British Ambassador to Lebanon Tom Fletcher kicked off on Tuesday a tour in border towns in the northern Akkar province.

Fletcher arrived in Akkar aboard a Lebanese army helicopter that landed in the Qlaiaat airport in the North.

A Syrian was found on Monday stabbed to death in North Metn district with a message next to him saying he was killed to avenge the fall of the central Syrian town of Yabrud, the state-run National News Agency reported.

NNA said Ali Moussa Harmoush's body was discovered at 9:00 am covered in blood in his room at the “Fanar Residence” compound that is under construction in the town of Fanar.

Western countries voiced fear that Syrian refugees in Lebanon would be driven to Jihad if the Lebanese state didn't provide them with their needs and improve their living conditions.

A prominent western diplomat said in comments published in As Safir newspaper on Tuesday that the international aid for Lebanon aims at helping Lebanon to deal with the large influx of Syrian refugees.

The government of the Marshall Islands on Tuesday defeated a motion of no confidence brought after it nominated Lebanon's former General Security chief Maj. Gen. Jamil al-Sayyed as its ambassador to UNESCO.

The motion from opposition leaders in the Pacific nation's parliament was defeated by 17 votes to 13 after more than four hours of acrimonious debate.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam stressed on Tuesday that officials reject the concept of “consensual security” in Tripoli in light of the recent unrest in the northern city.

He said after meeting with lawmakers from Tripoli: “The gatherers requested that I propose before cabinet the adoption of a comprehensive security, economic, and development plan for the city and deprived northern regions.”

Explosions that were heard on Tuesday near the occupied Shebaa farms turned out to be caused by military drills carried out by the Israeli army , the state-run National News Agency reported.

According to NNA, the Israeli army launched more than 30 heavy artillery shells, specifically 120 and 155 millimeter caliber heavy artillery, during the military exercises.

Phalange leader Amin Gemayel visited President Michel Suleiman at Baabda Palace on Tuesday a day after holding talks with the prime minister on his party's reservations over the cabinet's policy statement and amid hints that it is set to withdraw its threat to quit the government.

Several ministers and lawmakers representing the Phalange accompanied Gemayel to seek clarifications from Suleiman, who told the delegation that “the policy statement focuses on the authority of the state in all political affairs and mainly the defense of Lebanon and the liberation of occupied Lebanese territories.”

President Michel Suleiman is determined to revive the national dialogue at the end of March, local newspapers reported on Tuesday.

According to An Nahar newspaper, Suleiman will call the political arch foes for a national dialogue session after he returns from Kuwait, which will be hosting the Arab summit on March 24 and 25.

U.S. agents have said they arrested a Detroit-area man before he could fly to the Middle East to fight Syrian rebels.

Twenty-two-year-old Mohammad Hamdan is charged with breaking a law that prohibits support for terrorist organizations, they said.

Clashes renewed Monday afternoon in the northern city of Tripoli after a period of cautious calm that had started in the morning following a night of intermittent fighting.

“Clashes renewed as four shells exploded and volleys of machinegun fire were heard in the vicinity of Tripoli's Souk al-Qameh,” al-Jadeed television reported.