LCCC
ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِOctober
03/2010
Bible Of The
Day
1 Corinthians 1:18-32: For
the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are
saved it is the power of God. 1:19 For it is written,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, I will bring the discernment of the
discerning to nothing.”* 1:20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is
the lawyer of this world? Hasn’t God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 1:21
For seeing that in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom didn’t know
God, it was God’s good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save
those who believe. 1:22 For Jews ask for signs, Greeks seek after wisdom, 1:23
but we preach Christ crucified; a stumbling block to Jews, and foolishness to
Greeks, 1:24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the
power of God and the wisdom of God. 1:25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser
than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 1:26 For you see your
calling, brothers, that not many are wise according to the flesh, not many
mighty, and not many noble; 1:27 but God chose the foolish things of the world
that he might put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the
world, that he might put to shame the things that are strong; 1:28 and God chose
the lowly things of the world, and the things that are despised, and the things
that are not, that he might bring to nothing the things that are: 1:29 that no
flesh should boast before God. 1:30 But of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who was
made to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and
redemption: 1:31 that, according as it is written, “He who boasts, let him boast
in the Lord.”*
About.com: "Here Paul sums up the gospel as the "word of the cross." He states
that the gospel is foolishness, or folly, to those who are perishing. So, what
is the message of the cross? It is about self-denial; it is about sacrifice.
It's obedience, it's suffering, and self-humiliation. The message of the cross
is about losing one's life willingly laying it down but in doing so, gaining
eternal life. We are saved by the message, and thus, it is the power of God.
Those who don't accept the message will perish. But those who receive it will
gain everlasting life".
Free
Opinions, Releases, letters, Interviews & Special Reports
Stand up to Hezbollah, not the
Shia/By: Hanin Ghadda/October 02/10
Sectarianism and conspiracy/By:
Ziad Majed/October 02/10
Muslim Body Sets Conditions for
Christian Citizenship in Egypt/AINA/October
02/10
Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for
October 02/10
Amnesty Urges Saudi King to Alter
Death Sentence against Lebanese Alleged 'Sorcerer'/Naharnet
Assad Holds Talks in Iran with
Ahmadinejad/Agencies
Saudi Arabian Ambassador to
Lebanon: Saudi Arabia Interfering in STL is Out of the Question as it is Out of
Anyone's Control/Naharnet
UN Interim Force in Lebanon
Commander General Alberto Asarta: Indictment will Not have Repercussions on
UNIFIL/Naharnet
Qassem: Hizbullah has Not Taken a
Final Position on How to Deal with the STL/Naharnet
Geagea Laments Qassem's Remarks on
LF's Alleged Armament, Asks Him to Submit Any Info to Judiciary/Naharnet
Bassil from Iran: Lebanese
Government Cannot Reject Iranian Aid in Properly Equipping Army/Naharnet
Jumblat: Crisis in Lebanon is
Complicated and Sensitive, but Opportunity for a Solution is Still Available/Naharnet
David Johnston new was sworn in as Canada's 28th Governor General/Canadian Press
STL
indictment is “prescription for violence,” says Syrian deputy FM/Now Lebanon
Ahmadinejad's plan to visit Lebanon worries Israel/AFP & Daily Star
Sleiman looks to avert Cabinet clash over STL funding/Daily Star
Hezbollah: Egypt arming rival Lebanese militias/Ynetnews
Tensions over tribunal threaten country's delicate sectarian balance/Los Angeles
Times
IDF denies raising alert due to Iran president's Lebanon visit/Ynetnews
MP Elie
Marouni to NOW Lebanon: FPM is acquiring arms/Now Lebanon
MP Samer
Saadeh says no giving up on STL/Now Lebanon
MP Khaled
Daher : Hezbollah does not want ISF – Information Branch to uncover agents’
names/Now Lebanon
Minister
of State Youssef Saadeh: STL to incite sedition in Mideast, not just Lebanon/Now
Lebanon
MP Bahia
Hariri’s convoy was harassed in the Haret Saida/Now Lebanon
MP Nawwar
al-Sahili :Ahmadinejad’s visit to Lebanon is friendly/Now Lebanon
Baath Arab
Socialist Party in Lebanon Fayez Shuk says LF is acquiring arms/Now Lebanon
Health
Minister Mohammad Jawad Khalifeh wants Lebanese judiciary to investigate with
STL false witnesses/Now Lebanon
Progressive Socialist Party media
officer Rami Rayyes: We are Pushing for a Hariri-Nasrallah/Naharnet
Newfound Earth-Like Planet Raises
Timeless Question: Are We Alone?/Naharnet
Amnesty
Urges Saudi King to Alter Death Sentence against Lebanese Alleged 'Sorcerer'
Naharnet/Amnesty International has written to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia,
urging him to commute death sentences imposed on two men convicted of "sorcery,"
the rights group said on Friday. In the letter sent on Thursday, the
London-based watchdog called for clemency for Lebanese television presenter Ali
Sabat and Abdul Hamid al-Fakki, a Sudanese about whose case little is known,
Amnesty said in a statement. If their death sentences are upheld after appeal,
they will be referred to the king for final ratification.
"Two men are at imminent risk of facing the ultimate cruel and inhuman
punishment without having committed anything that would appear to constitute a
crime," said Philip Luther, Amnesty's deputy director for the Middle East and
North Africa. He said the pair "must be immediately and unconditionally released
if the acts for which they have been convicted amount to no more than the
legitimate, peaceful exercise of their rights to freedom of expression and
religion." Sabat, a 46-year-old father of five, was sentenced to death last
November by a Saudi court for practicing witchcraft. He was arrested in May 2008
by the religious police in Medina, where he was on a pilgrimage. The case
against him was brought after he gave advice and made predictions on Lebanese
television. Little has been heard about the case since April, when his lawyer in
Lebanon said that Sabat was likely to get a reprieve.
Fakki was accused of practicing sorcery after a man working for the religious
police "entrapped him by asking him to produce a spell that would lead to the
man's father leaving his second wife," the Amnesty statement said. It said Fakki,
36, was arrested after apparently agreeing to produce a spell in exchange for
money. "Following his arrest, he was questioned, apparently beaten, and is
believed to have confessed to carrying out acts of 'sorcery'," the statement
said. It said he was sentenced to death in March 2007. "He had no legal
assistance and very little is known about his trial proceedings as they were
held in secret," Amnesty said. It added: "The detention of the two men on vague
'sorcery' charges also contravenes international human rights standards by
punishing forms of expression that, while unusual, have been peaceful." Amnesty
said that the Saudi "authorities have arrested scores of people on 'sorcery'
charges in recent years." The last known execution for sorcery in Saudi Arabia
was in November 2007, when Egyptian Mustafa Ibrahim was beheaded in Riyadh.(AFP)
Beirut, 01 Oct 10, 22:07
Geagea
Laments Qassem's Remarks on LF's Alleged Armament, Asks Him to Submit Any Info
to Judiciary
Naharnet/Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Friday snapped back at Hizbullah
deputy chief Sheikh Naim Qassem over the latter's remarks that the article on
funding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon will not be passed in Cabinet,
stressing that "the STL was established under U.N. Security Council Resolution
1757 and the successive governments, including the current one, have been
committed to Security Council's resolutions, including the aforementioned."
