Business in Lebanon's winter resorts is returning to normal after last year's complete lockdown due to the spread of COVID-19 that badly hurt winter tourism in the small country.

Skiers were seen running down the piste and children sliding down the hills at the Faraya-Mzaar ski resort, this weekend, despite the newly imposed restrictions and the financial crisis described by the World Bank as one of the worst in the world since the 1850s.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Monday expressed his “full solidarity” with Lebanon in a meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh with Prime Minister Najib Miqati.

Al-Sisi also voiced Egypt’s “readiness to contribute to delivering the Egyptian gas” to Lebanon “according to the signed treaties,” giving instructions to “facilitate the issue and speed up its implementation.”

President Michel Aoun on Monday announced that his call for national dialogue concerns all Lebanese and is “not aimed at achieving a partisan or personal interest.”

“As for our call for dialogue, we first received position reactions, but some reservations have started to emerge,” Aoun said in a meeting with Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Sami Abi al-Muna.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati arrived Monday in Egypt, on an official visit.

He participated in the fourth edition of the World Youth Forum, held in Sharm El-Sheikh under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

Marwan Habib, a 32-year-old Lebanese man who faced dozens of sexual harassment and assault allegations in Lebanon, has been arrested in the U.S. for breaking into a woman's Miami Beach hotel room and assaulting her.

President Michel Aoun held talks Friday afternoon in Baabda with Prime Minister Najib Miqati.

Speaking after the talks, Miqati said Aoun requested the meeting to discuss his call for holding a national dialogue conference.

President Michel Aoun held talks Friday with visiting French senator Ronan Le Gleut, who was accompanied by the counselor of the French abroad for Lebanon and Syria, Lucas Lamah.

Le Gleut conveyed to Aoun French Senate President Gérard Larcher’s warm wishes with the beginning of the new year and his “permanent keenness on consolidating the ties of friendship between France and Lebanon in the various fields.”

Al-Mustaqbal Movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri announced Friday that he has discussed the issue of national dialogue in a phone call with President Michel Aoun.

A statement issued by Hariri’s office said the former premier called Aoun after the presidential palace telephoned the Center House regarding the President’s proposal about holding a national dialogue conference.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi held separate talks Friday with Army Commander General Joseph Aoun and French Ambassador to Lebanon Anne Grillo.

In his meeting with Aoun, al-Rahi lauded “the Lebanese Army’s efforts to preserve the security of the country and citizens” and its “measures to prevent all kinds of smuggling.”

Hizbullah’s MP Ali Fayyad said that obstacles should be removed for Cabinet to convene.

"It is indispensable that Cabinet convenes, this is our conviction. But first we should remove the obstacles,” Fayyad said in a radio interview, adding that he expects a solution to be reached soon.