Police fired tear gas and water cannon and shot into the air to break up a rally by thousands of protesters in Beirut on Saturday night. At least sixteen people were injured, according to the Red Cross.

The biggest protest in months against the government was about the mishandling of refuse by both national and local authorities who could not agree where to dump Beirut's rubbish. .

The "You Stink" campaign has staged several protests calling for a solution to the waste problem which developed after Lebanon's largest landfill closed on July 17.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam was due to hold a news conference on Sunday to address the issue. He is also under fire from politicians within the government for what they consider an "excessive use of force" against protesters.

The government has been held responsible for failing to develop the country and its infrastructure. There are daily power cuts.

Political divisions in Lebanon follow sectarian lines reflecting those in Syria. The presidency has been vacant for a year and elections have been postponed until 2017.

jm/bw (Reuters, AFP)