Local News
Lebanon air links paralysed by anti-government protests
By AFP
May 8, 2008 - 2:53:44 AM

BEIRUT (AFP) — 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 AFP.

"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 tyres 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 labour 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.