Military Examining Magistrate Judge Fadi Sawan issued an indictment on Thursday against three Syrians, who are charged with belonging to the Islamic State group, and referred them to trial.

In his indictment, Sawan said the three suspects, one of them a detainee, had carried out terrorist activities and killed soldiers on the outskirts of the northeastern border town of Arsal.

Washington's interest in Lebanon's stalled presidential elections is declining with time as a result of the turmoil in the Middle East and the heated presidential race in the U.S., As Safir daily reported on Thursday.

Finding a solution to the region's wars has become a priority for the U.S. and the international community, it said.

Iran has established an operations bureau in Beirut to manage the content of news in dozens of media outlets, a well-informed Lebanese source said in remarks published on Thursday.

The source told pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat that the news center aims to organize the work and campaigns of the media outlets closely linked to Hizbullah.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam appeared to have postponed a decision on stepping down on Wednesday as “positive indications” emerged from a meeting for the ministerial panel tasked with addressing Lebanon's long-running waste management crisis.

“There are positive indications and we have agreed to one suggestion out of three that were proposed to us,” LBCI television quoted MP Talal Arslan's envoy to the meeting, ex-minister Marwan Kheireddine, as saying.

The Gulf Cooperation Council on Wednesday discussed measures aimed at “confronting Hizbullah” as Prime Minister Tammam Salam held talks with the ambassadors of the Gulf states.

“The council of GCC foreign ministers discussed the measures that must be taken to confront Hizbullah,” Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir announced after a council meeting in Riyadh.

The army arrested Wednesday thirteen suspects in the Bekaa region in two separate operations, according to military statements.

“Following search and investigations, an Intelligence Directorate patrol raided the houses of Ibrahim Ahmed Matar, Ali Ahmed Matar, Hussam Abdo Matar and Mustafa Mohammed Seifeddine in the Bekaa area of Jdeidet al-Fakiha, where it managed to arrest them,” an army statement said.

Discussions on reviving the role of parliament and on the quorum needed to hold the presidential elections were at the center of discussions of a national dialogue session held at Speaker Nabih Berri's residence on Wednesday.

LBCI television reported that differences emerged between the gatherers on the quorum needed at parliament to hold the polls, with some sides being accused of deliberately obstructing the elections.

The brother of former lawmaker Hassan Yaaqoub was released on bail on Wednesday despite accusations of involvement in the kidnapping of Hannibal Gadhafi, the son of slain Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.

Mount Lebanon Examining Magistrate Peter Jermanous ordered the release of Hussein Yaaqoub in exchange for a bail payment of LL5 million for lack of evidence.

Telecommunications Minister Butros Harb stressed on Wednesday that investigations will continue to uncover the perpetrators behind installing illegal internet networks in several areas around Lebanon, As Safir daily reported.

“The probe will continue until the details on the violating companies and their owners are uncovered,” Harb told the daily in an interview.

Information ministers of the Saudi-led Gulf Cooperation Council have taken a series of measures following the GCC's blacklisting of Hizbullah last week.

During a meeting they held in Riyadh on Tuesday, the ministers decided to take all legal measures to prevent cooperation with TV channels affiliated to Hizbullah or its leaders.