Man killed as row turns violent in north Lebanon
A personal dispute in north Lebanon early Monday developed into a brief armed clash that left one man killed, security...
Sunday, 5 October 2014
Sally Joreige crowned Miss Lebanon 2014
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Gun Debate Dominate Race For Gabby Giffords' Old Ariz. House Seat
Gabby Giffords and her husband, Mark Kelly in 2013. A former Arizona representative, Giffords now lobbies for tighter gun laws. Mary Schwalm/AP hide caption
itoggle caption Mary Schwalm/AP
Gabby Giffords and her husband, Mark Kelly in 2013. A former Arizona representative, Giffords now lobbies for tighter gun laws.
Mary Schwalm/AP
Of all the issues in all the congressional races this fall, none may be more personal than gun violence in Arizona's 2nd District.
That's the seat Democrat Gabrielle "Gabby" Giffords held until she resigned after being shot in the head three years ago.
Her then-district director, Ron Barber, was also wounded in that mass shooting, and went on to succeed her in Congress. Now, Barber is locked in a rematch of a tight 2012 contest, and Giffords' presence has suddenly become controversial.
Giffords and her husband, Mark Kelly, are not campaigning directly for Barber as they did two years ago. This time, they're campaigning through their super PAC, Americans for Responsible Solutions.
The PAC was set up to promote stronger gun laws, and it's been running some tough, emotional TV ads attacking Barber's opponent, Republican Martha McSally.
This one features a Tucson woman named Vicki.
Americans for Responsible Solutions/YouTube
"My daughter was just 19 when she told her boyfriend their relationship was over, and he got a gun and he shot her and my husband," Vicki says in the ad.
An announcer says, "Martha McSally opposes making it harder for stalkers to get a gun."
Vicki continues, "I don't think she really understands how important that is for a lot of women."
The ad got a swift, harsh response from McSally.
"I was disgusted by that ad," she said.
Not terribly surprising that a candidate would be offended by an ad suggesting she was somehow responsible for a double murder. But McSally startled people by saying the ad bothered her for another reason: McSally said she had been the victim of a stalker.
Republican Martha McSally is running for the Arizona House seat once held by Gabby Giffords. Cliff Owen/AP hide caption
itoggle caption Cliff Owen/AP
Republican Martha McSally is running for the Arizona House seat once held by Gabby Giffords.
Cliff Owen/AP
"So it is personally offensive to me, because I know what it's like to live in fear," she said. "In addition, I put the uniform on every day and put my life on the line."
McSally, the first female Air Force fighter pilot to fly in combat, says she was stalked and held hostage while on assignment. She wouldn't give details.
In an editorial, the Arizona Republic condemned the ad as "base and vile." But Pia Carusone, executive director of Americans for Responsible Solutions, stands behind it.
"It's an intense issue," Carusone said. "People die every day in this country from gun violence."
At issue is a federal rule allowing stalkers convicted of misdemeanors to own a gun. Stalkers convicted of felonies cannot legally own guns.
Giffords' group calls that the stalker gap, and wants the gap closed. The PAC also wants background checks for private sales at places like gun shows.
McSally is on record as being opposed to any new laws restricting gun ownership. So, while the ad may have been over the top, technically it was correct.
Barber was mum about the ad, but said he supports Giffords on the issue.
"I believe that the only way to stop stalkers, who might have a gun and might hurt somebody because of that, is to expand the background check system so that 40 percent of the gun sales in this country cannot be made outside of the background check system," he said.
McSally doesn't support expanding background checks, but she has changed her mind on stalkers. She now says she agrees those convicted of misdemeanors should be barred from owning guns.
Carusone counts that as a victory for Giffords' PAC, and cites it as a reason the group has stopped airing the ad. But she says the Arizona race is just one of 11 House and Senate races it's pumping money into, all of them important.
"From a business perspective, we don't want to lose, right?" Carusone said. "We're in the business of winning, right? We're in the business of changing minds."
Yet the website Open Secrets says Americans for Responsible Solutions has so far spent nearly $1 million to keep Giffords old seat from turning Republican — almost double the amount it's spent on any other race.
