On the 34th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown, Taiwan's president voiced hope that China's youth will soon be able to freely express themselves. More than 20 people were detained at a vigil in Hong Kong.

The Bedouin communities living in the unforgiving Badia, or the Syrian desert, are facing a surge in armed attacks. The violence reaches a peak each year between February and April: the truffle season. As tribes go out to hunt truffles, they risk being ambushed by sleeper cells of the Islamic State group, which has taken refuge in the Badia since 2019. This exclusive investigation from FRANCE 24's Observers team exposes the horrific abuses being carried out deep in the desert.

The two countries are asking the International Court of Justice both to examine torture and other crimes against humanity committed during Syria's civil war, and to order Damascus to halt any such mistreatment.

Since the start of the Syrian crisis in 2011, the European Union has been the largest donor of humanitarian, stabilisation and resilience assistance to Syrians, with another conference known as Brussels VII – aimed at supporting Syria and the region – held on June 14 and 15 in the Belgian capital. But the recent rehabilitation of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad by regional players has arguably complicated the EU's task.

The popular culture and lifestyle show has now been on the air for two decades, and is set to continue to reinvent itself and celebrate cultural creativity.

The power struggle between Moscow, Damascus and Ankara continues, while the civilian population pays the price.

The US military said Russian jets flew dangerously close to American jets over northwest Syria for a second time on Thursday after a similar incident Wednesday. The Central Command has released videos of both incidents.

The situation arose when Russia vetoed a nine-month extension and failed to gain support for an alternative six-month plan. The UN-brokered lifeline expired Monday.

Although Baghdad maintained diplomatic ties with Syria during the civil war, no Iraqi prime minister has visited Damascus for over a decade.

Ahmad H. allegedly led a pro-Assad militia in the suburbs of Damascus during the early years of the Syrian civil war. He has been accused of crimes against humanity and arrested in Bremen.

Syrian state media reported four soldiers were killed in a missile strike outside Damascus. A Syrian war monitor said the strikes targeted weapons stores and Iran-backed militias.

Aid deliveries from Turkey to rebel-held areas of northwestern Syria stopped in late July after a UN Security Council mandate was not extended. Damascus had demanded the UN not deal with "terrorist organizations."