Lebanese Army shells militants on Syria border after ambush

BAALBEK, Lebanon: The Lebanese Army, backed by airborne forces, fired artillery shells at militant hideouts along the Syrian border following Tuesday’s ambush that killed six soldiers.

Security sources in Baalbek, east Lebanon, told The Daily Star that the Army pounded the area beyond the jihad positions with 130mm guns to make it difficult for the militants to retreat back into Qalamoun, a region on the slopes of the eastern mountain range between Lebanon and Syria that has become an Islamist stronghold.

They said the intense shelling continued throughout the night and into the early hours Wednesday.

Lebanese warplanes hovered above to monitor militants’ activity, the sources added.

The bombardment came after six Lebanese soldiers were killed and one wounded Tuesday in an ambush by militants near the Syrian border.

The ambush came hours after news of the arrest of ISIS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s wife and child as well as the arrest of the wife of a Nusra Front commander was made public.

According to an Army statement, a military unit was ambushed by a “terrorist group” around 5:10 p.m. during a routine patrol. The ensuing clashes between the Army and militants killed six soldiers and wounded one, the statement added. Militant casualties were not known.

Sources told The Daily Star that the patrol came under fire in the village of Tal al-Sayl on the outskirts of Ras Baalbek. The troops attempted to communicate with central command in Ras Baalbek to inform them of the attack, but the communication was suddenly interrupted, sources said.

The affiliations of the militants were not immediately known. But the Army has routinely clashed with jihadi militants from both Nusra Front and ISIS on the eastern and northeastern border.

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House OKs Measure Stopping Social Security Payments To Former Nazis

After World War II ended, many Nazis found their way to the U.S. This much we know.

Some of them were later forced out of the country once their activities during the war came under scrutiny. But they continued to receive Social Security benefits even after they left.

As an Associated Press investigation found, the Justice Department used a legal loophole to persuade suspected Nazis to leave in exchange for the benefits. Millions of dollars were paid out to those who left. That loophole is now a step closer to being plugged.

The U.S. House of Representatives voted unanimously today to block suspected Nazi war criminals from receiving Social Security benefits. The measure, introduced after the AP investigation, would end benefits for Nazi suspects who have lost their U.S. citizenship. Under the current law, such benefits only stop after a final deportation order.

Here's Rep. Leonard Lance, R-N.J., a co-sponsor of the bill, on what the measure would achieve:

A vote in the Senate is expected in the coming weeks.

Here's more from the AP's story:

"The Social Security Administration refused AP's request that it provide the total number of Nazi suspects who received benefits and the dollar amounts. AP appealed the agency's denial of the information through the Freedom of Information Act."

One former Nazi tracked by the news service now lives in Croatia and collected Social Security payments of about $1,500 a month.

Lebanon bids farewell to poet Said Akl

BEIRUT: Lebanon bid farewell to a titan of Lebanese culture, the renowned poet Said Akl Tuesday, with mourners paying their respects in Beirut and his hometown of Zahle.

Patriarch Beshara Rai led the funeral services at the St. George Cathedral in Downtown Beirut, hailing the late poet’s achievements.

“The absence of [Akl’s] physical presence is a big loss, but his great output – of poetry, prose and plays – keeps him alive in minds, consciences and hearts, one generation after another. He remains a literary, intellectual and cultural icon for the coming generations,” Rai said.

The Mass brought together politicians from rival factions.

Culture Minister Raymond Areiji represented Prime Minister Tammam Salam and Speaker Nabih Berri.

Also attending were former Presidents Michel Sleiman and Amine Gemayel; MP Assem Araji, representing former premier Saad Hariri; Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun; and other politicians.

Other well-known figures were also in attendance, such as Papal Nuncio Gabriel Caccia, singer Majida al-Roumi and composer Elias Rahbani, as well as other cultural, religious and academic figures. Many mourners laid wreaths in remembrance of the beloved literary icon.

The late poet’s body was brought to the cathedral at 10:50 a.m., carried in a casket made of Mount Lebanon’s rocks and cedar wood.

Designed and built by Lebanon’s famous painter and sculptor Rudy Rahme, the coffin had Akl’s name and the titles of many of his poems, as well as the word Lubnan carved into it.

Akl died at the age of 102 last Friday, leaving behind poetic oeuvres filled with philosophical thoughts, lyrical imagery and profound spirituality.

Notre Dame University had hosted prayers over Akl’s body Monday at its campus in Louaizeh, where students, officials and artists took photos of the corpse.

A particular sense of patriotism characterized most of Akl’s poems, Rai remarked at the funeral.

“He loved Lebanon and he put it on top of all nations,” Rai said. “He’s the one who said: ‘I love Lebanon more than myself,’ and considered it as an extraordinary country.”

The centenarian poet had dug deeply into Lebanon’s history during his life, hoping to revive the memory of ancient thinkers and cultural figures who hailed from the shores of what is now Lebanon, Rai said.

“Akl is an artist who spent his long life in constant search of the true meaning of things, and a burning desire to express the indescribable,” Rai said.

The patriarch ended his speech with an extract from a prayer that Akl wrote, which like many of his works has become a popular hymn.

Rai concluded by professing hope that the deceased’s family, hometown of Zahle and all of Lebanon would find solace in faith as Akl did in his lifetime.

After the Mass, the funeral parade left Beirut for Zahle, where the coffin was carried by residents and taken on a tour accompanied by a huge cheering crowd from the city.

The parade arrived to the Mar Maroun Cathedral in Ksara, where Bishop Joseph Mouawad led the ritual prayers for the poet’s body.

It then headed to Zahle’s Governmental Serail, passing by the Mar Afram School that Akl ran for many years, then to the city’s downtown on foot.

Finally, the casket was transported to Our Lady of Deliverance Cathedral, as stated in the poet’s will, where prayers were once again recited over the body that was then buried in a special tomb in the city’s cemetery.

Six soldiers martyred in jihadi ambush

BAALBEK, Lebanon: Six Lebanese soldiers were killed and one wounded Tuesday in an ambush by militants near the Syrian border, on the same day that the military’s apparent arrest of ISIS chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s wife and child was made public.

Unidentified militants ambushed an Army patrol on the outskirts of Ras Baalbek in the northeast, the military said.

According to an Army statement, a military unit was ambushed by a “terrorist group” around 5:10 p.m. during a routine patrol. The ensuing clashes between the Army and militants killed six soldiers and wounded one, the statement added. Militant casualties were not known.

