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Lebanon's health minister said that at least 11 people had been killed and nearly 3,000 wounded when pages used by Hezbollah in Iran-backed

Lebanese militia exploded in Lebanon and Syria.

The cause of the explosions remains unknown. A spokesperson for the group

called the incident the biggest security breach since its war with Israel began.

On Monday Israel expanded its official war aims to include the safe

return of its citizens to the country's north, where more than 60,000 people have been

evacuated because of Hezbollah rocket strikes.

Friedrich Mertz was named by Germany's Central Right Parties as their candidate for Chancellor in next year's general election.

The Chancellor's ship would be the first government job for the veteran Conservative, who was

forced out of the top job in the Christian Democratic Union in 2002 by his political

foe.

Angler Merkel.

Olaf Schultz, the incumbent Chancellor, has expressed an interest in running for re-election,

but his Social Democratic Party has not yet confirmed his candidacy.

The SMP 500 index of American firms hit an all-time high, breaking a record that it's set in July.

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