Spotlight
Phalange Party on Monday called on Hizbullah to reevaluate its politics after the European Union last week blacklisted the party's military wing.
"We lament the EU's decision to blacklist a Lebanese party because of its behavior and activities in Europe,” the party expressed in a released statement after its political bureau's weekly meeting.

The General Directorate of General Security on Monday announced that it has detained a General Security inspector and a Syrian man who had facilitated the illegal entry of several foreigners into Lebanon.
“In the framework of the constant supervision on the work of border crossings through periodical and sudden inspections … the directorate's internal inspection department managed to detect illegal acts conducted by civilians in coordination with security personnel to facilitate the entry procedures for foreign individuals seeking to enter Lebanon,” the directorate said in a statement.

Free Patriotic Movement MP Michel Aoun noted on Monday the various constitutional violations in Lebanon, stressing that evidence of these violations are available.
He warned in an appeal to the Lebanese people: “Serious efforts are being exerted to fragment the state and its institutions.”

The Higher Defense Council tackled on Monday ways to support the armed forces and discussed the eradication of cannabis plantations in the eastern Bekaa Valley.
Discussions focused on “providing the army and the rest of the armed forces with their needs,” said a terse statement read by the council's Secretary-General Maj. Gen. Mohammed Kheir.

The detonator and remote control used in a Bulgarian bomb attack that killed five Israelis last year were smuggled in from Poland, a newspaper reported Monday.
The still unidentified bomber and two accomplices smuggled in the components on a train from Warsaw on June 28, the Trud daily said, citing investigators.

Speaker Nabih Berri postponed Monday's a parliamentary session for the third consecutive time over lack of quorum.
Several parliamentary blocks boycotted the parliamentary session over a dispute with Berri over the session's agenda, which included 45 articles.

Electricite du Liban contract workers on Monday briefly blocked the road near the company's headquarters during a protest they held over an urgent draft-law on their full-time employment.
Speaking on behalf of protesters at the company's HQ in Mar Mikhael, Ahmed Shoaib said full-time employees should also participate in their sit-in.

Unlicensed businesses owned by Syrians in the the eastern Bekaa valley will be shut by August 15 if they fail to acquire the legal permits, An Nahar newspaper reported on Monday.
“In an attempt to end illegal economic competition the 377 unlicensed shops and business in the Bekaa will be closed if their legal permits weren't rectified,” a report published by An Nahar said.

Speaker Nabih Berri warned on Monday that he would not allow any party or official to either decide what role the parliament would play or to obstruct its functions.
“The parliament is the top institution and it is not allowed and I don't accept for anyone to set its role or paralyze it,” Berri said in remarks to several newspapers.

A warning by Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun to challenge the extension of Army chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji's term is not likely to materialize after he was ditched by his allies, sources said Monday.
The informed sources told An Nahar daily that the Shura Council by-laws allow a person affected by the extension to make his challenge, which in this case does not involve Aoun.
