International credit ratings agency Moody's on Tuesday downgraded Lebanon's issuer ratings to Caa2 from Caa1, saying “the ratings remain on review for downgrade.”

“The downgrade to Caa2 reflects the increased likelihood of a debt rescheduling or other liability management exercise that may constitute a default under Moody's definition since opening the review for downgrade of the Caa1 ratings at the start of October,” the agency said.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Tuesday said that he supports “the real civil protest movement.”

“I support the protest movement and all its demands, except for two issues: the blocking of roads and the swears and insults,” Berri told reporters after a meeting for the Parliament Bureau in Ain el-Tineh.

Financial Prosecutor Ali Ibrahim on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against former minister Fayez Shukur over “professional negligence at the National Social Security Fund,” the National News Agency said.

“He has referred the file to Beirut’s first examining magistrate,” NNA added.

The Donald Trump administration reiterated support for the Lebanese army and security forces, stressing that “no expenditures or purchases of military material have been delayed,” without saying whether the $105 million in aid is still on hold, UAE’s English-language daily The National reported on Tuesday.

Two more journalists from the pro-Hizbullah al-Akhbar daily quit their jobs at the paper on Tuesday over what they said is its coverage policy of the October 17 popular uprising in Lebanon.

Sabah Ayoub, one of the journalists, wrote on Twitter: “Reasons have piled up making me resign al-Akhbar, the last of which was the paper’s coverage policy of the popular October 17 uprising.”

Protesters held a sit-in in downtown Beirut outside the new offices of touch, one of two mobile network operators in Lebanon, chanting slogans and demanding a cut in service fees, the National News Agency reported on Tuesday.

The Lebanese army made several arrests in Beirut's northern suburb of Zouk Mosbeh as it scrambled with protesters who refused to open the road and were forcefully removed from the main highway.

Demonstrations in Lebanon continued for the twentieth consecutive day on Tuesday where protesters blocked key roads accusing political leaders of stalling on the formation of a new government amid differences over who should be included.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned last Tuesday, meeting a key demand of the protesters. They have been holding demonstrations since Oct. 17 demanding an end to widespread corruption and mismanagement by the political class that has ruled the country for three decades.

Caretaker Telecommunications Minister Mohammed Choucair on Monday ordered mobile network operators touch and Alfa to sell prepaid recharge cards according to the official dollar exchange rate set by the central bank, after dollar rationing in the country led to a hike in prices.

“After a series of meetings and contacts held by Minister Choucair with the various parties and officials concerned with the issue of recharge cards, it has been decided to deliver these cards to distributors in Lebanese lira and according to the official US dollar exchange rate set by Banque du Liban,” Choucair’s press office said in a statement.

Al-Mustaqbal Movement on Monday denied allegations accusing it of orchestrating the road-blocking protests in some regions to press for the re-appointment of caretaker PM Saad Hariri as prime minister.

“Some news websites and social media activists are holding al-Mustaqbal Movement responsible for the blocking of roads in several regions, attributing their allegations to an alleged order for the Movement’s supporters to take to the streets to take part in a tug of war over the parliamentary consultations and support the designation of PM Saad Hariri,” al-Mustaqbal said in a statement.