The Military Court released from jail on Thursday Lebanese citizen, Ziad al-Homsi, after he served time on charges of collaborating with Israeli intelligence, reported al-Jadeed television.

Homsi was accused in December 2010 of collaborating with Israel and he was sentenced to 15 years in jail with hard labor.

President Michel Suleiman urged the Syrian authorities on Thursday to release the two Lebanese farmers who were kidnapped a day earlier in the border region of al-Abboudiyeh as the Syrian army abducted another citizen later on Thursday.

The Syrian army kidnapped Yehya Mohammed Fleiti in the border town of Arsal on Thursday afternoon.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat on Wednesday stressed the need to preserve national unity in Syria, warning against “falling into the traps of civil strife and sedition that are being set up by the regime.”

Commenting on the latest abduction and counter-abduction operations in the Syrian provinces of Daraa and Soueida, Jumblat called for “turning this painful page” and extended gratitude to “everyone who contributed to ending this problem, especially the three spiritual leaders, the dignitaries of Soueida and Daraa, and the revolution coordination committees in the two regions.”

Syrian troops kidnapped on Wednesday two Lebanese farmers in the border region of al-Abboudiyeh.

The residents in the area blocked the international road in protest against the development.

U.N.-Arab League Joint Special Envoy for Syria Kofi Annan on Tuesday announced that he will visit Lebanon soon.

Al-Manar television reported the news, without elaborating.

Finance Minister Mohammed Safadi on Tuesday said the cabinet will discuss Wednesday a new extra-budgetary spending bill, noting that “the 4,900 billion was slashed to 3,500 billion, including the public sector wages.”

Speaking during Tuesday’s cabinet session, Safadi added that a political decision has been taken to approve the budget, but noted that the obstacle still hindering the plan was the need to audit extra-budgetary spending made between 2006 and 2010 by the governments of Fouad Saniora and Saad Hariri.

The Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc praised on Tuesday President Michel Suleiman’s call for the resumption of the national dialogue, noting that it is a proper way to tackle pending disputes.

It noted however after its weekly meeting: “Limiting the possession of arms to the state and forming an unbiased government are the basis for resuming the dialogue.”

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun stated on Tuesday that Electricite du Liban contract employees will not reach their goals through their latest actions.

He said after the Change and Reform bloc’s weekly meeting: “Some MPs, who we will not name, have been inciting the employees to action.”

Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour on Monday reassured that no Lebanese expats were hurt in the deadly blaze that erupted at the Villagio mall in the Qatari capital Doha.

The minister said that Lebanese Ambassador to Qatar Hassan Saad informed him of the good news.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat demanded on Monday that the Lebanese pilgrims who were kidnapped in Syria on Tuesday be returned to Lebanon, urging all sides to “exercise restraint.”

He warned in his weekly editorial in the PSP-affiliated al-Anbaa magazine “against falling for the Syrian regime’s traps” should any of the supporters of the victims seek revenge against the abduction.