Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat has launched an initiative to help the rival parties overcome their differences on the new cabinet's policy statement, As Safir daily reported on Tuesday.

Jumblat, who is a centrist, is planning to advise both the March 8 and March 14 alliances to avoid wordings that include the “defense strategy,” the “people-army-resistance” formula or the “Baabda Declaration,” the newspaper said.

President Michel Suleiman is mulling ways to revive the national dialogue amid the current political consensus over various matters, specifically, after Prime Minister Tammam Salam formed his cabinet.

Baabda Palace sources said in comments to An Nahar newspaper published on Tuesday that the rival March 14 and 8 parties have been offering compromises to reach settlement, which paves the way for all-party talks to resume.

Israeli army paratroopers held a combat drill in northern Israel near the border with Lebanon in recent days to prepare for the threat of an attack from Hizbullah, the Jerusalem Post reported Tuesday.

The drill saw two Paratroop units respond to a hostile infiltration of Israel through a combat simulation in the Galilee’s Ramim Ridge that ended up in Har Dov, the Israeli daily said.

Speaker Nabih Berri revealed on Tuesday that he urged Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah to mediate between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Saudi Arabia to end the political rift, pointing out that explosions in Lebanon aim at creating sectarian tension between its citizens.

“I called on all Gulf countries, in particular, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed to mediate between Iran and Saudi Arabia,” Berri said in comments to the Kuwaiti al-Rai television.

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun confirmed Monday that he has recently met with former premier Saad Hariri and Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, two days after Prime Minister Tammam Salam formed what he described as a “national interest cabinet.”

"If you want to make a mediation, you must talk to everyone and this is why I met with ex-PM Saad Hariri and Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah,” Aoun said in an interview with the FPM's official Facebook page.

The army on Monday circulated a picture of a man whom it described as a “dangerous fugitive” who is wanted “for committing a certain crime.”

It called on “anyone who recognizes him to call the Army Command's operations center on the number 1701 or to inform the nearest military post or to use the LAF Shield mobile phone app.”

The KAFA (enough) Violence and Exploitation organization on Monday announced the death of poisoning of a woman identified as Christelle Abou Shakra, revealing that her husband is in custody for interrogation.

“Less than a month after the killing of Manal al-Assi, the citizen Christelle Abou Shakra has met the same fate after she died of poisoning by a pesticide,” KAFA said in a statement.

President Michel Suleiman remarked on Monday that the formation of a new cabinet reflects a positive image of Lebanon when its rulers manage to agree on their affairs.

He hoped that the cabinet will “swiftly devise a ministerial statement in order for it to be later subject to a vote of confidence at parliament.”

U.S. Ambassador David Hale said Monday that Washington stood ready to work with Prime Minister Tammam Salam to help his government overcome many challenges, including the threat of terrorism.

“We stand ready to work with him (Salam) and his team to advance our bilateral relations and to help with the many challenges facing Lebanon,” Hale said following talks with the prime minister.

Military Examining Magistrate Fadi Sawan interrogated on Monday three suspects on charges of belonging to a terrorist Qaida-Linked organization and of planning to carry out terrorist attacks in Lebanon.

Sawan also issued an arrest warrant against the three suspects and one in absentia against Omar al-Satem, who is still in Syria.