Lebanese health ministry:

401 new COVID-19 cases, including 49 IMPORTED, in the past 24 hours. Two new deaths were added to the toll.

Cases are increasing rapidly again, after the big influx of Lebanese diaspora and tourists to Lebanon.

📈 The dollar exchange rate sharply increased back to above 18,000 ⁠LL / $ reaching an all time high.

The current exchange rate is now:

1 USD = 18,200 LL

Ministry of Health: 71 positive cases on board flights that arrived in Beirut on the current 2, 3 and 4

Corona Vaccine Executive Committee:

"We warn all citizens who may receive the vaccine outside the official platform that they will not be able to obtain the official vaccination certificate."

🚨 IDF fired a dozen flares over the border area near Metula settlement.

Dubai, UAE: A massive explosion occurred 20 minutes ago.

Per preliminary report, an oil tanker anchored at Dubai's commercial port, in Jebel Ali, exploded and caught fire. (Picture by: @‌‌‎ArtDebrouille)

(Developing)

Video of the incident.

Dubai: Another video. CNN reports it is a container on board a tanker that exploded.

Another video from the port.

Dubai: The Civil Defense teams are dealing with a fire caused by a container explosion on board a ship at Jebel Ali Port.
- The fire is under control, and there are no deaths or injuries. (Dubai Media Office)

By: @‌‌‎AryJaey

Dubai Police to Al Arabiya: There are no explosive materials, and the fire may be caused by friction or high temperature.

Abu Kifah: My interest, as a Palestinian, is for UAE and Israel to disappear so I can return to my country, and return to Haifa and Jaffa, our historic ports, because I do not need a port like Dubai that leached off the catastrophes of the region's ports from Aden to Beirut

On this day, 8 July 1949, the newly-formed Lebanese republic committed one of its first and worst sins, executing pan-Syrian SSNP founder Antoun Saadeh.

SSNP later on retaliated, and executed Freemason and Lebanese Prime Minister Riad Al-Solh.

Despite UAE imprisoning & torturing British PhD candidate Matthew Hedges on spy charges, Cambridge Uni is considering entering £400 million deal with Abu Dhabi allowing UAE to integrate the university into its (dis)information/influence network.

By: @‌‌‎andreas_krieg

www.theguardian.com/educat…

Mount Lebanon: A tourist plane crashed in Maarab, and news of the death of two people on board. (By: @‌‌‎iahmedabdallah)

(Developing)

It's a Cessna plane with registration number OD-AAB.

Lebanese army helicopters are searching for survivors.

By: @‌‌‎Alabbass_ayoub

It's an "Open Sky Aviation" plane which crashed into a mountain in Ghosta area, flown by Captain George Sharkejian with Hadi Musa and his sister Joel on board.

All three have unfortunately died according to news reports.