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Franjieh Meets Aoun: Obstructing Parliament Will Lead to Government Paralysis

Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh warned on Wednesday of the paralysis of the role of government, while hoping for the election of a strong president.

He said: “Obstructing parliament's role will lead to the paralysis of the government's functions through political means.”

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Teen Re-Enacts Crime of Raping, Killing Syrian Child in Halba

A 17-year-old re-enacted on Wednesday the murder and rape of a Syrian child, 5, under the supervision of the prosecutor of the north, Judge Ghassan Bassil.

Nour Aa., who had previously confessed to the crime, re-enacted the sequence of the events.

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Doha Backs Lebanon's Political, Security Stability during Mashnouq Visit

Qatar's Prime Minister, Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser al-Thani, expressed on Wednesday Doha's “full support for political and security stability in Lebanon.”

The PM, who also doubles as Interior Minister, told Lebanese Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq on the second day of his visit to Doha that Lebanon should be “steered clear of the developments in the region, mainly the Syrian crisis and should be assisted in overcoming the current stage.”

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Bou Saab Calls for End of Wage Scale Dispute, Vows Not to Push Teachers Into Correcting Exams

Education Minister Elias Bou Saab urged on Wednesday the rival parties to resolve the ongoing debate on the new pay hike, vowing not to press teachers into correcting the official exams.

“I will not challenge the teachers or pressure them to correct the official exams as they have righteous demands,” Bou Saab said in comments to LBCI.

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Conflicting Reports on Israeli Violation of Blue Line

An Israeli bulldozer crossed the U.N.-drawn Blue Line and entered Lebanese territories in the area of Hounine-al-Abbad, the state-run National News Agency reported on Wednesday.

The bulldozer stayed there for more than 20 minutes, it said.

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Rahi Calls for 'Brave Initiatives' to Resolve Crises, Rejects 'Unconstitutional' Void

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi urged on Wednesday the March 8 and 14 alliances to make “brave initiatives” to resolve the country's crises, saying the failure to elect a president is a violation of the Constitution.

At the start of the synod of Maronite bishops in Bkirki, al-Rahi prayed for the immediate election of a president.

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Abductors Free Egyptian in Baalbek after Kidnap Ordeal

An Egyptian national was released at dawn on Wednesday after a four-day kidnap ordeal and the payment of a ransom to the kidnappers, media reports said.

Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3) reported that the abductors were paid L.L. 40 million and 8,000 dollars worth of jewelery to release Mohammed Saeed Ibrahim Mahmoud, 32, who was abducted last week.

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Assad Describes Aoun as 'Honest,' Backs his Election as President

Syrian President Bashar Assad has described Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun as an “honest man,” saying he would welcome his election as a president.

In an interview with al-Akhbar daily published on Wednesday, Assad said: “Aoun is an honorable and honest man who fought with dignity and reconciled with dignity.”

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Berri Slams Mustaqbal, Warns Boycott Endangers Political System

Speaker Nabih Berri has allegedly accused al-Mustaqbal movement of turning against a deal to attend a parliamentary session on the controversial wage hike, warning that lack of quorum puts the entire political system in danger.

According to several local dailies, Berri said this was “not the first time that the movement was revolting against a positive atmosphere or agreements” aimed at resolving certain crises.

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Marada Movement Seeking to End Cabinet Impasse

Culture Minister Rony Araiji said on Wednesday that the Marada movement will facilitate the work of the cabinet to end a row over the mechanism regulating the government’s work during the ongoing presidential vacuum.

“Our stance is not so different from that of (Prime Minister Tammam) Salam,” Araiji said in comments published in As Safir newspaper.

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