Six conservationists working to save the critically endangered Asiatic cheetah have been sentenced to prison on internationally criticized espionage charges in Iran, activists said Thursday, even as protests and unrest continue in parts of the country amid a government-imposed internet shutdown.

The case against members of the nonprofit Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation show how spying charges and convictions can be levied against dual nationals and those with Western ties in Iran in closed-door trials before its Revolutionary Court.

On one of Beirut's main commercial streets, store owners are cutting salaries by half or considering shutting down. Shops advertise sales, but still can't draw in customers. The only place doing a thriving business: the store that sells safes, as Lebanese increasingly stash their cash at home.

It's a sign Lebanese fear their country's financial crisis, which has been worsening for months, could tip over into disaster.

Protesters in the southern city of Sidon forced the closure of exchange and money transfer houses as Lebanon grapples with a dollar shortage crisis triggering economic woes, the National News Agency reported on Wednesday.

The Israeli army carried out a "wide-scale" attack against Iranian forces and Syrian army targets in Syria Wednesday, killing at least 11 fighters, the Israeli army and a monitoring group said. 

Amid month-long anti-government protests, Lebanon will host North Korea in an empty stadium in a World Cup qualifying game.

The Asian Football Confederation says the decision followed advice "to guarantee high security standards and a safe environment for the teams and match officials."

Scuffles broke out in central Beirut on Tuesday as thousands of anti-government protesters tried to prevent lawmakers from reaching Parliament, outraged that a session was planned even though the country is still without a Cabinet.

When one legislator headed toward the building and could not reach it and turned back, his bodyguards opened fire in the air to clear the way. No one was hurt in the incident.

Anti-government demonstrators in southern Iraq blocked roads leading to the country’s main port on Monday, while the country’s central bank reduced working hours because of ongoing demonstrations, security officials said.

Protesters burned tires, blocking the roads to the Umm Qasr port, responsible for the bulk of the country’s commodities imports, a Basra security official said.

The U.S. State Department on Monday accused the Russian government of seeking to “cast doubt on the authenticity of the Lebanese people’s demand to end endemic corruption.”

“Russian attempts to miscast the Lebanese people’s resolve as a U.S. plot follow a well-worn playbook,” State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said.

Army Commander Gen. Joseph Aoun toured several areas around the country, visiting troops and vowing to protect the protesters.

Lebanon’s protests have shown unusual, overt anger at the country’s powerhouse, Hizbullah.

The Shiite group has long enjoyed a reputation among its supporters as a champion of the poor and defender of the country against Israel. That’s helped it dominate Lebanon’s political scene.