Lebanon

Hizbullah Success in West Beirut Replaces Impasse With Uncertainty
Lebanon's government is reeling after Hizbullah guerrillas seize control of Muslim west Beirut

Lebanon on the Brink As Violence Erupts
At least 10 killed as Hizbullah fighters clash with supporters of the western-backed government

Arab Leaders Boycott Damascus Summit Over Lebanon Crisis
Syria is declaring Arab summit in Damascus as a triumph over US pressure

Coup Plot 'manager' Makes Claim on 'main Man'
Ex-SAS officer Simon Mann names Lebanese tycoon Ely Calil as main force behind Equatorial Guinea coup plot

Druze Defiance
Ian Black meets Walid Junblatt, Lebanon's outspoken Druze chieftain, and finds him unconcerned about the dangers of attacking Syria

Beirut Divided in Mourning for Fallen Leaders
Two protests over the deaths of a Hizbullah chief this week and a former prime minister three years ago expose Lebanese divisions

Nerves Frayed on Anniversary of Lebanon's Valentine's Day Massacre
Three years on, Beirut's Valentine's Day massacre will be marked by rally in Martyrs Square

Olmert Off the Hook Despite 'failings' in Lebanon War
Inquiry stops short of criticizing Israeli PM· War did not achieve goals, judge concludes

Snow Storm Blankets Middle East
Up to 20cm falls in Jerusalem, while roads are closed in Jordan and Lebanon

The Second Lebanon War
Israel's second invasion of southern Lebanon - the background and fallout

Olmert Survives, for Now
Leader:The retired justice Eliyahu Winograd, who headed the panel investigating Israel's 34-day war in Lebanon in 2006, said yesterday what everybody already knew. The ground offensive launched in the last 60 hours of the war 'did not achieve any military objective, nor did it fulfill its potential'

Roadside Bomb in Beirut Leaves Four Dead
Lebanese take brunt of blast aimed at US envoy· Attack coincides with Bush's Middle East tour

Lebanon's New Low As Leader Talks Fail
Lebanon's political crisis deepened this weekend after the failure for the 10th time by rival parties to agree on a way to elect a President

Lebanese President Declares State of Emergency
Lebanese president Emile Lahoud has declared a state of emergency after parliament failed to elect a new president

Last-ditch Effort to Break Lebanese Impasse
Parliament begins final effort to choose a new president before the incumbent's term runs out

Lebanon President Choice Stalled
Lebanon's parliament has again delayed choosing the country's next president to allow more time for its pro- and anti-Syrian factions to agree a consensus candidate.

Lebanese Presidential Vote to Go Ahead Despite Killing
Lebanese leaders vow to press ahead with task of choosing new president despite assassination of anti-Syrian MP yesterday.

Lebanese Mp Killing Fails to Deter Presidential Vote
Election of president will go ahead despite assassination of anti-Syrian MP, say Lebanese leaders

Palestinian Civilians Flee Lebanon Refugee Camp
Move comes in anticipation of final assault by Lebanese army after almost two months of fighting.

Lebanon Mourns Assassinated Mp Walid Eido
Mourners at funeral of anti-Syrian MP killed in bomb blast chant slogans against Syrian president.

Q&A: the Latest Conflict in Lebanon
What is going on in Lebanon?

Q&A: Crisis in Lebanon
Mark Tran analyzes the fighting that has claimed more than 80 lives over recent weeks.

Syria Brands Hariri Tribunal As Harmful Ploy By Washington
Damascus says UN move will destabilize Lebanon - Last chance for parliament in Beirut to end impasse

UN Votes to Set Up Hariri Tribunal
The UN security council voted last night to create a special tribunal into the 2005 assassination of the Lebanese prime minister, Rafiq Hariri.

Damascus Denials Mask Fear of Growing Sectarianism
Syria has emphatically denied accusations that it is backing the fundamentalist Palestinian splinter group fighting the Lebanese army in Tripoli, blaming Beirut for being too weak to handle the crisis.

Palenstinian Refugees Flee Lebanon Camp Violence
About 15,000 people, half the population of Nahr al-Bared, have left the refugee camp in northern Lebanon after three days of tank and artillery shelling, a UN relief official said today.

Q&A: Crisis in Lebanon
Mark Tran analyzes the latest wave of fighting that has claimed more than 80 lives in three days

US Accuses Damascus Over Lebanon Violence
The Bush administration issued its most pointed warning yet to Syria today as another truce broke down and fighting was renewed at the Palestinian refugee camp, Nahr el-Bared, in northern Lebanon.

US Warning to Syria As Beirut Asks for More Arms
The Bush administration issued its most pointed warning yet to Syria yesterday as another truce broke down and fighting was renewed at the Palestinian Nahr al-Bared refugee camp in northern Lebanon.

US Reassures Lebanon As It Woos Syria
The US reassured Lebanon's pro-western government today that any rapprochement with Syria would not be at its expense, as Washington finalised diplomatic moves to create a UN tribunal to try suspects in the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri.

US Moves to Reassure Lebanon Over Syria
The US reassured Lebanon's pro-western government yesterday that any rapprochement with Syria would not be at its expense, as Washington finalised diplomatic moves to create a UN tribunal to try suspects in the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri.

Olmert Fingers Army Over Lebanon War
The embattled Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, told an inquiry he blamed the military for failings in the Lebanon war, according to testimony released today.

