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Geagea: March 8 Elections Boycott Aimed at Imposing its Candidate over Others

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea accused on Wednesday the March 8 alliance of seeking to impose its candidate over others, slamming its demand for the election of a consensual president.

He said during a press conference after the failure of the third round of the presidential elections: “The boycott of the session is not aimed at the election of a consensual president, but it has the objective to impose a candidate over others.”

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Maronite Bishops: Lawmakers' Remarks on Presidential Vacuum Sign of Political Ineptitude

The Maronite Bishops Council lamented on Wednesday lawmakers' ongoing failure to elect a president, voicing their concern over the possibility of vacuum in Lebanon's top post.

It said after its monthly meeting chaired by Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi: “The MPs' remarks on vacuum is a cause for concern and a sign of their political ineptitude.”

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Berri Sets Pay Hike Session Next Wednesday

Speaker Nabih Berri called for a parliamentary session next Wednesday to discuss the wage scale draft-law after its amendment by a ministerial-legislative committee.

The committee, which was formed a few weeks ago after lawmakers failed to agree on the raise, handed Berri the amended version of the wage scale on Monday.

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New Election Round on May 15 as March 8 Continues to Boycott Presidential Vote

Parliament failed on Wednesday for the third week in a row to elect a new president over differences between the March 8 and 14 alliances and amid warnings of a possible vacuum at Baabda Palace, more than two weeks before the expiry of President Michel Suleiman's tenure.

Speaker Nabih Berri set May 15 as a new round of voting after the March 8 lawmakers again boycotted the elections.

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Gemayel, Aoun Agree on Importance of Holding Presidential Vote by May 25

Kataeb party leader Amin Gemayel and Free Patriotic Movement chief Michel Aoun agreed Wednesday on the importance of holding the presidential elections by May 25.

Following talks with Aoun at his residence in Rabieh, Gemayel said: “We agreed on the importance of exerting all efforts to hold the polls as soon as possible.”

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Cluster Bomb Kills Lebanese Deminer

A Lebanese deminer was killed on Wednesday in an explosion from a cluster bomb in the South left over from the 2006 war between Israel and Hizbullah, the state-run National News Agency reported.

NNA said Hussein Omar al-Kweis, who hails from Nabatiyeh, died on the outskirts of the town of Aita al-Jabal.

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2 Suspects Arrested, Arms Seized in the Bekaa as Gunmen Clash over 'Kidnapping' Operations

The army intelligence has arrested two suspects after finding weapons in their vehicle in the eastern Bekaa valley, the state-run National News Agency reported on Wednesday.

NNA said Hussein al-Hujairi and Hilal Amoun were detained at a checkpoint in the north Bekaa town of Hrabta.

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Qazzi Says Gemayel Suspended Candidacy Pending Results of Presidential Vote

Labor Minister Sejaan Qazzi said that Kataeb leader Amin Gemayel has suspended his candidacy for the presidency pending the result of parliamentary sessions to elect a new head of state.

In remarks to the Kuwaiti al-Seyassah daily on Wednesday, Qazzi said: “Gemayel suspended his candidacy until he finds out the course that the election sessions would take.”

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Report: Rahi Has Not Proposed Extension of Suleiman's Term

Politicians have denied that Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi has proposed a one-year extension of President Michel Suleiman's tenure, the Kuwaiti al-Anbaa daily reported on Wednesday.

The politicians, who were not named, told the newspaper that al-Rahi has not made such a suggestion during talks with al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri in Paris last week.

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Report: Jumblat Says Cabinet Can Practice President's Authorities

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat has reportedly claimed that Prime Minister Tammam Salam's government would practice the power of the president in case of a vacuum at Baabda Palace.

Pan-Arab daily al-Hahat quoted him as saying on Wednesday that there would be no vacuum given that Salam's cabinet is capable of taking over the president's authorities if lawmakers failed to elect a new head of state.

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