Speaking to reporters after his meeting with U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Maura
Connelly in Maarab, Geagea lamented that "a prominent dignitary such as Sheikh
Qassem proclaimed totally false and unbased information suggesting that the LF
was stockpiling weapons."Geagea asked Qassem to "submit this information, if
there is any, to the relevant judicial authorities."Asked about the possibility
of "confronting a new May 7," Geagea said: "The State is the side to confront
(such a possibility) and not us, because it is responsible for civil peace and
the security of citizens, and this question shouldn't be addressed to us,
because the parties concerned are the ministries of interior and defense."
The LF leader ruled out that the government might soon be toppled by Hizbullah
and its allies, noting that the other camp was "incapable" of making such a
step. He said that "there is no proof" that the STL was targeting Hizbullah,
calling on the Lebanese people and politicians to read the biographies of STL's
officials – its president Antonio Cassesse, Prosecutor Danielle Bellemare,
Pre-Trial Judge Daniel Fransen and others. Asked about the possibility of
sectarian violence in Lebanon should the STL accuse members of Hizbullah of
murdering ex-PM Rafik Hariri, Geagea said: "Why? I don't understand the link
between the two things." Geagea wondered if Syrian Foreign Minister Walid
Muallem was "revealing what 'would' happen or what he 'wants' to happen" when he
warned of sectarian violence in Lebanon over STL's anticipated indictment.
Beirut, 01 Oct 10,
Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Asiri: Saudi Arabia Interfering in STL
is Out of the Question as it is Out of Anyone's Control
Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awwad Asiri stressed that "it is out of
the question" for the Kingdom to interfere in the Special Tribunal for Lebanon,
saying that only the U.N. Security Council can control the matter. He revealed
to the daily Asharq al-Awsat Saturday that he had proposed to Hizbullah the need
to form a Lebanese committee of opposition and majority forces aimed at studying
the possible negative or positive outcomes of the STL and placing the necessary
precautionary measures to contain the situation. The ambassador noted however
that the Lebanese parties are responsible enough not to allow the situation in
the country to deteriorate after the announcement of the indictment.
Furthermore, Asiri denied reports of Saudi Arabia's intention to abort the
tribunal, urging the media to only take into consideration reports by Saudi
officials and official media outlets. He reiterated Saudi King Abdullah's stand
over the STL when he visited Lebanon during which urged the Lebanese to act
reasonably, adopt dialogue, and stand united. Beirut, 02 Oct 10,
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon Commander General Alberto Asarta:
Indictment will Not have Repercussions on UNIFIL
Naharnet/United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon Commander General Alberto
Asarta ruled out on Saturday that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit
to southern Lebanon will result in an escalation. He stressed to the daily An
Nahar Saturday that the visit cannot possibly cause tensions between Lebanon and
Israel.
Furthermore, he noted that the situation in the South is calm, as opposed to the
situation in the rest of Lebanon, ruling out the possibility that the indictment
in the investigation in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri
will have repercussions on UNIFIL's functioning. He said that UNIFIL has nothing
to do with the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, hoping that no one would link the
two matters together. Beirut, 02 Oct 10,
Jumblat: Crisis in Lebanon is Complicated and Sensitive, but Opportunity for a
Solution is Still Available
Naharnet/Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat noted that the
crisis in Lebanon is "complicated and sensitive" which requires all political
parties to exercise an "honest will to end it." He told As Safir on Saturday:
"Opportunities to reach a solution to the crisis are still available and it
would be wrong to say that matters have reached a dead end."
The MP highlighted the importance of a meeting between Prime Minister Saad
Hariri and Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, saying that it
may end all disputes.
Furthermore, Jumblat said that Saudi-Syrian efforts also play a major role in
ending the current crisis, adding that he has made his choice regarding his ties
with Syria and that it seems that Hariri is also adopting the same approach. In
addition, he stressed the need to try false witnesses in the investigation in
the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri because it may lead to
the truth in the crime. Beirut, 02 Oct 10,
Bassil from Iran: Lebanese Government Cannot Reject Iranian Aid in Properly
Equipping Army
Naharnet/Energy Minister Gebran Bassil arrived in Tehran on Saturday to hold
talks with Iranian officials ahead of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's
upcoming visit to Lebanon.
Bassil said from Beirut before heading to Iran that he welcomes the Iranian
president's visit, adding that the Lebanese government cannot reject Iran's
assistance to Lebanon, especially in properly equipping the Lebanese army. The
minister also welcomed the Islamic Republic's support for Lebanon, most notably
in confronting Israel. Bassil's visit coincides with that of Syrian President
Bashar al-Assad who had arrived in Tehran earlier on Saturday. Beirut, 02 Oct
10,
Qassem: Hizbullah has Not Taken a Final Position on How to Deal with the STL
Naharnet/Hizbullah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem stated on
Saturday that Hizbullah has not yet taken a final position on how to deal with
the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. He told Syrian television: "It will determine
its position in the coming weeks based on various developments." "We will give
the chance for contacts before we make our final say on the matter," he added.
Furthermore, the Hizbullah official denied that there is a Syrian-Iranian
dispute over Lebanon by saying: "Syria and Iran support Lebanon's independence
and the Resistance and there is nothing for them to disagree about." Qassem
noted that Prime Minister Saad Hariri can do a lot in avoiding impending dangers
facing Lebanon.
Beirut, 02 Oct 10,
Progressive Socialist Party media officer Rami Rayyes: We are Pushing for a
Hariri-Nasrallah
Naharnet/Meeting to Reach Solution to Crisis Progressive Socialist Party media
officer Rami Rayyes revealed on Saturday that the party is pushing for a direct
meeting between Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Hizbullah Secretary General
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallh in order to end "the series of accusations and counter
accusations that are stoking tensions in Lebanon."
"A direct bilateral meeting may lead the way to a solution to the crisis," he
told New TV. Beirut, 02 Oct 10,
Assad Holds Talks in Iran with Ahmadinejad
Naharnet/Syrian President Bashar al-Assad arrived in Tehran on Saturday and
immediately went into talks with his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,
local media reported.
