Speaker Nabih Berri on Wednesday considered the Constitutional Council's recent decision about the new rent law as a hurdle in the face of implementing it, asking the council to reconsider its ruling in order to make it “fair.”

“After studying the rent law as amended by the Constitutional Council, which took a decision to annul two articles and a paragraph, we found out that the decision they made practically disrupts the mechanism of implementing 37 other articles of the revised law, therefore obstructing the implementation of all of the law's stipulations,” MPs quoted Berri as saying after the weekly Wednesday meeting in Ain al-Tineh.

Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh stressed Wednesday that his March 8 coalition will not accept the election of a so-called “centrist” president, hoping Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Michel Aoun will manage to win the presidential seat.

“Aoun briefed me on the talks he is conducting … We hope the next president will be an essential partner with everyone and of course we hope the General will reach” the Baabda Palace, Franjieh said after meeting Aoun in Rabieh.

Health Minister Wael Abou Faour stated on Wednesday that the food safety campaign has seized the media spotlight and improved the state's position, expressing satisfaction at what he and the government have reached so far.

“The food safety campaign has seized media spotlight, but I am proud that the government and I have presented an acceptable example to protect the citizen,” said Abou Faour in a press conference.

The army said on Wednesday that it arrested a Lebanese suspect involved in the latest attacks on troops in the North and seized ammunition and telecom equipment from him.

A military communique said Adnan Mohammed al-Hajjeh was apprehended during a dawn raid in the town of Bhannine in al-Minieh district.

Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea said Wednesday the expected dialogue with his rival Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun is “serious.”

“Dialogue with FPM chief MP Michel Aoun is serious and not just limited to the presidency. It goes beyond that,” Geagea told a delegation of LF engineers who visited him in Maarab.

The commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon has said there were no signs on the presence of terrorist groups south of the Litani River.

“In the area south of the Litani River all the way to the Blue Line there is no sign on the presence of extremist or terrorist groups that would put the stability of south Lebanon in danger,” said Maj. Gen. Luciano Portolano.

The General Security kicked off a reform plan to straighten the deteriorating conditions and chaos on the Lebanese-Syrian border expelling 32 of its members for immoral behavior, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Wednesday.

The General Security started this step on the al-Masnaa border crossing to rectify the chaotic situation that emerged following Lebanon's decision to limit and control the number of refugees entering Lebanon, the daily added.

Speaker Nabih Berri has expressed comfort at the support of regional and major powers for the dialogue held between Hizbullah and al-Mustaqbal movement.

Berri told his visitors that he recently received a message of support from the Egyptian foreign ministry, in addition to the positive reactions from the U.S., Saudi and Iranian ambassadors.

The head of the parliamentary public works and energy committee MP Mohammed Qabbani said he was informed by Prime Minister Tammam Salam that he would call for meetings to agree on two oil exploration decrees.

“There is an agreement on not having more delays in the oil file. There is a serious move” to resolve it, Qabbani told al-Liwaa newspaper in remarks published on Wednesday.

Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc stressed Tuesday that the dialogue that started with Hizbullah must be “accompanied by practical steps on the ground,” hoping the presidential void will end soon.

In a statement issued after its weekly meeting, the bloc said “dialogue must be accompanied with practical steps on the ground that would end violations against the law, the state's sovereignty and the dignity of citizens,” adding that such a move “would reinforce trust among the Lebanese.”