Prime Minister Saad Hariri and a delegation of ministers and officials traveled to France late on Wednesday to partake in Friday's CEDRE conference where some 50 states and international financial institutions will participate, Hariri's press office said Thursday.

President Michel Aoun stated that Lebanon's taxation law must be subject to a comprehensive review, stressing the need for joint citizen-state efforts to combat corruption, the Presidency media office said on Wednesday.

At least three people have been injured in a fire blaze that engulfed a petrol station in the southeastern district of Hasbaya, the National News Agency reported on Wednesday.

As political parties and parliament hopefuls gear for the upcoming legislative May elections, Speaker Nabih Berri expressed resentment with the “use of influence for electoral purposes,” al-Joumhouria daily reported on Wednesday.

Hizbullah has reportedly assured that the party is not “a war fanatic” but at the same time reiterated readiness to "defend" Lebanon against any future Israeli aggression, al-Joumhouria daily reported Wednesday.

An Israeli spy drone crashed Saturday morning in an area between the southern Lebanese towns of Baraashit and Beit Yahoun in the Bint Jbeil district, Lebanon's National News Agency said.

Governor of Banque Du Liban Riad Salameh assured on Wednesday that the Lebanese currency is “safe and there is no crisis,” slamming reports of “bankruptcy,” LBCI said.

“The Lebanese currency is doing fine. Rumors about bankruptcy are merely political bidding,” he said on the sidelines of an annual meeting of the Union of Arab Securities held in Beirut.

Lawmakers convened in a Parliament session on Wednesday dedicated to discussing and approving the 2018 state budget.

Speaker Nabih Berri has called for two consecutive sessions, Wednesday and Thursday, for budget discussions.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumbalt criticized on Wednesday the government’s failure to help the country's ailing electricity sector, one day after the cabinet highlighted the crisis and decided to hold a special ministerial session to address the issue.

“The file of Turkish power generating ships strongly resurfaces because the coalition of the central authority does not want to take the opinion of the Tenders Department,” said Jumblat in a tweet.

Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulidess is expected to arrive in Beirut on Tuesday to announce his country's first military aid for the Lebanese army and security services, al-Joumhouria daily reported.

He will meet with senior Lebanese officials including President Michel Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri, PM Saad Hariri and his Lebanese counterpart Jebran Bassil.