Sources told The Daily Star the patrol came under fire in the village of Tal al-Sayl on the outskirts of Ras Baalbek. The troops attempted to communicate with central command in Ras Baalbek to inform them of the attack, but the communication was suddenly interrupted, sources said.

The affiliations of the militants were not immediately known. But the Army has routinely clashed with jihadi militants from both the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front and ISIS on the eastern and northeastern border.

The attack came on the same day that the arrest of a woman believed to be the wife of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, as well as the arrest of the wife of a Nusra Front commander, were made public by media outlets.

News emerged Tuesday that Saja Hamid al-Dulaimi, one of Baghdadi’s wives, and their child, were arrested by the Army while trying to enter Lebanon from Syria more than a week ago using fake IDs.

Separately, Lebanese authorities also arrested the wife of Nusra Front commander Anas Sharkas.

It was unclear if the attack came in response to the news of their arrests. But jihadi groups operating in Lebanon have typically responded to arrests of its members with attacks on Army targets.

The arrest of jihadi militant Imad Ahmad Jomaa in August sparked five days of clashes between the Army and militants from the Nusra Front and ISIS in the northeast town of Arsal, which killed dozens.

Tuesday’s ambush was the latest in a series of attacks on the Army by Islamist militants across the country.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam called Army commander Gen. Jean Kahwagi to offer his condolences over the fallen soldiers, while expressing hope that the wounded would recover quickly.

Salam, who ended a two-day official visit to Brussels Tuesday, also expressed solidarity with the Army, saying that all of Lebanon stood behind the military in its battle against terrorism.

ISIS and the Nusra Front are still holding 26 Lebanese soldiers and policemen captive on the outskirts of Arsal.

Lebanon is still waiting on badly needed foreign military aid, including a promised two Saudi packages worth a combined amount of $4 billion.

Speaking to The Daily Star, an Army source also confirmed that Intelligence officers arrested ISIS chief Baghdadi’s wife and their son more than a week ago as they tried to enter Lebanon from Syria using fake IDs after receiving a tip from Western intelligence agencies.

The source identified the wife as Saja Hamid al-Dulaimi, who was one of the prisoners released earlier this year from Syrian jails in exchange for the 13 Maaloula nuns abducted by the Nusra Front last December.

A separate security source said Baghdadi’s wife was arrested at the northern Abboudieh border crossing.

Reports differed about whether the child in question was male or female. Reuters, citing a “senior Lebanese security official” reported that the wife was stopped with one of their daughters nine days ago, and that DNA tests confirmed it was Baghdadi’s child. But a judicial source told The Daily Star that interrogations were currently focusing on revealing whether the suspect in question was in fact Baghdadi’s wife.

The Army Intelligence was interrogating Dulaimi under the supervision of Military Prosecutor Judge Saqr Saqr, the source said.

The source confirmed that Dulaimi was in fact detained by the Syrian regime and was released as part of a trade-off to secure the release of the Maaloula hostages.

Investigations are not restricted to identifying Dulaimi’s relationship to Baghdadi, but are also attempting to establish whether her entry is linked to a potential terrorist operation, and are also looking in to her ability to communicate with ISIS cells in Lebanon. The judicial source did not confirm or deny whether her child was also detained because “publicizing this information would negatively impact investigations,” he said.

Anadolu News agency quoted Nusra Front members as saying the Lebanese government has demonstrated weakness by arresting women and children, threatening to kill all the captive servicemen to take revenge for any person whose honor was violated.

When asked about implicating Dulaimi in a swap deal to secure the release of the Lebanese captives, the judicial source said that the decision falls on the government and not the judiciary.

Speaking to Lebanese expatriates in Belgium earlier Tuesday, Salam had reiterated that his government would not be blackmailed by the jihadi captors of Lebanese servicemen, stressing that negotiations for their liberation should be conducted according to certain norms and rules.

“We are entrusted with the lives of our heroes, but we will not bow to blackmail. Let no one try to blackmail 4 million Lebanese people, or attempt to blackmail the Lebanese Army,” Salam told the Lebanese expatriates.

He said he had contacted Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamid al-Thani to urge him to revive Qatari mediation to secure the release of the servicemen. The emir stressed his desire to assist Lebanon on the issue and said he would direct those involved in the file to take necessary measures.

Meanwhile, General Security denied Tuesday releasing Free Syrian Army commander Abdullah Hussein Rifai, while announcing that his freedom was contingent on negotiations to secure the release of Lebanese captives held by jihadis. The statement denied rumors that the detainee was handed over to Hezbollah for the purpose of a swap deal that secured the release of one of the party’s fighters who was freed by the FSA last week.

Salam: European Union understands Lebanon’s needs

BRUSSELS: Prime Minister Tammam Salam informed senior EU officials Tuesday of Lebanon’s desperate need for international support while it grapples with the fallout of Syria’s crisis, with senior diplomatic sources describing the talks in Belgium’s capital as “extremely positive.”

In an evening meeting with European Parliament President Martin Schulz on the second and last day of his official visit to Belgium, Salam said the two discussed Lebanon-EU relations, particularly parliamentary cooperation.

Schulz updated Salam on the state of EU policy toward Lebanon and the Middle East, while Salam spoke of the most pressing issues in Lebanon, including the presidential void, efforts to maintain internal security and stability and the Syrian conflict.

“I explained to President Schulz that the inclusive government I preside is urging to maintain political and security stability in the country, [and is] facing many challenges, mainly the backdrop of the Syrian crisis and its spillover effect,” Salam said.

“I also explained to President Schulz the severe effects resulting from the massive influx of Syrians in Lebanon, which is the country most affected, both in relative and absolute terms,” he added.

Salam and Schulz also highlighted the importance of supporting the Lebanese security services to help them overcome the increasing threat of terrorism.

“I thanked President Schulz for the efforts deployed by the EU, both in terms of development and humanitarian funds, and I assured him that supporting Lebanon at this particular juncture goes beyond supporting a country facing tremendous challenges to supporting a model of coexistence, tolerance, diversity and openness, all much needed for the future of our region,” Salam said.

Schulz stressed the unity of Lebanon and expressed trust that Salam’s government would be able to solve the presidential deadlock very soon.

Earlier, Salam spoke to the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee President Elmar Brok and several committee members about Lebanon’s refugee burden, noting that such an “unmatched crisis calls for an unmatched response.”

The premier highlighted the country’s open-border policy had strained Lebanon’s host communities.

Given the critical situation, “qualitative measures are needed from the international community to help Lebanon mitigate the drastic effects which our government ... is unable to bear alone,” Salam said.

