The sub-security council of the South on Monday decided to ban demos in Sidon and pledged to prevent road-blocking protests in the city, in the wake of the unrest that followed the deadly Abra battle.

The meeting was chaired by South Governor Nicolas Abu Daher and attended by all the chiefs of security and military units in the province, in the presence of South prosecutor Samih al-Hajj.

The Internal Security Forces criticized on Monday a recent Human Rights Watch report on alleged abuses at police stations in Lebanon, saying that any violations are individual incidents.

It slammed in a statement the “defamation against the ISF”, calling on organizations to document abuses and present their cases before concerned authorities.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat voiced on Monday concerns over a number of local and regional issues, starting with the vacuum at state institutions, namely the army.

He wondered how some members of parliament's bureau had gone back on the decision to extend the term of Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji.

An arrest warrant was issued on Monday against an army officer and four soldiers for attacking an arrested man involved in last June's clashes with the military institution in the southern town of Abra, near the city of Sidon.

Military Examining Magistrate Judge Fadi Sawan questioned the five army personnel and charged them with violating military orders, abuse of power and accidentally killing a person in Abra clashes.

President Michel Suleiman hit back on Monday at requests made by March 14 alliance officials to hold the army accountable over the clashes in the southern city of Sidon, saying such demands should not be turned into a political campaign that targets its patriotic role.

In a statement released by Baabda palace, Suleiman lauded the military's patriotic role in preventing strife and confronting security tension to preserve civil peace and stability.

Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani criticized on Monday the “selfish and discriminatory” mentality of the Lebanese people and officials that has led to the current divisions in the country.

He therefore called for “solutions that would strengthen Lebanon,” while urging officials to assume their responsibilities towards the country.

Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam said Monday that there was still no progress in the formation of a new government and that a decision to step down was one of the available options.

“There is still no progress in the cabinet formation but this will not stop me” from exerting further efforts, Salam said following talks with President Michel Suleiman at Baabda palace.

General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim “secretly” traveled to the neighboring country Syria last week and held talks with senior officials over the case of the Lebanese Shiite pilgrims abducted in Syria’s Aazaz region, a report said on Monday.

According to al-Joumhouria newspaper, Ibrahim received “encouraging” answers that might help in the “complicated” negotiations with the kidnappers over the matter.

In a bid to solve the deadlock of lining up a new cabinet, PM-designate Tammam Salam aims to kick off a series of consultations with political parties and has therefore met on Sunday at his residence in Musaitbeh with outgoing minister Wael Abu Faour, As-Safir daily reported Monday.

“This week will carry several new atmospheres and formulas regarding the cabinet formation” the newspaper quoted Abu Faour as saying.

Caretaker Premier Najib Miqati held talks on Monday with Energy Minister Jebran Bassil who warned last week that Israel's discovery of a new offshore gas field near Lebanese territorial waters means the Jewish state could siphon some of Lebanon's crude oil.

“Oil and gas exploration are a priority because we are keen on preserving our natural resources,” Miqati said in remarks published in As Safir newspaper.