MidEast

US troops need to stay in Syria to counter the Islamic State group, Austin says

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told The Associated Press that the U.S. needs to keep troops deployed in Syria to prevent the Islamic State group from reconstituting as a major threat

Israeli troops recover body of Gaza hostage with signs son also killed

The body of Youssef Ziyadne, an Israeli Bedouin taken hostage by Hamas-led fighters on Oct. 7, 2023, has been found in a tunnel in Gaza, along with evidence suggesting his son

After US exemption, UN says more significant Syria sanctions work needed

A U.S. sanctions exemption for transactions with governing institutions in Syria is welcome, but "much more significant work ... will inevitably be

Italian journalist Sala freed from Iran prison, returns home

Italian journalist Cecilia Sala was freed by Iran on Wednesday and returned home, three weeks after she was detained in Tehran during a reporting trip.

Ashraf Ghani Fast Facts

Ashraf Ghani Fast Facts

Mahmoud Abbas Fast Facts

Mahmoud Abbas Fast Facts

Ayad Allawi Fast Facts

Ayad Allawi Fast Facts

Ibrahim al-Jaafari Fast Facts

Ibrahim al-Jaafari Fast Facts

US offered to swap Guantanamo prisoner to free detained Americans in Afghanistan

US offered to swap Guantanamo prisoner to free detained Americans in Afghanistan

Turkey's pro-Kurdish party to visit jailed militant leader again, party sources say

Turkey's pro-Kurdish DEM Party will hold face-to-face talks with imprisoned Kurdish militant leader Abdullah Ocalan for a second time, possibly as early as next week, two DEM

EU could lift some Syria sanctions quickly, France says

European Union sanctions in Syria that obstruct the delivery of humanitarian aid and hinder the country's recovery could be lifted swiftly,

Israeli strikes kill dozens in Gaza amid stepped up ceasefire push

Israeli strikes killed dozens of people across Gaza on Wednesday, Palestinian medics said, as talks to halt the fighting continued in Qatar and Israeli troops

Italian journalist Cecilia Sala lands back in Rome after being freed from detention in Iran

Italian journalist Cecilia Sala lands back in Rome after being freed from detention in Iran

Egypt uncovers blocks from 18th dynasty Queen Hatshepsut temple

Archaeologists have uncovered intact portions of the foundation wall of pharaonic Queen Hatshepsut's valley temple in Luxor and the nearby tomb of Queen Teti Sheri, grandmother of

Israel’s military releases interrogation video in bid to defend assault on Gaza hospitals

Israel’s military releases interrogation video in bid to defend assault on Gaza hospitals

Libya's eastern parliament approves transitional justice law in unity move, MPs say

Libya's eastern-based parliament has approved a national reconciliation and transitional justice law, three lawmakers said, a measure aimed at reunifying the oil-

Armenia warns of escalation risk after Azeri leader calls it 'fascist'

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has accused neighbouring Armenia of posing a "fascist" threat that needs to be destroyed, in comments that Armenia's leader called a possible attempt to

US equity 'exceptionalism' to continue, State Street asset management CEO says

U.S. stocks look set to extend their outperformance this year driven by the financial firepower of big tech firms and investor friendly policies under a second

India to consider engaging in development projects in Afghanistan

India will consider engaging in development projects in Afghanistan in the near future, India's Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday, despite the lack of diplomatic relations.

ALS sidelined this Israeli TV journalist. AI is helping him make a comeback.

A renowned Israeli TV journalist who lost his ability to speak clearly because of ALS is returning to the air using artificial-intelligence software that recreates his widely recognized gravelly voice

‘Barça is the club of my life’: In CNN exclusive Lamine Yamal pledges long-term future to Barcelona after historic 2024

‘Barça is the club of my life’: In CNN exclusive Lamine Yamal pledges long-term future to Barcelona after historic 2024

Egypt unveils ancient rock-cut tombs and burial shafts in Luxor

Egypt has unveiled several discoveries near the famed city of Luxor including ancient rock-cut tombs and burial shafts dating back 3,600 years

Egypt inflation seen easing to 24.2% in December: Reuters poll

Egyptian inflation is expected to have eased to 24.2% in December as food prices continued to cool, according to a poll released on Wednesday.

Lebanon to extradite son of late Muslim cleric al-Qaradawi to UAE, PM's office says

Lebanon is set to extradite the son of late senior Muslim cleric Youssef al-Qaradawi to the United Arab Emirates after the country's caretaker cabinet approved the move on Tuesday,

UAE says it has discussed a potential role in postwar Gaza, but conditions remain unmet

UAE says it has discussed a potential role in postwar Gaza, but conditions remain unmet

Iran tells France to review 'unconstructive' approach ahead of meeting

Iran's foreign ministry called upon Paris to review its "unconstructive" approach, a few days before Tehran is set to hold a new round of talks about its nuclear programme with major

First international commercial flight since Assad's ouster lands at Syria's main airport

The first international commercial flight since the fall of former Syrian President Bashar Assad has landed at Damascus airport

Biden administration asks court to block plea deal for alleged mastermind of 9/11 attacks

The Biden administration has asked a federal appeals court to block a plea agreement for accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed that would spare him the risk of the death penalty

Ireland joins genocide case against Israel at International Court of Justice

Ireland joins genocide case against Israel at International Court of Justice

Blinken calls for push to get Gaza truce deal over 'finish line'

U.S.

Middle East latest: Israeli strikes kill 17 people in Gaza, nearly all of them women or kids

Gaza's Health Ministry says Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 17 Palestinians, nearly all of them women or children

UAE, Israeli foreign ministers meet to discuss Gaza humanitarian crisis

The foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, has held talks with his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar in the Gulf nation, the UAE state news agency (WAM)

Harris to travel to Singapore, Bahrain and Germany before leaving office

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to Europe, the Middle East and Asia from Jan. 13 through Jan. 17, the White House said on Tuesday.

Germany pushing for EU to relax sanctions on Syria, sources say

Germany is leading European Union discussions on easing sanctions imposed on the Syrian government of toppled President Bashar al-Assad and aiding the country's

US shifts $100 million in military aid from Israel and Egypt to Lebanon to bolster ceasefire

The Biden administration in its final days is shifting more than $100 million in military aid from Israel and Egypt to Lebanon as it tries to bolster a ceasefire agreement it helped mediate between Israel and Hezbollah

Hamas stands by demand for end to Gaza war under hostage deal, as Trump deadline nears

Hamas stood by its demand on Tuesday that Israel fully end its assault on Gaza under any deal to release hostages, and said U.S.

US shifts some military aid to Lebanon from Egypt, letter says

U.S.

Trump Middle East envoy predicts 'good things' to announce on Gaza hostages before inauguration

President-elect Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said on Tuesday he hopes to have good things to report about hostages held by Hamas in Gaza by the time

Turkey says it will mount offensive against Kurdish YPG if demands not met

Turkey will carry out a cross-border offensive into northeastern Syria against the Kurdish YPG militia if the group does not meet Ankara's demands, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said

Trump announces $20B US investment by Emirati businessman

President-elect Donald Trump is expected to announce a $20 billion investment into building data centers in the United States by the Emirati company led by a billionaire who is a close business partner of the Trump family

Disney names new president of Europe, Middle East and Africa

Walt Disney has named Tony Chambers president of Disney in Europe, Middle East and Africa, as part of a restructuring of its entertainment businesses in the region, the company said

Israel says no foreign courts have warrants issued against reservists

Israel said on Tuesday pressure groups were pushing foreign courts to take action against Israelis over alleged war crimes in Gaza but described the actions as "propaganda

Syria to take time organising national dialogue, foreign minister says

Syria will take its time to organise a landmark national dialogue conference to ensure that the preparations include all segments of Syrian society, Foreign Minister Asaad al-

Harris will travel to Asia, Mideast and Europe during her final week in office

Vice President Kamala Harris plans to close out her term with an around-the-world trip

Trump warns ‘all hell will break out’ if Gaza hostages aren’t released before his inauguration

Trump warns ‘all hell will break out’ if Gaza hostages aren’t released before his inauguration

Qatar plans to help boost Syrian government salaries, sources say

Qatar is planning to help finance a massive boost in public sector wages promised by Syria's new government, a U.S. official and a senior

US, Taliban in talks to swap detainees, WSJ reports

The Biden administration is negotiating with Afghanistan to exchange Americans detained in the country for at least one high-profile prisoner held in Guantanamo Bay with alleged

GM Defense's Suburban Shield: Revolutionizing Diplomatic Security and VIP Transport

GM Defense's Suburban Shield: Revolutionizing Diplomatic Security and VIP Transport

11 Yemeni detainees at Guantanamo Bay transferred to Oman

11 Yemeni detainees at Guantanamo Bay transferred to Oman

Three Palestinian militants killed in West Bank as Israeli operations intensify

Israeli forces killed at least three Palestinian militants in stepped-up operations across the occupied West Bank on Tuesday following the killing of three Israelis near a Jewish

CNN visits river at the heart of the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire deal

At the heart of the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire deal stands the Litani River in Lebanon, just a few kilometers from Israel's northern border. CNN's Tamara Qiblawi visited the banks of the river to break down why this geographic landmark is so significant.

Erdogan tells Iraqi Kurdish PM that Turkey working to keep Syria secure

Turkey is working to ensure that Syria's transformation over the last month will not bring new instabilities to the region, President Tayyip Erdogan told the Iraqi Kurdish prime

Israel cyber firms raise $4 billion in 2024 on surge of cloud, AI security needs

Israeli cybersecurity firms raised $4 billion in 2024, more than double that of 2023, led by firms seeking to protect the cloud along with a surge in artificial

UN says Iran executed over 900 people in 2024, including dozens of women

The number of people executed in Iran rose to 901 last year, including 31 women, some of whom were convicted of murdering their husbands to fend off rape or after being

US transfers 11 Guantanamo detainees to Oman after more than two decades without charge

The U.S. has transferred 11 Yemeni men to Oman after holding them for more than two decades without charge at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

Jordan and Syria to combat arms and drugs smuggling, Islamic State's resurgence

Jordan and Syria have agreed to form a joint security committee to secure their border, combat arms and drug smuggling and work to prevent the resurgence of Islamic State militants,

‘MSN reunion? Football is full of surprises’: Neymar hints at revival of famed trio in CNN exclusive as he targets World Cup

‘MSN reunion? Football is full of surprises’: Neymar hints at revival of famed trio in CNN exclusive as he targets World Cup

Violence surges in West Bank as three Israelis killed and reprisals reported

Violence surges in West Bank as three Israelis killed and reprisals reported

Syria to receive electricity-generating ships from Qatar and Turkey

Syria will receive two electricity-generating ships from Turkey and Qatar to boost energy supplies hit by damage to infrastructure during President Bashar al-Assad's rule, state news

UAE agrees to roll over payment of $2 billion due by Pakistan

The United Arab Emirates has agreed to roll over the payment of $2 billion due by Pakistan this month, the South Asian nation's Prime Minister Shehbaz

UAE in talks with US, Israel about provisional government for post-war Gaza

The United Arab Emirates has discussed with Israel and the United States participating in a provisional administration of post-war Gaza until a reformed

France says conditions of citizens held in Iran akin to torture

The situation of three French citizens held in Iran is worsening with some being detained in conditions similar to torture, France's foreign minister said on Tuesday,

Global crude exports dip as trade routes reshuffle again

The volume of global crude exports in 2024 declined 2%, the first fall since the COVID-19 pandemic, shipping data showed, due to weak demand growth and as

Long silenced by fear, Syrians now speak about rampant torture under Assad

The system of detention, torture and death run by Syria’s former ruler, Bashar Assad, is starting to come out into the open

Saudi Arabia presses Florida man to give up US citizenship over critical tweets, family says

The son of a Florida retiree says Saudi Arabia has forced his father to take steps to renounce his American citizenship after jailing him over social media posts critical of the kingdom’s crown prince

Gunmen targeting bus in the occupied West Bank kill 3 people

Gunmen attacked a bus carrying Israelis in the occupied West Bank, killing at least three people and wounding eight others, Israel’s rescue service said

Hamas says it has approved Israeli list of 34 hostages for possible deal

Palestinian militant group Hamas has approved a list of 34 hostages presented by Israel to be exchanged in a possible ceasefire deal, a group official told Reuters on Sunday.

What are halal mortgages?

Access to halal mortgages, which provide interest-free housing loans, has been growing in the US.

US envoy Hochstein says Israeli army withdrawals from western Lebanon to continue until military fully out

U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein said on Monday that he was happy to see the Israeli army withdraw from the western sector of Lebanon back to Israel.

US dramatically shrinks Guantanamo prisoner population to 15 men

U.S.

US eases restrictions on Syria while keeping sanctions in place

The U.S. on Monday eased some restrictions on Syria’s transitional government after Islamist insurgents ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad

US says anti-ISIS operation in Iraq kills coalition soldier

The U.S. military said on Monday operations against Islamic State in Iraq over the past week led to the death of a non-U.S. coalition soldier and wounded two other non-U.S.

Hurdles remain as Israel and Hamas once again inch toward a ceasefire deal

Israel and Hamas are once again struggling to reach a ceasefire that could wind down the 15-month war in Gaza and bring home dozens of Israelis held hostage

US allows transactions with governing institutions in Syria despite sanctions

The U.S. on Monday issued a sanctions exemption for transactions with governing institutions in Syria for six months after the end

World Food Programme condemns Israeli attack on its Gaza convoy

The U.N.

Oil prices ease as weak economic data offsets higher US winter storm heating demand

Oil prices eased in volatile trade on Monday as some bearish economic news from the United States and Germany offset bullish support from a weaker U.S. dollar and

Middle East latest: 3 Israelis fatally shot in West Bank attack on a bus

Gunmen opened fire on a bus carrying Israelis in the occupied West Bank on Monday, killing at least three people and wounding seven others

Emirati, Syrian foreign ministers discuss bolstering ties on UAE visit

UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed discussed bolstering "brotherly" ties with Syria during the first official visit by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani to

Israeli soldiers face growing risk of arrest abroad after Gaza service

Israeli soldiers face growing risk of arrest abroad after Gaza service

Lucid beats estimates for EV deliveries as price cuts, cheaper financing spur demand

Lucid beat expectations for quarterly deliveries, as the Saudi Arabia-backed maker of luxury electric vehicles lowered prices and offered cheaper financing to drive demand

Three Israelis killed in northern West Bank shooting

Three Israelis were killed and several injured on Monday in a shooting attack on a car and bus near the settlement of Kedumim in the Israeli-occupied West Bank,

UN envoy arrives in Yemeni capital in bid to quell tensions

The United Nations' Yemen mediator arrived in Yemen's capital on Monday as part of a bid to subdue heightened tensions in his first visit in almost two years, a spokesperson

Bank of Israel holds rates on high inflation, economic uncertainty

The Bank of Israel left interest rates unchanged for the eighth straight meeting on Monday, citing expectations of higher inflation and economic uncertainty due

Iran's nuclear programme nearing point of no return, France's Macron says

Iran's disputed uranium enrichment drive is nearing a point of no return and European partners to a moribund 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran should consider reimposing sanctions if

Why has ISIS not yet claimed the New Orleans vehicle attack?

Why has ISIS not yet claimed the New Orleans vehicle attack?

Turkey says eradication of Kurdish YPG militia in Syria 'imminent'

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Monday that eradication of the Kurdish YPG militia in Syria was "imminent", and that Ankara would not agree to any policy that allowed

Tehran says detention of Iranian in Italy amounts to 'hostage-taking'

Iran said on Monday the detention of an Iranian national in Italy at the request of the U.S. amounted to hostage-taking.

ICRC to expand Syria humanitarian efforts beyond $100 million programme

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) plans to expand its work in Syria significantly beyond an initial $100 million programme, the organisation's president said on

Israel warns Lebanon truce could collapse if Hezbollah doesn’t withdraw in south

Israel warns Lebanon truce could collapse if Hezbollah doesn’t withdraw in south

Hamas approves list of Israeli hostages for potential exchange, Reuters reports

Hamas approves list of Israeli hostages for potential exchange, Reuters reports

Afghans arrive in the Philippines to complete visa processing for resettlement in US

A group of Afghan nationals have arrived in the Philippines to process special immigrant visas for their resettlement in the United States

Hezbollah leader Nasrallah was killed last year inside the war operations room, aide says

A senior Hezbollah security official says leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike last year while inside the militant group’s war operations room

Turkey investigates opposition mayor's comments about Syrians

Turkey has launched an investigation into an opposition mayor's comments about Syrians, including his claims that he unlawfully revoked some of their business licences in his northwestern

UAE non-oil business activity growth picks up in December, PMI shows

The United Arab Emirates' non-oil private sector expanded at its fastest pace in nine months in December, driven by strong demand and increased business activity, a survey showed on

Egypt's non-oil private sector contracts in December as cost pressures rise, PMI shows

Operating conditions in Egypt's non-oil private sector deteriorated in December, with output and new orders falling at the sharpest rates in eight months amid rising cost pressures,

Two Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank, Palestinian sources say

Two Palestinians, including a 17-year-old boy, were killed by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, according to the Palestinian Fatah party and the Palestinian

Israel helps former soldier leave Brazil over investigation into alleged war crimes in Gaza

Israel has helped a former soldier leave Brazil after legal action was initiated against him by a group accusing Israelis of war crimes in the Gaza Strip

FBI looking into New Orleans attack suspect's visits to Egypt, Canada

The FBI is looking into past visits to Egypt and Canada by the suspect in the New Year's Day attack in New Orleans that killed 14 people after a truck was rammed into a

Hamas and Israel wrangle over talks as Israeli strikes in Gaza intensify

Israel and Hamas wrangled on Sunday over the details of a deal to halt fighting in the Gaza Strip and return hostages home, as Palestinian officials said

Israeli military enlists first group of ultra-Orthodox recruits into brigade

Israeli military enlists first group of ultra-Orthodox recruits into brigade

Italy's Meloni boosts ties with Trump in surprise visit to Florida

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Sunday she was ready to work with Donald Trump after making a surprise visit to Florida to meet the president-

Syrian caretaker government to hike public sector salaries by 400% next month

Syria's finance minister said on Sunday the government would hike salaries for many public sector employees by 400% next month after completing an administrative

Erdogan expects support from Syria in Turkey's battle with PKK

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that Syria's new leadership is determined to root out separatists there, as Ankara said its military had "neutralised" 32 members of the

Syria's foreign minister visits Qatar as new authorities seek regional and global diplomatic ties

Syria’s new foreign minister has met with his Qatari counterpart and Qatar’s prime minister in Doha on Sunday

Syria's new Islamist rulers urge US to lift sanctions during visit to Doha

Syria's new Islamist rulers said on Sunday that U.S. sanctions on Syria were an obstacle to the war-torn country's rapid recovery

Bank of Israel to hold rates this week but cut possible in February - Reuters Poll

The Bank of Israel is expected to leave short-term interest rates unchanged for an eighth straight policy meeting this week, although analysts believe a rate cut

Israeli strikes kill dozens in Gaza Strip as new ceasefire talks begin

Israeli military strikes in the Gaza Strip have killed at least 70 people over the last day, Palestinian medics said on Saturday, as

Saudi Arabia's non-oil private sector keeps growing solidly in December, PMI shows

Strong demand drove growth in Saudi Arabia's non-oil business sector in December, albeit at a slightly slower pace than the previous month, a survey showed on Sunday.

Family of hostage in latest Hamas video urges Netanyahu to take ‘opportunity to bring them back’

Family of hostage in latest Hamas video urges Netanyahu to take ‘opportunity to bring them back’

US plans $8 billion arms sale to Israel, US officials say

U.S.

Israeli airstrikes in Gaza kill at least 21, hospital workers say, as talks underway

Hospital staff in Gaza say the latest Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 21 people including at least two children

Congress is notified by the Biden administration of a planned $8 billion weapons sale to Israel

The State Department has informed Congress of a planned $8 billion weapons sale to Israel

Israel considering limiting humanitarian aid to Gaza after Trump’s inauguration

Israel considering limiting humanitarian aid to Gaza after Trump’s inauguration

Malaysia turns away 2 boats with nearly 300 Rohingya refugees after dozens landed on island

Malaysian authorities say they have turned away two boats carrying nearly 300 Muslim Rohingya refugees who had entered the country illegally

State Department notifies Congress of planned $8 billion arms sale to Israel

State Department notifies Congress of planned $8 billion arms sale to Israel

New Orleans attack came as officials warned of an escalating threat of international terrorism

The truck attack in New Orleans by an Army veteran inspired by the Islamic State group unfolded amid months of warnings by officials about a resurgent terrorism threat

Jimmy Carter’s foreign policy legacy is far more complex – and successful – than he gets credit for

Jimmy Carter’s foreign policy legacy is far more complex – and successful – than he gets credit for

Blinken heads to South Korea, Japan and France

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to South Korea, Japan and France from Jan. 4-9, the State Department said on Friday, amid a political crisis in Seoul.

