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Banks Association urges parliament to take 'free and courageous stance'

The Association of Banks in Lebanon announced Monday that the government’s draft law on financial regulation and deposit recovery was issued “without any serious study of the figures required for its implementation.”

“If it were serious, the draft law should have been preceded by determining the size of the deficit, how it will affect the Central Bank of Lebanon and the banks, an accurate assessment of non-performing assets, the amount of funds required to repay the various deposit categories, and verification of the availability of the necessary liquidity,” ABL added in a statement after a meeting.

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Report: US in indirect talks with Hezbollah, KSA may play economic role

In a climate of escalating regional tensions, Hezbollah is exploring a diplomatic settlement aimed at neutralizing threats from the "Trump-Netanyahu" alliance, a media report said on Monday.

Recent discussions between Lebanese and Saudi figures during an Arab economic conference meanwhile focused on a strategic shift: activating a Saudi economic role in Lebanon, al-Joumhouria newspaper quoted “credible sources” as saying.

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Two wounded in Israeli drone strike on car in South

An Israeli drone strike on Monday targeted a Renault Rapid vehicle in the southern town of Braiqaa.

The Health Ministry said two people were wounded in the strike.

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Netanyahu discusses Iran, Yemen, Lebanon and Gaza in security meeting

The Israeli army is preparing for fighting on four fronts -- Iran, Yemen, Lebanon and Gaza, an Israeli media report said.

The report, published Monday in Maariv, claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held Sunday a security meeting that discussed Lebanon and the army's defense and attack readiness on all fronts.

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Rubio vows no Hezbollah/Iran activities in Venezuela after Maduro capture

The day after elite U.S. forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Hezbollah will no longer have alleged operations in the South American state.

Speaking to CBS television, Rubio said: "It's very simple, OK? In the 21st century, under the Trump administration, we are not going to have a country like Venezuela in our own hemisphere, in the sphere of control and the crossroads for Hezbollah, for Iran and for every other malign influence in the world. That's just not gonna exist."

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EU chief von der Leyen to visit Lebanon this week

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen will visit Syria later this week on a first trip to the country since the fall of Bashar al-Assad, a spokeswoman said Monday.

Von der Leyen will head to Syria as part of a tour of the Middle East that will also see her visit Jordan and Lebanon, spokeswoman Paula Pinho said.

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Cabinet, Mechanism to meet this week over Hezbollah disarmament

Cabinet will meet on Thursday to discuss the army's progress in disarming Hezbollah south of the Litani River.

The ceasefire monitoring committee -- comprising Lebanon, Israel, the United States, France and U.N. peacekeepers -- is also set to meet this week.

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Lebanese enjoy sun and snow despite strikes

Despite Israeli strikes on the south of the country, people in Lebanon were enjoying winter weather and snow over the weekend.

Lebanese and tourists took to the slopes to ski resorts northeast of Beirut, rode chairlifts and sleds over the snow-covered slopes in Faraya and Kfardebian, snowboarded and skied, while others along Beirut's coastline were swimming and enjoying the sun.

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Israeli FM says Lebanon's efforts to disarm Hezbollah 'far from sufficient'

Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has acknowledged on X that the Lebanese government and army had made efforts to disarm Hezbollah but said "they are far from sufficient".

Saar met Sunday with U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert.

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Two killed in Israeli strike on south Lebanon

A strike in south Lebanon has killed two people, with Israel saying it had struck a Hezbollah operative, the latest raids as Beirut seeks to disarm the Iran-backed group.

Despite a year-old ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, Israel carries out regular strikes on Lebanon, usually saying it is targeting Hezbollah sites and operatives, and has maintained troops in five areas it deems "strategic".

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