Leaders of the G7 are expected to focus on the United States deal with Iran and the Russian war on Ukraine at their meeting in France, with US President Donald Trump likely to be urged to quickly finalise the agreement to end the conflict in the Middle East.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who is hosting the summit in Evian-les-Bains near the Swiss border, said the priority was to ensure that there is a “solid, serious agreement that is finalised”.

He said Tuesday’s working lunch would focus on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, including a possible Franco-British-led maritime mission, and on identifying alternative energy routes that bypass the waterway.

Trump has said the Strait of Hormuz would be “completely open” on Friday, which is when a formal agreement will be signed in Geneva.

The agreement, which was digitally signed on Monday, is expected to open a 60-day window to allow for complex negotiations to take place, which would include Iran’s highly enriched uranium and the lifting of sanctions.

The G7 comprises the US, France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan and the European Union.

Leaders from the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Egypt will also attend Tuesday’s talks but are not expected to engage in detailed discussions on Iran’s nuclear programme, diplomats told the Reuters news agency.

Trump arrived in France on Monday evening, buoyed after Washington and Tehran agreed on a preliminary deal to end the wider conflict, with a formal signing targeted for Friday.

“The Iran deal ⁠will bring a lot of success,” Trump said shortly after he arrived in Evian-les-Bains.

Before the G7 meeting, the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and the UK issued a joint statement congratulating the US, the Iranian government and the mediators on what they called a “diplomatic breakthrough”. Canada also signed the statement. The leaders said it was vital for detailed negotiations to take place and for the deal to be quickly implemented so the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened to tanker traffic.

Macron later said France and other Western partners are “ready to take action very quickly” to help reopen the strait peacefully. France and the UK have championed a mission to restore maritime security in the strait as soon as conditions allow.

European leaders have signalled that the summit would also be used to convince Trump that past US proposals to end the Russian – Ukraine war have been too favourable to Moscow.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will take part in the first session on Tuesday, which is focused on “building peace in Ukraine”, and might speak to Trump separately.

On Monday, Zelenskyy offered to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G7 summit. But earlier this month, the Ukrainian leader made a similar offer in an open letter, which Putin rejected, saying he saw “no point” in meeting unless a deal was ready.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told reporters in Evian on Tuesday that Ukraine was “holding the front line and even partially regaining territory”.

“Ukraine has developed the capability to strike strategic targets deep inside Russia. And Ukraine has become a world-leading producer of cutting-edge military equipment,” von der Leyen said.

“On the other hand, Russia is feeling the strain and pressure of sanctions … Putin’s war economy has never been as weak.”

Talks between Russia and Ukraine have stalled as the two sides have continued to trade intensified attacks.

European nations want to signal that they are willing to engage in ⁠talks with Putin while tightening sanctions on Russia and boosting military support for Ukraine, emphasising that it is Moscow, not Kyiv, that is blocking progress, diplomats say.

Trump said he had good conversations on Sunday with both Zelenskyy and Putin and thought both of them were “open to do something ⁠about the war”.

[Aljazeera]

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that a long-term programme should be formulated to minimize the spread of dengue epidemic and emphasized that, just as the country has successfully overcome previous challenges, the dengue challenge must also be addressed and overcome through a collective effort.

The Prime Minister made these remarks today (16) while addressing a special dengue prevention programme organized in kottawa in conjunction with Dengue Prevention Week. The programme was aimed at controlling the spread of dengue and raising public awareness on health and safety measures.

Speaking at the event, the Prime Minister further stated:

At present, the risk of dengue is increasing across the country. The Colombo District remains at high risk, and health authorities have identified Maharagama as one of the particularly vulnerable areas.

The risk has been identified especially in schools, government and private sector offices, and other public spaces. As a government, we have declared a Dengue Prevention Week and are undertaking special interventions during this period with the objective of addressing the risk of dengue faced by the public.

However, this effort should not be limited to a single week. A long term programme should be formulated to address this issue. At this critical juncture, all stakeholders must come together and act with determination.

Over the past one and a half years, we have successfully overcome numerous challenges. Similarly, we must collectively come forward to overcome this challenge as well. Dengue prevention should be regarded as a personal responsibility by every citizen. We must work towards transforming the Colombo District from a high-risk area into a lower-risk zone and progressively move towards eliminating the threat altogether.

Following the programme, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya also inspected the local bus stand and surrounding areas.

Addressing the occasion, Chairman of the Maharagama Municipal Council,  Saman Samarakoon, expressed his appreciation to the institutions that contributed significantly to the dengue prevention initiative, including the Maharagama Municipal Council, Kottawa Police, security forces personnel, the Maharagama Divisional Secretariat, the Public Health Inspector’s Office, the National Housing Development Authority, the Land Registry Office, the National Transport Commission, Kottawa Dharmapala Vidyalaya, Kottawa Ananda Vidyalaya, and the Kottawa Traders’ Association.

The event was attended by Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamlath, Deputy Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, Sunil Watagala, Colombo District Member of Parliament, Dewananda Suraweera, Chairman of the Maharagama Municipal Council, Saman Samarakoon, and several other invitees.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

Sabri Lamouchi has been sacked by Tunisia after just one game of World Cup 2026.

The 54-year-old former France international was sacked the day after Tunisia’s  5-1 trouncing by Sweden  in their opening Group F football game in Monterrey, Mexico, on Sunday night.

Tunisian officials have installed Mondher Kebaier, who led the national team from 2019 to 2022 and has been in a technical director role since last year, as interim boss ahead of the second group game against Japan in the early hours of Sunday, also in Monterrey.

The 56-year-old previously guided the Eagles of Carthage to the final of the Arab Cup in 2021, losing to Algeria, before a quarterfinal exit in AFCON the following year.

Speaking before his departure, Lamouchi said his side had been punished for a string of costly mistakes and after the game admitted: “It’s a difficult loss. It’s painful. Starting the competition with ⁠this bad of a loss is indeed difficult.

“We made way too many mistakes.”

Lamouchi was already under pressure after a 5-0 defeat to Belgium in the team’s final warm-up game, while he has been forced to defend the presence of his son during their training camp in the media despite him not being an official member of the party.

Tunisia will face Japan and the Netherlands, who played out a pulsating 2-2 draw in their opening match in Dallas on Sunday, in ⁠their final two group fixtures, and Lamouchi said: “We have our pride. We need to react. We need to give a better image.”

Lamouchi, who holds dual Tunisian and French citizenship, represented clubs including Auxerre, Monaco, Parma, Inter and Marseille during his playing career before his first role in management saw him guide Ivory Coast to the 2014 World Cup, beating Japan in their first game only to exit in the group stage after a dramatic late defeat against Greece in their final game.

It was a second chapter of World Cup heartache for Lamouchi, who was cut from the final France squad for World Cup 1998 by coach Aime Jacquet, missing out on a place in history as Les Bleus claimed their first title on home soil.

He went on to manage Rennes and Nottingham Forest before short stints in Qatar, with Cardiff City and in Saudi Arabia before being appointed by Tunisia in January on a two-and-a-half-year contract following a disappointing Africa Cup of Nations campaign.

[Aljazeera]