Syria Refuses to Cooperate With Hariri Tribunal
Syria will not cooperate with a UN tribunal set up to try suspects in the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri, a defiant President Bashar al-Assad pledged in Damascus today.

Ehud Olmert Expected War on Lebanon to Last 10 Days or Two Weeks
The Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, expected last summer's Lebanon war to be a limited operation that would last 10 days to two weeks, it emerged today.

Foreign Minister Urges Olmert to Quit
4 stars (One Little Indian) prime minister, Ehud Olmert, became increasingly precarious today, after his foreign minister called on him to resign over the handling of last year's war in Lebanon.

Olmert's Legacy Could Yet Be the Failure That Forces Something Better
The crisis triggered by Israel's report on its war with Lebanon may end up putting the Arab League initiative centre stage. By Jonathan Freedland

Junior Minister Quits Over Olmert War Failings
A member of the Israeli cabinet today resigned in protest at the handling of the Lebanon war, increasing the political pressure on the prime minister, Ehud Olmert.

The Winograd Report: Key Players
Rory McCarthy profiles the principal characters in Israel's official inquiry into the conduct of last summer's war with Lebanon.

Olmert Accused of 'severe Failure' Over War in Lebanon
Ehud Olmert, the Israeli prime minister showed a 'severe failure' in judgment in his rush to embark on the second Lebanon war, according to the findings of the committee of inquiry that were released today.

Lebanon: There Will Be a Reckoning
The devastation of south Lebanon has echoes of Angola's towns shattered by South Africa in the 80s. By Victoria Brittain

Olmert Attempts to Shrug Off Unpopularity
The Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, has made a fresh attempt to restore his political standing ahead of a crucial report that is expected to criticise his handling of last summer's war in Lebanon.

Thousands Gather in Beirut to Commemorate Hariri Death
Government supporters today gathered in central Beirut on the second anniversary of the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister Rafik al-Hariri.

Bus Bombs Rock Lebanon
Three people were killed when explosions tore through two buses north of the Lebanese capital, Beirut, today.

Lebanon Rocked By Bus Bombs
Up to 12 people were killed today when explosions tore through two buses travelling north of Beirut.

'Four Killed' in Beirut University Clash
Up to four people have been killed and at least 25 injured in clashes between pro and anti-government protesters in Lebanon, it is reported.

Protests Bring Lebanon to a Standstill
Thousands of demonstrators brought much of Lebanon to a standstill today as they blocked key transport routes to enforce a general strike aimed at toppling the government.

Islam and the Jews
The causes behind the 2006 war in Lebanon were several and one of the most important was Islam.

Lebanon War Claims Its Biggest Scalp
Israel's prime minister will probably survive the resignation of his chief of staff, but he may fall foul of political scandal, writes Rory McCarthy.

Crowds Mourn Killed Lebanese Minister
Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in central Beirut today to witness the funeral of the assassinated Lebanese Christian leader Pierre Gemayel.

Lebanese Mourn Assassinated Minister
Lebanese independence day celebrations planned for today were cancelled as mourners flocked to pay their respects to the Lebanese industry minister, Pierre Gemayel, who was assassinated yesterday in Beirut.

Assassination Triggers Fresh Crisis in Lebanon
Lebanon lurched closer to a fresh round of sectarian bloodletting yesterday with the assassination of its industry minister, Pierre Gemayel, a member of the country's most powerful Christian family and a leading opponent of Syrian influence.

World Briefing
Lebanon's latest assassination has underscored how dangerously high the Middle East stakes have risen in the years since 9/11 and the Iraq invasion.

Author Accuses Government of Failure of Leadership
David Grossman, one of Israel's most admired authors and a leading figure on the Israeli left, appeared in public for the first time since the death of his son in the Lebanon war to deliver an impassioned speech criticising the government for "hollow" leadership and for failing to negotiate with the Palestinians.

D'Ancona: Media Got It Wrong in Lebanon
The Spectator editor, Matthew d'Ancona, is to attack western media reporting of the Lebanon war, saying reporters 'floundered like an English tourist abroad'. By Stephen Brook.

UK Refuses to Back Cluster Bomb Ban As Extent of Use in Lebanon Revealed
Britain has joined the US, China and Russia to block a proposed ban on cluster bombs in the wake of extensive use of the weapons during the war in Lebanon.

Reuters News Agency to Launch Arabic-language Sports Service
Reuters is to launch an Arabic language sports service, covering the world's big sporting events as well as games in Middle Eastern countries including Iraq, Lebanon and Egypt. By Julia Day.

Olmert Ratings Plunge As Right Surges Ahead
Opinion polls in Israel yesterday showed growing frustration with the prime minister, Ehud Olmert, and pointed to the rise of political rightwingers in the wake of the war in Lebanon.

Pressure Mounts on Olmert to Quit
· Israeli leader under attack for Lebanon war failings · Leading politicians face scandal accusations

Minister Gives Ground on Ceasefire Policy
The Foreign Office minister Kim Howells conceded for the first time yesterday that it might have been better for Britain to have called for an immediate ceasefire during the 34-day Lebanon war.

Open Door
The readers' editor on ... charges of an anti-Israel hoax in south Lebanon.

Lebanon Blockade Lifted
Israel's eight-week air and sea blockade of Lebanon was lifted today as UN and Whitehall officials discussed sending British ships and jets to patrol the region in the wake of the country's recent war.

