A senior US&nbsp;diplomat met Lebanon&#39;s foreign minister on Wednesday in Beirut as part of a US&nbsp;shuttle diplomacy effort to resolve tensions between Israel and Lebanon over a border wall and energy drilling in disputed waters.

Disputes over Israeli construction of the border wall, Lebanon&#39;s start of oil and gas exploration at sea and the growing arsenal of Lebanon&#39;s Iran-backed Shi&#39;ite group Hezbollah have caused a spike in tensions between Lebanon and Israel, both friends of the United States that regard each other as enemies.&nbsp;

Lebanon this month signed its first offshore energy exploration and production agreements with a consortium of France&#39;s Total, Italy&#39;s Eni and Russia&#39;s Novatek. One of two blocks given to the consortium, Block 9, contains waters claimed by Israel.

David Satterfield, the acting US&nbsp;assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern Affairs, has been shuttling back and forth between Israel and Lebanon in a bid to resolve the disputes.

He met Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil on Wednesday in Beirut. The two had last met on Friday, after which Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri reiterated Lebanon&#39;s rejection of U.S. proposals to resolve the maritime dispute as &quot;unacceptable&quot;.

This was an apparent reference to a maritime demarcation line proposed by US&nbsp;diplomat Frederic Hof in 2012, which would give Lebanon around two-thirds and Israel around one-third of a disputed triangular area of sea of around 860 sq km (330 square miles).&nbsp;

A senior Lebanese government source said Satterfield did not come with any new plan, and talks still revolve around the Hof line.&nbsp;

A source in the foreign ministry said he discussed the disputed area, how Lebanon can preserve its rights and how to keep exploration and drilling from being affected.&nbsp;

Satterfield left without making any public comments.

The US&nbsp;Embassy in Lebanon said Satterfield &quot;continues to engage&quot; on regional issues and on helping Lebanon develop its resources in agreement with its neighbours.

A senior US diplomat met Lebanon's foreign minister on Wednesday to resolve tensions between Israel and Lebanon

A senior US diplomat met Lebanon's foreign minister on Wednesday in Beirut as part of a US shuttle diplomacy effort to resolve tensions between Israel and Lebanon over a border wall and energy drilling in disputed waters. Disputes over Israeli construction of the border wall, Lebanon's start of oil and gas exploration at sea and the growing arsenal of Lebanon's Iran-backed Shi'ite group Hezbollah have caused a spike in tensions between Lebanon and Israel, both friends of the United States that regard each other as enemies. Lebanon this month signed its first offshore energy exploration and production agreements with a consortium of France's Total, Italy's Eni and Russia's Novatek. One of two blocks given to the consortium, Block 9, contains waters claimed by Israel. David Satterfield, the acting US assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern Affairs, has been shuttling back and forth between Israel and Lebanon in a bid to resolve the disputes. He met Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil on Wednesday in Beirut. The two had last met on Friday, after which Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri reiterated Lebanon's rejection of U.S. proposals to resolve the maritime dispute as "unacceptable". This was an apparent reference to a maritime demarcation line proposed by US diplomat Frederic Hof in 2012, which would give Lebanon around two-thirds and Israel around one-third of a disputed triangular area of sea of around 860 sq km (330 square miles). A senior Lebanese government source said Satterfield did not come with any new plan, and talks still revolve around the Hof line. A source in the foreign ministry said he discussed the disputed area, how Lebanon can preserve its rights and how to keep exploration and drilling from being affected. Satterfield left without making any public comments. The US Embassy in Lebanon said Satterfield "continues to engage" on regional issues and on helping Lebanon develop its resources in agreement with its neighbours.

US envoy visits Beirut, mediating in Lebanon-Israel dispute

Lebanon&#39;s intelligence agency Monday banned Steven Spielberg&#39;s latest film&nbsp;&quot;The Post&quot;, and Australian drama &quot;Jungle&quot; to comply with a boycott of Israel.&nbsp;

An&nbsp;official from Lebanon&#39;s General Security authority told AFP,&nbsp;&quot;Screening of the film &#39;The Post&#39; has been banned&quot; and added that the film &quot; is blacklisted by the Arab League&#39;s boycott office, which Lebanon complies with.&quot;

The Hollywood director was&nbsp;blacklisted by the Cairo-based pan-Arab body after he donated&nbsp;$1 million to Israel during the 2006 war between the Jewish state and Lebanon.

The&nbsp;two countries are still officially at war.&nbsp;

&quot;The Post&quot; is a film starring Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks on the behind-the-scenes story of the 1971 publication by The Washington Post of the Pentagon Papers, which exposed the lies behind US involvement in the Vietnam War.

The other film that got censored was &quot;Jungle&quot;, a survival drama about Israeli adventurer Yossi Ghinsberg, who got lost in an uncharted part of the Bolivian Amazon in 1981. The film, starring Daniel Radcliffe, had been screening for two weeks in Lebanon but is now being pulled.&nbsp;

Lebanon&#39;s General Security behind the censorship not only keeps a control on the borders but is also responsible for censorship of films, plays, and books.&nbsp;

This is to comply with their boycott of Israel

Lebanon's intelligence agency Monday banned Steven Spielberg's latest film "The Post", and Australian drama "Jungle" to comply with a boycott of Israel. An official from Lebanon's General Security authority told AFP, "Screening of the film 'The Post' has been banned" and added that the film " is blacklisted by the Arab League's boycott office, which Lebanon complies with." The Hollywood director was blacklisted by the Cairo-based pan-Arab body after he donated $1 million to Israel during the 2006 war between the Jewish state and Lebanon. The two countries are still officially at war. "The Post" is a film starring Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks on the behind-the-scenes story of the 1971 publication by The Washington Post of the Pentagon Papers, which exposed the lies behind US involvement in the Vietnam War. The other film that got censored was "Jungle", a survival drama about Israeli adventurer Yossi Ghinsberg, who got lost in an uncharted part of the Bolivian Amazon in 1981. The film, starring Daniel Radcliffe, had been screening for two weeks in Lebanon but is now being pulled. Lebanon's General Security behind the censorship not only keeps a control on the borders but is also responsible for censorship of films, plays, and books.

Lebanon bans Steven Spielberg's film 'The Post' and Australian drama 'Jungle'

Lebanese police on Monday arrested a taxi driver suspected of killing British embassy worker Rebecca Dykes after attempting to rape her, according to officials and the national news agency.&nbsp;The Lebanese news agency said the Lebanese man had confessed to killing the young woman, who worked at the UK embassy in Beirut.

Dykes was last seen alive at a party in Gemmayzeh, a Beirut neighbourhood popular with foreign residents, on Friday night and left in a taxi.&nbsp;&quot;He picked her up in Gemmayzeh on Friday night, took her to Achrafieh then to the Metn highway and tried to rape her&quot;, the news agency said, referring to an expressway north of Beirut.

Her body was found dumped on the roadside there on Saturday evening.&nbsp;A senior security official had told AFP that strangulation was a possible cause of death and added that Dykes was found with a string tied around her neck.

The Lebanese news agency said the suspect was employed by a taxi company and was tracked down thanks to security cameras.&nbsp;The driver confessed to killing Dykes, it said.&nbsp;Such crime is rare in the Lebanese capital, a city which is considered generally safe, including for tourists and foreign residents.

A senior official had stressed that the murder was &quot;not politically motivated&quot;.&nbsp;A picture of the young woman, who worked at the British government&#39;s Department for International Development (DFID), was on the front pages of many UK papers Monday.

The British ambassador in Beirut, Hugo Shorter, expressed his grief in a statement and messages of support for her family and colleagues poured in from Beirut&#39;s shell-shocked diplomatic and aid community.&nbsp;&quot;We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Rebecca. We are doing all we can to understand what happened&quot;, the family said in a statement passed on by the Foreign Office.

Rebecca Dykes was last seen alive at a party in Gemmayzeh

Lebanese police on Monday arrested a taxi driver suspected of killing British embassy worker Rebecca Dykes after attempting to rape her, according to officials and the national news agency. The Lebanese news agency said the Lebanese man had confessed to killing the young woman, who worked at the UK embassy in Beirut. Dykes was last seen alive at a party in Gemmayzeh, a Beirut neighbourhood popular with foreign residents, on Friday night and left in a taxi. "He picked her up in Gemmayzeh on Friday night, took her to Achrafieh then to the Metn highway and tried to rape her", the news agency said, referring to an expressway north of Beirut. Her body was found dumped on the roadside there on Saturday evening. A senior security official had told AFP that strangulation was a possible cause of death and added that Dykes was found with a string tied around her neck. The Lebanese news agency said the suspect was employed by a taxi company and was tracked down thanks to security cameras. The driver confessed to killing Dykes, it said. Such crime is rare in the Lebanese capital, a city which is considered generally safe, including for tourists and foreign residents. A senior official had stressed that the murder was "not politically motivated". A picture of the young woman, who worked at the British government's Department for International Development (DFID), was on the front pages of many UK papers Monday. The British ambassador in Beirut, Hugo Shorter, expressed his grief in a statement and messages of support for her family and colleagues poured in from Beirut's shell-shocked diplomatic and aid community. "We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Rebecca. We are doing all we can to understand what happened", the family said in a statement passed on by the Foreign Office.

Lebanon arrests taxi driver over murder of British woman

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday warned regional powers against meddling in Lebanon at an international meeting aimed at fending off pressure on the fragile country from rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson attended the talks in Paris with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, whose shock resignation last month - which he has since rescinded - sparked fears of a new crisis in the Middle East.

Opening the meeting, Macron said it was &quot;essential that all of the parties in Lebanon and regional actors respect the cardinal principle of non-interference&quot; in the affairs of other countries.

Representatives from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, along with Germany, Italy and Egypt, were present for the show of support for Lebanon, which took place against the backdrop of rising tensions in the Middle East.

Hariri and Macron both emphasised their opposition to US President Donald Trump&#39;s announcement Wednesday that he would move the American embassy in Israel to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv.

&quot;It complicates the peace process even more (between Israel and the Palestinians) and creates a new challenge to regional security,&quot; Hariri said in opening remarks at the meeting.

Macron added: &quot;None of the region&#39;s problems will be resolved by unilateral decisions or the strongest imposing their will.&quot;&nbsp;

Saudi Arabia, a Sunni Muslim country, is suspected of having pressured Hariri, a longtime ally, to resign as part of its attempts to counter the growing influence of Iran, a Shia Muslim power.

The Saudi kingdom and other Arab states accuse Iran of using armed proxies such as Lebanon&#39;s powerful Hezbollah movement to advance its interests, from Lebanon to Yemen to Syria and Iraq.

In a televised resignation statement from Riyadh on November 4, Hariri accused Tehran and Hezbollah - which has ministers in Hariri&#39;s government - of destabilising his country and the region.&nbsp;

A Lebanese source close to Hariri told AFP that the premier travelled to Riyadh believing he was going to discuss economic projects but instead &quot;found himself faced with a list of economic sanctions brandished by the Saudis against Lebanon.&quot;

Hariri remained in Riyadh for two weeks afterwards, fuelling speculation that he was being held hostage.

Macron then intervened, inviting Hariri to Paris for talks, after which he returned home to a hero&#39;s welcome. Two weeks later, he withdrew his resignation.

The meeting ended with plans for three follow-up conferences: one in Paris in early 2018 on boosting investment in Lebanon; another in Rome on building up Lebanon`s regular army; and a third in Brussels on helping the roughly 1.5 million Syrian refugees that have fled there.

&quot;Lebanon&#39;s stability is not only crucial for its inhabitants but for the entire region,&quot; Macron said Friday, demanding that the sovereignty of the small multifaith country, long a proxy battleground between its bigger neighbours, be respected.

Hariri said the fragile stability enjoyed by his country, which neighbours Syria, &quot;appeared like a small miracle&quot; in a region torn by the Syrian, Iraqi and Yemeni conflicts.

&quot;The desire of all in Lebanon is to save our democracy,&quot; he said.

Riyadh&#39;s power play in Lebanon backfired, with the various Lebanese factions coming together in order to avoid a political breakdown.

Hariri announced Tuesday that he would stay on as premier after cabinet members - including from Hezbollah - issued a joint statement to reaffirm their commitment to stay out of regional conflicts.

&quot;Lebanon will respect this principle of keeping its distance (from trouble beyond its borders). You will see,&quot; he vowed Friday, insisting there was &quot;no crisis between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia&quot;.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the principle &quot;applied to all, both inside and outside (Lebanon).&quot;

The International Support Group for Lebanon was launched in September 2013 partly in response to the huge influx of refugees from Syria.

Hariri and Macron both emphasised their opposition to US President Donald Trump's announcement on Wednesday that he would move the American embassy in Israel to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday warned regional powers against meddling in Lebanon at an international meeting aimed at fending off pressure on the fragile country from rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson attended the talks in Paris with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, whose shock resignation last month - which he has since rescinded - sparked fears of a new crisis in the Middle East. Opening the meeting, Macron said it was "essential that all of the parties in Lebanon and regional actors respect the cardinal principle of non-interference" in the affairs of other countries. Representatives from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, along with Germany, Italy and Egypt, were present for the show of support for Lebanon, which took place against the backdrop of rising tensions in the Middle East. Hariri and Macron both emphasised their opposition to US President Donald Trump's announcement Wednesday that he would move the American embassy in Israel to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. "It complicates the peace process even more (between Israel and the Palestinians) and creates a new challenge to regional security," Hariri said in opening remarks at the meeting. Macron added: "None of the region's problems will be resolved by unilateral decisions or the strongest imposing their will." Saudi Arabia, a Sunni Muslim country, is suspected of having pressured Hariri, a longtime ally, to resign as part of its attempts to counter the growing influence of Iran, a Shia Muslim power. The Saudi kingdom and other Arab states accuse Iran of using armed proxies such as Lebanon's powerful Hezbollah movement to advance its interests, from Lebanon to Yemen to Syria and Iraq. In a televised resignation statement from Riyadh on November 4, Hariri accused Tehran and Hezbollah - which has ministers in Hariri's government - of destabilising his country and the region. A Lebanese source close to Hariri told AFP that the premier travelled to Riyadh believing he was going to discuss economic projects but instead "found himself faced with a list of economic sanctions brandished by the Saudis against Lebanon." Hariri remained in Riyadh for two weeks afterwards, fuelling speculation that he was being held hostage. Macron then intervened, inviting Hariri to Paris for talks, after which he returned home to a hero's welcome. Two weeks later, he withdrew his resignation. The meeting ended with plans for three follow-up conferences: one in Paris in early 2018 on boosting investment in Lebanon; another in Rome on building up Lebanon`s regular army; and a third in Brussels on helping the roughly 1.5 million Syrian refugees that have fled there. "Lebanon's stability is not only crucial for its inhabitants but for the entire region," Macron said Friday, demanding that the sovereignty of the small multifaith country, long a proxy battleground between its bigger neighbours, be respected. Hariri said the fragile stability enjoyed by his country, which neighbours Syria, "appeared like a small miracle" in a region torn by the Syrian, Iraqi and Yemeni conflicts. "The desire of all in Lebanon is to save our democracy," he said. Riyadh's power play in Lebanon backfired, with the various Lebanese factions coming together in order to avoid a political breakdown. Hariri announced Tuesday that he would stay on as premier after cabinet members - including from Hezbollah - issued a joint statement to reaffirm their commitment to stay out of regional conflicts. "Lebanon will respect this principle of keeping its distance (from trouble beyond its borders). You will see," he vowed Friday, insisting there was "no crisis between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia". French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the principle "applied to all, both inside and outside (Lebanon)." The International Support Group for Lebanon was launched in September 2013 partly in response to the huge influx of refugees from Syria.

