Press Digest for Saturday November 01, 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.

• Bkerke against extension of parliament’s mandate – Bishop Mazloum

Bishop Samir Mazloum assured on Saturday that Bkerke is against the extension of parliament’s mandate, adding that Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Beshara Boutros Rai voiced his resentment over void at the first presidency.

Bishop Mazloum told the Kuwaiti newspaper As-Seyassah that Patriarch Rai wanted to make it clear for deputies that they are not fulfilling their duties and that they are not respecting Lebanese citizens who elected them.

• MP Fatfat voices rejection to new security measures implemented in North Lebanon

Future Bloc MP Ahmad Fatfat stated on Saturday that he is against the new security plan implemented in north Lebanon, stressing that the previous security plan was launched 4 months ago and security breaches shouldn’t have occurred.

MP Fatfat told the Kuwaiti newspaper As-Seyassah that practices of security forces in northern Lebanese cities are unacceptable, adding that these practices are part of the conflict in Tripoli’s Bab el-Tabbaneh.

• US granted Lebanese army arms and ammunition - Sources

Sources reported to An-Nahar newspaper that the United States of America granted Lebanon in the past few days arms and ammunition as part of its strategy aimed at supporting the Lebanese army.

Sources following up on the issue told the newspaper that the US has provided since 2008 arms and ammunition for more than 1 billion US dollars, adding that US authorities are still supporting the military institution and had recently voiced their rejection to the latest attacks that targeted army troops in North Lebanon.

• Tight security measures implemented in South Beirut’s Dahiyeh region

An-Nahar newspaper reported on Saturday that tight security measures are implemented in Southern Beirut’s suburbs, adding that these measures will not be halted before the end of Ashura.

The sources also noted that Hezbollah and the Amal movement increased the security measures following the threat of the Islamic State and Al-Nusra Front to carry out terrorist attacks in Beirut’s Dahiyeh on the occasion of Ashura.