UN chief Antonio Guterres has welcomed the formation of a new government in Lebanon, affirming the international body's commitment to that country's "territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence," a spokesman said Sunday.

"The United Nations looks forward to working in close partnership with the new government on its priorities, including the consolidation of the cessation of hostilities," said a statement from spokesman Stephane Dujarric, reports AFP.

Dujarric was referring to a ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel signed on November 27, with Beirut's military due to deploy in the country's south alongside UN peacekeepers as Israel withdraws from those areas over 60 days.

Fighting between Israeli forces and long-dominant Hezbollah since October 2023 has weakened the group, helping bring a new Lebanese government to power after almost two years of caretaker authorities being in charge.

New Prime Minister Nawaf Salam now faces the daunting task of overseeing the fragile Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire and rebuilding the country.

Salam said Saturday that he hoped to head a "government of reform and salvation," pledging to rebuild trust with the international community after years of economic collapse blamed on corruption and mismanagement.

Long the dominant force in Lebanese politics, Hezbollah suffered staggering losses in a war with Israel that saw its leader Hassan Nasrallah killed in a massive air strike in September.

Hezbollah suffered another seismic blow with the ouster on December 8 of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, which it had long used as its weapons lifeline from Iran.

After more than two years of political stalemate, the weakening of Hezbollah allowed former army chief Joseph Aoun, widely believed to be Washington's preferred candidate, to be elected president and Salam approved as his premier.

MSH

At least 34 people, including two babies were killed when a contraband fuel depot exploded into flames in southern Benin near the border with Nigeria on Saturday.

According to Beninese Interior Minister Alassane Seidou, “a serious fire occurred in the town of Seme Podji. Another 20 people were seriously wounded in the incident.”

"I can't really give you the cause of the fire, but there is a large gasoline warehouse here and cars, tricycles and motorcycles come from morning to evening,” he added.

Nigeria is a main oil and gas producer where fuel smuggling is very common along its borders, particularly when the government maintains a subsidy to keep fuel prices low.

The majority of the victims were burnt and they could not be not be identified.

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