SHOTLIST

1. Arrival of convoy with Alexander Sultanov, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister

2. Sultanov walking with officials

3. Pan from cameramen and photographers to Sultanov and Fawzi Salloukh, former Lebanese Foreign Minister

4. Mid of Sultanov

5. Mid of Salloukh

6. Wide of meeting

7. Cutaway cameramen

8. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic), Alexander Sultanov, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister:

"We discussed the international tribunal and other internal affairs. We agreed on the continuation of national dialogue, a dialogue of all the problems in Lebanon, because dialogue is the only way to save the national consensus and unity."

9. Cameramen

10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Fawzi Salloukh, former Lebanese Foreign Minister:

"Russia will take all necessary action to help and support in finding a solution to the problem."

11. Convoy leaving

12. Presidential palace

13. Sultanov at meeting with Lebanese President Emile Lahoud

14. Mid of Lahoud

15. Mid of Sultanov

16. Exterior, Prime Minister's office building

17. Lebanese flag

18. Various of meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora

19. Exterior of Ein El-Tineh Palace

20. Various of meeting with parliament speaker, Nabih Berri

STORYLINE:

Envoys from Russia and the UN were involved in Beirut on Tuesday in what may be a last-ditch attempt to win approval from Lebanon's opposing camps for an international tribunal into the assassination of Lebanon's prime minister, Rafik Hariri, a subject that's divided Lebanese opinion and which threatens the country's stability.

The parliament has put off approving a draft agreement with the United Nations, paralyzed by a political crisis between the government, which wants a multi-national tribunal to prosecute suspects in the 2005 assassination, and the Hezbollah-led opposition, which wants more discussion first.

The Western-backed government of Prime Minister Fuad Saniora and the parliamentary majority have asked the United Nations to impose the Hariri tribunal and bypass the Lebanese legislature but opposition leaders have warned that such intervention could spell more trouble for the country.

Clashes over the issue have already caused nine deaths.

Opposition campaigners have been camping outside Saniora's office since December, 2006, paralyzing large parts of the capital's commercial district to demand his resignation but Saniora has refused to step down.

Russia's deputy foreign minister, Alexander Sultanov arrived for talks in Beirut with various Lebanese officials and the former Lebanese foreign minister Fawzi Salloukh.

Sultanov said that Russia was eager to help find a compromise, not impose a solution, stressing that the Lebanese need to find consensus through dialogue.

"We discussed the international tribunal," he said. "We agreed upon the continuation of the national dialogue, a dialogue of all the problems in Lebanon, because dialogue is the only way to save the national consensus and unity."

Fawzi Salloukh, who resigned as Lebanon's foreign minister, said that Russia would do what is necessary to help and support in finding a solution to the problem.

Russia, with a veto on UN Security Council resolutions, has enjoyed good relations with Lebanon and Syria, which has been widely accused of involvement in the assassination.

Sultanov also met with Lebanon's President Emile Lahoud, Prime Minister Fuad Saniora and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. He is then expected to travel to Syria, which remains an important player despite the withdrawal of its army from Lebanon in the wake of Hariri's assassination.

Along with Sultanov, the top UN legal chief Nicolas Michel was flying in later Tuesday to Beirut to help overcome the impasse.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, is scheduled to visit Syria next week, after a trip to Lebanon in March.

The anti-Syrian majority in Parliament blames Damascus for killing Hariri, an accusation Syria vehemently denies, and say the Syrians were using their Lebanese allies to undermine the formation of the tribunal.

SHOTLIST:

1. Exterior of prime ministers office

2. Lebanese and German flags

3. Various of honour guard

4. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora standing for honour guard

5. Merkel and Saniora inspecting honour guard

6. Mid of honour guard

7. Wide of bilateral meeting

8. Mid of Merkel

9. Mid of meeting

10. Merkel with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri

11. Merkel and Berri inside meeting room

12. Close up of Berri

13. Close up of Merkel to pull of Merkel and German officials

14. Exterior of Qureitem palace

15. Saad Hariri, head of anti-Syrian parliamentary majority in Lebanon and son of slain former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri with US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi shaking hands

16. Cutaway cameramen

17. Various of meeting Pelosi and Hariri during the meeting

18. Close of Pelosi

19. Mid of Hariri with a poster for his father

20. Wide of US senators

21. SOUNDBITE (English), Nancy Pelosi, U.S. House Speaker:

"The purpose of the trip is part of our responsibility for the national security of the United States. We are here to see how we can make the world safer and to fight terrorism. Important to that is to establish the facts and be current on them."

