Lebanon
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Families of Lebanese Hostages United in Despair

Outside Lebanon's government headquarters, where relatives of soldiers and police captured by jihadists have held a weeks-long sit-in, a message on a photograph reads: "We are waiting for your return".

For the past three months, 27 families from across Lebanon have been brought together in anguish by threats by the Islamic extremists to execute a son or a husband.

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Heightened Security Measures ahead of Ashura Peak on Tuesday

Hizbullah and the AMAL movement's security measures in and around Beirut's southern suburbs of Dahieh will reach their peak as the tenth day of Ashura approaches on Tuesday, reported the daily An Nahar on Saturday.

The residents of the area have voiced their satisfaction with the measures despite the traffic caused by the security efforts.

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Jumblat Visits Moscow Thursday at Head of PSP Delegation

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat is scheduled to travel to the Russian capital Moscow next week on an official visit, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Saturday.

It said that the lawmaker will head to Moscow on Thursday on a three-day visit.

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Report: U.S., France Pressured Qatar over Arsal Mediation, Receives 'List of Demands'

The Qatari envoy who is in the outskirts of Arsal to negotiate in the case of kidnapped soldiers by extremist groups since last August, received on Friday the list of demands of the abductees.

According to LBCI: “The Qatari envoy, who is in the outskirts of Arsal, received the list of demands of the soldiers' kidnappers.”

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Army Arrests Lebanese and Syrians in Tripoli Raids, Seizes Arms Depot for Sheikh Diqmaq

The army said Friday it has arrested several people suspected of attacking soldiers and seized weapons and ammunition from a depot in the northern city of Tripoli.

The military said in a communique that eight Lebanese were apprehended for involvement in shooting attacks and for tossing grenades at military posts.

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Two Suspects Linked to Sheikh Hoblos Arrested in Akkar

The army continued on Friday raids of areas in the northern region of Akkar in search of suspects wanted for their involvement in recent clashes with the military, reported the National News Agency.

The raids resulted in the arrest of two suspects linked to Sheikh Khaled Hoblos, whose group was involved in weekend clashes with the army in the town of Bhannine in Akkar.

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Bassil Goes to Naqoura in First Such Visit to UNIFIL by Lebanese FM

Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil went to the headquarters of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon on Friday, the first such visit by a Lebanese foreign minister to the peacekeeping mission since 1978.

UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major-General Luciano Portolano briefed Bassil in Naqoura on the situation in UNIFIL’s area of operations south of the Litani River, said a press release.

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Patriarch al-Rahi: I Will Soon 'Spill the Beans'

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi lamented on Friday the “make or break” moral that the political parties raise their youth on, stressing that Lebanese politicians are still waiting for a green-light from foreign countries to elect a head of state.

“Soon I will spill the beans,” said the Patriarch, expressing resentment at the almost five month delay in electing a president.

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Gunmen Kidnap Drivers, Seize Trucks in Brital

Armed men briefly kidnapped two drivers and took over their trucks near the eastern town of Brital, the state-run National News Agency reported Friday.

NNA said the attack took place at Brital's entrance as the drivers were transporting outdoor light poles belonging to state-run firm Electricite du Liban.

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Berri Says Extension Session's Constitutionality Hinges on Decision-Making

Speaker Nabih Berri has warned that a session on the extension of parliament's mandate next week would undermine constitutional partnership unless key Christian blocs participated in the vote.

Constitutional partnership “is not represented only in attending the session, because a quorum is already secured,” Berri told his visitors late Wednesday.

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