A delegation from the Beirut and Tripoli Bar Associations, led by the Chairmen Nouhad Jabre and Bassam Daye, paid a visit to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon on Wednesday, announced the STL in a statement.

The participants were received by the President of the Tribunal and the three other Heads of Organ or their representatives.

The Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon Major General Alberto Asarta Cuevas chaired on Thursday a regular tripartite meeting with senior officials from the Lebanese army and the Israel Defense Forces at the U.N. Position at Ras al-Naqoura crossing, said UNIFIL in a statement.

During the meeting all the issues relevant to the implementation of U.N. Security Council resolution 1701 were discussed, including the situation along the Line of Withdrawal (Blue Line), the ongoing visible marking of the Blue Line, violations and incidents as well as the issue of withdrawal of Israeli forces from northern Ghajar, it added.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat stressed on Thursday the importance of reaching a political solution to the Syrian crisis, adding that the Arab League deal is the only solution available, reported the Russian news agency Novosti.

“I discussed importance of a political solution according to the Arab League plan”, Jumblat said to LBC television later Thursday night, adding that “ I know that we have entered into violence and counter violence in Syria, But Russia has to condemn the Syrian regime for the violence because it was the initiator.”

Visiting Belgian Defense Minister Pieter De Crem stressed on Thursday his country’s support for Lebanon’s efforts to maintain security and develop the demining program.

He said after holding talks with his Lebanese counterpart Fayez Ghosn that Belgium is keen on Lebanon’s stability.

President Michel Suleiman voiced on Thursday his optimism with Lebanon’s future, saying that the economy will improve when oil and gas excavation begins.

He said before his visitors: “The regional developments that have been taking place for about a year should motivate us to fortify Lebanon’s democratic system.”

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea hoped on Thursday that a statement issued by the Syrian National Council would put Lebanese-Syrian relations on the right path and called for U.N. Security Council action if Lebanon comes under attack by Syria.

The Council, which is Syria’s leading opposition movement, said Wednesday that it wants to start a new chapter in the complex and often-troubled relationship with Lebanon.

The wage hike will be effective as of February after the official gazette, issued on Thursday, included the decree approved by the cabinet, which set the minimum wage at LL675,000.

The controversial wage increase was signed by President Michel Suleiman, Prime Minister Najib Miqati, and Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas after the cabinet adopted the deal between the Economic Committees and the General Labor Confederation, which was sponsored by Miqati in December at the Baabda Palace.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi called on Thursday the Lebanese people to once again adhere to the National Pact “because Lebanon belongs to all sides” and not one party or faction.

He said before a delegation from the Editors Syndicate: “Our dialogue with Hizbullah does not replace the all-party talks at the Baabda Palace.”

Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour held talks on Thursday with Libyan judges Mahmoud al-Yasir and Abdul Latif Qaddour on the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Imam Moussa al-Sadr and his two colleagues.

Libya is probing the mysterious disappearance Sadr who went missing in Tripoli 33 years ago.

Unknown assailants have set the office of the mayor of al-Sharqiyeh town in Nabatiyeh on fire, burning all the documents and identification records of the town’s residents, the National News Agency reported Thursday.

Mayor Hani Abdul Raouf Shoaib filed a complaint with the Internal Security Forces, which inspected the burned office at the town square and launched an investigation to find the culprits, NNA said.