Salam pointed to the Lebanese government’s efforts to set clear criteria for refugee admission, and confirmed that such measures would be taken in accordance with “international law and practice.”

With regard to the security situation, Salam said an “immediate response” was required to prevent more violence from occurring.

This critical situation serves as “an occasion to call for support to our armed forces, as our Army is facing a daily threat from trained extremists with unconventional fighting methods,” Salam said.

While acknowledging the importance of military aid, Salam said that solving the political crises in the region was the only “sustainable approach” to long-lasting peace.

The Palestinian problem remained the “grassroots of frustration,” Salam said, highlighting that after years of negotiations, “peace remains an elusive goal, and Palestinians are still deprived of their basic, indisputable right for a sovereign state.”

Salam called on the EU to denounce Israeli “wrongdoings,” and to use its large array of diplomatic, political and economic tools in order to facilitate the achievement of a peace agreement based on international law.

Earlier in the day, Salam told reporters that EU officials were keen to preserve Lebanon’s stability amid the regional upheaval, and had expressed a genuine desire to help the small country overcome its ongoing political crises and deal with the influx of Syrian refugees.

“I felt EU officials have a genuine desire to help Lebanon,” Salam told reporters after a meeting with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

Juncker’s meeting with the Lebanese delegation is his first with a foreign delegation since his election this summer.

Salam said he underscored in his talks with the EU officials the need to push for peace in the Middle East as a means to curb the rampant fundamentalism sweeping through the Arab and Muslim world.

“As long as peace is not established, moderate forces in the Arab world will continue being weakened and marginalized,” Salam said he told the European officials.

He said he also discussed with EU figures the possibility of resettling some of Lebanon’s Syrian refugees in other countries and possible further assistance Europe could provide to alleviate the refugees’ burden on Lebanon.

Salam quoted Juncker as saying the “EU would continue to economically and financially support Lebanon.”

“The European side is well aware of the importance of supporting host communities,” Salam added.

Speaking to The Daily Star, senior diplomatic sources who attended Salam’s meetings with EU officials described the talks as “very warm” and “extremely positive.” They said Salam felt there was a lot of understanding for Lebanon’s circumstances by EU officials.

Speaking to Lebanese expatriates in Belgium earlier Tuesday, Salam reiterated that his government would not be blackmailed by the jihadi captors of 26 Lebanese servicemen, stressing that negotiations for their liberation should be conducted according to certain norms and rules.

He pointed out that he had contacted Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to urge him to revive Qatari mediations to secure the release of the servicemen.

Deploring the situation in Lebanon, Salam said the country “is being undermined” by rivalries and internal political struggles of antagonist leaders.

“The biggest illustration of our political crisis is the vacancy in the presidential post,” he said, emphasizing that things could not improve in the absence of a head of state, “regardless of the government’s efforts to counterweight the void.”

On a more positive note, Salam applauded Lebanon’s success in defeating attempts to manipulate tensions related to the Syrian conflict in order to stir internal strife.

“Lebanon’s security was exposed to big tremors, but with the help of our Army and security forces we were able to preserve our nation and defeat the argument that Lebanon is a fertile ground for terrorism,” Salam added.

Sidon branch of Syrian restaurant closed for safety reasons

SIDON, Lebanon: A restaurant was shut down in south Lebanon Tuesday as part of the country’s ongoing campaign against food outlets that do not meet safety criteria, though one of the owners denied that the closure was due to health issues.

Abu Alaa, owner of the Sidon branch of Syrian restaurant and sweet shop Ya Mal al-Sham, said the restaurant had been closed due to the fact that the restaurant’s kitchen was not tiled and the chairs and tables were old.

The judiciary ordered the closure of the restaurant just five months after it opened. The restaurant is famous in Syria for its sweets and home-style cooking.

The food campaign launched a month ago by Health Minister Wael Abu Faour led to the closure of several slaughterhouses, including Beirut’s main abattoir, in addition to restaurants and dairy product factories across the country.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, state prosecutor Judge Samir Hammoud received lab test results from samples taken from the Taanayel Center dairy farm in Zahle, which had been revealed to contain insects and expired materials. Judicial sources said that Abu Faour had sent the lab results to Hammoud.

The state prosecutor passed the matter on to Judge Farid Kalas in the Bekaa Valley, urging him to follow up on investigations and take legal measures against those responsible.

Separately, food company Tanmiah said in a statement that all tests conducted by authorities on its products had met health specifications.

“Out of its eagerness to deal transparently and accurately with its consumers, Tanmiah clarifies that the results of all tests conducted on its products between Oct. 12 and Oct. 20, 2014, by the health, agriculture, economy and industry ministries and by the Authority of Scientific Agricultural Research satisfied the standards ... of LIBNOR,” the company said.

LIBNOR, or the Lebanese Standards Institution, is the sole authority allowed to issue, publish and amend standards in Lebanon. It is a full member of the International Organization for Standardization.

On Monday, Abu Faour asked Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk to shut down Tanmiah’s factory for two weeks until the company had carried out measures needed to meet the required standards.

The request came after a Health Ministry unit inspected the company in the Bekaa Valley last week and reported that the factory violated hygiene and health standards.

Tanmiah, which produces meat and chicken items, said in the statement that since the launch of the food safety campaign by Abu Faour last month, it had fully cooperated with the departments of all relevant ministries who sent teams to the company’s center, factories and farms.

“The company stresses that it did not receive any written recommendations,” the statement said.

“Once again, the company stresses its full readiness to cooperate with the Health Ministry to satisfy the highest food safety specifications.”

As a result of the campaign, a parliamentary subcommittee was formed last week with the aim of drafting a food safety law within two weeks.

Baghdadi’s wife or not, Dulaimi’s capture is boon for Lebanon

BEIRUT: Unanswered questions and rumors swirled Tuesday about the identity of a woman and child detained by Lebanese security forces 10 days earlier, with some reports insisting she was one of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s wives and others saying her background was not yet clear.

But whether Saja Hamid al-Dulaimi is (or was) married to Baghdadi or not, analysts agreed that her capture would strengthen Lebanon’s hand in its struggle to secure the release of around 26 security personnel kidnapped by ISIS and the Nusra Front during fighting in the northeastern town of Arsal in August.

Dulaimi first drew international attention back in March when she was reported to be one of around 50 women released from prison by the Syrian government in return for the Nusra Front’s release of 13 nuns captured in the Christian Syrian town of Maaloula. At the time, she was reported to be Baghdadi’s wife due to comments by a Nusra Front commander, and several months later, pictures of a brown-eyed woman in a black headscarf emerged on the Internet purporting to be of the ISIS leader’s bride.

