36 of the 500 containers on the board of the ship were found to contain arms, according to Israeli officials

.
The Israeli navy intercepted the vessel Tuesday night near Cyprus, roughly 100 miles off the Israeli coast.

Flying under an Antiguan flag, the ship, called the Francop, was carrying cargo loaded in Damietta, Egypt, and bound for Latakia in Syria, Israeli defense officials said. Documents found on board identified the cargo as originating in Iran according to Israeli officials

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem, speaking from Tehran, denied that Iranian arms were bound for Syria and said "pirates" had disrupted legitimate trade between Syria and Iran, news services reported.

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Israeli officials offered no direct evidence that the supplies were bound for Hezbollah. They noted, however, that Iran is forbidden under a U.N. embargo to export arms. Iran is widely considered a major weapons supplier for Hezbollah and Hamas.

Israeli Rear Adm. Rani Ben-Yehuda, deputy head of the Israeli navy said the nature of the supplies, including thousands of shorter-range Katyusha rockets, supported the idea that the arms were not intended for the Syrian military or some other standing force.

"We know what Hezbollah uses and what ranges they need," he said

Thursday

8:30 Hezbollah denied that arms seized by Israel from a ship were bound for the party and condemned what it called Israeli piracy

08: 00 A French Source told As Safir: "Michel Aoun was subjected to deceit by politicians throughout his political career. But since he has become one of them, he became the best in the sphere of the worst,"

07:45 Jumblatt visitors The ministerial statement was agreed upon and the statement on the resistance will not change from the Doha statement on the last Government

7:35 Secretary-General of the Christian-Islamic dialogue committee Hares Shehab told VOL: The campaign against Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir is not new. Bkirki is an essential part of Lebanese history.

07:09 Al Akhbar: Basil contacted yesterday evening the Secretary General of Hezbollah Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and informed him officially that Aoun has rejected the last Hariri offer

Wednesday

5:05pm FPM leader MP Michel Aoun after the weekly meeting of Change and Reform bloc: We urge calm regarding the press reports about cabinet formation because they are untrue. He attacked Partriarch Sfeir saying he is protecting the corrupt and LF leader Samir Geagea , whom he called incomplete human

3:32pm Hajj Hassan says he is unaware of any Nasrallah-Bassil meeting on Tuesday

2:35pm PM-designate Hariri met with Spanish Ambassador Juan Carlos Gafo at Center House. The two men discussed developments and bilateral ties.

2:21pm March 14: The positions of Patriarch Sfeir and the Church express commitment to the fundamental principles of independence and statehood.

2:20pm March14 General Secretariat, following its weekly meeting, called for a speedy government formation for the sake of Lebanon’s integrity.

2:15pm Wafaa Mohammed Aoun, 35, died after falling from her fourth-floor apartment balcony in the port city of Tyre.

12:50pm A weekly meeting held every Wednesday in Parliament did not take place.

12:45pm Patriarch Sfeir received a letter from the Apostolic Nuncio. Content of the letter was not disclosed.

in forming the government which they said "demonstrates a lack of responsibility and a state of confusion."

"The role of the Maronite Patriarchate (Bkirki) is well-known and whether instructions were issued from the patriarch personally or the Synod of Bishops they express one opinion," said a statement that was read by Monsignor Youssef Tawk at the end of the meeting.

"Bickering between the political parties does not demonstrate a good national spirit, while duty requires intensive efforts by everybody to the good of the country," added the statement.

Wednesday

5:05pm FPM leader MP Michel Aoun after the weekly meeting of Change and Reform bloc: We urge calm regarding the press reports about cabinet formation because they are untrue. He attacked Partriarch Sfeir saying he is protecting the corrupt and LF leader Samir Geagea , whom he called incomplete human

3:32pm Hajj Hassan says he is unaware of any Nasrallah-Bassil meeting on Tuesday

2:35pm PM-designate Hariri met with Spanish Ambassador Juan Carlos Gafo at Center House. The two men discussed developments and bilateral ties.

2:21pm March 14: The positions of Patriarch Sfeir and the Church express commitment to the fundamental principles of independence and statehood.

2:20pm March14 General Secretariat, following its weekly meeting, called for a speedy government formation for the sake of Lebanon’s integrity.

2:15pm Wafaa Mohammed Aoun, 35, died after falling from her fourth-floor apartment balcony in the port city of Tyre.

12:50pm A weekly meeting held every Wednesday in Parliament did not take place.

12:45pm Patriarch Sfeir received a letter from the Apostolic Nuncio. Content of the letter was not disclosed.

12:11pm Maronite Bishops: Bickering between the political parties does not demonstrate a good national spirit, while duty requires intensive efforts by everybody to the good of the country.

12:09pm Council of Maronite Bishops: Inability to form a government demonstrates a lack of responsibility and a state of confusion.

11:58 US Secretary of State Clinton says Mideast peace talks must include Jerusalem

11:40 Israel Radio: The ship coming from Iran and intercepted by the Israeli navy was bound for Hezbollah.

10:16 acting minister Mario Aoun says cabinet-formation negotiations have been suspended

9:42 Geagea to St. Joseph University students: Student results came out democratically

8:46 MP Ahmed Fatfat told VDL: No final agreement has been reached on names and ministries. Everything that had been said is a waste of time. Aoun had been offered a comprehensive basket. Either it is accepted or rejected

8:45 The Council of Maronite Bishops holds a meeting under Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir to discuss national and church issues.

7:30 MP Estefan Dwaihi told VDL: Procrastination does not benefit the situation in Lebanon. Do we know where the nation is headed if no government is formed?

Tuesday

9:00 pm In his report to UN Security Council on Resolution 1701, UN Chief Ban Ki-moon says rockets and weapons storage facilities in South Lebanon are cause for concern

8:20 pm Kataeb Party leader Amin Gemayel said in a Tuesday interview on LBCI television that Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri reassured the majority on Monday night that the formation of the cabinet is close, which will be a victory over obstruction and institutional paralysis.

8:20pm PM-designate Hariri met with National Liberal Party leader Dory Chamoun at Center House. The two men discussed the current political developments.

8:00pm LBC: Caretaker Telecoms Minister Jebran Bassil met this afternoon with Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in an undisclosed visit.

7:40pm March 14 forces win in 11 faculties and March 8 forces win in 3 faculties in USJ's student committees elections as the counting of votes continues.

7:32pm Al-Manar TV: A security buffer zone was imposed around Justice Palace in Saida after 4 dynamites were found.

7:30pm Voice of Lebanon: A suspicious bag was found in front of Justice Palace in Saida and the military expert headed toward the location to examine it.

what is preventing the formation of the government."

Tuesday

9:00 pm In his report to UN Security Council on Resolution 1701, UN Chief Ban Ki-moon says rockets and weapons storage facilities in South Lebanon are cause for concern

8:20 pm Kataeb Party leader Amin Gemayel said in a Tuesday interview on LBCI television that Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri reassured the majority on Monday night that the formation of the cabinet is close, which will be a victory over obstruction and institutional paralysis.

8:20pm PM-designate Hariri met with National Liberal Party leader Dory Chamoun at Center House. The two men discussed the current political developments.

8:00pm LBC: Caretaker Telecoms Minister Jebran Bassil met this afternoon with Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in an undisclosed visit.

7:40pm March 14 forces win in 11 faculties and March 8 forces win in 3 faculties in USJ's student committees elections as the counting of votes continues.

7:32pm Al-Manar TV: A security buffer zone was imposed around Justice Palace in Saida after 4 dynamites were found.

7:30pm Voice of Lebanon: A suspicious bag was found in front of Justice Palace in Saida and the military expert headed toward the location to examine it.

7: 00 pm : In his first speech since being named to a second term, Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday said he would work to remove the "stain" of corruption from his government and remain open to cooperating with his rivals.

7:00pm President Suleiman met in Baabda with U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro on the head of a delegation that included ESCWA Executive Secretary Badr Omar Al-Dafa and U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams.

6:48pm Italian President Georgio Napolitano has left Beirut heading back to Rome, concluding an official visit to Lebanon where he met President Suleiman and examined his country's UNIFIL brigade.

6: 30 pm Reuters: Czech ratification of the European Union's reform treaty on Tuesday ended years of wrangling over a document intended to give the EU more global clout.

6:22 pm According to preliminary results, March 14 wins Universite' Saint Joseph elections

5:43pm Druze Religious Council: Not forming a government, after long months of accomplishing the parliamentary elections, is considered as negligence of citizens' essential rights in having a political system that meets their ambitions.

04: 30 pm The committee in charge of Lebanese in Syrian jails: The Syrian authorities handed over the remains of Lebanese prisoner Aamir Aad Safi to his relatives claiming he died in his Syrian jail 2 weeks ago . The Mufti of Baalbeck called for investigating the cause of Safi’s death

4:28pm Caretaker Telecoms Minister Jebran Bassil visited Speaker Nabih Berri to discuss the developments and cabinet's formation issue. The meeting was also attended by MP Ali Hassan Khalil.

4:05pm Lawyers Syndicate in Tripoli announced in a statement the suspension of its strike for the meantime, in anticipation of the investigations about what happened at Tripoli's Serail entrance last Sunday.

3:15pm PM-designate Saad Hariri discussed the latest developments with ex-Minister Nayla Mouawad this afternoon at Center House. He also met with journalist May Chidiac and received her invitation to the dinner held by May Chidiac Foundation.

2:00pm Suleiman hoped the intensive consultations in the past 24 hours would lead to cabinet formation.

11:40 Minister Fawzi Sallouhk during a dinner on the sidelines of a forum in Morocco: Hizbullah liberated the south and is an essential part of the Lebanese social fabric.

11:15 Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir met March 14 general coordinator Fares Soaid and former MP Samir Franjieh. Sfeir later me with Patricia Gemayel who invited him to participate in the anniversary of Pierre Gemayel’s assassination.

10:42MP Nabil Nicola: Contacts are underway between Hariri and Aoun. The FPM is making preparations to launch a lawsuit against Mufti Jouzo.

10:31 Former Minister Wiam Wahab told LBC: Aoun’s demands were met by getting the telecom and energy ministries. Bassil will head another ministry.

8:30 Minister Mario Aoun told VOL: The telecom and energy ministries will go to FPM leader Michel Aoun. But no names have been decided on yet.

Monday

5:30pm CNA: meetings will be held soon between PM-designate Hariri and Hezbollah secretary-general's political assistant Hussein Khalil and MP Suleiman Franjieh.

5:10pm Italian President Georgio Napolitano arrived in Beirut on the head of an official Italian delegation.

2:40pm Caretaker PM Fouad Siniora is heading up a meeting for Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc in Qureitem.

What is amazing here is the fact that it was General Aoun himself who insisted after the 2005 election that losers in parliamentary election should not be allowed to join the government . What is more amazing is the fact that Bassil has failed badly as the leader of the ministry and is even suing his management team at the ministry for not carrying out his orders.

The Free Patriotic Movement leader has reportedly rejected giving the telecommunications portfolio to anyone other than Bassil. He has also demanded getting at least one key ministry like the energy or education portfolios.

PM-designate Saad Hariri has offered Aoun the telecommunications ministry on condition that it is not headed by Bassil and the tourism, culture and displaced ministries with the possibility of replacing the culture with the social affairs portfolio.

A second offer by Hariri includes giving Aoun the education or energy ministries in addition to the displaced, social affairs and labor portfolios.

Al-Hayat newspaper reported Monday that a Hezbollah delegation visited Damascus during the weekend and discussed with top Syrian officials the Lebanese cabinet issue.

Syrian President Bashar Assad has reiterated that the formation of the cabinet in Beirut is the "responsibility of the Lebanese" and stressed no regional country would form the government.
Neither Syria nor Saudi Arabia nor the summit that brought the two countries' leaders together last month "would form the national unity cabinet in Lebanon," Assad told As Safir newspaper

Local observers in Beirut are insisting that Aoun is just a front man for Hezbollah and so far no signal was given to Hezbollah by Iran or Syria to form the government . This is why Hezbollah continues to back Aoun’s demands knowing they will be rejected by the Prime minister designate. Hezbollah is reportedly awaiting the results of the Iranian negotiations with the west over the nuclear installations. This is precisely why Patriarch Sfeir has accused Hezbollah of putting Iran’s interest ahead of Lebanon’s

Monday

5:30pm CNA: meetings will be held soon between PM-designate Hariri and Hezbollah secretary-general's political assistant Hussein Khalil and MP Suleiman Franjieh.