At UN, Israel defends Gaza hospital raid, UN rights chief says its explanation is vague

Israel on Friday defended its raid on a north Gaza hospital last week while the U.N. human rights chief called the justification unsubstantiated and the

New Orleans attack puts spotlight on Islamic State comeback bid

A U.S.

Hamas wants Gaza ceasefire deal as soon as possible, senior official says

Hamas said a new round of indirect talks on a Gaza ceasefire resumed in Qatar's Doha on Friday, stressing the group's seriousness in seeking to reach a deal as soon as possible,

No date yet for landmark Syrian national dialogue, sources say

Syria's new rulers have not yet decided when to hold a landmark national dialogue conference that is meant to bring together Syrians from across society to chart a

Hamas says Gaza deal talks will resume on Friday

Hamas says Gaza deal talks will resume on Friday

Middle East latest: Germany and France seek a 'new beginning' with Syria

The top diplomats from Germany and France are in Syria to send what the German minister called a clear signal that a “political new beginning” between Europe and Syria is possible after the ouster of Bashar Assad

Israeli airstrikes push up Gaza death toll amid new truce push

Israel has carried out airstrikes on dozens of Hamas targets in Gaza over the past 24 hours, it said on Friday, in attacks that

Israeli strikes kill at least 42 in Gaza as ceasefire talks set to resume in Qatar

Hospital and emergency response workers say Israeli strikes have killed at least 42 people in Gaza

Syria restricts entry of Lebanese via joint border, sources say

Syria's new administration has imposed restrictions on Lebanese crossing their shared border into Syria, a Lebanese security official and a Syrian official said on Friday.

Three Palestinians killed in standoff with security forces in West Bank

A Palestinian man and his son were killed in Jenin, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, local medical officials said on Friday, as a month-long standoff between Palestinian

Iran summons Italian ambassador over arrest of Iranian wanted by US

Iran's foreign ministry summoned the Italian ambassador on Friday over the detention of an Iranian national wanted by the United States for his alleged role in a deadly drone strike

Turkish inflation falls more than expected to 44%

Turkish inflation was lower than expected at 44.38% annually and 1.03% on a monthly basis in December, data showed on Friday, in a month in which the central bank launched an

Kurds, women must be included in Syria's transition, European ministers say

All Syrian groups, including women and Kurds, must be involved in the country's transition if Damascus wants European support, Germany's foreign minister said

French and German foreign ministers meet Syria’s new leaders in first high-level EU visit since Assad’s toppling

French and German foreign ministers meet Syria’s new leaders in first high-level EU visit since Assad’s toppling

Syria to include all sectors in new government, foreign minister says

Syria's foreign minister has told Saudi Arabian officials that the new leadership in Damascus wants to set up a government involving all parts of Syrian society

Afghanistan shows what investing in women’s education – or divesting – can do to an economy

New research shows that Afghan women earned 13% more for every additional year of schooling they received after the Taliban fell in 2001. That progress is now in peril.

Israeli airstrike hits a Gaza humanitarian zone as Netanyahu OKs a delegation to talks in Qatar

Israeli airstrikes across Gaza have killed at least 50 people, including several children, as they struck Hamas security officers and an Israeli-declared humanitarian zone

Carter's quest for Mideast peace didn't end with Camp David

As president, Jimmy Carter brokered the peace agreement that removed Israel’s most powerful enemy from the battlefield

Middle East latest: Israeli strikes across Gaza kill at least 50, including several kids

Palestinian and hospital officials say Israeli airstrikes killed at least 50 people across the Gaza Strip, including several children and two high-ranking police officers

Investigators seek clues to New Orleans attacker's path to radicalization

As investigators learn more about the man who pledged allegiance to Islamic State and killed 14 people with a truck on New Year's Day in New

The world’s most punctual airlines for 2024

The world’s most punctual airlines for 2024

Man who formerly served in US Army indicted over attempts to support Hezbollah

A Pennsylvania man who previously served in the U.S.

Israeli airstrikes kill Gaza head of police, 67 others, Gaza authorities say

Israeli airstrikes killed at least 68 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip on Thursday, including at a tent camp where the head of the enclave's

Syrian ministers visit Riyadh in first trip abroad after Assad’s fall

Syria's foreign and defence ministers met with Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman in Riyadh on Thursday in a landmark first visit abroad by members of the new Syrian

Israeli military says commandos raided missile plant in Syria in September

Israel's military said on Thursday its special forces had raided an underground missile production site in Syria in September that it said was primed to produce hundreds of

ISIS no longer rules a territory. But its recruits still pose a global threat

ISIS no longer rules a territory. But its recruits still pose a global threat

Israeli PM Netanyahu leaves hospital after prostate surgery

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was released from hospital on Thursday after his prostate surgery ended "successfully,", his office reported on X.

The most exciting new trains coming in 2025

The most exciting new trains coming in 2025

Changes to Syria’s school curriculum spark online outrage

Changes to Syria’s school curriculum spark online outrage

Italy summons Iranian ambassador, demands release of journalist

Italy's foreign ministry summoned the Iranian ambassador on Thursday to demand the immediate release of reporter Cecilia Sala, who was seized in Tehran on Dec. 19

Zelenskiy says Ukraine preparing to resume diplomatic ties with Syria

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday he was preparing to re-establish diplomatic ties with Syria, less than a month after the overthrow of the Russia-backed

Israeli strike kills 11 people, including head of Gaza police, Palestinian officials say

Israeli strike kills 11 people, including head of Gaza police, Palestinian officials say

What is the Islamic State group and what attacks has it inspired?

The FBI says it recovered the black flag of the Islamic State group from the truck that an American man from Texas smashed into New Year’s partygoers in New Orleans’ French Quarter

Gaza's Islamic Jihad says Israeli hostage tried to take own life

An Israeli hostage held by Gaza's Islamic Jihad militant group has tried to take his own life, the spokesperson for the movement's armed wing said in a video posted

Turkish manufacturing sector nears stabilisation in December, PMI shows

Turkey's manufacturing sector contracted at the slowest rate in eight months in December, a business survey showed on Thursday, in a sign that the sector is nearing stabilisation.

Saudi Arabia says it executes 6 Iranians for drug smuggling

Saudi Arabia says it has executed six Iranian men over drug smuggling, sparking strong objections from Iran at a time when the two countries are trying to mend relations

Gaza’s population is falling, while Israel’s growth is slowing

Gaza’s population is falling, while Israel’s growth is slowing

Palestinian Authority freezes Al Jazeera operations in the West Bank

Palestinian Authority freezes Al Jazeera operations in the West Bank

Palestinian Authority suspends broadcast of Qatar's Al Jazeera TV temporarily

The Palestinian Authority temporarily halted operations of Qatar's Al Jazeera television in the territory including its broadcasts, citing the network's dissemination of "inciting

Protesters in Syria demand justice for disappeared activists and accountability from all factions

Protesters in Syria have held a sit-in demanding justice for four activists who were forcibly disappeared in 2013 and whose fate remains one of the most haunting mysteries of the country’s 13-year civil war

Israel's former defence chief Gallant quits parliament

Former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, who had often taken an independent line against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right government allies, said on

Syrian foreign minister arrives in Saudi Arabia with delegation

A Syrian delegation led by newly appointed Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani arrived in Riyadh on Wednesday in its first official visit abroad, Syrian state news agency SANA

Israeli strikes kill 12 in Gaza, including children, as war grinds into the new year

Palestinian medics say Israeli strikes have killed at least 12 people in Gaza, mostly women and children

Saudi Arabia executes Iranians for drugs smuggling, Tehran protests

Saudi Arabia executed six Iranian nationals for drug smuggling, state news agency SPA reported on Wednesday, prompting Tehran to summon the Saudi ambassador according to media

Gaza population down by 6% since start of war - Palestinian statistics bureau

The population of Gaza has fallen 6% since the war with Israel began nearly 15 months ago as about 100,000 Palestinians left the enclave while more than 55,000 are presumed dead,

Yemen will continue to defend itself, say Houthis after US strikes

Yemen's Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam said that the country would continue to defend itself after several U.S. strikes targeted facilities in the capital Sanaa on Tuesday.

Israel strikes Gaza City suburb, Palestinian medics say

The Israeli military kept up the pressure on northern Gaza on Wednesday, striking in a suburb of Gaza City, medics said, and told residents in a central part of the enclave to

At least 20 migrants missing as boat sinks off Italy, seven rescued

Seven migrants were rescued, but at least 20 are missing after their boat sank en route to Italy from Libya, the mayor of the Italian island of Lampedusa said on Wednesday.

Next nuclear talks between Iran and three European countries due on Jan 13

The next round of nuclear talks between Iran and three European countries will take place on Jan. 13 in Geneva, Iran's semi-official ISNA news agency cited the country's Deputy

Abu Dhabi's Mubadala overtakes Saudi Arabia's PIF as world's top wealth fund spender

Abu Dhabi's Mubadala Investment Company accounted for about 20% of the almost $136.1 billion spent by sovereign wealth funds worldwide last year, overtaking Saudi

‘We’re dying from the cold’: Displaced Palestinians battle winter in Gaza

‘We’re dying from the cold’: Displaced Palestinians battle winter in Gaza

Israel raid empties northern Gaza’s last functioning major hospital of all patients and detains its director

Israel raid empties northern Gaza’s last functioning major hospital of all patients and detains its director

Spike in Russian flights from Syria to Libyan desert base as Moscow eyes new Mediterranean hub

Spike in Russian flights from Syria to Libyan desert base as Moscow eyes new Mediterranean hub

Carter’s presidency holds foreign policy lessons for Trump

Carter’s presidency holds foreign policy lessons for Trump

CNN military analyst breaks down how a friendly fire incident can happen

According to US Central Command, two US Navy pilots ejected safely after their fighter jet was shot down over the Red Sea in an apparent friendly fire incident. CNN military analyst Col. Cedric Leighton breaks down how a friendly fire incident can happen.

Osprey official breaks down their investigation of downed Azerbaijani jet

Matt Borie, Chief Intelligence Officer for Osprey Flight Solutions, explains why early indications in their investigation suggest a Russian anti-aircraft system may have downed an Azerbaijan Airlines jet.

Israeli leader Netanyahu takes a break from hospital to pass divisive bill

Israeli leader Netanyahu takes a break from hospital to pass divisive bill

Khaled Meshaal Fast Facts

Khaled Meshaal Fast Facts

US military appeals court says plea deals related to 9/11 attacks may proceed

A U.S. military appeals court has ruled that plea deals related to the man accused of masterminding the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and two accomplices can proceed

U.N. body accuses Israel of destroying Gaza healthcare

Israeli attacks on hospitals in Gaza have devastated the Palestinian enclave's health system and raised serious concerns about Israel's compliance with international law, the U.N.

A new year dawns on a Middle East torn by conflict and change

The streets were buzzing with excitement in Damascus as Syrians welcomed in a new year that seemed to many to bring a promise of a brighter future after the unexpected fall of Bashar Assad’s government weeks earlier

Recovering Netanyahu gets up from hospital to rally support for Israel budget

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu got up from his hospital bed to call on unruly coalition partners to fall in line and back his government's 2025 budget

France says it carried out missile strikes against ISIS in Syria last weekend

France carried out missile strikes last weekend in Syria, targeting Islamic State sites in the country, French Armed Forces Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on Tuesday.

In Syrian military housing, former rebels take the homes of Assad's officers

Families of military officers who served under Syria's ousted Bashar al-Assad are being evicted from their subsidised housing at a compound outside Damascus to

Amid ceasefire push, Palestinians released from Israeli jails bear mental, physical scars

Once muscular and strong, Palestinian bodybuilder Moazaz Obaiyat’s nine-month spell in Israeli custody left him

Middle East latest: Dozens of patients and wounded evacuated from Gaza for treatment

Dozens of patients and the wounded have been evacuated for treatment outside the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, where the United Nations says Israel’s attacks on and around hospitals have pushed health care to the brink

US repatriates Tunisian detainee held without charge at Guantanamo Bay since the day it opened

US repatriates Tunisian detainee held without charge at Guantanamo Bay since the day it opened

Middle East latest: Israel intercepts Houthi missile fired from Yemen

Israel’s military says it intercepted a missile fired toward the country by Yemen’s Houthi rebels

Israeli strike kills five journalists in Gaza, hospital says

Israeli strike kills five journalists in Gaza, hospital says

Syria appoints some foreign Islamist fighters to its military, sources say

Syria's new rulers have installed some foreign fighters including Uyghurs, a Jordanian and a Turk in the country's armed

Turkey hikes fuel tax by 6%, aims to control inflation

Turkey imposed a 6% tax hike on fuel on Tuesday, after its finance minister said over the weekend that tax moves on fuel and tobacco would not affect the government's inflation goal

Israel, at UN, warns Houthis risk sharing same fate as Hamas, Hezbollah

Israel's ambassador to the United Nations on Monday issued what he called a final warning to Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militants to halt missile

Syrian foreign minister calls for Kuwait's embassy in Damascus to reopen

Syria's new foreign minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani on Monday urged Kuwait to reopen its embassy in Damascus and resume relations with Syria following the downfall of Bashar al-

Carter announces Middle East peace agreement

One of Jimmy Carter's crowning achievements as president was the Camp David talks that would deliver Israel's first peace agreement with an Arab nation and make Nobel Peace Prize winners of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin

The Taliban say they will close all NGOs employing Afghan women

The Taliban say they will close all NGOs employing Afghan women

In Gaza's crowded tent camps, women wrestle with a life stripped of privacy

For Gaza’s women, the hardships of life in the territory’s sprawling tent camps are compounded by the daily humiliation of never having privacy

Displaced Gaza newborn freezes to death and twin fights for his life as rain floods tents

Yahya Al-Batran woke up in the early hours of Sunday morning to find his wife, Noura trying to wake their newborn twin sons Jumaa and Ali as they

Army National Guard soldier from Indiana dies in non-combat incident in Iraq

The Indiana National Guard says a 34-year-old soldier serving in Iraq has died in a non-combat incident

Syria's former opposition says it has not been invited to government's planned talks

The head of the internationally recognized Syrian opposition body during the previous administration's rule, said on Monday that the group has not received an invitation to the

Ceasefire between Turkey and US-backed SDF in northern Syria holding, Pentagon says

The Pentagon said on Monday a ceasefire between Turkey and the U.S.-backed Kurdish Syrian forces around the northern Syrian city of Manbij was holding.

Brazil to work toward Mercosur-UAE deal in coming months, Lula tells UAE president

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told his Emirati counterpart on Monday that Brazil will work to seal a deal between South American trade bloc Mercosur and the

Scores of Ukrainian and Russian POWs head back home after swap

Ukraine and Russia carried out a new exchange of prisoners of war on Monday, with the two sides bringing home a combined total of more than 300 former captives.

Syria eyes 'strategic' ties with Ukraine, Kyiv vows more food aid shipments

Syria hopes for strategic partnerships with Ukraine, its new foreign minister told his Ukrainian counterpart on Monday, as Kyiv moves to build ties with the new Islamist rulers in

Nvidia closes $700 million Run:ai acquisition after regulatory hurdles

Chipmaker Nvidia has completed its acquisition of Israeli AI firm Run:ai, the startup said on Monday, following antitrust scrutiny over the buyout.

Russia and Ukraine exchange 150 prisoners each in UAE-mediated swap, Moscow says

Russia and Ukraine conducted a prisoner swap on Monday, with each side freeing 150 prisoners of war, Russia's Defence Ministry said in a statement.

Hundreds of soldiers freed in the latest prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine

Russia and Ukraine have exchanged prisoners of war in the latest such swap that released hundreds of captives and was brokered with the help of the United Arab Emirates

Iran confirms arrest of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala

Iran confirmed the arrest of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala for "violating the laws of the Islamic Republic", Iran's official IRNA news agency reported on Monday.

Germany plans $62 million boost for Syrian schools, projects

Germany said on Monday it would back 60 million euros ($62.70 million) worth of projects in Syria to boost education, women's rights and other areas in the aftermath of the

Syria's de facto leader says holding elections could take up to four years

Holding elections in Syria could take up to four years, Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa said in remarks broadcast on Sunday, the first time

Gaza hospital director held at notorious Israeli military detention center, recently released detainees say

Gaza hospital director held at notorious Israeli military detention center, recently released detainees say

Iran confirms arresting Italian journalist Cecilia Sala

Iran's state media say an Italian journalist has been arrested on charges of violating the Islamic Republic's laws

Iran confirms arrest of Italian journalist, state media reports

Iran confirms arrest of Italian journalist, state media reports

Syrian elections could take up to 4 years to organize, de facto leader says

Syrian elections could take up to 4 years to organize, de facto leader says

An Iraqi couple is charged in Germany with keeping and abusing Yazidi girls as slaves

Germany’s federal prosecutor has charged an Iraqi couple with enslavement, torture and war crimes, alleging they kept two young Yazidi girls as slaves and sexually and physically abused them

WOW: How a driving school programme empowers Pakistani women

Pakistani student Laiba Rashid, 22, hopes her life will change once she learns how to drive a motorcycle after undergoing a training programme that

Turkey ready to supply power to Syria and Lebanon, energy minister says

Turkey is ready to supply electricity to Syria and Lebanon and a team of government officials is already in Syria working on how to resolve its

Turkey's fuel, tobacco tax moves will not harm inflation goal, Simsek says

Turkey's tax hikes for fuel and tobacco next year will be set in a way that will not endanger the country's 2025 inflation plans, Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek said.

WHO chief calls for end to hospital attacks in Gaza after strike

The head of the World Health Organization on Monday called for an end to attacks on hospitals in Gaza after Israel struck one and raided another in the past few days.

Now Syria's long-ruling Baath party is collapsing, too

Syria's long-ruling Baath party has frozen its activities after insurgents overthrew President Bashar Assad weeks ago

Azerbaijan's president says crashed jetliner was shot down by Russia unintentionally

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev says the Azerbaijani airliner that crashed last week was shot down by Russia, albeit unintentionally

Gas explosion kills 3 police officers, Egypt interior ministry says

A gas explosion killed three police officers as maintenance work was being performed at Egypt's police academy in Cairo on Sunday night, the country's interior ministry said in a

Israeli hospital says Netanyahu has undergone successful prostate surgery

Israeli hospital says Netanyahu has undergone successful prostate surgery

Israel arrests hospital director and other staff in raid on last functioning facility in northern Gaza, health officials say

Israel arrests hospital director and other staff in raid on last functioning facility in northern Gaza, health officials say

Israel PM Netanyahu is in good condition, fully conscious after successful prostate surgery, his office says

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in good condition and fully conscious after his prostate surgery ended "successfully," his office said on Sunday.

Jimmy Carter's biggest challenges while president

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter died at age 100 on Sunday. Here are several key events from the Georgia Democrat's time in office from 1977 to 1981.

Israeli hospital says Netanyahu has undergone successful prostate surgery

An Israeli hospital says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has undergone successful prostate surgery

A fourth infant dies of the winter cold in Gaza as families share blankets in seaside tents

A fourth infant has died of hypothermia in Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced by nearly 15 months of war are huddled in tents along the rainy, windswept coast as winter arrives

Syria's de facto leader says it could take up to 4 years to hold elections

Syria’s de facto leader has said it could take up to four years to hold elections in Syria, and that he plans on dissolving his Islamist group that led the country’s insurgency at an anticipated national dialogue summit for the country

Azerbaijan president says crashed plane was shot at from Russia

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said on Sunday that a passenger plane that crashed last week, killing 38 people, had been damaged by

Israeli forces order new evacuation of besieged northern Gaza town, residents say

Israeli forces carrying out a weeks-long offensive in northern Gaza ordered any residents remaining in Beit Hanoun to leave the town on Sunday, citing Palestinian

Turkey's imprisoned Kurdish rebel leader says he is willing to work with authorities for peace

Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned leader of Turkey’s banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, has said that he is willing to contribute to peace between Turks and Kurds, according to the pro-Kurdish DEM party

Shark attack at Egyptian Red Sea resort kills one foreigner, injures another

Shark attack at Egyptian Red Sea resort kills one foreigner, injures another

Turkey announces $14 billion regional development plan for Kurdish southeast

Turkey announced on Sunday a $14 billion regional development plan that aims to reduce the economic gap between its mainly Kurdish southeast region

Turkey's jailed PKK leader is reported to suggest he might be ready to end insurgency

The jailed leader of Turkey's outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan, has been quoted as indicating he may be prepared to call for militants to lay down arms,

Gaza captors tortured hostages, including minors, Israeli report says

Hostages held in Gaza were subjected to torture, including sexual and psychological abuse, starvation, burns and medical neglect, according to a new report by

A suicide bomber kills a police officer and wounds another in southern Iran

Iranian media say a suicide bomber killed a local police officer and wounded another in a southern Iranian port city, home to a large Sunni Muslim community

Israel detains the director of one of northern Gaza's last functioning hospitals during a raid

Gaza's Health Ministry says Israel’s army has detained the director of one of northern Gaza's last functioning hospitals

Syria's embassy in Lebanon suspends services as Lebanon hands over former Syrian army officers

Syria’s embassy in Lebanon has suspended consular services a day after two relatives of deposed Syrian President Bashar Assad were arrested at the Beirut airport with allegedly forged passports

Russia's Putin apologises to Azerbaijan over 'tragic' airliner crash

President Vladimir Putin on Saturday apologised to Azerbaijan's leader for what the Kremlin called a "tragic incident"

Putin apologizes for 'tragic incident' but stops short of saying Azerbaijani plane was shot down

Russian President Vladimir Putin has apologized to his Azerbaijani counterpart for what he called a “tragic incident” following the crash of an Azerbaijani airliner in Kazakhstan that killed 38 people

Suicide bomber kills police commander in southern Iran - media reports

A suicide bomber killed the head of police intelligence in Iran's southern port city of Bandar Lengeh on Saturday, Iranian state media reported.

