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 | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. Aram I supports Karekin II’s “patriotic position” Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has expressed support for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. |