Car bomb strikes downtown Beirut

Beirutis this morning suffered yet another of what seems to be a string of tit for tat car bombings. This time, the target was a prominent member of the Sunni community. His convoy was destroyed by what is thought to have been a remotely detonated car bomb, killing him and four others and wounding around 70, according to the latest figures.  

The blast blew out almost every window of a nearby commercial centre, creating a carpet of broken glass. 

Syrian strife spills into Lebanon

Given the fairly firm grip Syria still holds over Lebanon, it was only a matter of time before the unrest there found its way across the border. Today a number of Syrians in Beirut took to the streets in support of Bashar Assad's regime; two protests organised somewhat provocatively in strong Sunni areas saw violence - one demonstrator was shot in the stomach in a drive by shooting, at a second protest demonstrators were set upon by onlookers. I caught up with a around 150 protestors who were yelling Assad's praises outside the Syrian embassy. After around an hour they then proceeded to march all the way back to Dora, where they'd come from this morning.