By Joseph A. Kechichian, Senior Writer

Seoul: Electricite du Liban (EDL) announced a plan on Friday to increase energy production by 100 megawatts. EDL production was thus 1,600 megawatts, though the need was closer to 3,500 megawatts per day.

The increase in output was achieved by raising the production capacities of two Turkish power generating vessels that lie off the coast of the Zahrani and Zouk power plants from 280 megawatts to 380 megawatts, according to an anonymous source quoted by Al Jumhuriyyah daily.

According to the newspaper, “experimental steps were completed and the increase in production was put into implementation several days ago,” although the daily raised a troubling point, namely that the initiative was only tackled to renew the contracts with the working ships for another two years while maintenance work in the Jiyyah, Zuk and Dayr Ammar plants are completed.

BEIRUT — Two senior Islamic State group fighters, including a leader of the extremist organization, were killed in Lebanon Thursday, as the country’s army carried out an operation targeting one of the militant group’s “key posts” on the nation’s northeastern border. A third man was arrested.

Nayef Shaalan, who also was called Abu Fouz, was the leader of the extremist group aka either ISIL or ISIS in the border town of Arsal, long a stronghold of the militant group. During clashes with the Lebanese army on the outskirts of Arsal, Shaalan and his “Syrian escort” Ahmad Mroueh were killed, while ISIS’ regional security official, a Syrian national named Moustafa Mousalli, was detained, the army said in a statement.

AMMAN, Jordan - Jordan is permitting a popular Lebanese rock band to perform, lifting an earlier ban imposed amid claims the group's songs promoting religious and sexual freedom violate local customs and religious beliefs.

Khalid Abu Zeid, a regional politician who initially announced the ban against "Mashrou Leila," or Leila's Project, said in a new statement that "we don't mind if this concert takes place." He didn't elaborate.

The indie band, known for songs about controversial subjects, says the reversal comes too late for the Jordan show to take place as scheduled on Friday.

by Joseph A. Kechichian Senior Writer

Beirut: In the latest annual Pew Research Center survey, titled “The Divide Over Islam and National Laws in the Muslim World,” pollsters sought views as to whether the Quran should influence laws in 10 countries with significant Muslim populations, including Lebanon, where surprising results reflected the country’s unique socio-political configuration. While the poll found that half or more of respondents in four countries — Pakistan, the Occupied Palestinian territories, Jordan and Malaysia — said laws should strictly follow Sharia, small percentages in Burkina Faso, Turkey and Lebanon wished to see their legal systems altered.

In fact, only 15 per cent of Lebanese Muslims preferred that the legal system strictly follow Sharia. Another 37 per cent of Lebanese Muslims believed that the legal system should include Sharia precepts but not follow them strictly, while 42 per cent were opposed to any such considerations. A majority of Lebanese Christians (59 per cent) stated that Sharia should not influence the country’s laws. But while that was probably expected, the more interesting data was the significant difference between Lebanese Sunnis — who are divided between supporters (34 per cent) and challengers (37 per cent) — and Lebanese Shiites (56 per cent backers).