The U.S. Embassy on Monday hosted a round table on the Diversity Visa, also known as the "Green Card Lottery," and warned of the various scams involved.

"Millions of people apply for the green card lottery and 50,000 applicants from around the world will win this year,” Consular Section Chief Adrienne Harchik said.

A Syrian army unit entered the town of Hnaider in Wadi Khaled in northern Lebanon on Monday where it was chasing smugglers, reported MTV.

It said that it entered the town and opened fire at the alleged smugglers.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat praised on Monday Saudi Arabia for its constant support to Lebanon, noting that it has never hesitated in helping Lebanon throughout the various hardships it has endured over the years.

He said in his weekly editorial in the PSP-affiliated al-Anbaa magazine that the kingdom’s crowning achievement towards Lebanon was the Taif accord that helped end the country’s 1975-90 civil war.

U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Maura Connelly warned on Monday of the serious consequences Lebanon may face if it does not respect international obligations.

She reiterated, after holding talks with Free Patriotic Movement head MP Michel Aoun in Rabieh, the United States’ view that it is important to ensure that events in Syria do no create instability or tension in Lebanon.

Zahle bloc MPs slammed on Monday Hizbullah’s attempt to expand its military presence in the town of Tarshish, saying that it has completely disregarded the state and its constitutional institutions.

It also addressed Syrian army incursions into Lebanon, noting that its “shameful” position on the matter “demonstrates the extent of its affiliation with Syria that has not respected agreements between it and Lebanon.”

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon celebrated on Monday the 66th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations in a ceremony at its headquarters in Naqoura.

During this global observance of the U.N. Day, UNIFIL Force Commander Major-General Alberto Asarta Cuevas presented certificates of recognition to eight Lebanese staff members who have completed 30 years of service with UNIFIL.

President Michel Suleiman called on Monday for amending the law that established the Constitutional Council to keep it away from the bickering between Lebanese politicians.

“It’s necessary to entrust the task of interpreting the Constitution to the Constitutional Council and this requires an amendment,” Suleiman said in a speech at the opening of the conference of the Union of Arab Constitutional Courts and Councils at the Bristol Hotel in Beirut.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi urged on Monday the United Nations to declare Lebanon as a neutral country during his visit to the U.S., As Safir newspaper reported.

The patriarch noted that he means by it “the positive neutrality, whereby (Lebanon) isn’t subordinate to any country or regional or international axes.”

The rejection of Hizbullah and the Free Patriotic Movement to promote head of the Internal Security Forces Information Branch Col. Wissam al-Hassan came upon pressure from Syria, al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc sources said.

The sources told al-Liwaa daily published Monday that Syria was frustrated at ISF chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi’s attempt to link the disappearance of Syrian opposition members in Lebanon to the Syrian embassy.

The Parliamentary human rights committee session on Monday witnessed a heated debate over the discussion of a report written by Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi about the alleged involvement of the Syrian embassy in the disappearance of Syrian opposition members in Lebanon.

Voice of Lebanon radio reported that the voices were heard at the press room in the parliament.