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Bassil Meets Miqati, Says Kicking Off Cabinet Sessions Pending its Performance

Energy Minister Jebran Bassil slammed on Wednesday the performance of the cabinet, saying that the Change and Reform bloc would continue to boycott its sessions until it assumes its responsibilities.

“Either we have a government that rules, or a one that lets all issues slip by,” Bassil told reporters after holding a meeting with Prime Minister Najib Miqati at the Grand Serail.

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4 People, Including Child, Killed in Separate Accidents in the North

An eight-year-old student was killed and two others were injured on Wednesday when a truck collided with their school bus on the Shekka highway that links the northern city of Tripoli to Beirut, the National News Agency reported.

Azzam Owaida was killed, and Mohammed Hajjaj, 13 and seven-year-old Bahaa Hajjaj were injured when the rear window of the bus smashed in the collision, NNA said.

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Lebanese Teen Injured from Syrian Stray Bullet in North

A Lebanese teenager was wounded when a stray bullet from inside Syrian territories landed on his home’s rooftop in the northern border town of al-Arida, the National News Agency reported on Wednesday.

NNA said Samer Khaled, 17, was sleeping on the roof when the bullet struck his neck.

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Suleiman, Constitutional Council to Decide on EDL Workers Employment as Sharp Differences Loom

The controversial employment of Electricite du Liban’s contract workers, which paralyzed the cabinet and the parliament on Tuesday, is jeopardizing the alliance between Hizbullah and the Free Patriotic Movement as President Michel Suleiman is set to decide on the matter.

The ball is in the president’s court, who will have to either ink the parliament’s approval of the workers’ permanent employment or refer it back to the legislature, local newspapers said on Wednesday.

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Zasypkin: Fears of Syrian Crisis Spillover to Lebanon Haven’t Dissipated

Fears that the Syrian crisis could spill over to other countries in the region and mainly Lebanon haven’t dissipated, Russian Ambassador Alexander Zasypkin said Wednesday.

“We have said this on several occasions particularly to Lebanon,” Zasypkin told As Safir daily in an interview.

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Mustaqbal Says Lack of 'Decisive Stances' by Govt. Encouraging Syrian Violations

Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc on Tuesday slammed the latest “violations by the Syrian regime’s army against Lebanon’s northern and eastern border areas,” rejecting what it called the Syrian army’s “arrogance towards Lebanon and its security forces and citizens.”

In a statement issued after its weekly meeting, the bloc blamed “the Syrian regime’s persistent violations” on the Lebanese state’s failure to take “decisive stances towards these continuous breaches.”

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Tuesday, Wednesday Cabinet Sessions Postponed over Terro, Change and Reform Ministers’ Absence

Cabinet sessions that have been scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday have been postponed due to the absence of Minister of the Displaced Alaeddine Terro and the boycott of the Change and Reform bloc ministers.

President Michel Suleiman adjourned Tuesday’s session, which was scheduled to be held at the Baabda Palace, due to the absence of 11 ministers.

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Vatican: Pope to Bring Message of Peace on Lebanon Visit

Pope Benedict XVI will bring a message of peace for the Middle East on a three-day trip to Lebanon in September, the Vatican said Tuesday, amid rising tensions due to the conflict in neighboring Syria.

The 85-year-old German pontiff will meet with a variety of religious leaders during his visit to multi-faith Lebanon, which will be his 24th foreign trip since he was elected pope in 2005 and is one of his most sensitive missions.

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Aoun Slams Parliament Decision on EDL Contract Workers as 'Disrespectful, Arbitrary'

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun on Tuesday slammed parliament’s approval of EDL contract workers’ full-employment as “disrespectful to parliamentary conduct,” describing the decision as an “arbitrary plan.”

“Until now, we don't understand the reason behind the crisis of EDL contract workers,” said Aoun after the weekly meeting of the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc in Rabiyeh.

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Geagea: Granting a Large Number of Workers Full-Time Employment May Bankrupt the State

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea voiced on Tuesday his rejection of the current conduct at parliament, saying that he “supports and opposes” granting Electricite du Liban contract workers full-time employment.

He said during a press conference at his Maarab residence: “Granting such a large number of workers full-time employment is not possible because it will lead to the bankruptcy of the state.”

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