Naharnet Exclusive Report – Paris

The United Nations commission charged with investigating the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, headed by Prosecutor Judge Daniel Bellemare, is continuing its investigations and witness testimony hearings of the close circle of individuals who used to surround the slain premier.

Special Tribunal for Lebanon Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare is exerting strong efforts to guarantee the cooperation of Lebanese authorities with his investigations into ex-Premier Rafik Hariri’s Feb. 2005 assassination.

According to information received by Naharnet, Bellemare is currently adopting the policy of “carrot and stick” to avoid an “overt confrontation” with Lebanese authorities.

Leidschendam, Naharnet Exclusive: Special Tribunal for Lebanon Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare is preparing for a new surprise that he hinted in a document he submitted to the court last week ahead of a hearing on Friday on whether proceedings in absentia against four Hizbullah members were appropriate.

The four members - Salim Ayyash, Mustafa Badreddine, Hussein Oneissi, and Assad Sabra - are wanted for the Feb. 2005 assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri and 22 others.

Naharnet Exclusive Report - Paris

High-ranking French officials have complained that the Lebanese leaderships have not devised a clear way to deal with the repercussions the Iranian and Syrian developments may have on the internal Lebanese scene.

A senior U.S. official will on Monday launch a three-country campaign to firm up sanctions against Syria and to tackle transnational organized crime, the U.S. Treasury Department said.

Assistant Secretary Daniel Glaser will travel to Beirut, Moscow and Amman for a week-long visit.

Syria has sent the Arab League a letter asking for support against what it called U.S. involvement in "bloody events" in the country, the 22-member pan-Arab group said in a statement on Monday.

The statement said the letter from Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem accused Washington "of actual involvement in bloody events in Syria" and asked the League to "condemn the involvement and to do what is necessary to end it."

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri's press office informed his followers on Monday that his twitter account is @HaririSaad.

"Hariri would like to point out that the only twitter account that PM Saad Hariri uses to tweet, personally and directly, with his Followers is: @HaririSaad," his press office said.

Miss Venezuela, Ivian Sarcos, was crowned the 2011 winner of the Miss World beauty pageant on Sunday at a glittering final ceremony in London.

Wearing a pink dress with diamante studs that had giant frills slashed below the waist, the 22-year-old threw her hands to her face as she was announced the winner.

The fourth trailer of Mission Impossible- Ghost Protocol will give movie lovers some action during the holiday season. With Tom Cruise as main star, the movie will take viewers into a new dimension.

Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions, along with Director Brad Bird have poured around a $140,000,000 budget for the movie, which was filmed in the United Arab Emirates, India, Czech Republic, and Canada.

Hizbullah has congratulated the Palestinians on winning UNESCO membership, slamming the United States as "racist" over its decision to vote against the move.

"Hizbullah congratulates the Palestinian people on gaining full UNESCO membership, which is their natural right," the Shiite group said.