Israel carried out a series of intense airstrikes across Beirut, including its southern suburbs and parts of southern and eastern Lebanon, triggering panic among residents. The strikes mark one of the most violent assaults on the capital since the conflict with Hezbollah began, with Israel maintaining that its two-week truce with Iran does not apply to operations in Lebanon (Pics/AFP)

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday said peace is the common wish of the people of both sides as he met Taiwan's opposition leader Cheng Li-wun in Beijing ahead of US President Donald Trump's visit to China next month. (Pics/AFP)