5:10pm Italian President Georgio Napolitano arrived in Beirut on the head of an official Italian delegation.

2:40pm Caretaker PM Fouad Siniora is heading up a meeting for Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc in Qureitem.

2:37pm Karzai declared Afghan president as run-off canceled

2:01 pm Iran says ready for new talks on nuclear fuel

1:35pm Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir: Lebanon longs for peace but peace is elusive; the more we approach it the more it disappears.

1:30pm Wiam Wahab: I believe there will be a very special relationship between Hariri and Syria soon.

12:59pm President Michel Suleiman to meet his Italian counterpart Giorgio Napolitano at Baabda palace at 7:00 pm.

12:45pm Judge Fawzi Adham charged 4 employees of the railway department with neglect and fraud.

12:23pm Pierre Michel Karam was granted a world prize for making a scientific achievement in the battle against Hepatitis.

12:09pm MP Simon Abi Ramia to LBC: Contacts between Center House and Rabiyeh were never broken. The atmosphere is not negative but we haven’t reached a final solution yet.

12:04pm MP Antoine Zahra to Future News: Keeping the same cabinet ministers consolidates the May 7 principles.

12:00pm Former PM Salim Hoss: Lebanon has stood against Zionism. The Palestinians will not give up their legal rights.

7:40 Sidon and Tyre ports stopped functioning due to the rain storm.

7:35 MP Michel Khoury told VOL: FPM leader Michel Aoun is awaiting the PM-designate’s response to his demands

Sunday

6:00 pm Lebanon's Central Bank governor Riad Salameh stated that the economy of Lebanon will witness in 2009 a 7% growth rate and an additional 6% in the following year. On the other hand, inflation is expected to reach 3% in 2009 and 2010 on a par.

5:30 pm MP Nadim Gemayel after meeting with Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir offered his support and that of his party alleging that the adopted stances serve Lebanon’s best interests.

3:30 pm Lebanese Judge Joyce Tabet officially took over the role of Public Prosecutor’s Deputy of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. Tabet is assigned to coordinate between the Office of the Prosecutor General and the Lebanese authorities in matters related to the Special Tribunal. Special Tribunal Prosecutor General Daniel Bellemare said that Tabet will offer “valuable assistance” to his mission, and praised her for accepting the appointment.

Sunday

6:00 pm Lebanon's Central Bank governor Riad Salameh stated that the economy of Lebanon will witness in 2009 a 7% growth rate and an additional 6% in the following year. On the other hand, inflation is expected to reach 3% in 2009 and 2010 on a par.

5:30 pm MP Nadim Gemayel after meeting with Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir offered his support and that of his party alleging that the adopted stances serve Lebanon’s best interests.

3:30 pm Lebanese Judge Joyce Tabet officially took over the role of Public Prosecutor’s Deputy of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. Tabet is assigned to coordinate between the Office of the Prosecutor General and the Lebanese authorities in matters related to the Special Tribunal. Special Tribunal Prosecutor General Daniel Bellemare said that Tabet will offer “valuable assistance” to his mission, and praised her for accepting the appointment.

1:15 pm Iraqi police reported on Sunday that seven people were killed and more than 40 wounded during a spate of bombings across Iraq, including two suicide attacks and a bicycle bomb. In the deadliest attack, five people were killed and 37 wounded when a bomb hidden in a cooler on the back of a bicycle ripped through a market in the Shiite city of Mussayib at around 9:30 a.m. The two-wheeler had been parked at the market in Mussayib, 60 kilometres south of Baghdad and in Babil province, police said. The western Iraqi city of Ramadi, capital of the predominantly Sunni province of Al-Anbar, was hit by two suicide bombings, police said. One of the attackers detonated a car bomb at the city's western entrance, killing two people and wounding four others, according to police Colonel Jabbar Ajaj. Ajaj added that another suicide attacker blew himself up near a police station outside Ramadi, 100 kilometres west of Baghdad, but killed only himself. No one was wounded. The attacks come a week after twin suicide bombings in central Baghdad killed 153 people and wounded 500, the deadliest day of violence in Iraq in more than two years.

12:15 pm Lebanon First bloc MP Nohad al-Mashnouq told LBCI television on Sunday that Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement are “imposing new laws to form governments in Lebanon,” which he said is in an attempt to alter the country’s political system.

“[Prime Minister-designate Saad] Hariri is working on forming a national-agreement cabinet, however, negotiations are now being held with a May 7 mentality,” Mashnouq said, a reference to the opposition and to the events that took place in 2008. He stressed that such events will not occur again, since they will not result in any political gain, adding, “The Doha agreement helped a portion of the Lebanese and resulted in civil peace, however, the agreement does not constitute a base to any political system.”

He commented on Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt’s position, saying that “Jumblatt openly supports Hariri and, as such, does not have the ability to play a mediating role.”

On the occasion of late Prime Minister Rafik Hariri’s birthday, Mashnouq stated, “I am reminded of Saad Hariri, the several misfortunes he confronted over the last five years and the success he has achieved in spite of difficult circumstances.”

According to Mashnouq, “Syria is trying to restore its strategic balance on the regional and international levels.” He warned that “there is a new regional clash that Syria and Iran want to expose through negotiations with Israel, through dealing with the Iraqi situation and through other issues.”

12:00 pm FPM leader MP Michel Aoun arrives in Zahle for commemoration mass of late Minister Joseph Skaff.

11:40 am A boy was killed and a relative was wounded in a non-politically motivated mishap in the Bekaa Valley. The boy was identified as Majd al-Fouani.

11:00 am Iran’s state media reported on Sunday that a rescue operation Sunday airlifted 37 crew members from an Iranian-registered cargo ship that ran aground in heavy weather at the mouth of China's Yangtze river.

Helicopters dispatched by China's Transport Ministry succeeded in pulling the multi-national crew of Iranians, Bangladeshis and Malaysians off the distressed ship, China Central Television reported.

Earlier, state Xinhua news agency reported that a crew of 36 were onboard the Iranian-registered vessel that was identified as the Zoorik and was on the brink of capsizing.

10:45 am Syrian Al-Watan newspaper reported on Sunday that the Lebanese cabinet is unlikely to be formed soon due to many factors, namely the negative influence on Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri from some parties within the majority, as well as the parties’ expectations with regard to the Iranian nuclear program, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and several other issues.

Al-Watan quoted an opposition source as saying that there are no domestic obstacles preventing the formation of the new government, adding it will be formed once Hariri makes his final decision. He added, however, “The prime minister-designate has yet to have made up his mind, precisely because of these influences and expectations.”

The source described the cabinet formation as a “game of yo-yo,” wavering between progress and set-backs lacking in any justification or explanation.

“Hariri is prisoner to such a game,” said the source, adding that his allies prevent him from making a final decision.

The source described Hariri’s statement, that his deliberations are not restricted to discussing cabinet portfolios but include issues related to national dialogue, as “inaccurate,” and stressed that his discussions over the past four months had been solely restricted to ministerial portfolios.

10:30 am On the occasion of late Prime Minister Rafik Hariri’s birthday, his wife Nazek Hariri addressed the Lebanese on Sunday, saying that the Special Tribunal for Lebanon’s first guarantee “is unity, solidarity, support of the state and institutions as well as our sacrifice of personal interests.”

She said that if Hariri were still alive, he would have been the first to defend national consensus and reconciliation.

10:05 am Iran’s state media reported on Sunday that an Iranian-registered cargo ship with 36 crew members aboard ran aground in the mouth of China's Yangtze river and was at risk of capsizing.

A helicopter dispatched by China's transport ministry had rescued 13 crew members aboard the ship about three hours after the incident early Sunday morning, Xinhua news agency said.

A second helicopter and a rescue ship were later dispatched to the scene in hopes of rescuing the other crew members.

The distressed vessel was identified as the Zoorik, but there were no other details on the crew and cargo.

A Chinese maritime official said the vessel was at risk of capsizing due to strong winds and heavy seas, Xinhua said.

9:52 am During his Sunday mass in Bkirki, Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir warned against current “worrying incidents” and the divergent points of view between Lebanese parties.

“This harms Lebanon’s present and future,” Sfeir said, urging all parties to unite and resolve the country’s political impasse.

9:48 am Opposition candidate Abdullah Abdullah announced on Sunday that he was pulling out of next weekend's run-off presidential election in Afghanistan.

"I will not participate in the election," Abdullah told supporters in Kabul.

9:45 am MP Nuhad Mashnouq to LBC: Hizbullah’s linkage of stance to FPM leader Gen. Michel Aoun is indication that Hizbullah has no intention to form a government.

9:40 am Lebanon First bloc MP Khoder Habib told NOW Lebanon that foreign actors play an influencing role on the country’s cabinet formation, even though he commended the positive role of the Saudi-Syrian summit, and called for parties to make more concessions in light of the summit’s favorable results.

Habib said that Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri is making all efforts to form a national-unity cabinet based on the 15-10-5 formula, adding, “If Hariri wanted to form a majority cabinet, it would not have taken all this time.”

He urged all parties to facilitate the prime minister-designate’s mission, given that “he is working on meeting the demands of both the majority and the opposition.”

“Hariri is confronting and trying to overcome all obstacles,” Habib added, voicing hope that the government would be formed by the end of next week.

9:30 am Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir: Events that we are passing through are worrying and it is time for integrating the views on Lebanon

7:55 am Russian news agency Ria-Novosti reported on Sunday that a Russian interior ministry transport plane crashed in the far-eastern Yakutia region, killing all 11 people on board.

The Ilyushin crashed at 8:40 a.m. shortly after take-off from Mirny, a local official from the emergency situations ministry told the news agency.

"The bodies of all 11 crew members have been found," he said, adding that the plane was not carrying any cargo. A panel is probing the cause of the accident.

Saturday

9:20 pm US State Secretary Clinton meets with Israeli FM Lieberman ahead of meetings with Defense Minister Barak and PM Netanyahu, Haaretz reports

After meeting with Clinton in Jerusalem on Saturday night, Lieberman told the US official that the demands of the Palestinian Authority “are aimed at scuppering the peace process.”

Clinton met with Lieberman ahead of meetings with Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Haaretz reported.

7:07 pm Clinton arrives in Israel amid troubled peace process

“Let the screamers scream as they want, we will preserve a strong Lebanon and we will not accept a weak Lebanon anymore".

It is precisely the issue of a strong Lebanon that prompted Sfeir to criticize Hezbollah, a group which has been undermining the Lebanese sovereignty and independence by acting as a state within a state and making war decisions without consulting with the Lebanese government.

Qassem used the occasion of an educational ceremony in Haret Horeik on Friday to attack Sfeir. Qassem said: "The Resistance accomplished a liberation in 2002 and a victory in 2006, where would Lebanon be without its resistance, army, and people, who stood shoulder by shoulder to combat Israel bravely and sternly?"

No one in Lebanon criticizes Hezbollah for what it did in 2002. Following the 2002 liberation Hezbollah was the most popular organization in Lebanon and the Arab world .

The 2006 war is a completely different story . It was a unilateral war that Hezbollah initiated when it kidnapped 2 Israeli soldiers without consulting anyone in the government or the army . The 2006 war did not serve Lebanon’s interest in any shape or form , on the contrary it resulted in the death of over 1200 Lebanese , in the wounding of over 5000 more, Lebanon's infrastructure was totally devastated … most the bridges and roads were totally destroyed, in addition over 120,000 housing units were damaged and over 1 million Lebanese became homeless ….the damages were estimated by the UN at 15.3 billion US dollars . Despite all this devastation , at the end of the war Hezbollah declared “Devine victory “.

The question is how does this make Lebanon stronger and what victory did Lebanon accomplish from the 2006 war ? Following the war, Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah himself publicly acknowledged that had he known Israeli response would have been so disproportional he may not have kidnapped the 2 soldiers.

