Reuters
Lebanon's Maronite patriarch on Saturday urged the political factions to elect a new president, effectively throwing his weight behind a power-sharing plan that would make an ally of Syria's Bashar al-Assad head of state.
The head of the Maronite Christian community, Patriarch Beshara al-Rai, met leaders of Christian political parties this week, including the touted candidate Suleiman Franjieh, after Saudi Arabia lent its backing to the plan.
"I call on the political blocs to move responsibly, objectively and mindfully toward this new, serious initiative in order to elect a president," he said at a mass north of Beirut and quoted by Lebanon's National News Agency.
Lebanese soldier George Al Khoury, who was kidnapped by militant groups in August 2014 in the eastern border town of Arsal, stands with his wife and one of their two sons at their house on December 2. AFP Photo
AFP
KOBAYAT, LEBANON // Lebanese soldier George Al Khoury cried for days after Al Qaeda executed a fellow captive during one of the lowest points of his 16-month ordeal as a hostage of the group.
Now back home in northern Lebanon, he can barely believe he is free and safe.
“My God, how long I’ve waited to see my son Michael,” he says in the living room of his home in Kobayat, with his mother, his wife and their second son Andrew seated around him.
The 30-year-old was among several dozen Lebanese police and soldiers kidnapped by Al Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate Jabhat Al Nusra and ISIL from the border town of Arsal in August 2014.
After months of failed negotiations and desperate pleas from their relatives, Al Nusra last week freed the 16 captives it held in exchange for the release of prisoners in Lebanese jails and aid.
Mr Al Khoury joined the army in 2004, to reluctantly fulfil his compulsory service, but stayed on after landing an easy posting at a military hospital.
By: Al-Araby al-Jadeed & agencies
Sleiman Frangieh, the 50-year-old Lebanese lawmaker is being talked about as a credible presidential candidate under an emerging deal that could end the country's 18-month-long political crisis.
After months of political bickering that brought the Lebanese state to near complete paralysis, former Prime Minister Saad Hariri tossed Frangieh's name in the ring following a meeting between the two men in Paris two weeks ago.
For a year and a half since President Michel Suleiman stepped down after his six-year-term ended, Lebanon has been without a head of state as lawmakers repeatedly failed to agree on a consensus president.
According to the country's power-sharing system, the president must be a Maronite Christian, the prime minister a Sunni Muslim and the parliament speaker a Shia Muslim.
The two main party blocks continued to reject each other's presidential candidates, despite 32 parliament sessions called for by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to elect a president
The deadlock and paralysis reached its peak during the summer, when the country was shaken by the largest protests in years over the government's inability to find a solution to Lebanon's ongoing trash problem.
The demonstrations quickly developed into protests against the entire political establishment.
Nazih Siddiq, John Davison and Walid Saleh
Reuters
Beirut: A suspected Islamist militant killed himself and two members of his family in northern Lebanon on Saturday when he blew himself up during an army raid on his home, security and medical sources said.
The army has carried out a series of raids since two suicide bomb blasts claimed by Islamic State killed 44 people in a crowded commercial and residential area of Beirut last month.
Saturday's operation took place in the town of Deir Ammar, north-east of the city of Tripoli. The explosion killed the wife and mother of the suspect, whose name was Mohammed Hamzeh, a security source said.
The source said Hamzeh was part of a group that had pledged allegiance to Islamic State.
At least 10 other people were wounded in the blast, including four security personnel.
Population Movements to Keserwan - The Khazens and The Maans
ما جاء عن الثورة في المقاطعة الكسروانية
ثورة أهالي كسروان على المشايخ الخوازنة وأسبابها
Origins of the "Prince of Maronite" Title
Growing diversity: the Khazin sheiks and the clergy in the first decades of the 18th century
Historical Members:
Barbar Beik El Khazen [English]
Patriach Toubia Kaiss El Khazen(Biography & Life Part1 Part2) (Arabic)
Patriach Youssef Dargham El Khazen (Cont'd)
Cheikh Bishara Jafal El Khazen
Patriarch Youssef Raji El Khazen
The Martyrs Cheikh Philippe & Cheikh Farid El Khazen
Cheikh Nawfal El Khazen (Consul De France)
Cheikh Hossun El Khazen (Consul De France)
Cheikh Abou-Nawfal El Khazen (Consul De France)
Cheikh Francis Abee Nader & his son Yousef
Cheikh Abou-Kanso El Khazen (Consul De France)
Cheikh Abou Nader El Khazen
Cheikh Chafic El Khazen
Cheikh Keserwan El Khazen
Cheikh Serhal El Khazen [English]
Cheikh Rafiq El Khazen [English]
Cheikh Hanna El Khazen
Cheikha Arzi El Khazen
Marie El Khazen