Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati has kicked off his official meetings on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, where he met with U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland in the presence of caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib.

The meeting focused on Lebanese-American relations and the multiple issues currently facing Lebanon.

Hearings in the $1 billion lawsuit filed by auto tycoon Carlos Ghosn against Nissan and other defendants have started in Beirut with lawyers of both sides meeting the judge in charge of the case, judicial officials said.

The former Nissan CEO filed the case against Nissan in May in Beirut, alleging he was detained in Japan in 2018 on false charges because of what he calls the automaker's disinformation against him. The 69-year-old Ghosn is seeking half of the $1 billion in damages and half for compensation including salary, retirement funds and stock options.

Army Commander General Joseph Aoun on Monday announced that he does not “care” about the presidential file.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Hezbollah continue to support Marada leader Suleiman Franjieh as a presidential candidate, Shiite Duo sources told al-Jadeed.

The only way to discuss names is through dialogue, the sources said.

The opposition has inched closer to endorsing the presidential nomination of Army chief General Joseph Aoun, the Saudi-owned Asharq al-Awsat newspaper has reported.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri will call for dialogue in early October.

"If nothing happens, I will head the dialogue with Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab," Berri told al-Liwaa newspaper in remarks published Monday.

Qatari envoy Abou Fahad Jassem Al-Thani will arrive in Beirut today, Monday to kick off a visit related to Lebanon’s presidential file, the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper reported.

Almost one year has passed since former president Michel Aoun's term ended. The divided Parliament failed for 12 times to elect a new president, with neither of the two main blocs -- Hezbollah and its opponents -- having the 86 votes required to elect one in a first round of voting.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea who had refused to take part in a dialogue to agree on a president said there are no other choices but Jihad Azour or Suleiman Franjieh.

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil has stressed that neither the Hezbollah-led camp nor the opposition can “impose” a president.

A top official with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah group has said that Palestinian and Lebanese officials have given militant Islamic groups in Lebanon's largest Palestinian refugee camp until the end of the month to hand over the accused killers of a Fatah general.

A fragile calm has largely prevailed in the Ain el-Helweh camp since Thursday night after the warring sides reached the latest in a series of cease-fire agreements. It followed a week of intense fighting that killed at least 18 people and wounded and displaced hundreds.