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Geagea: Assad Disconnected from Reality, Claiming the Presidency of People He's Exterminating

Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea on Wednesday ridiculed the swearing-in of Syrian President Bashar Assad, saying he is “claiming the leadership of a country whose people he has been exterminating for the past three years.”

"I don't know whether to laugh or cry on the so-called swearing-in ceremony of Syrian regime's President Bashar Assad,” Geagea told the Central News Agency.

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Lebanese, Syrian Charged with Belonging to the Islamic State

Government Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr on Wednesday charged two arrested men with belonging to the jihadist Islamic State group.

"Saqr charged a Lebanese and a Syrian with belonging to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant for the purpose of carrying out terrorist operations,” LBCI television reported.

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Assad Salutes 'Loyal Heroes of Lebanese Resistance'

Syrian President Bashar Assad on Wednesday hailed Hizbullah's fighters who “stood side by side” with the Syrian army, thanking those who considered supporting Damascus equivalent to “defending south Lebanon.”

“I salute the loyal heroes of the Lebanese resistance, who stood side by side with the heroes of our army,” Assad said in a triumphant speech delivered after he took the oath of office for a new seven-year term.

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Two Rockets from Eastern Mountain Range Target Brital

Rockets fired from the Eastern Mountain Range (on the Lebanese-Syrian border) targeted on Wednesday the northern Bekaa town of Brital, the state-run National News Agency reported.

According to NNA, a rocket targeted the outskirts of the town of Brital, while another one landed between Brital and al-Taybeh.

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Jumblat Won't Withdraw Helou's Nomination: Time Has Proven Need for his Candidacy

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat denied on Wednesday media reports that claimed that his Democratic Gathering bloc was willing to withdraw the presidential nomination of MP Henri Helou, deeming such reports as “inaccurate”.

He said in a statement: “Local and regional developments have demonstrated that we need to commit to this nomination now more than ever.”

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Grade 12 Students Enraged over Delay in Exam Correction, Vow to Hold Further Sit-ins

Grade 12 students held a sit-in on Wednesday at the Education Ministry in Beirut's UNESCO area to demand the correction of their official exams as the standoff between the Syndicate Coordination Committee and politicians threatens to sabotage their academic year.

“We refuse to allow anyone to correct our exams but our teachers,” the students said.

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Report: Circles Close to Hariri Suggest Electing Aoun as President for Two-Year Term

Electing Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun as president for a two-year term is being proposed as a means to end the presidential deadlock, reported al-Akhbar newspaper on Wednesday.

It said that Lebanese circles in the French capital Paris that are close to head of the Mustaqbal Movement MP Saad Hariri made the proposal in exchange for forming a cabinet that ensures the interests of his movement.

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Plumbly Considers Situation in South 'Dangerous', Urges Self-Restraint

United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Derek Plumbly described on Wednesday the situation along the southern Lebanese border as “dangerous,” stressing that all sides must exercise self-restraint.

“The recent developments are a serious source of concern, especially after rockets (hit Israel) for four consecutive days,” Plumbly said in an interview with An Nahar newspaper.

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Hariri to Propose Initiative Soon after Intensified Meetings with Mustaqbal Members

Al-Mustaqbal Movement leader Saad Hariri will launch an initiative in the upcoming two days after intensive meetings with his party members in Jeddah, local newspapers reported on Wednesday.

Al-Joumhouria newspaper reported that consultations between Hariri and members of his movement aimed at “putting the final touches” on a political initiative that the former PM is expected to launch during his televised speech on Friday in an iftar hosted by al-Mustaqbal.

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March 14 Coalition Agrees to Attend Parliamentary Session with Pressing Agenda

The March 14 alliance discussed the latest local developments in a meeting at the Center House to take a unified stance over the crises gripping the country's political life.

According to al-Mustaqbal newspaper published on Wednesday, the meeting which was held on Tuesday evening tackled in particular the possibility of attending a parliamentary session that includes on its agenda only urgent draft-laws.

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