EIGHTY Queen's Drive appears to be one of the most desirable addresses in one of the most affluent areas of Scotland's largest city.

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COLUMBUS ? Grove City scored a 3-1 victory over Lebanon Saturday in a division I reigonal final at OHio State University. The Warriors took a 1-0 lead with a run in the bottom of the fifth, but Grove City responded with three runs ? on four straight hits ? in the sixth to take control.

SIDON, Lebanon (Reuters) - Lebanese soldiers shot dead a man carrying explosives strapped around his body as he left a Palestinian refugee camp in south Lebanon, security sources said.

BEIRUT (AFP)--A senior U.S. defense official said Saturday that his government wants to strengthen military cooperation with Lebanon.

A senior US defence official said on Saturday that his government wants to strengthen military cooperation with Lebanon.

Lebanese troops shot and killed a man wearing an explosive belt near Lebanon's largest Palestinian refugee camp Saturday, a senior military official said.

BEIRUT - A Lebanese soldier was killed by an explosion at dawn Saturday in the north of the country, the military said. Privately owned Future TV reported that the blast was caused by an explosive planted at an army position in the town of Abdeh.

BEIRUT, Lebanon?Lebanese troops shot and killed a suicide bomber near Lebanon's largest Palestinian refugee camp Saturday, a senior military official said.

COLUMBUS ? Grove City scored a 3-1 victory over Lebanon Saturday in a division I reigonal final at OHio State University. The Warriors took a 1-0 lead with a run in the bottom of the fifth, but Grove City responded with three runs ? on four straight hits ? in the sixth to take control.

Lebanese security sources say a soldier has been killed in an explosion at an army intelligence post near the northern city of Tripoli.

A Lebanese soldier was killed by an explosion at dawn Saturday in the north of the country, the military said.

BEIRUT, Lebanon?A Lebanese soldier was killed by an explosion at dawn Saturday in the north of the country, the military said. It did identify the cause of the blast by privately owned Future TV reported that the blast was caused by an explosive planted at an army position in the town of Abdeh.

Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora (L) meets with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in Beirut on May 30. Siniora has wrapped up two days of talks with leaders of rival parliamentary blocs on forming a national unity government but gave no date for a new line-up.

The Tribune's Liz Sly reports that revelry fills the capital as a deal ends Lebanon's factional conflict, but a shadow looms over the party One day they were shooting at each other. And almost as quickly as the fighting had erupted, Lebanese were back out partying together. The Tribune's Liz Sly reports from Beirut.

Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora wrapped up two days of talks with leaders of rival parliamentary blocs on Saturday on forming a national unity government but gave no date for a new line-up.

Three metro-east teams ? the Althoff girls soccer team, the Marissa baseball team and the Lebanon softball team ? will play today with a chance to win the state championship in their sport.

The food is what everyone talks about after the annual Lebanese Festival at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Walnut Hills.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has arrived in Lebanon for a round of talks with officials there. On Sunday he plans to meet with newly elected President Michel Suleiman and current Prime Minister Fuad Siniora before heading on to Israel and the Palestinian territories.

The American University of Beirut has inaugurated the first neuromuscular diagnostic laboratory in the Arab world, thanks to a generous donation made by neuropathologist and neurologist Mamdouha Al-Ahdab Barmada.

A soldier has been killed in an explosion in Lebanon. The cause of the explosion in the northern town of Abdeh was not immediately known and the army said it was investigating.

Lebanon: Riding on the success of its popular Flatron series, LG Electronics, a major player in the global flat panel display market, annouced that it will consolidate its market-leading position in the Middle East and Africa commercial display business by targeting high-traffic areas such as airports, malls and hospitals. [AMEInfo.com]

BEIRUT: Lebanon's budget deficit in the first four months of 2008 rose to 30.29 percent, or LL1.421 trillion, of total spending, up from 26.73 percent in the same period of 2007 due to rising losses in the electricity sector, the Finance Ministry said Friday.

The Tribune's Liz Sly reports that revelry fills the capital as a deal ends Lebanon's factional conflict, but a shadow looms over the party One day they were shooting at each other. And almost as quickly as the fighting had erupted, Lebanese were back out partying together. The Tribune's Liz Sly reports from Beirut.

BEIRUT: Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora held the first of two days of talks on forming a new government yesterday after an accord last week ended a protracted political crisis that turned deadly.

The American Task Force for Lebanon (ATFL) applauds the 110 countries that reached agreement in Dublin, Ireland, on Wednesday, May 28, to ban cluster bombs. We congratulate the United Kingdom, a staunch NATO ally, for its turnabout and now fully supporting the treaty. Lebanon is a signatory and staunch supporter of the treaty.

Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora (L) meets with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in Beirut. Siniora held the first of two days of talks on forming a new government on Friday after an accord last week ended a protracted political crisis that turned deadly.

As part of its visit to Lebanon to attend the presidential election, a delegation from the US Congress visited the Lebanese Red Cross headquarters in the Beirut neighborhood of Spears, a statement by the Red Cross said on Friday.

BEIRUT - Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora held the first of two days of talks on forming a new government on Friday after an accord last week ended a protracted political crisis that turned deadly.

BEIRUT, Lebanon, May 30 (UPI) -- Members of the Lebanese Forces say Iran is trying to execute secret missions in Lebanon.

An international survey conducted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has found that Lebanese youth in the 9th grade have a solid understanding of national citizenship, but are dangerously lacking in the areas of civic participation and critical thinking.

The United States supplied over 1,356,000 rounds of ammunition of various calibers to the Lebanese Army last week, a US Embassy statement said on Friday. The delivery, totaling over 376 tons, is part of the multi-year US Security Assistance program to Lebanon, the statement added.

BEIRUT, Lebanon, May 30 (UPI) -- Lebanese President Michel Suleiman is stressing in meetings with military and political leaders that the nation cannot survive without unity.

Analysts say relations between Lebanon and Syria are at a crossroads following the election of army general Michel Suleiman as Lebanon?s new president.

If politics were its principle yardstick, Hezbollah's new ability to veto the decisions of the Lebanese government might seem conclusive. After clashes in west Beirut last month, some analysts declared Hezbollah the victor of the internecine crisis ( NYT ) . Others, including Daily Star opinion editor Michael Young, see the resolution as more of a draw.

After more than six months of Presidential vacuum and tough political disputes between the different political parties and factions in Lebanon, Lebanese politicians reached an agreement on the 21st of May in their four day meeting under the patronage of Doha Qatar, The election came after th e fierce armed clashes which broke in Beirut and other Lebanese cities during the mid of May, Lebanon was ...

This weekend marks the 10th annual Lebanese Festival at St. Elias Catholic Church in Roanoke. Organizers say there will be plenty of food, fun and music.

Plaistow, N.H. -- Emilee Martin's goal with 3:20 left in the game snapped a 15-all tie and gave fifth-seeded Lebanon (10-4) an opening-round win over No. 4 Timberlane.

BEIRUT - Prime Minister-designate Fouad Siniora began talks with Lebanese lawmakers on Friday on forming a national unity government in which Hezbollah-led minority factions will wield veto power.

The principal of the school attended by the two Lebanon teenagers who were hit by a freight train quickly sent out word to parents and doubled the number of guidance counselors.

BEIRUT (AFP) - For three consecutive seasons tourism revenue, once Lebanon's lifeblood, was reduced to a trickle by violence and political uncertainty.

BEIRUT: Lebanon's Finance Ministry said Thursday that the budget deficit in the first three months of 2008 fell slightly thanks to higher revenues.

LEBANON ? Members of the Lebanon City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to tighten and refine the city?s noise ordinance, effective immediately.

DOHA: Qatar?s corporate sector is hoping for a new dawn in bilateral economic relations with Lebanon, which was maneuvered into peace and stability through a deal mediated by Qatar.

Moorestown doesn't forget its war heroes. Public parks in the old Quaker town are named after Wesley Bishop, the first resident killed in World War II, and Jeff Young, a young Marine who died in Beirut in 1983.

BEIRUT, May 30, 2008 (AFP) - In 2006 it was the Hezbollah-Israel war, in 2007 it was the struggle against Fatah al-Islam militants in the north, and this year internal sectarian clashes dragged Lebanon to the brink of a new civil war.

ANKARA - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan departed on Sunday for Lebanon to attend the general assembly session of the Lebanese Parliament which will convene to elect the new president of the country.

Lebanon's Finance Ministry said Thursday that the budget deficit in the first three months of 2008 fell slightly thanks to higher revenues. But the ministry said the size of the gross public debt reached LL65.102 trillion ($43.2 billion), registering an increase of 2.74 percent over the level at the end of December 2007.

With election fever gripping the country, the vote for the new president was on the mind of every Lebanese last Sunday. Then again, May 25 was also marked by Clean Up the Med Day, with over 500 authorities and associations taking part in 21 countries. Clean Up the Med is twinned with Clean Up the World

Not long after Downtown Beirut on Thursday wraps up its activities celebrating the recent political breakthrough, a crowd of a similar spirit will flood the streets on Sunday for the capital's second annual Run for Peace. The marathon consists of a 5-kilometer students' race and a 21-kilometer international half-marathon, and is open to athletes of all nationalities.

Noura Jumblatt, president of Beiteddine Festival Committee and wife of Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, presents the acts set to perform during the Beiteddine Festival this summer during a press conference in Beirut.

BEIRUT (AFP) - Summer music festivals in Lebanon, which usually attract visitors in their thousands, are back this year after being silenced by war and political instability, organisers announced on Thursday.

Summer music festivals in Lebanon, which usually attract visitors in their thousands, are back this year after being silenced by war and political instability, organisers announced on Thursday.

Lebanon's twin worlds of war and the good life intersect at the St.

BEIRUT: Israel is to release and deport on Sunday a Lebanese-born man jailed more than six years ago on charges of spying for Hizbullah, senior security sources said on Wednesday.

Lebanon's Division I regional semifinal softball victory wasn't the prettiest, but the Warriors turned in clutch plays at crucial times.

Lebanon's twin worlds of war and the good life intersect at the St. George's Yacht Club, where sunbathers loll poolside at a hotel that was blasted during the 1975-90 civil war and bombed three years ago.

DANBURY -- Educators from the region were honored for their contributions Wednesday during the fifth annual Lebanese American Day festivities.Nearly 50 teachers and school staff members were honored during the flag-raising ceremony held at City Hall.

Moorestown doesn't forget its war heroes. Public parks in the old Quaker town are named after Wesley Bishop, the first resident killed in World War II, and Jeff Young, a young Marine who died in Beirut in 1983.

BEIRUT, Lebanon - Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora won a new term yesterday with the backing of a pro-U.S. coalition, angering the Hezbollah-led opposition, which had pressed for a change in leadership.

Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora won a new term Wednesday with the backing of a pro-U.S. coalition, angering the Hezbollah-led opposition that had pressed for a change in leadership.

The last time Lebanon High School's softball team played at Ohio State University's Buckeye Field, the Warriors were eliminated by Gahanna Lincoln in the 2003 Division I regional final.

BEIRUT - Lebanon's newly appointed premier Fuad Siniora prepared for consultations Thursday with various parliamentary blocs on forming a 30-member cabinet, which will include the Hezbollah-led opposition.

Lebanon's newly appointed premier Fuad Siniora prepared for consultations Thursday with various parliamentary blocs on forming a 30-member cabinet, which will include the Hezbollah-led opposition.

LEBANON, Maine -- Authorities say two teenage girls apparently sunbathing on a railroad trestle were struck and seriously injured by a freight train in Lebanon, Maine, on the New Hampshire border.

New Lebanese President Michel Sleiman has appointed incumbent Prime Minister Fuad Siniora to head a government of national unity after the parliamentary majority gave Siniora its backing.

Associated Press - May 28, 2008 5:45 PM ET LEBANON, Maine (AP) - Two teenage girls sunbathing on a railroad trestle lost limbs when a train came upon them unexpectedly in this New Hampshire...

Human rights in Lebanon are inadequately protected in many ways, according to an annual global human rights report released by Amnesty International (AI) at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Beirut on Wednesday. The rights account, entitled Amnesty International Report 2008: The State of the World's Human Rights, is released every year.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday she looked forward to working with Lebanon's new president Michel Sleiman, whom she said will defend Lebanon's independence and democracy.

Lebanon's new president has asked outgoing Prime Minister Fuad Saniora to form a new Cabinet despite reservations by the Hezbollah-led opposition.

BEIRUT, Lebanon -- Lebanon's new president has asked outgoing Prime Minister Fuad Saniora to form a new Cabinet despite reservations by the Hezbollah-led opposition.

(RTTNews) - Lebanon's parliamentary majority on Wednesday nominated Prime Minister Fuad Siniora to head the next unity government under newly elected President Michel Sleiman.

Source: Reuters JERUSALEM, May 28 (Reuters) - Israel plans to release on Sunday a Lebanese prisoner who has completed his jail term and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Wednesday he would ...

Authorities say two teenage girls were struck and seriously injured by a freight train in the town of Lebanon, Maine on the New Hampshire border.

Nasim Nisr, a 39-year old Israeli citizen of Lebanese descent, was jailed in 2002 for six years. He will be released on Sunday and escorted from Israel to the Lebanon border.

Supporters of Lebanese army chief Michel Sleiman fire in the air from a rooftop as they celebrate his election as president in his hometown of Amcheet at the weekend.

Lebanon's new President Michel Sleiman was holding consultations on Wednesday on the makeup of a national unity government set to be headed by the current premier Fuad Siniora.

Lebanon ?s city council has voted to send a nonbinding recommendation to the municipally owned utility that serves the city to stop offering Internet service.

A Lebanese soldier was killed in clashes late Tuesday between pro-government and opposition supporters, the latest incident to flare up despite a deal aimed at ending a long-running political feud.

Lebanese majority March 14 bloc nominated caretaker Prime Minister Fouad Seniora to head the new government under the newly-elected President Michel Suleiman, The Daily Star reported on Wednesday. "The March 14 leadership unanimousl ...

Lebanon parliament majority decides unanimously to nominate Siniora to head new government.

Lebanon's Western-backed parliamentary majority said on Wednesday it has chosen Prime Minister Fuad Siniora to head the next cabinet of national unity under newly-elected President Michel Sleiman.

Lebanon: The American University of Beirut was one of 18 American universities and colleges from the Middle East, Europe and Central Asia which established a new association grouping academic institutions that are conceived and organized on the American model of higher education. [AMEInfo.com]

A total of 130 Portuguese soldiers are scheduled to head for Lebanon on Wednesday for a mission as part of the United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the Portuguese General Staff of the Armed Forces announced on Tuesday. ...

LEBANON - The Lebanon City Council voted Tuesday night to borrow $82,000 to buy 150 parking meters and to establish a $1.5 million line of credit to pay bills connected with the construction of two bridges across the Norfolk Southern tracks.

Lebanon's parliamentary majority coalition has agreed to nominate incumbent Prime Minister Fouad Siniora to form the country's first government under newly elected President Michel Sleiman.

In Lebanon, the parliamentary majority coalition has agreed to nominate Prime Minister Fouad Siniora to form the country's first government under newly elected President Michel Suleiman. The nomination followed a late-night meeting of coalition leaders in Beirut.

Lebanon's parliamentary majority coalition has agreed to nominate Prime Minister Fouad Siniora to form the country's first government under newly elected President Michel Suleiman.

LEBANON'S parliamentary majority coalition agreed today to nominate incumbent Prime Minister Fouad Siniora to form the country's first government under newly elected President Michel Sleiman.

A Lebanese-born man who has been imprisoned in Israel for six years for collaborating with Lebanon's Hizbullah will be released on Sunday, his family said. Nessim Nisr, who held Israeli citizenship at the time of his arrest in 2002, was sentenced by an Israeli court to six years in jail.

Lebanon's parliamentary majority has agreed to nominate incumbent PM Fouad Siniora to form the country's first government under President Michel Sleiman.

Leaders of parliament's pro-Western majority decided late Tuesday to back Fuad Saniora to remain as Lebanon's prime minister in the new unity Cabinet being formed with the Hezbollah-led opposition, a government official said.

Fireworks light the skies of downtown Beirut as people attend celebrations in downtown Beirut on May 26. The Lebanese interior ministry on Tuesday announced an indefinite ban on motorbikes, provocative convoys, slogans or flag waving in the capital Beirut.

Lebanon's parliamentary majority coalition agreed on Tuesday to nominate incumbent Prime Minister Fouad Siniora to form the country's first government under newly elected President Michel Suleiman.

Beirut - Militants of the Shiite movement Hezbollah fought with followers of Lebanon's ruling majority near Beirut on Tuesday, leaving one Hezbollah follower and a Lebanese soldier dead, Lebanese security sources said. The army intervened after a pri...

The leader of Hezbollah said the militant group has no plans to take over Lebanon now that a new president has been installed.We don't want authority in Lebanon, said Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in a televised speech Monday. We don't want to control Lebanon. We don't want to impose our ideas on the Lebanese people.The comments are the first from Hezbollah following an agreement reached ...

BEIRUT (AFP)--The Lebanese interior ministry Tuesday announced an indefinite ban on motorbikes, provocative convoys, slogans or flag waving in the capital Beirut.

One person was transported to the hospital after a house fire in Lebanon on Tuesday morning. Lebanon police said crews were dispatched to the home on Suncrest Drive around 11:08 a.m.

BEIRUT, Lebanon, May 27 (UPI) -- The leader of Hezbollah said following the election of a Lebanese president the militant group favors a defensive posture over political influence.

Two Lebanon police officers were injured last week while arresting two men on firearms, drugs, and other charges. Police said the officers responded May 20 to reports of a disturbance at Gary's Sports Bar, 414 N. Seventh St., Lebanon.

BEIRUT (AFP)--A Lebanese-born man who has been held behind bars in Israel for six years for collaborating with the Shiite Muslim movement Hezbollah will be released on Sunday, his family said.

Hezbollah's leader sought to reassure the Lebanese about the Shiite militant group's intentions in a speech on Monday, saying that its newly expanded political clout will not translate into greater control over the state and that its top priority remains the fight against Israel.

BEIRUT, Lebanon ? Lebanon's new president got a red carpet welcome yesterday, but he was quickly thrust into the political thicket as Hezbollah's leader warned against any efforts to disarm his Iranian-backed guerrilla group.

(RTTNews) - The Israeli official responsible for handling the issue of soldiers kidnapped by the Hizbullah told the Islamic militant outfit that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had approved the release of five Lebanese prisoners, including Samir Kuntar, in exchange for captured Israeli soldiers Ehud Golwassser and Eldad Regev, the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar quoted senior officials as saying Tuesday.

Kuwait Financial Centre S.A.K. (Markaz), one of the leading investment banking and asset management companies in the Middle East, announced that it has begun offering luxurious apartment units for sale in Clemenceau, Lebanon.

Violence has erupted in the Lebanese capital Beirut after Hezbollah chief Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah delivered a speech to commemorate the 8th anniversary of the Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. At least sixteen people were wounded during an exchange of gunfire in Beirut's southern suburbs.

By HUSSEIN DAKROUB Lebanon's new president got a red carpet welcome Monday, but was quickly thrust into the political thicket as Hezbollah's leader warned against any efforts to disarm his Iranian-backed guerrilla group. Sheik Hassan Nasrallah delivered his stern message after military bands and an honor guard saluted President Michel Suleiman on his first day on the job. Suleiman, the former ...

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki Monday said Iran keeps constant contacts with all Lebanese parties and works for dialogue among Lebanese parties. Mottaki made the remarks in a press conference here, adding that "our aim ...

Lebanon's new president Michel Sleiman begins his first full day in office Monday after a weekend election that many hope will put an end to 18 months of political upheaval and sporadic violence.

By Pratap John The Lebanese peace deal has kindled hopes of an economic recovery in the country which was almost paralysed due to an 18-month standoff between the US-backed government and the Hezbollah-led opposition.

Lebanon's new president got a red carpet welcome Monday, but was quickly thrust into the political thicket as Hezbollah's leader warned against any efforts to disarm his Iranian-backed guerrilla group. Sheik Hassan Nasrallah delivered his stern message after military bands and an honor guard saluted President Michel Suleiman on his first day on the job. Suleiman, the former army ...

BEIRUT, Lebanon-- Lebanon's new president got a red carpet welcome today, but was quickly thrust into the political thicket as Hezbollah's leader warned against any efforts to disarm his Iranian-backed guerrilla group.

Beirut - Lebanon's Hezbollah chief Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said Monday that Lebanese prisoners held in Israeli jails would soon return home. Samir Kantar and his brothers will soon be home among their families, Nasrallah said during a speech to com...

Beirut- Gunfire erupted, wounding at least sixteen people as Hezbollah chief Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah finished delivering a speech Monday in Beirut's southern suburbs to commemorate the Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. The gunshot-related inj...

HEZBOLLAH leader Hassan Nasrallah vowed overnight that his powerful militant movement was not seeking control of Lebanon, in a fiery speech on new President Michel Sleiman's first full day in office.

BEIRUT (AFP)--Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah vowed that his militant group would not use its arms to achieve political gains, in a fiery speech Monday to mark the anniversary of Israel's withdrawal from south Lebanon.

