A verdict that was meant to bring closure for Egypt is in danger of just reopening old wounds and dividing the country once again. It is above all a really confusing ruling: why convict the former president for ordering the killing of protesters, then acquit those further down the chain of command who logically would have had to carry out the orders. Egyptians naturally suspected conspiracy, the hand that the old regime had played, but maybe it was just where the evidence led in what was certainly a very flawed trial, so to the presidential election in two weeks' time. One candidate, former general Ahmed Shafik, has called for the verdict to be respected. The other candidate, Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, has called for mass demonstrations against it.

埃及即将结束的判决有将旧伤口解开，再次分裂该国的危险。不管怎么说，这都是个令人迷惑的判决：为何之前确认前总统下令杀害抗议者，但却宣布那些在逻辑上实施这一命令的人无罪呢？埃及人自然怀疑旧政权的阴谋，但或许这正是说明审判有误的证据，同时两周后举行的总统选举也不妥。候选人之一前将军沙菲克呼吁尊重这一判决。而另一位候选人，穆斯林兄弟组织的Mohamed Morsi呼吁举行大游行反对这个判决。

The conflict in Syria has led to fighting between rival factions in neighbouring Lebanon. Ten people are reported to have been killed and more than 20 wounded in the city of Tripoli. Jim Muir reports from Beirut.