The Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc condemned on Tuesday the government’s ongoing practices, which it said have completely disregarded the people’s interests, most notably in the electricity file.

It said in a statement after its weekly meeting: “It’s unfortunate that after all debate over this issue, Energy Minister Jebran Bassil reached the conclusion that an agreement on facts and figures is needed in order to base negotiations on leasing power-generating ships.”

U.N. human rights experts on Tuesday urged the Lebanese government to investigate the death of an Ethiopian housemaid, who committed suicide a few days after she was beaten by a man in Beirut.

Alem Dechasa, 34, hung herself with a bed sheet on March 14 at a psychiatric hospital east of Beirut, where she had been taken by police after the February beating that was aired on Lebanese television.

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun stated on Tuesday that a final agreement with companies on leasing power-generating vessels has not been reached yet.

He said after the Change and Reform bloc’s weekly meeting: “Prime Minister Najib Miqati is responsible for any delay in the electricity file.”

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat praised on Tuesday the residents of the northern region of Akkar for their support of the displaced Syrians who have sought refuge in the area.

He condemned attempts “by some authorities in power” to link terrorism to Akkar.

Syrian authorities thwarted on Monday night the infiltration of an “armed terrorist group” from Lebanon into Syria, reported SANA news agency on Tuesday.

It said that the group was attempting to enter Reef Homs in Syria from northern Lebanon.

Retired Army Brig. Gen. Fayez Karam, who was convicted of collaborating with Israel, was released from jail on Tuesday after the prison year was reduced to nine months.

The National News Agency reported that a white Jeep Infinity transferred Karam from the military police prison in al-Rayhaniyeh near the Defense Ministry.

President of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon Judge Sir David Baragwanath informed President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Najib Miqati that the trials will kick off before the end of the year, An Nahar newspaper reported on Tuesday.

According to the daily, Baragwanath expressed relief over the work of the STL, praising the Lebanese authorities’ cooperation with the court.

Cypriot authorities informed Lebanon that Israel is willing to resolve the dispute over the maritime borders, As Safir newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Sources told the daily that the extensive contacts between the Lebanese and Cypriot sides “expressed the seriousness of the Cypriot part to resolve the issue.”

The March 14 opposition is mulling to withdraw its confidence from the government although it needs the support of MP Walid Jumblat’s National Struggle Front to achieve that objective, parliamentary sources said Tuesday.

The sources told al-Liwaa daily, however, that the lawmakers of the NSF would not join the opposition in its attempt to withdraw its confidence from the cabinet or several ministers given that Jumblat is reiterating his support for the government.

March 14 opposition MP Marwan Hamadeh said on Tuesday that the latest debate on a draft electoral law emerged to the surface to “cover up the continues scandals hammering the cabinet.”

Hamadeh slammed in comments published in An Nahar the efforts exerted by Lebanese officials to drop the 1960 law, which was agreed upon by all the political forces in the previous elections.