HEZBOLLAH leader Hassan Nasrallah vowed overnight that his powerful militant movement was not seeking control of Lebanon, in a fiery speech on new President Michel Sleiman's first full day in office.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah vowed on Monday that his powerful militant movement was not seeking control of Lebanon, in a fiery speech on new President Michel Sleiman's first full day in office.

BEIRUT - Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah says he expects Israel to release a number of Lebanese prisoners it holds very soon.

The fiery leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah militant movement assured Lebanon on Monday that his movement will cooperate in the country's political life.

filled ceremony greeted newly elected Lebanese President Michel Suleiman Monday as he entered Lebanon's presidential palace.

BEIRUT (AFP)--Progress has been made in U.N.-sponsored talks on a prisoner exchange between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, Lebanese sources involved in the issue told AFP on Monday.

BEIRUT, Lebanon -- Eighteen months of political deadlock, nine days of blood, five days of negotiations, three airplanes and another country. This is what it took to solve Lebanon 's latest political crisis, which almost ended in a new civil war.

BEIRUT - Lebanese President Michel Suleiman will on Wednesday appoint a prime minister to head a new cabinet that will be formed as part of an agreement to end 18 months of political conflict.

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) -- Military bands and an honor guard salute greeted President Michel Suleiman on Monday as he entered Lebanon's presidential palace to begin the monumental task of uniting a wounded nation and reconciling its rival political factions.

It was the eerie quiet that Randy Gaddo recalls now, a rarity for the U.S. Marines deployed to war-ravaged Beirut, Lebanon, as part of a multinational peacekeeping force. "It was a beautiful morning," said Gaddo, then a staff sergeant serving as a combat correspondent and photojournalist. "It was very cool, the birds were singing and there was no shooting. In hindsight, it was too quiet." The ...

Lebanon's newly elected president Michel Sleiman prepared to launch consultations on forming a national unity government on Monday as he began his first full day in office.

BEIRUT - Lebanon's parliament elected the army commander, Gen. Michel Suleiman, as president yesterday, filling a post vacant for six months and bringing a symbolic if tenuous end to the country's worst crisis since the 15-year civil war ended in 1990.

Lebanon's newly elected president Michel Sleiman prepared to launch consultations on forming a national unity government on Monday as he began his first full day in office.

BEIRUT - Lebanon's parliament elected the army commander, Gen. Michel Suleiman, as president yesterday, filling a post vacant for six months and bringing a symbolic if tenuous end to the country's worst crisis since the 15-year civil war ended in 1990.

WASHINGTON: US President George W Bush led the international community yesterday in hailing the election of Michel Suleiman as Lebanon?s new president as a first step in reuniting the divided nation.

My first visit to Mary'z Lebanese Cuisine gave me the feeling I was entering the kind of place where you whisper a password or murmur something like "Joe sent me" to gain entry.

BEIRUT, Lebanon ? After 18 months of grinding political conflict, Lebanon's Parliament elected a new president Sunday in the first formal step toward enacting a new power-sharing pact among the country's bitterly divided political factions.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Sunday congratulated the Lebanese people on the election of a new president. Lebanon's parliament elected army chief Michel Suleiman into the presidential office eight months after ex-president Em ...

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon's parliament elected army chief Michel Suleiman as head of state on Sunday, reviving paralysed state institutions after an 18-month standoff between a U.S.-backed government and the Hezbollah-led opposition.

The international community hailed the election of Michel Sleiman as Lebanon's new president as a crucial first step in reuniting the divided nation.

Lebanese parliament on Sunday approved army chief Michel Suleiman as the new president of the country. Of the 127 lawmakers casting their ballots, 118 voted for Suleiman's election, six abstained, and three voted for others, local N ...

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper congratulated Michel Sleiman on his election as Lebanon's new president Sunday and expressed hope the country was "moving in a positive direction."

Images from Lebanon as army head Gen Michel Suleiman is sworn in as new president, ending months of political deadlock.

25 May 2008 - United Nations Secretary-General today congratulated the Lebanese people on the election of President Michel Suleimane, ending the deadlock that has endured in the Middle Eastern nation since last November.

After a six-month vacancy, Lebanon swears in a new president Sunday. The vote in parliament for Gen. Michel Suleiman ends 18 months of political stalemate. Sulieman vows to strengthen ties with Syria; Lebanon's relationship with its neighbor is a source of much its political turmoil. Mohanad Hage Ali, political editor the Arab world daily Al-Hayat , speaks with NPR's Guy Raz.

PARIS, May 25, 2008 (AFP) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy congratulated Lebanese army chief Michel Sleiman on Sunday, pledging France's "full support" after Sleiman was elected president.

Military commanders often ride to power atop a tank. But in Lebanon, the key to army chief Michel Suleiman's rise to the nation's top job has been keeping his men out of the fight.

BEIRUT, Lebanon? Lebanon's feuding political factions put aside their differences Sunday and elected the nation's army commander as president, filling a six-month vacancy and bringing a festive feel to a capital that had been a war zone just days ago.

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) -- Military commanders often ride to power atop a tank. But in Lebanon, the key to army chief Michel Suleiman's rise to the nation's top job has been keeping his men out of the fight.

Lebanon's parliament elected army commander Gen. Michel Suleiman as president in a long-delayed vote that was a key step toward reconciling political factions.

Lebanon's new president Michel Sleiman appealed for unity as he was sworn in on Sunday in a first step towards defusing a political feud that threatened to plunge the nation into a new civil war.

BEIRUT (Thomson Financial) - Lebanese army chief Michel Sleiman was sworn in as president on Sunday following a vote in parliament that capped a long-running political crisis in the country.

Lebanon's new president Michel Sleiman appealed for unity on Sunday after being sworn in following a parliament vote that many hope will turn a new page in the crisis-ridden nation.

Lebanon's parliament elected army chief Michel Suleiman as head of state on Sunday, reviving paralysed state institutions after an 18-month standoff between a U.S.-backed cabinet and the Hezbollah-led opposition.

Lebanon's parliament elected army commander Gen. Michel Suleiman as president Sunday in a long-delayed vote that was a key step toward restoring political stability after an 18-month stalemate.

Lebanon's parliament elected army commander Gen. Michel Suleiman as president in a long-delayed vote that was a key step toward reconciling political factions.

(Reuters) - Lebanon's parliament is due to elect army chief General Michel Suleiman as president on Sunday, filling a post left vacant for six months because of a political crisis that had pushed the country to the brink of a new civil war.

Lebanon's parliament elected army chief General Michel Suleiman as the country's president on Sunday, a vote count aired live on television showed.

Lebanon's parliament gathered on Sunday to elect army chief Michel Suleiman as head of state, reviving paralysed state institutions after an 18-month standoff between a U.S.-backed cabinet and the Hezbollah-led opposition.

BEIRUT (AFP)--Lebanese lawmakers gathered to elect army chief Michel Sleiman as president Sunday in a first step towards ending a crippling political crisis that took the country to the brink of civil war.

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon's parliament gathered on Sunday to elect army chief Michel Suleiman as head of state, reviving paralyzed state institutions after an 18-month standoff between a U.S.-backed cabinet and the Hezbollah-led opposition.

LEBANON'S armed forces chief, Michel Suleiman, looked certain to become Lebanon's 12th president yesterday, with the parliament scheduled to meet to elect him to the six-year post.

Source: Reuters May 25 (Reuters) - Lebanon's parliament is due to elect army chief General Michel Suleiman as president on Sunday, filling a post left vacant for six months because of a political crisis that had ...

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon's parliament is set to vote in army chief General Michel Suleiman as the country's 11th president on Sunday, filling a post left vacant for six months by a crisis that threatened a new civil war.

Lebanese flags and pictures of army chief Michel Suleiman adorned Beirut's streets Sunday as parliament prepares to elect the consensus candidate as president ? a key step toward reconciling Lebanese factions after a long political crisis.

(Reuters) - Lebanon's parliament is due to elect army chief General Michel Suleiman as president on Sunday, filling a post left vacant for six months because of a political crisis that had pushed the country to the brink of a new civil war.

Lebanon's parliament is set to elect army chief General Michel Suleiman as the country's president on Sunday, filling a post left vacant for six months by a political crisis that threatened a new civil war.

BEIRUT (AFP) - The Lebanese parliament convenes on Sunday to elect army chief Michel Sleiman as president in a first step towards defusing an often deadly 18-month standoff between feuding political factions.

BEIRUT (AFP)--The Lebanese parliament will convene Sunday to elect army chief Michel Sleiman as president in a first step towards defusing an often deadly 18- month standoff between feuding political factions.

In Lebanon, hundreds of policemen and army troops have sealed off the capital Beirut's downtown area ahead of a parliament vote to elect a new president.

Source: Reuters May 25 (Reuters) - Lebanon's parliament is due to elect army chief General Michel Suleiman as president on Sunday, filling a post left vacant for six months because of a political crisis that had ...

BEIRUT, Lebanon ? Lebanese flags and pictures of army chief Michel Suleiman adorned Beirut's streets today as parliament prepared to elect the consensus candidate as president ? a key step toward reconciling Lebanese factions after a long political crisis.

Lebanon: A joint American University of Beirut-Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) team has been awarded a $2.8m research grant from the US National Cancer Institute to study the exposure to toxicants as a result of narghile (water pipe) smoking. [AMEInfo.com]

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon's parliament is set to vote in army chief General Michel Suleiman as the country's 11th president on Sunday, filling a post left vacant for six months by a crisis that threatened a new civil war.

Beirut - Lebanon's parliament is set to convene on Sunday to elect army chief General Michel Suleiman as president amid tight security measures. The election is regarded as a step that will end 18 months of political crisis that has brought the count...

Shares in Lebanese real estate market heavyweight Solidere climbed by over 14 per cent on Wednesday, hours after the rival political leaders signed in the Qatari capital Doha an accord to end the country's worst political crisis since the 1975-90 civil war eased.

BEIRUT: Lebanese Premier Fouad Siniora, whose term in office has been dominated by a standoff with the Hezbollah-led opposition, said yesterday that he will step down with a clear conscience and is ready to turn the page.

BEIRUT, May 24, 2008 (AFP) - Lebanese premier Fuad Siniora, whose term in office has been dominated by a standoff with the Hezbollah-led opposition, said on Saturday that he will step down with a clear conscience and is ready to turn the page.

LIBERTY TWP. ? The Lebanon Warriors finally got over the hump. District runners-up in each of the past three seasons, the Warriors rallied twice on Saturday, May 24, to beat Colerain in extra innings 3-2 and win that elusive Division I softball district championship.

Lebanon's parliament is expected to elect a new president, ending months of political deadlock.

A poster of Lebanese army chief and presidential candidate Michel Sleiman is displayed in Beirut. The Lebanese parliament convenes on Sunday to elect Sleiman as president in a first step towards defusing an often deadly 18-month standoff between feuding political factions.