Soon after a guard of honor, Assad went into a meeting with Ahmadinejad "to
discuss bilateral and regional issues, including Lebanon, Iraq and Palestine," a
report by ISNA news agency said. Assad's visit comes just days after former
Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said he asked Syria to persuade Iran to keep
out of his protracted battle for the premiership with incumbent Nuri al-Maliki
after inconclusive elections in March. It also precedes Ahmadinejad's visit
later this month to Lebanon, where Iran's ally Hizbullah is locked in a bitter
war of words with Prime Minister Saad Hariri about a U.N.-backed court's probe
into the assassination of his father, Rafik Hariri, in 2005. Assad is
accompanied by Syrian Vice President Faruoq al-Sharaa and Foreign Minister Walid
al-Muallem. ISNA said the Syrian president will be given a "medal of valor" by
Ahmadinejad during his visit. Assad previously visited Iran in August 2009.(AFP)
STL indictment
is “prescription for violence,” says Syrian deputy FM
October 2, 2010 /In an interview with As-Safir newspaper published on Saturday,
Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal al-Moqdad said that the Special Tribunal
for Lebanon (STL)’s pending indictment is a “prescription for renewing violence”
in the country. He said that the tribunal’s probe witnessed “too much
politicization and many false testimonies,” adding that the court no longer has
credibility. “We address all Lebanese people to look at the primary interests of
their country and not take any measures that could threaten peace, because there
are international actors, especially Israel, that do not want calm in Lebanon,”
Moqdad said. Tension ran high in the country after reports said that the STL
would soon issue its indictment in the 2005 assassination of former Prime
Minister Rafik Hariri. There are fears that, should the court indict Hezbollah
members, it could lead to clashes similar to those of the 2008 May Events.
Moqdad said that the meeting between US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and
her Syrian counterpart Walid al-Mouallem earlier in the week was “a positive
development,” adding that the talks were constructive. “We hope that we were
able to convince the US of the importance of fostering Lebanon’s peace and
security. We stressed preserving a strong and independent Lebanon,” Moqdad
added. Mouallem met with Clinton on Monday, after which the latter said Syria
should not take destabilizing measures in either Lebanon or Iraq.
-NOW Lebanon
MP Elie Marouni to NOW Lebanon: FPM is acquiring arms
October 2, 2010 /In an exclusive interview with NOW Lebanon published on
Saturday, Kataeb bloc MP Elie Marouni said that the Free Patriotic Movement
supporters are acquiring weapons in different Lebanese regions. He said that he
holds FPM leader MP Michel Aoun responsible of the current domestic situation in
Lebanon, “which is the result of Aoun’s support of [Hezbollah’s] arms.” Marouni
also called on President Michel Sleiman to support the Special Tribunal for
Lebanon (STL) to uncover the perpetrators behind the assassinations of Lebanese
public figures since 2005. Tension ran high in Lebanon after reports said that
the STL would soon issue its indictment in the 2005 assassination of former
Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. -NOW Lebanon
MP Samer Saadeh says no giving up on STL
October 2, 2010 /Kataeb bloc MP Samer Saadeh told Future News on Saturday that
“it is impossible to give up on the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL),” adding,
“We are ready to deal with [any] problem to preserve the probe of the
tribunal.”“The solution [to the current impasse] comes through holding dialogue
between Lebanese parties,” Saadeh said.
He also said that Hezbollah is willing to use its arms against other Lebanese
parties to confront the STL. Tension ran high in Lebanon after reports said that
the STL would soon issue its indictment in the 2005 assassination of former
Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. There are fears that, should the court indict
Hezbollah members, it could lead to clashes similar to those of the 2008 May
Events. -NOW Lebanon
Minister of State Youssef Saadeh: STL to incite sedition in Mideast, not just
Lebanon
October 2, 2010 /Minister of State Youssef Saadeh told LBCI television on
Saturday that “the aim of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) is to incite
sedition in the entire Middle East, and not just in Lebanon.”He said that the
STL’s pending indictment is “fabricated, politicized and aims at damaging the
Resistance.”“The tribunal’s indictment is almost finalized and will be issued
soon,” Saadeh said, adding that the international commission investigating the
2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri cannot be trusted.
Tension ran high in Lebanon after reports said that the STL would soon issue its
indictment. There are fears that, should the court indict Hezbollah members, it
could lead to clashes similar to those of the 2008 May Events.-NOW Lebanon
MP Khaled Daher : Hezbollah does not want ISF – Information Branch to uncover
agents’ names
October 2, 2010 /Lebanon First bloc MP Khaled Daher told OTV on Saturday that
the Internal Security Forces (ISF) – Information Branch has names of certain
individuals linked to Israeli collaborators that Hezbollah does not want
uncovered. “It seems Hezbollah does not want an [information branch] stronger
than the party,” Daher said.
Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem said that Hezbollah does
not trust the ISF – Information Branch, adding that the Special Tribunal for
Lebanon (STL) may not lead to events similar to the 2008 May events. Daher said
that all attempts to question the credibility of the STL will not yield results.
Tension ran high in Lebanon after reports said that the STL would soon issue its
indictment in the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. -NOW
Lebanon
MP Bahia Hariri’s convoy was harassed in the Haret Saida
October 2, 2010 /NOW Lebanon’s correspondent reported on Saturday that Lebanon
First bloc MP Bahia Hariri’s convoy was harassed in the Haret Saida neighborhood
in South Lebanon, after which the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) – Intelligence
Branch intervened and arrested the individuals behind the incident.
The report did not elaborate further.-NOW Lebanon
MP Nawwar al-Sahili :Ahmadinejad’s visit to Lebanon is friendly
October 2, 2010 /Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is visiting Lebanon as
“the president of a friendly and brotherly state that has helped Lebanon in
every sense of the word, [he] supports national unity in Lebanon [and] the
national unity government,” Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Nawwar al-Sahili
told Akhbar al-Yawm news agency on Saturday. Ahmadinejad is expected to visit
Lebanon's southern border with Israel when he pays a two-day visit to the
country on October 13. Talk of Ahmadinejad’s visit as a “provocation” is
unfortunate and out of place, Sahili said, adding that Iran helped rebuild
Lebanon after the 2006 July War. The Iranian president's expected tour of South
Lebanon during his official visit to the country was criticized as a
"provocation" on Friday by the March 14 alliance, according to AFP.-NOW Lebanon
Health Minister Mohammad Jawad Khalifeh wants Lebanese judiciary to investigate
with STL false witnesses
October 2, 2010 /Health Minister Mohammad Jawad Khalifeh said on Saturday that
the Lebanese judiciary should investigate with the witnesses who gave false
testimonies to the international commission probing the 2005 assassination of
former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, the National News Agency (NNA) reported. He
also said that the leaks regarding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL)’s
pending indictment reflect that the court’s probe is operating in a politicized
way. Tension ran high in Lebanon after reports said that the STL would soon
issue its indictment in the Rafik Hariri murder. There are fears that, should
the court indict Hezbollah members, it could lead to clashes similar to those of
the 2008 May Events.
