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Strike paralyses Lebanon amid worsening economic conditions

A GENERAL strike by public transport and general trade unions paralysed Lebanon yesterday as the country suffers one of the world’s worst economic crises.

Unions say that the political elite that has run the nation of six million people, including a million Syrian refugees, since the 1975-90 civil war, is resisting reforms and mired in corruption.

Universities and schools were closed all over Lebanon and many people were not able to reach work because of road closures.

Protesters closed the country’s major highways as well as roads inside cities and towns starting at 5am.

The nationwide protests, dubbed a “day of rage,” are scheduled to last for 12 hours.

Taxi and truck drivers used their vehicles to block roads to protest against a sharp increase in fuel prices as the government lifted subsidies. They are demanding getting subsidised fuel again.

In the capital Beirut, many roads were blocked by giant rubbish bins and vehicles.

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