The Final Place of Refuge for Christians in the Middle East is Under Threat
As Iraq and Lebanon are torn apart by sectarian mayhem and war, only Syria's religious tolerance offers refugees shelter. By William Dalrymple

War Prompts Lebanese Brain Drain
Declan Walsh reports from Beirut on a new generation of Lebanese who are packing their bags to leave after the war.

War Stalls Beirut's Rebirth As Young Seek Better Life Elsewhere
The line snaked past the Canadian embassy in Beirut on a sweltering afternoon. Sandra fanned herself with the visa application she prayed was her ticket out of Lebanon.

Europe the Peacekeeper
Sending stabilising forces to Lebanon may be good for the EU's image, but the task ahead has been dubbed 'mission impossible', says Ian Black.

Lebanon Rejects Syria's Un Warning
Lebanon has spoken out against objections to the deployment of peacekeeping troops along its border with Syria, following claims from the Syrian president, Bashar Assad, yesterday that such an act would be a "hostile move".

Prodi Comes Before a Fall
The Italian government has plenty of enthusiasm for sending troops to Lebanon but seemingly little grasp of the difficulties involved, writes John Hooper.

Syria Warns on Peacekeepers
The Syrian president, Bashar Assad, today warned he would consider the deployment of international troops along the Lebanon-Syria border a hostile move towards his country.

Oil Slick Has Sunk to Seabed, Says Greenpeace
Much of the oil slick off the Lebanese coast has sunk to the seabed, creating a 10cm (4in) carpet of oil suffocating marine life, according to Greenpeace and Lebanese divers.

Lebanon Facing 'security Vacuum'
· UN warns fragile peace may face months of delay · Italy will not send troops if Israel 'keeps shooting'

Lebanon Facing Humanitarian Crisis
Lebanon is facing a humanitarian emergency as more than 650,000 refugees pour back into the south from less ravaged parts of the country and from Syria.

The Battle in the Books
With Israel and Lebanon currently bound in an uneasy truce, Richard Lea talks to authors from both sides to discover the impact of the conflict and its aftermath on their work

Criticism Forces Olmert to Shelve Border Plan
The Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, has put on hold his plans to unilaterally draw up a final border with the West Bank in the face of criticism over the war in Lebanon, according to senior political figures.

Rights Groups Warn of Danger of Unexploded Cluster Bombs
UN explosives experts have identified 10 places where Israeli guns have fired cluster bombs on southern Lebanon and fear there could be many more of the devices, a human rights group said yesterday.

Peacekeeper Deployment in the Balance
A plan to send thousands of UN peacekeeping troops to Lebanon within days hung in the balance last night after France said it would send only a token force, and other countries proved unwilling to commit to sending soldiers immediately.

Global Donors to Tackle Lebanon Reconstruction
The huge task of rebuilding Lebanon's shattered infrastructure will be discussed by 60 countries attending a donors' conference in Sweden at the end of this month.

West Bank Pullout May Be Next Casualty
One of the many casualties of the war in Lebanon will almost certainly be the Israeli government's plans to withdraw unilaterally from the West Bank.

Reconstruction Alone Estimated at $7bn in Lebanon
With the tenuous ceasefire still holding, Lebanese government ministers met to begin the laborious process of estimating civilian damage caused by a month of Israeli bombing.

In a Military Democracy, It is the Warriors Who Call the Shots
The failure of the attack on Lebanon has left the Israeli people less secure, but it has done nothing to dent the generals' power. By George Monbiot

Returning to Their Devastated Homes, the People of Lebanon Claim Victory
When it ended at 8am yesterday morning the tiny town bore fearful testament to Israel's wrath. Yet for the townspeople the bombs had failed to obliterate one thing - a defiant sense of victory.

Ceasefire Brings Uneasy Lull to Lebanon
The Lebanese-Israeli border fell silent today after a night of fighting that left at least 19 Lebanese dead.

Olmert Ready to Defend Conduct of War in Face of Attacks From All Sides
The Israeli cabinet gave a show of solidarity, voting 24-0 for the proposed UN ceasefire in Lebanon, but beneath the surface there are deep divisions over whether the country has won or lost.

UN Vote on Lebanon Resolution Expected
· Beckett: US and France have agreed text · Israeli response 'positive' · Israel launches new ground offensive

Demands for Recall of Parliament Growing
More than 150 MPs, including a fifth of Labour's parliamentary party, yesterday joined forces with 17 charities, including Oxfam and Amnesty International, to urge the recall of parliament to discuss the crisis in Lebanon.

'We Thought Gaza Was Pretty Tough ...'
The arrival of the ground troops followed the entry into Lebanon of scores of tanks and armoured vehicles from Metulla on Tuesday night.

'We Are All United'
In a hospital in Tyre, Jonathan Steele meets Christian and Muslim Lebanese soldiers wounded by Israeli rockets.

Angry Mps Demand Recall of Parliament
Up to 100 MPs, most of them Labour, are to demand an immediate recall of parliament to debate the crisis in Lebanon because of growing fears about the government's strategy, the Guardian has learned.

