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Report: Political Figures Up Safety Measures as Presidential Elections Loom

Several political figures were asked to take tight safety measures to curb attempts aiming to shake Lebanon's stability, now that the presidential elections is onto the front burner and Lebanon could enjoy again having a head of state, Kuwait's As-Siyasah newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Now that things are heading towards the election of Change and Reform bloc head MP Michel Aoun in the parliamentary session on October 31, and due to fears that some uncalculated security developments might emerge, several politicians were asked to be cautious, added the daily.

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Israel Has 'No Intention' to Start New War against Lebanon

Firebrand Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman announced Monday that Israel has “no intention” of starting a new war against Lebanon.

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Report: Berri Told Aoun 'I Will not Vote for You'

Speaker Nabih Berri told presidential hopeful MP Michel Aoun that he will not deprive the upcoming parliament session to elect a president from quorum, but “I will vote against you” in the upcoming elections, an Nahar daily reported on Saturday.

Despite the friendliness that Berri tried to emanate in front of the media cameras during Aoun's visit in Ain el-Tineh, but the Speaker has assured Aoun during their closed meeting talks that he will not vote in his favor, added the daily.

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Conflicting Reports About Saudi Position on Aoun's Nomination

Saudi Arabia did not welcome the latest initiative made by al-Mustaqbal chief Saad Hariri as for endorsing MP Michel Aoun for the post of presidency, An Nahar daily reported on Saturday.

A source close to Riyadh said it received a “negative response” from a senior official in Riyadh as for Hariri's endorsement of the Free Patriotic Movement Aoun, according to the daily.

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Jumblat's Bloc Meets, Decision on Presidential Elections Revealed Next Week

The Democratic Gathering parliamentary bloc will meet on Saturday to discuss the latest developments with regard to the thorny file of the presidency, and to decide for whom to vote during the upcoming election session following the endorsement of MP Michel Aoun by al-Mustaqbal Movement chief Saad Hariri, media reports said.

Chief of the bloc, MP Walid Jumblat called his 11 deputies for a meeting in Mukhtara to decide the bloc's path during the voting process in a parliamentary session scheduled on October 31 to elect a president.

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Kerry Not Sure if Hariri's Support of Aoun Will Lead to New President

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry expressed caution on Friday regarding the possibility of electing a new president in Lebanon in the near future, a day after ex-PM Saad Hariri formally endorsed Free Patriotic Movement founder MP Michel Aoun for the presidency.

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Army Stages Security Raids in Hermel, Arrests Fugitive

The Lebanese Army staged wide security operations in the Bekaa city of Hermel and was able to arrest a fugitive wanted on several arrest warrants, the National News Agency reported on Friday.

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Qabbani: I Will Not Vote for Aoun

Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc MP Mohammed Qabbani said in a statement issued Friday morning that he would not vote for presidential candidate, Free Patriotic Movement founder MP Michel Aoun, the National News Agency reported.

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Report: Kataeb Fears 'One-Party' Ruling Under Aoun

The Kataeb party warned of a “vertical split” and a “one-party” ruling in the country following the endorsement of MP Michel Aoun for the presidency by head of al-Mustaqbal Movement, and stressed that the majority do not support the MP for the top state post, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Friday.

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Report: Hariri Reassured about Outcome of Endorsing Aoun

Al-Mustaqbal Movement chief ex-PM Saad Hariri is reassured about the outcome of his initiative as for nominating MP Michel Aoun for the post of president, and said its unlikely for the election session scheduled at the end of October to be postponed, An Nahar daily reported on Friday.

In side talks with the daily, Hariri said “I am reassured,” about the results of the initiative, and that he does not expect the election session on 31 of October to be postponed “unless they wanted to,” he said. He was referring to reports circulating that the session might be delayed until the tense relations between Speaker Nabih Berri and Aoun are settled, according to the daily.

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