Bow (11-1) didn't allow a goal in the second half, cruising to a comfortable win over Lebanon (3-9).

LIBERTY TWP. ? The Lebanon Warriors finally got over the hump. District runners-up in each of the past three seasons, the Warriors rallied twice on Saturday to beat Colerain in extra innings, 3-2, and win that elusive Division I softball district championship.

LIBERTY TWP. ? The Lebanon Warriors finally got over the hump.

BEIRUT - Lebanon's parliament is set to vote in army chief General Michel Suleiman as the country's 11th president on Sunday, filling a post left vacant for six months by a crisis that threatened a new civil war.

Lebanon's parliament is set to vote in army chief General Michel Suleiman as the country's 11th president on Sunday, filling a post left vacant for six months by a crisis that threatened a new civil war.

DUBAI: Lebanon?s long drawn political crisis appears to ending with the election of Army chief Michel Sleiman to the presidency. General Sleiman is expected to be elected shortly as President in the presence of several foreign ...

The Mt. Lebanon Police Department is planning an increased presence at Mt. Lebanon High School on Tuesday after a threat was found written on a gymnasium restroom wall.

Hezbollah fighters have pulled back since seizing parts of Lebanon's capital, but their brazen display has made one thing clear.

Lebanon: For the third consecutive year, mtc touch, the leading mobile telecommunication company in Lebanon, affiliated with Zain group, participated in the annual event Walk with Al Younbouh organized by center Al Younbouh at Fouad Chehab Stadium in Jounieh last Sunday, May 18th, 2008. [AMEInfo.com]

BETONG, May 24 (Bernama) - Malaysian soldier Corporal Jun Sang, 30, who was killed in a road crash while on a peacekeeping mission in Lebanon last week was buried here today.

Beirut - Lebanonese Prime Minister Fouad Seniora and his outgoing cabinet convened for the last time late Friday, and discussed the latest developments and the outcome of the Lebanese dialogue hosted by the Qatari capital last week. Seniora who gave ...

LEBANON ? Lebanon has had enough of break-ins and other crime to businesses and plans to combat the problem with the newly formed Lebanon Business Watch.

BEIRUT, Lebanon, May 23 (UPI) -- Gen. Michael Suleiman, commander of the Lebanese armed forces, will assume the presidency in a special session of Parliament, Speaker Nabih Berri announced.

Lebanon, N.H. fourth-graders learn about watersheds by stepping right intonearby streams.

A note found on a rest room wall today is the third threat discovered at Mt. Lebanon High School this semester, school officials said.

Beirut - Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem is due to attend the session of parliament in Lebanon at which army commander Michel Suleiman is to be elected president on Sunday, a source close to House Speaker Nabih Berri said Friday. Lebanon's t...

For fans of contemporary oriental music, the Babel Theater will be the place to be on Saturday and Sunday evening, when oud virtuoso Charbel Rouhana and his band, the Beirut Oriental Ensemble, will hold a concert to mark the launch of their new CD, "Shughal Bayt" (the album's English title is "Hand Made").

The United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Intel Company and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have named two newly discovered planets in the honor of two Lebanese students. The planets, "Sana" and "Dina," are named after Sana Abdel-Halim Zaidan and Dina Wafik Kaddoura, both from the coastal city of Sidon.

On Wednesday of this week, as the Globe and Mail reported, "Lebanon's feuding leaders...struck a deal that gives Hezbollah [, the Iran- and Syria-backed, political-militant Shiite...

Lebanon: Hopes that army chief will unite rivals and resolve conflict (AKI) - Lebanese army general Michel Suleiman was expected be sworn in as the new Lebanese president on Sunday in a bid to end the country's long-running political stalemate.Suleiman, widely regarded as a unifying figure, emerged as a consensus candidate in a deal forged on Wednesday in the Qatari capital Doha by ...

BEIRUT (AFP)--Hezbollah deputy secretary general Naim Qassem Friday welcomed as an "important achievement" a breakthrough deal reached by rival Lebanese political factions to end the country's crisis.

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon's army chief, who is poised to become the country's new president, urged for national unity after feuding politicians agreed to end 18 months of conflict, a newspaper reported on Friday.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said in Jerusalem on Friday that the deal reached by Lebanon's rival factions fails to tackle the roots of the crisis, though it was a first step.

Source: Reuters (Refiles to fix typo in paragraph 9) By Tom Perry BEIRUT, May 23 (Reuters) - General Michel Suleiman, set to be elected Lebanon's president on Sunday, has kept the army unified through three years ...

Christine Brewer, of Lebanon, has become the English Idol among classical music fans.

The Missouri Auditor's office releases its findings for the Lebanon Municipal Court. According to the audit, the court doesn't have independent reconciliations of bond receipts and deposits.

PARIS, May 23, 2008 (AFP) - French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner will travel to Lebanon for the election on Sunday of a new president after some 18 months of political deadlock, the foreign ministry said Friday.

Tiny Gulf state of Qatar succeeds in halting Lebanon clashes where UN, Arab League, France failed.

The Carollton Hawks tried to pitch around Lebanon's Paige Washington, but she wouldn't let them.

LEBANON ? The next meeting of the budget committee for the Lebanon Community School District will be 8 tonight at the district office, 485 S. Fifth St. The meeting is open to the public.

I've been waiting for someone else to explain what happened in Lebanon in the last week. But I guess that grim responsibility falls to me. Hezbollah has effectively taken over control of the reins of power in Lebanon in a military coup.

After six days of consultations in Qatar under the aegis of the Arab League, Lebanese leaders finally agreed on settling the domestic political crisis. Does this mean that civil war in Lebanon has been averted? What is the importance of the Doha agreements for the Middle East?

A European Commission official welcomed on Thursday the agreement reached between the Lebanese political parties to stop violence. "I welcome the agreement reached among various Lebanese political parties under the auspices of the E ...

Algeria has expressed "great satisfaction" after Lebanese political representatives signed the Doha agreement marking a major milestone in the search for a solution to a crisis that has engulfed Lebanon for a number of years. The ag ...

UNITED NATIONS (AP)--The U.N. Security Council on Thursday gave strong backing to the deal to end Lebanon's 18-month political crisis but it dropped a specific reference to the council resolution demanding the disarmament of the Hezbollah militia.

The U.N. Security Council is giving strong backing to the deal to end Lebanon's 18-month political crisis.

Beirut, Lebanon - An agreement reached by Lebanese political factions early Wednesday amounted to a significant shift of power in favor of the militant Shiite

As municipality and Sukleen workers removed the remaining concrete barriers and swept the streets in Beirut Central District (BCD), restaurant and shop owners in this fancy commercial area slowly opened their business Thursday. The opposition decision to end the 18-month sit-in near the Grand Serail brought a near immediate boost to the private sector.

The UN Security Council on Thursday welcomed the breakthrough deal reached by Lebanon's rival factions to end an 18-month political standoff and elect a new president.

Moody's Investors Service has assigned Aa2.lb/LB 1 Lebanese National Scale Ratings (NSRs) to Banque Bemo sal (Bemo).

Rival Lebanese factions reached a deal Wednesday to resolve an 18-month political crisis that pitted Hezbollah against the Western-backed government and pushed the country to the brink of a new civil war.

Rival Lebanese leaders signed a deal on Wednesday to end 18 months of political conflict, pulling their country away from the brink of civil war and paving the way for the election of a new president.

Rival Lebanese leaders signed a deal on Wednesday to end 18 months of political conflict that had threatened to push the country to a new civil war.

The Doha entente that was signed on May 20, 2008, among the warring Lebanese factions will guarantee, more or less, a long truce. This is a very positive development indeed, considering that permanent civil peace in Lebanon is not possible. This article will explain why. The violent events in Beirut and elsewhere in Lebanon on May 7-10 served a reminder.

BEIRUT: Supporters of the Hezbollah-led opposition began dismantling a protest camp outside the prime minister?s office in Beirut yesterday after a deal was reached to end the country?s political crisis.

Festive mood takes hold in Beirut as Lebanese celebrate end of crisis since December 2006.

Source: Reuters By Sue Pleming PALO ALTO, Calif., May 22 (Reuters) - The United States and Britain said on Thursday they believed Hezbollah had been weakened by this month's fighting in Beirut despite the greater ...

The United States and Britain said on Thursday they believed Hezbollah had been weakened by this month's fighting in Beirut despite the greater influence the militant group gained in Lebanon's Cabinet.

Gas-rich Qatar scored a diplomatic coup by pulling off a deal on Wednesday to end Lebanon's protracted crisis, thanks to its ties with the rival factions and regional powers with influence in Beirut. Qatari leaders basked in the glory of a feat that seemed almost impossible just a day earlier as they announced the agreement between rival Lebanese factions at a televised ceremony in Doha.

Lebanon's feuding factions reached a breakthrough deal Wednesday that ends the country's 18-month political stalemate, but also gives the militant Hezbollah group and its allies veto over any government decision.

Lebanon's House Speaker Nabih Berri has announced that the session to elect army commander Michel Suleiman as the next president would be held on Sunday. 19 earlier attempts to elect a president had failed due to differences between the opposition-led Hezbollah and the western-backed ruling majority led by Prime Minister Fouad Seniora.

Lebanon Junction Elementary School will open its new playground at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

The United States welcomed Wednesday's deal to end an 18-month deadly feud between Lebanon's pro-Western government and the Iranian-backed opposition, but warned the crisis was not over yet.

Lebanon: Lebanese physicians already using medical websites and search engines three times as much since Lebanese Order of Physicians Awareness Campaign Launch in February. [AMEInfo.com]

Beirut - For most Lebanese trying to pick up the pieces after a week of violence which claimed 82 lives, the only glimpse of hope now is a dialogue among their leaders in Doha. Finally we have reached the red point, either they sit and talk or the w...

Keeping off Lebanon"s streets to avoid being hit by flying bullets is obvious and not enough.

Rival Lebanese leaders head for Qatar on Friday aiming to end a protracted political conflict that pushed the country to the brink of a new civil war.

Recent fighting in Lebanon has brought back bad memories and raised fears the country may be plunged back into civil war.

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Rival Lebanese leaders head for Qatar on Friday aiming to end a protracted political conflict that pushed the country to the brink of a new civil war.

Rival Lebanese leaders headed for Qatar on Friday aiming to end a political conflict that pushed the country to the brink of a new civil war.

BEIRUT, Lebanon - Lebanese factions took another major step toward calming a flare-up of sectarian and political violence by agreeing yesterday to immediately resume long-stalled talks over a new government.

BEIRUT, May 16 - Lebanon real estate market heavyweight Solidere surged 12 percent on Friday, a day after a protracted political crisis in the country eased.

