The other focus today and throughout the weekend will be the ministerial statement thta the cabinet will present to the parliament to secure the vote of confidence . According to reports circulating in Beirut the statement will be done by the committee this weekend and discussed by the cabinet on Monday and the vote of confidence will take place next Thursday

Friday

16:30 MP Mohammmad Raad : we are going through a correction stage with regards to dealing with people's affairs . The ministerial statement will soon be revealed and no problems are expected there

16:01 Former prisoner Samir Kantar ( 46) : "The memorandum of understanding between Hezbollah and FPM is the most important political detail in modern history." Kantar was in Israeli jail for nearly 30 years and was freed just 2 days ago in a prisoner swap deal between Hezbollah and Israel . Kantar received four life sentences in an Israeli court. He was convicted of murdering three Israelis during the raid - an Israeli policeman, a 31 year-old man, and his 4-year-old daughter. He was 17 and belonged to the Palestine Liberation Front ( PLF) , when he participated in the 1979 PLF raid in Nahariya, 10 kilometers away from the Lebanese border.

15:50 MP Saad Hariri met with speaker Berri , Mufti kabalan ayatollah Fadlallah to share with them the results of the visit to Iraq , during which he met the top government and religious leaders

15:46 One cluster bomb exploded injuring grazing cattle in the village of Safad al Batteekh. Israeli unexploded cluster bombs continue to be found in south Lebanon after being launched by Israel during the 2006 war. Dozens have been killed and hundreds injured since the war ended

15:03 Minister Ali Qansou visited PM Fouad Siniora for reconciliation and opening a new page in their relations . PM Siniora has vetoed the appointment of Qansou but later changed his mind based on the recommendation by Saad Hariri for the sake of unity

14:18 Siniora said: I have never refused to visit Syria which we consider as a sisterly state. He also said Nasrallah's speech last Wednesday was excellent.

14:15 The funeral procession for the remains of Hezbollah fighters began in southern Beirut.

13:00 Army command : one citizen was killed and 2 wounded as the result of gunfire exchange between the army and the passengers of a car that did not stop as ordered by the army in the Bab el Tabbaneh area of Tripoli last night

12:20 Alloush : Saad Hariri's visit to Iraq will have a positive effect on the internal situation in Lebanon

12:05 Transportation and Public Works Minister Mohammed Safadi handed over his ministry to the new minister Ghazi Aridi.

11:14 Hezbollah Media Officer Hussein Rahhal to ANB Television: The dossier of the Lebanese detainees [in Syrian prisons] is very complicated, and we hope to solve it with the establishment of diplomatic relations between Lebanon and Syria. There is also the dossier of the Lebanese who disappeared in Lebanon, which is related to some local officials.

11:10 Amin Cherri told New TV: The ambiance is positive and expect the ministerial statement that confirms Lebanon's strength through its resistance and we believe that the scene we saw yesterday ( prisoners' return) paves the way for a serious and objective dialogue
11:00 Minister of the Displaced Nehme Tomeh handed over his ministry to the new minister Raymond Audi.

11:00 Ibrahim Najjar took over the justice ministry from Charles Rizk.

10;30 Former Minister Mohammad Abdul Hamid Beydoun told LBC: MP Walid Jumblatt has shown great openness toward Hezbollah, however, some Hezbollah members are still talking of [Jumblatt’s] treason and are aiming to gain from it, if even indirectly.
Telecommunications Minister Gibran Bassil did not abide by rules and regulations, and he bypassed Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh’s authority by sending a letter to the UN secretary general on the Israeli violation of Lebanon’s phone network; this is the job of the foreign minister.

10:00 Information Minister Ghazi Aridi handed over his ministry to the new minister Tareq Mitri

09:45 Al Rai'I sources: Syrian and Iran are currently pushing for president Suleiman 's support in line with the usual support by the western and Arab nations that supports the parliament majority

09:00 Farid al Khazen told Voice of Lebanon: The Ministerial statement will reflect the understanding over the mainstream issues
08:45 MP Fatfat The Lebanese security forces has not proven itself in the north of Lebanon and if it fails there , it won't be able to succeed anywhere else, since no place else can provide it with such political and security cover

08:39 MP Anwar Khalil to the Voice of Lebanon radio station: Next Tuesday, the ministerial statement might be declared on the decisions adopted by national consensus and the inaugural speech of the president.

07:52 Jordanian security sources: The criminal behind the wounding of six people in Amman is an 18 year old Jordanian of Palestinian origin who is seriously wounded after he was shot at his head by security

07:21 One person was killed and six wounded in overnight clashes in Tripoli.

Thursday

since there are many more Lebanese prisoners in Syria than we had in Israel.

Similarly Hezbollah leader's speech in which he welcomed the returning detainees from Israel did not mention at all the Lebanese prisoners in Syrian jails.

20:31 LBC TV the committee charged with drafting the ministerial statement expected to be done by Saturday and the statement will be discussed during Monday's cabinet meeting

20:25 Geagea told a Zgharta delegation: The joy of the nation will not be complete until the Lebanese detainees in Syrian jailed come back home , since all the Lebanese to us are the same

20:07 PM Siniora requested secretary general of the government body to insure that all the ministers without portfolios are performing the ministerial responsibilities assigned to them

20:00 PM Siniora chaired the first meeting of the committee charged with drafting the ministerial statement

18:15 Syrian FM Walid Mouallem: we are optimistic about the Lebanese Syrian relations , specially since we supported Doha accord. I will soon be in Beirut to deliver an invitation to president Suleiman from president Assad to visit Damascus

17:45 president Suleiman met minister Lahoud to discuss the ministerial statement and current developments

16:45 The names of the injured journalists when a triumphal arch fell in Sidon's Martyrs Square are: Afif al Jurdali, Samir Zoaiter , Amin Shoemer and photographer Nasser Eassa

15:59 The trailers carrying prisoners' coffins arrive at Airport road and welcomed by celebratory gun fire

14:55 Samir Kantar: Yesterday I was still handcuffed by the enemy and now more than ever I am eager to meet with the Israeli enemy once again.The liberation of the Shebaa Farms will not end the struggle with Israel. It is an illusion to think that the liberation of Shebaa brings an end to the Resistance's role. This enemy will not leave us alone , and the Resistance will remain long after the liberation of Shebaa. If it wasn't for Syria this mountain would have fallen , we are grateful to Syria's help despite the fact that not all of us are in agreement over its role

14:41 LBC TV: Five journalists were injured when a triumphal arch fell in Sidon's Martyrs Square

14:10 Minister Talal Arslan: The Mountains will be the backbone of the resistance and won't cut the strong relations with Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. The ministerial statement should recognize the resistance and its historic role in defending the nation

Tags: Government, Hezbollah, March 14 Alliance, Prisoners, source: Now Lebanon, source: Ya Libnan