The historic Baron Hotel in Syria's Aleppo is dilapidated and damaged by years of war but still standing and ready for a revival, much like the city itself.

Aleppo's old city, designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, was ravaged by the conflict that erupted after a government crackdown on protests in 2011.

Between 2012 and 2016, it became a battleground between Syria's military and rebels.

The army of now-ousted president Bashar al-Assad shelled rebels from the ground and struck them from the air, supported by Russian firepower.

A leading Israeli newspaper, citing unnamed soldiers serving in Gaza, described indiscriminate killings of Palestinian civilians in the territory's Netzarim Corridor, prompting a firm rejection Friday from the military.

Haaretz, a left-leaning Israeli daily that has faced severe criticism from the country's right-wing government, quoted soldiers, career officers and reservists who said commanders were given unprecedented authority to operate in the Gaza Strip.

Washington is scrapping a long-standing reward for the arrest of Syria's new leader, a senior U.S. diplomat said Friday, following "positive messages" from a first meeting that included a promise to fight terrorism.

Barbara Leaf, Washington's top diplomat for the Middle East, made the comments after her meeting with Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus -- the first formal mission to Syria's capital by United States diplomats since the early days of Syria's civil war.

US diplomats have arrived in Syria to speak directly to the new Islamist-led rulers, hoping to encourage a moderate, inclusive path and to find clues on missing Americans, the State Department said Friday.

It is the first formal US diplomatic mission to Damascus since the early days of the brutal civil war that broke out in 2011 and culminated in a surprise lightning offensive that toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad this month.

Egypt adopted its first-ever asylum law this week, but it has sparked concerns among human rights groups who warn it takes a "security-focused approach" that could undermine refugee protections.

Signed into law by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Tuesday, the legislation comes as Egypt faces a severe economic crisis and fallout from regional conflicts, including Sudan and Gaza.

The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) says Egypt is receiving hundreds of Sudanese refugees daily, with more than 845,000 refugees and asylum seekers registered as of November.

On Bethlehem's Manger Square, Christmas decorations and pilgrims are notably absent for a second wartime festive season in the Israeli-occupied West Bank city.

The Church of the Nativity that dominates the square is as empty as the plaza outside. Only the chants of Armenian monks echo from the crypt where Christians believe Jesus Christ was born.

"Normally on this day you would find 3,000 or 4,000 people inside the church," said Mohammed Sabeh, a security guard for the church.

The United Arab Emirates has informed the United States that it will not arm paramilitaries in Sudan's brutal civil war, US lawmakers long critical of the Gulf power's role quoted the White House as saying on Thursday.

The assurance came as the United States announced $200 million in new aid for Sudan, one of the world's worst humanitarian disasters where tens of thousands have died in fighting since April 2023.

The United Arab Emirates, under fire in Washington, has told the United States it has cut off weapons to paramilitaries in Sudan's brutal civil war, US lawmakers said Thursday.

Two lawmakers said the United Arab Emirates made the promise to address their concerns and that as a result, they would drop their attempt to block $1.2 billion in arms sales to the Gulf power.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday voiced hope that President-elect Donald Trump will pick up his work to normalize ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel, acknowledging a historic deal will not happen under Joe Biden's administration.

Blinken until recently was still voicing hope at reaching an agreement, which he had dangled as an incentive for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to show moderation in the Gaza war.

The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a resolution on Thursday asking the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to assess Israel's obligations to assist Palestinians, amid accusations the Israeli government systematically hinders Gaza aid.

Israel, which has tightly restricted aid going into the Hamas-ruled territory since the outbreak of the war, often blames the inability of relief organizations to handle and distribute large quantities of aid for the dire humanitarian situation.