Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun’s “unprecedented” attack against the political class may be early signs of his preparations for the 2013 parliamentary elections battle, reported al-Liwaa newspaper on Saturday.

Informed political sources told the newspaper: “He is seeking to fortify his position in Lebanon seeing as he has started to detect that he has lost supporters in favor of his political adversaries.”

Severe power rationing is likely to exacerbate already strained ties among officials over the reasons behind the delay in the implementation of electricity projects as the scorching heat of the summer season approaches.

Premier Najib Miqati told As Safir daily published Wednesday that the government had made contacts with companies that lease power-generating ships.

Energy Minister Jebran Bassil has warned that severe power cuts would become much worse in the future after hundreds of angry citizens protested in Jiyyeh and cut the Beirut airport’s main road.

While refusing to comment on severe electricity cuts, Bassil only told Hizbullah’s al-Manar TV on Saturday that things would become much worse in the future.

With a rise in entrepreneurialism across the Middle East in full swing, 2012 is expected to see unprecedented growth in start-ups in the region, according to Arabnet Founder Omar Christidis.

Following hard on the heels of the ‘Arab Spring’, many young people across the region have decided to take the leap and start their own ventures. The Arabnet Digital Summit 2012, to take place between 27-21 March, is the premier regional conference for the emerging Arab web/mobile industry.

The Beirut MPs stressed on Wednesday that establishing an arms-free capital does not only include administrative area of the city, but Greater Beirut.

It said after a meeting at parliament: “After holding talks with the president, premier, and speaker over an arms-free capital, it is now time to hold talks with the various political powers.”

President Michel Suleiman said on Monday a new electoral law is a step towards the implementation of the Taef accord, stressing that it should be based on the principles of the National Pact while following modern trends.

“The electoral law is the right gateway for the practice of sound democracy but it is one of the steps towards the implementation of the Taef agreement such as administrative decentralization and sustainable development,” Suleiman told a conference on proportionality held at the Phoenicia hotel in Beirut.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati wondered on Wednesday whether some Lebanese have connections with the actual al-Qaida terrorist group, saying that the organization’s name is being used in general terms and not in order to describe specific incidents.

He said before reporters: “We don’t have solid evidence that al-Qaida is present in Arsal.”

A delegation of Beirut MPs held talks on Tuesday with Prime Minister Najib Miqati on the need to establish an arms-free Beirut.

MP Ammar Houri revealed after the meeting that the premier had requested the concerned security forces to devise a plan on achieving this goal.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea welcomed on Wednesday Beirut lawmakers’ calls for the establishment of an arms-free capital, noting that Lebanon would be living in “very flawed” circumstances if such a goal is not achieved.

He told Free Lebanon radio: “The whole of Lebanon, not just Beirut, should be stripped of weapons and armed groups.”

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun hoped on Tuesday that political parties would grant the Orthodox gathering proposals over the parliamentary electoral an opportunity because its suggestions could probably be adopted in the 2013 parliamentary elections.

He said after the Change and Reform bloc’s weekly meeting: “We are experiencing the reasons that prompted the gathering to make its proposals in the first place.”