Press Digest for Tuesday September 18, 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.

• Sleiman: the Holy Pope's visit held various meanings                                  

Lebanese President Michel Sleiman expressed his relief regarding the visit of the Pope Benedict XVI to Lebanon especially in terms of the meanings it held and the national unity that was expressed throughout the whole visit.                                        

In a talk to Al-Anbaa newspaper, Sleiman mentioned that the moral lesson from his Holiness' visit is an important one; "when we work in harmony, we can achieve everything from stability, security, to popular crowding," he added.       
           

• Four officials resign from Future Movement          

     
According to Al-Akhbar newspaper, four cadres from the Future Movement in Beirut presented their resignations to the Secretary General Ahmad Hariri.                  
The resignations came on the backdrop of internal organizational differences and opposition to current management for regulatory affairs' coordinator in Beirut, retired Brigadier Mahmoud Jamal. 

• Two members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard found dead in Lebanon

Sources revealed that on the 10th of February, two injured persons were rushed to the Italian Lebanese Hospital in Tyre.                      

After failure in aiding them, the bodies of the 2 persons were moved to an unidentified place.                                   

Al-Mustaqbal newspaper mentioned that these two persons were from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, and died while training other members on digging tunnels and building ammunition and weapons caches.    
            

• Fneish: funding sources are required to cover deficit

The State Minister for Administrative Development Mohammed Fneish considered that Lebanon is concerned with the movie offending the prophet especially after the Pope's visit and particularly in devoting Lebanon as a symbol of coexistence and dialogue between religions.                     

As for donation sources, Fneish stated to As-safir that new revenues are required to cover the financial deficit and fund the series of ranks and salaries as well as setting tax policies away from increasing the Value Added Tax (VAT).