LCCC ENGLISH
DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
June 21/07
Bible Reading of the day
Holy
Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 6,1-6.16-18. (But) take care
not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you
will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not
blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the
streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received
their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your
right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees
in secret will repay you. When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love
to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see
them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go
to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your
Father who sees in secret will repay you. When you fast, do not look gloomy like
the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others
to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you
fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be
fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is
hidden will repay you.
Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources
for June 21/06/07
Army Provides a Sense of Unity in Fractured Lebanon-New
York Times
Time running out for Lebanon, Arab League warns-Reuters
Fatah Islam Squeezed as Army Makes More
Gains on Ground-Naharnet
U.S. Lawmakers
Pressure EU to Label Hizbullah Terrorist Group-Naharnet
Car-Park Quarrel in
Beirut Leaves 2 Wounded-Naharnet
Bush, PM downplay hopes of Syria talks-Jerusalem Post
A glimmer of hope in Lebanon-Gulf
News
US lawmakers pressuring EU on Hezbollah terrorism
designation-International Herald Tribune
Analysis: What changed after Lebanon War?United
Press International
Israel: UN forces in Lebanon under orders not to offend Hizbullah-World
Tribune
The real cause of Gaza battle-Gulf News
Open the gates immediately-Ha'aretz
Army takes
control of most militant positions-Daily Star
Moussa
optimistic Lebanese can overcome differences-Daily
Star
Judge
issues arrest warrants against 4 Al-Qaeda suspects-Daily
Star
Gemayel says law requires by-elections-Daily
Star
Qatar
says Bint Jbeil pensions to resume-Daily
Star
Kuwait
donates $5 million worth of ambulances, medical supplies-Daily
Star
Authorities search for gunmen in Bekaa-Daily
Star
ISF
finds rocket-propelled grenades in Rashayah
-Daily Star
Hawi
family delays memorial for slain leader-Daily
Star
Two
Israeli fighter jets violate Lebanese airspace-Daily
Star
Siniora: Returning refugees to Nahr al-Bared needs time-Daily
Star
Jund
al-Sham fighters botch bomb-building attempt-Daily
Star
Russia
prepared to help clear unexploded ordnance littering South Lebanon-Daily
Star
Instability prompts couples to put wedding plans on hold-Daily
Star
Lebanese investors wooed with 'million-dollar visas'-Daily
Star
U.S. Lawmakers
Pressure EU to Label Hizbullah Terrorist Group
U.S. lawmakers are stepping up pressure on the European Union to declare
Hizbullah a terrorist organization despite efforts by some European countries to
block the move. A House of Representatives' panel is to highlight Wednesday the
importance of Europe as a fundraising base for the group, long held responsible
by the United States for anti-U.S. and anti-Israeli attacks. Some EU states have
resisted a designation of Hizbullah as a terrorist organization, arguing that it
is better to engage the group given its large role in Lebanese politics.
European officials have argued that changing policy on Hizbullah could affect
the political balance in Lebanon and further destabilize the country. The U.S.
government has considered Hizbullah a foe since the 1980s and used its own
decade-old designation to seize assets and freeze the group out of its financial
system. Some members of Congress say that European countries standing in the way
of a necessary unanimous vote by the 27-member EU should reconsider, given
fading hopes that Hizbullah will play a constructive role in Lebanon's nascent
democracy.
"What many of us here are arguing is that Europe must recognize the tremendously
dangerous role Hizbullah plays and should include them on their list," said
Democratic Rep. Robert Wexler, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs'
subcommittee on Europe that is holding Wednesday's hearing.
A designation by the EU would require member-nations to freeze the group's
assets held in their jurisdiction. "An EU ban on Hizbullah could have a
significant impact, particularly in terms of its ability to use Europe as a
fundraising and recruiting base," said Michael Jacobson, a former Bush
administration treasury official. Jacobson, now a senior fellow at the Stein
Program on Terrorism, Intelligence, and Policy at the Washington Institute, will
be testifying at Wednesday's hearing.
