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Hezbollah rejects Rai call to abandon Aoun on presidency

Hussein Dakroub| The Daily Star BEIRUT: Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai told a Hezbollah delegation Tuesday that ethical commitment to Lebanon was more important than ethical commitment to persons, in a clear response to the party’s commitment to supporting MP Michel Aoun’s presidential bid. Rai’s stance came after Hezbollah rejected a request from the patriarch to… اقرأ المزيد

Cabinet agrees trash export scheme after marathon meet

Philip Issa| The Daily Star BEIRUT: Government ministers approved a decree to export the bulk of Beirut and Mount Lebanon’s waste Monday, potentially signaling an end to a ruinous crisis that has left the capital region buried in trash. “The Cabinet has turned a new page today and lifted a great weight off the backs… اقرأ المزيد

Hariri keen on maintaining strong ties with Geagea

The Daily Star BEIRUT: Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri is eager to preserve the deep alliance with the Lebanese Forces, two senior Future Movement officials told the Christian Party’s leader Samir Geagea Wednesday. Meanwhile, Parliament failed for the 33rd time to elect a president, with a new session to select a head of state set… اقرأ المزيد

Why not a rotation of Lebanon’s leaders?

It’s time for the Maronite political establishment to seriously consider whether the community benefits from retaining the post of president of the republic. Few things have damaged Maronite interests more than the sexennial race for the presidency, dividing the political class and injecting an element of the irrational into the thinking of communal politicians. As… اقرأ المزيد

Hariri firm on backing Frangieh’s presidency bid

Hussein Dakroub| The Daily Star BEIRUT: Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri Sunday stood firm on his support for MP Sleiman Frangieh’s nomination for the presidency, overriding opposition from both the March 8 and March 14 camps to the Marada Movement leader’s presidential bid. Hariri spoke with Frangieh by telephone “to exchange views on latest developments… اقرأ المزيد

Servicemen’s release hits fresh hurdles

Samya KullabGhinwa Obeid| The Daily Star BEIRUT: Last minute demands by the Nusra Front delayed a swap deal to release 16 Lebanese servicemen held by the Al-Qaeda-linked extremist group for over a year, but the General Security said Sunday night that talks to win their freedom have not totally collapsed. Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, who… اقرأ المزيد