Parliament to elect Lebanon’s new president next weekApril 16, 2014 - 16:20 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - An aide to the speaker of the Lebanese parliament said that a parliamentary session to elect the country's new president has been set for next week, according to the Associated Press. Aide Mohammed Ballout said Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri made the announcement Wednesday, April 16. Ballout said the session will be held next Wednesday, April 23. According to Lebanon's sectarian-based power-sharing system, the president must be a Maronite Christian, the prime minister a Sunni Muslim and the parliament speaker a Shiite Muslim. Politicians have clashed over who should take the role after the six-year term of the current president, Michel Suleiman ends. Much of the bickering is related to the war in neighboring Syria. Suleiman is seen as hostile to the Lebanese Shiite party Hezbollah, whose fighters are battling alongside forces of President Bashar Assad in Syria. Related links: Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Russia provides info about arrested Armenian ex-MP Russian law enforcement agencies have provided information about the arrest of Tigran Urikhanyan. Lemkin Institue slams Pashinyan's “cryptic engagement with Genocide denial” The Lemkin Institute is alarmed over Pashinyan’s statements “questioning Armenia's legal basis to pursue justice against Turkey”. 41 detained as antigovernment protests continue in Yerevan 41 people were detained in Yerevan as people demanding Pashinian’s resignation stage campaigns of civil disobedience. Armenia votes for UN resolution granting Palestine new rights The U.N. General Assembly voted by a wide margin on May 10 to grant new “rights and privileges” to Palestine. |