Press Digest for Friday August 31, 2012

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.     

• No sit-ins and not road cut-offs in Sidon on Friday                

Well-informed sources unveiled that Friday will be a normal day in Sidon and will not include road cut-offs or sit-ins held by the Imam of Bilal Bin Rabbah Mosque, Sheikh Ahmad El-Assir.                  

Sources to As-Safir newspaper expected that hundreds of buses, vans and cars will be crossing the city transporting citizens from Beirut, Beirut’s Southern Suburbs and the Bekaa to participate in the central event held by the Amal Movement to commemorate the disappearance of Imam Moussa El-Sadr in Nabatieh.    
           

• No dispute between Hezbollah and Amal Movement over oil sector management                   

Minister of Administrative Development Mohammad Fneish told As-Safir newspaper on Friday that there is no disagreement between Hezbollah and the Amal Movement over the appointment of the Shiite figure to manage the oil sector. Fneish called on concerned parties to perform this appointment as soon as possible.    
             

• Jumblatt: March 8 leaders to increase anti-depressant pills intake       

The head of the National Struggle Front Walid Jumblatt expressed to An-Nahar newspaper his reservations over Lebanon’s chairmanship of the Arab League’s ministerial meetings in the six coming months. "The government’s choices will reflect negatively on the country; time will prove my words.”                  

On the meeting between Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations for Political Affairs, Jeffry Feltman and the U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon with the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Jumblatt said mockingly “What was the impact of Sayyed Khamenei’s reception of Feltman on some March 8 members?”                

“Some of them are uncomfortable and will increase their consumption of Valium pills when they go to sleep”, he mocked.            
     

• Hariri back to Lebanon                    

Sources of former Prime Minister Saad Hariri confirmed to Al-Akhbar Daily on Friday that he started preparing for his return to Lebanon before the end of this year, "especially since he has no other choice and elections are getting near.”               

Separately, the sources emphasized that Hariri did not receive 4 Billion US Dollars from KSA, adding "any financial support offered by Saudi Arabia during this period is related to Hariri's business projects and not to political spending.”             
   

• Wahhab candidate on March 8 electoral list                  

March 8 sources told Al-Akhbar newspaper on Friday that the head of the Arab Unification Movement, former Minister Wiam Wahhab who has recently declared his intention to run for parliamentary elections in 2013, will be a candidate on the list of Free Patriotic Movement if the need arises.