Diary
The Pipe Club of Lebanon would like to make a call for papers for the second issue of its journal, due September 15. The theme will be, appropriately, War and the Pipe Smoker. By Jon Henley

UN Deal May Come Too Late to End Fighting As Obstacles to Truce Continue to Mount
The UN security council will almost certainly adopt a ceasefire resolution this week, in spite of objections from Lebanon and others in the Arab world. But diplomats and analysts were united in despair yesterday, expressing doubts that the resolution could stop the fighting.

Lebanon Ready to Deploy Army in South
The Lebanese army called up 5,000 reservists last night to prepare for deployment along the border to try to speed up the departure of Israeli forces, the main hurdle to the United Nations security council adopting a ceasefire resolution.

Reuters Drops Photographer Over 'doctored' Image
Reuters has dropped a Lebanese freelance photographer after it emerged he had doctored a picture of the aftermath of an Israeli air strike. By Julia Day.

A Family Picnic and Then Back to the Front
After six days of combat in a Lebanese village just across the Israeli border, Staff Sergeant Roy Shallem hiked back overnight with his infantry unit.

Bridge Bombings Cut Lebanese Lifeline
· 'Major setback' for aid effort · 33 workers killed in attack

Oil Slick Threat to Wildlife of Mediterranean
A major oil slick was spreading north from Lebanon along the Syrian coast last night and could devastate beaches as far away as Turkey and Cyprus, local ecologists and the UN have warned.

Beleaguered Community Torn By a Distant War
The Lebanese conflict has left British Jews feeling beleaguered, and torn between their desire to support Israel and their concern about the tactics it is deploying in Lebanon.

Keeping Your Balance
Analysis: TV news teams covering the Lebanon crisis are beset with accusations of both pro- and anit-Israeli bias. But what are the networks actually saying? John Plunkett tunes in.

Lebanon Counts Human Cost of 23 Days in Firing Line
· Israel accused of targeting civilians indiscriminately · Suffering worsens without aid corridor, say agencies

Lebanon and the Middle East Timeline: July 2006
David Fickling retraces the day-by-day conflict back to July 12.

Oil Slick Threatens Mediterranean Beaches
A huge oil slick caused by Israeli bombing, which has already polluted 100km (60 miles) of the Lebanese coast, may reach beaches in Turkey, Cyprus and Greece, environment campaigners warned today.

After the Siege, the Panic to Flee Devastation
Jonathan Steele reports on the last dash to leave the southern Lebanese town of Aitaroun.

UN Delays Peacekeeping Action
The UN today said it had "indefinitely postponed" moves to send an international stabilisation force to south Lebanon, as both sides in the conflict resumed strikes.

My Journey on the Highway of Fear With Families Who Lost Everything
The Observer's Foreign Affairs Editor Peter Beaumont records his remarkable week with Lebanese refugees fleeing the Israeli onslaught.

Just War of Self-defence or Slaughter of the Innocent - One Conflict Through Different Eyes
Two weeks of violence in Lebanon have seen an estimated 616 people killed and hundreds of thousands displaced. Suzanne Goldenberg and Rory McCarthy speak to some of those caught in the conflict on both sides.

The T-shirt Seller of Beirut
The inhabitants of the Lebanese capital are making the most of a terrible situation, despite official incompetence and Israel's continuing air campaign, writes Brian Whitaker.

World Briefing
A black day in the Middle East produced one hopeful glimmer: Kofi Annan's insistence, backed by hosts Italy and other Rome conference participants, that lasting peace in Lebanon would require the "constructive engagement" of all regional countries including Syria and Iran. By Simon Tisdall

The Neocon Resurgence
The delusional US mindset that made the Iraq war a disaster has resurfaced in Lebanon. By Sidney Blumenthal

UN Aid Convoy Heads to South Lebanon
The first UN relief convoy left Beirut today carrying emergency supplies to the devastated south of Lebanon, but without assurances from Israel that it would not be attacked.

Refugees Shelter Among Victims of Earlier Conflict
As Lebanese villagers escaping Israeli air strikes move northwards from the border, some have sought refuge among the refugees of an earlier phase of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

'Save Us,' She Screamed As Another Shell Landed
The doors of Tibnin General Hospital, a modest facility even in ordinary times, yesterday opened on a vision of hell: as many as 1,600 desperate and terrified refugees caught up in Lebanon's deepening humanitarian crisis.

Rice Joins Diplomatic Efforts As Violence Continues
· Israeli troops move deeper into Lebanon · Blair hints at ceasefire plan · EU chief speaks of multinational force

Scale of the Human Crisis Emerges
The people of Lebanon are facing their "hour of greatest need", the UN said yesterday in launching an emergency appeal for $150m (£81m) to help an estimated 800,000 civilians whose lives have been disrupted by Israeli bombing of Lebanon.

Howells Ignores Diplomatic Niceties While Beckett Denies Rift With Her Minister
The British Foreign Office minister Kim Howells refused to back down over his controversial comments about the Lebanon conflict when he arrived in Israel yesterday, repeating his calls for Israelis to show 'proportionality and restraint'.

Thousands of Overseas Maids Caught Up in Conflict Face Long Struggle to Get Home
With roughly 400 stranded Sri Lankan women sleeping in his offices as they try to escape Lebanon, Amanul Farouque, the country's ambassador was out yesterday morning, going from bakery to bakery to buy them bread. 'This is an unusual assignment, but we are in an unusual situation,' he said wryly.

