Former Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir will not address the political situation in Lebanon during the Saturday’s mass commemorating the fallen members of the Lebanese Forces, revealed information obtained by Naharnet on Friday.

Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi will be unable to attend, but he will send his deputy Roland Abu Jaoude who will deliver a speech on the patriarch’s behalf.

The United States considers the ongoing popular protests in Syria and a number of Arab countries as “a reflection of the ambitions of these countries’ peoples, their aspiration for freedom and democracy, and their adherence to all of their political and civil rights,” a western diplomatic source stressed.

In an interview with Naharnet, the source noted that “the U.S. administration believes it is Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi’s right to express the concerns and aspirations of his community during this period.

Autumn’s first rains spread chaos on Lebanese roads on Friday as a heavy downpour caused bumper-to-bumper traffic blocking drivers in their vehicles.

All entrances to Beirut were blocked as drivers waited for hours to reach their destinations after rains flooded the streets.

Abir, her husband and two sons are bracing for their first winter as Syrian refugees in Lebanon's impoverished mountain area of Wadi Khaled, near the northern border with Syria.

Locking the door behind her, Abir removes the black niqab from her face and sits her two sons on a futon in the single room she shares with her family in an abandoned school in the scenic village of Mashta Hammoud.

The U.S. embassy in Lebanon warned its citizens to avoid Palestinian refugee camps and large gatherings in light of the expected showdown at the United Nations over Palestinian statehood.

"The U.S. embassy in Lebanon is alerting U.S. citizens to a possibility of a surge in demonstrations in Beirut and around Lebanon in the coming days," the embassy said in an emergency message sent to its nationals.

U.S. Military Commander Brig. Gen. Kenneth Tovo discussed with Lebanese army chief Gen. Jean Qahwaji military cooperation between the two countries as well as Lebanon’s initiatives to implement its obligations under U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701.

Tovo held a meeting with Qahwaji in the presence of U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Maura Connelly in Yarze, An Nahar newspaper reported on Friday.

U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon reiterated his support for the work of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon during talks with Lebanese President Michel Suleiman on the sidelines of the General Assembly meeting in New York.

Ban’s office said Thursday the U.N. secretary-general reiterated his call on the Lebanese government to implement all its obligations with regard to the tribunal, which was set up to try ex-Premier Rafik Hariri’s suspected assassins.

Speaker Nabih Berri praised the Lebanese officials’ cooperation in approving the electricity project, An Nahar newspaper reported on Friday.

“The Lebanese won… Political disputes and discussions are normal, but when it comes to the people’s livelihoods and economic status, everyone should compromise,” Berri said.

A spiritual Islamic-Christian summit will be held at Dar al-Fatwa on Tuesday which will be limited to the head of the Sunni, Shiite, Maronite and Druze spiritual leaders, al-Liwaa newspaper reported.

Sources told the daily on Friday that the summit will include Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani, Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi, The Vice President of the Higher Islamic Shiite Council Abdul Amir Qabalan and Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Naim Hassan.

Two security personnel and seven inmates were injured after Fatah al-Islam prisoners took several soldiers hostage during a mutiny that lasted a few hours at Roumieh prison, media reports said.

A high-ranking source told Voice of Lebanon radio station (93.3) that the riot started at the 3rd floor of bloc B with a dispute over a decision to make changes in the responsibilities of soldiers and during routine prison search.