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Political rift between Hezbollah and political rivals widens in Lebanon

Political rift between Hezbollah and political rivals widens in Lebanon

By NAJIA HOUSSARI — arabnews.com — BEIRUT: Lebanese President Michel Aoun complained on Monday about the “continued failure” of the country’s Cabinet to convene, disrupting government and judicial work amid a widening rift between Hezbollah and the rest of the political establishment. Aoun, an ally of Hezbollah, made his remarks after Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi attacked “those who obstruct the Cabinet (from) meeting … against the interests of the state and the people,” in a sermon on Sunday. The continued stalemate over the Cabinet stems from a refusal by Hezbollah to adhere to a stance preventing Lebanon from interfering in the affairs of Arab countries. The Cabinet initially stopped meeting on Oct. 12, after Hezbollah and the Amal Movement decided to boycott its sessions in a bid to force the removal of Judge Tarek Bitar from the investigation into the explosion at the Port of Beirut last year. Lebanon is going through stifling economic conditions in light of the collapse of the Lebanese pound against the dollar.

Prime Minister Najib Mikati said on Monday in the presence of the French presidential envoy, Ambassador Pierre Dukan, that “contacts are continuing to find a solution to the government’s situation.” But he added that “calling for a Cabinet session without securing the appropriate conditions may cause more political tension and complicate solutions more and more.” The French envoy — who is also coordinator of international aid for Lebanon — stressed “the necessity of laying down general principles to address the Lebanese crisis before reaching an agreement with the International Monetary Fund.” The ambassador said that the agreement with the IMF should be completed before the next parliamentary elections. On Sunday night, Mikati strongly condemned “affronting the leadership and the people of Bahrain,” after a complaint was lodged by Bahrain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs over a press conference held in Beirut for “hostile elements classified as supporting and sponsoring terrorism, for broadcasting and promoting abusive and malicious allegations against Bahrain.”

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Lebanon’s currency continues to tank amid economic collapse

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s national currency further collapsed Monday, trading on the black market at nearly 20 times its value two years ago, worsening inflation and people’s despair. The Lebanese pound was trading at 27,000 to the dollar on the black market, hitting a new low in its downward trajectory since October 2019 as the […]

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Patriach Cardinal Lebanon’s Bechara Al Rai says cabinet should reconvene

by reuters — AMMAN: Lebanon’s top Christian cleric, His eminence Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, on Sunday accused unidentified politicians of using their power to obstruct a resumption of cabinet meetings after a two-month gap, saying they were serving foreign interests. Lebanon’s cabinet, which is focused on re-starting talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) […]

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PM MIKATI’S OFFICE CONFIRMS REJECTION OF USING LEBANON AS A PLATFORM TO OFFEND THE KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN

  NNA – Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s media office issued a statement this evening, in which it indicated that the Prime Minister was informed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, Abdallah Bou Habib, of the content of the letter addressed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Kingdom of Bahrain, which included […]

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Shooting kills four at Lebanon camp: Hamas

by reuters — Four people have been killed and others were injured in a shooting in the Palestinian camp of Burj al-Shemali in Lebanon, two officials of the Palestinian group Hamas say while blaming rival movement Fatah for the bloodshed. The shootings took place during the funeral of a Hamas supporter who was killed in […]

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President Michel Sleiman: ازدادت ثقة الشعب اللبناني بالقضاة الذين يصدرون احكامهم باسمه بعد المحاولات العبثية لافشال التحقيق العدلي في انفجار المرفأ.

احد مبارك، ازدادت ثقة الشعب اللبناني بالقضاة الذين يصدرون احكامهم باسمه بعد المحاولات العبثية لافشال التحقيق العدلي في انفجار المرفأ. هذا الشعب لن يكتفي بعدم السماح بترهيب فارس سعيد الذي يمثل غداً امام قاضي التحقيق، بل سيحول دون قمع امثاله من المؤمنين “بسيادة الدولة، والدولة وحدها فقط”، كما سيعيد الاعتبار للرأي الحرّ وللشجاعة التي دفع […]

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El Sisi assures Najib Mikati of Egypt’s support for Lebanon

by thenationalnews.com — Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has assured Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati of Cairo’s continuing commitment to his country’s “safety, security and stability”. Mr Mikati held talks with Mr El Sisi on Thursday during a visit to the Egyptian capital, where he also met Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly. A presidential statement […]

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President Michel Sleiman: الفرصة ما تزال متاحة لنا لتطبيق ما اتفقنا عليه نحن واستعادة الثقة الدولية

بالاضافة الى مجلس الامن والجامعة العربية والدول الصديقة، اكتمل عقد دول الخليج في المطالبة بالتحييد وحصر السلاح وضبط الحدود، والآتي سيكون المزيد من الدول وبخاصة دول الجامعة العربية . الم يكن الاجدر بنا الالتزام بما تعهدنا به عام ٢٠١٢ بالاجماع بارادتنا الذاتية على اعلان بعبدا ؟ الفرصة ما تزال متاحة لنا لتطبيق ما اتفقنا عليه […]

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UN secretary-general to visit Lebanon, Saudi Crown Prince invites Mikati

By Joseph Haboush, Al Arabiya English — UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will travel to Lebanon later this month to express support for the crisis-struck country, diplomatic sources said Friday. Meanwhile, a French presidential source said Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman invited Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati to visit the kingdom. “[France] and Saudi […]

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Blast hits Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon

By trtworld.com — A large explosion hit a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon, according to witnesses. On Friday’s explosion occurred after a fire broke out in the Burj al Shemali camp in the country’s fourth largest city, Tyre. Several injuries were reported from the area and ambulances and firefighters dispatched there. The Lebanese army formed […]

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