Senior Hizbullah official Sheikh Nabil Qaouq stressed Sunday that his party is “keen on the government’s efficacy and on Cabinet sessions’ continuity,” in the wake of the latest row over the approval of the state budget and the military appointments.

Al-Mustabal Movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri arrived at dawn Sunday in Beirut to mark the 17th anniversary of the assassination of his father, ex-PM Rafik Hariri.

President Michel Aoun has described the behavior of Shiite ministers in the latest Cabinet session as “shameful,” as he said that he fears that the parliamentary elections might be postponed due to a lack of funds.

The Shiite ministers’ “objection was not over the appointments themselves not over the appointees. The issue is that there is a vacant post, the State Security deputy chief, to whom the Shiite ministers want to name a successor, but they did not bring a proposed name,” Aoun said in an interview with al-Akhbar newspaper.

The Development and Liberation bloc of the Amal Movement on Friday stressed its “rejection of the manner in which the state budget was approved” Thursday in Cabinet.

UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Stefano Del Col on Friday chaired this year’s first Tripartite meeting with senior Lebanese Army and Israeli army officers in Ras al-Naqoura. It was the outgoing UNIFIL head’s last Tripartite meeting.

The International Support Group for Lebanon (ISG) met in Beirut Friday to review preparations for the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Echoing the U.N. Security Council press statement on Lebanon of 4 February 2022, and recalling its previous statements, the ISG reiterated its call for “free, fair, transparent and inclusive elections, as scheduled on 15 May 2022.”

Cars and houses were damaged when a pickup truck carrying gas cylinders caught fire and exploded on the Zouk highway.

Media reports said the blast shook buildings in the area and echoed across nearby regions. The flames also reached a residential building near the explosion site as damage to power lines caused a blackout in the area.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati said Friday that a new law for the ports, including the port of Beirut, is being prepared.

He added, in a ceremony at the Grand Serail, that Beirut's port must be rebuilt for it to attract optimal investments.

Interior Minister Bassam al-Mawlawi on Thursday announced that he has banned two pro-Bahraini opposition rallies that had been scheduled to be held at a Lebanese hotel.

In a statement, Mawlawi said the two events had been scheduled to be held on February 11 and 14 at the al-Saha Hotel near Beirut airport.

The Cabinet on Thursday approved the 2022 state budget during a session at the Baabda Palace.

Speaking at a press conference after the session, Prime Minister Najib Miqati said the budget’s revenues are expected to be LBP 39,000 billion and its expenditure is expected to be LBP 47,000 billion.