Bomb defused in southern Lebanese town

A bomb packed with six kilograms of explosives was defused overnight in a residential neighbourhood of the southern Lebanese coastal town of Sidon, a security official said Thursday. He said the bomb, wired to a cell phone primed to detonate the device, was discovered under a cardboard box in a parking lot late Wednesday by residents who alerted authorities. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said it was unclear who was targeted and that no one had claimed responsibility. The bomb scare comes amid heightened tension in the region following a series of explosions in recent weeks, one of which targeted French troops serving with the UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon (UNFIIL).