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-Akhbar Daily reported that the Future Movement kicked off its discussions
concerning the possibility of nominating a Muslim candidate from the Salafist
Movement within one of its electoral lists.
In this context, a source close to the Future Movement stressed that this
step is serious and it aims at lobbying the Salafists.
Diplomatic sources confirmed, in a statement to
al-Liwaa Newspaper that
Interior Minister Marwan Charbel returned from Turkey satisfied with the talks
he held with Turkish officials regarding the case of the 11 Lebanese hostages
in Syria.
The source refused to reveal the results of the talks, describing the case
as critical. The same source added that it is necessary to deal with the case
logically and rationally without holding Turkey responsible for incidents
beyond their capability.
President of the Audiovisual National
Council Abdel Hadi Mahfouz stressed that
it is important for the council to take the necessary measures in case of any
violation committed by the media.
Mahfouz told
An-Nahar Daily that the
council is planning to take action against media institutions which have
violated the law.
Mahfouz noted that a meeting will be
held on Friday with representatives of media institutions in the office of
Information Minister. The meeting aims at informing the institutions of their important
positive roles, pointing that this time some media licenses might be withdrawn.
A US State Department official stressed that when Washington
froze 150 million USD belonging to institutions accused of money laundering for
the benefit of Hezbollah, it was not targeting the Lebanese banking sector;
however, it was targeting the Lebanese-Canadian Bank.
In an interview with
Al-Hayat Daily, the official noted that
the US government is regularly working with the Lebanese authorities, including
Banque Du Liban.
The American official pointed that this step reflects a US
concern towards the Lebanese –Canadian Bank, not a penal action against the
Lebanese authorities, “Banque Libano-Francaise”, “Societe General” Bank or the
banking sector.
Al-Joumhouria Daily reported
that PM Najib Mikati called President Michel Sleiman before leaving Lebanon to
spend Eid al-Fitr with his family. During the phone call, Mikati said that what the Lebanese streets have
witnessed from kidnappings, chaos on the airport road and threats targeting
officials and Gulf states, come as a reaction to the arrest of former Minister Michel
Samaha and Lebanon joining the Arab-Muslim consensus on suspending Syria’s membership
in the Organization of the Islamic Conference.
The daily revealed that
Mikati told Sleiman that the cabinet resignation is to be discussed with
Speaker Nabih Berri, in order to avoid stepping forward into the void.
Separately, sources have
told the newspaper that Mikati told Hezbollah that he is longer able to cover
the actions of the Mokdad clan or blocking the airport road, warning that if this
situation continues, he will resign.
On the other hand, sources
revealed that during a phone call, Sleiman and Berri tackled the latest
developments in Lebanon, especially the kidnapping wave and the security and
legal decisions taken in this regard.