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The Lebanese army, struggling to restore order to the streets of the capital after violence Thursday, has imposed a nighttime curfew in Beirut, a military official said. The official, speaking on customary condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media, told The Associated Press that the curfew would last from 8:30 p.m. Thursday until 6 a.m. Friday.

BEIRUT, Lebanon - Pro- and anti-government factions clashed for a second day in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli on Wednesday, a day after violence nationwide claimed three lives and injured more than 170 people. Tripoli, the country's second largest city, saw some of the heaviest fighting on Tuesday, when a general strike called by the Hezbollah-led opposition sparked clashes with government supporters in Beirut and other parts of Lebanon. The violence gave a frightening glance into the turmoil that could result from the long power struggle between pro-Iranian Hezbollah and the U.S.-backed govenrment of Prime Minister Fuad Saniora. In...

BEIRUT, Lebanon - Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah promised Friday that his opposition alliance would intensify its campaign to bring down the government, pledging to mount an "effective" action in the coming days. In an interview with his group's Al-Manar television, Nasrallah said Hezbollah's consultations with its allies were drawing to a close and they would release a statement shortly that spelled out the steps to be taken. "I believe this action will be effective, very important and very big," he said. He would not divulge the plan but urged all Lebanese to support it. Since Dec. 1 Hezbollah and its...

Opposition Mass Protests as of 3 p.m. Friday in Downtown Beirut Hizbullah and allied forces called for mass protests as of 3 p.m. Friday in downtown Beirut in a bid to topple Premier Fouad Saniora's government amid heavy security in the capital to prevent chaos. "The opposition forces, on the basis of their constitutional rights, call on all Lebanese, whatever their religious confession, to demonstrate peacefully in an open-ended sit-in as of 3 p.m. Friday for a national unity government," said a statement released by the opposition leadership and carried by Hizbullah's Al-Manar television. The statement said the main...

Druze leader Walid Jumblat has warned that Lebanon was on the verge of a coup d'état as Hizbullah supporters were allegedly geared up for mass street protests on Thursday. The leading daily An Nahar said Monday that the demonstrations would most likely take place on Thursday, the day Premier Fouad Saniora's cabinet is to convene. Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah urged his followers and pro-Syrian allies to be "psychologically" ready for mass demonstrations to topple Saniora's anti-Syrian government. Jumblat, in turn, warned that "we are on the verge of a coup … through gradual street protests and possible collective...

Druze leader Walid Jumblat has warned that Lebanon was on the verge of a coup d'état as Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah urged his followers to prepare for mass street protests to topple the anti-Syrian government. "We are on the verge of a coup … through gradual street protests and possible collective resignations from (public) sections and from parliament … then riots and civil disobedience," Jumblat warned in a speech published by Lebanese newspapers on Monday. His remarks came shortly before a speech by Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was broadcast Sunday afternoon. Nasrallah, who did not set a...

Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in a speech aired Sunday urged his supporters and anti-Syrian allies to be "psychologically" ready for street protests to demand for a national unity government. But Nasrallah, who did not set a date for the demonstrations, warned that the protests should be peaceful and avoid riots. "We have to be psychologically prepared to take to the streets because we may send for you 24 hours ahead or 12 hours or even 6 hours (in advance)," Nasrallah threatened. "There has to be a patriotic opposition in the street … our action is peaceful and civilized,"...

The Lebanese cabinet approved on Monday a U.N. draft text setting up an international tribunal to try former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's suspected assassins. "We unanimously approved the draft," Saniora told a news conference after the three-hour meeting. "With this decision we tell the murderers that we will not give up our rights no matter what the difficulties and obstacles are," he said. "Our only aim is to achieve justice and only justice. Without it and without knowing the truth, the Lebanese will not rest and we cannot protect our democratic system and political freedom now and in the...

Excerpt - BEIRUT, Lebanon -- Lebanon's prime minister called Israel's blockade of the country illegal on Saturday and the parliament speaker urged Arab nations to break the siege. The calls, however, were not expected to make Israel relent in its refusal of European and U.N. requests to end its blockade of Lebanon's air and seaports. But the effort heightens tension that could further upset the already shaky cease-fire. ~ snip ~ Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said the parliament plans to send a letter to Arab governments to "ask and insist that all Arab planes and ships break the blockade without...

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) - Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora urged the United States on Wednesday to help end Israel's sea and air blockade, and said his country was making "every effort" to secure its borders. "The United States can support us in putting real pressure on Israel to lift the siege," the Western-backed Saniora told reporters. His government has called the blockade a violation of the U.N.-brokered cease-fire, and has asked the international community to intervene. Lebanon's leading An-Nahar newspaper reported that Saniora had spoken with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to enlist their help.

MONTREAL -- Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora criticized Canada on Monday for its support of Israel during the recent conflict in the Middle East. After meeting with three Canadian opposition MPs touring Lebanon, Saniora told Radio-Canada that he was particularly upset at Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s declaration that Israel’s bombardment was a “measured response” to the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah. “They could see what a crime the Israelis have made against Lebanon and against humanity,” Saniora said. “This is what you call a measured response?” Saniora said the rest of the world found the action disproportionate and he...

BEIRUT, Lebanon - Israeli warplanes intensified airstrikes and launched a new commando raid in south Lebanon on Monday, killing at least 23 people in one of the heaviest tolls in days. Lebanon's prime minister won strong support from Arab states to plead his case at the United Nations for a full Israeli withdrawal. President Bush said he anticipates that Hezbollah and Israel won't agree with all aspects of a Mideast cease-fire resolution but said "we all recognize that the violence must stop." Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora choked back tears as he told a meeting of Arab League foreign ministers...

Hezbollah and its backers, not the government, now appear in control of Lebanon's fate. After moderating their stance in recent years, the guerrillas surged back to the war front with a surprise attack on Israel and a sophisticated arsenal, leaving Lebanon's politicians and army looking nearly powerless. The government seems paralyzed over how to deal with Hezbollah, whose Shiite Muslim fighters have had near autonomy in the south for more than a decade. Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah acted Sunday like the man holding Lebanon's reins, though he looked tired and stressed as he vowed that his group had...

BEIRUT (AP)--U.S. President George W. Bush has invited Lebanon's prime minister, but not its president, to a reception in New York next week, a sign that President Emile Lahoud is being isolated internationally as calls rise for his resignation. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has also left Lahoud off the guest list for her reception on the sidelines of next week's U.N. summit, despite her meeting the Lebanese president when she visited Beirut in July, diplomats said. Lebanon's leading newspaper An-Nahar, which opposes the pro-Syrian Lahoud, reported Friday that the Bush administration had withdrawn an invitation to Lahoud. But...