Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh issued Monday a decree that allows public sector workers to withdraw their entire salaries from the banks, with no restrictions.

The statement said that all banks must secure the needed liquidity to allow public sector workers to withdraw their entire monthly salaries, additional compensations, social assistance, and payments from their solidarity funds.

The United Arab Emirates' energy minister doubled down Monday on an oil alliance with Russia that's helped buoy crude prices to their highest in years as Moscow's war on Ukraine rattles markets and sends energy and commodity prices soaring.

The minister said Russia, with its 10 million barrels of oil a day, is an important member of the global OPEC+ energy alliance.

Layal Aswad was already exhausted by Lebanon's devastating two-year economic collapse. Now, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine sends food and energy prices soaring even further, she finds herself struggling to put food on the table for her family of four.

"Even bread is not something we take for granted anymore," said the 48-year-old housewife, standing recently in a supermarket aisle in front of gallons of cooking oil whose prices had risen to an all-time high.

Layla Ibrahim has cut down on her daily meat consumption, not because of a health fad but forced by Lebanon's bruising economic crisis.

Talks between the Lebanese government and the International Monetary Fund over an economic recovery plan should make progress in the next two weeks, Prime Minister Najib Miqati said Saturday.

Speaking to reporters in Qatar, where he is attending the Doha Forum, Miqati said an IMF delegation will resume talks with the government in Beirut on Tuesday over the country's economic meltdown that began more than two years ago.

The British Embassy in Beirut has announced that it is "deeply concerned" by the closure by some Lebanese banks of certain accounts belonging to account holders in Lebanon who are nationals or residents of the United Kingdom.

Mount Lebanon Prosecutor Judge Ghada Aoun on Thursday issued an order asking the Customs administration to prevent six Lebanese banks from sending money abroad, al-Jadeed TV said.

The Russian stock market opened Thursday for limited trading under heavy restrictions for the first time since Moscow invaded Ukraine, coming almost a month after prices plunged and the market was shut down as a way to insulate the economy.

Trading of a limited number of stocks, including energy giants Gazprom and Rosneft, took place under curbs meant to prevent a repeat of the massive selloff on Feb. 24 that came in anticipation of Western economic sanctions.

The Germany government has announced a package of measures to help cushion the blow of high energy prices for consumers, with fuel subsidies, discounted public transport, tax benefits and additional support for the poorest.

Senior lawmakers unveiled the measures Thursday after lengthy haggling between the three parties that make up the center-left governing coalition.

French automaker Renault moved to pause production at its Moscow plant in an apparent move to fend off mounting criticism, breaking ranks with other major French companies that have defied pressure to keep operating in Russia.

The company's board of directors voted Wednesday night to suspend "activities at the Renault Moscow plant." It came hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the company and others in France of aiding Russia's war effort during an emotional virtual address to parliament.