UN Security Council to discuss Palestinian statehood bid on Monday

The UN Security Council will meet Monday afternoon to discuss a request by the Palestinians to admit the state of Palestine as a full UN member, the council’s current president, Lebanon’s ambassador to the United Nations, Nawaf Salam, told reporters on Friday. (more…)

Palestine bid spotlights some unlikely kingmakers

With Friday’s Palestinian bid for statehood now official, the focus turns to the U.N. Security Council, and an array of unlikely kingmakers. (more…)

Turkey imposed embargo on Syria

Turkey has imposed an arms embargo against Syria for its brutal crackdown on the country’s uprising, and it has stopped a Syrian-flagged ship, the prime minister said Friday.

“If there are planes carrying weapons, or such shipments by land, then we would stop and confiscate them as in the past,” (more…)

Netanyahu to Abbas: ‘Let’s meet today’

Binyamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, has urged Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, to meet with him at the United Nations to discuss Middle East peace efforts. (more…)

Palestinians take to streets to cheer on UN bid

Thousands of jubilant Palestinians thronged around outdoor screens in town squares across the West Bank on Friday to see their president submit his historic request for recognition of a state of Palestine to the United Nations. (more…)

Geagea: It is possible for Christians to agree on new electoral law

Following a meeting held by the Christian Maronite leaders at the Bkirki Patriarchate, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea told reporters that that “it is possible” for the country’s Christians to reach consensus on a new electoral law for the 2013 parliamentary elections adding the drafting of a new law “requires a lot of research.” (more…)

North Lebanon protests in support of Syrian people

The National News Agency reported that following Friday’s prayers Lebanese protestors marched from Hamza Mosque in the Qobba neighborhood of Tripoli, north Lebanon toward Ibn Seena Square in Tripoli to protest against the brutal crackdown by the Syrian security forces against the pro- democracy protesters. (more…)

Syrian forces kill at least two in attacks on Friday protests

Syrian forces killed at least two protesters when they fired live ammunition to disperse pro-democracy protests that broke out across the country after Friday prayers in intensified assaults to crush the six-month uprising, activists said. (more…)

Maronite leaders agree over drafting a new electoral law

The meeting of Lebanon’s Maronite leaders which was chaired by Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai ended on Friday after the participants agreed to follow up on the drafting of a new electoral law. (more…)

US embassy: Possible surge in demonstartion in Lebanon

The US Embassy in Lebanon on Friday warned its citizens of the “possibility of a surge in demonstrations in Beirut and throughout Lebanon in the coming days.” (more…)