Life is slowly returning to normal in the Lebanese capital Beirut, after days of violent clashes left vital routes blocked.

Syria supports a deal brokered by a Qatari-led Arab delegation that ended fighting in Lebanon and sees a "real opportunity" for the country, Syria's foreign minister was quoted as saying on Friday.

DUBAI ? Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport reopened last night with a Middle East Airline's flight from Dubai among the first to land. The airport had been closed after sectarian violence erupted, but all major airlines are now expected to resume flights.

Arab League mediators say a peace deal has been reached between the Lebanese government and the Hezbollah-led opposition.

The rival Lebanese blocs have agreed on refraining from using weapons in solving domestic issues, an Arab ministerial delegation said here Thursday. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr al-Thani, head of the delega ...

The Hezbollah-led opposition and U.S.-backed government reached a deal Thursday to end Lebanon's worst violence since the 1975-90 civil war, now that the Cabinet has reversed measures aimed at reining in the Iranian-backed militants.

BEIRUT, Lebanon? With one hand firmly on her squirming toddler, Heba al Ali joined hundreds of Shiite Muslims gathered in Beirut this week for the funeral procession of two Hezbollah militants killed in vicious sectarian battles that pushed Lebanon to the brink of civil war.

BEIRUT: Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora met here yesterday HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister and Head of the Arab League Ministerial Commission on Lebanon Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani and the Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa.

Rival Lebanese leaders are scheduled to talks in Qatar on Friday aiming to end a protracted political conflict that pushed the country to the brink of a new civil war.

Hezbollah has proven it can force Lebanon's U.S.-backed government to cave in on key issues. But the Shiite militant group's power is not absolute ? the government is still in place and Hezbollah has lost support among the people by turning its guns on them.

A top American general visited Beirut earlier this week to find out how Washington can better support Lebanon's armed forces during the current crisis, US officials said Thursday.

Beirut, May 15 : The pro-Iranian Shia movement Hezbollah said Thursday it was ready for dialogue with the Western-backed ruling majority to safeguard the unity of the government.

Amman - Jordan's national carrier, Royal Jordanian, resumed flights to Beirut Thursday night after a one-week halt prompted by military clashes in Lebanon between militias of the Islamic group Hezbollah and forces of pro-government factions. The firs...

Arab mediators unveiled a deal on Thursday to defuse a long-running feud between rival political factions that drove deeply divided Lebanon to the brink of a new civil war.

Arab mediators clinched a deal on Thursday to defuse the latest crisis that pushed Lebanon to the brink of civil war, a ruling majority official told AFP.

Arab League mediators announced a deal on Thursday to end Lebanon's worst internal fighting since the civil war, after the U.S.-supported government backed down in its conflict with Hezbollah.

A daring new animated documentary follows Israeli director Ari Folman as he tries to piece together memories of the 1982 massacre of Palestinians in Beirut's Sabra and Shatila camps.

Hezbollah's deputy leader said Thursday that the militant group will return things to normal in Lebanon after the government reversed key decisions that triggered days of bloody conflict.

Repressed memories, the horrors of war and Israel's dubious role in a notorious Beirut refugee camp massacre are the themes of the Cannes film festival's first ever fully-animated documentary.

BERUIT, Lebanon, May 15 (UPI) -- Lebanon has rescinded two decisions that had angered Hezbollah, apparently avoiding another civil war, government sources said Thursday.

The U.S.-backed Cabinet on Wednesday reversed measures against the militant Hezbollah movement that set off Lebanon's worst violence since the 1975-90 civil war.

By Tom Perry

The Arab League was pursuing efforts on Thursday to end a crisis that has pushed Lebanon to the brink of civil war, after the US-backed cabinet, in a major climbdown, cancelled controversial measures against its Hezbollah rivals.

BEIRUT, (Lebanon) - An ARAB League delegation is expected to conclude a deal in Lebanon, defusing a crisis that led to six days of armed conflict and threatened to start a new civil war.

An Arab League delegation is expected to conclude a deal to end fighting in Lebanon on Thursday after the U.S.-backed government backed down in a conflict with Hezbollah.

Beirut, May 15 : The Lebanese cabinet said late Wednesday it would halt actions against the Hezbollah that had prompted days of fighting between rival militias and almost plunged the country into civil war.

BEIRUT - An Arab League delegation is expected to conclude a deal in Lebanon on Thursday, defusing a crisis that led to six days of armed conflict and threatened to start a new civil war.

Wed, May 14, 2008 (5:37 p.m.) A Lebanese minister says the Cabinet has reversed measures against Hezbollah militants that triggered the worst violence since the country's 15-year civil war.

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has criticized Majority leader legislator Saad Hariri for "preaching the Sunni-Shiite discord in Beirut instead of rejecting such a discord," local Al-Akhbar daily reported Wednesday. Berri, a ...

The U.S.-backed Cabinet on Wednesday reversed measures against the militant Hezbollah movement that set off Lebanon's worst violence since the 1975-90 civil war.

The Lebanese government has backed down in a key policy stand-off with the opposition Hezbollah. The government says it is reversing a decision to sack an airport security chief for alleged ties to the Shiite group, and will not crack down on Hezbollah's private telephone network.

Lebanon's Cabinet on Wednesday reversed two decisions that triggered violence among anti-government Hezbollah militants last week: the firing of the chief of security at Beirut's airport and the order that Hezbollah's telecommunications system come under state control, according to a statement released by Cabinet members.

Beirut - The Lebanese cabinet late Wednesday said it would back down on actions targeted against the Lebanese Muslim Shiite Hezbollah that prompted days of fighting between rival militias and almost plunged the country into a civil war. The cabinet ...

Lebanon's government cancelled measures on Wednesday that angered the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement and triggered the worst internal conflict since the country's 1975-90 civil war.

The US has said it plans to speed up assistance to the Lebanese army as recent sectarian clashes in the capital have threatened the stability of the western-backed government. US State Department spokesman Tom Casey said this was not part of a new aid programme but part of ongoing US assistance.

The Bush administration said Wednesday it wants to speed up U.S. aid for Lebanon's Army because of the recent wave of sectarian fighting.

An uneasy calm has descended on Beirut and other areas of Lebanon as a high-powered Arab League delegation arrived to help mediate an end to street confrontations that have claimed more than 50 lives.

U.S. President George W. Bush accused Iran on Wednesday of using the Hezbollah movement to destabilise Lebanon.

Hundreds of Palestinian refugees headed to Lebanon's southern border with Israel on Wednesday marking 60 years since the creation of the Jewish state and exile from what was once Palestine.

Beirut - A high-level Arab League delegation arrived Wednesday in Beirut to start a mediation mission to pull Lebanon back from the brink of a new civil war. The Qatari plane arrived at Beirut International Airport, airport officials said. ...

An Arab League delegation was due in Beirut on Wednesday to meet with rival leaders in a bid to mediate a settlement to deadly sectarian gunbattles that have driven Lebanon close to civil war.

A high-level Arab League delegation began a mediation mission in Beirut on Wednesday to try to pull Lebanon back from the brink of civil war.

BEIRUT, Lebanon - Saudi Arabia sent Iran a sharp warning over Lebanon yesterday, saying Tehran's support for Hezbollah will damage its relations with other Muslim and Arab countries.

A least 65 people have been killed in the sectarian violence across Lebanon between government and opposition supporters, the worst sectarian fighting since the 1975-1990 civil war, a security official said on Wednesday.

BEIRUT: Yasmine had to call off her wedding party on Sunday. Restaurant manager Michel had to throw away piles of rotting food. Farid was the only person to show up to work at the bank on Saturday.

The 24th Lebanese Food Festival offers three days of food, music and dancing. Then you eat some more. When: Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Tue, May 13, 2008 (6:24 p.m.) The Lebanese army command ordered its troops Saturday to establish security, calling on all parties to withdraw their gunmen from the streets while offering the opposition Hezbollah a compromise.

The United States is expecting the UN Security Council to take action next week on the issue of unrest in Lebanon, the White House said Tuesday.

BEIRUT, Lebanon (BP)--The Arab Baptist Theological Seminary located outside Beirut, Lebanon, sustained no damage after fighting broke out between Hezbollah militia and the Lebanese government May 8.

As the Shi'ite group tries to tighten its control, it is coming up against Lebanon's prickly sectarianism. Case in point, the secretive Druze of the Chouf mountains

Saudi Arabia sent Iran a sharp warning over Lebanon Tuesday, saying Tehran's support for Hezbollah will damage its relations with other Muslim and Arab countries.

Former Prime Minister Salim al-Hoss said in a statement on Tuesday it was not acceptable for roadblocks to remain on the streets of Beirut, saying: "When you hand over the streets to the Lebanese Army ... the army shouldn't accept to take over blocked roads." "Civil obedience will backlash on whoever calls for it...

(RTTNews) - Lebanese army said in a statement on Tuesday that it was ready to use force if required, to restore law and order in the country.

LONDON. Britain said yesterday that the unrest in Lebanon "must end", and condemned "external interference" in Lebanese affairs, as fierce fighting broke out again in the country.

The Lebanese army has moved troops to several tense areas around the country warning would it use force if needed to impose order after clashes between the Western-backed government and Hezbollah-led opposition.

Lives of fearful Lebanese in disarray as sectarian violence turns west Beirut into ghost town.

Lebanon's Sunni Muslim leader Saad al-Hariri pledged on Tuesday there would be no political surrender to what he called a bid by Hezbollah and its Syrian and Iranian backers to impose their will on the nation by force.

TRIPOLI, Lebanon, May 13 (UPI) -- Fighting erupted Tuesday in northern Lebanon as supporters of the Western-backed government fought sectarian opposition in Tripoli, officials said.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal warned on Tuesday that Iran's relations with the Arab world would be affected if Tehran was supporting what he described as a "coup" in Lebanon.

The US is prepared to strengthen the Lebanese army to help disarm Hizbullah, after a week of violence between the militia group and pro-government gunmen

Cairo - Washington is ready to help the Lebanese Army respond more effectively to Hezbollah's armed supporters, US President George W Bush said in an interview with BBC Arabic television rebroadcast Tuesday. Bush said Hezbollah was acting against its...

May 13 (Bloomberg) -- President George W. Bush said the U.S. won't let Syria and Iran undermine Lebanon's sovereignty, as clashes erupted in the northern city of Tripoli between gunmen allied to Hezbollah and supporters of the government.

BEIRUT, Lebanon ? As opposition and pro-government militias traded gunfire in northern Lebanon Monday, the Christian-led Lebanese armed forces, long touted as perhaps the country's last truly national institution, offered little resistance to the Iranian-backed Hezbollah and its Shiite allies. Associated Press A Druse child on Monday plays in a damaged house that was shelled Sunday during ...

