Hizb ut-Tahrir’s demonstration in support of the Syrian protests ended on Friday without any security incident being reported.

The demonstration, which defied a ban by Lebanese authorities, began after Friday Muslim prayers in front of al-Mansouri mosque in Tripoli and marched towards the Nijmeh square in the northern port city amid heavy security presence.

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat has expressed pessimism over the formation of the new cabinet after the Easter holidays saying there is still disagreement on the interior ministry portfolio.

The lawmaker told An Nahar newspaper in remarks published Friday that “the cabinet formation process is still at a standstill and there’s still disagreement on who will be given the interior ministry portfolio.”

An Inerga-type rocket-propelled grenade hit the Tripoli neighborhood of Jabal Mohsen on Thursday night, causing material damage and “terrorizing” residents, As Safir daily reported.

The rocket landed near Café Omran that lies behind the Harakat al-Shabab field around 11:00 pm, the newspaper said.

Hizbullah on Thursday hit back at U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon over statements contained in his annual report on the implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559.

“It is not something new for the U.N. secretary general to take unjust and unfair stances in his analysis of the situation in Lebanon, especially in terms of holding Hizbullah responsible for all the problems in Lebanon,” the party said in a communiqué.

Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Thursday headed a security meeting at the Center House in downtown Beirut to discuss the latest security developments in the country.

The meeting tackled “the issue of Tripoli’s demos, the incident that happened in Tyre when security forces tried to remove illegal construction violations, the issue of the kidnap of the seven Estonian citizens and the measures taken by the army and the Internal Security Forces to preserve security and stability,” Hariri’s press office said in a statement.

Representatives of the U.S. Embassy, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the U.S. Forest Service joined the Association for Forest Development and Conservation (AFDC) at the Aley Cultural Secondary School on Thursday to celebrate the 41st annual Earth Day with an event that included a theatrical play about forest fire prevention and a training demonstration with a fire truck donated by the U.S. Government.

Earth Day, established in 1970 by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, is observed annually to bring together individuals, private organizations and governments to promote environmental conservation and natural resource management. Preventing forest fires is vital to promoting and preserving Lebanon’s natural environment.

Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel stated on Thursday that the situation in the Arab world requires the Lebanese to exercise vigilance and take a responsible position towards these developments as they may have repercussions on the internal Lebanese scene.

He made his statements after holding talks with U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Maura Connelly.

Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji noted on Thursday that the ongoing political tensions in Lebanon will not affect the army's performance, which distances itself from the political and sectarian divisions in the country.

He stressed the military institution's role during "the sensitive phase the country is going through, especially regarding maintaining the peace and defending its southern border from Israeli attacks."

Lebanese army and Internal Security Forces patrols intensified search procedures at Lebanon’s border with Syria in Akkar in an effort to thwart smuggling, reported the National News Agency on Thursday.

Witnesses informed NNA that the procedures were intensified along the al-Kabir River where Syrian border guards opened fire at individuals, who turned out to be smuggling gas across the border.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea stressed on Thursday that the abduction of the seven Estonian tourists is a clear sign that “illegitimate arms” are hindering the establishment of a real state.

In remarks to a delegation of students from the Lebanese University, Geagea wondered whether it was natural for foreigners to be kidnapped in the country 21 years after the end of the civil war.