A car bomb explosion in Beirut has killed an anti-Syrian member of parliament this morning.
Three other people died and 10 more were wounded in the blast that blew up Gebran Tueni's armoured sports utility vehicle as it was driving in the Mekalis area of mainly Christian east Beirut.
At least three people inside the car were killed, their bodies charred beyond recognition, witnesses said.
The blast set several cars on fire and damaged nearby shops and buildings. Police and soldiers cordoned off the area as rescue workers ferried casualties to hospitals.
Newspaper magnate Mr Tueni (48), a fierce critic of Syria's policies in Lebanon who was elected to parliament this year, said in August he believed he was on a hit-list for assassination.
Mr Tueni had spent much of his time since August outside Lebanon, citing security fears. He was believed to have returned to Beirut late on Sunday.
Lebanon has been rocked by more than a dozen bombings and assassinations since the February 14th killing of former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, which many Lebanese blamed on Syria.
Damascus denies any involvement in Mr Hariri's killing or any of the other attacks in Lebanon.
The UN Security Council will later today receive a report from chief UN investigator Detlev Mehlis on who was behind Mr Hariri's assassination.