By Nadim Ladki BEIRUT (Reuters) - The leaders of Syria and Lebanon could be fighting for political survival if, as many expect, a U.N. inquiry blames Syrian and pro-Syrian Lebanese officials for the killing of Lebanese former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri. Analysts and diplomats say they expect a cycle of bombings and killings to continue or intensify in Lebanon, where Syrian influence remains strong and where pro-Syrians will challenge any such U.N. findings as politically motivated. Chief U.N. investigator Detlev Mehlis presents his report to Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Friday over the February 14 assassination of Hariri and 20 others in a truck bomb in Beirut.Diplomats and Lebanese political sources have told Reuters they expect Mehlis to name some Syrian officials in his report, as well as several pro-Syrian Lebanese officials and others.It was not clear whether the suspects would include members of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's inner circle.

 FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) – The bankruptcy administrator of German construction company Walter Bau AG said Monday he has had a Lebanese passenger …

BEIRUT, 13 October (IRIN) - People who know they are HIV positive in Lebanon keep very quiet about the matter to avoid becoming social outcasts. AIDS is taboo. Anyone suspected of having the disease risks total rejection by their friends, family and colleagues at work. Sara, a 40-year-old office worker in Beirut, knows all about that.

She has been living with AIDS for the past 15 years and manages to keep going with the help of life-prolonging anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs. But the only person she has told about her condition is her sister. "One has to be very selective," said Sara, who spoke to IRIN on condition that we did not use her real name. One has to constantly wear a mask," she added. "We have no legal protection. "If anyone knew about my sickness I would be fired the next day. When I take my pills I usually say it is for my stomach."

Sara, who is single, contracted the HIV virus from having unprotected sex with a partner. Now she feels guilty. "We are just paying for our sins," she said, even though she knows her male partner was at fault for infecting her in the first place.