Trump says he will declare Strait of Hormuz US territory Army tanks cut firebreaks as wildfires spread in western Europe Moscow rejects Black Sea truce as port strikes go on At least five killed as 7.7 quake collapses buildings on Flores Congo's Ebola outbreak reaches a sixth province as deaths pass 2,100 Israel to hand West Bank policing to police as Qusra siege holds Oil posts sharp weekly gain as Hormuz blockade holds Colombia searches for hundreds missing as quake toll passes 285 Nvidia scales back its $250bn backstop for OpenAI data centres RSF attack kills at least 14 civilians in North Kordofan Houthi missiles kill at least four at Yemen's Mokha port Kushner to visit Israel after Netanyahu rejects Hamas disarmament plan Jane Street books about $15bn loss after Situational Awareness slump One levee breach sealed after Henan floods US retail sales slump as 30-year yields hit 25-year high Taliban mark five years in power as Kabul courts Washington Russian regions ration fuel after strikes on refineries Hezbollah rejects US framework as Beirut seeks withdrawal date Russian campaign against Moldova detailed as Poland detains murder-plot suspect Zambia halts presidential vote count after attacks on poll workers Record rain east of Tokyo kills at least five, thousands stranded at Narita SpaceX closes $60bn takeover of Cursor France's top court strikes down social media ban for under-15s Europe's drought brings harvests forward and cuts river power Takaichi sends Yasukuni offering on 81st surrender anniversary PayPal in talks to sell itself to Stripe and Advent Taiwan simulates an internet blackout as US trains its coastguard US questionnaire tests NATO allies' support for Trump before troop cuts Venezuela frees 131 political prisoners after first talks round Indonesia to shut more than 750 state firms UN warns food aid for 650,000 South Sudan refugees could stop US urges Apple not to buy Chinese memory chips Anthropic quarterly revenue passes $11.5 billion BP and Abu Dhabi's XRG take Venezuelan offshore gas licence Spain and Morocco reinforce Ceuta border before crossing call Beijing rejects US report on rerouted Chinese exports White House enlists private firms to hack foreign cybercriminals NATO jets shoot down drone over Latvia China calls US drone tariffs lose-lose as DJI wins new hearing Ukraine's grain exports fall 70 percent as Black Sea trade stalls China's humanoid robot push widens as robot games quadruple in size Marcos says China oil talks have moved forward despite maritime row Etna ash keeps Catania airport shut, more than 1,000 flights cancelled Chinese lab Z.ai releases coding model targeting US rivals Apple alerts iPhone users in 110 countries to spyware Yen resumes slide as traders rebuild short positions Blackout hits four Central Asian countries at once Invasive urban mosquito drives malaria rise in Africa US shifts to sanctions rather than force against Cuba Egypt examines legal questions on joining Mecca defence pact Data centre projects hit power delays and a US subpoena AI export boom lifts Taiwan and Hong Kong growth forecasts France puts tax portal breach at 678,000 users Mangione pleads guilty to shooting UnitedHealthcare chief China backs Moscow on Kurils after Putin's island visit Quantum networking records set in China and Germany Record Dax profits coincide with German industrial job cuts Trump family crypto venture wins preliminary approval for bank charter Singapore criminalises AI-generated intimate images China's Ecological and Environmental Code takes effect Lula's lead over Flávio Bolsonaro narrows before Brazil's election Russian stock indices end week lower as ruble weakens Iran-aligned Iraqi militia warns against forced disarmament China reports 522,000 new Covid cases in July Azerbaijan overtakes Russia as Türkiye's biggest pipeline gas supplier Son of Mexico's former president says US revoked his visa US tells Canada to end retaliation or face new tariffs Farage wins back Clacton seat as standards inquiry resumes US immigration agency issues electrified gloves to its officers Toxic gas leak kills eight at Bangladesh shipbreaking yard Trump says he will declare Strait of Hormuz US territory Army tanks cut firebreaks as wildfires spread in western Europe Moscow rejects Black Sea truce as port strikes go on At least five killed as 7.7 quake collapses buildings on Flores Congo's Ebola outbreak reaches a sixth province as deaths pass 2,100 Israel to hand West Bank policing to police as Qusra siege holds Oil posts sharp weekly gain as Hormuz blockade holds Colombia searches for hundreds missing as quake toll passes 285 Nvidia scales back its $250bn backstop for OpenAI data centres RSF attack kills at least 14 civilians in North Kordofan Houthi missiles kill at least four at Yemen's Mokha port Kushner to visit Israel after Netanyahu rejects Hamas disarmament plan Jane Street books about $15bn loss after Situational Awareness slump One levee breach sealed after Henan floods US retail sales slump as 30-year yields hit 25-year high Taliban mark five years in power as Kabul courts Washington Russian regions ration fuel after strikes on refineries Hezbollah rejects US framework as Beirut seeks withdrawal date Russian campaign against Moldova detailed as Poland detains murder-plot suspect Zambia halts presidential vote count after attacks on poll workers Record rain east of Tokyo kills at least five, thousands stranded at Narita SpaceX closes $60bn takeover of Cursor France's top court strikes down social media ban for under-15s Europe's drought brings harvests forward and cuts river power Takaichi sends Yasukuni offering on 81st surrender anniversary PayPal in talks to sell itself to Stripe and Advent Taiwan simulates an internet blackout as US trains its coastguard US questionnaire tests NATO allies' support for Trump before troop cuts Venezuela frees 131 political prisoners after first talks round Indonesia to shut more than 750 state firms UN warns food aid for 650,000 South Sudan refugees could stop US urges Apple not to buy Chinese memory chips Anthropic quarterly revenue passes $11.5 billion BP and Abu Dhabi's XRG take Venezuelan offshore gas licence Spain and Morocco reinforce Ceuta border before crossing call Beijing rejects US report on rerouted Chinese exports White House enlists private firms to hack foreign cybercriminals NATO jets shoot down drone over Latvia China calls US drone tariffs lose-lose as DJI wins new hearing Ukraine's grain exports fall 70 percent as Black Sea trade stalls China's humanoid robot push widens as robot games quadruple in size Marcos says China oil talks have moved forward despite maritime row Etna ash keeps Catania airport shut, more than 1,000 flights cancelled Chinese lab Z.ai releases coding model targeting US rivals Apple alerts iPhone users in 110 countries to spyware Yen resumes slide as traders rebuild short positions Blackout hits four Central Asian countries at once Invasive urban mosquito drives malaria rise in Africa US shifts to sanctions rather than force against Cuba Egypt examines legal questions on joining Mecca defence pact Data centre projects hit power delays and a US subpoena AI export boom lifts Taiwan and Hong Kong growth forecasts France puts tax portal breach at 678,000 users Mangione pleads guilty to shooting UnitedHealthcare chief China backs Moscow on Kurils after Putin's island visit Quantum networking records set in China and Germany Record Dax profits coincide with German industrial job cuts Trump family crypto venture wins preliminary approval for bank charter Singapore criminalises AI-generated intimate images China's Ecological and Environmental Code takes effect Lula's lead over Flávio Bolsonaro narrows before Brazil's election Russian stock indices end week lower as ruble weakens Iran-aligned Iraqi militia warns against forced disarmament China reports 522,000 new Covid cases in July Azerbaijan overtakes Russia as Türkiye's biggest pipeline gas supplier Son of Mexico's former president says US revoked his visa US tells Canada to end retaliation or face new tariffs Farage wins back Clacton seat as standards inquiry resumes US immigration agency issues electrified gloves to its officers Toxic gas leak kills eight at Bangladesh shipbreaking yard