-NOW Lebanon
Baath Arab Socialist Party in Lebanon Fayez Shuk says LF is acquiring arms
October 2, 2010 /Regional Secretary of the Baath Arab Socialist Party in Lebanon
Fayez Shukr said on Saturday that the Lebanese Forces (LF) are acquiring arms
and training, adding that he will reveal evidence to back his claim “when the
time is right.”“Hezbollah’s arms are pointed against Israel, but we ask [LF
leader] Samir Geagea, what is the justification of the weapons [carried by the
LF]?” Shukr asked. He also said that Prime Minister Saad Hariri should make an
effort to prevent the issue of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL)’s
indictment.
Tension ran high in Lebanon after reports said that the STL would soon issue its
indictment in the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. -NOW
Lebanon
Stand up to Hezbollah, not the Shia
Hanin Ghaddar, October 2, 2010
Now Lebanon/Hezbollah officials were very flagrant this past week about their
plan to fight the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL). They hinted at a number of
scenarios, none of them comforting, in which they would target any individual or
institution that supports the court.
Civil strife or even a coup d’état are very possible. In case any of the
suggested scenarios take place, a cycle of revenge will take hold, and it will
be very difficult to control the consequences.
Several March 8 politicians are calling for the abolition of the STL. Loyalty to
the Resistance bloc MP Nawwaf al-Moussawi said last week that any group in
Lebanon that “abides by the tribunal’s pending indictment will be dealt with on
the basis that it is one of the tools of US-Israeli aggression.”
The issue of financing the tribunal, to be addressed during the cabinet meeting
on Monday, might be the spark. Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Hassan
Fadlallah said during last week’s parliamentary Finance and Budget Commission
session that parliament should vote to dissolve the STL before the end of
September, otherwise “the matter [will be] very dangerous.”
Then, in an interview on LBC, the party’s deputy chief, Naim Qassem, noted that
Hezbollah has not yet been informed of "the outcome of contacts conducted by the
parties of the tripartite summit on the [STL] indictment issue."
"We may receive an answer within two weeks," he added. By the end of those two
weeks, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will probably be in Lebanon, and
Hezbollah is lobbying for a huge reception for him and a tour of the South. Some
say this might be the time when the situation deteriorates.
Hezbollah agreed to the Ministerial Statement, which stated Lebanon’s commitment
to the STL, both judicially and financially. Yet today, the party has breached
that agreement. Will it also breach the Doha Accord, which ended the street
violence in 2008?
What would civil strife engendered by Hezbollah’s assault on the STL look like?
As no other Lebanese party is as well armed as Hezbollah, a war between it and
other factions is unlikely. The May events of 2008 were a very clear example of
Hezbollah’s power. However, many individuals, especially those who live in areas
where there have been armed clashes, have their own weapons to defend themselves
should anything erupt.
Hezbollah’s behavior and political rhetoric has widened the gap between the Shia
and Sunni in Lebanon. It has managed to exacerbate a profound abhorrence between
the two communities. The Sunnis now fear the Shia, whom they think are protected
by the same arms that were used to invade Beirut on May 7, 2008 and which might
have killed former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. As for the Shia, Hezbollah has
managed to convince the majority of them that the STL is an Israeli-American
tool to sabotage the party, and that those who support it are enemies of both
the party and the entire Shia community.
Underlying animosities and the fear of “the other” in mixed Sunni-Shia
neighborhoods might turn into violence the moment Hezbollah decides to carry out
its threats. Whether motivated to demonstrate against, or to defend the Hariri
government, whether driven by fear or revenge, sectarianism will be at the root
of any street fighting.
There will be no place for logic or dialogue. The Shia community will be part of
an ugly game of revenge, while the secular and independent among them will find
themselves victims of a conflict that has been imposed on them.
Who will protect them, or the other Lebanese who refuse to be part of yet
another sectarian conflict? Unfortunately, no one. Hezbollah will only protect
those who support the party’s arms with their blood, while the rest will have to
face the madness on their own, either by fleeing the battle, or becoming part of
it.
The only way to avoid these scenarios is to focus the fight on Hezbollah as an
institution, not as a community. Hezbollah is fighting the Lebanese state, its
institutions and the STL. To avoid attacks on any of them, Lebanon needs to
protect itself as a state and defend the UN resolutions passed to preserve its
national integrity. The government must hold its nerve and not be forced to make
the choice between the tribunal and civil strife.
No one will benefit from any street clashes, government changes or civil
disobedience except Hezbollah and possibly Syria, which might see violence as an
excuse to “help” by returning to Lebanon militarily.
Druze leader MP Walid Jumblatt can flip the equation if he decides to side with
Hariri on the issue of the tribunal, especially as President Michel Sleiman’s
cabinet ministers seem to support it too. (In the worst-case scenario, they
might abstain from voting this week on the STL’s funding).
Jumblatt expressed recently serious concerns regarding the situation in Lebanon.
Will he be able to play the role of bringing justice and security? We will have
to see.
*Hanin Ghaddar is managing editor of NOW Lebanon
Sectarianism … and conspiracy
Ziad Majed,/Now Lebanon/ September 30, 2010
Contradictions and demagoguery are no strangers to political circles in Lebanon,
and are by no means limited to some parties to the exclusion of others.
Some of their newest manifestations, however, show Hezbollah’s clear supremacy
over its foes and, at the same time, illustrate its stalemate, as it has to deal
with its excess of strength (knowing that the fragile Lebanese formula is
finding it difficult to deal with such an excess) and its inability to impose
its will without turning this excess from reserves into direct acts of violence.
Taking a look at some of Hezbollah’s recent positions highlights the extent of
exaggerations, contradictions and their various inherent possibilities.
For instance, when Hezbollah leaders deplore the sectarian mobilization – which
is truly there, dangerous and deplorable – they do it from a basis that is even
more sectarian. In other words, Hezbollah is not only sectarian as per its
social structure and political role within a system based on sectarian political
representation, but also with regard to its religious reference, ideology,
rites, practices, institutions, mobilization and organic foreign ties. This is
more similar to finding fault with oneself than with anything else.
Hezbollah criticized dealing with one of the key state positions as a sectarian
reference rather than as a state institution, while disregarding the fact that
it had condoned the closing of another institution for months based on the claim
that its presidency hinges on wasted sectarian representation. This is
tantamount to self-criticism that comes in too late, even though it holds true
to some of their foes today.
