Press Digest for Thursday July 24, 2014

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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.

Bishop Matar says expulsion of Christians from Iraq's Mosul violates Islamic laws

Beirut Maronite Bishop Boulos Matar slammed on Thursday the forced expulsion of Christians from the Iraqi city of Mosul as "surprising and shameful".

"The incidents taking place in Mosul violate Islamic laws," bishop Matar told Al-Joumhouria newspaper, stressing that Muslims reject such events.

He also urged the concerned authorities to condemn the mass exodus of Christians, calling on scholars to intervene in order to end those practices "which take a toll on relations between worldwide communities".

Senior Iranian official to visit Lebanon soon- sources

Sources told As-Safir daily on Thursday that Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs, Hussein Amir Abdullahyan, is set to visit Lebanon in the next few hours.

Abdullahyan will hold consultations with Lebanese officials over the latest developments in Gaza and the whole region, the sources told the newspaper.

They added that Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif had paved the way for the visit in a call with his Lebanese counterpart Gebran Bassil.

Lebanon officials follow up on wage scale issue

Al-Hayat daily quoted ministerial sources as saying that there were signs of a breakthrough regarding the wage scale issue during the meeting that was held Tuesday between Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Tammam Salam.

A meeting was also held Wednesday at the Parliament in the presence of Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil, former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, Health Minister Wael Abou Faour, MPs Ghazi Youssef and Georges Adwan as well as Future Movement adviser Nader Hariri.

"The officials tackled the series of ranks and salaries during the meeting that saw a kind of a rapprochement between the stances of the Future bloc and the Amal Movement," the same sources added.

General Serra to hand over UNIFIL leadership on Thursday

General Paolo Serra is set to hand over on Thursday the leadership of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to 54-year-old Italian general Luciano Portolano.

In an interview with As-Safir newspaper, Serra said "an unprecedented state of stability was achieved during the last eight years in southern Lebanon in spite of challenges and sporadic incidents".

"Throughout this phase, the normal daily life in the south saw a significant improvement amid a relatively calm situation," the general said.