Russian President Vladimir Putin met Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the Kremlin, the president's press service said on Thursday."I am very interested in your opinion on how the situation in the region as a whole is developing," Putin told Assad. "Unfortunately, there is a tendency towards escalation, we can see that. This also applies directly to Syria."The Kremlin said the meeting took place on Wednesday."Considering all the events that are taking place in the world as a whole and in the Eurasian region today, our meeting today seems very important to discuss all the details of the development of these events, to discuss possible prospects and scenarios," Assad told Putin through a Russian translator.

Unsuccessful interception attempts against Hezbollah drones resulted in fires in northern Israel, the IDF announced on Thursday.As a result of falling shrapnel from the interception attempts, fires broke out in several areas, and Israeli Fire and Rescue Services arrived at the scene to handle the situation.The IDF also stated that sirens regarding rocket and missile launches were activated due to the possibility of falling shrapnel from the interception attempts. No injuries were reported.

Former US Ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk has died at the age of 73, the Washington Institute said in a statement on Thursday.Indyk twice served as the United States' representative to Israel, first from 1995 to 1997 and then from 2000 to 2001, according to the think tank.

A wildfire reached the Canadian town of Jasper on Wednesday, one of hundreds ravaging the western provinces of Alberta and British Columbia, as firefighters battled to save key facilities such as the Trans Mountain Pipeline, authorities said.Wildfires burning uncontrolled across the region include 433 in British Columbia and 176 in Alberta, more than a dozen of them in the area of Fort McMurray, an oil sands hub.The pipeline, which can carry 890,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil from Edmonton to Vancouver, runs through a national park in the Canadian Rockies near the picturesque tourist town, from which about 25,000 people were forced to evacuate on Tuesday."Firefighters... are working to save as many structures as possible and protect critical infrastructure, including the wastewater treatment plant, communications facilities, the Trans Mountain Pipeline," Parks Canada said in a post on Facebook.

Former US President and current Republican nominee for the 2024 US election, Donald Trump, criticized Vice President and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris' absence from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Congressional address on Wednesday night.Trump criticized Harris's absence with commentary on Jews who vote for Democrats and by stating that people should show up to support Netanyahu "regardless of if you are against the Jewish people."Trump: “Kamala Harris [who boycotted @netanyahu' speech] is totally against the Jewish people. And it amazes me how some Jewish people will vote for the Democrats when they are being treated so disrespectfully and badly. It's shocking. I don't get it.”pic.twitter.com/feAeoJBO6k— Dr. Eli David (@DrEliDavid) July 25, 2024

France's anti-terror police PNAT said a second 18-year-old man had been arrested on Thursday in connection with plans to commit one or several attacks against people.It did not mention a link to the Olympic Games, which start in Paris on July 26, but France is on its highest state of alert as it gears up to host millions of visitors, athletes and world leaders during the event.The suspect, who was arrested in an undisclosed holiday location, was in contact - both in person and through social media networks - with another 18-year-old man arrested on Tuesday in southwest France, PNAT said."Investigations focus on one or several violent actions these young people were considering. At this stage we are trying to assess the reality of their plans beyond discussions conducted online," it said.