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SCC, Bou Saab Lock Horns over Thursday Official Exams

The Syndicate Coordination Committee warned on Sunday Education Minister Elias Bou Saab against holding official exams without teachers and proper monitors, renewing its call on parliament to approve the new wage scale draft-law.

But the minister hit back later in the day, announcing that "there is a very high probability that the official exams will be held on Thursday."

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Al-Rahi: Failure to Elect President Dangerous Violation of Constitution

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi criticized on Sunday lawmakers for their failure to elect a new president following five rounds of the elections.

He warned during Sunday mass: “The failure to elect a new president is a dangerous violation of the constitution and will lead to the crippling of the state.”

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Report: Berri Seeking Agreement on New Wage Scale ahead of Tuesday's Parliament Session

Speaker Nabih Berri has launched a number of contacts with various concerned political sides over the new wage scale, reported the Kuwaiti daily Al-Anba on Sunday.

March 8 camp sources told the daily that the speaker is seeking an agreement between the political powers ahead of Tuesday's parliament session that is aimed at discussing the wage hike.

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Report: Al-Rahi to Renew Call on Political Powers to Elect President

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi will renew next week his demands on political parties to exert greater efforts to hold the presidential polls and elect a new head of state, reported the daily An Nahar on Sunday.

Sources close to Bkirki said that the patriarch will adopt a stronger tone in urging the officials to stage the elections.

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Report: Geagea to Present Initiative to End Presidential Elections Deadlock

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea is expected to launch an initiative next week to end the deadlock over the presidential elections, reported the daily An Nahar on Sunday.

It said that his initiative will likely include “extending the hand to the March 8 alliance.”

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ISF Arrests ‘Satellite Dish Worker’ for Robbing Houses

The Internal Security Forces said Saturday that it arrested a robber after catching him red-handed at a house in Beirut, but his accomplice was still on the run.

An ISF Intelligence Branch patrol apprehended M.Q. while he was robbing the home in the Ramlet al-Bayda district, claiming he was a satellite dish worker.

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Syria’s Opposition Accuses Assad, Nasrallah of Bringing to Standstill Efforts to Resolve Crisis

The Syrian opposition said on Saturday that Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s recent statements meant the Syrian regime and its allies had a strategy to bring the international efforts to resolve the Syrian crisis to a dead end.

“The Hizbullah militia does not have any decision-making but it is … the porte-parole of the Iranian regime,” the National Coalition said in a statement.

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Italian FM Meets Officials: Lebanese Army Offered Necessary Support to Maintain Stability

Visiting Italian Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini stressed on Saturday that the army should be offered all the necessary support to maintain stability in Lebanon.

“Offering support to the Lebanese army is very important to maintain local, regional and international security,” the FM said in a joint press conference with her Lebanese counterpart Jebran Bassil at the Bustros Palace.

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Education Minister Calls on MPs to Attend Pay Hike Session: Official Exams a Priority

Education Minister Elias Bou Saab urged lawmakers on Saturday to attend next week's parliamentary session to approve the new pay hike.

“Our priority is to stage the official exams,” Bou Saab told reporters at the General Directorate of Technical Education in Dikwaneh after talks with the Federation of Private Educational Institutions.

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Two Bishops Kidnapped in Syria Held Captive by ISIL, in 'Good Health'

Two Orthodox bishops kidnapped in Syria in April 2013 are currently in the northern city of Raqqa and held captive by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

According to a report published in al-Akhbar newspaper on Saturday, the two bishops are “in good health” and are currently detained in the region of Tal Abyad, which is located in north of Raqqa governorate, near the Turkish border.

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