U.S. to Downgrade Palestinian Affairs Office in Jerusalem, Officials Say

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), supported by the US and Israel, temporarily closed aid distribution sites in the Gaza Strip due to Israeli military warnings about combat zones, following deadly incidents that resulted in numerous civilian casualties. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the violence against civilians seeking aid, while the Israeli military claimed its actions were in response to threats. As international calls for a ceasefire and humanitarian access grow, a boat carrying aid organized...

Syria's foreign ministry has not confirmed reports of rockets fired from Syria toward Israel, while the IDF responded with airstrikes against Syrian regime weapons in Southern Syria. The new Syrian government, attempting to distance itself from the previous Assad regime's alliance with Iran and Hezbollah, seeks to stabilize the region but faces Israeli demands for demilitarization and ongoing airstrikes. Syria condemned Israeli actions as violations of sovereignty and called for international support to restore security...

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei announced that Tehran will not abandon its uranium enrichment, directly rejecting a key US demand in ongoing nuclear negotiations mediated by Oman. Despite five rounds of talks, significant issues remain, particularly Iran's insistence on maintaining its enrichment capabilities and its refusal to export its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Khamenei emphasized that uranium enrichment is essential to Iran's nuclear program and criticized US demands as contradictory to Iran's principles...

Top secret intelligence files obtained by the BBC confirm that missing American journalist Austin Tice was imprisoned by the regime of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad after his abduction near Damascus in August 2012. The files reveal he was held in a detention facility and treated better than other detainees, with reports of his health issues while in captivity. Despite US government beliefs about his survival, his whereabouts remain unknown following the regime's ousting in...

The hajj pilgrimage began on Wednesday, with over 1.4 million worshippers facing extreme heat in Mecca, where temperatures could exceed 40°C (104°F). Authorities have implemented enhanced anti-heat measures, including increased shaded areas and a larger medical presence, to prevent a recurrence of last year's heat-related deaths, which totaled 1,301. Pilgrims, dressed in ihram, will perform rituals such as tawaf around the Kaaba and proceed to Mina, while authorities intensify efforts against unregistered pilgrims using drones...

Syrian singer Ishtar has resumed performances in Damascus after a hiatus due to fears of restrictions following the Islamist-led takeover that ousted Bashar al-Assad. While some bars and restaurants face closures and licensing issues, the nightlife scene is slowly reviving, with discussions on personal freedoms becoming more common despite recent violent incidents at nightclubs. The new authorities have been criticized for not fully protecting personal freedoms, yet there remains a cautious optimism among locals about...