Lebanon
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Report: Lebanon receives Turkish proposal for gas drilling in southern blocks

Lebanon, which is yet to reach a sea border demarcation deal with Israel, has received a Turkish proposal for investment and drilling in the southern oil and gas blocks near Israel’s border, a Lebanese official source said.

“The Turkish proposal involves drilling and investment works in Block 9, which lies on the maritime border,” the source told Russia’s Sputnik news agency.

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400 judges decide to continue open-ended strike

Around 400 judges held a general assembly Tuesday at the Court of Cassation and decided to carry on with an open-ended strike aimed at protesting “the difficult financial, social and health conditions that Lebanon’s judges are going through,” the National News Agency said.

“Contacts with the officials have not led to any result,” the agency quoted the judges as saying.

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UN Special Coordinator visits Tripoli

U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Joanna Wronecka on Tuesday visited the northern city of Tripoli, where she met with local authorities, members of parliament as well as NGOs working to promote reconciliation, capacity-building and opportunities for the youth.

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Lebanese navy tries to recover bodies after April sinking

In late April, Hussein Dinnawi, his wife Samar and several dozen other Lebanese, Palestinians and Syrians set off by boat from northern Lebanon under the cover of night, entrusting their fate to smugglers on a treacherous sea voyage in search of better opportunities in Italy.

Several hours later, their boat sank about 5 kilometers from the port of Tripoli, under circumstances disputed to this day. Survivors say their vessel was rammed by the Lebanese navy, while the military claims the migrants' boat collided with a navy vessel while trying to get away.

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Geagea calls for president who resembles Bashir Gemayel

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Tuesday vowed to seek the election of a Lebanese president who resembles slain president-elect Bashir Gemayel, who was assassinated in a bomb attack in 1982.

“On the 40th anniversary of your election, our promise to you is to secure the election of a president who resembles you,” Geagea tweeted.

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Mikati asks Hamieh to preserve southern part of Beirut port silos as memorial

Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati asked Tuesday caretaker Minister of Public Works & Transport Ali Hamieh to preserve the remaining southern block of the Beirut port silos as a memorial.

Another significant section of the devastated Beirut Port silos had collapsed on Tuesday morning in a cloud of dust, while the remaining southern block is more stable and not at imminent risk of collapse, said French civil engineer Emmanuel Durand, who has installed sensors on the silos.

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Lebanon telecom price hike threatens aid hotlines

Telecom price hikes in Lebanon have slashed the number of emergency callers to aid hotlines, limiting access to relief services at a time of unprecedented economic crisis, Mercy Corps said Tuesday.

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Adwan dubs customs dollar rate as 'random, ill-considered', says 'govt. has no plan'

Head of the Justice Committee MP Georges Adwan said Tuesday that the government doesn't have an economic plan but is rather taking random and ill-considered steps.

"The customs dollar is part of a non-existent plan," Adwan said, asking how and why did the government choose the rate of LBP 20,000 to the U.S. dollar, while depositors can only withdraw from their dollar savings at a rate of LBP 8,000.

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Possible exits in case of a presidential vacuum

Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri have found a way out of a possible Presidential vacuum, al-Akhbar newspaper said. Both claim to have constitutional justifications that would give the caretaker government the powers of a regular government, in case of a presidential deadlock.

The daily said, in remarks published Tuesday, that some Christian forces have another proposal. They are calling for keeping President Michel Aoun in his post until a new Cabinet is formed or a new President is elected. But sources close to Baabda told al-Akhbar that Aoun has decided not to stay in his post after the end of his term.

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U.S. state department spokesperson says maritime border resolution 'possible'

U.S. department of state spokesperson Ned Price has said that U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein is in touch with the parties in Lebanon and Israel and that a resolution to the maritime border conflict is possible.

Price did not announce when would Hochstein head to Lebanon. "I don’t have any travel for Amos Hochstein to announce at the time," he said in a press conference.

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