Former Lebanese MP mistakenly shoots himself

Beirut - A former Lebanese member of parliament shot and seriously wounded himself by mistake on Wednesday while cleaning his pistol, the country's state-run news agency said.

The National News Agency said Ahmad Hbous shot himself in the face and was in "critical condition" after being rushed to hospital.

The agency said Hbous, who is in his 80s, is undergoing an operation in a north Lebanon hospital.

Hbous, a member of the country's Alawite minority, is a wealthy businessman who served in parliament representing the northern city of Tripoli from 1996 until 2005.

Hbous has not played a major role in politics since he left parliament.