Western powers have called on the Syrian regime and Hizbullah to “stop their attacks” in the Wadi Barada region near Damascus, a media report said on Sunday.

Its slogan was "the voice of the voiceless", but after four decades the prestigious Lebanese daily As-Safir published its final issue Saturday amid a crisis in the country's print media.

Three Lebanese citizens were killed and four others were injured in the New Year's Eve massacre at an Istanbul nightclub, Lebanon's consul general in the Turkish city said on Sunday.

General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim reiterated on Saturday that he is determined to find a solution for the file of servicemen abducted by the Islamic State, as he revealed that security forces were able to thwart a suicide bombing plot in Sidon.

“We are determined to end the file of servicemen kidnapped by the IS,” Ibrahim told LBCI TV station in a phone conversation.

The Army Intelligence Directorate obtained, after thorough monitoring, some “accurate and credible” information that terror cells are taking action in the northern city of Tripoli according to instructions delivered to them from Islamist fugitive Shadi al-Mawalai, who is taking refuge in the southern Palestinian refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh, As Safir daily reported Saturday.

A committee tasked with overlooking the upcoming parliamentary elections and providing the needed funds for the Interior Ministry to stage the elections on time, will be conducted before February 10, which marks the beginning of the constitutional deadline, An Nahar daily reported Saturday.

Official sources told the daily on condition of anonymity that “an undisclosed political agreement was reached to gear up for the elections in two parallel line. The first would be setting up the preparations for staging them based on the current 1960 electoral law, in conjunction with a similar workshop to reach a new electoral law.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced Friday that the executive decrees necessary for oil and gas exploration will be on the agenda of a cabinet session that will be held Wednesday, as he noted that President Michel Aoun's upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia will “greatly contribute to the return of tourists to Lebanon.”

President Michel Aoun on Friday signed decrees promoting armed forces officers from all ranks, the presidency said in a statement.

Defense Minister Yaaqoub al-Sarraf visited Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji at his Yarze office on Friday and discussed with him the situations and needs of the military institution, state-run National News Agency reported.

Turkey on Friday called on Iran to “use its influence” on Hizbullah and the Syrian regime to push them to respect the Syria ceasefire that started at midnight and has seen several violations.