Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea stressed Thursday that the LF “does not have a veto on anyone” while emphasizing that his party is not willing to give up any of its declared ministerial portfolios.

Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc on Thursday urged the political parties to show “cooperation” so that the new cabinet can be formed as soon as possible, while reiterating its called for a so-called “hybrid” electoral law.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Anne Patterson visited the Bekaa Valley on Thursday and inspected a UNHCR Informal Tented Settlement on the outskirts of Zahle, highlighting “U.S. humanitarian assistance to Lebanon and Syrian refugees,” the U.S. Embassy said.

On his first visit to Akkar’s municipal projects under the Lebanon Host Communities Support Program, in partnership with the Ministry of Social Affairs and the United Nations Development Program, British Ambassador to Lebanon Hugo Shorter inaugurated Thursday UK funded projects in Bani Sakher and Halba, and met with 13 mayors from various municipalities in Akkar which are receiving UK funding for infrastructure projects.

Speaker Nabih Berri and the Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon, Ambassador Christina Lassen, officially launched Thursday the Parliament's Bill Tracking System and mobile application that have been developed with the support of the European Union.

Hizbullah's Loyalty to Resistance parliamentary bloc announced Thursday that the proportional representation electoral system is an “obligatory path” for change and reform in Lebanon.

Head of the Lebanese Democratic Party MP Talal Arslan warned on Thursday against any attempts to undermine the Druze community's share in the upcoming cabinet line-up.

“We will not accept any disrespect with regard to the portfolio to be allotted to the Druze,” said Arsalan on Twitter.

AMAL Movement MP Qassem Hashem announced on Thursday that contacts have intensified in order to form a new cabinet before the holidays and denied claims that the process has lapsed .

“Discussions and contacts have intensified to speed up the formation of the government before the holidays. The deliberations did not go back to square one because it's in no one's interest to put obstacles in front of its formation,” said Hashem in an interview to VDL 93.3.

Unidentified gunmen opened fire at the vehicle of State Security Sergeant, Mohammed H., while driving along the Bibnine-Birqayel highway in Akkar showering the car with bullets, the National News Agency said on Thursday.

The wounded Sergeant was wounded in his right thigh, NNA added.

The formation of a 24-member cabinet is disapproved by the Hizbullah, AMAL and the Progressive Socialist parties because they prefer to have bigger shares in the new cabinet and to include all political parties, An Nahar daily reported Thursday.

AMAL Movement leader Speaker Nabih Berri dispatched his political aid and Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil to Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri a day earlier, asking him to widen the cabinet into 30 members in order for the Shiite parties to get five ministerial portfolios instead of four that include the finance, agriculture, economy for the AMAL and the industry and youth and sports for Hizbullah, according to the daily.