Health Minister Ali Hassan Khalil withdrew on Saturday the license of 15 pharmacists after investigations showed that their Colloquium exams were forged.

The National News Agency reported that the licenses of the 15 pharmacists were canceled.

The Army command confirmed on Saturday reports that the military arrested five Syrians in the southern town of Nabatiyeh after seizing explosives and ammunition from them.

“As part of security measures taken by military units throughout Lebanese territories and after receiving information about some people carrying out a suspicious security activity in a housing area in the city of Nabatiyeh, a patrol raided the area and arrested” the five Syrians, the army command said in a communique.

Officials loyal to Progressive Socialist Party chief Walid Jumblat visited Speaker Nabih Berri in Ain el-Tineh on Saturday as part of the initiative aimed at resolving the country's political crisis.

The delegation included Minister Alaeddine Terro, MP Akram Shehayeb and PSP Secretary Zafer Nasser.

Russian Ambassador to Lebanon Alexander Zasypkin hailed on Saturday Hizbullah's adherence to preserve Lebanon's stability, ruling out any possibility of an Israeli aggression on the country.

“In light of the current developments, I do not think that Israel would wage an aggression on Lebanon,” said Zasypkin in an interview to the As Safir daily.

Politically divided Lebanese made on Saturday a show of unity during an official ceremony in Rome that allowed Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi to join the elite club of churchmen who will elect the next pope.

Pope Benedict XVI formally elevated five other prelates at the ceremony that was held at St. Peter's Basilica, bestowing red hats and gold rings on them.

Disagreement on the Lebanese official delegation's participation in Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi's appointment as cardinal in Rome prevented the attendance of Speaker Nabih Berri and Premier Najib Miqati, al-Liwaa daily reported on Saturday.

The newspaper said that both Berri and Miqati refused to become “accessories” and wait in line following Suleiman's insistence to hold separate talks with Pope Benedict XVI on the eve of the ceremony.

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel hinted that the current parliament's term would be extended for six months if it was not able to agree on a new electoral law or amend the 1960 law, An Nahar daily reported Saturday.

In remarks to An Nahar's correspondent during his visit to Rome, Charbel said he would exert all efforts to amend the current law but did not rule out a six-month extension of the legislature's term during which the assembly would adopt a new draft-law or amend the 1960 law's articles on the deadline for the announcement of candidacies or the resignation from public sector posts.

The army on Friday arrested Syrian nationals who were preparing an explosive device with the aim of detonating it at an Ashoura procession set to be held on Saturday, media reports said.

"Army intelligence agents on Friday evening arrested five Syrians at a house in the Nabatiyeh neighborhood of al-Maslakh while they were preparing a 300-gram explosive device with the aim of detonating it during the Muharram (Ashoura) 9 procession that will be held tomorrow in the city of Nabatiyeh” in southern Lebanon, al-Jadeed television reported.

The Army Command said on Friday that the arrest of rap artist and the former candidate to the parliamentary elections Pierre Hashash came after “his statements offended the military institution and its members”.

“Hashash was arrested and questioned following statements he made on the eve of Independence Day,” the army' statement explained, adding that he “incited others to attack the military institution and tarnish its reputation on social networking websites”.

The number of Syrian refugees registered in Lebanon has reached 127,420 and their numbers in neighboring countries have nearly doubled since the beginning of September, the U.N. refugee agency said Friday.

"Across the region... the number of Syrian refugees in surrounding countries now stands at 442,256, an increase of more than 213,000 since the beginning of September," UNHCR spokesman Adrian Edwards told reporters in Geneva.