Speaker Nabih Berri held talks with Prime Minister Najib Miqati in Ain el-Tineh on Tuesday to resolve the crisis threatening to collapse the cabinet.

As Safir reported that Berri, in his attempt to find consensus among the cabinet members, was tasked by the Hizbullah leadership in coordination with President Michel Suleiman to contact Miqati to find an acceptable solution by all members.

One rocket was fired from southern Lebanon into northern Israel overnight, prompting the Jewish state’s army to warn Beirut early Tuesday to work to prevent similar attacks in the future.

The Lebanese army released a statement saying that one rocket was fired from southern Lebanon from the area between the town of Haneen and Rmaish into Israel.

The Phalange Party on Monday warned that the current political bickering in the country might lead to a “dangerous power impasse” and called for forming a “salvation government.”

“The domestic arena needs to be immunized in the face of the storms lashing the region,” the Phalange Party’s political bureau urged after its weekly meeting, calling for the formation of a “salvation government enjoying the necessary sense of responsibility and disregard of personal interests.”

Pilots at Lebanon's national carrier, Middle East Airlines (MEA), on Monday overwhelmingly voted in favor of a 48-hour strike in protest at the dismissal of a colleague undergoing cancer treatment.

The pilots' union said in a statement that the employee was fired while he was on sick leave and therefore his sacking “violates the labor law.”

U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Maura Connelly expressed on Monday the United States’ concern over the possibility of Lebanon failing to meet its obligations to Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

She said after holding talks with Economy Minister Nicolas Nahhas: “Its failure to meet these obligations could lead to serious consequences.”

Prime Minister Najib Miqati during a visit to the Vatican on Monday invited Pope Benedict XVI to visit Lebanon next year, an aide from the prime minister's office said.

Miqati’s office in Beirut said in a statement that the visit would take place in the autumn but Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said only that the pope had received the invitation and has "shown an interest" in visiting.

The Grinch, the anti-holiday spirited hermit, will have a new address this year. Either the Grand Serail in downtown Beirut or Rabieh.

Premier Najib Miqati, who has threatened to resign if the cabinet failed to approve the funding of the special Tribunal for Lebanon, would put the country in disarray if he goes ahead with his move.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat hoped on Monday that the concerned Lebanese forces would approve the funding of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon for the sake of the country’s higher interest and in order to avoid economic sanctions and internal tensions.

He said in his weekly editorial in the PSP-affiliated al-Anbaa magazine: “All sides are better off revising the current sensitive phase in Lebanon and the region in order for them to avoid becoming captive of their escalatory positions on complex issues of contention.”

President of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon Judge Sir David Baragwanath stressed on Monday that the main purpose of the tribunal is to bring the killers of Lebanese citizens to justice.

He said in a statement in light of his recent visit to Lebanon: “Last week's visit to Beirut has given me great confidence that our mandate of challenging impunity will be fulfilled.”

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea noted on Sunday that the March 14 forces did not enjoy a positive year due to the “coup” that overthrew the government of former Premier Saad Hariri, but added that he predicted the upcoming days and weeks to overturn the results of this coup.

He said before an Iraqi delegation: “The Christians in the East can only be strong under the rule of a democratic regime where they can enjoy freedom and civil rights.”