Sanctions weigh on Lebanon-Syria banking ties

Beirut, Lebanon _ Lebanese banks which worked for years to build up business in neighboring Syria have been quietly implementing U.S. and European Union sanctions against Damascus to avoid jeopardizing their international operations, bankers and economists say.

This is despite close financial ties between the two countries, cemented by the opening of seven Lebanese banking affiliates in Syria (more…)

Germany arrests 2 alleged Syrian spies

Two men suspected of spying on Syrian opposition groups in Germany were arrested in Berlin Tuesday, authorities said. (more…)

Anti Syrian regime Druze: Assad’s fall coming soon

The anti Syrian -regime Druze in Jabal al Arab who call themselves ” Free people of Jabal al Arab” told Syrian president Bashar al Assad in a statement on Tuesday that his fall is coming sooner than later and that he will see in Souweida and the rest of Jabal al Arab something he has never seen before . (more…)

Syrian describes Homs horrors: “You smell death everywhere”

Beirut – From his hospital bed in Lebanon, wounded Syrian Abu Abedo recalls the horrors of the massacre in Homs province, which has been bombarded by President Bashar al-Assad’s troops.

Abu Abedo, 30, is among several Syrians wounded in the regime’s crackdown on pro-democracy protests, who have been arriving in secret to Lebanon. (more…)

Jumblatt slams Russia, China veto, calls for aiding Syrian refugees

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt slammed on Monday the double veto used by Russia and China to block the UN security council resolution condemning violence in Syria and called it a “slap in the face of the Syrian people,” (more…)

Lebanon may suffer Greece’s fate, says a lebanese banker

A leading Lebanese banker fears a Greek economic scenario in Lebanon this year if the government fails to take immediate action to reduce the budget deficit, cut waste and implement broad reforms. (more…)

Lebanese bid farewell to Nassib Lahoud

Lebanese Politicians, foreign diplomats and religious leaders of various sects gathered Saturday at the St. George Cathedral in downtown Beirut to pay their respects to the head of the Democratic Renewal Movement former MP and minister Nassib Lahoud, who passed away Thursday at age 68 after a long battle with cancer. (more…)

After Homs massacre, protests erupt on several continents

A wave of protests broke out at Syrian embassies on several continents amid reports of hundreds of deaths in one Syrian city and hours before a possible U.N. Security Council vote on a response to the violent crackdown in the country. Here’s a breakdown of some of the demonstrations Friday and Saturday: (more…)

Hezbollah’s secret war on Syrian rebels , report

The other night I spoke to Alaa al-Sheikh, the Free Syrian Army’s Khaled Bin Waleed Brigade in Rastan, a city that’s home about 25,000 people and lies on the main Damascus-Aleppo highway in the province of Homs. Over the last several months, Rastan has become the frontline in the war between Syrian rebels and pro-Assad loyalists (more…)

STL assigned counsel to the 4 accused Hezbollah members

The Special Tribunal for Lebanon issued a press release in which it stated that the Head of STL Defense Office assigned permanent counsel to defend the four Hezbollah members accused in the assassination of former lebanese PM Rafik Hariri

Here is the text of the press release : (more…)