Lebanese rush to shops, banks, and cafes as 4-day virus lockdown lifted

Lebanese rush to shops, banks, and cafes as 4-day virus lockdown lifted

People walk past open shops in Beirut, as Lebanon is gradually reopening its economy following a shutdown imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus.. PM urges citizens to 'take responsibility' for stopping spread of COVID-19 as anti-government protesters return to streets. BEIRUT: The end of Lebanon's four-day lockdown on Monday saw citizens flood to shops, banks, cafes, and places of work amid government fears that ignoring social distancing guidelines could have serious "consequences" for the country.. Assem Araji, head of Lebanon's parliamentary health committee, told Arab News: "Continuing to close the country is no longer useful in light of the suffocating economic crisis and the collapse of the Lebanese pound.. "The country had to be reopened because the people want to eat and the unemployment rate touched 70 percent, according to the Ministry of Social Affairs.. Rocket hits near US embassy in Baghdad /node/1676706/middle-east. It follows more than two dozen similar attacks against American interests in Iraq since October that the US has blamed on Iran-backed factions among Iraq's security forces.. But the forces are a thorn in the side of Iran and its allies in Iraq, which have insisted they leave the country..