In light of a cabinet meeting scheduled for Wednesday to discuss the state's fiscal budget, Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil said there are genuine intentions to approve the budget this year after Lebanon failed to approve one since 2005.

“As the result of a joint will between political parties, for the first time in years the budget will be discussed with the intention of approving it,” Khalil told al-Joumhouria daily in an interview.

The World Bank said Tuesday it has earmarked $200 million for repairing Lebanon's unsafe roads, signaling a resumption of international aid months after the election of a president following two and a half years of political vacuum in the country.

Lebanese Forces MP George Adwan said on Tuesday that the cabinet must schedule sessions strictly dedicated to discussing a new electoral law for the looming parliamentary polls.

“The cabinet must hold successive meetings where discussions strictly focus on finding a new electoral law,” said Adwan after an adjourned parliament session that was scheduled for questioning the cabinet.

MP Serge Ter Sarkisian voiced calls on Tuesday upon President Michel Aoun and Prime Minister Saad Hariri to “safeguard their joint visions” for Lebanon and to “preserve their consensual views” in light of the debate between political parties over an electoral law for the upcoming parliamentary polls.

“I call upon the President and PM to complete their common vision and to maintain consensual positions,” said the MP in an interview with VDL (93.3).

Islamic State 'emir', Ahmed Wahid al-Abed, was killed in a bomb explosion in the northeastern town of Arsal, LBCI reported on Tuesday.

Al-Abed, a Syrian hailing from al-Jarajir town in al-Qalamoun, was killed in a bomb explosion in the outskirts of Arsal, it added.

The General Security Directorate was able to thwart an Islamic State group terror scheme, that had plans to target Beirut's Central District, al-Akhbar daily reported on Tuesday.

The daily added that the Islamic State's plans were “exceptional” this time, after it managed to infiltrate the real estate company of Solidere and recruit one of the employees.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri held a meeting on Monday with Saudi State Minister for Gulf Affairs Thamer al-Sabhan at the Grand Serail, the National News Agency reported.

The meeting took place in the presence of the Prime Minister's aide Nader Hariri. Nader Hariri.

President Michel Aoun held talks with Saudi State Minister for Gulf Affairs Thamer al-Sabhan on Monday at the Presidential Palace, the state-run National News Agency reported.

Al-Sabahan stressed during his meeting with Aoun that his visit comes in the “framework of following up on discussions that have been first agreed between Aoun and Saudi King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz,” during the president's visit to Saudi Arabia in January.

Prospects are emerging that a proportional representation vote law for the upcoming parliamentary polls where Lebanon is divided into 13 districts could be put for discussion, al-Akhbar daily reported on Monday.

The next stage will witness suggestions made by President Michel Aoun to hold the polls based on a proportional representation system where Lebanon is divided into 13 districts. The proposal will be suggested to political parties, sources close to Aoun told the daily.

Foreign Minister and Free Patriotic Movement leader Jebran Bassil clarified that an agreement on an electoral law for the upcoming parliamentary polls has not been reached as yet with Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Monday.

“A hybrid electoral law was put for discussion six months ago, and they (PSP) have agreed on it six months ago. But last week and in a matter of two days they changed their mind,” Bassil told the daily in an interview.