WASHINGTON — A US-backed diplomatic pact to end more than a month of war between Israel and Islamist fighters in Lebanon may stop the worst of the killing and retire the daily television images of burning buildings and suffocated children.

BAGHDAD (AP) — Three back-to-back explosions killed 47 people and wounded more than 70 Sunday night in a mostly Shiite neighbourhood in southern Baghdad, police said.

GENEVA (AFP) — The International Committee of the Red Cross on Sunday slammed the ongoing heavy civilian casualties in the conflict in Lebanon as “unacceptable”.