“Despite this being the same name as a woman released in exchange for the nuns in Maaloula in March, it is still to this day impossible to confirm that she is indeed Baghdadi’s wife,” Charles Lister, visiting fellow at the Brookings Doha Center, told The Daily Star.

“There has been some speculation that she may be an ‘ex-wife’ or possibly even the wife of a Jabhat al-Nusra [the Nusra Front] commander and therefore nothing to do with ISIS at all,” he added. “While some additional information points to her being from Baghdadi’s hometown of Samarrah, this again is insufficient evidence.”

The news emerged after an article in As-Safir newspaper Tuesday claimed that the Army had detained Baghdadi’s wife and son, and the report was quickly picked up by international news organizations from Reuters to BBC. However, while security sources have confirmed Dulaimi’s arrest, no concrete proof has been offered about her affiliations, and there were contradictory reports about the sex of the child she was with.

There was no Army statement or any other official word on the matter. The Army spokesperson could not be reached by The Daily Star.

According to Mario Abou Zeid, an analyst at the Carnegie Center, Dulaimi is Baghdadi’s second wife, but has been estranged from the militant leader for some time.

“This lady, for the past two years, was cut off from having any relations with ISIS – and more importantly was cut off from Baghdadi,” he said, adding that it was unclear whether they divorced or whether she left him.

Further, the militant group prohibits its members from sharing information even with direct family members, he said, meaning that it was highly unlikely her arrest would yield any intelligence that would undermine the militant group.

Dulaimi could instead provide useful intelligence to Lebanese authorities about the – possibly Nusra Front-linked – people who were around her, Abou Zeid said.

But her greatest value, he said, was as a bargaining chip for the Lebanese government in its hostage negotiations with militants in the outskirts of Arsal, largely because she still maintains close relations with the Nusra Front.

Before they split in February this year, ISIS and the Nusra Front both had close links to Al-Qaeda and were effectively part of the same organization. It is likely that her links to both groups, if true, date back to this previous alliance.

“She is a close family member of several Nusra Front leaders,” Abou Zeid said, adding that for the March Maaloula nun swap, “the Nusra Front put in a lot of effort to liberate her.”

And it appears that General Security head Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, who is in charge of the hostage file, is well aware of her potential to shift the negotiations in Lebanon’s favor after four months of little to no progress.

“When Ibrahim took the lead in the negotiations, he said he needed to use all his cards,” Abou Zeid said. “One of the cards was this lady [Dulaimi].”

“That the information [that Dulaimi was arrested] was leaked to the media is a clear indication how General Security is using the lady as a tactic in the negotiations.”

On this point, at least, Lister agrees. “If this is Baghdadi’s wife and daughter, it would of course represent a very significant development, particularly considering the potential value of such an individual in prisoner exchanges,” he said.

“Prisoner exchanges are not exactly anything new within the Syrian context and all previous efforts to free the Lebanese soldiers – mostly though Qatari intermediaries – have totally failed,” he added. “For the Lebanese to get their hands on a truly valuable prisoner seems the only hope now for a successful release, but I’d remain skeptical for now regarding the claim that this is Baghdadi’s wife.”

For political risk analyst Elijah Magnier, whether she is Baghdadi’s wife, ex-wife, or no relation, her clear importance means “she is already part of any future deal to release the LAF [Lebanese Armed Forces] hostages.”

“Today, the hostages have more chance to be part of a global deal that includes Saja [Dulaimi] and her children,” he added. “These jihadists pay particular attention to freeing prisoners, mainly women.”

Not everyone was convinced that Dulaimi’s capture was a guarantee of good things to come, however.

“It’s possible that this claimed capture of Baghdadi’s wife and child could constitute ‘leverage’ of sorts against ISIS – and ISIS is not opposed in principle to prisoner exchanges,” said Faysal Itani, resident fellow at the Atlantic Council.

“I have my doubts, however, about whether the Lebanese government is reading ISIS correctly. Are these individuals of such high value to ISIS that they would be willing to trade for them? Or will ISIS simply portray this as a violation of a woman’s honor and sanctity of a child, and indeed escalate in response? I lean toward the latter viewpoint.”

Aoun vs. Geagea: time to bridge the gap?

BEIRUT: In October 1989, Lebanese MPs signed the Taif agreement in Saudi Arabia in a bid to put an end to the country’s 15-year Civil War.

But few would have imagined that the last round of internal fighting, which began three months later, would be one of the fiercest: the military confrontation between Samir Geagea and Michel Aoun.

Geagea, leader of the Lebanese Forces militia, backed the Saudi-brokered deal, while Aoun, then Army commander and head of a transitional military government, refused to recognize it.

The ensuing war, dubbed a “war of elimination” by Geagea, who said Aoun’s aim was to wipe out his group, killed and wounded thousands and left much of the country’s Christian areas in tatters.

The violence lasted for months, pushing many Christians to emigrate from the country.

After more than two decades, the rivalry between both figures, now leaders of two of the largest Christian parliamentary blocs, is far from over.

While their current confrontation may not be leading to death and destruction, it has kept the top Christian post in the country vacant for over six months.

Backed by the March 8 coalition, Aoun argues that he represents Christians the most and thus should be elected the country’s new president.

But his claims are strongly disputed by Geagea, the presidential candidate of the March 14 coalition.

Parliament has failed to elect a president 15 times, with lawmakers from Aoun’s parliamentary bloc and most other March 8 MPs thwarting the quorum needed in electoral sessions under the pretext that no agreement has been reached on a candidate who truly represents Christians.

Even last year, Aoun and Geagea were unable to agree on a new election law to provide fairer representation for Christians.

According to Sami Nader, an economist and Middle Eastern affairs analyst, the struggle for power between Aoun and Geagea is “healthy and good” – so long as it remains democratic.

“The problem is when disputes happen at the expense of the republic. This leads to the fall of institutions and weakens the Christians first and foremost, and of course all Lebanese,” Nader told The Daily Star.

He explained that the rivalry between Aoun and Geagea should not cause Parliament’s failure to elect a president.

“The problem ... is that their disputes come at the expense of institutions. This continuous thwarting of presidential election is unacceptable,” Nader added.

Preventing quorum once or twice was understandable, he said, “but you can’t carry on with this method.”

“This undermines democracy and has led to committing a second mistake, which is the extension of Parliament’s term,” Nader added, referring to last month’s second extension of Parliament’s mandate for two years and seven months.

