A doctor at Baalbek's hospital of Ibn Sina who was kidnapped on Tuesday was freed Friday at midnight, the state-run National News Agency reported on Saturday.

Doctor Saleh al-Shal, a medical director at the hospital, was freed by his kidnappers in Baalbek's town of Douris, NNA added.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi rejected on Saturday the calls for holding a constituent assembly and said that reducing the Christians presence is totally rejected, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Saturday.

“We have not implemented the Taef accord yet. What constituent assembly are they talking about?” sources from Bkirki quoted al-Rahi as saying.

Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea rejected attempts aiming at introducing amendments to Lebanon's constitution and dubbed any endeavor in that direction as a “ leap into the unknown,” al-Joumhouria daily reported on Saturday.

“A suggestion to hold a new constituent assembly is totally rejected because any attempt to change the constitution is a leap into the unknown,” said Geagea in an interview to the daily.

Investigations being run with detained Islamic State group militants have shown that the IS had plans to carry out three massive attacks in Lebanon during the holy month of Ramadan and that one of the schemes was to target the southern suburbs of Beirut with 3 tons of explosives in a suicide attack that would "shake the esteem of Hizbullah's leadership", al-Joumhouria daily reported on Friday.

The IS planned to carry out “centralized and quality” operations in each of the attacks with the aim of striking a blow to the economic sector and social environment, added the daily.

Founder of the Free Patriotic Movement and a runner in the race to become president MP Michel Aoun complained on Friday that none of the political figures are speaking or holding discussions with him, as he stressed that he did not request to dissociate himself, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Friday.

“No one is talking to me now that the main Christian candidate has delivered his word...I never said I don't want to consult with anyone! They are the ones who do not want to talk to me,” visitors to Aoun quoted him as saying.

The cabinet convened at the Grand Serail on Thursday in the presence of 16 ministers and the absence of the Free Patriotic Movement, Tashnaq and Hizbullah members of government, a meeting which Premier Tammam Salam described as “constitutional and respects the National Pact.”

Information Minister Ramzi Jreije quoted the PM and said: “The meeting is constitutional and respects the National Pact. But the PM paved the way for further consultations as for the current crisis in order to find solutions.”

Hizbullah decided to boycott Thursday's cabinet meeting in solidarity with a similar stance taken by its ally head of the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc MP Michel Aoun, sources close to the party told As Safir daily.

The sources said that Hizbullah decided to be absent from the meeting in solidarity with Aoun and to show an understanding of his party's apprehensions and the seriousness of a continued “marginalization of a major Lebanese component.”

A Lebanese citizen wanted in the United States and Brazil for suspected links to terrorism and arms trade was detained at the Ezeiza aiport in the Argentinian capital, Argentine's national news agency Telam reported on Thursday.

The detainee, Khalil Mohammed el-Sayyed was arrested by Argentinian authorities late on Wednesday, added the agency.

Lebanese Forces MP George Adwan stated on Wednesday that relations between the LF and al-Mustaqbal Movement are not tense as he assured that the the only solution lies in an agreement.

“There is no tension in relations between the two, it is a mere difference in points of view because (Samir) Geaega (LF chief) insists on electing (MP Michel) Aoun as president which Saniora (head of the Mustaqbal bloc) rejects,” said Adwan after meeting Saniora on the sidelines of a parliamentary meeting to elect a president.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat emphasized that the rights of the Christian community are not marginalized as some officials claim but that the latter are “marginalizing themselves” because of their “stubbornness and adamant conditions”, As Safir daily reported on Wednesday.

“Allow me please...I object to this whole equation. What is true is that self marginalization is brought about by some Christian component because of its stubbornness and insistence on certain conditions,” said Jumblat to the daily.