Two years ago, the gun violence against Giffords and Barber was fresh and personal for her southern Arizona district. Sympathy almost certainly played a part in deciding the race.
It's not yet clear how much Giffords' support means this year.
11 Syrian-based militants, two Hezbollah fighters killed in fierce e.Lebanon clashes
Attack on e. Lebanon Hezbollah post kills at least one: source
Hezbollah and Syrian Army troops engage in fierce clashes with Syrian rebels near the Lebanese borders, but no...
Adwan: Geagea would drop presidential bid if Aoun does
BEIRUT: Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea would withdraw his candidacy for presidency if MP Michel Aoun does the same, the party’s deputy chief MP George Adwan said Sunday.
“Dr. Samir Geagea is completely ready to withdraw in the case we reach a deal for a compromise candidate other than him or Gen. Michel Aoun,” Adwan said in an interview with Al-Jaeed TV.
He called on Aoun to say he would be willing to endorse a compromise candidate.
Although renewing his party’s position against the extension of the Parliament’s mandate, Adwan admitted that “realistically speaking, we are heading toward an extension.”
The MP also touched on the issue of the captive soldiers and policemen, saying that the Lebanese Forces understands the anger of all the their families who have been staging protests and blocking roads across the country.
“We stand behind the government even though we are not part of it,” Adwan said, “and we leave the issue of negotiations to the government and back any decision it will make.”
The Lebanese Forces has no ministers in the government.
At least 21 soldiers and policemen are being held hostage by ISIS and the Nusra Front in Arsal’s outskirts, after seven had been released and three executed.
Adwan called on the people to believe in the military’s ability to protect all citizens, saying the Army is the only option to fight the extremist threat.
"Fighting ISIS can only be done through the Lebanese state and not through armed groups," he said in response to talk about Christians and other minorities taking up arms.
Displaing fear of ISIS weakens Lebanon’s position to fight it, Adwan added, calling on the Lebanese to refuse all private armaments because “they might create internal conflicts between the members of one society.”
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Wahhab: Druze will protect themselves if the state cannot
BEIRUT: The people of Mount Lebanon will not be afraid to take up arms if the Army fails to protect them against takfiri threats, former minister Wiam Wahhab said Sunday.
“As long as the state and the Army are capable of protecting this country, our choice will remain the Army and the state,” Wahhab said addressing crowds who visited his Jaheliyye residence to greet him for Eid al-Adha.
“But if the state fails to protect Lebanon, we will not leave this nation as others did, because we are rooted in this land and we will stay and defend it,” he added.
Speaking to his mostly Druze supporters, the head of the Arab Tawhid Party said the religious group will not accept to be eliminated “like other sects that are being eliminated in some Arab countries.”
“This Mountain with its Muslims and Christians is able to protect itself,” Wahhab added, calling on the supporters to brace for possible attacks. “There will certainly be weapons defending the unity of Lebanon and protecting the state alongside the Army.”
Wahhab, who has been speaking of threats against Druze for months, intensified his rhetoric in August when members of the sect in the southeastern Syrian area of Jabal al-Arab clashed with Bedouins, leading to dozens of deaths.
The prominent Druze leader Walid Jumblatt has sinced toured many Druze areas in Mount Lebanon and the West Bekaa to urge for calm.
Attack on e. Lebanon Hezbollah post kills two: source
BAALBEK, Lebanon: Militant groups attacked Sunday a Hezbollah post in the outskirts of the eastern Lebanese village of Brital, killing two of its members and wounding a number of others, a security source told The Daily Star.
He said members of ISIS and the Nusra Front carried out the attack, leading to clashes between the jihadists and Hezbollah.
But a source close to the powerful movement denied that any attack had occured on their post, saying instead that Hezbollah fighters and Syrian Army troops were battling with rebels in the border area of Rankous area.
The source denied that any clashes were taking place in Brital’s outskirts, and stressed that Hezbollah maintains full control of the area.
Thousands of Hezbollah troops are fighting in Syria alongside government troops in the country's three and a half year long war.
Hezbollah's intervention in the neighboring conflict triggered a series of attacks on Lebanon by Syrian rebels and jihadist groups beginning in early 2013.
