Syrian forces open fire in town on Lebanon border

AMMAN: Thousands of Syrian troops backed by armour opened fire in the resort town of Zabadani on the border with Lebanon on Sunday, a day after heavy fighting in the area between army defectors and loyalist forces, residents and activists said.

Armoured vehicles fired machineguns and anti-aircraft guns as they entered the town, in the foothills of the Anti Lebanon Mountains, 35 km (22 miles) west of Damascus.

Troops combed flat farmland near the town on Saturday looking for defectors, ransacked homes, seized cars and arrested at least 100 people, including three female college students suspected of participating in pro-democracy protests, they said.

“Soldiers accompanied by Military Intelligence have set up road blocks everywhere. Zabadani is now cut off from Damascus,” said one resident who gave his name as Mohammad.

Local residents said army defectors fought loyalist troops for several hours on Saturday, and two vehicles belonging to the security police were seen riddled with bullets.

Military defections have increased in the last two months, as Assad intensified a military crackdown to crush protests demanding his resignation. The United Nations says the crackdown has killed 3,000 people, including at least 187 children.

The authorities have blamed the unrest on armed gangs and say 1,100 troops and police have been killed.

The defectors have been mostly Sunni Muslims, who comprise most of the army’s rank and file while the officer corps is composed mainly of members of the Alawite sect effectively under the command of Assad’s younger brother, Maher.

The minority Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shi’ite Islam, expanded its dominance of the state, the military and the secret police, a bloc now underpinning the power structure, when Assad’s father, the late Hafez al-Assad, took power in a 1970 coup. AGENCIES

Syria, Iran seek local fixes to region

DAMASCUS: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Iran”s interim Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi agreed on Monday that the troubles of the Middle East should be solved internally by the region”s countries, a local news agency reported.

Salehi arrived in Damascus on Sunday to discuss the Lebanese political crisis with Syrian officials.

The two men discussed “the latest regional developments” and international efforts to “find solutions to challenges facing countries of the region,” the news agency said after the meeting.

The news agency reported Assad and Salehi emphasised “the importance that solutions come from inside these countries according to their peoples” interests to help maintain their security and stability”.

External efforts to mediate Lebanon”s political quagmire have yielded little, with Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar all failing.

A national unity government led by Western-backed caretaker prime minister Saad Hariri collapsed on January 12 when 11 ministers from the Syrian- and Iranian-backed Hezbollah and its allies resigned.

The walkout capped a long-running dispute over a UN-backed investigation into the 2005 assassination of former premier Rafiq Hariri, the incumbent”s father.

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah has said he expects the Netherlands-based Special Tribunal for Lebanon to implicate high-ranking members of his militant movement in the Hariri murder and has warned of grave repercussions.

Nasrallah has vowed to include all parties in a Hezbollah-led government, but both he and Hariri refuse to serve under each other.

Former prime minister Najib Mikati has put himself forward as a compromise candidate to try to form a government.

Assad and Salehi said they were “satisfied” with the formation of a unity government in Iraq, “stressing the importance of expanding the dialogue to all Iraqi” parties, the news agency reported.

The meeting also addressed “ways to strengthen scientific and technological cooperation between Syria and Iran”.

On Sunday night, Salehi held talks with his Syrian counterpart Walid Muallem.

He then met the exiled leader of Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, Khaled Meshaal, Palestinian sources said.

The secretary general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC), Ahmed Jibril, and a representative of Islamic Jihad, Ziad Nakhal, also attended the meeting, the sources said.

Lebanon government falls

Breaking News
The Lebanese government has collapsed after minister Adnan Sayyed Hussein resigned.
The resignation brings the total number or ministers to leave Lebanon’s coalition government to 11. Hussein’s departure follows the resignation of 10 ministers from the coutnry’s Hizbollah movement and its political allies, a move which has effectively ended the governemnt’s power-sharing agreement.
The collapse of the government marks the failure of the coalition to resolve a dispute over a UN tribunal into the death of former Prime Minister Rafik al Hariri.

Story contribute by Latest Breaking News, Trends And Updates – TrendPK.com

China eye Asiad badminton gold; India- Pakistan face-off in f.hockey

GUANGZHOU: Arch-rivals India and Pakistan face off in a combustible field hockey clash as Chinese women’s world number one Wang Xin guns for Asian Games badminton gold.

On Saturday, Day 8 of the multi-sport showpiece, hosts China have an unassailable lead at the top of the medals table with 127 gold to South Korea’s 43 and Japan’s 24.

Iran has jumped to eight after recent success in weightlifting and taekwondo, while Indonesia picked up its third gold Saturday in the 250m men’s dragon boat.

So far, 28 of the 45 nations and territories in Guangzhou have got themselves on the podium, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Laos.

Another 30 titles are up for grabs on Saturday, in synchronized swimming, badminton, billiard sports, road cycling, dragon boat, equestrian, fencing, golf, sailing, sepaktakraw, table tennis, and taekwondo

China is

Syrian, Saudi leaders to discuss Lebanon, Iraq

RIYADH: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad arrived in Saudi Arabia on Sunday for talks with King Abdullah expected to focus on tension in Lebanon over a U.N.-backed tribunal and the political void in Iraq.

The Saudi state news agency SPA gave no details about the talks after Assad began his second trip to the world’s top oil exporting country this year, the latest sign of a thaw in bilateral relations.

