The Director of the Consumer Protection at the Ministry of Economy, Tarek Younes said that according to patrols conducted by inspectors from the ministry, the prices of basket of consumer goods and services rose by 6 and 8 percent, the Saudi Asharq al-Awsat reported on Saturday.

The formation of a new government reportedly hinges on caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri who “refuses” to head another cabinet, amid failed Hizbullah, Speaker’s attempts to convince him otherwise, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Saturday.

Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea on Friday said that the country’s political leaders seem to be living “on another planet,” lamenting that there are no indications that the new government will be formed anytime soon.

Geagea also accused Hizbullah of seeking a government similar to the resigned one by insisting on having its ally Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil in it.

Hizbullah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Qassem on Friday said his part is “effectively taking part in the consultations with the heads of the parliamentary blocs and the relevant officials with the aim of forming the (new) government.”

“We hope the final format for the premier and the government will emerge soon,” Qassem added.

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil’s lawyer Majed Boueiz on Friday described a graft lawsuit filed against the FPM leader as part of a “defamation campaign” targeting him.

“Some media outlets have published a report saying that a lawyer has filed a false lawsuit against minister Bassil over alleged and baseless offences,” Boueiz said.

President Michel Aoun held talks with Ambassador of the European Union to Lebanon, Ralph Tarraf where talks highlighted the EU’s position from the developments in Lebanon and the issue of thousands of Syrian refugees.

A Lebanese lawyer filed a lawsuit on Friday against caretaker Minister Jebran Bassil accusing him of "embezzlement, money laundering and illicit enrichment."

Anti-government protests demanding an overhaul of the political system shows no sign of abating with thousands of school and university students demonstrating for the third day on Friday to boost the protests as they enter their third week.

On Friday, protests mushroomed around different parts of the country. Students, retired servicemen and activists marched from Beirut’s Martyr’s Square to Beirut Port to protest “squandering of public funds.”

France has reportedly stepped in to help Lebanon resolve the crisis of forming a new government in light of stalled efforts and swelling street protests against the political elite, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Friday.

Lebanon’s anti-corruption protesters on Thursday staged a demo outside the headquarters of state-run Electricite du Liban in Beirut’s Gemmayze area to denounce chronic power cuts and an institution seen as a symbol of Lebanon’s dysfunctional political system.

Protests were also held outside ex-PM Fouad Saniora’s house on Beirut’s Bliss Street and outside his office in the Sidon district town of al-Hlaliyeh.