President Macron warns against Middle East meddling at Lebanon conference

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/i-will-go-back-to-lebanon-hariri-24067">Saad Hariri who had announced </a>his resignation as Lebanon&#39;s prime minister last month decided to rescind it on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Hariri had announced he was stepping down as prime minister in a televised address from Saudi Arabia last month with Lebanon accusing the Saudis of putting him under &quot;house arrest&quot;.

During his address to the nation, Hariri had spoken against Iran and Hezbollah accusing them of destabilising Lebanon.

However, on Tuesday, Hariri decided to withdraw his resignation putting an end to the month-long political storm engulfing the country.

&quot;The council of ministers thanks the prime minister for rescinding his resignation,&quot; Hariri said, reading from a cabinet statement.

&quot;The Lebanese government, in all its political components, has committed to distance itself from all conflicts, wars, and internal affairs of Arab states,&quot; Hariri added.

This &quot;disassociation&quot; is intended to &quot;preserve Lebanon&#39;s political and economic relations with its Arab brothers&quot;, the statement said.

Soon after after Hariri&#39;s announcement, France said the Lebanese prime minister would attend talks on Friday in Paris on the situation in Lebanon which would be attended by US secretary of state Rex Tillerson.

During his address to the nation, Hariri had spoken against Iran and Hezbollah accusing them of destabilising Lebanon

Saad Hariri who had announced his resignation as Lebanon's prime minister last month decided to rescind it on Tuesday. Hariri had announced he was stepping down as prime minister in a televised address from Saudi Arabia last month with Lebanon accusing the Saudis of putting him under "house arrest". During his address to the nation, Hariri had spoken against Iran and Hezbollah accusing them of destabilising Lebanon. However, on Tuesday, Hariri decided to withdraw his resignation putting an end to the month-long political storm engulfing the country. "The council of ministers thanks the prime minister for rescinding his resignation," Hariri said, reading from a cabinet statement. "The Lebanese government, in all its political components, has committed to distance itself from all conflicts, wars, and internal affairs of Arab states," Hariri added. This "disassociation" is intended to "preserve Lebanon's political and economic relations with its Arab brothers", the statement said. Soon after after Hariri's announcement, France said the Lebanese prime minister would attend talks on Friday in Paris on the situation in Lebanon which would be attended by US secretary of state Rex Tillerson.

Lebanon PM Hariri withdraws resignation

Saudi&nbsp;Arabia&#39;s powerful&nbsp;Crown&nbsp;Prince&nbsp;called the Supreme&nbsp;Leader&nbsp;of&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;&quot;the new Hitler of the Middle East&quot; in an interview with the New York Times published on Thursday, sharply escalating the war of words between the arch-rivals.

The Sunni Muslim kingdom of&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;Arabia and Shi&#39;ite&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;back rival sides in wars and political crises throughout the region.

Mohammed bin Salman, who is also&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;defence minister in the US-allied oil giant kingdom, suggested the Islamic Republic&#39;s alleged expansion under Ayatollah Ali Khamenei needed to be confronted.

&quot;But we learned from Europe that appeasement doesn&#39;t work. We don&#39;t want the new Hitler in&nbsp;Iran to repeat what happened in Europe in the Middle East,&quot; the paper quoted him as saying.

Tensions soared this month when Lebanon&#39;s&nbsp;Saudi-allied Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned in a television broadcast from Riyadh, citing the influence of&nbsp;Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon and risks to his life.

Hezbollah called the move an act of war engineered by&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;authorities, an accusation they denied.

Hariri has since suspended his resignation.

Saudi&nbsp;Arabia has launched thousands of air strikes in a 2-1/2-year-old war in neighbouring Yemen to defeat the&nbsp;Iranian-aligned Houthi movement that seized broad swaths of the country.

Salman told the Times that the war was going in its favour and that its allies controlled 85 percent of Yemen&#39;s territory.

The Houthis, however, still retain the main population centres despite the war effort by a&nbsp;Saudi-led military coalition which receives intelligence and refuelling for its warplanes by the United States. Some 10,000 people have died in the conflict.

The group launched a ballistic missile toward Riyadh&#39;s main airport on Nov. 4, which&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;Arabis decried as an act of war by Tehran.

Bin Salman said in May that the kingdom would make sure any future struggle between the two countries &quot;is waged in&nbsp;Iran&quot;.

For his part, Khamenei has referred to the House of Saud as an &quot;accursed tree&quot;, and&nbsp;Iranian officials have accused the kingdom of spreading terrorism.

Saudi?Arabia's powerful?Crown?Prince?called the Supreme?Leader?of?Iran?"the new Hitler of the Middle East" in an interview with the New York Times published on Thursday, sharply escalating the war of words between the arch-rivals

Saudi Arabia's powerful Crown Prince called the Supreme Leader of Iran "the new Hitler of the Middle East" in an interview with the New York Times published on Thursday, sharply escalating the war of words between the arch-rivals. The Sunni Muslim kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite Iran back rival sides in wars and political crises throughout the region. Mohammed bin Salman, who is also Saudi defence minister in the US-allied oil giant kingdom, suggested the Islamic Republic's alleged expansion under Ayatollah Ali Khamenei needed to be confronted. "But we learned from Europe that appeasement doesn't work. We don't want the new Hitler in Iran to repeat what happened in Europe in the Middle East," the paper quoted him as saying. Tensions soared this month when Lebanon's Saudi-allied Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned in a television broadcast from Riyadh, citing the influence of Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon and risks to his life. Hezbollah called the move an act of war engineered by Saudi authorities, an accusation they denied. Hariri has since suspended his resignation. Saudi Arabia has launched thousands of air strikes in a 2-1/2-year-old war in neighbouring Yemen to defeat the Iranian-aligned Houthi movement that seized broad swaths of the country. Salman told the Times that the war was going in its favour and that its allies controlled 85 percent of Yemen's territory. The Houthis, however, still retain the main population centres despite the war effort by a Saudi-led military coalition which receives intelligence and refuelling for its warplanes by the United States. Some 10,000 people have died in the conflict. The group launched a ballistic missile toward Riyadh's main airport on Nov. 4, which Saudi Arabis decried as an act of war by Tehran. Bin Salman said in May that the kingdom would make sure any future struggle between the two countries "is waged in Iran". For his part, Khamenei has referred to the House of Saud as an "accursed tree", and Iranian officials have accused the kingdom of spreading terrorism.

'New Hitler' in Iran should not repeat what happened in Europe: Saudi?Crown?Prince Salman

Saad al-Hariri attended independence day celebrations in Beirut on Wednesday after returning to Lebanon for the first time since resigning as prime minister in a broadcast from Saudi Arabia.

Hariri, whose sudden resignation on November 4 pitched Lebanon into crisis, flew into Beirut late on Tuesday. He stood alongside President Michel Aoun and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri at a military parade in central Beirut.

Lebanese state officials and senior politicians close to Hariri say Riyadh forced him to quit and held him in the kingdom, which Saudi Arabia and Hariri have denied.

The resignation took even Hariri`s aides by surprise.

A long-time Saudi ally, Hariri cited fear of assassination in his resignation speech, and attacked Iran and its powerful Lebanese Shi`ite ally Hezbollah for sowing strife in the Arab world.

The resignation thrust Lebanon to the forefront of a regional tussle between the Sunni monarchy of Saudi Arabia and Shi`ite Islamist Iran, which backs Hezbollah.

Hariri`s return to Lebanon followed an intervention by France. It is not yet clear if he will stick by his resignation or rescind it.

Ahead of his arrival on Tuesday, Hariri said he would declare his &quot;political position&quot; in Beirut.

Aoun has said he will not consider Hariri`s resignation until he returned to Beirut and delivered it in person. Hariri is expected to meet Aoun at the presidential palace later on Wednesday.

Hariri left Riyadh for Paris at the weekend. He journeyed back to Beirut on Tuesday, stopping in Egypt and Cyprus.

The resignation shook the power-sharing deal that brought him to office last year and resulted in Aoun, a Hezbollah political ally, becoming head of state.

Hezbollah, a heavily armed military and political movement, is part of the Lebanese government.&nbsp;

Hariri, who flew into Beirut late on Tuesday, stood alongside President Michel Aoun and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri at a military parade in central Beirut

Saad al-Hariri attended independence day celebrations in Beirut on Wednesday after returning to Lebanon for the first time since resigning as prime minister in a broadcast from Saudi Arabia. Hariri, whose sudden resignation on November 4 pitched Lebanon into crisis, flew into Beirut late on Tuesday. He stood alongside President Michel Aoun and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri at a military parade in central Beirut. Lebanese state officials and senior politicians close to Hariri say Riyadh forced him to quit and held him in the kingdom, which Saudi Arabia and Hariri have denied. The resignation took even Hariri`s aides by surprise. A long-time Saudi ally, Hariri cited fear of assassination in his resignation speech, and attacked Iran and its powerful Lebanese Shi`ite ally Hezbollah for sowing strife in the Arab world. The resignation thrust Lebanon to the forefront of a regional tussle between the Sunni monarchy of Saudi Arabia and Shi`ite Islamist Iran, which backs Hezbollah. Hariri`s return to Lebanon followed an intervention by France. It is not yet clear if he will stick by his resignation or rescind it. Ahead of his arrival on Tuesday, Hariri said he would declare his "political position" in Beirut. Aoun has said he will not consider Hariri`s resignation until he returned to Beirut and delivered it in person. Hariri is expected to meet Aoun at the presidential palace later on Wednesday. Hariri left Riyadh for Paris at the weekend. He journeyed back to Beirut on Tuesday, stopping in Egypt and Cyprus. The resignation shook the power-sharing deal that brought him to office last year and resulted in Aoun, a Hezbollah political ally, becoming head of state. Hezbollah, a heavily armed military and political movement, is part of the Lebanese government.

Hariri, back in Beirut, attends national day parade

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, back in Beirut after a mysterious odyssey that saw him announce his resignation in Saudi Arabia, told cheering supporters on Wednesday that he was staying.

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&quot;I&#39;m staying with you... we&#39;re continuing together, to be the first line of defence for Lebanon and its stability,&quot; he told a large crowd gathered in front of his home.

Saad Hariri said he had agreed to suspend his surprise decision to resign, at the request of President Michel Aoun, pending talks on the political situation.

The new decision came hours after the premier landed back in Lebanon for the first time since announcing his resignation in a statement from Saudi Arabia on November 4.

&quot;I discussed my resignation with the president of the republic who asked me to wait before submitting it... and allow for more consultations,&quot; Hariri told reporters after meeting Aoun.&nbsp;&quot;I agreed to this request.&quot;

Lebanon has been gripped by the political crisis precipitated by Hariri&#39;s resignation, including the question of whether the premier was being detained in Saudi Arabia, where he remained for two weeks after stepping down.

Aoun had refused to accept Hariri&#39;s resignation while the premier was still abroad, and even accused Riyadh of having &quot;detained&quot; the prime minister.

Hariri holds dual Saudi-Lebanese citizenship, and denied he was being held against his will by Riyadh, a close political ally, but accepted a French invitation to visit Paris, leaving the kingdom on November 18.

After stops in Egypt and Cyprus on Tuesday, he landed in Beirut close to midnight, and on Wednesday appeared at the country&#39;s Independence Day celebrations marking 74 years since the end of France&#39;s mandate in Lebanon.

He appeared relaxed, at times smiling and appearing to joke with those alongside him during the military parade to mark the national holiday.

In announcing his resignation, Hariri had said he feared for his life, invoking the 2005 assassination in Beirut of his father, former prime minister Rafik Hariri.

He also harshly criticised Saudi Arabia&#39;s arch-rival Iran, and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah, saying they had taken over Lebanon and destabilised the region.

The resignation of the Sunni leader was seen as raising the temperature in a long-running rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran that has played out across the region.

In Lebanon, the political scene is deeply divided between Hariri&#39;s Saudi-backed bloc, and that led by the powerful Shiite Hezbollah group, which is backed by Iran.

Hariri&#39;s decision to suspend his resignation now opens the way for discussions on a possible resolution to the crisis.

He had already signalled that he could consider rescinding his resignation altogether if Hezbollah pledged to respect Lebanon&#39;s policy of &quot;disassociation&quot; from regional conflicts.

Hariri and his allies say the group, with Iranian support, has violated this policy by fighting in neighbouring Syria in support of President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s government, as well as providing assistance to Huthi rebels battling Saudi Arabia in Yemen.

Hezbollah&#39;s chief Hassan Nasrallah has said the group still considers Hariri the country&#39;s prime minister and suggested it was open to talks, though whether any real compromise could be reached remained unclear.

&quot;When he comes, we will see. We&#39;re open to all dialogue and discussion,&quot; Nasrallah said on Monday.

If no deal is reached and Hariri&#39;s resignation stands, Aoun has two options - rename him premier or choose another prominent Sunni figure to lead a new cabinet. Under Lebanon`s power-sharing arrangement, the country&#39;s top political posts are reserved for different sects, with the presidency set aside for a Maronite Christian, the prime minister&#39;s office for a Sunni Muslim, and the parliament speaker for a Shiite Muslim.

