Israel's foreign minister on Wednesday urged Beirut to make joint efforts with Israel to counter the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, ahead of talks between the countries set to resume in Washington.

"Tomorrow the direct talks between Israel and Lebanon will resume in Washington DC. I call on the government of Lebanon -- let's work together against the terror state that Hezbollah built in your territory," Gideon Saar said in a speech to diplomats at a function marking Israel's 78th Independence Day.

European Union envoys gathered on Wednesday with the majority cautiously optimistic that a massive loan to help meet Ukraine's military and financial needs for the next two years may soon be approved after months of deadlock.

At a meeting in Brussels, the envoys assessed whether Hungary might lift its veto on the 90-billion-euro ($106 billion) loan package, which Ukraine desperately needs to prop up its war-ravaged economy and help keep Russian forces at bay.

Pope Leo XIV is visiting one of Equatorial Guinea's notorious prisons Wednesday, drawing attention to human rights abuses that campaigners have denounced for years and especially after the U.S. began deporting third-country migrants here.

Leo's visit to the prison in Bata, the central African country's port city, continues the tradition of Pope Francis, who made prison visits a priority of his pontificate. Francis' aim was to give prisoners hope and to remind them the church was with them, while also shining a spotlight on judicial abuses, overcrowding and other injustices.

Inflation in the U.K. climbed in March after a sharp jump in prices at the pump in the wake of the disruption to energy supplies caused by the Iran war, official figures showed Wednesday.

The Office for National Statistics said the annual consumer price inflation rate increased to a three-month high of 3.3% from 3% the previous month. The rise was in line with market expectations.

Iran fired on a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, damaging the vessel and complicating efforts to bring the United States and Iran together in Pakistan for talks to end the war.

The morning attack by Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard came after U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. would indefinitely extend the ceasefire with Iran, which had been due to expire on Wednesday, to give Tehran time to come up with a "unified proposal" ahead of possible negotiations.

Iran has granted its commanders greater autonomy over militias in Iraq, allowing some groups to carry out operations without Tehran's approval, a shift driven by the pressures of the war, three militia members and two other officials told The Associated Press.

Many Iran-backed militias are funded through the Iraqi state budget and embedded within the security apparatus, drawing criticism from the United States and other countries that have borne the brunt of their attacks and say Baghdad has failed to take a tougher stance.

French President Emmanuel Macron is to reaffirm France's full commitment to the ceasefire in Lebanon and support for the country's territorial integrity at a meeting Tuesday in Paris with Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Macron's office said.

Pakistan is preparing for a new round of talks between the U.S. and Iran as the ceasefire is set to expire Wednesday, while Lebanon and Israel are set to hold a new meeting in Washington later this week.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam spoke at a meeting in Luxembourg about the fragile ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, disarming the Hezbollah militant group, and the need for EU assistance for the war-torn nation.

“Lebanon today needs its European partners more than ever,” Salam posted on X on Tuesday.

Buoyed by the election of a new leader in Hungary, Europe's top diplomats are meeting in Luxembourg to forge plans of action on multiple crises from the ongoing war in Ukraine, Russian hybrid attacks, and economic instability as the war in Iran drives up energy prices worldwide.

But it is the European Union's policy toward Israel — and how to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as security deteriorates in the Palestinian territories of Gaza and the occupied West Bank, as well as in Lebanon — that is dividing the 27-nation bloc.

There appeared to be movement toward another round of U.S.-Iran ceasefire talks Tuesday as two regional officials told The Associated Press that both countries have signaled a return to Pakistan for discussions. There was no immediate word on timing of talks.