allegedly involved in Thursday's helicopter shooting incident. Hezbollah on Friday turned over one suspect to the judiciary claiming he was the only person who opened fire at the helicopter Hanna was flying over the Sujud hills in south Lebanon
The other prominent issues in Lebanon are:
1- The confirmation by the Egyptian authorities of the involvement of the key politician Hisham Mustafa Talaat in the murder of the Lebanese singer Susan Tamim.
2- The quartet meeting tomorrow in Damascus that will include the leaders of France, Syria, Qatar and Turkey
Wednesday
21:45 Al-Mustaqbal movement leader MP Saad Hariri said he is ready to support and sponsor all reconciliation efforts in Tripoli and the North.
20:05 Sarkozy said he discussed with Assad the special tribunal for Lebanon.
20:02 Siniora confirmed after meeting President Suleiman in Baabda the cabinet would not hold its weekly meeting on Thursday, noting that the pay raise issue would be discussed next week.
19:55 Sarkozy stressed in a joint press conference with Assad in Damascus the importance of a sovereign and independent Lebanon.
19:00 Premier Siniora telephoned his Belgian counterpart to extend condolences over the death of a Belgian UNIFIL deminer in south Lebanon.
18:39 French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrives in Syria for talks with President Bashar al-Assad.
18 :00 VOL: The cabinet will not hold its weekly meeting on Thursday.
17:13 Belgian deminer killed by unexploded bomb
16:38 General Michel Aoun said during a press conference: We know that the security events in Lebanon did not come about randomly. We request security forces do what is necessary to uncover those behind the security problems.
We hope to see the speedy completion of the investigation into the helicopter shooting … In defense of Hezbollah he said: "Things happen by accident.... We should not mix the accident with the defense strategy."
In response to questions he said : "I did have a meeting with Issam Fares." ...."I did not meet with MP Michel al-Murr "[to discuss the 2009 parliamentary elections].
15:31 president Assad outlines conditions for peace with Israel despite skepticism of potential Israeli attack: No rapprochement between Syria and Israel had come about through the Turkish-mediated peace talks. “When direct negotiations in which the US, France and Turkey play a role, and perhaps other countries, then we can say yes, we are approaching peace,” Assad was quoted as saying.
“Today there is a possibility of peace… But nonetheless, we cannot say that we are close to achieving peace. We are preparing for direct negotiations. When we reach that step, we will be able to say that we are approaching peace,” Israeli news website Ynet reported Assad as saying in remarks in Arabic that were dubbed over in French. "Of course we have to wait for the new ( US) administration to know what its orientations are," Assad added
13:51 Msgr. Youssef Tawk said during a press conference after annual Maronite Bishops’ meeting: We thank God for the election of President Michel Suleiman, the formation of the cabinet, the appointment of a new army commander and the roundtable national dialogue. Although the situation has improved since last year, we are still concerned. There is a sharp divide among political groups in Lebanon and there is an urgent need for March 14 and March 8 to get along now that the national unity government has been formed.
We are facing a turning point today in Lebanon, as the situation continues to prompt the Lebanese people to emigrate.
12:45 Heavy Israeli overflights are reported over Marjayoun, Khiam, Nabatiyeh and Iqlim al-Tuffah.
12:40 president Suleiman meets Speaker Nabih Berri at Baabda Palace.
11:00 President Suleiman told visitors there would be no dialogue without reconciliation and no reconciliation without dialogue.
9:30 Maronite Bishops hold their monthly meeting at Diman.
