Natasha Bertrand

In a meeting with members of Syria’s opposition in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, US Secretary of State John Kerry demanded that rebels accept a set of preconditions dictated by Russia and Iran in order to participate in peace talks, according to an explosive report by the daily pan-Arab newspaper Al Hayat.

The terms Kerry reportedly asked the opposition Saudi-backed High Negotiation Committee (HNC) to accept — including a "national unity government" instead of a transitional governing body that would phase President Bashar al-Assad out of power — represent "a scary retreat in the US position," opposition sources told the head of Al Hayat’s Damascus bureau, Ibrahim Hamidi.

Natasha Bertrand

In a meeting with members of Syria’s opposition in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, US Secretary of State John Kerry demanded that rebels accept a set of preconditions dictated by Russia and Iran in order to participate in peace talks, according to an explosive report by the daily pan-Arab newspaper Al Hayat.

The terms Kerry reportedly asked the opposition Saudi-backed High Negotiation Committee (HNC) to accept — including a "national unity government" instead of a transitional governing body that would phase President Bashar al-Assad out of power — represent "a scary retreat in the US position," opposition sources told the head of Al Hayat’s Damascus bureau, Ibrahim Hamidi.

by Naharnet Newsdesk

By Joseph A. KechichianSenior Writer

Beirut: After the ‘Vladimir’ and ‘Ursula’ storm couple that unleashed several inches of rain and snow during the past two weeks, Lebanon was battered by ‘Thalassa’, which may dump several inches of rain.

The storm, which started on Friday evening intensified today with strong winds that, forecasters predict, could reach 90 kilometres per hour in certain areas.

Snowfall was recorded overnight at 1,200 metres and above, though these were expected to increase in volume on Sunday and, perhaps, cover lower altitudes.

Security forces warned residents in villages and town above 600 metres to prepare and, if necessary, equip their cars with tyre-chains.

An Indian Jesuit priest and fearless human rights activist has moved to Beirut, Lebanon, to render his services to refugees.   Fr. Cedric Prakash a well-known human rights and peace ‎activist, who headed the human rights centre in Ahmedabad, ‎Gujarat state, called “Prashant” is working among the thousands of internally displaced people. In his new mission, the 65-year old Jesuit will be coordinating the `universal mission’ of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) for Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Palestine, Israel, Sudan and Chad.

iloubnan.info

Kataeb party on Friday heaped praise on the newly accomplished reconciliation that took place earlier this week at Maarab between Lebanese Forces leader, Samir Geagea, and Head of Change and Reform bloc, MP Michel Aoun.

"Today, we are witnessing reconciliation between two political parties that have fought each other for too long. This reconciliation is important for the future of Lebanon," Kataeb leader, MP Sami Gemayel, told reporters in Bekfaya.

"This reconciliation is a very important opportunity; but we want it to be based upon constant pillars so that it doesn’t disintegrate again," he underlined.

Gemayel also upped calls upon all parties to complete that step and discuss the future of Lebanon, as well as to lay common grounds to build upon.

by deadline.com

english.aawsat.com

Averting to take position on the move of the Lebanese Forces’ President nominating his historic opponent, the leader of “Change and Reform”, could be labeled as the political feature theme in the Lebanese scene, yesterday; where every team took some “wiggle room” to take position on the presidential post nomination of the Republic that has been vacant since May 2014. By the time it is said that the French ambassador in Beirut is working on resolving the situation between the Lebanese political leaders.

Conversely, it seemed crystal clear that the Aoun-Geagea consensus is inadequate to resolve the presidential issue, with both sides being incapable of persuading their allies of this agreement that has for fact stunned many, for what both Christian leaders’ past partook in conflicts and bloodsheds.

For instance, Geagea failed in convincing his ally the “Future Movement” aka Tayar Al-Mustakbal, in adopting Aoun’s candidacy nomination, where the team persisted on nominating Aoun’s ally, MP Suleiman Franjieh for the post; and Aoun did not succeed in persuading the Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in voting for him, as the latter seemed to clutch tightly to the nomination of Franjieh.

english.aawsat.com

Averting to take position on the move of the Lebanese Forces’ President nominating his historic opponent, the leader of “Change and Reform”, could be labeled as the political feature theme in the Lebanese scene, yesterday; where every team took some “wiggle room” to take position on the presidential post nomination of the Republic that has been vacant since May 2014. By the time it is said that the French ambassador in Beirut is working on resolving the situation between the Lebanese political leaders.

Conversely, it seemed crystal clear that the Aoun-Geagea consensus is inadequate to resolve the presidential issue, with both sides being incapable of persuading their allies of this agreement that has for fact stunned many, for what both Christian leaders’ past partook in conflicts and bloodsheds.

For instance, Geagea failed in convincing his ally the “Future Movement” aka Tayar Al-Mustakbal, in adopting Aoun’s candidacy nomination, where the team persisted on nominating Aoun’s ally, MP Suleiman Franjieh for the post; and Aoun did not succeed in persuading the Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in voting for him, as the latter seemed to clutch tightly to the nomination of Franjieh.