22. Cutaway of cameraman

23. SOUNDBITE (English), Nancy Pelosi, U.S. House Speaker:

"We (will) go there (Syria) and will be talking about the overarching issue, the fight against terrorism and the role that Syria can play to help or to hinder that goal. So we will be talking also of course then about the tribunal, which is very important to establish the truth so we can go forward. That is one of the issues that we are going to bring up with them and of course the role of Syria in Iraq, the role of Syria supporting Hamas and Hezbollah, the role of Syria in so many respects that we think it could be a vast improvement."

24. Pelosi handling the Quran and leaving the palace

25. Exterior of Prime ministers' office building

26. Pelosi and Saniora greeted by the honour guards

27. Various of meeting with Pelosi and Saniora

STORYLINE:

German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrived in Beirut on Monday for talks with Lebanese leaders and to inspect a German naval task force serving with a U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon.

Merkel, whose country currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, was met by Prime Minister Fuad Saniora at Beirut airport.

She held talks with the Western-backed Saniora, and the Parliament Speaker and Amal leader Nabih Berri, who is a leading member of the Hezbollah-led opposition which is seeking to remove Saniora from office.

Merkel also planned to visit a German navy ship in Beirut's harbour during her one-day trip to Lebanon.

The Germans lead a naval task force of about 1,700 men and women who are patrolling the Lebanese coastline to prevent weapons from being smuggled to Hezbollah in accordance with a U.N. resolution that ended the summer war Lebanon and Israel.

The naval task force is attached to the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon. (UNIFIL), numbering a total of about 13-thousand, and is deployed along the border with Israel.

Merkel has made the Middle East a top priority of her six-month EU presidency and is currently on a tour of the region. The Chancellor met Israeli and Palestinian leaders at the weekend.

The US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was also in Beirut for talks with Lebanese officials as part of a fact-finding trip to the Middle East that has drawn criticism from the White House because it includes a visit to Syria.

"We are here to see how we can make the world safer and to fight terrorism," she added.

Pelosi's visit to Lebanon comes amid sharp political divisions in the country between the government and the opposition.

The U.S.-backed Saniora faces an opposition campaign to unseat him, with protesters camped out in downtown Beirut demanding his resignation.

Pelosi also met with Saad Hariri, who has been pushing for international support for the creation of an international tribunal to try suspects in his father's February 2005 assassination, which he blames on Syria.

"We will be talking also of course then about the tribunal, which is very important to establish the truth so we can go forward," she said.

The Syrians have denied involvement, but their opponents in Lebanon say they are working hard to undermine the court through their allies in this country.

Pelosi's trip has drawn criticism from the White House because of a planned stop in Syria on Wednesday.

The US House Speaker said the trip to Syria was aimed at seeing what Damascus could do to help the fight against terrorism.

The White House called her Syria visit last week a "bad decision" because the administration considers the country a supporter of terrorism.

Her trip comes as the Democratic majority in Congress is locked in a battle with President George W. Bush over strategy in Iraq.

SHOTLIST

++AUDIO AS INCOMING++

1. Exterior of Baabda Palace

2. Wide of meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Lebanese President Emile Lahoud

3. Close-up of Lavrov, pull out to wide

4. Close-up of Lahoud

5. Exterior of Grand Serail

6. Various of meeting between Lavrov and Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Saniora

7. Saniora speaking

8. Various of Lavrov listening

9. Wide of news conference

10. Cutaway of reporters

11. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Sergey Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister:

"All of UN resolution 1701 should be implemented. The sea and air blockade should be lifted over Lebanon and the Lebanese army should be deployed in the south along with the UNIFIL troops and of course the two Israeli detainees should be freed."

