The chief counter terrorism adviser to U.S. President Barack Obama, John Brennan, criticized on Saturday the European Union over its failure to label Hizbullah a terrorist organization, which is undermining international counter terrorism efforts.
European resistance “makes it harder to defend our countries and protect our citizens,” Brennan said in a speech to the Institute of Institutional and European Affairs in Dublin.

Two inmates at Zahle prison were injured on Saturday after a dispute erupted between prisoners from al-Zoaiter family and others, the National News Agency reported.
According to the news agency, inmates Abbas Fayyad Zoaiter and Fayyad Zoaiter were stabbed with knives and admitted to al-Abdullah hospital in the eastern city of Zahle in critical condition.

Syrian rebel fighters in the Aazaz area posted on their facebook page Saturday that they have detained Lebanese journalist Fida Itani, reported the National News Agency.
They assured that they will free him as soon as the necessary documents and information about him are acquired.

French President Francois Hollande stressed on Saturday his country's “full support” to Lebanon and its people, calling on them to put forward their country's interests above all else.
Hollande offered condolences to President Michel Suleiman over the assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau head Brigadier General Wissam al-Hasan on October 19 along with two others.

Deputy Speaker Farid Makari voiced his concerns on Saturday for the lives of five deputies, in light of last week's assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau head Wissam al-Hasan, reported the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat on Saturday.
He added that the crime has prevented him from resuming meetings on a new electoral law, he told the daily.

U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Derek Plumbly stressed on Saturday that the assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau chief Wissam al-Hasan only aims to destabilize Lebanon, calling for punishing the perpetrators.
In an interview to the Voice of Lebanon Radio (93.3), Plumbly stated that the United Nations Security Council will not interfere in Lebanon's internal affairs or take any decision to change the current government.

Arab and international stances on the current situation in Lebanon are likely to change soon becausereports received by most of these powers on the assassination of Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau head Brigadier General Wissam al-Hasan were “inaccurate”, a prominent source of the opposition March 14 alliance told the pan-Arab al-Hayat daily on Saturday.
“Most of these sides received inaccurate reports on the assassination," it said.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat lashed out at former Prime Minister Saad Hariri over his insistence to topple the cabinet of Prime Minister Najib Miqati in light of the absence of another one to substitute it, the Saudi Okaz daily reported Saturday.
“Jumblat lashed out at Hariri because al-Mustaqbal movement insists on overthrowing the current cabinet although there is no substitute for it,” unnamed sources told the daily.
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Friday voiced sorrow that Eid al-Adha comes this year while the Lebanese “are living in a state of grief,” rejecting “murder, violence and war.”
Al-Rahi, who is on a visit to Rome, extended Eid al-Adha greetings to Muslims in Lebanon and across the world.

President Michel Suleiman reiterated on Friday his call for Lebanese foes to attend the all-party talks, congratulating the Lebanese on the Eid al-Adha occasion.
“I hope this occasion would be a chance for the Lebanese to reach consensus among each other, and put forward Lebanon's interests,” Suleiman said.
