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Bassil Blames Arab Countries for Aggravating Refugee Crisis

Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil blamed the Arab countries for the worsening refugee crisis as he pointed out that “terrorism has surpassed all boundaries,” the National News Agency reported on Thursday.

Bassil highlighted the simmering refugee crisis, he wondered whether encouraging migration and losing diversity in the region was what Arabs really wanted.

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Report: Cabinet Will Convene, Qahwaji's Term on Agenda

Prime Minister Tammam Salam will call the cabinet for a meeting as soon as he returns from a U.N. meeting in New York, to address a pending agenda that was postponed from an earlier gathering including delaying the term extension of Army commander General Jean Qahwaji and Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Walid Salman, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Thursday.

Ministerial sources spoke on condition of anonymity and asserted to the daily that Salam will call the cabinet to session next Thursday to discuss an agenda that was postponed after it was boycotted by ministers of the Free Patriotic Movement and Tashnaq party. It is planned to address other issues that surfaced.

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Shooting and Theft Incidents in Bekaa Overnight

Unknown assailants opened gunfire at two men in the Bekaa town of Majdal Anjar at dawn, the National News Agency reported on Wednesday.

The victims, R.N. and M.A.H. were driving through the town in a Hyundai when they went under fire by unknown assailants, NNA said.

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Adwan: Electing Aoun or Stipulating New Election Law Avert Escalation

Lebanese Forces deputy chief MP George Adwan stated that the party will be compelled to escalate measures shall one of its two plans that include the election of MP Michel Aoun as president or stipulating a new parliamentary election law, fail to be achieved, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Wednesday.

The LF believes that avoiding escalation can be achieved through two approaches: the election of founder of the Free Patriotic Movement Aoun as head of state, or stipulating a new law for the parliamentary elections. The LF is operating based on a drawn plan to achieve these two goals through its relations with allies and the basic political parties, said the daily.

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Public Transportation Drivers Stage Sit-Ins, Block Roads to Capital

Public transportation drivers blocked different roads around Lebanon on Wednesday some leading to the entrances of the capital Beirut protesting the government's failure to meet their long-time demands and a decision to privatize the Mechanical Inspection Authority.

The drivers began their moves in the early hours and blocked the Tripoli-Beirut highway in the north at the Qalamoun area, the seaside road and the Zahle-Ferzol highway.

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General Strike in Ain el-Hilweh Protests Recurrent Killings

Residents in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh in Sidon, held a general strike on Tuesday in protest to the recurrent killings in the camp the latest was against Palestinian Simon Taha who was killed Monday night in the al-Fawqani street, the National News Agency reported.

UNRWA schools, business , health and social institutions were closed. The main road in the al-Tahtani street was blocked in condemnation of the crimes “targeting the security and stability of Ain al-Hilweh camp,” added NNA.

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Qazzi Presents the First Plan for the Return of Displaced Syrians

Labor Minister Sejaan Qazzi presented on Monday the first detailed project and mechanism for the return of displaced Syrians back to their homeland, as he warned of changes to the Lebanese entity shall the refugees remain in Lebanon.

“The national identity is subject to change and the Lebanese entity is in danger and the return of Syrians to Syria is necessary,” stressed Qazzi in a televised appearance.

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Beary: Security Situation Improved, I Follow Hizbullah's Concerns Through Media

UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major-General Michael Beary said on Monday that the security situation in Lebanon is much better, as he assured that he follows up on “Hizbullah's fears through media outlets.”

“The situation is much better. Efforts must carry on to preserve peace and stability in south Lebanon in collaboration with concerned parties,” Beary told As Safir daily in an interview.

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Report: Syria Rebels Infiltrate Lebanon, Captivate Hizbullah Official

Syrian rebels in the outskirts of Western al-Qalamoun in the Damascus province held a Hizbullah official and his wife while they were driving through the Lebanese town of Ham, the Saudi Okaz daily reported on Monday.

“Rebel factions in the outskirts of Western al-Qalamoun carried out a quality operation and were able to arrest Hizbullah official responsible for the party's armament named Hassan Murad, nicknamed Abou Abdullah, and his wife Karma Mahdi,” unnamed sources told the daily.

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Qaouq: Marginalization a Recipe towards Destruction

Hizbullah's deputy Executive Council leader, Sheikh Nabil Qaouq said that marginalizing a major faction in Lebanon is the “perfect recipe for the country's destruction,” the state-run National News Agency said on Saturday.

“When a major (political) component in Lebanon has a feeling that it is being excluded, marginalized and targeted, it would be considered a perfect recipe for the destruction of the country,” said Qaouq during a commemoration ceremony held in south Lebanon.

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