Lebanon PM makes first Damascus visit since Syria war
Lebanese prime minister Najib Mikati arrived in Damascus Saturday in the first such visit since before civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, an AFP journalist reported.
Middle East
Saudi prepares for another Hajj menaced by extreme heat
The deaths of 1,300 pilgrims during the Hajj in Saudi Arabia last year underscored the urgent need to mitigate dangers posed by extreme heat, with crowd management an essential first step, analysts say.
EU could gradually ease Syria sanctions if 鈥榯angible progress鈥�
The European Union could begin lifting sanctions on Syria if the war-torn country鈥檚 new rulers take steps to form an inclusive government that protects minorities, the bloc鈥檚 top diplomat said Friday.
Gaza death toll 40pc higher than recorded: Lancet study
The new peer-reviewed study used data from the ministry, an online survey and social media obituaries to estimate that there were between 55,298 and 78,525 deaths from traumatic injuries in Gaza by that time...
Israeli strikes kill 12 in Gaza
Gaza鈥檚 civil defence agency said Israeli forces pounded the Palestinian territory on Thursday, killing at least 12 people including three girls, 15 months into the war...
37 killed between pro-Turkey, Kurdish forces clashes in Syria
Battles between Turkish-backed groups, supported by air strikes, and Kurdish-led forces killed 37 people on Thursday in Syria鈥檚 northern Manbij region, a war monitor said.
Turkey threatens military operation against Syrian Kurdish fighters
Turkey threatened Tuesday to launch a military operation against Kurdish forces in Syria unless they accepted Ankara鈥檚 conditions for a 鈥榖loodless鈥� transition after the fall of strongman president Bashar al-Assad...
UN calls for $370m in new humanitarian aid for Lebanon
The United Nations joined the Lebanese government on Tuesday to appeal for an additional $371.4 million in humanitarian aid for people displaced by the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah...
7 children among killed as Israel hits Khan Yunisca
Gaza health officials said a wave of Israeli strikes hit the territory鈥檚 southern district of Khan Yunis on Tuesday evening, killing a dozen people, including seven children...
International flights resume at Damascus airport
International flights resumed at Syria鈥檚 main airport in Damascus on Tuesday for the first time since Islamist-led forces toppled president Bashar al-Assad last month...
Hamas agrees to free 34 Gaza hostages under mooted deal
A Hamas official said Sunday the group was ready to free 34 hostages in the 鈥榝irst phase鈥� of a potential deal with Israel, after Israel said indirect talks on a truce and hostage release agreement had resumed in Qatar...
Israeli strikes kill 23 in Gaza
Gaza鈥檚 civil defence agency reported that Israeli strikes in the Palestinian territory had killed at least 23 people on Sunday, while the military said it had targeted more than 鈥�100 terror targets鈥� over the past two days.
Syrian ministers urge lifting of US sanctions in first visit to Doha
Ministers from Syria鈥檚 transitional government urged the United States to lift its sanctions on Damascus during their first visit to Qatar since overthrowing president Bashar al-Assad.
Gaza truce talks resume as 30 killed in fresh Israeli attack
As the violence raged, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed that indirect negotiations with Hamas had resumed in Qatar for the release of hostages seized in the October 2023 attacks...
Israeli strikes kill 26 in Gaza
Rescuers in Gaza said on Saturday that Israeli strikes across the Palestinian territory killed at least 26 people, the day after Hamas militants said peace talks were to resume.