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Marking Liberation Day, Aoun says 'only unity can rescue Lebanon'

President Michel Aoun on Wednesday marked 22 years since Israel’s withdrawal from the South by urging “unity” among the Lebanese.

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Tensions build up between Miqati, Fayyad over energy files withdrawal

Tensions have built up between caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati and caretaker Energy Minister Walid Fayyad over two electricity files that the latter had asked to withdraw from a Cabinet session's agenda on Friday.

Miqati said in a statement Tuesday that Fayyad must be "experiencing a real crisis within his ministry that makes him do something and its opposite."

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Sayyed after meeting Aoun: Presidency powers can't be ceded to caretaker govt.

MP Jamil al-Sayyed held talks Tuesday at the Baabda Palace with President Michel Aoun.

“The continuation of the caretaker government until the presidential elections is a conspiracy against the people, the President and the presidential tenure,” Sayyed said after the meeting.

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Saudi FM: Change and Hizbullah's issue are in the hands of the Lebanese

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Tuesday noted that after Lebanon’s parliamentary elections, the issue of “change” and “the issue of Hizbullah” are “in the hands of the Lebanese.”

“The Lebanese elections might be a good step, but it is too early to say that,” the Minister said in Davos.

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Arslan reacts after Bukhari hails 'fall of betrayal and treason icons'

Lebanese Democratic Party leader Talal Arslan on Tuesday decried “a black point in the history of Saudi diplomacy,” in response to remarks by Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid Bukhari about the pro-Syria politicians who lost their seats in the latest parliamentary elections.

“We have always been accustomed to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a backer of Lebanon and all Lebanese throughout history, and no matter how much circumstances changed, it maintained its cordial rhetoric toward us,” Arslan said in a statement.

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Dollar exchange rate crosses LBP 34,000 on black market

The dollar exchange rate crossed LBP 34,000 on the black market on Tuesday, marking a new record high in the country’s history.

The dollar was selling for LBP 34,100 at 3:30 pm according to exchange rate apps.

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Doctors, hospitals announce two-day strike starting Thursday

Pharmacists protested on Tuesday in front of the Ministry of Health as they urged authorities to issue a new pricelist for medicines.

Pharmacists slammed the smuggling of medicines that could be falsified. They said the citizens are forced to purchase these smuggled medicines as they are missing in pharmacies.

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Atiyeh says ready to assume deputy speaker post, voices support for Berri

MP Sajih Atiyeh of Akkar, who is backed by ex-deputy PM Issam Fares, announced Monday that he is willing to assume the deputy parliament speaker post if nominated, as he voiced support for the re-election of Speaker Nabih Berri to his post.

“I know that he resembles us. He is the father of the deprived and we hail from a deprived region. Therefore this visit was to discuss the region’s affairs in particular,” Atiyeh said after meeting Berri in Ain el-Tineh, adding that he prides himself in a “patriotic figure” like Berri.

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Authorities remove 'wall of shame' around Parliament

Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi said Monday "this is Beirut's voice and the voice of the Lebanese" as a team of engineers removed cement blocks surrounding Parliament's building in Nejmeh Square.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri had ordered earlier on Monday the removal of the security barricades, in response to Mawlawi's demand as newly elected reformist MPs had suggested the removal of the blocs before the upcoming Parliament session.

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Rifi: We won't agree to unity govt., Raad shouldn't try to intimidate us

Tripoli MP and ex-minister Ashraf Rifi stressed Monday that he “will not agree to a national unity government.”

Hizbullah top lawmaker “Mohammed Raad should stop trying to intimidate us and we will impose the government that we want,” Rifi said in an interview on MTV.

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