Lebanon

The Lebanese army’s chief of operations, Gen. Francois al-Hajj, has been killed in a car bomb attack. Two other people died in the blast in the Christian town of Baabda, close to the presidential palace in Beirut. Gen. Hajj had been tipped to become army chief if Gen. Michel Suleiman becomes president in an effort to resolve a lengthy political crisis. Parliament has failed to elect a president and the opposition refuses to recognize the elected government. (BBC)