Hariri&#39;s resignation comes less than a year after he took office, as part of a deal with Aoun, whose party belongs to the bloc led by Hezbollah.

The agreement ended a two-and-a-half year stalemate that left the post of president empty and put Hariri back in the office of prime minister for the second time.

His first term as prime minister ended abruptly.

In January 2011, as he was meeting then-US president Barack Obama in Washington, Hezbollah and its allies withdrew their ministers and brought down Hariri`s government.

Hariri&#39;s resignation has been seen as part of a broader pattern of escalating tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia. On the day he resigned, the kingdom said it intercepted a ballistic missile fired at Riyadh airport by Shiite rebels in Yemen.

The announcement also coincided with a purge of more than 200 Saudi princes, ministers, and businessmen.

Saad Hariri said he had agreed to suspend his surprise decision to resign, at the request of President Michel Aoun, pending talks on the political situation

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, back in Beirut after a mysterious odyssey that saw him announce his resignation in Saudi Arabia, told cheering supporters on Wednesday that he was staying. "I`m staying with you... we`re continuing together, to be the first line of defence for Lebanon and its stability," said Hariri × "I'm staying with you... we're continuing together, to be the first line of defence for Lebanon and its stability," he told a large crowd gathered in front of his home. Saad Hariri said he had agreed to suspend his surprise decision to resign, at the request of President Michel Aoun, pending talks on the political situation. The new decision came hours after the premier landed back in Lebanon for the first time since announcing his resignation in a statement from Saudi Arabia on November 4. "I discussed my resignation with the president of the republic who asked me to wait before submitting it... and allow for more consultations," Hariri told reporters after meeting Aoun. "I agreed to this request." Lebanon has been gripped by the political crisis precipitated by Hariri's resignation, including the question of whether the premier was being detained in Saudi Arabia, where he remained for two weeks after stepping down. Aoun had refused to accept Hariri's resignation while the premier was still abroad, and even accused Riyadh of having "detained" the prime minister. Hariri holds dual Saudi-Lebanese citizenship, and denied he was being held against his will by Riyadh, a close political ally, but accepted a French invitation to visit Paris, leaving the kingdom on November 18. After stops in Egypt and Cyprus on Tuesday, he landed in Beirut close to midnight, and on Wednesday appeared at the country's Independence Day celebrations marking 74 years since the end of France's mandate in Lebanon. He appeared relaxed, at times smiling and appearing to joke with those alongside him during the military parade to mark the national holiday. In announcing his resignation, Hariri had said he feared for his life, invoking the 2005 assassination in Beirut of his father, former prime minister Rafik Hariri. He also harshly criticised Saudi Arabia's arch-rival Iran, and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah, saying they had taken over Lebanon and destabilised the region. The resignation of the Sunni leader was seen as raising the temperature in a long-running rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran that has played out across the region. In Lebanon, the political scene is deeply divided between Hariri's Saudi-backed bloc, and that led by the powerful Shiite Hezbollah group, which is backed by Iran. Hariri's decision to suspend his resignation now opens the way for discussions on a possible resolution to the crisis. He had already signalled that he could consider rescinding his resignation altogether if Hezbollah pledged to respect Lebanon's policy of "disassociation" from regional conflicts. Hariri and his allies say the group, with Iranian support, has violated this policy by fighting in neighbouring Syria in support of President Bashar al-Assad's government, as well as providing assistance to Huthi rebels battling Saudi Arabia in Yemen. Hezbollah's chief Hassan Nasrallah has said the group still considers Hariri the country's prime minister and suggested it was open to talks, though whether any real compromise could be reached remained unclear. "When he comes, we will see. We're open to all dialogue and discussion," Nasrallah said on Monday. If no deal is reached and Hariri's resignation stands, Aoun has two options - rename him premier or choose another prominent Sunni figure to lead a new cabinet. Under Lebanon`s power-sharing arrangement, the country's top political posts are reserved for different sects, with the presidency set aside for a Maronite Christian, the prime minister's office for a Sunni Muslim, and the parliament speaker for a Shiite Muslim. Hariri's resignation comes less than a year after he took office, as part of a deal with Aoun, whose party belongs to the bloc led by Hezbollah. The agreement ended a two-and-a-half year stalemate that left the post of president empty and put Hariri back in the office of prime minister for the second time. His first term as prime minister ended abruptly. In January 2011, as he was meeting then-US president Barack Obama in Washington, Hezbollah and its allies withdrew their ministers and brought down Hariri`s government. Hariri's resignation has been seen as part of a broader pattern of escalating tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia. On the day he resigned, the kingdom said it intercepted a ballistic missile fired at Riyadh airport by Shiite rebels in Yemen. The announcement also coincided with a purge of more than 200 Saudi princes, ministers, and businessmen.

Lebanon's PM Hariri says resignation on hold pending talks

Prime Minister Saad Hariri said he will return to Lebanon for Wednesday&#39;s Independence Day celebrations and explain his situation, after his shock resignation announcement in Saudi Arabia sparked political turmoil.

Speaking after talks in Paris on Saturday with French President Emmanuel Macron, who is seeking to broker a way out of the crisis, Hariri said he would &quot;make known my position&quot; once back in Beirut.

&quot;As you know I have resigned, and we will discuss that in Lebanon,&quot; he said told reporters, saying he needed to meet with President Michel Aoun before taking further steps.

Hariri&#39;s announcement follows two weeks of deep uncertainty after his surprise decision to step down on November 4.

His failure to return to Lebanon since then sparked rumours that he was being held in Riyadh against his will, which both he and Saudi officials denied.

&quot;To say that I am held up in Saudi Arabia and not allowed to leave the country is a lie,&quot; he said in a Twitter post just before flying to Paris overnight.

Hariri&#39;s wife and eldest son Houssam joined him for lunch with Macron at the Elysee Palace, but their two younger children, who live in Saudi Arabia, have remained there &quot;for their school exams&quot;, a source close to the premier said.

&quot;Hariri does not want to mix his children up in this affair,&quot; the source said.

His mysterious decision to step down -- which Aoun has refused to accept while Hariri remains abroad -- has raised fears over Lebanon&#39;s fragile democracy.

Hariri&#39;s camp has sought to allay the concerns, with a source saying the premier had a &quot;fruitful and constructive&quot; meeting with the powerful Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman before leaving.

Hariri, a dual Saudi citizen who has previously enjoyed Riyadh&#39;s backing, resigned saying he feared for his life.

He accused Saudi Arabia&#39;s arch-rival Iran and its powerful Lebanese ally Hezbollah of destabilising his country.

- Battle for influence - 
Hariri&#39;s resignation was widely seen as an escalation of the battle for influence between Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran, which back opposing sides in the conflicts in Syria and Yemen.

His attempt to step down also coincides with a purge of more than 200 Saudi princes, ministers and businessmen.

Hariri met French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian in Riyadh on Thursday as Paris, which held mandate power over Lebanon for the first half of the 20th century, seeks to ease the crisis.

In another development, Riyadh on Saturday recalled its ambassador to Berlin in protest at comments by Germany&#39;s Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel which were interpreted as a suggestion that Hariri acted under Saudi orders.

Without mentioning Saudi Arabia directly, Gabriel had said Thursday that he shared concerns about the threat of instability and bloodshed in Lebanon and warned against &quot;adventurism&quot;.

&quot;Lebanon has earned the right to decide on its fate by itself and not become a pinball of Syria or Saudi Arabia or other national interests,&quot; he had said earlier in the week.

Germany&#39;s foreign ministry had yet to comment on the row, but in a statement it welcomed Hariri&#39;s &quot;imminent return to Lebanon&quot;.

- &#39;Start of a solution&#39; - 
Ahead of Hariri&#39;s departure, Aoun -- an ally of Hezbollah -- welcomed the trip to Paris, expressing hope that it was the &quot;start of a solution&quot;.

&quot;If Mr. Hariri speaks from France, I would consider that he speaks freely,&quot; Aoun said.

&quot;But his resignation must be presented in Lebanon, and he will have to remain there until the formation of the new government.&quot;&nbsp;

France&#39;s intervention was the latest in a string of European efforts to defuse tensions over Lebanon, where divisions between Hariri&#39;s Sunni bloc and Shiite Hezbollah have long been a focal point in a broader struggle between Riyadh and Tehran.

Hariri -- whose father, ex-prime minister Rafiq Hariri, was killed in a 2005 car bombing blamed on Hezbollah -- took over last year as head of a shaky national unity government which includes the powerful Shiite movement.&nbsp;

Saudi Arabia&#39;s Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir insisted from Madrid that &quot;unless Hezbollah disarms and becomes a political party, Lebanon will be held hostage by Hezbollah and, by extension, Iran&quot;.

Hariri&#39;s resignation comes as the long-standing rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran intensifies and as Riyadh undergoes a major shake-up under the ambitious crown prince. 
&nbsp;

Speaking after talks in Paris on Saturday with French President Emmanuel Macron, who is seeking to broker a way out of the crisis, Saad Hariri said he would 'make known my position' once back in Beirut

Prime Minister Saad Hariri said he will return to Lebanon for Wednesday's Independence Day celebrations and explain his situation, after his shock resignation announcement in Saudi Arabia sparked political turmoil. Speaking after talks in Paris on Saturday with French President Emmanuel Macron, who is seeking to broker a way out of the crisis, Hariri said he would "make known my position" once back in Beirut. "As you know I have resigned, and we will discuss that in Lebanon," he said told reporters, saying he needed to meet with President Michel Aoun before taking further steps. Hariri's announcement follows two weeks of deep uncertainty after his surprise decision to step down on November 4. His failure to return to Lebanon since then sparked rumours that he was being held in Riyadh against his will, which both he and Saudi officials denied. "To say that I am held up in Saudi Arabia and not allowed to leave the country is a lie," he said in a Twitter post just before flying to Paris overnight. Hariri's wife and eldest son Houssam joined him for lunch with Macron at the Elysee Palace, but their two younger children, who live in Saudi Arabia, have remained there "for their school exams", a source close to the premier said. "Hariri does not want to mix his children up in this affair," the source said. His mysterious decision to step down -- which Aoun has refused to accept while Hariri remains abroad -- has raised fears over Lebanon's fragile democracy. Hariri's camp has sought to allay the concerns, with a source saying the premier had a "fruitful and constructive" meeting with the powerful Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman before leaving. Hariri, a dual Saudi citizen who has previously enjoyed Riyadh's backing, resigned saying he feared for his life. He accused Saudi Arabia's arch-rival Iran and its powerful Lebanese ally Hezbollah of destabilising his country. - Battle for influence - Hariri's resignation was widely seen as an escalation of the battle for influence between Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran, which back opposing sides in the conflicts in Syria and Yemen. His attempt to step down also coincides with a purge of more than 200 Saudi princes, ministers and businessmen. Hariri met French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian in Riyadh on Thursday as Paris, which held mandate power over Lebanon for the first half of the 20th century, seeks to ease the crisis. In another development, Riyadh on Saturday recalled its ambassador to Berlin in protest at comments by Germany's Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel which were interpreted as a suggestion that Hariri acted under Saudi orders. Without mentioning Saudi Arabia directly, Gabriel had said Thursday that he shared concerns about the threat of instability and bloodshed in Lebanon and warned against "adventurism". "Lebanon has earned the right to decide on its fate by itself and not become a pinball of Syria or Saudi Arabia or other national interests," he had said earlier in the week. Germany's foreign ministry had yet to comment on the row, but in a statement it welcomed Hariri's "imminent return to Lebanon". - 'Start of a solution' - Ahead of Hariri's departure, Aoun -- an ally of Hezbollah -- welcomed the trip to Paris, expressing hope that it was the "start of a solution". "If Mr. Hariri speaks from France, I would consider that he speaks freely," Aoun said. "But his resignation must be presented in Lebanon, and he will have to remain there until the formation of the new government." France's intervention was the latest in a string of European efforts to defuse tensions over Lebanon, where divisions between Hariri's Sunni bloc and Shiite Hezbollah have long been a focal point in a broader struggle between Riyadh and Tehran. Hariri -- whose father, ex-prime minister Rafiq Hariri, was killed in a 2005 car bombing blamed on Hezbollah -- took over last year as head of a shaky national unity government which includes the powerful Shiite movement. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir insisted from Madrid that "unless Hezbollah disarms and becomes a political party, Lebanon will be held hostage by Hezbollah and, by extension, Iran". Hariri's resignation comes as the long-standing rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran intensifies and as Riyadh undergoes a major shake-up under the ambitious crown prince.

Lebanon PM confirms he will return to Beirut for Independence Day celebrations

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri is free to leave Riyadh &quot;when he pleases,&quot; the Saudi foreign minister said on Thursday, rejecting accusations from Beirut that the kingdom was &quot;detaining&quot; him.

Hariri, who announced his shock resignation from Saudi Arabia on November 4, is living in the kingdom &quot;of his own free will&quot; and free to leave &quot;when he pleases&quot;, Adel al-Jubeir told a press conference in Riyadh.

&quot;These are false allegations. The accusation that Saudi Arabia is detaining a prime minister, and particularly a political figure who is an ally... is untrue,&quot; Jubeir said.

Lebanese President Michel Aoun had accused Saudi Arabia on Wednesday of detaining Hariri after what he said was his failure to return home for 12 days.

But on Thursday, Aoun said the announcement that Hariri would travel to France for talks with President Emmanuel Macron could be &quot;the start of a solution&quot;.

Hariri meets French FM in Riyadh

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri met the French foreign minister in Riyadh on Thursday, the most senior Western official he has met publicly since his shock resignation announcement earlier this month.

The meeting came after Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that Hariri had accepted an invitation to visit France for talks with President Emmanuel Macron.

Asked when his visit would take place, Hariri replied: &quot;I would rather not answer that right now.&quot;&nbsp;

Le Drian&#39;s visit to Saudi Arabia has been dominated by the political crisis in Lebanon sparked by Hariri&#39;s resignation.