Some political factions backed the extension under the pretext that holding parliamentary elections during a presidential vacuum would cause constitutional problems.

Both Aoun and Geagea rose to prominence in the mid-1980s. Aoun was appointed an Army commander in June 1984, and less than two years later, in January 1986, Geagea assumed the leadership of the Lebanese Forces militia.

“From the very beginning, the dispute between them was personal, they approached things differently,” said Karim Pakradouni, the former leader of the Kataeb Party, who also served as Geagea’s deputy in the 1980s.

“Aoun considered Geagea to be the head of a militia while Geagea believed that Aoun led a failed institution that had proved itself to be ineffective during the Civil War,” Pakradouni said.

After Aoun went into self-imposed exile in France in 1991 and Geagea was sent to prison three years later, supporters of both struggled together against Syria’s military presence in Lebanon.

Following Syria’s withdrawal from Lebanon in April 2005, Aoun quickly returned to the country and Geagea was released not long after, and before long, the sharp differences between the two resurfaced again.

Aoun signed a memorandum of understanding with Hezbollah in February 2006, while Geagea joined the March 14 coalition.

Pakradouni said he did not fear the effects of rivalry between Christian leaders, adding that such dynamics had characterized Lebanese politics since independence.

However, he said it was high time for Geagea, Aoun, Kataeb Party leader Amine Gemayel and MP Sleiman Frangieh of the Marada Movement to form a front aimed at discussing ways to protect Christians in Lebanon in light of the regional turmoil and rise of extremist, religiously intolerant Islamist groups.

“This dispute between Aoun and Geagea has been detrimental for Christians. It is depriving them of their highest post in the state and of an election law providing fair representation,” Pakradouni said.

The former minister said that joining one front to try to solve these problems did not mean that Aoun and Geagea would have to abandon their alliances altogether.

“I can never see them in one political alliance at all, but let them at least agree on going to Parliament to elect a president.”

And the frustration over Geagea and Aoun’s lack of agreement on key issues is filtering down to the general public.

Nicholas Muaiqel, a resident of the predominantly Christian Ashrafieh neighborhood of Beirut, is fed up with both leaders.

“Are these the only people who are good at politics in the country? Of course we need new leaders,” Muaiqel said, sitting in his shop.

After outlining atrocities he said Aoun and Geagea committed during the Civil War, Muaiqel added: “Now one is allied to the Shiites and the other to the Sunnis. But Sunnis and Shiites are actually fooling both.”

“I think we need a new mandatory power that would eradicate all this political class and get us a new one.”

For Ibrahim Haddad, the owner of a textile shop in the same neighborhood, the Lebanese were too busy to look for an alternative to Geagea, Aoun or any other leader.

“I am a Christian from Ashrafieh who is not loyal to any of these leaders,” he said.

“The average Lebanese citizen is interested in how to earn a living rather than how to build a state.”

Haddad said that the everlasting political disputes between Aoun and Geagea were definitely weakening Christians in Lebanon.

“But do they listen to me if I say so?” he added.

But Naji Hayek, an official from Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement, argued otherwise.

“The rift between the Christians is not the reason for what is happening to them at all [the community’s weakness in Lebanon],” he said. “Between the Sunnis and Shiites it is worse ... they are killing each other in Syria.”

Regardless, Hayek pointed to the fact that the Future Movement supported the election of a speaker who truly represented Shiites and Hezbollah and Amal backed the nomination of a prime minister who is popular among Sunnis.

“When it comes to the Christians, nobody respects anything ... this is very offensive,” he said.

Hayek said the Future Movement should stop vetoing Aoun’s candidacy: “They should come and say: We respect the Christian will.”

Hayek said that the presidential candidate who represented Christians the most should become a president, adding: “Samir Geagea should accept that Michel Aoun represents Christians more than him.”

But such an arrangement would be even worse for the Christian community than the current situation, according to LF MP Fadi Karam.

“Aoun claims to be the head of the largest Christian bloc. Submission to him in a bid to prevent rivalry within the Christian society would be more destructive to the Christians,” Karam said.

He said that Aoun did not believe in institutions, was allied to authoritarian regimes, backed Hezbollah’s arsenal and did not believe that anyone other than him could work in politics. “Geagea does not accept all this, he believes in political competition and democracy ... there is a big difference between the two.”

“It is an existential issue and it is difficult to make any concessions.”

Should We Rue Rob Portman's Decision Not To Run For President?

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Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, conducts a town hall meeting with employees after an October 2014 tour of Harris Products Group in Mason, Ohio. Al Behrman/AP hide caption

itoggle caption Al Behrman/AP

Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, conducts a town hall meeting with employees after an October 2014 tour of Harris Products Group in Mason, Ohio.

Al Behrman/AP

This just in: At least one Republican in Washington has decided he doesn't want to be president.

Okay, that's not exactly what Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio said. He said he wasn't running for president. Obviously, there is a difference. Nothing is more common in politics than a would-be mayor/governor/president who wishes he or she could just be appointed to the job.

Still, it's rare to see a not-running announcement provoke head-wagging and hand-wringing. Portman's had that effect because he exemplifies the kind of thoughtful, competent, mainstream personality many idealize in the Oval Office.

Why oh why, the question goes, aren't there more candidates like...you know, that guy everybody likes...what's his name...Rob Portman?

Portman is a well-mannered Midwestern Methodist, still in his 50s and still in his first elected Senate term after a dozen years in the House. He served two presidents in demanding administration posts: legislative director for the first President Bush and both trade representative and budget director for the second.

He is reliably Republican but not ideological. Known for his skill at negotiating and finding consensus, he counts Democrats among his friends both in Washington and back home in Cincinnati.

In short, his resume sets him apart from many of his colleagues in the Class of 2010, the year of the great Tea Party tide. But that movement is already well-represented in the presidential field now forming in the GOP. Some had hoped Portman would offer a more moderate option on that menu.

Thus Portman's decision may signal that he expects Jeb Bush to run, and if indeed the former Florida governor does get in he will have first call on the allies and assets of his clan.

Portman may also have concluded that Mitt Romney will find the lure of a second shot too strong to resist, especially if Jeb Bush demurs. Either Romney or Bush would begin the race light years ahead of Portman.

But is that why the Ohioan stepped back? There may be something to be said for taking a man at his word – even if that man is a politician. And Portman says he doesn't think he could do a good job of representing Ohio while running for president. That's especially important because Portman will be up for re-election back home in 2016.

Can't you run for president from the floor of the Senate?

