The son of herbal expert Zein al-Atat was released on Saturday after mediations were successful with the kidnappers, the National News Agency reported.

NNA said that Ibrahim al-Atat was released on the outskirts of Baalbek.

United Nations Interim Force spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said on Saturday that a dispute occurred between peacekeeping troops and the residents of the southern border town of Maroun al-Ras .

According to the National News Agency, the UNIFIL peacekeepers were taking snapshots of the area when several civilians came across and took the camera from them.

Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani urged on Saturday the abductors of the 11 Lebanese Shiites pilgrims to release them as soon as possible.

“We haven’t received any new information on the abducted men,” Qabbani said after holding a meeting with the families of the 11 men in the presence of AMAL and Hizbullah representatives.

Maronite Patriarch Beshar al-Rahi reiterated on Saturday his call on rival Lebanese foes to renew their commitment to the 1943 national pact, urging Muslims and Christians to coexist.

“I have already said that we need to go back to the 1943 national pact where only one state existed,” al-Rahi told reporters upon his arrival in Beirut following his trip to Turkey.

Popular Nasserite Organization head Osama Saad urged on Saturday the cabinet to assume its responsibilities, holding it accountable for resolving the blockage of roads in Sidon.

“The cabinet is responsible for providing everyone with the freedom to move around,” Saad said during a press conference at his office in Sidon.

Lebanese shepherd Youssef Zahra, who was kidnapped by Israeli forces from a disputed area, returned to Lebanon after he was released on Saturday.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon handed over Zahra to the Lebanese army intelligence base in the area of Naqoura.

Six candidates will fight the by-elections in the northern district of Koura after the deadline for the announcement of candidacies for the vacated Greek Orthodox post ended, the interior ministry announced on Saturday.

The ministry said the deadline for candidates to announce that they are running in the July 15 by-elections ended after midnight Friday.

The advisor of Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu reiterated that 11 Lebanese pilgrims kidnapped in Syria last month haven’t crossed the border to Turkey.

In remarks to An Nahar newspaper published Saturday, the advisor said: “Turkey has nothing to do with the issue and the kidnapping didn’t take place on our territories.”

U.S. Senator John McCain is expected to visit Beirut next week as part of his tour to the region, U.S. sources told al-Akhbar newspaper published Saturday.

McCain will meet with President Michel Suleiman, Speaker Nabih Berri, Premier Najib Miqati and other officials, the report said.

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said Saturday he was personally taking charge of negotiations with Salafist cleric Sheikh Ahmed al-Asir to persuade him into ending the sit-in that he launched in the southern city of Sidon earlier in the week.

In remarks to Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3) and As Safir daily, Charbel said he was personally negotiating with the Imam of Sidon's Bilal bin Rabah mosque to end the sit-it after al-Asir defied calls by the leaders of the city to reopen the highway and said he will keep his supporters on the road pending a solution to Hizbullah’s arms.