A Lebanese parliamentary delegation led by MP Ali Hassan Khalil has met in Damascus with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

A Parliament Bureau meeting that was supposed to discuss the possibility of holding a legislative session was on Monday postponed to a date that would be announced later, Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab said.

"While stressing parliament's right to legislate as happened in the past, the capital control format that was issued by the Joint Committees must be accompanied by a comprehensive plan. Accordingly, it has been decided to postpone Parliament Bureau's meeting to a later date," Bou Saab added after meeting with Speaker Nabih Berri.

Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh has announced that he has decided to leave his post following the end of his term.

The European Union and Samir Kassir Foundation launched today, February 20, the 18th edition of the Samir Kassir Award for Freedom of the Press.

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil on Saturday accused political rivals of seeking to elect a "corrupt" president and to appoint a "corrupt PM and a corrupt central bank governor."

The head of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc, MP Mohammed Raad, admitted Saturday that his party has an undeclared presidential candidate, in an apparent reference to Marada Movement chief Suleiman Franjieh.

Marada Movement chief Suleiman Franjieh on Friday announced that his presidential nomination is “not obstructing the presidential juncture,” contrary to “what some are promoting.”

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi is continuing his efforts to secure Christian consensus over the presidential file, a media report said on Friday.

The Strong Lebanon bloc said Friday, in a statement, that it will not attend any legislative sessions before the election of a president, asking other blocs who also refused to attend parliamentary sessions to boycott the cabinet sessions as well.

The bloc also condemned the banks' open-ended strike, as he accused the caretaker prime minister and the central bank governor of attending "folkloric" meetings as people face alone dire economic situations.

The UK Director General covering the Middle East Vijay Rangarajan ended a two day visit to Lebanon from 15 to 16 February, with the British Embassy in Beirut and UK Syria Office.

"He saw first-hand the UK’s continued support to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and the most vulnerable in Lebanon, including Syrian refugees," a British Embassy statement said.