Hezbollah led a security invasion of the airport and provided armed protection
at a press conference by a former officer who threatened incumbent judges and
state officials as well as state institutions to “take what they owe him with
his own hands.” Saying that this is meant to defend the state and protect the
judiciary is blatant provocation, which can only lead to further sectarian
tensions and congestion.
Discussing the prerogatives and duties of security apparatuses has become an
accusation to one of these apparatuses of “undermining stability,” illegality
and militia-like behavior, an accusation leveled by the very group that led (or
supported) the May 7 events, which resulted in dozens of victims, destruction of
public and private property, and increased civil tensions. This is tantamount to
ridiculous oversimplification.
What makes matters worse is that responses to this situation are floundering,
lone and politically hopeless.
The provocation, shouting and excess of strength on the one hand, and, on the
other, floundering and the illusory recourse to regional covers in order to
avert “strife” are additional indicators of the impending splitting and
profligacy, which have no need for any “tribunal indictment,” conspiracies,
“false witnesses” and acts of contrition and humiliation in order to set fire to
our homes …
**This article is a translation of the original, which appeared on the NOW
Arabic site on Tuesday September 28, 2010
Ahmadinejad's plan to visit Lebanon
worries Israel
By Agence France Presse (AFP)
Compiled by Daily Star staff
Saturday, October 02, 2010
Israel on Friday said that a planned visit to Lebanon by Iran’s President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was a “very worrying” development which could destabilize
the region, the Foreign Ministry said. The Iranian president, who has repeatedly
warned of Israel’s imminent destruction, is expected to visit Lebanon’s southern
border with Israel when he pays a two-day visit to the country on October 13.
“We have heard that Ahmadinejad is preparing a serious tour … [like] a big
landowner coming to inspect his property,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal
Palmor. “He has already said to Syrian President Bashar Assad that south Lebanon
was Iran’s border with Israel,” he told AFP. “All this should be very worrying
for anyone who is concerned about the stability of Lebanon and of the Middle
East,” he said. During his visit, Ahmadinejad was to meet top Lebanese officials
and Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. Ahmadinejad would tour the
villages of Qana and Bint Jbeil as well as a war museum in the region
inaugurated by Hizbullah earlier this year, a Hizbullah official told AFP on
condition of anonymity. “This will be a message to the United States and Israel
that they need to understand there is a regional force backing Lebanon,” said
Sheikh Ali Yassin, a local imam in the southern coastal city of Tyre. The visit
comes as Israel and the Palestinians struggle to make headway in freshly
launched peace talks, teetering on the brink of collapse over a dispute about
Jewish settlements. Iran, which supports the Islamist Hamas movement which rules
Gaza, is implacably opposed to the peace talks.
Animosity between the Islamic Republic and Israel has worsened under the
presidency of Ahmadinejad, who has dismissed the Holocaust as a “myth” and said
Israel is doomed to disappear. The Iranian president’s trip to Lebanon has also
angered Lebanon’s parliamentary majority, whose members criticized it as a
“provocation.”
“The message is that Iran is at the border with Israel,” Fares Souaid,
coordinator of the “March 14” alliance, told AFP. “Ahmadinejad through this
visit is saying that Beirut is under Iranian influence and that Lebanon is an
Iranian base on the Mediterranean,” said Souaid, whose coalition is led by Prime
Minister Saad Hariri. “His visit to the south would be a provocation, he doesn’t
need to go there,” he added. Souaid also pointed out Ahmadinejad was coming to
Beirut at a time when the West is striving to rescue fledgling, US-backed peace
talks between Israel and the Palestinians. “The Iranian president is here to say
that Lebanon is a land of resistance and to reaffirm his project of a continuous
war with Israel,” he said. Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Ghazanfar Roknabadi,
said this week Ahmadinejad’s visit was aimed at promoting unity among the
Lebanese. The Islamic Republic heavily financed the reconstruction of southern
Lebanon after the 2006 war and more recently said it stood ready to offer
military aid. That offer came in the wake of an American freeze in its military
aid to Beirut over concerns the weapons could be used by Hizbullah. The militant
group is blacklisted by Washington as a terrorist organization. The United
States and its allies have also been embroiled in a long-running dispute with
Iran over its nuclear program, which Tehran insists is for peaceful purposes. –
AFP
Sleiman looks to avert Cabinet clash over STL funding
Qassem: issue unlikely to be put to vote
By Wassim Mroueh /Daily Star staff
Saturday, October 02, 2010
BEIRUT: Efforts intensified on Friday in a bid to avoid a heated confrontation
between rival ministers over a Cabinet vote scheduled to be held on Monday on a
controversial 2011 draft budget article related to the funding of the Special
Tribunal for Lebanon (STL). The Central News Agency (CNA) reported on Friday
that President Michel Sleiman, head of the Progressive Socialist Party Walid
Jumblatt and Speaker Nabih Berri were in contact with Hizbullah and Future
Movement officials to try to reach an agreement.
Hizbullah – a major force in March 8 alliance – announced last week that it
would block funding the STL, while the rival March 14 coalition stressed its
commitment to the STL, saying this was part of the Cabinet’s policy statement.
According to the Constitution, a two-thirds vote in favor of the budget is
required to pass it to Parliament.
With just 10 ministers out of 30, it remains unclear how March 8 parties would
succeed in their quest, unless one of the five ministers loyal to President
Michel Sleiman were to vote alongside their ministers, raising the number
opposed to 11.
Each of the two rival camps believes that the Sleiman’s ministers will vote for
its favor.
Lebanese daily An-Nahar reported on Friday that Sleiman would hold a meeting
with his ministers to discuss the matter and agree on the position that they
would take in the Cabinet session on Monday. As-Safir newspaper quoted some
ministerial sources as saying that Sleiman was tending toward requesting the
postponement of the vote on the controversial article until a later session when
political atmosphere is calmer, thus avoiding a political crisis on the eve of
an expected visit by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Lebanon this
month.
Prime Minister Saad Hariri left on Friday to Saudi Arabia. Controversy over the
STL intensified when Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah
dismissed the court as an “Israeli project” targeting the resistance, saying
members of his party would likely be indicted by the tribunal. The STL was
formed in May 2007 in accordance with Security Council Resolution 1757 to try
suspects in the 2005 killing of former Premier Rafik Hariri. Nasrallah called
for probing false witnesses who misled the investigations into Hariri’s killing
as a key to uncovering the truth about the murder. Hizbullah’s second in command
Sheikh Naim Qassem said it was unlikely that the disputed article would be put
to vote during Monday’s Cabinet session, saying Sleiman preferred not to subject
matters that required two-thirds approval to voting in order “to avoid a
difficult position.”
