The Appeals Chamber of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon has issued a decision on 15 questions of law submitted by the Pre-Trial Judge and pertaining to a new indictment that has been submitted by the STL Prosecutor, the STL said on Wednesday.

“The Pre-Trial Judge sought clarification of certain aspects of the applicable law in order to examine and rule on an indictment submitted for confirmation by the Prosecution,” an STL statement said.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri held talks Wednesday at the Center House with the Estonian Minister of Defense Jüri Luik.

Luik was accompanied by an official delegation and the meeting was held in the presence of Estonian Ambassador Marin Mõttus and the Honorary Consul of Estonia in Lebanon Fouad Fadel.

The wife of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has sued a Lebanese businessman for failing to deliver a $1.35-million diamond ring she ordered for her wedding anniversary, state media reported Wednesday.

The Parliament convened for second day in a row to debate the country's first budget in 12 years with an earlier session on Tuesday that saw lawmakers tackle political issues instead of the country's budget.

Change and Reform bloc MP Naamatallah Abi Nasr spoke first, he said: “I urge the government to adopt the position of President Michel Aoun in line with the ministerial statement as for the displaced file.”

Papal ambassador Gabriele Caccia left Beirut Wednesday morning returning to Rome after the end of his posting in Lebanon and his appointment as ambassador to the Vatican in the Philippines, the National News Agency reported.

The Pope has appointed Caccia as apostolic nuncio in the Philippines, titular archbishop of Sepino.

The Progressive Socialist Party on Wednesday stressed keenness on preserving “reconciliation, cooperation and civil peace in the Mountain” voicing calls to shun political rhetoric with the aim of gaining popularity in the elections.

Lebanese Forces deputy chief MP George Adwan on Tuesday accused Banque du Liban, Lebanon's central bank, of possible tax evasion, drawing a swift response from BDL Governor Riad Salameh.

“Controlling tax evasion can change the financial situation in Lebanon,” Adwan said during a parliamentary session on the 2017 state budget.

Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq noted Tuesday that “the rate of crimes committed by Syrian refugees is lower than the rate of crimes committed by Lebanese citizens.”

“The Syrian refugee population did not grow this year at all,” Mashnouq added during a ceremony at the Grand Serail.

French Ambassador to Lebanon Bruno Foucher held talks Tuesday in Saifi with Kataeb Party chief MP Sami Gemayel.

The meeting, which was held in the presence of MP Samer Saade and Kataeb's foreign affairs coordinator Marwan Abdallah, tackled “the latest developments in the region and the extent of their impact on the domestic situation in Lebanon, amid the growing tensions and the political, military and economic pressures,” a Kataeb statement said.

The parliament on Tuesday started debating the country's first state budget in 12 years, with Prime Minister Saad Hariri describing the development as a “major achievement that all Lebanese were waiting for.”

At the opening of the session, Speaker Nabih Berri lauded “the strenuous work of the Finance Committee under the chairmanship of MP Ibrahim Kanaan.”