The Mustaqbal bloc condemned on Tuesday Hizbullah senior official Mohammed Yazbek’s statements that United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon is not welcome in Lebanon, noting that they may increase the party’s isolation

It said in a statement after its weekly meeting: “Such remarks may negatively affect the country.”

Change and Reform bloc MP Ibrahim Kanaan said on Tuesday that the bloc’s primary goal is to rectify the functioning of the country’s state institutions according to legal means and not by forcing the people to succumb to its political interests.

He stated after the bloc’s weekly meeting: “Completing the state budget is the government’s most important task.”

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea criticized on Tuesday Syrian President Bashar Assad’s speech earlier in the day, saying that he addressed everything but the country’s crisis.

He said before reporters in Maarab: “Assad depicted a status quo that has nothing to do with the reality on the ground.”

Security forces were on Tuesday searching for an “object” that Israeli warplanes dropped between the towns of Talousa and Houla in the South, the National News Agency reported.

NNA said the fighter jets dropped the object in a valley between the two southern towns.

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri deemed as “ridiculous” Syrian President Bashar Assad’s speech on Tuesday.

He said via Twitter on Tuesday: “Assad is in denial as he has deemed all the developments in his country as a conspiracy.”

United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon ad interim Robert Watkins revealed on Tuesday that U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is keen on visiting Lebanon, adding that the implementation of Security Council resolution 1701 will be among the main issues of discussion with the various leaders.

He said after holding talks with Prime Minister Najib Miqati: “The U.N. chief is keen to visit Lebanon to show his continued strong interest in and commitment to Lebanon.

Hizbullah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah is expected to make a televised speech on Saturday on the occasion of Arbaeen, media reports said.

Arbaeen marks the end of 40 days of mourning following the anniversary commemorating the killing of Imam Hussein, one of Shiite Islam's most revered figures.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon was on Tuesday conducting patrols along the border with Israel after the Jewish state launched huge military exercises in the occupied Shebaa Farms area and the Golan Heights, media reports said.

They said citizens in southern Lebanon heard sounds of huge explosions coming from the Farms zone.

The cabinet has so far not included the wage hike on the agenda of a session on Tuesday as it is expected to postpone the matter to next week amid reports of consensus between parties to resolve the issue.

“A settlement emerged as (Free Patriotic Movement MP) Michel Aoun agreed on Monday to find a deal that satisfies employers, employees and Labor Minister Charbel Nahhas,” sources told An Nahar newspaper on Tuesday.

Lebanese officials are seeking to coordinate their stances ahead of U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon’s visit to Beirut on Friday to avoid tarnishing Lebanon’s image, informed sources said.

The sources told An Nahar daily on Tuesday that consultations are underway between major political forces led by Hizbullah to agree on the broad Lebanese stance on several controversial issues that could be discussed by Ban and the Lebanese officials.