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Report: No Controversial Files on Wednesday’s Cabinet Agenda

The cabinet is set to convene Wednesday afternoon to tackle several pending issues on its agenda but it does not include the controversial file of the State Security agency, An Nahar daily reported.

The cabinet's agenda includes 65 items and 116 draft-laws. It will not discuss the file of the State Security agency until Prime Minister Tammam Salam, who was tasked with finding a solution to the leadership rift between the agency’s chief and his deputy, concludes his mission.

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Bassil: Most Successful Foreign Policies are Independent Ones

Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil remarked on Tuesday that the existence of several foreign policies yields lack of national unity, reported the National News Agency.

He said: “This has resulted in the creation of such jokes as the policy of disassociation, which is aimed at evading disputes.”

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Report: Hizbullah Encourages Franjieh to Keep Candidacy

Hizbullah has asked Marada chief MP Suleiman Franjieh, to uphold his candidacy for the presidential elections because the party is not willing at the time being to look for a third nominee other than Franjieh and Change and Reform bloc chief MP Michel Aoun, the Kuwaiti al-Seyassah daily reported on Tuesday.

According to the daily, Franjieh has planned to meet with Aoun in a final attempt to persuade him to withdraw his candidacy, as advised by Hizbullah.

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Zasypkin Meets Hariri: Russia Continues Endeavors to Help Lebanon Elect President

Russian Ambassador to Lebanon Alexander Zasypkin stated on Monday that Moscow will continue to exert efforts and hold contacts to help Lebanon conclude its stalled presidential elections.

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Arsal Municipal Chief Asks for Postponement of Town Elections

The municipal chief of the northeastern town of Arsal Ali al-Hujeiri, voiced calls on Monday for the postponement of the municipal elections in the town, citing the unstable security situation and polling stations that have been situated in remote areas, the Kuwaiti al-Anba daily reported.

“The security situation in Arsal does not allow the election process, particularly since the Interior Ministry has set, in collaboration with the Lebanese army, six polling stations two of which are four kilometers away from the residence of voters, which will affect their enthusiasm,” he told the newspaper in an interview.

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Hariri-Geagea Meeting Emphasizes Alliance in Municipal Elections

Al-Mustaqbal Movement chief MP Saad Hariri met with Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geaega where talks highlighted the necessity to elect a president and the need to unite efforts between the two parties in the upcoming municipal elections, Hariri's media office said on Monday.

The meeting took place late on Sunday in the Center House in the presence of Lebanese Forces media officer Melhem Riach and Hariri's adviser Ghattas Khoury.

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Shehayyeb Affirms: Waste Plan on Right Track

Agriculture Minister Akram Shehayyeb assured on Monday that the trash management plan is going smoothly and slammed reports claiming that it is going in circles and is doomed to fail.

“The waste management plan is going the right way contrary to what some people think. The plan was initially put in order to prevent the crisis from reverting,” he told the pan-Arab al-Hayat daily in an interview.

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Hariri Meets Davutoglu a Day after Meeting Erdogan

Al-Mustaqbal movement chief MP Saad Hariri held a meeting on Saturday with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmed Davutoglu where talks focused on the developments in the region and Lebanon, his media office reported.

After the meeting Hariri said: “We discussed the situation in Lebanon and the region particularly the violations of the recent armistice agreement in Syria. There is no doubt that everyone is on alert at this stage.”

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Jumblat: I Don't Mind Aoun for Presidency if Franjieh Withdraws

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat stated on Saturday that he does not oppose the election of MP Michel Aoun for the top state post if his March 8 ally MP Suleiman Franjieh withdraws from the race.

“I don't oppose the election of Aoun for the presidency if the national interest requires, and if Franjieh withdraws from the race. The most important thing is to elect a president,” Jumblat told news website elaph in an interview.

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Tripoli Police Arrest Hackers over Cyber Theft

Tripoli police arrested on Saturday four individuals said to have been hacking online accounts and involved in cyber heist, the Internal Security Forces said via its Twitter account.

“The police in the northern city of Tripoli arrested four professional hackers on charges of stealing money,” the tweet said.

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