BEIRUT: Naval forces stopped Friday a foreign boat that was carrying 1,000 boxes of smuggled cigarettes and arrested its three passengers, a statement issued by the Army Command said.According to the statement, a naval patrol stopped a foreign boat coming from outside Lebanese regional waters at 5 a.m. facing Abdeh Beach in Akkar.The boat was carrying 1,000 boxes of smuggled cigarettes and had three passengers on board, a Cypriot and two Syrians.The boat was taken to Tripoli Maritime Center and the passengers were arrested and their possessions confiscated.
October 1, 2011
Daily Star - Several EU-funded projects see launch in north, October 1, 2011
BEIRUT: The end of this week saw the inauguration of several European-funded projects designed to strengthen the country’s infrastructure.
These included the rehabilitated Nahr al-Bared canal, funded by the European Union, and a Belgian-backed renovated hospital in Tibnin.
EU Ambassador Angelina Eichhorst Friday attended the official opening of the Nahr al-Bared canal, whose revamping was funded by an EU grant of 775,000 euros ($1 million). The 11 km canal serves as a major source of irrigation for farmers in the region.
The canal was restored in partnership with the North Lebanon Water Autho, and Eichhorst called the “the institutional strengthening of relevant authorities” that was part of the project “promising.”
The canal irrigates 1,500 hectares of land, and benefits nearly 35,000 people, according to an EU statement.
While in the north, Eichhorst also met with the beneficiaries of other EU grants including a program that will fund agricultural rural infrastructure and a photo exhibition about the agricultural heritage of Akkar.
In Tibnin, Belgian Ambassador Colette Taquet, Health Minister Ali Hasan Khalil, and local and religious authorities marked Thursday the completion of a three-year overhaul of the Tibnin Government Hospital.
The Belgian government was a major funder of the project, contributing 3 million euros ($4 million).
In a statement, the Belgian Embassy said Belgium has also contributed to the upgrading of 12 other health-care centers in the Tibnin area. It added that up to 150,000 people could benefit from these upgrades.
These included the rehabilitated Nahr al-Bared canal, funded by the European Union, and a Belgian-backed renovated hospital in Tibnin.
EU Ambassador Angelina Eichhorst Friday attended the official opening of the Nahr al-Bared canal, whose revamping was funded by an EU grant of 775,000 euros ($1 million). The 11 km canal serves as a major source of irrigation for farmers in the region.
The canal was restored in partnership with the North Lebanon Water Autho, and Eichhorst called the “the institutional strengthening of relevant authorities” that was part of the project “promising.”
The canal irrigates 1,500 hectares of land, and benefits nearly 35,000 people, according to an EU statement.
While in the north, Eichhorst also met with the beneficiaries of other EU grants including a program that will fund agricultural rural infrastructure and a photo exhibition about the agricultural heritage of Akkar.
In Tibnin, Belgian Ambassador Colette Taquet, Health Minister Ali Hasan Khalil, and local and religious authorities marked Thursday the completion of a three-year overhaul of the Tibnin Government Hospital.
The Belgian government was a major funder of the project, contributing 3 million euros ($4 million).
In a statement, the Belgian Embassy said Belgium has also contributed to the upgrading of 12 other health-care centers in the Tibnin area. It added that up to 150,000 people could benefit from these upgrades.
Daily Star - Australian court backs girl’s bid to avoid forced marriage in Lebanon, October 1, 2011
SYDNEY: A 16-year-old girl has been placed on an airport watchlist in Australia after going to court to prevent her parents from sending her to Lebanon for a forced marriage.
The Federal Magistrates’ Court ruled that the parents of the teenager, who cannot be identified, could not remove or attempt to remove their daughter from the country to marry the young man she has met only once.
Magistrate Joe Harman also ordered that the parents not assault, molest, harass, threaten or otherwise intimidate the girl or take her out of school.
In his judgement, delivered in April but revealed by Australian press Friday, Harman said the girl’s application to prevent her parents from sending her away for the marriage was one that was becoming increasingly common.
