Politics
Turkiye’s foreign minister Hakan Fidan met with Syria’s new leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa in Damascus on Sunday, Ankara’s foreign ministry said. A video released by the Anadolu state news agency showed the two men greeting each other. No details of where the meeting took place in the Syrian
Politics
A Myanmar ethnic rebel group has captured a military regional command in Rakhine state, it said, in what would be a major blow to the junta. The Arakan Army (AA) had “completely captured” the western regional command at Ann on Friday after weeks of fighting, the group said in a
Politics
A senior US diplomat told Syria’s new leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa on Friday that Washington was scrapping a reward for his arrest, and welcomed “positive messages” from their talks including a promise to fight terrorism. Barbara Leaf, Washington’s top diplomat for the Middle East, made the comments after her
Politics
Delegations from rival Libyan legislative bodies agreed at talks in Morocco on Thursday to work together with a United Nations mission to pave the way for elections to end years of political deadlock. Libya has undergone a chaotic decade since it split in 2014 between two administrations in its east
Politics
Top diplomats from the Biden administration are in Damascus on Friday to meet new Syrian authorities led by Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), a State Department spokesperson said, the first in-person and official meeting between Washington and Syria’s de-facto new rulers. The State Department’s top Middle East diplomat Barbara
Politics
A group of EU immigration hawks held talks ahead of a summit of the bloc’s leaders on Thursday — the second consecutive gathering of its kind — upping pressure on Brussels to boost migrant returns. Denmark hosted the meeting, co-organized with Italy and the Netherlands, which was attended by European Commission
Politics
South Korea’s acting leader said Thursday he would veto a spate of contentious bills sponsored by the main opposition party, deepening political strife in the wake of parliament’s impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol. The ruling and opposition parties have been bickering over how much authority Prime Minister
Politics
Russia said on Wednesday it had detained a citizen of Uzbekistan who had confessed to planting a bomb which killed Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov in Moscow a day earlier on the instructions of Ukraine’s security service. Kirillov, who was chief of Russia’s Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Protection Troops,
Politics
The leader of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces on Tuesday proposed a “demilitarised zone” in the northern town of Kobani as fighting with Turkish-backed groups grips northern Syria. “Reaffirming our firm commitment to achieving a comprehensive ceasefire across all of Syria, we announce our readiness to propose the establishment of
Politics
The leader of the Islamist group that toppled Bashar Assad said Monday that armed factions in war-torn Syria would be “disbanded” and their fighters placed under the defense ministry, and called for sanctions to be lifted so refugees can return. Syrian president Assad was toppled by a lightning 11-day rebel
Politics
Germany, France, and other Western nations are engaging in talks with representatives of Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) in Damascus, following the Islamist group’s role in the recent overthrow of Syria’s Bashar Assad. Germany’s foreign ministry confirmed on Tuesday that its diplomats would meet HTS-appointed interim government officials,
Politics
Syria’s Kurds, who run a semi-autonomous administration in the northeast, called Monday for an end to all fighting in the country and extended a hand to the new authorities in Damascus. Hussein Othman, the head of the administration’s executive council, called for “a stop to military operations over
Politics
European Union nations on Monday set out conditions for lifting sanctions on Syria and kick-starting aid to the conflict-ravaged country amid uncertainty about its new leaders’ intentions just over a week after they seized power. At a meeting in Brussels, the EU’s top diplomats said they want guarantees from
Politics
South Korea’s acting president, Han Duck-soo, moved on Sunday to reassure the country’s allies and calm financial markets a day after President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached and suspended from his duties over a martial law attempt. Han spoke with US President Joe Biden by phone, the White
Politics
The new administration in Syria should be given a chance to govern following their constructive messages, and Turkiye stands ready to provide military training if such help is requested, Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler said. NATO member Turkiye backed the Syrian militants who toppled President Bashar Assad last weekend, ending
Politics
South Korea’s opposition-led parliament impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on Saturday, voting to suspend him from his official duties over his short-lived attempt last week to impose martial law. Under the constitution Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who was appointed by Yoon, becomes acting president. Yoon is the second conservative