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Estonian Ministry Sends Videos of 7 Kidnapped Men to their Relatives

A video of seven Estonians kidnapped in Lebanon in March has been sent to their relatives, after two earlier videos were posted on the Internet, the Baltic nation's foreign ministry has said.

"A third video showing all seven Estonians kidnapped in Lebanon was sent to some relatives of the kidnapped via their email addresses three weeks ago," ministry spokeswoman Minna-Liina Lind told Agence France Presse on Friday.

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Body of Lebanese Man Killed in DRC Plane Crash Found

The body of Lebanese passenger Hussein Ali Khazaal, who was aboard a plane that crashed in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday, was found, the head of the Lebanese Cultural University in the World Ahmed Nasser said.

At least 74 people died when the plane crashed as it attempted to land in heavy rain at Kisangani airport in the northeast of the country, the air company said.

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Hariri to Respond to Accusations in TV Appearance on Tuesday

Former Premier Saad Hariri will on Tuesday respond to accusations that he was seeking to reach a compromise on ending the support for the international tribunal in return for staying in power, media reports said.

Al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Saturday that in his first television appearance from Paris since he left Beirut, Hariri will respond to the accusations and will stress that he holds onto the principles of the Cedar Revolution and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon that will try ex-Premier Rafik Hariri’s suspected assassins.

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Report: Hizbullah Anti-Terrorism Act to be Approved in Fall

The Hizbullah Anti-Terrorism Act is still under discussion by the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs and is likely to be adopted in the fall, congressional sources told As Safir daily Saturday.

U.S. Congressman Howard Berman has introduced the HATA that sets rigorous requirements for the provision of foreign assistance to Lebanon during periods when Hizbullah is part of the majority governing coalition.

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Intensified Security Measures in Hizbullah Strongholds After Nasrallah’s Revelations

The Hizbullah leadership is taking unprecedented security measures in Beirut’s southern suburbs, the Bekaa and the south, a French strategic news website has said.

TTV site said Friday that around 100 Iranian explosives experts have arrived in the suburbs accompanied by trained dogs over fears that Hizbullah would be targeted by explosions.

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Cabinet to Start Dealing with 1,500 Issues Starting Thursday

A packed agenda awaits cabinet ministers next week as they are expected to hold two sessions per week after they received parliament’s vote of confidence on Thursday.

Al-Liwaa daily said Saturday that more than 1,500 files are awaiting approval by the cabinet following a five-month deadlock that stopped all government work.

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Miqati Travels to Italy, Says March 14 Wants to Paralyze him to Regain Power

Premier Najib Miqati has criticized the “pointless” March 14-led opposition campaigns against him, saying they are only aimed at “preventing him from finding effective solutions to the major problems that the country is suffering from.”

Miqati traveled with his family to Italy on Friday and is expected to return from his vacation on Tuesday, al-Liwaa newspaper said.

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Suleiman Denies Visit to Damascus, Says Security is Cabinet Priority

President Michel Suleiman has denied that he would visit Damascus along with Premier Najib Miqati, saying however that it was the PM’s duty to travel to Syria.

In remarks to Ad-Diyar daily published Saturday, Suleiman said: “The prime minister’s visit is a duty and is possible at any time but it’s up to him to decide the appropriate timing.”

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Qahwaji in Paris on July 19 to Discuss Military Assistance to Lebanon

Army chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji is scheduled to visit Paris on July 19 for talks with top French army officials to provide military assistance to Lebanon, An Nahar daily reported Saturday.

A high-ranking source told An Nahar late last month that Qahwaji’s visit to Washington and Paris depends on the appointment of a new chief of staff to replace Maj. Gen. Shawqi al-Masri following his retirement.

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STL Spokesman Reiterates Bellemare Won’t Debate Probe in Media

Special Tribunal for Lebanon Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare is pursuing all the highly credible investigative threads and he will only depend on credible and convincing evidence, Gregory Townsend, acting spokesperson for the Office of the Prosecutor, said Friday.

In an interview with Lebanese daily Sada al-Balad to be published Saturday, Townsend reiterated that the prosecutor “will not engage in a public debate in the media about the credibility of his investigation or of the investigative process.”

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