KYIV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Thursday his country’s readiness to resume diplomatic relations with Syria, less than a month after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. The announcement signals a strategic shift in Ukraine’s foreign relations in the region, with intentions to enhance trade with Lebanon and boost agricultural exports. According to Qatar News Agency, Zelensky emphasized Ukraine’s commitment

BEIRUT: Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri held separate meetings with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and General Jasper Jeffers, head of the multinational monitoring committee, to discuss the latest developments in Lebanon and the region. The meetings took place during the officials’ current visit to Beirut. According to Qatar News Agency, Berri and Barrot engaged in discussions covering the overall

NEW YORK: The United Nations has called on the Palestinian Authority to rescind its decision to halt operations of the Al Jazeera news network within the occupied West Bank. This move has sparked significant concern over potential infringements on press freedom in the region. According to Qatar News Agency, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed profound concern

RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz held talks with key Syrian officials, including Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shaibani, Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra, and Intelligence Chief Anas Khattab, to discuss the current situation in Syria and explore avenues for supporting a political transition. The discussions, which took place in Riyadh, focused on fostering a political

ANKARA: Turkiye’s Ministry of National Defense has announced that it successfully neutralized 3,070 armed elements throughout 2024, underscoring its ongoing security operations in the region. According to Qatar News Agency, the ministry’s statement detailed that these operations resulted in the neutralization of 1,579 elements in northern Syria and 1,491 in northern Iraq. The report further noted that a total of

MOSCOW: The Russian Defense Ministry announced Thursday that its operations in Kursk Oblast resulted in the deaths of 580 Ukrainian troops over the last 24 hours. According to Qatar News Agency, the ministry stated that these casualties occurred during operations targeting Ukrainian army positions in several locations, including the cities and towns of Iskandaria, Veselovka, Zalishchyky, Lebedivka, and Maryino. This

YINCHUAN: Chinese authorities have activated a level-4 disaster relief emergency response following a 4.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Yongning County in Yinchuan, the capital of northwest China’s Ningxia Autonomous Region, on Thursday. The immediate response included the deployment of a working team to assist with local relief efforts in the affected areas. According to Qatar News Agency, a 4.6-magnitude aftershock subsequently

CAIRO: Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aati emphasized the necessity of establishing an independent Palestinian state during a meeting with Jonathan Powell, the British Prime Minister’s National Security Advisor. The discussions focused on enhancing bilateral relations and addressing pressing regional issues, including the ongoing Palestinian conflict. According to Qatar News Agency, the Egyptian Foreign Minister highlighted the importance of a