Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Thursday announced that France and the Vatican have asked him to talk to all of the country’s “components” regarding the presidential file.

“We will talk to everyone without exception, even to Hezbollah, and the efforts will start today,” al-Rahi told a delegation from the Press Syndicate.

Relatives of the Beirut port blast victims rallied Thursday in front of the Justice Palace to demand justice for their loved ones.

They said they will rally every Thursday, as they burned tires to protest the obstruction of the blast's probe.

Attorney General Judge Imad Qabalan on Wednesday heard the testimony of Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh over the German arrest warrant that has been issued for him on charges of falsification and money laundering.

At the end of the session, Qabalan decided to release Salameh pending further investigations and to ban him from travel while keeping his two passports confiscated.

MP Salim Aoun of the Free Patriotic Movement has said that the FPM has not officially endorsed Jihad Azour for the presidency in order to “secure the appropriate circumstances for his success.”

“He should not presented as a confrontation candidate,” Aoun added, in an interview with Radio All of Lebanon.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has confirmed that an agreement has been reached between the opposition and the Free Patriotic Movement on Jihad Azour’s presidential nomination, noting that “the negotiations are moving forward.”

“He is a consensual, neutral candidate and not a confrontation candidate against Hezbollah,” Geagea added, in an interview with al-Akhbar newspaper.

The Free Patriotic Movement-led Strong Lebanon bloc has “extensively” discussed the “proposed choices” regarding the presidential vote, in a meeting held in the presence of ex-president Michel Aoun, a statement said.

The conferees backed “the bloc chief’s efforts regarding agreeing with the opposition on a presidential candidate whose name will be declared after specifying the choices and completing the consultations as to the program and the election mechanism,” the statement added.

French President Emmanuel Macron has stressed his support for the “efforts” that Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi is exerting to pull Lebanon out of the “political crisis,” calling on all forces in the country to elect a president “without delay.”

In a statement issued after a Paris meeting between Macron and al-Rahi, the French presidency said the two men “expressed their deep concerns over the crisis” in Lebanon and “the institutional paralysis that has been aggravated by the vacancy in the presidency since more than seven months.”

British Ambassador to Lebanon Hamish Cowell has announced the donation of additional Land Rover spares worth over £400K to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).

“This is part of our continuing partnership with the LAF through the UK’s Conflict, Stability, and Security Fund (CSSF). The spare parts will improve the Land Border Regiments’ Land Rovers recce capability and support the LAF in its mission to defend the security and stability of Lebanon and on the borders,” a British embassy statement said.

The Constitutional Council on Tuesday dismissed the appeals filed against the law that extended the terms of municipalities and local officials.

At a press conference, Council chief Judge Tannous Meshleb said the decision is aimed at “preserving the continuity of the work of public institution,” arguing that “the constitution was created for the sake of the public interest.”

The MPs of the Change, Kataeb, Lebanese Forces and Tajaddod blocs will hold a meeting at 5:30 pm Tuesday and will likely declare their support for Jihad Azour’s presidential nomination, al-Jadeed TV reported.

The Free Patriotic Movement-led Strong Lebanon bloc will meanwhile meet at 3:30 pm and FPM chief Jebran Bassil will try to convince all of its members to endorse Azour, the TV network added.