'These are false allegations. The accusation that Saudi Arabia is detaining a prime minister, and particularly a political figure who is an ally... is untrue,' Adel-al Jubeir said

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri is free to leave Riyadh "when he pleases," the Saudi foreign minister said on Thursday, rejecting accusations from Beirut that the kingdom was "detaining" him. Hariri, who announced his shock resignation from Saudi Arabia on November 4, is living in the kingdom "of his own free will" and free to leave "when he pleases", Adel al-Jubeir told a press conference in Riyadh. "These are false allegations. The accusation that Saudi Arabia is detaining a prime minister, and particularly a political figure who is an ally... is untrue," Jubeir said. Lebanese President Michel Aoun had accused Saudi Arabia on Wednesday of detaining Hariri after what he said was his failure to return home for 12 days. But on Thursday, Aoun said the announcement that Hariri would travel to France for talks with President Emmanuel Macron could be "the start of a solution". Hariri meets French FM in Riyadh Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri met the French foreign minister in Riyadh on Thursday, the most senior Western official he has met publicly since his shock resignation announcement earlier this month. The meeting came after Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that Hariri had accepted an invitation to visit France for talks with President Emmanuel Macron. Asked when his visit would take place, Hariri replied: "I would rather not answer that right now." Le Drian's visit to Saudi Arabia has been dominated by the political crisis in Lebanon sparked by Hariri's resignation.

Hariri free to leave Riyadh 'when he pleases': Saudi FM

Lebanon leader <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-orders-citizens-to-leave-lebanon-over-hariri-crisis-23858">Saad al-Hariri said on Sunday he would leave Saudi Arabia</a> for Beirut &quot;tonight or tomorrow&quot;&nbsp;as the standoff between the two countries continued on Sunday.

In an interview with a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/former-lebanese-president-salutes-pm-hariris-decision-to-step-down-23519">television station, Hariri, who had resigned as prime minister </a>of Lebanon during a visit in Saudi Arabia, said he would come back if security measures to protect him were not put in place.

&quot;I will go back to Lebanon, I can go back tonight or tomorrow, but if you don&#39;t want me to take security measures to protect myself I will come back. I will come back maybe within two or three days,&quot; Hariri said.

Saad al-Hariri had resigned as prime minister last week with Lebanon declaring that Hariri was being held in the Saudi Kingdom.

Saudi Arabia had vehemently denied Saudi-born Hariri was under house arrest.

Hariri said he had stepped down to down for the sake of the Lebanese national interest, asserting that Lebanon should stick to the policy of &quot;disassociation&quot; from regional conflict.

&quot;If I want to pull back from the resignation, Lebanon&#39;s policy of disassociation from regional conflicts must be respected. Those are things we cannot handle,&quot; Hariri declared.

&quot;There is a regional conflict between Arabic countries, we are too small to intervene in, as well as with Iran. Why do we put ourselves in the middle, we are in the eye of the storm, we have Islamic State militants, we have Nusra, we have al-Qaeda and the Syrian regime. And we want to intervene in other places, why is that?,&quot; he asked.

Last week Saudi Arabia had ordered its citizen to leave Lebanon even as Hezbollah&#39;s parliamentary bloc called on Saudi Arabia to &quot;stop interfering&quot; in Lebanese affairs.

&quot;We need to know that there is 300,000 to 400,000 Lebanese living in the Gulf Area, you have Lebanese living in Europe, and everywhere, what will happen to those if we put ourselves in these regional conflicts?&quot;

The Saudi foreign ministry had said last week Saudis should not travel to Lebanon because of &quot;the situation&quot; in the country, without elaborating.

In an interview with a television station, Hariri said he would come back if security measures to protect him were not put in place.

Lebanon leader Saad al-Hariri said on Sunday he would leave Saudi Arabia for Beirut "tonight or tomorrow" as the standoff between the two countries continued on Sunday. In an interview with a television station, Hariri, who had resigned as prime minister of Lebanon during a visit in Saudi Arabia, said he would come back if security measures to protect him were not put in place. "I will go back to Lebanon, I can go back tonight or tomorrow, but if you don't want me to take security measures to protect myself I will come back. I will come back maybe within two or three days," Hariri said. Saad al-Hariri had resigned as prime minister last week with Lebanon declaring that Hariri was being held in the Saudi Kingdom. Saudi Arabia had vehemently denied Saudi-born Hariri was under house arrest. Hariri said he had stepped down to down for the sake of the Lebanese national interest, asserting that Lebanon should stick to the policy of "disassociation" from regional conflict. "If I want to pull back from the resignation, Lebanon's policy of disassociation from regional conflicts must be respected. Those are things we cannot handle," Hariri declared. "There is a regional conflict between Arabic countries, we are too small to intervene in, as well as with Iran. Why do we put ourselves in the middle, we are in the eye of the storm, we have Islamic State militants, we have Nusra, we have al-Qaeda and the Syrian regime. And we want to intervene in other places, why is that?," he asked. Last week Saudi Arabia had ordered its citizen to leave Lebanon even as Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc called on Saudi Arabia to "stop interfering" in Lebanese affairs. "We need to know that there is 300,000 to 400,000 Lebanese living in the Gulf Area, you have Lebanese living in Europe, and everywhere, what will happen to those if we put ourselves in these regional conflicts?" The Saudi foreign ministry had said last week Saudis should not travel to Lebanon because of "the situation" in the country, without elaborating.

I will go back to Lebanon: Hariri

Lebanon&#39;s president urged Saudi Arabia on Saturday to explain why Saad Hariri had not returned to Beirut since his surprise resignation as prime minister a week ago.

Hariri announced on November 4 in a televised statement from Riyadh that he would be stepping down from the post, sending shock waves through Lebanese politics.&nbsp;

The premier has yet to return to Lebanon and rumours have swirled that he is being held in Saudi Arabia against his will.

President Michel Aoun on Saturday called on the kingdom to &quot;clarify the reasons that have prevented the return of PM Hariri to Lebanon to be among his people and supporters&quot;.

&quot;The obscurity surrounding the condition of PM Saad Hariri since his resignation a week ago means that all positions and actions declared by him or attributed to him do not reflect the truth,&quot; Aoun added.

&quot;They are instead a result of the ambiguous and obscure conditions (under which) PM Hariri is living in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.&quot;

Aoun on Saturday spoke by phone to French President Emmanuel Macron on the &quot;latest developments&quot; around Hariri&#39;s resignation, Lebanon&#39;s presidency said in a statement.&nbsp;

The Lebanese head of state has yet to formally accept Hariri&#39;s resignation and has criticised the circumstances surrounding it as &quot;unacceptable&quot;.

&#39;Detained in Saudi Arabia&#39; 
 
On Saturday evening, Hariri attended a reception ceremony at the Riyadh airport for Saudi King Salman who had flown back to the capital from the holy city of Medina, Hariri&#39;s media office.

The emailed statement said Hariri had earlier met in Riyadh with both the British and Turkish envoys to the kingdom.&nbsp;

In his shock announcement, Hariri accused Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah of taking over his country and destabilising the broader region, saying he feared for his life.

His statement prompted fears that Lebanon -- dominated by rival camps led by Hariri and Hezbollah -- would be caught up in spiralling tensions between Riyadh and Tehran.

Hariri&#39;s week-long absence from Lebanon has sparked rumours that the ex-premier -- who also holds Saudi nationality -- is under de facto house arrest in the kingdom.&nbsp;

&quot;The head of the Lebanese government is detained in Saudi Arabia, he is banned from returning to Lebanon until now,&quot; Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised address Friday.

Members of Hariri&#39;s own Al-Moustaqbal (Future) party said they had no information on his fate.

And Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil announced on Friday that he was launching a &quot;diplomatic campaign to bring back the head of our government of his own free will&quot;.

Even world powers have appealed for calm and freedom of movement for Hariri.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday described Hariri as &quot;a strong partner&quot; and warned against &quot;any party, within or outside Lebanon, using Lebanon as a venue for proxy conflicts or in any manner contributing to instability in that country&quot;.

On Friday, a spokesman for France&#39;s foreign ministry said: &quot;We wish Mr Saad Hariri to have all his freedom of movement and to be fully able to play the essential role that is his in Lebanon.&quot;&nbsp;

Lebanon's president urged Saudi Arabia on Saturday to explain why Saad Hariri had not returned to Beirut since his surprise resignation as prime minister a week ago

Lebanon's president urged Saudi Arabia on Saturday to explain why Saad Hariri had not returned to Beirut since his surprise resignation as prime minister a week ago. Hariri announced on November 4 in a televised statement from Riyadh that he would be stepping down from the post, sending shock waves through Lebanese politics. The premier has yet to return to Lebanon and rumours have swirled that he is being held in Saudi Arabia against his will. President Michel Aoun on Saturday called on the kingdom to "clarify the reasons that have prevented the return of PM Hariri to Lebanon to be among his people and supporters". "The obscurity surrounding the condition of PM Saad Hariri since his resignation a week ago means that all positions and actions declared by him or attributed to him do not reflect the truth," Aoun added. "They are instead a result of the ambiguous and obscure conditions (under which) PM Hariri is living in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia." Aoun on Saturday spoke by phone to French President Emmanuel Macron on the "latest developments" around Hariri's resignation, Lebanon's presidency said in a statement. The Lebanese head of state has yet to formally accept Hariri's resignation and has criticised the circumstances surrounding it as "unacceptable". 'Detained in Saudi Arabia' On Saturday evening, Hariri attended a reception ceremony at the Riyadh airport for Saudi King Salman who had flown back to the capital from the holy city of Medina, Hariri's media office. The emailed statement said Hariri had earlier met in Riyadh with both the British and Turkish envoys to the kingdom. In his shock announcement, Hariri accused Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah of taking over his country and destabilising the broader region, saying he feared for his life. His statement prompted fears that Lebanon -- dominated by rival camps led by Hariri and Hezbollah -- would be caught up in spiralling tensions between Riyadh and Tehran. Hariri's week-long absence from Lebanon has sparked rumours that the ex-premier -- who also holds Saudi nationality -- is under de facto house arrest in the kingdom. "The head of the Lebanese government is detained in Saudi Arabia, he is banned from returning to Lebanon until now," Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised address Friday. Members of Hariri's own Al-Moustaqbal (Future) party said they had no information on his fate. And Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil announced on Friday that he was launching a "diplomatic campaign to bring back the head of our government of his own free will". Even world powers have appealed for calm and freedom of movement for Hariri. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday described Hariri as "a strong partner" and warned against "any party, within or outside Lebanon, using Lebanon as a venue for proxy conflicts or in any manner contributing to instability in that country". On Friday, a spokesman for France's foreign ministry said: "We wish Mr Saad Hariri to have all his freedom of movement and to be fully able to play the essential role that is his in Lebanon."

Lebanon asks Saudi Arabia for explanation on PM's absence

From the moment Saad al-Hariri&#39;s plane touched down in Saudi Arabia on Friday November 3, he was in for a surprise.

There was no line-up of Saudi princes or ministry officials, as would typically greet a prime minister on an official visit to King Salman, senior sources close to Hariri and top Lebanese political and security officials said. His phone was confiscated, and the next day he was <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/lebanon-pm-resigns-says-fears-for-his-life-23514">forced to resign</a> as prime minister in a statement broadcast by a Saudi-owned TV channel.

The move thrust Lebanon back to the forefront of a struggle that is reshaping the Middle East, between the conservative Sunni monarchy of Saudi Arabia and Shi&#39;ite revolutionary Iran.

Their rivalry has fuelled conflicts in Iraq, Syria and Yemen, where they back opposing sides, and now risks destabilising Lebanon, where Saudi has long tried to weaken the Iran-backed <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/lebanons-hezbollah-accuses-saudi-of-detaining-hariri-23953">Hezbollah group</a>, Lebanon&#39;s main political power and part of the ruling coalition.

Sources close to Hariri say Saudi Arabia has concluded that the prime minister - a long-time Saudi ally and son of late prime minister Rafik al-Hariri, who was assassinated in 2005 - had to go because he was unwilling to confront Hezbollah.

Multiple Lebanese sources say Riyadh hopes to replace Saad Hariri with his older brother Bahaa as Lebanon&#39;s top Sunni politician. Bahaa is believed to be in Saudi Arabia and members of the Hariri family have been asked to travel there to pledge allegiance to him, but have refused, the sources say.

&quot;When Hariri&#39;s plane landed in Riyadh, he got the message immediately that something was wrong,&quot; a Hariri source told Reuters. &quot;There was no one was waiting for him.&quot;

Saudi Arabia has dismissed suggestions it forced Hariri to resign and says he is a free man. Saudi officials could not immediately be reached for comment on the circumstances of his arrival, whether his phone had been taken, or whether the Kingdom was planning to replace him with his brother.

Hariri has given no public remarks since he resigned and no indication of when he might return to Lebanon.

&quot;NO RESPECT&quot;

Hariri was summoned to the Kingdom to meet Saudi King Salman in a phone call on Thursday night, November 2.

Before departing, he told his officials they would resume their discussions on Monday. He told his media team he would see them at the weekend in the Red Sea resort of Sharm&nbsp;al-Sheikh, where he was due to meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi&nbsp;on the sidelines of the World Youth Forum.

Hariri went to his Riyadh home. His family made their fortune in Saudi Arabia and have long had properties there. The source close to Hariri said the Lebanese leader received a call from a Saudi protocol official on Saturday morning, who asked him to attend a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

He waited for about four hours before being presented with his resignation&nbsp;speech to read on television, the source said.

&quot;From the moment he arrived they (Saudis) showed no respect for the man,&quot; another senior Lebanese political source said.

Hariri frequently visits Saudi Arabia. On a trip a few days earlier, Prince Mohammed bin Salman had arranged for him to see senior intelligence officials and Gulf Affairs Minister Thamer al-Sabhan, the Saudi point man on Lebanon.

Hariri came back from that trip to Beirut &quot;pleased and relaxed&quot;, sources in his entourage said. He posted a selfie with Sabhan, both of them smiling. He told aides he had heard &quot;encouraging statements&quot; from the crown prince, including a promise to revive a Saudi aid package for the Lebanese army.

The Hariri sources say Hariri believed he had convinced Saudi officials of the need to maintain an entente with Hezbollah for the sake of Lebanon&#39;s stability.

