In the wake of the recent deadly attacks against Christians in Iraq and Egypt, Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Monday called on Arab League chief Amr Moussa to "declare a state of emergency to protect Christians and prevent a worldwide conflict between Muslims and Christians."

In an interview on MTV, Geagea called on Arab states to "agree on taking firm decisions to defend Christians where they are being targeted."

Jbeil Maronite Archbishop Beshara Rai said Monday that an Islamic summit should announce its stance from fundamentalists that are attacking Christians in the region.

Islamic and Arab countries should also make a stance from the latest attacks on Christians in Iraq and Egypt, he told LBC TV network.

Security forces launched an investigation after a fire engulfed a green Volvo in Zouk, north of Beirut, at midnight Sunday, media reports said.

Residents heard several explosions when the vehicle went on fire.

An official from the Mustaqbal movement accused March 8 forces of rejecting a solution to the Lebanese crisis by seeking to end the operations of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

"Those who want to abolish the international tribunal through the Saudi-Syrian initiative are not seeking a solution and not making an effort to meet us midway through," the official told pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat in remarks published Monday.

Education Minister Hassan Mneimneh said the success of the Saudi-Syrian initiative requires "guarantees by some regional and international countries that have direct influence on developments in the region."

Mneimneh told the Kuwaiti al-Anbaa daily that the initiative requires a lot of efforts to succeed and such guarantees have not been made yet "because Iran and the United States are using the settlement to make gains on each other."

Central Bank governor Riyad Salameh appeased fears over monetary stability in 2011 and said economic growth will be within the limits expected.

"There is no fear this year over the currently balanced monetary stability," Salameh told As Safir newspaper in remarks published Monday.

Speaker Nabih Berri described the country's political situation as "worn-out" but said January will be decisive on the crisis over the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.

"January is the month of decisiveness on the crisis over the international tribunal," Berri told An Nahar and As Safir newspapers in remarks published Monday.

Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar stressed on Thursday that there won't be any vacuum in the presidency of the Higher Judicial Council after Judge Ghaleb Ghanem's retirement.

"There won't be any vacuum in the presidency of the Higher Judicial Council. General Prosecutor Said Mirza will play his role," Najjar told a delegation from the council during a farewell visit to Ghanem.

Iranian ambassador Gazanfar Roknabadi reiterated Thursday that Tehran welcomes any initiative aimed at ending the Lebanese crisis and denied the Islamic Republic had details of Syrian-Saudi efforts to reach a settlement.

"I have previously announced the stance of the Islamic Republic from the initiative," Roknabadi said in response to a question after meeting with Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Beirut Elias Audi.

Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir on Thursday expressed concern over the mass emigration of Christians in search for security and hoped the New Year would bring peace to Lebanon and the Middle East.

In a statement to a delegation from the Maronite League Council headed by Dr. Joseph Tarabay, Sfeir said: "The emigration of Christians from the region has increased."