Chairman of the Association of Banks in Lebanon Salim Sfeir assured on Saturday that Lebanese banks have not seen "any unusual or extraordinary movements" of funds on Friday and Saturday after a two-week closure due to protests across the country, media reports said.

Police on Saturday arrested a man for making threats to bomb a bank in the southern city of Tyre.

Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri will likely be named to form a new government amid reports saying the size of the government could be reduced to 14 ministers from the original 30, al-Liwaa daily reported on Saturday.

An unnamed source told the daily that the ongoing consultations between political parties have reportedly “agreed” to reassign Hariri to form a new government, and that the decree could be issued on “Tuesday.”

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Friday called for the formation of a “salvation government,” as he hit out at caretaker Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil and caretaker Defense Minister Elias Bou Saab.

“What’s needed is a salvation government and not any other government. The government should be formed of independent and expert figures who are upright and successful,” Geagea said after a meeting for the LF’s Strong Republic parliamentary bloc.

Around 30 protesters on Friday staged a symbolic rally near the presidential palace in Baabda, demanding “the speeding up of the (binding) parliamentary consultations” necessary to form a new government.

Rebecca (“Becky”) Dykes was “a talented, devoted humanitarian, whose skill, expertise, and passion improved the lives of many people,” the British embassy in Beirut said on Friday, a few hours after the British diplomat’s murderer was convicted of murder and rape.

“She was an impassioned advocate for those who most need support, a true friend of Lebanon, and an outstanding representative for the UK. She had an exciting, bright future ahead of her,” the embassy said in a statement.

Protests have flared in Lebanon and around the world, with citizens rallying for the last few weeks demanding change in their countries.

Here are the reasons seven of them from Lebanon to Chile are taking to the streets.

Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Friday urged the formation of a “sovereign government” within “days,” as he noted the Lebanese have managed to foil a “strife” scheme and a “political coup” attempt.

“We call for dialogue and communication between all components and the protest movement's representatives,” Nasrallah said in a televised speech.

The United Kingdom announced up to $25m in support to Lebanese Armed Forces for 2019-2022, the British Embassy in Lebanon said on Twitter on Friday.

The Internal Security Forces arrested a handful of activists on Friday who stormed the headquarters of the Association of Banks in Lebanon in the Gemmayze area.