is above the law.

The case, one of the most serious ever brought against a high-ranking government official here, drove Katsav from office in 2007. (more…)

Prison sentence of Russian tycoon Khodorkovsky extended

A former tycoon who challenged the rule of Russian leader Vladimir Putin was sentenced to remain in prison until at least 2017 after his conviction this week on embezzlement and money-laundering charges in a politically charged case widely condemned in the West.

Judge Viktor Danilkin sentenced Mikhail Khodorkovsky to 14 years in prison to be served concurrently with a previous eight-year term that he was soon to complete. (more…)

Israel confirms major gas find, report

Noble Energy, a US-based oil and gas firm, along with its Israeli exploration partners, have confirmed the discovery of a huge offshore gas field called Leviathan, 130km off the coast of the Mediterranean port of Haifa. (more…)

STL judge David Baragwanath awarded knighthood

Justice David Baragwanath has been made a knight in recognition of his services as a judge of the Court of Appeal.

Sir David, becomes a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

Sir David, who retired from the court earlier this year, in July, marked his 50th year in the law profession this year. (more…)

Priest found dead inside his home, report

Father Fadi al Matni was found dead inside his home in Qornet Shahwan, just north of the capital Beirut.
According to a report by Lebanon Files the priest who lives in Qornet Shahwan and who serves a parish in the Hamra area was found with a hunting rifle by his side. He is reportedly , a bachelor, and the death may have occurred yesterday. (more…)

No side deal on STL, Special Report

Reports that Saudi Arabia and Syria had persuaded Lebanese leaders to reject an assassination tribunal’s findings are baseless, a lawmaker said. (more…)