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| Version 9 | Version 10 |
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| Protesters barricade Beirut roads | Protesters barricade Beirut roads |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Thousands of Lebanese demonstrators have paralysed much of Beirut, barricading roads as part of a strike aimed at toppling the government. | Thousands of Lebanese demonstrators have paralysed much of Beirut, barricading roads as part of a strike aimed at toppling the government. |
| Smoke billowed over the city as protesters burned tyres and flights in and out of the city were cancelled as roads to the airport were blocked. | Smoke billowed over the city as protesters burned tyres and flights in and out of the city were cancelled as roads to the airport were blocked. |
| The Hezbollah-led opposition called the strike as part of its drive to dislodge the government and hold new elections. | The Hezbollah-led opposition called the strike as part of its drive to dislodge the government and hold new elections. |
| Pro-Western Lebanese leaders accuse strike leaders of staging a coup. | Pro-Western Lebanese leaders accuse strike leaders of staging a coup. |
| "What is happening is the furthest thing from democratic means," Christian leader Samir Geagea told al-Jazeera television. | "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." | "This is direct terrorism to paralyse the country." |
| 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. |
| Its opposition movement includes some Druze and Christians, factions who also figure within the mainly Sunni Muslim, anti-Syrian government. | 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, as potential donors gather 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 strike comes at a particularly difficult time for the government, as potential donors gather in Paris for a major aid conference on Thursday to help get Lebanon back on its feet after last summer's Hezbollah-Israel war. |
| Little action | Little action |
| An eery silence hung over city's commercial areas as many workers stayed at home, although correspondents said it was unclear whether this was in support of the strike or because they were simply unable to get to work. | An eery silence hung over city's commercial areas as many workers stayed at home, although correspondents said it was unclear whether this was in support of the strike or because they were simply unable to get to work. |
| In pictures: Beirut protests | In pictures: Beirut protests |
| The government had said it would do what was necessary to keep the roads open, but witnesses said little action had been taken so far. | The government had said it would do what was necessary to keep the roads open, but witnesses said little action had been taken so far. |
| At least three of the protesters were wounded by gunfire when they tried to close the roads at Byblos, a mainly Christian port town in the north. | At least three of the protesters were wounded by gunfire when they tried to close the roads at Byblos, a mainly Christian port town in the north. |
| Demonstrators say they will keep up their protests until they achieve their aims. | Demonstrators say they will keep up their protests until they achieve their aims. |
| "Our campaign will escalate day by day," Suleiman Franjieh, an opposition Christian leader, told al-Manar television. | "Our campaign will escalate day by day," Suleiman Franjieh, an opposition Christian leader, told al-Manar television. |
| "As long as they won't listen to us, we will not let them rest." | "As long as they won't listen to us, we will not let them rest." |
| United against Syria | |
| Hezbollah hopes the strike will achieve what it has so far failed to attain through mass protests: the end of the government. | |
| But Prime Minister Fouad 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. | |
| 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. |