As the Lebanese army continues to press an offensive against Islamist militants on the outskirts of the northeastern border towns, in cooperation with the Syrian military and Hizbullah, gunmen are still exerting efforts to infiltrate Lebanon.

As Safir newspaper reported on Friday that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and al-Qaida-affiliate al-Nusra Front are currently controlling around 992 kilometers of the outskirts between Syria and Lebanon on the country's Eastern Mountain Range, with 450 kilometers inside Lebanon.

U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Sigrid Kaag has said that Hizbullah violated Security Council Resolution 1701 when it attacked Israeli troops in the occupied Shebaa Farms area in January.

“The attack on the Israeli convoy is a clear violation of the cessation of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel,” Kaag told An Nahar newspaper in an interview published on Friday.

The appointment of the members of the Banking Control Commission of Lebanon (BCCL) created a heated debate during Thursday's cabinet session, prompting Prime Minister Tammam Salam to postpone discussing the matter until next week.

Al-Liwaa newspaper reported on Friday that demands to appoint new members at the committee is expected to create a fuss amid the absence of a head of state, as the 5-member commission would have to take an oath before the president.

The head of the Beirut Port Authority Hassan Qoraytem has visited Bkirki to defend his decision to fill the controversial fourth basin at the port.

Al-Joumhouria newspaper reported on Friday that Qoraytem held talks with Bishop Boulos Sayyah and briefed him on the capacity of Beirut Port and each of its basins.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat hosted a dinner banquet in honor of Prime Minister Tammam Salam, al-Liwaa newspaper reported on Friday.

Thursday's dinner banquet comes in light of Salam's decision to resume cabinet sessions after two-week break.

The United Arab Emirates reportedly stalled in granting Industry Minister Hussein Hajj Hassan a visa to enter the country to take part in an exhibition.

According to al-Joumhouria newspaper published on Friday, the minister wasn't granted the visa until the exhibition – Gulfood (the World's biggest annual food and hospitality show) opened its doors.

The committee setting the stage for the 10th anniversary of the March 14 alliance's formation has been been holding meetings over the National Council that it aims to launch, An Nahar daily reported on Friday.

The newspaper said that the committee, which is headed by al-Mustaqbal bloc leader MP Fouad Saniora, held several meetings in the past two days.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam presided Thursday over a meeting for the ministerial crisis cell tasked with following up on the case of the abducted servicemen, amid reports of “progress” in the negotiations.

The Grand Serail meeting was attended by Defense Minister Samir Moqbel, Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil, Health Minister Wael Abou Faour, Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq, General Security chief Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim and Higher Defense Council chief Maj. Gen. Mohammed Kheir.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam said Thursday that the activation of the government's work hinges on the readiness of the different factions to serve citizens, calling on ministers to abide by the agreement to have consensus on cabinet decisions.

Salam told cabinet ministers that consensus among them is the best option in the absence of a president, Information Minister Ramzi Jreij said following a cabinet session.

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat reiterated on Thursday that his party backs the Syrian revolution against the terrorist regime of President Bashar Assad after receiving threats from a Jordanian writer.

“The PSP holds onto its stable stance in support of the Syrian revolution against the regime of terror, murder and threat against the Syrian people,” Jumblat said in a statement, which he issued a day after al-Akhbar newspaper said the writer had threatened the lawmaker.