The circles of Progressive Socialist Party chief Walid Jumblat have stressed that the Druze leader has repeatedly called for an end to the government “joke.”

In remarks to As Safir daily on Tuesday, the circles said: “It seems that no one has heard” Jumblat’s cry.

A married couple pleaded guilty Monday to charges that they planned to ship money to Hizbullah, which the United States lists as a terrorist organization.

The plea deal will spare Hor and Amera Akl from potential life sentences.

Dozens of supporters of Syria's Bashar al-Assad gathered in Beirut Monday to express support for the embattled president, drowning out a nearby vigil in memory of those killed in two months of unrest.

"God, Syria, Bashar" and "Sarkozy, Obama, you brutes, you will never enter Syria," chanted some 50 men in the Hamra district of Beirut amid heavy security.

The Phalange Party called on the caretaker government to convene in order to tackle the citizens’ concerns, dismissing some proposals to address these issues, which it described as a “joke.”

It said in a statement after its weekly politburo meeting: “Given that the government crisis has entered its fifth month, some constitutional mechanisms must be reviewed in order to address some urgent matters given that the country is being ruled by a caretaker Cabinet.”

French Senate deputy leader Jean-Pierre Raffarin stressed on Monday the autonomy of the Lebanese government, stressing that France respects Lebanon’s sovereignty.

He hoped after holding talks with President Michel Suleiman that the Lebanese government would be formed soon in order to resume cooperation between the country’s various ministries.

U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams stressed on Monday the need to form a new government as there are many problems in Lebanon that need to be addressed.

He said after holding talks with President Michel Suleiman: “There are many problems before Lebanon, problems of economy, problems of security and these problems are growing by the day.”

The Maronite patriarchate invited Maronite leaders and lawmakers to a meeting in Bkirki next month to hold consultations on social and national issues, a statement issued by the patriarchate’s secretariat said Monday.

The meeting kicks off on June 2 at 9:30 am, it said.

A dispute between the March 8 and 14 forces over the legitimacy of holding a parliamentary session during the absence of the cabinet renewed on Monday over fears that Speaker Nabih Berri will go ahead with his plan.

Al-Mustaqbal bloc member MP Atef Majdalani said that such a session will not be the solution to resolve people’s problems.

President Michel Suleiman asserted to U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman that Lebanese-Syrian ties “are as old as the two countries,” reported As Safir newspaper on Monday.

His statements came as a response to the U.S. official’s inquiry about Lebanon’s position on the developments in Syria, which Feltman was surprised by, according to the newspaper.

The Head of the Delegation of the European Union, Angelina Eichhorst, and U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams made a joint appeal on Monday for the immediate and urgent release of the seven Estonian tourists.

“We appeal for the immediate release of the seven abducted Estonian nationals. These bicyclists came to Lebanon as tourists, with no ill intent. No purpose whatsoever is served by their continued detention,” said Eichhorst and Williams.