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Lebanese soldier wounded by Israeli gunfire near Shebaa
Lebanese soldier wounded by Israeli gunfire near Shebaa
Israeli soldiers fire at a Lebanese Army patrol in the Shebaa Farms area near the border Sunday, wounding one soldier.
How To Measure A Crowd, Without The Political Numbers
The Number of the Week is: 80,000. That's the how many are protesting in Honk Kong, according to organizers. But data journalist Mona Chalabi says estimating crowd size isn't an exact science.
Republican's May Lose Grip On Florida Panhandle House Seat
One of the most competitive House races this year is in Florida's panhandle. Democrat Gwen Graham has made it a tight race in part by attacking Southerland as being out of step on women's issues.
Relatives of Arsal hostage threaten to block airport road
BEIRUT: Relatives of the captive Lebanese policeman Pierre Geagea blocked a Bekaa Valley road Sunday and threatened to shut down Beirut’s vital airport road over the government's failure to secure his release.
“Today we closed the Barqa road and tomorrow we will close [those] of the airport and the port,” Geagea’s wife told reporters from their protest near the Bekaa town of Deir al-Ahmar.
“We will demonstrate there and erect tents too,” she added, accusing the government of not working hard enough to free her husband.
Closing the airport road often leaves travellers stranded by blocking access to the country's only international airport.
“Our government is the one abducting Pierre Geagea and not the Nusra Front,” she said, “and it is because of our government’s negligence that we reached this situation.”
Other family members said they have been collaborating with their relatives of other captives to block roads, saying their unity cannot be hampered by sectarian affiliation.
The Barqa road is not as essential at the Dahr al-Baidar highway linking Beirut to the Bekaa Valley, which has been blocked by the families of the captives since September 24.
Speaking at the protests, Barqa’s mayor said he supported the families’ actions, and critized the government for their "weak efforts." to secure their release.
“We as people of Barqa and Deir al-Ahmar will escalate this movement to block the biggest roads possible,” he said, “and will remain on the streets until Pierre comes back.”
Geagea’s family said they had received a recording from their son Saturday in which he said he was doing well but called on his relatives to take wider action for the sake of his release.
Geagea was kidnapped along with more than 30 other servicemen by militants from the Nusra Front and ISIS during the August clashes with the Lebanese Army in Arsal.
The Nusra Front has so far released seven servicemen and executed one, while ISIS has beheaded two.
A stone dealer from the Chouf village of Barouk was released Thursday by ISIS, who kidnapped him the day before, as he explained, in an attempt to collect information on the Army's movements around Arsal’s entrances.
He said that at least eight troops were held in a small farmhouse one hour outside of Arsal, where 10 ISIS fighters guard a cabin containing 50 other hostages.
Future MPs to withdraw from elections if held: Ogassapian
BEIRUT: No Future Movement candidate will be running for parliamentary elections if they are held on schedule, MP Jean Ogassapian said according to remarks published Sunday.
“The Future’s candidates for parliamentary elections will withdraw their candidacies if the decision was made to carry out those elections,” Ogassapian told Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper.
The Future Movement has repeatedly said that Parliamentary elections should not be held until Lebanon elects a new head of state. The country has been without a president since Michel Sleiman's term ended in May.
The “circumstances are exceptional,” Ogassapian said.
“The elections cannot be prepared for in any way, especially in terms of electoral campaigns and gathering votes,” he added.
The party says that holding parliamentary polls during a presidential vacuum weakens the state. Its members are voicing support for an extension of Parliament's term.
The current lawmakers have occupied their seats since they were elected to four-year terms in 2009. But legislators voted last year to extend their terms by 17 months over disagreements on approving a new electoral law.
The next elections are scheduled for Nov. 21, 2014, but lawmakers are expected to approve another extension amid some protests by several political parties and activists.
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Shiite clerics call for unity, Army support in Adha sermons
BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Shiite Muslim clerics called for unity and support for the Lebanese Army during sermons marking the Eid al-Adha holiday Sunday.
“We should support all the efforts of this country’s faithful people, and support the Army as the winning card in the battlefield,” said Deputy Head of the Higher Islamic Shiite Council Abdel-Amir Qabalan at the “national unity” hall of the council’s headquarters.
