Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat on Tuesday announced the revival of the Democratic Gathering parliamentary bloc and the nomination of its member MP Henri Helou for the presidency, one day before a parliamentary session aimed at voting for a new president.

“The Democratic Gathering has been revived with all its members and we're one family again,” Jumblat said after a meeting in Clemenceau.

The Change and Reform parliamentary bloc led by MP Michel Aoun announced Tuesday that it will cast blank votes in Wednesday's presidential election.

"We have decided to take part in Wednesday's session and we will cast blank votes," MP Emile Rahme said, reciting a terse statement issued after the bloc's weekly meeting in Rabieh.

Lebanese Forces delegates continued on Tuesday meeting with lawmakers over the presidential elections, as MP Sethrida Geagea announced that the LF chief might gather up to 50 votes in his favor during Wednesday's parliamentary session dedicated for the election of a new head of state.

Tuesday's meetings kicked off with talks with Speaker Nabih Berri in the Beirut neighborhood of Ain al-Tineh, and the latter revealed that his Development and Liberation MPs will attend Wednesday's session at the parliament to vote for a new president.

Former premier Najib Miqati announced Tuesday that he and his ally MP Ahmed Karami will vote for Democratic Gathering's presidential nominee MP Henri Helou during Wednesday's session, as Tripoli MP Mohammed Safadi said he will take the “sensitivities” in the city into consideration.

According to a statement issued by Miqati's office, the ex-PM met with Health Minister Wael Abou Faour and MP Helou in the evening at his Verdun residence.

President Michel Suleiman hoped on Tuesday that parliament will respect the constitutional deadline to elect a president, saying that this remains one of the greatest challenges facing Lebanon.

He said in a statement: “I expect parliament to assume its national responsibility and elect a new president that the Lebanese people deserve before May 25.”

The Hizbullah official in the town of Lassa in Jbeil was killed on Tuesday in a car crash, reported Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5).

Sheikh Youssef Ghazi al-Muqdad was killed when his Toyota jeep veered off the Yanouh-Lassa main road in Jbeil, said the National News Agency.

Aid trucks delivered on Tuesday food packages and fuel oil to the residents of Tufail on the Lebanese-Syrian border through the backing of armed forces.

Tufail, which lies in eastern Lebanon in an area surrounded by Syrian territory, was isolated after the only road that leads to the town came under the control of Syrian government troops.

The military prosecutor charged on Tuesday two soldiers with negligence and dereliction of duty that caused the death of an inmate at Lebanon’s largest prison.

The state-run National News Agency said that Judge Saqr Saqr, the state commissioner the military court, issued the charges against the soldiers over the death of Hussein Abdullah Sbaity at Roumieh prison earlier this month.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam hoped that the parliament would elect a new president on Wednesday and stressed that the differences between the rival parties were not on the concept of resistance but on the use of its arms in Lebanon.

In an interview with Sky News Arabia, Salam said: “Nothing prevents an agreement on the name of the president if the political parties had the intention and will.”

The Kataeb Party called Monday for preserving “the unity and solidarity of the March 14 forces” and for choosing a March 14 presidential candidate who can garner “the broadest national support.”

“Kataeb's politburo convened this evening and evaluated the outcome of the contacts made by its members regarding the nomination of party leader Amin Gemayel for the presidency of the Lebanese republic,” a statement said.