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

Al-Akhbar

Cabinet approves ‘consensual agreement’ and Nahhas does not rule out resignation

In its fourth attempt, Cabinet approved a pay hikes deal. But that did not remove the obstacles facing this controversial issue, as Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas refuses to sign the “illegal” agreement, hinting at the possibility of resigning.

Cabinet torpedoed Wednesday a proposal made by Nahhas that called for integrating transportation allowances into the basic salary.

Instead, Cabinet endorsed a consensual agreement reached last month between employers and the General Labor Confederation [GLC] to raise the minimum wage to LL 675,000 per month.

The meeting witnessed intense bickering, prompting Prime Minister Najib Mikati to intervene to calm the situation.

Al-Joumhouria

STL confirms mission renewal

A statement by the Special Tribunal for Lebanon said that "the agreement between the United Nations and Lebanon stipulates that the mandate entrusted to the court will be renewed if the tribunal does not finish its work," noting that "the work is not over yet."

The STL noted that Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon will determine the length of the mandate period following consultation with Lebanon and the Security Council.

The statement also said that the STL president has requested the extension of the mandate.

Al-Joumhouria has learned that several MPs from the March 14 coalition are considering filing a request to grill Energy Minister Gibran Bassil and Telecommunications Minister Nicolas Sehnaoui in Parliament over the deteriorating situation in the two ministries

Al-Mustaqbal

Nahhas tasked with finding mechanism to compensate for transportation, education allowances

Cabinet approved a minimum wage rise [from LL 500,000] to LL 675,000 based on an agreement reached during a December Cabinet meeting at Baabda Palace.

Cabinet also tasked Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas to prepare a draft law to determine the daily transportation allowance as well as the appropriate education grants.

Ad-Diyar

Kahwaji: extra measures have been taken to prevent infiltration, arms smuggling across border

Syria displeased with Lebanon, calls on government to resolve border issue

Hot political issues were back at the forefront of Lebanese-Syrian relations, with leaked information revealing that Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdel-Karim Ali has conveyed Damascus’ resentment over the Lebanese government’s failure to resolve the issues of arms smuggling and militants.

Syria’s message was delivered during a meeting Wednesday between Ali and Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

The message urged the Lebanese government to settle the border issue.

Ad-Diyar has learned that the Syrian ambassador presented facts to Mikati about the movement of militants across the border.

Meanwhile, Lebanese Army commander Gen. Jean Kahwaji revealed that extra measures have been taken to control the border.