Despite a Russian initiative that vowed to help repatriate the Syrian refugees to their homeland, genuine efforts to ease that return are “disrupted,” al-Joumhouria daily reported on Thursday.

Head of the Budget and Finance parliamentary committee, MP Ibrahim Kanaan, on Wednesday emphasized that the follow-up on the file of illegal hiring in the state’s administrations and institutions is serious and that the results will be colossal.

Hizbullah has reportedly undermined Britain’s move to expand ban on the party considering it a “useless" move that won't affect the party, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri has reportedly made an unannounced visit to Speaker Nabih Berri on Tuesday at his residence in Ain el-Tineh, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Wednesday.

The refugee talks between President Michel Aoun and EU Foreign Policy Chief Frederica Mogherini have shown a “major difference” in approaching the file and in the ways to secure their return to Syria, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Wednesday.

Speaker Nabih Berri held talks on Tuesday with the EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and the accompanying delegation in the presence of U.S. Ambassador Christina Lassen, the National News Agency reported.

The Council of Ministers will convene in a Cabinet session at 11:30 am on Thursday at the Grand Serail, the National News Agency said on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri will chair the meeting and will discuss 52 items on its agenda in addition to several urgent files, said NNA.

President Michel Aoun on Tuesday has stressed that Lebanon’s ailing economic and social conditions are the drive behind the country's insistence that Syrian refugees return home, the Presidency’s media office said on Twitter.

“There are two contradictory approaches to the issue of displaced Syrians, and the European Union takes political-related decisions while Lebanon’s decisions stem from economic and social reasons,” Aoun told visiting EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini.

The website of the General Directorate of the Lebanese Civil Defense was hacked by a Syrian group on Tuesday, where hackers displayed a message they said addressed to the Lebanese and Prime Minister Saad Hariri.

The message, condemning what the hackers claimed was “ill-treatment” of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, read: “Lebanon and Syria are one country. We have lovingly welcomed you in Syria as brothers back in 2006, so we call upon some of the great Lebanese people to treat the Syrians well, as well as those who come to you across the border.”

Progressive Socialist Party leader ex-MP Walid Jumblat on Tuesday commented on the surprise resignation of Iran’s foreign minister saying "Iranian diplomacy will lose its most prominent symbols.”