Press Digest for Saturday April 05, 2014

The following are summaries of today's major stories published in the Arabic press. LBCI does not edit press digest articles for content, giving English-language readers insight into the various views expressed in newspapers across the Arab world.

• US representatives to impose new sanctions on Hezbollah     

Al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Saturday that a number of US Democratic and Republican representatives at the Congress will present a draft law to impose economic sanctions on Hezbollah.                     

According to the newspaper, the draft law aims at imposing new sanctions on Hezbollah in order to halt its terrorist activities.                      

• Nehme Mahfoud: UCC convinced that it may not reach all its demands                          

Head of the Private Schools Teachers Association Nehme Mahfoud stated on Saturday that the Union Coordinating Committee may not receive all its demands pertaining to the series of ranks and salaries, stressing that the most important issue is referring the pay scale dossier to the parliament to discuss it during a general authority session.          

Mahfoud called via as-Safir newspaper for waiting for the decision that will be issued following the joint-parliamentary committee’s session on Monday, adding new measures will be taken in order to stress on their demands.   

• Minister Derbass: Sleiman will impose his authority until last minute of his term                            

Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbass stated on Saturday that the consensus reached during the cabinet session regarding the implementation of the security plan, gave security forces a political cover to put in force in Tripoli.                      

Derbass told the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Anbaa that the success of the security plan at the northern Lebanese city and imposing the state’s authority is a proof that maintaining security in Lebanon required a political solution.           

On another note, Minister Derbass expressed his rejection to any attack that targets the presidential level, adding that Lebanese president Michel Sleiman will impose his authority in the country until the last minute of his mandate.                    

• MP Jumblatt contacts deputies, discusses pay scale

An-Nahar newspaper reported on Saturday that National Struggle Front leader MP Walid Jumblatt held talks on Friday with various Lebanese officials.

Among the officials were House Speaker Nabih Berri, head of the Future Bloc Fouad Siniora, and Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun.

The newspaper mentioned that the talks aimed at discussing the series of ranks and salaries in order to have a unified stance pertaining to this dossier.