Heavy fighting broke out between government supporters and opponents in Lebanon’s northern city of Tripoli today.

France is cutting off talks with Syria until Damascus shows its willingness to let Lebanon elect a new president, Nicolas Sarkozy says.

Four people, including a top military general, were killed and several others injured when a large explosion rocked a Christian suburb east of the Lebanese capital, Beirut, early today, the state-run news agency said.

Prime Minister Fuad Saniora sought to calm the Lebanese today - the country's first day without a president - assuring them that the military, which has vowed to stay out of politics, is on the streets to prevent violence while deadlocked factions work to resolve the crisis.

Lebanon awoke a republic without a president today amid mounting worries over a power vacuum that has intensified the nation’s year-long political turmoil.

Balint Szlanko reports from Beirut on the army’s victory over Fatah el-Islam and the prospect of transforming cross-party support into unity.

LEBANON’S army commander warned the government that Beirut’s daily protests were dangerously draining military resources.

Syria ended its 29-year military presence in Lebanon today with a farewell ceremony near their shared border, where a Syrian commander told Lebanese troops: “Brothers in arms, so long.”