“If they want to vote then let them vote and see the result but we believe that
funding the tribunal will not pass in the Cabinet and we reject funding it from
Lebanon, because no one can ask us to fund a tribunal that puts a sword on our
necks,” he said during an interview with LBC TV on Thursday. Qassem said
Hizbullah would be informed within two weeks about the results of contacts
pursued by Saudi and Syrian officials regarding the impending indictment, after
which he said a position would be announced by Nasrallah within a few weeks.
He also said the Lebanese Forces (LF) party and other factions were obtaining
arms.
LF leader Samir Geagea snapped back at Qassem on Friday, saying that the Cabinet
was committed to funding the STL. “The STL was formed by international
Resolution 1757 and successive Cabinets including the present one are committed
to Security Council resolutions including this one. Accordingly, the Cabinet
automatically and spontaneously pays its dues,” he said. He addressed reporters
after meeting the US Ambassador to Lebanon Maura Connelly at his residence in
Maarab on Friday.
Geagea dismissed claims by Qassem that the LF was obtaining arms, urging him
“forward such information if it existed to confirmed judicial references and
disclose them to public.”
Asked about the possible return of civil strife such as that which occurred on
May 7, 2008, Geagea said it was the responsibility of the state to preserve
civil peace and the security of citizens. A statement issued by Geagea’s press
office said that Connelly emphasized the US administration’s support to the
“Lebanese government and legitimate institutions and its commitment to the
establishment of the state” along with the STL. Similar backing was demonstrated
by the US permanent envoy to the United Nations Suzan Rice, who stressed to Al-Arabiyya
news channel on Thursday that the STL “could never be a deal or a football game,
but it should continue as expected by Lebanon and its people.”
In remarks published by Al-Hayat Friday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abu al-Gheit
said the STL “is present and performs its work in accordance with the Security
Council resolution.” “There is no international political force or one in the
United Nations that can ask the general prosecutor to stop, or order the United
Nations General Secretary to halt funding [for the STL], or instruct the
Security Council to cancel the resolution [that established the STL],” he said.
Muslim Body Sets Conditions for Christian Citizenship in Egypt
GMT 10-1-2010 /Assyrian International News Agency
(AINA) -- Bishop Bishoy, secretary of the Coptic Church's Holy Synod and
the second highest authority in the church, caused a Muslim furor last week when
the media published excerpts from a lecture he was due to give later to the
clergy during the "Coptic Faith" Seminar held in Fayoum, south of Cairo on
September 23. He was questioning whether some verses inferring that "Christians
were infidels" were added to the Qur'an after the death of Prophet Muhammad by
one of his successor Caliph Uthman ibn Affan (644-656), suggesting that they may
have been inserted for religious/political purposes. Bishop Bishoy's lecture was
later canceled for unknown reasons. Angry Muslims considered his queries about
the time frame of these verses as accusations that the Qur'an was distorted,
since they believe that all verses were received by Muhammad through the Angel
Gabriel during his lifetime and that the words have remained undistorted since
then. In an effort to diffuse the situation, Coptic Pope Shenouda III apologized
on state-run TV on Sunday September 26 saying: "I am sorry if our Muslim
brother's feelings were hurt. Debating religious beliefs are a red line, a deep
red line." Bishop Bishoy told the clergy audience in Fayoum that his
questions were merely about the time of the verses, which say "Verily they are
disbelievers and infidels who say 'The Messiah, son of Mary, is God.'" (Qur'an
5:17). He believes these verses contradict the Christian faith. "I don't
understand how that can be turned into an attack on Islam," he said, insisting
that his remarks had been taken out of context.
Many Copts were against the Bishop's remarks, especially coming at a time of
heightened tension with Islamists, when demonstrations were being staged by them
in front of mosques against the Coptic Church and Pope Shenouda, with false
accusation like the abduction of a converted to Islam priest's wife (AINA
9-17-2010) or the Church stockpiling weapons to wage war against Muslims (AINA
9-21-2010).
On Friday, September 24, thousands of Islamists demonstrated in front of Ibrahim
Mosque in Alexandria demanding the detainment of Bishop Bishoy and insulting
Pope Shenouda and throwing shoes at his photos. Members of al-Azhar's Islamic
Research Council held an emergency meeting led by the institution's head, Grand
Imam Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, repudiating Bishop Bishoy's comments and accusing
him of provoking sectarian tension. A "Statement to the Nation" was released by
the Council on Saturday, September 25 in which al-Tayeb said "This kind of
behavior is irresponsible and threatens national unity at a time when it is
vital to protect it." He also warned against repercussions these sorts of
statements can have among Muslims in Egypt and abroad.
The Statement went on to say the Council stresses the fact that Egypt is an
"Islamic State" according to the text of its Constitution, which represents the
social contract between its people. "From this stems the rights of citizenship,
as taught to us by the Messenger of Allah in his pact with the Christians of
Najran, in which he decided that they were to enjoy rights and duties as the
Muslims. However, these rights are conditional to respect for the Islamic
Identity and the citizenship rights as set by the Constitution." The Christians
of Najran, Medina, refused conversion to Islam in 631 A.D. and offered Mohamad
to maintain their faith, accept the dominance of Muslims and pay an annual
tribute (the jizya), he accepted and the pact was sealed between them.
Magdy Khalil, head of the Middle East Freedom Forum, issued a press release on
September 27, saying the Al-Azhar's "Statement to the Nation" brings us back to
the era of Dhimmitude. He thinks this statement, which is addressed to the
Islamic nation and Muslims in Egypt and abroad, undermines completely the
concept of modern citizenship, replacing it with their perception of an
alternative Islamic citizenship, which corresponds to that promoted by various
groups of political Islam. "citizenship in the traditions of the Islamic
Research Council is conditional to non-Muslims in the Egyptian State by their
acceptance of the Islamic State, respecting the Islamic identity and accepting
the rule of Sharia," said Khalil, "meaning that the Council has reproduced the
unfortunate Dhimmi status as a condition for the Copt to being a citizens in his
own country."
He believes the "Statement to the Nation" does not strengthen national unity in
Egypt but rather contributes to the increased agitation of the Islamized people,
increases the feeling of religious superiority towards the Coptic minority and
contributes to the destruction of what remains of the pillars of the civil
state.
