President Michel Suleiman hoped on Sunday that the Koura by-election would serve as an opportunity to assert Lebanon’s democracy.

He said in a statement: “Democracy begins with the freedom of expression.”

Minister of Social Affairs Wael Abou Faour stated that the government did not discuss during its last session aid to Syrian refugees in Lebanon in light of reports that it decided to stop assistance to them, reported the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat on Sunday.

He told the daily: “The decision does not demand a halt to secondary healthcare, but it called for suspending them.

Conflicting reports have emerged over the nature of the object that crashed in the Bekaa region of Baalbek on Saturday, with some claims saying that it is a Hizbullah reconnaissance plane.

Voice of Lebanon radio had reported on Saturday that the plane in fact belongs to the party, while Hizbullah later denied to the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat having any links to it.

Lebanese Forces candidate Fadi Karam on Sunday won the Koura by-election by an unofficial margin of 1,300 votes, following a fierce electoral battle with Syrian Social National Party candidate Walid al-Azar.

The LF’s campaign said Karam won the election with 12,507 votes as Azar received 11,262 votes.

Electricite du Liban's administration announced on Saturday that it will pay the contract workers' their salaries after obtaining the approval from the Energy Ministry and the Finance Ministry.

"The Energy Ministry and the Finance Ministry approved on Friday a decision to open the necessary accounts to pay the contract workers their salaries," EDL said in a statement.

French Ambassador to Lebanon Patrice Paoli hailed on Saturday the Lebanese democracy and coexistence, which became a model in the region.

“Lebanon’s democracy, freedom and coexistence among its citizens became a model in the region, in addition to the stability it witnessed during the recent months,” Paoli said in a ceremony held in Kasr al-Sanawbar on the occasion of French Bastille Day.

A reconnaissance plane crashed in the town of Younine in Baalbek, the National News Agency reported on Saturday.

According to the news agency, the residents of the town spotted an aircraft on fire, which was falling from the sky.

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel delegated anew a security official to Turkey to address the case of the abducted Lebanese pilgrims in Syria, the Central News Agency reported on Saturday.

According to the news agency, the kidnappers expressed readiness to free six out of the eleven Lebanese pilgrims until investigations with the rest are complete.

The military examining magistrate issued on Saturday arrest warrants against three army officers, who were released last week, in the case of the killing of Sunni Sheikh Ahmed Abdul Wahed and his companion.

Judge Riyad Abu Ghida questioned the three officers and rearrested them, the National News Agency reported.

Lebanese Democratic Party leader Talal Arslan called on Saturday for a referendum on the army’s role in Lebanon following severe criticism by the March 14 opposition.

The exceptional referendum should be “on the preservation of the army as the defender of the nation and the citizens” and should lead to a “positive shock,” Arslan said in a press conference.