Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Thursday described parliament's approval of a law for administrative appointments as a “triumph” for the LF-led Strong Republic bloc.

Parliament on Thursday approved several draft laws as al-Mustaqbal bloc and MP Faisal Karami walked out of the legislative session during the discussion of the controversial general amnesty law.

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil had earlier threatened that the Strong Lebanon bloc might also walk out of the session. "If it is prohibited to vote against the amnesty law, we will walk out of the session," he said.

Economy Minister Raoul Nehme on Thursday announced that specific basic food supplies will be subsidized by the Central Bank of Lebanon to help reduce the prices, amid an uncontrolled depreciation of the Lebanese pound.

“This food basket provides all the nutritional components, i.e. vegetable and animal protein, carbohydrates, etc.. the goal is not to choose cheap goods but all the nutritional components that the citizen needs,” said Nehme in remarks at a press conference.

Lebanon on Thursday recorded seven new cases of coronavirus after relaxing so-called general mobilization measures over coronavirus earlier in May.

The Health Ministry said four of those infected are residents and three are repatriated Lebanese expats.

As part of efforts to protect Lebanon’s subsidized diesel oil from being smuggled into neighboring Syria, the Lebanese army discovered and dismantled 30 meters of pipelines used to smuggle the liquid fuel into Syria, the Army Command said in a statement.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State David Schenker said the Lebanese government faces immense challenges as the result of years of corruption and the implications of the war in Syria, noting that sanctions could be imposed on Lebanese parties allied to Hizbullah and supporting the government of PM Hassan Diab.

Former premiers Saad Hariri, Najib Miqati, Fouad Saniora and Tammam Salam on Wednesday deplored what they called “the remarks against the Taef Accord,” in an apparent response to the recent statement of Shiite mufti Sheikh Ahmed Qabalan, the son of Higher Islamic Shiite Council chief Sheikh Abdul Amir Qabalan.

“The National Pact and the Document of National Accord are an honest, rational and enlightened reflection of the deep-rooted relation between Christians and Muslims, which is based on the nobleness of the unifying idea of coexistence,” the ex-PMs said in statement.

Banque du Liban, Lebanon's central bank, on Wednesday issued two memos subsidizing the dollar exchange rate for the importers and manufacturers of essential foodstuffs as well as industrialists.

Lebanese negotiators held their seventh virtual meeting Wednesday with representatives of the International Monetary Fund, the Finance Ministry said.

The United Kingdom is “working together with countries across the Middle East to tackle coronavirus and protect the most vulnerable,” UK Minister for the Middle East James Cleverly has said, as Muslims around the world celebrated Eid al-Fitr.