Kataeb Party chief MP Sami Gemayel wrapped up a several-day visit to Paris on Wednesday by meeting French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

The French minister “expressed interest in exploring in detail the (Lebanese) opposition's opinions and stances regarding a lot of files, especially the current issues in the Lebanese and regional arenas,” a statement distributed by Kataeb's Media Council said.

Private school instructors have been campaigning for the last few month demanding a salary raise following the wage scale approval for public sector employees, a demand dubbed as “unacceptable” by private educational institutions.

A vicious circle of demands and denials as professors and teachers demand a raise that will eventually “compel” the schools' administrations to raise tuition fees, thus burdening parents with additional soaring costs for already costly education in Lebanon.

Foreign Minister and Free Patriotic Movement leader Jebran Bassil met on Tuesday evening with Progressive Socialist party leader MP Walid Jumblat at the latter's residence in Clemenceau where discussions focused on the latest political developments.

The EU's top court ruled on Wednesday that Uber is an ordinary transportation company instead of an app and should be regulated as such, in a decision that will be closely watched around the world.

Hizbullah on Wednesday denounced “Saudi Arabia's persistent battle” against the Huthi rebels in Yemen stressing the need for a cessation of war as it called for a rapid political solution.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri on Tuesday strongly condemned the firing of a ballistic missile at Riyadh by Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels.

“The repeated targeting of Saudi territory by missile attacks from Yemeni territory does not only threaten the security of the Kingdom and the safety of its people, but also exposes the region to serious dangers and exacerbates existing divisions and conflicts,” Hariri said in a statement.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri stressed Tuesday during meetings with his visitors that “partnership” among all political components is essential for the country.

“This country is a magical, unique and wondrous formula among the countries of the region and the world. After the martyrdom of ex-PM Rafik Hariri, we in the March 14 camp tried to lead the country on our own, and then the March 8 camp also tried. We both failed,” Hariri said.

The Cabinet on Tuesday held its last session for 2017, during which it decided to postpone a decision on expanding the Costa Brava and Bourj Hammoud garbage landfills.

“There were two agenda items on waste management – the expansion of Costa Brava and composting and the general plan of waste management. The two issues were combined and a ministerial panel has been formed to study the entire topic and raise it in Cabinet's next session, because the matter cannot bear further delay,” acting information minister Pierre Bou Assi said after the session.

EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini held talks Tuesday in Lebanon with the country's top officials, reaffirming the European Union's strong support for Lebanon in the wake of the November political crisis.

Mogherini met with President Michel Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil.

During raids on a coffee shop in Aley's Aramoun area, police arrested a group of Lebanese and Syrian nationals involved in drugs and prostitution, the Internal Security Forces Directorate said on Tuesday.

ISF said it monitored and raided the coffee shop after obtaining information of "illegal acts" taking place inside.