BEIRUT, Lebanon - The Lebanese army has announced that troops will use force if needed to impose law and order in the country.

BEIRUT, May 12 -- Politicians in Lebanon's Western-backed governing coalition criticized the United States on Monday for not doing enough to counter the opposition Hezbollah movement's recent takeover of West Beirut.

BEIRUT, Lebanon | Clashes between pro- and anti-government factions jumped to Lebanon?s north Monday.

(RTTNews) - Monday, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri postponed until June 10 Tuesday's parliamentary session to elect the country's president, the 19th time that it is being postponed since September 25. The country has been without a president since Emile Lahoud's term ended in November.

BEIRUT, Lebanon? With the beleaguered Lebanese army looking on, opposition and pro-government militias traded gunfire in northern Lebanon Monday in a continuation of the fighting that's killed at least 50 people and paralyzed most of Beirut.

Middle East: A Hamas leader says Lebanon is the next in a series of Islamofascist takeovers. Is Hezbollah's stranglehold on Beirut the prelude to...

U.S. President George W. Bush said on Monday he would consult with allies in the Middle East during his upcoming visit on ways to bolster Lebanon after Hezbollah militants routed U.S.-backed government forces.

RIYADH, 13 May 2008 ? Saudi Arabia yesterday urged Lebanese factions to stop fighting and withdraw their forces, advising them to accept the Arab League proposal to resolve the country?s political crisis.

The US is ready to help improve Lebanon's army so it can disarm Hezbollah, President George W Bush tells the BBC.

BEIRUT, May 12 (Reuters) Hezbollah's whirlwind takeover of Beirut was brief but it could take years to repair the damage this show of force did to relations between Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims in the capital.

Arab League Secretary General Amr Mussa listens during a meeting in Beirut on May 1, 2008. An Arab delegation is expected in Beirut on Wednesday in a bid to bring an end to deadly sectarian fighting that erupted in Lebanon last week, the parliament speaker's office said on Monday.

Lebanon's army said it will use force from Tuesday to stop fighting in the country between pro- and anti-government forces that has recalled the 1975-90 civil war.

Hezbollah's takeover of Beirut lasted only two days but it could take years to repair the damage the show of force has done to relations between Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims in the capital.

BEIRUT, May 12 (RIA Novosti) - An Arab League delegation will arrive in Lebanon on May 13 on a mediation mission, a spokesman for the Lebanese Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

Pro-government Sunni Muslim gunmen fought militiamen allied to Hezbollah in the northern city of Tripoli on Monday, in further violence that has already dismantled the balance of power in Lebanon.

More clashes erupted in Lebanon's northern port city of Tripoli on Monday, as fighting between the Hezbollah militia and its rivals who support Lebanon's Western-backed government entered a fifth day.

Beirut - Scores of Lebanese have fled the country to Cyprus to escape the sectarian violence that has engulfed the country for the past six days, security officials said. They said some 300 people had left since the weekend, including Saudi Ambassado...

Source: Reuters By Tom Perry BEIRUT, May 12 (Reuters) - Hezbollah's whirlwind takeover of Beirut was brief but it could take years to repair the damage this show of force did to relations between Sunni and Shi'ite ...

BEIRUT, Lebanon - Lebanese paramedics say at least 11 people have been killed in clashes between pro-and anti-government supporters in a mountain town near Beirut.

After five days of fighting, Lebanon is largely quiet Monday. The streets of Beirut, which have been the focus of bloody sectarian clashes between Sunnis and Shiites, have been largely deserted. The violence has done nothing to resolve Lebanon's long-running political crisis.

Heavy fighting broke out Monday between government supporters and opponents in Lebanon's second-largest city, where the two sides battled with rocket-propelled grenades, heavy machine guns and mortars, security officials and paramedics said.

Soldiers deployed throughout the mountains overlooking the capital Monday after at least 11 people were killed in clashes between government supporters and opponents in the area, security officials and paramedics said.

Lebanese soldiers were deployed across the mountains overlooking Beirut as the death toll from recent fighting hit 49.

Clashes resumed in Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on Monday and security sources said at least 36 people had been killed on Sunday in fighting between Hezbollah and its pro-government Druze opponents east of Beirut.

BEIRUT, Lebanon - Soldiers deployed across mountains overlooking the Lebanese capital Monday after at least 11 people were killed in fierce clashes between pro-Syrian gunmen and government supporters entrenched in the hilly plateau, security officials and paramedics said.

Fierce clashes broke out Sunday in the mountains east of Beirut between supporters of the Western-backed government and followers of Hezbollah...

Lebanon hung between fears of all-out war and hopes of political compromise Sunday as government supporters and opponents battled with rockets and machine guns in the mountains overlooking the capital.

A tense calm took hold in Lebanon Sunday after the government and the opposition, led by the militant Shiite group Hezbollah, reached a tentative agreement allowing the Lebanese Army to arbitrate controversial cabinet decisions that triggered recent violence.

Hezbollah keeps up attacks on a pro-government leader in Lebanon as the Arab League prepares to send mediators.

BEIRUT, May 11 -- Clashes between government supporters and opponents erupted in a mountainous area just south of the Lebanese capital Sunday, raising concerns about a further escalation of violence in the country.

Hezbollah offensive targets government allies' stronghold Fighters of the Shiite Hezbollah movement launched a new offensive Sunday in the Chouf Mountains southeast of Beirut, driving out pro-government Druze supporters from a key stronghold and further expanding their territorial control in Lebanon. The Tribune's Liz Sly reports.

There has been heavy fighting in the mountains south of the Lebanese capital Beirut, despite calm returning to other parts of the country.

Arab foreign ministers to travel to Lebanon to broker a settlement after sectarian clashes left at least 38 people dead.

Lebanon's factional violence spread to the mountains around Beirut on Sunday where gunmen from the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement battled Druze supporters of the ruling coalition.

Arab foreign ministers holding crisis talks in Cairo were divided on Sunday over a draft resolution implicitly condemning Hezbollah for deadly clashes in Lebanon, delegates said.

Arab foreign ministers holding crisis talks in Cairo on Sunday appealed for an end to violence in Lebanon after fierce clashes erupted in mainly Druze areas southeast of Beirut.

Clashes flare outside Beirut as Lebanon's army struggles to contain fighting between Shia and pro-government groups.

Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak on Sunday called the situation in Lebanon "a serious development" following a series of deadly clashes between government forces and Hezbollah militants, backed by Israel's arch-foe Iran.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas urged the some 400,000 Palestinian refugees living in Lebanon to stay out of the current conflict between the Western-backed government and the Iranian and Syrian-backed opposition, warning against attempts to drag the Palestinians into the inter-Lebanese fighting.

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) -- Heavy fighting broke out between pro- and anti-government supporters in northern Lebanon amid the country's power struggle, security officials said Sunday.

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanese troops patrolled Beirut on Sunday after Hezbollah fighters pulled back from areas they had seized in gunbattles with supporters of the U.S.-backed government that have killed 39 people.

Lebanese soldiers deployed in the northern city of Tripoli on Sunday after fierce battles between rival clans as the Hezbollah-led opposition handed over control of west Beirut to the army.

A senior Israeli official expressed concern on Sunday that the recent violence in Lebanon would lead to the strengthening of armed groups supported by Israel's arch-foe Iran.

BEIRUT - Lebanese troops patrolled Beirut on Sunday after Hezbollah fighters pulled back from areas they had seized in gunbattles with supporters of the U.S.-backed government that have killed 39 people.

Lebanese troops patrolled Beirut on Sunday after Hezbollah fighters pulled back from areas they had seized in gunbattles with supporters of the U.S.-backed government that have killed 39 people.

Heavy fighting broke out between pro- and anti-government supporters in northern Lebanon amid the country's power struggle, security officials said Sunday.

Lebanese security and hospital officials say that at least 12 gunmen are dead and 20 wounded in a gun battle between pro- and anti-government groups in a remote region of northern Lebanon with the Lebanese prime minister is calling an "armed coup."

Source: Reuters By Laila Bassam BEIRUT, May 11 (Reuters) - Lebanese troops patrolled Beirut on Sunday after Hezbollah fighters pulled back from areas they had seized in deadly gunbattles with supporters of the U.S ...

Fierce battles between rival clans raged in northern Lebanon as the Hezbollah-led opposition said it was ending its takeover of west Beirut.

But militia asserts strength as officials bow to demands BEIRUT ? Hezbollah gunmen withdrew from the streets of West Beirut on Saturday, but only after what many saw as a humiliating climbdown by the U.S.-backed Lebanese government that affirmed the ascendancy of the Shiite militia, and by implication, its Iranian and Syrian sponsors in this troubled corner of the world. ...

The Lebanese army has defied the country's government and bowed to demands by pro-Iranian Hizbollah militants who brought the country to the brink of civil war.

The Lebanese Hezbollah-led opposition announced Saturday that it will remove all armed presence in Beirut, and turn the city to the army, but it maintained that it will peruse civil disobedience until its demands are achieved. A Leb ...

TRIPOLI (AFP)--Fierce fighting raged between supporters of Lebanon's Western- backed government and the Hezbollah-led opposition Sunday in the northern city of Tripoli, a security official told AFP.

I went to cover a demonstration in West Beirut yesterday morning ? yes, please note the capital W on "West" ? and then I get a text from a Lebanese woman on my mobile phone, asking if she will have to wear a veil when she returns to Lebanon. How do I reply? That the restaurants are still open? That you can still drink wine with your dinner?

Gunmen killed six people and wounded 20 others during a funeral procession for a Sunni civilian in the Lebanese capital on Saturday. The attack ended a relative calm that had descended across parts of Beirut after days of clashes between pro-government and opposition forces.

BEIRUT (AFP)--The Lebanese army failed to protect civilians during four days of bloody clashes between pro- and anti-government militias before announcing plans to restore law and order, analysts said on Saturday.

BEIRUT, Lebanon, May 10 (UPI) -- Hezbollah gunmen holding portions of western Beirut will all be withdrawn from the Lebanese capital, the militant group said Saturday.

Lebanon's Hezbollah-led opposition on Saturday said it was ending its takeover of west Beirut after the army revoked government moves against the Shiite group that sparked days of deadly fighting.

The White House on Saturday welcomed steps to defuse the deadly unrest in Lebanon but cautioned that any long-term resolution required a change in the role Hezbollah plays there.

(Reuters) - Hezbollah fighters began withdrawing from Beirut on Saturday after the Lebanese army overturned government measures against the group.

BEIRUT, Lebanon, May 10 (UPI) -- A senior Shiite cleric called for a peaceful resolution of Lebanon's political and sectarian disputes as gun battles rocked Beirut for a fourth day Saturday.

