The Order of Pharmacists of Lebanon on Tuesday called on pharmacies to "close as of this moment," after the black market dollar exchange rate hit the LBP 143,000 mark.

The Israeli Army said that the man suspected of entering northern Israel from Lebanon and planting a bomb at the Megiddo Junction did not cross the border via a tunnel.

"The possibility of the terrorist crossing via a tunnel has been completely ruled out," The Times of Israel said.

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat has described the calls for a bargain involving the presidency and the PM post as a “heresy,” stressing that there should be “a harmonious team.”

Marking the 45th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Aroldo Lázaro reflected on the mission’s origins and his hope, one day, for a lasting peace in the region.

Speaking to an audience gathered at UNIFIL Headquarters in Naqoura for the occasion, Major General Lázaro said that “the ultimate success of Resolution 1701 will be found in a permanent ceasefire and a sustainable peace. That needs a political agreement, and it is not something that we, as peacekeepers, can accomplish only ourselves. Our role is to create the conditions for this process to take place.”

Lebanese Froces leader Samir Geagea said Monday that Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri's camp is the one to blame for the obstruction of the presidential election sessions, not the Christians' disaccord.

Berri had accused in an interview with al-Liwaa newspaper the Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese Forces of rejecting his calls for dialogue, warning that "without dialogue, the result will be further paralysis of the country.”

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has said that he is awaiting for “official or public nominations” for the presidential election in order to call for a voting session.

Cabinet will convene in the coming days to discuss the education file and the public employees salaries, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported Monday.

The daily said it has learned from ministerial sources close to caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati that the ministry of finance is preparing reports and tables for the salary adjustments and incentives to be given to the public sector employees, including the members of the armed forces.

Syrian President Bashar Assad arrived in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, his first visit to the wealthy Gulf country since the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria last month.

Assad, who arrived with his wife, Asma, and a delegation of Syrian officials, was received by UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, according to a statement from Assad's office.

Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has met with a senior Hamas delegation led by Sheikh Saleh al-Arouri, the deputy head of the Palestinian movement’s political bureau, Hezbollah said on Sunday.

U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea announced Friday the launch of a $20 million Solar & Renewable Energy Fund at an event in the presence of Minister of Industry George Bouchikian, Minister of Energy and Water Dr Walid Fayad, Minister of Environment Dr Nasser Yassin, USAID Lebanon Acting Mission Director Nicholas Vivio, investors, and local enterprises.

The fund, created by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Trade and Investment Facilitation (TIF) Activity and Lebanon Investment Initiative (LII), will unlock private sector investments to finance the cost of solar panel installations for Lebanese entities, the U.S. embassy in Lebanon said.