12. Cutaway of cameras

13. Lavrov leaving news conference

14. Exterior shot with arrival of United Nations (UN) Undersecretary General for Legal Affairs Nicholas Michel

15. Various of meeting between Michel and Lebanese Justice Minister Charles Rizk

STORYLINE:

As part of the continuing diplomatic efforts to consolidate the ceasefire between Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrillas and Israeli forces, the Russian Foreign Minister arrived in Beirut on Thursday to meet Lebanese officials.

Sergey Lavrov said after talks with Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Saniora that each part of UN resolution 1701 must be implemented, referring to the resolution that ended 34 days of fighting between the two sides on August 14 (2006).

"The sea and air blockade should be lifted over Lebanon and the Lebanese army should be deployed in the south along with the UNIFIL troops and of course the two Israeli detainees should be freed," he said.

Lavrov also held talks with Lebanese President Emile Lahoud.

Afterwards he said there must a comprehensive settlement in the Middle East and an international conference would help achieve this.

Lavrov's visit comes after Israel announced that it would lift an air and sea blockade on the country by Thursday evening.

Israel had come under international pressure to lift its embargo, which had threatened to derail efforts to implement the UN resolution.

The embargo, which business leaders have said cost the country about 50 (m) million US dollars per day, was also hampering massive rebuilding efforts.

The lifting of the embargo marked a major victory for UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and it showed that with UN mediation, some of the outstanding disagreements might be resolved.

Meanwhile, the U.N. Undersecretary General for Legal Affairs also arrived in the country late on Wednesday to advance efforts to formulate an international tribunal to investigate the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Nicolas Michel said he was in Lebanon to meet top Lebanese judicial and political officials at the request of Annan.

He said he hoped to be able to make progress in agreeing a legal basis for the establishment of a tribunal.

On Thursday he presented a final UN draft on the tribunal to Lebanese Justice Minister Charles Rizk.

SHOTLIST:

1. Mid of Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora (right) meeting with France's Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy

2. Close of Douste-Blazy

3. Mid of delegates during talks

4. Close of Saniora

5. Wide of meeting

6. Cutaway to Lebanese and French flags

7. Wide of news conference

8. SOUNDBITE: (French) Philippe Douste-Blazy, French Foreign Minister:

"France has condemned with very strong words what looks like a new attempt to destabilise Lebanon through violence, intimidation and assassination."

9. Cutaway to cameraman

10. SOUNDBITE: (French) Philippe Douste-Blazy, French Foreign Minister:

"France will continue to stand by the government of Fuad Saniora in order to help him more than ever to fight for the sovereignty and independence of Lebanon.''

11. Wide of news conference

12. Cutaway to cameraman

13. Wide of Saniora and Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Hugo Intini

14. Close of intini talking

15. Mid of Saniora and Intini talking

16. Close of Saniora

17. Wide of meeting

18. Cutaway to cameramen

19. Wide of Saniora and Canadian Parliamentary Secretary to the prime minister, Jason Kenney

20. Various of Saniora and Kenney

21. Cutaway to cameraman

STORYLINE:

France's Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy met Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora in Beirut on Thursday where he was attending the funeral of the Lebanese Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel.

Douste-Blazy said he was in Lebanon to represent France at the funeral of Gemayel and he offered sympathy to the Lebanese people.

At a news conference following his talks with Saniora, Douste-Blazy condemned what he described as fresh attempts to destabilise Lebanon through "violence, intimidation and assassination."

"France will continue to stand by the government of Fuad Saniora in order to help him more than ever to fight for the sovereignty and independence of Lebanon.'' he added.

Saniora also met Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Hugo Intini and Canadian Parliamentary Secretary to the prime minister, Jason Kenney, as international condemnation of the assassination picked up speed.

In Paris on Wednesday, French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin further stressed France's stance saying that the international tribunal created to prosecute the suspected killers of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 14 others should be enabled to judge those behind Gemayel's murder as well.

