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27 MPs reject 'sectarian' incitement over caretaker govt. powers

Twenty-seven MPs met overnight at the headquarters of the Kataeb Party in Saifi to discuss the stalled presidential election and Speaker Nabih Berri’s call for a session aimed at discussing the letter of ex-president Michel Aoun.

“The conferees express their categorical rejection of the attempts at igniting sectarian polarization through fabricating a debate over the issue of the government’s powers during the presidential vacuum period, because this issue is settled in the Lebanese constitution,” the 27 MPs said in a joint statement.

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French ambassador urges MPs to elect president without delay

French Ambassador to Lebanon Anne Grillo has called on Lebanon’s lawmakers to “elect a new president without delay,” after the country was plunged into presidential vacuum with the end of President Michel Aoun’s term.

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Russia donates wheat and fuel oil to Lebanon

Russian President Vladimir Putin has officially authorized a wheat and fuel grant to crisis-hit Lebanon, media reports said.

The grant consists of 25,000 tons of wheat and ten tons of fuel oil.

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Bukhari urges 'sovereign president' who can 'regain KSA confidence'

Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Walid Bukhari on Tuesday called for the election of a “sovereign” president in Lebanon.

“The Saudi-Lebanese relations would improve after the formation of a new government and the election of a sovereign president who would regain the confidence of Saudi Arabia and the countries concerned with the Lebanese file,” Bukhari said during a visit to the Bekaa.

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Mikati rejects 11th-hour offer by Aoun for reinstating his cabinet

Caretaker PM and PM-designate Najib Mikati has rejected an eleventh-hour offer by outgoing President Michel Aoun for reinstating his caretaker cabinet without changing any of its ministers, TV networks said.

“Presidency Secretary-General Antoine Choucair visited PM Najib Mikati at the Grand Serail on Monday morning, prior to the latter’s departure to Algeria for representing Lebanon at the Arab Summit,” al-Jadeed TV said.

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EU urges Lebanon to agree with IMF, implement reforms

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Tuesday warned that political vacuum is occurring in Lebanon while the country is "facing a deteriorating socioeconomic situation."

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Mikati, two pro-Aoun ministers attend Arab summit in Algeria

Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati will attend today, Tuesday, the 31st Arab League summit in Algeria, as the region battles to find common ground over a series of divisive issues.

Caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib and caretaker Energy Minister Walid Fayyad -- both from former President Michel Aoun and the Free Patriotic Movement's camp -- accompanied Mikati to Algeria.

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MSF Bar-Elias hospital adapted to care for cholera patients

As part of its "continuous and ongoing efforts to fight the cholera outbreak in Lebanon," Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has adapted its hospital in Bar Elias, in the Bekaa valley, to receive and treat cholera patients with an initial capacity of 20 beds, which can be expanded according to the needs, a statement said.

With the adaptations done, the hospital will continue to function for urgent surgical procedures.

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Does Bassil intend to run for presidency?

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil will announce his presidential nomination on Tuesday and will declare “rebellion” against caretaker PM Najib Mikati and the boycott of Speaker Nabih Berri’s dialogue, senior FPM official Naji Hayek said overnight.

Sources following up on Bassil’s political movements meanwhile told Nidaa al-Watan newspaper that he intends to take steps to “pressure” and “embarrass” Hezbollah by telling it, “Either I am your presidential candidate or no one will be.”

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Mikati says boycotting ministers can ask to be relieved of their duties

The five ministers who intend to boycott the caretaker cabinet “can ask to be relieved of their duties,” caretaker PM Najib Mikati has said, amid controversy over the legitimacy of his cabinet in the event of presidential vacuum.

“We would either replace them or acting ministers can take charge of their ministries,” Mikati added, in remarks to al-Jadeed TV, while ruling out that the five ministers would choose to boycott cabinet.

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