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A6 WORLD NEWS
Monday 3 February 2025
Hezbollah announces funeral for slain longtime leader Hassan

Nasrallah set for Feb 23

BEIRUT (AP) — The Leba- and Kfar Kila. The Lebanese
nese Hezbollah group Sun- Health Ministry did not an-
day announced the fu- nounce any casualties.
neral of its longtime leader Last week, 24 protest-
will take place on Feb. 23, ers were killed after Israeli
months after he was assas- troops opened fire on
sinated in a series of Israeli them, according to the
airstrikes in a southern Beirut health ministry.
suburb. Despite its military capa-
Secretary-General Naim bilities largely destroyed in
Kassem made the an- the war, Israel says it needs
nouncement regarding his to remain in the country
predecessor Hassan Nas- longer to take out Hezbol-
rallah in a pre-recorded lah’s military infrastructure,
speech. It came days after including its tunnel network.
a U.S.-brokered ceasefire The funeral procession will
agreement that ended the also be for Hashem Safied-
war between the Leba- dine another slain senior
nese militant group and Is- Hezbollah official who was
rael was extended until Feb seen as Nasrallah’s succes-
18. sor.
Nasrallah was killed on Lebanese citizens gathe to return to their villages, while Israeli soldiers block a road leading to the Nasrallah led Hezbollah
Sept. 27 after a series of southern Lebanese village of Kfar Kila, Lebanon, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025. Associated Press since 1992, and is seen as
Israeli airstrikes struck sev- Lebanon, where under the flags, have been protesting know that the sacrifices, no a transformative leader
eral buildings in a southern to the group, which grew
Beirut suburb. A top secu- ceasefire agreement they in those villages and have matter how great, will ulti- from a local militant group
are supposed to gradually scuffled with Israeli troops, mately lead to the libera-
rity aide said Nasrallah was into a regional paramilitary
inside the militant group’s withdraw while Hezbollah’s which Kassem praised. tion of the land and the exit force with an influential
militants withdraw north “The South says that there is of Israel,” said Kassem.
war operations room when political presence in Leba-
the strikes took place. of the Litani River as Leba- no possibility for Israel to re- Earlier on Sunday, Israeli nese government.q
forces opened fire to dis-
nese army soldiers disperse. main in it, there is no possi-
Israeli troops are still pres-
ent in parts of southern Residents of those villages, bility for Israel to remain an perse protesters in the
many waving Hezbollah occupier, and let everyone southern villages of Yaroun
Rubio says Panama must reduce Chinese influence around the

canal area or face possible U.S. action

By MATTHEW LEE comes as Trump has in-
AP Diplomatic Writer creased pressure on Wash-
PANAMA CITY (AP) — U.S. ington’s neighbors and al-
Secretary of State Marco lies, including the canal de-
Rubio told Panamanian mand. On Saturday, Trump
President José Raúl Mulino announced he was impos-
on Sunday that the Cen- ing major tariffs on Canada
tral American ally must im- and Mexico, prompting re-
mediately reduce Chinese taliation from those coun-
influence over the Panama tries.
Canal area or face po- Mulino called it a “good-
tential retaliation from the faith meeting” that was
Trump administration. Mu- “respectful” and “posi-
lino said later that “there tive” and held “to clear
is no real threat of retak- up doubts.” He acknowl-
ing the canal or the use of edged that China’s role in
force.” the ports at either end of
Rubio, on his first foreign the canal has raised con-
trip as America’s top dip- cerns with Washington. But
lomat, held face-to-face the president said the con-
talks with Mulino, who has sortium controlling them
resisted pressure from the Panama’s President Jose Mulino, left, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrive for a meeting was being audited and
new U.S. government over at the presidential palace in Panama City, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025. Associated Press that the canal authority
Panama’s management of would give Rubio a more
the waterway that is vital to preliminary determination the American-built canal. rights under the treaty,” the detailed explanation.
global trade. that China’s presence in “Secretary Rubio made State Department said in a Mulino did say Panama
Speaking on behalf of Pres- the canal area violates a clear that this status quo summary of the meeting. would not be renewing its
ident Donald Trump, who treaty that led to the Unit- is unacceptable and that “I don’t feel like there’s a agreement with China’s
has demanded that the ed States turning the wa- absent immediate chang- real threat against the trea- Belt and Road Initiative
canal be returned to U.S. terway over to Panama in es, it would require the Unit- ty and its validity,” Mulino when it expires.q
control, Rubio told Mulino 1999. That treaty calls for ed States to take measures said.
that Trump had made a the permanent neutrality of necessary to protect its The warning from Rubio