No sour grapes for Lebanon's wine-making monks (AFP via Yahoo! News) With faith on their side and blessed harvests, Lebanon's Christian Maronite monks have injected a touch of modern marketing savvy into their age-old wine-making tradition to launch the country's first certified organic wine.

Lebanon County continues distribution of H1N1 vaccine (The Patriot-News) With more than half of its 16,000 doses of H1N1 remaining, Lebanon County Emergency Management Agency continues working to get it distributed to area residents.

Lebanon City Council cancels tonight's meeting (The Western Star) LEBANON - A city council meeting scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 9, has been canceled because of the weather.

Lebanon med school might include 250-bed vets’ home (Corvallis Gazette-Times) Large pipes are ready for installation in the field across from Lebanon Samaritan Community Hospital, where Samaritan HealthServices is building a medical school. Med students already aresending applications to the school in anticipation of itscompletion in 2011.

Lebanon Township author and musician âspreads the lightâ to children, adults (Hunterdon Review) LEBANON TWP. - Seventy-year-old musician and author John Beavin says he never grew up. His motto is, “It's no fun unless it's fun!”

Renovation of Lebanon municipal building nearly complete (Hunterdon Review) LEBANON – The renovation to the borough Municipal Building was expected to conclude this week, construction manager Dave Tillou said at the Wednesday, Jan. 20 Borough Council meeting.

Cornwall-Lebanon School District may use Feb. 15 as snow makeup day (The Patriot-News) If the forecasted snow arrives Wednesday and school is cancelled, Cornwall-Lebanon School District will make up the day Monday Feb. 15. Students are scheduled to be off for President's Day, but it is also a snow makeup day, Superintendent Joseph Kristobak said at Monday's school board meeting.

Mt. Lebanon schools to close Tuesday (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) All Mt. Lebanon Public Schools are closed today and will be closed Tuesday.

Accidents and a pot arrest in Lebanon Twp. (Hunterdon Review) LEBANON TWP. -- Justin Kirberger, 18, of Port Murray was traveling northbound on Turkey Top Road when he ran off the left side of the roadway and struck a utility pole at 8:56 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 24, police said.

Still plowing, Lebanon Valley braces for another snowstorm (Lebanon Daily News) Joining fellow city employees and about a dozen City of Lebanon Authority volunteers, public works director Gordon Kirkessner spent Friday night into Saturday afternoon plowing the 14 inches of snow Mother Nature dumped on the city's roadways.

Separate St. Maroun Celebrations in Beirut and Brad, Sfeir Says Maronite Church Keen on Coexistence Lebanon's Maronites celebrated the 1600th anniversary of St. Maroun's death on Tuesday in two separate...

Four More Plane Crash Victims Identified Lebanon on Tuesday identified four more victims of the ill-fated Ethiopian plane as Lebanese army divers...

Spanish King Inspects UN Troops in South Lebanon Spain's King Juan Carlos inspected Spanish U.N. troops stationed in southern Lebanon on Tuesday as he...

Jumblat Expresses Regret at 'Offensive Words' against Syrian People, Leadership Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat has denied that he had told Washington Post columnist...

Hariri Convinced with Syrian Clarifications on Assad's Remarks Prime Minister Saad Hariri said he was convinced with the clarifications of political sources on Syrian...

Struger: The Situation is Calm, All Sides Cooperating with UNIFIL Milos Struger, a senior official with the U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, said UNIFIL's...

Murr Kicks of Talks with U.S. Officials Defense Minister Elias Murr is scheduled to meet with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern...

Army Arrests Majzoub's Uncle The Lebanese army intelligence in the Bekaa arrested the maternal uncle of debt-ridden Sheikh Mohammed...

Suleiman to Spain's King: Lebanon, UNIFIL Facing Dangerous Israeli Threats Lebanon and UNIFIL are facing dangerous Israeli threats and the international community has to stop...

Saudi Government Urges International Response to Israeli Threats Against Lebanon, Syria The Saudi government on Monday urged the international community 'for taking a firm stance on the issue...