The EU Parliament passed a resolution to "take all necessary steps to curtail"
Hizbullah. But the measure was nonbinding on the EU Council, which would have to
approve a designation. Jacobson says that while many European countries openly
support labeling Hizbullah a terrorist group, efforts to pressure the EU are
complicated because it is not clear how many countries are against the move.
Under EU rules a unanimous vote is needed to designate a terrorist organization.
The deliberations happen anonymously behind closed doors. However, the French
government has in the past argued openly against the designation.(AP-Naharnet)
Beirut, 20 Jun 07, 09:07
Fatah Islam
Squeezed as Army Makes More Gains on Ground
The Lebanese army has made steady gains on the ground, further squeezing Fatah
al-Islam militants in a small portion of the battered Palestinian refugee camp
of Nahr al-Bared as mediators on Wednesday reportedly hinted at a possible
cease-fire deal with the militants. Two Lebanese soldiers became the latest
victims of the battle around Nahr el-Bared near the northern city of Tripoli
that began on May 20. As the fighting with Fatah al-Islam continued on
Wednesday, mediators hinted at a possible cease-fire deal with the militants
that included the disarmament of the al-Qaida-inspired militants. According to a
Palestinian Muslim cleric who has been acting as mediator, the deal would
include a cease-fire, to be followed by the militants' disarmament. The cleric,
Sheik Mohammed Haj, told The Associated Press news agency he had a "very
positive" meeting with Fatah al-Islam leaders inside the camp but would not give
details before a scheduled meeting with the army command on Wednesday. He
earlier told the official National News Agency (NNA) that the militants agreed
to conditions of his Palestinian Scholars Association.
The cleric did not offer more details, but the private New TV station said the
conditions also include return of refugees, takeover of the camp by other
Palestinian factions and Fatah al-Islam's dissolution.
Meanwhile, Abu Imad Rifai, a representative of the Palestinian militant group
Islamic Jihad, told Al-Manar television that the progress was made after Fatah
al-Islam "opened the doors for a solution" and accepted to "dissolve." The army
had said its decision to eliminate Fatah al-Islam was "final and irreversible,"
and the militants had pledged to fight to death rather than comply by the
military's request that they surrender. The fighting in Nahr al-Bared comes amid
a bitter standoff between Prime Minister Fouad Saniora's government and the
Hizbullah-led opposition. NNA said three Lebanese helicopters fired 12 rockets
at suspected Fatah al-Islam positions in the camp late Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Lebanon's top military magistrate Rashid Mezher issued formal arrest
warrants for nine suspected militants who were detained earlier this month in
east Lebanon's Bekaa Valley town of Bar Elias, NNA reported. The agency did not
say to which group the nine belonged but said they comprise six Lebanese, two
Syrians and a Saudi. The battle to drive the terrorists out has led to
significant damage to parts of the camp, once home to some 30,000 Palestinian
refugees. Only about 5,000 remain inside, after most residents fled to the
nearby Beddawi refugee camp. An amateur video obtained by Associated Press
Television News on Tuesday showed major destruction in largely deserted
residential neighborhoods. Debris from collapsed walls and balconies littered
the narrow alleys, covered with ripped electricity wires. Shells and shrapnel
holes peppered some buildings. A burnt car and a parked pickup truck with a
collapsed wall resting on it lay on one deserted street.
The video, taken at different periods between May 27 and June 10, showed very
few residents. Six men were seen gathering around a hose to fill up cans with
water. In one house, a family was sitting on the floor for a meal.(AP-Naharnet)
Beirut, 20 Jun 07, 07:18
Car-Park
Quarrel in Beirut Leaves 2 Wounded
An overnight car-parking quarrel in Beirut's Tarik Jedideh neighborhood
developed into a shootout between members of MP Saad Hariri's al-Moustaqbal
party and Amal Movement, headed by House Speaker Nabih Berri. Police said two
men were wounded in the flare-up with machine gunfire at Hay Farhat, a small
quarter of Tarik Jedideh, before Lebanese troops stepped in and dispersed the
feuding sides. They identified the casualties – both al-Moustaqbal supporters --
as Mohammed Hajjar, who was shot in the head, and Bashir Khatib, who received
leg injuries. Beirut, 20 Jun 07, 08:56