New Hariri indictment to be issued by UN court

A UN-backed court probing the assassination of Lebanon’s ex-premier Saad Hariri will issue a new indictment in the case by the end of this month, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said on Tuesday.

“Daniel Bellemare, the chief prosecutor of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, informed me on his recent visit to Beirut that he would submit a new revised indictment before leaving office end of February,” Mikati said. (more…)

U.N. chief says Arab League to revive Syria mission

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Wednesday the Arab League chief told him he intends to revive an Arab League monitoring mission in Syria, which has collapsed amid continuing violence there.

Nabil Elaraby asked for U.N. help with the project during a telephone conversation on Tuesday, Ban told reporters after briefing the U.N. Security Council on a visit he just paid to the Middle East. (more…)

The world isolates Syria as crackdowns intensify

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad faces growing isolation as the bloodshed from his crackdown on demonstrators seeking his overthrow begins to alienate even sympathetic Arab neighbors. (more…)

Mob kills 8 U.N. workers in Afghanistan

A mob inflamed by a mosque sermon describing the burning of the Muslim holy book by an American pastor attacked a United Nations compound in a northern Afghan city on Friday, killing at least eight foreign staffers, according to Afghan police. (more…)

International community: Gaddafi has lost all legitimacy, must go now

The U.N. Security Council unanimously imposed travel and asset sanctions on Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and close aides, ratcheting up pressure on him to quit before any more blood is shed in a popular revolt against his rule.

It also adopted an arms embargo and called for the deadly crackdown against anti-Gaddafi protesters to be referred to the International Criminal Court for investigation and possible prosecution of anyone responsible for killing civilians. (more…)

Libyans in tears plea to U.N. Security & Human Rights Councils to ‘Save Libya’

The Libyan ambassador to the United Nations made an impassioned appeal Friday to the U.N. Security Council, calling on the U.N.’s most powerful body to adopt a strong resolution and “save Libya.” His speech ended with him embracing his deputy, who had defected from Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s camp earlier this week, and both men sobbing as the U.N. Secretary-General and other ambassadors came over to embrace them and shake their hands. (more…)

Iran removes fuel from Bushehr atomic plant, increases uranium stockpile

Iran increased its stockpile of low-enriched uranium in recent months despite intense international pressure and claims that a computer virus had slowed its program, a report Friday by the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog agency indicates.

Iran will remove the fuel from the reactor of a Russian-built nuclear power plant in the southern city of Bushehr, a top official said on Saturday, citing technical advice from Moscow. (more…)

Eastern Libya celebrates liberation from Gaddafi

Libyans celebrated the liberation of the east of the country from the rule of Muammar Gaddafi, who has vowed to crush the revolt and on Wednesday was trying to assert his grip on the capital Tripoli, in the west. The opposition vowed to “liberate” Tripoli, where the four-decade Libyan leader is holed up with a force of militiamen roaming the streets and tanks guarding the outskirts. (more…)

U.N. & U.S. provide timid responses to the tyrant Gaddafi

The UN security council has called for an immediate end to the violence in Libya and demanded that Muammar Gaddafi lives up to his responsibilities to protect his own people.

The Obama administration on Tuesday reiterated its condemnation of bloody clashes between protesters and those loyal to the Libyan leader, Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, but it stopped short of threatening concrete measures, like sanctions or a no-flight zone above Tripoli. (more…)

Danish Defense Minister in Lebanon to inspect UN troops

Danish Minister of Defense, Søren Gade has arrived in Beirut Lebanon. He came from Djibouti on a private jet. He is expected to inspect the Danish U.N. troops stationed in southern Lebanon and to meet key Lebanese officials