Trial Chamber II of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) issued Monday an order scheduling a public hearing on 13 December 2019 at 10:00 A.M. (CET) to hear arguments from the Office of the Prosecutor and the Head of the Defense Office on initiating in absentia proceedings against Salim Ayyash over the Murr, Hawi and Hamadeh attacks, the STL said.

Caretaker Economy Minister Mansour Bteish on Monday reiterated his rejection of any increase in the price of bread amid the economic and financial crises in the country.

Bteish’s stance came in two separate meetings with delegations from the association of mill owners and the association of bakery owners.

President Michel Aoun on Monday noted that the protest movement that has been sweeping the country since Oct. 17 has “breached a lot of (sectarian) protectorates and eliminated a lot of red lines.”

“In the coming period, you will witness things that will satisfy you and all Lebanese,” Aoun told a delegation from the Beirut Bar Association led by its newly-elected chief Melhem Khalaf – a prominent civil society figure who is backed by the protest movement.

Caretaker Minister of Energy Nada Bustani on Monday postponed a fuel tender to import gasoline by one week “to pave way for more competition.”

There were no regional or international positions regarding the latest developments in protest-hit Lebanon, but a “friendly” tripartite American-British-French meeting on Lebanon has been postponed, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Monday.

The meeting, orchestrated by French President Emmanuel Macron, was expected to be held this week in London to discuss the situation in Lebanon.

Lebanon's army on Sunday said it stopped a boat carrying 34 Syrian refugees who were trying to leave the protest-hit country.

Anti-corruption protesters on Sunday marched from Hamra, Ashrafieh and Mathaf towards central Beirut as rival demos were held near the presidential palace in Baabda.

One of the demos in Baabda was organized by the Sabaa Party and civil society protesters while the other was organized by supporters of President Michel Aoun.

A Hizbullah minister has noted that there could be a solution soon to the government formation crisis after the international community sent a “message” to all political forces.

“A solution started looming after the international message reached the various political parties,” caretaker State Minister for Parliament Affairs Mahmoud Qmati said, noting that “several international parties” are pushing for a solution in Lebanon.

A premier-designate is supposed to be named next week if the intentions turn out to be “honest,” Strong Lebanon bloc secretary MP Ibrahim Kanaan said on Sunday.

“It is needed to activate the work of the caretaker government pending the formation of the new government,” Kanaan said in a radio interview.

MP Jamil al-Sayyed has stressed that no premier-designate will be picked next week to form the new government.

“According to the obvious indications, there will be no government next week and the issue is related to its shape,” al-Sayyed, who is close to Hizbullah, said in a TV interview.