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Mikati calls for unity to rescue the country

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Monday reassured that “the country will remain coherent, glorious and resilient.”

“No one will be able to defeat it,” Mikati added, during a ceremony to inaugurate Middle East Airlines’ new general administration building.

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Jumblat calls on Arabs to support crisis-hit Egypt

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat called Monday for the support of Egypt amid its economic crisis.

"Egypt is going through very dangerous circumstances as a result of the conditions of the International Monetary Fund, the scarcity of resources, the narrowness of agricultural lands, and the high prices of imported wheat after the Ukraine war," Jumblat said in a tweet.

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Berri 'disgusted' by futile presidential vote sessions

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has described Lebanon as “a boat lost at sea,” due to the parties’ failure to elect a new president despite having held ten electoral sessions.

In remarks to Annahar newspaper published Monday, Berri said he was feeling “disgusted” by the fact that the ten presidential election sessions that were held last year had failed to produce a new president.

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Geagea calls on Defiance Axis and Berri to learn from US vote

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Sunday called on the Hezbollah-led Axis of Defiance and Speaker Nabih Berri to “draw lessons” from the 15 rounds that were held to elect a US House speaker, rejecting what he called “unconstitutional” dialogue over the election of a new president.

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US embassy says Shea still serving as ambassador to Lebanon

The U.S. Embassy in Beirut on Friday announced that U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea is still serving as her country's ambassador to Lebanon, following media reports related to her nomination by the White House for the post of U.S. Deputy Representative to the U.N.

"Embassy Beirut is proud of (U.S.) President (Joe) Biden’s nomination of Ambassador Shea to serve as the U.S. Deputy Representative to the United Nations," U.S. Embassy Beirut Spokesperson Julia Groeblacher said in a statement.

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Constitutional Council annuls some state budget articles, clarifies others

The Constitutional Council on Thursday announced the annulment of some articles of the state budget and the “clarification” of other articles based on appeals filed by the Change parliamentary bloc and other parties.

“Our decisions are binding and the Constitutional Council is an independent authority that is not linked to anyone,” Council chief Judge Tannous Meshleb said at a press conference.

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Report: Paris meeting unconfirmed, no breakthrough in presidential file

Paris attempts to help Lebanon elect a president are ongoing, diplomatic sources in Paris said, adding that they see no breakthrough on the horizon.

The sources told al-Joumhouria newspaper, in remarks published Thursday, that there are no signs of a breakthrough in the presidential file in light of the existing divergence between the politicians.

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Jumblat says leaders using 'flimsy excuses' to disrupt ministerial meetings

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat accused Thursday the main political leaders of disrupting ministerial meetings by using "flimsy constitutional arguments."

In a tweet, Jumblat said that political leaders are obstructing any ministerial meeting that would facilitate people's affairs.

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Mikati lashes out at Bustani for 'interference in executive authority'

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Wednesday accused MP and ex-energy minister Nada Bustani of “curtailing facts in an attempt to disavow her direct interference in the work of the executive authority,” after she accused him of backpedaling on the approval of funds needed to purchase fuel for the national electricity company.

In a statement issued by his press office, Mikati accused Bustani of failing to mention that his previous approval had stipulated the issuance of a cabinet decree and the presence of an official clarification from Electricite du Liban explaining how it intends to return the treasury loan.

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Two ministers file appeal against two cabinet decrees

Caretaker ministers Hector Hajjar and Issam Sharafeddine on Wednesday filed an appeal before the State Shoura Council against two decrees related to the Costa Brava landfill, al-Jadeed TV said.

Speaking to al-Jadeed on Tuesday, the media adviser of caretaker PM Najib Mikati, Fares Gemayel, stressed that “the decrees are constitutional and cannot be appealed.”

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