News In Brief

New fighting breaks out on Beirut's 'green line'

Muslim and Christian factions battled in Beirut along the ''green line'' dividing the city, where a French cease-fire observer was killed Wednesday by sniper fire.

The fighting erupted Wednesday night, shortly after parliament completed its second day of debate on the policy program proposed by Prime Minister Rashid Karami's national-unity government.

Political observers said the debate could drag on into next week as legislators seized the chance to berate the government's failure to restore security in the capital.