Well, sure. Lots of people have. It has been said that half the Senate looks in the mirror in the morning and hears a band somewhere playing "Hail to the Chief."

There was this guy named Barack Obama who did it in 2008, having served half as long as Portman has in the Senate (and having held no other posts in Washington). And the Republican Obama wound up facing that fall was John McCain of Arizona, who was running from the Senate for the second time. And they were far from being the only senators chasing the brass ring that cycle.

Four years earlier, Democratic nominee John Kerry and running mate John Edwards were both senators, as were major contenders in 2000 and 1996 and so on.

Senators have flown the chamber and flocked to primary states despite the poor showings of their predecessors. Before Obama, the last sitting senator to go directly to the presidency was John F. Kennedy in 1960 and the last before that was Warren G. Harding in 1920.

(Others have made it to the Oval Office, but only after the way station of the vice presidency.)

Senators seeking the White House have at times used the Senate and its C-SPAN cameras as campaign tools, as when Sen. John Ashcroft of Missouri gave a series of "addresses on the issues" in 1998 (before deciding to leave the race early in 1999).

But more often they disguise themselves as empty chairs on the Senate floor and turn up daily in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina or one of the money centers where campaign treasuries refuel.

That tends not to play too well back home, as the missed votes pile up and bad stories get written. But McCain survived it, winning re-election two years after his loss to Obama, and Obama himself apparently felt the risk was worth taking in his case. Rand Paul, an incumbent senator from Kentucky, is working hard to overturn a law in his state that would make him choose between running for president and running for re-election in 2016.

However much we might respect the energy and drive of those who run for president while holding on to Senate seats, there persists a sense that something is being sacrificed. And if it is not a sacrifice for the candidate, it may be for his or her constituents.

Portman's reluctance to take this route may be a pose or a cover story. Or it may be another reason we should all regret his decision to pass on presidential politics.

So long, senator. But don't forget to leave a call-back number.

Republicans Rally To Counter Obama's Immigration Action

Audio for this story from All Things Considered will be available at approximately 7:00 p.m. ET.

President Obama's decision to shield millions of people in the country illegally from deportation got its first look on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, with Department of Homeland Security chief Jeh Johnson testifying before a House committee.

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NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by a contractor for NPR, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of NPR's programming is the audio.

GOP Hopes To Use Spending Bill As Leverage Against Immigration Action

Audio for this story from All Things Considered will be available at approximately 7:00 p.m. ET.

Congress hopes to be done for the holidays by the end of next week — which also happens to be the deadline for a new spending bill. The government will run out of money Dec. 11 if nothing is passed.

Copyright © 2014 NPR. For personal, noncommercial use only. See Terms of Use. For other uses, prior permission required.

Copyright © 2014 NPR. All rights reserved. No quotes from the materials contained herein may be used in any media without attribution to NPR. This transcript is provided for personal, noncommercial use only, pursuant to our Terms of Use. Any other use requires NPR's prior permission. Visit our permissions page for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by a contractor for NPR, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of NPR's programming is the audio.

"It's Not Just a Ferguson Problem, It's an American Problem" -- Improving Community Policing

Yesterday, the President announced that he will take a number of steps to strengthen community policing and fortify the trust that must exist between law enforcement officers and the communities they serve. As part of this, he proposed a new three-year, $263 million Community Policing Initiative investment package that will increase use of body worn cameras (BWCs) by law enforcement, expand training for law enforcement agencies (LEAs), add more resources for police department reform, and multiply the number of cities where the Department of Justice (DOJ) facilitates community and local LEA engagement.

The new initiative expands programs within the President’s FY 2015 Budget, and builds on them by adding more resources to help integrate the federal government with state and local LEAs to build and sustain trust between communities and those who serve and protect these communities.

The funding would support the following activities:

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Future bloc slams Hezbollah ahead of dialogue

BEIRUT: The Future Movement bloc underlined in a statement Tuesday that holding direct dialogue with Hezbollah for the sake of easing tensions does not mean forgetting all the disputes and points of disagreements.

“The bloc considers the initiative that former Prime Minister Saad Hariri ... might ease the frustration and pave the way for discussing an agreement on the election of a new president,” the MPs said after their regular meeting, which was headed this time by MP Samir Jisr.

However, the bloc stressed that despite the importance dialogue, the party did not give up any of its political stances concerning Hezbollah.

The statement mentioned in particular the dispute over “the role of Hezbollah and its illegitimate weapons in many Lebanese areas and outside Lebanon, and especially in Syria where it participates in the fighting alongside the Syria’s regime against its people.”

The bloc also slammed Hezbollah over accomplishing a swap deal with the kidnappers of one of its fighters, while allegedly preventing the government from ending the 26 captive servicemen crisis by waging “random media campaigns.”

Hezbollah’s behavior, the statement said, undermines the Cabinet’s ability to function properl.

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Study: Campaign Cash Brings Tax Benefits On Capitol Hill

i i

U.S. currency in one hundred dollar denominations are displayed for illustration purposes in March 2014. J. Scott Applewhite/AP hide caption

itoggle caption J. Scott Applewhite/AP

U.S. currency in one hundred dollar denominations are displayed for illustration purposes in March 2014.

J. Scott Applewhite/AP

A new analysis takes aim at one of political science's evergreen topics: What do donors get in exchange for their campaign contributions?

The answer, according to three researchers at Arizona State University's W.P. Casey School of Business, is that "investments in on-going access to policymakers are associated with future tax benefits."

In other words, when corporations deployed lobbyists and made contributions from their political action committees to tax-writing committees, they got tangible benefits.

"Overall, we saw that donating companies experienced lower and more consistent effective tax rates in the long run," said Casey School Assistant Professor Jennifer Brown in a written statement.

The study, which looks at the Senate Finance and House Ways and Means committees, calls lobbying and contributing complementary tactics — and the effects come over the long term. It says the political marketplace "is more subtle," not a "spot market" of contributions bringing immediate favors, which would be closer to a TV show or a prosecutable quid pro quo relationship.

Scholars have tackled this question repeatedly over the years, with increasing sophistication. Twenty years ago, political scientists found no connection between campaign contributions and floor votes – not much of a surprise, since lobbyists' greatest impact is likely to come when a bill is being drafted, not months later when it hits the House or Senate floor.

Academic findings are mixed on whether political contributions correlate with corporate performance. Lobbyists, lawmakers and others on the Hill generally say contributions buy access but not results.

Militants ambush Army patrol in northeast Lebanon

BAALBEK, Lebanon: Unidentified militants ambushed a Lebanese Army patrol in the country's restive northeast Tuesday, security sources said, after which contact was lost with the soldiers.

