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Hariri Replies to Nasrallah: Lebanon is not an Unmanned Drone

Former PM Saad Hariri stressed on Saturday that “Lebanon is not an unmanned drone”, in reference to the acknowledgment of Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah that his party sent a sophisticated unmanned drone over Israel last week, the An Nahar daily said.

Hariri said: “Everyone must shoulder responsibility. They must understand that Lebanon is not an unmanned plane,” particularly under the current crucial regional circumstances, Hariri told the daily in an interview.

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Berri: All Electoral Draft Laws Will be Considered Until We Find One that Meets Approval of All Parties

Speaker Nabih Berri stressed that any electoral draft law that suggests tipping the victory of a particular political group over another would only receive rejection from the other, which compels the necessity to agree on a law that finds the approval and reassurance of all sides, the An Nahar daily said Saturday.

In an interview to the daily Berri stressed that “efforts are underway to study all proposed draft law projects until we find the appropriate one that finds approval of all parties.”

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Qabbani Says Electoral Law Mustn't be Tailored to Ensure Dominance of Any Camp

Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani on Friday called on all lawmakers to “choose an electoral law that does not allow any party to impose its control over a certain region,” pleading to God to “destroy those who are destroying the homes of the Syrians.”

“We want a law that would ensure proper representation for the Lebanese, and let the slogan of the sought electoral law be 'proper elections for a proper representation', rather than for domination and extending the influence of a certain party. This is an advice that we give to our lawmakers,” said Qabbani.

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Suleiman Calls on Syrian Army to Stop Shelling Lebanon, Says Sending Drone over Israel Demonstrates Need for Defense Strategy

President Michel Suleiman stressed on Friday the need for devising a defense strategy that meets the demands of the army and its duties to defend the country and national interests, reported the National News Agency.

He said: “Sending a drone over enemy territories demonstrates the need for a defense strategy that can organize the capabilities of the resistance in defending Lebanon.”

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Saqr Delays Decision on Shabaan's Involvement in Samaha's Case

State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr postponed on Friday taking a decision concerning Syrian top presidential adviser Bouthaina Shaaban's link to former Minister Michel Samaha's case until investigations are complete.

The National News Agency reported that Saqr asked First Examining Magistrate Riyad Abu Ghida to carry on the investigations and take the testimonies of Shaaban, Syrian security Chief Maj. Gen. Ali Mamlouk and a Syrian army colonel identified only by his first name Adnan.

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Report: Syria Deploys Missiles near Border with Lebanon

The Syrian army deployed advanced surface-to-air missiles along the northern border district of Akkar, Ad Diyar newspaper reported on Friday.

According to the report, the missiles can shoot down advanced military warplanes.

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Officials Reject Foreign Ministry Efforts Concerning Expats Participation in Polls, Accuse it of Negligence

The controversial debate over the Lebanese expatriates' right to vote in the upcoming 2013 parliamentary elections took over discussions at the joint parliamentary committees on Thursday as attendees expressed surprise concerning the numbers of expats willing to vote, local newspapers reported on Friday.

The session witnessed a heated debate among officials as some accused the Foreign Ministry of negligence and considered that it failed to prepare the proper measures to ensure that the Lebanese expats participate in casting their votes.

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Hariri, Geagea Hold Second Meeting in Saudi Arabia

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea held talks in Saudi Arabia on Thursday, the second such meeting in a week, reported Voice of Lebanon radio on Friday.

It said that the meeting focused on the parliamentary electoral law, saying that they shared the same view on the matter.

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March 14: Hizbullah Seeking to Lure Israel into War

Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's admission that the party was behind the drone that was shot down by Israel on Saturday is aimed at diverting attention away from the developments along the Lebanese-Syrian border, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Friday.

A leading March 14 source told the daily: “Hizbullah is seeking to lure Israel into a war against Lebanon.”

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Lebanese Gets 12 Years in Jail for FARC Conspiracy

A U.S. federal court sentenced a Lebanese man to 12 years in prison Thursday for conspiring to provide Colombia's leftist FARC rebels with military-grade weapons in exchange for over a ton of cocaine.

Jamal Youssef, 54, pleaded guilty in May to one count of providing material support to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, Latin America's oldest insurgent group.

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