Internal Security Forces chief Maj. Gen. Imad Othman pledged on Friday to improve Lebanon's security institution to become one of the leading at the international level.

Othman's comments came in an address he gave on Friday marking the 156th founding anniversary of the ISF, under the patronage of President Michel Aoun at the late Brigadier General Wissam al-Hassan's Barracks in Dbayieh.

Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq called on Friday for restoring the death penalty in light of the spiking number of crime and premeditated murder.

“I hereby call for restoring the capital punishment in light of an increase in crime and deliberate killings, because judicial decisions do not deter the criminals,” said Mashnouq in a speech marking the 156th anniversary of the foundation of the Internal Security Forces under the patronage of President Michel Aoun.

State Security agents in the Bekaa region arrested a Syrian national who infiltrated Lebanon's territory and confessed to having links to terror groups in Syria, the National News Agency reported on Friday.

The State Security managed to arrest the man who was identified by his initials as D.A., said NNA.

Unknown armed assailants shot dead a 24-year old man, Roy Hamoush, at dawn on Wednesday in the Karantina area on the Dora highway after a car chase, the National News Agency reported.

A car accident happened at around 2:00 am in Jal el-Dib between a vehicle driven by the victim's friend, Johnny Jreis Nassar, and a tinted-glass BMW having three armed men inside, NNA said.

State Minister for Women's Affairs warned on Wednesday that failure to reach a new vote law for Lebanon's parliamentary elections would drag the country into the “unknown and vacuum.”

“After June 19, when the parliament's term ends, if we fail to agree on a new electoral law the country will fall into the unknown and in vacuum,” said Oghassapian in an interview to VDL (93.3).

Prime Minister Saad Hariri vowed to exert all efforts needed to keep the capital Beirut the “jewel of the Arab,” and highlighted the missions tasked to the municipality of Beirut to implement development and maintenance projects in the capital.

President Michel Aoun stressed Tuesday that “Lebanon is determined to carry on with its fight against terrorist groups and the pursuit of their sleeper cells,” during talks in Baabda with the head of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander General Joseph Votel.

“The army is continuing its airstrikes and land operations against the posts of these groups, inflicting heavy casualties on their members,” Aoun added in the meeting, which was also attended by U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Elizabeth Richard and a U.S. military delegation.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri hailed the Lebanese officials' efforts to devise a new electoral law, describing it as an unprecedented move since the Taef agreement.

“It is the first time since the Taef agreement that we Lebanese sit together to agree on an electoral law and solve our issues by ourselves,” said Hariri during an Iftar for the economic, banking and industrial bodies on Monday at the Grand Serail.

President Michel Aoun chaired a meeting of a committee tasked with addressing solutions to Israel's theft of Lebanon's water resources, the National News Agency reported on Tuesday.

The Baabda Palace meeting was held in the presence of Energy and Water Minister Cesar Abi Khalil, NNA said.

The Free Patriotic Movement has raised a series of “last minute” demands that could hinder an agreement on an electoral law after reports that complexities obstructing the agreement were eased, media reports said on Tuesday.