In other words the war was a very poor judgment on the part of Nasrallah …it was a terrible gamble …yes he gambled the whole country so that at the end he can claim that his organization survived without any concern for what really happened to Lebanon

Sfeir , who is considered Lebanon’s conscious spoke for the majority of the Lebanese when he criticized Hezbollah’s behavior saying that Hezbollah doesn’t care about Lebanon as much as it cares about Iran . It is no secret that Iran has been using and continues to use Hezbollah to spread its political influence in the region and to gain advantage in its negotiations with the west over its nuclear installations…The issue of Hezbollah’s cells in Egypt, Yemen and Iraq are in the news almost daily

Sfeir in his criticism was also referring to the day after 2006 war when Hezbollah occupied downtown Beirut for nearly 2 years to bring down the government . Hezbollah failed in bringing down the government but succeeded in devastating the businesses in downtown Beirut sending many into bankruptcies resulting in tens of thousands of lost jobs . Sfeir was also referring to May 2008 when Hezbollah pointed its so called “resistance arms” against the Lebanese citizens in Beirut and occupied the Sunni part of the capital. Sfeir was also talking about how Hezbollah tried in May 2008 to use its so called “resistance arms” to occupy the Druze strongholds of Mount Lebanon but failed after suffering many casualties including( reportedly) the son of Sheikh Qassem.

Sfeir in his criticism was talking about how Hezbollah is bullying and intimidating the Lebanese because its is the only organization that is armed in Lebanon and it is using the arms for political gains. Despite the fact that Hezbollah-led opposition lost the elections in June 2009 , it is using its ally General Michel Aoun to set impossible conditions for joining the government . Without Hezbollah arms Aoun would have been powerless and couldn't of course set any conditions

In a typical democracy the winning majority forms the government either on its own or may invite the losers to join in but the terms are always set by the winners and not the losers . This is what Sfeir was talking about . In Lebanon because of Hezbollah arms the losers become the winners and the winners become the losers

Hezbollah has to recognize that it is no more the party of 2002 and can no longer hide behind its martyrs . Since 2006 the martyrs have lost their lives because of Hezbollah’s behavior and the poor judgment of its leaders and not because they fought for their country . These are the hard facts that Hezbollah leaders have to understand.

Its about time that Hezbollah should take criticism seriously to help it change its behavior and should learn lessons from the Cedar Revolution.

The majority of the Lebanese are fed up with Hezbollah’s behavior just like they were fed up with Syria's behavior and therefore Sfeir spoke for most of us

Saturday

9:20 pm US State Secretary Clinton meets with Israeli FM Lieberman ahead of meetings with Defense Minister Barak and PM Netanyahu, Haaretz reports

7:07 Clinton arrives in Israel amid troubled peace process

5:35 The US House of Representatives is expected to vote Tuesday on a resolution calling on President Barack Obama to reject the UN's Goldstone commission report, which accuses Israel and the Hamas movement of war crimes in the Gaza conflict.

5:30pm Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Moshe Yaalon told Channel 10 in an interview on Saturday that Israel is still operating its intelligence networks in Lebanon:“We might stop our intelligence activities only when Hezbollah is disarmed and our Northern border becomes peaceful,” he said

5:25pm Papal Ambassador Gabriele Cascia stressed after meeting Roman Catholic Patriarch Gregarious III Laham that Lebanon has an important place in the heart of the Pope who is always praying for peace in Lebanon.

4:40pm MP Jumblatt met with French Ambassador Denis Pietton, to discuss various political issues. Jumblatt also met with a French delegation from Ile-de-France region over cooperation in developmental projects between Ile-de-France and the Shouf region of Mt Lebanon.

2:50pm Caretaker PM Fouad Siniora phoned Hamas Political Bureau Head Khalid Mishal and discussed with him the need to rush and support efforts to conclude Palestinian reconciliation.

2:35pm Caretaker PM Fouad Siniora met with ISF chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi who informed Saniora about the security situations in the country.

1 :55 pm Baghdad bombings’ suspect kills policeman during questioning

1:50pm Al-Arabiya: Yemenese rebel group Houthi’s second leader Abdullah al-Razami killed

1:48pm Seven people were arrested in Tyre and Baalbeck for stealing cars

1 :42 pm A Renault Cleo car was stolen by an armed person after he forced its driver to take him from Nahr el Kalb to Khaldeh and another Range Rover car was stolen in Tareek el Jadeedah

1;40 pm - Senior Iranian lawmakers rejected on Saturday a UN-backed plan to ship much of the country's uranium abroad for further enrichment, raising further doubts about the likelihood Tehran will finally approve the deal.

1;30 pm A presidential run-off election planned for Nov. 7 seemed headed for collapse Saturday, with the main challenger to President Hamid Karzai, former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, widely expected to pull out of the race.

1:09 pm Palestinian president Abbas told visiting US secretary of State Hillary Clinton: No peace talks with the Israelis without before a total settlement freeze

1:06pm President Michel Suleiman hoped reform would be launched in all fields after the formation of the cabinet to consolidate the trust of the Lebanese in their state.

1;02 pm BBC :The fourth storm in a month to hit the Philippines has lashed the eastern coastal province of Quezon, bringing heavy rain and winds to the region.

1:00pm LF leader Samir Geagea during a dinner hosted by LF lawyers on Friday night: The problem with the other team is that their Lebanon is border less and has no history or policy.

12:36pm FPM MP Salim Salhab told Future News: There are many cabinet proposals. Patriarch Sfeir has the right to express himself and adopt the stance that he wants. But I wasn’t convinced about his latest stances.

12:32pm FPM MP Ibrahim Kenaan told OTV: The Change and Reform bloc gave all formulas and solutions possible. It has been agreed on either rotating portfolios or keeping seats the way they were in the previous cabinet.

12:30pm The office of MP Khodr Habib in Tripoli was robbed on Friday night. Internal security forces opened an investigation into the incident to find the culprits.

11:33 MP Anwar al-Khalil told LBC: Speaker Nabih Berri made several proposals to facilitate cabinet formation. He added: There is “full agreement” on forming a national-unity government based on the 15-10-5 formula.

11:30 FPM Minister Mario Aoun told LBC: March 14 Christians, particularly Geagea, don’t want the cabinet to be formed.

10:49 Minister Elie Marouni told Future News: Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir is the nation’s conscience. He has the right to say whatever he wants. The obstacles facing cabinet formation are MP Michel Aoun and his allies.

10:47 MP Oqab Saqr told al Asharq radio: The March 14 forces are afraid of the intention of the other team over cabinet formation. The coalition is wondering why the government wasn’t formed until now and eventually whether it is going to be formed or not.

10:45 Minister Khaled Qabbani to Sawt al-Mada: Trust is essential in building social life. How about political life?

9:30 al-Liwaa newspaper : Arab diplomatic sources said the formation of the Lebanese cabinet goes behind the distribution of portfolios or negotiations among officials. Tehran, according to the sources, is playing the "trade-off game" in its nuclear negotiations with the west by using its allies in the opposition, including Hezbollah and MP Michel Aoun.

8:47 Minister Tareq Mitri told VOL: Disagreement over the cabinet is not only internal.

08:44 al Balad: Franjieh is ready to give up his ministry if it is a Ministry of State in favor of Aoun to allow him to name one of his supporters

08:42 al Balad: General Aoun has rejected the Telecommunications ministry without Basil

08:28 UNFIL’s Bouziane: the situation on both sides of the border in the south is normal

08:22 Salloukh told al Sharq al Awsat : Israel is preparing reasons to justify another war on Lebanon

8: 00 As Safir and al-Liwaa newspapers : Fadi Ghassan Ibrahim, known as Sikamo, a top Fatah al-Islam official was arrested at dawn yesterday just outside the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh by the Lebanese army intelligence. Both newspapers described Ibrahim as a "hefty catch."

07:34 Hariri sources: for us awarding the ministry of telecommunications to Bassil is like the return of Siniora as PM for the March 8

Friday

11:50 pm Reuters :Somali pirates have demanded a $7 million ransom for a British couple captured on their yacht in the Indian Ocean, according to a phone call from a man purporting to be a member of the gang broadcast by the BBC on Friday.

9;21 pm Hezbollah's Sheikh Naim Qassem lashed out at Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir without naming him, saying "the Resistance is Lebanon's strength and we will not renounce it … let the screamers scream as they want, we will preserve a strong Lebanon and we will not accept a weak Lebanon anymore".

08;10 pm AFP : Iran wants more talks on how to procure nuclear fuel for a Tehran reactor before giving a final reply to a UN-drafted deal that was initially expected a week ago, the state IRNA news agency said on Friday

8:00pm The US federal stimulus program has saved or created nearly 650000 jobs through aid to states, infrastructure projects and federal contracts, the Obama administration claimed on Friday

In an interview with Al-Massira magazine that will be published Saturday , Sfeir said that March 14 should have taken command of the rule in Lebanon after the June 7 parliamentary elections

Sfeir considers that Hezbollah is serving Iran's interest more than Lebanon's
"someone on the inside who is leaning on an exterior force to attain parliamentary and ministerial gains".

Sfeir stressed that weapons should be only in the hands of the Lebanese Army, and warned that by keeping its arms Hezbollah could at a certain stage push everyone else to arm.

Sfeir's point is , you cannot coexist in a society where one party is armed and the rest of the parties aren’t …specially when this armed party has used the arms against its fellow citizens .

All the militia in Lebanon handed over their arms over 20 years ago to the Lebanese army with the exception of Hezbollah

The Lebanese have no problem with any party rising to power provided they do it legally, democratically, within the rule of law and with total allegiance to the state . But Hezbollah isn’t this type of party …it rules by using illegal arms, militia and intimidation, has total disrespect to the state and its institutions and acts as a state within a state. Hezbollah and its allies lost the elections last June , but despite their defeat they have been acting as the winners and have been dictating their terms for participating in a so called national unity cabinet just because they are armed

Friday

9;21 pm Hezbollah's Sheikh Naim Qassem lashed out at Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir without naming him, saying "the Resistance is Lebanon's strength and we will not renounce it … let the screamers scream as they want, we will preserve a strong Lebanon and we will not accept a weak Lebanon anymore".

08;10 pm AFP : Iran wants more talks on how to procure nuclear fuel for a Tehran reactor before giving a final reply to a UN-drafted deal that was initially expected a week ago, the state IRNA news agency said on Friday

8:00pm The US federal stimulus program has saved or created nearly 650000 jobs through aid to states, infrastructure projects and federal contracts, the Obama administration claimed on Friday

7: 45 : Milos Struger told Al Manar : The employment contract of UNIFIL chief Major General Claudio Graziano ends next January , the UN trusts him and has full confidence in him and the renewal of the contract will be decided by the UN chief

7:31pm : Jumblatt told al Manar TV: I had a good meeting with Hariri , but we did not talk about cabinet portfolios

7:30 pm : the internal security forces have confiscated about 15790 motorbikes during the last 10 days for various violations

6:00pm Hariri: PM-designate Hariri after meeting President Suleiman: There are difficulties regarding negotiations but we are proceeding with discussions . All parties are being positive and they are facilitating the process.The formation of the cabinet is getting near .
Democracy has its price, and sometimes its price is these long dialogues and discussion that we do in order to build the trust that was missing for some time.

5:30 pm: Israel's Defense Minister Ehud Barak has cancelled a visit to Spain next week . Conflicting reasons were given for this cancellation amidst alleged disagreements between the two nations over the command of the UNIFIL

5:10 pm EU diplomatic service : Six defeats have weakened Syria in Lebanon:
- The Assad regime paid the price for the assassination of Hariri
- Assad's regime was forced to withdraw his troops in 2005
- The 2005 parliamentary victory for March 14 forces.
- Failure in three major attempts carried out by Syria's allies between 2006 and 2008
- June 2009 Victory of the March 14 forces in parliamentary elections.
- Failure of the Assad regime to separate the Lebanese issue from the path of Syria's relations with Arab and foreign countries

5:05pm A meeting is underway between President Michel Suleiman and PM-designate Saad Hariri in Baabda.

