Five rescued from flooded Laos cave
Thai rescuers say five people have been pulled alive from a flooded cave in remote Laos, where seven villagers became trapped after heavy rain cut off...
U.S. Treasury and State Department officials held talks on Thursday in Washington with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani, the Treasury Department announced.
The visit, the first by a Syrian foreign minister to the United States in more than 25 years, comes as Damascus seeks the permanent lifting of remaining U.S. sanctions.
“Treasury is working with Syria to responsibly and safely reconnect its economy to the global financial system while combating the financing of terrorism,” the department said in a post on X, the U.S. social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
Those present included U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye and Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack, senior Treasury officials, and members of Shaibani’s delegation, including Qutaiba Idlbi, director of American affairs at the Syrian Foreign Ministry.
According to Axios, Shaibani is scheduled to meet U.S. senators to discuss the permanent removal of sanctions imposed under the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2019, which targeted the Assad government for war crimes during the civil war.
President Donald Trump issued an executive order on 30 June to terminate the U.S. sanctions programme on Syria, though measures linked to human rights abuses, chemical weapons activity and drug trafficking remain in place.
The visit follows Trump’s announcement in May 2025 at a Saudi investment forum that he intended to lift the “brutal and crippling” Syria sanctions. A day later, Trump met Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia, marking the first meeting between U.S. and Syrian leaders in 25 years.
A group of Azerbaijani civil society organisations has called for increased scrutiny of Swiss building materials giant Holcim, citing court rulings and ongoing investigations linked to its subsidiary Lafarge's activities during the Syrian conflict.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says ongoing conflict, funding pressures and international travel restrictions are complicating efforts to contain a fast-growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Thai rescuers say five people have been pulled alive from a flooded cave in remote Laos, where seven villagers became trapped after heavy rain cut off access underground.
Russia and Kazakhstan signed 15 agreements during President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to Astana on Thursday (28 May), including deals on Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant and expanded oil cooperation with Russia.
Thai rescuers say five people have been pulled alive from a flooded cave in remote Laos, where seven villagers became trapped after heavy rain cut off access underground.
Three Latvian climbers have died after falling on Mount McKinley in Alaska’s Denali National Park and Preserve, authorities and a Latvian climbing organisation have said
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 30 May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Voting has begun in Malta’s parliamentary election, with opinion polls suggesting the ruling Labour Party is on course to win a fourth consecutive term.
The United Nations (UN) added Israel and Russia to a blacklist of parties suspected of committing conflict-related sexual violence on Friday (29 May). The move prompted Israel to announce it would sever ties with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
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