Visiting Director of the Department of the Middle East and North Africa at the French Foreign Ministry Jean-François Girault kicked off on Tuesday a two-day official visit to Lebanon.

The French diplomat met for an hour with Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil at the Bustros Palace, in presence of Ambassador Patrice Paoli.

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi expressed hope on Tuesday that a French presidential envoy would be able to resolve the Baabda Palace impasse.

Before traveling to Rome, al-Rahi hoped that Jean-François Girault, who is the director of the department of the Middle East and North Africa at the French Foreign Ministry, would “succeed in his mission.”

Hizbullah's ambitions are spreading far beyond its Lebanon home as the Shiite movement appears increasingly bent on taking on Sunni foes across the Middle East. It has sent thousands of its fighters into Syria and senior military advisers to Iraq, helped Shiite rebels rise to power in Yemen and threatened Bahrain over its abuse of the Shiite majority.

But the regional aspirations also are taking a heavy toll and threatening to undermine Hizbullah's support at home. The group has suffered significant casualties, there is talk of becoming overstretched, and judging by the events of recent days, even a vague sense that the appetite for fighting the Israelis is waning.

Kataeb Party leader Amin Gemayel is expected to hand over the party's leadership post to his son MP Sami Gemayel in the summer, al-Akhbar newspaper reported on Tuesday.

The daily said Gemayel the father will make the announcement during the party's conference, which Kataeb is compelled to hold every four years in accordance to its by-laws.

Abou Malek al-Shami, the emir of the al-Qaida-linked al-Nusra Front in al-Qalamoun, considered on Tuesday that the blast which targeted a bus carrying Lebanese Shiite pilgrims in Damascus a “clear message for those who are assaulting Sunnis.”

“Hizbullah played a substantial role in supporting the vicious Nusairi regime and shed the blood of Sunnis in Damascus... our response had to be brutal,” al-Shami said in a post via his Facebook page.

Labor Minister Sejaan Qazzi hailed on Tuesday a deal reached to resolve the crisis that erupted at Casino du Liban after around 200 contract employees were sacked.

“I thank all those who helped achieve the settlement,” said Qazzi following a meeting he held at his office with the casino's board of directors and the union of the facility's employees.

The fifth round of dialogue between Hizbullah and al-Mustaqbal officials will be preceded by an “important” meeting for al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc after the controversy that erupted following Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's speech, An Nahar daily reported on Tuesday.

The newspaper said that the “importance” of the bloc's meeting on Tuesday lies in setting a stance from the “latest developments.”

Top fugitive Islamist Shadi al-Mawlawi is still taking refuge in the southern Palestinian refugee camp of Ain al-Hilweh, Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq revealed, despite previous confirmation that the most-wanted suspect fled to the northeastern border town of Arsal and joined al-Nusra Front ranks.

“My previous confirmation relied on a security report” I obtained, Mashnouq said in comments published in al-Akhbar newspaper on Tuesday.

Signs of a breakthrough in Casino du Liban's crisis emerged on Monday evening, as a panel tasked with studying the files of 191 sacked employees reached a preliminary solution involving the reversal of some dismissal letters and hefty compensations.

"The sacked casino employees have accepted the proposed solution and decided to end their sit-in and resume work tomorrow," OTV reported.

Saudi Arabia prohibited the import of a large quantity of thyme from a producer located in Beirut's southern suburbs of Dahieh because the product did not meet food safety standards, reported the National News Agency on Monday.

It said that inspectors from the Health and Economy Ministries inspected Adonis Spices factory in al-Rihab area in Dahieh.