Introduction to the evening news 09-07-2012

Three main items take over the table of the ongoing cabinet session: State budget, communications data, the killing of Sheikh Ahmad Abdel Wahed and Mohammad Merheb.         

Every case has its own threats of sit-ins and blocking roads or any other form of street anger.         

The ministers have no choice other than look for compromises. Regarding the Sheikhs killings, it has been confirmed that the case will not be referred to the judicial council, but the proposed compromise include extended investigations. This will allow summoning the officers released, and maybe detaining them again. Regarding the communications data and the assassination attempts, President Michel Sleiman said at the beginning of the session that “if any assassination attempt has succeeded, not handing over the data will be considered as a cause allowing the crime to take place”.           

The discussions regarding the pay scale and the taxes issue included in the budget draft law might not be settled in today’s session.                    
While Akkar deputies are waiting the cabinet session to end in order to define their next movement, calling for not cutting off roads, the Lebanese people will keep on witnessing the growing EDL contractors’ protests, as well as the closure of Jal el-Deeb highway tomorrow starting at 7 a.m.                   

On the Syrian level, the UN special envoy Kofi Annan left Damascus and headed for Tehran, after agreeing with Syrian President Bashar Assad on a proposed solution to be discussed with the armed opposition in an attempt to end the ongoing violence. Annan had stressed that a political dialogue should continue under the agreement of Assad.                

In Egypt, the confrontation began early between the newly elected President Mohamad Morsi and the military council, after Morsi canceled the decision to dissolve the Parliament. In response, the High Constitutional Court asserted that its decisions are “final and binding”.