3:35 pm Israeli army installed a camera near Fatima Gate on the Lebanese Israeli borders

3:10pm MP Okab Sakr after meeting LF leader Samir Geagea in Maarab: Some blocs are obstructing cabinet formation, but in return there are some blocs are providing some key solution and Maarab's is essential for the solution.

3:00pm LBC: The direction is to hold the Christian-Islamic summit in Bkerki after the agreement on its statement that will deal with vital Lebanese issues.

2:25 Shiite Mufti Sheikh Ahmed Qabalan snapped back at Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir during Friday prayers without naming him, saying Hezbollah fighters deserve medals of honor for serving Lebanon.

2:18pm Defense Minister Elias Murr issued a decree that extends the date of expiry of licenses to carry arms until Dec 31 2009 rather than October 31.

1:08pm Minister Jebran Bassil during a press conference explained why he is suing many employees at the ministry ...and primarily for not obeying his orders

12:55pm Minister Fawzi Salloukh met with Lebanon’s ambassador to Syria Michel Khoury to discuss the status of the embassy in Damascus

12:50 Asharq al-Awsat : The March 14 majority coalition is pessimistic about the formation of a government unless Iran's and Syria's demands at the regional level were met. "The majority rules out that Iran would let go of the Lebanese government before a deal on its nuclear file has matured," one source said

12:30pm Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir’s visitors quoted him as saying that his stance as published in the al- Massira magazine interview is in line with his national stances and statements he made during his sermons.

12:25 pm Justice Minister Najjar is following up the issue of the murder of Andrea Sara Bejjani in New York. Bejjani , a Lebanese national was the president of Royal Investments, a real estate investment company from the United Arab Emirates. She was found with her throat slashed with a knife sticking out. Police say Derrick Praileu 29, a 10 year employee of the hotel where she was living has confessed to killing Bejjani.

12:10 pm Tony Blair's prospects of winning the EU presidency are fading amid serious objections in Europe, with former ally Nicolas Sarkozy appearing to withdraw his support.

12:00 pm Jacques Chirac, the former French President, has been ordered to stand trial for corruption in a case which has shed light on sleaze allegations from his time as Mayor of Paris.

10:50 Several Palestinian refugees at Jal al-Bahr-Tyre camp held a sit-in to protest a notification for 3 families to vacate their homes.

10:10 Minister Elie Marouni told LBC: If the cabinet line-up was made by keeping the same government, then we congratulate Aoun for annulling the results of the polls through political violence.

8:50 Al-Hayat newspaper: Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh said that 90% of the government lineup is complete and that the remaining percentage is now being negotiated between Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri and parliamentary blocs.

8:10 The Egyptian Supreme Court of Emergency State Security, which is looking into the so-called Hezbollah cell, has demanded that Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah should "personally" join the list of 26 suspects whose trial has been adjourned till Nov. 21.

8:00 The interim leader of Honduras says he is ready to sign a pact to end its crisis which could include the return of ousted President Manuel Zelaya.

7:40 Central News Agency sources: Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh arrived in Damascus on Thursday to meet with a number of Syrian officials to help speed up government formation in Lebanon

7:35 MP Alaaedinne Terro told VOL: Hariri and Jumblatt were optimistic about finding common ground on the remaining obstacles. Ghazi Aridi’s presence in the ministry of public works has demonstrated that he is for all of Lebanon, without discrimination and that is why many want him to remain there

7:30 MP Salim Salhab told VOL: A final and decisive meeting will soon be held between Hariri and Aoun to remove the obstacles. I didn’t get any tangible signs of an imminent government formation.

7:00 The Italian president will be visiting Lebanon on Monday to meet with Suleiman

Thursday

10:02 pm MP Boutros Harb told "LBC": I am afraid there is an intention to amend the constitution to make the institutions impotent and decisions impossible unless resolutions are adopted unanimously, and turn Lebanon into another Security Council where some groups have the right to "veto"

8:54pm Lebanese army the house of fugitive Mohammed al-Masri in Hour Taala, wanted for killing soldiers in Ryaa region and clashed with 2 suspects who were seen in a nearby car and killed one of them

8:28pm OTV: Both Marada's Franjieh and Hezbollah's Khalil made it very clear to Hariri that they are not independent mediators but fully committed members of the opposition

8:09pm sources of O TV": the interview of Sfeir by Massira was audited and what was published undermines all attempts at rapprochement in forming a government

8:02 Jumblatt, after meeting Hariri : Public Works Minister is at the ministry and should continue in his position

as the primary obstacle facing the government formation

According to Hariri sources Aoun’s impossible conditions contradict the logic of balance between the majority and minority . Aoun is reportedly trying to act as the winner even though he is part of the Hezbollah led opposition which lost the last June election 57 vs 71 MPs in the 128 seat parliament

Last night Franjieh had dinner with Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri at his downtown residence to discuss ways to get out of the political stalemate . Franjieh is reportedly planning to visit Damascus to seek help over Cabinet formation

Now there is talk about forming a government based on no winners and losers

What a shame, considering the fact that the majority won with more than 55% of the vote.

The power of the so called “ resistance gun” is winning again against the voice of the Lebanese people

Thursday

10:02 pm MP Boutros Harb told "LBC": I am afraid there is an intention to amend the constitution to make the institutions impotent and decisions impossible unless resolutions are adopted unanimously, and turn Lebanon into another Security Council where some groups have the right to "veto"

8:54pm Lebanese army the house of fugitive Mohammed al-Masri in Hour Taala, wanted for killing soldiers in Ryaa region and clashed with 2 suspects who were seen in a nearby car and killed one of them

8:28pm OTV: Both Marada's Franjieh and Hezbollah's Khalil made it very clear to Hariri that they are not independent mediators but fully committed members of the opposition

8:09pm sources of O TV": the interview of Sfeir by Massira was audited and what was published undermines all attempts at rapprochement in forming a government

8:02 Jumblatt, after meeting Hariri : Public Works Minister is at the ministry and should continue in his position

7:50pm Abdallah al Azzam brigades which is linked to Al Qaeda has claimed responsibility for the katyusha rocket that was fired last Tuesday towards northern Israel

7:30pm Jumblatt invited Hariri for dinner after their meeting in Clemenceau

7:05pm NBN: PM-designate Saad Hariri is meeting with PSP leader MP Walid Jumblatt at his house in Clemenceau to discuss the latest governmental developments. Aoun has been after the ministry of public works which Jumblatt is trying to hold onto

7:00pm Hariri met Hussein Khalil assistant of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah

6:40 pm Salim Sayegh VP of the Kataeb party declared from Washington DC after meeting with several US congressmen and administration officials : The US commitment to the Lebanese sovereignty and independence is stronger than ever and there will be no deal in the middle east at Lebanon’s expense

6:25pm OTV: Clashes in Mar Mkhayel among unknown parties deemed to be of individual nature. The Lebanese army intervened and secured the region.

6:11 pm The description of the body of a man in his sixties that was ran over on the airport road was circulated by Internal security

6:10pm Middle East airlines resumed flights to Iraq after stopping them in 1984. The event was held in the presence of Labor Minister Ghazi al-Aridi, Iraqi ambassador to Lebanon Omar al-Barzenji and Middle East executive chief Mohammed al-Hout.

4:30pm Sweeping torrents invaded al-Qaa village in Baalbeck after the heavy rains today. The torrents source was the eastern Lebanon mountain chain. Water entered a number of houses and caused damage to properties and crops.

5:17 pm Patriarch Sfeir: Weapons and democracy cannot co-exist just like majority and minority cannot meet in one cabinet. Hezbollah prioritizes Iran’s interests over Lebanon’s

5.01 pm US State Department spokesperson Philip Crowley announced on Thursday that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas in the Middle East this weekend.

4:05pm UN's Williams after meeting Geagea: U.N. is worried about the delay in cabinet formation. The recurrence of incidents in the South will dramatically increase the tension.

3:54 A delegation from YASA headed by its chief Ziad Akl told Hariri : 800 were killed and 12000 wounded in traffic accidents this year

3:50pm The joint Lebanese-Syrian committee has set Saturday November 7 as a new date for its meeting in Jdaydet Yaboos on the Lebanese-Syrian borders to discuss the issue of the missing Lebanese citizens and detainees in Syrian prisons.

3:10pm Minister Khalife: the number of swine cases in Lebanon has reached 400 . The vaccination is not mandatory but will be offered in case of serious cases

2:49pm Iranian ambassador Mohammed Riza Shibani left for Iran on Wednesday night following the end of his diplomatic mission in Beirut.

2:42pm minister Hariri after meeting minister Khalifa; closing down the schools because of swine flu is not the solution

1:50 pm The Katyusha fired from southern Lebanon on Tuesday appeared to have been launched from the balcony of Houla's mayor Faisal Hijazi, investigation into the attack revealed Thursday. Three other Katyusha rockets were found at the same location later by the army and UNIFIL but were defused. Hezbollah criticized the fuss over the incident but did not claim responsibility for the attack

1:30pm VODL: Security forces arrested on Wednesday morning four Palestinians whose names appeared in the investigation into a plan to attack UNIFIL.

12:58pm The Lebanese National Bloc: The armistice agreement and solving the issue of Shebaa farms through diplomatic means are the biggest guarantee for the unity of Lebanese territories.

12:54pm Minister Elie Marouni told VOL: I am convinced that Aoun is implementing a foreign political decision. The PM-designate made all suggestions possible.

1250 pm MP Antoine Zahra told New TV: Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri will resort to other options if he reaches a dead end regarding the cabinet formation.

12:43pm Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir met with acting Beirut governor Nassif Qaloush. Sfeir stressed the necessity of achieving balance in Beirut municipality appointments.

12:25pm The bag examined by police in Hamra was empty.

12:09pm OTV: Security forces are examining a suspicious bag left on the side of a road in Beirut’s Hamra district

11:15 MP Michel Moussa told Future News: Things are making progress in terms of coordination among different parties. The regional atmosphere is now better than before.

11:02 Lebanese Hawker Hunters fly low over Lebanese skies as part of a training drill that will last till 6pm.

08:58 al Liwaa: Franjiyeh was encouraged by Assad to play an effective role in facilitating government formation
08:43 Feltman: our dialogue with Syria will not be at the expense of Lebanon’s sovereignty
08:38 Berri sources: Ongoing contacts between Aoun and Hariri are being described as positive

08:36 sources: the government will not see the light unless Berri convinces Aoun to accept Hariri’s last offer

08:31 Hariri sources: Aoun’s conditions contradict the logic of balance between the majority and minority

8:22am MP Istfan Douwaihi told VDL: I hope the cabinet would be formed as soon as possible. But I am afraid the Lebanese issue and regional crises would be linked, delaying the formation of the government

8:19am former President Amin Gemayel told VOL: we don’t see any indicators to prove that government will see the light within coming hours

08:17 Liwaaa: a Qatari delegation expected in Lebanon today to meet with Suleiman , Hariri, Berri, Aoun

7:30am MP Atef Majdalani told VOL: There is a crisis on cabinet formation despite the efforts of PM-designate Saad Hariri. It is obvious that obstacles are still there.

7:26 : MP Oqab Saqr in response to Hezbollah : keeping the old as is and without any modifications and is not acceptable

Wednesday
10:00pm Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh had dinner with Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri to discuss ways to get out of the political stalemate . Franjiyeh is reportedly planning to visit Damascus at the end of the week seeking Syrian help over Cabinet formation

9:40 pm Wahab told ANB: the linep that Aoun will accept should include communication Justice or energy and social affairs and another unspecified fourth ministry
9:17pm The Lebanese FM has notified the UN about Israeli violations of 1701 and expressed concern about Israeli attempts to destabilize the country and its plans to launch another aggression against Lebanon

8:20pm PM-designate Saad Hariri apologized for not attending the presidential dinner in Baabda.

from Israeli artillery in a brief flare-up across the tense border.

A Lebanese military official said nine Israeli shells fell on the area and Israeli helicopters and drones flew over the area

As if yesterday’s incident is not enough , Lebanese Armed Forces and UNIFIL found and defused four more Katyusha rockets ready for launching in Houla village near Marjayoun this morning

In a statement, the Israeli military said it views yesterday’s e incident as "grave" and holds the Lebanese government responsible.

