Sunday

21:35 The Syrian foreign ministry on Sunday summoned the heads of the U.S. and Iraqi diplomatic missions to relay protests against the "serious aggression" on its territory.

The Syrian foreign ministry also asked the Iraqi envoy to "prevent U.S. forces from launching aggression against Syria from Iraqi territory," according to Syrian media reports.

The move came a few hours after the 4:45pm attack by U.S. helicopter gunships and airborne troops against a target in northeast Syria, eight kilometers from the border with Iraq, that claimed nine lives and wounded 14 people, according to media count.

19:50 Minister of Telecommunications Jebran Bassil on Sunday criticized calls for the creation of an independent parliamentary bloc, saying they are aimed at "weakening our reform activity, efforts aimed at regaining rights and achieving balance" of powers.

"The presidency needs our parliamentary bloc" Bassil said in reference to Gen. Michel Aoun's Change and Reform Bloc and calls for electing a neutral parliamentary bloc loyal to President Michel Suleiman.

19:12 Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel on Sunday criticized the reported release by security forces of fundamentalists and turning them over to Hizbullah.

"Armed factions usually surrender to the state, not the other way around," Gemayel noted.

"We really wish to know what is happening, because this clarifies more and more events of the north, which we look at them now from a different perspective," he added.

"We ask where does the role of the security forces end, and at which point the role of other sides start?" Gemayel asked.

"This should lead us to reconsider the situation, especially Hizbullah's role," he stressed.

16:45 ex-Premier Omar Karami received Qabalan and told reporters the visit is an historic event because it consolidates intra-Muslim unity.

13:00 Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel met Egypt's intelligence chief Omar al-Qinawi at his home in Sin el-Fil.

11:53 Development and Liberation bloc MP Anwar Khalil calls on all parties to accept the voters’ will in 2009 elections. Khalil said that experience proved that Lebanon would remain a country of coexistence, and that every attempt to contradict this statement would lead to security, political and economic difficulties. In a ceremony in Marjayoun-Hasbaya on Sunday, Khalil said that Speaker Nabih Berri insisted that all parties establish national unity on the basis of respect for the constitution and dialogue. Khalil called for the resolution of all controversial issues, for democratic competition during the 2009 parliamentary elections and for all parties to accept the will of the voters.

11:50 Social affairs Minister Mario Aoun told NBN that FPM does not support broadening participation in the national dialogue.

11:48 Deputy President of the Higher Islamic Shia Council Sheikh Abdul Amir Qabalan meets with Mufti of Tripoli and the North Sheikh Malek al-Chaar in Tripoli.

11:37 Minister of State Jean Ogasapian says Arab countries urge ministers to show restraint during talks on deputy PM’s powers. Ogasapian told Future News on Sunday that some Arab countries have called on all ministers to refrain from walking out or resigning from the cabinet due to the disagreement over the deputy prime minister’s powers. Ogasapian said that this issue should be resolved in accordance with the constitution. He added that the parliament had been closed for a year and a half, and that no one had called for powers of the deputy speaker to be approved. Ogasapian said that some parties were aiming to postpone the discussions about the defense strategy and Hezbollah’s weapons.

11:22 Free Patriotic Movement MP Nabil Nicolas said that FPM MP Michel Aoun doesn’t need to visit Iran to raise funds for the political cash may yield reversed results.

10:40 Adwan says reports on Geagea’s changed attitude towards Marada reconciliation are inaccurate. The reports claimed Geagea said that “the doors of reconciliation with Marada Movement leader Sleiman Franjieh were now closed.”He said the Lebanese Forces has not changed and will not change its stance towards the reconciliation with Marada Movement. Adwan called for the parties to compete democratically during the 2009 parliamentary elections.

09:43 Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar to VDL: The deputy prime minister has the right to demand more powers but amending the constitution is impossible. Najjar said that Prime Minister Fouad Saniora has asked Abou Jamra to oversee the implementation of the cabinet policy statement and review agreements reached with Syria in the past.

09:18 MP Antoine Zahra to VDL: We will maintain our efforts to reach reconciliation with Marada Movement but if we didn't succeed this would not affect us.

08:20 The National News Agency reported on Sunday that the Israeli army had been put on alert on Saturday night along the Blue Line between the southern regions of Kfrakela and Oudaysi.

Israeli troops also threw flares and searched orchards along the borders.

The agency added that the Lebanese army and UNIFIL conducted patrols in the two areas, in addition to Markaba and Houla.