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Israel and Lebanon Agree to 10‑Day Ceasefire as Trump Announces Breakthrough

  Israel and Lebanon Reach 10‑Day Ceasefire Following Trump Announcement Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a 10‑day ceasefire set to begin at 5 p.m. EST, according to U.S. President Donald Trump, who said the truce followed “excellent conversations” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.  The ceasefire comes after more than six weeks of intense fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran‑backed armed group operating in southern Lebanon. The conflict has resulted in over 2,000 deaths in Lebanon and displaced more than a million residents, while Israel has maintained a 10‑kilometre security zone in southern Lebanon. Trump stated that both leaders agreed to begin the truce to pursue peace, adding that he plans to invite them to the White House for the first direct talks between the two countries since 1983. Lebanese officials have welcomed the ceasefire, though Hezbollah has said its adherence depends on Israel halting all attacks....

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NATO head pushes Canada to meet 2% defence spending target

 

Speaking in Ottawa on Wednesday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg urged Canada to meet the target agreed upon by members of the military alliance: spending at least two percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on defense. 

While Canada has made commitments in this regard, Stoltenberg expects all allies to do more and follow through on their pledges. Notably, in 2023, there was an unprecedented 11% increase in defense spending across European Allies and Canada, with 18 Allies expected to meet the 2% GDP target in 2024—a significant rise since 2014 when only three Allies achieved it. 

Canada’s current forecasted defense spending is around 1.36% of GDP, projected to reach 1.43% by fiscal year 2024-25. 

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