As per Al-Jadeed, A Ukranian woman was arrested at Beirut airport today after she stripped naked in protest against the smoking ban!
If only our people protested this way instead of burning tires and blocking roads!
Update:
I just read in The Daily Star that some source in the airport claimed this lady was actually protesting the General Security’s decision to expel her from the country because her residency papers had expired. You can check the article here.
With the heavy rain we got over the last few days, here’s how people were being greeted on their way our of Beirut airport.
It’s more like they were swimming their way our of the airport!
Photo via Pascal Assaf
According to this article from Al-Akhbar, Mohamad El-Hout (The CEO of MEA) is now working to convince the American authorities to remove the ban on MEA that was imposed in 1985 following the hijacking of a TWA plane at Beirut airport.
Aridi and Hout requested the resumption of air transport relations between Lebanon and the United States. One expert familiar with the issue said, “Hout went seeking US recognition of Beirut Airport’s ability, and the adequacy of its safety standards, to receive American airplanes and fly MEA planes to the United States.”
There has been an American ban on MEA since the hijacking of a TWA American passenger plane at Beirut Airport in 1985. Following this incident, the airport was put on the US terror list. MEA flights were banned from US airports and American airliners no longer flew to the airport in Lebanon.
The expert revealed that Hout took detailed files on MEA and Beirut airport to the DoT in America, including information on public safety standards at the airport, the technology used in this regard, as well as current capabilities and other related information. The DoT officials were satisfied with the information Aridi and Hout provided about the Lebanese carrier and the airport.
Telling by the actions Hout is taking, I wouldn’t be surprised if flights really resume some time in the near future. Given of course that politics will have nothing to do with the matter…
Two friends of mine just shared this video on Facebook! Looks like some of Beirut airport staff performed on March 5th 2011 a dabke dance inside the airport premises to the rythm of a Houwwara song, and it turned out pretty cool!
I have no idea why did they do it, but I loved how people of all ages were participating, kudos!
Update:
Here’s another video, shot on March 4th, of a rehearsal for the dance. According to Biba from +961’s page on Facebook, the dance was done for an ad for Beirut Duty Free.