The following are summaries of today's major stories published in the Arabic press. LBCI does not edit press digest articles for content, giving English-language readers insight into the various views expressed in newspapers across the Arab world.
Presidential sources told As-Safir newspaper on Friday that next week will be decisive regarding the cabinet formation process, noting that President Michel Sleiman prefers to mull the ministerial statement after the formation of a new government.
The same sources said President Sleiman feels optimistic, more than ever, regarding the announcement of a new cabinet, and quoted him as saying: "I hope it will be done soon. There is a positive atmosphere and no major obstacles are hurdling the cabinet formation process".
"All Lebanese parties should make the most of the positive aspects in order to reach satisfactory results," the sources quoted Sleiman as saying.
Local sources in Hermel told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper that a woman had argued with the driver of the booby-trapped car that exploded yesterday in the town of Hermel, noting that another man, in his 20s, was sitting next to him.
"The scuffle erupted after the driver's vehicle collided with her car when he parked at the scene of explosion," the sources said.
The woman was the one who identified the vehicle's registration plate number and said that one of them had managed to escape before the explosion, the sources added.
This as, local sources linked the Hermel explosion to the attack launched by the Syrian opposition against the regions of al-Qusayr, Jousi, Tal al-Hansh and al-Abboudieh where raging battles were reported.
Sources reported for the second time that a meeting was held between Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun and former Prime Minister Saad Hariri in Rome in the presence of former MP Ghattas Khoury.
This as, al-Nahar daily held contacts, on Thursday night, with figures close to MP Aoun in order to confirm the aforementioned reports but the figures said they do not have information in this regard.
MP Marwan Hamadeh, who had escaped an assassination attempt on October 2004, stressed on Friday that the circumstances of the explosion that targeted former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri began to unfold accurately.
MP Hamadeh, who joined his case to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper that the trial reminded him of a traumatic incident, noting that it raises many questions regarding the future of Lebanon.