Speaker rules out March 8 withdrawal from cabinet

Lebanon Speaker Nabih Berri ruled out the withdrawal of the March 8 ministers from the cabinet in its future sessions, during an interview with the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) which published on Saturday,

Berri , Hezbollah’s key ally said he guarantees that the ministers who represent him in the cabinet will accept the results of a possible vote on the issue of “false witnesses.” (more…)

Geagea: Indirect vote has already been cast over false witnesses issue

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said Saturday in a statement that an indirect vote has already been cast against the false witnesses issue…. The rejection of 20 cabinet ministers to vote on the issue was a sign that the majority was against Hezbollah’s demand to prosecute the witnesses before the indictment is issued by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) . (more…)

Arabs boycott Spielberg after donation to Israel, Wikileaks

Steven Spielberg was blacklisted by the Arab League’s Central Boycott Office after making a $1m (£645m) donation to Israel during the 2006 conflict in Lebanon.

A US embassy memo released by WikiLeaks reveals that during a meeting of the group in April 2007, diplomats or representatives from 14 Arab states voted to ban all films and other products related to Spielberg or his Righteous Persons Foundation. (more…)

Baroud: Radars reduced Traffic accidents, death toll by over 50%

The Lebanese Minister of Interior and Municipalities, Ziad Baroud said ” the fixed and mobile radars have proved highly effective and reduced the number of traffic accidents and death toll from these incidents by more than 50%… a significant and important drop .” (more…)

Gemayel: The STL is a need for Lebanon

Phalange MP Sami Gemayel told OTV on Friday, in response to the threats of Hezbollah and its March 8 allies:

“The more they threaten against the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), the more we stick to the court.”
“The STL is a need for Lebanon,” he said (more…)

Analysis: To contain Iran, succeed in Palestine

Iran’s difficulties were on display earlier this month when Mottaki traveled to Bahrain for a major conference of foreign ministers

Israeli Expert: ‘Israel does not know how to beat Hezbollah’

Israel cannot defeat Hezbollah in a direct engagement and the Lebanese guerrilla group would inflict heavy damage on the Israeli home front if war broke out, a former Israeli national security adviser said Thursday.

Though outnumbered and outgunned, Hezbollah held off Israel’s advanced armed forces in a 2006 war and fired more than 4,000 rockets into Israeli territory. (more…)

France makes another contribution to Lebanon’s STL

The French UN mission announced on Friday that France will be contributing an additional 1.5 million Euro ( $ 2million) to The Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) budget, which brings its total contribution to 4.5 million Euro ( $ 6 million )

France also on Friday condemned efforts to undermine the UN court investigating the 2005 killing of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri . (more…)

Cyprus Israel sign deal demarcating maritime borders

Cyprus and Israel signed an accord Friday demarcating their maritime borders to facilitate a search for mineral deposits in the east Mediterranean where huge natural gas reserves have been discovered.

Cyprus Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou and Israel’s Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau signed the deal in the island’s capital. No statements were made after the signing. (more…)

Lebanon’s Yehya Saadeh died from electric shock in Turkey

The Lebanese director Yehya Saadeh passed away today due to an electric shock during a music video shooting for Maya Diab in Turkey.

Saadeh who left yesterday for Turkey was reportedly warned by one of his aides against touching the electric wire but it was too late .
(more…)