News In Brief

Saudis protest to Lebanon over storming of consulate

Saudi Arabia rebuked Lebanese authorities Tuesday for what it said was their failure to prevent a group of Shiite Muslims from storming its Beirut consulate last week.

About 150 Lebanese Shiite Muslims, protesting what they said was the kingdom's failure to issue visas for next month's Muslim pilgrimage to shrines in Saudi Arabia, stormed the consulate Friday, emptying official records onto the streets and setting the building afire as police watched.