Israel detains 240 Palestinians including medics after Gaza hospital raid

Israeli forces detained more than 240 Palestinians including dozens of medical staff from a north Gaza hospital they raided on Friday,

Case of Italian journalist detained in Iran "complicated", Rome says

The case of an Italian journalist being held in Iran is "complicated", but Rome hopes to bring 29-year-old Cecilia Sala home quickly, Italy's foreign minister said on Saturday.

Iran says 2025 'important year' for nuclear issue

Iran, bracing for a possible re-imposition of incoming U.S. president Donald Trump's "maximum pressure" policy, said on Saturday that 2025 would be an important year for its nuclear issue.

Turkish FM discusses with Blinken need to cooperate with new Syrian administration

Turkey's foreign minister discussed with U.S.

Lebanon returns 70 officers and soldiers to Syria, security official says

Lebanon expelled around 70 Syrian officers and soldiers on Saturday, returning them to Syria after they crossed into the country illegally via informal routes, a Lebanese

What we know about the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash

A passenger jet operated by Azerbaijan Airlines crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, after diverting from an

Iraq to resume flights to Lebanon on Monday, transport minister says

Iraq will allow the national carrier to resume flights to Lebanon on Monday following their suspension earlier this month, the transport minister was quoted as saying by state media

Thousands protest in Turkey to demand bigger hike in minimum wage

Thousands of people protested in Turkey's capital Ankara on Saturday to demand a bigger hike in the minimum wage, chanting slogans calling on the government to resign and waving the

Afghan forces target Pakistan in retaliation for deadly airstrikes

Afghanistan's Defense Ministry says its forces hit several points inside Pakistan in retaliation for deadly airstrikes

Afghan Taliban forces target 'several points' in Pakistan in retaliation for airstrikes - Afghan defence ministry

Afghan Taliban forces targeted "several points" in neighbouring Pakistan, Afghanistan's defence ministry said on Saturday, days after Pakistani aircraft

Middle East latest: Israeli soldiers burn a hospital in Gaza

Gaza's Health Ministry says Israeli soldiers stormed and burned a hospital after forcibly removing staff and patients

Israeli airstrikes hit a Yemen airport as a jet with hundreds onboard was landing, UN official says

The top U.N. humanitarian official in Yemen says Israeli airstrikes hit Yemen’s main airport as a civilian Airbus 320 with hundreds of passengers on board was landing this week

Israeli forces surround northern Gaza hospital and order evacuation, says director

Israeli forces surround northern Gaza hospital and order evacuation, says director

WHO chief describes ordeal during Israeli strike on Yemen airport

The head of the World Health Organization said on Friday he was not sure he was going to survive an air strike on Yemen's main airport carried out by Israel a day

Relatives of Bashar Assad arrested as they tried to fly out of Lebanon, officials say

Lebanese officials say the wife and daughter of one of deposed Syrian president Bashar Assad’s cousins have been arrested at the Beirut airport

Israeli troops forcibly remove staff and patients from northern Gaza hospital, officials say

Gaza's Health Ministry says Israeli troops have stormed one of the last hospitals operating in the territory's north and forced many of the staff and patients outside

Engineer pleads not guilty in US case over deadly Iran-linked drone strike

A former engineer at a semiconductor manufacturer pleaded not guilty on Friday to U.S. charges that he illegally procured technology for an Iranian firm that made a

Israel raids north Gaza hospital, ministry says staff out of contact

Israeli forces on Friday raided the Kamal Adwan Hospital, one of three medical facilities on the northern edge of Gaza, ordering

US anti-missile THAAD system in Israel used to intercept projectile from Yemen

An advanced U.S. military anti-missile system was used in Israel to try to intercept a projectile for the first time since President Joe Biden placed the system in Israel in October, a

Flydubai suspends flights to two southern Russian airports, carrier says

UAE airline flydubai has suspended flights from Dubai to the southern Russian airports of Sochi and Mineralnie Vody, the carrier said on Friday.

Bashar al-Assad's uncle Rifaat flew from Beirut to Dubai, Lebanese officials say

Rifaat al-Assad, an uncle of the ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad charged in Switzerland with war crimes over the bloody suppression of a revolt in

Turkey to allow pro-Kurdish party to visit jailed militant leader

Turkey has decided to allow parliament's pro-Kurdish DEM Party to hold face-to-face talks with militant leader Abdullah Ocalan on his island prison, the party said on Friday, setting

WHO chief and UN team caught up in Israeli strikes that killed 6 in Yemen

WHO chief and UN team caught up in Israeli strikes that killed 6 in Yemen

Israeli jets attack Syria-Lebanon border crossings to stop arms smuggling

Israeli jets struck seven crossing points along the Syria-Lebanon border on Friday, aiming to cut the flow of weapons to the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group in southern Lebanon.

Italy says it is working 'tirelessly' to free journalist held in Iran

Italy said on Friday it was making every effort to bring home a journalist who has been under arrest in Iran for more than a week, as politicians of all stripes expressed their concern

Italian journalist Cecilia Sala arrested in Tehran, Italy says

Italian journalist Cecilia Sala arrested in Tehran, Italy says

Family members remember tow truck driver who died in hit-and-run

Family members remember tow truck driver who died in hit-and-run

Turkish inflation seen at 45.2% in December, down to 26.5% at end-2025: Reuters poll

Turkey's inflation rate is expected to rise by 1.61% in December from the previous month and stand at 45.2% year-on-year, with the annual rate seen falling to 26.5% by the end of

Stabbing attack on woman in Israeli city of Herzliya

A Palestinian man stabbed an 83-year-old woman to death in the Israeli city of Herzliya, Israeli media reported on Friday, in what police described as a terrorist attack.

Ukraine sends food aid to Syria, says Zelenskiy

Ukraine, a global producer and exporter of grain and oilseeds, has sent its first batch of food aid to Syria, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday.

Azerbaijan Airlines flight to Russia turns back to Baku after airspace closure, TASS says

An Azerbaijan Airlines flight to the southern Russian town of Mineralnie Vody turned back to Baku on Friday after being told a chunk of airspace in southern Russia had been closed,

Malaysian man publicly caned for Islamic crime of close proximity 

KUALA LUMPUR - A Malaysian man was caned at a mosque in the northeastern state of Terengganu on Friday for the Islamic crime of close proximity with a non-family member of the opposite sex, local

Turkey aims to provide power to Syria, collaborate on oil, gas, newspaper says

Turkey aims to provide electricity to Syria and strengthen its power infrastructure, Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar was quoted on Friday as saying, adding that Ankara may

Israel strikes Houthi targets in Yemen, killing six

Israel struck multiple targets linked to the Iran-aligned Houthi movement in Yemen on Thursday, including Sanaa International Airport, and Houthi media said at least six people

Israel strikes Houthi rebels in Yemen's capital while the WHO chief says he was meters away

A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen has targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital of Sanaa and multiple ports

An uneasy calm settles over Syrian city of Homs after outbreak of sectarian violence

Syria’s new security forces checked IDs and searched cars in the central city of Homs a day after protests by members of the Alawite minority erupted in gunfire and stirred fears that the country’s fragile peace could break down

Aviation experts say Russia's air defense fire likely caused Azerbaijan plane crash as nation mourns

Aviation experts say that Russian air defense fire was likely responsible for the Azerbaijani plane crash the day before that killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured

The US says it pushed retraction of a famine warning for north Gaza. Aid groups express concern

U.S. officials say they asked for — and got — the retraction of an independent monitor's warning of imminent famine in north Gaza

At least 14 security personnel killed in ‘ambush’ by former Assad forces, new Syrian authorities say

At least 14 security personnel killed in ‘ambush’ by former Assad forces, new Syrian authorities say

Israeli attorney general orders probe into report that alleged Netanyahu's wife harassed opponents

Israel’s attorney general has ordered police to open an investigation into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife on suspicion of harassing political opponents and witnesses in the Israeli leader’s corruption trial

Middle East latest: WHO chief says he was at Yemen airport as Israeli bombs fell nearby

The World Health Organization’s director-general said airstrikes on Yemen’s main airport occurred as he was about to board a flight in the Houthi rebel-held capital of Sanaa

Israel’s attorney general orders probe into Netanyahu’s wife on suspicion of witness harassment

Israel’s attorney general orders probe into Netanyahu’s wife on suspicion of witness harassment

Iran's Pezeshkian to visit Moscow Jan 17, RIA reports, citing Iranian envoy to Russia

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is set to visit Moscow on Jan. 17 and sign a cooperation agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russian state news agency RIA cited

Gaza medics say Israeli strike kills five journalists, Israel says it hit militants

Gaza authorities said an Israeli airstrike killed five Palestinian journalists in a vehicle outside a hospital on Thursday but the Israeli

Four babies die from hypothermia in Gaza, as Israel’s war pushes Palestinians into tent camps

Four babies die from hypothermia in Gaza, as Israel’s war pushes Palestinians into tent camps

Israeli military loosened rules of engagement at start of Gaza war, New York Times reports

The Israeli military loosened its rules of engagement at the start of the Gaza war to enable commanders to order attacks on targets despite a heightened risk of civilian

Lebanon hopes for neighbourly relations in first message to new Syria government

Lebanon said on Thursday it was looking forward to having the best neighbourly relations with Syria after the fall of Bashar al-Assad opened the way to a new era in the often

Syria's new rulers warn against incitement as tensions brew

Syria's new authorities on Thursday launched a security crackdown in a coastal region where 14 policemen were killed a day before, vowing to

UNIFIL urges timely Israeli pullout from south Lebanon under month-old truce deal

The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) called on Thursday for a timely Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon, citing what it called Israeli violations of a Nov. 27

14 Syrian police killed in ambush as unrest spreads

Fourteen members of the Syrian police were killed in an "ambush" by forces loyal to the ousted government in the Tartous countryside, the transitional administration said early on

Israeli security minister enters Al-Aqsa mosque compound 'in prayer' for Gaza hostages

Israel's ultranationalist security minister ascended to the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem on Thursday for what he said was a "prayer" for hostages in Gaza, freshly

Turkey to allow pro-Kurdish party to visit jailed PKK leader, newspaper says

Turkey has decided to allow parliament's pro-Kurdish party to hold talks with militant leader Abdullah Ocalan on his island prison, the pro-government Sabah newspaper reported on

Accusations of genocide. Charges of corruption. Improbably, Netanyahu had a good year

Accusations of genocide. Charges of corruption. Improbably, Netanyahu had a good year

A Syrian family recounts the horrors of the 2013 chemical attack near Damascus

A Syrian family that survived a 2013 chemical weapons attack that killed hundreds of people near the country's capital, Damascus, says the ordeal they experienced haunts them to this day

Turkish cenbank rate cut expectations rise after 30% minimum wage hike

Expectations of a Turkish central bank rate cut strengthened on Wednesday after a less-than-requested minimum wage hike, economists said, as it showed the

Israeli hostage families light first candle of Hanukkah, marking start of second holiday without loved ones

Israeli hostage families light first candle of Hanukkah, marking start of second holiday without loved ones

Clashes between Islamists now in power in Syria and Assad's supporters kill 6 fighters

A British-based war monitor said clashes between Islamists who took over Syria and supporters of ousted President Bashar Assad’s government have killed six Islamic fighters and wounded others

A baby froze to death overnight in Gaza as Israel and Hamas trade accusations of ceasefire delays

A baby girl froze to death overnight in Gaza, while Israel and Hamas accused each other of complicating ceasefire efforts that could wind down the 14-month war

Libya's eastern-based government agrees to proposal to end fuel subsidies

Libya's eastern-based government said in a statement on Wednesday that it had agreed on a proposal to end fuel subsidies and would prepare a mechanism to implement the agreement.

Minnesota National Guard soldier home for joyful Christmas with family after deployment

Minnesota National Guard soldier home for joyful Christmas with family after deployment

Global monitor says famine is weeks away in north Gaza. A US diplomat calls warning 'irresponsible'

A leading global food crisis monitor says deaths from starvation will likely pass famine levels in north Gaza as soon as next month

Russian cargo ship sinks in Mediterranean after engine room explosion, Moscow says

Russian cargo ship sinks in Mediterranean after engine room explosion, Moscow says

Russian ship that sank off Spanish coast was blown up in 'act of terrorism,' RIA cites owner

A Russian cargo ship that ran into trouble on Monday in the Mediterranean Sea and later sank was rocked by a series of three explosions in "an act of terrorism," state news agency

On Christmas Day, Pope Francis calls for talks to end Ukraine war

Pope Francis in his Christmas message on Wednesday called for talks between Ukraine and Russia to end the war that followed Moscow's full-scale invasion two

Taliban say Pakistani airstrikes killed 46 people in eastern Afghanistan, mostly women and children

A Taliban government official says Pakistan’s airstrikes on eastern Afghanistan killed 46 people, mostly women and children

Hamas and Israel blame each other for ceasefire delay

The Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel traded blame on Wednesday over their failure to conclude a

Christians protest in Syrian capital after burning of Christmas tree

Christians protest in Syrian capital after burning of Christmas tree

Pakistani airstrikes on Afghanistan kill 46 people, Taliban official says

Bombardment by Pakistani military aircraft in Afghanistan's eastern Paktika province on Tuesday killed at least 46 people, most of whom were children and women

Kurdish militia in Syria will be buried if they do not lay down arms, Turkey's Erdogan says

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Kurdish militants in Syria will either lay down their weapons or "be buried", amid hostilities between Turkey-backed Syrian

Pope calls for ‘lasting peace’ in Ukraine in Christmas Day message

Pope calls for ‘lasting peace’ in Ukraine in Christmas Day message

Syrian ex-rebel factions agree to merge under defence ministry

Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa reached an agreement on Tuesday with former rebel faction chiefs to dissolve all groups and consolidate them under the defence ministry,

Turkish military kills 21 Kurdish militants in northern Syria and Iraq, ministry says

The Turkish military killed 21 Kurdish militants in northern Syria and Iraq, the defence ministry said on Wednesday.

Cities worldwide hold subdued Christmas Eve celebrations amid conflicts

Bethlehem is marking another somber Christmas Eve under the shadow of war in Gaza

Turkey's soaring costs are creating a 'lost generation' of kids forced to help their families get by

One-third of Turkey's children live in poverty, with many forced to work to support their struggling families

Israeli military intercepts missile launched from Yemen, army says

Israel's military intercepted a missile early on Wednesday that was launched from Yemen and crossed into Israeli territory, the army said.

At least eight Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in West Bank refugee camp

Israeli forces killed at least eight Palestinians in raids on Tuesday on a refugee camp near the city of Tulkarm in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Palestinian and Israeli

Syria's new foreign minister tells Iran not to spread chaos in Syria

Syria's newly appointed foreign minister, Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, told Iran on Tuesday not to spread chaos in Syria but to respect the Syrian people's will and the country's

Oil prices rise 1% in thin pre-holiday trade

Oil prices rose more than 1% on Tuesday, reversing the prior session's losses on a brightening short-term outlook tied to the prospect of

Turkey raises monthly minimum wage by 30% for 2025

Turkey's net monthly minimum wage will be 22,104 Turkish lira ($630.36) in 2025, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday, marking a 30% increase from 2024.

Syrian Christians attend Christmas mass for first time since fall of Assad

Syrian Christians attended Christmas Eve services on Tuesday for the first time since the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad in early December, in an early

Israeli military actions had 'influence' on Hamas' killing of six hostages, report finds

The actions of the Israeli military had a "circumstantial influence" on a decision by Hamas militants to kill six hostages in Gaza in August, according to a

Middle East latest: Israeli raid and airstrikes in West Bank kill at least 8 Palestinians

The Palestinian Health Ministry says at least eight people were killed by Israeli military operations in the northern West Bank

Looting cripples food supply in Gaza despite Israeli pledge to tackle gangs, sources say

By David Gauthier-Villars, Nidal al-Mughrabi, John Davison -Israel has failed to crack down on armed gangs attacking food convoys in Gaza, despite a pledge to do so in mid-October to help ward off

Iran lifts ban on WhatsApp and Google Play, state media says

Iranian authorities have lifted a ban on Meta's instant messaging platform WhatsApp and Google Play as a first step to scale back internet restrictions, Iranian state media reported

Morocco proposes family law reforms to improve women's rights

Morocco aims to grant women more rights over child custody and guardianship as well as a veto over polygamous marriage, in the first review of its family code in

Palestinian Authority clashes with Al Jazeera over Jenin coverage

Al Jazeera television has clashed with the Palestinian Authority over its coverage of the weeks-long standoff between Palestinian security forces and militant

Two arrested in Egypt after attempting to steal hundreds of ancient artifacts from the bottom of the sea

Two arrested in Egypt after attempting to steal hundreds of ancient artifacts from the bottom of the sea

Israeli army forces patients out of north Gaza hospital, medics say

Israeli troops forced the evacuation of the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza and many patients, some of them on foot, arrived at another hospital miles away

Amsterdam court sentences 5 men over violence linked to Ajax-Maccabi soccer game

An Amsterdam District Court has issued sentences of up to six months in jail against 5 men who were involved in violent disorder after a soccer match between the Dutch club Ajax and Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv in November

11 killed in blast at explosives factory in Turkey

11 killed in blast at explosives factory in Turkey

Turkey aiming for maritime agreement with Syria, transport minister says

Turkey is aiming to strike a maritime demarcation agreement with Syria after a permanent government is formed in Damascus, Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said on

Uncertainty clouds fate of Syrians in Egypt after Assad ouster

Syrian refugees and residents in Egypt face an uncertain future as new regulations may jeopardise their right to remain in the

Saudi executions rose sharply in 2024

Saudi Arabia executed 330 people this year, the highest number in decades, despite de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman's 2022 assertion that the death penalty had been

Israel asks diplomats to seek Houthis' listing as terrorists

Israel has instructed its diplomatic missions in Europe to try to get the Iran-backed Houthi rebel group in Yemen designated as a terrorist organisation.

Global hunger monitor says famine in war-torn Sudan is spreading

Famine in Sudan has expanded to five areas and will likely

Eleven people killed in explosives factory blast in Turkey, minister says

A blast ripped through an explosives factory in northwest Turkey on Tuesday, killing 11 people and injuring seven, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said, adding that an

Global hunger crisis deepens as major nations skimp on aid

It’s a simple but brutal equation: The number of people going hungry or otherwise struggling around the world is rising, while the amount of money the world’s wealthiest nations are

UN investigative team says Syria's new authorities 'very receptive' to probe of Assad war crimes

The U.N. organization assisting in investigating the most serious crimes in Syria says the country’s new authorities were “very receptive” to its request for cooperation during a just-concluded visit to Damascus — and it is preparing to deploy

US military says it conducts airstrike in Syria, killing two ISIS operatives

The U.S. military said on Monday it conducted an airstrike in Syria that killed two Islamic State operatives and wounded one.

Middle East latest: Israeli's defense minister acknowledges it killed Hamas leader

Israel’s defense minister has confirmed that Israel assassinated Hamas’ top leader last summer and is threatening to take similar action against the leadership of the Houthi rebel group in Yemen

Israeli military says intercepted projectile that was launched from Yemen

The Israel military said in a statement early on Tuesday that sirens sounded in several areas in central Israel following the launch of a projectile from Yemen.

Some gaps have narrowed in elusive Gaza ceasefire deal, sides say

Gaps between Israel and Hamas over a possible Gaza ceasefire have narrowed, according to Israeli and Palestinian officials' remarks on

Airline pilots, crews voice concerns about Middle East routes

In late September, an experienced pilot at low-cost European airline Wizz Air felt anxious after learning his plane would fly over Iraq at

Omar al-Bashir Fast Facts

Omar al-Bashir Fast Facts

Erdogan says Turkey in close dialogue with Syria's de facto leader

Turkey is in close dialogue with Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday, adding visits to Syria will increase from now on.

