and Speaker Nabih Berri's visit to Kuwait.

Preparations for Independence day celebrations continues. The Lebanese daily al-Liwaa reported yesterday that the Independence Day celebrations will be different this year and could include or be preceded by a "pleasing surprise." The newspaper did not provide any details.
President Suleiman in his speech according to media reports will call on the Lebanese to contribute to the process of independence; he will also address the policy of openness towards Syria, recent security successes by the army and security forces and will call for cooperation among citizens in supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces.

Criticism of General Aoun's visit by March 14 alliance continues ... MP Samir Franjieh , a key member of the alliance says Aoun’s visit to Syria already has political meaning

PM Siniora conveyed the cabinet support for Communications Minister Bassil in implementing the latest cabinet decision on the mobile phone sector.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi told reporters on Monday. "On Azar 4, Michel Suleiman is due to make a trip to Iran," Ghashghavi said, referring to November 24 on the Iranian calendar but without giving further details about the visit. In Lebanon the presidency confirmed that the visit will take place on November 24 and 25. President Suleiman, who received the Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Reza Shebani at the Baabda Palace on Monday, said that his foreign visits were aimed at reasserting Lebanon's regional and international role

Private and public schools as well as the Lebanese University observed a one-day strike Tuesday to demand pay raises and protest against the salary increase mechanism. PM Fouad Siniora met today with a delegation of the General Federation of Labor Unions to discuss contract and social security laws.

The reconciliation meeting between Franjiyeh and Sfeir will take place in Bkirki in the presence of president Suleiman and the Maronite League according to reports

Democratic Gathering leader MP Walid Jumblat who is currently in Washington, DC is expected to hold a meeting with Barack Obama's Senior Middle East Policy Advisor, Dennis Ross, the first such talks between the new U.S. president and the ruling March 14 alliance. Jumblat is expected to also meet today Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and later Vice President Dick Cheney and National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley.

Speaker Nabih Berri after meeting with the Emir of Kuwait said a Syrian-Saudi rapprochement is essential, particularly under these circumstances. He urged the Emir of Kuwait to play the key role in reconciling the 2 countries.

Tuesday

23:13 Miliband after his meeting with Hariri: The decision taken by the Governments of the two countries on exchange of ambassadors between Beirut and Damascus is an important step, which represents recognition of the need to establish strong relations between two independent countries

22:48 Michel Muawwad told LBC : it is unacceptable that the Syrian president denied the presence of Lebanese detainees in Syrian prisons and then turn around declare that he will hand over 10 or 12 detainees to their ally. ( in reference to Gen. Aoun, who will be visiting Syria soon)

22:28 Michel Mouawad told LBC: the conflict in the country is between two projects, the project of Lebanon and all its citizens of Lebanon and the project of a Lebanon as a stage to serve the interest of others who want to replace the Constitution of the Taif with the constitution of the gun

21:40 former President Gemayel told "LBC": We will celebrate next Sunday the martyrdom of my son Pierre. This is national and public celebration for all martyrs that died in defense of the country

21:38 Mario Aoun told "Future TV:" We have no problem in accepting money for this election, but does not mean that we are soliciting any funds to face the other team

20:34 LBC: Ahmad Hankir, a supporter of MP Osama Saad’s Nasserite Popular Movement, tried to shoot Hassan Rifai, a Future Movement supporter in the city of Saida, but missed him . Tensions increased in the city following the incident and security forces were deployed to contain the situation.

20:15 New TV expressed its willingness to cooperate with the Internal security forces and denied holding any information on the phone call between General Riffi and Ahmad Merhi and claimed it provided all the information in its possession

18:30 : British Foreign Secretary David Miliband arrives to Beirut; he is holding a meeting now with Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh at the airport.