Scared to Flee ... Even More Scared to Stay
Peter Beaumont talks to refugees from the south of Lebanon as whole families leave all their possessions behind and take to the roads in cars, taxis and flat-bed trucks, hanging out sheets in the hope they will protect them from Israeli jets.

Bombs on a Starry Night
Beirut is turning into a ghost town as the Lebanese flee, writes Brian Whitaker, amidst further blasts and erratic power supplies.

Frontline Villagers Watch Their Way of Life Disintegrate
Perched on a hilltop 100 metres from the Lebanese frontier, the villagers of Margaliyot can see fires burning and hear bombs detonating on both sides of the border. Margaliyot sits directly below the flightpath of most Katuysha rockets that are fired into Israel. The war is happening over their heads.

Downing St and Foreign Office at Odds on Lebanon
A rift has opened up between Downing Street and the Foreign Office over Israel's continued bombing of Lebanon and the high civilian death toll.

Frontline Villagers Watch the Rockets Fly Past - and Their Way of Life Disintegrate
Perched on a hilltop 100 metres from the Lebanese frontier, the villagers of Margaliyot can see fires burning and hear bombs detonating on both sides of the border. Margaliyot sits directly below the flightpath of most Katuysha rockets that are fired into Israel. The war is happening over their heads.

Mission Impossible
Past experience indicates that any UN force in south Lebanon will struggle to keep the peace, writes Ian Black.

Lebanese Who Fled As Youngsters Forced to Flee Again With Own Children
Wearing a sweat-soaked vest and beach shorts and clutching a leather briefcase in one hand and a baffled five-year-old in the other, Joe Noujeim cut an odd figure as he walked down the gangplank of a 5,200 tonne British destroyer to a Cyprus tourist spot yesterday morning.

Thousands Flock to Hills, Parks and Schools, But No Place Safe From Bombs
In small pockets of misery and distress tucked away across Beirut, thousands of Lebanese refugees are sheltering from Israel's relentless bombing.

Deadliest Day of Strikes Kills 57 Civilians
Fifty-seven Lebanese civilians were killed by Israeli air strikes yesterday in the deadliest day since the assault began.

Lebanon Fighting 'could Last Weeks'
An Israeli general warned today that an invasion of Lebanon remained a possibility as the army mobilised reserves to reinforce its northern border.

Mass Evacuation From Beirut Under Way
A mass evacuation of British, American and other foreign nationals from Beirut was under way today as Israel continued its bombardment of Lebanon.

Massive Evacuation Gathers Pace
Thousands of Lebanese nationals and western expats were scrambling to leave the country as Israel's week-long bombardment of Lebanon continued.

Proposal Met With Hostility
The idea of a large multinational security force deployed to southern Lebanon, envisaged by Kofi Annan, Tony Blair, and other EU leaders, has been met with caution.

West Flounders As Old Divisions Resurface
A joint statement issued yesterday by European foreign ministers, agreed after hours of tortuous negotiation, exposed what has become increasingly clear in recent days: the west is paralysed over how to deal with the Israeli-Lebanese conflict.

Lebanon: the World Looks on
West still declines to intervene as death toll passes 200.

Rescue of Britons Depends on Ceasefire, Fo Says
As the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious and the assault ship HMS Bulwark headed towards the eastern Mediterranean, the advice from the Foreign Office to the estimated 10,000 Britons in Lebanon last night was to stay put.

Last-minute Talks in Lebanon Amid Fears of Ground Invasion
Israeli PM warns of far reaching consequences as rockets hit Haifa.

Can Conflict Be Contained or Will It Spread Throughout Region?
Many analysts in Lebanon were stunned by the scale of the attack, by far the most serious operation that the fundamentalist militia has launched in years. It seems timed to coincide with Hamas operations in Gaza, where a third Israeli soldier is being held.

BBC to Train Lebanese Journalists
The BBC is offering training for young Lebanese broadcast journalists in memory of Abed Takkoush, the BBC driver killed by an artillery shell in the Lebanon. By Julia Day.

Flashpoint Farmland
Lebanon's visiting prime minister seeks British support in land row, says Brian Whitaker.

Dancers' Tale Proves Big Hit in Lebanon
A Lebanese film looking at the effects of the civil war has been a huge hit, writes Rory McCarthy.

Hariri's Son Calls for Street Rally
The son of Lebanon's former prime minister, Rafiq Hariri, flew home yesterday for the first time in six months to call for a street demonstration to mark the anniversary of his father's death tomorrow.

Media Points Finger at Syria for Violent Rallies As Lebanon Fears for Its Fragile Sectarian Peace
Political and religious leaders in Lebanon yesterday sought to calm sectarian tensions a day after Islamic extremists set fire to a building housing the Danish embassy and rampaged through a Christian quarter of Beirut.

Lebanon Seeks to Defuse Tensions Over Cartoons
Political and religious leaders in Lebanon sought to calm sectarian tensions today, a day after Islamic extremists set fire to a building housing the Danish embassy and rampaged through a Christian quarter of Beirut.

Rice Reveals Shake-up in Us Diplomacy
· American diplomats in line for tougher postings · China, India, Nigeria and Lebanon among targets

Beirut Bomb 'linked to Hariri Investigation'
A prominent Lebanese MP today said a newspaper editor killed in Beirut by a car bomb was a victim of the same forces who assassinated former prime minister Rafik Hariri. Gibran Tueni, editor of the An-Nahar newspaper and an MP since May, was killed along with two other people this morning...

