Iran Press/ Middle East: Fouad Siniora and some former Lebanese politicians are fleeing Beirut, and choosing to live in the United Arab Emirates. According to media reports, the Lebanese army has reopened closed airport routes to facilitate the departure of fugitive politicians.
Meanwhile, demonstrators and police clashed in Lebanon on Thursday as thousands of people rallied against the government's handling of an economic crisis, in one of the biggest protests the country has seen in years, Iran Press reported.
The Lebanese government backed down from plans, announced just hours earlier, to tax voice calls made through the Facebook-owned WhatsApp messaging software as people vented their anger at the political elite in the second nationwide protests in less than a month.
Protesters blocked roads across Lebanon with burning tires and security forces fired tear gas at demonstrators in central Beirut early on Friday.
According to Lebanese media, dozens of people were wounded in the clashes between protesters and police. Lebanon's internal security forces said 60 police officers were wounded. 101/211/216
Read more:
Violent protests rock Lebanon
