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

An-Nahar

Political settlement on wage hikes on the eve of fourth Cabinet meeting

Dispute over Al-Qaeda to be discussed Monday by Defense Committee

On the eve of a fourth round of political confrontations between members of the government on the issue of wage hikes, efforts seemed to have emerged to put an end to this crisis amid fears of renewed disputes at a Cabinet meeting scheduled for Tuesday at Baabda Palace.

Sources told An-Nahar that there were political talks behind the scenes Sunday in order to reach an urgent political settlement to the pay raise issue after it became clear to all that further delays in dealing with this crisis would threaten the cohesion of the Cabinet and reflect negatively on its work.

The sources said the talks involved Prime Minister Najib Mikati, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun, despite the fact that Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas submitted his fourth wage proposal to the Shura Council late last week. The council is due to issue its verdict in the coming hours.

The sources said signs of a political settlement emerged last night when the three sides agreed to return to the agreement reached between the private sector and General Labor Confederation during a previous Cabinet meeting at Baabda Palace.

There are 48 items on Cabinet’s Tuesday agenda, including some public appointments.

The National Defense and Municipalities committee will hold a meeting Monday in Parliament under MP Samir Jisr to listen to what Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn has to say regarding his statements about the presence of Al-Qaeda in the Bekaa border town of Arsal.

Ad-Diyar

Al-Qaeda to be discussed at defense committee Monday

March 8 readies to defend Ghosn

Charbel: I don’t have [access] to information possessed by U.S.

The defense committee will likely witness a face-off between government loyalists and the opposition on the remarks by Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn concerning the infiltration of Al-Qaeda members from Lebanon to Syria.

Parliamentary sources said lawmakers from the March 8 coalition were getting ready to confront the harsh campaign which has both targeted Ghosn and exposed him.

Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said Sunday that what he had meant by saying that Lebanon could be a passage and a bastion for Al-Qaeda is that “some Al-Qaeda members could enter Lebanese territory to carry out operations in neighboring nations, but there is no such thing as Al-Qaeda in Lebanon.”

“I don’t have [access to] information possessed by the U.S. State Department,” Charbel added.

Al-Joumhouria

Ban seeks Lebanese Army increase in south and serious talks about suspects in Hariri assassination

Lebanon prepares to welcome U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Friday as well as Terje Roed-Larsen, the engineer of Security Council Resolution 1559.

On the eve of his arrival, diplomatic sources expressed concerns that security incidents would disrupt his visit.

The sources said the U.N. had asked the Lebanese government to intensify security in Lebanon ahead of Ban’s trip.

Information made available to Al-Joumhouria said Ban would also ask the Lebanese government to boost the number of the Lebanese Army deployed south of the Litani River from between 10,000-15,000 troops, as per Security Council Resolution 1701.

It said Ban would discuss the issue of renewing the protocol agreement between Lebanon and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. The U.N. chief will urge the Lebanese government to undertake serious efforts in order to arrest the four suspects in the assassination of statesman [former Prime Minister] Rafik Hariri.

Meanwhile, Al-Joumhouria has also learned from informed sources that the majority March 8 alliance has decided to reopen the “false witnesses” case in the Hariri assassination.

However, the majority is waiting for Prime Minister Najib Mikati to issue a stance on this matter after urging him to take a stance and outline a set of options ahead of renewing the protocol agreement in March.

Al-Liwaa

Hariri returns February 14 ... Delegation of Beirut MPs in Baabda Monday

A Future Movement delegation representing Beirut lawmakers will visit President Michel Sleiman Monday as part of its weapons-free Greater Beirut campaign.

Following talks with Sleiman, delegation members MPs Jamal Jarrah and Hadi Hobeish will hold a joint news conference in Parliament to respond to accusations made by MP Michel Aoun and his movement against former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.

Meanwhile, Future Movement leader Saad Hariri said, in response to a question on Twitter, he is likely to return to Beirut before Feb. 14, the anniversary of the martyrdom of his father, former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.