A scandal of red diesel has hit Lebanon after the residents of the country’s coldest areas, who were supposed to take advantage of a temporary government slash of Value Added Tax, suffered from shortages. [Naharnet]

In fact, it was reported that 8 million liters of red diesel were delivered over night at the discounted price to companies and gas stations by the Tripoli refinery and were sold at the normal price of 29,300 LL, which means that they made around 16 Million Dollars in profit.

Gebran Bassil is supposedly behind this scandal and the head of parliament Nabih Berri, as well as many political parties have asked for an investigation. The latest on this matter was revealed today by the head of the Audit bureau, Judge Aouni Ramadan, who stressed that the amount of red diesel sold by a refinery in north Lebanon to oil distribution companies the last day of a one-month government subsidy was much higher than claims made by Energy Minister Jebran Bassil. [Link]

In an attempt to encourage Lebanese to use public transportation, Zawarib has compiled a bus map for Beirut. You can view it and download it using the following link. [Bus Map Beirut]

Patriarch Rai has been an advocate of dialogue ever since he was voted Maronite Patriarch of Antioch, and has opened channels of dialogue with all Lebanese, including the Shiite armed group Hezbollah. Nevertheless, Rai insists that his meetings with Hezbollah officials does not replace the need for an official dialogue among all political factions in the country. He also insisted on many occasions the obligations the state has to guarantee people's safety. 

The president of the Lebanese Republic Michel Sleiman received today at the presidential palace in Baabda the Special Tribunal for Lebanon Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare. The president expressed his gratitude for all the efforts exerted by Bellemare concerning the probe into ex-Premier Rafik Hariri's assassination. [Naharnet]

In other news, President Sleiman will supposedly sign the decree on wage  increases by the end of this month after Prime Minister Mikati had signed it earlier today. [NowLebanon]

The Lebanese cabinet was finally able to pass a law raising the minimum wage to 675,000, after months of political bickering. Charbel Nahhas' plan was rejected by vote and the economic committes applauded the new wage hike. For those interesting in knowing the percentage of increase resulting from this wage hike, check the full table [Here].