After four days of fierce fighting in which at least 24 people died, the Lebanese army revoked two government measures in obedience to Hizballah demands: the Shiite group?s independent telecommunication network will not be shut down and the pro-Hizballah Brig. Gen Wafiq Shqeir would keep his job as Beirut international airport head of security.

Lebanon's Hezbollah-led opposition on Saturday said it was ending its takeover of west Beirut after the army revoked government moves against the Shiite group that sparked days of deadly fighting.

The Lebanese army is set to take control of Beirut after negotiating a compromise with Hezbollah.

Hezbollah said Saturday it was withdrawing its gunmen from Beirut neighborhoods seized in sectarian clashes after the army ordered its troops to establish security and called on fighters to clear the streets.

Hezbollah fighters began withdrawing from Beirut on Saturday after the Lebanese army overturned government measures against the group, witnesses said.

The Lebanese army command ordered its troops Saturday to establish security, calling on all parties to withdraw their gunmen from the streets while offering the opposition Hezbollah a compromise.

BEIRUT, Lebanon, May 10 (UPI) -- Lebanese business activity has ground to virtual halt thanks to the four days of violence that have swept through Beirut this week, local merchants say.

Hezbollah TV says that Hezbollah-led opposition forces will withdraw all their gunmen from Beirut in compliance with an army request.

Police say gunmen have killed two people and wounded two others in a shooting targeting a funeral procession in a Sunni neighborhood in Beirut.

Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora on Saturday ordered the army to restore law and order across the country and remove gunmen from the streets.

At a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting on the situation in Lebanon, Vietnam has urged all concerned parties to accord top priority to the interests of the Lebanese people, promote national reconciliation and political dialogue for the planned Presidential election.

Prime Minister Fuad Saniora says Hezbollah has carried out "armed coup" against Lebanese democracy.

Police are reporting at least two people killed and two wounded in shooting targeting a funeral procession in a Sunni stronghold in Beirut seized by Shiite gunmen in earlier fighting.

Violence raged in Lebanon for a fourth straight day leaving 11 people dead on Saturday as tension gripped the country after Hezbollah seized control of west Beirut in what the Western-backed coalition branded an armed coup.

Hezbollah gunmen have seized nearly all of the Lebanese capital's Muslim sector from forces loyal to the U.S.-backed government. Security officials say at least 11 people have been killed and more than 20 wounded in three days of street battles in West Beirut.

Hezbollah militants have set up checkpoints in western Beirut a day after taking control in Lebanon's capital and dealing a major blow to the U.S.-backed government, as the previous violence largely subsided on Saturday.

BEIRUT, Lebanon -- Supporters of Lebanon's opposition Hezbollah movement seized control of most of Beirut on Friday, roaming shuttered streets with guns and grenade launchers and provoking broad domestic condemnation for deploying their weapons against fellow Lebanese.

VietNamNet Bridge ? At a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting on the situation in Lebanon, Vietnam has urged all concerned parties to accord top priority to the interests of the Lebanese people, promote national reconciliation and political dialogue for the planned Presidential election.

Lebanon was steeped in tension on Saturday after Hezbollah seized control of west Beirut in three days of deadly fighting with pro-government forces, triggering fears of all-out civil war.

A rocket-propelled grenades fell on the residence of Lebanese majority leader MP Saad Hariri in western Beirut on Friday and clashes were reported at the entrance of the residence. Front fence of the heavily-guarded palace, located ...

A private telephone network built by the Shiite Hezbollah organisation is at the centre of a political storm that has brought Lebanon perilously close to a new civil war.

The Lebanese government has denounced the seizure of much of western Beirut by Hezbollah fighters as a coup aimed at increasing the influence of Syria and Iran in the country. A Hezbollah spokesman said the Shi'ite militia's offensive came in reaction to a government crackdown on its activities.

WASHINGTON? Iranian-backed Hezbollah's seizure Friday of large swaths of Muslim Beirut in a blow against the U.S.-backed Lebanese government is the latest in a string of setbacks to U.S. allies in the Middle East and the latest bad news for President Bush from a region that he set out to remake five years ago.

Unchallenged by Lebanon's army, the Iranian-backed Hezbollah routed Sunnis loyal to the U.S.-allied government and seized control of large swaths of Beirut's Muslim sector Friday in a telling demonstration of its military prowess.

Lebanon's Iranian-backed Hezbollah group took control of the Muslim half of Beirut on Friday in what the U.S.-backed governing coalition described as "an armed and bloody coup."

BRUSSELS (AFP)--The European Union assured Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora of its "full support" Friday after Hezbollah fighters seized control of west Beirut and pushed Lebanon toward all-out civil war.

The United States has evidence that groups linked to Syria are "playing a much more active role in fanning the flames" in Lebanon, a senior US official charged Friday.

BEIRUT, Lebanon, May 9 (UPI) -- A member of the ruling alliance in the Lebanese parliament, worried about the city in the wake of violence in Beirut, Friday asked the army to defend Tripoli.

The US State Department voiced confidence Friday in how Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora's government and army were dealing with an offensive by Hezbollah fighters.

The Bush administration accused Iran and Syria on Friday of fueling ongoing violence in Lebanon by inciting members of the radical Shiite Hezbollah movement to take up arms against the country's western-backed government.

France is creating a plan to evacuate its citizens from Lebanon in case the country's sectarian violence spreads, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said Friday.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says Hezbollah, backed by Syria and Iran, is killing and injuring innocent civilians in Lebanon.

Source: Reuters (Adds quotes, details) WASHINGTON, May 9 (Reuters) - The U.S. government on Friday restated its support for the government of Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora after its forces were routed by ...

The U.S. government on Friday restated its support for the government of Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora after its forces were routed by fighters loyal to Hezbollah in Beirut.

BEIRUT - Hezbollah gunmen have seized nearly all of the Lebanese capital's Muslim sector from forces loyal to the U.S.-backed government.

Hezbollah fighters, their guns blazing, seized control of west Beirut on Friday after three days of street battles with pro-government foes pushed Lebanon dangerously close to all-out civil war.

Lebanon's governing coalition said on Friday Hezbollah's takeover of west Beirut was an "armed coup" aimed at bringing Syria back into the country and serving Iran's interests.

The British government on Friday advised against all travel to Lebanon where Iranian-backed group Hezbollah took control of the Muslim half of Beirut on Friday.

(Reuters) - European nations issued warnings about travel to Lebanon where the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group took control of the Muslim half of Beirut on Friday.

Hezbollah fighters, their guns blazing, seized control of west Beirut on Friday after three days of street battles with pro-government foes pushed Lebanon dangerously close to all-out civil war.

Security officials said that 11 people were killed as Shiite opposition gunmen seized control of large areas of Beirut's Muslim sector Friday.

Source: Reuters PARIS, May 9 (Reuters) - France is offering to help warring factions in Lebanon meet for talks in the hope of preventing a grave situation becoming worse, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said on ...

PARIS, May 9, 2008 (AFP) - A Lebanese government minister on Friday called on France to put pressure on Iran and Syria to stop Lebanon becoming another fundamentalist regime.

Christian leader Aoun welcomes Hezbollah-led opposition triumph as ?victory for Lebanon?.

Iran on Friday accused the United States and Israel of fueling the deadly sectarian fighting in Lebanon between its Shiite militant Hezbollah ally and the Western-backed ruling majority.

Hezbollah fighters seized control of rival pro-government strongholds in Beirut on Friday as gunbattles rocked the Lebanese capital for a third day, propelling the nation dangerously close to all-out civil war.

Israeli President Shimon Peres played down Israeli concerns at Hezbollah's move to expand its control in Beirut on Friday but said he hoped the Lebanese people would step back from the brink of civil war.

Soldiers take a rest below a portrait of Prime Minister Fuad Siniora as clashes between pro government and the Hezbollah led opposition continue throughout Lebanon leaving many parts of Beirut and other towns and villages deserted. Much of the country is cut off and the airport remains closed.

BEIRUT, Lebanon - Lebanese security officials say three days of sectarian fighting in Beirut have left 11 people dead and more than 20 wounded.

A sudden flare-up of street violence in Beirut appears to have broken an 18-month political impasse between the Western-backed government and the opposition, led by the militant Shiite Hezbollah

Lebanon's Iranian-backed Hezbollah took control of large areas of Beirut on Friday, tightening its grip on the city in a major confrontation with the U.S.-backed government.

BEIRUT (AFP)--Lebanon's Hezbollah militant movement has forced the shutdown of all media belonging to the family of majority leader Saad Hariri, an official with the media group told AFP on Friday.

Lebanese youths burn tyres on the main road leading to Rafiq Hariri International Airport in Beirut. AFP BEIRUT (AFP) - Hizbollah-led opposition supporters staged a second day of anti-government protests on Thursday, blocking roads in the capital and forcing Lebanon's only international airport to close in a major escalation of a long-running political crisis.

Lebanese security officials say three days of sectarian fighting in Beirut have left 11 people dead and more than 20 wounded.

BEIRUT, Lebanon -- Fierce clashes continued for a second day in Lebanon after the leader of the Shiite Hezbollah movement accused the government of declaring war on his party.

UNITED NATIONS - The UN Security Council urged rival parties in Lebanon to immediately stop fighting, reopen roads and start talking to resolve the country's biggest political crisis in nearly two decades.

(RTTNews) - Lebanese majority lawmaker and top Sunni Muslim leader Saad Hariri has called on Hizbullah's leader to cooperate in ending the fighting that has broken out in Beirut between rival factions.

The open warfare everyone feared and nobody believed would really happen erupted Thursday in the streets of Beirut, transforming this Mediterranean seaside city into a ghost town of gunmen and explosions reminiscent of the worst days of Lebanon's civil war.

Lebanon is gripped by fear that an unstoppable civil war may be starting as gun battles rage in Beirut, the BBC's Jim Muir reports.

Lebanese governing coalition leader Saad Hariri has extended a truce offer to Hezbollah, in a bid to end fierce fighting which erupted on the streets of Beirut on Thursday. In a televised address, Hariri called on both sides' supporters to pull their fighters from the streets.

Running gunbattles raged in parts of Beirut on Thursday after the leader of Hezbollah accused Lebanon's Western-backed government of declaring war on his Shiite militant group. At least four people were killed and eight wounded in the capital.

The U.N. secretary-general is calling on all parties in Lebanon to show restraint, as a second day of sectarian clashes threatens to escalate that country's political crisis. From United Nations headquarters in New York, VOA's Margaret Besheer has more.

The Security Council is urging the rival parties in Lebanon to stop the current wave of violence, immediately reopen all roads, and resolve the country's problems through dialogue.

Beirut picture gallery

Fierce clashes raged in Beirut on Thursday after the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah said the U.S.-supported Lebanese government had declared war by targeting its military communications network.

