The Arab League-affiliated Arab Satellite Communications Organization has blocked the broadcast of al-Manar television via the Arabsat satellites, the Hizbullah-owned TV network announced on Friday.

“In the latest step in the policy of muzzling voices … the Arabsat company has blocked the al-Manar channel, after the company's offices were moved from Lebanon to Jordan,” al-Manar said in its evening news bulletin.

A meeting was held Friday in Bkirki between Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi, Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil and Kataeb Party leader MP Sami Gemayel.

Gemayel had first arrived in Bkirki along with Kataeb's former minister Salim al-Sayegh. Bassil joined the talks around an hour later.

Marada leader MP Suleiman Franjieh received a telephone call on Friday from French President Francois Hollande in light of the political settlement that saw a possible nomination of the lawmaker for the post of the presidency.

The phone call lasted for almost fifteen minutes, said LBCI.

The Maronite Bishops Council condemned on Friday the ongoing vacuum in the presidency, noting however that “serious efforts” have been launched to resolve the issue.

It said after its monthly meeting: “The deadlock should be resolved through thorough discussions and consultations due to the importance of the presidential post.”

Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq hailed on Friday the General Security on its success in releasing the 16 servicemen who were being held by the extremist al-Nusra Front, acknowledging that the northeastern border region of Arsal is “occupied”.

He said in a press conference after meeting General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim: “The region of Arsal is occupied and our main policy is to avoid being dragged into the Syrian conflict.”

Agriculture Minister Akram Shehayyeb confirmed on Friday that progress has been made in the waste management file and that contacts are ongoing in that regard, al-Liwaa daily reported.

“Major and tangible progress has been reached in finding a solution for the trash file,” Shehayyeb told the daily refusing to give further details.

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon stated that it is crucial for the Lebanese to end the 18-month vacuum at the top state post voicing hopes that the current dialogue in that regard reaches fruition, An Nahar daily said on Friday .

“The presidential post has been vacant for 18 months now. I knew about the dialogue taking place in that regard. I sincerely hope that the political situation is normalized as soon as possible, but the most important thing is to encourage reconciliation,” said Ban in an interview to the daily.

Head of the Mustaqbal Movement MP Saad Hariri traveled on Thursday night to the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh to carry out further discussions on resolving the presidential deadlock in Lebanon, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Friday.

Mustaqbal bloc chief MP Fouad Saniora meanwhile declared that Hariri is in fact “serious about the nomination of Marada Movement head MP Suleiman Franjieh as president.”

Hizbullah has not abandoned Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun as the presidential nominee of the March 8 alliance in spite of all the reports of the potential candidacy of Marada Movement chief MP Suleiman Franjieh, reported al-Joumhouria newspaper on Friday.

It said that Hizbullah's stance on Aoun “has not changed.”

The army arrested Thursday four terrors suspects after intercepting their van on the Zalka-Beirut highway, media reports said.

“An army intelligence patrol intercepted a white van this afternoon on the Zalka-Beirut highway, arresting its four passengers after closing the road for several minutes,” MTV said.