Hezbollah has a heavily armed fighting force, in addition to seats in parliament and government. Saudi-backed efforts to weaken the group in Lebanon a decade ago led to Sunni-Shi&#39;ite clashes and a Hezbollah takeover of Beirut.&nbsp;

&quot;What happened&nbsp;in those&nbsp;meetings, I believe,&nbsp;is that (Hariri) revealed his position on how to deal with Hezbollah in Lebanon: that confrontation would destabilize the country. I think they didn&#39;t like what they heard,&quot; said one of the sources, who was briefed on the meetings.

The source said Hariri told Sabhan not to &quot;hold us responsible for something that is beyond my control or that of Lebanon.&quot; But Hariri underestimated the Saudi position on Hezbollah, the source said.

&quot;For the Saudis it is an existential battle. It&#39;s black and white. We in Lebanon are used to grey,&quot; the source said.

Sabhan could not immediately be reached for comment.

RESIGNATION

Hariri&rsquo;s resignation speech shocked his team.

Lebanese President Michel Aoun, a Hezbollah ally, told ambassadors to Lebanon that Saudi Arabia had kidnapped Hariri, a senior Lebanese official said. On Friday, France said it wanted Hariri to have &quot;all his freedom of movement&quot;.

In his speech, Hariri said he feared assassination and accused Iran and Hezbollah of sowing strife in the region. He said the Arab world would &quot;cut off the hands that wickedly extend to it,&quot; language which one source close to him said was not typical of the Lebanese leader.

Hariri&#39;s resignation came as more than 200 people, including 11 Saudi princes, current and former ministers and tycoons, were arrested in an anti-corruption purge in Saudi Arabia.

Initially there was speculation Hariri was a target of that campaign because of his family&#39;s business interests. But sources close to the Lebanese leader said his forced resignation was motivated by Saudi efforts to counter Iran.

Hariri was taken to meet the Saudi king after his resignation. Footage was aired on Saudi TV. He was then flown to Abu Dhabi to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, the Saudi crown prince&#39;s main regional ally. He returned to Riyadh and has since received Western ambassadors.

Sources close to Hariri said the Saudis, while keeping Hariri under house arrest, were trying to orchestrate a change of leadership in Hariri&#39;s Future Movement by installing his elder brother Bahaa, who was overlooked for the top job when their father was killed. The two have been at odds for years.

In a statement, the Future Movement said it stood fully behind Hariri as its leader. Hariri aide and Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk dismissed the idea Bahaa was being positioned to replace his brother:

&quot;We are not herds of sheep or a plot of land whose ownership can be moved from one person to another. In Lebanon things happen though elections not pledges of allegiances.&quot;

Family members, aides and politicians who have contacted&nbsp;Hariri in Riyadh say he is apprehensive and reluctant to say anything beyond &quot;I am fine&quot;. Asked if he is coming&nbsp;back, they say his normal answer is: &quot;Inshallah&quot; (God willing).

From the moment Saad al-Hariri's plane touched down in Saudi Arabia on Friday November 3, he was in for a surprise.

From the moment Saad al-Hariri's plane touched down in Saudi Arabia on Friday November 3, he was in for a surprise. There was no line-up of Saudi princes or ministry officials, as would typically greet a prime minister on an official visit to King Salman, senior sources close to Hariri and top Lebanese political and security officials said. His phone was confiscated, and the next day he was forced to resign as prime minister in a statement broadcast by a Saudi-owned TV channel. The move thrust Lebanon back to the forefront of a struggle that is reshaping the Middle East, between the conservative Sunni monarchy of Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite revolutionary Iran. Their rivalry has fuelled conflicts in Iraq, Syria and Yemen, where they back opposing sides, and now risks destabilising Lebanon, where Saudi has long tried to weaken the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, Lebanon's main political power and part of the ruling coalition. Sources close to Hariri say Saudi Arabia has concluded that the prime minister - a long-time Saudi ally and son of late prime minister Rafik al-Hariri, who was assassinated in 2005 - had to go because he was unwilling to confront Hezbollah. Multiple Lebanese sources say Riyadh hopes to replace Saad Hariri with his older brother Bahaa as Lebanon's top Sunni politician. Bahaa is believed to be in Saudi Arabia and members of the Hariri family have been asked to travel there to pledge allegiance to him, but have refused, the sources say. "When Hariri's plane landed in Riyadh, he got the message immediately that something was wrong," a Hariri source told Reuters. "There was no one was waiting for him." Saudi Arabia has dismissed suggestions it forced Hariri to resign and says he is a free man. Saudi officials could not immediately be reached for comment on the circumstances of his arrival, whether his phone had been taken, or whether the Kingdom was planning to replace him with his brother. Hariri has given no public remarks since he resigned and no indication of when he might return to Lebanon. "NO RESPECT" Hariri was summoned to the Kingdom to meet Saudi King Salman in a phone call on Thursday night, November 2. Before departing, he told his officials they would resume their discussions on Monday. He told his media team he would see them at the weekend in the Red Sea resort of Sharm al-Sheikh, where he was due to meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on the sidelines of the World Youth Forum. Hariri went to his Riyadh home. His family made their fortune in Saudi Arabia and have long had properties there. The source close to Hariri said the Lebanese leader received a call from a Saudi protocol official on Saturday morning, who asked him to attend a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He waited for about four hours before being presented with his resignation speech to read on television, the source said. "From the moment he arrived they (Saudis) showed no respect for the man," another senior Lebanese political source said. Hariri frequently visits Saudi Arabia. On a trip a few days earlier, Prince Mohammed bin Salman had arranged for him to see senior intelligence officials and Gulf Affairs Minister Thamer al-Sabhan, the Saudi point man on Lebanon. Hariri came back from that trip to Beirut "pleased and relaxed", sources in his entourage said. He posted a selfie with Sabhan, both of them smiling. He told aides he had heard "encouraging statements" from the crown prince, including a promise to revive a Saudi aid package for the Lebanese army. The Hariri sources say Hariri believed he had convinced Saudi officials of the need to maintain an entente with Hezbollah for the sake of Lebanon's stability. Hezbollah has a heavily armed fighting force, in addition to seats in parliament and government. Saudi-backed efforts to weaken the group in Lebanon a decade ago led to Sunni-Shi'ite clashes and a Hezbollah takeover of Beirut. "What happened in those meetings, I believe, is that (Hariri) revealed his position on how to deal with Hezbollah in Lebanon: that confrontation would destabilize the country. I think they didn't like what they heard," said one of the sources, who was briefed on the meetings. The source said Hariri told Sabhan not to "hold us responsible for something that is beyond my control or that of Lebanon." But Hariri underestimated the Saudi position on Hezbollah, the source said. "For the Saudis it is an existential battle. It's black and white. We in Lebanon are used to grey," the source said. Sabhan could not immediately be reached for comment. RESIGNATION Hariri’s resignation speech shocked his team. Lebanese President Michel Aoun, a Hezbollah ally, told ambassadors to Lebanon that Saudi Arabia had kidnapped Hariri, a senior Lebanese official said. On Friday, France said it wanted Hariri to have "all his freedom of movement". In his speech, Hariri said he feared assassination and accused Iran and Hezbollah of sowing strife in the region. He said the Arab world would "cut off the hands that wickedly extend to it," language which one source close to him said was not typical of the Lebanese leader. Hariri's resignation came as more than 200 people, including 11 Saudi princes, current and former ministers and tycoons, were arrested in an anti-corruption purge in Saudi Arabia. Initially there was speculation Hariri was a target of that campaign because of his family's business interests. But sources close to the Lebanese leader said his forced resignation was motivated by Saudi efforts to counter Iran. Hariri was taken to meet the Saudi king after his resignation. Footage was aired on Saudi TV. He was then flown to Abu Dhabi to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, the Saudi crown prince's main regional ally. He returned to Riyadh and has since received Western ambassadors. Sources close to Hariri said the Saudis, while keeping Hariri under house arrest, were trying to orchestrate a change of leadership in Hariri's Future Movement by installing his elder brother Bahaa, who was overlooked for the top job when their father was killed. The two have been at odds for years. In a statement, the Future Movement said it stood fully behind Hariri as its leader. Hariri aide and Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk dismissed the idea Bahaa was being positioned to replace his brother: "We are not herds of sheep or a plot of land whose ownership can be moved from one person to another. In Lebanon things happen though elections not pledges of allegiances." Family members, aides and politicians who have contacted Hariri in Riyadh say he is apprehensive and reluctant to say anything beyond "I am fine". Asked if he is coming back, they say his normal answer is: "Inshallah" (God willing).

How Saudi Arabia turned on Lebanon's Hariri

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Saudi Arabia holding Lebanon PM, inciting Israel to strike country: Hezbollah Lebanon`s powerful Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Friday accused Saudi Arabia of detaining prime minister Saad Hariri and of asking the Shiite movement`s arch-foe Israel to launch strikes. Hariri`s sudden resignation on November 4 in a statement made from Riyadh took the Lebanese political class by surprise and has sparked international concern. He grabbed my ass: US goalkeeper accuses Sepp Blatter of sexual assault Hope Solo, the 36-year-old US goalkeeper has accused former FIFA president Sepp Blatter of sexual harassment. In an interview with Portugal newspaper Expresso, Solo said that Sepp had grabbed her ass. Football World Cup play-offs: Sweden beat lacklustre Italy A second-half goal by Sweden substitute Jakob Johansson was enough to beat Italy 1-0 and put his side in the driving seat after their World Cup playoff first leg on a chilly night. 'These stories are true,' says comedian Louis CK US comedian Louis C.K. on Friday admitted to sexual misconduct allegations made against him by several women, and television and film companies moved quickly to sever ties. "These stories are true," C.K. said in a statement. Revised GST rates: Complete list In the biggest GST rearrangement till date, tax rates on over 200 items were cut down to provide relief to consumers and businesses on Friday. Giving a major reprieve to the common man, the GST Council came up with a number of new measures. Maximum pruning was done in the 28% slab which will now be applied to only 50 items from 228 earlier. Many of the items and services which were previously under the 28% bracket will now attract a tax of 18% only.

WION Morning news brief, November 11, 2017: 5 stories

Lebanon`s powerful Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Friday accused Saudi Arabia of detaining prime minister Saad Hariri and of asking the Shiite movement`s arch-foe Israel to launch strikes.

Hariri`s sudden resignation on November 4 in a statement made from Riyadh took the Lebanese political class by surprise and has sparked international concern.

The United States warned against using the tiny country as a &quot;venue for proxy conflicts&quot; and the United Nations said it was &quot;essential no new conflict erupt in the region&quot;.

France called for Hariri to have &quot;all his freedom of movement&quot; amid rumours he was being held against his will.

&quot;The head of the Lebanese government is detained in Saudi Arabia, he is banned from returning to Lebanon until now,&quot; Nasrallah said in a televised address.

Hariri`s situation was not completely clear but calls, including from his Lebanese political rivals, mounted for Saudi Arabia to guarantee the premier`s freedom of movement.

The 47-year-old announced his resignation on November 4 in a surprise move that coincided with a sweeping purge of the Saudi kingdom`s elite, ostensibly over embezzlement accusations.

Hariri, who also holds Saudi nationality, did not say when he would return to Lebanon, where President Michel Aoun has yet to formally accept his resignation.

In a statement issued on Friday after a meeting with a senior Saudi diplomat, Aoun insisted Hariri should return to Lebanon.&quot;President Aoun met Saudi charge d`affaires Walid Bukhari and informed him that the circumstances in which Mr. Hariri`s resignation took place were unacceptable,&quot; the statement said.

The president &quot;called for the return to Lebanon of the head of the government&quot;.

Aoun, whose political ally Hezbollah is a fierce critic of Riyadh, &quot;voiced his concern over what is being said&quot; about Hariri`s current status in Saudi Arabia and demanded a &quot;clarification&quot;.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday described Hariri as &quot;a strong partner&quot; and warned against &quot;any party, within or outside Lebanon, using Lebanon as a venue for proxy conflicts or in any manner contributing to instability in that country&quot;.

&quot;The United States strongly supports the sovereignty and independence of the Republic of Lebanon and of its political institutions&quot; and opposes &quot;any actions that could threaten that stability,&quot; he said.

French President Emmanuel Macron, whose country has close ties with both Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, made a surprise visit to Riyadh late Thursday after a trip to the United Arab Emirates.

On Friday, a spokesman for France`s foreign ministry said: &quot;We wish Mr. Saad Hariri to have all his freedom of movement and to be fully able to play the essential role that is his in Lebanon.&quot;&nbsp;

Earlier French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on French radio he thought Hariri was &quot;free to move around&quot;, despite most of the Lebanese political class implying he was de facto under house arrest.

&quot;He went to Abu Dhabi the day before President Macron`s visit (on Wednesday) so we think he`s free to move around,&quot; Le Drian said.

Nasrallah, whose party is the only organisation that did not disarm after the 1975-1990 civil war and now has an arsenal that outstrips Lebanon`s own armed forces, accused Saudi Arabia of seeking to incite conflict.

&quot;The most dangerous thing is inciting Israel to strike Lebanon,&quot; he said. &quot;I`m talking about information that Saudi Arabia has asked Israel to strike Lebanon.&quot;

Nasrallah, whose movement Hariri has repeatedly said should lay down its arms, also warned that his movement, which fought a devastating war with Israel in 2006, was stronger than ever.

&quot;We are stronger today, we warn them again misguided calculations, against any knee-jerk initiative,&quot; he said, adding however that his party saw any Israeli attack as being unlikely at this stage.

The UN chief, Antonio Guterres, also said: &quot;It is essential that no new conflict erupts in the region.&quot;

&quot;We are indeed very worried and we hope that we won`t see an escalation in the region that would have tragic consequences,&quot; he said.

Lebanon`s interior ministry said in a statement Friday that a Saudi national had been kidnapped in Lebanon in circumstances that remained unclear.&nbsp;

Saudi Arabia had urged all its citizens in Lebanon this week to leave the country but Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk told AFP that the kidnapping was &quot;in no way related&quot; to the Hariri crisis or politics.