07:32 al Hayat - The detained Syrian who was charged with the robbery of the BLUM bank branch and who is a member of Fatah al Islam accused Shaker al Absi , the Fatah al Islam leader of being the instigator and planner of the robbery
06:58 Al Akhbar : The Iranian file will be on the top of the agenda of the Sarkozy-Assad meeting in Damascus
meeting summit in Damascus
06:50 As Safir : The replacement of General Khoury , former head of the intelligence apparatus will be discussed during the meeting of the military council next Tuesday , but prior to this meeting there will be consultations between Kahwaji, Suleiman, Berri, Siniora and minister Murr
06:49 As Safir : The Emir of Qatar briefed president Suleiman on the agenda of the quartet meeting in Damascus that will include the leaders of Turkey, France, Qatar and Syria
06:23 As Safir : The cabinet will hold a meeting next week which will exclusively deal with the subject of wage increase and will confirm the new minimum wage that was approved by the former government for public employees which was raised from 300,000 LL to 500, 000 LL ( $200- $333)
06:00 Explosives expert with amputated arms foiled the robbery of a woman and arrested the burglar
05:42 DPA: The investigation of the helicopter attack has confirmed that more than one Hezbollah gunman was involved in the attack and has already asked Hezbollah to hand over 3 more gunmen suspected of involvement in the incident
05:36 Assad told France 3: We believe Israel may launch an attack against Iran , Syria and Lebanon
05:23 The Egyptian authorities have officially confirmed the involvement of the key politician Hisham Mustafa Talaat in the murder of the Lebanese singer Susan Tamim
05:14 President Suleiman will meet at 10 am at the Baabda palace the heads of the syndicates of the media
05:09 There are preparations for an Iftar at the Baabda palace on September 9, 2008
Tuesday
22:23 MP Alloush told Future TV": Statements of the Free patriotic movement smell racism and yet they accuse Tripoli of isolation and racism
21:36 Minister Tarik Mitri told Future TV: It is incorrect to portray Tripoli as if it is a suburb of Kandahar , it is also incorrect to portray the Christians and the Muslims as being young radicals and rebels
21:24 Gen. Michel Aoun returned from Paris where he spent few days on a private visit
20:42 Geagea told a delegation from Batroun: if there is a minimum goodwill from Syria , then the border demarcation is required
20:34 Future TV: One Lebanese security officer and his brother were assaulted during their visit to Hezbollah stronghold of Dhahyia
17:38 U.S. Embassy: American government and the Lebanese army are jointly participating in a training program designed to effectively upgrade the capacity of the Lebanese army
18:12 Former PM Omar Karami is in Teheran on an official visit and has met with Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad and FM Manouchehr Mottaki.
16:10 Founder of Salafist Movement in Lebanon Sheikh Dai al-Islam Chahhal fears May events may have spread to Tripoli and called on all Lebanese politicians, media organizations and judicial bodies to deal with the northern city’s troubles “with justice and in transparency.”
15:45 Abu Faour : Syria is stealing massive amounts of water from Lebanese territories in the village of Deir al Ashayer and the Lebanese Syrian Supreme Council and the joint committees are sterile institutions and have no power to solve any problems between the two countries
15:35 Salafism founder in Lebanon Sheikh Dai al-Islam al-Chahhal holds press conference at Grand Serail after meeting with PM Fouad Siniora.
15:30 Nadim Gemayel, son of slain president-elect Bashir Gemayel, says time has come to resolve the issue of the weapons outside the control of the government, and to extend its sovereignty across the entire country. Gemayel denounced the helicopter shooting incident and said that “the martyrdom of Captain Samer Hanna has made it clear to us that there is no room for a defensive strategy that declares that the situation today necessitates arms to protect arms -this logic we must get rid of.”
14:35 Egypt's public prosecutor charged Egyptian tycoon Hisham Talaat Mustafa with involvement in the brutal killing of Lebanese singer Suzanne Tamim in Dubai.
14:19 Administration and Justice Committee suggested granting Lebanese emigrants /expatriates the right to vote in the 2009 parliamentary elections on condition their names were registered on electoral lists
Tags: army, Breaking News, Egypt, Elias al-Murr, Future Movement, hanna, Hezbollah, kahwaji, Lebanese Forces, Lebanon, Michel Aoun, Syria
