The Syndicate Coordination Committee announced on Saturday that it will stage a strike on Wednesday over the officials' failure to refer the new wage scale to parliament for approval.

The SCC will hold the strike and stage a sit-in at Beirut's Riad al-Solh Square, it announced in light of the joint parliamentary committees' failure on Friday to finalize the discussion of the new wage scale.

The Bekaa town of Arsal witnessed on Saturday a surge in Syrian refugees fleeing the region of al-Qalamoun following the fall of the Syrian villages of Flita and Ras al-Maarra in the hands of regime forces, reported the National News Agency.

Around 700 refugees arrived in the town up until noon on Saturday amid the heavy deployment of the Lebanese army in the area.

Kataeb Party chief Amin Gemayel warned on Saturday that Lebanon is passing through a very difficulty stage, highlighting the need to stage the presidential elections on time.

He said after holding talks on the elections with Speaker Nabih Berri: “The election of a new president will help restore Lebanon's role among the international community.”

A meeting of Maronite leaders held at Bkirki on Friday stressed the need to hold the presidential elections on time and according to the constitution, it said in a statement on Saturday.

A Bkirki media spokesman told reporters that all four of the Maronite leaders, Free Patriotic Movement chief MP Michel Aoun, Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea, Kataeb Party chief Amin Gemayel, and Marada Movement chief Suleiman Franjieh are candidates in the elections.

Arrest warrants were issued on Saturday against six National Social Security Fund (NSSF) employees, reported the National News Agency.

It said that they have been charged with embezzlement of public funds, counterfeiting documents and incitement to commit arson inside an NSSF branch.

British Ambassador to Lebanon Tom Fletcher voiced fears over the possible normalization of Syrian refugees in Lebanon should the conflict in their country take a long time to be resolved, reported As Safir newspaper on Saturday.

He told the daily that the danger of their normalization exists, urging the Lebanese government to take the necessary plans to contain the impact of the Syrian conflict.

Army Intelligence arrested on Saturday three people for robbing Syrian families in the town of Kaftoun in the northern district of al-Koura, reported the National News Agency.

It said that two Lebanese and a Syrian were arrested for the armed robbery of a farm inhabited by Syrian families in Kaftoun.

Daylight-saving time will begin in Lebanon at midnight where clocks should be set an hour ahead as per a decree issued by cabinet earlier this month.

The move will put Beirut 3 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.

State security forces in the Bekaa arrested on Saturday a gang for smuggling Syrians into Lebanon, reported the National News Agency.

It said that the three-member gang was smuggling Syrians into Lebanon through the Rashaya region.

The technical and logistic preparations of the security plan for the northern city of Tripoli are underway ahead of its imminent implementation.

An Nahar daily reported that the plan will take effect in two days.