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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Blast kills Lebanon army general | Blast kills Lebanon army general |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| At least four people, including a Lebanese army general, have died in an explosion near the presidential palace on the outskirts of Beirut. | At least four people, including a Lebanese army general, have died in an explosion near the presidential palace on the outskirts of Beirut. |
| Dozens were also injured in the blast in the Christian town of Baabda. | Dozens were also injured in the blast in the Christian town of Baabda. |
| Gen Francois al-Hajj was tipped to become army chief if Gen Michel Suleiman takes over as president. | |
| The pro-West ruling bloc and pro-Syrian opposition agree Gen Suleiman should succeed ex-President Emile Lahoud to break a political impasse. | |
| Gen al-Hajj was chief of operations when Lebanon's army fought Islamic militants in Nahr al-Bared refugee camp earlier this year. | |
| The BBC's Jim Muir at the scene of the blast says it looks like the incident was the result of a bomb and that it was a targeted attack aimed at Gen al-Hajj. | |
| The large explosion has left the area littered with the wreckage of burned-out vehicles, he says. | |
| With Lebanon in the grips of the worst political crisis since the country's long civil war ended in 1990, our correspondent says this is exactly the kind of tension-raising incident which it is feared could trigger much wider unrest. | |
| Political vacuum | |
| The pro-Syrian Mr Lahoud left office on 24 November and legislators have repeatedly failed to elect a new president. | |
| On Monday members of parliament postponed their vote to elect a successor for an eighth time. | |
| They are divided on the make-up of the new government. | |
| There is also said to be a dispute over how to amend the constitution to allow a senior civil servant to be elected. | |
| Under Article 49 of the current constitution, senior civil servants like Gen Suleiman are barred from becoming president within two years of stepping down. | |
| Did you witness the explosion or are you in the area? Use the form below to send us your accounts, some of which may be published. | Did you witness the explosion or are you in the area? Use the form below to send us your accounts, some of which may be published. |
| You can send pictures and video to: yourpics@bbc.co.uk or to send via mobile please dial +44 (0)7725 100 100. | You can send pictures and video to: yourpics@bbc.co.uk or to send via mobile please dial +44 (0)7725 100 100. |
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