President Michel Suleiman signed Friday a draft law suspending the deadline for submitting nominations for the parliamentary elections until May 19.

The draft law was referred to the president on Wednesday after it was approved by parliament.

France strongly condemned on Friday the Syrian shelling of the outskirts of the Bekaa town of Arsal.

The French Foreign Ministry considered the development a “dangerous violation of Lebanon's sovereignty.”

The families of the kidnapped pilgrims held in Syria staged a sit-in on Friday at Beirut's Martyrs' Square to demand the release of their loved ones.

They announced that they have launched a campaign to boycott Turkish products in Lebanon, urging citizens throughout the country to support them.

Caretaker State Minister Marwan Kheireddine saved caretaker Telecommunications Minister Nicolas Sehnaoui from a rhinoceros attack while they were in Africa, reported An Nahar daily Friday.

It said that as the ministers were on a hunting trip in Africa, Sehnaoui decided to rest by the rhinoceros, which he mistook for a rock.

U.S. Ambassador Maura Connelly considered on Friday the nomination of Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam “a positive first step in efforts to form a new government.”

During a meeting with Salam at his residence in al-Msaitbeh, Connelly stressed that the formation of the cabinet “must be a Lebanese process,” said a statement issued by the U.S. embassy.

Mustaqbal bloc leader MP Fouad Saniora condemned on Friday the release of the names and identities of alleged witnesses in the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

He demanded in a statement “the government, officials, and justice minister to crackdown in those who leaked the names to media and who are practicing political and media terrorism.”

State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr charged on Friday a number of Lebanese for their involvement in the recent attempt to smuggle arms in the Shouf area of Ain Zhalta.

He charged 14 Lebanese with shooting at the army and smuggling arms in the region.

Caretaker Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said Friday that he would remain neutral in the political divisions in Lebanon and that it was up to President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister-designate Tammam Salam to bring him back to the new government.

In remarks to Free Lebanon radio, Charbel said: “I haven't talked with PM-designate Tammam Salam about politics.”

MP Ibrahim Kanaan from the Change and Reform bloc accused on Friday President Michel Suleiman and PM-designate Tammam Salam without naming them of seeking to form a government of “ghosts.”

In remarks to Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5), Kanaan said: “There are procedures to form the government in a parliamentary democratic system.”

Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani stressed on Friday that a new Higher Islamic Council will be elected on Sunday, denying reports on any postponement, As Safir daily quoted him as saying.

“There will be no backing down on calls to elect a new Higher Islamic Council according to the norms and applicable laws,” stressed the Mufti in an interview with the daily.