“The young person’s evidence makes very clear that she has expressed to her parents that she does not want to go to Lebanon and does not want to marry the person proposed,” he said.
“She has indicated also in her evidence that she is fearful for her personal safety, that she has concerns as to what will occur in relation to her mother’s reaction once she becomes aware of these proceedings.”
He said the girl might be suggested to have betrayed the authority of her parents by challenging the Lebanese Islamic culture in which she had been raised and this only made him more convinced of her argument.
“What has occurred is, in fact, an act of great bravery by this young woman in taking the steps this young person has taken in seeking assistance through the Legal Aid Commission,” he said.
Harman found there was a psychological risk posed to the girl if he did not stop her marriage to a man who was essentially “a stranger.”
He said if she was forced to go through with the union without her consent, it would render the marriage void under Australian law.
The Federal Magistrates’ Court ruled that the parents of the teenager, who cannot be identified, could not remove or attempt to remove their daughter from the country to marry the young man she has met only once.
Magistrate Joe Harman also ordered that the parents not assault, molest, harass, threaten or otherwise intimidate the girl or take her out of school.
In his judgement, delivered in April but revealed by Australian press Friday, Harman said the girl’s application to prevent her parents from sending her away for the marriage was one that was becoming increasingly common.
“The young person’s evidence makes very clear that she has expressed to her parents that she does not want to go to Lebanon and does not want to marry the person proposed,” he said.
“She has indicated also in her evidence that she is fearful for her personal safety, that she has concerns as to what will occur in relation to her mother’s reaction once she becomes aware of these proceedings.”
He said the girl might be suggested to have betrayed the authority of her parents by challenging the Lebanese Islamic culture in which she had been raised and this only made him more convinced of her argument.
“What has occurred is, in fact, an act of great bravery by this young woman in taking the steps this young person has taken in seeking assistance through the Legal Aid Commission,” he said.
Harman found there was a psychological risk posed to the girl if he did not stop her marriage to a man who was essentially “a stranger.”
He said if she was forced to go through with the union without her consent, it would render the marriage void under Australian law.
Daily Star - Tribunal official slams Nasrallah for labeling him Israeli-CIA stooge, October 1, 2011
BEIRUT: A former chief investigator for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon has hit back at Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah for accusing him of being a stooge for Israel and the CIA – he pointing the finger at Hezbollah for the killing of former statesman Rafik Hariri.
“They’re very, very hurtful, damaging allegations. No evidence whatsoever has been put up by him,” said Nick Kaldas, who headed the investigation for a year starting March 2009, in an interview to be aired Sunday night on SBS ONE dateline with Yaara Bou Melhem.
Nasrallah has repeatedly questioned the credibility of the tribunal, which has accused four members of his group of involvement in the assassination of Hariri in 2005.
The Hezbollah chief has also voiced suspicions regarding STL judges and investigators including Kaldas, who Nasrallah accused of being an Israeli-CIA stooge.
Hezbollah says the U.N.-backed court is a U.S.-Israeli tool aimed at targeting the resistance group and of seeking to sow sectarian strife in the country. It denies any involvement in the assassination.
“Firstly, there is not a skerrick [shred] of evidence to suggest any involvement from Israel or anybody else who’s been accused by Hezbollah. Secondly, if you look at pure motive, political causes and so on, I’m not sure that Israel or anybody who’s aligned with them has actually gained by the assassination of Mr. Hariri. In fact, the opposite,” Kaldas told Dateline.
During the interview, Kaldas, who is now the deputy commissioner of the NSW Police, pointed the finger of blame at Hezbollah for the former Lebanese statesman’s assassination.
“You do get to a point in an investigation where you’re satisfied that a person, or group or individuals are responsible for the murder. You do need to eliminate all the other possibilities and I think that happened in this case, but then you have to focus and become committed to the direction in which you are heading,” Kaldas told Dateline, adding that this direction was ultimately Hezbollah.
