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Scuffles, Arrests in Zouk Mosbeh During Army Bid to Open Highway

The Lebanese army made several arrests in Beirut's northern suburb of Zouk Mosbeh as it scrambled with protesters who refused to open the road and were forcefully removed from the main highway.

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Lebanon Mass Protests Enter 20th Day

Demonstrations in Lebanon continued for the twentieth consecutive day on Tuesday where protesters blocked key roads accusing political leaders of stalling on the formation of a new government amid differences over who should be included.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned last Tuesday, meeting a key demand of the protesters. They have been holding demonstrations since Oct. 17 demanding an end to widespread corruption and mismanagement by the political class that has ruled the country for three decades.

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Choucair Orders Sale of Recharge Cards according to Official Exchange Rate

Caretaker Telecommunications Minister Mohammed Choucair on Monday ordered mobile network operators touch and Alfa to sell prepaid recharge cards according to the official dollar exchange rate set by the central bank, after dollar rationing in the country led to a hike in prices.

“After a series of meetings and contacts held by Minister Choucair with the various parties and officials concerned with the issue of recharge cards, it has been decided to deliver these cards to distributors in Lebanese lira and according to the official US dollar exchange rate set by Banque du Liban,” Choucair’s press office said in a statement.

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Mustaqbal Denies Being behind Some Road-Blocking Protests

Al-Mustaqbal Movement on Monday denied allegations accusing it of orchestrating the road-blocking protests in some regions to press for the re-appointment of caretaker PM Saad Hariri as prime minister.

“Some news websites and social media activists are holding al-Mustaqbal Movement responsible for the blocking of roads in several regions, attributing their allegations to an alleged order for the Movement’s supporters to take to the streets to take part in a tug of war over the parliamentary consultations and support the designation of PM Saad Hariri,” al-Mustaqbal said in a statement.

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Financial Prosecutor Sues CDR, Several Firms over Brissa Dam File

Financial Prosecutor Ali Ibrahim on Monday filed a lawsuit against the state-run Council for Development and Construction and several private companies on charges of wasting public funds in connection with the Brissa Dam project, the National News Agency said.

LBCI television said several corruption-related files will be tackled after Monday’s move.

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Hariri, Bassil Hold First Meeting since PM Resignation

Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Free Patriotic Movement chief and caretaker Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil were on Monday holding their first meeting since the October 29 resignation of Hariri.

According to MTV, General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim played a mediation role to arrange the meeting.

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Aoun Meets Kubis: Anti-Corruption Measures Tops Next Govt. Tasks

President Michel Aoun on Monday said in talks with U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jan Kubis that the first task for the upcoming government is to put anti-corruption measures in practice.

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Parliament Postpones Session to Elect Secretaries, Commissioners

The Parliament speakership announced on Monday the postponement of a legislative session set to elect two secretaries and three commissioners, the National News Agency reported.

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Al-Akhbar Journalists Resign over Paper Policy on Lebanon Uprising

Two Journalists in Hizbullah-led al-Akhbar newspaper submitted their resignation recently rejecting the paper’s position about the nationwide demonstrations that gripped Lebanon since October 17 demanding a complete overhaul of a political system deemed inefficient and corrupt.

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Abdullah Urges Hariri to Form Govt. of People’s Aspirations

MP Bilal Abdullah, of the Progressive Socialist Party parliamentary bloc, called upon caretaker PM Saad Hariri to form a government that meets the people’s aspirations and leave his rivals to bear the consequences should they fail to listen to the popular street demands.

The MP said that political figures are exploiting their popular gatherings to impose conditions and enhance their power shares.

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