MP Claims Hariri Link to Beirut Bomb
A prominent Lebanese MP today said a newspaper editor killed in Beirut by a car bomb was a victim of the same forces who assassinated former prime minister Rafik Hariri. Gibran Tueni, editor of the An-Nahar newspaper and an MP since May, was killed along with two other people this morning...

Syria Claims Witness in Hariri Inquiry Was Under Duress
Syria has begun trying to discredit a UN investigation into the murder of the former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri as five of its top security officers face questioning over their link to the killing.

Syria Backs Down and Allows Un to Question Officials
Syria agreed last night to let five senior security officials face UN questioning in Vienna as part of the inquiry into the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri.

UN Seeks to Interview Officers in Hariri Inquiry
Syrian officials said yesterday that they were considering a UN request to interview six senior security officers in the inquiry into the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri in February.

Syria 'will Let Hariri Death Inquiry See Assad Relatives'
The UN commission investigating the murder of the former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri can question two relatives of the Syrian president, Syria's ambassador in London said yesterday.

UN Demands Syria's Cooperation in Hariri Inquiry But Retreats From Sanctions Threat
UN security council members unanimously adopted a resolution yesterday demanding that Syria cooperate with an international inquiry into the killing of the former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri.

Two Charged Over Hariri Killing
Two men were charged in Lebanon today in connection with the assassination of the country's former prime minister, Rafik Hariri, reports said.

Syria Faces More Pressure Over Hariri Killing
· Second UN report to cite interference in Lebanon · Foreign ministers to turn up heat on Damascus.

Lebanon's Cedar Revolution Withers
Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese who occupied Martyrs' Square in Beirut in protest at the assassination of former prime minister Rafiq Hariri are wondering what their cedar revolution achieved.

'Long Planned' Hariri Killing Linked to Syria, Says Un
A UN report into the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri has found high-ranking Syrian intelligence officials were almost certainly involved in the attack that was months in the planning. The long awaited investigation into the February 14 killing established...

Assad's Brother-in-law Named Over Hariri Death
A UN investigator has named the brother-in-law of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad as a suspect in the killing of the former Lebanese prime minister, Rafik Hariri, a German magazine said yesterday

The Road From Damascus
The UN's investigation into the assassination of Lebanon's former prime minister is helping Beirut to cast off its Syrian shackles at last, writes Rory McCarthy.

Embattled Syrian Minister Found Dead
· General faced questions on killing of Lebanon PM · UN investigators' report due out within days

Syrian Interior Minister 'commits Suicide'
One of the most senior members of the Syrian government has committed suicide days before the publication of a UN report which could implicate him in the murder of the former Lebanese prime minister, Rafik Hariri, it was reported today. The interior minister, Ghazi Kanaan, was one of...

A Mixture of Excitement and Fear Stalks the Land in Syria
UN success in Lebanon could shatter the political dominance of the military in the Arab world. David Hirst

Car Bomb Maims Top Lebanese Tv Journalist
A prominent Lebanese journalist was seriously injured last night after a bomb exploded in her car in the latest attack apparently targeting critics of Syria.

Damascene Subversion
UN investigators now look almost certain to lay the blame for the killing of Lebanon's former prime minister on the inner circle of the Syrian regime, writes Brian Whitaker.

Long Shadow of the Beirut Massacre
The UN's investigation into the assassination of Lebanese president Rafik Hariri threatens to bring down not only his successor but also Bashar al-Assad of Syria, writes Brian Whitaker.

Pro-Syria Officials Held in Hariri Inquiry
Three former Lebanese security chiefs with close ties to Syria were detained yesterday and named as suspects in the murder of the former prime minister Rafik Hariri. The head of Lebanon's presidential guard was also named as a fourth suspect.

Syria Accused of Hampering Inquiry Into Lebanon Bomb
A senior UN official accused Syria last night of hampering an investigation into the murder of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri.

Cleric Bakri Released By Lebanese Authorities
The British-based radical Muslim cleric Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammed is reported to have been released by the Lebanese authorities. "The information I have from the family is that he has now been released," said Mr Bakri's spokesman Anjem Choudray. Lebanese security sources said...

Cleric Bakri Detained in Lebanon
The British-based radical Muslim cleric Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammed was today detained in Lebanon by the Lebansese authorities. "Sheikh Bakri was picked up by security forces as he was on his way to a local television station for an interview," a Lebanese security source told Reuters. It...

Lebanese warlord released
Samir Geagea, the only Lebanese warlord to be jailed for crimes during the civil war, was released yesterday and welcomed by supporters throwing rice and roses.

Anti-Syrian Pm Chosen in Lebanon
The Lebanese parliament yesterday chose Fouad Siniora, an anti-Syrian former finance minister, to head the country's first government since Damascus pulled out its troops.

US Pushes for Punitive Action Against Syria
Condoleeza Rice yesterday discussed plans for punitive action against Syria with other western foreign ministers over its alleged involvement in Iraq, Lebanon and Israel.

Anti-Syria Alliance Wins Lebanon Poll
Final results in Lebanon's parliamentary election yesterday gave a clear victory to anti-Syrian candidates led by Saad Hariri, the 35-year-old son of the former prime minister Rafik Hariri who was assassinated in February.

