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2 Killed while Reportedly Placing Bomb Under Vehicle of Lebanese Judge

Two people were killed when a bomb they were reportedly trying to plant under the parked vehicle of a Lebanese judge in a parking lot in Antelias mistakenly went off, the Lebanese Red Cross said Thursday.

The men were identified as Hassan Nayef Nassar and Ihsan Ali Diya, who died after he was taken to hospital.

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Singh Says ‘Terrorist’ Attack on UNIFIL against Lebanon’s Interest

United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon spokesman Neeraj Singh said on Thursday the security situation in Southern Lebanon differs strategically from the situation in 2006 thanks to the UNIFIL.

“The UNIFIL formed a strong deterrent against any renewal of hostile attacks along with the Lebanese army efforts,” Singh told the Kuwaiti An Nahar newspaper.

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Electricity Bill Debate Likely to Reach Cabinet in Baabda Session

The cabinet met at Baabda palace at 10:30 am Thursday as Energy Minister Jebran Bassil will ask the government to make its stance clear on a controversial electricity draft law discussed in parliament the day before, As Safir daily said.

Bassil is expected to tell cabinet ministers that they should have a unanimous stance on the bill or else it would fail in its first important test since its formation, the newspaper reported.

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Miqati Denies Seeking Opposition’s Help to Block Electricity Draft Law

Prime Minister Najib Miqati denied that he asked for the opposition’s help to block the electricity bill proposed by MP Michel Aoun at the Parliament session on Thursday, An Nahar newspaper reported.

Miqati stressed that he voiced his support for the draft law “with the adoption of some measures to ensure the success of the project to resolve the electricity crisis.”

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National Struggle Front: No Political Intentions Behind Skepticism on Electricity Draft Law

National Struggle Front leader MP Walid Jumblat has denied that a decision by his MPs to accept the postponement of discussion on a controversial draft-law on electricity was aimed at accusing Change and Reform bloc leader Michel Aoun of seeking to squander funds.

Jumblat was referring to the heated debate in parliament on Wednesday over the draft law proposed by Aoun to allow the energy ministry to raise a $1.2 billion fund to build power plants.

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Bassil Warns Cabinet over Attempts to Block Electricity Bill, Slams Opposition’s Stance

Energy and Water Minister Jebran Bassil warned on Thursday if an electricity bill wasn’t approved by parliament then the cabinet will fall popularly and morally.

“We’re either an actual majority that seeks providing people with their vital needs (or we’re not), but we will not accept becoming false witnesses, therefore we won’t agree on hitting the Lebanese peoples’ interests,” Bassil told As Safir newspaper.

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Jumblat Not Worried About Syrian Regime’s Fate

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat has stressed after returning from Damascus that he wasn’t worried about the fate of the Syrian regime.

In remarks to As Safir daily published Thursday, Jumblat said that he was relieved after his visit to the neighboring country. He added that the situation in Syria was improving.

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STL Informs Murr, Hamadeh that their Assassination Attempts are Linked to Hawi’s and Hariri’s

Former Defense Minister Elias Murr announced on Thursday that a detailed indictment in the investigation into his attempted assassination will be released soon, reported LBC television.

He made his statements after holding talks with a delegation from the Special Tribunal for Lebanon delegation and General Prosecutor Saeed Mirza, which he described as “a secret meeting.”

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Hizbullah Says March 14 Trying to Implicate U.N. in 'Rumors, Lies'

Hizbullah said Wednesday that the March 14 general-secretariat “has ignored the statement issued by the U.N., which denied accusing” the party of being involved in Syria’s violence, noting that “this group did not settle for the fabrication of rumors and lies, but also tried to implicate the U.N. and its organizations in them.”

“Hizbullah does not usually comment on the statements issued by the March 14 general-secretariat because the content is repetitive, well-known and boring,” the party said in a communiqué.

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Jumblat Holds Talks in Syria on Latest Political Developments

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat held talks on Wednesday with Mohammed Nassif, the assistant to the Syrian Vice President, in Damascus, reported the PSP media department.

It said that the meeting was “marked by frankness and understanding and it was an occasion to exchange ideas over the latest political developments.”

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