Beirut - The

Beirut  - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said Monday that Israel is not serious about achieving peace in the region at this time, but expressed hope for the future.

"It was obvious that Israel only understands the language of force," Assad said, adding that the Jewish state was not serious about the peace negotiations.

In an exclusive interview with Hezbollah-run television al-Manar, Assad said he sees "hope for compromises in the region and not wars" in the future.

Beirut - The fourth round of the national dialogue between rival Lebanese leaders ended Monday with no major decisions and a postponement of the next round to March 2, 2009.

President Michel Suleiman who chaired the session, began the meeting with a briefing of local, regional and international developments, especially the Israeli military onslaught in the Gaza Strip and its impact on Lebanon.

The president also underlined the need for a political truce as Lebanon's parliamentary elections approached. Lebanon is due to hold its parliamentary elections in May.

Beirut (Lebanon), Jan. 23 : A former Guantanamo Bay detainee freed by the United States, has become the deputy leader of Al Qaeda's Yemeni branch.

Saudi militant, Said Ali al-Shihri, is suspected of involvement in a deadly bombing of the United States Embassy in Yemen's capital, Sana, in September. He was released to Saudi Arabia in 2007 and passed through a Saudi rehabilitation program for former jihadists before resurfacing with Al Qaeda in Yemen.

Beirut - The Lebanese press on Wednesday reflected hope after the inauguration speech of US president Barack Obama.

The daily An Nahar in a front page editorial said, "Tuesday was a turning point in the world," while the daily As Safir said, "Barak Hussein Obama president ... to reconcile America with itself and the world."

"Finally (George W) Bush has left the White House and will enter history books for carrying out four wars and leaving four Muslim Arab countries hanging between life and death," analyst Sateh Noureddine wrote in As Safir.

Beirut - The head of the Lebanese majority, Member of Parliament Saad Hariri, on Monday