Chamoun will boycott Bkirki meeting if they involve politics

National Liberal Party leader MP Dori Chamoun told LBC television that he will boycott the meetings held at Bkirki’s Maronite Patriarchate “if they are related to political affairs.”

“I will not attend the meetings in Bkirki if they evolve around the drafting of a new electoral law or political matters,” the MP said (more…)

Reports: Shots fired near open-air papal Mass in Germany

Facing discontent within his German flock, Pope Benedict XVI made a gesture by meeting with victims of clerical sex abuse as he called for Roman Catholics in the former communist East to rediscover their faith.

An estimated 30,000 people gathered Saturday before dawn in the cobblestone square beneath the soaring spires of Erfurt’s medieval cathedral for an open-air Mass (more…)

Bahrainis Vote to Fill Parliament Seats Vacated by Shiites After Protests

Bahrain today holds special parliamentary elections boycotted by the country’s largest Shiite Muslim bloc, a day after stepped-up protests in Shiite villages and riots in Manama’s biggest shopping mall. (more…)

Lebanon’s Patriarch received by Hezbollah, allies in south Lebanon

Lebanon’s Christian Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai kicked off a three day tour of South Lebanon on Saturday, National News Agency reported.

Rai arrived in the city of Tyre and was received by Hezbollah minister Mohammad Fneish, Amal MPs (more…)

Hariri calls for Arab support for Palestinian bid, praises Abbas’ UN speech

Lebanon’s Opposition leader Saad Hariri praised Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ address to the UN General Assembly on Saturday , in which he urged UN members to back his bid to admit Palestine as a full UN member state. (more…)

Aisha Gadhafi says father is well, fighting

Moammar Gadhafi’s firebrand daughter has said in an audio recording that her father is in high spirits and fighting alongside his supporters against the revolutionary forces who swept his regime from power.

In her first public remarks since the fall of Tripoli a month ago, Aisha Gadhafi accused the country’s new leaders of being traitors, (more…)

NASA Satellite falls to Earth

A NASA satellite has plunged to earth, breaking up and possibly scattering debris in Canada, NASA said.

There were reports on Twitter of debris falling over Okotoks, a town south of Calgary in western Canada, most likely the remains of the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite, or UARS, which had been in orbit for 20 years. (more…)

Turkey seizes Syrian ship with weapons – PM Erdogan

Turkey has seized a Syrian-flagged ship loaded with weapons, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said.

He did not say where or when the vessel was stopped, but vowed to confiscate any arms shipments for Syria coming through Turkish waters or airspace. (more…)

Palestinians celebrate U.N. statehood bid

RAMALLAH, West Bank – Singing, dancing and waving flags, thousands gathered here Friday night in a jubilant street party to watch Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas announce his request for admission of a Palestinian state to the United Nations. (more…)

Iran would welcome a “hot line” with US, says Ahmadinejad

Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says he would welcome a “hot line” with the United States or any other way to head off conflict in the Persian Gulf.

He told a news conference Friday that there was no reason for any clashes and “any tool that can prevent clashes or potential conflict, we welcome.” (more…)