U.S. envoy to Syria Tom Barrack says that Israel and Syria have agreed to a ceasefire following Israel’s intervention this week in fighting between Syrian government forces and.

BEIRUT - Thousands of protesters filled the streets of downtown Beirut as part of nation-wide demonstrations over deteriorating economic conditions and new austerity measures. Protesters clashed with security forces outside government headquarters in Riad el Solh square, and several major roads were barricaded with burning tires. Forty members of Lebanon's Internal Security Forces (ISF) were wounded in the protests, the ISF said in a tweet. Lebanon's decaying infrastructure, which includes long and frequent power outages, has meant that living standards have dropped for many Lebanese. In an interview with local broadcasters LBC on Thursday night, prominent Druze politician Walid Joumblatt asked Hariri to step down and vowed to keep his party members out of future government coalitions.