This is the same general area where the Israeli spying equipment was discovered by Hezbollah last week . Hezbollah did not claim responsibility for the attack but at the same time refused to give any comments to AP when contacted

Wednesday
10:00pm Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh had dinner with Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri to discuss ways to get out of the political stalemate . Franjiyeh is reportedly planning to visit Damascus at the end of the week seeking Syrian help over Cabinet formation

9:40 pm Wahab told ANB: the linep that Aoun will accept should include communication Justice or energy and social affairs and another unspecified fourth ministry
9:17pm The Lebanese FM has notified the UN about Israeli violations of 1701 and expressed concern about Israeli attempts to destabilize the country and its plans to launch another aggression against Lebanon

8:20pm PM-designate Saad Hariri apologized for not attending the presidential dinner in Baabda.

7:25pm OTV: A meeting between President Michel Suleiman and Speaker Nabih Berri is underway in parallel with the dinner held in honor of Malta's Prince in Baabda.

5:57 pm president Assad says Syria ready to resume indirect talks with Israel

5:50 pm Marada Movement revealed that a meeting will be held soon between Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri, Marada Movement leader Suleiman Franjieh and Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun.

5:05pm Aoun: Nothing new regarding the formation of the cabinet. The governmental crisis will be solved and we will occupy our position.

5:00pm FPM leader MP Michel Aoun after the weekly meeting of Change and Reform bloc: Yesterday's Katyusha was not innocent, and all the officials disregard the Israeli spying but talk about Katyusha and Hezbollah's arms.

4:20pm PM-designate Saad Hariri: We will reach government formation even if it took some extra time.

3:30pm PM-designate Saad Hariri met with EU Ambassador to Lebanon Patrick Laurent at Center House. The two men discussed the latest local and regional developments in addition to means of developing relations between Lebanon and the EU in several domains.

1:25 pm MP Azzi told "MTV": There is an an attempt to abolish the "Lebanese Forces" and "Kataeb " at the level of government representation . They tried before to delete us from the political equation in the Christian community and election results showed this is impossible, "We are permanent and others are transiting "

1 :19 pm an Ethiopian maid committed suicide when who she threw herself from the third floor near the convent school in the town of Abra east of Sidon

1 :10pm president Suleiman: the government crisis should be called an administrative more than a political crisis and discussions are now focused on 1 or 2 portfolios.

1 :01pm Willliams from Rabiyah : we are concerned over the delay in government formation and we hope it will be formed before the UN security council meeting to discuss 1701 which is scheduled to take place in 2 weeks

12:46pm Patriarch Sfeir: The country is going through tough times and efforts should be doubled by all parties to save the country from more difficulties
12:15pm Speaker Nabih Berri is meeting with U.S. Ambassador Michele Sison in Ain el-Tineh.

12:10pm Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Gabriela Shalev has filed an official complaint with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council president over the Katyusha rocket fired at Israeli territory on Tuesday from Lebanon.

12:07pm The Army Command said in a communique that it found 4 rockets on the outskirts of Houla and opened an investigation with UNIFIL.

11:53 MP Arthur Nazarian told VOL: Tashnag’s share in the government will be as part of the FPM’s share. We demand a portfolio and not minister of state.

11:38 UNIFIL Commander Maj. Gen. Claudio Graziano inspected the area where rockets were found on Wednesday morning.

11:15 Israeli fighter jets overflew Nabatiyeh, Marjayoun, Khiam, Sidon, Iqlim al-Tuffah and the eastern sector.

11:10 Hezbollah MP Nawwaf Moussawi told New TV on Wednesday that he is surprised about the discrepancy between the “silence” over the Israeli espionage devices found at the Khallit al-Onq area between the villages of Houla and Mays al-Jabal, and the “interest” in the rockets launched from South Lebanon toward Israel on Tuesday

8:34 ISF are trying to convince a man to refrain from committing suicide by jumping from the 9th floor of a building under construction in Ain el-Mraisseh. The incident caused huge traffic.

8:16 Future News: The army and UNIFIL found 4 rockets set for launching at Wadi Houla

8:15 VOL: Four rockets set for launching were defused in the south this morning.

8:08 Al-Jadeed: Houla municipality chief found four rockets at his home’s balcony.

7:32 Minister Mohammed Jawad Khalife told VOL: I am very optimistic. Difficulties have been mainly contained.

7:30 MP Imad al-Hout told VOL: We have a real opportunity to form the cabinet. The only condition, however, is to turn talk into action.

Tuesday
9:00 pm Amr Moussa, the secretary general of the Arab League says he is positive that the current negotiations on Iran's nuclear program will eventually yield proper answers.

8:05pm LBC: A meeting between Hariri and Aoun will be held in the coming hours.

8:00pm Israeli army held the Lebanese government responsible for the launching of the rocket.

7:33pm PM-designate Saad Hariri met with U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams at Center House. The two men discussed the current developments in Lebanon.

7:20pm A rocket was launched from a valley between the villages of Houla and Mays al-Jabal in South Lebanon towards Israel No casualties were reported but Israel has retaliated by shelling the launching point with 4 shells .

government formation has become strictly internal”

It has become increasingly clear that Hezbollah, which acts as a “state within a state” does not want see a strong government in Lebanon . Whatever government will be formed will therefore be weak just like the current caretaker government which couldn’t even vote on a budget for 2009.

Aoun is trying to get the following ministries in the new government which are all intended to be used by Hezbollah for enhancing its “state within a state” power

Communications : Hezbollah owns and operates an illegal communications network and has been under pressure by the former ministry of communication to shut it down , but in controlling the ministry Hezbollah will have a complete control over the communications in Lebanon

Interior : Hezbollah has been prohibited under UN 1701 of operating in the south of Lebanon , but in controlling the ministry of interior Hezbollah will have complete control over security in Lebanon and will therefore be able to operate anywhere in the country . The department of internal security reports to the ministry of interior

Justice : Hezbollah has been accused of being behind the murder of former PM Rafik Hariri. The respected German Der Spiegel magazine published a detailed report last May in which it revealed the details of Hezbollah involvement . The ministry of justice is the main link between Lebanon and The Special Tribunal for Lebanon , which is charged with trying the killers of Hariri. It is obvious there why Hezbollah wants this ministry

Hezbollah arms continue to be the single and most important obstructive element in getting anything done in Lebanon . Hezbollah has claimed in the past that its arms are for resistance purposes only aimed at defending Lebanon against Israel. But Hezbollah used these same arms against its fellow countrymen last May 2008 when it occupied the Sunni part of Beirut and tried but was unsuccessful in occupying the Druze strongholds of Mount Lebanon

Tuesday

8:05pm LBC: A meeting between Hariri and Aoun will be held in the coming hours.

8:00pm Israeli army held the Lebanese government responsible for the launching of the rocket.

7:33pm PM-designate Saad Hariri met with U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams at Center House. The two men discussed the current developments in Lebanon.

7:20pm A rocket was launched from a valley between the villages of Houla and Mays al-Jabal in South Lebanon towards Israel No casualties were reported but Israel has retaliated by shelling the launching point with 4 shells .

6:25pm Amal MP Ali Bazzi: We have ideas that were presented in the last few hours to the PM-designate and we are waiting for answers.

5:40pm Caretaker PM Fouad Siniora met with Saudi Ambassador Ali Awad al-Essiri at the Grand Serail where they discussed the Lebanese and Arab situations as well as bilateral ties.

4:10pm Hezbollah condemned, in a statement, the "Zionist aggressions against al-Aqsa mosque"and considered that the continuous support from the consecutive U.S. administrations to Israel holds the U.S. accountable of a major responsibility.

3:25pm MP Suleiman Franjieh after meeting President Suleiman: Opposition supports Aoun in his governmental demands and stressed “the government cannot be formed at the expense of F P M leader MP Michel Aoun.”

3:22pm Al Mustaqbal Parliamentary bloc after its weekly meeting headed by Caretaker PM Siniora: We hope that all parties help and work on the facilitation of the cabinet formation process.

3:15 pm : New TV: 2 suspected swine flu case found in a school in Saida

2:20 pm : French ambassador : we hope the government in Lebanon will be formed quickly , because the country needs to face the regional challenges and the internal social and economic problems

2:20pm Judge Saqr Saqr charged 13 people, including 9 General Security Department personnel, for taking bribes to facilitate the illegal entry of foreigners to Lebanon across the border.

2:00pm Reuters: Israeli authorities demolished two Palestinian homes near Arab East Jerusalem on Tuesday, ignoring international concern about the practice.

1:30pm President Michel Suleiman is meeting with Marada movement leader Suleiman Franjieh at Baabda palace.

1:03pm Gebran Bassil : Our eyes will remain focused on the ministry of communication . There will be no government regardless of the delay if the rights of FPM are not respected

1:02 pm Caretaker PM Fouad Siniora presides over Future bloc meeting in Qoreitem

12:30 pm A confrontation between Israeli settlers and Palestinians broke out Tuesday morning near Karayout, a village adjacent to Nablus.

12:15 MP Mustafa Alloush told LBC: Iran has no desire to make things easier for the region.

12;10 pm The Islamic State of Iraq, a Sunni extremist group that includes al Qaeda in Iraq, has claimed responsibility for twin bombings Sunday that targeted key government buildings and killed nearly 160 Iraqi

12:05pm Gemayel: The ministerial crisis that we are struggling with is not because of a portfolio or the name of a Minister but the truth is that there are those that did not learn from the past and want to falsify history and identity

12:03pm MP Chamoun said at the parliament square : we want a government before anything else

11:35 FPM MP Kanaan: Linking cabinet formation with election of parliamentary commissions is unconstitutional

11:06 Quorum not reached to hold parliamentary commissions election session

11:05 Hariri: Following the crisis that we went through, no one had expected Lebanon to show good economic indicators. At a time when biggest banks collapsed, deposits increased by $ 16 billion dollars at the Lebanese banking sector.

11:00 Hariri: Saudi Arabia has always stood on the side of all the Lebanese after every internal slide.

10:59 Hariri at the Saudi-Lebanese Forum: Lebanon will never forget the role of Saudi Arabia in reaching the Taef Agreement. We are committed to all the clauses of the Doha accord.

10:40 Speaker Berri postpones parliamentary commissions election session to November 5

10:24 MP Houri told LBC : We will not attend Tuesday’s parliamentary commissions election session

10:22am The Saudi-Lebanese Forum kicked off under the patronage of PM-designate Saad Hariri at the Phoenicia hotel.

9:50 Al Hayat: An Egyptian source has described PSP leader MP Walid Jumblatt as an "acrobat" who keeps changing stances . “Jumblatt is presenting his credentials again in order to be an ally (of Syria) and its exclusive agent in Lebanon," the source said and added. Jumblatt changed his stances and "resorted to fabricating lies" when Egypt did not respond quickly to his demand to visit Cairo. The Egyptians were responding to Jumblatt’s statement on Sunday that that Lebanon's geopolitical situation leaves it before two choices; the sea or Syria which he described as "the path to the Arab World." He also criticized Egyptian peace agreement with Israel

8:48 : Information received by Jumblatt revealed that Aoun , based on an agreement with Hezbollah decided to ask for the ministry of public works and wanted all the opposition leaders to contact Jumblatt to convince him to give up this ministry

8:30 Justice minister najjar told VOL: I don't think the Lebanese forces is insisting on having the ministry of justice , but in any case most probably this ministry will remain with the majority

8:26 Al Liwaa The 2 Khalils visited Damascus recently . Amal MP Ali Hassan Khalil and Hezbollah’s Hajj Hussein Khalil

07:42 Hariri circles: PM -designate has a plan in mind for the development of the Ministry of Communications and this could create about 60 ,000 jobs

07:29 majority sources: Franjieh is making important and unprecedented efforts on the Hariri - Aoun line

07:23 "al Akhbar ": Jumblatt told Hariri officially that he won’t give up the Ministry of Works to satisfy Aoun

07:08 majority and the opposition sources : there is a unique opportunity for the birth of the government before the end of the week

06:55 As Safir : Egypt has accepted the 10-15-5 formula for government formation

06:45 Aoun visitors: No one can influence me neither at home nor abroad

06:29 Jumblatt: The obstruction against the government formation has become strictly internal

06:24 "as Safir ": Hariri changed his mind about offering the ministry of justice to Aoun and is now talking again about the ministry communication

Monday

8:40pm Future News: Ghobeiry's mishap is a result of machinegun clashes between Amal and Hezbollah supporters.

