Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea announced Wednesday that the LF's endorsement of Free Patriotic Movement founder MP Michel Aoun's presidential nomination was a “game changer” in the Lebanese political arena.

Speaker Nabih Berri on Wednesday lauded a statement issued earlier in the day by the Council of Maronite Bishops, noting that it “does not contradict” with the national dialogue agreements and the proposed “package deal.”

The Maronite Bishops Council voiced calls on Wednesday to abide by the constitution and elect a new head of state without imposing any prior conditions, the National News Agency reported.

During their monthly meeting in Diman under Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi, they urged the political leaders to be up to their responsibility.

Al-Mustaqbal MP Ammar Houri said on Wednesday that MP Michel Aoun tried to polish up his image with al-Mustaqbal Movement, as he emphasized that a solution for the presidential file is in the hands of Hizbullah.

“Freeing the presidency file is in the hands of Hizbullah which does not want any candidate for the presidency, not even General (Michel) Aoun,” said Houri in an interview to VDL (100.5).

The General Security arrested several Syrian nationals in the southern town of Ain el-Dilb east of the city of Sidon accused of having links to terror groups in Syria, the National News Agency reported on Wednesday.

The suspects were arrested for their involvement in terror groups and for violating the residency permit rules in Lebanon.

Although Prime Minister Tammam Salam has called the ministers on Tuesday for a cabinet meeting this week, but there are no guarantees that it would convene successfully knowing that several ministers have not confirmed attendance as yet, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Wednesday

Until Tuesday evening, ministers of Hizbullah and the Free Patriotic Movement have not confirmed whether they will attend or boycott the session, complementing a similar step when they boycotted the latest cabinet meeting.

Speaker Nabih Berri defended the so-called “package deal” on the presidency, which was subject to criticism from Christian officials, and assured that it does not include any item specifying the jurisdictions of the president, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Wednesday.

“They say that the package deal is over, for me it still exists. Let them say what they want, it's their opinion not mine,” Berri's visitors quoted him as saying.

Free Patriotic Movement founder MP Michel Aoun on Tuesday hailed his latest meeting with al-Mustaqbal Movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri as “very positive,” while noting that the presidential vote must not hinge on a prior agreement on so-called “package deal.”

Dozens of citizens, activists and members of political parties staged a sit-in at the Samir Qassir garden in downtown Beirut on Tuesday to condemn the bloodshed in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo.

Heavy clashes erupted Tuesday in the outskirts of the northeastern border town of Arsal between jihadists from the rival Islamic State and Fateh al-Sham groups, state-run National News Agency reported.