Geagea returns to Beirut after meeting Hariri, key Saudi officals

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea returned to Beirut on Tuesday from his trip to Riyadh where he held talks with former Prime Minister Saad Hariri and a number of high-ranking Saudi officials, said a statement by the LF .

Geagea and Hariri held lengthy and comprehensive meetings on the situation in Lebanon and the region, (more…)

Arab monitors tour Homs, Syrian tanks seen leaving

At least 20,000 people protested in Homs on Tuesday against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as Arab League peace monitors began to tour the flashpoint city and the army withdrew some tanks following battles that killed 34 people. (more…)

Gemayel urges adoption of Patriarch Rai’s stance on Arms

Former Lebanese president and current Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel voiced hope on Monday during an interview on MTV that the statements made by Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai on non-state ( Hezbollah’s) weapons during his Christmas mass “will be adopted by the government.” (more…)

Russia warns Syria of infiltration of its army, security forces

Russian sources have revealed during in an interview with Novosti news agency, that Russian intelligence has warned Damascus that its security forces and army have been infiltrated (more…)

Hariri urges AL to seek ” Syria No-Fly Zone “

Former Lebanese PM Saad Hariri urged the Arab League on Monday to seek a “no-fly zone” over Syria, stressing that “everything must be done” to stop what he called a “massacre.”

“The Arab League should go to the U.N. and (seek) a no-fly zone (over Syria) and if Russia vetoes (the resolution) then a joint Arab League force should be formed (more…)

AL Observers in Syria unable to do their job: opposition

Arab League observers have arrived in the flashpoint Syrian city of Homs but are unable to do their job, the head of the country’s main opposition group said Monday.

Syrian National Council (SNC) head Burhan Ghaliun told a Paris news conference that some of the observers were in the besieged city “but they are saying they cannot go where the authorities do not want them to go.” (more…)

Plea to Arab League to visit besieged city of Homs, Syria

Heavy gunfire killed at least 20 people in Syria’s besieged city of Homs on Monday as opposition groups urged Arab League observers to head there immediately after they arrive in the country.

An initial group of 50 observers were due to land in Syria later on Monday (more…)

Al-Sadr’s bloc calls for dissolution of Iraqi parliament

A political crisis that threatens more sectarian strife in Iraq took another twist Monday as the bloc loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called for the dissolution of Parliament and early elections. (more…)

Is al-Qaeda supporting al-Assad?

Two car bombs rocked the Syrian capital Damascus on Friday; the al-Assad regime immediately rushed to announce that Al Qaeda was responsible for this terrorist operation,

Meet Telecomix, the hackers bent on exposing those who censor and surveil the Internet

One morning in mid-August, seven months into the Arab Spring protests and government crackdowns in which thousands have been killed, something strange happened on Syria’s Internet.