State Minister of the Displaced Talal Arslan emphasized that displaced Syrians is one of the serious challenges that Lebanon has to face, and emphasized that international decisions in that regard could pave the way for their naturalization, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Wednesday.

“The crisis of displaced Syrians is one of the challenges emanating from the Syrian war. It is our duty to understand the suffering of our Syrian brothers and their agony as the result of the terror war machine, but Lebanon's potentials are much lower than it can endure at the demographic and economic levels,” said Arslan.

Lebanon marked on Tuesday the twelfth anniversary of slain former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who was assassinated in a massive and shocking suicide bombing in 2005 that destabilized the country.

In downtown Beirut, political leaders gathered to lay flowers at Hariri’s grave.

In light of the controversy that emerged after President Michel Aoun's statement about Hizbullah's weapons, Aoun stated on Tuesday that the future of the party's arms will comply with Lebanon's National Defense Strategy.

“The matter is subject to the National Defense Strategy which we have been trying to set when the incidents got ahead of us,” Aoun told Egyptian Nile News TV channel.

President Michel Aoun stated in front of Arab League delegates in Cairo on Tuesday that Lebanon has regained its strength and is ready to carry on with its role within the Arab family.

The Lebanese forces warned on Tuesday that shall efforts fail to agree on a consensual electoral law for the upcoming parliamentary polls, the political parties would be compelled to either run a parliament vote on the available electoral law proposals, or enter into a parliamentary vacuum, al-Joumhouria daily reported.

“We have not dropped chances to agree on a new electoral law, particularly that efforts in that regard are ongoing. We are working on a new hybrid electoral format that takes into consideration the remarks made about the previous formats,” unnamed Lebanese Forces sources told the daily.

The latest stance made by President Michel Aoun as for the role of the Resistance's arms in Lebanon has initiated a flurry of political reactions some favoring and other criticizing.

Ministerial sources close to the Baabda Presidential Palace said they were astonished at criticisms lashing out at Aoun's position, they told al-Joumhouria daily on Monday: “What Aoun meant was clear because the Army's capabilities do not permit a direct confrontation with the Israeli army.

President Michel Aoun on Monday started his first visit to Cairo since his election in October and held talks with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

"Hopes of the role that Egypt could play are high. An Egypt of moderation and openness... could launch an Arab rescue initiative based on a strategy to fight terrorism," Aoun said at a joint press conference.

A statement made by President Michel Aoun on Sunday stressing that Hizbullah's arms do not contradict with the State, has triggered a number of reactions concerning his position, media reports said on Monday.

An unnamed prominent source from the March 14 coalition criticized the stance and pointed out saying: “The statement made by President of the Republic contradicts provisions of the constitution and the Defense Law,” he told al-Joumhouria daily

A police patrol in north Lebanon, arrested on Saturday a Lebanese national wanted on three criminal charges, the National News Agency reported.

The fugitive who was identified as Hassan R., 42, was arrested in Bab al-Raml neighborhood in the northern city of Tripoli, NNA added.

The Baabda Presidential Palace has completed arrangements for President Michel Aoun's trip to Egypt and Jordan next week, his second Arab trip after his election as president, media reports said on Saturday.

A delegation will accompany Aoun and is comprised of Minister of Finance Ali Hassan Khalil, Foreign Jebran Bassil, Interior Nouhad al-Mashnouq, Economy Raed Khoury and State Minister for Presidency Affairs Pierre Raffoul, and General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim, Head of the Republican Guard Brigade Brigadier General Salim Feghali in addition to an advisory, administrative, diplomatic and media delegation, al-Joumhouria daily reported.