The meeting comes a few days after a state visit to Lebanon by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran, whose disputed atomic energy programme Riyadh fears could lead to Tehran becoming a nuclear-weapons state.

The Saudis have been trying to convince Syria to loosen its alliance with Iran and adopt a more Arab-focused foreign policy with the kingdom, dangling the prospect of stronger economic cooperation.

The 2005 killing of Lebanese statesman Rafik

Ahmadinejad, near Israel border, says "Zionists mortal"

BINT JBEIL: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, speaking on Thursday close to Israel’s northern border, praised what he called Lebanon’s resistance against Israel and declared that “Zionists are mortal”.

Addressing thousands of cheering Hezbollah supporters in Bint Jbeil, scene of fierce fighting between the militant Iranian-backed group and Israeli soldiers in 2006, Ahmadinejad said the town was a symbol of resistance to Israel.

“The world should know the Zionists are mortal … today the Lebanese nation is alive and is a role model for the regional nations,” the Iranian president said.

Ahmadinejad, who has called for the Israeli state to be wiped from the map, told Lebanon’s government on Wednesday that Iran would support it in confronting what he said was Israeli hostility.

Bint Jbeil is just 4 km (2.5 miles) from the border and Israel’s Channel

Ahmadinejad heads to Lebanon for two-day visit

BEIRUT: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad left for Lebanon on Wednesday, embarking on a two-day visit underlining the power of Hezbollah which has put Western-backed factions in the government on the defensive.

Hundreds of posters of Ahmadinejad and Iranian flags have gone up in Beirut and Hezbollah’s heartland in southern Lebanon in support of the Iranian leader ahead of his first state visit to the country.

Ahmadinejad plans to meet Lebanon’s president and the pro-Western prime minister – but the biggest splash will come from his welcome by Hezbollah.

Iran has ironclad ties to Hezbollah, which boasts the strongest arsenal in the country and in many Shiite areas runs nearly a state-within-a-state.

During his visit, Ahmadinejad is scheduled to make public appearances expected to draw giant crowds in two Hezbollah strongholds – one in south

Ahmadinejad gets hero’s welcome in Lebanon

BEIRUT: Thousands of Lebanese gave Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a tumultuous welcome on Wednesday at the start of a visit which has highlighted Western fears about Tehran’s growing influence in Lebanon.

Throwing rice and flowers at the smiling Iranian leader, who waved from the open roof of his car, they lined the main road from Beirut airport to the presidential palace where Ahmadinejad was due to meet Lebanon’s President Michel Suleiman.

Iranian flags, banners, balloons and posters of Ahmadinejad were draped along the route as well as pictures of Iran’s spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the founder of Iran’s Islamic Republic Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

Ahmadinejad’s visit has raised concerns in Washington, which wants to isolate Iran over its nuclear programme and says Iran’s support for Hezbollah undermines Lebanese

Gulf countries celebrate Eid al-Fitr

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Lebanon are celebrating the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, on Friday.

In Saudi Arabia, seen as the beacon of Islam, the supreme court ruled that Thursday would be the final day of fasting, before the Eid celebration opens the new month of Shawwal, according to the announcement on the official SPA news agency.

Until Wednesday’s ruling, based on observing the progress of the new moon, it was not clear whether Eid would take place on Thursday or Friday. The holiday depends on the sighting of the moon, and can therefore be observed on different days around the world.

Most of the Gulf countries follow the lead of Saudi Arabia, home to the two holiest cities of Islam Mecca and Medina, to set the day of the Eid feast.

The celebration falling on Friday, the Muslim holy day, is

‘My Name is Khan’ Rs. 110 cr. India, Rs. 99 cr. Overseas

MY NAME IS KHAN, which was released in India on 12th February, 2010, is still making waves across the globe. Having raked in Rs. 110 crores in India, the film continues its march across global territories and has already grossed Rs. 99 crores in the International markets [still counting], according to an official statement issued by Fox Star Studios.

Post successful release in U.S., U.K., Middle East and Australia, MNIK continues to break records across Europe. MNIK has already become the most successful film in Europe with a box-office collection of US$ 5.6 million with 325 prints. The release width of 425 prints across just Europe is bigger than the release plan of any Bollywood film on a worldwide basis.

The film has the unique distinction of being the first Bollywood film to be dubbed and released theatrically in 4 European languages: Spanish, German, Russian and Italian. Currently, the film is playing across cinema halls in Germany and will release in Russia in September and Italy in November with more than 100 prints.

A number of factors have contributed to the astounding success of MNIK in the International markets, including:-

A separate edit for the mainstream markets by well-known editor Allan Bell, which is a first for an Indian film.
Country specific promotion plans with marketing investment across key countries.
Presence on mainstream promotion platforms including Jonathan Ross Show, BBC Asia network and BILD, Germany’s largest newspaper and innovative promotions like first time ever Bollywood presence at the opening of the NASDAQ bell.
Red Carpet premiere at the Berlin Film Festival.

With MNIK, Fox Star Studios has opened up newer markets and delivered box-office numbers by creating new opportunities for Bollywood in markets hitherto unexplored. Some key milestones being:

No. 1 Bollywood film across Middle East, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, South Africa and other African markets.

Opened new markets across the world – a first for Bollywood: Puerto Rico, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Taiwan, Italy, Spain, Russia.

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