Lebanon's Grand Jaafarite Shiite Mufti Sheikh Ahmad Qabalan, the son of Imam Abdel-Amir, called for Muslim and national unity during the speech he made at the Imam al-Hussein mosque in Burj al-Barajneh.
“Let us unite, collaborate and work with integrity and loyalty to rebuild the state of institutions and pluralistic democracy, where the citizen is the pillar of the nation,” Qabalan told followers.
The Mufti said that Lebanon suffers from financial, moral, cultural, social and sectarian crimes that rob the people.
He called for the election of a new president as soon as possible, and for the release of the Army soldiers and policemen being held hostage by extremist militants on the northeastern border.
“Grief prevails over the country because of the Lebanese Army captives that the state could not yet bring back,” Ayatollah Afif Nabulsi said during his Adha sermon at the Zahraa religious center in Sidon.
“The signs of anger appear on the faces of all those who see the state in such a position,” the pro-Hezbollah Nabulsi said.
“There is no will to arm the army, nor a plan for the defense of sovereignty, nor a desire to accept unconditional military donations from a state like Iran,” he added, referring to an offer by Tehran to supply Lebanon with weapons.
Along with Sheikh Ahmad Qabalan, Nabulsi condemned American foreign policy, blaming the western superpower and its allies for the wars and atrocities erupting in the region.
Qabalan and Nabulsi both stressed that Eid al-Adha cannot be celebrated while Lebanon suffers from the political crisis, the socio-economic deterioration and the security instability.
Russia may supply Lebanon with weapons: Machnouk
BEIRUT: Lebanon is considering using a Saudi grant to buy much needed weapons and equipment from Moscow to bolster its Army amid a jihadist threat, Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk has said.
“There are talks on buying Russian arms and special equipment by Lebanon,” the World Tribune quoted Machnouk as saying during his visit to Moscow in late September to discuss weapons supplies to Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces.
He said a delegation from the army would visit Moscow later this month to discuss proposals.
Any deal would most likely be financed by the $1 billion Saudi donation that was announced by former Prime Minister Saad Hariri in August.
Political sources last month told the The Daily Star that Hariri was working to revive 2010 arms negotiations with Moscow. The Russian ambassador confirmed at the time that talks were taking place without going into detail.
Lebanese officials told the US-based World Tribune newspaper that Lebanese Army’s Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Walid Suleiman would negotiate the arms deal with the Kremlin, adding that Moscow was ready to send advisers for training and mentoring.
“He [Suleiman] will be the one negotiating for which needs [Lebanon] can receive from the gift by the kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” Mashnouk said.
Saudi Arabia has pledged two donations to Lebanese military and security forces since 2013, the first worth $3 billion of French weapons and equipment, while the second was for an immediate deal to reinforce security agencies and the military.
Through the deal with Russia, the Lebanese military could receive advanced models of Russian helicopters and air defense systems, said World Tribune in an article published Friday.
“The Lebanese military has a lot of experience working with Russian weapons,” Mashnouk said. “So they will soon determine what is needed.”
According to the report, officials said the Lebanese military was in urgent need of helicopters, night-vision systems, sniper rifles and reconnaissance systems to battle ISIS and other extremist groups. They said Beirut was still waiting for Riyadh to send money for military and security purchases.
Army Chief Gen. Jean Kahwagi had announced last week that the $3 billion Saudi aid had not come through yet.
French media reported that Saudi Arabia was seeking assurances that Hezbollah will not benefit from the weapons, which is the most common concern for western states seeking to support the Army’s capacities.
The Saudis “want to wait until Lebanon has a president who conforms to their interests and they can get guarantees that the weapons won’t end up in Hezbollah’s hands,” an anonymous source was saying Friday in Le Figaro.
“I don’t know what happened,” Kahwagi told Malbrunot. “The Lebanese have done their part of the deal. I signed a list of requested arms with the French, and we sent it to the Saudis. I went to Saudi Arabia, and we had very good meetings with both Saudi and French delegations. Now we’re just waiting for the Saudi signature.”
Army briefly clashes with militants near Arsal
Army briefly clashes with militants near Arsal
The Army’s routine shelling of militants’ bases in Arsal’s outskirts is interrupted by a brief clash with them...
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