United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon Commander Major-General Paolo Serra denied on Friday obtaining any information about an assassination bid targeting Speaker Nabih Berri.

“Serra has no information about this matter,” UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said in a statement.

Energy Minister Jebran Bassil warned on Thursday that the electricity crisis in Lebanon might worsen during the upcoming days as Electricite du Liban's contract employees’ strike is affecting the company’s work.

“The full-time employees have informed me that they can’t tolerate the ongoing situation as the strike is affecting their work,” Bassil told As Safir newspaper.

U.N.-Arab League Special Envoy for Syria Kofi Annan on Thursday held talks with President Michel Suleiman at the Baabda palace on his peace plan for strife-torn Syria and the issue of the 11 Lebanese pilgrims abducted on May 22 in the Syrian province of Aleppo.

During the talks with Suleiman, Annan “evaluated his plan for Syria and the stages it has gone through,” NBN television reported.

Speaker Nabih Berri on Wednesday revealed that he has provided Palestinian leaders with the names of a group plotting to assassinate him, noting that they are “experienced individuals.”

In an interview on al-Manar television, Berri added that he had summoned top Palestinian leader Azzam al-Ahmed, member of Fatah’s Central Committee, to brief him on the available information, which were reported by “three sources.”

Turkish authorities have informed Speaker Nabih Berri, Premier Najib Miqati and Hizbullah that Ankara will exert every effort to resolve the case of 11 Shiite pilgrims, who were kidnapped in Syria last week.

The information was relayed to the officials by Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu through ambassador to Lebanon Inan Ozyildiz on Tuesday.

The fate of the 11 abducted Lebanese pilgrims remains unknown as officials confirm that efforts are still ongoing to release the men and that they are in good condition.

“Contacts are ongoing with all sides to determine (the fate of the pilgrims) and we ensure their families that they are fine and safe,” Prime Minister Najib Miqati told As Safir on Tuesday.

Premier Najib Miqati hoped on Tuesday that Lebanese political parties from across the political spectrum would approve President Michel Suleiman’s invitation for a National Dialogue next month despite skepticism on the participation of the March 14 opposition coalition.

“We welcome the invitation for dialogue which is our request,” Miqati told As Safir newspaper. “We hope that our meeting on a single table would lead to the positive results that fall in the interest of all Lebanese without any exception.”

Speaker Nabih Berri revealed that he had obtained the names of those who are plotting to assassinate him, As Safir newspaper reported on Monday.

“I know where they are holding their meetings and what they are plotting,” Berri told senior Fatah official Azzam al-Ahmed.

Syrian al-Ahrar party secretary general Ibrahim al-Zohbi announced that his mediation with the abductors of the 11 Lebanese pilgrims in Aleppo has ended.

“I ended my meditation for several reasons, mostly because the Lebanese government is dealing in an unprofessional manner with the incident,” according to a statement issued by his press office.

Speaker Nabih Berri sought on Monday to appease the angry families of Lebanese pilgrims kidnapped in Syria, saying sources from the Syrian opposition and Turkish officials have confirmed that they are still alive.

In remarks to several Beirut dailies, Berri said reports and “rumors” that the 11 men, who were kidnapped in the northern province of Aleppo last week, were executed are baseless.