LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِJune 21/2010

Bible Of the Day
Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which The Lord your God gives you." (Exodus 20:12)
Father's Day is a day honoring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society. It is celebrated on the third Sunday of June in 55 countries and on other days elsewhere. It complements Mother's Day, the celebration honoring mothers. It is a widely known celebration.

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for June 20/10
Explosion in eastern Lebanon kills 1, wounds 2 on eve of Cardinal's visit/The Canadian Press
Report: Lebanon flotilla yet to receive permission to sail/Ynetnews
Sfeir in Zahle, is Presented Key to the City: Our Visit Affirms that Bkirki is for Everyone/Naharnet
Explosion in Zahle Kills 1, Injures 2, on Eve of Patriarch's Visit/Naharnet
Barak off to US for Iran talks/Jerusalem Post
New Aid Ship, Julia, to Gaza, Aridi Refuses to Grant it Permission to Sail/Naharnet
Israel Demands Vatican to Advise Nuns against Boarding Mariam Aid Ship/Naharnet
Israel warns UN over Lebanon to Gaza aid bid/AFP
Pressure put on Lebanon to keep aid flotilla at bay/Ha'aretz
Report: Delay in launch of Lebanon Gaza-bound flotilla/Ha'aretz
Hezbollah: Israel terrified of women's flotilla/Ynetnews
Women are the 'secret weapon'/Jerusalem Post
Hizbullah: Hariri Believes in the Resistance/Naharnet
Lebanon government approves $13 bln budget/AFP
Lebanon And Syria Discuss Potential Offshore Oil Riches/OfficialWire (press release)
Rights group calls for release of Syrian activist/The Associated Press
MP Majdalani: Sfeir, Geagea are patriotic Lebanese/Ya Libnan
Amin Gemayel Attacks Jumblat: He is Implementing a Set of Conditions/Naharnet
Jumblat Lunches with Syrian Ambassador: Hizbullah Arms Essential to Defend Lebanon's Natural Resources/Naharnet
Iran's Top Sunni Rebel Rigi Hanged/Naharnet/Naharnet
PKK Threaten Attacks on All Turkish Cities
/Naharnet
Barak to Meet Ban, Clinton in U.S.
/Naharnet

Sfeir in Zahle, is Presented Key to the City: Our Visit Affirms that Bkirki is for Everyone
/Naharnet/Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir urged Sunday the residents of Zahle to unite and reach agreements regardless of their religious beliefs, stressing that their solidarity is strength, while their division is a weakness. He made his statements during his Sunday sermon at the Mar Maroun Cathedral in the city of Zahle, during which he called on Christian politicians to exercise forgiveness, adding: "They know that their religion is forgiveness and love." "Through unity, we protect our present, prepare our future, bolster our presence and make it beneficial for us and others," he stated. The Patriarch arrived in the city amid warm popular celebrations, and the sermon was attended by Tourism Minister Fadi Aboud, representing President Michel Suleiman, MP Abdel Latif al-Zein, representing House Speaker Nabih Berri, and Minister Adnan al-Qassar, representing Prime Minister Saad Hariri.
Prior to his arrival at the Cathedral, Sfeir was presented with the key to the city from the head of the Zahle municipal council, Joseph Diab Maalouf, upon which he said: "We sought for Bkirki to be for everyone ever since we have assumed our responsibilities" of the Patriarchate. Sfeir added: "Nations are like individuals, and people need mutual cooperation among each other, and this is what we are calling for," similar to what is taking place between neighboring nations. Beirut, 20 Jun 10, 14:44

Explosion in Zahle Kills 1, Injures 2, on Eve of Patriarch's Visit

Naharnet/A powerful bomb ripped through a used car parts shop in the industrial city of Zahle in east Lebanon shortly before midnight Saturday, killing one person and wounding two others, reported the daily An Nahar Sunday. It identified the victim as Ziad Hussein. The explosion took place on the eve of Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir's visit to Zahle, where he will be presented with the key to the city. The shop belongs to Khaled Dallah from the eastern town of Bar Elias. The explosion caused major damage to the shop and two others adjacent to it.
Eye witness reports said that an individual, identified as Ammer al-Ajami, was trapped in a burning Mercedes and was later transported to the Lebanese-French Hospital for treatment.
Another individual, Khaled Hammoud, was also injured in the blast. Primary investigation said that the explosion took place while preparing a bomb, with investigators' sources revealing that Hammoud, Ajami, and Dallah have been arrested for investigation. Beirut, 20 Jun 10, 07:50