8:35pm LBC: 2 persons were wounded in Ghobeiry's shooting and the army is working on containing the incident.

8: 20pm an 86 year old man died from swine flue at a hospital in mount Lebanon
8:20pm OTV: Berri may propose an initiative on Tuesday after the parliamentary committees session. It includes a practical formula for a comprehensive rotation of portfolios in a way that doesn't exclude anyone.

According to As-Safir newspaper , Berri is not only disgusted by his also angry because “the current cabinet crisis can no longer afford further delay,” especially in light of regional instability.

Even president Assad of Syria is disgusted and is reportedly anxious to have the government formed quickly in Lebanon . He reportedly called Marada leader MP Suleiman Franjieh to facilitate the formation of a government. Franjiyeh and Berri will both roll up their sleeves to help find a solution according to morning reports

The question is : Is Berri capable of convincing his Hezbollah allies of telling General Michel Aoun to soften his demands

The other question is : Is Franjieh , who is a member of the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc able to convince his boss of softening his demands

It won’t be long before we find out !

Our main concern is that the issue of government formation is a lot bigger than Berri and Franjiyeh

Berri is overshadowed by Hezbollah and is politically very week

On the other hand nobody in Lebanon takes Franjiyeh seriously

The issue in Lebanon is legitimacy versus illegitimacy . The legitimacy of a strong state versus the illegitimate Hezbollah “ state within a state “ . Unless Hezbollah is convinced that The Lebanese army should be the only legitimate armed entity in Lebanon that should be defending the country , we cannot have a strong government and Lebanon will continue to be a failed state

Some are calling the government formation the “1001 night” story

Monday

8:40pm Future News: Ghobeiry's mishap is a result of machinegun clashes between Amal and Hezbollah supporters.

8:35pm LBC: 2 persons were wounded in Ghobeiry's shooting and the army is working on containing the incident.

8: 20pm an 86 year old man died from swine flue at a hospital in mount Lebanon
8:20pm OTV: Berri may propose an initiative on Tuesday after the parliamentary committees session. It includes a practical formula for a comprehensive rotation of portfolios in a way that doesn't exclude anyone.

8:16pm MTV: Heavy machinegun shooting was heard in Ghobeiry area as security forces rushed to the scene to identify the reasons.

8:15pm Thieves managed to steal jewelry worth of $25,000 from the house of MP Khalid Zahraman in Shoueifat.

8:05pm Al Manar TV: Hariri met with Hezbollah's official Hussein Khalil on Sunday night.

7:45pm PM-designate Saad Hariri met with Saudi Ambassador Ali Awad al-Assiri at Center House. The two men discussed the current political developments.

6:18 pm UN representative Williams after meeting with Franjieh : we are concerned about the delay in government formation what is required is flexibility and sincerity from all

6:00 pm CNN: US Drug Enforcement Administration personnel were among 14 Americans killed in two helicopter crashes in Afghanistan on Monday, said a US military official with access to information about the crash

5:50 pm Jumblatt said the UN report on 1559 should have been more balanced . The UN should be on the side of truth and should not be biased ' He said the issue of Hezbollah arms will be discussed during dialogue talks

5:00 pm Sixteen Americans have died in a series of helicopter crashes and violent Taleban attacks across Afghanistan, in one of the bloodiest 24 hours for allied forces since the 2001 invasion.

3:55pm After meeting with Speaker Nabih Berri in Ain al-Tineh , Telecommunications Minister Gebran Bassil said, “We are open to all solutions, but not to injustice.”

3:00pm At least 14 Americans ( 11 soldiers and 3 civilians ) have been killed when two helicopters collided mid-air in the south, Nato-led forces said.The US denied that hostile fire to blame for the incident, but the Taliban said it was behind the vcrash.

2:55 The father of Zainab el Dana denied that she died from swine virus. The ministry of health declared that the pregnant woman died from the swine virus

2:30pm A teacher and a student were wounded with the bullets of unidentified assailants who opened fire at the security forces while they were trying to reopen the road leading to Bakhoun vocational school after being closed by protesters.

2:03 pm Speaker Nabih Berri meets with Telecommunications Minister Gebran Bassil in Ain al-Tineh

2:01pm MP Imad al-Hout told As-Sharq radio station: Hard facts indicate cabinet will not be formed soon

12:19pm Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir: The cabinet lineup should be unveiled as soon as possible to preserve Lebanon and national unity.

12:15pm Caretaker PM Fouad Siniora: The government will be formed. However, it needs some time. We should work on stabilizing the situation in Lebanon.

12:15 pm IC Ras Beirut Middle School decided tol close down from Tuesday, October 27 through Sunday, November 1 after discovering they had 19 confirmed cases of Swine Flu

11:56am The health ministry urged physicians to follow the ministry’s instructions and speed up checkups of people having swine flu symptoms.

10:35 Israeli newspaper Haaretz : Tel Aviv informed the UN that it will continue gathering intelligence in southern Lebanon “as long as the government in Beirut is not in full control of its territory.”

09:18 Rony Elias Jerjes, 33 was killed by high voltage electric wire when he tried to climb an electricity pole in Dahr al-Ain

09:13 ministerial source told al Liwaa; the negotiation room of swapping "communication" has become very narrow

09:11 Hariri is engaged in sensitive and crucial discussions with his allies and may need
another two days to finalize agreements

09:07 Rabia sources: awaiting the results of a initiatives by Franjieh and Berri and the majority discussions

09:01 al Liwaaa; postponement of the parliamentary session to elect the parliamentary committees

09:00 a joint military drill between the Lebanese army and UNIFIL troops in the south before noon today

08:46: There is an intended disruption of the government formation by the opposition group

08:30 Antoine Saad: The regime change is the ultimate goal of the opposition

8:25 MP Riyad Rahhal told VOL: If portfolios such as the public works, the education and culture ministry are not equivalent to the telecommunication ministry , then what is? Demands for more shares mean more obstruction.

08:16 sources of al Balad : Renewing the talk by Aoun about the Ministries of Finance or Internal is not clear

08:05 al Hayat : Hariri has offered Aoun many alternatives and asked him to choose one of them

07:59 Sources: "Communications" ministry was offered to Jumblatt instead of the "the public works" but he rejected it
07:55 al Hayat : Aoun asked for "public works ministry " as an alternative to "communications"

07:44 Mario Aoun: we are ready to give up the "ministry of communication " for either the "interior " or "finance" ministries

07:19 "al Akhbar ": Kouchner confirmed that the Americans are now talking about the formula "15 +10 +5"

Sunday

9:30 pm The challenger to President Hamid Karzai is considering boycotting the upcoming runoff if his demands are not met to remove the leaders of Afghanistan's election commission who he believes are biased

8:57 pm former president Gemayel : there are no indications that a solution is within reach for the current impasse

8:28 pm MP Boutros Harb : If the opinion of the people of this country is not taken into consideration then I have no other option but to defend their dignity

8:07pm Health Minister Khalifa told LBC: the swine flu vaccine will be in the local market within weeks and the doctors should seriously follow up the status of their patients

8:05pm LBC: Hariri asked Jumblatt to give up the ministry of public works in favor of Aoun but Jumblatt expressed reservation which prompted Hariri to look elsewhere for a solution to the impasse

on the ruling majority that Hariri represents

The Free Patriotic Movement leader who at one time fought a war of liberation is allowing himself to be used as the front man for an organization whose loyalty is not for Lebanese sovereignty and independence but for its founders the Iranian Revolutionary Guards

In order to serve Iranian interests Hezbollah wants a powerless government that will allow it to remain a state within a state. Hezbollah is aware that it is politically incorrect to make these demands directly and this is why they are using Aoun . Aoun after all is indebted to Hezbollah , because without its help and support his share in the parliament may have been less than any of the other Christian leaders.

Hezbollah’s Foreign affairs representative Ammar Moussawi told French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner that it will be possible to form a government only if Hariri satisfies Aoun . His statement is a solid proof that Aoun is armed by Hezbollah’s guns and is making these demands on behalf of Hezbollah

Yesterday I was asked : What is the solution

Israel has the solution if it wants a peaceful and stronger neighbor . If Israel really wants peace, it should withdraw completely from the Lebanese territories in Ghajar, Kfar Shouba and the Shebaa farms , stop violating Lebanese airspace and abide by UNSCR 1701, as president Suleiman said last week in Madrid . Once this is achieved the so called "resistance arms" of Hezbollah won’t be needed anymore and the Lebanese army will be the sole power responsible for defending Lebanon and maintaining internal security

But the question is does Israel want peace ? Unfortunately …no!

Israel depends on the US handouts . Once it has peace with its neighbors it will not be able to justify the $3 billion a year handout from the US in addition to the billions of funds raised every year in the US in support of Israeli security . Israel therefore is indirectly supporting the presence of Hezbollah in Lebanon and as long as the Hezbollah gun is pointed at the Lebanese people we cannot ever dream in Lebanon of ever having a strong, sovereign and truly independent state

Sunday

9:30 pm The challenger to President Hamid Karzai is considering boycotting the upcoming runoff if his demands are not met to remove the leaders of Afghanistan's election commission who he believes are biased

8:57 pm former president Gemayel : there are no indications that a solution is within reach for the current impasse

8:28 pm MP Boutros Harb : If the opinion of the people of this country is not taken into consideration then I have no other option but to defend their dignity

8:07pm Health Minister Khalifa told LBC: the swine flu vaccine will be in the local market within weeks and the doctors should seriously follow up the status of their patients

8:05pm LBC: Hariri asked Jumblatt to give up the ministry of public works in favor of Aoun but Jumblatt expressed reservation which prompted Hariri to look elsewhere for a solution to the impasse

5:30 the weight of the Lebanese Tabbouleh plate which broke all Guinness world records is 3557 kg or 7840 lbs yesterday Lebanon broke another Guinness world record with the largest Hummus plate ever

4:30pm : Jumblatt at Sofar: the political reality has given us a choice between the sea or the Arabian depth , meaning Syria and the Arab world and Syria has withdrawn from Lebanon and there is no more Anjar

4:10pm The PSP /SSNP reconciliation ceremony started at the municipality building in Sofar . MP walid Jumblatt , his son Taymour, Akram Shehayeb and Faisal Sayegh represented PSP while Assaad Hardan headed the delegation that represented SSNP

4:00pm Development and Liberation bloc MP Anwar Khalil: Lebanon is going through a very important and dangerous period. If the government is not formed in a week, dialogues and approaches should change.

4:00pm Reuters: A team from the UN nuclear watchdog inspected a nuclear site in Iran on Sunday that has heightened Western fears of a covert program to develop atomic bombs, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported.

3:23pm The Israeli government renewed for another year its financial support for 400 former members of the South Lebanese army

3:15pm The number of casualties of today’s bombings in Iraq has risen to 136 and another 520 were wounded

3:10pm MP George Adwan told LBC: Aoun’s political decision is a failure within the Christians. Tele-communications will not be his share and the Cabinet formation is due in a few days.

3:00pm Leader of the Democratic Gathering bloc Walid Jumblatt: The mountain’s unity is strengthened with its political variations. Unilateral decisions are no good and for this reason we will never take any unnilateral decisions

2:31pm Wiam Wahab : the next few hours will be decisive for government formation and awarding the ministries of education , justice , social work and agriculture to Aoun will solve the problem

2;12 pm MP Okab Sakr said in a Sunday interview on New TV that Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri will not step down from his post, explaining, “The final decision pertaining to the cabinet formation has not been taken yet, but there is progress in the ongoing deliberations.”

2:10pm Head of the executive committee of Amal, Mohammed Nasrallah at a memorial service in Ghbeyre: A national-unity government is inevitable.

1:15pm Interior Minister Ziad Baroud told VOL: A unity government is inevitable. We are moving toward a (Cabinet) solution.

12:57pm 5 people were wounded in a traffic accident at a three-way intersection which leads to Kfar Rumman-Nabatiyeh-Habboush.