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri had announced his resignation on November 4 from Riyadh

Lebanon`s powerful Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Friday accused Saudi Arabia of detaining prime minister Saad Hariri and of asking the Shiite movement`s arch-foe Israel to launch strikes. Hariri`s sudden resignation on November 4 in a statement made from Riyadh took the Lebanese political class by surprise and has sparked international concern. The United States warned against using the tiny country as a "venue for proxy conflicts" and the United Nations said it was "essential no new conflict erupt in the region". France called for Hariri to have "all his freedom of movement" amid rumours he was being held against his will. "The head of the Lebanese government is detained in Saudi Arabia, he is banned from returning to Lebanon until now," Nasrallah said in a televised address. Hariri`s situation was not completely clear but calls, including from his Lebanese political rivals, mounted for Saudi Arabia to guarantee the premier`s freedom of movement. The 47-year-old announced his resignation on November 4 in a surprise move that coincided with a sweeping purge of the Saudi kingdom`s elite, ostensibly over embezzlement accusations. Hariri, who also holds Saudi nationality, did not say when he would return to Lebanon, where President Michel Aoun has yet to formally accept his resignation. In a statement issued on Friday after a meeting with a senior Saudi diplomat, Aoun insisted Hariri should return to Lebanon."President Aoun met Saudi charge d`affaires Walid Bukhari and informed him that the circumstances in which Mr. Hariri`s resignation took place were unacceptable," the statement said. The president "called for the return to Lebanon of the head of the government". Aoun, whose political ally Hezbollah is a fierce critic of Riyadh, "voiced his concern over what is being said" about Hariri`s current status in Saudi Arabia and demanded a "clarification". US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday described Hariri as "a strong partner" and warned against "any party, within or outside Lebanon, using Lebanon as a venue for proxy conflicts or in any manner contributing to instability in that country". "The United States strongly supports the sovereignty and independence of the Republic of Lebanon and of its political institutions" and opposes "any actions that could threaten that stability," he said. French President Emmanuel Macron, whose country has close ties with both Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, made a surprise visit to Riyadh late Thursday after a trip to the United Arab Emirates. On Friday, a spokesman for France`s foreign ministry said: "We wish Mr. Saad Hariri to have all his freedom of movement and to be fully able to play the essential role that is his in Lebanon." Earlier French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on French radio he thought Hariri was "free to move around", despite most of the Lebanese political class implying he was de facto under house arrest. "He went to Abu Dhabi the day before President Macron`s visit (on Wednesday) so we think he`s free to move around," Le Drian said. Nasrallah, whose party is the only organisation that did not disarm after the 1975-1990 civil war and now has an arsenal that outstrips Lebanon`s own armed forces, accused Saudi Arabia of seeking to incite conflict. "The most dangerous thing is inciting Israel to strike Lebanon," he said. "I`m talking about information that Saudi Arabia has asked Israel to strike Lebanon." Nasrallah, whose movement Hariri has repeatedly said should lay down its arms, also warned that his movement, which fought a devastating war with Israel in 2006, was stronger than ever. "We are stronger today, we warn them again misguided calculations, against any knee-jerk initiative," he said, adding however that his party saw any Israeli attack as being unlikely at this stage. The UN chief, Antonio Guterres, also said: "It is essential that no new conflict erupts in the region." "We are indeed very worried and we hope that we won`t see an escalation in the region that would have tragic consequences," he said. Lebanon`s interior ministry said in a statement Friday that a Saudi national had been kidnapped in Lebanon in circumstances that remained unclear. Saudi Arabia had urged all its citizens in Lebanon this week to leave the country but Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk told AFP that the kidnapping was "in no way related" to the Hariri crisis or politics.

Saudi Arabia holding Lebanon PM, inciting Israel to strike country: Hezbollah

Former Lebanese President Michel Suleiman has said that he &quot;salutes&quot; Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri for his decision to step down.

On Saturday, Hariri resigned during a trip to Saudi Arabia fearing for his life.

In a televised address from Riyadh, Hariri said that the atmosphere in the country was similar to the one that existed before his father, former prime minister Rafik Hariri, was assassinated in 2005.

Suleiman said, &quot;The repercussions of Hariri&#39;s resignation will be positive,&quot; reported the Saudi-owned pan-Arab television channel al-Arabiya al-Hadath.

Referring to Hezbollah&#39;s role in Lebanon, he stressed that &quot;no state can build another state inside Lebanon&quot; and &quot;there cannot be two armies.&quot;

Lebanon is sharply divided along a camp loyal to Saudi Arabia, headed by the Sunni Muslim Hariri, and a camp loyal to Iran represented by Hezbollah.

The former president urged the need &quot;to withdraw Hezbollah from Syria, and to develop a defensive strategy.&quot;

He stressed that &quot;the settlements must not come at the expense of the sovereignty of Lebanon.&quot;

Former Lebanese President Michel Suleiman has said that he "salutes" Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri for his decision to step down.

Former Lebanese President Michel Suleiman has said that he "salutes" Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri for his decision to step down. On Saturday, Hariri resigned during a trip to Saudi Arabia fearing for his life. In a televised address from Riyadh, Hariri said that the atmosphere in the country was similar to the one that existed before his father, former prime minister Rafik Hariri, was assassinated in 2005. Suleiman said, "The repercussions of Hariri's resignation will be positive," reported the Saudi-owned pan-Arab television channel al-Arabiya al-Hadath. Referring to Hezbollah's role in Lebanon, he stressed that "no state can build another state inside Lebanon" and "there cannot be two armies." Lebanon is sharply divided along a camp loyal to Saudi Arabia, headed by the Sunni Muslim Hariri, and a camp loyal to Iran represented by Hezbollah. The former president urged the need "to withdraw Hezbollah from Syria, and to develop a defensive strategy." He stressed that "the settlements must not come at the expense of the sovereignty of Lebanon."

Former Lebanese President 'salutes' PM Hariri's decision to step down

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced his resignation Saturday, citing Iran&#39;s &quot;grip&quot; on the country and threats to his life.

&quot;I announce my resignation from the post of prime minister,&quot; he said in a speech broadcast from Saudi Arabia by the Al-Arabiya news network.

&quot;I felt what was being covertly plotted to target my life,&quot; Hariri said.

The two-time prime minister, whose father Rafik was assassinated when he held the same position in 2005, accused Iran and its powerful Lebanese Shiite ally Hezbollah of seeking hegemony in the region.

The 47-year-old Sunni politician&#39;s resignation comes less than a year after his government, to which Hezbollah&#39;s political wing belongs, was formed.

&quot;Iran has a grip on the fate of the region&#39;s countries...Hezbollah is Iran&#39;s arm not just in Lebanon but in other Arab countries too,&quot; he said.

&quot;In recent years, Hezbollah has used the power of its weapons to impose a fait accompli,&quot; he said, reading a speech from behind a desk.

Hezbollah is a vital ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the war the Syrian regime is waging against the Islamic State group and armed opposition movements.

It enjoys broad support from Iran and is the only Lebanese party to have kept its weapons after the 1975-1990 civil war.&nbsp;

Its arsenal has since grown exponentially and now outstrips that of the nation&#39;s own armed forces.&nbsp;

It claims it is the only credible rampart against neighbouring Israel and its refusal to disarm is the main political crux in Lebanon.

Hezbollah members have been accused over the 2005 assassination in a massive car bomb blast of Rafik Hariri, the dominant figure of Lebanon&#39;s post-war political landscape.

He made his fortune in Saudi Arabia, where his son Saad was born. Riyadh is Iran&#39;s main regional rival and the two powers&#39; tussle for influence has played out in ongoing conflicts in Iraq, Syria and Yemen.

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri cited Iran's 'grip' on the country and threats to his life

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced his resignation Saturday, citing Iran's "grip" on the country and threats to his life. "I announce my resignation from the post of prime minister," he said in a speech broadcast from Saudi Arabia by the Al-Arabiya news network. "I felt what was being covertly plotted to target my life," Hariri said. The two-time prime minister, whose father Rafik was assassinated when he held the same position in 2005, accused Iran and its powerful Lebanese Shiite ally Hezbollah of seeking hegemony in the region. The 47-year-old Sunni politician's resignation comes less than a year after his government, to which Hezbollah's political wing belongs, was formed. "Iran has a grip on the fate of the region's countries...Hezbollah is Iran's arm not just in Lebanon but in other Arab countries too," he said. "In recent years, Hezbollah has used the power of its weapons to impose a fait accompli," he said, reading a speech from behind a desk. Hezbollah is a vital ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the war the Syrian regime is waging against the Islamic State group and armed opposition movements. It enjoys broad support from Iran and is the only Lebanese party to have kept its weapons after the 1975-1990 civil war. Its arsenal has since grown exponentially and now outstrips that of the nation's own armed forces. It claims it is the only credible rampart against neighbouring Israel and its refusal to disarm is the main political crux in Lebanon. Hezbollah members have been accused over the 2005 assassination in a massive car bomb blast of Rafik Hariri, the dominant figure of Lebanon's post-war political landscape. He made his fortune in Saudi Arabia, where his son Saad was born. Riyadh is Iran's main regional rival and the two powers' tussle for influence has played out in ongoing conflicts in Iraq, Syria and Yemen.

Lebanon PM resigns, says fears for his life

The Syrian Army said Thursday that Israeli warplanes had hit a military site in Hama province in the country&#39;s west.&nbsp;

The Syrian Army said two soldiers had died in the attack and that the strike had done damage near the town of Masyaf.&nbsp;

&quot;Israeli warplanes at 2:42am today fired a number of missiles from Lebanese air space, targeting one of our military positions near Masyaf, which led to material damage and the deaths of two members of the site,&quot; AFP reported the Syrian Army as saying in a statement.&nbsp;

Reuters reported the war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights as saying the strike hit a Scientific Studies and Research Centre facility, an agency which the United States describes as Syria&#39;s chemical weapons manufacturer.

Reuters added that the strike took place the morning after UN investigators said the Syrian government was responsible for a sarin poison gas attack in April.

Reuters said an Israeli army spokeswoman refused to discuss the reported strike.&nbsp;

But that Israeli officials have in the past admitted to Israel hitting weapons shipments believed to be bound for Hezbollah, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Reuters added that in an interview to Haaretz last month, former Israeli air force chief Amir Eshel said Israel had struck Syrian and Hezbollah arms convoys nearly 100 times in the past five years.

It added that Israel sees a red line in the shipment to Hezbollah of anti-aircraft missiles, precision ground-ground missiles and non-conventional (chemical) weapons.

The Syrian Army said Thursday that Israeli warplanes had hit a military site in Hama province in the country's west. The Syrian Army said two soldiers had died in the attack and that the strike had done damage near the town of Masyaf. "Israeli warplanes at 2:42am today fired a number of missiles from Lebanese air space, targeting one of our military positions near Masyaf, which led to material damage and the deaths of two members of the site," AFP reported the Syrian Army as saying in a statement. Reuters reported the war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights as saying the strike hit a Scientific Studies and Research Centre facility, an agency which the United States describes as Syria's chemical weapons manufacturer. Reuters added that the strike took place the morning after UN investigators said the Syrian government was responsible for a sarin poison gas attack in April. Reuters said an Israeli army spokeswoman refused to discuss the reported strike. But that Israeli officials have in the past admitted to Israel hitting weapons shipments believed to be bound for Hezbollah, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Reuters added that in an interview to Haaretz last month, former Israeli air force chief Amir Eshel said Israel had struck Syrian and Hezbollah arms convoys nearly 100 times in the past five years. It added that Israel sees a red line in the shipment to Hezbollah of anti-aircraft missiles, precision ground-ground missiles and non-conventional (chemical) weapons.

Israeli warplanes hit military facility, says Syrian Army

The United States-led coalition carried out an air-strikes on Wednesday to block Islamic State group fighters evacuated from&nbsp;Lebanon&nbsp;from reaching eastern Syria, its spokesman told AFP.

Hundreds of IS fighters and civilians were evacuated on Monday from the border region between&nbsp;Lebanon&nbsp;and Syria under a ceasefire deal and were headed to an IS-held town near Syria&#39;s eastern frontier with Iraq.&nbsp;

&quot;To prevent the convoy from moving further east, we cratered the road and destroyed a small bridge,&quot; said coalition spokesman Colonel Ryan Dillon, without providing further details on the exact location.

&quot;IS is a global threat; relocating terrorists from one place to another for someone else to deal with is not a lasting solution,&quot; he added.

The evacuation deal was negotiated between IS and powerful Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah, which has intervened in the war in neighbouring Syria to prop up the Damascus government.

Hezbollah had fought a week-long offensive against IS on the Syrian side of the border with&nbsp;Lebanon, coinciding with a simultaneous assault by Lebanese troops on their side of the frontier.&nbsp;

The battles ended Sunday with the announcement of a deal that would see IS forces bussed hundreds of kilometres (miles) from Syria&#39;s western border with&nbsp;Lebanon&nbsp;to its eastern frontier with Iraq.

Jihadists and civilians, including children, left the border region two days ago, but on Wednesday their buses were still held up at the entrance to Deir Ezzor province.&nbsp;

&quot;We know and understand that there are civilians&quot; aboard the buses, Dillon said.

&quot;If we are able to strike them without harming civilians, then we will do so,&quot; he said, adding that the coalition was monitoring the convoy&#39;s movement in real time.

Asked whether the presence of civilians had prompted the coalition to bomb the road instead of the convoy itself, Dillon said that would be &#39;consistent&#39; with the protocol.

&#39;Killed on the battlefield&#39;

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed that there was a delay in the buses reaching Deir Ezzor province but did not specify why.&nbsp;

Syrian military sources reached by AFP declined to comment.

The evacuation agreement had sparked a furious reaction from the United States, which considers Hezbollah to be a &quot;terrorist&quot; organisation.&nbsp;

&quot;Irreconcilable ISIS terrorists should be killed on the battlefield, not bused across Syria to the Iraqi border without Iraq&#39;s consent,&quot; US presidential envoy to the anti-IS coalition Brett McGurk said Wednesday.&nbsp;

&quot;Our coalition will help ensure that these terrorists can never enter Iraq or escape from what remains of their dwindling &#39;caliphate&#39;,&quot; he wrote on Twitter.

It was also met with outrage in Iraq, with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi describing it as &quot;unacceptable&quot; and an &quot;insult to the Iraqi people&quot;.&nbsp;

Iraqi forces, who reseized the second city Mosul from IS in July after a nine-month battle, are fighting the last pocket of jihadists in the northern province of Nineveh.

The deal was even controversial in&nbsp;Lebanon, where opponents were angry that IS fighters were travelling &quot;on air-conditioned buses&quot; after having been suspected of killing Lebanese troops.

