Hezbollah Picks PM in Lebanon

The Hezbollah-backed candidate for Lebanon’s prime minister, Najib Miqati, is poised to take over the country’s government, sparking widespread protests throughout the country. The new leader could prove a problem to the U.S., which had supported the government of current leader Saad Hariri. Although Miqati, a billionaire and former prime minister, said he’d form a conciliatory government, many are opposed to the idea of Hezbollah picking the next leader. Angry protests swept Beirut, Tripoli, and other cities, with newspapers calling the day a “day of rage.” Hezbollah’s rise to power followed the 2007 assassination of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, father of the current leader. Although Hezbollah has denied any role in the killing, its own members were accused of it last week.