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Army Contains Spat between UNIFIL Patrol, Aita al-Shaab Residents

A spat erupted on Sunday between a patrol for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and residents in the southern town of Aita al-Shaab, state-run National News Agency reported.

“As a patrol belonging to the Italian contingent working within UNIFIL entered one of the neighborhoods in the town of Aita al-Shaab in Bint Jbeil District, a number of residents intercepted it, prevented it from advancing forward and encircled it,” NNA reported.

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Arab Foreign Ministers to Hold Meeting on Syrian Refugees in Lebanon on January 13

Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour was informed on Sunday of the Arab League's agreement to hold a meeting on the case of Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

The emergency meeting, made at Lebanon's request, will be held on January 13 and will include Arab foreign ministers.

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Families of Tall Kalakh Fighters Threaten to Close Border, Expel Syrian Ambassador

The families of the Lebanese fighters killed in the Tall Kalakh ambush renewed on Sunday their demand for the expulsion of Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdul Karim Ali, reported the National News Agency.

Spokesman for the families Sheikh Mohammed Ibrahim said: “We will close the border against your thugs and we will turn to you to expel you from our country.”

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Al-Rahi Slams Officials' Rejection of All-Party Talks: Lebanese Bound by Dialogue

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi highlighted on Sunday the importance of dialogue, noting that the Lebanese people are “bound” by it.

He wondered during his Sunday sermon at Bkirki: “Is it possible that officials have rejected dialogue that was aimed at tackling fateful affairs?”

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Report: FSA Vows to Put Bassil on Trial for Recent Statements against Syrian Refugees

Syrian opposition activists and bloggers slammed Energy Minister Jebran Bassil's recent statements on Syrian refugees in Lebanon, reported the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat on Sunday.

Sources from the Free Syrian Army told the daily: “Bassil, along with his masters in Tehran, Damascus, and Beirut, he will be put on trial for all that they have done against the Lebanese and Syrian people over the past 40 years.”

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Abou Faour Rejects Formation of Committee that 'Hands Syrian Opposition Refugees to Regime'

Social Affairs Minister Wael Abou Faour stated that the recent proposal to establish a joint Lebanese-Syrian committee to deal with the conditions of the Syrian refugees “has raised fears in Lebanon,” reported the daily An Nahar on Sunday.

He told the daily: “We refuse the formation of a committee that may lead to handing over of Syrian opposition members to the Syrian regime.”

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Mustaqbal, Phalange, LF to 'Openly' Approach Electoral Law Proposals at Subcommittee Meeting

Lebanese Forces MP Georges Adwan revealed that a meeting was recently held between the LF, Mustaqbal Movement, and Phalange Party to coordinate their stances ahead of the meeting of the electoral subcommittee on Tuesday, reported An Nahar daily on Sunday.

He said: “The three parties will propose an electoral draft law based on 50 districts, but they will openly discuss all draft laws.”

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Hizbullah, FPM, AMAL to Meet ahead of Tuesday's Electoral Subcommittee Meeting

Representatives from Hizbullah, the Free Patriotic Movement, and AMAL are expected to meet before Tuesday's resumption of the electoral subcommittee meetings aimed at tackling the parliamentary electoral law, reported the daily An Nahar on Sunday.

It said that the meeting of March 8 parties aims to unify the camp's position ahead of the talks.

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Jumblat: Talks with Suleiman, Miqati Addressed Ways to End Crisis Given Halt of Dialogue

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat stated that the meeting he held on Friday with President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Najib Miqati was an opportunity to assess the local and Arab situations, reported the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat on Sunday.

He told the daily: “Talks focused on finding ways to end the political crisis in Lebanon given the halt of the national dialogue.”

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Mother of Lebanese Hostage in Syria Seeks General Security Chief's Help

The mother of a Lebanese men held hostage by the Syrian regime urged political leaders on Saturday to exert efforts to release her son Hassan Srour and bring him back to Lebanon.

“I particularly ask General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim to work on this case, as he has helped in retrieving the body of my other son from Syria before,” Amina Turki al-Abboud Srour told the National News Agency.

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