Al-Mustaqbal Movement leader and former Prime Minister Saad Hariri continued his visit to Washington on Friday and met with U.S. National Security Adviser Susan Rice, and the Deputy Secretary of Defense Christine Wormuth.

According to a statement issued by Hariri's press office his meeting with Rice focused on the situation in Lebanon and the latest developments in the region, particularly in the Syria, Iraq and Yemen.

Lebanon's Armenians held a protest on Friday to mark the 100th anniversary of when some 250 Armenian intellectuals were rounded up by Ottoman Turks as the first step of the genocide against them.

The protesters marched from the Armenian Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia to the town of Bourj Hammoud to demand the recognition of the genocide that was committed around the time of World War I.

Ex-PM Saad Hariri held talks Friday with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden in Washington and noted that his Mustaqbal movement is fighting the “extremism” of Hizbullah and other groups.

A statement issued by Hariri's office said the White House meeting focused on the situation in Lebanon and the latest developments in the region, “particularly what is happening in Syria, Iraq and Yemen."

Speaker Nabih Berri called on the rival Christian parties to reconsider their stance regarding an upcoming parliamentary session to endorse draft-laws.

“I have carried out my duties... we prepared the session's agenda... I am waiting for everyone to reconsider their stances, as I will not contact anyone anymore and will not discuss it,” Berri stressed in comments published in local newspapers on Friday.

Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq expressed concern on Friday that the recent riots at Roumieh prison would reoccur, urging the state to rectify the conditions of inmates and establish new facilities.

“I am not certain that the incident will not happen again,” Mashnouq said in comments published in al-Joumhouria newspaper.

Top Lebanese businessmen based in Saudi Arabia are planning to visit Beirut for talks with Lebanese leaders on Hizbullah's recent campaign on the kingdom, the head of commerce, industry and agriculture chambers federation said.

Mohammed Shuqair told al-Mustaqbal daily published on Friday that the businessmen from all sects want to warn Lebanese officials from the repercussions of the campaigns launched against Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.

Social Affairs Minister Rashid Derbas and Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil were on Friday at loggerheads over the Syrian refugee crisis after accusations that the authorities were accepting more displaced Syrians despite a decision not to do so.

Derbas and Bassil briefly argued over the issue during a cabinet session held at the Grand Serail on Thursday after the foreign minister told the government that he had information about the entry of more Syrian refugees to Lebanon.

The first shipment of French weapons to the Lebanese army under a Saudi-financed deal included double the amount that was revealed to the public, An Nahar newspaper reported on Friday.

Ministerial sources told the daily that the real number of Milan rockets was double the amount revealed, in addition to advanced weapons that were not announced for military purposes.

Security forces arrested a number of taxi drivers Thursday evening after they blocked the road at Sidon's al-Nejmeh Square in protest at the new traffic law.

“Several taxi drivers set tires ablaze at al-Nejmeh Square in central Sidon to protest the new traffic law,” state-run National News Agency reported.

The army carried out several raids on Thursday in Lebanon's northeastern border towns and the Bekaa Valley as the body of a Syrian refugee linked to one of the terrorist organizations was found on the outskirts of Arsal.

The state-run National News Agency reported that the body of Syrian refugee Mohammed Seifeddine was found in Arsal's Jouban area.