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Seven Kilos of Hashish Seized at Tripoli Checkpoint

Security forces confiscated seven kilograms of hashish on Thursday in the northern city of Tripoli.

LBCI television said “security forces managed to seize 7 kilos of hash at the al-Bohsas checkpoint in Tripoli.”

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Grenade Hurts 3 in Tripoli after Jabal Mohsen Man Shot

Unknown assailants on Thursday shot and wounded a young man who hails from the Tripoli neighborhood of Jabal Mohsen, as three other people were injured in a grenade attack.

“A young Alawite man was shot and wounded on Tripoli's Syria Street” in the Bab al-Tabbaneh district, LBCI television reported.

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Al-Rahi Considers Remarks on Vacuum in Presidency Post Insult Nation

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi stressed on Tuesday that remarks concerning a possible presidential vacuum is an insult to the country and the post.

He pointed out in statements to visitors, who arrived at Bkirki to congratulate him on the occasion of Christmas, that “the country cannot tolerate actions and reactions.”

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Asir Supporters Charged with Attempted Murder of Soldiers

The Military Prosecutor charged on Thursday several supporters of Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir with belonging to a terrorist group and attempting to kill Lebanese soldiers, the National News Agency reported.

The other charges issued by Judge Saqr Saqr against the detainees were gun possession and involvement in terrorist attacks.

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Franjieh Rejects Extension of Suleiman's Term, Says he and Aoun are Candidates

Marada movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh vowed on Thursday not to extend President Michel Suleiman's term and said he was a candidate for the presidency along with Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Michel Aoun.

In remarks to al-Manar TV, Franjieh said: “I will not back the extension of President Michel Suleiman's mandate no matter what my allies did.”

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Qassem Recommends Formation of All-Embracing Political Cabinet

Hizbullah deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem warned on Thursday the formation of a cabinet other than all-embracing national political government, saying that "all options are open.”

Qassem speaking to Hizbullah's al-Manar channel lashed out at proposals to form a neutral or de-facto cabinets, pointing out that these kind of governments would spread “chaos, danger and complications.”

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Mustaqbal MPs Reject Vacuum, Hold onto Neutral Cabinet Demand

Al-Mustaqbal bloc lawmakers reiterated on Thursday their demand for the formation of a neutral government, accusing Hizbullah of causing the vacuum in Lebanon's state institutions.

In remarks to local radio and TV stations, the MPs said President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam should form a government made up of non political figures.

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Nahhas Warns Economy Can't Bear Further Political Deterioration

Caretaker Economy Minister Nicolas Nahhas warned on Thursday that the political crisis in the country will have an impact on the economy if it worsened and the country entered vacuum in state posts.

“The red line is the hypothesis that the division would increase among the Lebanese,” Nahhas said in comments to Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3).

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Suleiman Hints Constitution Doesn't State Representation of Political Parties in Cabinet

President Michel Suleiman would be abiding by the Constitution if he formed a neutral cabinet along with Premier-designate Tammam Salam, political sources said.

The sources told pan-Arab daily al-Hayat published on Thursday that the Constitution does not state the representation of certain political parties in the government.

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Reports: Al-Manar Director General Resigns after Bahrain Apology Controversy

Abdullah Qassir, the director general of Hizbullah's al-Manar television, has submitted his resignation, media reports said on Wednesday, in the wake of the latest controversy over the TV network's “apology” to Bahrain.

“Qassir left for Iran after his resignation was accepted,” As Safir newspaper said in a terse report on its website.

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