On Wednesday,&nbsp;Lebanon&#39;s president and the chief of the army hailed the &quot;victory&quot; scored against IS in the campaign.

&quot;Today, we are announcing&nbsp;Lebanon&#39;s victory against terrorism. I dedicate this victory to all Lebanese, who can be proud of their army,&quot; President Michel Aoun said at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut.

After Sunday&#39;s deal, IS fighters who had surrendered led Lebanese authorities to human remains believed to belong to Lebanese soldiers kidnapped by IS in 2014.

The Lebanese army had called the fate of the soldiers a &quot;top concern&quot; in its weeklong offensive against IS.

IS fighters and civilians evacuated on Monday from the border region between?Lebanon?and Syria

The United States-led coalition carried out an air-strikes on Wednesday to block Islamic State group fighters evacuated from Lebanon from reaching eastern Syria, its spokesman told AFP. Hundreds of IS fighters and civilians were evacuated on Monday from the border region between Lebanon and Syria under a ceasefire deal and were headed to an IS-held town near Syria's eastern frontier with Iraq. "To prevent the convoy from moving further east, we cratered the road and destroyed a small bridge," said coalition spokesman Colonel Ryan Dillon, without providing further details on the exact location. "IS is a global threat; relocating terrorists from one place to another for someone else to deal with is not a lasting solution," he added. The evacuation deal was negotiated between IS and powerful Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah, which has intervened in the war in neighbouring Syria to prop up the Damascus government. Hezbollah had fought a week-long offensive against IS on the Syrian side of the border with Lebanon, coinciding with a simultaneous assault by Lebanese troops on their side of the frontier. The battles ended Sunday with the announcement of a deal that would see IS forces bussed hundreds of kilometres (miles) from Syria's western border with Lebanon to its eastern frontier with Iraq. Jihadists and civilians, including children, left the border region two days ago, but on Wednesday their buses were still held up at the entrance to Deir Ezzor province. "We know and understand that there are civilians" aboard the buses, Dillon said. "If we are able to strike them without harming civilians, then we will do so," he said, adding that the coalition was monitoring the convoy's movement in real time. Asked whether the presence of civilians had prompted the coalition to bomb the road instead of the convoy itself, Dillon said that would be 'consistent' with the protocol. 'Killed on the battlefield' The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed that there was a delay in the buses reaching Deir Ezzor province but did not specify why. Syrian military sources reached by AFP declined to comment. The evacuation agreement had sparked a furious reaction from the United States, which considers Hezbollah to be a "terrorist" organisation. "Irreconcilable ISIS terrorists should be killed on the battlefield, not bused across Syria to the Iraqi border without Iraq's consent," US presidential envoy to the anti-IS coalition Brett McGurk said Wednesday. "Our coalition will help ensure that these terrorists can never enter Iraq or escape from what remains of their dwindling 'caliphate'," he wrote on Twitter. It was also met with outrage in Iraq, with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi describing it as "unacceptable" and an "insult to the Iraqi people". Iraqi forces, who reseized the second city Mosul from IS in July after a nine-month battle, are fighting the last pocket of jihadists in the northern province of Nineveh. The deal was even controversial in Lebanon, where opponents were angry that IS fighters were travelling "on air-conditioned buses" after having been suspected of killing Lebanese troops. On Wednesday, Lebanon's president and the chief of the army hailed the "victory" scored against IS in the campaign. "Today, we are announcing Lebanon's victory against terrorism. I dedicate this victory to all Lebanese, who can be proud of their army," President Michel Aoun said at the presidential palace in Baabda, east of Beirut. After Sunday's deal, IS fighters who had surrendered led Lebanese authorities to human remains believed to belong to Lebanese soldiers kidnapped by IS in 2014. The Lebanese army had called the fate of the soldiers a "top concern" in its weeklong offensive against IS.

Lebanon: US-led coalition carry out air-strikes to block Islamic State fighters

In a first for Lebanon, the country&#39;s lively capital city of Beirut is hosting its first ever gay pride event. According to the organisers, this is also the first event of its kind in the &#39;Arab world.&#39;&nbsp;

The week-long event is set to host&nbsp;fashion shows, storytelling and an ending party in one of the city&#39;s nightclubs.&nbsp;

Even as the #BeirutPride is taking place in perhaps one of West Asia&#39;s most liberal cities, the organisers are still uneasy. The first event, which was to be held on May 14th, had to be cancelled after&nbsp;threats from conservative religious groups. &nbsp;

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Cliffhangers LGBTIQ+ storytelling night, from older &amp; younger generations, was massive. Courage, authenticity &amp; determination.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BeirutPride?src=hash">#BeirutPride</a> <a href="https://t.co/VCW4CF1iw6">pic.twitter.com/VCW4CF1iw6</a>
&mdash; Beirut Pride (@BeirutPride) <a href="https://twitter.com/BeirutPride/status/864766960390766593">May 17, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Beirut might be a lively party-friendly capital, but this does not mean automatically that it is also a gay-friendly city. Article 534 of the Lebanese penal code, &quot;prohibits having sexual relations that are contradicting the laws of nature&quot;, which is punishable by up to a year in prison. &nbsp;

Article 534 does not give any legal ground to act against the normal unfolding of the event, but the fear of possible episodes of violence made the organisers decide to cancel the first venue. The &#39;Gender fluidity fashion exhibition&#39;&nbsp;was scheduled to happen inside a hotel.

Reuters spoke to the organisers who said that the&nbsp;League of Muslim Scholars (Ulemas) in Lebanon threatened them to actively protest against the event.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/BeirutPride">@BeirutPride</a> was lit <a href="https://t.co/HWueYsL4Is">pic.twitter.com/HWueYsL4Is</a>
&mdash; Queen Latiza (@DakdoukMostafa) <a href="https://twitter.com/DakdoukMostafa/status/865158821135691776">May 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The organisers are aware of Lebanon&#39;s conservative soul and it is to break the wall of silence enveloping the Lesbian Gay Transgender Bisexual and QUEERS (LGBTQ) community that they decided to organise the event. &nbsp;

A statement on the event&#39;s <a href="https://www.beirutpride.org" target="_blank">website&nbsp;</a>says it clearly: &quot;Whilst the armed street combats from the Lebanese civil war series might have ended in 1990, the social war, on the other hand, is wreaking havoc, and the speech that calls for hate and for the rejection of the other is still ongoing.&quot; &nbsp;

On LGBTQ&#39;s rights and awareness read here:

<ul>
	<li>
	<h5><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/the-hard-life-of-dhee-bangladeshs-first-lesbian-comic-book-character-93">The hard life of Dhee: Bangladesh&#39;s first lesbian comic book character</a></h5>
	</li>
	<li>
	<h5><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/gay-comic-book-character-chacha-tries-to-break-homosexuality-taboo-in-pakistan-155">Gay comic book character &lsquo;Chacha&rsquo; tries to break homosexuality taboo in Pakistan</a></h5>
	</li>
	<li>
	<h5><a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/transgender-community-in-the-indian-sub-continent-wion-gravitas-2364">Transgender community in the Indian sub-continent (WION Gravitas)</a></h5>
	</li>
</ul>

Despite the problems they had to face, the organisers are convinced that the Lebanese society is ready for the event. In their Q&amp;A section, they make in very clear:&nbsp;The Lebanese society is not on the verge of collapsing, and therefore is ready for everything. Lebanese people, from the city and the mountains, have access to the TV cable and the Internet.

Beirut Pride is a lighthouse in the middle of the night for the LGBTQ communities in West Asia. The real battle for LGBTQ&#39;s rights, which is ultimately a battle for tolerance, has to be fought on daily basis in families, schools and public places.&nbsp;

In large cities, LGBTQ movements are slowly&nbsp;growing and getting its&nbsp;point across, but in many countries, just talking in public about homosexuality is a social stigma.&nbsp;

(WION)&nbsp;

#BeirutPride is a week-long venue meant to break taboos and improve tolerance towards the LGBT community in West Asia

In a first for Lebanon, the country's lively capital city of Beirut is hosting its first ever gay pride event. According to the organisers, this is also the first event of its kind in the 'Arab world.' The week-long event is set to host fashion shows, storytelling and an ending party in one of the city's nightclubs. Even as the #BeirutPride is taking place in perhaps one of West Asia's most liberal cities, the organisers are still uneasy. The first event, which was to be held on May 14th, had to be cancelled after threats from conservative religious groups. Cliffhangers LGBTIQ+ storytelling night, from older & younger generations, was massive. Courage, authenticity & determination.#BeirutPride pic.twitter.com/VCW4CF1iw6 — Beirut Pride (@BeirutPride) May 17, 2017 × Beirut might be a lively party-friendly capital, but this does not mean automatically that it is also a gay-friendly city. Article 534 of the Lebanese penal code, "prohibits having sexual relations that are contradicting the laws of nature", which is punishable by up to a year in prison. Article 534 does not give any legal ground to act against the normal unfolding of the event, but the fear of possible episodes of violence made the organisers decide to cancel the first venue. The 'Gender fluidity fashion exhibition' was scheduled to happen inside a hotel. Reuters spoke to the organisers who said that the League of Muslim Scholars (Ulemas) in Lebanon threatened them to actively protest against the event. @BeirutPride was lit pic.twitter.com/HWueYsL4Is — Queen Latiza (@DakdoukMostafa) May 18, 2017 × The organisers are aware of Lebanon's conservative soul and it is to break the wall of silence enveloping the Lesbian Gay Transgender Bisexual and QUEERS (LGBTQ) community that they decided to organise the event. A statement on the event's website says it clearly: "Whilst the armed street combats from the Lebanese civil war series might have ended in 1990, the social war, on the other hand, is wreaking havoc, and the speech that calls for hate and for the rejection of the other is still ongoing." On LGBTQ's rights and awareness read here: The hard life of Dhee: Bangladesh's first lesbian comic book character Gay comic book character ‘Chacha’ tries to break homosexuality taboo in Pakistan Transgender community in the Indian sub-continent (WION Gravitas) Despite the problems they had to face, the organisers are convinced that the Lebanese society is ready for the event. In their Q&A section, they make in very clear: The Lebanese society is not on the verge of collapsing, and therefore is ready for everything. Lebanese people, from the city and the mountains, have access to the TV cable and the Internet. Beirut Pride is a lighthouse in the middle of the night for the LGBTQ communities in West Asia. The real battle for LGBTQ's rights, which is ultimately a battle for tolerance, has to be fought on daily basis in families, schools and public places. In large cities, LGBTQ movements are slowly growing and getting its point across, but in many countries, just talking in public about homosexuality is a social stigma. (WION)

Lebanon's first gay pride event kicks off

The chief of Israel&#39;s armed forces said on Tuesday the death last year of the top Hezbollah military commander was an assassination by the Iranian-backed Lebanese group itself.

Hezbollah has maintained the commander, Mustafa Badreddine, was killed near Damascus by artillery fire from insurgent groups fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. But a war monitoring group said no rebel shelling occurred in the area at that time.

&quot;According to (media) reports, he was killed by his superiors, which points to the extent of the cruelty, complexity and tension between Hezbollah and its patron, Iran,&quot; Israeli Lieutenant-General Gadi Eisenkot said.

&quot;These reports corresponded with the information we have and with our assessment,&quot; he said in a speech in central Israel.

Al Arabiya news channel said earlier this month that Iran, which like Hezbollah has forces in Syria supporting Assad in its civil war, was unhappy with Badreddine and wanted him removed from the battlefield.

Eisenkot did not give any details on the circumstances of Badreddine&#39;s death, which was reported in May 2016.

A senior Israeli security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters last week that Badreddine and Iran were at odds over &quot;how to wage the Syrian campaign&quot;. A meeting was arranged near the Damascus airport, where a Hezbollah security official shot him dead.

In Beirut, Mohammed Afif, a Hezbollah spokesman, said Israel&#39;s allegations were &quot;lies that do not deserve comment&quot;.

The US&nbsp;government believed Badreddine, 55, was in charge of Hezbollah&#39;s military operations in Syria. He was one of five Hezbollah members indicted by the UN-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon in the 2005 killing of Rafik al-Hariri, one of Lebanon&#39;s most prominent Sunni Muslim figures.

Hezbollah denied any involvement and said the charges were politically motivated.

For years, Badreddine masterminded military operations against Israel from Lebanon and overseas and managed to escape capture by Arab and Western governments.

Israel, which fought Hezbollah in a 2006 war and has targeted the group in Syria over alleged arms transfers, had called his death good news but stopped short of claiming responsibility.

In a letter, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif extended condolences &quot;for the martyrdom of this great jihadist...who embodied devotion and vigour and was legendary in his defence of high Islamic goals and his defence of the Lebanese people who resist oppression and terrorism&quot;.

(Reuters)

Hezbollah claimed he was killed in artillery fire by forces loyal to Assad, but a war monitoring group said no rebel shelling occurded there

The chief of Israel's armed forces said on Tuesday the death last year of the top Hezbollah military commander was an assassination by the Iranian-backed Lebanese group itself. Hezbollah has maintained the commander, Mustafa Badreddine, was killed near Damascus by artillery fire from insurgent groups fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. But a war monitoring group said no rebel shelling occurred in the area at that time. "According to (media) reports, he was killed by his superiors, which points to the extent of the cruelty, complexity and tension between Hezbollah and its patron, Iran," Israeli Lieutenant-General Gadi Eisenkot said. "These reports corresponded with the information we have and with our assessment," he said in a speech in central Israel. Al Arabiya news channel said earlier this month that Iran, which like Hezbollah has forces in Syria supporting Assad in its civil war, was unhappy with Badreddine and wanted him removed from the battlefield. Eisenkot did not give any details on the circumstances of Badreddine's death, which was reported in May 2016. A senior Israeli security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters last week that Badreddine and Iran were at odds over "how to wage the Syrian campaign". A meeting was arranged near the Damascus airport, where a Hezbollah security official shot him dead. In Beirut, Mohammed Afif, a Hezbollah spokesman, said Israel's allegations were "lies that do not deserve comment". The US government believed Badreddine, 55, was in charge of Hezbollah's military operations in Syria. He was one of five Hezbollah members indicted by the UN-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon in the 2005 killing of Rafik al-Hariri, one of Lebanon's most prominent Sunni Muslim figures. Hezbollah denied any involvement and said the charges were politically motivated. For years, Badreddine masterminded military operations against Israel from Lebanon and overseas and managed to escape capture by Arab and Western governments. Israel, which fought Hezbollah in a 2006 war and has targeted the group in Syria over alleged arms transfers, had called his death good news but stopped short of claiming responsibility. In a letter, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif extended condolences "for the martyrdom of this great jihadist...who embodied devotion and vigour and was legendary in his defence of high Islamic goals and his defence of the Lebanese people who resist oppression and terrorism". (Reuters)

Israel says 2016 killing of top Hezbollah commander was inside job

Syrian and Russian warplanes have repeatedly used incendiary weapons in &quot;disgraceful&quot; attacks on civilians in northern Syria, Human Rights Watch charged Tuesday. 
 
