Briefly

FRANCE

Smoking ban imposed in beaches and parks

France on Sunday banned smoking in parks and on beaches, part of efforts to protect the public from passive smoking and create the country's first nonsmoking generation. The ban, published in the official government gazette on Saturday, also applies to bus shelters and areas near libraries, swimming pools and schools. It was introduced one week before the start of school holidays, aiming to shield children from passive smoking on beaches. The rules do not apply to bars and restaurant terraces, where smoking remains permitted. They also do not apply to electronic cigarettes.

UNITED STATES

2 killed, 1 wounded in sniper ambush

Two firefighters were killed on Sunday and another was wounded when they were ambushed by sniper fire while responding to a blaze in a northern Idaho mountain community. The crew members endured a barrage of gunfire over several hours — which the governor described as a "heinous" assault. A shelter-in-place order was lifted on Sunday night after a tactical response team discovered the body of a man with a firearm nearby, the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office said. Officials did not release his name, nor did they say what kind of gun was found. The motive for the shooting was not known and police said they were still working to identify the man.

TURKIYE

Agreement signed for direct transport links

The Global Transport Connectivity Forum concluded on Sunday in Istanbul with the signing of 12 cooperation agreements aimed at enhancing cross-border logistics and regional integration. Among them was a landmark agreement between Turkish and Syrian delegations to resume direct road transport between the two countries after years of suspension. "Commercial transport will resume under the International Road Transport Agreement signed between the two countries in 2004," announced Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu, noting that cargo transfers at border gates will end, allowing goods to move directly between Turkiye and Syria without transshipment.

Agencies - Xinhua