A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah group has taken effect, according to statements from U.S. and Israeli officials. A U.S. official said the ceasefire came into force at 4 p.m. local time on Friday. The announcement followed a day of continued fighting in southern Lebanon. Reports indicated that approximately 18 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes hours before the ceasefire began. Israel also reported that four of its soldiers were killed during the latest round of hostilities. Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin confirmed the ceasefire, sa

U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian have signed an interim agreement aimed at ending hostilities between the United States and Iran, according to statements from officials involved in the negotiations. The signing took place ahead of a formal ceremony that had been scheduled for June 19 in Switzerland. Trump signed the agreement during a dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron at the Palace of Versailles on Wednesday evening. Following the signing, Trump told reporters that the agreement had been finalized. Iranian officials later confirmed that Presid

U.S. President Donald Trump said he had a “very good and productive” discussion with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during meetings on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Trump described India as an important strategic partner of the United States and said cooperation between the two countries is expected to continue expanding across a range of areas. According to statements made by Trump, he expressed support for India and emphasized the importance of the bilateral relationship, particularly on issues related to security, trade and regio

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump met on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France, where the two leaders exchanged greetings and shook hands. The meeting marked their first in-person interaction in approximately 16 months and comes as both countries continue discussions on a potential trade agreement. Modi is attending the 52nd G7 Summit in Evian, where he is expected to participate in a series of diplomatic meetings with world leaders. According to official information released ahead of the summit, Modi and Trump are scheduled to hold bilateral talks on Wedne

Global crude oil prices continued to decline Tuesday as markets reacted to signs of easing tensions between the United States and Iran following the announcement of a temporary peace agreement. Market data showed Brent crude fell 2.4 per cent to US$81.15 per barrel, its lowest level since March 4. The decline follows a nearly five per cent drop on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump announced an interim agreement aimed at ending the conflict between the two countries. According to market reports, investors are increasingly confident that oil supplies will remain stable as concerns over di

A powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck near the southern Philippine island of Mindanao on Monday morning, leaving at least 32 people dead, according to preliminary reports from authorities. More than 100 people were injured, about two dozen remain missing, and roughly 10,000 residents have been evacuated from affected areas. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake occurred at approximately 7:40 a.m. local time and had a depth of about 33 kilometres. Tsunami warnings were issued for several countries following the quake as authorities assessed potential coast

A fire at a nursing home in western Sri Lanka killed 12 residents and injured eight others, according to Sri Lankan police. The fire broke out late Wednesday at a care facility in the town of Anguruwatota. Police said 51 residents were rescued from the building. Police spokesperson Fredrick Wootler said emergency responders attended the scene and survivors were taken to safety. Authorities have not yet released details on the cause of the fire. The director of the nursing home has been arrested on suspicion of causing deaths through negligence, police said. Investigators are examining the circ

Ontario Premier Doug Ford is pushing back against renewed comments from U.S. President Donald Trump, who once again referred to Canada as the “51st state” in a social media post Tuesday. In a post on X, Ford said Canada “will never be the 51st state” and is “not for sale.” His comments came after Trump shared a Bloomberg report about Canada's economy and described the country as the “51st State.” The post was later reshared by U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra, drawing further attention to Trump's remarks. According to the social media posts, Trump’s references to Canad

Iran has suspended ongoing ceasefire-related talks with the United States following recent Israeli military strikes in Lebanon, according to Iranian media reports. Iranian officials said maintaining peace and stability in Lebanon was a key condition of any ceasefire framework. Tehran argues that the agreement is now being violated on multiple fronts, including in Lebanon. Iran has called for an immediate halt to Israeli military operations in both Gaza and Lebanon. It has also demanded the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory. According to Iranian media, Iranian authoritie