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Lebanese Officials Have Mixed Reactions to Nuclear Deal

Lebanese politicians had on Wednesday mixed reactions to a historic accord struck a day earlier by Iran, the United States, and five other world powers to check Tehran's nuclear efforts short of building a bomb.

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun said the deal could have a positive impact on Lebanon's presidential elections. But stressed that granting Christians their rights cannot be influenced by any change in the world.

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Berri Says New Hizbullah-Mustaqbal Proposals on Track of Implementation

Speaker Nabih Berri revealed that Hizbullah and al-Mustaqbal Movement have made “new proposals” that would be on track to be implemented.

Berri, whose remarks were published in several local newspapers on Wednesday, told his visitors that the two parties' officials “made new suggestions on a win-win basis” during their latest round of talks.

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Change and Reform Calls for 'Respecting Agreement' over Cabinet's Decision-Taking Mechanism

The Change and Reform bloc condemned on Tuesday the silence over the “assaults committed against student demonstrators” in front of the Grand Serail last week, while demanding that agreements made over the cabinet's decision-taking power be respected.

MP Ibrahim Kanaan said after the bloc's weekly meeting: “It is everyone's duty to respect the agreements made at government regarding its mechanism.”

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Paoli: Preserving Lebanon's Stability is Army's Role, France is an Assistance

French ambassador to Lebanon Patrice Paoli stated on Tuesday that the international agreement to preserve Lebanon's stability can only be achieved through Lebanon's army and security forces, As Safir daily reported.

“There is no such thing as an international umbrella and we have never said that. In reality there is an international understanding U.N. Security Council to preserve Lebanon's stability,” said Paoli in an interview to the daily.

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Dulaimi Says she Was Married to Baghdadi for a Month

Saja al-Dulaimi, a divorcee of Islamic State chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, has revealed to the court that she had been only married to the man for a month.

“I haven’t committed any offense,” al-Dulaimi was quoted as telling the military court on Monday.

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Prosecutors Seek Link between U.S. Businessman and Lebanon Arms Smuggling Plot

U.S. prosecutors have tried to link a prominent businessman in the State of Iowa to a scheme in which four defendants are charged with using his shipping company facilities to smuggle weapons to Lebanon.

Bill Aossey Jr. had been in contact with the suspects, one of whom is a close friend, and is shown on surveillance video briefly going into one of the containers after it was packed, prosecutors in Cedar Rapids argued Monday.

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Lebanese Officials in Action to Resolve Cabinet Crisis

Several parties have launched initiatives to resolve the dispute among cabinet members over the government's decision-making mechanism, sources said.

Progressive Socialist Party chief MP Walid Jumblat, a centrist, has tasked Health Minister Wael Abou Faour to hold talks with Prime Minister Tammam Salam and Hizbullah officials.

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Italian FM Concerned over Baabda Vacuum, Says Lebanon Can Preserve Coexistence

Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni, who is on an official visit to Beirut, has expressed concern over the presidential crisis in Lebanon.

“A commitment to elect a president concerns all the Lebanese,” Gentiloni told An Nahar daily in an interview published on Tuesday.

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Officials: No Breakthrough in Hizbullah-Mustaqbal Dialogue

The 15th round of talks between Hizbullah and al-Mustaqbal Movement that lasted until dawn Tuesday failed to reach a breakthrough on controversial issues, officials told al-Mustaqbal daily.

The officials, who were not identified, said the talks started at 10:00 pm Monday and lasted till 1:00 am during which several issues were discussed.

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Italian FM Arrives in Beirut for Talks with Top Officials

Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni arrived in Beirut Monday evening for a two-day official visit, Lebanon's National News Agency reported.

“He will meet with senior Lebanese officials to discuss with them the current developments in Lebanon and the region and the bilateral ties between the two countries,” NNA said.

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