A Shiite militant fixes a picture of Syrian President Bashar Assad as he steps on pictures of slain former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, at a seized office belonging to the Future Movement during clashes in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, May 9, 2008. Shiite Hezbollah gunmen seized nearly all of the Lebanese capital's Muslim sector from Sunni foes loyal to the U.S.-backed government on Friday following the country's worst sectarian clashes since the bloody 15-year civil war. AP Photo logo AP Photo 19 months ago

A Shiite militant fixes a picture of Syrian President Bashar Assad as he steps on pictures of slain former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, at a seized office belonging to the Future Movement during clashes in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, May 9, 2008. Shiite Hezbollah gunmen seized nearly all of the Lebanese capital's Muslim sector from Sunni foes loyal to the U.S.-backed government on Friday following the country's worst sectarian clashes since the bloody 15-year civil war.

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  1. Children gather near Santa Claus upon his arrival at Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Dec. 10, 2009. Coming from Lapland, Finland, Santa will be visiting schools, medical centers, will open the Christmas village in Downtown Beirut, and participate in a show on Sunday at Martyr's Square where he will light a giant Christmas tree.
  2. Santa Claus, center, hugs a child upon his arrival at Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Dec. 10, 2009. Coming from Lapland, Finland, Santa will be visiting schools, medical centers, will open the Christmas village in Downtown Beirut, and participate in a show on Sunday at Martyr's Square where he will light a giant Christmas tree.
  3. Santa Claus waves upon his arrival at Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Dec. 10, 2009. Coming from Lapland, Finland, Santa will be visiting schools, medical centers, will open the Christmas village in Downtown Beirut, and participate in a show on Sunday at Martyr's Square where he will light a giant Christmas tree.
  4. Santa Claus waves upon his arrival at Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Dec. 10, 2009. Coming from Lapland, Finland, Santa will be visiting schools, medical centers, will open the Christmas village in Downtown Beirut, and participate in a show on Sunday at Martyr's Square where he will light a giant Christmas tree.
  5. Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, the son of slain former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, reacts as he prays at his father grave, in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Monday Nov. 9, 2009. Hariri has formed a 30-member Cabinet including Hezbollah and its allies, after more than four months of tough wrangling and bargaining over who would get which Cabinet positions. Hariri's Cabinet is the first since the June parliamentary elections in which his Western- and Saudi-backed bloc defeated a Hezbollah-led coalition which is supported by Iran and Syria, retaining a slim majority in the 128-member legislature.
  6. Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, the son of slain former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, reacts, as he prays at his father grave, in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Monday Nov. 9, 2009. Hariri has formed a 30-member Cabinet including Hezbollah and its allies, after more than four months of tough wrangling and bargaining over who would get which Cabinet positions. Hariri's Cabinet is the first since the June parliamentary elections in which his Western- and Saudi-backed bloc defeated a Hezbollah-led coalition which is supported by Iran and Syria, retaining a slim majority in the 128-member legislature.
  7. Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, the son of slain former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, prays at his father grave in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Monday Nov. 9, 2009. Hariri has formed a 30-member Cabinet including Hezbollah and its allies, after more than four months of tough wrangling and bargaining over who would get which Cabinet positions. Hariri's Cabinet is the first since the June parliamentary elections in which his Western- and Saudi-backed bloc defeated a Hezbollah-led coalition which is supported by Iran and Syria, retaining a slim majority in the 128-member legislature.
  8. Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, right, the son of slain former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, prays at his father grave in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Monday Nov. 9, 2009. Hariri has formed a 30-member Cabinet including Hezbollah and its allies, after more than four months of tough wrangling and bargaining over who would get which Cabinet positions. Hariri's Cabinet is the first since the June parliamentary elections in which his Western- and Saudi-backed bloc defeated a Hezbollah-led coalition which is supported by Iran and Syria, retaining a slim majority in the 128-member legislature.
  9. Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud, left, and Syrian President Bashar Assad, right, seen, upon their arrival at al-Shaab presidential palace in Damascus, Syria, on Wednesday Oct. 7, 2009. The Saudi monarch arrived in Damascus Wednesday for a highly significant visit that is the strongest indication yet of thawing relations between the two rival nations following years of tension. King Abdullah's visit on Wednesday is the first by a Saudi ruler since the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, a close Saudi ally.
  10. Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud, right, is welcomed by Syrian President Bashar Assad, left, as they review Syrian honor guard at al-Shaab presidential palace in Damascus, Syria, Wednesday Oct. 7, 2009. The Saudi monarch arrived in Damascus for a highly significant visit that is the strongest indication yet of thawing relations between the two rival nations following years of tension. King Abdullah's visit on Wednesday is the first by a Saudi ruler since the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, a close Saudi ally.
  11. Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud, left, meets with Syrian President Bashar Assad, right, at al-Shaab presidential palace in Damascus, Syria, Wednesday Oct. 7, 2009. The Saudi monarch arrived in Damascus Wednesday for a highly significant visit that is the strongest indication yet of thawing relations between the two rival nations following years of tension. King Abdullah's visit on Wednesday is the first by a Saudi ruler since the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, a close Saudi ally.
  12. Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud, reacts, as he reviews Syrian honor guard, upon his arrival at al-Shaab presidential palace in Damascus, Syria, Wednesday Oct. 7, 2009. The Saudi monarch arrived in Damascus Wednesday for a highly significant visit that is the strongest indication yet of thawing relations between the two rival nations following years of tension. King Abdullah's visit on Wednesday is the first by a Saudi ruler since the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, a close Saudi ally.
  13. Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud, left, seen with Syrian President Bashar Assad, left, during a meeting at al-Shaab presidential palace in Damascus, Syria, Wednesday Oct. 7, 2009. The Saudi monarch arrived in Damascus Wednesday for a highly significant visit that is the strongest indication yet of thawing relations between the two rival nations following years of tension. King Abdullah's visit on Wednesday is the first by a Saudi ruler since the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, a close Saudi ally.
  14. Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud, left, awarded by Syrian President Bashar Assad, right, with the prestigious Order of Omayyad, the highest national medal in Syria, at al-Shaab presidential palace in Damascus, Syria, Wednesday Oct. 7, 2009. The Saudi monarch arrived in Damascus Wednesday for a highly significant visit that is the strongest indication yet of thawing relations between the two rival nations following years of tension. King Abdullah's visit on Wednesday is the first by a Saudi ruler since the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, a close Saudi ally.
  15. Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud, left, shakes hands with Syrian President Bashar Assad, right, at al-Shaab presidential palace in Damascus, Syria, Wednesday Oct. 7, 2009. The Saudi monarch arrived in Damascus Wednesday for a highly significant visit that is the strongest indication yet of thawing relations between the two rival nations following years of tension. King Abdullah's visit on Wednesday is the first by a Saudi ruler since the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, a close Saudi ally.
  16. Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud, left, and Syrian President Bashar Assad, right, seen, at al-Shaab presidential palace, in Damascus, Syria, Wednesday Oct. 7, 2009. The Saudi monarch arrived in Damascus Wednesday for a highly significant visit that is the strongest indication yet of thawing relations between the two rival nations following years of tension. King Abdullah's visit on Wednesday is the first by a Saudi ruler since the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, a close Saudi ally.

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  10. Chile's presidential candidate Sebastian Pinera (C) from the right-wing opposition and his wife Cecilia Morel (L) wave to the crowd during their closing campaign rally in Santiago December 10, 2009. Chileans vote on Sunday for a new president, and polls tip conservative Chilean billionaire businessman Pinera to lead the election and go on to win a January run-off, ousting the left that has ruled for 20 years since the end of General Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship.
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