President Michel Suleiman requested that General Prosecutor Judge Samir Hammoud explain to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon the country's commitment to freedom of the media.

He requested that he explain the extent to which Lebanon respects laws on the freedom of the media.

A number of Syrians and Palestinians were arrested on Saturday as they attempted to travel from Lebanon using false legal papers, reported the National News Agency.

It said that 49 Syrians and Palestinians, who sought refuge from Syria, were arrested by security forces at the Rafik Hariri International Airport.

The army announced on Saturday the arrest of a number of suspects in Beirut's southern suburbs of Dahieh.

It arrested seven suspects on charges of the possession of weapons and military equipment.

Speaker Nabih Berri expressed his fears over vacuum in the presidency amid the ongoing disputes between the rival March 8 and 14 camps over a candidate, reported al-Akhbar newspaper on Saturday.

He told the daily: “Vacuum will facilitate foreign meddling in the elections.”

The March 14 alliance is studying the possibility of the nomination of Telecommunications Minister Butros Harb as president instead of its current nominee Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, reported al-Akhbar newspaper on Saturday.

March 14 sources cited the various closed-door meetings among members of the camp and Harb's recent meeting with Progressive Socialist Party chief MP Walid Jumblat as signs that the minister may be named as a candidate.

Head of the Mustaqbal Movement MP Saad Hariri continued his talks with various officials on the presidential elections by meeting with Lebanese Forces MP Sethrida Geagea at his Paris residence, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Friday.

It said that the former PM and Geagea tackled the latest developments related to the polls.

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun will “not wait forever” for the Mustaqbal Movement to agree to his nomination for the presidential elections, warned his visitors according to al-Liwaa newspaper on Saturday.

They cautioned: “Lebanon will enter a dangerous phase should the MP not be elected president.”

Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh stated on Friday that he had promised Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi that he will not provide the necessary quorum at the parliament to prevent his political foe's election, adding also that he disagrees with the head of the Maronite Church over the fear of vacuum in the presidency.

"The constitution discussed the needed quorum in parliamentary sessions (dedicated to elect a new president) but it did not say anything about requiring MPs to be present,” Franjieh said in an interview on al-Manar television.

Seven Syrians were arrested on Friday in the border town of Arsal for possessing “suspicious” identification documents.

"The army arrested seven Syrians in Arsal for illegally entering Lebanon," the military institution said in a communique.

The cabinet on Friday appointed five new governors and accepted the resignation of Governor of Beirut and the North Nassif Qaloush, which he had submitted following reports about him being involved in a sexual harassment case.

The ministerial session, which was held at Baabda Palace and chaired by President Michel Suleiman, appointed Fouad Fleifel as governor of Mount Lebanon, Ziad Shbib as governor of Beirut, Imad Labaki of the northern Akkar region, Ramzi Nohra of the North, and Bashir Khodr as governor of Baalbek-Hermel in the Bekaa.