Progressive Socialist party leader MP Walid Jumblat made a sarcastic comment on Thursday about the delayed efforts to form a new cabinet, following the election of a president and the designation of a PM, saying that the new government is still insulated.

An Internal Security Forces member was deadly shot in the Choueifat area southeast of Beirut, the state-run National News Agency reported Thursday.

Unknown assailants opened gunfire from a hunting rifle at on duty ISF member Mohammed al-Arab killing him instantly, NNA said.

In line with the efforts to form a cabinet 28 days after the designation of Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri, reports published in al-Rai daily on Thursday said that the parliament may not give its vote of confidence shall a de-facto cabinet be formed.

“Choosing to form a de-facto cabinet might, in the worst case, make it face a no-confidence vote of the parliament,” unnamed sources told the daily on condition of anonymity.

The endeavors to line-up a cabinet are focusing now on the share that will be allotted to the Marada Movement after an agreement was reached with regard to the portfolios that will be given to the Lebanese Forces and the Democratic Gathering bloc, media reports said.

The efforts exerted to overcome the obstacles are focusing now on the portfolio that will be assigned to the Marada which will probably be the health ministry. Sources said that the only two parties which fulfilled the requirements and are out of the discussions now are the LF and the Democratic Gathering, An Nahar daily reported Thursday.

The Arz-Ainata road was blocked by snow on Wednesday as the northern city of Tripoli witnessed material damage with the arrival of this season's first storm.

The Army Intelligence conducted a raid in the Bekaa town of Majdel Anjar and arrested a man suspected of providing his brother, affiliated to al-Qaida linked Abdullah Azzam Brigades, with weapons, the National News Agency reported Wednesday.

The military arrested Omar H.Kh on charges of providing his brother, R.Kh., and affiliate of Abdullah Azzam Brigares with explosives and weapons, NNA said.

The Israeli air force fired two missiles at dawn on Wednesday that hit near Damascus, which Syrian state television said were launched from Lebanese airspace.

The airstrikes caused no casualties, the television said.

Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq said on Wednesday that the ministry has the preparations ready to hold the upcoming parliamentary elections on time shall the 1960 majoritarian law be adopted.

“The Ministry is ready today to hold the parliamentary polls under the 1960 electoral law, but it needs some time for preparations shall another law be agreed,” said Mashnouq.

Lebanese Forces sources stressed on Wednesday that the obstacles hampering the formation of a new cabinet stem from intentions of some parties to prevent President Michel Aoun from practicing his role to establish a strong State, al-Joumhouria daily reported.

“The current crisis to line up a cabinet goes beyond conflicts over ministerial portfolios. It stems from a strategic nature linked to preventing President Michel Aoun from an attempt to build a State,” LF sources told the daily.

President Michel Aoun is not pleased with the stalled efforts to form a new government one month after his election and is mulling the formation of a "realistic" cabinet shall the process witness further stalemates, media reports said Wednesday..