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Panel Finalizes Policy Statement, Govt. to Approve It Thursday

The ministerial panel drafting the new government’s Policy Statement completed its task on Monday and a Cabinet session will be held Thursday to approve it, the information minister said.

“There are no tax amendments but the Policy Statement includes taxing and monetary reforms,” Manal Abdul Samad said after the committee finished its last meeting.

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Lebanese Banks Slash Dollar Withdrawal Limit by Half

Most Lebanese banks on Monday slashed the monthly dollar withdrawal limit by 50%, media reports said.

For example, Bank Audi will give every small depositor who has a dollar account $300 every 15 days instead of $300 weekly. Depositors with accounts over $100,000 will meanwhile get $500 every 15 days while those whose accounts contain more than $1 million will be eligible to $1,000.

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Rabih al-Zein to be Released on Bail as Other Activists Questioned

Mount Lebanon Examining Magistrate Bassam al-Hajj on Monday ordered the release of protest movement activist Rabih al-Zein on an LBP 100,000 bail, referring the file to public prosecution.

“The public prosecution will approve or dismiss the order tomorrow,” MTV reported.

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Geagea: LF to Attend Sessions but Won't Grant Confidence to Govt.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea announced Monday that the LF-led Strong Republic bloc will attend parliamentary sessions aimed at debating the new government’s Policy Statement.

“The Strong Republic bloc will attend the confidence sessions out of its keenness on the continuity of the work of state institutions but it will not grant the government its confidence,” Geagea said.

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Hitti from KSA: Lebanon Adheres to Arab Peace Initiative

Minister of Foreign Affairs Nassif Hitti reiterated Lebanon's commitment to the Arab Peace Initiative which was endorsed at the Beirut Arab League Summit in 2002, based upon related UN resolutions and international law principles, in order to reach a just, lasting, and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian Cause, the National News Agency reported on Monday.

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Hasan Says Coronavirus Doesn’t Survive on Mail from China

Health Minister Hamad Hasan assured on Monday that the deadly coronavirus does not get transmitted through mail packages arriving from the disease-inflicted country of China.

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Abdullah: Democratic Gathering Bloc to Withhold Confidence Vote

Democratic Gathering bloc MP Bilal Abdullah said on Monday that his bloc shall participate in a parliament session on the new government but will not give it its vote of confidence.

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Report: Schenker to Visit Lebanon after Govt. Confidence Vote

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker is expected to visit crisis-hit Lebanon “when the new government receives the Parliament’s vote of confidence,” al-Joumhouria daily reported on Monday.

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Skirmishes as Protesters Rally in Awkar against Trump Plan

Several protesters were injured Sunday as security forces used pepper spray against stone-throwing demonstrators rallying against U.S. President Donald Trump’s Mideast peace plan near the U.S. embassy in Awkar.

The protesters were treated for fainting and suffocation injuries.

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Wazni: Policy Statement to Be Ready Monday

Finance Minister Ghazi Wazni announced that the government’s policy statement will be ready on Monday, adding that a BDL circular regulating bank-customer relations has been issued, LBCI TV station said Saturday.

In remarks to the station, Wazni said the government shall finish discussing the ministerial statement “it will be ready on Monday.”

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