The sources said the 4-man patrol came under fire in the village of Tal al-Sayl on the outskirts of Ras Baalbek, but the number of casualties were not immediately known.

The state-run National News Agency said a number of the soldiers were killed in the attack.

The troops attempted to communicate with central command in Ras Baalbek in order to inform them of the attack. But the communication was suddenly interrupted as they tried to return to their base in Ras Baalbek, fueling speculation that they may have been abducted.

The security sources are considering two possible scenarios.

The first involves the possibility that the soldiers were wounded and remained in place until rescued.

The second observes the possibility that the troops were either killed or taken hostage.

Lebanon’s airborne regiment is heading towards the attack site.

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Police bust Sidon cell phone thieves

BEIRUT: Police arrested Tuesday a gang operating in the southern city of Sidon that steals mobile phone SIMs from shops, the Internal Security Forces announced in a statement.

Based on information about people selling extraordinarily cheap phone lines in Sidon, police arrested a 14-year-old Palestinian boy who admitted to stealing and selling SIMs and confessed the names of his three partners, the statement said.

ISF unit then raided on their homes, arresting another minor, the 17-year-old Syrian national H.S., a 51-year-old Lebanese M.S., and the 18-year old Lebanese teenager M.G.

The gang confessed to breaking into and robbing more than 10 cell phone shops, and to have stolen money from the charity treasury of Al-Zaatari mosque.

The statement added that the four had also been stealing metallic objects from construction sites in Sidon, as well as the metallic tops of the sewers from the city’s streets.

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Ain al-Hilweh residents denounce campaign to 'distort' camp's image

BEIRUT: Hundreds of Palestinian youths protested at Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp Tuesday to condemn what they called a media campaign aimed to distort the camp’s image by accusing it of hosting jihadis.

“O Jihadi brother, I speak for the children, orphans and elderly in the camp, to whom you have caused suffering,” a spokesperson from the Islamist Usbat al-Ansar group said at the protest addressing the ISIS-inspired fugitive Shadi Mawlawi, who is wanted for plotting attacks against the Army in north Lebanon.

“O Shadi, there are 100,000 Palestinians in this camp that will not be able to provide you with any help. They will not support you if you are here.”

The spokesman, Sheikh Abu Sharif Akl, addressed both Mawlawi and Salafist Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir, another fugitive who escaped after his militia fought deadly clashes against the Lebanese Army in Sidon’s Abra neighborhood last year.

“I know that those who helped your exit Abra in June 2013 know where you are,” Akl said in reference to Assir. “I know that you are outside Lebanon, but if you are hiding here, would you release a video showing where you are and have mercy on the camp?”

“The people of this camp will not give you any help,” he added. “If you are in the camp, exit it the way you entered.”

The speech was addressed in front of the demonstrators who belonged to many organizations and parties and held banners condemning the “incitement” against Ain al-Hilweh.

The Islamist figure, however, also addressed “those insulting the camp and threatening to destroy it,” noting the Israeli army destroyed it in 1982 before the people rebuilt it.

“During the civil war, they asked us to support them, and we did. We changed the direction of the whole battle,” Akl said in reference to the 1975-1990 Lebanese civil war but without specifying who he was addressing.

The Palestinian factions in Ain al-Hilweh had received information from the Army Intelligence last week that Assir and Mawlawi are both inside the camp.

Although not able to confirm or deny the information, the camp’s leaders denied allowing the fugitives in, stressing that neither Assir nor Mawlawi will be able to use the camp for attacking the Army.

South Lebanon restaurant latest to be ordered shut

SIDON, Lebanon: A restaurant was shut down in south Lebanon Tuesday as part of the country's ongoing campaign against food sellers that do not meet safety criteria.

The judiciary ordered the closure of the Syrian restaurant and sweets shop “Ya Mal al-Sham” in Sidon, just five months after it opened its Lebanese branch.

The restaurant, famous in Syria for its sweets and homemade style cooking, opened Lebanese branches after the outbreak of the Syrian war more than three years ago.

One of the owners, Abu Alaa, said the closure was not related to health issues, but due to the fact that the restaurant’s kitchen was not tiled and the chairs and tables were old.

The food campaign launched a month ago by Health Minister Wael Abu Faour led to the closure of several slaughterhouses, including Beirut’s main abattoir, in addition to restaurants and dairy product factories across the country.

Meanwhile, Acting State Prosecutor Judge Samir Hammoud received Tuesday lab test results of samples taken from the Taanayel Center dairy farm in Zahle which were revealed to contain insects and expired materials.

Judicial sources said that Health Minister Wael Abu Faour had sent the lab results to Hammoud.

For his part, the state prosecutor transferred the file to Judge Farid Kalas in the Bekaa, urging him to follow up on investigations and take legal measures against those responsible.

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3 Insane Sports Plays All Happened in a Single Week

On Friday night, Buffalo Sabers center Tyler Ennis pulled off one of the most amazing hockey goals in recent memory. Racing up the right wing, he took the puck high around an incoming Montreal Canadiens defender before pulling it back toward the center of the ice as a second defender approached. As the three players converged, the puck glanced off Ennis's skate, sending him across the front of the goal but, unfortunately, facing the wrong direction. Ennis's stick somehow found the puck, though, and in a last-gasp effort to make something of the seemingly busted play, he somehow blindly backhanded the puck up and over the outstretched leg of the goalie.

It was the most amazing goal of the year, and though the puck gliding off his skate at just the right angle to send him in between the defender and the goalie was pretty damn lucky, Ennis having the presence of mind to fling the puck directly behind him for the goal was even more impressive.

Then, two days later on Sunday night, Phoenix Suns guard Gerald Green, known primarily for his dunking prowess—he won the All-Star Game dunk contest in 2007—threw an alley-oop... off the backboard... to himself, in a game against the Orlando Magic. It may not have been as improbable as Ennis's goal, but it's a basketball play that we usually only see during the circus of the All-Star Game, not out of necessity in a regular season game for a team contending for a playoff spot.

Exactly a week prior to Green's throw-down, New York Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. made what was easily the greatest play of the 2014 NFL season, and maybe even the greatest catch of all time.

In the span of a week, then, we saw what were arguably the year's most spectacular individual plays in all three major professional sports currently in season.

So yeah, it's not a bad time to be a sports fan.

Ivorian premier invites Lebanon to boost trade

BEIRUT: Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil met Monday night with the prime minister of the Ivory Coast, who invited Lebanon to increase its investments in the West African nation.

