Berri: The Cedar Revolution took Lebanon 60 years back

Speaker Nabih Berri said in a speech on Monday during a ceremony organized by the International Intellectual Conference to honor late Shiite clerics Mohammed Makki al-Jizzini and Zeineddine al-Jabhi.that the 2005 Cedar Revolution “took Lebanon 60 years back.” (more…)

Egypt urges Syrian president to reform

Egypt on Monday urged the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad to enact reforms to satisfy pro-democracy protesters as violence there saw another 15 people killed, according to activists. (more…)

Patriarch Rai: THe Lebanese president should have more power

Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai said on Monday that the 1989 Taif Agreement “is not a holy document that descended from heaven.”

After holding talks with Change and Reform bloc MP Nematallah Abi Nasr he said: “We don’t mind change and if we needed a new agreement, then why not.”

“We all accepted the Taif, but the agreement has flaws and needs to be reformed,” Rai was quoted by the National News Agency as saying. (more…)

Tank-backed troops kill 8 Syrian protesters in rural Homs

At least eight civilians were killed when Syrian forces attacked towns and villages near the city of Homs, which have seen growing pro-democracy demonstrations, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. (more…)

Egypt to expel Iranian diplomat over spying charges

Egypt is expelling an Iranian diplomat who was briefly detained and questioned on charges of illegally gathering intelligence for Tehran, security officials said.

Qassem al Husseini, the diplomat, was arrested on Saturday in his Cairo home, after the Egyptian intelligence tracked his movements, Al Jazeera’s Ayman Mohyeldin reported. (more…)

Houri: Nahhas wanted to give telecom network to Hezbollah

The back and forth accusations between resigned Telecommunications Minister Charbel Nahhas and Future Movement over Thursday’s incident don’t seem to be coming to a halt any time soon. (more…)

Egypt frees detained Iranian spy

Egypt freed an Iranian diplomat on Sunday who had been detained over spying allegations after his diplomatic status was confirmed but said his activities had breached protocol, the official news agency MENA reported. (more…)

Kuwait seizes Iraq airline assets in Jordan

Kuwait has seized assets of Iraq’s national airline in Jordan, Iraqi officials said on Saturday, the latest step in a row between the neighbouring states over war reparations. (more…)

More protests over the torture of 13 year old by Syrian security forces

At least three people were killed Sunday as protests continued to rage in Syria in defiance of a sustained and brutal government crackdown. The latest demonstrations were galvanized by revelations that authorities had apparently tortured and murdered a 13-year-old boy last month near the protest flashpoint of Deraa. (more…)

Aridi says Lebanon is heading toward chaos

Caretaker Public Works and Transportation Minister Ghazi Aridi told LBC television on Sunday: “Because of what’s happening today in the country, we must be ready for anything,” adding, “We are heading toward chaos.”

Aridi commented on Thursday’s Telecom ministry incident blaming it on mismanagement (more…)