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ISF Arrests Top Drug Trafficker

Internal Security Forces arrested a top Lebanese drug trafficker during a raid in Beirut’s southern suburbs at dawn Friday, the ISF general-directorate said in a statement.

It said an ISF patrol arrested the trafficker, identified by his initials as A. Aa., during a raid on his house in Bourj al-Barajneh.

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Nasrallah to Deliver a Speech on Saturday During Rally in Support of Uprisings

Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah will make a speech during a ceremony scheduled to be held on Saturday in support for uprisings in Arab countries, the party’s media office announced.

The statement said late Thursday that Nasrallah will address supporters during the ceremony aimed at sending a message of support for the people of Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Libya and Yemen.

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90 Lebanese Escape Bahrain Violence

Around 90 Lebanese arrived at Beirut airport on Thursday night escaping violence in Bahrain where the government is cracking down on anti-government protesters.

An Nahar daily said Friday that a Middle East Airlines plane landed at Rafik Hariri international airport with 132 people on board. Among them were the 90 Lebanese nationals and several Bahrainis and Syrians.

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March 14 Sources: Next Step after Sunday Rally is to Form National Council

The main objective of the March 14 coalition after Sunday’s rally was to establish a National Council and consolidate its parliamentary bloc, the alliance’s sources told An Nahar daily in remarks published Tuesday.

According to the sources, the current objective is: “Accomplishing what they (March 14) had vowed in the Bristol document, forming a National Council that expresses the diversity (of the coalition), in addition to finding ways for the civil society … to function.”

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Lebanese Businessman Killed in Abidjan, Partner Held at Beirut Airport

Lebanese businessman Ali Fawwaz has been found dead in Ivory Coast's capital Abidjan, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported.

Fawwaz's body was found in a river in the Ivorian capital, NNA added.

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Palestinians Protest Outside UNRWA Offices in Beirut

Hundreds of Palestinians have demonstrated in front of the U.N. relief agency in Beirut, protesting scaled-back services for refugees.

Some of Friday's protesters tried to storm the head office of the U.N. Relief and Work Agency, or UNRWA, but were held back by security forces.

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Lebanon Battered by Storm

A snowstorm lashed Lebanon on Wednesday as high winds reached 85 kilometers per hour and heavy rains drenched the Lebanese coast causing bumper-to-bumper traffic in several areas.

The Meteorology Department said the snowfall at 1000 meters could reach 800 meters above sea level on Thursday. Temperatures reached 6 degrees on the coast and below zero on mountain tops.

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Internet, Finance, Media Leaders to Speak at ArabNet

The ArabNet Shift Digital Summit, the largest gathering for the Arab web/mobile industry, is to bring together Arab web executives, entrepreneurs, developers, investors, NGOs and media, to discuss the latest trends and technologies in the sector. This year, the four-day event takes place in Beirut on March 22-25, under the Patronage of H.E. General Michel Suleiman, President of Lebanon, in collaboration with the Central Bank of Lebanon, and in partnership with Google, Aramex, Bank Audi, National Net Ventures and TwoFour54.

“ArabNet is the best place to build a deep understanding of the digital transformation that is taking place across industries -- from media to advertising, from telecommunications to commerce”, said Omar Christidis, ArabNet’s Founder.

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Leader of Bahraini Opposition Movement Arrested at Beirut Airport

Lebanese authorities arrested the leader of the Bahraini opposition Haq movement after arriving at Rafik Hariri international airport on Tuesday, An Nahar daily said.

Hassan Mashaima was arrested after Lebanese authorities discovered he was wanted by Bahraini Interpol, the newspaper said Thursday.

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Lebanese Youth to Bring Down Confessional System

Protests sweeping the Middle East have given new impetus to Lebanese youths who have launched their own revolt on Facebook in a bid -- albeit improbable -- to bring down Lebanon's confessional system.

Using slogans popularized by protesters in Tunisia and Egypt, several pages urging the Lebanese to bring down the Mediterranean country's confessional "regime" or calling for a "day of wrath" against confessionalism, corruption and poverty have appeared recently on the social networking site.

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