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Israel and Lebanon agree 10-day ceasefire, Trump says
The leaders of Israel and Lebanon have agreed a 10-day ceasefire, US President Donald Trump has said, starting from 17:00 EST (21:00 GMT; midnight local time) on Thursday.
For the past six weeks, Israel and Hezbollah – an Iran-backed armed group – have been fighting in southern Lebanon.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Israel’s participation in the truce, but said troops would maintain a 10km-deep (6.2 mile) “security zone” in the country’s south, adding: “We are there, and we are not leaving.”
Hezbollah appeared willing to participate in the ceasefire, but said it must include “a comprehensive halt to attacks” across Lebanon and “no freedom of movement for Israeli forces”.
Iran’s foreign ministry also welcomed the ceasefire. Tehran had insisted that its own two-week ceasefire with the US should include Lebanon while the US and Israel said it did not.
The US and Iran have been discussing a second round of peace talks in Pakistan and, speaking to reporters in Washington, Trump said the US and Iran had already agreed on a lot, including that Tehran would not have nuclear weapons “beyond 20 years” – but warned that “if there is no deal, fighting resumes”.
The latest war between Israel and Hezbollah began on 2 March, two days after the US and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran, with Hezbollah firing rockets into northern Israel.
The armed group – which is also a political movement in Lebanon – said it was retaliating for the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
More than 2,000 people in Lebanon have since been killed, with more than a million – or roughly a fifth of the population – displaced. An estimated 37,000 homes have been destroyed or damaged. Israel says Hezbollah attacks have killed two civilians in Israel, and that 13 Israeli soldiers have been killed in combat in Lebanon.
Israel and Lebanon held rare direct talks in Washington this week aimed at easing the war, which has seen deadly air strikes on parts of the Lebanese capital, Beirut. Israel is not in conflict with Lebanon’s armed forces.
Trump told reporters on Thursday that he thought Lebanon would “take care” of Hezbollah (BBC)
An estimated 550,000 people took part in demonstrations across France today to protest against teaching conditions in schools, rising fuel prices and the cost of living.
Marches were largely peaceful and took place in several major French cities, including Paris, where 110,000 people attended.
“We just want to study, we just want a future” one student taking part in the protest in the capital told BBC News, while another said they were ” just trying to make things change”.
But French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said some groups “at the margins of these protests” caused the situation to “degenerate”.
According to the French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, 1200 people were arrested. Officials also reported looting in cities such as Marseille, where masked 8ntruders also entered the city hall. In Lyon, the tourist office was set on fire and shops were damaged.
French President Emmanuel Macron said any vandals and looters would be “prosecuted and punished”, while Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the leader of left-wing party La France Insoumise, said demonstrations had been calmly mobilised.
Meanwhile, firefighters are continuing to battle a blaze at Limoges City Hall after a reported break-in and arson inside the 19th-century building during protests there.
(BBC)
A large fire near a Canadian military base in Alberta has killed and injured some people, the defence minister said, without confirming the number of casualties.
The Canadian Armed Forces were working with local authorities to manage the fire and were looking into what caused it, David McGuinty said, describing the situation as “very, very active and delicate”.
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney said on X that a “serious incident creating a major fire” had occurred, adding his “thoughts are with all the brave women and men affected”.
Canadian Forces Base Wainwright, where the fire broke out, is one of the country’s busiest military training bases.
The blaze “spread rapidly due to high winds” and had torn through the fences of the base, the Municipal District of Wainwright said.
McGuinty told reporters he “cannot recall an incident like this in recent memory”.
It is unclear when the fire broke out, but the district first posted about the incident at about 17:30 local time.
Local authorities have urged residents to avoid the area and give all emergency vehicles right of way.
(BBC)
The Asian Youth Games gold medallist who has run sub four minutes previously returned a time of 3:55.97 seconds to become the first athlete in his age category at these championships to run the distance under four minutes.
Achintha who has a personal best of 3:53.05 from last year was representing Prince College Ratnapura today.
In another impressive 1,500 m feat Tharushi Abhisheka of Lyceum International School, Wattala established a new meet record in the Under-20 Girls’ 1,500m as she returned a time of 4:34.59 seconds to win.
By the end of the second day of the meet seven new meet records had been established.
D. V. C. de Soysa (of Galewela Central College) Under-16 Boys’ Discus Throw – 55.83m.
D. G. Lahiru Achintha (of Ratnapura Kumara Vidyalaya) Under-18 Boys’ 1,500m – 3:55.97 secs.
W. P. Nethula Induwara (Rahula College, Matara) Under-14 Boys’ 100m – 11.70 seconds
K. V. R. Gayesha (Ira Handa Kotuwa Wewa Maha Vidyalaya, Polonnaruwa) Under-16 Girls’ High Jump – 1.70m
H. M. D. S. Herath (Maris Stella College, Thimbirigaskatuwa) Under-20 Boys’ Long Jump – 7.65m
P. M. Amaya Semindi (Vijitha Central College, Dikwella) Under-14 Girls’ High Jump – 1.58m
Half a million people join protests in France, but some turn violent
Deadly fire breaks out at Canada military base
Showers or thundershowers will occur in most parts of the island after 1.00 p.m.
Buddhist hierarchy demands prison perks for monk convicts
Debate on NCM against Speaker postponed indefinitely
Karannagoda pushed for £24,536 for Yoshitha’s UK training, Court told
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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