Quantcast
Article Index |Advertise | Mobile | RSS | Wireless | Newsletter | Archive | Corrections | Syndication | Contact us | About Us| Services
 
  Breaking News :    
Advertisement
Robinsons Land Corp.
Sta Lucia Realty

INQUIRER ALERT
Get the free INQUIRER newsletter
Enter your email address:

 
Breaking News / World Type Size: (+) (-)
You are here: Home > News > Breaking News > World

  ARTICLE SERVICES      
     Reprint this article     Print this article  
    Send as an e-mail     Send Feedback  
    Post a comment   Share  

  RELATED STORIES  




imns



Lebanon air links paralyzed by anti-government protests


Agence France-Presse
First Posted 14:04:00 05/08/2008

Filed Under: Protest, Air Transport, airport security

BEIRUT -- Lebanon's international airport was closed on Thursday because of Hezbollah-led anti-government protests, with all flights cancelled until at least noon (0900 GMT), an airport official told Agence France-Presse.

"All flights between midnight and noon were cancelled, and then we will see what happens," the official said.

On Wednesday demonstrators blocked the road leading to Rafiq Hariri International Airport with burning tires and mounds of earth, leaving arriving passengers stranded and forcing others to miss their flights.

The protests caused massive disruption to traffic on Wednesday, and many passengers had no choice but to walk along the main airport road and negotiate the obstacles as they sought to make their way home.

Among those stranded for several hours were the musical and dance troupe of Lebanese singing diva Fairuz, who were returning from a performance in the United Arab Emirates.

The strike was originally called by the country's main labor union to push the government to raise the monthly minimum wage which has been unchanged since 1996.

But it quickly degenerated into violence between supporters of the Western-backed ruling coalition and the opposition, backed by Syria and Iran.

The violence was a serious escalation of the country's prolonged political crisis, which has left Lebanon without a president since November.



Copyright 2009 Agence France-Presse. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.



Share

RELATED STORIES:

OTHER STORIES:



  ^ Back to top

© Copyright 2001-2009 INQUIRER.net, An INQUIRER Company

The INQUIRER Network: HOME | NEWS | SPORTS | SHOWBIZ & STYLE | TECHNOLOGY | BUSINESS | OPINION | GLOBAL NATION | Site Map
Services: Advertise | Buy Content | Wireless | Newsletter | Low Graphics | Search / Archive | Article Index | Contact us
The INQUIRER Company: About the Inquirer | User Agreement | Link Policy | Privacy Policy

Advertisement
Megaworld
Filinvest
Property Guide
Xoom
Inquirer VDO