A dispute rose between private education institutions and the teachers syndicate in Lebanon over the strike that is intended to be held on Wednesday, An Nahar newspaper reported.

The schools associations confirmed that the strike will be held under the slogan: “Revising the Government Decision on Wages Boost.”

The cabinet launches on Tuesday what would most probably be protracted discussions on the draft state budget which includes the controversial funding of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

The first government session on the 2012 budget will be held at Baabda palace on Tuesday afternoon. Ministerial sources told An Nahar daily that discussions will start with an overview of the budget that is drafted by Finance Minister Mohammed Safadi.

The Parliament held on Tuesday a session to select the members of committees and Parliament’s bureau, An Nahar newspaper reported.

The parliamentary session ended by re-electing the parliament bureau members and making slight changes in the membership of the parliament committees.

Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi’s investigation report on the kidnapping of Syrian opposition members reveals that the head of the Syrian embassy guard unit, First Lt. Salah Hajj, was the ringleader of the group that abducted the Jassem brothers.

An Nahar daily published on Tuesday the full report, which is based on witness testimony and telecommunications data.

Beirut airport police arrested a 25-year-old drug smuggler after seizing 9 kilograms of narcotic pills from his bag, the National News Agency reported on Monday.

NNA said that the police searched his bag when suspicion fell on the man. They found the drugs packed in nylon bags in a false bottom.

Hundreds of residents from Jabal Mohsen, home to Tripoli's Alawites, gathered in support for the Syrian regime on Monday.

" Around 1500 people gathered Friday night in Tripoli's Jabal Mohsen to welcome the "Syrian Youth in support for the Syrian army" delegation of which is visiting Lebanon as a part of a campaign to mobilize solidarity with the Syrian army and regime." Agence france Presse reported.

Progressive Socialist Party Leader MP Walid Jumblat asked if it was true that Arab states made proposals to the Energy Ministry for financing the electricity plan but were rejected.

In his weekly editorial in the PSP-affiliated al-Anbaa magazine, Jumblat hoped that "political differences will be forgotten when development projects which are needed for the economic cycle are being presented."

Special Tribunal for Lebanon Pre-Trial Judge Daniel Fransen has asked the Trial Chamber to determine whether proceedings in absentia should be initiated in the case of Ayyash et al., revealed the STL in statement on Monday.

“The Tribunal’s rules state that if the accused have not been arrested within 30 calendar days of the public advertisement of an indictment, then the pre-trial judge can request that the Trial Chamber initiate proceedings in absentia,” it continued.

President Michel Suleiman stressed on Monday that social justice is a state duty, adding that it is no longer acceptable that unethical politics serve the economy.

He said during the launch of a program to support poor families in Lebanon: “The state is obligated to combat poverty.”

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi urged Lebanese expatriates to make investments in lands owned by the patriarchate, saying the dispute on territories in the town of Lassa was exaggerated.

Addressing Christian parties and Lebanese associations in the city of Los Angeles in the U.S. state of California, al-Rahi said he would preserve the historic line of Bkirki.