Saniora asked the United Nations for "technical assistance" in finding the 34-year-old industry minister's killers, amid widespread accusations that

Syria was behind it.

Gemayel, who hailed from one of the nation's most prominent political dynasties, was killed on Tuesday when two cars blocked his vehicle at an intersection as he left a church and assassins shot him numerous times through a side window.

He was the sixth anti-Syrian figure killed in Lebanon in two years, including former prime minister Rafik Hariri who was slain in a massive bomb blast in Beirut in February 2005.

SHOTLIST

1. Wide of Lebanese Prime Minister's office

2. Various of meeting between Lebanese Prime Minister Faud Saniora and Abbas Zaki, Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) representative in Lebanon

3. Wide of meeting between Palestinian factions in Lebanon, Sunni Mufti Mohammed Kabini (with white headwear)

4. Mid of officials at meeting

5. Close of Hamas representative Osama Hamdan

6. Mid of Zaki and Kabini

7. Zaki at news conference

8. Mid of official

9. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abbas Zaki, PLO representative in Lebanon

"We as Palestinians condemn this phenomenon (Fatah Islam) and we are boycotting them in all circumstances and we are seeking to find a coherent solution for the crisis in Nahr el-Bared. The coming days and hours will see a mutual agreement for an understanding based on the united position of the Palestinian factions that will lead to some procedures with the army to face this phenomenon with as least losses as possible."

10. Mid of news conference

11. Exterior High Shiite council building

12. Convoy carrying French Foreign minister Bernard Kouchner arriving

13. Kouchner greeting Shiite official, walking in

14. Various of meeting with Vice President of the High Shiite Council Abdul Amir Kabalan

15. SOUNDBITE: (French) Bernard Kouchner, French Foreign Minister:

"Don't make France responsible for your own problems, that's too easy. We are ready to stand by you as long as you talk of peace. And so, some are surprised that I'm not supporting enough one country in this region, or that I attack too much or that I'm not supporting enough one of this community or that of this country or that I'm attacking it too much. France is a fair force, and we have heavily supported a resolution that will be presented to the United Nations for a international tribunal so that those behind the assassination of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri can be bought to justice."

16. Convoy with Kouchner leaving

17. Exterior of the Lebanese Defence Minister's residence

18. Kouchner greeting Lebanese Defence Minister Elias Murr

19. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Elias Murr, Lebanese Defence Minster

"Do not make a link between the ammunition and military hardware coming in now with the situation now. This military aid was supposed to come twelve days ago, it has been delayed, and is part of a three-year programme."

20. Cutaway of cameras

STORYLINE

Diplomatic efforts continued on Friday in an attempt to resolve the current turmoil in Lebanon as sporadic gunfire exchanges punctured the lull in the fighting in the north of the country.

The Lebanese army continued to build up around the Nahr el-Bared camp near Tripoli , where hundreds of militants from the Fatah Islam group are believed to be entrenched amongst thousands of refugees.

Prime Minister Fuad Saniora who on Thursday vowed to wipe out al-Qaida-inspired Fatah Islam, met with Abbas Zaki, the principal Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) representative in Lebanon on Friday.

Zaki also met with the leaders of other Palestinian factions including Hamas representative Osama Hamdan, and Sunni Mufti Mohammed Kabini.

After the meeting Zaki repeated his strong condemnation of Fatah Islam.

"We are boycotting them in all circumstances and we are seeking to find a coherent solution for the crisis in Nahr el-Bared," he said.

"The coming days and hours will see a mutual agreement for an understanding based on the united position of the Palestinian factions that will lead to some procedures with the army to face this phenomenon with as least losses as possible."

New French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner continued talks with rival political factions on the country's deepening turmoil, meeting with Vice President of the High Shiite Council Abdul Amir Kabalan.

"Don't make France responsible for your own problems, that's too easy. We are ready to stand by you as long as you talk of peace," he said at a news conference after the meeting.

Kouchner then went on to meet with Lebanese Defence Minster, Elias Murr.

