UNITED NATIONS (TIP): The UN security council is urging that Lebanon hold its presidential election “as soon as possible.” A statement issued May 29 by the council expresses disappointment that the election didn’t take place on time, and it calls on Parliament to “uphold Lebanon’s longstanding democratic tradition” and make sure the election occurs “without external interference.” Lebanon’s last president, Michel Suleiman, completed his six-year term on Sunday without a replacement, plunging the country into a political vacuum.