Public drivers, tanker trucks and buses blocked major highways Thursday to protest the country's deteriorating economic and financial conditions

The general strike by public transport and labor unions started at 5 a.m., making it difficult for people to move around.

Power shortages and soaring petrol prices mean many Lebanese university students can neither afford to reach their classes nor study from home, a conundrum that is ravaging a generation's future.

Agnes, a 22-year-old dentistry student from south Lebanon, is among the few still plodding to class in Beirut four days a week.

Hizbullah has hosted a conference for Saudi opposition figures in its stronghold south of Beirut on Wednesday in a defiant gesture certain to anger the oil-rich kingdom.

The gathering came as the Lebanese government is trying to mend relations with Saudi Arabia that hit a new low in October when the kingdom recalled its ambassador from Beirut and banned all Lebanese imports.

Unknown individuals torched a picture of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri at dawn Wednesday in the southern town of Khiyam, state-run National News Agency reported.

President Michel Aoun, who finalized his talks with the heads of blocs Wednesday, will announce his final stance on national dialogue on Thursday, TV networks said.

Aoun had earlier in the day met with Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil and delegations from the Consultative Gathering, the Social National bloc and the Armenian bloc.

The U.S. Embassy in Beirut on Wednesday denied reports claiming that Ambassador Dorothy Shea has met with Speaker Nabih Berri to discuss issues related to the central bank.

“We have been surprised by a media report noting that the central bank was yesterday the subject of a discussion between Ambassador Shea and Speaker Berri,” the Embassy said in an Arabic-language tweet.

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil said Wednesday he told President Michel Aoun to hold dialogue regardless of the number of boycotters, adding that dialogue is the “way to salvation”.

Bassil said after meeting Aoun in Baabda that “it is not true that there are two camps in Lebanon, at least the FPM doesn’t belong to any camp.”

Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh has said that banks are now allowed to unlimitedly buy U.S. dollars from the central bank in Lebanese pounds at the price specified by the Sayrafa platform.

“In addition to the monthly quota that the banks are withdrawing in USD, the banks now have the right to buy dollar banknotes from the BDL with the LBP currency that they and their customers possess, without a ceiling,” Salameh said.

Austria's foreign minister said Wednesday that the European Union wants to help Lebanon escape its economic meltdown, but only if the country's leaders clean up Beirut's affairs.

Alexander Schallenberg told reporters after meeting his Lebanese counterpart in Beirut that Lebanon should reach a deal with the International Monetary Fund, move forward with the investigation into the August 2020 port blast and restructure the hard-hit banking sector.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati hasn’t contacted the Shiite Duo to see whether they would attend a Cabinet session dedicated to discussing the 2022 draft state budget, Shiite Duo sources said.

The sources told al-Joumhouriya newspaper, in remarks published Wednesday, that neither Miqati nor any other party has contacted the Shiite Duo concerning their stand on a Cabinet session that Miqati said he will call.