At the meeting Murr commented on the US military aid that earlier arrived after the United States said it will rush supplies to the Lebanese army battling Fatah Islam.

Although US officials said the military aid to Lebanon had been agreed to before the fighting broke out this week, the speedy shipment on Friday marked the first tangible US backing of the Lebanese authorities' fight with the militants.

"Do not make a link between the ammunition and military hardware coming in now with the situation now. This military aid was supposed to come twelve days ago, it has been delayed, and is part of a three-year programme," Murr said.

Activity on Friday morning in Nahr el-Bared appeared to indicate either a preparation to storm the camp, a maze of narrow streets and tightly packed residential buildings, or a tightening of the siege to force them to surrender.

More than half of the 31-thousand Palestinian civilians of the Nahr el-Bared refugee camp, mainly women and children, have fled but thousands still remain trapped inside.

The fighting in Lebanon, which erupted on Sunday when police raided suspected Fatah Islam hideouts in Tripoli while searching for men wanted in a bank robbery, has killed some 50 combatants and many civilians.

Storming the Nahr el-Bared camp could mean rough urban fighting for Lebanese troops and further death and destruction for the civilians inside.

It could also spark unrest in Lebanon's 11 other Palestinian refugee camps.

Although Palestinian factions have dissociated themselves from Fatah Islam, refugees in other camps, which are rife with armed groups, are angry over army bombardments that have partially destroyed Nahr el-Bared.

SHOTLIST

September 7, 2006

1. Street scene

2. Wide of newspaper stand

3. Pan down newspaper headlines focusing on lifting the Israeli blockade

4. Man looking at stall

5. Close-up of newspapers

6. Various of man reading newspaper

7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Local resident, Vox Pop:

"The lifting of the blockade is very important for Lebanon, but we should see what's behind the blockade. It was mainly in order to put pressure on Lebanon."

8. Plane carrying Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov taxiing on runway

9. Lavrov disembarks, greets Lebanese officials

10. Wide of Lavrov walking

11. Various interior shots of Lavrov meeting Lebanese officials

September 6, 2006

++NIGHT SHOTS++

11. United Nations (UN) Undersecretary General for Legal Affairs Nicholas Michel entering news conference

12. Wide of news conference

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Nicholas Michel, UN Undersecretary General for Legal Affairs:

"I am here at the request of the Secretary General of the United Nations - he himself is acting upon a resolution of the security council. The Security Council has asked him to negotiate an agreement with the Lebanese government with a view to establishing a tribunal of an international character. My presence here with my mission will be an important step towards the adoption of the legal basis for the establishment of a tribunal."

14. Michel's convoy leaving

STORYLINE

Israel's announcement that it would lift an air and sea blockade by Thursday evening has brought signs of relief to a country buffeted by war and siege.

Digesting Thursday's newspapers, one resident of Beirut said the move was very important for Lebanon.

"But we should see what's behind the blockade," he said. "It was mainly in order to put pressure on Lebanon."

Israel had come under international pressure to lift its embargo, which had threatened to derail efforts to implement a UN resolution that ended 34 days of fighting between Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrillas and Israeli forces.

The embargo, which business leaders have said cost the country about 50 (m) million dollars per day, also was hampering massive rebuilding efforts.

The deal delivers the first test for the UN peacekeeping force to prove it can keep arms from reaching Hezbollah, in accordance with part of the agreement with Israel.

The lifting of the embargo marked a major victory for UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and it showed that with UN mediation, some of the outstanding disagreements might be resolved.

Israel is slowly pulling its troops out of southern Lebanon as international peacekeepers arrive.

However, some thorny issues remain unsettled, including the return of two Israeli soldiers whose capture on July 12 sparked the fighting.

As part of the continuing diplomatic efforts to consolidate the August 14 cease-fire, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Beirut to meet with Lebanese officials.

Meanwhile, the U.N. Undersecretary General for Legal Affairs also arrived in the country late on Wednesday to advance efforts in the formulation of an international tribunal into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

Nicolas Michel said he was in Lebanon to meet top Lebanese judicial and political officials at the request of Annan.