BEIRUT ? Two days of violence have erupted in Lebanon, weeks afer the Lebanese Army became aware of and sought to stem the infiltration by insurgents from Syria.

The leader of Hezbollah said Thursday the U.S.-supported Lebanese government had declared war by targeting its communications network, pushing the country closer to civil war.

Fierce clashes raged in Beirut on Thursday after the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah said the U.S.-supported Lebanese government had declared war by targeting its communications network.

UNITED NATIONS (AFP)--The U.N. Security Council Thursday expressed support for Lebanon and appealed for calm and reopening of the country's roads after violence broke out between pro-government and Hezbollah factions.

Beirut, May 8 : Hezbollah-led opposition supporters tightened their grip on the Lebanese government Thursday by closing all major roads leading to the capital, isolating neighbourhoods inside the capital from each other.

BEIRUT, Lebanon - Hezbollah's leader says a Lebanese government decision to declare the Shiite militant group's telecommunications network illegal amounts to a declaration...

Fierce clashes raged in Beirut on Thursday after the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah said the U.S.-supported Lebanese government had declared war by targeting its communications network.

Explosions and gunfire rocked Beirut on Thursday as fighters loyal to Hezbollah battled pro-government supporters in the Lebanese capital, security sources said.

Gunfire broke out in downtown Beirut Thursday after Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said recent government actions amount to "a declaration of open war."

BEIRUT - Lebanon's political rivals are battling with automatic rifles and grenades on the streets of Beirut.

Beirut - Hezbollah-led opposition supporters tightened their grip on the Lebanese government Thursday by closing all major roads leading to the capital, isolating neighbourhoods inside the capital from each other. At least one person was killed and f...

Thu, May 8, 2008 (7:22 a.m.) Hezbollah's leader says a Lebanese government decision to declare the Shiite militant group's telecommunications network illegal amounts to a declaration of war.

The Lebanese army warns that its unity will be threatened if the political crisis in Beirut continues.

Hezbollah's leader says a Lebanese government decision to declare the Shiite militant group's telecommunications network illegal amounts to a declaration of war.

Opponents of Lebanon's government are blocking roads around Beirut for a second day and the international airport remains closed.

BEIRUT (AFP) - Clashes between government supporters and the opposition escalated in Lebanon on Thursday, with gunfights in several parts of the country, roads blocked and the international airport virtually shut down.

BEIRUT - Iranian-backed Hezbollah tightened its grip on Beirut airport on Thursday, piling pressure on Lebanon's U.S.-backed government on the second day of a protest campaign that has triggered gun battles in the capital.

BEIRUT - Iranian-backed Hezbollah tightened its grip on Beirut airport on Thursday, piling pressure on Lebanon's U.S.-backed government on the second day of a protest campaign that has triggered gun battles in the capital.

Papers in Lebanon and the wider region fear that political and sectarian tensions are escalating in Lebanon.

Clashes between government supporters and the opposition escalated in Lebanon on Thursday, with gunfights in several parts of the country, roads blocked and the international airport virtually shut down.

Hezbollah-led opposition supporters staged a second day of anti-government protests on Thursday, blocking roads in the capital and forcing Lebanon's only international airport to close in a major escalation of a long-running political crisis.

Shiite supporters of Hezbollah and Sunnis backing Lebanon's government clashed for a second day Thursday as sectarian confrontations in Beirut spilled over to other parts of the country.

Lebanon's only international airport closes as all ayes await Hezbollah chief?s news conference.

Armed clashes in the Lebanese capital Wednesday between supporters of the Western-backed government and the Hezbollah-led opposition threatened this divided country's fragile calm.

BEIRUT (AFP)--Lebanon's international airport was closed Thursday because of Hezbollah-led anti-government protests, with all flights canceled until at least noon (0900 GMT), an airport official told AFP.

Three flights, outbound and inbound, from Dubai to Beirut were cancelled on Wednesday due to the labour union protest in the Lebanese capital, reported Gulf News. Supporters of Lebanon's Hezbollah-led opposition blocked main roads in Beirut with burning barricades, paralysing the city and deepening a political conflict.

Lebanon's international airport was closed on Thursday because of Hezbollah-led anti-government protests, with all flights cancelled until at least noon (0900 GMT), an airport official told AFP.

The first shots are traded in what may be a Lebanese new civil war after the government moved to close down Hizballah's phone network

Officials have closed a bridge on Wilmington Road in Lebanon because they say it's unsafe. The bridge is about 500-feet west of the Corwin Road intersection.

Anti-government protests in Lebanon will continue until the US-backed government retracts decisions said to be against Hezbollah, sources within the opposition have said.

Germany is watching the increasing tension in Lebanon with concern, government spokesmen said Wednesday in response to a standoff in Beirut between pro-government forces and the opposition. Chancellor Angel Merkel was in regular contact with Lebanese leaders and with leaders of other countries in the region.

Source: Reuters By Nadim Ladki BEIRUT, May 8 (Reuters) - Iranian-backed Hezbollah tightened its grip around Beirut airport on Thursday, the second day of a protest campaign against Lebanon's U.S.-backed government ...

Lebanese riot police and soldiers stand guard during a general strike in Beirut. Protesters blocked roads with blazing tyres in the Lebanese capital and disrupted air traffic during a general strike that escalated into a confrontation between rival political camps.

Supporters of Lebanon's US backed government have exchanged gunfire with followers of the Hezbollah?led opposition. This comes as protesters in the capital Beirut set up barricades and burnt tyres in support of a one-day general strike for a rise in the minimum wage.

Supporters of Lebanon's US-backed government fought battles in Beirut overnight with gunmen loyal to the Hezbollah-led opposition, escalating the worst internal crisis since the 1975-90 civil war.

Robertino DeAngelis, 16, of Mt. Lebanon, is charged with aggravated assault, attempted homicide and unlawful restraint for allegedly attacking Sarah DeIuliis, 17, as they walked along path in the woods from Mt. Lebanon High School.

A strike over wage demands degenerated into violence in the Lebanese capital on Wednesday as anti-government protesters clashed with ruling coalition supporters, sparking fears of civil unrest.

Supporters of Lebanon?s Hizbollah-led opposition blocked roads in Beirut with barricades of burning tyres and vehicles yesterday as a workers? strike became politicised, exacerbating tensions between the fragile nation?s opposing factions.

Supporters of Lebanon's U.S.-backed government fought battles in Beirut on Wednesday with gunmen loyal to the Hezbollah-led opposition, escalating the worst internal crisis since the 1975-90 civil war.

Wed, May 7, 2008 (8:57 a.m.) Protesters from the Hezbollah-led opposition clashed with supporters of Lebanon's U.S.-backed government Wednesday as a strike by the Shiite militant group paralyzed large parts of Beirut.

(RTTNews) - Lebanon? s worst internal crisis since the 1975-90 civil war has escalated on Wednesday as supporters of Lebanon's U.S.-backed government fought gun battles in Beirut neighborhoods with gunmen loyal to the Hezbollah-led opposition.

BEIRUT - Anti-government protesters blocked roads with blazing tyres in the Lebanese capital and disrupted air traffic during a strike over wages on Wednesday that escalated into a confrontation between rival political camps.

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Supporters of Lebanon's Hezbollah blocked main roads in Beirut with burning barricades on Wednesday, paralysing the capital and deepening the pro-Iranian group's conflict with the U.S.-backed government.

Lebanon's crisis deepened on Wednesday when Hezbollah supporters paralysed Beirut with road blocks and clashed with government loyalists after the U.S.-backed cabinet took measures against the pro-Iranian groups.

BEIRUT, Lebanon, May 7 (UPI) -- Lebanese opposition groups clashed Wednesday with government supporters in Beirut, security sources said.

Lebanon: Street protests turn violent in Beirut (AKI) - A cameraman and two journalists were among civilians reportedly injured on the streets of Beirut as a nationwide strike turned violent on Wednesday.The worst violence occurred in the western area of the city where the media representatives and three others were reportedly injured. Another five people, including two Lebanese army ...

Source: Reuters May 7 (Reuters) - Lebanon's crisis deepened on Wednesday when Hezbollah supporters paralysed Beirut with road blocks and clashed with government loyalists after the U.S.-backed cabinet took measures ...

Explosions and gunfire rang out across the Lebanese capital Wednesday as Hezbollah backers trying to enforce a strike against the U.S.-backed government clashed with government supporters and blocked roads.

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Supporters of Lebanon's Hezbollah blocked main roads in Beirut with burning barricades on Wednesday, paralysing the city and deepening the pro-Iranian group's conflict with the U.S.-backed government.

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Supporters of Lebanon's Hezbollah blocked main roads in Beirut with burning barricades on Wednesday, paralysing the capital and deepening the pro-Iranian group's conflict with the U.S.-backed government.

The usually bustling streets of Beirut were almost deserted but tense on Wednesday as tyre-burning protesters blocked roads for a general strike in which economic and political woes collided.

Protesters from the Hezbollah-led opposition clashed with supporters of Lebanon's U.S.-backed government Wednesday as a strike by the Shiite militant group paralyzed large parts of the capital Beirut. The violence deepened tensions in a country already mired in a 17-month-old political crisis pitting the Iranian- and Syrian-backed Hezbollah against the government of Prime Minister Fuad ...

Protesters from the Hezbollah-led opposition clashed with supporters of Lebanon's U.S.-backed government Wednesday as a strike by the Shiite militant group paralyzed large parts of the capital Beirut.

Lebanon: Bank Audi and Middle East Airlines have once again marked a new milestone with the introduction of a new Cedar Miles Visa Corporate Card targeting companies. [AMEInfo.com]

BEIRUT (Lebanon) - SUPPORTERS of Lebanon's Hizbollah-led opposition blocked roads with burning tires and paralysed the airport in the capital to enforce a strike against the Western-backed government.

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Supporters of Lebanon's Hezbollah-led opposition blocked main roads in Beirut with burning barricades on Wednesday, paralysing the city and deepening a political conflict with the U.S.-backed government.

SPRINGBORO ?Eight Lebanon High School students will face criminal charges stemming from vandalism inflicted on more than 50 cars Wednesday, April 30, parked in the student lot at Springboro High School, officials said.

Lebanon: Anti-government protest shuts down Beirut (AKI) - Demonstrators linked to Lebanon's Hezbollah-led political opposition shut down the capital Beirut in an anti-government strike on Wednesday. Thousands of police and soldiers were deployed across the city amid fears of violence as protestors obstructed major roads with burning tyres and other items.The strike was called by ...

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Supporters of Lebanon's Hezbollah-led opposition blocked main roads in Beirut with burning barricades on Wednesday, paralysing the capital in a long-running political standoff with the U.S.-backed government.