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Al-Rahi Urges Expatriates to Invest in Patriarchate’s Land

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi urged Lebanese expatriates to make investments in lands owned by the patriarchate, saying the dispute on territories in the town of Lassa was exaggerated.

Addressing Christian parties and Lebanese associations in the city of Los Angeles in the U.S. state of California, al-Rahi said he would preserve the historic line of Bkirki.

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Taimur Jumblat Appointed to Prominent PSP Position ahead of Succeeding his Father as Chief

Taimur Jumblat, the son of Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat, has been appointed as a “guiding member” of the party, in a step that would allow him to later run for its leadership council and consequently head the party, reported Voice of Lebanon radio on Monday.

Meanwhile, on Friday Jumblat spoke of a “shock” he will present during the party’s general assembly scheduled for the end of the month, reported al-Akhbar newspaper on Saturday.

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Report: Asarta Survives Emergency Chopper Engine Failure

United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) commander Major General Alberto Asarta survived an emergency failure in his chopper on Friday night, An Nahar newspaper reported.

Asarta was on his way to the Presidential Palace to attend a dinner held in honor of Irish President Mary McAleese when the incident occurred, the daily said on Monday.

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GLC Insists on Revising Wage Package without Resorting to Cabinet

The General Labor Confederation was on Monday eager to go ahead with its plans to pressure the government into revising the salary package that it adopted last week.

GLC chief Ghassan Ghosn told Voice of Lebanon radio station (93.3) that there are “legal loopholes” in the decree that will be referred to the cabinet for final endorsement after it approved the salary boost last week.

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Hariri in Paris, Contacts Officials over Local Developments

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri arrived in Paris from Riyadh on Saturday, al-Liwaa newspaper reported.

The daily said on Monday that Hariri is holding telephone conversations with officials concerning the situation in Lebanon and the region.

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Report: Asphalt Roads Built on Disputed Territory in Lassa

Around 15 trucks loaded with Asphalt headed Sunday to the predominantly Shiite town of Lassa in the Jbeil district and began building roads on property owned by the Maronite patriarchate, Ad-Diyar daily reported.

The newspaper said Monday that Maronite bishops were surprised by the move, wondering how the asphalting could take place over the weekend.

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Berri Meets Miqati, Says Delay in Oil Exploration Might Lead to Debriefing Cabinet

Speaker Nabih Berri held closed-door talks with Prime Minister Najib Miqati on Monday after a meeting of the joint parliamentary committees.

Earlier, Berri headed the meeting to discuss the oil exploration project.

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Kurd Activist Accuses Syrian Embassy Guards of Assaulting him

A Syrian Kurd opposition member was injured in a clash between protestors and the Syrian embassy’s security guards in the Beirut district of Hamra on Sunday, An Nahar daily reported.

Kurd activist Kadar Saleh Beeri told the newspaper that he was beaten by members of the embassy guards after he was returning from a demonstration held by around 50 Kurds outside the premises of the mission.

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Geagea Warns of Manipulation in STL Funding

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea warned on Monday of any manipulation concerning the funding of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon probing the assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri.

All the successive cabinets “insured the funding of the STL since 2008 with the participation of Hizbullah ministers,” Geagea told An Nahar newspapers.

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Miqati Denies Resignation Over STL Funding as Cabinet Gears up to Discuss State Budget

Premier Najib Miqati’s sources have shrugged off rumors that he would quit, telling Beirut dailies on Monday that the government will continue to work after it succeeded in guaranteeing stability.

“All the information (about the resignation) is just wishes and attempts to create a tumult,” the sources said.

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