Lebanon
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Geagea urges 'real' president who has 'sovereign and reformist' plan

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Wednesday stressed that the Lebanese are in “dire need of the election of a real and not pretended president for the country.”

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Jumblat begins Kuwait visit, urges 'consensual president'

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat met Wednesday in Kuwait with its Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmed Nawaf al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, in the presence of Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Salem Abdullah al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

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Mikati arrives in Vatican for talks with Pope Francis

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Wednesday arrived in the Vatican on an official visit during which he will meet with Pope Francis, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported.

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Presidential file: Gulf 'not in hurry', Franjieh won't 'back down'

The Gulf states are not in a hurry for finding solutions for Lebanon, Egyptian-Saudi sources told al-Akhbar newspaper, in remarks published Wednesday.

Diplomatic sources told the daily that a unified stance between the Christians who are opposing the election of Marada leader Suleiman Franjieh is a key factor that would support the Saudi Veto. The sources claimed that the position of Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea concerning this matter would become clearer in the coming days.

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Judge Helena Iskandar sues Hoayek, Salameh brothers

Head of the lawsuit department at the Justice Ministry Judge Helena Iskandar filed Wednesday a complaint against Central Bank chief Riad Salameh, his brother Raja, and his assistant Marianne Hoayek.

Iskandar had met earlier in the morning with a European legal team visiting Lebanon to probe Salameh's wealth. The judge is representing the Lebanese state at the questioning in the European probe.

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Salameh's session postponed to Thursday as he fails to show up

Central bank chief Riad Salameh's interrogation session was postponed to Thursday, after he failed to appear Wednesday before visiting European investigators, part of a multinational probe into his personal wealth.

The European delegation — with representatives from France, Germany, and Luxembourg — spent about two hours at Beirut’s Justice Palace waiting for Salameh.

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Jumblat hopes Iran-KSA deal leads to Lebanese president before June

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat on Tuesday described the Iranian-Saudi reconciliation agreement as a “major event,” hoping it will lead to a “settlement” in Lebanon and the “election of a president before June.”

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Report: Salameh won't be arrested during Wednesday's interrogation

Embattled Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh will attend Wednesday’s interrogation session at the Justice Palace but will not be detained, a senior judicial source said.

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Report: Monaco's probe into Mikati's alleged money laundering underway

Monaco is continuing its investigation into suspected money laundering by caretaker Prime minister Najib Mikati, a newspaper published in Abu Dhabi reported.

The National said Tuesday it has learned from Monaco's public prosecutor that the investigation, currently ongoing in Monaco, has been entrusted to the judicial police division of the Public Security.

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US Assistant Secretary of State to visit Lebanon

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf will visit Lebanon in the last week of March as part of a tour of a number of countries in the region, a Lebanese official source said.

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