BEIRUT -- Lebanon's President Michel Aoun revealed Saturday that Prime Minister Saad Hariri will return to Lebanon in time for Independence Day on Nov. 22, a statement by the Presidency Media office said.
The statement added that "Hariri called Aoun to confirm that he would return to the country by Nov. 22, shortly after the PM arrived in Paris from Riyadh." (Lebanon-PM-Hariri)
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TEHRAN -- Iranian Petroleum Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said Saturday the French energy giant Total cannot leave a major gas deal with the Islamic republic under the pretext of the U.S. political pressures.
Total can only drop the deal if the United Nations Security Council imposes international sanctions against Tehran, Zanganeh said on the sidelines of his meeting with visiting Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Alisher Sultanov, Press TV reported. (Iran-Total)
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TRIPOLI -- Libya's National Commission for Human Rights on Saturday criticized CNN for its recent "exaggerated" report on migrant slave auction markets in Libya.
CNN published a report earlier this week of auctions in different parts of Libya, where stranded African migrants are sold as slaves for as little as 400 U.S. dollars. (Libya-CNN-Migrant)
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RIYADH -- Saudi Arabia announced on Saturday that its ambassador to Germany was recalled in objections to remarks made by German foreign minister, Saudi Press Agency reported.
The country also revealed that it would hand over Germany's ambassador to the Kingdom a protest note refuting such remarks. (Saudi-Germany) Enditem
