Lebanon's newly approved wage scale and the tax hikes law still grasps the focus of political attention as the parliament gears for a Monday meeting dedicated to take the final course with regard to the tax provisions aimed at funding the scale.

Sources close to Speaker Nabih Berri assured to al-Akhbar daily that on Saturday that “things will go well,” saying it was unlikely for the law to be appealed a second time.

Lebanon's government approved on Friday an advance worth 150 billion Lebanese Pounds for the benefit of State-run internet company OGERO, in addition to credit allocations for the committee tasked with observing the country's upcoming parliamentary elections.

Information Minister Melhem Riachi said after the meeting that the Cabinet has approved “an advance worth LBP 150 billion for the benefit of OGERO, as well as credit allocations for the Election Observation Committee.”

Military Investigative Judge Fadi Sawwan indicted nine Syrians and a Lebanese over their involvement in “terror crimes,” the National News Agency reported on Friday.

Sawan indicted two Syrians and a Lebanese for smuggling “terrorists from Lebanon to Syria through the Wadi Khaled region for the aim of joining the ranks of the Islamic State terror group,” said NNA.

Several controversial files will be laid on the Cabinet's table on Friday including logistical preparations for the upcoming parliamentary elections and finance allocations to create a magnetic voter card, adding to the allocation of what was described as “hefty” funds for the telecommunication ministry, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Friday.

Securing the needed compensations and finding central offices for the commissions tasked with supervising the May 2018 parliamentary elections will be discussed, said the daily.

President Michel Aoun stressed on Thursday that measures to combat corruption and control expenditures and revenues will be taken.

During a meeting he held with economic bodies at the Baabda Palace, Aoun stressed that “measures to control revenues, expenditures and combating corruption will be taken. There will be no turning back,” he said.

A ministry guard at the Foreign Ministry premises in Ashrafiyeh was found dead at midnight sustaining gunshot wounds, the National News Agency reported Thursday.

The Army arrested in the northeastern border town of Arsal early on Thursday an Islamic State official who has taken part in kidnapping and killing of military members and civilians, al-Jadeed TV said.

An IS official, identified as Mohammed Toufic al-Hujeiri, was arrested at dawn in the town of Arsal in a raid staged by the Army Intelligence, al-Jadeed said.

The Parliament will begin looking into three draft laws referred to it by the Cabinet and strictly related to the controversial newly approved wage scale that witnessed a setback lately after the Constitutional Council revoked tax laws aimed at securing funding for the scale.

Speaker Nabih Berri invited lawmakers for a legislative session on Monday to discuss draft laws strictly related to the wage scale, the National News Agency reported on Wednesday.

Al-Mustaqbal MP Ammar Houri assured on Wednesday that the civil servants' wages for the month of October will be paid according to the newly approved wage scale.

“The October salaries will be paid according to the newly approved salary scale, there will be no turning back,” Houri told VDL (93.3) radio in an interview.