Hariri Govt Wins Parliament Vote of Confidence with 121 Votes “with Reservation"

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Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri and his 30-member Government won the Parliament’s vote of confidence with the majority of 121 votes out of 128 despite the reservation of the March 14’s Christians.

The sixth and final session of debate on a vote of confidence resumed Thursday evening. After consulting PM Hariri in the morning session, Speaker Nabih Berri said: “The night will extend till its end,” signaling the session would remain open till MPs finish their debates and vote on confidence in government.

Because Lebanon’s new government backs the resistance’s right to keep its arms, it won the support of 121 “with reservation” of some. While in Lebanese constitution there is nothing called vote of confidence “with reservation”, the March 14’s Christians insisted on registering such stance because the policy statement’s sixth clause gives the Lebanese people, army and its resistance the right to defend the country.

FBI Probes Suspects Arrested in Pakistan

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The FBI said it was probing the case of five ‘terror suspects’ arrested in Pakistan, one of whom made an “farewell” video before leaving his home in the United States.
The five were arrested in Sargodha, south of Islamabad, at the home of a member of the banned militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad, on suspicion of plotting an attack, Pakistani district police chief Usman Anwar told AFP Wednesday.

Pakistani officials said the men were two Yemenis, one Egyptian, one Swede and a Pakistani-American. Muslim leaders in Washington said the men had been living in northern Virginia, close to the US capital, with their families until they disappeared last month.
An official at the Pakistani embassy in Washington said they are “all of US origin,” but Federal Bureau of Investigations officials gave no confirmation of their nationalities.

Iran locates sites for 5 enrichment plants

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President Ahmadinejad of Iran has announced that sites for construction of five new nuclear enrichment facilities are located.

The announcement came days after the president announced that his country is planning for ten new enrichment sites to provide for the needs of its growing population.

However, Ahmadinejad sought to play down speculations that the move is a confrontation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The IAEA’s 35-member Board of Governors approved last week a resolution against Iran and demanded that construction of the Fordo nuclear site, south of the Iranian capital Tehran be halted.

Ahmadinejad explained that “since months ago we have tasked the Organization of Atomic Energy to specify the places for the facilities.”

He said Iran’s nuclear position is crystal clear and the country’s nuclear case was resolved two years ago.

The Iranian head of state also praised “countries like Turkey, Brazil and South Africa” for backing Iran’s peaceful nuclear activities.


Israel to allocate funds for settlements

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The Israeli regime’s prime minister is to include some West Bank settlements on occupied Palestinian lands as priority zones and grant funds for their protection.

Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that some 28 million dollars in credits have been earmarked for the plan which would benefit 110,000 settlers.

The plan is to be submitted to the cabinet on Sunday

The prime minister’s spokesman Mark Regev denies reports that the plan “has nothing to do with the decision to suspend for 10 month housing construction in Judaea and Samaria.

The announcement came after the regime’s parliamentarians voted in favor of a controversial amendment requiring a referendum on any withdrawal from occupied territories.

Under the new amendment, any such agreement will need the support of 61-MP majority in the 120-member parliament (Knesset) before it is put to a public referendum.

The settlements are the core ssue in peace talks with Israelis. Palestinians have tied any peace deal with the occupying regime to a freeze settlement construction.