Prime Minister Saad Hariri stressed on Wednesday that support for Lebanon’s industry will not stop despite the political differences lingering between its parties.

President Michel Aoun has signed on Wednesday the 2019 state budget following controversy over Article 80 related to state hires of Civil Service Council applicants, the National News Agency said.

Army chief General Joseph Aoun said marking the 74th Army Day on Wednesday that incitement and tense rhetoric won’t be allowed to awaken a sleeping sedition.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri met Tuesday at the Center House with Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat and a PSP delegation.

A statement issued by Hariri’s office said talks tackled “the general situations and the latest political developments in the country” and that discussions were continued over a dinner banquet.

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil on Tuesday slammed what he called “threats” to resort to the rule of sectarian majority, in connection with the sectarian controversy over Article 80 of the 2019 state budget.

“We have heard threats on the resumption of (the sectarian) counting (of the population) and we had thought that the issue is not something that changes according to political circumstances,” Bassil said after a meeting for the Strong Lebanon bloc.

Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc on Tuesday slammed what it called an attempt to impose “conditions” on the premiership.

In a statement issued after its weekly meeting, the bloc voiced regret over “the time that has been wasted since three weeks on attempts to find exits and initiatives” to resolve the political deadlock over the Qabrshmoun incident.

The organizers of the Byblos International Festival on Tuesday said they have called off the performance of world famous Lebanese rock band Mashrou' Leila to avert any "bloodshed."

The gig had been scheduled for Friday, August 9.

State Minister for Parliament Affairs Salim Jreissati said that President Michel Aoun is going to sign the 2019 state budget and has no plans of lodging an appeal against it, hence appeasing concerns over its fate now that it requires the President’s signing before being put into implementation.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Tuesday called for the adoption of resolutions that would ensure wider participation of women in political and public life and praised the role played by women ministers in the current government.

Religious and spiritual leaders in Lebanon held a summit on Tuesday at the Druze Council headquarters in Beirut at the invitation of Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Naim Hassan.

The National News Agency said participants in the Christian-Muslim summit included Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi, Grand Mufti of the Republic Abdul Latif Daryan, Vice Head of the Islamic Supreme Shiite Council Sheikh Ali Khatib and Grand Jaafari Mufti Sheikh Ahmed Qabalan beside other religious heads.