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| Strike plunges Lebanon into chaos | Strike plunges Lebanon into chaos |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Thousands of demonstrators have paralysed much of Lebanon, barricading roads as part of a strike aimed at toppling the government. | Thousands of demonstrators have paralysed much of Lebanon, barricading roads as part of a strike aimed at toppling the government. |
| Dozens of people were injured in Beirut as government supporters confronted opposition protesters in bouts of stone throwing, fist fights and gunfire. | Dozens of people were injured in Beirut as government supporters confronted opposition protesters in bouts of stone throwing, fist fights and gunfire. |
| The protesters blocked roads into Beirut with barricades and burning tyres, and flights were cancelled. | The protesters blocked roads into Beirut with barricades and burning tyres, and flights were cancelled. |
| The Hezbollah-led opposition called the strike and is urging fresh elections. | The Hezbollah-led opposition called the strike and is urging fresh elections. |
| The protesters see the government as being too close to the West, and accuse it of bankrupting Lebanon. | The protesters see the government as being too close to the West, and accuse it of bankrupting Lebanon. |
| The prime minister has accepted the principle of a government of national unity... [but] it is not acceptable to be dictated to by the opposition Sami HaddadEconomy minister class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6290673.stm">Q&A: Lebanon protests class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/6290949.stm">Lebanese strike viewpoints Pro-Western Lebanese leaders accuse strike leaders of staging a coup. | |
| An opposition protester manning one of the burning barricades on Beirut's airport road told the BBC that "only America and Britain" want Prime Minister Fouad Siniora to stay in office. | An opposition protester manning one of the burning barricades on Beirut's airport road told the BBC that "only America and Britain" want Prime Minister Fouad Siniora to stay in office. |
| "We may be causing some pollution, but it's better to put up with that for a few days than to put up with the pollution of this government," he said. | "We may be causing some pollution, but it's better to put up with that for a few days than to put up with the pollution of this government," he said. |
| There is little sign of a concerted move by the security forces to clear the barricades and open the roads, as the government had said they would, reports the BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut. | There is little sign of a concerted move by the security forces to clear the barricades and open the roads, as the government had said they would, reports the BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut. |
| In the north of the city, among the Christians and Muslims, there are both supporters and opponents of the government, so tension has been particularly high, our correspondent says. | In the north of the city, among the Christians and Muslims, there are both supporters and opponents of the government, so tension has been particularly high, our correspondent says. |
| "What is happening is the furthest thing from democratic means," Christian leader Samir Geagea told al-Jazeera television. "This is direct terrorism to paralyse the country." | "What is happening is the furthest thing from democratic means," Christian leader Samir Geagea told al-Jazeera television. "This is direct terrorism to paralyse the country." |
| But an opposition Christian leader, Suleiman Franjieh, told Hezbollah's al-Manar television: "Our campaign will escalate day by day. As long as they won't listen to us, we will not let them rest." | But an opposition Christian leader, Suleiman Franjieh, told Hezbollah's al-Manar television: "Our campaign will escalate day by day. As long as they won't listen to us, we will not let them rest." |
| United against Syria | United against Syria |
| Hezbollah, which is backed by Syria and Iran, has been campaigning since the beginning of December to replace the Western-backed cabinet with a government in which it would have a veto. | Hezbollah, which is backed by Syria and Iran, has been campaigning since the beginning of December to replace the Western-backed cabinet with a government in which it would have a veto. |
| In pictures: Beirut protests Its opposition movement includes some Druze and Christians, factions who also figure within the mainly Sunni Muslim, anti-Syrian government. | In pictures: Beirut protests Its opposition movement includes some Druze and Christians, factions who also figure within the mainly Sunni Muslim, anti-Syrian government. |
| The strike comes at a particularly difficult time for the government. | The strike comes at a particularly difficult time for the government. |
| Potential donors are gathering in Paris for a major aid conference on Thursday to help get Lebanon back on its feet after last summer's Hezbollah-Israel war. | Potential donors are gathering in Paris for a major aid conference on Thursday to help get Lebanon back on its feet after last summer's Hezbollah-Israel war. |
| The Lebanese economy and trade minister, Sami Haddad, told the BBC the government had accepted the principle of a national unity cabinet - but he said it would not be dictated to by the opposition. | The Lebanese economy and trade minister, Sami Haddad, told the BBC the government had accepted the principle of a national unity cabinet - but he said it would not be dictated to by the opposition. |
| But Mr Siniora still enjoys strong support from his loose alliance of Sunni Muslims, Christians and Druze, who are united in their desire to rid the country of the influence of its powerful neighbour, Syria. | But Mr Siniora still enjoys strong support from his loose alliance of Sunni Muslims, Christians and Druze, who are united in their desire to rid the country of the influence of its powerful neighbour, Syria. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Street uprisings are not true democracy, but organized thuggishness. Susan Starke, USA class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=5344&edition=1">Send us your comments His government is also backed by some powerful outside players, including the US, France and Saudi Arabia. | |
| The BBC's Middle East analyst Roger Hardy says their fear is that if Hezbollah were to succeed in toppling Mr Siniora's government, Iran's already growing influence in the region would only increase. | The BBC's Middle East analyst Roger Hardy says their fear is that if Hezbollah were to succeed in toppling Mr Siniora's government, Iran's already growing influence in the region would only increase. |