Lebanese Forces bloc MP Farid Habib, representative of the northern Koura district, passed away Thursday evening after a battle with illness.

Habib died at the Saint George Hospital in Ashrafiyeh where he was being treated.

Parts of the Hawd al-Wilaya Bridge in al-Basta al-Tahta area in Beirut collapsed on Thursday, prompting the Internal Security Forces to close it to traffic.

The ISF said in a statement that the collapse took place at around 3:30 p.m. and it has since closed off the bridge and diverted traffic around it.

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.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati highlighted on Thursday Lebanon’s diversity, saying that it is an “example of the convergence of civilizations.”

He said: “The international community must help Lebanon preserve its diversity.”

The head of the Independence Movement Michel Mouawad visited Saudi Arabia this week at an invitation by its Foreign Ministry, announced his press office in a statement.

He held talks with deputy Foreign Minister Prince Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah on the latest Lebanese and regional developments.

Iran is plotting attacks on politicians and diplomats in several countries, including Lebanese figures, the Kuwaiti al-Rai newspaper reported on Thursday.

The daily said that U.S. media is expected to publish in the upcoming weeks reports about an Iranian network, which has planned to carry out assassination attempts.

Iran is using commercial aircraft to smuggle weapons and explosives to Syria and Hizbullah in Lebanon, the German broadcaster ZDF reported Wednesday.

Citing Western security sources, ZDF said that Iran Air and Yas Air have repeatedly used aircraft designated as passenger planes to transport weapons to the Assad regime and Hizbullah.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati on Thursday held three-hour talks in Istanbul with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, urging Ankara to carry on with its “satisfactory and ongoing” efforts to secure the release of 11 Lebanese Shiite pilgrims abducted in Syria’s Aleppo on May 22.

“Mr. Erdogan stressed that Turkey will continue to exert intensified efforts to rescue the Lebanese citizens held in Syria,” Miqati’s press office said in a statement issued after the meeting.

Syria's Permanent Representative to the U.N. Bashar al-Jaafari reiterated that his country is confronting “terrorist groups” that are trained, protected and funded by some Arab and regional countries, including Lebanon.

“Some Arab and regional countries should stop providing these groups with funds, weapons, political support and media coverage,” Jaafari said on Wednesday in a press conference held after a U.N. Security Council session.