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Suleiman Postpones National Dialogue to January

President Michel Suleiman postponed a national dialogue session that was set to be held on Thursday to January 2013 after the March 14 alliance most likely informed him of the opposition's final stance on boycotting the all-party talks.

The new date for the session was set for January 7, said a Baabda palace statement.

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Fransen Asks Prosecutor to Submit Justifications as Defense Voices Concern over Large Number of Witnesses

Defense lawyers at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon expressed their concerns on Tuesday over the high number of witnesses to testify in next March's trials, requesting data and documents “to understand the grounds on which the court is basing its judgments”.

“We were not informed by the Prosecutor when and why the suspects became part if these investigations,” said one of the suspects' lawyers during a status conference at the Tribunal's headquarter in the Hague.

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Al-Rahi: Elections Must be Held on Time with or without Law Amendment

Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rahi said on Tuesday that he prefers that the 2013 parliamentary elections be held on time, even if no agreement was reached on a new electoral law.

“If they can't agree on a new electoral law, the 1960 law is still in place,” said al-Rahi upon his arrival to Rafik Hariri International Airport from the Vatican.

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Dozens Protest outside French Embassy, Demand Georges Abdallah's Release

Dozens of protesters gathered on Tuesday outside the French embassy in Beirut demanding the release of militant Georges Ibrahim Abdallah who has spent 28 years in French jails.

The demonstration was held after French prosecutors appealed a Paris court's decision to grant parole to the pro-Palestinian militant, effectively keeping the 61-year-old behind bars.

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Reports: Two Lebanese Men Abducted from Nigeria Construction Site

Gunmen have kidnapped two foreign workers from a construction site in Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta region, police said Tuesday, while local media said the victims were Lebanese.

The two "were taken from a construction site in the creeks of Delta State yesterday (Monday)," state police spokesman Charles Muka told Agence France Presse.

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Sargsyan Rejects Attempts to Destabilize Lebanon, Berri Urges Officials to Reach Consensus

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan expressed fear on Tuesday over the negative repercussions that the developments in the region have on the situation on Lebanon.

“We will not allow anyone to destabilize Lebanon,” Sargsyan said during a lunch banquet held in his honor in Ain el-Tineh.

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Suleiman Says Postponement of Polls Possible Only to Draft Electoral Law

President Michel Suleiman reiterated on Tuesday his rejection to link the government crisis to the national dialogue and stressed that the parliamentary elections could only be postponed for a short period to pave way for the completion of drafting a new electoral law.

“I will not accept any misused extension of parliament's mandate and won't sign any decree in that regard,” Suleiman told a delegation from the Press Club.

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Valerie Amos Visits Beirut to Assess Situation of Displaced Syrians

U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Valerie Amos will visit Beirut on Tuesday to assess the situation of Syrian refugees and the humanitarian assistance being provided to them, the U.N. Information Center said.

Amos is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Najib Miqati on Wednesday to find ways the U.N. and other agencies can best support the national efforts in addressing the needs of the Syrians who have been displaced as a result of the 20-month-old conflict that has killed more than 40,000 people.

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March 14 Delegation in Gaza as Soaid Rejects 'Monopolizing' Solidarity with Palestinians

A delegation from the March 14 opposition alliance visited the Gaza Strip on Tuesday as a show of support to the Palestinian people following the latest Israeli aggression on the territory.

Lebanese Forces MP Antoine Zahra, and al-Mustaqbal bloc deputies Jamal al-Jarrah and Amine Wehbe along with nine journalists arrived to Gaza through the Rafah crossing.

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SCC Holds 2-Day Nationwide Strike, Warns of Open-Ended Action

The Syndicate Coordination Committee went ahead with its general strike on Tuesday to press the government to refer the new public sector wage scale draft law to the parliament, warning of an open-ended strike if the cabinet failed to carry out its promises.

“We have been discussing the matter for 14 months now. The cabinet has to decide during its session on Wednesday whether to refer the draft law or we will remain on the streets,” head of the private school teachers association Nehme Mahfoud told protesters who gathered near the Ministry of Education.

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