Naharnet
Latest stories
Berri hits out at Aoun and FPM over demarcation, presidency, electricity

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Wednesday lashed out at President Michel Aoun and the Free Patriotic Movement over several issues, in a speech marking the 44th anniversary of the disappearance of Amal Movement founder Imam Moussa Sadr.

“We remind those trying to take Lebanon back to the pre-Taef era that parliament is the only side entrusted with interpreting the constitution,” Berri said, referring to the controversy over whether or not the caretaker cabinet can assume the president’s powers in the event of a presidential vacuum.

W140 Full Story
Mikati meets Aoun anew, jokes about imminent formation

Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati met Wednesday in Baabda with President Michel Aoun over the issue of the new government.

Speaking to reporters as he entered the meeting, Mikati quipped that the government’s formation decrees cannot be issued today seeing as Speaker Nabih Berri “is in the South” to deliver a speech marking the 44th anniversary of the disappearance of Imam Moussa al-Sadr.

W140 Full Story
MPs agree to protect both depositors and banks as Bassil decries capital control 'failure'

The Joint Parliamentary Committees on Tuesday agreed on finding a capital control solution that would both preserve the rights of depositors and the “existence” of banks, Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab said.

TV networks meanwhile said that the Committees will ask the government to send the economic recovery plan in order to discuss it along with the capital control law.

W140 Full Story
Raad calls for reviving incumbent government

MP Mohammed Raad, the head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, has warned that “a country without a government cannot have stability,” cautioning that “the laxity we’re witnessing in the cabinet formation method has no place at the moment.”

“We don’t care who comes, who goes and who returns. Revive this government so it becomes a government with full powers,” Raad added.

W140 Full Story
Mikati optimistic on govt. formation, says president election more important

Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati has expressed optimism over the cabinet formation file, saying he is working for this goal, as he stressed that “what’s more important is the election of a president.”

Mikati added, in an interview with the al-Intichar news portal, that his relation with President Michel Aoun is “good.”

W140 Full Story
Bassil: Aoun might withdraw premiership designation from Mikati

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil has anew accused Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati of obstructing the government formation.

In a press interview published on Tuesday, Bassil said that Mikati wants to give the caretaker government presidential powers.

W140 Full Story
Protests ahead of parliament's joint capital control session

Activists and depositors gathered Tuesday in front of the Parliament to protest a capital control law ahead of a joint parliamentary session that will discuss it.

The so-called Change MPs refused in a press conference the capital control law. Other MPs said it was unacceptable as well, as they considered it to be unfair to the depositors.

W140 Full Story
Aoun says some don't want border deal before he leaves Baabda

President Michel Aoun said Monday that some parties do not want the sea border demarcation file to be finalized during his presidential term, while noting that the cabinet formation process has not been suspended.

In a meeting with a delegation from the Syndicate of the Workers of Audiovisual Media, Aoun added that Speaker Nabih Berri and PM-designate Najib Mikati can be asked about this matter, seeing as “they possess the necessary information about everything that is happening in this file.”

W140 Full Story
Mikati holds talks with Berri in Ain el-Tineh

Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati held talks Monday with Speaker Nabih Berri in Ain el-Tineh.

He left without making a statement.

W140 Full Story
Baabda slams 'bastards' who are 'attributing statements to president'

The Presidency's press office has issued a strong-worded statement denying "everything that has been said by politicians and in the media about President Michel Aoun's staying in Baabda after the end of his term."

Slamming the accusations as "mere fabrications," the Presidency said they are "part of the ongoing scheme to target the Presidency's position and the president in person."

W140 Full Story