The White House is urging the United Nations Security Council to keep pressure on Syria, after a report further implicated senior Syrian officials in the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
Spokesman Scott McClellan said Tuesday that the United States supports U.N. investigator Detlev Mehlis' request to extend the murder investigation for another six months. Mr. Mehlis requested the extension Monday, saying his team had found new evidence implicating Syria in the February assassination.
The Security Council is due to discuss Mr. Mehlis' report today.
Meanwhile, in Beirut, Lebanese mourned the killing Monday of prominent anti-Syrian legislator and newspaper publisher Gibran Tueni in a car bomb blast.
Many schools and businesses were closed, as Mr. Tueni's family received condolences at a Greek Orthodox church in East Beirut. A coalition of anti-Syrian groups has called for a general strike Wednesday to coincide with his funeral.
Some information for this story provided by AFP and Reuters.