Washington, April 22: Israel and Lebanon are expected to hold their second ambassador-level talks at the US State Department in Washington, US media reported.

Israel and Lebanon will again be represented by their ambassadors to the United States, Yechiel Leiter and Nada Hamadeh Moawad, respectively.

A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon came into effect at midnight between Thursday and Friday, following weeks of intensified cross-border fighting amid the US-Israeli war against Iran, reports Xinhua news agency.

The truce has remained fragile as tensions along Lebanon’s southern border continue. Lebanon’s official National News Agency reported that Israeli forces escalated operations across southern Lebanon at dawn on Tuesday, carrying out widespread demolitions, stepping up aerial surveillance, and issuing evacuation warnings despite the ceasefire.

Israel and Lebanon have no formal diplomatic relations, and Hezbollah has long been viewed by Israel as a “proxy” of Iran. The negotiating party with Israel is the Lebanese government, not Hezbollah.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah said it launched rockets and attack drones at an Israeli artillery position in the settlement of Kfar Giladi on Tuesday evening, marking an escalation despite an ongoing ceasefire.

The group said in a statement that the attack targeted the source of recent Israeli artillery fire toward the Lebanese town of Yahmar al-Shaqif, describing the strike as a response to what it called repeated Israeli violations of the ceasefire since it took effect, including attacks on civilians and destruction of homes in southern Lebanon.

A US-backed 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon came into force at midnight between Thursday and Friday, following weeks of intensified cross-border fighting, although the truce has remained fragile.

Mumbai: In a bid to strengthen sanitation efforts, Ashwini Bhide, Commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), conducted a surprise early-morning inspection at a solid waste management facility in Bandra West on Tuesday.

The inspection was carried out at Dharmashala Chowki in the H-West Ward, located at Kherwadi opposite the Government Polytechnic. During the visit, Bhide reviewed staff attendance, checked official registers and interacted directly with sanitation workers to assess on-ground workforce deployment.

Stressing strict hygiene standards, the civic chief directed officials to prioritise cleanliness across the ward. She instructed teams to ensure effective road sweeping, proper waste handling, and regular sanitation of public spaces such as bus stops and surrounding areas.

Bhide also stressed the need for stronger coordination between various departments within the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, stating that improved inter-departmental cooperation is crucial for maintaining cleanliness and enhancing overall civic management.

Senior officials, including Deputy Commissioner (Solid Waste Management) Kiran Dighavkar, Deputy Commissioner Prashant Gaikwad, Deputy Commissioner Vishwas Mote and Assistant Commissioner Dinesh Pallewad, were present during the inspection. The surprise visit highlights the BMC’s renewed focus on accountability and real-time monitoring as part of its city-wide cleanliness drive.

Meanwhile, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has allocated Rs 105 crore for pothole repairs ahead of the monsoon, much lower than last year’s Rs 200 crore expenditure. Officials attribute the reduced cost to the ongoing Rs 17,000-crore road concreting project, which is now nearly 75 per cent complete, compared to 45 per cent progress during the same period last year. The use of mastic for road repairs has also declined by 50 per cent over the past year.

The repair plan includes two major tenders of Rs 30 crore each for the Western and Eastern Express Highways, along with multiple tenders for roads of varying widths that have not yet been concreted. A separate tender has also been floated for procuring cold mix material. With the monsoon approaching, the civic body aims to minimise pothole-related disruptions while continuing its push for improved road infrastructure and urban sanitation.

Navi Mumbai: Traffic on the Yashwantrao Chavan Expressway will be temporarily suspended for three hours on April 23 and 24 due to bridge maintenance work near Kusgaon, authorities said.

The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) said the closure is required to carry out shuttering removal and painting work on a bridge located at km 58/500 between Dongargaon and Kusgaon.

According to the schedule, traffic heading towards Mumbai will remain completely closed on April 23 from 12 pm to 3 pm. Vehicles will be diverted via Kiwale–Dehu Road–Talegaon and routed through National Highway 48 to rejoin at Kusgaon toll plaza. Similarly, traffic towards Pune will be shut on April 24 from 12 pm to 3 pm, with vehicles diverted via Kusgaon toll plaza onto National Highway 48 and then through Dehu Road–Kiwale towards Pune.

Officials have urged motorists to plan their journeys in advance and use alternate routes during the closure period to avoid inconvenience.

In case of any difficulty, commuters can contact the control room at 9822498224 or the highway police helpline at 9833498334.