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Plumbly Lauds Close Follow up of Refugees Issue, Reopening of Labweh-Arsal Road

U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Derek Plumbly lauded on Wednesday the determination of the government to follow up closely on the issue of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon and the reopening of a vital road in the eastern Bekaa Valley.

Following a meeting with Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbas, Plumbly said: “I congratulated him on his new and heavy responsibilities.”

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Parliament's Policy Statement Session Adjourned to Thursday, Salam to Win Confidence Vote

Speaker Nabih Berri on Wednesday evening adjourned a parliamentary session over the ministerial policy statement to Thursday morning after several MPs delivered speeches reflecting their opinions over Prime Minister Tammam Salam's cabinet.

The parliament will convene again at 10:30 a.m., according to the National News Agency.

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Salam Vows to Confront Terrorism at Confidence Vote Session

Prime Minister Tammam Salam vowed on Wednesday during the first day of a parliamentary vote of confidence session that his cabinet will take extraordinary measures to counter terrorism and fortify the capabilities of the security forces.

“The cabinet is holding onto the unity of the state and its authority in all issues linked to the country's general policies... Amid the ongoing security deterioration in several areas across the country,” Salam said during a two-day parliamentary session to discuss his government's cabinet policy statement.

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Hizbullah: Labweh Road was Blocked to Call for Army Deployment in Arsal

Hizbullah said Wednesday that the residents of the eastern town of al-Labweh had blocked the village’s road for having a single demand, which is the deployment of the army in the rival village of Arsal.

Reading a statement from parliament ahead of the vote of confidence session, Hizbullah's Minister Hussein al-Hajj Hassan said: “The military's deployment will help control the security and constrain actions that are harmful to Arsal.”

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Security Meeting at Baabda Palace Calls for Further Cooperation, Restoring Calm

A security meeting at the Baabda Palace on Wednesday ordered the competent ministries and security forces to intensify cooperation and take the necessary measures to restore calm in tensed areas across Lebanon.

President Michel Suleiman chaired a security meeting that tackled the security chaos in several areas in the country, in particular, in the northern city of Tripoli and the Bekaa.

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Geagea Says March 14 Shouldn't be Indifferent to Presidential Polls

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has urged the March 14 alliance not to be indifferent and to work on guaranteeing the election of a coalition candidate for the presidency.

“The March 14 alliance can't confront an important event such as the presidential elections with indifference,” Geagea told a delegation from Jbeil that visited him at his residence in Maarab.

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Report: Hizbullah in Possession of 'Dangerous' Nusra Front Documents

Hizbullah is in possession of documents belonging to terrorist groups containing maps on roads in Beirut's southern suburbs, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported.

The road maps of the Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front contained signs, the daily said.

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Israel Beefs Up Security Measures along Border with Lebanon

The Israeli army stepped up security measures on Wednesday along its border with Lebanon and the Golan Heights, the state-run National News Agency reported.

The NNA said that Israeli armored personnel carriers deployed heavily in the occupied Shebaa Farms and the Golan Heights.

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U.N. Urges Respect for Lebanon Sovereignty as Major Power Diplomats Call for Controlling Security Situation

U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman has urged Syrian authorities to respect Lebanon’s sovereignty, expressing concern over the impact of the fighting in Syria on Lebanon.

Feltman briefed the Security Council on Tuesday on the latest suicide bombings which the al-Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front has claimed responsibility for.

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Vatican Says Policy towards Lebanon 'Fixed', Tasks al-Rahi with Following Presidential Elections

The Vatican stressed on Wednesday that its agenda regarding the Lebanese presidential elections is explicit, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported.

According to the daily, the Vatican tasked Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi with following up the matter.

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