The protocol picture marking the advent of Najib Miqati's government could be taken at the doorsteps of the Baabda Palace over the weekend after major parties overcame the main hurdles preventing the formation of the cabinet.

On Thursday, the media sounded optimistic about the possible formation of the government in the next few days after the leaders of the March 8 forces held ice-breaking talks a day earlier.

Lecturers and students at the American University of Beirut (AUB) have launched a petition against honoring former World Bank president James Wolfensohn, accusing him of supporting Israel.

The petition, entitled "Not in our name: AUB faculty, staff and students object to honoring James Wolfensohn," had by Wednesday garnered the signatures of 90 faculty members and was being rapidly disseminated on Facebook.

A Lebanese-born former Qantas cabin cleaner jailed in Australia for producing a do-it-yourself jihad manual Thursday had his conviction quashed by an appeals court and faces a re-trial.

Belal Khazaal was sentenced to a maximum 12 years in prison in September 2009 after a jury found him guilty of knowingly making a document connected with assistance in a terrorist act.

Prime Minister-designate Najib Miqati held a meeting Wednesday evening with caretaker Energy and Water Minister Jebran Bassil, Speaker Nabih Berri’s political aide MP Ali Hassan Khalil and Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s Political Assistant Hussein Khalil, LBC television reported.

Earlier Wednesday, a meeting was held at the parliament between Miqati, Speaker Berri, Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat, Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun and Marada Movement leader MP Suleiman Franjieh.

Internal security forces in the Bekaa succeeded on Wednesday in arresting the head of a five-member gang responsible for the theft of LL 230 million from a Credit Libanais Bank vehicle less than 48 hours ago.

The arrest was made after the security forces raided the suspect’s home town of Hour Taala.

Mustaqbal bloc MP Mohammed Kabbara voiced on Wednesday his support for the Syrian people and their plight against the ruling regime.

He said in a statement: “We will not stand idly by as the Syrian people are massacred and say that we will remain neutral.”

The March General Secretariat called on Wednesday President Michel Suleiman to halt his efforts to reach “futile” settlements with the March 8 camp seeing as Hizbullah and its allies have sought take over Lebanon by force since the Cedar Revolution in 2005.

It said in a statement after its weekly meeting: “The President should cease cooperating with the camp that staged a coup against the previous government and force all political parties to assume their responsibilities.”

Speaker Nabih Berri stressed on Wednesday his ongoing respect for the Taef Accord and parliament’s internal system, stating that his call for a parliament session was constitutional.

He said during a press conference at parliament: “We oppose the monopoly of power and as parliament speaker, I cannot stand idly by as the constitution is being neglected.”

Premier-designate Najib Miqati unveiled on Wednesday that he agreed with Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun on the need to take the necessary steps to facilitate the cabinet formation process.

Miqati told reporters in parliament that he held with Aoun closed-door talks during which they “reached an understanding on the next steps to facilitate the task of the prime minister-designate as part his constitutional authorities.”

National Struggle Front bloc leader Walid Jumblat said Wednesday that he confirmed his alliance with Speaker Nabih Berri and Premier-designate Najib Miqati during talks they held along with several MPs at parliament.

The Druze chief told al-Jadeed TV that the meeting he held with Miqati, Berri and MPs Michel Aoun, Suleiman Franjieh, Mohammed Raad, Talal Arslan and Assaad Hardan, all members of the March 8 forces, was a “nice coincidence.”