By Rim Zrein -- the961.com --A hacker group called “SpiderZ” hacked into the servers and cameras of Al-Qard Al-Hassan, Hezbollah’s financial institution. It collected data and is beginning to leak them to the public and promising to publish additional details later. They exposed the names of senior depositors along with other details from the database. Al-Qard Al-Hassan Association was established by Hezbollah in the 1980s, and it is the right hand of the party. Licensed by the Lebanese Ministry of the Interior in 1987, the Hezbollah bank has 32 branches throughout Lebanon, and declares itself a charity association that provides financial assistance to the Shiite population in Lebanon.

However, even though Al-Qard Al-Hassan is registered as a charity in Lebanon, it appears to run as a financial institution in every possible aspect, providing various financial services to its clients, including loans. Information obtained from The Double Cheque quotes that the association’s annual loans are close to $500 million, its annual profits are close to $20 million, its deposit reserves are worth over $300 million, and it holds 15 tons of gold worth around $500 million. And 0 tax payment, contributing nil to the Lebanese economy.

The association confirmed to the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Ahed website that the breach has in fact occurred. According to Al-Ahed website, Al-Qard Al-Hassan stressed that “this breach does not give the attackers the ability to act or move the accounts.” In the video posted by the “Spiderz” group on their website, the hackers explicitly state that they have successfully managed to get hold of all of Hezbollah’s bank information, and confirm that Al-Qard Al-Hassan is not a charity, but a covert financial shelter for Hezbollah.

by greekcitytimes.com -- The fatal blast in Beirut on the 4th August left at least 150 people dead, 6,000 injured and 300,000 homeless. The large sum was collected, and forwarded to the Ecumenical Patriarchate to be added to their worldwide collection to help meet the great and pressing needs of the Orthodox brethren in Lebanon, as well as to ease their suffering. In his letter thanking all of the worthy donors, Archbishop Elpidophoros of America wrote: “It is my prayer that your loving offering will serve as a means of great assistance and fraternal solidarity to all those families in need during this Christmas season, and that their hearts and homes will be uplifted and filled with the newborn joy of our Lord’s Nativity.”

By ASSOCIATED PRESS -- BEIRUT — Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister said Tuesday he was shocked to learn he was being charged with negligence in the Aug. 4 port explosion, saying he did his utmost duty during his brief tenure, during which he learned about dangerous chemicals stored at the port. In an interview with the Associated Press, Hassan Diab described being singled out and charged while others knew more, calling it “diabolical.” He insisted the investigating judge must go through parliament to question him further, now that he has been charged. Lebanon’s prosecutor investigating last summer’s horrific explosion at the Beirut port filed charges against Diab and three former ministers earlier this month, accusing them of negligence that led to the death of hundreds of people. The charges caused a political storm in Lebanon and Diab and other ministers refused to appear before the judge for questioning as defendants, calling the charges politically motivated and selective.

Two of the former ministers challenged the authority of Judge Fadi Sawwan, calling on him to be recused from the investigation and a new judge named. The challenge prompted a pause in the probe that has cast doubt on the fate of the investigation into the blast that killed more than 200 people and destroyed parts of Beirut. “Questioning me is not an issue, he [the judge] is welcome to do it. But being charged is a whole different ball game,” Diab said. The catastrophic explosion was caused by the ignition of a large stockpile of ammonium nitrate that — it later transpired — had been stored at the port for six years with the knowledge of top security officials and politicians who did nothing about it. They include senior security officials, the army command, the president and former prime ministers. The blast killed more than 200 people and wounded thousands, devastating large parts of the capital Beirut.

This US resolution just passed with full support: S.Res.682 expresses the Senate’s affirmation that U.S. assistance should be delivered directly to the …