With the registration deadline looming at midnight on Monday, political parties and Parliament hopefuls have rushed over the weekend to announce their electoral lists in various Lebanese districts to begin a countdown for the May 6 parliamentary elections.

Various “mosaic” electoral lists will be “fiercely” competing in Lebanon's 15 electoral districts, where once-rival parties are joining unified lists in order to garner winnings in the polls, al-Joumhouria daily reported.

Speaker Nabih Berri is expected to invite the Parliament to session this week to discuss the 2018 governmnet budget, before the country's delegation heads to France for the Cedre Conference (Paris IV) aimed at boosting investments and economic finances in Lebanon, media reports said on Monday.

A new electoral list has launched the names of its candidates in the district of Keserwan-Jbeil, LBCI said on Saturday.

The list called “Definite Change” is supported by the Lebanese Forces. It was announced from the residence of former Jbeil Mayor Ziad Hawat, said LBCI.

Lebanon's maritime border file with Cyprus, Israel and Syria is expected to resurface again when Cypriot Foreign Minister, Nikos Christodoulides, visits Beirut on an official visit to the country next week, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Saturday.

Christodoulides is expected to fly in Beirut Thursday at the invitation of his Lebanese counterpart Jebran Bassil. He will hold talks with senior Lebanese officials, according to the daily.

President Michel Aoun could lead Lebanon's delegation to Paris to take part in the Cedre conference set for April 6, in the French capital, al-Joumhouria daily reportedly on Saturday.

Former justice minister Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi accused the “State authorities of meddling” in the parliamentary elections in order to “secure victory,” as he called for international observers to monitor the May 6 elections, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Friday.

“We have already warned against the authority's interference and influence in the elections. Today we have become certain that they are using legal and illegal means to ensure their victory,” the daily quoted Rifi as saying.

Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasarllah said his party is going to fight a true battle against “corruption” in the upcoming legislative elections, as he blamed Lebanon's public debt on “the side that assumed the premiership since 1992,” al-Joumhouria daily reported on Friday.

The Episcopal Media Committee has filed a complaint with the Lebanese National Audiovisual Media Council over two satire TV shows that made “cynical references against segments from the holy Bible”, the National News Agency reported on Thursday.

NNA said the Audiovisual Media Council received the complaint filed against weekly satire entertainment programs one hosted by Hisham Haddad on LBCI, and another on al-Jadeed TV hosted by satirist character called Abu Talal.

Spokesman for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Andrea Tenenti said Thursday that talks to solve border disputes between Lebanon and Israel are ongoing until a solution is reached.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi “stands at an equal distance” from all political parties and refuses to interfere in the parliamentary electoral process, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Thursday.

“Bkirki stand at an equal distance from all candidates, particularly in the Christian regions. Bkirki does not support anyone (candidate or party) at the expense of another,” the daily quoted Bkirki sources.