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

Al-Liwaa

Efforts to settle pay hike issue collide with Nahhas’ stubbornness; GLC insist on strike

Defense Minister to surprise Cabinet today: weapons and al-Qaeda militants in Arsal!

Until late into the evening, no positive signs have emerged as a result of talks between the Grand Serail [Prime Minister Najib Mikati], Ain el-Tineh [Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri] and Corniche al-Nahr [General Labor Confederation head Ghassan Ghosn] regarding the pay hike issue.

Government sources said the issue would be addressed during Cabinet’s meeting Wednesday regardless of whether an agreement has been reached or not prior to the session.

The GLC has placed the wage increase issue in the hands of President Michel Sleiman, hoping he will have an initiative [that can salvage the situation] after the various representatives from the private sector said they would not give up their stance.

But Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas did not make any tangible effort to encourage the parties to reach an understanding on the pay raise issue and remained committed to his proposal.

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn said during a meeting with a delegation of senior Lebanese Army officers that he would address the issue of illegal border activity, particularly in Arsal where arms smuggling and infiltration of al-Qaeda terrorist members have been taking place under the pretext that they are from the Syrian opposition.

Al-Mustaqbal

Beirut lawmakers hit back at Aoun: Do you want new bloodshed?

The government of Prime Minister Najib Mikati gave no “holiday bonuses" to the Lebanese except "lawlessness," which is seen by [Free Patriotic Movement leader] MP Michel Aoun as normal.

Meanwhile, eyes will be turned Wednesday to Baabda Palace, where Cabinet will meet in the afternoon with 54 items on its agenda, most notably the item to approve for the "third" time a decision on wage increase amendments in accordance with the recommendations of the Shura Council.

However, there were no signs that the government would take a decision in this regard during the third round as long as it keeps turning a deaf ear to the workers’ demands.

As proof of that the General Labor Confederation insisted it would carry out its scheduled strike for Dec 27.

On the other hand, the Future parliamentary bloc hailed the announcement made following a meeting of the Maronite political leaders in Bkirki Friday that stressed commitment to Christian-Muslim coexistence and the Taef Accord.

The Future Movement bloc expressed its willingness to hold meetings with the follow-up dialogue committee, “particularly since dialogue is the primary means of understanding between the Lebanese.”

But following a meeting of the Change and Reform bloc, MP Michel Aoun ridiculed a campaign by Beirut MPs against illegal arms.

Aoun asked: “What are the incidents that took place in Beirut? Let Beirut lawmakers name these crimes. How many politicians and prime ministers were killed?”

Kataeb MP Nadim Gemayel swiftly responded. “Does Aoun want us to cry over the death of 100,000 people before we can raise our voices [in a bid] to find a solution to the chaos resulting from illegal weapons?" Gemayel asked.

As-Safir

Hezbollah and Bkirki converge: Rai, Nasrallah in agreement on content

After failing the exam twice, Cabinet will face once again Wednesday a test of finding a compromise between the Shura Council, the General Labor Confederation and the Union Coordination Committee to resolve the wage hike crisis.

In turn, a mechanism of cooperation and coordination between the trio Hezbollah, the Amal Movement and the Free Patriotic Movement faces an “effectiveness test” in Cabinet Wednesday.

Meanwhile, a good step forward was made in the relationship between Hezbollah and Bkirki when a delegation representing Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai visited Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.

However, more significantly was a decision by the Future Bloc which distanced itself from the Friday statement issued in Bkirki after a number of its members were the first to criticize the adoption of a new elections law engineered by the Orthodox Gathering.

Al-Akhbar

Syria’s Christians between Bkirki and Haret Hreik

The relationship between the Maronite Patriarchate and Hezbollah entered a new phase. Remains from the past are being removed. Ongoing communication since Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai was elected has taken a quantum leap forward through the meeting between Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah and a delegation from Bkirki.

The meeting Monday came to confirm the ongoing communication between the two sides [Hezbollah and Bkirki] and the mutual desire to strengthen the ties.

The meeting, which lasted three hours, tackled the situation in Lebanon and the region with special focus on the unrest in Syria and Christian concerns in this regard.

Participants at the meeting said the issue of weapons was not discussed during the meeting.