17:55 Dr. Samir Geagea after meeting a Human rights delegation: The Lebanese in Syrian jails are a national tragedy and I regret that some politicians are taking this matter very lightly. He added This is a state issue, it is not an issue of any one sect or political party and what is required is for the president to take this matter extremely seriously

17:50 : Communications Minister Gebran Bassil said during a press conference: We wanted to get away from politics at the ministry; the deal was to have a consensus agreement regarding contracts. We will seek new proposals for finding an alternative to Alpha, as for MTC it will continue its operating under conditions it committed to. Alpha employees will continue working with the new administration run by the ministry. They prefer losing of the cellular sector rather than having the Free Patriotic Movement or its coalition succeed in anything. We will fix this sector and I challenge al-Anwar newspaper paper to disclose one middleman in the deal

16:51 Speaker Nabih Berri arrives in Qatar from Kuwait to begin his official visit.

16:40 : Three Israeli aircrafts violated Lebanon airspace ... flew over Tripoli, Zgharta, Bshari, and the cedars region up to Baalbak; aircrafts later flew out of the region over Lebanese waters.

16:35: British Foreign Secretary in Damascus David Miliband praised Syrian measures regarding Lebanon.

16:34: Security forces find an 81 mm shell inside a trash barrel in Tyre.

16:25 Former US president Jimmy Carter will arrive in Beirut on December 9 to meet with the ruling majority and the

16:18 : General Society for Press Syndicate announced 9th of December date for electing its new board.

16:16: Palestinian factions and committees in northern Lebanon deny charges that Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine helped Fatah al-Islam leader Shaker al-Absi escape from Lebanon. Lebanese press reported that Absi was hiding inside the quarters of PFLP-GC at Baddawi camp in northern Lebanon

15:31: High Judicial Council approved Justice Minister’s request in accepting Judge Antoine Kheir’s resignation; accepting his honorary appointment as head of Court of Cassation, which reviews and possibly overturns previous rulings made by lower courts.

15:12: PM’s office called on public administrations to oblige contractors to obtain building materials from licensed sources when taking projects.

14:56: President Michel Suleiman received a labor union delegation; they called on the president to reinstate the Economic Social Council.

14:44: Round table discussion to be held tomorrow by Mp Saad Hariri to discuss implications of world economic and financial crisis; former ministers of Economy and Finance Haddad and Azour and Governor of Central bank to attend.

14:10 PM Siniora meets with General Federation of Labor Unions to discuss contract and social security laws.

14:00 Transportation workers announced they would be staging a protest sit-in outside the interior ministry on Wednesday and Thursday until their demands are met.

13:20 Judge Saqr Saqr hears testimonies of three new witnesses in the Hariri murder case.

12:05 Berri after meeting the Emir of Kuwait: A Syrian-Saudi rapprochement is essential, particularly under these circumstances. The Emir of Kuwait could play a key role in this issue.

12:00 PM Siniora: Despite differences of opinion, every issue is being settled by Cabinet or by Constitutional institutions. Siniora emphasized the necessity of enhancing stability within the constitutional institutions, which, he said, were responsible for ensuring economic, security, social and political stability. He conveys cabinet support for Minister Bassil in implementing the latest cabinet decision on the mobile phone sector

11:46 New TV: Head of the follow-up committee in the Ain al-Hilweh camp Abed Moqdah denies knowledge of the whereabouts of Abu Mohamed Awad in the camp. “Sultan Abu Aynayn is free to say what he likes, but we will not allow anyone to tamper with the fate of 70,000 people,” Moqdah said.

11:42 Indonesian cabinet sends 1136 extra soldiers to join UNIFIL troops in South Lebanon.

11:30 MP Samir Franjieh says Aoun’s expected visit to Syria already has political meaning. He added : " Suleiman’s initiative in the United Nations to make Lebanon the center of interfaith dialogue, revives its exceptional role in the world"

11:16 ISF statement urged the media to be objective and accurate in presenting news related to police activities.

11:15 Internal Security Forces issued a statement clarifying the circumstances behind the telephone conversation between Police chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi and Fatah al-Islam detainee Ahmed Merhi.

11:00 Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri meets the Emir of Kuwait.

9:15 Education Minister Bahia Hariri to VOL: We cannot have a promising educational system without evaluating the performance of teachers.

8:30 Head of the Teachers’ Syndicate Nehmeh Mahfouz to VOL: The syndicate’s coordination committee will adopt other measures, including strikes, if our demands were not met.

