Lebanese-Syrian Brothers Look West

By Eric Pfanner
While most winemakers keep a wary eye on the skies and the critics’ scores, Karim and Sandro Saadé anxiously watch the news

Mikati’s rise and Hariri’s slide in Forbes list of billionaires

Forbes magazine’s annual survey of the world’s billionaires for 2012 included on its list six people from Lebanon, – four members from the Hariri family and two members of the Mikati family.

The survey ranked Prime Minister Najib Mikati and his brother Taha Mikati in 377th place with a net worth of $3 billion each, up from 409th place and from $2.8 billion each in 2011. (more…)

Lebanese referee investigated by FIFA over 10-0 Bahrain victory

The world football government body FIFA said over the weekend it would investigate the recent match that saw Bahrain beat Indonesia 10-0 in a World Cup qualifier. (more…)

Lebanese saves US President Barack Obama’s life

An FBI agent accidentally lost classified file on Barack Obama at the counter of a Lebanese restaurant in Cannes, France during the G20 summit last November, manager of the restaurant found it and and returned it to the FBI. (more…)

Iran, Hezbollah Plotting More Attacks, says Israeli official

Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah are plotting more attacks on Israelis overseas, an Israeli counter terrorism official said Friday, warning travelers abroad to be especially vigilant.

The official did not identify specific countries where Israelis might be targeted. (more…)

Hezbollah suspect arrested in Bangkok after US warned of terror attack

Americans are under the “real and very credible” threat of a terrorist attack in Bangkok, the U.S. ambassador to Thailand warned Friday, as authorities in the country arrested a Lebanese member of Hezbollah.

Ambassador Kristie Kenney was elaborating on an “emergency message” sent by the embassy to American citizens earlier Friday warning of a possible terrorist attack. (more…)

Court acts to stop arranged wedlock

A 16-YEAR-OLD Lebanese Australian girl has been placed on a nationwide airport watch list to stop her being sent to Lebanon against her will for an arranged marriage.

In what a magistrate has called an ”act of great bravery”, the girl sought a court order to stop her parents taking her out of Australia to marry a man she has met only once. (more…)

SocGen Lebanon unit finalises Lebanese Canadian Bank acquisition

The Lebanese subsidiary of Societe Generale said it won final approval from the Central Bank to acquire the assets and liabilities of Lebanese Canadian Bank (LCN), raising its total assets to $11 billion.

The acquisition by Societe Generale de Banque au Liban (SGBL) was prompted by a U.S. decision to ban LCB from dealing in dollars because of accusations it was involved in money laundering and drug trafficking. (more…)

Man held after blind Lebanese imam found dead in London mosque

Detectives are searching for the motive that led to the killing of a blind Lebanese imam inside a mosque in north London.

Maimoun Zarzour, 39, an imam at Muslim Welfare House in Finsbury Park, north London, was found dead in his office at the mosque on Friday morning . (more…)

Chavez returns to Venezuela from Cuba

President Hugo Chavez made a surprise return to Venezuela from Cuba before dawn Monday, saying he is feeling better as he recovers from surgery that removed a cancerous tumor.

State television showed the video of Chavez arriving about 2 a.m. local time (2:30 EDT; 0630 GMT). The station didn’t air the video until a little after five hours later. (more…)