PARIS, March 19 - France's foreign minister will travel to Israel on Friday, in an unscheduled visit, after visiting Beirut on Thursday as part of efforts to reduce tensions in the region and secure a ceasefire in Lebanon. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

France presented counter-proposals to US ideas to bring an end to the conflict, two diplomats said. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

NEAR TEL AVIV, Israel, March 20 - France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Friday he did not see an obvious end to the conflict in the Middle East in the short-term, but that France and its allies would continue to work towards trying to find a lasting solution. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. In an exclusive interview with CNN from Beirut on Thursday (local time), Salam said he wanted a ceasefire " yesterday, not tomorrow", as the death toll from Israel's military campaign against the militant group Hezbollah has reached 1000. Lebanese officials said more than 100 of those killed are children. World News | Lebanon PM Urges Trump to Intervene, Calls for Immediate Ceasefire and Talks with Israel.