8:15 MP Boutros Harb to VOL: We hope that the Batroun incident is not a sample of what Lebanon would witness in the coming months in an effort to create disorder and sabotage the parliamentary elections.

Monday

23:00 President of the Teachers' Syndicate Nehme Mahfouz said his organization is "non- political ...We are demanding the upgrading of the salary grade in addition to the increase in wages and correcting the current imbalance in teachers' promotions "

21:30 MP Du Freij told Future TV: There is no faction that is not calling for Lebanon's sovereignty and Independence , but we at March 14 are not tools for serving anyone.

20:10 : Phalange Party: Statements that power in Lebanon is not at the presidential palace in Baabda but rather at Grand Serail clearly harms the position of the presidency which we should all seek to protect. This was in reference to the statement Aoun made today during a press conference

19:56 : Amal’s Educational Bureau: We call on professors and teachers to effectively participate in tomorrow’s strike and sit-in at Riyad Solh Square in seeking a government revision to wage increases

19:55 MP Boutros Harb, denounced the "assassination attempt against Hanna Sassin Harb in Batroun while he was accompanied by his wife and daughter. He contacted the security officials and asked them to "take the necessary measures to arrest the perpetrators and refer them to justice in order to avoid any escalation of violence in reaction to the incident" . He said we hope this will not be a sample of what to expect in the future in assaults on the freedom and lives of people in an effort to derail the parliamentary elections by trying to spread terror among the citizens . He urged calm and restraint

19:30: Students from Lebanon’s Communist Party: We call on Lebanese University president to go back on his decision barring student elections, to protect our rights and democracy.

18:10 Students from the Progressive socialist party criticized the president of the Lebanese University for cancelling the elections ...calling his decision a step backwards for the rights of the students in exercising democracy

17:46 Lebanon Files: Hanna Sassin Harb, who was wounded in Batroun is a relative of MP Boutros harb. The clash occurred between him and person from Barakat family due to an old personal dispute

17:10 pm: OTV: Security incident at Batroun market, casualties reported. Hanna Yasseen was one of the wounded in the incident

16:29 Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun addresses reporters following a meeting of his parliamentary bloc at Rabiyeh: Relations with Syria are returning to normal gradually. The issue of missing Lebanese in Syria is in the hands of the president and the cabinet; however, if I can help with this issue I will. The majority are losing their nerve in the issue of the deputy prime minister’s authorities because they fear they will not win this issue.

16:00 Pope: we hope that Lebanon will become the laboratory for finding the solution for the middle east disputes

16:00: Parliament majority leader MP Saad Hariri received Saudi Arabian Ambassador Abdul Aziz Khoja, discussions focused on developments in Lebanon, the region and bilateral relations.

15:50 Army patrols are searching in Sidon for the person that opened fire earlier today

15:30 Finance minister Shatah : the demands of the teachers are very a sensitive issue but the financial situation of the government is extremely tough

15:22 MP Qabbani : 6700 KM of the roads that are under review by the ministry of public works require over $100 for fixing while only $15 million is available

15:19 The security forces detained 2 Palestinians near the Baddawi camp. Both are members of Fatah al Islam

15:16 president Suleiman says his international visits are intended to reassert global Lebanese role

17:10 pm: OTV: Security incident at Batroun market, casualties reported. Hanna Yasseen was one of the wounded in the incident

16:00 Pope: we hope that Lebanon will become the laboratory for finding the solution for the middle east disputes

15:50 Army patrols are searching in Sidon for the person that opened fire

15:30 Finance minister Shatah : the demands of the teachers are very a sensitive issue but the financial situation of the government is extremely tough

15:22 MP Qabbani : 6700 KM of the roads that are under review by the ministry of public works require over $100 for fixing while only $15 million is available

15:19 The security forces detained 2 Palestinians near the Baddawi camp. Both are members of Fatah al Islam

15:15 LBC: The reconciliation meeting between Franjiyeh and Sfeir will take place in Bkirki in the presence of president Suleiman and the Maronite League

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