The Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc voiced on Wednesday its support for the dialogue between Hizbullah and the Mustaqbal Movement and its decision to remove political banners in some regions of the country, hoping for “better” measures that would further ease tensions.

It said in a statement after its weekly meeting: “We hope for more comprehensive and tangible measures that would tackle the spread of illegitimate weapons and armed groups in residential areas.”

MP Khaled al-Daher on Wednesday announced the suspension of his membership in the al-Mustaqbal bloc, following a wave of controversy stirred by remarks he made about some Christian symbols.

“In the face of the current uproar, and in order not to embarrass the al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc, I announce the suspension of my membership in the bloc,” Daher said in a statement, amid media reports claiming that he has been “expelled” from the bloc.

The Lebanese Army's mobile application was on Wednesday announced one of the winners at an awards ceremony at the Dubai Government Summit 2015.

“LAF Shield” was the winner in the “Arab level-Safety & Security sector.”

Prime Minister Tammam Salam stressed on Wednesday that Lebanon is passing through a political crisis, pointing out that the nation will not heal without its head.

“We are still amid a political crisis and the nation will not completely heal without its head,” Salam said during a conference on the Rural Tourism Strategy for Lebanon at the Grand Serail.

Hizbullah, Syrian regime forces and Iranian officers fighting rebels in southern Syria have advanced to the edge of Israeli-occupied territory, a monitor and state media said Wednesday.

"Regime troops and their Hizbullah-led allies are advancing in the area linking Daraa, Quneitra and Damascus provinces," close to the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Violent winds and what seemed to be a dust storm caused havoc in several Lebanese regions on Wednesday as storm Yohan battered the country with dust, rainy skies and thunderstorms.

However, Education Minister Elias Bou Saab announced in a statement in the evening that “schools will not be closed tomorrow, Thursday.”

Prime Minister Tammam Salam has said that he received French assurances that Paris is continuing to exert efforts to end Lebanon’s presidential deadlock.

He told As Safir daily on Wednesday that he held around 14 meetings with Arab and Western officials in Germany last week “to prove Lebanon's presence on the international scene and shed light on the problems that it is suffering from.”

Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq has called for a major step to protect the decisions reached by Hizbullah and al-Mustaqbal officials and prove that the dialogue between them is credible.

“There is an urgent need for a huge step that proves the credibility of dialogue with foes and protects the achievements made so far,” al-Mashnouq told As Safir daily in remarks published on Wednesday.

Negotiations over the ongoing hostage crisis have reportedly reached a dead end despite recent optimism expressed by the families of the so-called Arsal captives.

Ad Diyar newspaper reported on Wednesday that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has placed tough conditions, prompting the negotiations to reach a standstill.

Ambassador Ali Awadh Asiri stressed on Wednesday that the Saudi embassy in Beirut increased its measures to avert any possible security threats.

“We have taken all the necessary precautions and the Lebanese state, according to norms, is responsible for the security of the embassy,” Asiri said in comments published in the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat.