Life was returning to normal in the Lebanese capital and around the country today, a day after violent confrontation between government supporters and opponents killed three people and wounded dozens in the worst escalation of the Hezbollah-led opposition’s campaign to topple Prime Minister Fuad Saniora’s Western-backed Cabinet.

Israel’s air blockade of Lebanon ended today, bringing relief to Lebanese people whose importing of goods has been blocked for almost 2 months.

Workers at Lebanon’s only airport today prepared to receive a full flow of commercial flights as Israel pledged to lift an air and sea blockade imposed nearly two months ago when the war with Hezbollah guerrillas erupted.

Anti-Syrian leader Michel Aoun returned to Beirut today from 14 years’ exile in France – to a crowd of cheering supporters at the airport and less than two weeks after Syrian troops withdrew from Lebanon.