DAMASCUS -- Syria's interim authorities staged a major military parade in the capital, Damascus, on Monday to mark the first anniversary of the country's political transition.
The event took place along the Mazzeh Highway in western Damascus, where lines of soldiers and military units stretched for nearly three km, forming one of the largest military displays seen in the capital in recent years. (Syria-Parade-Anniversary)
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CAIRO -- Suez Canal Authority Chairman Osama Rabie reported on Monday that the waterway has seen a significant performance boost since the start of the current fiscal year in July.
Since July 1, a total of 5,874 vessels have transited the Canal, generating 1.97 billion U.S. dollars in revenue. This marks a 17.5 percent increase compared to the same period last year, with net tonnage rising 14.4 percent to 247.2 million tonnes and the number of vessels up 5.2 percent. (Egypt-Suez Canal-Revenue)
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RAMALLAH -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday reaffirmed the need to advance to the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
During a phone call with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Abbas reiterated the Palestinian position, which include a full cessation of hostilities, complete Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, the State of Palestine assuming administrative and security responsibilities in the enclave, and the start of the second phase of the peace plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, according to the Palestinian official news agency WAFA. (Palestine-Gaza Ceasefire-Implementation)
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ISTANBUL -- Türkiye and Hungary on Monday reaffirmed their energy partnership, with Ankara promising to guarantee the transit of Russian natural gas to Hungary.
Speaking after talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul, visiting Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban described Türkiye's role in securing gas and oil deliveries as "very important and necessary," citing Hungary's limited alternative energy sources. (Türkiye-Hungary-Gas) ■
