The participation of popular Lebanese rock band Mashrou’ Leila in this year’s edition of the Byblos International Festival has sparked a storm of controversy in the country after the young artists were accused of “insulting Christianity” in their songs.

The band’s supporters and opponents are clashing on social networking websites, amid calls for boycotting and banning the concert. Some users, including Free Patriotic Movement official Naji Hayek, have openly threatened to resort to violence to prevent the gig from taking place.

As part of its efforts to promote attitude change and better governance among the Lebanese political apparatus, the Lebanon Renaissance Foundation has completed the sixth edition of the Youth Leadership Program under its motto ‘Politics is an expression of values, not power’’.

Acting State Prosecutor Imad Qabalan on Monday referred the file of the deadly Qabrshmoun incident to the Military Court.

“This does not mean that things have been resolved, seeing as Lebanese Democratic Party leader Talal Arslan is still clinging to his rejection of the proposal” of referring the case to the Judicial Council, a top court that looks into national security matters, MTV reported.

Defense Minister Elias Bou Saab on Monday said one of those involved in the Military Academy corruption scandal had pocketed $19 million in bribes.

Speaking at a press conference after meeting with the members of the defense parliamentary committee, Bou Saab said the case is still stalled in the Military Court and that he had referred the file to the ministry’s legal department.

President Michel Aoun on Monday met with Lieutenant General Sir John Lorimer, Britain's senior defence adviser to the Middle East accompanied by the UK ambassador to Lebanon, Chris Rampling and the accompanying delegation, the National News Agency said.

The U.S. national security adviser John Bolton on Monday said that Iran and Hizbullah “support” the Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and “directly threaten” the security of the countries of the Western Hemisphere.

Labor Minister Camille Abu Suleiman explained on Monday that the ministry’s plan to regulate foreign labor in Lebanon gives Palestinian workers privileges prohibited for other foreign laborers, and assured that “our goal is not to increase their burden,” al-Hayat daily reported.

Speaker Nabih Berri’s political aide Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil on Sunday sounded an upbeat tone regarding the possibility of resolving the crisis created by the deadly Qabrsmhoun incident.

“There is a possibility to reach an agreement over the Mt. Lebanon incidents,” Khalil said, revealing that “contacts have been resumed in the manner that should lead us to a solution.”

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat on Sunday urged decisiveness over the crisis sparked by the deadly Qabrshmoun incident.

“When will authorities take a decisive decision on the handover of the rest of the wanted suspects in the al-Basatin incident?” Jumblat tweeted.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi met in Bkirki on Saturday with a delegation representing the Druze Sheikhs including Ghandi Makarem and Ghassan al-Halabi, who relayed a verbal message from Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Naim Hassan, the National News Agency reported.