Lebanon
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Syria to Hand Over on Sunday Bodies of Four Fighters Killed in Tall Kalakh

Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdul Karim Ali informed Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour that his country will hand over on Sunday the bodies of four Lebanese fighters who were recently killed in the Syrian town of Tall Kalakh, the state-run National News Agency reported.

“The competent Lebanese authorities will be handed over on Sunday noon the corpses of four men who were killed in Tall Kalakh,” Ali said on Saturday.

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Miqati Says Syrian Arrest Warrants Political, Legally Void

Prime Minister Najib Miqati said on Saturday that the Syrian arrest warrants against former PM Saad Hariri and al-Mustaqbal lawmaker Oqab Saqr are politically motivated and have no legal value.

“These warrant are political and legally void,” Miqati said during a meeting with Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi at the Grand Serail.

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Charbel Lights Up an Underwater Christmas Tree

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel lit up on Saturday an underwater Christmas tree that was constructed by a team of civil defense divers in the bay of Jounieh, the state-run National News Agency said.

Charbel lit up the tree from a Civil Defense boat, in the presence of Head of Civil Defense Brigadier General Raymond Khattar, head of the Syndicate of Maritime Firms Jean Beiruti and members of the regional maritime rescue unit.

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Army Detains Man who Stormed Byblos Bank in Sidon, Demanding LL1 Mln

The army detained on Saturday a citizen after he entered Byblos Bank in the southern city of Sidon, demanding employees to hand him over LL1 million.

According to the National News Agency, Ahmed al-Err threatened staff with a knife before an army patrol arrived at the scene and arrested him.

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Al-Rahi Urges Approval of Electoral Law, Formation of New Govt.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi hoped on Saturday that politicians in Lebanon would assume their “national responsibilities” before the people.

He said: “They should work on approving a new parliamentary electoral law and avoid the 1960s law.”

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Syrian Crisis Casts Shadow on Electing a Successor for Hazim

Electing a successor to replace the late Greek Orthodox Patriarch of the Levant and Antioch Ignatius IV Hazim, which is due on Monday, could be delayed “until the situation crystallizes in Syria”, As Safir daily said Saturday.

Metropolitan Saba Esper, who was elected as a temporary successor to Hazim, called earlier on Orthodox officials to meet on Monday to elect a successor for Hazim.

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Bassil: Elections Will Not Be Held if 1960s Law is Adopted

Energy Minister Jebran Bassil stressed that the March 8 camp will not be pressured to accept the adoption of the 1960s parliamentary electoral law, reported al-Akhbar newspaper on Saturday.

He told the daily: “The elections will not be held if this law is adopted.”

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Jumblat to Meet Fabius in France on Monday

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat is scheduled to travel to France to meet with a number of officials, reported As Safir newspaper on Saturday.

He is expected to hold talks with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius on Monday.

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Report: U.S. Army Seeking to Establish Telecom Station in Lebanon

The United States army has submitted a request to establish a “huge” telecommunications station in Lebanon, reported As Safir newspaper on Saturday.

Official sources told the daily that the U.S. army made the request to the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority through the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon.

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Wadi Khaled Residents Fleeing Syrian Gunfire, Shells

The residents of the Wadi Khaled town of al-Boqaiaa have fled their homes on Friday as a result of heavy shooting coming from the Syrian side, the National News Agency reported.

"Gunfire from light- and medium-caliber weapons and shells coming from Syria have landed in al-Boqaiaa area of Wadi Khaled near the Lebanese side of the Grand River,” the NNA said.

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