Following are summaries of the main stories in a selection of Lebanese newspapers Saturday. The Daily Star cannot vouch for the accuracy of these reports.

An-Nahar: Burying of Sunday Homs Victims turns deadly; Ankara still sees exit through extensive reforms

The burial of Sunday’s victims of the “Azadi Friday” protests turned deadly with the killing of at least five people after dozens were wounded, particularly in Homs where Syrian security members fired upon those taking part in a funeral in the city. Meanwhile, the number of people killed during Friday’s protests in Syria rose to 44.

At the international level, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was quoted as saying that Syria could still resolve the dangerous crisis in the country through peaceful means if it “launched deep and extensive reforms.” However, Davutoglu warned that Syria had only a brief window of time left to implement the reforms.

Meanwhile, Canada’s foreign minister, John Baird, revealed that his government was studying whether to put sanctions on Syria.

In related news, the European Union will apply a series of sanctions on Syria Monday.

Shibani stands with “Lebanon, the people and resistance” and Berri trusts those meeting Feltman; Mikati renews contacts for the Cabinet formation and Hezbollah is Aoun’s mediator

There were no new developments regarding the Cabinet formation Saturday which was taken up by the series of visits by Mohammad-Reza Shibani, Iranian assistant to the foreign affairs minister, his prominent ones being a meeting with Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati, discussions with Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and an audience with Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai at Bkirki.

Sources told An-Nahar that the stagnation at the level of the Cabinet formation process was because the prime-minister designate was still awaiting proposed lists of names for ministerial portfolios by parliamentary blocks of the new majority that adhere to the Constitution. The sources expressed the view that next week, starting Monday, would see a resumption of contacts, adding that unannounced contacts had occurred last week between Mikati, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt with the aim of putting forward new ideas in preparation for the contacts due Monday.

Voices in the new majority told An-Nahar that between Wednesday and Saturday there were no developments in the Cabinet formation process but that contacts between Mikati, Hezbollah and the Amal Movement had not ceased. They also said that there did not appear to be a programmed set of developments for next week, noting that no new developments had occurred in contacts between Mikati and Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun.

An-Nahar has learned that relations between Mikati and Aoun are at a standstill and that a resumption of talks awaits mediation by Aoun’s allies, particularly Hezbollah.

Regarding Shibani, the Iranian envoy chose the meeting with Mikati to use the expression that was stressed in the ministerial statement of the government of Prime Minister Saad Hariri that came as a result of the Doha Accord: the formula of Lebanon, the people and the resistance. Shibani said Tehran stood by “Lebanon, the Lebanese and the resistance, as well as the Lebanese government.”

An-Nahar has learned that the Iranian official did not go into the specifics of the issue of the Cabinet formation and wished Mikati the best of luck in his efforts to form the new government.

Shibani also highlighted the pressures that Syria was facing and reiterated Tehran’s alliance with Damascus.

On the visit of U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affair Jeffrey Feltman, Berri said he could not meet with the U.S. official due to his “heavy work schedule.” However, he added that “we have trust in most of the officials that met [Feltman].”

During his two-day visit to Lebanon, Feltman met with President Michel Sleiman, Mikati, head of the Future parliamentary bloc former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and Jumblatt.

Former Minister Mohammad Shatah, adviser to Siniora, told a local television station that Feltman “did not discuss with us the situation regarding the Cabinet but did bring up concerns about the political vacuum [in the country].”

Al-Balad: Feltman has departed and Shibani signals emergence of new Middle East

One envoy departed, while another remained - that was the scene in Lebanon Saturday. There was a bit of U.S.-Iran “arm wrestling” in the land of the cedars with the departure of U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affair Jeffrey Feltman. But Mohammad-Reza Shibani, assistant to Iran's foreign affairs minister, put forward an advanced position regarding the “the awakening of Arab and Islamic revolutions” and about “a new Middle East, absent the Americans.”

Feltman provided details on President Barack Obama’s recent speech on the Middle East and Shibani announced a changing East.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet formation process entered its 118th day since the appointment of Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati.

As Feltman headed to Athens following his visit to Lebanon, Shibani held talks with Lebanese officials. In his meeting with Mikati, which was also attended by Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon Ghadanfar Rokonabad, discussions centered on the situation in Lebanon and the region and ties between Lebanon and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

During the talks, Mikati stressed “the importance of relations between Lebanon and the Islamic Republic of Iran and the need to further develop these ties at all levels, as well as the implementation of signed agreements between the two countries, particularly in the fields of development and economy.”

