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Reports: Shiite Duo Blame Judge Suhail Abboud for Judiciary's Crisis

Amal and Hizbullah’s sources have faulted Higher Judicial Council head Suheil Abboud for a perceived Christian-Muslim judicial split, al-Joumhouria newspaper said.

Sources of the Shiite duo told al-Joumhouria, in remarks published Thursday, that Amal and Hizbullah are standing their ground against port blast lead investigator Judge Tarek Bitar, adding that the main problem is Abboud.

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Study Shows Mental Health Toll Surged in Lebanon, 18 Other Countries

Fears of infection. Loneliness. Worries about physical health.

As the coronavirus spread across borders early in the pandemic, calls to global helplines showed a striking similarity in the toll on mental health — from Lebanon to China, Finland to Slovenia.

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Lebanon Imposes Curbs for Belarus-Bound Air Passengers  

Lebanon has said that only foreigners with Belarusian residency permits would be allowed to fly from Beirut to the ex-Soviet country, amid a migrant crisis on its border with Poland.

"Many Arab and foreign travelers have recently arrived in Belarus from Beirut via flights of various airlines," including Belarus's state-run Belavia airline, the transport ministry's directorate general of civil aviation said.

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Miqati Calls for Cabinet to Re-Convene ASAP

Prime Minsiter Najib Miqati stressed Wednesday the necessity of resuming Cabinet sessions and of making the required steps to solve the recent row with the Gulf states.

He said that contacts are being made to find a solution based on constitutional and legal foundations, adding that ministerial meetings and workshops are being held in order to facilitate administrative work and put things on the right track.

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Geagea Urges 'Clear Political Confrontation' against Hizbullah

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has called for “grabbing the parliamentary majority” in the upcoming elections to “prevent Hizbullah from controlling the formation of governments.”

“If they want to make troubles, let them make troubles. A clear political confrontation is necessary,” Geagea added, in an interview with Annahar newspaper published Wednesday.

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Strong Lebanon Bloc Files Appeal against Electoral Law Amendments

The Strong Lebanon parliamentary bloc filed Wednesday an appeal against the electoral law’s amendment before the Constitutional Council.

The bloc’s MP Alain Aoun said the Constitutional Council will take a decision concerning the appeal within a month. “We respect the Council’s decision,” he added.

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Salameh Says Will Share with Judiciary Audit Report that Rebuts Allegations

Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh said Wednesday that he has asked a renowned audit firm to audit the transactions and investments that were subject to media “campaigns” against him.

Salameh said in a statement that the results of the audit firm invalidated “false information” that he has used public funds to pay fees to the Forry Associates Ltd. Company.

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UNICEF, U.S. Embassy Deliver 97 Tons of Urgent Medical Supplies to Lebanon

Through funding from the U.S. Government, UNICEF said it has delivered 97 tons of lifesaving medical supplies valued at over one million U.S. dollars to the Ministry of Public Health, in response to severe shortages of supplies and medicines affecting health facilities across Lebanon.

The humanitarian shipment arrived Tuesday to the Beirut international airport through a UNICEF charter flight, UNICEF said in a press release.

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Miqati Co-Chairs Third 3RF Consultative Group Meeting

The Consultative Group (CG) of the Reform, Recovery and Reconstruction Framework (3RF) has held its third meeting at the Grand Serail, co-chaired by Prime Minister Najib Miqati, Lebanese civil society, European Union (EU) and United Nations.

The 3RF Consultative Group members discussed progress achieved so far and next steps in four main sectors: the anti-corruption sector; the Build Beirut Businesses Back Better (B5) program; the social protection sector; and the housing sector.

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Bassil Says Amendments Appeal Shouldn’t Affect Elections

Free Patriotic Movement head Jebran Bassil said Tuesday that his bloc insists on holding the elections on time.

Bassil said after the Strong Lebanon bloc’s weekly meeting that the bloc will file an appeal “against the amendments” and not against the entire electoral law.

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