by Omar Ibrahim TRIPOLI, Lebanon (AFP) – Deadly gunbattles between rival sectarian factions in Lebanon’s northern city of Tripoli ended Thursday as the army reinforced troop numbers to shore up a fragile ceasefire, an AFP correspondent said. Fighting that erupted late on Tuesday in the northeastern Bab al-Tebbaneh and Jabal Mohsen districts of the port city died down early Thursday when dozens of army vehicles moved into the flashpoint areas. The fighting, which claimed the lives of four people and left 58 wounded, had raged into the flashpoint areas. The fighting, which claimed the lives of four people and left 58 wounded, had raged into the night despite a ceasefire that was supposed to come into effect at 8:00 pm (1700 GMT) on Wednesday "In order to put an end to the breach of residents’ security, the army command has announced that it is reinforcing its presence in the sensitive areas," an army statement said. "The army will confront those who fire first and calls on all parties to show calm and allow the military to take control of the situation," it added.
Militants armed with rockets, sniper rifles and grenades fought in the streets on Wednesday, causing panicked residents to flee and shops and schools to close. The dead included two brothers killed by snipers, a Palestinian nurse and a resident of the Jabal Mohsen district which is dominated by members of the Alawite community, an offshoot of Shiite Islam, which support the opposition. The latest unrest followed the eruption of similar battles two weeks ago in Tripoli, Lebanon’s second largest city after the capital Beirut, that left nine people dead and dozens wounded.
by Omar Ibrahim 
BEIRUT: Lebanon expects over 1.3 million tourists this year thanks to the positive political atmosphere following the election of a new president, outgoing Tourism Minister Joe Sarkis said Friday. The minister made the remarks during a tour of Rafik Hariri International Airport, adding that most of the hotels in Beirut and the mountain are fully booked. According to the figures released by Rafik Hariri International Airport, arriving passengers totaled 598,392 in the first five months of the year, while departing passengers amounted to a higher 633,255. 
Lebanese President Michel Suleiman has set July 9 as a deadline to conclude the formation of a new government in the country, well informed sources were quoted by Xinhua news agency. The president is due to leave for Paris on July 12 to participate in the international conference on Euro-Mediterranean cooperation, the report added, hinting that a new government should be formed before the president leaves. Over five weeks have passed since designated-Prime Minister Fouad Seniora was assigned by the president to form a national unity government, but all efforts were fruitless as Lebanese leaders were unable to reach an agreement on the cabinet line-up. 