Christian Maverick Makes Surprise Comeback in Lebanese Election
Little more than a month after returning from 14 years in exile, the maverick Christian leader Michel Aoun has staged a dramatic political comeback in the third round of Lebanon's parliamentary elections.

Unnatural Selection
The nationalist surge which pushed Syria out of Lebanon has yet to overcome internal sectarianism, writes Brian Whitaker.

Syria Accused of Having Hit List in Lebanon
The UN special envoy, Terje Roed-Larsen, is flying to Damascus this weekend for urgent talks with the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, amid concern that Syrian intelligence agents are still operating in Lebanon.

South Lebanon Backs Pro-syrian Parties As Election Exposes Split
Allies of Syria claimed victory yesterday in the latest round of Lebanon's parliamentary elections - the first since international pressure and street protests forced Syrian troops to leave the country.

Syria Blamed As Booby Trap Kills Journalist in Beirut
A Lebanese journalist noted for his criticism of Syria was killed yesterday when his booby-trapped car exploded in Beirut.

Hariri Campaign Claims Victory in Beirut Parliamentary Election
Lebanese voters went to the polls yesterday at the start of the first parliamentary election in 30 years that has not been marred by civil war or heavy-handed Syrian meddling.

Christians Braced for New Lebanon Conflict
The Syrian army has finally moved out, but 'liberation' is a let-down for many, reports Peter Beaumont in Beirut.

Hariri's Son Poised for Landslide in Beirut Poll
Saad al-Hariri, the son of Lebanon's assassinated former premier, looks poised to sweep the board in Beirut tomorrow in the first parliamentary elections since Syrian troops left.

Bravado and Cheers As Syrians Leave Lebanon
Amid celebrations, UN warns that Syria has not yet met all security council demands

Ceremony Marks Departure of Last Syrian Troops
The last few hundred Syrian troops remaining in Lebanon attended a farewell ceremony today to mark the end of Syria's 29-year military involvement in the country.

Syrian Intelligence Chief Abandons Base As 29-year Occupation of Lebanon Ends
Syria will declare a formal end to its 29-year military involvement in Lebanon today with a "farewell" ceremony in the Beka'a valley - four days earlier than expected.

Lebanese Officials Stand Down
Two of Lebanon's most powerful security chiefs agreed to step aside yesterday while a UN team investigates the assassination of the former prime minister Rafik Hariri.

Cabinet Named in Lebanon
Lebanon's prime minister-designate, Najib Mikati, yesterday announced the formation of a new government, raising hopes that parliamentary elections can take place as scheduled before the end of May.

Syria to Meet Us Deadline for Pullout of Troops and Agents From Lebanon
Syria will withdraw all its troops and intelligence agents from Lebanon by April 30, it was announced yesterday.

Lebanese Interim Pm Drops Out
The acting Lebanese prime minister, Omar Karami, dropped his efforts to form a new government last night, casting doubt on whether parliamentary elections can he held as planned in May.

Beirut Warehouse Blast Injures Eight
A bomb exploded in a mainly Christian district of Beirut last night just three hours before many Lebanese were due to celebrate the Easter midnight mass.

UN Claims of Negligence Cause Lebanese Crisis to Deepen
Lebanon's political crisis deepened yesterday in the face of a scathing United Nations report which called for an international inquiry into the assassination of the former prime minister Rafik Hariri.

Syria's Spies Leave Beirut
The once-feared Syrian intelligence agents vanished from Beirut and large parts of Lebanon yesterday, but not before repainting the jail in the basement of their headquarters.

No Full Syrian Withdrawal Until April, Lebanon Announces
Tens of thousands of pro-Syrian demonstrators took to the streets of Lebanon yesterday, as Lebanon's foreign minister, Mahmoud Hammoud, announced Syrian troops would not withdraw completely until after a joint meeting of senior military officers on April 7.

Assad Wins Street Victory But Not the War
As Syria's leader faces renewed pressure to withdraw from Lebanon, even allies admit he will have to acquiesce.

Lebanese Grafitti
Brian Whitaker ponders Lebanon's future, as written on the wall.

500,000 Join Pro-syria Beirut Protest
Around half a million pro-Syria demonstrators took to the streets of the Lebanese capital Beirut today to protest at foreign meddling in the country's politics and to counter weeks of anti-Syrian rallies.

Hopes Dim for Early Syrian Exit From Lebanon
Damascus summit agrees only on pullback to east.

Syrian Forces to Begin Lebanon Pullout
Syrian forces will today begin withdrawing to the Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon amid intense international pressure for a swift and total pullout.

World Watch
Ian Black: Bashar al-Assad, Syria's president, has good reason to worry about the UN investigation into the Valentine's Day killing of Rafik Hariri, the former Lebanese prime minister.

Syrian Troops Will Pull Out of Lebanon
US fury at unscheduled announcement of 'staggered' and partial withdrawal.

Syria Poised to Start Lebanon Troop Pull-out
As Lebanese opposition prepares for elections in May, Assad is expected to outline plans to bring 11,000 soldiers back home.

Syria 'to Remove Some Troops From Lebanon'
The Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, is expected to announce tomorrow that he will bow to international pressure and pull some troops out of Lebanon while redeploying others near the Syrian border, a Lebanese political source said today.

Assad Regime Under Threat
David Hirst: The upheaval in Lebanon and the pressure for Syria to withdraw now threaten the survival of the Assad regime.

