Note: The protesters in this village are from the communist party.

💵💴💶💷 -- The price of the dollar today, February 18, 2020 at 7:00 pm:

- Ghobeiri 2180-2220

- Ghobeiri Murad 2190-2220

- Atwi Highway 2160-2200

- Baalbek 2190-2210

- Mar Elias 2160-2215

Barbier 2170-2220

-- The economic situation and exchange rate is going to get crazy in a few days. Updates soon

-- Bank Audi just informed his staff that all dollar based salaries won't be paid by dollar. They can only get paid in Lebanese Lira.

-- Even the 300$ each 15 days is no longer applicable. People can only get paid this 600$ a month in Lebsnese Lira.

Bank Audi is officially out of foreign currency.

-- This happens when a board with no competence works with a corrupted governor of a central bank to bankroll politicians.

There is something I'll mention later today regarding the central bank's remaining liquidity and how the central bank is dealing ( not dealing) with the situation.

I guess bank Audi will have to either sell it's Egyptian branch and get all it's money from outside Lebanon or merge with another bank soon.

Banks merging is a serious proposal. We literally have more banks than malls.

— The head of the Bank Associations Salim Sfeir, who like other bankers and politicians own the majority of Lebanon's debt, just sold 240 million dollar worth of his share in Lebanon's EuroBond. Why did he do this ? The answer is simple is made up of two parts:

1- He needs cash for his escape plan, because when banks announce bankruptcy he'll have to resign from his post.

2- The Lebanese government and economical experts were studying the preposition of cutting Lebanon's debt, so they asked several economic firms to study this much needed proposal. Sfeir like others who own this debt don't want to lose it, and since they are Lebanese they can easily get in contact with the government and settle it. But when he plans to sell his share and cash out elsewhere, distributing this debt between thousands instead of hundreds of mostly Lebanese, he is participating in blocking one of the must needed solutions to save Lebanon.

-- Financial Prosecutor presses charges against 17 money changers in Beirut.

-- MP Bazzi citing Berri: Lebanon's house speaker Berri sees debt restructuring as the best solution for Eurobonds.

-- Beirut airport duty free dollar-LBP exchange rate is now LL2100.

-- This is 600 above the official rate of LL1500 and 100 above even the LL2000 rate agreed to between the Central Bank and money exchangers.

-- Black market rate today is about LL2500.

-- Head of the Association of Banks Salim Sfeir from the Grand Serail: We discussed with PM Diab the Eurobonds issue and we affirmed our position that if the government is going to reschedule debt, it must do it in an orderly manner through negotiations with bond holders.

Lol, he already sold his share so he's out of the negotiations. I told you so.

🇱🇧🇮🇱 -- IDF stops man attempting to cross from Lebanon to Israel.

-- IDF Spokesperson: A short while ago, IDF troops identified a suspect who attempted to cross from Lebanon into Israeli territory. The suspect was apprehended and questioned adjacent to the Blue Line fence (border with Lebanon) after which he was returned to Lebanon.

Nevermind it was just a normal Lebanese passing near the border. As you know, we don't even own our border since IDF and UNIFIL don't allow anyone to come near.

--The IMF delegation will arrive in Lebanon at midnight, where it will hold extensive meetings with officials.