Saudi ambassador Walid Bukhari met Tuesday with MPs of the majority-Sunni National Moderation bloc.

"Bukhari has stressed the neutral position of Saudi Arabia, and the need to expedite the presidential election,” the bloc said in a statement.

Behind-the-scenes contacts have not stopped in a bid to achieve a certain breakthrough in the presidential file and Speaker Nabih Berri is expected to call for a presidential vote session in late May or in early June, a media report said.

“Some international and regional indications signal the possibility of resolving the presidential void crisis and the figure on whom there will be consensus is not necessarily among the names that are being currently circulated,” informed political sources told the PSP’s al-Anbaa news portal in remarks published Tuesday.

The Depositors Outcry association on Tuesday staged a sit-in outside parliament in protest at the state’s financial policies and to demand the recovery of deposits.

The protesters blocked the road near parliament amid the deployment of army troops and security forces. Clashes later ensued, leaving several protesters injured.

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat on Monday likened the Arab League to a “Titanic ship” that is carrying the Syrian people to “certain drowning.”

“Have they asked the Syrian people whether they want to return to the Arab fold? Of course not,” Jumblat tweeted.

Lebanon was ranked the worst country in the food price inflation Top 10 list, the World Bank said in a report last month.

Domestic food price inflation remains high in almost all low- and middle-income countries, the report said.

Lebanon would likely benefit from an end to Saudi-Iranian rivalry, and should the rapprochement solidify it could spell disaster for Israel, The Guardian newspaper said.

"Saudi and Iranian-backed factions have not been able to agree on a replacement (to former president Michel Aoun) despite successive round of voting," the British daily said, as Saudi Arabia refuses to back Hezbollah and Amal's candidate Suleiman Franjieh.

The Constitutional Council is inclined to accept the appeal against the extension of the terms of municipalities and local officials, al-Jadeed TV has reported.

“There is an inclination to hold the elections,” the TV network added.

PSP-backed MP Ghassan Skaff has reached a list of 3 presidential names after a tour on different parties.

Skaff told al-Jadeed that he had discussed Bkerki's eleven names during his diplomatic tour in an attempt to agree on a president.

Free Patritic Movement leader Jebran Bassil, who has no specific presidential candidate, will not attend a voting session that would elect Hezbollah's candidate Marada leader Suleiman Franjieh.

"I haven't suggested a name, but I've refused candidates and considered others," Bassil said in an interview.

Saudi Ambassador Walid Bukhari met Monday with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

After the meeting, Bukhari said that Saudi Arabia does not prefer building ties with one sect in Lebanon at the expense of another.