Beirut traffic grinds to a halt as army prepares parade

Lebanese army preparations for an Independence Day parade next week brought parts of Beirut to a standstill yesterday, as road closures caused delays lasting hours for many of the capital’s commuters.A huge traffic jam stretching far out of the city snarled up the main coastal highway — the chief road running from north from the capital — and caused chaos in the districts alongside.Even by Beirut’s congested standards, yesterday’s gridlock was exceptional. Television stations ran live coverage, including comments of angry motorists — some in very colourful language.Lebanon’s decaying roads have been awaiting an overhaul since a 15-year civil war ended in 1990. The army apologised for the chaos in a tweet.