Tunisia vote could shape religion in Arab public life

This nation that inspired revolution across the Arab world is facing another bellwether moment that may again foreshadow what happens throughout the Mideast in the intensifying battle between secularists and Islamists over the role of religion in shaping public life. (more…)

Top contenders in Tunisia’s election

These are the projected top four finishers in Tunisia’s election, based on polling data from Sigma Conseil, a Tunisian market research firm.

The survey was done between Oct. 1 and 7, and it revealed considerable voter confusion in an election that features more than 110 parties vying for 217 assembly seats. (more…)

STL Judge Antonio Cassese dies from cancer

Judge Antonio Cassese, the first president of the U.N.-backed Lebanon tribunal and the Yugoslavia war crimes court in The Hague, has died at home after a long fight with cancer.

Italian-born Cassese, 73, who stepped down as president of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) on Oct. 9 after more than two years in the post, died at his home in Florence, Italy, overnight, the Hague-based court said on Saturday. (more…)

Gaddafi salted away about $200 billion

Muammar Gaddafi secretly salted away more than $US200 billion in bank accounts, real estate and corporate investments around the world before he was killed, according to senior Libyan officials.

That’s about $US30,000 for every Libyan citizen and double the amount that Western governments previously had suspected. (more…)

Turkish troops kill 49 Kurdish rebels near Iraqi border

Turkish troops have killed at least 49 Kurdish rebels in a valley near the Iraqi border, the military said Saturday, as hundreds of troops also pursued Kurdish fighters within northern Iraq. (more…)

Russia supports all UN resolutionsrelated to Lebanon including STL, report

Russian Ambassador to Lebanon said on Saturday that his country supports the UN-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), according to a statement issued by Future bloc leader MP Fouad Siniora’s office. (more…)

Ahmadinejad on Syria: Nobody has the write to kill others

CNN’s Fareed Zakaria just interviewed Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. They talked about Moammar Gadhafi’s death, policy toward Syria, the alleged Iranian plot to assassinate the Saudi Ambassador to the U.S., Iran’s nuclear ambitions and America’s global role. Some highlights are below. You can catch the full interview this Sunday at 10a.m. and 1p.m. EST on Fareed Zakaria GPS along with more from Fareed’s trip to Tehran. (more…)

Tunisians gear up for historic vote

Tunisian voters on Saturday weighed their choices on the eve of the Arab Spring’s historic first elections nine months after the surprise toppling of strongman Zine el Abidine Ben Ali that started it all.

Campaigning ended at midnight for the vote the previously banned Islamist Ennahda party is tipped to win, (more…)

Hezbollah arming various groups in Tripoli, report

March 14 MP Samir Al-Jisr told Voice of Lebanon on Saturday that Hezbollah is arming different groups in Tripoli.

“Hezbollah, along with other parties such as Tawhid Movement and Syrian Socialist National Party (SSNP) are arming groups in Tripoli,” he said (more…)

Minister Bassil attacks General Rifi

Energy Minister Gebran Bassil told Voice of Lebanon on Saturday that Internal Security Forces (ISF) Director General Achraf Rifi’s “duty” is to uncover spy networks.

“The least of Rifi’s duties is to uncover spy networks and he should not get credit for it,” he said. (more…)