French President Francois Hollande on Thursday condemned as "despicable" the twin bomb attack that killed 43 people and injured 239 others in the Beirut southern suburb of Bourj al-Barajneh.

"The president of the republic expresses his indignation and horror after the attack that killed several dozen people this afternoon in the Bourj al-Barajneh neighborhood of Beirut," he said in a statement issued by the presidency.

Lebanese leaders strongly condemned Thursday the deadly twin bombings that rocked the Beirut southern suburb of Bourj al-Barajneh, urging unity and vigilance.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam declared Friday a day of national mourning and called on all Lebanese to show more “alert, unity and solidarity in the face of the seditious schemes.”

Al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri condemned Thursday in his name and in the name of his movement what he described as “the heinous terrorist attacks against our people in Bourj al-Barajneh,” after two suicide bombers killed at least 43 people and wounded 239 others in the Beirut southern suburb.

He said on twitter: “Targeting civilians is a vile and unjustified act that cannot be downplayed by any allegations.”

Twin suicide bombings rocked a busy shopping street Thursday in the Beirut southern suburb of Bourj al-Barajneh, killing 43 people and wounding 239 others, in the worst such attack in years.

NNA said the attack was carried out by two suicide bombers who blew up their explosive vests in the Ain al-Sikkeh street.

The parliament on Thursday approved the food safety law during a much-anticipated legislative session, the first that the legislature holds since around a year, Health Minister Wael Abou Faour announced.

“Citizens' health has become immunized and the quality of their food has improved, and we now have a Central Commission,” he said.

The Information Branch arrested a dangerous fugitive after raiding his place of residence in the northeastern town of Arsal and chasing him, an army statement said.

Mohammed Ibrahim al-Hujeiri, nicknamed “Abou Ibrahim” and “Kahroub”, was arrested by the Information Branch with the assistance of military forces in the al-Sabil neighborhood, the statement added.

A legislative session aimed at tackling a number of financial draft-laws was held Thursday at parliament amid the boycott of the Kataeb Party and a rally staged by its supporters in protest against the meeting.

The Lebanese Forces and Free Patriotic Movement took part in the meeting following an agreement that was reached on Wednesday that appeased their demands regarding restoring the nationality of expatriates and the parliamentary electoral laws.

You Stink activists dumped trash early on Thursday in front of several ministries protesting the government’s dysfunction on a months-long trash crisis, the state-run National News Agency reported.

The activists dumped waste near the ministries of Environment, Labor, Energy, Foreign, Culture, Education, Social Affairs, Industry and Displaced.

The army dismantled on Thursday a bomb in the northern city of Tripoli, reported the National News Agency.

It said that an explosive was discovered in a box placed near Kanaan cafe in the Qobbeh neighborhood.

The Lebanese Forces and Free Patriotic Movement agreed to attend the legislative session following concessions that were made over the inclusion of the parliamentary electoral law on its agenda, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Thursday.

It said that an agreement was reached to form a committee to prepare an electoral law and approve it.