A month after the launch of the Russian plan to repatriate Syrian refugees in Lebanon back to their homeland, Moscow hopes that the process will gather momentum after the scheduled talks on Monday between caretaker Foreign Minister Jebran Basil and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, pan-Arab al-Hayat daily reported.

An Emirati minister warned Sunday of “consequences” after Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah met in Lebanon with a delegation from Yemen's Huthi rebels.

“How can the dissociation policy – which Lebanon needs for its political and economic balance and Arab and international position – correspond to Hassan Nasrallah's hosting of a delegation from the Huthi insurgents? This is a question which we call on Lebanon to deal with,” UAE State Minister for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said in a tweet.

The Internal Security Forces Information Branch arrested a people smuggler on Saturday in the town of Karak in Zahle on charges of smuggling Syrian individuals into Lebanese territories, a statement issued by the ISF Directorate General said.

As the conflict widens between the Lebanese Forces and Free Patriotic Movement over ministerial shares, caretaker Information Minister Melhem Riachi said the FPM “had obtained what it wanted from the Maarab Agreement and shunned other elements of the accord," Asharq al-Awsat daily reported on Saturday.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi discussed with General Security head Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim on Friday the file of Syrian refugees, and the delayed formation of Lebanon’s government.

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri held talks on Friday with Saudi head of mission in Lebanon Walid Bukhari where talks focused on annual pilgrimage issues “without touching on the government formation process.”

Caretaker Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq held talks on Friday with Special Secretary for Strategic Affairs of the Brazilian government Hussein Kalout where discussions highlighted preparations for upcoming visit of Brazilian president to Lebanon, the National News Agency reported.

In light of conflicting views over restoring ties with Syria, Speaker Nabih Berri said Lebanon "needs to coordinate efforts" with the neighboring country, noting that he plans to call for a legislative session if a government is not formed soon.

AMAL Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil on Thursday stressed Lebanon’s need for the "speedy" formation of a national unity government, urging political parties to make concessions “like we did” in order to reach that end.

Khalil, speaking during a celebration in South Lebanon, said the new Cabinet should include the majority of political parties, where “calm and responsible rhetoric must be conducted away from individual interests.”

UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Tenenti said in a statement the UN headquarters in New York has organized for “separate meetings” between the new UNIFIL head of mission Major General Stefano Del Col and permanent representatives of Lebanon and Israel to the UN, the National News Agency reported on Thursday.