Former Israeli spies describe attack using exploding electronic devices against Hezbollah

Two recently retired senior Israeli intelligence agents are sharing details about a deadly clandestine operation that targeted Hezbollah militants in Lebanon and Syria with exploding pagers and walkie-talkies

Israeli defense minister claims responsibility for first time for Hamas leader Haniyeh's assassination

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz admitted on Monday for the first time publicly to Israel's killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran in July, further risking tensions

Lebanon to cooperate with Interpol on arrest of Syrian official accused of war crimes

Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said on Monday Lebanon will cooperate with an Interpol request to arrest former Syrian intelligence officer Jamil

Number of US troops in Syria has steadily increased over time, Pentagon now says

Number of US troops in Syria has steadily increased over time, Pentagon now says

Egypt troops to join African Union Somalia mission - foreign minister says

Egypt will contribute troops to an African Union Somalia peacekeeping mission, its foreign minister said on Monday, as ties between the two countries grow closer amid tensions with

New conflict in northeast Syria could bring 'dramatic consequences', UN envoy says

Tensions in northeast Syria between Kurdish-led authorities and Turkish-backed groups should be resolved politically or risk "dramatic consequences" for all of Syria, the United

Greek lawyers call for further investigation into 2023 deadly shipwreck

Greek lawyers representing the survivors and victims of a deadly 2023 shipwreck said on Monday a naval court needed to examine more evidence after a preliminary investigation failed

Qatar and Jordan pledge support to Syria

Qatar is ready to invest in Syria's energy sector and ports, the de facto Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa said after meeting a senior Qatari official in Damascus on Monday, as his

Women rally for equal rights in Syria after Assad's fall to Islamists

Thousands of women rallied in the northeastern Syrian city of Qamishli on Monday to demand the new Islamist rulers in Damascus respect women's rights and

A new front in the Middle East: Militants battle Palestinian Authority in sprawling refugee camp

A new front in the Middle East: Militants battle Palestinian Authority in sprawling refugee camp

Syria's Christians fearful of new Islamist leaders as Christmas approaches

Syrian church leaders are advising Christians to scale back Christmas celebrations this year, despite assurances from the Islamists who have just

Facts about the suspect in German Christmas market attack

Here is what we know so far about the man who was arrested as the suspected driver in a car-ramming attack on Friday at a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg in which

Russian delegation invites Iran's president to visit, Iranian media reports say

A Russian delegation met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Tehran on Monday, Iranian news agencies said, as the two countries prepared to sign a comprehensive cooperation

Retiring US Senator Cardin 'very concerned' about Trump and human rights

Days before he retires as chairman of the influential U.S.

Kremlin rejects Turkish media reports about life of Assad and his wife in Moscow

The Kremlin on Monday rejected Turkish media reports which suggested that Asma al-Assad, the British-born wife of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, wanted a divorce and to

Bethlehem plans another somber Christmas under the shadow of war in Gaza

The city of Bethlehem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the traditional birthplace of Jesus, will not have the usual trappings of the city's favorite holiday: no public Christmas tree, no raucous scouts march, no decorations and no twinkling lights, in deference to the ongoing war in Gaza

Brace! Risks stack up for the global economy in 2025

No sooner had the global economy started to put the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic behind it than a whole new set of challenges opened up for 2025.

2 US Navy pilots shot down over Red Sea in apparent 'friendly fire' incident, US military says

The U.S. military says two U.S. Navy pilots have been shot down over the Red Sea in an apparent “friendly fire” incident

Two US Navy pilots eject safely over Red Sea after fighter jet shot down in apparent friendly fire incident

Two US Navy pilots eject safely over Red Sea after fighter jet shot down in apparent friendly fire incident

Turkish foreign minister says no room for Kurdish militants in Syria's future

Turkey's foreign minister said after meeting Syria's de facto leader in Damascus on Sunday that there was no room for Kurdish militants in Syria's future, calling

Winter is hitting Gaza and many Palestinians have little protection from the cold

Nearly two million displaced Palestinians in Gaza are struggling to protect themselves from the coming winter

What we know about the deadly Christmas market attack in Germany

Officials say four women and a 9-year-old boy were killed when a man drove into a Christmas market teeming with holiday shoppers in the German city of Magdeburg

Israeli order to evacuate Gaza hospital 'next to impossible' to obey, say medics

Israel ordered the closure and evacuation on Sunday of one of the last hospitals still partly functioning in a besieged area on the northern edge of the Gaza

Family killed in Israeli strike in northern Gaza, as aid reaches neighborhood cut off for 75 days

Family killed in Israeli strike in northern Gaza, as aid reaches neighborhood cut off for 75 days

Israeli strikes in Gaza kill at least 22 as Vatican envoy visits Christians for pre-Christmas Mass

Palestinian medical officials say Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip have killed at least 22 people, including five children

How a teenager’s holiday romance led to prison time in Dubai

How a teenager’s holiday romance led to prison time in Dubai

Prominent Lebanese figure meets Syrian insurgent who led Assad's ouster, seeking better relations

A prominent Lebanese politician has met with the insurgent who led the overthrow of Syrian leader Bashar Assad, and both expressed hope Sunday for a new era in relations between their countries

Netanyahu says Israel will continue to act against the Houthis

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday Israel would continue acting against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, whom he accused of threatening world shipping and the

Sudan's RSF says seizes back control of key Darfur base from army allies

Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seized back control of a key logistical base in North Darfur on Sunday, the paramilitary group said, a day after it was taken by rival forces

Weakened Iran could pursue nuclear weapon, White House's Sullivan says

The Biden administration is concerned that a weakened Iran could build a nuclear weapon, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Sunday, adding that he

US fighter shot down in 'apparent case of friendly fire' over Red Sea

The U.S. military said it mistakenly shot down one of its own fighter aircraft over the Red Sea early on Sunday, forcing both pilots to eject.

Syria's de facto ruler reassures minorities, meets Lebanese Druze leader

Syria's de facto ruler Ahmed al-Sharaa hosted Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt on Sunday in another effort to reassure minorities they will be protected after Islamist rebels led the

Oleksandr Usyk beats Tyson Fury again as highly anticipated rematch goes the distance

Oleksandr Usyk beats Tyson Fury again as highly anticipated rematch goes the distance

Four killed in helicopter crash at Turkish hospital

Four people were killed in southwest Turkey on Sunday when an ambulance helicopter collided with a hospital building and crashed into the ground.

Turkey says it believes Kurdish fighters will be forced out of all Syrian territory

Turkey believes Syria's new rulers, including the Syrian National Army (SNA) armed group which Ankara backs, will drive Kurdish YPG fighters from all territory they occupy in

Syrian Kurdish groups on the back foot as power balance shifts

With hostile Turkish-backed groups mobilising against them in Syria's north, and Damascus ruled by a group

University of California campuses resolve discrimination complaints stemming from Gaza protests

The U.S. Department of Education said Friday it has reached an agreement with the University of California system resolving complaints from Jewish and Muslim students of discrimination and harassment during protests last spring over the war in Gaza

Turkey will do 'whatever it takes' if Syria government cannot address Kurd militia issue, minister says

Turkey will do "whatever it takes" to ensure its security if the new Syrian administration cannot address Ankara's concerns about U.S.-allied Kurdish groups it views as terrorist

Ten Palestinians killed in airstrikes on houses in central Gaza, medics say

At least 10 Palestinians, including two children, were killed in Israeli airstrikes on two houses in the Nuseirat refugee camp and Deir Al-Balah city in the central Gaza Strip,

US military conducts precision airstrikes against Houthi targets in Sanaa

The U.S. military said it conducted precision airstrikes on Saturday against a missile storage facility and a command-and-control facility operated by Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen's

Syria's new rulers name HTS commander as defence minister

Syria's new rulers have appointed Murhaf Abu Qasra, a leading figure in the insurgency which toppled Bashar al-Assad, as defence minister in the interim government, an official

Pope calls Gaza airstrikes 'cruelty' after Israeli minister's criticism

Pope Francis on Saturday again condemned Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, a day after an Israeli government minister publicly denounced the pontiff for suggesting

A rocket from Yemen strikes Tel Aviv, injuring 16, and Palestinians mourn a dozen children in Gaza

The Israeli military said a rocket fired from Yemen hit an area of Tel Aviv injuring 16 people on Saturday, and Houthi rebels later reported airstrikes in Yemen’s rebel-held capital, Sanaa

German authorities probe motive in deadly Christmas market attack

Authorities investigated a Saudi doctor with a history of anti-Islam rhetoric as the suspected driver in a car-ramming attack on a

Syria's SDF says five fighters killed in strikes by Turkish-backed forces

The U.S.-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said five of its fighters had been killed on Saturday in attacks by Turkish-backed forces on the city of Manbij in northern Syria.

In a calendar rarity, Hanukkah starts this year on Christmas Day

Hanukkah, Judaism’s eight-day Festival of Lights, begins this year on Christmas Day

Austria says it is reviewing the status of Syrian refugees

Austria is reviewing the status of Syrian refugees who arrived less than five years ago, Chancellor Karl Nehammer said on Thursday after media reports that some

Pope has a cold and will skip outdoor Sunday prayer ahead of a busy week

Pope Francis is suffering from a cold and will deliver his Sunday blessing from indoors

Tel Aviv hit by missile fired from Yemen, Israel and Houthis say

Tel Aviv hit by missile fired from Yemen, Israel and Houthis say

Indonesians mark 2 decades since the tragic tsunami that killed hundreds of thousands

Two decades after a catastrophic tsunami destroyed her village, Tria Asnani still cries when she recalls how she lost her mother while trying to escape the giant waves and her father to the sea

US judge finds Israel's NSO Group liable for hacking in WhatsApp lawsuit

A U.S. judge ruled on Friday in favor of Meta Platforms' WhatsApp in a lawsuit accusing Israel's NSO Group of exploiting a bug in the messaging app to install spy software allowing

Iran ministry protests over arrests in U.S. of its nationals

Iran has summoned the Swiss ambassador in Tehran, who represents U.S. interests in the country, and a senior Italian diplomat over the arrest by the U.S. of two Iranian nationals this week

Islamist militants in northwest Pakistan kill 16 security personnel, police officer says

Sixteen security personnel were killed in northwest Pakistan in an attack by Islamist militants early on Saturday, a senior police official in the South Waziristan region said, as

Sectarian violence in Syria has been less intense than feared since Assad's ouster

The toppling of Bashar Assad has raised tentative hopes that Syrians might live peacefully and as equals after a half century of authoritarian rule

Israeli military says Yemen missile lands in Tel Aviv area, 14 lightly injured, Israeli ambulance service says

The Israeli military said it failed to intercept a missile from Yemen early on Saturday that fell in the Tel Aviv-Jaffa area, and the ambulance service said 14 people received mild

Large-scale refugee returns could overwhelm Syria, UN migration agency chief says

Large-scale returns of refugees to Syria could overwhelm the country and even stoke conflict following the toppling of President Bashar al-Assad, the head of the U.N.

A tale of two Syrians: One finally made it back, another is too fearful to return

A tale of two Syrians: One finally made it back, another is too fearful to return

US senators seek Turkey sanctions, citing military action in Syria

Two U.S. senators introduced bipartisan legislation on Friday that would impose sanctions on Turkey, citing concerns over military action by that country or groups that it backs

US, Israeli officials deny approving sale of Israeli spyware firm to US investors

Officials in the United States and Israel have denied reports their countries had signed off on the sale of Israeli spyware maker Paragon to

Middle East latest: Israeli strike in Gaza kills at least 7 people, including 4 kids

Palestinian health officials say an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in central Gaza killed at least seven Palestinians, including four children

UN extends peacekeeping mission between Syria, Israeli-occupied Golan Heights

The United Nations Security Council on Friday extended a long-running peacekeeping mission between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights for six

US held 'very productive' first meeting with Syria's al-Sharaa

Senior U.S. diplomats visiting Damascus on Friday met with Syria's de-facto new ruler Ahmed al-Sharaa and held a "good"

Israeli airstrikes kill at least 25 Palestinians in Gaza, medics say

Israeli airstrikes killed at least 25 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Friday, medics said, including at least eight in an apartment in the Nuseirat refugee camp and at least 10,

Erdogan says Turkey expects allies to pull support from Kurds in post-Assad Syria

Turkey expects foreign countries will withdraw support for Kurdish fighters in Syria following the toppling of Bashar al-Assad, President Tayyip Erdogan said, as Ankara seeks to

US removes long-standing bounty on Syrian rebel leader

US removes long-standing bounty on Syrian rebel leader

US charges Iran Guards captain in 2022 killing of American in Iraq

The U.S.

US drops $10M terrorism bounty offered for capture of Syrian rebel leader who ousted Assad

The Biden administration says it has decided not to pursue a $10 million reward it had offered for the capture of a Syrian rebel leader whose forces led the ouster of President Bashar Assad

What will Syria's future look like? The answer could lie in other Arab countries' recent pasts

Even with hopes running high, so much can go wrong when a country ousts a longtime dictator and tries to start anew

Murder and terrorism charges brought against Iranian officer in 2022 killing of American in Iraq

An Iranian officer blamed for the 2022 killing of an American in Iraq has been charged in New York with federal murder and terrorism crimes

Sudan's RSF fighters say they plan to work with a new government, raising partition fears

Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) fighters have said they will work with a planned new government to oversee territories they control,

Russia expert says Putin’s remark about Syria reveals what he thinks about Ukraine

Former CNN Moscow bureau chief Jill Dougherty says that Vladimir Putin spinning Russia's withdrawal from Syria as a victory could be a preview of how he will frame any possible ceasefire with Ukraine.

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk stare at each other for over 11 minutes ahead of heavyweight rematch

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk stare at each other for over 11 minutes ahead of heavyweight rematch

AP PHOTOS: Glimpses of horror emerge inside Syria's Saydnaya prison, dubbed 'The Slaughterhouse'

AP PHOTOS: Glimpses of horror emerge inside Syria's Saydnaya prison, dubbed 'The Slaughterhouse'

8 dead, 18 rescued as speedboat carrying migrants capsizes near Greek island of Rhodes

Greek authorities say a speedboat carrying migrants capsized Friday morning off the eastern Greek island of Rhodes, leaving eight dead, including a child

Sweden ends funding for UN Palestinian aid agency UNRWA

Sweden will no longer fund the U.N. refugee agency for Palestinians (UNRWA) and will instead provide increased overall humanitarian assistance to Gaza via other channels, the Nordic country

Biden's daunting exit list: Gaza ceasefire, Ukraine aid, U.S. Steel

With a month left in the White House, U.S.

Two journalists killed in Syria, pro-Kurdish party in Turkey says

Two journalists working for Kurdish media outlets in Turkey were killed in northern Syria on Thursday after their vehicle was allegedly targeted by a Turkish drone, Turkish media

Pakistan province aims to collect weapons to stem clashes, tribesmen may resist

Provincial authorities in northwestern Pakistan said on Friday they planned to collect heavy weapons to stop sectarian clashes that have killed hundreds, but tribesmen

This greenhouse keeps crops cool. It could prove valuable as our planet bakes

This greenhouse keeps crops cool. It could prove valuable as our planet bakes

George Mason University student charged with plotting mass casualty attack on Israeli consulate in New York

George Mason University student charged with plotting mass casualty attack on Israeli consulate in New York

Greece recovers bodies of eight migrants after collision off Rhodes

Greece has recovered the bodies of eight migrants who fell into the sea after their speedboat collided with a coastguard boat pursuing it off the island of Rhodes on Friday, the

Two AP journalists in Ukraine and the Mideast break down the wars they covered in 2024

For the world, 2024 was riven by conflict on two fronts

Palestinians accuse Israeli settlers of West Bank mosque fire

Israeli settlers set fire to a mosque in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian residents said on Friday, and video showed "Revenge", "Death to Arabs" and other slogans had been spray-painted

UN human rights office to send team to Syria next week

The U.N. human rights office will send a small team of human rights officers to Syria next week for the first time in years following the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad, U.N

For thousands of Jews, Israel still doesn't feel safe after the Oct. 7 attacks. So they're leaving

Israelis are increasingly moving out of the country since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack shattered any sense of safety

Israeli minister criticises Pope's call to study whether Gaza offensive 'genocide'

An Israeli government minister criticised Pope Francis on Friday for suggesting the international community should study whether Israel's military offensive

Israel's Netanyahu eyes Iran after triumphs over Hamas, Hezbollah, Syria

2025 will be a year of reckoning for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his country's arch foe Iran.

US concedes it has double the number of troops in Syria as Biden sends officials to Damascus

US concedes it has double the number of troops in Syria as Biden sends officials to Damascus

Turkey and Russia engage in delicate maneuvers over Syria after Assad’s downfall

The rapid downfall of Syrian leader Bashar Assad has touched off a new round of delicate geopolitical maneuvering between Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Lawsuit alleges U.S. failed to evacuate Palestinian Americans trapped in Gaza

Nine Palestinian Americans sued the U.S. government on Thursday, alleging that it had failed to rescue them or members of their families who were trapped in

Middle East latest: Israeli strike on a Gaza school kills 17 people sheltering there

A Palestinian Health Ministry official says Israeli airstrikes slammed into two schools sheltering displaced people in Gaza City

US has twice as many troops in Syria than previously declared, Pentagon says

The Pentagon on Thursday said it has 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria, more than twice the 900 it has previously said it has, and that the additional

Pentagon says it doubled the number of US troops in Syria before Assad's fall

The United States has more than doubled the number of its forces in Syria to fight the Islamic State group

Usyk vs. Fury 2: How to watch, betting odds and more about heavyweight title rematch

The rematch is days away

Human Rights Watch accuses Israel of genocide by ‘deliberately’ restricting water in Gaza

Human Rights Watch accuses Israel of genocide by ‘deliberately’ restricting water in Gaza

Blinken announces aid for Sudan and talks about AI risks at UN Security Council

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has announced $200 million in humanitarian aid for conflict-torn Sudan during his likely final trip to the United Nations while in office

Israel keeps up Gaza bombardment as ceasefire talks intensify

U.S. and Arab mediators are working around the clock to hammer out a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, sources close to the talks said, while in the Gaza

Israel and Hamas appear close to a ceasefire deal. These are the sticking points

Israeli and Hamas appear close to reaching a ceasefire deal to wind down the war in Gaza

Biden to report to US Congress on UAE assurance it is not supplying weapons to Sudan RSF

President Joe Biden's administration will provide U.S. lawmakers an assessment by Jan. 17 on the credibility of assurances by the United Arab Emirates that

US imposes sanctions on Iran and Houthi-related targets

The United States imposed sanctions on Thursday on Iran and Houthi-related entities, according to the Treasury Department website which listed a number of individuals, companies and

UN seeks World Court opinion on Israel's Palestinian aid obligations

The United Nations General Assembly voted on Thursday to ask the International Court of Justice for an opinion on Israel's obligations to facilitate aid

Putin boasts of gains in Ukraine at annual news conference meant to reinforce his authority

President Vladimir Putin has boasted that his military operation in Ukraine has strengthened Russia and denied that the downfall of a key ally in Syria had dented Moscow’s prestige

Former Assad security forces hand in weapons to new Syrian government

Former Assad security forces hand in weapons to new Syrian government

IMF says ready to support Syria reconstruction when conditions allow

The International Monetary Fund stands ready to assist Syria's reconstruction alongside the international community, but the situation on the ground remains

Syrian girls' right to schooling unrestricted, new education minister says

Syria will remove all references to the former ruling Baath party from its educational system as of next week but will not otherwise change

At least six Palestinians killed in West Bank

At least six Palestinians were killed in separate incidents in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, including militant fighters and an 80 year-old woman shot in the chest by

Human Rights Watch says Israel's deprivation of water in Gaza is act of genocide

By Stephanie van den Berg THE HAGUE -Human Rights Watch said on Thursday that Israel has killed thousands of Palestinians in Gaza by denying them clean water which it says legally amounts to acts of

Syrian Kurdish commander: non-Syrian Kurdish fighters to leave if total truce agreed with Turkey

Kurdish fighters who came to Syria from around the Middle East to support Syrian Kurdish forces will leave if a total ceasefire is reached in the conflict

Putin promises to ask Assad about whereabouts of American journalist Austin Tice

Putin promises to ask Assad about whereabouts of American journalist Austin Tice

Human Rights Watch says Israel's restriction of water supply in Gaza amounts to acts of genocide

Human Rights Watch has accused Israel of causing the deaths of thousands of Palestinians by systematically restricting and targeting Gaza’s water supply in a campaign that amounted to “acts of genocide.”

Syrian villagers near the Golan Heights say Israeli forces are banning them from their fields

Residents of a Syrian village near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights say Israeli forces have set up a position in an abandoned army base and are preventing local farmers from accessing their fields

Iraq sends nearly 2,000 Syrian soldiers back home

Iraq sent back nearly 2,000 Syrian soldiers on Thursday to their homeland after they had sought refuge in Iraq during the advance of rebel forces that toppled President Bashar al-

U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces say they will fight Turkey and allied groups in Kobani

U.S.-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) vowed on Thursday to fight Turkey and groups it supports in the city of Kobani in northern Syria.

