French Transport Minister delegate Jean-Baptiste Djebbari arrived in Beirut on Thursday to donate buses to Lebanon.

Djebbari will sign with Public Works and Transport Minister Ali Hamiyeh a memorandum of understanding.

Lebanon’s central bank, known as the Banque du Liban (BDL), announced Wednesday that it has asked commercial banks to provide it with the names of the “politically exposed figures” who have failed to repatriate their bank transfers from abroad in the wake of the country’s historic financial crisis.

In a statement, BDL’s Special Investigation Commission said it had made the request following a meeting that was held on March 3, adding that the names of those who have complied should also be submitted to the central bank.

With support from the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the implementation of the one-year project “Livelihood Support in the Beqaa and North Lebanon targeting Syrian Refugees” has kicked off, the IOM said in a statement distributed by the U.N. Information Center in Lebanon.

Israeli army chief Aviv Kohavi arrived Wednesday in Bahrain for a historic first visit by an Israeli army commander to the tiny Gulf kingdom, the Israeli army said.

He was welcomed by Chief of Staff of the Bahraini Defense Force, Lieutenant General Theyab Bin Saqer al-Noaimi.

Hizbullah has deliberately let Israel know of the presence of air defense systems in its possession in Lebanon, Israeli media reports said.

Quoting the commanders of the Israeli army’s operations branch, an Israeli news website said the Iran-backed group had managed to bring the systems into Lebanon through Syria despite Israel’s numerous airstrikes on its arms shipments.

Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib stressed Wednesday from Cairo that Lebanon is “determined to rise again,” urging the Arab countries to assist it in its efforts.

The Lebanese pound declined again, as it reached 23,000 against the dollar on Wednesday.

The LBP had been relatively stable since a central bank circular in January allowed banks to buy dollar banknotes from the BDL.

Ukraine's government has banned the export of wheat, oats and other staples that are crucial for global food supplies as authorities try to ensure they can feed people during Russia's intensifying war.

The products they send are made into bread, noodles and animal feed around the world, and any shortages could create food insecurity in places like Lebanon and Egypt.

Today on March 8, International Women’s Day, the United Nations celebrates the contribution of women and girls around the world, who are "leading the charge on climate change adaptation, mitigation, and response, to build a more sustainable future for all," a U.N. statement said.

"We are not only celebrating their efforts to alleviate the severe and lasting impacts of climate change on our environmental, economic, and social development, but also their integral role in sustaining viable communities," the statement said.

President Michel Aoun said on International Women's Day, Tuesday, that "political sectarianism cannot be abolished and people cannot be unified, unless there is a unified personal status law."

He added that "it is not possible to live in one house with different and unequal rights."