U.S. Congressman Involved in Deployment of U.S. Marines in Beirut Dies U.S. congressman John Murtha, who died Monday of complications from gallbladder surgery at age 77, was...

Phalange Party: Assad's Remarks 'a Second Message' after Abu Moussa's Phalange Party on Monday condemned 'the content of Syrian President Bashar Assad's interview with Seymour...

Jumblat: Leave the Issue of Feb. 14 Rally Participation to Last Minute Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat reiterated that he would visit Damascus at the "appropriate...

Sfeir in Lent Message: Maronite Presence is Based on Covenant, We Ask for No One's Guarantees Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir on Monday said Maronites need guarantees from no one as their presence...

Quarrel at Manara Fishermen Port: Mashnouq Denies Being Beaten, Aridi Declines to Comment As Mustaqbal bloc MPs Mohammed Qabbani, Ghazi Youssef, and Nuhad al-Mashnouq were inspecting the project...

Recovered Black Box Could Tell Story of Ethiopian Plane Crash Lebanese marine commandos managed to pull one of the two black boxes from the crashed Ethiopian plane...

Assad to Berri: Syria will Support Lebanon if Israel Attacks Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told visiting Speaker Nabih Berri that Damascus will support Lebanon...

Black Box Retrieved 14 Days after Ethiopian Plane Crash Lebanese Army Command announced Sunday afternoon that divers from the army's Navy Commando Regiment...

Filipina House Worker Murders Employer's Sister with Kitchen Knife A Filipina maid killed her employer's sister and injured the slain woman's seven-year-old daughter with...

Rifi in Damascus as March 14 Adapts to New Phase Police chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi has traveled to Damascus "alone for the first time," pan-Arab daily...

Assad to Berri: We Support Lebanon and Its Stability Syrian President Bashar Assad stressed Sunday to visiting Speaker Nabih Berri 'support for Lebanon,...

Aoun: Lebanese Refugees in Israel is a Pressing Issue, Not All of Them are Spies Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun said the Memorandum of Understanding he signed with Hizbullah...

Survey: Mixed View of Hizbullah in Muslim Countries A survey conducted May 18-June 16 by the Pew Research Center's Global Attitudes Project finds mixed...

Western Diplomat Rules Out Israeli War on Lebanon A western diplomat ruled out any Israeli aggression on Lebanon and Syria any time soon unless a security...

Mustaqbal Doubts Authenticity of Remarks Attributed to Assad, Hariri Calls Assad Prime Minister Saad Hariri has discussed latest developments in Lebanon and the region in a telephone...

Aridi: Black Boxes Located under the Ethiopian Plane's Tail Searchers have located the black boxes of the Ethiopian Airlines plane under the jet's tail that has...

European Official: Lebanon is Safe from Israeli Attacks during Next 3 Months "Lebanon is safe from Israeli attacks during the next three months," The daily Ad-Diyar quoted a European...

Sfeir Sends Jumblat Message Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir has expressed frustration over a decision by Druze leader Walid Jumblat...

Qassem Rules Out War but Says Hizbullah Should be Ready Deputy Hizbullah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem said the party hasn't received any indications of Israeli...

Jumblat Concerned over New Israeli War, Describes Situation as Madness Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat has expressed concern over a new Israeli war on Lebanon...

Hizbullah Cadres on Alert Informed Lebanese sources have said that Hizbullah cadres have been on alert in all Lebanese regions...

U.S. Concern over Alleged Arms Smuggling, Repetition of 2006 Scenario A U.S. official has expressed concern over the presence of arms outside the control of the Lebanese...

Suleiman Consulting with Officials on Reviving National Dialogue President Michel Suleiman is reportedly consulting with Lebanese officials on reviving the national...

International Review of UNIFIL Structure Amid Denial to Downsize it French sources have denied there was an intention to lower the number of peacekeepers in Lebanon, saying...

Gilad: Israel's Anti-Missile System to Remain on Lebanon's Front Amos Gilad, Director of Policy and Political-Military Affairs at the Israeli Defense Ministry, said...

Jumblat Snaps Back at Lieberman: We Are with Syrian People, Leadership Above All Else Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat on Friday snapped back at Israel's firebrand ultra-nationalist...

