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Fatima Issawi Quits STL

Fatima al-Issawi on Sunday announced her resignation from the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, citing "professional reasons."

"I announce my resignation as a spokesperson for the STL for professional reasons," Issawi said in a statement delivered to the state-run National News Agency.

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Qassem: Hizbullah Comfortable as Accusation, Indictment Do Not Concern Us

Deputy Hizbullah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem on Sunday said the Special Tribunal for Lebanon was "dedicated to eliminate Hizbullah," but added that nevertheless, "Hizbullah is comfortable with itself."

"Lebanon today is facing a conspiracy launched by the Special Tribunal," he said.

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Sunni Officials Accuse Army of Serving as Cover for Hizbullah

Sunni leaders from opposite ends of Lebanon's political spectrum on Sunday urged supporters to stand firm against the Shiite group Hizbullah, at a time of high tension between the two Muslim communities.

An MP loyal to Prime Minister Saad Hariri and a radical Salafist leader jointly accused the army of serving as cover for Hizbullah, urging a gathering of 1,500 to reject an alleged military crackdown on their community.

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Storm Rages in Lebanon for a Second Day Causing Severe Damage throughout the Country

For the second day, Lebanon is still at the mercy of the strong storm that has resulted in major damage throughout the country, destroying property and crops and turning roads into swamps.

The security forces and civil defense teams have remained on high alert to attend to any emergency.

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Zahra: We Refuse the Mentality of Setting Deadlines, No One Can Change Lebanon on His Own

Lebanese Forces MP Antoine Zahra stated on Sunday that the party supports a settlement that maintains Lebanon’s stability and which does not take place at the expense of the martyrs.

He also rejected the mentality of setting deadlines and statements alleging that Lebanon will be altered after the indictment in the Special Tribunal for Lebanon is released by saying: “No one is capable of changing anything on their own.”

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Saqr: Hizbullah's Deadline is Aimed at Intimidation, It's a Message to Those Sponsoring Settlement

Lebanon First MP Oqab Saqr called on the Hizbullah leadership to immediately retract MP Mohammad Raad's recent statements in which he set a deadline for the Saudi-Syrian initiative to yield its results.

Saqr told the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat Sunday that such statements "harm the ongoing Lebanese settlement aimed at protecting Lebanon's security."

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Raad Denies he Had Placed a 3-4-Day Deadline to End Crisis

The head of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Mohammad Raad denied on Sunday media reports that had quoted him as saying that he had given a three or four-day deadline for the Saudi-Syrian initiative to yield results.

He said in a statement that the reports were “inaccurate”.

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Saudi-Syrian Initiative Places Priority on Lebanese Consensus

The Saudi-Syrian initiative to end the Lebanese political crisis has placed priority on Lebanese consensus on foreign efforts to end the internal disputes because any external solution is bound to be met with challenges.

These efforts coincided met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's statements in Paris that called for the Lebanese to reach an agreement among themselves before receiving the Saudi-Syrian assistance.

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Hizbullah Raises Tone against STL: Resistance is Much Too Noble to Be Harmed by Anyone

The head of the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc MP Mohammad Raad warned on Saturday that "Lebanon's image would automatically change if the indictment is released without a settlement being reached in the country."

He added: "Everyone must assume the responsibility of their actions."

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Cabinet Convenes Wednesday amid Concern over Possible Vote on False Witnesses File

Cabinet is set to convene at the Baabda palace on Wednesday for the first time since November 10, with 300 articles set to be discussed, the main one being the false witnesses file.

Sources close to Prime Minister Saad Hariri told the pan-Arab daily Ashraq al-Awsat Sunday that the March 14 forces ministers will refuse to subject the case to a vote if there are no legal justifications for referring it to justice council, as the opposition is demanding.

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