Lebanon to snub Arab League summit: official (AFP via Yahoo! News) Lebanon's president will not attend an Arab League summit in Libya because of a dispute between both countries over the 1978 disappearance of a leading Shiite cleric, a top official said on Friday.

Carlos Slim Arrives in Lebanon, Will Meet President (Bloomberg) March 12 (Bloomberg) -- Mexico’s Carlos Slim , who beat Bill Gates and Warren Buffett for the top spot on Forbes magazine’s annual list of billionaires, arrived in Lebanon late yesterday.

Israeli tanks cross technical fence near Lebanon (Press TV) Two Israeli tanks have crossed their technical fence near the border with Lebanon two kilometers south of the disputed Ghajar village.

Fatah Reshuffles Leadership In Lebanon (Middle East Newsline) NICOSIA [MENL] -- Fatah has replaced its leadership in Lebanon in a move that could spark internal fighting. Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has ordered the dismissal of both Fatah military and political leaders in Lebanon.

Group AA, boys Division 2 semifinals: Buckingham 42, Lebanon 39 (Richmond Times-Dispatch) Taylor Boyers hit two free throws with 27 seconds left, helping Buckingham hold on to beat Lebanon 42-39 in the Group AA, boys Division 2 semifinals at the Siegel Center.

Scientists predict large Lebanon earthquake looming (The Daily Star Lebanon) BEIRUT: Although it probably passed you by, Lebanon was one of many countries to experience an earthquake this week. A quake registering 3.8 on the Richter Scale hit 50 kilometers off the coast of Sidon at just after 2:30 Tuesday morning. No damage was reported and, according to Ata Elias, assistant professor at the American University

New Jersey fugitive caught in Lebanon County, police say (The Patriot-News) When Jose L. Gonzalez was first encountered by state police just after 9:15 last night in the parking lot of the Matthews Public Library in Fredericksburg, Bethel Township, Lebanon County, police said he gave a false name.

Two issues for the future of Lebanon (Foreign Policy Blogs) While Lebanon worries about another attack from Israel, two other issues have been consistently popping up on the radar: the question of Hizballah’s arms, and the prospect of ending sectarianism. Not surprisingly, the three are closely related. — During the run-up to the 2009 parliamentary elections in Lebanon, a cloud of anxiety blanketed the country. Lebanese in [...]

Madison Cable, Mt. Lebanon/Kyle Dudzinski, Upper St. Clair (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) This past week: Cable helped Mt. Lebanon win its second consecutive WPIAL Class AAAA girls' basketball championship by scoring a game-high 21 points in a 59-43 victory against Baldwin.

Lebanon Township wonât contribute towards Schroeder tract (Hunterdon Review) LEBANON TWP. – After nearly two years, the Hunterdon County Planning Board (HCPB) is trying to close a deal that will preserve a 57-acre parcel of farmland on Dutch Hollow Road belonging to Peter Schroeder.

Special Tribunal for Lebanon Appoints New Chief of Investigations The Office of the Prosecutor of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon on Friday announced the appointment...

Syria: Border Demarcation Bilateral Issue, No Palestinian Bases on Border with Lebanon Syria has again protested against the inclusion of Damascus in U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon's reports on the...

Suleiman Will Not Attend Arab Summit in Libya Information Minister Tareq Mitri has unveiled that President Michel Suleiman will not attend the Arab...

Two Israeli Tanks Cross Fence at Wazzani Point but Not Blue Line Two Israeli tanks crossed the Israeli security fence Friday noon and took position on al-Wazzani hill...

U.S.-Syrian Dialogue: Senate to Hear Ford's Testimony, Feltman and Shapiro in Damascus this Month The U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is scheduled to hold a hearing early next week to approve...

EU Official in Beirut to Discuss Prospects for Peace EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Catherine Ashton will visit Beirut March 16 as part of a four-day...

Man Arrested in North Lebanon for Sister's 'Honor Killing' A Lebanese man has been arrested in northern Lebanon for killing his sister earlier this week in what...