New Aid Ship, Julia, to Gaza, Aridi Refuses to Grant it Permission to Sail

Naharnet/A new aid ship, Julia, is expected to head to the Gaza Strip from Lebanon, but Minister of Transportation and Public Works Ghazi Aridi has denied it permission to sail to Gaza because it has not presented a request to the ministry to sail, reported the daily An Nahar Sunday. The ship had docked in the northern city of Tripoli's port two months ago as it was carrying a shipment of glass for a local merchant, however, most of the cargo was broken and the merchant refused to accept it, and a legal battle ensued resulting with those responsible for the ship being fined. The owners never paid the $110,00 fine, and it was later revealed that the sides behind the aid ship Mariam actually paid it. The same sides then requested from the Julia's owners that it join the aid ship campaign to Gaza. Aridi said: "So far, we have not received an official request specifying the ship's destination." He stressed that the law states that a ship must specify its destination, number of crew, and cargo in order to be granted permission to sail. The minister added that the dispute that has emerged over aid ships from Lebanon is an attempt to set the people against each other by portraying them as if some oppose Palestine, while others support it. He added: "The ports and airport are the state's responsibility, and we will not subject the Lebanese to any moral or physical harm." Meanwhile, the daily Al Mustaqbal reported Saturday that Lebanon is expected to send a letter to U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon explaining its position from the aid ships to Gaza, and stressing that the ships are civilian in nature and aimed at delivering aid to the Palestinians. Beirut, 20 Jun 10, 09:10

Majdalani: There are Aims to "Assassinate the Hariri Politics"

Naharnet/MP Atef Majdalani warned Saturday that there are efforts to "destroy the March 14 alliance through distancing the Mustaqbal Movement from its Christian allies, especially the Lebanese Forces." He added that developments winth Mustaqbal are "healthy" especially since they come "after a long period of struggle that made restructuring it and reorganizing its leadership inevitable." He rejected criticism directed against Prime Minister Saad Hariri that accused him of running away from problems by constantly being outside Lebanon, by saying that he is exerting efforts to protect Lebanon from problems and wars. The MP noted that there are efforts aimed at "assassinating the Hariri politics."Furthermore, he said: "As long as Israel remains a threat to Lebanon, then we do not opposed the existence of the Resistance … Hariri protects the Resistance at international meetings," but by highlighting its existence within the authority of the state. "The Lebanese' problems lie in their disagreement over a unified stance," he continued. Beirut, 20 Jun 10, 13:11

Israel Demands Vatican to Advise Nuns against Boarding Mariam Aid Ship

Naharnet/The Israeli daily Haaretz reported that since Wednesday, the Jewish state has been exerting great diplomatic efforts on the international level to prevent the Lebanese government from launching aid ships to Gaza from Lebanon. It revealed that Israel had demanded from the Vatican to advise nuns against boarding the Mariam aid ship, seeing as tens of nuns have planned to be on the all-female ship. It also added that Israel had informed the U.N. and the Security Council that it intends to exercise its right in preventing the Lebanese ships from reaching Gaza. An official in the Israeli Foreign Ministry was reported as saying that Israel is carrying out its diplomatic efforts in order to avert having to board the aid ships by force.
Haaretz said that the Israeli navy and intelligence are preparing themselves for thwarting the arrival of the ships, with military sources stressing that ships coming from Lebanon and Iran will not be allowed to go near Gaza shores. Beirut, 20 Jun 10, 12:52

Hizbullah: Hariri Believes in the Resistance

Naharnet/MP Ali Fayyad expressed his belief Sunday that Prime Minister Saad Hariri "believes in the Resistance and Lebanon's need for it" adding that perhaps he may have a future vision for it. He added that the national dialogue is addressing a defense strategy for Lebanon and not Hizbullah's weapons, stressing: "There is a fundamental difference between discussing Hizbullah's arms and discussing defending Lebanon." Meanwhile, Hizbullah official Hashem Saffiedine said: "The Resistance today is stronger than it has ever been, while the enemy is experiencing fear and panic that have driven it to threaten the ship, Mariam, that is carrying women, children, and journalists." Beirut, 20 Jun 10, 13:36

Amin Gemayel Attacks Jumblat: He is Implementing a Set of Conditions

Naharnet/Phalange party leader Amin Gemayel on Saturday responded to recent remarks made by PSP chief Walid Jumblat, saying the Druze leader is not convinced by what he says.
"Lebanon can only survive through positive and constructive neutrality," Gemayel told al-Jadid television station. "Any other talk could put Lebanon in danger," he stressed. In response to a question, Gemayel said Jumblat "is not convinced by what he says." "He is just implementing a set of terms and conditions," Gemayel added. Beirut, 19 Jun 10, 16:18

