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The chief negotiator charged with ensuring the release of the seven Estonians cyclists revealed that they were accidentally abducted by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command, he told Asharq newspaper in remarks published on Wednesday.
The negotiator, who chose not to disclose his name, said that the abductors were seeking to kidnap Americans, then Frenchmen as a second choice, and English nationals as a third one.
Full StoryThe March 14 General Secretariat condemned on Wednesday Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour’s visit to Damascus aimed at showing solidarity with the Syrian regime, saying that it was a shameful moment that portrayed Lebanon as the only Arab supporter of the regime that “is committing massacres against its people.”
It said in statement after its weekly meeting: “We urge President Michel Suleiman to summon Lebanon’s Ambassador to Syria in order to hold consultations on the developments there.”
Full StoryHead of Hizbullah's politburo Ibrahim Amine al-Sayyed held talks on Wednesday with a delegation from al-Jamaa al-Islamiya headed by Azzam al-Ayoubi, the National News Agency reported.
The conferees stressed on “the resistance’s role in fortifying the future of the nation and in protecting our nations from offensive threats.”
Full StoryLebanon will take part on Wednesday in a scientific research that will enable scientists to trigger an early tsunami alert before it occurs.
“Lebanon will participate in a new scientific research that includes several countries in the region in an attempt to issue an early tsunami alert,” chairman of the National Research Council Moein Hamza told Voice of Lebanon radio on Wednesday.
Full StoryPrime Minister Najib Miqati stated on Tuesday that the developments in the region “are very complicated and exceptional,” noting that no one can predict their outcomes.
He said during a Ramadan gathering: “Lebanon cannot for one second support the violence and bloodshed. It’s only position should be against the Israeli enemy.”
Full StoryParliament failed to approve on Wednesday a draft law on electricity that was suggested by Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun.
The draft law allows Energy Minister Jebran Bassil to receive $1,200,000,000 to implement a project on producing 700 Megawatts of electricity.
Full StoryAs Syria's crackdown on protesters gets bloodier, it is having repercussions for one of Damascus' most crucial allies, eroding the reputation of Hizbullah.
At recent protests, Syrians demonstrating against President Bashar Assad have also unleashed their anger at Hizbullah over its blunt support for the regime. Some protesters have set fire to the yellow flag of Hizbullah and pictures of the group's leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.
Full StorySpecial Tribunal for Lebanon spokesman Martin Youssef said Lebanon is compelled by U.N. Security Council resolution 1757 to arrest the four suspects in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri’s murder and transfer them to The Hague.
Youssef told An Nahar daily published Wednesday that Tribunal President Judge Antonio Cassese will take his decision in the next few days on whether Lebanon has done enough in its search for the four suspects against whom the STL had issued arrest warrants.
Full StoryInvestigators probing the alleged smuggling of weapons from Lebanon to Syria have discovered that several suspects held in the case have previously carried out similar operations, As Safir newspaper reported on Wednesday.
The military prosecutor general charged during the weekend two Lebanese men with allegedly smuggling weapons from the Beirut Marina to Syria.
Full StoryGeneral Prosecutor Saeed Mirza has said the submission of a report to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon that none of the four people accused in ex-Premier Rafik Hariri’s murder have been detained doesn’t mean that the mission of Lebanese judicial authorities was over.
In remarks to al-Mustaqbal daily published Wednesday, Mirza said: “Our response to the tribunal doesn’t mean that our mission ended. There are international arrest warrants and red notices against these people.”
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