The presidential palace and Grand Serail switched off their lights for Earth Hour on Saturday in a global effort to raise awareness about climate change.

The Baabda Palace said in a statement earlier that it will turn off lights for 60 minutes from 8:30 pm local time upon the recommendation of President Michel Suleiman.

The cabinet is scheduled to convene on Wednesday with a crowded agenda with the electricity crisis expected to top the discussions.

An Nahar newspaper reported that Energy Minister Jebran Bassil, Health Minister Ali Hassan Khalil, and Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's advisor Hussein Khalil held a meeting on Wednesday night to coordinate the stances before the government session.

President Michel Suleiman and Ministers loyal to Hizbullah and AMAL have sought to mediate in an attempt to resolve the dispute between Prime Minister Najib Miqati and Energy Minister Jebran Bassil on the electricity crisis, al-Liwaa newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Suleiman is expected to hold meetings on Tuesday with several ministers in order to seek consensus concerning the matter.

Economy Minister Nicolas Nahhas expressed his confidence on Monday that the cabinet will overcome the dispute on the electricity crisis “safely” during a session at the Baabda Palace.

“Prime Minister (Najib Miqati) proposed his scientific approach for the electricity crisis based on the available capabilities and latest technologies,” Nahhas told Voice of Lebanon Radio (93.3).

President Michel Suleiman and Speaker Nabih Berri are exerting efforts to make Beirut a permanent base for dialogue among religions and different confessions, al-Liwaa newspaper reported on Tuesday.

The two tackled the measures to be taken concerning the matter during a meeting on Monday at the Baabda Palace.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati held a meeting with President Michel Suleiman ahead of a cabinet session on Wednesday at the Grand Serail.

The two discussed at the Baabda palace the latest local developments and the issues facing the cabinet and the parliament.

President Michel Suleiman is seeking to amend the age of retirement for the army commander, suggesting that it be raised to 62 instead of 58, As Safir newspaper reported.

“We don’t want to have to extend the mandate of General Jean Qahwaji (when he reaches the age of retirement),” Suleiman told the daily.

President Michel Suleiman stressed on Monday during a cabinet session that constructive dialogue is the only solution to resolve problems as Prime Minister Najib Miqati called for a productive government.

The cabinet reconvened for the first time in almost four weeks and in the presence of newly appointed Labor Minister Salim Jreissati.

Cabinet is expected to resume its sessions on Monday ahead of President Michel Suleiman’s official visit to Romania, reported the daily An Nahar on Saturday.

It said that the session will be held at the Baabda Palace and it will not tackle any contentious issues, such as the appointments of top civil servants.

President Michel Suleiman and Social Affairs Minister Wael Abou Faour, who are among the centrist forces in the government, have chided Energy Minister Jebran Bassil for accusations made by the Free Patriotic Movement of corruption and embezzlement.

During a heated cabinet session held at Baabda palace on Tuesday, Bassil reiterated his claims that technical, financial and administrative obstacles were preventing the implementation of his project aimed at resolving the electricity crisis in the country and hinted that Suleiman was obstructing the appointment of a new board of directors for the state-run power company, Electricite du Liban.