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Report: General Electric Apologizes over Electricity Proposal Misunderstanding

An official at General Electric denied that it has made an offer to construct a power plant in Lebanon after the American company offered apologies to Premier Najib Miqati and Energy Minister Jebran Bassil about the misunderstanding, As Safir daily reported Saturday.

It quoted the official as saying that the firm has never made an official offer. The newspaper also said that several GE officials apologized to Miqati and Bassil after a staff member in the region made the offer illegally.

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Suleiman Pleased that Cabinet Back on Right Track

President Michel Suleiman hailed the government for going back on track after approving plans to resolve the electricity crisis and calling for an audit on the 2006-2010 extra-budgetary spending.

“We could say that the cabinet’s productivity is on the right track…amid lack of tension” between its different members, Suleiman told As Safir daily published Saturday.

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Electoral Draft-Law Back to Forefront of Discussions Amid Race against Time

President Michel Suleiman is scheduled to hold talks with Premier Najib Miqati and Interior Minister Marwan Charbel on Saturday to discuss the electoral draft-law a year before the parliamentary polls.

The meeting was set for Saturday after Charbel asked the cabinet during its latest session to set its stance on the draft-law proposed by him and avoid procrastination, An Nahar daily said.

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Nun Found Dead in Family's House in Mansouriyeh

Nun Ramza Barakeh was found dead inside her family’s house in the town of Mansouriyeh, state-run National News Agency reported.

After examining the body of the 69-year-old victim, a forensic said the death happened on Monday and that the corpse was hidden in the bathroom.

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Nasrallah Urges Govt. to 'Work Night and Day', Says Syrian Regime Won't Fall

The government must “work night and day” and in a “serious” manner even if its survival depended on the political factors and the developments in Syria, Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said on Friday, calling on some parties to “reevaluate” their calculations “given that the general course of things in Syria has become clear.”

“It is true that there are some details and problems and that the security situation needs some time (to return to normalcy) in Syria … but the inclination is clear and thus there’s no need for futile bets,” Nasrallah said in a televised address on the occasion of the inauguration of the Hizbullah-affiliated Sayyeda Zainab Complex in Haret Hreik.

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Ahmadinejad Stresses Continued Support for Lebanon

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stressed Tehran’s continued support for Lebanon in a letter that the country’s visiting deputy foreign minister delivered to President Michel Suleiman on Friday.

The letter states “Iran’s permanent support for Lebanon in all fields and at all levels,” a presidential statement said.

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Oil Sector Suspends Planned Strike

The oil sector announced on Friday the suspension of its planned strike on April 2-4 to pave the way for more negotiations with Energy Minister Jebran Bassil.

The decision came following a large-scale meeting held by the Association of Petroleum Importing Companies, the Syndicate of Gas Station Owners and the Syndicate of Tank Owners.

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Report: Mansour, Khaireddine Searching for New Foreign Ministry Location

The government has tasked Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour and State Minister Marwan Khaireddine with finding a new location for the foreign ministry after experts warned that parts of Bustros Palace could collapse, An Nahar daily reported Friday.

An Nahar said that both Mansour and Khaireddine are now searching for the location for the ministry’s employees, including diplomats and administrative staff.

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Berri Lauds Electricity Decisions but Criticizes Slow Rate of Oil Authority Appointments

Speaker Nabih Berri hailed the government for reaching a deal on how to resolve the country’s lingering electricity crisis but criticized it for failing so far to appoint the members of the oil authority.

In remarks to As Safir daily on Friday, Berri said a government session at Baabda Palace on Wednesday “was probably the first productive session for a long time.”

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Hamadeh Says MPs to Question Cabinet over Electricity Decision

MP Marwan Hamadeh revealed on Friday that the electricity crisis will be discussed during the parliamentary session set to hold a general discussion in April to assess the governments’ performance.

Hamadeh told An Nahar newspaper that the lawmakers will call for a vote of confidence on Energy Minister Jebran Bassil for “violating laws approved a couple of months ago but weren’t implemented.”

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