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is back in Lebanon this week, focussing on the influence of Iran on the region - over the next ten days he'll be reporting from Beirut, and from Syria and Israel. But he couldn't ignore the sudden lifting of spirits in Lebanon, thanks to the agreement in Doha in late May; so he sent us these:

"Here in Lebanon, a week is a long time.

There were 5km and 21km runs on June 1st - the full Beirut Marathon will be in November.

Followers of the children's 5km run.

And look at this - not just a photograph of Beirut's new Great Mosque.....there's a basketball tournament taking place.....

.....it's Beirut's Urban Street Basketball Challenge - teenagers from every background, Muslim and Christian, Sunni and Shia.

Boys....and girls:

Meanwhile....

...Sunday afternoon at Pigeon Rocks, west Beirut.

But a reminder just one street up from the cliffs...

....of the recent, very recent, violence. The remains of one of the Hariri family's Future TV studios, gutted by Hizbollah fighters during their brief occupation of parts of west Beirut just over a week ago. The banner used to show the face of the former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, murdered by a huge bomb about a mile from here on Valentine's Day in 2005.

This memorial now stands on the exact spot where his car was blown up. In the background, the remains of the St. George's Hotel. And just a few steps down the road, an apt message from the Beatles, adopted by Beirut's Hard Rock Cafe."

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