The United States says it sees the potential for a Gaza ceasefire to be reached as early as this week as the Israeli military continues to hammer the enclave to deadly effect. White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said during a news conference on Monday that while a deal may be possible within days, it is not guaranteed. “We are now at a pivotal point in the...

The outgoing administration of United States President Joe Biden is proposing a new framework for the export of advanced computer chips used to develop artificial intelligence, an attempt to balance national security concerns about the technology with the economic interests of producers and other countries. But the framework proposed Monday also raised concerns of chip industry executives who said the rules would limit access to existing chips used...

Damascus launches a diplomatic outreach to push for an end to restrictions. The United Nations says seven out of 10 Syrians require humanitarian assistance after 13 years of war. And an estimated $500bn is needed to rebuild their country. Syria’s new administration has engaged in diplomacy in the past two weeks to persuade Western powers to rapidly lift sanctions imposed during the rule of Bashar al-Assad. But those...