Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries did not turn their back on Lebanon and stand at an equal distance from all Lebanese parties and candidates in the presidential race, An Nahar daily reported on Friday.

“The visit of the Saudi State Minister for Gulf Affairs Thamer al-Sabhan is not meant to give Saudi Arabia's “blessing” for the expected election of MP Michel Aoun as president, nor to make a position, but rather to inform political leaders in Lebanon that Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States are still interested in Lebanon and to slam reports that they turned their back on the country,” well-informed sources told the daily.

Change and Reform bloc leader and presidential hopeful MP Michel Aoun will not meet his rival in the race MP Suleiman Franjieh ahead of Monday's presidential elections, because the latter did not withdraw his nomination, the Kuwaiti al-Anbaa daily reported on Friday.

Some indicators have emerged in the past few days, call for fear of attempts to manipulate -the already fragile- monetary situation in Lebanon in light of the looming presidential elections, al-Akhbar daily reported on Friday.

The cabinet on Thursday held a “successful” session that could be the last of its meetings should the parliament elect a new president on Monday as expected.

In line with the preparations at the presidential palace to receive a new president, and in parallel with the logistical preparations for the parliamentary session set to elect a new head of state, the Free Patriotic Movement is also putting the final touches on the festivities it plans to hold after the election session scheduled on Monday that is foreseen to elect founder of the FPM MP Michel Aoun.

The cabinet today will hold its last meeting as a government carrying out the duties of a president in the absence of a head of state, as Prime Minister Tammam Salam starts preparations to leave his office at the Grand Serail with the expected election of a new president next Monday, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Thursday.

The government which has been carrying out the tasks of the president because of the vaccum at the post, will become a caretaker cabinet Monday afternoon, as soon as the parliament elects a new head of state and the newly elected president reads his oaths, added the daily.

Public Tranport drivers staged nationwide protests as they started gathering early on Thursday in several points across Lebanon to kick off a rally that will head to Riyad al-Solh square in Down Town Beirut, and to the Grand Serails in other districts, the National News Agency reported.

The campaigners headed to the gathering points at 6:00 am as they demand that the automotive inspection authority is restored to the public sector after a deal that could see its privatization.

Gunfire from a vehicle in Lebanon towards Israeli forces on the border wounded an Israeli soldier on Wednesday and Israeli officers returned fire, Israel's army said, but the Lebanese army quickly denied the claims.

"Shots were fired from a passing vehicle in Lebanon at (Israeli) forces during routine activity adjacent to the border in the area of Ramin Ridge," an army statement said.

Police in the north, thwarted an operation to smuggle massive amounts of Captagon narcotic pills to Saudi Arabia, the National News Agency reported on Tuesday.

A truck coming from Syria that contained ample amounts of Captagon pills bound to be shipped to Saudi Arabia was seized in the northern port of Tripoli, added NNA.

Dialogue channels between Hizbullah and Speaker Nabih Berri are ongoing and are focusing on the formation of the new government which will see the light after the election of a president at the end of October, An Nahar daily reported on Tuesday.

Sources following up closely on the file, said that Hizbullah is keen to have considerable participation for Berri in the next government, added the daily.