Energy Minister Jebran Bassil stressed on Saturday that Premier Najib Miqati’s suggestion of candidates for posts reserved for Christians in state institutions during a cabinet session earlier in the week was “unconstitutional” and warned of reciprocity.

“We haven’t changed our stance in terms of the unconstitutionality of Miqati’s behavior either by holding onto the names that he suggested or by suspending the work of the government,” Bassil told An Nahar daily.

Premier Najib Miqati confirmed that there were no mediation efforts to resolve the government crisis that erupted after the cabinet sessions were suspended over a dispute between the PM and ministers loyal to Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun.

“There are no contacts and no mediations to resolve the current crisis,” Miqati told An Nahar daily published Saturday.

The removal of a wall, adjacent construction and moving groundwater are among the likely causes of a recent fatal building collapse in the Ashrafiyeh neighborhood of Fassouh, a preliminary report revealed on Friday.

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel, who announced the report’s findings after heading a meeting for the follow-up committee tasked with probing the incident, said additional steps would be made before submitting a final report.

Hizbullah stressed on Friday the need for a productive government that can help alleviate the burdens of the Lebanese people, reported the National News Agency.

Hizbullah politburo member Ghaleb Abu Zainab stated: “It is therefore important for the governmental process to return to normal as soon as possible because its current paralysis will harm the Lebanese people.”

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea stated that the March 14-led opposition is capable of toppling the government through popular protests.

He added however: “The current circumstances are not suitable for such an action.”

An Electricite du Liban bill collector has claimed that two gunmen stole more than LL4 million from him in the area of Rweiss in Beirut’s southern suburbs, the National News Agency reported Friday.

NNA identified the bill collector by his initials as A.Y.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati expressed confidence on Friday that the cabinet members will be able to eventually resolve the disputes among each other.

“I’m not in a hurry… I only care about the productivity (of the cabinet),” Miqati said in remarks published in al-Akhbar newspaper.

Phalange party leader Amin Gemayel stressed on Friday that an assassination attempt against his son, MP Sami Gemayel, had been thwarted although security forces tried to minimize the impact of the new revelation, saying the lawmaker had only been advised to avoid attending a dinner.

In remarks to al-Liwaa newspaper, the Phalange chief said: “We received information from the generate-directorate of the Internal Security Forces -the Intelligence Branch about a plan to assassinate MP Sami Gemayel whose preparations were made at the time and place where he would be.”

Hizbullah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah is expected to deliver two speeches in the upcoming two weeks, according to newspapers published on Friday.

The first speech will be on Tuesday on the occasion of the Birth of the Prophet, while the second will be on February 16 during the annual “Martyrs' Leader Day.”

Environment Minister Nazem al-Khoury, who is loyal to President Michel Suleiman, revealed on Friday that the head of state has launched mediation efforts to resolve the dispute between Premier Najib Miqati and Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun.

Al-Khoury told An Nahar daily that Suleiman “is seeking to revive the cabinet sessions and the government’s work by either contacting the prime minister or the rest of the parties.”