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Report: Foreign Ministry Covers Up for Corrupt Employee

Corruption scandals have reached the Lebanese embassy in Berlin as a report emerged to the surface on Wednesday that a gang is luring the Lebanese community in Germany to obtain the Lebanese nationality in return for large sums of money.

A report published in al-Joumhouria newspaper on Wednesday pointed out that the forgery is led by an employee at the embassy, who is deluding mainly married couples of Lebanese origin, that he can process their personal papers in exchange for an amount of money.

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Suleiman Calls in His African Tour for Dialogue in Countries Witnessing Turmoil

President Michel Suleiman, who is on an African tour, has appealed for dialogue in countries witnessing turmoil, saying violence does not resolve problems.

“We don't back violence to achieve demands,” Suleiman told Arab ambassadors based in Senegal, hoping that the turmoil would be resolved through all-party talks.

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Bassil Says Greek, U.S. Companies Won Deir Ammar Tender

Energy Minister Jebran Bassil revealed on Wednesday that the Greek construction group J&P-Avax and the U.S. industrial group General Electric won the Deir Ammar tender.

“We will start producing 841 megawatts instead of 750,” Bassil said during a press conference.

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Consensus on Hybrid Electoral Draft Law Far-Fetched

Consensus between rival parties on a hybrid electoral draft-law was on Wednesday not looming on the horizon after reports said that Hizbullah rejected it and talks between March 14 opposition officials and the Progressive Socialist Party slowed.

Hizbullah informed Speaker Nabih Berri that it rejected the hybrid proposal, which a team of experts and MPs from the opposition al-Mustaqbal movement and the centrist Progressive Socialist Party are seeking to draft, al-Liwaa daily reported.

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Security Measures near Asir's Mosque in Sidon as Supporters Block Several Roads

The army on Tuesday stopped a car carrying a fake license plate in the vicinity of the Bilal bin Rabah Mosque in Sidon, the National News Agency reported, as several security sources denied reports that security forces were preparing to storm the mosque.

“Reports that the army encircled the Bilal bin Rabah Mosque in Abra are baseless and supporters of (Sheikh Ahmed) al-Asir went on alert after the army stopped a car carrying a fake license plate in the vicinity of the mosque,” NNA said.

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Cabinet Approves Result of Deir Ammar Tender, Hikes Gas Stations' Portion of Fuel Profits

The cabinet on Tuesday approved the result of the tender organized to operate the Deir Ammar power generation project, which was won by the Greek construction group J&P-Avax.

“The relevant measures will be taken in order to finalize the process of signing the contract,” Information Minister Walid al-Daouq told reporters after a cabinet session at the Grand Serail.

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General Security Member Dead, 2 Hurt as Patrol Comes under Fire in Bekaa

A General Security first sergeant was killed and three security personnel were wounded while chasing a fugitive in the Bekaa town of Chtaura.

MTV said the incident happened near the Ramia hunting rifles store where a security patrol came under gunfire.

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Mustaqbal Urges Suleiman to Act over Mansour Stance, Hizbullah 'Interference' in Syria

Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc on Tuesday urged President Michel Suleiman to act in order to spare Lebanon the “consequences” of Hizbullah's “participation” in the Syrian military conflict and the controversial remarks voiced by Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour at the Arab League.

In a statement issued after its weekly meeting, the bloc also “strongly condemned the remarks voiced by Hizbullah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem, who confirmed once again the participation in combat alongside the Syrian regime and admitted arming and training gunmen fighting in Syria.”

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Aoun Demands Tribunal to Investigate Financial Violations, Says Delaying Vote on Orthodox Draft 'Crime against Lebanon'

Change and Reform parliamentary bloc leader MP Michel Aoun expressed on Tuesday that any delay in approving the Orthodox Gathering's draft electoral law is a "crime against the country", calling for the formation of a special court to investigate financial violations committed in Lebanon.

"Whoever delays the approval of the Orthodox Gathering law would be allowing vacuum to take place and committing a crime against the country,” Aoun stated after the bloc's weekly meeting, adding that constitutional deadlines must be respected.

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Five Million Dollars Worth of Captagon Pills Seized in Bekaa Valley

The security forces on Tuesday seized more than one million Captagon pills in a valley in the Bekaa region, reportedly worth millions of U.S. dollars.

The Directorate General of Internal Security Forces issued a communique explaining that a police force raided the valley on Monday upon information received and investigated by the Bekaa anti-drug bureau.

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