Putin denies Russian defeat in Syria, says Israel is the main winner

Russian President Vladimir Putin denied on Thursday that Russia's nine-year intervention in Syria had been a failure, but expressed concern about Israel's military operations there

UN chief says Israeli air strikes in Syria must stop

Israeli airstrikes on Syria are violations of the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity and "must stop," United Nations Secretary-General

Libyan rivals agree to work with UN to end political deadlock

Delegations from rival Libyan legislative bodies agreed at talks in Morocco on Thursday to work together with a United Nations mission

The tiny island that sits between Europe and Asia

The tiny island that sits between Europe and Asia

No talk of ceasefire between Turkey and US-backed SDF in Syria, Turkey says

There is no talk of a ceasefire deal between Turkey and the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northern Syria, contrary to a U.S. announcement, a Turkish defence ministry

Israel strikes port and energy targets in Yemen

Israel launched strikes against ports and energy infrastructure in Houthi-held parts of Yemen on Thursday and threatened more

20 migrants die in a shipwreck off the coast of Tunisia

Tunisian authorities recovered the bodies of 20 people who appeared to have drowned after a shipwreck off the country’s Mediterranean coastline, near a popular point of departure for migrants attempting to reach Europe by boat

Israeli airstrikes hit Yemen's rebel-held capital and port city after Houthi attack targets Israel

Israel launched two waves of airstrikes on Yemen overnight, killing at least nine people, according to the Houthi-controlled satellite channel al-Masirah

Israeli military strikes Yemen hours after Houthi attack targets Israel

Israeli military strikes Yemen hours after Houthi attack targets Israel

Middle East latest: Israel orders another Gaza evacuation ahead of an offensive

The Israeli military has ordered another evacuation in central Gaza ahead of an offensive in the area, even as Israel and the militant group Hamas appear to inch closer to a ceasefire

Two traffic accidents in southeastern Afghanistan kill more than 40

Two late-night traffic accidents in southeastern Afghanistan killed at least 44 people, local authorities said on Thursday.

Separated for decades, Assad's fall spurs hope for families split by Golan Heights buffer zone

When Israel seized the strategic Golan Heights from Syria in 1967, many families were separated by a buffer zone created between the Israeli-controlled region and the rest of Syria

Israeli military says intercepted one missile that was launched from Yemen

The Israeli military said on Thursday that sirens sounded in numerous areas in central Israel after a missile was launched from Yemen.

Netanyahu tells Israeli troops to stay in area of Syria’s Mount Hermon until end of 2025, source says

Netanyahu tells Israeli troops to stay in area of Syria’s Mount Hermon until end of 2025, source says

Journalists' rights group says 104 media workers killed this year. Gaza stands out for 2nd year

The International Federation of Journalists says that 104 journalists and media workers have been killed so far in 2024, with more than half of them perishing during the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip

A diminished Hezbollah is made even weaker by the toppling of Assad in Syria

A severely hobbled Hezbollah was in no position to help defend former Syrian President Bashar Assad, a longtime ally, from the lightning-fast insurgency that toppled him

Oldest known stone tablet inscribed with the Ten Commandments sells for over $5M

The oldest known stone tablet inscribed with the Ten Commandments has been sold at an auction for more than $5 million

Gaza mediators intensify ceasefire efforts, Israeli strikes kill 20 people

The United States, joined by Arab mediators, sought to conclude an agreement between Israel and Hamas to halt the 14-month-old war in the Gaza Strip, where medics

US defense bill covers troop pay, weapons and transgender kids

The U.S.

At least 20 migrants die after boat sinks off Tunisian coast, marking second tragedy in a week

At least 20 migrants die after boat sinks off Tunisian coast, marking second tragedy in a week

France to host Syria meeting, cautious on aid, sanctions lifting

France said on Wednesday it would host an international meeting on Syria in January and that the lifting of sanctions and reconstruction aid would be conditional on

At least 20 die, five rescued as migrant boat sinks off Tunisia

Tunisia's coast guard has recovered the bodies of 20 migrants from Africa after the boat they were in sank off the coast, the national guard said on Wednesday, the second migrant

King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud Fast Facts

King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud Fast Facts

CNN says its report on a freed Syrian prisoner is not what it initially believed

A report by CNN's Clarissa Ward about a freed Syrian prisoner provided some dramatic scenes, but the network has since found that it apparently wasn't all that it appeared

UN torture expert visits Israeli scenes of Oct 7 Hamas attack

The United Nations' senior expert on torture visited the Israeli kibbutz communities attacked on Oct. 7, 2023, for the first

Exclusive: Iranian Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi says returning to prison won’t stop her fight for equality

Exclusive: Iranian Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi says returning to prison won’t stop her fight for equality

Middle East latest: Displaced people return to south Lebanon as ceasefire appears to hold

Long-displaced residents of south Lebanon have started returning to their homes after a ceasefire between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group took effect early Wednesday morning

Thousands of Lebanese return to their homes as Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire takes hold

Thousands of Lebanese displaced by the war between Israel and Hezbollah returned home Wednesday as a ceasefire takes hold

Pakistan court grants bail to journalist detained after probing protest, lawyer says

A Pakistani court approved bail for a journalist arrested this week after investigating claims of casualties in a protest march, his lawyer said on

At UN, brother of Hamas hostage urges action against terror

The brother of an Israeli man held hostage in the Gaza Strip by Palestinian militants Hamas criticized the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday

Germany doubles arms exports to Ukraine, halves them to Israel in 2024

The German government has doubled its arms exports to Ukraine this year and halved them to Israel compared to 2023, data from the economy ministry showed on Wednesday.

Brooge Energy investors file fraud complaint against Ernst & Young

Some shareholders in Brooge Energy have filed a fraud complaint in the United States against Ernst & Young, alleging the auditor failed to identify fabricated revenues

The Assad regime has fallen. Why are foreign powers still targeting Syria?

The Assad regime has fallen. Why are foreign powers still targeting Syria?

What Assad's fall has revealed about Syria's trade in the stimulant drug Captagon

Syria’s nearly 14-year-old civil war fragmented the country, crumbled the economy and created fertile ground for the production of the highly addictive drug Captagon

Iran's rial hits a record low, battered by regional tensions and an energy crisis

The Iranian rial has fallen to its lowest level in history, losing more than 10% of value since Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election in November

Libyan rivals resume talks in Morocco to break political deadlock

Delegations from rival Libyan institutions resumed talks in Morocco on Wednesday to try to break a political deadlock and prevent the country from sliding back

Families of hostages endure uncertainty even as hopes rise for a ceasefire in Gaza

A released hostage in Gaza is fighting to save her boyfriend, who remains in captivity

Iran pauses the process to implement a new, stricter headscarf law for women, official says

An Iranian official says authorities have paused the process of implementing a new, stricter law on women’s mandatory headscarf, or hijab

Leader of former Syrian opposition says transitional government should not exclude any party

Hadi al-Bahra, head of the Syrian National Coalition that grouped opponents of Bashar al-Assad during the civil war, said on Wednesday Syria's transitional government should be

Israeli troops remove Israeli settler group who crossed into Lebanon

Israeli soldiers removed a small far-right group of Israeli civilians who had crossed into Lebanon, appearing to put up a tent settlement, in what the military said on Wednesday

Paul Wolfowitz Fast Facts

Paul Wolfowitz Fast Facts

Hamid Karzai Fast Facts

Hamid Karzai Fast Facts

Syrian mass graves expose "machinery of death" under Assad, top prosecutor says

(This Dec. 17 story has been corrected to fix the number of missing in Syria, provided by the International Commission on Missing Persons, to more than 150,000, in paragraph 11) By Timour Azhari and

The mysterious cities of the dead carved into the sides of cliffs

The mysterious cities of the dead carved into the sides of cliffs

Hamas expresses optimism for Gaza deal even as obstacles remain

Hamas expresses optimism for Gaza deal even as obstacles remain

Netanyahu says Israel will remain on Mt Hermon 'until another arrangement is found'

Israel will remain on the strategic Mount Hermon site on the Syrian border until another arrangement is found, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards extend control over Tehran's oil exports, sources say

Iran's Revolutionary Guards have tightened their grip on the country's oil industry and control up to half the exports that generate most of

As wars rage around them, Armenian Christians in Jerusalem's Old City feel the walls closing in

As the war in Gaza rages, Syria's government transforms, and the Israeli-occupied West Bank seethes, Armenian residents of the Old City of Jerusalem fight a different battle

Israel's borders have shifted throughout its history. Action in Syria may reshape them again

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israeli troops will remain in Syrian territory indefinitely, and that blurs the border with Israel's northern neighbor

Why does Russia want to capture strategic Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk?

Russian forces are around 3 kilometres (1.9 miles) to the south of the strategically important eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, open

Two charged over deadly Iran-linked drone strike on US troops in Jordan

U.S. prosecutors on Monday charged two men with illegally exporting sensitive technology to Iran that was used in a drone attack carried out by Iran-backed militants

Middle East latest: Israel plans an extended occupation of Syrian buffer zone

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israeli troops will occupy a buffer zone inside Syria for the foreseeable future

Netanyahu says Israeli troops will occupy a buffer zone inside Syria for the foreseeable future

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israeli forces will stay in a buffer zone on the Syrian border, and specifically on the summit of Mount Hermon, until another arrangement is found "that ensures Israel’s security.”

UN pushes for Iran nuclear deal talks, says 'time of the essence'

A top U.N. official on Tuesday pushed world powers and Iran to urgently work to restore a 2015 deal that lifted sanctions on Tehran in return for

Two Iranian citizens charged in connection to drone strike that killed 3 US soldiers in Jordan

Two Iranian citizens charged in connection to drone strike that killed 3 US soldiers in Jordan

Palestinian families sue State Department over US support for Israeli military

Palestinian families sued the U.S.

Ceasefire between Turkey and US-backed rebels extended, State Dept says

A ceasefire between Turkey and the U.S.-backed Kurdish Syrian forces (SDF) around the northern Syrian city of Manbij has been extended until the end of this week, State

Gaza ceasefire talks gain momentum as officials push for deal

An agreement to halt the 14-month-old war in Gaza and free hostages held in the Palestinian enclave could be signed in the coming days

UN chief welcomes aid commitments by new Syrian authorities

United Nations aid chief Tom Fletcher met with the commander of Syria's new administration, Ahmed al-Sharaa, and newly appointed Prime Minister Mohammed al-Bashir on Monday

CNN witnesses moment rebels free man from Syrian prison

In a report from Syria, CNN's Clarissa Ward discovers a man in a cell in a Damascus jail who claimed to be an ordinary citizen imprisoned by the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. CNN's subsequent reporting suggests the man was a former intelligence officer with the deposed regime, Salama Mohammad Salama, according to local residents.

US engaging with UN to ensure Syrians get answers, accountability for mass graves

The United States is engaged with a number of United Nations bodies to ensure the Syrian people get answers and accountability when it comes

Israeli airstrikes kill families in two Gaza homes; tanks bear down on Mawasi

Huge Israeli airstrikes killed extended families in homes in two parts of the northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday, Gaza medics said, with Israel's military saying it

Vinícius Júnior and Aitana Bonmati win FIFA best player of the year awards

Real Madrid star Vinícius Júnior has finally got his hands on a big global player award

Lawsuit accuses State Department of creating loopholes for Israel on military aid and human rights

A lawsuit by a group of Palestinians in Gaza and American relatives accuses the State Department of giving Israel a pass when it comes to a U.S. law meant to limit military aid over human rights abuses

Hundreds of thousands of bodies could be buried in Syrian mass graves, advocacy group says

Hundreds of thousands of bodies could be buried in Syrian mass graves, advocacy group says

No US government group in Syria for search of Austin Tice, State Department says

The U.S.

Palestinian security forces try to exert control in volatile West Bank

Palestinian Authority security forces have battled Islamist fighters in Jenin for days, as they wrestle to exert control of one of the

Swiss parliament votes to ban Hezbollah

Switzerland's parliament on Tuesday voted to outlaw Hezbollah, in a rare move by the neutral country that has traditionally followed a policy of promoting international dialogue and

Smooth end to Syria sanctions would help address immense needs, says UN envoy

Concrete movement on an inclusive political transition in Syria will be key in ensuring the country gets the economic support it needs, United Nations

Italy's Meloni defends choice to reopen Damascus embassy under Assad

Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Tuesday rejected criticism of her decision to appoint an ambassador to Syria before the fall of President Bashar al-Assad, and she said she

US targets North Korean money laundering network with sanctions

The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on two people and one entity based in the United Arab Emirates, accusing them of being involved in a network that launders millions

At least 100,000 bodies in Syrian mass grave, US advocacy group head says

The head of a U.S.-based Syrian advocacy organization on Monday said that a mass grave outside of Damascus contained the bodies of at least 100,000 people

France returns flag to Damascus embassy as new Syria authorities build contacts with West

France raised its flag at its Damascus embassy on Tuesday for the first time in 12 years and European Union officials prepared to engage with the new Syrian leadership, a sign of

Shreveport doctor from Syria encouraged by the revolution so far

Shreveport doctor from Syria encouraged by the revolution so far

EU to engage with Syrian leaders and reopen delegation

The European Union will establish contacts with Syria's new leadership and reopen its delegation in the country, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and EU Commission

Turkey's Erdogan says 'inclusive' administration needed in Syria

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that an inclusive administration is needed in Syria and called on the European Union to support the return of Syrians who fled

Swiss court may cancel trial of Assad's uncle due to illness

Swiss judicial authorities have suggested the trial of the uncle of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad could be shelved due to the defendant's illness and has asked parties to

UN refugee agency expects 1 million Syrians to return in six months

A U.N. refugee agency official said on Tuesday that some 1 million Syrian refugees are expected to return to the country in the first six months of 2025, asking states

Jerusalem resident detained for suspected Iranian spy plot

An Israeli resident of Jerusalem has been arrested on suspicion of being in contact with Iranian intelligence agents as part of a plot to carry out an attack in Israel in return

What is the history of the Israel-Palestinian conflict?

Israel and Hamas have been waging war since gunmen from the Palestinian militant group in the Gaza Strip stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and capturing 253

Russian law paves way to recognise Taliban and potentially Syria's HTS

Russia's parliament passed a law on Tuesday that would allow courts to suspend bans on groups designated by Moscow as terrorist organisations - paving the way for it to

Israel budget passes but vote shows cracks in Netanyahu's coalition

Israeli lawmakers narrowly approved the country's 2025 state budget in an initial vote despite a rebellion by one of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's

Israeli defence minister says Israel will have freedom of action in Gaza after defeating Hamas

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday Israel will have security control over Gaza with full freedom of action after defeating Hamas in the enclave.

Pope Francis reveals two attempts on his life during 2021 visit to Iraq

Pope Francis reveals two attempts on his life during 2021 visit to Iraq

UN investigative body hopes to send team to Syria to secure evidence

The head of a U.N. investigative body has written to Syria's new authorities to express a willingness to engage with them and to travel to Syria to secure evidence that could

Pope reveals he was target of suicide bomb attempt during 2021 Iraq visit

Pope Francis has revealed he was the target of an attempted suicide bombing during his visit to Iraq three years ago, the first by a Catholic pontiff to the

Germany joins U.S., UK in making diplomatic contact with Syria's HTS

Germany plans talks with representatives of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Damascus on Tuesday, the foreign ministry said, joining the United States and Britain in establishing

Iran's president to make rare visit to Egypt for D-8 summit

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will take part in a summit of big Muslim countries in Egypt on Thursday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said, the first visit by an

Indonesia's Prabowo heads to Egypt for D-8 economic summit

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto headed to Egypt on Tuesday to attend meetings of a group of eight major Muslim developing countries, known as the D-8 Organization for Economic

Two charged in connection with Iran-backed drone strike that killed 3 US troops in the Middle East

Two men, including a dual Iranian American citizen, have been arrested on charges that they exported sensitive technology to Iran that was used in a drone attack in Jordan that killed three American troops early this year and injured dozens of other servicemembers

Death toll in Gaza from the Israel-Hamas war tops 45,000 Palestinians, health officials say

Health officials in the Gaza Strip say more than 45,000 Palestinians have now been killed in the war between Israel and Hamas militants

US airstrike hits Houthi command and control facility in Yemen

The U.S. military said it conducted an airstrike on Monday against a command and control facility operated by the Houthis in Yemen.

Russia says Syrians must decide future of their country

Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Monday it was up to Syrians to determine their own future and called for an "inclusive" government taking account of the country's diverse ethnic and

Austin Tice's mother sees hope for his release as other American freed in Syria

The mother of American journalist Austin Tice,

Israeli team in Doha talks on potential Gaza deal, official says

An Israeli technical team is in Doha for working-level talks with Qatari mediators on "remaining issues" in a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal, an official with knowledge of

UN announces initiative to overcome political deadlock in Libya

The top U.N. official in Libya has announced a new initiative to overcome a three-year deadlock and move the divided oil-rich North Africa nation toward a national election

Freed prisoner who said he was a victim of the Assad regime was an intelligence officer, locals say

Freed prisoner who said he was a victim of the Assad regime was an intelligence officer, locals say

Middle East latest: Assad says he wanted to stay in Syria but Russia evacuated him

Ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad says he had no plans to leave the country after the fall of Damascus a week ago but the Russian military evacuated him after their base in western Syria came under attack

Negotiators say Israel and Hamas are inching toward a ceasefire deal. This is what it may look like

After months of deadlock, Israel and Hamas appear to be moving closer toward a ceasefire to end their 14-month war

UN envoy meets Syria's Sharaa, urges inclusive transition

The U.N.'s Syria envoy urged an inclusive Syrian transition based on a nine-year-old Security Council resolution during a meeting with the commander of Syria's

Women held as sex slaves in Sudan's South Kordofan, Human Rights Watch says

Women from Sudan's South Kordofan state have been repeatedly raped and some held as sex slaves by fighters from the warring Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias, Human

Israeli foreign minister brands Irish PM 'antisemitic'

Israel's foreign minister accused Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris on Monday of antisemitism as he defended Israel's decision to close its embassy in Dublin over Ireland's

Trump again warns Hamas to release hostages soon, or 'It's not going to be pleasant'

President-elect Donald Trump said on Monday he had a "very good talk" with Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, about the war in Gaza and reiterated his

Israeli military says missile fired from Yemen shot down, sirens sound

The Israeli military said sirens sounded across central Israel on Monday after a missile was fired from Yemen and was shot down before it crossed into Israel.

Syria retains 26 tons of gold reserves after Assad's fall - sources

The vault of Syria's central bank holds nearly 26 tons of gold, the same amount it had at the start of its bloody civil war in 2011, even after the chaotic fall

EU should ease Syria sanctions in return for 'positive steps', top diplomat Kallas says

The European Union should be ready to ease sanctions on Syria if the country's new leadership takes "positive steps" to establish an inclusive government and respect

Assad gives account of last hours before leaving Syria

Syria's Bashar al-Assad issued his first statement since being toppled from power, saying he was evacuated to Russia from the Hmeimim base on Dec. 8 as it came under drone attack,

Trump says Turkey holds the key to Syria's future

U.S.

Family of US activist killed in West Bank says Blinken offers no prospect of US inquiry

The family of a Turkish-born American human rights activist killed by Israel in the occupied West Bank pleaded with Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday

Palestinians mourn dead after Israeli strike on Gaza's Khan Younis

Relatives of Palestinians killed by Israel in Khan Younis gathered around their white-shrouded bodies on Monday before carrying them to

Russian military has begun large-scale withdrawal from Syria, US and Western officials say

Russian military has begun large-scale withdrawal from Syria, US and Western officials say

What is the significance of the Golan Heights?

