Prime Minister Bisher al-Khasawneh has announced that his country is having “intensive talks with both Egypt and Syria” in order to arrange the delivery of Egyptian gas to Lebanon.

Al-Khasawneh said that the “results are more than positive.”

Hizbullah on Thursday announced downing an Israeli unmanned drone in south Lebanon.

Greek military transport ship HS Lesvos arrived Thursday in Lebanon carrying aid.

The aid, deliver to the Lebanese Army, consisted of military equipment and spare parts, Covid-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) and tests, foodstuffs, medical equipment and personal care material.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati, Social Affairs Minister Hector Hajjar and Economy Minister Amin Salam on Thursday signed a resolution defining the mechanism and standards of the implementation of the law related to the ration card plan.

The resolution also includes the opening of an additional line of credit to finance the plan.

President Michel Aoun on Thursday met in Baabda with a delegation from Lazard, which is one of the world's leading financial advisory and asset management firms.

“He discussed with them the need to continue their advisory mission for the Lebanese state, as part of preparing for the negotiations with the International Monetary Fund,” the Presidency said.

The head of the finance parliamentary committee, MP Ibrahim Kanaan, on Thursday said that the central bank’s decision to extend the implementation of Decree 151 is an attempt to “anesthetize the depositors.”

“It is unacceptable to continue the game of winning time, seeing as Decree 151 was issued more than a year and a half ago, when the dollar exchange rate was around LBP 7,000. The dollar exchange rate reached LBP 24,000 and depositors continued to withdraw their money at the LBP 3,900 rate, which amounts to an 85% veiled haircut,” Kanaan added.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati met Thursday with his Jordanian counterpart Bisher al-Khasawneh at the Grand Serail.

Al-Khasawneh arrived yesterday, Wednesday, at Beirut airport heading a Jordanian ministerial delegation and was greeted by Miqati and Jordanian ambassador to Lebanon Walid al-Hadid.

European Union Ambassador to Lebanon Ralph Tarraf on Wednesday held a meeting with Lebanon's Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib.

"Tour d'horizon with Foreign Minister Bou Habib on areas of joint concern: addressing the economic crisis, delivering basic services to LB citizens, governance reforms, elections, refugees," Tarraf tweeted after the talks.

A French foreign ministry spokesperson on Wednesday said Paris "regrets the suspension" of the probe into the Beirut port blast, urging the Lebanese judiciary to work "in total transparency, and without any political interference" so that investigations could proceed.

"It is up to the Lebanese authorities to allow the probe to continue with all the necessary financial and human resources so it can shed light on what happened on Aug. 4 and meet the legitimate expectations of the Lebanese people," French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Anne-Claire Legendre told reporters in Paris.

The new government held its first meeting Wednesday since it won a vote of confidence last week.

The president and prime minister authorized a committee to resume bailout talks with the International Monetary Fund over Lebanon's worst economic and financial crisis in its modern history. Talks with the IMF were suspended last year.