The following are a selection of stories from Lebanese newspapers that may be of interest to Daily Star readers. The Daily Star cannot vouch for the accuracy of these reports.
As-Safir
Salary scale besieged: numbers ... intimidation .. no funding!
The pay raise plan will be a new test of intentions in Parliament today amid an atmosphere of uncertainty regarding its fate as the Joint Parliamentary Committees are divided on the salary scale.
Upon examination of the issue, it is clear that the wage scale is stuck in at the financial, economic, political, union and economic institutional level.
Al- Safir has learned from ministerial and parliamentary sources that "contributed to the study" of the issue that all officials involved, including Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh, are focusing on finding a way to finance the pay raise.
Al-Akhbar
Hezbollah-Future meeting soon
Al-Akhbar has learned that Hezbollah and the Future Movement have reopened communication following Justice Minister Ashraf Rifi's recent comments to this effect.
A meeting will soon take place between representatives from the two sides.
Sources following up on details of the relationship between the two parties said that the Future Movement wants to open up to Hezbollah under a regional and international framework aimed at maintaining calm in Lebanon.
As for Hezbollah, the party continues to operate in accordance with its decision to coordinate on security issues with the Future Movement.
Later, security coordination turned into coordination at the "political-security" level, the paper said.
Ad-Diyar
Rafii: Tripoli security plan was not intended to deal with field commanders, but to give them a chance to hide or flee in order to bring peace
Prominent Sunni Muslim cleric Sheikh Salem Rafii expressed hope following a meeting with Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk that the security plan for Tripoli aims to keep peace and order and not to humiliate residents.
Rafii told Ad-Diyar that the security plan “did not aim to confront field commanders in Jabal Mohsen or Bab al-Tabbaneh, but to give them a chance to hide or flee in order to bring peace and order.”
“That’s why a list of names was announced prior to the implementation of the security plan,” Rafii said.
An-Nahar
Refugee disaster placed at the forefront after they surpass 1 milion
Salary scale heads for collision over funding, tax boost
Parliament sessions scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday of next week are expected to hit snags regarding how to provide the necessary funding for the salary raise.
A Joint Parliamentary Committee chaired by Deputy Speaker Farid Makari will hold a meeting today in an effort to identify the sources of funding and the taxations for the funds.
Among the suggestions was raising the TVA as well as gasoline prices and electricity rates.
Al-Liwaa
Geagea first candidate for the presidency ... presidential election session after May 10
Today’s main event is Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea’s nomination for the presidency. Geagea will nominate himself for the presidential race at 11 a.m.
An LF source described Geagea’s nomination as a “democratic move.”
Meanwhile, political sources said President Michel Sleiman will not support any candidate because he stands at equal distances from all candidates.
The sources said that the presidential election is no likely to take place before a National Dialogue session scheduled for May 5.