The Israeli government decided on Sunday to double its population on the occupied Golan Heights while saying threats from Syria remained despite the moderate tone of rebel leaders who

Oil sags on soft Chinese spending, investor pause before US Fed rate move

Oil futures slipped from the highest levels in several weeks on Monday on weakness in consumer spending in China, the world's largest oil importer, and as

Facing terror designations and sanctions, Syria’s new rulers push for international legitimacy

Facing terror designations and sanctions, Syria’s new rulers push for international legitimacy

Russian presence in Syria remains. But it's unclear for how long

Russia’s intervention on behalf of former Syrian leader Bashar Assad once turned the tide of Syria's civil war

Palestinian security forces launch a rare crackdown on militants in the West Bank

Palestinian security forces have launched a rare crackdown against local militant groups in the northern West Bank

Family of American woman killed in West Bank expresses frustration after Blinken meeting

Family of American woman killed in West Bank expresses frustration after Blinken meeting

Syria's ousted leader Assad says he wanted to keep fighting but Russian allies evacuated him

Ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad said Monday he wanted to stay in the country after rebels captured the capital, but Russia's military evacuated him from their base in western Syria after it came under attack

Assad says he didn’t plan to flee Syria, according to presidency Telegram account

Assad says he didn’t plan to flee Syria, according to presidency Telegram account

Virginia man convicted of funneling money to Islamic State group

A northern Virginia man targeted by an FBI sting operation has been convicted on terrorism charges for collecting funds on behalf of the Islamic State group

Palestinian grandfather whose tribute to slain granddaughter went viral is killed by Israeli fire in Gaza

Palestinian grandfather whose tribute to slain granddaughter went viral is killed by Israeli fire in Gaza

EU seeks assurances from Syria's new leaders in exchange for dropping sanctions

European Union nations have set out conditions for lifting sanctions on Syria

Syrian rebel force deploys to a village near Damascus to stop looters

A rebel force has deployed to a village in southeastern Damascus to stop looters who swarmed a residential complex in the area and set some apartments on fire

US private schools group apologizes after criticism of antisemitic remarks during conference

US private schools group apologizes after criticism of antisemitic remarks during conference

For the families of Syria’s disappeared, hope fades but the demand for justice grows

For the families of Syria’s disappeared, hope fades but the demand for justice grows

Israeli strike kills Al Jazeera photojournalist on one year anniversary of colleague’s death

Israeli strike kills Al Jazeera photojournalist on one year anniversary of colleague’s death

BP, ADNOC's XRG agree Egypt gas JV Arcius Energy

BP and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company's international investments arm XRG said on Monday they have closed a deal for a new natural gas joint venture in Egypt, as ADNOC

Leader of Russia's Chechnya says he is ready to ensure wheat supplies to Syria if necessary

Chechnya's Kremlin-backed leader Ramzan Kadyrov has said he is ready to step in if necessary and ensure that Syria gets the wheat it needs in what he said was the unlikely event

UN launches fresh attempt to resolve Libya's election impasse

The United Nations will convene a technical committee of Libyan experts in an attempt to resolve contentious issues and put the country on the path to long-awaited national elections, the

Israeli forces carry out air, ground attacks in Gaza; dozens dead

Israeli strikes in Gaza killed at least 53 Palestinians, including a journalist and rescue workers, medics said, and the Israeli military said its air and ground

Netanyahu says he spoke with Trump about need for ‘victory,’ as Israeli government approves plan for Golan expansion

Netanyahu says he spoke with Trump about need for ‘victory,’ as Israeli government approves plan for Golan expansion

Israel plans to double population on occupied Golan, citing threats from Syria

Israel agreed on Sunday to double its population on the occupied Golan Heights while saying threats from Syria remained despite the moderate tone of rebel leaders

New Syria's 1st week: Rebels try to bring normalcy while Syrians vow to speak up

A transformation has started to take place in the week since the unexpected overthrow of Syria’s President Bashar Assad

Trump and Netanyahu discuss Gaza hostages and Syria, Israeli PM says

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with U.S.

Syrian Christians attend services, schools reopen a week after Assad's overthrow

Syrian Christians attended regular Sunday services for the first time since the dramatic overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad a

Israel will close its Ireland embassy over Gaza tensions as Palestinian death toll nears 45,000

Israel says it will close its embassy in Ireland as relations deteriorate over the war in Gaza, where Palestinian medical officials say new Israeli airstrikes have killed over 46 people including children

Qatar to reopen its embassy in Syria on Tuesday

Qatar will reopen its embassy in Syria on Tuesday after it was closed for more than 13 years, the Gulf country's foreign ministry said on Sunday, a week after Bashar al-Assad was removed

Christians in Syria mark country's transformation with tears as UN envoy urges an end to sanctions

In churches across long-stifled Syria, Christians have marked the first Sunday services since Bashar Assad’s ouster in an air of transformation

Defence minister orders Israeli troops to prepare to spend winter on Mount Hermon

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has ordered Israeli troops to prepare to stay over the winter on Mount Hermon, a strategic location overlooking Damascus, adding to signs

Israel closes embassy in Ireland, blaming ‘extreme anti-Israel policies’

Israel closes embassy in Ireland, blaming ‘extreme anti-Israel policies’

Britain has had 'diplomatic contact' with Syria's HTS group

Britain has had diplomatic contact with the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group that swept Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from power last week, British foreign minister David Lammy

Israel's inflation slips to 4-month low of 3.4% in November

Israel's inflation dipped in November, data from the Central Bureau of Statistics showed on Sunday, but staying above target and likely not enough to push

One week into a new Syria, rebels aim for normalcy and Syrians vow not to be silent again

A transformation has started to take place in the week since the unexpected overthrow of Syria’s President Bashar Assad

Israel to shut embassy in Ireland over 'extreme anti-Israel policies'

Israel said on Sunday it would close its Dublin embassy due to the Irish government's "extreme anti-Israel policies" including recognition of a Palestinian state and support for

Syria sanctions relief premature for now, top EU official says

The EU will not lift sanctions on Syria before its new rulers ensure minorities are not persecuted and women's rights are protected within a unified government

At least 22 killed in Israeli Gaza strikes, Palestinian medics say

At least 22 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza on Saturday, medics said, while the Israeli military said it targeted gunmen operating from

Hoping for religious harmony, Christians in a Syrian town attend Mass

In Syria's northwestern port town of Latakia, Christian worshippers attending Mass on Sunday at St.

France to send diplomats to Syria on Tuesday

France will send a team of diplomats to Syria on Tuesday to assess the political and security situation, the foreign ministry said, without specifying whom they would meet.

Syrian refugees across Europe celebrated Assad’s collapse. But an angry migration debate is brewing

Syrian refugees across Europe celebrated Assad’s collapse. But an angry migration debate is brewing

Israel Aerospace ready for IPO, awaits government approval, CEO says

State-run Israel Aerospace Industries is ready for an initial public offering in Tel Aviv but awaits the go-ahead from the government, IAI chief executive Boaz

Syria's de facto leader not interested in new conflicts despite Israeli attacks

Syria's de facto leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa said on Saturday Israel is using false pretexts to justify its attacks on Syria, but that he is not interested in engaging in new

Before his ouster, Syria's Assad told Iran that Turkey was aiding rebels to unseat him

In the final days leading to his ouster, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad complained to Iran's foreign minister that Turkey was actively supporting Sunni rebels in

Gunmen clash in a Libyan city and fires erupt at a nearby oil refinery

Libyan officials say clashes have broken out between armed groups in a western city, trapping residents in their homes and causing fires in the country’s second largest oil refinery

Turkey ready to offer military training to Syria if new administration requests, minister says

The new administration in Syria should be given a chance to govern following their constructive messages, and Turkey stands ready to provide military training

Saudi Arabia's inflation reaches 2% in November

Saudi Arabia's annual inflation rate continued to slowly accelerate, hitting 2% in November compared to 1.9% in October, according to government data released on Sunday, again

University of Michigan DEI administrator fired over alleged antisemitic comments plans to take legal action, attorney says

University of Michigan DEI administrator fired over alleged antisemitic comments plans to take legal action, attorney says

PEN America condemns the arrest of Iranian activist Reza Khandan

PEN America has condemned the arrest of Reza Khandan, Iranian activist and husband of leading human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh

Russia pulling back but not out of Syria, sources say

Russia is pulling back its military from the front lines in northern Syria and from posts in the Alawite

Ukraine to set up mechanism to supply food to Syria, Zelenskiy says

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday he had instructed his government to set up supply mechanisms to deliver together with international organisations and partners

Why Israel captured Syria’s tallest mountain just hours after Assad fell

Why Israel captured Syria’s tallest mountain just hours after Assad fell

Here's what to know about the US push for stability in post-Assad Syria

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has wrapped up perhaps his last Middle East mission as America’s top diplomat

Middle East latest: Top diplomats from US, Arab League and Turkey discuss Syria's transition

Top diplomats from the United States, the Arab League and Turkey have met in Jordan to discuss Syria’s transition after the fall of Bashar Assad's government last weekend

Hezbollah chief says group lost its supply route through Syria

Hezbollah head Naim Qassem said on Saturday that the Lebanese armed group had lost its supply route through Syria, in his first comments since the toppling of President Bashar al-

US officials have been in direct contact with the Syrian rebel group that ousted Assad, Blinken says

Secretary of State Antony Blinken says American officials have been in direct contact with the Syrian rebel group that led the overthrow of Bashar Assad’s government but is designated a foreign terrorist organization by the United States and others

UN talks fail to reach agreement on dealing with rising risk of global drought

Despite two weeks of U.N.-sponsored talks in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh, the participating 197 nations failed to agree on a plan to deal with global droughts, made longer and more severe by a warming climate

US, regional diplomats urge respect for minorities in Syria after Assad, Blinken says

Top diplomats from the United States, Turkey, the European Union and Arab nations have agreed that a new government in Syria should

Iran currency slips to new lows amid U.S., Europe tensions

The Iranian currency extended its fall on Saturday, hitting a new all-time low against the U.S. dollar amid uncertainties about Donald Trump's imminent arrival in the White House and

YouTube singer arrested in Iran after performing an online concert while not wearing a hijab

Iranian authorities have arrested a female singer who performed a virtual concert on YouTube, a lawyer said

Iranian court jails Iranian-American journalist for 10 years, lawyer says

An Iranian court has sentenced Iranian-American journalist Reza Valizadeh to 10 years in prison for working at a U.S.-funded radio outlet, his lawyer Mohammad Hossein Aghasi said on

US has had direct contact with Syrian rebel group, Blinken says

US has had direct contact with Syrian rebel group, Blinken says

Palestinian security forces clash with militants in West Bank

At least one person was killed as Palestinian security forces clashed with Palestinian militants and set up checkpoints on Saturday in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin

Five die after migrant boat capsizes off Greek island, many feared missing

At least five migrants drowned after their wooden boat capsized off Greece's southern island of Gavdos, the coastguard said on Saturday, and witnesses said many were still missing as

'I was shocked': CNN speaks to neighbor of alleged Iranian spy arrested by Israeli police

Israel has arrested more than two dozen suspected Iranian spies over the last several months. CNN's Jeremy Diamond reports.

The Detroit area's many Syrians are celebrating Assad's overthrow and planning long-delayed visits

Like millions of Syrians around the world, the thousands who have settled in the Detroit area are excited about the prospect of visiting now that rebels have overthrown the government of ousted President Bashar Assad

Russian cargo plane departs Syria for Libya, more flights expected, official says

A Russian cargo plane departed from Russia's air base in the Syrian port city of Latakia for Libya on Saturday, a Syrian security official stationed outside

Blinken makes unannounced Iraq visit as part of Syria diplomacy push

U.S.

Iran will not impede IAEA access, head of its atomic organisation says

Iran will not impede U.N. nuclear watchdog's access and inspection of its sites, the head of the country’s Atomic Energy Organization said on Saturday.

At site of suspected mass killings, Syrians recall horrors, hope for answers

A hip bone in a blown-out building, part of a spine amid some debris, a few foot bones in a worn-out sock.

‘The donkey is gone’: Syrians hit the streets to mark a momentous week

‘The donkey is gone’: Syrians hit the streets to mark a momentous week

US general discusses Syria, other regional issues in Israel visit

A top U.S. military officer visited Israel from Wednesday to Friday, meeting with Israeli defense officials and discussing the situation in Syria, among other

CNN speaks to Syrians at first Friday prayer since fall of Assad regime

CNN's Clarissa Ward reports from Damascus, Syria, on the first Friday after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

Middle East latest: Syrians celebrate Assad's fall as US seeks a peaceful political transition

Thousands of Syrians gathered in Damascus’ historic main mosque for the first Muslim Friday prayers since former President Bashar Assad was overthrown

Saudi Arabia's plans to host the men's World Cup 2034 will be harmful for the climate, experts say

Saudi Arabia says that to host the 2034 World Cup in men’s soccer, it will build or renovate 15 stadiums, create a futuristic city and expand airports and public transport in a massive buildout to accommodate millions of athletes, coaches and spectators

Who was in ousted Syrian President Assad's inner circle and where are they now?

After insurgents toppled Syrian President Bashar Assad this month, many senior officials and members of his dreaded intelligence and security services appear to have melted away

US military flies American released from Syrian prison to Jordan, officials say

The U.S. military has brought an American who was imprisoned in Syria for seven months out of the country

RSF attacks main hospital in Sudan's al-Fashir, says health official

The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces attacked the main still-functioning hospital in al-Fashir, in Sudan's North Darfur state on Friday, killing nine people and injuring 20,

Saudi Arabia banned film for 35 years. The Red Sea festival is just one sign of the industry's rise

“My Driver and I” was supposed to be made in 2016, but was scuttled amid Saudi Arabia’s decades-long cinema ban

Blinken makes unannounced trip to Iraq as international community grapples with Syrian regime collapse

Blinken makes unannounced trip to Iraq as international community grapples with Syrian regime collapse

Video shows man believed to be missing American found in Syria

CNN's Salma Abdelaziz reports on US citizen Travis Timmerman who told journalists that he has been in a Syrian prison for several months after crossing from Lebanon into Syria.

Syrian clerics in former Assad stronghold call for national unity, democracy

Thousands gathered in northwestern Syria on Friday for weekly prayers and a rally where clerics in the port city of Latakia, a former

Blinken, in Turkey, discusses Islamic State in Syria, Gaza ceasefire

U.S.

Russia packing up military equipment at base in Syria, satellite images show

Russia appears to be packing up military equipment at a military air base in Syria, according to satellite images released by Maxar following rebels' overthrow of President Bashar

Syrians cheer end of 50 years of Assad rule at first Friday prayers since government fell

Exuberant Syrians observed the first Friday prayers since the ouster of President Bashar Assad, gathering in the capital’s historic main mosque, its largest square and around the country to celebrate the end of half a century of authoritarian rule

Syrians explore Assad family's massive summer resort for first time

Syrian cyclist Bassel Soufi rode his bike 40 km (25 miles) from the northwestern city of Latakia on Friday to visit the Assad family's

Qatar delegation to meet Syria's interim government on Sunday, Qatari official says

Qatar will send its first official delegation to Damascus on Sunday to meet Syria's interim government and discuss reopening the Qatari embassy and enhancing

US flies freed American Travis Timmerman out of Syria, official says

American citizen Travis Timmerman has been flown out of Syria, where he was imprisoned before being released by rebels this week, U.S. officials said on Friday.

UK's Starmer says Syria needs 'non-sectarian' governance

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Friday caution was needed regarding Syria's prospects after the end of Bashar al-Assad's rule and that the country required "credible,

Israeli strike in Gaza kills 25 people as US makes new push for a ceasefire

Palestinian medics said an Israeli airstrike hit a refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, killing at least 25 Palestinians and wounding dozens more

Could UN sanctions on Syrian rebels HTS be removed?

The rebel group that led the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad - Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) - has long been under United Nations sanctions,

Discovery of vast Syrian drug lab reveals secrets of illicit captagon trade

The industrial-scale drug lab sat just up a hill from a main road on the western edge of Damascus, the city that was the seat of power for the Assad family

Far too early to lift US sanctions on Syria, lawmakers say

Republican and Democratic U.S. senators say it is too soon to consider lifting sanctions on Syria following the removal of President Bashar al-Assad, an

Crucial dam at risk as Kurds and Turkish-backed groups battle in northern Syria

Crucial dam at risk as Kurds and Turkish-backed groups battle in northern Syria

Trump has threatened the visas of international student protesters. A post-grad at risk shares his fears

Trump has threatened the visas of international student protesters. A post-grad at risk shares his fears

Austria offers Syrian refugees 1,000 euros to return home

Austria's conservative-led government said on Friday it is offering Syrian refugees a "return bonus" of 1,000 euros ($1,050) to move back to their home country

Kyiv ready to supply food to Syria as Russia supplies suspended

Ukraine, a global producer and exporter of grain and oilseeds, is ready to supply food to Syria following the fall of Bashar al-Assad, Ukrainian Agriculture Minister

‘The Bibi Files,’ with leaked Netanyahu footage, can't be seen in Israel. Israelis are finding ways

“The Bibi Files” started with a sudden leak that turned into a deluge

‘Catastrophic’ Israeli barrage hits hospital in northern Gaza, doctor says

‘Catastrophic’ Israeli barrage hits hospital in northern Gaza, doctor says

Russian grain exports to Syria suspended due to uncertainty

Russian wheat supplies to Syria have been suspended because of uncertainty about the new government and payment delays,

Can Syria’s Islamist rebels govern the country? Their rule in Idlib offers clues

Can Syria’s Islamist rebels govern the country? Their rule in Idlib offers clues

Turkey fines Google $75 million for violating competition law

Turkey's competition authority has fined Alphabet Inc's Google 2.61 billion lira ($75 million), for taking advantage of its dominant position in ad server services market, the

Turkey can step in to resolve Sudan-UAE disputes, Erdogan tells Burhan

Turkey can step in to resolve disputes between Sudan and the United Arab Emirates, President Tayyip Erdogan told the head of Sudan's sovereign council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in a

Syrian Shi'ites and other minorities flee to Lebanon, fearing Islamist rule

Tens of thousands of Syrians, mostly Shi'ite Muslims, have fled to Lebanon since Sunni Muslim

Rome's Jews express anger at union strike over Israeli 'genocide'

Rome's Jewish community expressed dismay on Friday after two unions called a nationwide strike to protest against Italy's "support for the genocidal Israeli

Red Cross opens hotlines to try to reunite Syrian families

The Red Cross said on Friday it had opened two new telephone hotlines to try to reunite Syrians who have been missing for years with their families, but warned that many cases will

The dead, the missing and the reunited: Three tales of Syria’s tortured prisoners

The dead, the missing and the reunited: Three tales of Syria’s tortured prisoners

Dutch court rejects bid to stop arms exports to Israel

THE HAGUE - A Dutch court on Friday rejected a bid by 10 pro-Palestinian NGOs to stop the Netherlands exporting weapons to Israel and trading with Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian

Assad's final hours in Syria: Deception, despair and flight

Bashar al-Assad confided in almost no one about his plans to flee Syria as his reign collapsed.

Blinken says he discussed Gaza ceasefire agreement with Turkish top officials

U.S.

US role in Syria is unclear in wake of Assad’s fall from power

The US has been involved in Syria in several important ways, including sanctioning Bashar al-Assad’s government for more than a decade.

Israel accuses an ‘unprecedented’ number of Israelis of spying for Iran

Israel accuses an ‘unprecedented’ number of Israelis of spying for Iran

China and Egypt agree on need to promote peace in Middle East

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Beijing agreed with Egypt that both nations should promote peace and negotiations to achieve stability in the Middle East, amid several crises

Freed Syrian prisoners return to their 'death dormitory'

Basim Faiz Mawat stood in the Damascus cell that his fellow prisoners used to call the "death dormitory", struggling to believe that the system that abused him

Battered corpses show the horrors of life and death under Syria’s Assad

Battered corpses show the horrors of life and death under Syria’s Assad

Blinken says US working to bring Travis Timmerman home from Syria

The United States is working to bring home an American citizen found on Thursday in Syria, U.S.

Six dead, five critically injured in fire at Jordanian elderly care centre

A fire broke out early on Friday at a private elderly care centre in the Jordanian capital Amman, killing six residents and critically injuring five more, Social

Their labour in demand, Germany's Syrians are in no rush to leave

It took only a few hours after the fall of Bashar al-Assad for some German politicians to begin suggesting it was time for Germany's million

Russia in contact with Syrian rebels, hopes to keep military bases, Interfax reports

Russia has

US grand jury charges former Syrian prison official with torture

A federal grand jury in Los Angeles charged a former Syrian government official who headed the Damascus Central Prison from 2005 to 2008 with torture, the U.S.

White House releases strategy to counter anti-Muslim, anti-Arab hate

U.S.

American pilgrim imprisoned in Assad's Syria calls his release from prison a 'blessing'

An American who disappeared seven months ago into former Syrian President Bashar Assad’s notorious prison system says he was released by the “liberators” who arrived in Damascus a day after the longtime ruler fled the capital

Missing US man found in Syria says he was kept in prison after entering country as a pilgrim

Missing US man found in Syria says he was kept in prison after entering country as a pilgrim

Former Syrian official arrested in California who oversaw prison charged with torture

A former Syrian military official who oversaw a prison where alleged human rights abuses took place has been charged with several counts of torture

UCLA police chief who was criticized over Gaza protest violence is out

The police chief for the University of California at Los Angeles, who was criticized for the handling of a violent mob attack in May on pro-Palestinian

White House releases national strategy to combat Islamophobia

The White House has announced what it called the first-ever national strategy to counter Islamophobia

Middle East latest: Israeli strikes in Gaza kill more than 50 people, including kids

Palestinian medical officials say an Israeli airstrike flattened a multistory building in central Gaza, killing at least 25 people and wounding dozens more

Syria faces crisis and Gaza heads toward famine, World Food Program official says

The deputy executive director of the U.N. World Food Program has been on whirlwind visits to hotspots in the Middle East and Sudan to assess dire humanitarian situations and escalating demands for food from millions of people trapped or fleeing conflicts

Blinken meets Erdogan as forces backed by US, Turkey clash in Syria

U.S.

