Although there is no major breakthrough in Lebanon’s government formation, but Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri is determined to form one in the next few days now that the ten-day deadline he set after his “positive” meeting with President Michel Aoun last week has ended, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Tuesday.

France is worried that a further delay in lining up Lebanon’s government could affect implementation of the CEDRE conference, although French diplomats affirm “commitment” to its resolutions that garnered billions of dollars for the Mediterranean country.

Al-Joumhouria daily said on Tuesday that “the French interest in Lebanon is focused on the government formation process, the country’s economy and the crisis of Syrian refugees.”

Caretaker Energy and Water Resources Minister Cesar Abi Khalil announced on Monday that an agreement has been reached with representative of Siemens company to coordinate efforts in a bid to find a solution for the electricity crisis in Lebanon.

“An agreement on bilateral cooperation between the Ministry and the company has been reached in order to find the required solutions to the electricity crisis in Lebanon,” said Khalil.

Police have arrested a Syrian doctor and his wife in Beirut’s neighborhood of Hamra on charges of performing illegal cosmetic procedures, the Internal Security Forces announced in a statement on Monday.

It said the practitioner carried out plastic surgeries inside an apartment in Hamra.

Dispatched by President Michel Aoun, caretaker Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil left on a regional tour to invite Arab leaders to the Arab Economic and Social Development summit to be held in Beirut on January 19-20, the National News Agency reported Monday.

NNA said that Bassil will first travel to Kuwait where he will hand an invitation to Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah. The two are expected to hold talks on several issues including the ties between the two countries.

A Progressive Socialist Party delegation, possibly led by its chief and Democratic Gathering parliamentary bloc MP Taymour Jumblat, will reportedly visit Speaker Nabih Berri to discuss the latest developments as per the Cabinet formation, al-Joumhouria daily reported Monday.

Hizbullah has reportedly stressed consensus among Lebanese leaders to allocate the health ministry for the party, brushing off all US threats.

The U.S. embassy in Beirut has reportedly “intensified threats to cut any US or international assistance for Lebanese ministries allocated for Hizbullah party” in a bid to pressure officials tasked with forming the government, al-Akhbar daily reported on Friday.

The US Treasury Department on Thursday imposed sanctions on Mohammed Abdullah al-Amin and seven companies he owns allegedly for providing financial and technological support for Hizbullah.

The Treasury has imposed sanctions on companies owned by al-Amin which include Lebanon-based company Sierra Gas S.A.L. Offshore, Lama Foods S.A.R.L, Lama Foods International Offshore S.A.L, Impulse S.A.R.L, Impulse International S.A.L. Offshore, M.Marine S.A.L. Offshore and Thaingui SAL Offshore.

President Michel Aoun held a meeting at Baabda Palace with members of the Loyalty to the Resistance Parliamentary bloc headed by MP Mohammed Raad, the National News Agency said on Wednesday.