Kaldas also rejected Hezbollah’s attack on key telecommunications evidence put forward by the STL, which the party claims was open to manipulation by Israel.
“It’s easy to stand up on a podium and make really spurious, unproven allegations when you’re not being cross examined on them. I think it’s cowardly in many ways.” Kaldas said.
Nasrallah has defended the four men accused in the case, describing them as honorable men who fought gallantly in the resistance against the Israeli occupation of south Lebanon.
The Hezbollah chief has said that the four would never be apprehended but tried in absentia instead.
Kaldas also said that the case would move to a trial in absentia for the accused and that evidence presented would include witness testimony.
Despite numerous leaks to the media of confidential files relating to the investigation, Kaldas said the case had not been compromised.
“It’s unfortunate that some previous staff member or someone with a grievance has sought to leak some aspect of the information and that’s disappointing, that happens but I don’t think it’s had an impact on the investigation. The evidence is what it is,” Kaldas said.
“There is protection for witnesses and I’m sure the office of the prosecutor will do all they can to protect witnesses,” Kaldas added.
Hezbollah reportedly declined several requests for a Dateline interview.
The interview is part of a dateline report on the investigation into the assassination of Hariri.
“They’re very, very hurtful, damaging allegations. No evidence whatsoever has been put up by him,” said Nick Kaldas, who headed the investigation for a year starting March 2009, in an interview to be aired Sunday night on SBS ONE dateline with Yaara Bou Melhem.
Nasrallah has repeatedly questioned the credibility of the tribunal, which has accused four members of his group of involvement in the assassination of Hariri in 2005.
The Hezbollah chief has also voiced suspicions regarding STL judges and investigators including Kaldas, who Nasrallah accused of being an Israeli-CIA stooge.
Hezbollah says the U.N.-backed court is a U.S.-Israeli tool aimed at targeting the resistance group and of seeking to sow sectarian strife in the country. It denies any involvement in the assassination.
“Firstly, there is not a skerrick [shred] of evidence to suggest any involvement from Israel or anybody else who’s been accused by Hezbollah. Secondly, if you look at pure motive, political causes and so on, I’m not sure that Israel or anybody who’s aligned with them has actually gained by the assassination of Mr. Hariri. In fact, the opposite,” Kaldas told Dateline.
During the interview, Kaldas, who is now the deputy commissioner of the NSW Police, pointed the finger of blame at Hezbollah for the former Lebanese statesman’s assassination.
“You do get to a point in an investigation where you’re satisfied that a person, or group or individuals are responsible for the murder. You do need to eliminate all the other possibilities and I think that happened in this case, but then you have to focus and become committed to the direction in which you are heading,” Kaldas told Dateline, adding that this direction was ultimately Hezbollah.
Kaldas also rejected Hezbollah’s attack on key telecommunications evidence put forward by the STL, which the party claims was open to manipulation by Israel.
“It’s easy to stand up on a podium and make really spurious, unproven allegations when you’re not being cross examined on them. I think it’s cowardly in many ways.” Kaldas said.
Nasrallah has defended the four men accused in the case, describing them as honorable men who fought gallantly in the resistance against the Israeli occupation of south Lebanon.
The Hezbollah chief has said that the four would never be apprehended but tried in absentia instead.
Kaldas also said that the case would move to a trial in absentia for the accused and that evidence presented would include witness testimony.
Despite numerous leaks to the media of confidential files relating to the investigation, Kaldas said the case had not been compromised.
“It’s unfortunate that some previous staff member or someone with a grievance has sought to leak some aspect of the information and that’s disappointing, that happens but I don’t think it’s had an impact on the investigation. The evidence is what it is,” Kaldas said.
“There is protection for witnesses and I’m sure the office of the prosecutor will do all they can to protect witnesses,” Kaldas added.
Hezbollah reportedly declined several requests for a Dateline interview.
The interview is part of a dateline report on the investigation into the assassination of Hariri.
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