Don't Underestimate Bashar Assad
World Briefing: Simon Tisdall: The sons of famous men often struggle to make their mark. And Syria's president, Bashar al-Assad, is struggling more than most as he contemplates the loss of Lebanon and his country's increasing international isolation.

Protests Force Out Lebanese Government
Pro-Syrian prime minister resigns as Damascus feels the heat from Israel, the US, France and Britain.

Straw Places Suspicion on Syria
The foreign secretary, Jack Straw, went further than any other senior international statesman yesterday when he pointed the finger of blame at Syria for the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister, Rafik Hariri.

Why 'mr Lebanon' Had Many Enemies
In death, the world feted Lebanon's former Prime Minister, Rafiq Hariri, assasinated on Valentine's Day. Obituaries spoke of a grand statesman and 'Mr Lebanon'.

Grieving Lebanese Round on Syria
Funeral of the assassinated former prime minister becomes a huge demonstration against 30 years of occupation.

US Pulls Envoy From Syria After Beirut Bombing
The Bush administration last night withdrew its ambassador from Syria and expressed "profound outrage" at the assassination of the former prime minister of Lebanon, Rafik Hariri.

Beirut's Fragile Peace Hit By Bomb Attack
Rafik Hariri, Lebanon's former prime minister, was assassinated in a huge bomb attack yesterday that killed at least nine others, injured more than a hundred and threatened to shatter the country's fragile peace.

Battlefield in a Larger Conflict
David Hirst: Lebanon is used by and against Syria in this struggle for power. There is one broad certainty about the highly professional assassination of Rafik Hariri, the billionaire former prime minister who has dominated Lebanese politics since the end of the civil war in 1991.

Former Pm Killed in Beirut Blast
Lebanon's former prime minister Rafik Hariri was killed today in a bomb attack on his motorcade in Beirut.

By Unpopular Demand
Syria increased its international alienation by pushing Lebanon into extending Emile Lahoud's presidential term, reports Brian Whitaker.

Marine in Kidnap Mystery Turns Up in Lebanon
Conflicting reports about Muslim corporal's lost weeks in Iraq to be investigated as relatives are caught up in fatal gun battle.

Kidnapped Marine 'turns Up in Lebanon'
A US marine corporal who was kidnapped in Iraq after reportedly being lured away from his base is said to have turned up safe in Lebanon. Wassef Ali Hassoun, a Lebanese-born American, was understood to have been freed on Tuesday, but his whereabouts were unknown. Prior to his release he...

Lebanon - The Forgotten Key
A day after he won a parliamentary vote of confidence, 58-year old Rafiq Hariri, Lebanon's multi-billionaire prime minister, reluctantly formed a new, overtly pro-Syrian government with 30 ministers, only 11 of whom are new faces.

US Nurse Shot Dead in Lebanon
A woman was shot dead and two soldiers were seriously wounded in two separate attacks on Americans in the Middle East yesterday. Bonnie Weatherall, a 31-year-old nurse, was found dead at a Christian evangelical centre in Lebanon where she worked. A security source said she had been shot...

Lebanon return to the fold
Rugby league: The match between Lebanon and France in Tripoli will be the first senior match in Lebanon for two years.

Racially Motivated Crime and Punishment
The treatment of a jailed Lebanese-Australian rapist has highlighted a wider debate about ethnicity and crime in this most cosmopolitan of nations, writes David Fickling.

Moody's Stirs Worries Over Brazilian Rescue
Signs that the International Monetary Fund's $30bn rescue package for the Brazilian economy is unravelling came yesterday after Moody's downgraded the country's debt to the level of Lebanon's. As fears intensified that the extra cash would not be enough to pull Brazil clear of financial...

Rebel leader's son killed by car bomb in Beirut
The Lebanese authorities are investigating a car bombing which killed the son of a veteran Palestinian guerrilla leader yesterday.

Eight Killed in Suicide Bombing
14 hurt in bus blast - Powell to meet EU, UN leaders - Attack from Lebanon border

Arab Summit Opens Minus Three Key Players
An Arab League summit opened today in Lebanon in the absence of three key players, the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, King Abdullah II of Jordan and the Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak. Their absence was widely seen as a blow to the international standing of a Middle East peace plan...

Sharon witness blown up in Beirut
A potential key witness in the Belgian war crimes case against the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, was blown up outside his house in Beirut yesterday, together with three bodyguards. Elie Hobeika, a Lebanese warlord involved in the massacre of more than 1,000 Palestinians in the...

Virgin's videos too hot for Beirut
Some Like it Hot - but not in Lebanon, thank you. Its security forces have confiscated the 1950s comedy classic from the Virgin Megastore in Beirut, along with 600 other videos, including The Nutty Professor, The Great Escape, Superman, and all Stanley Kubrick's films. The...

Chirac hit by state ransom claim
A new scandal involving President Jacques Chirac erupted yesterday when it was alleged that the government he headed as prime minister in the late 1980s ransomed French hostages in Lebanon and that his interior minister and others may have profited from it. Mr Chirac, who will almost...

EU signs deal to freeze assets
EU countries signed a deal yesterday that freezes the assets of terrorist groups and individuals ranging from Northern Ireland to Lebanon. Islamic Jihad and the Izeddine al-Qassam brigades, the military wing of Hamas, - the Palestinian groups responsible for suicide bombings against...