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'Dangerous' IS Militant Arrested in Dahieh

After surveillance and investigations, a patrol from the Directorate General of State Security managed to arrest the Palestinian refugee A.M., one of the most dangerous militants of the Islamic State terror group, media reports said on Wednesday.

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Harb Requests Lifting His MP Immunity: I Will Defend Those Accused by Abi Khalil

MP and lawyer Boutros Harb stated on Wednesday that he will request lifting his immunity as an MP in order to defend those accused of “defaming” Energy Minister Cesar Abi Khalil with regard to a deal to lease power generating ships.

“I will ask the Speaker to lift my immunity as an MP and I hereby announce as a lawyer that I will offer my pro bono services to defend all those who have been accused by Minister Abi Khalil,” LBCI quoted Harb as saying.

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Berri: Will Call for Extraordinary Session if Necessary, Redistribution of Seats Impermissible

Speaker Nabih Berri reiterated on Wednesday rejection of any attempt to reallocate parliamentary seats from one electoral district to another, pointing out that he would call for another extraordinary parliament session if the June 5 meeting fails to convene, al-Joumhouria daily reported.

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Report: Presidential Iftar to Accelerate Agreement on Electoral law

Countdown towards an agreement on a new voting system has reportedly begun, as attention turns to an official annual Ramadan banquet hosted by President Michel Aoun at the Presidential Palace on Thursday, after a 4-year break, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Wednesday.

“Aoun has invited top Lebanese officials to an Iftar including Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Speaker Nabih Berri, Muslim and Christian religious authorities, former Presidents and PMs, ministers, deputies, military and security leaders, economic and social bodies and others,” well-informed sources told the daily.

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Mustaqbal 'Strongly Rejects' Vacuum, Says Electoral Law Must 'Respect Coexistence'

Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc on Tuesday said it “strongly rejects vacuum in state institutions” because it would “subject the country to great threats and unknown consequences.”

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Change and Reform Rejects 'Encroachment on President Powers', Urges Abolition of 20 Parliamentary Seats

The Change and Reform parliamentary bloc announced Tuesday that it is against “any encroachment on the president's powers,” amid a row between President Michel Aoun and Speaker Nabih Berri over who between them has the jurisdiction to open an extraordinary legislative session.

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Geagea: No Return to 1960 Law despite Dangerous Aoun-Berri Clash

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea stressed Tuesday that there will be no return to the 1960 electoral law despite what he described as a “dangerous political clash” between President Michel Aoun and Speaker Nabih Berri.

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Army Defuses Two Explosive Belts in Akkar

The Lebanese army defused two suicide explosive belts in the outskirts of Fnaideq in northern Akkar after confessions made by two detainees, the National News Agency reported on Tuesday.

The suspects, who were detained a few days earlier, were identified by their initials as S.H.Z and W.W.M, confessed to have hidden the belts in the said area, NNA said.

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Raad: Hizbullah 'Optimistic' about Chances of Agreeing on New Law

Loyalty to the Resistance Parliamentary bloc MP Mohammed Raad said there were many reasons to be optimistic about prospects to agree on a new electoral law, mainly that discussions focus on a full proportional representation vote law format, the National News Agency reported on Tuesday.

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'Jihadist Drug' from Lebanon Seized for First Time in France

French customs officials said Tuesday that they had intercepted 135 kilograms (300 pounds) of Captagon, dubbed the "jihadists' drug", at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport this year, a first for France.

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