Partners for the Nation, an Egyptian Coptic organization, slammed the Al-Azhar
statement. "The secular Coptic community completely rejects al-Azhar's statement
that Egypt is an Islamic state. We are a civil state. We reject a state religion
and no religious institution should interfere in political matters or bypass the
role of the state," said Mamdouh Ramzi, head of the organization, in an
interview with Al Arabiya.net. He added the expression "Egypt an Islamic state"
is "totally false" and seeks to spread hostilities between Muslims and Christian
Copts in Egypt and undermine efforts toward democracy. He said trying to impose
Islamic law in Egypt would possibly lead to a situation similar to that in
Sudan, when a bid to impose the Islamic law lead the Christian south to demand
secession. Ramzi demanded that Al-Azhar withdraws its statement, holding the
institution responsible for any consequences of its announcement, which he said
could lead Egypt down a dangerous path. Magdi Khalil further criticized the Al-Azhar
statement for falsely claiming that "all beliefs are considered a red line not
to be crossed." He accused Al-Azhar of having a basic plan through its
curriculum, educational books and preaching "to ridicule the beliefs of
non-Muslims, challenge their faith and their holy Books, a line not constrained
by the Al-Azhar since its inception in 972 A.D., and until the present time
under the chairmanship of Dr. al-Tayeb, who challenged the validity of the Bible
from the rostrum of the state-run Nile television, when he was rector of Al-Azhar
University." "We refuse to bow to their condition of respecting the Islamic
Identity, in order to get our citizenship rights," said Coptic activist Selim
Riad. "We have our separate Coptic identity, and our rights are not at the
disposal of Muslims setting conditions for us to obtain them."
By Mary Abdelmassih
Question: "Who am I in Christ?"
Answer: According to 2 Corinthians 5:17, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new
creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” There are two Greek words which
are translated “new” in the Bible. The first, neos, refers to something that has
just been made, but there are already many others in existence just like it. The
word translated “new” in this verse is the word kainos, which means “something
just made which is unlike anything else in existence.” In Christ, we are made an
entirely new creation, just as God created the heavens and the earth
originally—He made them out of nothing, and so He does with us. He does not
merely clean up our old selves; He makes an entirely new self. When we are in
Christ, we are “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4 KJV). God Himself,
in the person of His Holy Spirit, takes up residence in our hearts. We are in
Christ and He is in us.
In Christ, we are regenerated, renewed, and born again, and this new creation is
spiritually minded, whereas the old nature is carnally minded. The new nature
fellowships with God, obeys His will, and is devoted to His service. These are
actions the old nature is incapable of doing or even desiring to do. The old
nature is dead to the things of the spirit and cannot revive itself. It is “dead
in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1) and can only be made alive by a
supernatural awakening, which happens when we come to Christ and are indwelt by
Him. Christ gives us a completely new and holy nature and an incorruptible life.
Our old life, previously dead to God because of sin, is buried, and we are
raised “to walk in newness of life” with Him (Romans 6:4). If we belong to
Christ, we are united to Him and no longer slaves to sin (Romans 6:5-6); we are
made alive with Him (Ephesians 2:5); we are conformed to His image (Romans
8:29); we are free from condemnation and walking not according to the flesh, but
according to the Spirit (Romans 8:1); and we are part of the body of Christ with
other believers (Romans 12:5). The believer now possesses a new heart (Ezekiel
11:19) and has been blessed “with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly
places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:3).
We might wonder why we so often do not live in the manner described, even though
we have given our lives to Christ and are sure of our salvation. This is because
our new natures are residing in our old fleshly bodies, and these two are at war
with one another. The old nature is dead, but the new nature still has to battle
the old “tent” in which it dwells. Evil and sin are still present, but the
believer now sees them in a new perspective and they no longer control him as
they once did. In Christ, we can now choose to resist sin, whereas the old
nature could not. Now we have the choice to either feed the new nature through
the Word, prayer, and obedience, or to feed the flesh by neglecting those
things.
When we are in Christ, “we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us”
(Romans 8:37) and can rejoice in our Savior, who makes all things possible
(Philippians 4:13). In Christ we are loved, forgiven, and secure. In Christ we
are adopted, justified, redeemed, reconciled, and chosen. In Christ we are
victorious, filled with joy and peace, and granted true meaning in life. What a
wonderful Savior is Christ! (question.com)
Recommended Resource: Who am I in Christ by Neil Anderson.
David
Johnston new was sworn in as Canada's 28th Governor General
By Martin O'Hanlon, The Canadian Press
OTTAWA - As his little granddaughter blew kisses, David Johnston was sworn in
today as Canada's 28th Governor General and heralded family as one of the keys
to a "smart and caring nation." Johnston told a packed Senate chamber that he
will focus on support for families and children, reinforcing learning and
innovation, and encouraging philanthropy and volunteerism during his five-year
term. "I see my role as a bridge in bringing people of all backgrounds and ages
together to create a smart and caring nation, a nation that will inspire not
just Canadians but the entire world," he said."When we set our sights together,
we can do better and inspire each other to achieve great things."
Minutes earlier, a 21-gun salute shook the air over Parliament Hill and the
Governor General's blue flag was hoisted atop the Peace Tower as Johnston was
sworn in by the chief justice of the Supreme Court.
An audience of dignitaries, including the prime minister, opposition leaders,
three former prime ministers, MPs, senators, and Supreme Court justices in their
red-velvet, fur-trimmed robes, gave Johnston a standing ovation.
But the eyes of the new vice-regal and wife Sharon were drawn to granddaughter
Emma, who blew them kisses.
Former governor general Michaelle Jean and her husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond,
hugged each other as they entered the Senate chamber and received a standing
ovation and handshakes from many of the guests.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper hailed Johnston as a "guardian" of the tradition
of community service. He said the Sudbury native and former university president
represents the best of Canada.
"All through his life, David Johnston has been driven by the intense belief that
service is not merely an option. It is a duty, an obligation of the heart that
honour compels a man to accept," Harper said.
"This tradition of service will carry our beloved country forward into the
future. And tradition, ladies and gentlemen, is the rope that binds the
generations, past and future, the threads that form the fabric of society.
"Sir, you have a great role to play as guardian of those traditions and of all
that makes our country great."
Harper, a rabid hockey fan, also noted that Johnston played for Harvard in the
early 1960s and was a two-time All-American.
The Johnstons were greeted on Parliament Hill by the prime minister and a
military guard of honour as they emerged from a limousine on a bright, crisp
autumn day.
The Usher of the Black Rod led the procession through the marbled Hall of Honour
to the Senate chamber for speeches and the swearing-in. Along the way, the
couple was handed red and white roses by 13 Canadians representing each province
and territory.
After Johnston took the oath of office, the Governor General's Foot Guards in
red serge and bearskin hats trumpeted the occasion and the vice-regal salute
blasted outside.
Johnston has a long list of academic achievements, a background in law and
widespread respect for his innovative thinking.
The 69-year-old, who has five daughters and seven grandchildren, takes over from
Jean, who completed her last official act Thursday by planting a sapling on the
grounds of Rideau Hall.
Harper also paid tribute to Jean in his speech.
"Through her remarkable story, her extraordinary personal qualities and her
tenure in office, Michaelle Jean has earned the lasting respect and gratitude of
her country," he said
Newfound Earth-Like Planet Raises Timeless Question: Are We Alone?