12:38pm Police arrested the man who shot and wounded Atiyeh and his sons. He was only identified as Ali A.I.

12:36pm A fight over a parking space in the town of Kafra led to a shootout in which Deeb Mohammed Atiyeh and his two sons were wounded.

11:50 Al-Manar : MP Ibrahim Kanaan that the meeting between FPM leader MP Michel Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri was very positive and that Aoun proposed to "limit" the swapping of ministerial portfolios to the Change and Reform bloc and the majority.

11:47 FM Fawzi Salloukh: Israeli threats should be addressed in U.N. reports. Domestic issues, however, should be settled by the Lebanese through consensus.

11:31 MP Oqab Saqr to New TV: The hours ahead are crucial regarding formation of a government which is likely to be announced at the end of the month.

10:53 Jamal Youssef Abdullah, 32, was shot and killed in Tripoli’s Bab al-Tabanneh neighborhood and Bassam Ibrahim al-Dishouri,33, was wounded in his leg near a resort area between Barbara and Jbeil.

10:18 MP George Adwan to LBC: We cannot ignore the election results of last June and the rights of the majority must be respected

10:15 President Obama today declared emergency in Puerto Rico and ordered Federal aid for the area struck by explosions and fire.

10:13 Hezbollah MP Hasan Fadlallah: We still encourage various political parties to find a way out around obstacles and settle all crises.

10:05 NYT: At least 30 people killed and dozens wounded in twin car bombs in central Baghdad, one of which was close to the ministry of justice

09:38 Kuwait newspaper Al Watan: the situation in Lebanon is worrying and the political vacuum may have dangerous consequences

9:30 The death toll from a train crash south of Cairo has reached 18, the Health Ministry said on Sunday, a day after the two Egyptian passenger trains collided.

9:30 Maronite Patriarch Sfeir: Any appointment in Beirut Municipality that does not take into account the sectarian balance has a negative impact on citizens.

9:00 Health Minister Khalife: Pregnant women should worry about swine flu. A death investigation is underway to determine the cause of death of a pregnant woman in Riyaq.

9:00 a pregnant lady who was sick with Swine Flu died today in Riyaq . The ministry of health is investigating her death

08:30 The new German government announced its intention to reduce its participation in the "UNIFIL"

08:29 sources: al-Moussawi told Kouchner that it will be possible to form a government if Hariri satisfies Aoun

08:26 "al Qabas ": delegates of "Amal" and "Hezbollah" will be visiting Syria at the end of the week

07:57 Hariri toured yesterday at the Francophone book fair and stressed the importance of culture and science

07:38 a high level delegation form the Phalange party begins today a visit to Washington to meet US state dept officials

07:12 opposition sources told al Hayat : Aoun is not insisting on ministry of communication, but a ministry that is equal in importance such as the Justice

06:46 Al Hayat: Assad told Suleiman that Damascus is serious in its call for speeding up the formation of the government

06:28 Rami el Rayyes : a reconciliation meeting between the "PSP " and "SSNP " in Sofar today to put an end to the issue of Nov 23, 2007

06:06 "An-Nahar": the Hariri and Aoun meeting did not resolve the dispute on portfolios

Saturday

11:40 pm The speaker for Iran's parliament says the proposal to ship out most of the country's uranium for refinement elsewhere is a trick meant to rob Iran of its nuclear fuel.

11:35 pm Thousands of people living on the outskirts of a burning fuel-storage site in Puerto Rico were urged to relocate Saturday to avoid toxic smoke still billowing from the fire. The cause of the explosion is still under investigation. Fifteen of 40 fuel tanks caught fire, and five were still burning Saturday afternoon, The cause of the explosion is still under investigation. Fifteen of 40 fuel tanks caught fire, and five were still burning Saturday afternoon, Gov. Luis Fortuno said

11:10pm Daylight savings time ends in Lebanon at midnight Saturday

11;00pm The Pakistani army dealt a psychological blow to the Taliban yesterday after taking the home village of the insurgent leader Hakimullah Mehsud.

will form a government soon for the sake of regional stability . Obama’s advise came on the 26th anniversary of the bombing of the US marines in Beirut

The question is : What regional security ?

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his six-month report to the U.N. Security Council on Lebanon stated that the presence of armed Hezbollah and Palestinians in Lebanon contributes to tensions and insecurity in the region and could eventually lead to a resumption of hostilities

In the report Ban focused on implementation of a 2004 resolution that calls for the disbanding of all militias and urged that Hezbollah and the Palestinian groups be disarmed quickly. "The existence and activities of Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias ... continue to pose a threat to the stability of the country," Ban said. "The presence of weapons in the country outside government control and the continued existence of militias contribute to tensions and insecurity in Lebanon and beyond, and could eventually lead to the resumption of hostilities unless immediately addressed," he warned.

Ask any Lebanese from the March 14 majority why a government hasn’t been formed and he or she will tell you that the arms of Hezbollah are the main reason . Hezbollah is pointing its guns against the Majority and using general Michel Aoun as the front man to make all kinds of impossible demands .

Hezbollah and its allies lost the elections last June . Hezbollah and its allies won 57 seats in the 128 member parliament while the March 14 alliance won 71 seats . Despite this defeat the opposition has been acting as the winner and has been making impossible demands why …..the arms

There is nothing else in the equation except the “arms” This is why Jumblatt has been calling for calm , because he knows what happened on May 7 2008 when Hezbollah invaded and occupied the Sunni part of western Beirut using its so called “resistance arms” . Jumblatt is also worried that if Hezbollah will try to attack the Sunnis again this could trigger a regional war between Sunnis and Shiites.

The focus of the dialogue talks , as soon as the government is formed, should be the disarming of the militia groups or their absorption within the Lebanese army . Lebanon should have one armed entity that is the Lebanese army to defend it from its enemies and to maintain security in the country .

The question is : Can you have dialogue when one party is armed and the other isn’t ?
There was a lot of hope in Lebanon that the Saudi-Syrian summit will result in the restraining of Hezbollah and the softening of its demands , but according to French FM Beranard Kouchner and progressive Socialist Party leader MP walid Jumblatt there are internal and regional forces that didn’t want the summit to succeed …this was in reference to Iran and Hezbollah , according to political observers

Saturday

11:40 pm The speaker for Iran's parliament says the proposal to ship out most of the country's uranium for refinement elsewhere is a trick meant to rob Iran of its nuclear fuel.

11:35 pm Thousands of people living on the outskirts of a burning fuel-storage site in Puerto Rico were urged to relocate Saturday to avoid toxic smoke still billowing from the fire. The cause of the explosion is still under investigation. Fifteen of 40 fuel tanks caught fire, and five were still burning Saturday afternoon, The cause of the explosion is still under investigation. Fifteen of 40 fuel tanks caught fire, and five were still burning Saturday afternoon, Gov. Luis Fortuno said

11:10pm Daylight savings time ends in Lebanon at midnight Saturday

11;00pm The Pakistani army dealt a psychological blow to the Taliban yesterday after taking the home village of the insurgent leader Hakimullah Mehsud.

10:00 pm Carl Icahn says late Friday he is resigning from the board of directors at Yahoo Inc. because he is no longer needed at the Internet company.

9: 00pm Reuters : Abdullah Abdullah, Afghan President Hamid Karzai's rival in next month's run-off election, said he would not join Karzai's government if the incumbent won

8:30 pm President Barack Obama called small businesses the “engine” of the US economy and said too many are still struggling to get the credit they need to operate.

8:20 pm Two Egyptian passenger trains collided on Saturday south of Cairo, and ambulance sources said there had been fatalities. They said rescue workers had pulled at least one body from the wreckage and believed more bodies were likely inside the train. At least 22 people were injured, they said.

8:15 pm Minister Khalifa: The IC school closed its doors because it follows a US standard but this should be of no concern for those who follow the instructions we provided

8:;09pm : Aoun told OTV : No agreement with Hariri over the ministry of Communications or any other and whoever is speculating otherwise is not helping . Every solution has a price

8:10 : MP Adwan told New TV : Aoun won’t get the ministry of Communications

8:04pm LBC: Outcome of Aoun-Hariri meeting was unproductive.

8:02pm MTV: Aoun and Hariri confirmed the continuation of discussions along with their allies and will maintain media secrecy regarding cabinet formation details.

8:00 pm Reuters : US President Barack Obama has declared 2009 H1N1 swine flu a national emergency, the White House said on Saturday.

8:00 MP Ammar Mousawi told al Manar: Hezbollah does not put any pressure on Aoun , he is acting based on his convictions and his standing within the Christian community

7:30 pm A team of UN inspectors is heading to Iran to visit a recently revealed nuclear site. International Atomic Energy Agency experts will examine an unfinished uranium enrichment facility near the holy city of Qom

7:00pm VOA Taliban insurgents are threatening to target Afghans who vote in the country's November 7 presidential runoff. Afghan election officials are working to improve security while minimizing fraud.

6;30 After a week of fighting Taliban and Qaeda militants in the mountains of South Waziristan, the Pakistani Army said Saturday that it had captured a Taliban stronghold

6:20 MP MP Chamoun during the 19 th anniversary of the murder of his brother; Does it make any sense for a Lebanese politician to provide cover for regional projects ? Is it acceptable for us to bow to the illegal weapons? This is in reference to Hezbollah arms

6:05pm The meeting between PM-designate Saad Hariri and FPM leader MP Michel Aoun in Rabieh has ended. No statements were given to the media except for Hariri describing the atmosphere as "positive".

5:50 Lebanon earns Guinness World Record for the largest bowel of hummus ever. The bowl weighed 2056 kg or 4533 lbs "Lebanon is trying to win a battle against Israel by registering this new Guinness World Record and telling the whole world that hummus is a Lebanese product, its part of our traditions," said Fady Jreissati, vice president of operations at International Fairs and Promotions group, the event's organizer.

5:00pm A meeting is underway between PM-designate Saad Hariri and FPM leader MP Michel Aoun.

4:00pm PSP leader MP Walid Jumblatt called for returning to Taef Accord essentials such as the truce agreement with Israel but without any normalization or compromise with the Jewish state. He also called for endorsing special relations with Syria.

1:20 pm Palestinian authority president Mahmoud Abbas said on Saturday that he was determined to proceed with the polls as decreed , and insisted that he would not close the door on efforts brokered by Egypt to patch up deep divisions between Hamas and Fatah.Even if we don't succeed now, we will try again because reconciliation is in the interest of the Palestinian people," Abbas said

11:50 Al-Hayat newspaper: French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner - who was expected to visit Syria, Israel and the Palestinian territories following his trip to Lebanon - canceled his visit to Damascus after it detained Haitham al-Maleh, a Syrian national who is a human rights activist

10:40 Fares Soueid told LBC: It is now clear that the fragile balance is between Hezbollah’s arms from one side and state legitimacy on the other.

10:07 Aoun says he will meet Hariri soon, voices readiness to “sacrifice” one ministry

9:35 MP Boutros Harb told VOL: The Lebanese regime will die if the situation continues this way.

