Lebanon’s judicial and security authorities are investigating violent clashes between protesters blocking one of Beirut’s main motorways and supporters of two Shiite parties, Hezbollah and Amal, on Sunday.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported that a large number of soldiers and civilians were injured in the clashes, and cars and shops were destroyed.
Witnesses said fighting broke out shortly after dozens of people gathered about 9pm to block a motorway known as The Ring, which has become a hot spot for protests.
A group of young men arrived on motorbikes and began cursing Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, a woman said.
To try to defuse any tension, protesters sang the national anthem and popular slogans, but a fight broke out between Hezbollah supporters and other demonstrators.
A video on social media showed protesters chanting “Hezbollah are terrorists”.
Others who carried Hezbollah's yellow flag responded with shouts of "God, Syria, Bashar and that's all", a reference to Syria's President Bashar Al Assad, a Hezbollah ally, local newspaper The Daily Star reported.
The pro-Hezbollah group threw rocks at protesters before the army charged and fired tear gas to disperse the crowd in the early hours of the morning.
Although two similar incidents have occurred on the same Beirut road over the past few weeks, this is the first time that an official investigation has been announced.
Other clashes occurred between those who support Hezbollah and those who do not, but the slogans on Sunday evening were noticeably more sectarian than before.
The Ring links Christian eastern neighbourhoods of the capital with Shiite-dominated western parts.
Protesters stayed on the motorway until dawn, but it had been cleared and traffic had returned to normal by mid-morning.
Joseph Tawk, a columnist at Al Joumhouria newspaper, posted a video of himself on Twitter after he was beaten up on Sunday evening at The Ring.
Smiling despite a bloody nose, he accused the thugs who attacked him of not representing the Shiite community.
“We are not thugs," Tawk said. "We are Lebanese men and women. We are chanting slogans peacefully. We want a country. What do you want? Just sectarian leaders and Hezbollah?”
The UN special co-ordinator for Lebanon, Jan Kubis, urged all Lebanese political factions to try to calm their supporters.
Nationwide anti-government protests began on October 17 after the government tried to introduce new taxes.
Protesters now say they reject the entire Lebanese political system, which they accuse of corruption, and are demanding elections.
On Sunday evening, Hezbollah and Amal supporters also ransacked about 40 tents that had been set up near Al Amin Mosque in central Beirut by civil activists and people affiliated to local universities.
Watching men reassembling the tents the next morning, activist Riad Issa said he believed the violence on Sunday was fuelled by ignorance.
“The people who used violence against us are like us,” Mr Issa said. “They are also oppressed by politicians.
"But maybe they have not arrived at the point where they can free themselves from sectarianism.”
Asked why the Shiite community felt threatened by the protests, Mr Issa said he believed it was because they felt that Hezbollah was being asked to give up its weapons.
“They think it’s against them but it’s not true,” he said. “We want a technocratic government without politicians because they have failed us for the past 30 years.
"We do not want Hezbollah, but at the same time we do not want the Free Patriotic Movement and the Future Movement.”
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more from Janine di Giovanni
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
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On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Dhadak
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana
Stars: 3
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Why are you, you?
Why are you, you?
From this question, a new beginning.
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For you are a world, and a meeting of worlds.
Our dream is to unite that which has been
separated by history.
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beyond colour and creed and gender.
The lightning flash of art
And the music of the heart.
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with the unique light of art.
Ben Okri,
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
Match info
Bournemouth 1 (King 45 1')
Arsenal 2 (Lerma 30' og, Aubameyang 67')
Man of the Match: Sead Kolasinac (Arsenal)
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Scoreline
Australia 2-1 Thailand
Australia: Juric 69', Leckie 86'
Thailand: Pokklaw 82'
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
