Foreign Minister Nasif Hitti shall hold talks with his French counterpart Jean-Yve Le Drian in Paris to discuss bilateral relations between Lebanon and France and the much-needed support for the country’s ailing economy, media reports said on Friday.

French Ambassador to Lebanon Bruno Foucher reportedly asked for an “urgent” meeting with Lebanon’s Prime Minister Hassan Diab to discuss “pressing” matters, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Friday.

Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Jebran Bassil on Thursday called for protecting Lebanon’s oil and gas resources from “domestic corruption and foreign greed.”

Reminiscing the efforts of ten years that eventually led to the launch of offshore oil and gas drilling, Bassil said some parties “ridiculed” the endeavor and voiced skepticism “but the dream has become reality.”

During his fourth visit to Baalbek, British Ambassador to Lebanon Chris Rampling toured ongoing UK funded projects, and inaugurated new ones, underlining the UK’s “unswerving support to Baalbek and its surrounding areas,” the British embassy said on Thursday.

Lebanon on Thursday confirmed its third coronavirus case, saying the person infected is an Iranian man.

President Michel Aoun on Thursday launched the work of a French ship that will drill for oil and gas in block 4 of Lebanon’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

“Today is a happy day for us and for all Lebanese. We hope the dream which we sought to achieve will be realized. Today is a historic day,” Aoun said at the ceremony.

The Lebanese Embassy in Iran urged Lebanese nationals there to take “caution” against Coronavirus risks and to book tickets back to Lebanon “as soon as possible.”

Health Minister Hamad Hassan stressed on Thursday that strict measures have been imposed on Lebanon’s land borders to counter the deadly Coronavirus threat that killed thousands globally.

Lebanon plans to request a seven-day grace period to decide on restructuring a plan for it Eurobond debt maturing on March 9, media reports said on Thursday.

Democratic Gathering Parliamentary Bloc MP Faysal al-Sayegh downplayed what he said are “exaggerations” that Lebanon can be listed among oil- producing countries, saying it is still early to know that.