Parliament convened Tuesday, in its first legislative session, to vote on 40 draft laws, including a reformed bank secrecy law and a wheat loan from the World Bank, in the presence of U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea who attended the session.

Parliament's approval of a reformed bank secrecy law is required by the International Monetary Fund to financially support Lebanon. The aim is to fight corruption and detect and investigate financial crimes.

Two U.S. Coast Guard fast response cutters have arrived in Beirut, Lebanon for a scheduled port visit, marking their arrival to the Middle East after departing the United States and transiting the Mediterranean Sea.

Fast response cutters USCGC John Scheuerman (WPC 1146) and USCGC Clarence Sutphin Jr. (WPC 1147) are the newest additions to a slate of Coast Guard ships supporting U.S. 5th Fleet from Bahrain, the U.S. Navy said in a statement.

Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah warned Israel anew on Monday that it would not be able to extract gas from the Karish field without a sea border agreement with Lebanon.

“If the extraction of oil and gas from Karish begins in September before Lebanon obtains its right, we would be heading to ‘a problem’ and we'll do anything to achieve our objective,” Nasrallah said in an interview on al-Mayadeen TV.

General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim on Monday stressed that the General Security agency implemented the judiciary’s instructions when it interrogated Archbishop Moussa al-Hajj and searched his luggage for at least eight hours at the Naqoura border crossing.

“Archbishop Moussa al-Hajj did not face any insult from the General Security agents and he had 20 travel suitcases which required eight hours to be searched,” Ibrahim told al-Jadeed TV.

Caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib on Monday met with Ukrainian Ambassador to Lebanon Ihor Ostach.

The Foreign Ministry said Ostach told Bou Habib that “as part of its aid for Lebanon, his country has set up a port for maintaining the delivery of wheat to Lebanon due to Lebanon’s stance on the Russian-Ukrainian war.”

Lebanese chief Samir Geagea urged Monday for the dismissal of Judge Fadi Akiki as he described him as a traitor and accused Lebanese authorities of evading responsibility.

"What he did was indecent and those behind him are bigger traitors," Geagea said, urging the Lebanese not to believe a word of what was said about the reasons behind Archbishop Moussa al-Hajj's detention. "They are liars," he assumed.

The American University of Beirut’s most prestigious recognition, the University Medal, was conferred on Professor Samir Tabet in recognition of his extraordinary contributions and achievements, AUB said Monday in a statement.

The statement said that Tabet, AUB vice-president emeritus, former acting president, accomplished academic, and artist had received the University Medal during a ceremony held on July 7 at AUB’s Marquand House.

Head of Hezbollah Executive Council Sayyed Hashem Safieddine said Monday that Hezbollah is close today to defeating Israel by land and sea.

"We are close to defeating the Israelis by land and by sea if we want to, and we will decide when to do it," Safieddine said, adding that the Israelis are not the ones who impose their equation in this matter.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Sunday slammed those who "fabricate cases," in reference to the measures that have been taken against Archbishop Moussa al-Hajj.

President Michel Aoun is eagerly waiting to leave the Baabda Palace when his term ends and "then we will return to our nature away from the palace’s limitations," Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil said on Friday.