⋯ While the Biden administration sent a gesture, the majority of US politicians & congress, will continue to devastate Syria with sanctions and ensure that Lebanon drowns too.

Syria is Lebanon's only access to the world through land for import/export.

twitter.com/tedcruz/statu…

Thieves stole the coffins of the dead from a cemetery in Brital (Beqaa) which are made of aluminum.

According to the Bint Jbeil website, this phenomenon has spread to several Lebanese towns, where thieves are stealing metals from anywhere.

The dollar exchange rate decreased from 32,000 LBP to 26,700 LBP, after the Lebanese central bank sold 30,000,000 USD to the market (exchangers).

However, buying USD at this rate is near impossible, as only selling USD at this price is possible.

Deputy Secretary General of Hezbullah Sheikh Naim Qassem:

"Four reasons that led to the economic collapse: the unjust American blockade on Lebanon, the rampant corruption inside the country, the economic and financial policies over thirty years, and the performance of the central bank."

⋯ "The concerned ministers, whether in the economy, health or the interior, can raid companies, institutions and supermarkets to uncover price manipulation and monopoly of materials."

The Amal Movement and Hezbullah announce their approval to attend the Cabinet sessions devoted to approving the state's general budget and discussing the economic recovery plan.

They have boycotted the government for months in an attempt to force the resignation of Judge Bitar.

After USA gave Lebanon approval to buy Egyptian gas and Jordanian electricity, both which depend partially on Israeli gas, Israeli media reports that Israel has agreed to allow Egypt and Jordan to provide Lebanon with the imported Israeli gas. twitter.com/LebUpdate/sta…

USA: A gunman is currently holding 6 ⁠hostages inside a synagogue belonging to the Beth Israel congregation (Union of Reform Judaism).

According to the Israeli Army Radio, the gunman, a Pakistani, is demanding the Hostage Rescue Unit to allow him to visit his sister who is in prison.

OGERO: "With the early morning hours, the internet connection with Beirut's third district will be cut off, as Mazraa area's station will be offline due to the inability to purchase diesel."

The hostage taker claims he is the brother of Aafia Siddiqui, who is in prison for allegedly plotting to assist attacks against USA forces.

(Update) After verification, he has no family bond with Aafia Siddiqui.

⋯ Dr. Aafia Siddiqui claims she was kidnapped with her three children in 2003 in Pakistan, but she is likely to have provided support to an Al-Qaeda cell. In 2008, she was arrested in Afghanistan, and interrogated by U.S. forces. She has been allegedly tortured and raped.

She was convicted for attempting to kill an FBI agent while in prison in Afghanistan, with an M4 carbine one of the interrogators had placed on the floor by his feet. An accusation she denies. The prosecution did not charge her on terrorism. She is a U.S. citizen of Pakistani origin, a Ph.D. and a graduate from MIT, and a mother of three children. (Wikipedia)

“The power you gave them to torture me, rape me, and every time allow them to search me naked. I’m dead”, exclaimed Dr. Aafia in her speech at her sentencing. She further added, “I was dead since the very first time I was raped and searched naked”.

(Edited)

Israel: Because of the poor drainage of rainwater and mismanagement, this is how the streets of Petah Tikva, south of Tel Aviv, looked this week.