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Bou Saab: Capital control law to be put aside after approval

The Joint Parliamentary Committees have agreed to “put the capital control law aside after approving it pending the adoption of the rest of the laws that are related to the recovery plan,” Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab announced on Monday.

“We passed Article 4 of the capital control law and the discussions are now limited to exemptions,” Bou Saad said after a parliamentary committees session.

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Hochstein rules out Netanyahu disavowal of Lebanon gas deal

U.S. energy mediator Amos Hochstein has said that he does not believe that an Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu will renounce the offshore gas agreement that was recently reached with Lebanon.

In an interview with Annahar newspaper, Hochstein said that both Lebanon and Israel respect the international maritime border, adding that the deal has become a fait accompli.

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TotalEnergies mobilizes to start Block 9 drilling in 2023

TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné said Monday that the French energy giant has mobilized the teams in charge of drilling operations in Lebanon's Block 9, as he met with caretaker Energy Minister Walid Fayyad.

TotalEnergies said that it has launched a call for tenders to select a vendor for a new drilling rig in the first quarter of 2023.

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Mikati meets al-Rahi, says all sects were present in cabinet session

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati met Monday with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi over a controversial cabinet session that had infuriated the Free Patriotic Movement.

The caretaker cabinet had convened last Monday to discuss "urgent" matters in a session boycotted by the FPM. FPM chief Jebran Bassil later blasted Hezbollah, Mikati and other parties over the session.

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Bassil says attack on Hezbollah not targeted at Nasrallah, warns MoU at risk

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil announced Sunday that his latest criticism of ally Hezbollah was not targeted at its leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, as he warned that the 2006 memorandum of understanding with the party is at risk.

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Al-Rahi renews call for 'internationalizing Lebanese cause'

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Sunday reiterated his call for “heading to the U.N. and world powers to rescue Lebanon before it’s too late.”

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Saudi crown prince meets Mikati 'at Macron's request'

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati has met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh following "a request from French President Emmanuel Macron," LBCI TV reported overnight.

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Politicians react to Sassine clash and 'provocations'

Several MPs and political parties on Sunday condemned the overnight incidents at Ashrafieh's Sassine Square that followed Morroco's World Cup win.

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Clash erupts as motorbike convoy enters Ashrafieh after Morocco win

A clash erupted overnight at Ashrafieh’s Sassine Square after dozens of individuals arrived in the area on motorbikes carrying “flags of Morocco, Palestine and Syria,” media reports said.

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Mikati holds talks with Chinese president in Riyadh

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati has held talks in Riyadh with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

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