The Lebanon Renaissance Foundation has released its 2018 version of the State of our State index, which points to further deterioration in the basic functions of the Lebanese state.

“State of our State compiles, on annual basis, the observations of 13 people hailing from diverse backgrounds, and all ranking and senior members of the Foundation (civil society activists, former officials and business leaders) and whose profiles can be found on LRF’s website under About Us - Board of Directors and Senior Staff,” LRF said in a statement emailed to Naharnet.

Caretaker Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil has described Syria's absence as the “biggest gap” in the Arab Economic and Social Development Summit that kicked off in Beirut on Friday.

“We must embrace Syria instead of throwing it into the hands of terrorism, without awaiting a permission from anyone for its return” to the Arab League, said Bassil at the summit's opening session at Beirut's Phoenicia Hotel.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri said from Baabda on Friday that efforts will be made to make the economic summit scheduled in Beirut “succeed,” after it has been marred by controversy days before delegates arrive.

The Arab Economic and Development Summit will take place on Sunday in Beirut amid “poor” Arab representation after the majority of Arab countries cut down their level of participation which made many describe the upcoming summit “a failure,” al-Joumhouria daily reported Friday.

MP Anwar al-Khalil, a member of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri's AMAL Movement, revealed on Friday that Berri is not going to participate in Beirut’s Economic and Social Development Summit.

In remarks he made to VDL radio (93.3), Khalil said the Speaker will not attend the summit: “Several state leaders have apologized for not being able to attend the summit, which is going to affect the attendance quality. The reasons are many, but the most important reason is that Lebanon still has no government.”

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri has reportedly banned caretaker Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil from sending a letter to Arab League chief Ahmed Abul Gheit requesting the return of Syria to the Arab League, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Friday.

According to the daily, Bassil has prepared the letter requesting Abul Gheit to call the Arab League for an “urgent extraordinary” meeting for the return of Syria to the council.

Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Jebran Bassil on Thursday lashed out at Marada Movement leader ex-MP Suleiman Franjieh without naming him.

“The difference has once again become clear between those who are independent and those who are servile,” Bassil tweeted.

Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri held talks Thursday evening with Progressive Socialist Party leader ex-MP Walid Jumblat at the Center House.

Jumblay was accompanied by his son MP Taymour Jumblat and the meeting was held in the presence of caretaker Culture Minister Ghattas Khoury, who is one of Hariri's close aides.

President Michel Aoun announced Thursday that he “will not allow anyone to seize control of Lebanon,” in a fiery speech during a lunch banquet.

Telling the attendees a fictional story about a little girl and her father, who was a ship captain, Aoun added: “Do not be afraid: we will not abandon the ship and we will rescue all those on board.”

The Lebanese Army on Thursday announced the arrest of a man who became the subject of sensational media reports for several days after he crossed the border from Israel into Lebanon in mysterious circumstances.

“After continuous search operations by the army, a patrol from the Intelligence Directorate managed today to arrest the U.S. citizen Colin Emery after finding him hiding in one of Tyre's neighborhoods,” the army said in a statement.