Symbolic image: Hezbollah rejects US framework as Beirut seeks withdrawal date

Symbolic image

Hezbollah rejects US framework as Beirut seeks withdrawal date

4 sources

Lebanon's prime minister pressed US mediators on Friday for a date for Israel's withdrawal. Hezbollah's leader rejected the framework the same day.

US ambassador Michel Issa and General Joseph Clearfield ended a two-day visit to Beirut on Friday, 14 August, meeting President Joseph Aoun and Speaker Nabih Berri. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam also demanded an end to Israeli destruction operations and more pilot zones, his office said. Issa called the atmosphere positive and set the next Rome round for early September, but said the strikes would stop only once Hezbollah hands over its weapons. Lebanese authorities count 4,335 dead and over a million displaced since 2 March.

Qassem challenges Beirut

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said on Friday that officials were exposing the army to bombardment and 'undue pressure' with an agreement that does not work, and asked them to name one achievement from seven rounds. Israel keeps striking homes in Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, the first pilot zone, he said.

Ali Taher ridge

Al Joumhouria reported on Friday that Israel awaits US approval to seize the ridge above Nabatieh, with Washington urging a limited operation. The National says it stays under Lebanese control; Nidaa al Watan cited an Israeli report that Israeli forces hold much of it.

Other opinions

The Jerusalem Post leads with the military track and notes US objections to Defence Minister Israel Katz's line that Israel could stay long in the south; Global Times reports only Hezbollah's rejection.