Following are summaries of some of the main stories in a selection of Lebanese newspapers Tuesday. The Daily Star cannot vouch for the accuracy of these reports.

Al-Akhbar
Opposition calls for further amendments, leading to another postponement of electricity bill

Parliament failed to pass the vital electricity bill that was postponed once again after the opposition called for further amendments.
The opposition created uproar during the second meeting of Parliament’s joint committees Monday, something that MP Robert Ghanem exploited in order to postpone the discussion on the electricity plan until Wednesday.

Al-Liwaa
Mikati holds ‘diplomatic dinner’ before heading to N.Y.

While President Michel Sleiman arrived in New York [for a meeting at the U.N.] shortly after midnight, Prime Minister Najib Mikati held a hush-hush dinner meeting before heading to N.Y. this weekend with a number of foreign ambassadors and diplomats based in Lebanon, including U.S. Ambassador Maura Connelly, U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Michael Williams and EU Ambassador Angelina Eichhorst.

The talks focused on Lebanon’s view on a number of controversial issues and what best serves Lebanon’s interests, particularly the country’s stance regarding international resolutions and the situation in Syria.

In this regard, Williams made a significant statement in which he said that Lebanon would fulfill its obligations and that the government would pay its share of funding for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, pointing out to negative consequences should Lebanon fail to do so.

As-Safir
Berri for rising above sectarian considerations ... Bassil for zero-tolerance with Cypriots

A source told As-Safir that President Michel Sleiman, who arrived in New York at dawn, has put the maritime borders issue high on the list of items he wishes to discuss with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri also told As-Safir that Lebanon “has to maintain its rights and its marine wealth,” adding that Lebanon should go ahead and benefit from that as soon as possible.
Berri said he had discussed the oil issue with Sleiman before the president headed to New York, adding that they had agreed to raise the issue of maritime border demarcation with Ban.
He urged Lebanese political leaders to rise above sectarian considerations and raise the level of national responsibility that this issue requires.

Ad-Diyar
Obama awaits Feltman’s call from the Patriarchate
March 14 Christians likely to meet Sfeir to protest Rai’s remarks

Ad-Diyar has learned that chances of holding a meeting between Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai and U.S. President Barack Obama are high, particularly after information made available to Ad-Diyar said that Assistant U.S. Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman was asked to contact the Patriarchate in Lebanon during the next 48 hours to seek clarifications to Rai’s [controversial remarks on Syria and Hezbollah’s arms] and set a schedule for his meetings with U.S. officials.
However, Rai’s Washington trip is pastoral and will take place sometime in October.

Meanwhile, Christian parties within the March 14 coalition called on their Christian allies to refrain from criticizing Rai, especially after these parties were disappointed by MP Nuhad Mashnouq’s reaction.
These parties told their allies that they would directly deal with comments made by Rai for fear that further criticism would weaken them if their Muslim allies, in addition to Muslim fundamentalists, continue to attack Rai.
Ad-Diyar has learned that March 14 Christian parties will hold a meeting to respond to Rai’s comments made in Baalbek.

In this regard, Ad-Diyar has learned that these parties will also meet former Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir to register their protest against remarks made by Rai.