Jumblat Lunches with Syrian Ambassador: Hizbullah Arms Essential to Defend Lebanon's Natural Resources

Naharnet/Druze leader Walid Jumblat on Saturday stressed during a lunch banquet in honor of the Syrian ambassador that Hizbullah weapons are essential to defend Lebanon's natural resources."Resistance weapons are important to defend the oil in the Sea of Lebanon and national resources in the country," Jumblat said from Mukhtara.
He renewed his call to grand Palestinian refugees living in Lebanon their civil rights. Jumblat's remarks came during a lunch banquet he threw for Syrian Ambassador Ali Abdel Karim Ali in Mukhtara in the Shouf mountain town of Mukhtara. PSP official Rami al-Rayyes said the lunch is aimed at opening a new page in ties with Damascus after turning the page of the past.
Jumblat is seeking to have good ties with all sides, Rayyes said. Several pro-Syria politicians attended the luncheon. Beirut, 19 Jun 10, 15:30

Iran's Top Sunni Rebel Rigi Hanged

Naharnet/Abdulmalek Rigi, head of the Sunni rebel group Jundallah who waged a deadly insurgency in Iran's southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan, was hanged early Sunday, state news agency IRNA reported. "After the decision of the Tehran revolutionary tribunal, Abdulmalek Rigi was hanged on Sunday morning in Evin prison," IRNA said.
It quoted a court statement as saying: "The head of the armed counter-revolutionary group in the east of the country ... was responsible for armed robbery, assassination attempts, armed attacks on the army and police and on ordinary people, and murder."Rigi was captured in February while on a flight from Dubai to Kyrgyzstan. His hanging on Sunday comes less than a month after his brother Abdulhamid was hanged on charges of "terrorism". Rigi led the shadowy Sunni militant group called Jundallah (Soldiers of God) that had waged a deadly insurgency in southeastern Iran killing civilians as well as military officials.
Iran says the group was backed by the United States. IRNA, quoting the court statement, said Rigi's group was "responsible for the killing of 154 members of security forces and other innocent people and wounding of 320 people since 2003." It said Jundallah was "linked to members of foreign intelligence services, including members from U.S. and Zionist regime's intelligence services under the cover of NATO."It was also linked to intelligence services of some Arab countries and counter-revolutionary group People's Mujahedeen, the statement said. Rigi himself was charged with forming the "terrorist group Jundallah which was fighting the Islamic republic.""He collaborated and ordered 15 armed abductions, confessed to three murders, and ordered the murders of tens of citizens, police and military personnel through bombings and armed actions," the statement added. IRNA said he had been sentenced to be hanged in front of the relatives of some of the victims of his attacks, but the report did not specify whether he was actually executed in their presence.  Rigi's arrest was reportedly a spectacular operation, with Iranian warplanes forcing the flight carrying the militant from Dubai to Kyrgyzstan to land in Iran.
Soon after his arrest, the Jundallah group claimed it had appointed a new leader Muhammad Dhahir Baluch, the SITE monitoring agency reported.
According to SITE Jundallah said in its website posting: "Let the (Iranian) regime know that it will face a movement that is stronger and much more solid than ever before and one whose existence it has not been aware of. "It will see what our believing heroes among our Baluch children can do to the occupiers, the aggressors and the unjust. The falsehood of the senior leaders of the regime will soon be exposed." Jundallah says it is fighting Tehran's Shiite rule to secure rights for Sunni Baluchis who form a significant population in Sistan-Baluchestan.
A few days after Rigi's arrest Iranian state media alleged that the United States had offered to provide the militant aid to battle the Islamic regime.
"They (Americans) said they would cooperate with us and will give me military equipment," Rigi said in a taped statement broadcast on Iran's state-run English-language Press TV.
Tehran has long accused the group of being trained and equipped by American and British intelligence services as well as the Pakistanis in a bid to destabilize the government. Washington denies the charges. Rigi's brother Abdulhamid was hanged in Zahedan, the capital of Sistan-Baluchestan, on May 24 in front of the families of the victims, state media had reported.
Abdulhamid was convicted of "Moharebeh" (armed opposition to the state) and being "corrupt on earth by membership in a terrorist group."(AFP)
Beirut, 20 Jun 10, 08:17

Barak to Meet Ban, Clinton in U.S.

Naharnet/Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak is to travel to the United States on Sunday for talks with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and UN chief Ban Ki-moon, his ministry said.
It said Barak, who heads Israel's Labor party, would also meet with U.S. defense and intelligence chiefs as well as with fellow leaders at a Socialist International meeting in New York, before returning to Israel on Thursday.(AFP) Beirut, 19 Jun 10, 21:43