Lebanese President Michel Suleiman reiterated his intention to appeal before the Constitutional Council against any prolonged extension of the parliament’s term. “I will appeal against any decision for the parliament to extend its term for more than six months, even if all parties agreed on it,” Suleiman said in an interview published Tuesday with Kuwaiti […]

 BEIRUT: The relatively high prices of the fourth generation mobile services and dongles in Lebanon may discourage customers from the subscribing to the new product, an international business organization said. According to Business Monitor International, 4G services in Lebanon will be considerably more expensive than in other countries in the region.It noted that both operators […]

 Three soldiers were killed overnight Monday in an attack on their checkpoint in the town of Wadi Hmeid in the eastern border town of Arsal. “A group of gunmen in a black jeep assaulted an army checkpoint and clashed with the soldiers at 3:30 a.m.,” said a communique issued by the army command.The statement pointed […]

KNOXVILLE, TN (Catholic Online) – According to Asia News, Coptic Christians are experiencing an escalation of attacks by Islamists, and they are becoming a daily occurrence. Asia News reported two attacks that occurred last week. Furthermore, as Copts continue to suffer and die and their churches and property are destroyed, Christians have begun to notice President Obama’s silence.

On May17, over 20 thousand Muslims attacked the church of St. Mary in Alexandria. They set fire to the entrance of the building and shattered the windows. In response to the attack, hundreds of courageous Copts formed a human wall around the perimeter of the church, effectively using their bodies as shields against the huge mob. Some Islamists were armed with guns and knives. They shot at the Copts, causing some serious injuries. The attack on the church apparently began because of a dispute between two neighbors. According to one report, Basem Ramzy Michael, a Coptic Christian, behaved inappropriately towards the sister of a Muslim man, Alloshy Hamada. Another report stated that Basem leaned over his "balcony to gaze at the flat of Alloshy’s sister, who lives on the ground floor."

The Assyrian International News Agency (AINA) reported that a 36-year-old Coptic man, a father of three children, died during the attack. His name is Sedky Sherif. While witnesses said his body was covered with bruises and marks from bird shot, it is believed he may have died from a heart attack.

  President Michel Suleiman noted on Friday that the Lebanese people are “willingly” turning Lebanon into a battle ground through the unrest in the northern city of Tripoli and through fighting in the Syrian region of al-Qusayr. He said on the occasion of the Resistance and Liberation Day: “The concept of resistance must rise above strife […]

  AMMAN, Jordan — Secretary of State John Kerry said Wednesday that the United States was increasingly concerned that the escalating fighting in Syria might slip across the border with Lebanon and destabilize that country. “We’re deeply concerned about this spilling over into Lebanon,” said Mr. Kerry, who came to Jordan to attend an 11-country meeting […]

  The plans underway to implement the Landmark project in Downtown’s Riad al-Solh Square will come to a halt after a number of historically significant ruins were discovered in the area, Culture Minister Gaby Layyoun told The Daily Star Monday. “I have informed the owners of Landmark that their project cannot continue after these important findings […]

  Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi met on Wednesday Pope Francis I with whom he took part in the daily mass held at the Vatican. The patriarch then held a closed-door meeting with the pontiff during which he requested that he offer his blessing to Lebanon and the Middle East. He hoped that he would also pray for […]

KNOXVILLE, TN (Catholic Online) – When it comes to the news, it seems like ecumenical efforts directed at restoring full Christian communion are taking place under the radar. Even so, I suspect it is a sleeping giant, for when unification is achieved, all of heaven will rejoice and the world will change.  The historic meeting last week between Pope Francis and Tawadros II, the Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church, is the latest example of efforts directed at Christian unity. Their words were filled with generosity and hope.

Tawadros II congratulated Francis on his appointment as Pope and Bishop of Rome. "I am honored and very glad to be here in the Vatican. Despite its being the smallest country in the world, it is the most important country for its great influence and Holy Service."   He wanted this meeting to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the meeting between Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Shenouda III, which took place on May 10, 1973. That was the first visit ever by a patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Alexandria to the Vatican. It began the process to heal the old wounds of distrust opened centuries ago. Paul VI and Shenouda III signed a joint statement pledging to search for reconciliation and unity between the two Churches.  That meeting was followed by Pope John Paul II’s visit to Egypt in 2000, during his Great Jubilee pilgrimage to the places where Christianity began. John Paul II pictured the unification of the Eastern and Western Churches as breathing with two lungs. As I understand it, the image represents the importance of uniting the West’s more rational and organizational approach with the East’s more intuitive, mystical and contemplative approach.

  BEIRUT: Moody’s negative outlook of both Lebanon’s sovereign bonds and banks’ deposit ratings is seen as another strong message that the political vacuum and failure to implement reforms can no longer be ignored. Just one day after Moody’s changed the outlook of sovereign bonds to negative, the international rating agency changed to negative from […]