Calm was restored on Tuesday afternoon at Roumieh prison, Lebanon's largest prison facility, after chaos had erupted earlier in the day when inmates held several guards in detention, MTV reported.

“Calm was restored after negotiations took place between the prisoners and the jail's guards,” the TV explained.

Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Beirut Elias Audeh stressed on Tuesday that Lebanon will not regain its reputation except with the efforts undertaken by its honorable citizens.

“The people are equal before God even if their culture or social levels are different,” Audeh said during New Year's mass.

Maimouna al-Amin turned 122-years-old on New Year's eve Monday, said the National News Agency in a special report.

Amin, who hails from the Akkar town of Fnaidiq, was born in 1890, but she claims to have been born years before.

Clashes erupted in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh on Tuesday between rival factions, reported various media outlets.

Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5) said that a clash broke out at dawn between members of the Resistance Brigades, loyal to Hizbullah, and youths from the Popular Nasserite Organization.

Fortuneteller Michel Hayek revealed that some Lebanese politicians have started to base their actions based on predictions he made for them, reported As Safir newspaper on Tuesday.

He told the daily: “Over 35 percent of politicians resort to fortunetelling.”

Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani expressed surprise on Tuesday over the fuss created over the elections of the Higher Islamic Council, saying that some are trying to turn it into a political council.

“They want to dominate the council to turn it from an Islamic council into a political one... I will not allow this to happen,” Qabbani said in comments published in As Safir newspaper.

As civil war rages in neighboring Syria and with tourism from the Gulf non-existent, hardened Lebanese merchants are surviving on a mixed bag of individual initiative, well-off Syrian tourists and help from expats.

Sitting in her lifestyle boutique, with evening gowns displayed opposite a fully stocked bar, Sophie Salame says the Lebanese "always have a plan B."

Lebanese University contract teachers announced on Monday that they will hold a sit-in throughout the night near the presidential palace in Baabda to demand that President Michel Suleiman, who is currently abroad, resolve the case of their full-time employment.

They urged him to approve their employment during the cabinet session scheduled for January 3.

U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Maura Connelly hoped on Monday that the 2013 parliamentary elections would be held on time.

She reiterated that “the United States welcomes Lebanese efforts to implement an electoral law that would pave the way for free, fair and transparent elections.”

Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani announced on Monday that the elections of the Higher Islamic Council will be carried out during the last week of February.

Qabbani, after holding talks with former Prime Minister Salim al-Hoss, expressed regret over the division among the Islamic body, stressing that he will confront any campaign against the person of the mufti.