Press Digest for Monday February 16, 2015

4^min

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.

Justice Minister Rifi says random shooting totally rejected

Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi said on Monday that he will be following up on the shooting of celebratory gunfire as was the case when Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah delivered a speech two weeks ago.

In an interview with An-Nahar newspaper, Rifi noted that Future Movement leader MP Saad Hariri has called for a civil state ruled by law, saying “only the Lebanese legitimate forces are authorized to open fire”.

“Random shooting is totally rejected,” Minister Rifi said addressing all the Lebanese people, and added that he will continue to follow up on the case.

Al-Joumhouria: PM Salam no longer capable of dealing with government ‘paralysis’

Prime Minister Tammam Salam’s guests on Sunday night quoted him as saying that he will continue to hold “declared and undeclared” contacts on the political and national levels in order to reconsider the government's consensual work mechanism after a number of ministers disrupted the work of the cabinet.

In an interview with Al-Joumhouria daily, the same guests said PM Salam is no longer capable of dealing with the state of “paralysis” at the cabinet.

“Most of the major and minor cases require an agreement that has become impossible due to differences among ministers,” they explained.

Alleged plot to kill detainee Michel Samaha thwarted - sources

Security sources said on Monday that detainee Michel Samaha, a former pro-Syrian Information Minister, asked the military prosecution to take him to hospital on medical grounds.

“The prosecution initially agreed only to back down on its decision after State Prosecutor Judge Samir Hammoud intervened, under the supervision of Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi, as security sources claimed Samaha may be killed en route to hospital for having information [on the Syrian regime],” the sources said.

“Accordingly, the officials agreed that Samaha would be hospitalized only if his medical condition continues to deteriorate and if the agency tasked with the transfer provides ultimate security to the convoy,” the same sources told Al-Joumhouria newspaper.

Hezbollah-Future dialogue to resume on Wednesday -sources

Sources told Al-Mustaqbal newspaper on Monday that the dialogue being held between Hezbollah and the Future Movement at Ain El-Tineh is set to resume on Wednesday.

“The Hezbollah-Future dialogue will hold further discussions on the means aiming to ease off sectarian tension and prepare for the long-delayed presidential elections,” the same sources added.