Illegal scooters confiscated & destroyed in Beirut

Confiscated scooters that are to be destroyed, are parked at a garage in Beirut (more…)

Na’vi from the film Avatar stage a protest against Israel

Palestinians dressed as the Na’vi from the film Avatar staged a protest against Israel’s separation barrier in the West Bank village of Bilin near Ramallah. The Palestinians dressed as Na’vi to draw attention to their campaign against the controversial Israeli barrier. Israel says the barrier is needed for security, but Palestinians consider it a land grab. Opponents of the barrier scored a long-awaited victory on Thursday when the government began rerouting the enclosure to eat up less of a Palestinian village that has become a symbol of anti-wall protests and the site of frequent clashes. Israel has started rerouting the barrier in accordance with a Supreme Court ruling two years ago that said a section of the barrier set to cut through the village’s farmland should circumvent it instead. The Independent

Iran police clash with protesters

Despite a heavy police presence in and around Tehran, demonstrators took to the streets on Monday to protest Iran’s regime as the country marked a key national anniversary.
Ordinarily, Students Day has been an annual observance of national pride, when Tehran extolls the virtues of the Islamic Revolution. Source: CNN

Protests in Pakistan

Over 30,000 took part in the Beirut Marathon

Both President Michel Suleiman and Prime minister Saad Hariri displayed a spirit of of sportsmanship and participated in the Beirut Marathon today

Hariri made a surprise visit to Jumblatt in Mukhtara

Lebanon’s PM Saad Hariri headed to Mukhtara, Shouf in a surprise visit to progressive Socialist party leader MP Walid Jumblatt after taking part in the 10-kilometer race that was held on the streets of downtown Beirut.
Hariri intended to attend the tribute commemorating the birthday of assassinated PSP leader Kamal Jumblatt
The fathers of Hariri and Jumblatt were assassinated and in both cases Syria was blamed.
During the tribute Jumblatt told supporters that even though the PSP took a “centrist” position ” he has high respect for the March 14 majority alliances and principles “we have fought hard to uphold at Martyrs Square.”
Jumblatt stressed the need to discuss Hezbollah arms at the dialogue table. “There is need for resistance weapons to defend Lebanon until conditions ripe to absorb these weapons into the (Lebanese) army,” Jumblatt said

Hariri took part in the Beirut Marathon race

Prime Minister Saad Hariri took part Sunday in the 10-kilometer race at Beirut Marathon, saying sport is “important for building a healthy and sound society.”
“We have to bring Lebanese together, and sport is a very important event that can bring them together,” Hariri said as he arrived in downtown Beirut to participate in the race.

Source: Dalati & Nohra

Mystery surrounds the bus explosion in Syria

A blast at a gas station in Sayyida Zainab, a Damascus suburb killed three people Thursday, gutting the back of an empty bus and blowing out nearby windows, officials said.
Syria’s interior minister, Said Mohammad Sammour, ruled out a terrorist attack and said on state-run Syrian TV that the Iranian bus driver and two Syrian gas station workers were killed when a tire they were pumping air into exploded. But witnesses reported seeing flames…The back of the bus, where the engine is located, was gutted and charred along with the rear seats. The worst damage appeared to be to the outside of the bus. The Syrian Police sealed off the area and reporters were banned from reaching the site.

Lebanon’s Interior Minister Baroud meets STL Prosecutor Bellemare

Interior Minister Ziad Baroud met with Special Tribunal for Lebanon ( STL) Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare who was accompanied by Lebanon’s Deputy Prosecutor General Jocelyn Tabet. They discussed cooperation between the Ministry of Interior and the Prosecutor’s office. The Special Tribunal for Lebanon is charged with trying the killers of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri who was assassinated in 2005

Lebanese activists in underwear

Lebanese environmental activists run in their underwear in Beirut November 30, 2009. The activity was organised by the League of Independent Activists (IndyACT) to raise money for youth activists from the Arab region who will have to travel to take part in the COP15 climate summit in Copenhagen.

Nasrallah delivers Hezbollah’s political strategy

Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah speaks via a giant screen during a news conference announcing the party’s new political strategy in Beirut.