Sfeir: Possibilities of War Exist as Long as Hizbullah Wants to Play State Role Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir lamented what he called continued Syrian influence in Lebanon and...

Cassese: Hariri Case Highly Complex The head of a U.N. probe into the murder five years ago of Lebanon's former premier Rafik Hariri said...

Suleiman: Lebanese Democratic System Among the Best in the World President Michel Suleiman has lauded Lebanon's consensus-based democracy which gives a role for all...

Interior Ministry, USAID Sign MOU on Technical Support for Municipal Elections With participation of the U.S. Ambassador Michele Sison, Interior Minister Ziad Baroud and USAID Mission...

Wahab Accuses Arslan of Murder Attempt, Tells Him Gone is Era of Dinosaurs Former Cabinet Minister Wiam Wahab on Friday pointed a finger at Democratic Party leader Talal Arslan...

Army, Lebanese Forces at Loggerheads Over Alleged Torture of Minor The Lebanese Army and Lebanese Forces are at loggerheads over accusations that soldiers tortured a minor...

Geagea: March 14 will Carry On until Cedar Revolution Goals are Achieved Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea stressed Friday on the significance of a massive turnout to mark...

Libya Expects Suleiman to Participate in Arab Summit Despite Shiite Ire The Libyan government has announced that it hasn't been officially notified about a lower level of Lebanese...

Moussa: Fragile Mideast Situation Could Reflect on Lebanon Arab League chief Amr Moussa said political and security conditions in Lebanon are much better but the...

Agreement to Stop News Leaks on Dar al-Fatwa In an attempt to defuse mounting tension sparked followed accusations that Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammed...

Assad: Civil War in Lebanon Could Start in Days unless They Change the Whole System Syrian President Bashar Assad said that 'the civil war in Lebanon could start in days,' adding that...

Names of Lebanese Passengers Released from Plane Crash Officials released the names of Lebanese passengers who were on board the Ethiopian plane that crashed...

Sleiman: World can 'no longer' take Israel's threats lightly  President Michel Sleiman Monday voiced concern over the latest Israeli warnings to Lebanon's Hizbullah movement and its backer Syria, saying he could "no longer take them lightly.""The world today knows that Israeli threats against Lebanon are no longer to be taken lightly," Sleiman said in a statement released by his office

Lebanese president urges Spain to enforce implementation of UNSCR 1701  President Michel Sleiman called on Spain King Juan Carlos I to enforce the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 as he slammed Israel for hindering any progress on the Mideast peace process.Spain currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union which coincides with the presence of Lebanon, since January 1, as a non-permanent member in the UN Security Council

Sfeir: We are a nation of 'civilized minorities'  The Maronite Patriarch said Monday the Lebanese National Pact was a covenant among the country's religious minorities rather than a bilateral compromise between Christians and Muslims.On the eve of the anniversary of the Maronites patron Saint Maroun, Sfeir warned Maronites against selling their land and stressed that Lebanon,though not the Maronites' country of origin

Mashnouq denies he was assaulted during row in Ain al-Mreisseh  Future Movement MP Nouhad Mashnouq dismissed on Monday media reports that he had been assaulted in the Ain al-Mreisseh neighborhood in Beirut as he attempted to resolve a dispute between fishermen of the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) and Future Movement supporters.Mashnouq told LBC television that he had intervened

Harb calls for full restructuring of NSSF  Labor Minister Botrous Harb said Monday that the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) should distance itself from political wrangling in order to turn this fund into an efficient entity that provides full services to all Lebanese.Speaking at a press conference to announce a two-day workshop on social security on the 11th and 12th of this month

Lebanese commercial banks' assets reach $115 billion at end of 2009  The consolidated balance sheet of commercial banks operating in Lebanon shows that total assets reached $115.2 billion at the end of 2009, up 22.3 percent from the end of 2008, as reported by Lebanon This Week, the economic publication of the Byblos Bank Group. Private sector deposits totaled $95.8 billion, up 23.1 percent from the end of 2008