For his part, Shibani said he discussed “a variety of topics of mutual concern and we studied all the agreements that were signed in the various fields and they number 25. We told the prime minister [-designate] that Iran stands by Lebanon, the Lebanese people, the resistance as well as the government.”

Shibani also met the deputy president of the Higher Shiite Council Sheikh Abdul Amir Qabalan. The Iranian official said that “the unity between Sunnis and Shiites is the central point that we need to stress during this period.”

Shibani also held separate meetings with Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, former Prime Minister Salim Hoss and former Prime Minister Omar Karami and the Mufti of Lebanon Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Qabbani. Shibani stressed that “Feltman’s visit to Lebanon means little to Iran.”

During a dinner speech at the Iranian Embassy in Lebanon, Shibani expressed his view that the Arab and Muslim world “is witnessing a new life and a new beginning in light of the Islamic and humanitarian awakening and the popular revolutions against corrupt dictatorships. These revolutions and this awakening signals [the emergence] of a new Middle East on the basis of the will of the people of the region in bringing into being a Middle East absent the United States and the Zionist entity [Israel] and their regional allies – the ones who imposed on Lebanon in 2006 … a war that lasted 33 days and that led the death of hundreds of children, women and innocent men in the south and [southern Beirut suburb of] Dahiyeh.”

For his part, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said the United States “constantly views the Middle East through Israeli eyes.”

Ad-Diyar: All await Nasrallah’s Wednesday speech and French diplomat meets Hezbollah

No government, and the freeze in the Cabinet formation process is likely to continue. Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt was quoted as saying that it was highly unlikely that a government would be formed at present and that the situation was complicated. Also, there was an absence of announced and behind-the-scenes contacts and visits after all the cards and demands by the parties were revealed, and it is apparent that what is needed is an exit that is lacking at present because of the failure of the efforts of the two Khalil’s in reaching a middle-ground solution that appeases all sides.

Sources expressed concern that the agreement on the consensus candidate for the Interior Minister post, retired Brig. Gen. Marwan Charbel, might break down after information indicating that Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun was annoyed by a meeting between Charbel and President Michel Sleiman. In the meeting, Sleiman had agreed on Charbel for the post of interior minister after the two discussed the work at the ministry and the need to keep it neutral.

Although sources following the Cabinet formation “downgraded” internal complications, they noted that the issue of the Cabinet would not see the light before clarity on the international regional developments and the balance of power.

Within this context, the regional developments and the diplomatic activities have put pressure on internal issues and the Cabinet formation process after the American Embassy statement during Feltman’s visit and that there were a series of American conditions on the Cabinet formation, including the United State’s position regarding the ministerial statement, the nominees and the future Cabinet's stance vis a vis the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. All these point to American refusal of any one-sided government because it will be a Hezbollah Cabinet in Washington’s eyes.

Also, different parties are waiting to hear what Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah will say during his speech Wednesday on the occasion of Liberation Day, particularly given that the speech will be his first since the events in Syria, the developments in the region, Obama’s speech and U.S. efforts regarding the Middle East peace process.

Sources following the issue expect Nasrallah's speech will outline the ceiling of the next phase.

Raffarin’s visit and Grandmaison's meetings

Amid the Iranian and U.S. activity in Lebanon, French activity was also prominent on the issue of Lebanon with the visit of French presidential envoy on Francophone affairs Jean-Pierre Raffarin, who arrived in Beirut Saturday morning. Raffarin will be meeting with senior officials.

Alexis le Cour Grandmaison, who is in charge of North Africa and the Middle East at the French Foreign Affairs Ministry, also held meetings at the French Embassy in Lebanon with several leading Lebanese officials, among them a delegation from Hezbollah including Ali Fayyad, Nuwwar al-Sahili and Ammar Mousawi.

The meeting, according to Hezbollah, took place following a request by Grandmaison and involved discussions on developments in the region. Grandmaison asked about Hezbollah’s view on most of the developments in the Middle East, including Syria. Hezbollah denied that Grandmaison had put forward an initiative regarding Lebanon.

The French envoy also met leading officials in the March 14 coalition.