The AMAL Movement on Monday issued a stern warning over Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil's leaked remarks against Speaker Nabih Berri.

“Bassil's remarks are an open call for strife,” the movement warned in a statement.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri stressed on Monday that strenuous efforts will be exerted on his part to calm the political rhetoric in the country, the National News Agency said.

“Lebanon does not need more escalation, I will do everything in my capacity to appease the situation,” said Hariri after meeting President Michel Aoun at the Presidential Palace in Baabda.

Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil on Monday lashed out fiercely at Free Patriotic Movement and Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil after a leaked video footage that showed Bassil saying that Speaker Nabih Berri is a “thug.”

“Let everyone know that his favorite son-in-law is impolite and lowly and his words are not leaks, but rather the rhetoric of decadency and the hooliganism of political dwarfs who think they can reserve a place for themselves among leaders through their arrogance,” said Khalil in a tweet on Monday.

President Michel Aoun's International Cooperation Adviser ex-minister Elias Bou Saab sought Sunday to distance the Free Patriotic Movement from OTV's recent attacks on Speaker Nabih Berri and the AMAL Movement.

President Michel Aoun emphasized on Saturday that Lebanon has “excellent brotherly” ties with Kuwait stressing keenness on improving them further.

A dispute between AMAL Movement and the Free Patriotic Movement over a seniority decree enlarged and impacted the February Lebanese Diaspora Energy conference for Africa organized by FPM head, Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil, al-Akhbar daily reported on Saturday.

The Internal Security Forces Directorate nabbed a suspect in the eastern Bekaa town of Majdal Anjar over links to the Islamic State terrorist group, the ISF said in a statement on Saturday.

“After thorough monitoring, the ISF Information Department arrested on 22/1/2018 a Lebanese national identified by his initials as R.A in Majdal Anjar neighborhood,” said the statement.

Public Works and Transportation Minister Youssef Fenianos criticized Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil's reactions after a ministerial panel turned down his vote law amendment proposal, saying the Minister is running his parliamentary campaign elections with “slogans,” al-Joumhouria daily reported on Saturday.

Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil snapped back Friday at Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil, accusing him of resorting to sectarian incitement for political gains.

“Someone is trying to use big slogans to cover up for the nature of his real practices in governance, administrations, the state, the political system and everything that has to do with the affairs of this state,” Khalil said at a press conference he held a few hours after a press conference by Bassil.

Hizbullah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Qassem announced Friday that his party and its allies are not seeking to win a parliamentary majority or a one-third veto power in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

“We in Hizbullah are relieved in advance regarding any parliamentary elections results and we're not worried at all,” Qassem said at a press conference to launch Hizbullah's electoral campaign in the South.