The Maronite Patriarch in Bkirki is expected to witness popular protests Saturday to support the persistent calls of Maronite Patriarch Beshara el-Rahi for a UN-sponsored international conference for crisis-hit Lebanon.

Caretaker Health Minister Hamad Hassan hit back anew Friday at those who have criticized his decision to allow several MPs and parliament officials to bypass the national Covid-19 vaccination mechanism.

The administration of the American University of Beirut Medical Center issued a statement Friday clarifying information attributed to the state-run Central Inspection bureau, which claimed that 1,600 people who had not registered on the Health Ministry’s electronic platform have received the Covid-19 vaccine at AUBMC.

Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister and Presidential Special Envoy for the Middle East and Africa, on Friday held phone talks with Marada Movement chief Suleiman Franjieh.

Caretaker Minister of Finance Ghazi Wazni signed on Friday the letters of credit in favor of Électricité du Liban EDL for the shipment of fuel oil, the National News Agency reported.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said the UNIFIL will study the ways it can possibly help Lebanon counter the threat of an oil spill from Israel affecting Lebanon’s shores.

Circles close to Bkirki sounded the alarm on Friday saying crisis-hit Lebanon faces a threat of “total collapse,” and a genuine fear for the “presence” of its Christian community, al-Akhbar daily reported Friday.

They voiced real concern for the “fate” of Lebanon, noting that “Bkirki can no longer keep silent” while the country is driven to “collapse,” Bkirki sources told the daily.

For almost a week, the Lebanese have been suffering from severe electricity rationing that exceeded 8 hours a day in Beirut, while other areas witnessed daily power rationing that exceeded 12 hours, Asharq el Awsat daily reported on Friday.

U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres has extended the Special Tribunal for Lebanon's (STL) mandate from 1 March 2021 for "a further period of two years, or until the completion of the cases before the STL, if sooner, or until the exhaustion of available funds, if sooner," the STL said on Thursday.

"The extension is in accordance with Security Council resolution 1757 (2007)," the STL added in a statement.