Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat slammed on Friday the March 14-led oppositions’ stance over the national dialogue, stressing the importance of all-party talks to resolve all disputed issues.

“We have to resolve our disputes and reduce political tension,” Jumblat told An Nahar newspaper.

Premier Najib Miqati hoped on Friday that the cabinet’s ability to overcome the spending crisis would also materialize in the appointment of civil servants to different positions in state institutions.

During a session held under President Michel Suleiman at Baabda Palace on Thursday, the cabinet approved an urgent draft law to allocate LL10.394 billion in treasury bills to cover the expenses of institutions for 2012.

The dean of Lebanese journalists Ghassan Tueni, who is the honorary president and former chairman of the board of directors of An Nahar newspaper, passed away at dawn Friday. He was 86.

He had been hospitalized for the past three to four weeks.

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle on Thursday held talks with top Lebanese leaders, stressing the need to “exert all efforts to prevent an importation of the Syrian conflict into Lebanon.”

The German diplomat called on the Lebanese political forces to shoulder their responsibilities in this regard.

The families of the 11 kidnapped Lebanese pilgrims blocked the airport road on Thursday in protest against the failure to achieve any progress in their release.

They have since reopened the road, threatening however that they may escalate their actions should their protest be unheeded.

France urged Syria on Thursday to “respect the Lebanese sovereignty,” after the clashes that erupted between Syrian soldiers and the residents of the Arsal Lebanese border town, French Foreign Ministry said.

French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Bernard Valero said: “France condemns Syria’s recent violation of the Lebanese territory in the strongest terms.”

Three people were wounded on Thursday in a car accident involving Prime Minister Najib Miqati’s motorcade.

The accident took place on the Mestita road in Jbeil as the convoy was headed towards northern Lebanon.

Jordan decided to temporarily “postpone” and “cancel” any official visits to Lebanon, media reports said on Thursday.

A high-ranking source told “al-Arab al-Yawm” that Jordanian Prime Minister Fayez al-Tarawneh ordered to currently halt any official visits to Beirut.

State Commissioner to the Military Court Judge Saqr Saqr charged on Thursday members of the Syrian army for killing al-Jadeed TV cameraman Ali Shaaban in the northern area of Wadi Khaled two months ago.

Saqr also charged the unknown soldiers with the attempted murder of Shaaban’s colleagues, reporter Hussein Khreiss and cameraman Abed Khayyat, after opening fire on them from the Syrian side of the border near Wadi Khaled on April 9.

Five people were wounded on Thursday in a blaze that engulfed a number of Syrian refugee tents in Akkar, reported the National News Agency.

It said that two people suffered light burns and three people fainted in the fire that completely destroyed 20 tents in the town of Bourj al-Arab in Akkar.