Family, friends bid farewell to slain Lebanese publisher

BEIRUT (AP) — Friends and family members have bid farewell to a Lebanese publisher and harsh Hezbollah critic who was killed last week. The somber ceremony in a southern Beirut suburb took place amid high security and was attended by Western diplomats. The 58-year-old Lokman Slim was found shot at close range in his car in a deserted road in southern Lebanon. His mother appealed to the Lebanese to prevent the country from descending into violence. Western diplomats called for the culprits to be brought to justice in a transparent investigation. Slim’s friends suspect Hezbollah supporters were behind his killing. Hezbollah lambasted the accusation as an exploitation of a crime by opponents.