Naharnet/Astronomers say they have for the first time spotted a planet beyond
our own in what is sometimes called the Goldilocks zone for life: Not too hot,
not too cold. Juuuust right.
Not too far from its star, not too close. So it could contain liquid water. The
planet itself is neither too big nor too small for the proper surface, gravity
and atmosphere.
It's just right. Just like Earth.
"This really is the first Goldilocks planet," said co-discoverer R. Paul Butler
of the Carnegie Institution of Washington.
The new planet sits smack in the middle of what astronomers refer to as the
habitable zone, unlike any of the nearly 500 other planets astronomers have
found outside our solar system. And it is in our galactic neighborhood,
suggesting that plenty of Earth-like planets circle other stars.
Finding a planet that could potentially support life is a major step toward
answering the timeless question: Are we alone?
Scientists have jumped the gun before on proclaiming that planets outside our
solar system were habitable only to have them turn out to be not quite so
conducive to life. But this one is so clearly in the right zone that five
outside astronomers told The Associated Press it seems to be the real thing.
"This is the first one I'm truly excited about," said Penn State University's
Jim Kasting. He said this planet is a "pretty prime candidate" for harboring
life. Life on other planets doesn't mean E.T. Even a simple single-cell bacteria
or the equivalent of shower mold would shake perceptions about the uniqueness of
life on Earth.
But there are still many unanswered questions about this strange planet. It is
about three times the mass of Earth, slightly larger in width and much closer to
its star — 14 million miles away versus 93 million.
It's so close to its version of the sun that it orbits every 37 days. And it
doesn't rotate much, so one side is almost always bright, the other dark.
Temperatures can be as hot as 160 degrees or as frigid as 25 degrees below zero,
but in between — in the land of constant sunrise — it would be "shirt-sleeve
weather," said co-discoverer Steven Vogt of the University of California at
Santa Cruz.
It's unknown whether water actually exists on the planet, and what kind of
atmosphere it has. But because conditions are ideal for liquid water, and
because there always seems to be life on Earth where there is water, Vogt
believes "that chances for life on this planet are 100 percent."
The astronomers' findings are being published in Astrophysical Journal and were
announced by the National Science Foundation on Wednesday.
The planet circles a star called Gliese 581. It's about 120 trillion miles away,
so it would take several generations for a spaceship to get there.
It may seem like a long distance, but in the scheme of the vast universe, this
planet is "like right in our face, right next door to us," Vogt said in an
interview.
That close proximity and the way it was found so early in astronomers' search
for habitable planets hints to scientists that planets like Earth are probably
not that rare.
Vogt and Butler ran some calculations, with giant fudge factors built in, and
figured that as much as one out of five to 10 stars in the universe have planets
that are Earth-sized and in the habitable zone. With an estimated 200 billion
stars in the universe, that means maybe 40 billion planets that have the
potential for life, Vogt said. However, Ohio State University's Scott Gaudi
cautioned that is too speculative about how common these planets are.
Vogt and Butler used ground-based telescopes to track the star's precise
movements over 11 years and watch for wobbles that indicate planets are circling
it.
The newly discovered planet is actually the sixth found circling Gliese 581.
Two looked promising for habitability for a while, another turned out to be too
hot and the fifth is likely too cold. This sixth one bracketed right in the
sweet spot in between, Vogt said.
With the star designated "a," its sixth planet is called Gliese 581g. It's not a
very interesting name and it's a beautiful planet," Vogt said.
Unofficially, he's named it after his wife: "I call it Zarmina's World."
The star Gliese 581 is a dwarf, about one-third the strength of our sun.
Because of that, it can't be seen without a telescope from Earth, although it is
in the Libra constellation, Vogt said. But if you were standing on this new
planet, you could easily see our sun, Butler said.
The low-energy dwarf star will live on for billions of years, much longer than
our sun, he said. And that just increases the likelihood of life developing on
the planet, the discoverers said."It's pretty hard to stop life once you give it
the right conditions," Vogt said.(AP) Beirut, 30 Sep 10, 1
Tom Harb to iloubnan.info: Any civil war will oppose military groups to the
Lebanese Cabinet not the Lebanese people
BEIRUT, By Nayla Chahla | iloubnan.info - September 30, 2010
www.cedarsrevolution.net In an interview with iloubnan.info, Lebanese-American
Tom Harb, secretary general of the World Council for Cedars Revolution (WCCR),
stated that the International Community was bidding on the strength of the
Lebanese people to put pressure on the Beirut Governement in order to implement
UN Resolutions and save the Cedars Revolution. “The International Community
knows very well how strong are the Lebanese people and how week is Beirut
Government, instead, that it why it seeks from them to pressure the Cabinet as
much as possible to help all efforts put for the freedom of Lebanon to deliver”,
he said.
Asked about the controversial Special Tribunal for Lebanon and the alleged war
that it could trigger, Harb stated that no foreign had any single interest in
the UN-backed tribunal, but it was a matter of truth. “Since the assassinations
of Bechir Gemayel and Mufti Hassan Khaled until the 2005 assassination of former
Premier Rafic Hariri, the Lebanese have been asking to identify the murderers”.
Harb questioned the nature of the alleged civil war that would result from said
jurisdiction. Any alleged civil war in Lebanon, he said, would oppose the
military groups to the Lebanese Cabinet not the Lebanese people due to the
unilateral possession of arms. "Who might fight in Lebanon? Only the groups
having military arsenal can fight, not the rest of the Lebanese. Thus, any
alleged war will oppose those armed groups to the Lebanese Cabinet", he pointed.
“What could be dangerous, instead, is any potential intervention of the Lebanese
Armed Forces in any military confrontation with Israel. If Lebanon interferes,
Israel would destroy it entirely, and it has made it clear”, he signaled.
“Can Lebanon afford a comprehensive destruction of its Army, Institutions,
infrastructure and Administration? If so, all efforts put so far would be
aborted and Lebanon would have made the biggest mistake in its history”, he went
on. Harb stressed the necessity for the Lebanese Government to protect the civil
society and prevent outlaws from taking over the streets. "The Lebanese Cabinet
should take a strong action in order to oblige all Lebanese citizens to abide by
the rules and regulation and prevent outlaws from taking over the streets of
Lebanon", Harb said. Addressing security developments earlier September, Harb
said, "The Lebanese Prime Minister has the right and the duty of requesting a
UNIFIL contingent to protect Beirut airport because this facility should never
close, under whatsoever pressure, namely Hezbollah pressure". He was referring
to military action undertaken by Hezbollah at the arrival of former general
Jamil Sayyed to Beirut airport, early September."The 1701 Resolution granted the
Lebanese Premier the right to request UN help to ensure domestic protection", he
emphasized.