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Nasrallah Calls for Improving Political System, Ending Debate on ‘Amending Taef’

Hizbullah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Wednesday called for “acknowledging the flaws” in the Lebanese constitution and ending the years-old debate in the country over amending the Taef Accord, which ended the 1975-1990 civil war.

Nasrallah called instead for working on improving the Lebanese political system through dialogue and away from sectarian considerations.

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Maqdah on Naksa Day Preparations: All Palestinian Factions Will Take Part in Rally

Fatah leader in Lebanon Munir Maqdah denied on Wednesday reports that the Fatah and Hamas Palestinian groups will not take part in the Naksa Day rally scheduled for June 5.

He told the Central News Agency: “All Palestinian factions will participate in the event, including institutions from Lebanon’s civil society.”

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Hamadeh after Parliament Bureau Committee Meeting: Most Members Oppose June 8 Parliament Session

Speaker Nabih Berri headed on Wednesday a meeting for the Parliament Bureau Committee, after which the schedule for next week’s June 8 parliamentary session was distributed.

Official sources from the meeting stated that the schedule includes draft laws and proposed projects to be addressed by the MPs.

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Berri Meets Connelly, Says Won't Back Down on Decision to Hold Legislative Session

Speaker Nabih Berri reportedly said on Wednesday that if next week’s legislative session faced lack of quorum, he will not back off and will insist on holding it.

“He will call for a second, third and fourth session until it is held,” lawmakers quoted Berri as saying during his weekly meeting with them at parliament.

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Cleric Charged with Spying for Israel

Government Commissioner to the Military Tribunal Judge Saqr Saqr charged Sheikh Mohammed Ali Ismail al-Husseini with spying for Israel on Wednesday.

The army intelligence detained al-Husseini, who is the secretary-general of the Arabic-Islamic Council, last week after suspecting that he had collaborated with the Israeli Mossad.

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March 14: We Advise Berri to Employ His Talents to Help His Camp Form Cabinet

The March 14 General Secretariat condemned on Wednesday Speaker Nabih Berri’s recent criticism of the Cedar Revolution, noting that he is constantly confusing his role in his party with that of his role as parliament speaker.

It said in a statement after its weekly meeting: “We advise Berri to employ his talents in helping his camp form a government, instead of launching battles to compensate for its failure.”

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OGERO Employees Clash Over Politics During Salary Sit-in

Security forces on Wednesday ended a scuffle that erupted between OGERO employees over controversial political slogans they raised during a sit-in against unpaid salaries.

The sit-in, which was aimed at showing solidarity against a delay to transfer funds to OGERO, turned ugly after the split between the employees caused a clash.

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OGERO Snaps Back at Aoun: Only Cabinet Tasks the Company

OGERO snapped back at Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun on Wednesday, saying that the telecommunications minister doesn’t have the right to give certain tasks to the state-own company.

Aoun said Tuesday that OGERO was initially placed under the management of Radio Orient and it was later placed under the telecom ministry and therefore its functioning falls under the ministry’s authority.

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Report: Man Arrested in Plot to Launch Rocket on Israel

The Lebanese army thwarted an attempt to launch a rocket from southern Lebanon towards Israel several days ago and arrested a man involved in the operation, As Safir newspaper reported Wednesday.

The newspaper quoted military sources as saying that the man had transported the rockets and set their launch pad.

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Jumblat: Vacuum Caused by Delay in Government Formation Being Filled with Chaos

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat said Wednesday that amending the Taef accord is something that the country does not “tolerate.”

“It took us from 1975 till 1989 to agree on the Taef accord. I don’t think we’ll enter this vortex again if we take into consideration the importance of agreeing on the president’s authorities,” the PSP leader said.

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