Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat is expected to host this week outgoing President Michel Suleiman and Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi in the Shouf, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported.

According to the daily, Suleiman will chair on Friday a cabinet session and visit later on the Shouf town of Moukhtara to attend a banquet hosted by Jumblat to head the final reconciliation meeting in the village of Brih.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat hoped that a wage hike with “reasonable” figures would be adopted, but defended the people's rights for the raise.

He said in his weekly editorial in the PSP-affiliated al-Anbaa website: “Parliament and the syndicate committees must take into consideration the general financial situation and the Lebanese treasury when adopting the hike.”

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has said Bkirki would not enter into a direct confrontation with any political party over the presidential deadlock although it would have harsh words against those paralyzing the elections.

In an interview with el-Shark daily published on Monday, Geagea said: “Bkirki does not play the role of a political party and does not put itself in a confrontation with any party.”

Kataeb Party chief Amin Gemayel stressed that contacts between various political leaderships is necessary in order to stage the presidential elections, reported the daily al-Mustaqbal on Sunday.

He praised to the daily Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea's recent “positive” proposal to withdraw his candidacy from the presidential elections if a deal was reached to back the candidacy of another March 14 alliance member.

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat has reportedly claimed that Prime Minister Tammam Salam's government would practice the power of the president in case of a vacuum at Baabda Palace.

Pan-Arab daily al-Hahat quoted him as saying on Wednesday that there would be no vacuum given that Salam's cabinet is capable of taking over the president's authorities if lawmakers failed to elect a new head of state.

Progressive Socialist Party chief Walid Jumblat has reportedly asked Christian political leaders to stop Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi from visiting the Holy Land despite the insistence of the cardinal that he was backing the Palestinian cause.

Al-Liwaa newspaper said Tuesday that Jumblat made the appeal during the national dialogue session that was chaired by President Michel Suleiman at Baabda Palace a day earlier.

Progressive Socialist Party chief MP Walid Jumblat renewed on Monday his support for the Syrian revolt, rejecting however recent reports that some rebels have resorted to Israeli aid in their mission.

He said in his weekly editorial in the PSP-affiliated al-Anbaa news website: “We reject and condemn any Israeli intervention amid reports of security and intelligence cooperation between Israel and Syrian rebels.”

Kataeb party leader Amin Gemayel is expected on Monday to officially announce his candidacy for the presidency, al-Liwaa newspaper reported.

The daily said that the announcement would be made after the weekly meeting of the party's politburo at its headquarters in Saifi and following planned talks with Metn MP Michel al-Murr.

The March 14 alliance is studying the possibility of the nomination of Telecommunications Minister Butros Harb as president instead of its current nominee Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, reported al-Akhbar newspaper on Saturday.

March 14 sources cited the various closed-door meetings among members of the camp and Harb's recent meeting with Progressive Socialist Party chief MP Walid Jumblat as signs that the minister may be named as a candidate.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat on Thursday announced his support for legalizing the cultivation of cannabis in Lebanon, especially in the Bekaa region.

“There should not be any concerns over legalizing and organizing the cultivation of cannabis for medical purposes, as it would not pose a health risk unless it is turned into an addiction," Jumblat said during an interview on al-Jadeed TV.