Caretaker Minister of Interior Mohammed Fahmi stated on Tuesday that some businesses might be allowed to reopen if a progress shows Friday on COVID indicators, urging institutions to comply with lockdown measures.

The government in Lebanon is reportedly planning to slash the cost of PCR tests to encourage more people to get themselves tested, amid a surge in coronavirus cases.

President Michel Aoun and PM-designate Saad Hariri held a “secret” meeting on the government formation on Monday “without making any progress,” al-Joumhouria daily reported on Tuesday.

Despite the obstacles that still hinder the French rescue initiative for Lebanon, France is "continuing its efforts to help Lebanon," according to information obtained by the Saudi Asharq el-Awsat newspaper Tuesday.

President Michel Aoun on Monday sent a cable of condolences to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over the death of Syria’s Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem.

Lauding the role that Muallem played inside and outside Syria, Aoun hoped “peace will return to Syria so that the brotherly Syrian people can once again enjoy the prosperity they deserve.”

Caretaker Foreign Minister Charbel Wehbe met Monday with U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea at the Foreign Ministry in Beirut.

Talks tackled "bilateral ties, means to enhance them and America’s support and assistance for Lebanon in many fields, in addition to the issue of sea border demarcation negotiations, the return of refugees to their country, and the phase of transition from the current administration to the new administration in the U.S.,” the Ministry said in a statement.

The first two days of a two-week general lockdown imposed in Lebanon to curb skyrocketing coronavirus cases were “largely successful,” an Internal Security Forces spokesman said on Monday.

“Until this morning, 6,873 fines were issued against those who breached the lockdown,” ISF Public Relations Branch chief Colonel Joseph Musallem said in a radio interview.

Israeli troops fired shots in the air Sunday evening after two individuals raised suspicions on the Lebanese side of the border, the Israeli army said.

Troops “fired in the air after detecting two suspects who approached the security fence with Lebanon,” Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee said on Twitter.

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil on Sunday said a forensic audit into the central bank’s accounts is “a national duty and an ultimate priority.”

In a tweet, he added that such a move would “allow the auditing of all public expenditure” and would also “highlight the financial gap, unveil violations and determine the fate of looted, donated and transferred funds.”

A Lebanese Army intelligence patrol on Sunday arrested a Palestinian who crossed into Lebanon from Israel, the Lebanese National News Agency said.

NNA said the man, 43-year-old M. A. Abdul Qader, crossed the border into the Lebanese town of al-Dhayra.