Hezbollah denies responsibility for bomb

Hezbollah has denied responsibility for the assassination of General Wissam Al-Hassan in Friday's car bombing, which rocked Beirut killing eight people and injuring scores of others. As last-minute preparations are completed for the burial of one of Lebanon's top intelligence officials on Sunday at Beirut’s Martyrs’ Square, Prime Minister Najib Mikati tendered his resignation. But he has been asked to stay on by the President in the national interest. The announcement came in the wake of an emergency meeting of the National Security Council with President Michel Suleiman, to determine the future course of the government in the wake of the worst accident to hit Lebanon  in five years. Many Lebanese have blamed Syria for the blast, and there have been violent anti-Syrian protests in several Lebanese cities.  Hasan, 47, who headed the police’s Information Branch, was assassinated in a car bomb Friday that ripped through the Beirut neighborhood of Ashrafieh. His driver, First Sergeant Ahmad Sahyouni, and a woman identified as Georgette Sarkissian were also killed in the explosion, the most serious since 2008. North Lebanon experienced severe traffic delays on Sunday as huge crowds gathered for the funeral raising pictures of the assassinated former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Hassan. Lebanese flags filled the square along with  those of the Islamic Group, "brigades" and  other parties.