Police Arrest 44 in Night Raids Judicial police arrested 44 people during night raids against criminals and security violators. The...

Jumblat Surprised at Different Damascus Visit Dates Circulated by Media Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat has reiterated that his visit to Damascus would be...

Maqdah Rejects Abbas' Offer to Move Out of Lebanon Head of the Palestinian Armed Struggle in Lebanon Mounir al-Maqdah rejected an offer by Palestinian...

Murr: No Army Protection for Tribunal Defense Minister Elias Murr denied that a security force has been at the disposal of the Special Tribunal...

Judiciary Calls for Death Penalty against Abu Madi's Suspected Killer The Lebanese judiciary has filed an indictment against the suspected killers of George Abu Madi in Ain...

State Department: Torture and Extralegal Intimidation of Journalists The Lebanese government has continued to deny the use of torture, although authorities acknowledged...

Biden Says U.S. to Keep on Supporting Lebanon Institutions, 1701 Implementation to Disarm Hizbullah U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday stressed the persistence of Washington in supporting Lebanon's...

Cabinet Forms Committee Tasked with Submitting Ideas on Appointments Mechanism The Cabinet on Thursday formed a committee tasked with submitting ideas for the criterions and mechanism...

Lebanese Tycoon, Choueiri, Buried in Hometown The body of millionaire Antoine Choueiri was buried Thursday in his hometown of Bsharri in north Lebanon....

Berri Describes as 'Very Dangerous' the Alleged Signing of Saniora Government of Security Agreement with U.S. Embassy Speaker Nabih Berri on Thursday stressed that the Media and Communications Parliamentary Committee will...

Hariri to Visit Damascus for a Second Time in as Many Months Prime Minister Saad Hariri has plans for a second visit to Damascus in the beginning of April to review...

Russian Ambassador: Time for Lebanese to Take Reins of Government "It is time for Lebanese to take the reins of the government themselves," Russian Ambassador to Lebanon...

Suleiman: Israel's Settlement Expansion Plan Makes Peace Futile President Michel Suleiman said Thursday that the Israeli government's announcement earlier this week...

Syria Turns Blind Eye on Trials in Absentia for Lebanese Officials Syria has reportedly turned a blind eye on trials in absentia for Lebanese officials in the lawsuit...

Ex-Lebanese Policeman Files Lawsuit against 4 Syrian Officers A former policeman with Lebanon's Internal Security Forces Elias Tanious has filed a lawsuit against...

Parliament Not Eager to Adopt Proportional Representation Elections The Justice and Administration parliamentary committee is due to convene on Thursday to continue debate...

New Appointments in Fatah Leadership, Maqdah Excluded Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has ordered new appointments within the leadership of Fatah in Lebanon,...

Naharnet Exclusive: Guy Says 'No Imminent War on Lebanon, We Expect More from Syria' British Ambassador to Lebanon Frances Guy on Wednesday reassured that there is no imminent war between...

Qassem Says Hizbullah Has Succeeded through Armed Resistance but Doesn't Oppose Diplomacy Hizbullah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem on Wednesday stressed that 'the resistance's experience...

Gemayel Fears Lebanon May Become 'Lab for Israeli, Iranian Weapons' Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel on Wednesday voiced his concerns over Lebanon turning into 'a lab...

Berri Meets Families of Plane Crash Victims, Promises Financial Aid Speaker Nabih Berri on Wednesday revealed that 'a financial aid was decided for the families of the...

Jumblat Says he Left Dialogue Session because of Hunger and Sleep Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat said that he left Tuesday's dialogue session at Baabda...

Administrative Appointments High on Cabinet Agendas Administrative appointments will be tackled by the cabinet on Wednesday and Thursday – the first session...

Soaid after March 14 Meeting: All Lebanese Responsible for Protecting Lebanon, Not Only Certain Group March 14 General-Secretariat Coordinator Fares Soaid on Wednesday stressed that 'protecting Lebanon...

