Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Monday received at the Grand Serail the Russian Ambassador to Lebanon Alexander Zaspykin in the presence of Hariri's adviser for Russian Affairs George Shaaban where talks highlighted the latest developments and the means to promote bilateral relations between the two countries, Hariri's media office said.

Speaker Nabih Berri's media office replied on Monday to President Michel Aoun's remarks over a controversial decree granting seniority to a number of officers stressing that the act “flagrantly violates Articles 54, 56 of the Constitution.”

The statement from Berri's office said: “What happened regarding the decree crisis is not a legal problem to be challenged before the Shura Council. It is a flagrant violation of constitutional rules and of Articles 54 and 56 of the Constitution.”

President Michel Aoun's office said on Monday that the President affirms commitment to the judiciary's opinion as for a controversial officers' promotion decree that triggered a spat with Speaker Nabih Berri.

Relations between the Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese Forces have been “extremely strained” lately amid concerns it could threaten the “Maarab understanding” and reports alleging that FPM chief Jebran Bassil plans to downsize the LF's Christian role, media reports said on Monday.

Contacts are reportedly underway between al-Mustaqbal Movement, the Free Patriotic Movement and the Marada Movement in order to strike an electoral alliance to stand in the upcoming parliamentary elections, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Monday.

The matter has not been yet resolved pending the completion of negotiations between head of Mustaqbal PM Saad Hariri and Marada chief MP Suleiman Franjieh, said the daily.

Turkish power barges that cover the additional demand for electricity in Lebanon are threatened of halting production if they were not provided with sufficient fuel oil, LBCI TV station said on Sunday.

LBCI said the supply of Fatmagul alone has dropped from 200 megawatts (MW) to 70 MW on Sunday. While Orhan Bey will probably decrease its production to 70 MW as well.

A retired Internal Security Forces First Adjutant has killed his brother's wife before turning the pistol to his head and firing a bullet that led to his inevitable death in north Lebanon's Anfeh, the National News agency reported on Sunday.

The man, who was identified by his initials as M.G.S., has killed the woman over “family differences”, NNA said.

Military intelligence arrested one of the most wanted car thieves, Maher Tleis, in the Bekaa region, Asharq al-Awsat daily reported on Sunday.

The row between President Michel Aoun and Speaker Nabih Berri over the signing of a decree promoting a number of officers will not “prolong for long” and will “hopefully” reach a positive outcome because the Premier fears it would cast a shadow on the government’s performance, the Kuwait al-Anbaa daily reported on Sunday.

The Military Court on Saturday sentenced jihadist militant Ahmed Ammoun to life in prison with hard labor, the National News Agency said.