A grouping of retired military servicemen suspended their strike on Friday after three days of protests outside the Imports building of the Finance Ministry over proposed salary cuts in the 2019 draft state budget.

A spokesman for the protesters said the campaigners have ended their strike awaiting the outcome of the Finance and Budget parliamentary Committee.

Lebanon says that complete border control between Lebanon and Syria is very difficult because of intertwined boundaries that also extend along a large distance of about 360 km which negatively affects the security and economy of the country, Asharq al-Awsat reported on Friday.

Syria has released on Friday the two Lebanese security agents who crossed by mistake into the neighboring country, the state-run National News Agency reported on Friday.

A Lebanese couple have held a civil marriage ceremony in Beirut, despite the latest controversy over the legalization of this type of unions.

MTV said Abdullah Salam and Marie-Joe Abi Nassif tied the knot at the Sursock Palace in the capital, in a ceremony presided over by Joseph Beshara, the head of the Public Notaries Council of Lebanon.

President Michel Aoun on Thursday received a message from Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, the Presidency said.

The message, relayed by ex-minister Melhem Riachi, tackled the current political developments, the Presidency announced.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Thursday traveled to Abu Dhabi, UAE on an official visit, his office said.

The premier will meet a number of Emirati officials during his visit, the office added in a statement.

Grand Sunni Mufti of the Republic, Sheikh Abdul Latif Deryan, welcomed at Dar el-Fatwa a delegation of the Shura Council of Saudi Arabia headed by Saleh Bin Munea al-Khalewi, accompanied by KSA Ambassador to Lebanon, Walid Bukhari, in the presence of Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Friendship with Saudi Arabia, former PM Tammam Salam, the National News Agency reported on Thursday.

Interior Minister Raya al-Hasan on Thursday denounced a decision reportedly taken by municipal chief of Hadath, George Aoun, banning Muslims from renting or purchasing real estate in the Christian majority area.

Lebanese authorities are making their most aggressive campaign yet for Syrian refugees to return home and are taking action to ensure they can't put down roots.

Mirroring the rise of anti-migrant sentiment in Europe and around the world, some in Lebanon say that after eight years of war in neighboring Syria they have had enough of the burden of the highest concentration of refugees per capital in the world — 1 million amid a Lebanese population of nearly 5 million — especially at a time when they are facing austerity measures and a weakened economy.

The Israeli Energy Minister said that Israel expects to launch within a month the US-brokered talks with Lebanon on demarcation of their maritime border.