Arslan Visits Gemayel in Bikfaya Lebanese Democratic Party leader Talal Arslan visited Phalange party chief Amin Gemayel in Bikfaya on...

Israel Calls Off Maneuvers Near Lebanon, Syria after U.S. Pressure Israel's military has been forced to significantly reduce its exercises along the borers with Lebanon...

Barak: Israel Not Looking for Confrontation but Lebanon Responsible for Any Attack Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak reiterated that the Jewish state would hold the Lebanese government...

March 8-14 Differences Shackle Progress on Defense Strategy Talks Differences between the March 8 and 14 coalitions have prevented national dialogue participants from...

National Dialogue Adjourned Barely 2 Hours after it Convened Lebanese political parties entered a new round of national talks Tuesday despite profound differences...

Aoun: We Fought a War with Israel as Syria Intervened to Aid Us, But We Haven't Joined Any Axis Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun on Tuesday said Lebanon fought a war with Israel in 2006...

Businessman Antoine Choueiri Dies after Long Battle with Illness Antoine Choueiri, 69, a prominent Lebanese businessman and media tycoon, died on Tuesday after a long...

Hariri, March 14: Defense Strategy Only Item for Discussion A four-way late Monday meeting between Prime Minister Saad Hariri, former PM Fouad Saniora, Phalange...

Asarta Says Tripartite Meeting Essential Coordination Mechanism UNIFIL Commander Maj. Gen. Alberto Asarta Cuevas on Tuesday, for the first time after assuming command...

3.8 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes off Sidon A 3.8 magnitude quake struck off the coast of the southern port city of Sidon at dawn Tuesday, Bhannes...

Sayyed: Mirza Committed Flagrant Violation of Judicial Deal with Syria Former head of the General Security Department Maj. Gen. Jamil Sayyed on Tuesday said Prosecutor General...

Lebanese Judiciary Dismisses 'Improperly Issued' Syrian Summons Prosecutor General Saeed Mirza has returned orders of summons issued by the Syrian judiciary three months...

Jumblat Favors Gradual Solution to Resistance Issue Druze leader Walid Jumblat called for a "gradual solution" to the issue of the resistance that would...

Army Arrests Killers of 70-Year-Old A Lebanese army patrol arrested Tuesday two alleged killers of Saadallah Daher, a 70-year-old Lebanese...

Qassem Says Dialogue Won't Discuss 'Weapons' as They are Defense Strategy 'Outcome, Not Source' Hizbullah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem on Monday noted that 'there is no discussion topic...

Phalange Party Hopes Dialogue Would Lead to 'One Vision for Future of Security, Stability, Independence' Phalange Party politburo on Monday 'decided to participate in dialogue despite knowing in advance the...

Jumblat Urges Media to Ensure Accuracy before Publishing Syria Visit News Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat urged the media outlets to ensure accuracy before...

Lebanese man becomes first to sue former Syrian 'jailers'  BEIRUT: A Lebanese man has filed an unprecedented lawsuit against five Syrians, including four officers, that he said kidnapped, tortured and jailed him in Syria, his lawyer told AFP on Thursday. Elias Tanios was kidnapped from Lebanon by Syrian soldiers in 1992 and taken to Syria where he was held in jail until his release in 2000, Sleiman Labbous said.

Prominent businessman, media magnate Antoine Choueiri laid to rest  BEIRUT: Family and friends of prominent Lebanese businessman and media mogul Antoine Choueiri bid him farewell during a funeral held at the Saint Georges Maronite Cathedral in Downtown Beirut on Thursday. Prayers were led by Archbishop Roland Abu Jaoude, representing Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir, aided by Beirut Maronite Archbishop Boulos Mattar.

Magistrate lists charges in Ain al-Remmaneh case  BEIRUT: Mount Lebanon Investigative Magistrate Fawzi Khamis issued Thursday a list of charges regarding the bloody Ain al-Remmaneh incident. On October 6, 2009, 31-year-old Georges Abu Madi was killed and four others were wounded when violence erupted between young men from the mainly Shiite district of Shiyyah and men from the nearby Christian area of Ain al-Remmaneh.

Ministers to set rules for filling key posts  BEIRUT: The Cabinet tasked on Thursday a committee headed by Prime Minister Saad Hariri to set the criteria for administrative appointments.Minister of State for Administrative Affairs Mohammad Fneish will then take all the proposed criteria into consideration in order to draft a comprehensive mechanism for the administrative appointments.

Lebanese industrialists disregarding ministry controls  BEIRUT: Industrial Research Institute (IRI) director general Bassam al-Feren said on Thursday that some industrial organizations were avoiding submitting to controls imposed by the Industry Ministry and as result having a negative affect on the industrial sector in Lebanon. "Some industrialists in Lebanon tend to avoid complying with rules and legislations

Bank Audi report highlights detrimental impact of global crisis on Jordan's economy  BEIRUT: Bank Audi said in a new report on Jordan that Amman was affected to some extent by the global financial crisis as evident by the fall in exports and remittances. The report, entitled "Fiscal consolidation requirements: The key challenges for the Kingdom's economy," addresses the most important economic developments in 2009

Less than quarter of public-sector education staff hold baccalaureates  BEIRUT: The lowest ratio of teachers to students in public schools is one teacher for every eight students, Education Ministry officials said Wednesday. Fadi Yarak, general director of the Education and Higher Education Ministry (EHEM) also said that "only 23 percent of management and education personnel at Lebanon's public schools hold baccalaureate degrees.

Ex-minister Daher calls National Dialogue 'illegitimate'  BEIRUT: The Issam Fares Center hosted this week a panel discussion on the need for constitutional amendments. The discussions were headed by MP Samir Jisr and former minister Sheikh Mikhael Daher, who noted that Lebanon was a democracy governed by majorities from across all 18 sects, and highlighted the importance of

Sectarianism undermining reform drive - Safadi  BEIRUT: The division of political power according to religious affiliation is undermining Lebanon's political progress, Economy Minister Mohammad Safadi told an audience at one of Washington's most prestigious think tanks on Wednesday.The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars held the lecture, which was attended by more than 120

UK ambassador tackles rights legislation in BAU speech  BEIRUT: Britain's ambassador to Lebanon on Thursday emphasized the need for human rights principles to be enshrined into law, saying that "only written, implemented human rights legislation can protect individuals from abuse."British Ambassador Frances Guy was speaking upon the invitation of the Human Rights Center at the Beirut Arab

Scientists predict large Lebanon earthquake looming  BEIRUT: Although it probably passed you by, Lebanon was one of many countries to experience an earthquake this week. A quake registering 3.8 on the Richter Scale hit 50 kilometers off the coast of Sidon at just after 2:30 Tuesday morning. No damage was reported and, according to Ata Elias, assistant professor at the American University

Nijmeh coach to take over national football team  The coach of Lebanese football team Nijmeh, Emile Rustom, has been appointed to head the national squad for the second time, media reports said Friday. Lebanon has been without a coach since Adnan al-Sharqi stepped down in June. "We hope that in the coming months we will be able to show how improved Lebanese football is."

News in Brief Published on 11/01/2007  News in Brief Published on 11/01/2007

Palestinian family refuses to quit collapsing home  A Palestinian family refuses to leave their ramshackle home in the Mieh we Mieh Palestinian refugee camp, notwithstanding warnings from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and other local authorities. "They ask us to abandon our home without providing us with an alternative," the house's owner Najwa Kaouch told The Daily Star.

Patrick Seale launches new book at Four Seasons Hotel  BEIRUT: "The Struggle for Arab Independence: Riad el-Solh and the Makers of the Modern Middle East," a new book by journalist and author Patrick Seale, was unveiled with much fanfare on March 4 at the Four Seasons Hotel. Among those who turned out for the launch event were Solh's daughter Layla al-Solh Hamade, publisher Ghassan Shbaro