"The security council has asked him (Annan) to negotiate an agreement with the Lebanese government with a view to establishing a tribunal of an international character," he said.

"My mission will be an important step towards the adoption of the legal basis for the establishment of a tribunal," he added.

Michel was set to present Lebanese Justice Minister Charles Rizk with a final U.N. draft on the tribunal later on Thursday.

SHOTLIST

1. Exterior in High Shiite council building

2. Convoy carrying French Foreign minister Bernard Kouchner arriving

3. Kouchner meets Shiite official, walks in

4. Various of meeting with Vice President of the High Shiite Council Abdul Amir Kabalan

5. SOUNDBITE: (French) Bernard Kouchner, French Foreign Minister:

"Don't make France responsible for your own problems, that's too easy. We are ready to stand by you as long as you talk of peace. And so, some are surprised that I'm not supporting enough one country in this region, or that I attack too much or that I'm not supporting enough one this community or that of this country or that I'm attacking it too much. France is a fair force, and we have heavily supported a resolution that will be presented to the United Nations for a international tribunal so that those behind the assassination of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri can be bought to justice."

6. Convoy with Kouchner leaves

7. Wide of Lebanese Prime Minister's office

8. Various of meeting between Lebanese Prime Minister Faud Saniora and Abbas Zaki, PLO representative in Lebanon

9. Wide of meeting between Palestinian factions in Lebanon, Sunni Mufti Mohammed Kabini (with white headwear)

10. Mid of officials at meeting

11. Close of Hamas representative Osama Hamdan

12. Mid of Zaki and Kabini

13. Zaki at news conference

14. Mid of official

15. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abbas Zaki, PLO representative in Lebanon

"We as Palestinians condemn this phenomenon (Fatah Al-Islam) and we are boycotting them in all circumstances and we are seeking to find a coherent solution for the crisis in Nahr el-Bared. The coming days and hours will see a mutual agreement for an understanding based on the united position of the Palestinian factions that will lead to some procedures with the army to face this phenomenon with as least losses as possible."

16. Mid of news conference

STORYLINE

Diplomatic efforts continued on Friday to attempt to resolve the current crisis in Lebanon as sporadic gunfire exchanges punctured the lull in the fighting as the Lebanese army continued to build up around the Nahr el-Bared refugee camp near the port city of Tripoli.

New French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner continued talks with rival political factions on the country's deepening turmoil, meeting with Vice President of the High Shiite Council Abdul Amir Kabalan.

"Don't make France responsible for your own problems, that's too easy. We are ready to stand by you as long as you talk of peace," he said at a news conference after the meeting.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Fuad Saniora who on Thursday vowed to wipe out al-Qaida-inspired Fatah Islam, met with Abbas Zaki, the principal PLO representative in Lebanon on Friday.

Zaki also met with the leaders of other Palestinian factions including Hamas representative Osama Hamdan, and Sunni Mufti Mohammed Kabini.

After the meeting of these officials Zaki repeated his strong condemnation of Fatah Al-Islam.

"We are boycotting them in all circumstances and we are seeking to find a coherent solution for the crisis in Nahr el-Bared," he said.

"The coming days and hours will see a mutual agreement for an understanding based on the united position of the Palestinian factions that will lead to some procedures with the army to face this phenomenon with as least losses as possible."

Military aid began arriving on Friday after the United States said it will rush supplies to the Lebanese army battling Fatah Islam.

Activity on Friday morning in Nahr el-Bared appeared to indicate either a preparation to storm the camp, a maze of narrow streets and tightly packed residential buildings where hundreds of Fatah Islam militants are holed up, or a tightening of the siege to force them to surrender.

More than half of the 31-thousand Palestinian civilians of the Nahr el-Bared refugee camp, mainly women and children, have fled but thousands still remain trapped inside.

The fighting in Lebanon, which erupted Sunday when police raided suspected Fatah Islam hideouts in Tripoli while searching for men wanted in a bank robbery, has killed some 50 combatants and many civilians.