Hezbollah: We have buried STL indictment before being issued

Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem said on Friday, according to a statement issued by Hezbollah:

“We have buried the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) indictment before it has even been issued.”

Qassem also said: “They are using the American-Israeli STL to score a victory against us. The indictment will not change a thing so it has become worthless to us.” (more…)

Fatfat: Wait for SDL indictment before judging it

March 14 MP Ahmad Fatfat told the Voice of Lebanon (VOL) on Friday.

“All we are asking for is to wait until the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) issues its indictment to find out whether it is politicized,”

Despite all leaks relating to the STL’s indictment, nothing confirms that the tribunal is politicized, Fatfat said. (more…)

France keeps its promise, will supply LAF with 100 missiles

A Lebanese government official said on Friday that France will give Lebanon 100 anti-tank missiles.

“Prime Minister Saad Hariri was informed on Wednesday of the French decision to supply the army with 100 HOT missiles that will be used by the military’s Gazelle helicopters that Lebanon has received from the united Arab emirates ,” the official said (more…)

Sfeir does not rule out a Hezbollah coup over STL indictment

During an in an interview with Al-Massira magazine that was published on Friday, Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir id not rule out a coup by Hezbollah:

“I do not rule out the possibility of a coup by Hezbollah, but carrying out a coup is something while maintaining it is something else”, he said

Sfeir voiced hope that Lebanon overcomes the current crisis. (more…)

Lebanon reveals Israeli markings on spying devices

The Lebanese Armed Forces on Thursday released photos of Hebrew markings on spying equipment that it uncovered on mountaintops earlier this week. A photograph released by the LAF shows a sign saying “Mini Cloud” in Hebrew and “Beam Systems Israel LTD” in English. (more…)

Geagea: ME Christians need freedom, not protection

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said on Thursday, in a possible response to the speech of Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah , the Christians of the Middle East do not need protection, but freedom instead.

“We do not need anything but freedom, which distinguishes Lebanon from other countries in the region.” (more…)

Lebanese Shiites mark the day of Ashura- pictures

Tens of thousands of Hezbollah supporters lined the streets of Beirut’s southern suburbs, holding pictures of Nasrallah and Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to mark holy day of Ashura, responding in force to calls by Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah .

Nasrallah urged his supporters during his speeches (more…)

Iran cuts Hezbollah funds by over 40%, report

Economic sanctions in Iran mean the Islamic republic had to cut funding for Hezbollah in Lebanon, Israeli intelligence assessments state.

Tehran cut its funding to Hezbollah by more than 40 percent in part because of pressure from international sanctions, The Jerusalem Post reports. (more…)

South Lebanon residents renew clashes with UNIFIL

Residents in the south Lebanese village of Tayri, a Hezbollah stronghold clashed Thursday with a French UNIFIL patrol, according to local reports.

The incident took place as the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL ) patrol was conducting a GPS demarcation, the reports say

The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) intervened following an alert byUNIFIL general command at the scene of the incident and resolved the situation by taking the patrol’s computer at the request of the villagers. (more…)

Violence flares in Ivory Coast

Explosions and gunfire were heard Thursday in the capital of the Ivory Coast, which has been gripped by a political stalemate since a recent disputed presidential election.

Heavy gunfire was heard outside a hotel that is serving as the headquarters of Alassane Ouattara, (more…)