Lebanon witnessed numerous events, political, social, and economic milestones in 2022. However, some occurrences can only be classified as oddities and wonders. Here are the most notable:
**Stray Bullets and Airlines**
A significant number of casualties in Lebanon result from stray bullets during various occasions, largely due to uncontrolled weapons. Strangely, Beirut International Airport was also hit by this stray fire. On November 10, a Lebanese airline plane coming from Jordan was struck by a stray bullet while landing at the airport, with deputy Paula Yacoubian on board.
**Condoms in Parliament**
A scandal erupted in the offices of the Parliament when deputy Cynthia Zarazir caused a stir on social media by revealing that she was harassed under the dome of the Parliament. She discovered used condoms and "Playboy" magazines in the office assigned to her after her success in the parliamentary elections.
**Deputy for Only a Few Months**
Rami Fanj and Firas Saloum did not enjoy their parliamentary tenure long, as their presence in the parliamentary arena lasted only a few months until the Constitutional Council annulled their deputies on November 24 in favor of Faisal Karami and Haidar Nasser.
**The Minister's Slap**
In an incident that engaged Lebanese citizens for several days, often with sympathy, Minister of Energy Walid Fayad was harassed in April by several individuals, escalating to him being slapped in the face.
**Murder One Week After the Wedding**
In a crime that drew significant astonishment, a Syrian woman shot her husband. Specifically, "the Syrian woman (H.M.J.) shot her husband (S.A.M.) in the town of Brital, affiliated with Baalbek, hitting him in the abdomen and killing him," notably just ten days after their marriage.
**Car for Child's Corpse**
In a shocking incident hard to imagine in any nation that respects its citizens, Hussein Al-Ba’rini from Akkar handed over his car to the hospital in exchange for receiving the body of his child who died after 24 days in the hospital, as he was unable to pay the bill. A photo of Hussein carrying his child's body and walking out of the hospital garnered significant sympathy on social media.
**Judges Not Working**
Lebanon remained without a functioning judiciary for the last months of 2022 as judges decided to go on strike, completely paralyzing justice. Such a reality is rare globally, as the judiciary is the last institution that can afford paralysis; otherwise, societies risk becoming prey to crime.
**Sally Holds the Bank Hostage**
Sally Hafiz, a Lebanese young woman, made headlines by storming her bank branch in Soudeco, brandishing a weapon. She agreed to leave only after receiving part of her deposit to treat her sister. Ironically, the gun she used in the heist on September 14 was not real.
**Swimming on the Highway**
While it is not the first time that Lebanon's streets are flooded by rainwater, the events of November 30 were particularly severe when Jounieh was flooded, with water entering homes and shops, turning the coastal highway into a floating sea, resulting in one victim on that day.
**The Dollar: The Greatest Wonder**
The event that remains at the forefront throughout the year is the dollar, deserving the title of "greatest wonder." Lebanese citizens were puzzled about when its price would rise and when it would fall, often seeming like magic. The morning price is not the same as the evening price, and vice versa. The show goes on.
