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.
Al-Mustaqbal Daily learned from sources close to
the “Syrian revolution” that, while raiding an intelligence department in
Damascus, the rebels detained a number of officers and personnel, including
Hussam Hussam, whose identity was proven by his ID card.
The daily added that the latter engaged in negotiations
with the rebels and led them to significant hard and soft-copy documents related
to his activities in Lebanon and Syria.
The sources confirmed that Hussam revealed
information related to the different roles he played in Lebanon, adding that he
is currently under tight security and subject to further interrogation.
In a statement to
Acharq al-Awsat Daily, Yemeni
sources revealed that Yemeni President Abd al-Rab Mansur al-Hadi and security apparatuses
received intelligence reports from “friendly” countries that include phone
calls between Yemeni and Iranian figures on the one hand and between Revolutionary
Guards’ leaders and Iranian officials concerned with the Yemeni issue on the other hand.
The sources explained that al-Hadi, security apparatuses
and the unity government received US-Gulf-European warnings about the alarming
level of the Iranian interference and plots aiming at placing the capital Sanaa
and the province of Aden under the grip of armed groups.
The sources pointed out that security apparatuses have
dismantled terror cells in Taaz that are directly linked to the Revolutionary Guards.
The sources confirmed that security apparatuses have
also gathered evidence of the direct implication of the current Iranian
ambassador as well as other personnel working for the Iranian embassy in Sanaa.
Sources from the Presidential Palace confirmed to
Acharq al-Aswat Daily that President Michel Sleiman will engage, in the upcoming
few hours, in discussions with different political parties taking part in the national
dialogue in order to “crystallize” the fate of the dialogue session.
March 8 sources confirmed that the efforts exerted
by al-Marada leader MP Sleiman Frangieh to resolve the dispute between Change
and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun and Speaker Nabih Berri over the EDL-related
draft law have reached a breakthrough and might bear their desired fruits in
the upcoming week.
FPM sources told
Al-Hayat Daily that meeting
between Frangieh and Berri as well as the Hezbollah-led contacts led to a
semi-final agreement that implies moving the sit-in venue to outside the
company’s building, a condition for engaging in dialogue over introducing
amendments to the EDL-related law.
Al-Mustaqbal Daily confirmed that the number of Syrian
refuges crossing into Lebanon through al-Masnaa crossing point has dropped.
The daily quoted security sources as saying that the
decreasing exodus is due to border measures taken by pro-government forces that
would sometimes include violence and threats.