Press Digest for Friday June 14, 2013

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.


Hezbollah Chief Nasrallah to tackle al-Qusayr battle in his televised speech

Sources told Al-Joumhouria newspaper on Friday that Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah will tackle in his televised speech set for this evening "the achieved victory" in Syria's al-Qusayr.

Sources added the Hezbollah chief will reiterate the call for dialogue between the Syrian regime and the opposition to reach a political solution for the crisis.

According to the Daily, he will be also tackling the issue of the injured Syrians from al-Qusayr who were transferred to Lebanon by the Lebanese Red Cross.

   
PM-Designate Salam meets with MP Jumblatt, tackles formation of new government

Sources told Al-Joumhouria on Friday that the Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblatt visited Prime Minister-Designate Tammam Salam on Wednesday.

Sources added that MP Jumblatt stressed during the meeting the necessity of forming a cabinet that includes all Lebanese factions including Hezbollah.

According to the Daily, MP Jumblatt's visit to PM-Designate Salam will pave the way for further deliberations with Lebanese leaders in a bid to form the new government.


Syrian President al-Assad says Lebanon and Syria must protect their oil

Sources close to Syrian President Bachar al-Assad quoted him as saying on Friday that the "Lebanese and Syrian people must protect their oil resources."

He noted that the next war in the region will be over oil, reiterating Lebanon and Syria's need to protect the oil in a bid to use it against the "Israeli enemy".

According to Al-Akhbar newspaper, President al-Assad said that Syria "overcame the strategic threat, but needs large scale efforts to rebuild the infrastructure, economy and the Syrian collective memory."

   
Mahfoud says official exams to be held on due time

Head of the private school teachers association Nehme Mahfoud told As-Safir newspaper on Friday that the Union Coordination Committee decided to hold the official exams on their due time.

Mahfoud asserted that the deteriorating security situation in Lebanon is not a pretext to postpone the official exams.

He also voiced his hopes to refer the pay scale to parliament in a bid to avoid boycotting the correction of the exams.