
Rice arrives in Beirut on surprise visit
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived on Monday in Beirut on a surprise visit, officials said.
Rice was scheduled to meet President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Fouad Seniora in a trip that follows her weekend visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories in a bid to push forward the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
Rice said following the election of president May 25 that she looked forward to working with Suleiman.
"We very much look forward to working with the new president of Lebanon. We have long supported his election," Rice was quoted as saying.
"I'm very glad for the Lebanese people in particular that it's finally taken place. He is someone we believe will defend Lebanon's interests, Lebanon's independence, Lebanon's sovereignty and Lebanon's democracy."
Suleiman, Lebanon's army chief for the past 10 years, became head of state following a deal brokered in Qatar to resolve a long-running political crisis in Lebanon.
The accord was reached after sectarian battles in May left at least 85 people dead and saw the radical Shia movement Hezbollah stage a spectacular takeover of Sunni Muslim sectors of west Beirut.

Germany's Merkel, state leaders ponder tougher virus rules

Japan's Shizuoka Prefecture to introduce alert mode over UK Covid-19 variant

Thailand court gives record 43-year sentence for insulting king

PLA holds Tibet drill to smoothen joint ops amid border friction with India

Taliban calls Joe Biden to honor deal to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan

Here is how Donald Trump, the least liked US president, will spend his last days in office

Rishi Sunak draws up plans to boost UK welfare payments

UN rights office 'deeply troubled' by Russian activist Alexei Navalny’s arrest

Biden, Harris take break from inaugural preparation for Martin Luther King Day

Turkey imposes advertising ban on Twitter, Periscope, Pinterest

Independent UN experts condemn US Capitol attack by pro-Trump protesters

Joe Biden swearing-in: Why January 20 serves as Inauguration Day

Joe Biden has set sky-high expectations. Can he meet them?

Donald Trump receives lowest job approval rating in final days as President