Maersk sees global trade growth rising as much as 7% in 2025, exec says

(This Dec. 11 story has been corrected after the company clarified that van der Steene was referring to global trade growth forecast, not global container volumes, in the headline and in paragraph 1)

America's closest ally in Syria is losing ground as a new order takes shape

The jihadi rebels who toppled Syrian President Bashar Assad say they want to build a unified, inclusive country

Biden administration makes final diplomatic push for stability across a turbulent Mideast

Top U.S. officials are in the Middle East pressing for stability in Syria and an end to Israel’s 14-month war in the Gaza Strip in a last-ditch diplomatic push by the outgoing Biden administration

Amid ashes of Assad family's mausoleum, Syrian rebels vow to erase their legacy

Now covered in ashes and empty bullet casings, the grand mausoleum of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's family stood in the eyes of

US security adviser Sullivan says Israel is acting in Syria for its own defence

U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan defended Israel's operations in Syria since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad, saying on Thursday it had a right to defend itself

Funeral for activist turns into call for justice for other missing Syrians

Hundreds of Syrians marched through central Damascus in a funeral procession for one of the country's most prominent anti-government activists, whose body was found after the ouster of President Bashar Assad

Paraguay opens Israel embassy in Jerusalem after moving it from Tel Aviv

Paraguay formally opened its new Jerusalem embassy in Israel on Thursday in a ceremony attended by President Santiago Peña and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, following

2034 World Cup visitors will live in 'a bubble' and not see real life, Saudi rights activist says

A Saudi human rights activist says soccer fans visiting Saudi Arabia for the 2034 World Cup will live in a “bubble” that doesn't reflect real life there

UAE flights flood airstrip UN says supplies weapons to Sudan rebels

Since civil war erupted in Sudan last year, dozens of cargo planes from the United Arab Emirates have landed at a small airstrip in Chad that some U.N. experts and diplomats suspect

Turkish intel head in Syria for meetings, sources and ministry say

Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin was in Damascus on Thursday, two sources with knowledge of the visit told Reuters, for what the Syrian information ministry said would be

Trump, asked about chances of war with Iran, says 'anything can happen'

U.S.

Greece launches emergency inquiry into the alleged assault of an Egyptian minor at a migrant camp

A Supreme Court prosecutor in Greece has launched an emergency inquiry into the alleged beating and sexual assault of a 16-year-old Egyptian boy at a camp for migrants outside Athens

US national security adviser Sullivan says he believes a Gaza deal may be close

U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Thursday he believed a deal on a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release may be close as Israel had signalled it was ready and "we

Trump Organization plans second Saudi Arabian tower in regional expansion

The Trump Organization plans to build a Trump Tower in the Saudi capital Riyadh as part of a real estate expansion in the region including in the Emirati capital Abu

Blinken meets Jordan's king in Syria diplomacy push

U.S.

France says it is too early to discuss lifting EU sanctions on Syria

France said on Thursday it was too soon for the European Union to consider lifting sanctions on Syria following the removal of President Bashar al-Assad and would first focus on

Chemical weapons use in Syria must be investigated, says watchdog

The head of the chemical weapons watchdog said on Thursday he would ask Syria's new leaders to grant investigators access to the country to continue work

Paraguay reopens its embassy in Jerusalem, handing Israel a rare diplomatic victory

Paraguay has reopened its embassy in Jerusalem, a move that marks a diplomatic win for Israel as it faces increasing international isolation because of the Gaza war

Thousands attend the funeral of a Taliban minister killed by an Islamic State suicide bomber

Thousands of people have attended the funeral of a Taliban government minister killed in an Islamic State suicide bombing the previous day

Concern over Syria's chemical weapons stockpile triggers emergency meeting of global monitor

The global chemical weapons watchdog has opened an emergency meeting to discuss the situation in Syria over concerns about the country’s stockpile of toxic chemicals in the wake of the overthrow of President Bashar Assad

Iran accepts tougher oversight at Fordow enrichment plant, IAEA reports

Iran has agreed to tougher monitoring by the U.N. nuclear watchdog at its Fordow site dug into a mountain after it greatly accelerated uranium enrichment to close

At least nine die, six missing as migrant boat sinks off Tunisia

Tunisia's coastguard has recovered the bodies of nine migrants while six others are still missing after their boat sank off the Tunisian coast, a judicial official said on Thursday,

Why the ‘world has failed’ in the fight against hunger

Why the ‘world has failed’ in the fight against hunger

Demoralised and abandoned by allies: why Assad’s army failed to fight in Syria

Twenty-three-year-old Syrian military conscript Farhan al-Khouli was badly paid and demoralized

A chance for Gaza hostage deal that includes US citizens, Israel defence chief says

There is a chance now for a deal to release all the hostages held in Gaza, including U.S. citizens, Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz told his U.S. counterpart Lloyd Austin

Assad exhibited little of the tackiness of Iraq’s Saddam. But his rule was just as brutal

Assad exhibited little of the tackiness of Iraq’s Saddam. But his rule was just as brutal

Vatican officials, Palestinian president discuss Gaza's 'very serious' needs

Pope Francis met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the Vatican on Thursday, their first face-to-face encounter in three years, as the pontiff has become

Comoros couple released after sentencing for gay sex verdict

A court in Comoros released two women on Thursday after a judge found them guilty of engaging in gay sexual activity and sentenced them for a shorter period than

G7 ready to support political transition in Syria, statement says

Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) major democracies "stand ready to support a transition process that leads to credible, inclusive, and non-sectarian governance" in Syria, a

Austria unsure when deportations to Syria might start

Austria's potential forced deportation of Syrian refugees back to their changed homeland can only occur when it is safe, Foreign Minister

Syrian rebel leader says he will dissolve toppled regime forces, close prisons

Syrian rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa - better known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani - told Reuters in a written statement on Wednesday that he would dissolve the security forces of the

Trump crypto venture partners with platform linked to Middle East militants

A crypto venture recently unveiled by U.S.

After Assad's ouster, Syrian rebel leader tightens his grip on the state

Rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa's Islamist group is stamping its authority on Syria's state with the same lightning speed that it

At Syria’s border with Lebanon, refugees return home while others flee fearing the worst

At Syria’s border with Lebanon, refugees return home while others flee fearing the worst

Suspected Palestinian shooting attack on Israeli bus kills child

A suspected Palestinian shooting attack on an Israeli bus in the occupied West Bank killed a child overnight between Wednesday and Thursday, Israeli emergency

2024 in photos: war in the Middle East

In 2024, conflict escalated in the Middle East.

Videos appear to show captagon factory discovered in Syria

Social media footage allegedly shows a large stockpile of captagon, an illicit drug, in the headquarters of a military division commanded by former president Bashar al-Assad's brother. CNN is unable immediately to verify the location. Captagon is highly addictive and is said to have been an important economic tool for the Assad regime while it was hit with American sanctions.

Somalia, Ethiopia agree to work together to resolve Somaliland port dispute

Somalia and Ethiopia said they would work together to resolve a dispute over Addis Ababa's plan to build a port in the breakaway region of Somaliland, which had drawn in regional

Middle East latest: UN General Assembly demands a ceasefire in Gaza

The U.N. General Assembly has overwhelmingly approved resolutions demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and expressing support for the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees that Israel has moved to ban

FIFA confirms Saudi Arabia as 2034 World Cup host despite human rights concerns

Saudi Arabia has been officially confirmed by FIFA as host of the 2034 World Cup in men’s soccer

Europeans tell UN ready to 'snap back' Iran sanctions if needed

Britain, France and Germany have told the United Nations Security Council that they are ready - if necessary - to trigger a so-called "snap back" of all

Drone footage shows aftermath of Israel's strikes on Syria

Footage released by the IDF shows the destruction from Israeli airstrikes on Syria. The IDF said they have conducted about 480 strikes across Syria over two days. This comes a days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime as "a historic day in the history of the Middle East."

Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup. But when exactly?

Saudi Arabia scored a major win in its campaign to attract major sports events to the kingdom when it was formally appointed as the 2034 World Cup host on Wednesday

UN General Assembly overwhelmingly demands immediate Gaza ceasefire

The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly voted on Wednesday to demand an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire between Israel and

UN General Assembly demands ceasefire in Gaza and backs UN agency helping Palestinian refugees

The U.N. General Assembly has overwhelmingly approved resolutions demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and backing the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees that Israel has moved to ban

Arizona AG sues Saudi firm over 'excessive' groundwater pumping, saying it's a public nuisance

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes says she is suing a Saudi Arabian agribusiness over what she calls “excessive pumping” of groundwater

Movie Review: ‘September 5’ goes inside a newsroom during the Munich Olympics hostage crisis

The new film “September 5" is a fictionalized account of ABC’s live coverage of the hostage crisis during the 1972 Munich Olympics

Tears and hope as Syrians return home from Turkey

Ala Jabeer cried as he prepared to cross from Turkey into Syria with his 10-year-old daughter on Tuesday, thirteen years after the war

The Trump and Biden teams insist they're working hand in glove on foreign crises

President-elect Donald Trump doesn’t think much of Joe Biden’s foreign policy record

Secretary of State Blinken is returning to the Mideast in his latest diplomatic foray

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is returning to the Middle East this week on his 12th visit since the Israel-Hamas war erupted last year

US scrambles to quell ISIS resurgence in Syria after fall of Assad

US scrambles to quell ISIS resurgence in Syria after fall of Assad

Syria's rebel leader vows to dissolve Assad regime security forces, close prisons

The main commander of the fighters who toppled Bashar al-Assad said on Wednesday that he would dissolve the security forces of the former regime,

Israeli strikes on Gaza kill at least 33 including children, Palestinian medics say

Palestinian medical officials say Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip have killed at least 33 people

Assad’s fall in Syria will further weaken Hezbollah and curtails Tehran’s ‘Iranization’ of region

Lebanon – home to thousands of Syrian refugees – has long suffered at the hands of the Assad family’s 54-year rule.

No Iranian drone 'mothership' off the United States, Pentagon says

The Pentagon on Wednesday flatly dismissed claims by a U.S. lawmaker that Iran might be launching drones over New Jersey from a "mothership" off

Top Biden aides head to Mideast in diplomatic push on Syria, Gaza

U.S.

Video points to Assad regime’s involvement in large-scale trafficking of illicit drugs

Video points to Assad regime’s involvement in large-scale trafficking of illicit drugs

Spain calls for 'red lines' in talks with new Syria leadership

The international community needs to establish "several red lines" in any talks with the new Syrian leadership and consider sanctions to ensure a peaceful future for the country,

Ukrainian operatives aided Syrian rebels with drones, Washington Post reports

Syrian fighters received about 150 drones as well as other covert support from Ukrainian intelligence operatives last month, weeks ahead of the rebels' advance that toppled

Soccer-Saudi Arabia's human rights record under fire after World Cup bid win

Rights organisations strongly criticised FIFA on Wednesday after world soccer's ruling body officially awarded the 2034 men's World Cup to Saudi

Blinken faces GOP critics in Congress who say Afghanistan withdrawal 'lit the world on fire'

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has appeared before the House Foreign Affairs Committee to face questions for the last time regarding some of the darkest moments of Joe Biden’s presidency: the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan

Switzerland reports $112 million in frozen Syrian assets

There are currently 99 million Swiss francs ($112 million) worth of frozen Syrian assets in Switzerland, most of which have been blocked for years, the Swiss government said on

Syrian refugees in Europe fear being forced home after Assad's fall

Najem al-Moussa was delighted when news of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's overthrow first beamed from the television

Syrians flock to morgues looking for loved ones who perished in Assad's prisons

Many bodies have been found in Syrian detention centers and prisons since President Bashar al-Assad's government fell

Soccer-Morocco, Spain, Portugal to host 2030 World Cup, Saudi Arabia to stage 2034 edition

Saudi Arabia will host the men's soccer World Cup in 2034 while the 2030 edition will be held in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with one-off matches in three South American countries, world

Vatican's keffiyeh Nativity scene raises eyebrows and then disappears — at least until Christmas Eve

One of the Vatican's Nativity scenes raised eyebrows when it was unveiled because it featured a keffiyeh, the Palestinian headscarf

Syrian woman haunts Assad's notorious prison for clues of relatives' fate

When she heard the stunning news that rebels had brought an end to Syria's decades-old regime, Hayat al-Turki headed for a prison that had become known as a

Israeli warplanes pound Syria as troops reportedly advance deeper into the country

Israel carried out a wave of heavy airstrikes across Syria as its troops advanced deeper into the country

These Palestinians disappeared after encounters with Israeli troops in Gaza

Dozens of Palestinians are receiving help from an Israeli legal group in their search for family members who went missing after being separated by Israeli soldiers during raids and arrests in the Gaza Strip

Iran's Khamenei says toppling of Syria's Assad was result of US-Israeli plan

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that the toppling of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was the result of a plan by the United States and Israel.

A Dutch woman who kept a Yazidi woman as a slave in Syria is imprisoned for 10 years

A Dutch court has convicted a woman of crimes against humanity for keeping a Yazidi woman as a slave in Syria and sentenced her to 10 years in prison

Greece detains 16 people for involvement in Turkish criminal gangs

Greek police have detained 16 people and confiscated drugs and weapons in an operation aimed at dismantling Turkish criminal groups active in the country, authorities said on

UN chief sees hope in Syria after end of Assad regime

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said there were signs of hope in Syria following the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad by rebel forces over

Syria events show risks for countries relying on Russia, says German minister

Developments in Syria show that countries that have a strategic partnership with Russia can rely on Moscow only as long as they are of use to President Vladimir

Saudi Arabia officially announced as the 2034 World Cup host. Human rights groups warn of ‘unimaginable human cost’

Saudi Arabia officially announced as the 2034 World Cup host. Human rights groups warn of ‘unimaginable human cost’

Suicide bombing in Kabul kills Taliban refugee minister

Suicide bombing in Kabul kills Taliban refugee minister

An explosion in the Afghan capital kills the Taliban refugee minister

A suicide bombing in the Afghan capital has killed the Taliban refugee minister and two others in the most brazen attack on a member of the Taliban inner circle since they returned to power three years ago

Israeli airstrikes kill at least 38 Palestinians in Gaza, medics say

Israeli air attacks across the Gaza Strip killed at least 38 Palestinians on Wednesday, most of them in a strike on a house in Beit Lahiya on the northern edge of

Syrians head home from Turkey to 'a better life' after rebellion

Syrians lined up at the Turkish border on Wednesday to head home after rebels ousted President Bashar al-Assad, speaking of their

Afghan Taliban's refugees minister killed in Kabul blast, nephew says

The Afghan Taliban's acting minister for refugees, Khalil Rahman Haqqani, and six other people were killed in an explosion in the capital

European countries halt Syrian asylum applications after Assad's fall

Many European countries have put asylum applications from Syrians on hold after rebels seized the Syrian capital and President Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia following 13 years of civil war

Carlyle's AlpInvest, Mubadala join forces for new financing partnership

AlpInvest Partners, the secondary investments unit of buyout firm Carlyle Group, and Abu Dhabi's Mubadala Investment Company are forming a new partnership to provide

Dutch woman jailed for 10 years for keeping Yazidi slave in Syria

A Dutch court on Wednesday sentenced a woman to 10 years in prison for joining Islamic State in Syria and keeping a Yazidi woman as slave.

Biden approves national security memo on China, Iran, North Korea and Russia ahead of Trump's return

President Joe Biden has approved a new national security memorandum that could serve as a road map for the incoming Trump administration as it looks to counter growing cooperation among China, Iran, North Korea and Russia

Kremlin plays down blow to Russia from Assad's fall

The Kremlin on Wednesday played down the damage to Russian influence in the Middle East from the fall of Syrian ally Bashar al-Assad, saying that its focus was on

Two U.S. lawmakers push for some Syria sanctions relief after Assad's fall

Two U.S. congressmen have urged senior American officials to suspend some sanctions on Syria to ease pressure on its shattered economy after the overthrow of

The Israeli Jews who spied for Iran in biggest infiltration in decades

Israel's arrest of almost 30 mostly Jewish citizens who allegedly spied for Iran in nine covert cells has caused alarm in the country and points to Tehran's

Pope Francis calls on Syrian rebels to stabilise country

Pope Francis on Wednesday called on the Syrian rebels who toppled the regime of President Bashar al-Assad to stabilise the country, and govern in a way that

A Lebanese man who spent 32 years in Syrian prisons is welcomed home

Suheil Hamwi spent 32 years in a Syrian prison, and now, after an offensive by insurgents that toppled the government of Bashar Assad, he’s finally returned to his home to Lebanon

Sudan again tops International Rescue Committee crises watchlist

Sudan - for the second year in a row - topped a 2025 watchlist of global humanitarian crises released by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) aid organization on

Humanitarian aid to northern Gaza mostly blocked for the last 2 months, UN says

Humanitarian aid to northern Gaza, where Israel launched a ground offensive on Oct. 6, has largely been blocked for the past 66 days

Trump picks ambassadors to Greece and Turkey

U.S.

Family of Turkish-American woman killed by Israel to meet Blinken

The family of a Turkish-American woman killed by Israel in the Israeli-occupied West Bank will meet U.S.

Israel's Netanyahu vows to challenge 'absurd' corruption charges as he takes the stand in his trial

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised to knock down the corruption charges against him as he took the stand in his long-running trial

Netanyahu is testifying in his corruption trial. He has been dogged by scandal for years

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the witness stand for the first time in his long-running trial on corruption charges

Syrians in Germany worried by some politicians' eagerness for them to go home after Assad's fall

Nearly a decade after hundreds of thousands of Syrians arrived in Germany, many are now well-integrated and settled in jobs — and tens of thousands have gained German citizenship

Car torched, buildings painted with anti-Israel graffiti in Australia

A car was set alight and two properties spray painted with anti-Israel messages in Sydney just days after an arson attack at a synagogue in Melbourne which is being

Russia transported Assad in 'most secured way,' Russian Deputy FM tells NBC News

Russia transported Bashar al-Assad, who was ousted as Syria's president by a lightning rebel offensive, very securely to Russia, the country's deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, told

Middle East latest: Israel bombs hundreds of sites across Syria as army pushes into border zone

Israel says it bombed more than 350 military sites in Syria during the previous 48 hours, targeting “most of the strategic weapons stockpiles” in the country

In first contacts, US officials urge Syrian rebels to support inclusive government

The Biden administration has urged the rebel group that led the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad not to assume automatic leadership of the country but

Syrian democratic forces, rebels reach US-brokered ceasefire agreement in Manbij, SDF commander says

The U.S.-backed Kurdish Syrian forces (SDF) and Syria's Turkey-backed rebels reached a ceasefire agreement in the northern city of Manbij through a U.S. mediation "to ensure the

Rebel-backed figure takes charge as Syria's interim prime minister

Syria's new interim leader announced on Tuesday he was taking charge of the country as caretaker prime minister with the backing of the former

US military says it defeated Houthi attack on ships in Gulf of Aden

Two U.S. Navy destroyers escorting three merchant vessels through the Gulf of Aden defeated an attack by Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, the U.S. military said on Tuesday.

US approves $300 million potential sale of maintenance equipment to Kuwait

The U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale of vehicle maintenance equipment to Kuwait for an estimated $300 million, the Pentagon said in a statement on Tuesday.

US asks Syrian rebels HTS to help in search for journalist Austin Tice

The United States has asked Syria's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel group to help locate and free missing American journalist Austin Tice as

How Syria’s rebels toppled the Assad regime, in 7 maps

How Syria’s rebels toppled the Assad regime, in 7 maps

Israel strikes Syria 480 times and seizes territory as Netanyahu pledges to change face of the Middle East

Israel strikes Syria 480 times and seizes territory as Netanyahu pledges to change face of the Middle East

Syrians, in a triumph of hope, turn the page on the horrors of Assad

The Syrian revolution is profoundly significant to those who suffered suffocating repression, surveillance and everyday indignities under a brutal dictator.

US troops are staying in Syria, White House's Finer says

U.S. troops will be staying in Syria after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad as part of a counter-terrorism mission focused on destroying Islamic State militants

Syrians scour disfigured corpses for signs of detained loved ones

Using only the light on their mobile phones, wailing men and women examined disfigured bodies lying in a darkened hospital morgue in Syria's

Oil prices rise on China stimulus, possible tight supply in Europe

Oil prices rose on Tuesday as markets looked to rising demand in China, the world's largest buyer, and possible tight supply in Europe this coming winter and away from

US rushes to uncover new information on whereabouts of Austin Tice after collapse of Syrian regime

US rushes to uncover new information on whereabouts of Austin Tice after collapse of Syrian regime

US says it will support new Syrian leaders who protect women and renounce terrorism

The Biden administration says the United States will recognize and support a new Syrian government that renounces terrorism, destroys chemical weapons stocks and protects the rights of minorities and women

World Central Kitchen fires dozens of workers in Gaza after Israel accuses them of militant links

A U.S.-based charity, the World Central Kitchen, fired dozens of Palestinians working for the charity in the Gaza Strip, at

US making fresh efforts for Gaza ceasefire, White House aide Finer says

U.S.

