Several families of the 11 Lebanese pilgrims abducted in Syria held a sit-in on Tuesday near the junction that leads to the Baabda palace.

The families warned that they would escalate their measures if the men weren’t released soon and chanted slogans condemning the government’s failure to achieve their release.

Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn congratulated on Tuesday the army on the occasion of Army Day, hoping that this occasion would serve as an opportunity to place national interests above all else.

He therefore urged in a statement “politicians to realize the importance of the critical phase in Lebanon and the region and allow it to perform its duties and keep it away from petty disputes.”

Efforts are ongoing to resolve the crisis that is threatening the March 8 alliance as AMAL movement leader Speaker Nabih Berri and Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun failed to agree on a solution concerning Electricite du Liban contract workers’ full-time employment.

According to As Safir newspaper published on Tuesday, Hizbullah and Marada leader Suleiman Franjieh are seeking to find consensus among the two parties.

Efforts to resolve the controversial crisis of Electricite du Liban reached a standstill on Tuesday as the contract workers refused to budge on their demands and the company’s board of directors is insisting on its stance.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati entered into negotiations between the rival sides in an attempt to avert a looming electricity crisis in the country.

The Army Command denied on Tuesday a media report that a three-member cell arrested in Rmeileh was planning to shoot down a United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon helicopter.

It stressed in a statement that investigations with the group are ongoing.

The cabinet failed for the second day in a row on Tuesday to agree on an electoral law based on proportionality proposed by Interior Minister Marwan Charbel over disagreements on the division of districts and the voting of Lebanese expatriates.

“Proportionality and the number of districts need more discussions,” Information Minister Walid al-Daouq said following a cabinet session held at Baabda palace.

Abbas Shoaib, one of the 11 abducted Lebanese Shiite pilgrims in Syria, has managed to escape from his captors for a few hours before being recaptured, LBCI television reported on Monday.

“On Wednesday evening, one of the relatives of the hostages received an SMS from a Syrian mobile phone number in which the sender identified himself as Abbas Shoaib,” the TV network said.

The Phalange Party praised on Monday President Michel Suleiman’s efforts to resume the national dialogue.

It urged in a statement after its weekly politburo meeting “the removal of all obstacles hindering the talks, which requires an honest position on complying with the March 14 camp’s demands.”

The Trial Chamber confirmed the Special Tribunal for Lebanon's jurisdiction to try those accused of committing the February 14, 2005 attack and connected cases, in a decision published on Monday, it announced in a statement.

It said: “The Trial Chamber dismissed all the motions of the defense counsel, who argued that the tribunal was set up illegally, violates Lebanese sovereignty, has selective jurisdiction and does not guarantee the accused a right to fair trial.”

Popular Nasserite Movement head Osama Saad expressed surprise on Monday regarding al-Mustaqbal movement’s decision to call off a general strike that was set to be held in the southern coastal city of Sidon.

He slammed during a press conference attempts to bring down the “united stances” of the residents of Sidon.