MP Gibran Tueini Killed in Bomb blast in Beirut

This morning the anti-Syrian Lebanesse MP Gibran Tueni and three others was killed in a bomb blast that hit his car. Gibran Tueni was elected to office this summer. He was also the publisher of the newspaper an Nahar , mst fiercly opposed to the former syrian occupation of Lebanon. The paper´s most renowned journalist Samir Kassir was killed in a simmilar way , just days after parliament elections in June. This is just the latest in a string of murder attempts on politicians and journalists since the October 2004 attempt on Gibran Tueinis maternal uncle Marwan hamadeh, who survived a car bomb attempt on his life. The slaying of former PM and Lebanon strong man Rafiq Hariri on the 14th of February, formost among the targets, after having falled out with Damascus over the extention of President Lahoud´s term in office, contrary to the constitution. His murder lead to massive demonstrations and a movement for ending Syria´s 29 years presence in Lebanon, popularly called the Cedar revolution. But also showed the divided Lebanesse society when counter demonstrations by pro-Syrian forces was staged. The official Syrian presence ended in late April, but is believed to have some form of security apparatus left in Lebanon.
The killing comes the day after the final report of the Mehlis commission was delievered to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. It is to be discussed in the Security council on Tuesday, and will be made public subseqently. Here is the interim report(PDF) presented to the council in October. The ICG report from the 5th of December is also interesting reading.

David Cameron new Tory leader

David Cameron won the tory leadership competion, winning more than double the votes than his contender David Davies. The tories have finaly elected a leader that is electable to the british public, charismatic altough inexperienced. The tory Blair perhaps. here is a little bit more facts about the man of the day in British politics, David Cameron.

David Cameron

Salam Pax blogging weekly in the Guardian

Salam Pax, the man who gave the Iraqi people a voice, by blogging back and forth with his friend Raed in Jordan before and during the war, is blogging weekly in the Guardian during the Iraqi parliamentary election campaign. Today he´s trying to digest the electoral committee´s guide, and remembering the 327 different parties and their different or not so different political plattforms. But what sticks in his mind after this exercise is the fact that the coulor of the handbook,is mauve. well it´s his patriotic duty to look beyond that dreadful colour.

You can find Salam Pax at his new place

Sniff, Thanks for the book and the pacole!

Salam Pax Iraqi elections