Israel says its air strikes destroyed most of Syria's strategic weapons stockpiles

Israel aims to impose a "sterile defence zone" in southern Syria that would be enforced without a permanent troop presence,

EU foreign policy chief Kallas: legitimate concerns about Syrian sectarian violence

There are legitimate concerns about the risks of sectarian violence in Syria and a resurgence of extremism in the country, the European Union's new foreign policy

Blinken lays out US hopes for Syria's political transition

The United States on Tuesday laid out its hopes for Syria's political transition following Assad's ouster, saying it would recognize a future Syrian government

Syria central bank vaults left unscathed by Damascus looters, sources say

The vaults in Syria's central bank were left unscathed by looters in the turmoil that briefly engulfed the capital Damascus after the overthrow

UN opposes any violation of Syria's territory, UN spokesperson says

The United Nations is against any violation of the territorial integrity of Syria, a spokesperson for U.N.

CNN goes inside Syria’s ‘slaughterhouse’ prison as desperate families look for missing loved ones

CNN goes inside Syria’s ‘slaughterhouse’ prison as desperate families look for missing loved ones

Biden administration races to secure a ceasefire in Gaza with Trump’s backing

Biden administration races to secure a ceasefire in Gaza with Trump’s backing

At least 127, mostly civilians, killed in two days in Sudan bombardments

At least 127 people, mostly civilians, were killed in Sudan on Monday and Tuesday by barrel bombs and shelling from the warring sides, rights activists said.

Syria's new rulers back shift to free-market economy, business leader says

Syria's new government has told business leaders it will adopt a free-market model and integrate the country into the global economy in a major shift from decades

Man is charged with burning American flag during Washington protest over Netanyahu visit

Federal authorities have charged a man with burning an American flag in the nation’s capital during protests against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress in July

Former UK lawyer sentenced for fraud relating to Iraq abuse claims

A former British lawyer who became known for bringing lawsuits on behalf of Iraqi civilians accusing British soldiers of ill-treatment was on Tuesday given a suspended sentence for

White House says going assumption is that captive journalist Austin Tice is alive

U.S. officials are pushing hard to learn as much as they can about Austin Tice, the American journalist captured in Syria 12 years ago, White House spokesperson John Kirby said

Turkey hits military supplies under Kurdish control in north Syria, security source says

Turkey's intelligence agency destroyed 12 trucks loaded with missiles and heavy weapons, two tanks and ammunition stores being transported by the Kurdish YPG militia in northeast

Somalia's president flies to Turkey for third round of talks with Ethiopia

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was heading to Ankara, Turkey, to attend the third round of talks aimed at defusing tensions with Ethiopia, the state news agency reported

Boosting Cyprus' defense is key so close to the war-wracked Mideast, defense minister says

Cyprus' defense minister says that bolstering the defense capacity of the east Mediterranean island nation by getting new armaments is critical for a country so close to the war-wracked Middle East

Soccer-NFF criticises FIFA's 'flawed and inconsistent' World Cup bidding process

The Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) on Tuesday said it will vote against FIFA's awarding of hosting rights for the 2030 and 2034 World Cups by acclamation, adding that it had formally

Russia takes step towards recognising Afghanistan's Taliban government

Russia moved a step closer towards recognising the Taliban government of Afghanistan on Tuesday as parliament voted in favour of a law that would make it possible to

Lebanon must not be refuge for Syrian officials, Lebanese party warns

Lebanon must not become a safe haven for Syrian officials who are responsible for crimes, a leading Lebanese political party warned on Tuesday, citing reports that leading figures

Netanyahu assails media as he testifies for first time in his corruption trial

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the witness stand for the first time on Tuesday in his long-running corruption trial, saying he was being hounded

Satellite imagery shows Russian navy ships anchored off Syrian coast

Satellite imagery show that Russian naval ships have left Moscow's base at Tartous on Syria's coast and some have dropped anchor offshore following the overthrow

Israel says it will destroy Syria's heavy strategic weaponry

Israel will step up airstrikes on Syrian stores of advanced weaponry, Israeli officials said on Monday, and keep a "limited" troop presence on the

Russian lawmakers advance a bill removing the terrorist designation for the Taliban

The lower house of Russia's parliament has given initial approval to a long-discussed bill that would clear the way for Moscow to remove the Taliban’s designation as a terrorist group

UN urges Taliban to embrace human rights obligations for Afghanistan’s protection and prosperity

The U.N. mission in Afghanistan wants the country's Taliban rulers to embrace global human rights obligations for the protection and prosperity of future generations

Turkey weighing pro-Kurdish party bid to meet jailed PKK leader, minister says

Turkey's justice minister said on Tuesday the pro-Kurdish DEM Party's application to meet jailed Kurdish militant group leader Abdullah Ocalan was under consideration, without

Pope, growing critical of Israel, to meet Palestinian president on Thursday

Pope Francis will meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday, the Vatican said, as the Catholic pontiff has become more vocal in his criticism of

Syrians taste freedom at famous Damascus ice cream parlour

After racing from Lebanon to Syria to celebrate the fall of the Assad regime and making arrangements for his family to follow, 42-year-old Anas Idrees knew what

Egypt's inflation dips to near two-year low of 25.5% in November

Egypt's annual urban consumer price inflation rate dropped more than expected to 25.5% in November, its lowest since December 2022, data from statistics agency CAPMAS showed on

Syria is free of its dictator. The rebels’ biggest challenge now is learning how to govern

Syria is free of its dictator. The rebels’ biggest challenge now is learning how to govern

At least 8 killed in building collapse in Cairo

Egyptian authorities say at least eight people have been killed when an apartment building collapsed Cairo

As Israel advances on a Syrian buffer zone, it sees peril and opportunity

The dramatic downfall of Syrian President Bashar Assad presents possible danger, and an opening, for neighboring Israel

When the world voted: the year of elections in photos

In 2024, people voted in countries that were home to almost half the world's population.

UN envoy warns against sending refugees back to Syria too soon

The U.N. special envoy for Syria said on Tuesday European nations should not rush to repatriate refugees to the country following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's

There will be 'very large wall' between Trump Org and US government, Eric Trump says

The Trump Organization, Donald Trump's family business, will have a "very large wall" separating its business activity from the U.S. government, the

Hezbollah must focus on Lebanon not wider region, senior politician Bassil says

Iran-backed Hezbollah needs to focus on domestic issues in Lebanon and not the wider region, senior Lebanese Maronite politician Gebran Bassil said on Tuesday, adding

Britain and Cyprus team up to stop illicit Russian cash flow

Britain and Cyprus pledged on Tuesday to fight illicit Russian cash flows during a visit by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in an endorsement of the pro-west tilt the Mediterranean

US charges two former Syrian officials for allegedly torturing Americans and Syrian nationals

US charges two former Syrian officials for allegedly torturing Americans and Syrian nationals

A long road ahead to decide Syria’s future after rapid end to Assad’s rule

For the first time in 50 years, the question of how Syria will be governed is wide open

Israeli strike targets air defence installation near Syria's Mediterranean Latakia port

An Israeli strike targeted an air defence installation near Syria's Mediterranean Latakia port, Syrian security sources said on Monday.

3 men arrested in Germany over suspected preparations for an Islamic extremist attack

Two young men who sympathized with the Islamic State group and a suspected accomplice have been arrested in Germany for allegedly making preparations for an attack

Austria to support Syrians wanting to return after Assad's fall, Nehammer says

Austria will support Syrians who want to return now that rebels have seized Damascus and President Bashar al-Assad has fled, Chancellor Karl Nehammer said on Tuesday.

Croatia temporarily suspends asylum applications of Syrians after Assad's fall

Croatia said it had temporarily suspended asylum applications from Syrians, following the lead of other European governments, after rebels ousted President Bashar al-Assad after 13 years

Israeli forces kill at least 34 people in Gaza, rescue workers say

Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip killed at least 34 Palestinians overnight and on Tuesday, medics said, as Israeli tanks pushed into areas in central and

Iran's power undiminished after Assad's fall in Syria, Revolutionary Guards commander says

The commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Tuesday that the Islamic Republic had not been weakened following the fall of its ally Bashar al-Assad in Syria, Iranian media reported

Switzerland suspends Syria asylum proceedings after Assad's fall

The Swiss government said it was suspending asylum procedures for Syrians until it can better assess the situation in the Middle Eastern country following the capture of Damascus by

Scholz, Macron prepared to work with Syrian rebels after Assad ouster

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emannuel Macron are prepared to work with the Syrian rebel groups who ousted President Bashar al-Assad on certain conditions, a

Netanyahu corruption trial divides Israeli public

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu takes the stand on Tuesday for the first time in his long-running corruption trial.

Assad's fall in Syria exposes limits of China's Middle East diplomacy

Just over a year ago, China gave Bashar al-Assad and his wife a warm welcome during their six-day visit to the country,

Netanyahu's trial for alleged corruption centers on these three cases

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will testify in court for the first time, facing charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three separate affairs

Sources say Russia has granted Assad asylum. Frederik Pleitgen explains why

CNN's Frederik Pleitgen reports that Bashar al-Assad and some of his family members have arrived in Moscow where they have been granted asylum on humanitarian grounds.

Main rebel factions in Syria

Syrian rebels who have ousted Bashar al-Assad and seized the capital Damascus include fighters from different factions, while other groups also hold territory elsewhere. 

Here's how the US is countering the Islamic State group during Syria's upheaval

Massive U.S. airstrikes on Islamic State militants in Syria are meant partly as a message to the group and a move to ensure that the insurgents don’t try to take advantage of the chaos following the overthrow of President Bashar Assad’s government

Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's pick for intel chief, faces questions on Capitol Hill amid Syria fallout

President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for intelligence chief, Tulsi Gabbard, is making her case on Capitol Hill

UN Security Council appears united on Syria, say diplomats

United Nations Security Council members will work on a statement on Syria in the coming days, U.S. and Russian diplomats said on Monday, after a closed-

US seeking ways to engage with Syrian rebel groups after Assad ouster

The Biden administration is seeking ways to engage with Syrian rebel groups who ousted President Bashar al-Assad and is reaching out to partners in the region

Trump Organization leases brand to 2 new projects in Saudi Arabia

The Trump Organization says it has leased its brand to two new real estate projects in Saudi Arabia just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House

Germany, UK and France say they are extremely concerned about Iran enrichment increase

Germany, Britain and France said on Monday they were "extremely concerned" about Iran's acceleration in its capacity for enrichment of uranium, urging Iran to halt and reverse these

Two former Syrian intelligence officials face US war crimes charges

A U.S. indictment unsealed on Monday charged two former high-ranking Syrian officials under ousted President Bashar al-Assad with war crimes, the U.S.

Middle East latest: Israeli strikes hit Gaza and also target suspected weapons sites in Syria

Israeli strikes have hit suspected chemical and long-range weapons sites in Syria and the foreign minister says the aim is to keep them from rebels who seized Damascus

Syrian rebels free prisoners from Assad's notorious dungeons who celebrate in Damascus streets

Tens of thousands of people held in Syria's notorious prisons have been freed in the 10 days since the insurgents began their lightning advance across the country that ended with the toppling of President Bashar Assad

Embattled Trump nominees Hegseth, Gabbard visit Senate seeking support

Two of President-elect Donald Trump's most controversial nominees, Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard, sought support from U.S. senators on Monday, but it

US indictment accuses two Syrian officials of torture at notorious prison

U.S. prosecutors are accusing two senior Syrian officials of overseeing a notorious Syrian torture center that abused peaceful protesters, including a 26-year-old American woman who was later hanged

Abu Mohammed al-Golani may become the face of post-Assad Syria – but who is he and why does he have $10M US bounty on his head?

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, with origins in the terrorist group Nusra Front, spearheaded the rebel advance that ousted longtime Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

In Assad's once loyal hometown, Syria's rebels win statement of support

The Sunni-led Islamist rebels who toppled Syria's Bashar al-Assad met elders in the former president's Alawite hometown on Monday and received their support, in

Global, US stocks fall; oil, gold rise over 1% on geopolitical risk

Global shares turned lower on Monday as traders focused on U.S. inflation data and chip stocks fell, while Beijing's promise of stimulus

Syrian government services come to a 'complete halt' as state workers stay home after rebel takeover

Syria’s prime minister says most cabinet ministers are still at work after rebels overthrew President Bashar Assad

US hostage envoy in Beirut to seek information on missing journalist Austin Tice

The State Department says the U.S. government’s top hostage negotiator is in Beirut in hopes of collecting information on the whereabouts of Austin Tice, an American journalist missing in Syria for 12 years

The US believes journalist Austin Tice is alive after disappearing in Syria in 2012, Biden says

President Joe Biden says the U.S. government believes missing American journalist Austin Tice, who disappeared 12 years ago near the Syrian capital, is alive and Washington is committed to bringing him home after Bashar Assad’s ouster from power

US says terror designation doesn't bar talks with Syrian rebel group

The State Department says it isn't actively reviewing the “foreign terrorist organization” designation of the main Syrian rebel group that overthrew of President Bashar Assad’s government this weekend

Blinken warns Islamic State will try to re-establish capabilities in Syria

U.S.

Qatar opens contacts with Syria's HTS group, source says

Qatari diplomats spoke with Syria's leading rebel faction, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, on Monday, an official briefed on the developments told Reuters, as regional states

US races to find captive journalist Austin Tice after Syria regime collapse

U.S. officials were pressing on Monday for information about Austin Tice and to secure the release of the American journalist captured in Syria 12

With Syria's Assad gone, his PM agrees to hand power to rebel administration

Ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's prime minister said he had agreed on Monday to hand power to the rebel-led Salvation Government, a day

US will remain in eastern Syria and seek to prevent IS resurgence, Pentagon says

The United States will maintain its presence in eastern Syria and will take measures necessary to prevent a resurgence of Islamic State, Deputy Assistant

Despairing Syrians search notorious Sednaya prison for missing relatives

As families desperately scoured the filthy cells of Syria's forbidding Sednaya prison on Monday for any sign of long-detained relatives after its gates were

UN refugee chief urges patience as Syrian refugees weigh options

The U.N. refugee chief on Monday called for patience as millions of Syrian refugees displaced by the 13-year civil war weigh a possible return to the country after the toppling of

Binance still to choose location for global headquarters, CEO Teng says

Cryptocurrency exchange Binance has yet to decide where to base its global headquarters, its CEO told Reuters on Monday, years after it flagged a decision

Italy pauses asylum applications from Syria

Italy's government on Monday said it would pause asylum applications from Syria, a statement said, following similar moves from European neighbours after the fall of Syrian president

European countries put Syrian asylum bids on hold after Assad's fall

European countries put asylum applications from Syrians on hold until further notice on Monday after rebels seized the Syrian capital and President Bashar al-Assad

Oil rises over 1% on ouster of Syria's Assad, Chinese monetary policy

Oil prices climbed more than 1% on Monday on higher geopolitical risk after the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and as top importer China flagged its

Israel 'more optimistic' on prospects of Gaza hostage deal

Israel is now more optimistic about a possible hostage deal in Gaza, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on Monday, amid reports that

Assad's fall brings 'the moment' to rid Syria of chemical weapons

The downfall of Syria's Bashar al-Assad, found to have used chemical weapons against his own people on multiple occasions during the civil war, creates an

Virginia man charged in FBI sting with supporting Islamic State goes on trial

A terrorism trial is underway against a Virginia man accused of funneling tens of thousands of dollars to the Islamic State group

After decades of brutal rule, Bashar al-Assad’s regime has been toppled. Here’s what you need to know

After decades of brutal rule, Bashar al-Assad’s regime has been toppled. Here’s what you need to know

Retired US colonel reacts to Syrian rebel leader's victory speech

Colonel Cedric Leighton (Ret.) joins CNN's Jessica Dean to discuss the leader of the main group behind Syria’s armed opposition, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, calling the toppling of President Bashar al-Assad a “victory for the entire Islamic nation” in his first public remarks since the rebels captured Damascus.

UK pauses decisions on Syrian asylum claims

Britain paused decisions on Syrian asylum claims on Monday, a government spokesperson said, after rebel forces seized the capital of Damascus over the weekend.

Watch CNN crew drive into Syria after Assad regime collapse

CNN's Clarissa Ward reports from Damascus, Syria following the downfall of the Assad regime.

Assad's exit shatters Iran's influence but risks Islamists' rise in Syria 

The ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, after rebel forces swept into Damascus this weekend, shattered Iran's network of influence in the Middle

Rebels take Syrian city from U.S.-backed group after U.S.-Turkey deal, source says

The United States and Turkey reached an agreement to ensure the safe withdrawal of U.S.-backed Kurdish Syrian forces (SDF) from the northern city

Netanyahu is set to take the witness stand for the first time in his corruption trial in Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to testify for the first time Tuesday in a trial against him on corruption allegations

Assad’s downfall is a humbling blow to Russia. How will it affect Putin's prestige?

The Kremlin’s failure to prevent Bashar Assad’s swift downfall in Syria has exposed the limits of Russia’s power and dented its international clout

Syrian rebel leader’s victory speech holds a message for Iran – and for Trump and Israel too

Syrian rebel leader’s victory speech holds a message for Iran – and for Trump and Israel too

University of Michigan regent’s home vandalized in antisemitic attack

University of Michigan regent’s home vandalized in antisemitic attack

UK's Starmer pledges to step up engagement in Middle East for long-term stability

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to step up the country's engagement in the Middle East to support long-term stability, the government said on Monday.

Turkey to open border gate for safe return of Syrians, Erdogan says

Turkey is opening its Yayladagi border gate with Syria to manage the safe and voluntary return of the millions of Syrian migrants it hosts,

The Assad regime ruled Syria for 50 years. Here’s how it fell in less than two weeks

The Assad regime ruled Syria for 50 years. Here’s how it fell in less than two weeks

Who is the leader of Syria’s rebels and what does he want?

Who is the leader of Syria’s rebels and what does he want?

Oldest known stone tablet inscribed with Ten Commandments to be auctioned

The oldest known stone tablet inscribed with the Ten Commandments, dating from 300 to 800 A.D., will be sold in New York this month

Germany and other European countries suspend decisions on Syrians' asylum bids after Assad's fall

Germany and several other European countries said Monday they are suspending decisions on asylum claims by Syrian nationals because of the unclear situation in their homeland following the fall of Bashar Assad

Assad leaves behind a fragmented nation – stabilizing Syria will be a major challenge for fractured opposition and external backers

Opposition forces marched into Damascus on Dec. 8, seemingly ending the half-century rule of the Assad family. But what happens next?

Where is Assad? Russia solves the mystery of the Syrian dictator’s escape

Where is Assad? Russia solves the mystery of the Syrian dictator’s escape

Syrians stroll through Assad's palaces, take furniture and ornaments

Syrians strolled through the palaces of President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday following his sudden ouster, wandering from room to room, posing for photographs, and with some taking away items

UAE official: Syria not out of the woods, no knowledge of whether Assad is in the UAE

Syria is not out of the woods yet and extremism and terrorism remain a main concern, the United Arab Emirates diplomatic advisor to the president said on

Global chemical arms watchdog warns Syria about unaccounted weapons

The global chemical weapons watchdog has said that it reminded Syria of its obligations to comply with rules to safeguard certain toxic chemicals after rebels entered the capital Damascus over the weekend and overthrew Syrian President Bashar Assad

Alleged cocaine trafficker at center of international smuggling operation arrested in Dubai

An alleged drug trafficker wanted for his role in an international cocaine smuggling operation through the port of Antwerp, in Belgium, had been arrested in Dubai

Hamas congratulates Syrians on ending Assad's rule

Palestinian group Hamas congratulated the Syrian people on Monday for achieving their "aspirations for freedom and justice" after toppling President Bashar al-

Biden offers a blueprint for US support in Syria, announces airstrikes against ISIS targets

Biden offers a blueprint for US support in Syria, announces airstrikes against ISIS targets

Video shows rebels escorting Syria's PM out of office to hand over authority

Syrian rebels have swept into the capital, Damascus, bringing an end to the long rule of President Bashar al-Assad. Video footage shows the rebels escorting Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali purportedly to a hotel to transfer authority. CNN's Christiane Amanpour analyzes the collapse of the country's regime.

Germany pauses asylum applications for Syrians after fall of Assad

Germany's Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) has put all asylum applications from Syrian nationals on hold until further notice after the toppling Syrian president

Trump family members and allies bask in crypto euphoria at Gulf bitcoin gathering

Key players in U.S.

Lebanon's Hezbollah sees 'major, dangerous' change in Syria