The Internal Security Forces thwarted an attempt to smuggle 3 kilograms of narcotic pills from Rafik Hariri International Airport to Qatar, the National News Agency reported on Wednesday.

It said ISF officers searched the bag of a traveler which it identified only with his initials as A.B. when they felt suspicious about him.

The Syrian army seized arms and ammunition hidden in two vehicles for the purpose of smuggling them from Lebanon into Syria, As Safir newspaper reported on Wednesday.

A Lebanese security source told the daily “Syrian forces seized arms, explosives and night vision goggles from two cars on their way to Homs and Tartous.”

Iran has informed Hizbullah that it would have to cut down its yearly financial support for the party, informed Gulf sources told the Kuwaiti al-Qabas newspaper on Wednesday.

The sources estimated that Tehran sends annually 350 million dollars to Hizbullah. That amount is spent on the salaries of party members, the families of martyrs and the group’s projects in the South, the Bekaa and Beirut’s southern suburbs, they told the daily.

General Labor Confederation chief Ghassan Ghosn expressed regret on Wednesday that the government failed to raise the wages of workers earning more than LL1.8 million.

In remarks to local radio stations, Ghosn said: “We were asking for a boost in all wages, particularly for those earning more than LL1.8 million.”

The Lebanese Army Intelligence arrested a man after doctors at a Beirut hospital found a spying device planted in his belly, As Safir daily reported on Wednesday.

As Safir said that H.M. was admitted to hospital after falling ill. When the doctors ran a check-up on him, they found the electric device.

The schools faced chaos on Wednesday on whether to open their doors to students or to commit to the call by head of the teachers union, Nehme Mahfoud, to go on with their strike aimed at rejecting the deal that was made between the General Labor Confederation (GLC), the cabinet and the Economic Committees.

Mahfoud slammed the GLC, describing the negotiations as “humiliating.”

Ministers loyal to Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun have expressed outrage at a deal reached to raise wages and increase benefits, saying the agreement was only a “tranquilizer.”

The ministers withdrew from the cabinet session held at the Grand Serail on Tuesday to express their reservations about the deal that did not meet the aspirations of the General Labor Confederation as well.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea hoped on Tuesday that Hizbullah would allow the government to perform its duties in order for it to protect the Lebanese people’s rights.

He said after holding talks with the Egyptian Ambassador to Lebanon Mohammed Mustapha Toufic: “If only Hizbullah would leave the Lebanese people alone.”

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun renewed on Tuesday his rejection of the funding of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, slamming any potential United Nations Security Council sanctions against Lebanon should it fail to fund it.

He said after the Change and Reform bloc’s weekly meeting: “Any sanctions against Lebanon over this matter are tantamount to a military invasion.”

The General Labor Confederation on Tuesday decided to suspend the strike that was scheduled tomorrow, expressing reservations over the Cabinet's decision along with the Economic committees.

“PM Miqati decided to increase 200,000L.L on the wages ranging from 500,000 and 1 million, and to increase 300,000 L.L on wages ranging from 1 million to 1.5 million as well as increase social services.” Information Minister Walid Daouk stated.