The rights group said it had documented the use of incendiary weapons at least 18 times since June that had resulted in more than a dozen injuries.&nbsp;There was &quot;compelling evidence&quot; that Russia was supporting Syrian government planes in those attacks, the New York-based watchdog said. 
 
&quot;The Syrian government and Russia should immediately stop attacking civilian areas with incendiary weapons,&quot; said HRW arms director Steve Goose.&nbsp;&quot;The disgraceful incendiary weapon attacks in Syria show an abject failure to adhere to international law restricting incendiary weapons,&quot; he said. 
 
When dropped from aircraft, incendiary weapons leave distinctive trails of explosives in the sky and trigger small, intense fires upon contact.&nbsp;They were used widely during the Vietnam war and are banned by the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. 
 
HRW documented attacks with such weapons since early June, including two cases on August 7 that hit opposition-controlled parts of the cities of Aleppo and Idlib. 
 
&quot;I could clearly see the flames bursting,&quot; said Idlib resident Mohammad Taj Al-Din Othman, who supplied HRW with photos of the attack.&nbsp;&quot;Within 10 minutes, there were more strikes. The fire was unbelievable, it turned night into day.&quot; 
 
A civil defence volunteer told HRW: &quot;The fire took over everything, houses, cars, oil tanks, and even grass.&quot;&nbsp;The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said it too had documented the use of thermite, a type of incendiary substance, by Russian planes in Idlib, Aleppo and Deir Ezzor provinces, and Raqqa. 
 
And earlier this month, activists in Daraya, a besieged rebel-held town near Damascus, accused the regime of using banned chemical agent napalm against residents there.&nbsp;All sides of Syria&#39;s complex war have exchanged accusations of attacks against civilians and use of unconventional weapons, including chlorine and mustard gas. 
 
HRW said the use of incendiary weapons in Syria had &quot;increased significantly&quot; since Russia began its air war in support of Damascus on September 30, 2015.&nbsp;In a letter to HRW in November, Russia acknowledged that &quot;improper use&quot; of incendiary weapons had resulted in &quot;significant humanitarian damage&quot; in Syria. 
 
Since 2012, HRW has documented the use of four different incendiary weapons in Syria, all manufactured by the former Soviet Union.&nbsp;More than 290,000 people have been killed and millions forced to flee their homes since Syria&#39;s conflict erupted in March 2011. 
 
(AFP)

These were used widely during the Vietnam war, but are banned by the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons

Syrian and Russian warplanes have repeatedly used incendiary weapons in "disgraceful" attacks on civilians in northern Syria, Human Rights Watch charged Tuesday. The rights group said it had documented the use of incendiary weapons at least 18 times since June that had resulted in more than a dozen injuries. There was "compelling evidence" that Russia was supporting Syrian government planes in those attacks, the New York-based watchdog said. "The Syrian government and Russia should immediately stop attacking civilian areas with incendiary weapons," said HRW arms director Steve Goose. "The disgraceful incendiary weapon attacks in Syria show an abject failure to adhere to international law restricting incendiary weapons," he said. When dropped from aircraft, incendiary weapons leave distinctive trails of explosives in the sky and trigger small, intense fires upon contact. They were used widely during the Vietnam war and are banned by the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. HRW documented attacks with such weapons since early June, including two cases on August 7 that hit opposition-controlled parts of the cities of Aleppo and Idlib. "I could clearly see the flames bursting," said Idlib resident Mohammad Taj Al-Din Othman, who supplied HRW with photos of the attack. "Within 10 minutes, there were more strikes. The fire was unbelievable, it turned night into day." A civil defence volunteer told HRW: "The fire took over everything, houses, cars, oil tanks, and even grass." The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said it too had documented the use of thermite, a type of incendiary substance, by Russian planes in Idlib, Aleppo and Deir Ezzor provinces, and Raqqa. And earlier this month, activists in Daraya, a besieged rebel-held town near Damascus, accused the regime of using banned chemical agent napalm against residents there. All sides of Syria's complex war have exchanged accusations of attacks against civilians and use of unconventional weapons, including chlorine and mustard gas. HRW said the use of incendiary weapons in Syria had "increased significantly" since Russia began its air war in support of Damascus on September 30, 2015. In a letter to HRW in November, Russia acknowledged that "improper use" of incendiary weapons had resulted in "significant humanitarian damage" in Syria. Since 2012, HRW has documented the use of four different incendiary weapons in Syria, all manufactured by the former Soviet Union. More than 290,000 people have been killed and millions forced to flee their homes since Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011. (AFP)

Syrian, Russian warplanes repeatedly using incendiary weapons: Human Rights Watch

At least 70 regime and rebel fighters have been killed in 24 hours in a government assault and a jihadist-led counterattack in northern Syria, a monitor said Thursday. 
 
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 30 regime soldiers and 39 rebel fighters had been killed in battles around Al-Maleh, north of Aleppo, since Wednesday afternoon. 
 
Jihadists fighting for the Al-Nusra Front, the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda, were also killed, said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman, who did not provide a precise number. 
 
The government of President Bashar al-Assad has been attempting to seize Al-Maleh for more than two years. 
 
His forces have been trying for months to surround Aleppo by cutting supply lines between rebel-held districts of the city and nearby Turkey which supports opposition forces. 
 
For nearly a week, regime troops backed by Syrian and Russian warplanes have been battling for control of Al-Maleh. 
 
Assad&#39;s regime is also attempting to cut the Castello Road, a key supply route from the Turkish border to rebel-held eastern suburbs of Aleppo. 
 
The pro-regime website, Al-Masdar News, reported that the Syrian army withdrew from the farms of Al-Maleh as they faced a rebel counter-offensive led by the Al-Nusra Front. 
 
It said rebels attacked government forces with two suicide car bombs. 
 
The majority of Aleppo province is controlled by Al-Nusra and its Islamist allies, while the city, the country&#39;s pre-war commercial capital, has been divided since July 2012 into rebel-held and regime-held areas. 
 
The conflict in Syria, which has lasted five years, has killed more than 280,000 people. 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

30 Assad soldiers and 39 jihadists have been killed in battles since Wednesday, says The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights

At least 70 regime and rebel fighters have been killed in 24 hours in a government assault and a jihadist-led counterattack in northern Syria, a monitor said Thursday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 30 regime soldiers and 39 rebel fighters had been killed in battles around Al-Maleh, north of Aleppo, since Wednesday afternoon. Jihadists fighting for the Al-Nusra Front, the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda, were also killed, said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman, who did not provide a precise number. The government of President Bashar al-Assad has been attempting to seize Al-Maleh for more than two years. His forces have been trying for months to surround Aleppo by cutting supply lines between rebel-held districts of the city and nearby Turkey which supports opposition forces. For nearly a week, regime troops backed by Syrian and Russian warplanes have been battling for control of Al-Maleh. Assad's regime is also attempting to cut the Castello Road, a key supply route from the Turkish border to rebel-held eastern suburbs of Aleppo. The pro-regime website, Al-Masdar News, reported that the Syrian army withdrew from the farms of Al-Maleh as they faced a rebel counter-offensive led by the Al-Nusra Front. It said rebels attacked government forces with two suicide car bombs. The majority of Aleppo province is controlled by Al-Nusra and its Islamist allies, while the city, the country's pre-war commercial capital, has been divided since July 2012 into rebel-held and regime-held areas. The conflict in Syria, which has lasted five years, has killed more than 280,000 people. (AFP)

70 killed north of Aleppo in Syria as Assad tries to seize Al-Maleh

Four suicide bombers killed six people and wounded 19 others in an attack in a Lebanese village at the border with Syria today, security sources said. 
 
The attack at 4 a.m. (0100 GMT) targeted the mostly Christian village of Qaa, a few kilometres from the border. Three Lebanese soldiers were among the wounded, the sources said. 
 
The mayor of Qaa, Bashir Matar, told Voice of Lebanon radio that all those killed were civilians. 
 
There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Hezbollah&#39;s al-Manar TV said the attack was carried out by Islamic State militants. 
 
Lebanon has been repeatedly jolted by militant attacks linked to the five-year-long war in neighbouring Syria, where the powerful Shi&#39;ite group Hezbollah is fighting in support of President Bashar al-Assad. 
 
(Reuters)

A Christian village in Qaa bordering Syria was targeted; Hezbollah's al-Manar TV said the attack was carried out by Islamic State

Four suicide bombers killed six people and wounded 19 others in an attack in a Lebanese village at the border with Syria today, security sources said. The attack at 4 a.m. (0100 GMT) targeted the mostly Christian village of Qaa, a few kilometres from the border. Three Lebanese soldiers were among the wounded, the sources said. The mayor of Qaa, Bashir Matar, told Voice of Lebanon radio that all those killed were civilians. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Hezbollah's al-Manar TV said the attack was carried out by Islamic State militants. Lebanon has been repeatedly jolted by militant attacks linked to the five-year-long war in neighbouring Syria, where the powerful Shi'ite group Hezbollah is fighting in support of President Bashar al-Assad. (Reuters)

6 killed, 19 hurt in suicide bomb attack on Lebanese Christian village

Islamic State militants claimed responsibility for car and suicide bomb blasts that killed at least eight people and injured scores in a suburb of the Syrian capital Damascus today, the IS-affiliated Amaq news agency said. 
 
The Sayeda Zeinab suburb contains Syria&#39;s holiest Shiite shrine and is a base for Shiite militant groups from Lebanon and Iraq who are on the side of President Bashar al-Assad in the country&#39;s five-year-old civil war.

Amaq news agency said that in today&#39;s attack, militants detonated an explosives-laden car in Sayeda Zeinab while two suicide bombers blew themselves up nearby. Syrian state media showed footage of wide-scale damage in a busy marketplace.

A Shiite religious cleric said on the state-run Ikhbariyah TV channel that the car bomb blast was not far from the shrine area in the main al-Taen street.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, however, said the death toll was at least nine. The heavily garrisoned area is a well known stronghold of Lebanon&#39;s powerful Shiite Hezbollah group, a major backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Thousands of Iraqi and Afghan Shiite militia recruits, who volunteer to fight against the Sunni rebel groups trying to bring down Assad&#39;s government, normally come to the area before being sent to frontlines across Syria.

They say they come to Syria to defend the Sayeda Zeinab shrine from radical Sunni extremists.

The Sayeda Zeinab suburb contains Syria's holiest Shiite shrine and is a base for Shiite militant groups from Lebanon and Iraq

Islamic State militants claimed responsibility for car and suicide bomb blasts that killed at least eight people and injured scores in a suburb of the Syrian capital Damascus today, the IS-affiliated Amaq news agency said. The Sayeda Zeinab suburb contains Syria's holiest Shiite shrine and is a base for Shiite militant groups from Lebanon and Iraq who are on the side of President Bashar al-Assad in the country's five-year-old civil war. Amaq news agency said that in today's attack, militants detonated an explosives-laden car in Sayeda Zeinab while two suicide bombers blew themselves up nearby. Syrian state media showed footage of wide-scale damage in a busy marketplace. A Shiite religious cleric said on the state-run Ikhbariyah TV channel that the car bomb blast was not far from the shrine area in the main al-Taen street. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, however, said the death toll was at least nine. The heavily garrisoned area is a well known stronghold of Lebanon's powerful Shiite Hezbollah group, a major backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Thousands of Iraqi and Afghan Shiite militia recruits, who volunteer to fight against the Sunni rebel groups trying to bring down Assad's government, normally come to the area before being sent to frontlines across Syria. They say they come to Syria to defend the Sayeda Zeinab shrine from radical Sunni extremists.

Islamic State claims responsibility for bombings near Damascus Shiite shrine

At least eight people were killed and scores wounded in twin suicide and car bomb blasts today in a Damascus suburb that contains Syria&#39;s holiest Shiite Muslim shrine, state television said. 
 
State media, which flashed the news, did not give further details about the bombings in the Sayeda Zeinab area, where at least three bomb attacks claimed by Islamic State militants have killed and injured scores of people this year. 
 
A Shiite religious cleric said on the state-run Ikhbariyah TV channel that the car bomb blast was not far from the shrine area in the main al-Taen street. 
 
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, however, said the death toll was at least nine. The heavily garrisoned area is a well known stronghold of Lebanon&#39;s powerful Shiite Hezbollah group, a major backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. 
 
Thousands of Iraqi and Afghan Shiite militia recruits, who volunteer to fight against the Sunni rebel groups trying to bring down Assad&#39;s government, normally come to the area before being sent to frontlines across Syria. 
 
They say they come to Syria to defend the Sayeda Zeinab shrine from radical Sunni extremists.

A Shiite religious cleric was quoted saying that the car bomb blast was not far from the shrine area in main al-Taen street

At least eight people were killed and scores wounded in twin suicide and car bomb blasts today in a Damascus suburb that contains Syria's holiest Shiite Muslim shrine, state television said. State media, which flashed the news, did not give further details about the bombings in the Sayeda Zeinab area, where at least three bomb attacks claimed by Islamic State militants have killed and injured scores of people this year. A Shiite religious cleric said on the state-run Ikhbariyah TV channel that the car bomb blast was not far from the shrine area in the main al-Taen street. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, however, said the death toll was at least nine. The heavily garrisoned area is a well known stronghold of Lebanon's powerful Shiite Hezbollah group, a major backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Thousands of Iraqi and Afghan Shiite militia recruits, who volunteer to fight against the Sunni rebel groups trying to bring down Assad's government, normally come to the area before being sent to frontlines across Syria. They say they come to Syria to defend the Sayeda Zeinab shrine from radical Sunni extremists.

Suicide, car bomb blasts hit Damascus suburb, at least 8 dead, says Syrian state media

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