PM Mikati grants Minister Fayyad funding for energy cargo

Prime Minister Najib Mikati approves the treasury advance of $62 million for the first fuel shipment, provided that Energy Minister Walid Fayyad negotiates the fines with the supplier company.

The state has accumulated ‘delay fines’ after failing to pay in time for several gas and fuel-oil shipments.

Read more: t.me/LebUpdate/28604

The Israeli army attempted to operate their excavator beyond the Blue Line a total of 4 times. They were intercepted by the Lebanese army each time.

The UNIFIL stayed in contact with both sides to relieve tensions, tensions which wouldn't exist had the Israelis not trespassed.

⋯ Lebanese Army Statement: An army force was deployed at the site of the breach, & obligated the enemy to stop following up on the works at the Blue Line. A UNIFIL patrol also attended to verify the breach. The issue is being followed up in coordination with the UNIFIL.

✏ Public school teachers protest in Beirut, vow to continue the strike

A demonstration was organized today in Riad al-Solh Square by one of the public sector teachers unions, threatening to end the school year if their demands are not met.

The unions—the Contract Teachers Committees, the Primary, Secondary, Technical & Vocational Public Schools Teachers Leagues—have started a strike amid worsening economic conditions and following the Minister of Education's disappointing promise of a $5 daily allowance two weeks ago. The strike has been ongoing since 8 ⁠January, though only 25% of teachers observed the strike on the first day according to Hussein Jawad, a union president.

⋯ Their demands include:
- raising hospitalization benefits to meet current costs,
- better transportation fee coverage in accordance with the price of fuel,
- adopting a banking platform exclusive to public sector salaries,
- securing an adequate productivity allowance until salaries are corrected

Despite the failed few-minute long meetings with the Ministers of Education and Finance today, Prime Minister Najib Mikati promised to dedicate a cabinet session to the education file next week.

The Contract Teachers Committees and various public school unions confirmed that their strike will persist until then.

For the first time in history, the black market exchange rate hits a record 50,000 LBP/USD.

This comes after a Central Bank Council meeting the previous Monday to discuss ways to mitigate the lira's sharp decline.

The Lebanese parliament fails to elect a new president for the 11th time.

Michel Moawad: 34
Blank votes: 36
New Lebanon: 12
Cancelled Votes: 26
Other: 9

Cancelled votes include "Justice for the Victims of August 4", "Presidential Priorities", "Agreement", and "Bernie Sanders".

After getting a single vote, candidate Milad Bou Malhab shouted "God is great", to which Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri ordered that he be prohibited from entering the parliament again.

🔴 3rd day of tension—IDF attempts construction work on Lebanon border

This morning, an Israeli excavator attempted again to clear trees and shrubs over the Blue Line, north of where yesterday's attempts occurred, near the Metula settlement. The Israelis were stopped by the Lebanese army after 2 meters of work.

Video by: @⁠⁠⁠alishoeib1970

⋯ The UNIFIL also brought reinforcements to the borders of Metula settlement to separate the Lebanese army from the Israeli occupation army.

Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah's speech on the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of the Consultative Center for Studies and Documentation has started.

Highlights below. twitter.com/LebUpdate/sta…

⋯ Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on the US economic siege:

“Some Lebanese still don't believe that Lebanon is under a blockade. A blockade is not only resembled by a barge off the Lebanese coast to prevent the country from receiving goods or aid, but is manifested through the actions and attitudes of the American administration towards the Lebanese authorities.

“The blockade means preventing external assistance, grants, and loans from reaching Lebanon. It also means blocking the Lebanese state from accepting donations—as happened with the Russian and Iranian donations—, from accepting Chinese and Russian investments, and from addressing the issue of the Syrian refugees.”