Lebanese banks to suspend open-ended strike at PM’s request

By BASSEM MROUE
Associated Press

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s struggling banks have decided to suspend their strike for one week, following a request by caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati. The Association of Banks in Lebanon did not give further details about Friday’s decision to suspend the strike, which had been ongoing since Feb. 7. The strike was in protest of a recent court ruling that forced one of the country’s largest banks to pay out two of its depositors their trapped savings in cash. The decision comes as many Lebanese, including civil servants, are expecting to receive their monthly salaries. Those are typically paid out toward the end of the month through bank accounts.