Protesters block roads in Beirut, other parts of Lebanon

Protesters blocked roads in Beirut and in other parts of Lebanon on Monday, pressing a wave of demonstrations that have paralysed the country for more than two weeks.

A number of main roads were blocked in the capital Beirut, witnesses said. Schools were cancelled for a third week.

The National News Agency said protesters had blocked roads in other areas including the northern city of Tripoli and south of Beirut in the Khalde area on the main highway to the southern Lebanon.

Mass protests erupted across Lebanon on Oct. 17, against plans to tax calls on WhatsApp and other messaging services. The demonstrations quickly turned into wider grievances with calls for the resignation of the Lebanese government and bringing corrupt officials to accountability.

Lebanon suffers from high unemployment, little growth and one of the highest debt ratios in the world, with the debt burden reaching $86.2 billion in the first quarter of 2019, according to the Ministry of Finance.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced his resignation Tuesday amid ongoing protests, but Aoun urged him to remain in his post until the new government is established.