Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil on Tuesday hit back at both Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea and Speaker Nabih Berri and said that the FPM “will not recognize the legitimacy of the resigned government” should there be a presidential vacuum.

“We stress that the caretaker cabinet cannot convene or practice the president's powers. This would lead to constitutional chaos,” Bassil warned in a press conference that followed a meeting for the FPM’s political council.

A security source at the Rafik Hariri International Airport confirmed Tuesday to MTV that Free Patriotic Movement deputy chief Mansour Fadel was briefly detained at the airport for trying to smuggle a “drugs mincing tool” out of the country.

Fadel was carrying the tool as he was heading to France to visit his son, the source said.

A meeting Tuesday between a Free Patriotic Movement parliamentary delegation and Higher Judicial Council chief Judge Suheil Abboud witnessed a “verbal clash” between Abboud and MP Charbel Maroun, the FPM said.

The meeting was dedicated to discussing the file of detained Customs chief Badri Daher, who has been in custody since August 2020 in connection with the Beirut port blast case.

U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein, who will return to the region this week, is “deliberately keeping a low profile,” Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth has reported.

He has recently talked in Athens with senior Israeli officials to finalize the final details of the operations of Greek-Cypriot oil exploration company Energean, the daily said. He made a similar move with French company TotalEnergies for the operation of the Lebanese offshore gas field, Yedioth Ahronoth added.

Activists and relatives of migrants aboard a fishing boat taking on water near the island of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea said Tuesday they lost contact with the vessel overnight.

The roughly 60 Lebanese and Syrian migrants on board had told their relatives and volunteer groups by satellite phone earlier that they have been without food, water, and baby formula for several past days.

U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein will visit Lebanon this weekend but his visit will not be decisive, al-Akhbar newspaper reported on Tuesday.

“He will brief the three presidents (Michel Aoun, Nabih Berri and Najib Mikati) on the United States’ vision for the solution, in light of the ongoing discussions with the Europeans and Israelis, and he will ask the Lebanese to clarify some points,” the daily said.

Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati held talks Tuesday in Ain el-Tineh with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.

The 30-minute meeting tackled the general situations, especially the issue of the state budget and legislative files.

Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab held talks Tuesday in Baabda with President Michel Aoun over a host of issues.

Referring to the sea border negotiations with Israel, Bou Saab said the talks are “going in the right direction.”

Yes in Beirut this September, MIDDLE EAST CLEAN ENERGY 2022

Caretaker PM and PM-designate Najib Mikati stressed Monday that the constitution allows the caretaker cabinet to assume presidential powers in the event of a presidential void.