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Report: Iranian foreign minister to visit Lebanon today

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian will arrive in Lebanon on Thursday evening, al-Jadeed television reported.

The top Iranian diplomat will meet with Lebanese officials during his visit, the TV network added.

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Two arrested in Koura town for insulting ISF and Bkirki

Two people have been arrested for preventing members of an Internal Security Forces patrol from removing a construction violation in the Koura town of Kfar Qahel as well as hurling insults against the patrol’s members and Bkirki.

“To preserve the state’s prestige and prevent any transgression against religious authorities and security forces, the (ISF’s) Intelligence Branch arrested Diaa and Mustafa Qaraali in Batroun after they insulted security forces and Bkirki in Kfar Qahel, Koura,” caretaker Interior Minister Bassam al-Mawlawi tweeted.

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Bassil urges int'l community to stop 'pressuring' Lebanon over Syrian refugees

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil urged Thursday the Lebanese government to immediately start working on returning the displaced Syrians to their homeland.

In an FPM conference on refugees, Bassil said that Lebanon must implement its plan to return the refugees and must apply local and international laws.

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OEIL: Oueidat requested to interrogate auditors of BDL accounts

The Observatoire Européen pour l’Integrité du Liban has said that General Prosecutor Ghassan Oueidat has received a request to interrogate several individuals responsible for auditing the accounts of the Central Bank.

A European judicial delegation from France, Germany, and Luxembourg had started to arrive in Lebanon this week to probe the country's Central Bank governor and dozens of other individuals over suspected corruption.

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Higher Judicial Council fails to meet as Port victims' families rally

Families of the port blast victims gathered Thursday in front of the Justice Palace after some judges asked the Higher Judicial Council to meet to discuss the requirements of the judicial probe into the case of the Beirut port blast.

Prosecutor Ghassan Oueidat left the Justice Palace after quorum was not secured.

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European legal team arriving in Lebanon in corruption probe

A European judicial delegation from France, Germany, and Luxembourg has started to arrive in Lebanon to probe the country's Central Bank governor and dozens of other individuals over suspected corruption, the justice minister said Wednesday.

Five European countries are probing the embattled governor, Riad Salameh on allegations of laundering public money in Europe. Switzerland first opened a probe two years ago, followed by France, Germany, Luxembourg, and Liechtenstein.

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Mikati says cabinet to convene regardless of any boycotts

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said Wednesday that a caretaker Cabinet session will be held early next week to approve an electricity loan regardless of who may attend or boycott it.

“There is no possibility to grant a loan to Electricite du Liban except through a Cabinet decree and there can be no actions that contradict with the public accounting law,” Mikati told Annahar newspaper in an interview.

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Berri postpones presidential vote after death of ex-speaker

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Wednesday postponed a presidential election session scheduled for Thursday over the death earlier in the day of former parliament speaker Hussein al-Husseini.

Mourning Husseini, his predecessor, Berri described him as “one of Lebanon’s major figures” who “dedicated his life to defending the country and its people, territorial integrity and national and pan-national identity.”

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Draft agenda of cabinet session sent to ministers

The General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers on Wednesday sent ministers a memo informing them of the draft agenda of Cabinet’s upcoming session ahead of setting a date for it, state-run National News Agency said.

The move comes “based on a request from the (caretaker) prime minister and in line with articles 62 and 64 of the constitution,” the General Secretariat said.

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Khoury: No attack on sovereignty if European teams respect norms

Caretaker Justice Minister Henri Khoury on Wednesday noted that “any international judicial cooperation that takes place according to the legal norms is not considered an attack on Lebanese sovereignty,” referring to the European judicial teams that have started arriving in Lebanon to question banking and financial officials in a case related to Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh and possibly the port blast case.

“We will confront any breach of norms,” Khoury added, at a press conference.

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