MP Nabil Bader of Beirut on Tuesday announced that he and 13 independent MPs have decided to vote for caretaker PM Najib Mikati in the binding parliamentary consultations to pick a PM-designate.

An agreement was signed Tuesday in Beirut for importing Egyptian natural gas to Lebanon through Syria.

"The importance of this deal... stems from the fact that it will secure an additional four hours of electricity per day following its implementation," caretaker Energy Minister Walid Fayyad said.

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil on Tuesday hit out at caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati over the latter’s warning that Lebanon might take measures to repatriate the Syrian refugees.

“Today they have remembered, after 11 years, that there are legal means that can prevent the displaced (Syrians) from taking advantage of their crisis to achieve financial gains at the expense of the host community,” Bassil tweeted, noting that the aforementioned means would allow the Syrians to return to their country with “dignity and safety.”

MPs from the Lebanese Forces, al-Kataeb and the "Change" group have said their parties are leaning towards naming Former President of the United Nations Security Council Nawaf Salam as a PM in the binding consultations on Thursday.

"We have met Salam and discussed our program with him, and we are almost unanimous in naming him," MP Waddah al-Sadek said Tuesday.

President Michel Aoun has affirmed that the binding consultations to choose a Prime Minister will be held on Thursday, as scheduled.

He said in a press interview published on Tuesday that he will respect the MPs' choice, as he expressed his worry about appointing a PM who is not supported by a great majority, who doesn't have the consensus of his sect or lacks conformity to the National Pact.

Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri and U.N. Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Lebanon Najat Rochdi signed Monday a partnership compact between the Parliament and the U.N. Country Team in Lebanon (UNCT) to boost bilateral cooperation in key areas and achieve sustainable development, a joint statement said.

The developments of the past few days have put the re-nomination of caretaker PM Najib Mikati for the premier post in “serious risk,” MTV reported on Monday, adding that the various opposition factions are holding contacts behind the scenes in order to agree on a single candidate.

“The Progressive Socialist Party has agreed with the Lebanese Forces not to nominate Mikati and to agree on a common alternative candidate. The Kataeb Party has also expressed readiness to agree on a candidate for the opposition with its various formations,” MTV said.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Monday said Lebanon was ready to expel Syrian refugees living in the country if the international community does not work to repatriate them.

Lebanon, grappling with its worst ever economic crisis, has the world's highest proportion of refugees in its population, with the government estimating that Syrians account for almost a quarter of its more than six million residents.

Lebanon's Health Ministry said Monday authorities have detected the country's first case of monkeypox in a person who returned from abroad and is now isolating at home.

The ministry said the person is stable and that authorities are tracking the person's contacts. It did not provide further details.

MP Rami Fanj said Monday that the reformist MPs might name Former President of the United Nations Security Council Nawaf Salam as a Prime Minister, while MP Ibrahim Mnaimneh said that Salam's name is not definitive and that the MPs are still discussing the matter.

Earlier on Monday, the "progress" party named Salam, as the party's MPs Najat Saliba and Mark Daou continue their meetings with the other reformists in an attempt to agree on a common name.