Nahas calls for turning Beirut into Arab broadcasters' center  Telecommunications Minister Charbel Nahas pledged on Monday to provide all the facilities required to make Lebanon and especially Beirut a city center for all broadcasters' studios which have the capacity of providing the best technologies and most modern techniques."Lebanon will make every effort in order to transform Beirut to an open city for broadcasters

Ethiopian Airliner's flight recorders sent to France  The flight recorders from the Ethiopian Airlines plane which crashed off the coast of Beirut were transported Monday to France, where investigators hope to unlock the secret of what caused the disaster.A team of specialists left Rafik Hariri International Airport at dawn with the black boxes on Prime Minister Saad Hariri's private plane, the National News Agency reported

Filipina domestic worker stabs employer's sister to death  A Filipina domestic worker killed her employer's sister and injured the woman's seven-year-old daughter with a kitchen knife in the town of Ain Saadeh, the state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported on Monday.The Filipina housekeeper, who was not identified, stabbed to death Rose Saad, 48, and injured her niece Rosy Marie, who was hospitalized

Sidon prepares to launch its first medical waste treatment center  Sidon Municipality is preparing to lay the foundation stone for its first ever medical waste treatment center this week.The project, sponsored by the Spanish Embassy and funded by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), will cost around 800,000 euros (around $1,095,500) and cover an area of about 600 meters

Spain helps beekeeping project get buzzing in Akkar  Spanish and Lebanese officials celebrated on Saturday the launching of an apiculture (beekeeping) project in Akkar.The center in Deir Dalloum, Akkar, was opened in the presence of Spanish Ambassador to Lebanon Juan Carlos Gafo, Economy and Trade Minister Mohammad Safadi, Javier Gila from AIDA Association, the research and management team of the Apiculture Department of the Safadi Foundation

STL president lectures at USJ about international justice  During his first visit in Lebanon as president of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL), Antonio Cassese made the most of the opportunity to highlight the major issues concerning international criminal courts of law. As former president of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, the Italian jurist knows his subject

Court sets extradition hearing for 'Paris bomber'  A Canadian court on Monday set a tentative June extradition hearing for Canadian-Lebanese national Hassan Diab, arrested 15 months ago for his alleged role in a 1980 Paris bombing that killed four. The Ontario Superior Court will firm the dates on Friday after lawyers verify that witnesses will be available for three-week hearing. The Crown sought more time to allow France to gather new evidence

Jumblatt: Don't let public staff run for office  Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt said on Monday that allowing the employees of public institutions to run for office in the municipal elections might lead to the politicization of municipal and development work. He wrote ion his party's Al-Anbaa newspaper that he did not want to attack the employees, but instead wanted to avoid politicizing the municipal councils

UNIFIL official: All parties want to avoid war  The United Nations Interim Force for Lebanon (UNIFIL) Director of Political and Civil Affairs Milos Strugar stressed Monday that all parties did not seek war and were committed to a halt of violations. "UNIFIL did not notice any unusual movements and all parties confirmed that they did not seek war and were committed to halt violations and thus if political will remains that way, calm will prevail," Strugar said

ISF arrests man wanted for drug dealing, robberies  The Internal Security Forces arrested on Monday on the Zouk Mosbeh highway, east of Beirut, an individual charged with several arrest warrants for drug dealing and armed robberies. A statement by the ISF directorate said Monday security forces arrested a man identified as A.Z. for attempting acrobatic moves on his motor bike and endangering his life and that of other citizens

Hariri to inaugurate annual gathering for newspapers, news publishers  Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri will inaugurate the 63rd World Newspaper Congress, World Editors Forum and Info Services Expo 2010, in early June, organizers said on Monday.The events, organized by the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) and hosted by Lebanese newspaper An-Nahar

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.

Bank Employees' Union celebrates new executive committee at Padova Hotel  Members of the Bank Employees' Union had a good old knees-up at the Padova Hotel on February 2 after the election of their new executive committee. Among the hundreds who turned out for the cocktail reception were Sama Ghanim, Salim Ashkar, Joseph Shammas and Ghassan Saliby