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MPs raise questions on financial crisis, get no answers

Joint parliamentary committees convened Wednesday to discuss the financial situation and to question the government represented by Deputy Prime Minister Saadeh Shami and Minister of Finance Youssef el-Khalil.

Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab said that the dialogue was constructive and calm during the session.

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Mawlawi vows to curb bird and gunfire threat near airport

Caretaker Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi on Wednesday pledged that measures will be taken to limit the threats of birds and gunfire in the vicinity of Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport.

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Police fire tear gas at armed forces retirees protesting salaries

Security forces fired tear gas on Wednesday to disperse hundreds of protesters, mainly retired soldiers, who tried to break through the fence leading to the Grand Serail in downtown Beirut.

Retired members of the armed forces protested their low salaries at Beirut's Riad al-Solh Square. They rallied earlier Wednesday in front of Parliament as joint parliamentary committees convened to discuss the financial situation in the country.

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Banks suspend open-ended strike a day before Ramadan

Lebanon’s struggling banks resumed work Wednesday on the occasion of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, after a day of protests and sharp currency swings.

The Association of Banks announced Tuesday night that all lenders in the country will suspend the strike and resume work Wednesday.

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Lira recovers as Salameh announces new Sayrafa scheme

The Lebanese pound recovered by around LBP 30,000 on the black market on Tuesday, after Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh announced a new Sayrafa platform scheme.

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Israeli troops injured in landmine blast on Lebanon border

Several Israeli soldiers were wounded Tuesday when a landmine exploded under a military Humvee vehicle on the border with the Lebanese town of Aita al-Shaab, al-Manar TV reported.

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Roads blocked, pharmacies shut amid dizzying dollar surge

The Order of Pharmacists of Lebanon on Tuesday called on pharmacies to "close as of this moment," after the black market dollar exchange rate hit the LBP 143,000 mark.

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Report: Possible new round of Saudi-French talks over Lebanon

A new round of consultations might be held between the French and the Saudis, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported Tuesday.

The daily said it has learned from Diplomatic sources in Paris that France and KSA are committed to helping Lebanon and that the consultations won't necessarly be held in Paris.

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Omani team 'met with Hezbollah', Qatari delegation expected in Lebanon

A delegation from Oman visited Beirut in the past two weeks and met with a number of officials, especially from Hezbollah, a media report said.

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Israel says Megiddo bomb suspect didn't cross from Lebanon via tunnel

The Israeli Army said that the man suspected of entering northern Israel from Lebanon and planting a bomb at the Megiddo Junction did not cross the border via a tunnel.

"The possibility of the terrorist crossing via a tunnel has been completely ruled out," The Times of Israel said.

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