President Michel Suleiman urged the Syrian authorities on Thursday to release the two Lebanese farmers who were kidnapped a day earlier in the border region of al-Abboudiyeh as the Syrian army abducted another citizen later on Thursday. The Syrian army kidnapped Yehya Mohammed Fleiti in the border town of Arsal on Thursday afternoon. […]
Prime Minister Najib Mikati met with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in Istanbul in Turkey, the National News Agency reported on Thursday. Mikati also held a meeting earlier in the day with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, during which the two men touched on the issue of the Lebanese Shia pilgrims abducted in […]
U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan arrived in Beirut on Thursday to hold talks with senior Lebanese officials, An Nahar newspaper reported. Annan is expected to tackle the Lebanese-Syrian border and voice fear that the Syrian crisis is spilling over into Lebanon amid the latest security incidents in the country, the daily said. He will […]
يقف الوزير زياد بارود، كما غيره من اللبنانيين، حائرا امام "الالغاز" التي طوّقت قضية المخطوفين اللبنانيين في حلب. يقول وزير الداخلية السابق "كنت اتمنى ان ارى دولة تدير ازمة لا "ازمة ادارة" لملف المخطوفين". وامام السباق القاتل بين الامن والاستقرار، الذي تشكّل الانتخابات احد عناوينه، يرى بارود ان ما يهدّد هذا الاستحقاق "ليس […]
The Maronite bishops council urged on Wednesday officials to set Lebanon’s interests as a priority above all else, “completely rejecting” attempts to drag the country towards “a new war through fueling sectarian tensions.” It said in a statement after its monthly meeting: “Officials must comply with President Michel Suleiman’s call to resume the […]
Cabinet criticized on Wednesday the Electricite du Liban contract employees’ recent protests, saying that they have violated the principles of peaceful demonstrations. Information Minister Walid al-Daouq said: “Anyone who will deign to violate the law will be arrested." The minister announced the cabinet’s decisions after a session at the Baabda Palace headed by President Michel […]
Cabinet criticized on Wednesday the Electricite du Liban contract employees’ recent protests, saying that they have violated the principles of peaceful demonstrations. Information Minister Walid al-Daouq said: “Anyone who will deign to violate the law will be arrested." The minister announced the cabinet’s decisions after a session at the Baabda Palace headed by President Michel […]
By Carl Anderson
For months America’s bishops have attempted to work with the current Administration to ensure adequate First Amendment religious freedom protection of religious organizations. They have been rebuffed each time, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops formally responded to proposed rules in the HHS mandate on May 15.
Our bishops’ response shows how easy it would be for the administration to make real progress on this issue, and how the federal regulations being implemented conflict with the cherished history of First Amendment liberty.
The brief states: “On balance, while the [proposed regulation] may create an appearance of moderation and compromise, it does not actually offer any change in the Administration’s earlier stated positions on mandated contraceptive coverage, which are now enshrined in a final rule.”
It continues: “The simplest and best solution to the various problems described above is the one the Administration so far has declined to adopt: to rescind the mandate. Failing this, the Administration should provide an exemption that protects all stakeholders with a religious or moral objection, in keeping with the consistent language and longstanding tradition of federal conscience protection law.”
Resolving this issue in keeping with the First Amendment is critical to the American way of life, and our bishops have shown excellent leadership in defending our constitutional rights.
إستقبل البطريرك الماروني مار بشارة بطرس الراعي قبل ظهر اليوم، في الصرح البطريركي في بكركي، سفير قبرص في لبنان هومر مافروماتيس الذي هنأه بسلامة العودة من جولته الراعوية في المكسيك وكندا وأميركا، وعرض معه لبعض المواضيع المشتركة. والتقى الراعي سفير بولونيا توماس نيغودزيز وجرى عرض للعلاقات بين البلدين والأوضاع العامة. ثم استقبل المونسنيور إميل […]
An 11-year old boy has described how he smeared himself in the blood of his slain brother and played dead as loyalist gunmen burst into his home and killed six members of his family during the start of a massacre in Houla, central Syria. The young survivor’s chilling account emerged as Russia continued to blame […]