Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea called on his allies in the March 14 coalition to make an effort to reach consensus over an electoral law instead of “continuously attacking” the Orthodox Gathering's draft, criticizing spreading a “fake victory atmosphere” among March 8's Christians.

“I urge political factions to agree on an electoral law instead of attacking the Orthodox draft,” Geagea stated in a speech he gave at a LF ceremony in Maarab, during which the door to admitting new party members was opened.

Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir and his supporters deployed Friday with their weapons around the Bilal bin Rabah Mosque in Sidon, amid a heavy deployment by the army and security forces.

“Armed supporters of Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir deployed around the Bilal bin Rabah Mosque and the army has called in reinforcements from outside Sidon,” MTV reported.

Phalange Party MP Sami Gemayel lashed out on Friday at Lebanese authorities for not suspending diplomatic ties with the neighboring country Syria after the judiciary demanded the death penalty for a Syrian security official.

Gemayel wondered how the Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon, Ali Abdul Karim Ali, wasn't expelled or summoned.

The Deputy Registrar of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon said Friday the court had “faith” in the judgment of Pre-Trial Judge Daniel Fransen, a day after he postponed the provisional March 25 start date for trials.

“We have faith in Judge Fransen's judgment, and he knows best if the case is ready for trial,” said Daryl Mundis, the Deputy Registrar, in a Q&A session on twitter.

Justice Minister Shakib Qortbawi, Interior Minister Marwan Charbel and two judges from the Higher Committee for Consultations discussed on Friday the controversial civil marriage in Lebanon.

Qortbawi, Charbel and Judges Sami Mansour and Marwan Karkabi held the talks at the justice ministry, the National News Agency said. The third member of the Committee, Judge Omar al-Natour, failed to attend the meeting for being abroad.

The Syndicate Coordination Committee went ahead with its open-ended strike on Friday by staging a demonstration near the Agriculture Ministry in Beirut's Bir Hassan area.

Angry protesters began rallying at 9:30 a.m. after calls by the SCC officials on Wednesday to escalate their endeavors over the cabinet's failure to refer the new wage scale for public employees to the parliament.

European Union Ambassador to Lebanon Angelina Eichhorst said on Friday that armed groups are moving daily between Lebanon and Syria, considering that the disassociation policy adopted by the government requires actual implementation.

“Armed groups shouldn't be allowed to move between Lebanon and Syria as they are threatening the situation locally,” Eichhorst said in comments published in As Safir newspaper.

Qatar is ready to pay a $5 million ransom to free the Lebanese pilgrims, who were kidnapped in Syria on May 22, unnamed sources told An-Nahar daily Friday.

General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim is following up closely on the controversial file and has met with President Michel Suleiman three times in ten days after his visit to Qatar and Turkey in January.

The onshore 3-D seismic scan process is expected to remain until September as the British Spectrum Company, which will conduct it, will cover the expenses estimated to reach $25 million, a local newspaper reported on Friday.

As Safir newspaper quoted a ministerial source as saying that the British firm will pay Lebanon a share of the profits achieved by the survey.

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel warned on Friday that officials affiliated with the March 14 and 8 coalitions are simultaneously exposed to assassination attempts, pointing out that the ties between Lebanon and the Gulf countries are “not deteriorating.”

“The security agencies are coordinating with the figures who are under threat,” Charbel said in comments published in the Kuwaiti al-Seyassah newspaper.