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Bulgaria Says Alleged Hizbullah Bomber Died by Mistake

The suspected Hizbullah bomber who killed five Israelis in Bulgaria last July did not intend to die in the attack, but wanted to return to Lebanon with his two accomplices, the government said Thursday.

The man "was not a kamikaze but only meant to put the ... explosive device in the baggage compartment of the bus and detonate it later from afar," Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov said.

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STL Prosecutor Files Request to Amend Hariri Indictment

Special Tribunal for Lebanon Prosecutor Norman Farrell filed on Wednesday a “confidential motion seeking amendments to the present indictment in the Ayyash et al. Case”, announced the STL on Thursday.

The proposed amendments set out certain clarifications.

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Report: Over Half of Syria Refugees in Lebanon Lack Medical Care

More than half of the estimated 300,000 Syrian refugees who have fled to Lebanon are not receiving the medical treatment they need because of high costs, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said Thursday.

In a report entitled "Misery beyond the war zone," MSF gave the results of a survey carried out in the southern city of Sidon, the eastern Bekaa Valley and the northern city of Tripoli, where its teams are providing free medical care.

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Suleiman Says Instructions Clear on not Deporting Syrians

President Michel Suleiman said Thursday there are instructions not to deport any Syrian to his home country in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

“The instructions are not to deport any Syrian to Syria in conformity with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” said Suleiman on twitter.

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Report: Libya Tightens Security Measures Against Lebanese

Following the footsteps of the United Arab Emirates, Libya kicked off an "undeclared" campaign to expel Lebanese citizens under the pretext of having ties with Hizbullah, al-Akhbar daily said Thursday.

Under claims of “relations with Hizbullah,” Lebanese are being expelled from Gulf countries mainly the United Arab Emirates, from the U.S., African and European countries and now Libya.

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Charbel Reassures Lebanese over Bulgaria's Hizbullah Allegations

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel reassured the Lebanese on Thursday that accusations by Bulgaria of Hizbullah's involvement in a deadly attack on Israeli tourists last year will not have repercussions on the country.

In remarks to the Kuwaiti al-Seyassah daily, Charbel said the claim that Hizbullah was involved in the bomb attack on a bus in Burgas airport in July 2012 “will not have repercussions on the government and the local scene.”

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Bassil Says Lebanon to Attract Important Oil Companies for Offshore Tenders

Energy Minister Jebran Bassil revealed on Thursday that the tenders that Lebanon will launch to explore offshore oil and gas will be of high significance.

“The tenders will be more important than those held in Israel and Cyprus as Lebanon will attract superior oil exploration companies,” Bassil said in comments published in As Safir newspaper.

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Harb Says Suleiman Upset Over Madi's Request to Lift MP's Immunity

Opposition lawmaker Butros Harb revealed Thursday that President Michel Suleiman has expressed frustration over the general prosecutor's request to strip the MP of his parliamentary immunity.

In remarks to al-Joumhouria newspaper, Harb said: “The president is very upset by General Prosecutor Judge Hatem Madi's request and informed me that he did not know that he would take such a measure.”

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Miqati Sticks to his Bulgaria Statement as Official Government Stance

Prime Minister Najib Miqati shied away on Thursday from responding to criticism over the Lebanese government's failure to issue a statement on Bulgarian accusations of Hizbullah's involvement in a deadly attack on Israeli tourists last year.

Miqati told An Nahar newspaper that he issued on Tuesday a statement “setting Lebanon's” stance from Bulgaria's accusations as soon as Sofia blamed Hizbullah for the July 2012 attack on a bus that killed five Israeli tourists at Burgas airport.

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Jumblat Says Positive Signs Loom over his Visit to Saudi Arabia

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat's ties with Saudi Arabia are expected to improve after the Druze leader announced on Thursday that he will head to Riyadh soon.

“I think positive news will be revealed concerning this matter soon,” Jumblat said in comments published in As Safir newspaper.

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