An Israeli force inspected an orchard in the South on Thursday morning in search of a “suspicious object” in the area.

The force, which comprised more than 20 soldiers, was examining a region facing the border town of Kfarkila, MTV reported.

Mustaqbal Movement leader MP Saad Hariri is keen on continuing talks with Free Patriotic Movement officials, in light of his recent meeting with Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Thursday.

It said that the former premier is eager to develop ties between the two sides and that the talks should cover other issues besides the presidential elections.

Bishop Samir Mazloum stated on Thursday that “no one expected the required quorum to be met” at the parliament in the second round of votes on a new president.

"Each camp has its own candidate and neither has the required number of votes to secure its nominee's victory,” Mazloum told al-Joumhouria newspaper.

The joint parliamentary committees have made progress over the funding of the new wage scale, reported the daily An Nahar on Thursday.

Informed sources told the daily that the committees completed discussions on articles linked to its funding, agreeing that the cost of the scale will reach L.L. 1,740 billion.

The March 14 alliance is expected to hold intense consultations on the presidential elections over the upcoming 48 hours in light of the failure of the second round of the polls on Wednesday, reported An Nahar daily on Thursday.

The consultations will include talks among the main leaders of the camp as Saudi Arabia expressed its keenness to hold the polls on time, said As Safir newspaper on Thursday.

Rival political leaders are scheduled to convene at Baabda Palace on Monday to resume national dialogue sessions, as President Michel Suleiman is expected to deliver two “important” speeches on the weekend.

Al-Joumhouria daily revealed on Thursday that Suleiman informed Prime Minister Tammam Salam during a Wednesday meeting that he is planning on sending the invitations for the dialogue session, which will take place at 11:00 am on Monday.

Telecommunications Minister Boutros Harb revealed on Wednesday that he is ready to forgive those who tried to kill him in July 2012.

"It is in my nature to forgive people and those who harmed me,” Harb said in an interview on NBN television.

For the second day in a row, the French capital continued to be the meeting place for talks on the presidential elections, as former Prime Minister Saad Hariri held talks with Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Wednesday.

A statement issued by Hariri's office said that the meeting started at 7:30 pm at the residence of al-Mustaqbal Movement's head in Paris, and that both men discussed the latest developments in the country, and on top of them the presidential race.

The airport's customs on Wednesday thwarted an attempt to smuggle a large quantity of drugs.

"Customs' officials seized a large quantity of drugs that were placed inside a neatly arranged painting,” the state-run National News Agency reported, noting that the drugs were set up to be sent to Australia.

Hizbullah deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem noted on Wednesday that the current conditions in Lebanon are not appropriate to stage the presidential elections.

He said: “There is therefore no point to hold presidential election sessions if these conditions persist.”