“The Ivory Coast opens wide horizons for Lebanese investment, especially in the agricultural and banking sectors,” Prime Minister Daniel Kablan Duncan said after meeting with Bassil, according to a statement released Tuesday.

He explained that the Ivorian economy is witnessing a yearly growth rate of 10 percent, and that his government is implementing economic policies that facilitate foreign investment, especially in the banking sector.

Duncan described Lebanon as the “podium to the Middle Eastern and Arab markets,” saying “the Lebanese excel in all fields, and especially in the agricultural sector.”

Bassil, in turn, praised the good relations between the two countries.

“This visit aims to bolster relations, especially in the economic ones, because the human and political relations are on the highest level possible,” he said.

Bassil said the impressive growth rate of Ivory Coast is a motivating factor for Lebanese investors, and that the Lebanese businessmen’s creativity will add value to this growth.

Bassil arrived to Abidjan on Monday where he inaugurated new offices for the Lebanese embassy.

He was then invited to the residence of the Lebanese Chargé d'affaires Wissam Kalakesh, where the latter hosted a ceremony to honor Bassil in the presence of many Lebanese diplomats and officials.

Bassil praised the efforts of the Lebanese expat community in the country, stressing on the importance of Africa for the Lebanese economy.

“The African continent is the economic lung of the Lebanese economy,” he said.

He called on Lebanese businessmen in Africa not to stir any trouble, "because the enemies of Lebanon are many and they are working on distorting its image.”

He accused Israel of attempting to invade the African markets through illicit competition and force, and of working on undermining Lebanese interest in the region.

Lebanon may swap FSA commander for captives: General Security

BEIRUT: General Security denied Tuesday releasing FSA commander Abdullah Hussein Rifai, while announcing that his freedom was contingent on negotiations to secure the release of Lebanese captives held by jihadis.

According to a General Security statement, “Rifai is still detained with the General Security after being referred to the relevant judicial authorities.”

The fate of the Rifai, who was arrested last month, is tied to negotiations to secure the release of 26 Lebanese servicemen who are being held hostage by ISIS and the Nusra Front.

The statement denied rumors that the detainee was handed over to Hezbollah for the purpose of a swap deal that secured the release of one of the party’s fighters who was released by the FSA last week.

“This news is incorrect and his not link to the truth whatsoever."

Last month, Military Prosecutor Judge Saqr issued a decision to release Rifai after he had been detained for nine days for allegedly attempting to sneak into Lebanon’s outskirts, according to judicial sources.

After the decision, the judge handed Rifai over to General Security, which was set to issue a decision concerning the legality of the commander’s presence in Lebanon.

After arresting Rifai in Arsal on Nov. 9, the Army said it confiscated a fake Lebanese ID in his possession. Rifai, according to the statement, confessed to belonging to one of Syria's armed rebel groups.

Rifai, however, was not subject to official charges after preliminary interrogations carried out by military intelligence revealed that the suspect in question hadn’t committed any crime on Lebanese territory nor did he have the intent to do so.

Arab governments will defeat ISIS: Nasrallah, Maliki

Lebanese mourn poet Said Akl at funeral

Maronite Patriarch Bshara Rai leads the funeral services of Lebanese poet and author Said Akl, underway at the Saint...

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Lebanese mourn poet Said Akl at funeral

Maronite Patriarch Bshara Rai leads the funeral services of Lebanese poet and author Said Akl, underway at the Saint...

Lebanese mourn poet Said Akl at funeral

BEIRUT: Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai led the funeral services Friday for Lebanese poet and author Said Akl at the Saint George Maronite Cathedral in Downtown Beirut.

Akl passed away at the age of 102 last Friday, two days after the other prominent icon in Lebanon’s art history, Sabah, had died at 87.

Many of Lebanon’s top Christian figures attended the funeral mass, including former President Michel Sleiman, Kataeb leader Amine Gemayel, and Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun.

Many of Akl’s black-and-white portraits were hung outside the church hall, while a painted portrait of him was attached to the main gate.

Notre Dame University had hosted prayers over Akl’s body Monday at its campus in Louaize, where students, officials and artists took turns taking snapshots of his corpse with their smart phones.

Designed and built by Lebanon’s famous painter and sculptor Rudy Rahme, Akl’s coffin was made of Lebanese rock and wood from a 3,000 year-old cedar tree that had died 30 years ago, media reports said.

Akl’s name and the titles of many of his poets were carved into the casket.

Akl, considered one of the most important modern Lebanese poets, was born in 1912 to a Maronite Catholic family in the city of Zahle.

Akl's wrote poetry in both Lebanese dialect and classical Arabic.

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There must be rules to hostage negotiations: Salam

BRUSSELS: Prime Minister Tammam Salam reiterated Tuesday that his government will not be blackmailed by the jihadi captors of 26 Lebanese servicemen, stressing that negotiations for their liberation should be conducted according to certain norms and rules.

“We are entrusted with the lives of our heroes, but we will not bow to blackmail. Let no one try to blackmail four million Lebanese people, or attempt to blackmail the Lebanese Army,” Salam told Lebanese expatriates in Belgium at the end of a two-day official visit.

He pointed out that he had contacted Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to urge him to revive Qatari mediation to secure the release of the servicemen.

Salam deplored the situation in Lebanon which he said “is being undermined” by rivalries and internal political struggles of antagonist leaders.

“The biggest illustration of our political crisis is the vacancy in the presidential post,” Salam said, emphasizing that things cannot improve in the absence of a head of state “regardless of the government’s efforts to counterweight the vacuum” at the state’s top post.

“We definitely need to carry out general elections as well, instead of prolonging (the mandate of) Parliament because then we would be prolonging the crisis,” Salam said.

On a more positive note, Salam applauded Lebanon’s success in defeating attempts to manipulate tensions related to the Syrian conflict in order to stir internal strife.

“Lebanon’s security was exposed to big tremors, but with the help of our Army and security forces we were able to preserve our nation and defeat the argument that Lebanon is a fertile ground for terrorism,” Salam added.

ISIS and Nusra Front militants have been threatening to execute the captive servicemen to pressure the government to release terror suspects and Islamist detainees in Roumieh prison.

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President Hopes To Draw Attention, And Funding, To Ebola Research

Audio for this story from Morning Edition will be available at approximately 9:00 a.m. ET.

Obama on Tuesday visits the National Institutes of Health, site of some promising anti-Ebola research, where he'll renew his call for Congress to approve $6 billion in funding to fight the disease.