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Lebanese Army forbids Israeli bulldozer from crossing Blue Line

The Lebanese Army on Thursday prohibited an Israeli bulldozer from breaching the U.N.-demarcated Blue Line on the border with Lebanon, al-Manar TV said.

The army had on Wednesday also stopped the work of an Israeli bulldozer by force after it tried to cross the Blue Line.

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Blast victims' relatives rally near parliament ahead of presidential election session

Activists and relatives of the Beirut port blast victims rallied Thursday in front of the parliament ahead of another presidential election session.

They are protesting years of what they say is political interference in the probe.

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Maronite bishops say Mikati can't convene cabinet without ministers approval

The Council of Maronite Bishops on Wednesday waded into the debate over the meetings of the caretaker Cabinet, stressing that caretaker PM Najib Mikati “does not have the right to convene Cabinet without the approval of (all) ministers.”

“He also does not have the right to issue and sign decrees without the signatures of all ministers, in line with Article 62 of the constitution,” the Council added, in a statement issued after its monthly meeting in Bkirki under Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi.

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Lebanese Army stops work of Israeli bulldozer over Blue Line breach

The Lebanese Army on Wednesday stopped the work of an Israeli bulldozer by force after it tried to cross the U.N.-demarcated Blue Line, al-Manar TV reported.

Lebanese and Israeli troops had earlier gone on alert on both sides of the border after the bulldozer breached the Blue Line.

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Mikati: Cabinet session not sectarian, electricity issue not fully resolved

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati stressed Wednesday after a caretaker Cabinet session that he is not a sectarian person, after the meeting was boycotted by several Christian ministers affiliated with the Free Patriotic Movement.

“What everyone should understand is that when Cabinet convenes, its aim is not to worsen the rift but rather to serve the citizen,” Mikati said.

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Geagea on partitioning accusations: All Lebanese are our people

After being accused of seeking partitioning, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said Wednesday that "all the Lebanese are our people."

"We will discuss the current political structure with others," Geagea added, describing the current political structure as a "failure."

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Nasrallah criticizes al-Rahi and Bassil over presidency, govt.

Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has hit out at Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi and Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil over the files of the presidential vote and the caretaker cabinet.

“We understand that some religious leaders are practicing political and media pressure on the political forces represented in parliament to expedite the presidential election, but one must refrain from sectarian incitement,” Nasrallah said in a televised speech, in an apparent jab at al-Rahi.

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Caretaker cabinet convenes in second FPM-boycotted session

The caretaker cabinet convened Wednesday for the second time at the Grand Serail to discuss the electricity file and other items.

Minister of Tourism Walid Nassar attended the session despite a decision by the Free Patriotic Movement to boycott any caretaker cabinet session.

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Jumblat says 'not the right time' for 'reconsidering state structure'

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat criticized Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea's call for reconsidering the state's structure.

"What does he mean by reconsidering the Lebanese structure," Jumblat asked, in remarks published Tuesday in al-Joumhouria newspaper.

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Jumblat opposes govt. spending on 'corrupt' power sector

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat is in favor of a caretaker cabinet session that would tackle vital matters like education instead of electricity.

Jumblat considered, in remarks published Tuesday in al-Joumhouria newspaper, that the electricity problem is hard to be solved, urging for reforming the sector before spending on it.

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