Fuel shortage, price hikes squeeze protest-hit LebanonLebanon's Syndicate of Gas Station Owners warned it could be forced to close all petrol stationsBEIRUT - A rationing of dollars by banks in protest-hit Lebanon sparked growing alarm on Saturday as some petrol pumps ran dry and grocery stores hiked prices. On Saturday, several petrol stations ran out of fuel because of a shortage of dollars needed to pay for imports, a syndicate head said. Current medical stocks in the country "will not last more than a month", hospital syndicate head Suleiman Haroun said. - Price hikes -Grievances driving Lebanon's protests range from power cuts and poor social security to alleged state corruption. According to Zouhair Berro, the head of the Lebanese Consumers Association, the dollar shortage is leading to price hikes, particularly for meat, vegetables and dairy.

Source: Bangkok Post November 10, 2019 05:18 UTC