08:30 Hariri-Aoun meeting expected to be held on Saturday

08:28 Today marks the 19 anniversary of the murder of Dany Chamoun

08:26 Sources: The term "regional stability" was the title of all of the advices given to the Lebanese recently

08:22 European diplomat: Kouchner told Aoun about the need to show flexibility that is appropriate to the regional and international situation

08:11 The daylight saving time will start at midnight tonight

08:09 "Al Liwa : Seleiman received an advice from the Syrians to form the government quickly

08:01, political sources: either no government or government within the coming days

07:58 "Al Balad ": None of the "Change and Reform" MPs visited the central residence of Hariri Friday

07:49 Al Hayat : the International Tribunal had begun to affect Syria's relationship with Hezbollah and the distancing between them following the publishing of the Der Spiegel report

07:34 French source: Kouchner told by Suleiman and Hariri that they expect a overcome their differences with Aoun

07:26 Al Hayat sources in the opposition and in the majority expect the government to see the light within days

7:20 Minister Najjar complained Kouchner about Basil ‘s lack of response of to the request of the communications layout

06:50 al Akhbar : Moussaoui and Kouchner discussed the government file : Hezbollah does not put pressure its allies

06:40 al Akhbar : Hariri expressed dismay at the way in which Geagea expressed his stance that provoked Aoun

06:13 Nader Hariri visited Rabiyah Friday and an agreement to hold a new round of consultations

Friday

11:20pm On the 26 th anniversary of the attack against the US Marines in Lebanon , president Obama said his administration looks forward to working with the new Lebanese government for the sake of security and prosperity of the Lebanese people and the region

9 :27pm PLO representative Zaki held a press conference in which he stressed the right of of the Palestinians to their homeland . He also said settlement of the Palestinians in Lebanon is impossible because of its special situation and its demographic makeup

9:14pm Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree setting the date of legislative elections to on January 24, 2010

8:44 pm US says it can wait a few days for Iran’s reply on nuclear deal

8:33pm Hariri met with former PM Mikati to discuss current developments

the Saudi - Syrian summit to be successful and that is why they are setting obstacles for forming the cabinet

Signaling the backing of Aoun’s demands speaker Nabih Berri called on PM designate Saad Hariri to satisfy Aoun’s demands even if this will be at the expense of the March 14 ruling majority

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner who arrived today in Beirut said the regional situation is "not good" and said a government should be formed urgently in Lebanon to confront existing challenges.

"It is very urgent for the government to be formed because the regional situation is not good" and the peace process is not moving forward, Kouchner said following talks with President Michel Suleiman at Baabda palace.

"I heard from President Michel Suleiman that the cabinet would be formed soon based on the 15-10-5 formula," he said.

Kouchner offered assistance in forming a cabinet but stressed that the Lebanese can't rely solely on France to form a government.

"It is not up to France to form your government and we have not come to give lessons, but we are concerned “ he said

"You cannot continue this way. You are promoting all the most dangerous trends in the region ... At stake are your security and the unity and freedom of Lebanon," he said.

Kouchner confirmed that there were internal as well as foreign reasons preventing cabinet formation.

Kouchner described the meeting between Saudi King Abdullah and Syrian President Bashar Assad earlier this month as "important." But said: "We can't expect immediate results."

"Have you ever seen a Lebanese government formed quickly? Of course not," Kouchner added.

Earlier today Kouchner held separate talks with his Lebanese counterpart Fawzi Salloukh and Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt.

Friday

11:20pm On the 26 th anniversary of the attack against the US Marines in Lebanon , president Obama said his administration looks forward to working with the new Lebanese government for the sake of security and prosperity of the Lebanese people and the region

9 :27pm PLO representative Zaki held a press conference in which he stressed the right of of the Palestinians to their homeland . He also said settlement of the Palestinians in Lebanon is impossible because of its special situation and its demographic makeup

9:14pm Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree setting the date of legislative elections to on January 24, 2010

8:44 pm US says it can wait a few days for Iran’s reply on nuclear deal

8:33pm Hariri met with former PM Mikati to discuss current developments


7 :25 pm Kouchner: Lebanese leaders show willingness to form cabinet soon

6:03pm `Iran fails to accept UN-drafted nuclear deal


3:46 pm Kouchner reiterates France’s support to Lebanon

2:57 Kouchner voices hope impasse will end soon

2:17 French FM Kouchner says meeting with outgoing PM Fouad Siniora was “encouraging”

1 :02 pm French FM Bernard Kouchner arrives at Grand Serail to meet with outgoing PM Fouad Siniora

12:21pm Jumblatt meets with Kouchner at the French embassy

12:12 Speaker Nabih Berri meets with French FM Bernard Kouchner in Ain al-Tineh

11:41 Kouchner : France wants to see a stable Lebanon capable of governing itself

10:59 President Michel Suleiman meets with French FM Bernard Kouchner in Baabda

10:37 Marouni says Aoun is obstructing cabinet formation

10:03 French FM Bernard Kouchner meets with Lebanese FM Fawzi Salloukh

08:51 Alloush says Future Movement refrains from commenting on FPM demands

08:51 VOL: Two blasts heard in Majdal Aanjar on Thursday night, believed to be hand grenades

Thursday

7:37pm Jumblatt : my meeting with Suleiman. It seems some internal and regional forces did not want the Saudi Syrian rapprochement to succeed and they may be aiming at the Taef accord

6:00 pm: Tehran strongly rejects reported claims by an Israeli daily that the Iranian and Israeli delegations held secret talks during a September meeting of the International Committee on Nuclear Non-Proliferation in Cairo

5:52pm "Voice of Lebanon": two people were killed an several others seriously injured in a terrible traffic accident on the highway connecting Hazmieh and Karantina near the low bridge and all were transferred Lebanese Canadian and Al Mashreq hospitals
was
5 :31pm the investigation in the case of Geagea vs Wahab was concluded

5:07 president Assad called for “the need to speed up the formation of a government of national unity, restore the situation in Lebanon to its natural state and to its natural role after years of turmoil and division”

4:40pm A delegation of Human Rights Association and the families of Lebanese detainees in Syrian prisons visited the headquarters of the European Commission to follow up on its promise on working to solve the case of Lebanese detainees in Syrian prisons

More than 70 people have been arrested this year in Lebanon on suspicion of spying for Israel.

Aoun's position has prompted a reshuffling of political cards, particularly after the optimistic mood that predicted the birth of the new government soon.

Sources close to Hariri told the daily As-Safir in remarks published Thursday that the premier-designate was shocked at Aoun's position, particularly since details of a Cabinet lineup were almost completed and Aoun himself said in an interview with a French magazine that an agreement was in the works.

Sources close to Hariri told the daily As-Safir in remarks published Thursday that the premier-designate was shocked at Aoun's position, particularly since details of a Cabinet lineup were almost completed and Aoun himself said in an interview with a French magazine that an agreement was in the works.

An-Nahar newspaper quoted an FPM source as saying that Aoun "did not receive an acceptable offer" from Hariri, leaving the ball in the court of the prime minister designate .

Informed sources said Suleiman, who returned home from an official visit to Spain, is likely to contact Aoun to settle the dispute, particularly since all parties appeared to be aware of their share in the government …be it names of ministers or portfolios—and that Aoun would be getting the ministries of Education and Displaced .

Some political observers interpreted Aoun's change in position is due to the proposed appointment of MP Boutros Harb in return for the approval to reappoint Jebran Bassil in the new Cabinet and talks about granting Harb the Justice ministry.

Other observers interpreted Aoun's new position as a signal that Syria has not given the green light to Hezbollah-ed opposition over the government formation

Thursday

7:37pm Jumblatt : my meeting with Suleiman. It seems some internal and regional forces did not want the Saudi Syrian rapprochement to succeed and they may be aiming at the Taef accord

6:00 pm: Tehran strongly rejects reported claims by an Israeli daily that the Iranian and Israeli delegations held secret talks during a September meeting of the International Committee on Nuclear Non-Proliferation in Cairo

5:52pm "Voice of Lebanon": two people were killed an several others seriously injured in a terrible traffic accident on the highway connecting Hazmieh and Karantina near the low bridge and all were transferred Lebanese Canadian and Al Mashreq hospitals
was
5 :31pm the investigation in the case of Geagea vs Wahab was concluded

5:07 president Assad called for “the need to speed up the formation of a government of national unity, restore the situation in Lebanon to its natural state and to its natural role after years of turmoil and division”

4:40pm A delegation of Human Rights Association and the families of Lebanese detainees in Syrian prisons visited the headquarters of the European Commission to follow up on its promise on working to solve the case of Lebanese detainees in Syrian prisons

4:25pm Grand Sunni Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani expressed hope that all Lebanese will put together their efforts to facilitate the process of forming the new government as soon as possible.

4:20pm Speaker Nabih Berri told Al-Afkar magazine that he has never expressed his rejection of appointing losers in elections as ministers. He also said that MP Walid Jumblatt is a partner in pacification and in saving the country.

4:15 pm Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said two reasons might have led Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun to change his demands: “Either a major player believes the time is not ripe to form a cabinet in Lebanon ( in reference to Syria) , which we hope is not true, or Aoun is seeking to improve his position .”

3:51 pm MP Boutros Harb said he is willing to forsake his potential appointment as minister for the sake of appeasing Aoun, reiterating that taking part in the new cabinet is not a “personal” demand. He added that national interest is more important than Aoun’s “sensitivities with certain people.”

3:15pm The European Commission granted Lebanon aid for the value of 43 million euros according to the 2009 annual work program of the European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI).

2:30 PM A senior Iranian lawmaker said the UN nuclear watchdog was obliged to provide fuel to an Iranian reactor without Tehran sending its low-enriched uranium abroad for further processing, a news agency reported on Thursday.

2:12 PM At least 24 militants were killed during military operation in Pakistan's South Waziristan tribal area in the last 24 hours, while two security forces personnel lost their lives and four others were injured.

02:10 pm Suleiman and Jumblatt discussed ways and means of overcoming the current obstacles facing the government formation and also met Fneish, Bassil and Abi Nasr

1:01 pm Minister Mario Aoun complaing about the kidnapping of his bodyguard : Such acts only increases our resolve and determination against the militia acts that are aimed at silencing the FPM

1:00pm President Michel Suleiman is meeting with MP Walid Jumblatt and his son Taymour at Baabda palace.

12:45 pm Change and Reform bloc MP Simon Abi Ramia told LBC TV that the cabinet-formation atmosphere remains positive, adding significant progress has been made between the bloc and Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri.

12:38pm MP Boutros Harb said Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir has expressed concern over Lebanon’s future and what the consultations on cabinet formation are going through.

12:20pm Former MP Mosbah al-Ahdab told LBC: Armed groups are being formed in Tripoli’s Bab al-Tabbaneh by Hezbollah.

12:17 pm Lebanon's TMA cargo carrier has resumed operations at Rafik Hariri International Airport after lying idle for several years. TMA’s chairman Mazen Bsat said the first plane, type Airbus 300-600, is expected to arrive in the coming few months

12:12 Armed Islamist group ambushes Algerian security forces in Kabylie region, kills at least six

12:00pm Labor Minister Mohammed Fneish met his Egyptian counterpart Aisha Abdel Hadi. Egyptian ambassador Ahmed al-Bediawi attended the talks that centered on bilateral ties and Egyptian workers in Lebanon.

11:55 Al-Akhbar: Gebran Bassil holds talks with Nasrallah on Aoun’s behalf

11;20 As-Safir: MP Walid Jumblatt FPM chief Michel Aoun against getting trapped in a "bidding war" over Christian representation. He also cautioned that "there are internal and external forces that do not want the historic meeting between King Abdullah and President Bashar al-Assad to be productive. From here, Aoun should see the picture as a whole without indulging into a lot of details. " He said

11:13 Hoss : If the source of cabinet obstruction is external then what a shame and if internal then how low can low be

10:45 Aoun sources: everything hinges on a decisive meeting within the next few hours between Aoun and Hariri

10:00 VOA: Police in Pakistan say gunmen have killed a high-ranking army officer and another soldier during an ambush in Islamabad.

9:30 MP Ibrahim Kenaan to Sawt al-Mada: Aoun backs the idea of cabinet formation as soon as possible in a way that backs national partnership

9:10 AFP: A representative of Israel's Atomic Energy Commission held several meetings with an Iranian official to discuss nuclear issues in the region, Yael Aron, the commission's spokesperson said and added: "These meetings were held behind closed doors and were organized by Australia,"

8:20 MP Dory Chamoun told VOL: I have never expressed optimism about cabinet formation. There is a plan to keep Lebanon without a government. They are depending on Aoun to implement the plan.

7:30 Iran edged toward a landmark agreement with the US and other powers that would curb its nuclear program, but it remained unclear whether Tehran's leadership would give the deal its final blessing.

Wednesday

10:20 pm Ban: We call on Lebanon and Syria to control the easily breached parts of their borders

10:16 pm Ban: Lebanese and non-Lebanese militia activities threaten Lebanon's stability

10:10pm Ban: Israeli non-withdrawal from Ghajar Village is a violation of Lebanon's sovereignty and UN Security Council resolutions

9:54pm UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on UN Security Council Resolution 1559: Several clauses were not implemented by Israel and Hezbollah