Lebanon
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Army commander begins visit to Qatar

Army Commander General Joseph Aoun on Saturday traveled to Qatar at an invitation from its deputy PM and foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, the army said.

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Aoun meets al-Rahi, says Pact and constitution are being undermined

Former president Michel Aoun held talks Friday in Bkirki with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi, hours after a visit to Bkirki by Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil.

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Stephanie Saliba released after questioning in Salameh case

Lebanese actress Stephanie Saliba was released after questioning Friday as a witness in a corruption probe involving Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh, a judicial source and her agent told AFP.

Saliba was detained after failing to appear for previous summons in the case and was subsequently "questioned as a witness" in the investigation into money laundering and illicit enrichment, the source said.

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Stephanie Saliba arrested over Riad Salameh's case

Lebanese actress Stephanie Saliba, who has links to Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh, was arrested on Friday, a judicial official and the state-run National News Agency said.

The development is the latest in the controversy surrounding Salameh, who is being investigated for corruption as an economic meltdown and financial collapse convulse the tiny nation.

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Geagea urges govt. meeting over Hezbollah arms reports

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Friday called for an emergency cabinet meeting over media reports claiming that Hezbollah is using Beirut’s airport to bring weapons from Iran.

“This is a delicate, dangerous and emergency matter that requires an urgent and necessary meeting by the caretaker cabinet in order to gather all the needed information and take all the necessary measures to preserve the security and stability of the Lebanese,” Geagea said in a tweet.

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Geagea hits back at Bassil over dialogue, Bkirki laments response

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Friday snapped back at Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil over accusations related to the possibility of holding dialogue over the country’s next president.

“Dialogue requires advocates of dialogue,” Geagea tweeted, responding to Bassil’s remarks.

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Al-Rahi says ready to hold dialogue with every party over presidency

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi said Friday that Monday's caretaker cabinet session "shouldn't have happened" especially that many parties were absent.

A caretaker cabinet session was held on Monday despite being boycotted by the Free Patriotic Movement and the Tashnag party, triggering tensions between long-time allies Hezbollah and the FPM as MP Jebran Bassil blasted Hezbollah for attending the session and the latter responded that Bassil's comments were "inappropriate" and "unwise".

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Bassil urges consensus on president, says Geagea refusing dialogue

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil on Friday visited Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi in Bkirki and called for an agreement on the country’s new president.

“I continued with Patriarch al-Rahi the discussion of the issue of the presidency and the agreement on a candidate and I call on everyone to agree on a name,” Bassil said after the meeting.

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KSA, China say Lebanon shouldn't be launchpad for 'terrorism'

After talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and King Salman and his 37-year-old son Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, China and KSA expressed their keenness on stability and unity in Lebanon.

In a joint statement from Riyadh, they stressed the importance of making the required reforms and holding dialogue and consultations to overcome the crisis in Lebanon.

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Lebanon detainees stuck in limbo as judges' strike drags on

Taxi driver Youssef Daher has languished for months in prison without charge, one of scores stuck after Lebanese judges launched an open-ended strike in August to demand better wages in a collapsed economy.

Judges have suspended their work as rampant inflation eats away at their salaries, paralyzing the judiciary and leaving detainees in limbo -- the latest outcome of Lebanon's years-long financial crisis.

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