World Scene

LEBANON

Hariri Cabinet includes Hezbollah

BEIRUT | Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri formed a new unity government on Monday that includes two ministers from Syria- and Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Lebanon has been without a functioning government since Mr. Hariri led his coalition, backed by the United States and Saudi Arabia, to victory in a June parliamentary election against Hezbollah and its allies.

The new 30-minister Cabinet includes 15 ministers from Mr. Hariri’s coalition and 10 from the opposition, including two Hezbollah ministers. Five, including the key interior and defense portfolios, were nominated by President Michel Suleiman.

A government acceptable to all main parties is seen as key to maintaining stability in a country facing sectarian and political tensions and a huge debt burden.

AFGHANISTAN

Operation defends NATO supply routes

KABUL | Afghan and international troops killed more than 130 insurgents in six days of fighting in a once-stable area of northern Afghanistan that has seen a recent spike in Taliban attacks, NATO said Monday. It was some of the heaviest fighting in the north this year.

The operation, which took place last week, was in the Chahar Dara district of Kunduz province against Taliban fighters who had been threatening NATO supply lines from Russia.

An estimated 700 Afghan troops and 50 international soldiers, mostly Americans, took part in the operation. A NATO statement said 130 Taliban fighters, including eight commanders, were killed. The statement did not say how NATO arrived at the death figure.

After the fighting ended, Afghan and international troops distributed humanitarian supplies in villages affected by the operation.

LIBYA

Swiss businessmen handed to embassy

BERN, Switzerland | Two Swiss businessman detained by Libya over a spat involving leader Moammar Gadhafi’s son have been handed over to their embassy in Tripoli, Switzerland’s Foreign Ministry said Monday.

Story Continues →