Tuk-tuk drivers block Palma highway in Tripoli

BEIRUT — Tuk-tuk owners in Tripoli blocked the Palma highway in both directions on Thursday, obstructing traffic, according to local media outlets.On Wednesday, Tuk-tuk drivers in northern Lebanon, the Bekaa and Baalbeck had already staged sit-ins in response to a decision by the Interior Ministry to suspend tuk-tuk operations nationwide, citing safety and regulatory concerns.Interior Minister Ahmad al-Hajjar had said earlier this week that tuk-tuks are operating without proper licenses and pose significant risks to public safety. “They are not classified as public transportation vehicles and must be regulated,” he said. However, critics argue that the ban disproportionately affects low-income communities and should be reconsidered in light of Lebanon’s ongoing economic crisis....