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A pair of Republican Congress members were in the Syrian capital Friday on an unofficial visit organized by a Syrian-American nonprofit, the first by U.S. legislators since the fall of former Syrian President Bashar Assad in December.

Three tourists were among four people who were killed when a mountain cable car plunged into a ravine south of Naples, an Italian official said Friday.

Militant group says it will not accept deal without guarantee of end to Gaza war or full withdrawal of Israeli troopsMiddle East crisis – live updatesHamas has formally rejected Israel’s latest ceasefire proposal, saying it will not accept a “partial” deal that does not guarantee an end to the war or a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.Hamas’s chief negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya, accused Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, of putting forward an offer that “set impossible conditions for a deal that does not lead to the end of the war or full withdrawal”. Continue reading...

Scores of penitents whipped themselves bloody under a scorching Philippine sun while others were nailed to crosses in a polarising Good Friday tradition drawing the most extreme of Catholic devotees.The macabre spectacle, officially frowned on by the Church, attracts thousands of Filipinos -- and a smattering of tourists -- each Easter weekend to sites across Asia's only majority Catholic nation.In Pampanga province, two hours north of Manila, 64-year-old Ruben Enaje was nailed to a cross for the 36th time on Friday.Minutes after the nails were gingerly removed from his palms, he told reporters it would be for the last time."I really can't do it anymore. They had to aim portable fans at me earlier just for me to breathe normally," Enaje said, after temperatures reached 39 degrees Celsius (102 Fahrenheit).In an unscripted moment, Enaje had tumbled down an embankment while navigating the narrow path to the cross after being "pushed a bit harder than usual" by a man playing a Roman soldier.He told reporters he had felt "dizzy" while walking to the venue, needing to rest for 30 minutes before reaching the site.He has hinted at retirement in the past, and this year local officials finally introduced his successor: Arnold Maniago, a veteran of 24 crucifixions. Maniaco conceded he was "a little nervous" about taking on the role of Jesus.- More than penance -Among the procession, men with their faces covered by bandanas rhythmically whipped themselves as they walked towards the cross.But the flails, tipped with bamboo shards, rarely produce the desired blood.An older man showed AFP a small wooden paddle embedded with sharp glass he used on the backs of penitents to make it flow.Children trailed many of the processions.A boy no more than eight years old lightly flailed the back of a shirtless man lying in the road.Mark Palma, whose back was raw and smeared with blood, said flagellation was more than an act of penance.The 30-year-old told AFP he had spent half his life taking part in the flagellation ritual as a way of praying for his sister born with a heart defect."She'll be going through an operation this year, she has a hole in her heart," he said."I'm praying for her to be healed. I want the operation to be successful."Raymond Ducusin, 31, said he began taking part in 2022 when his parents developed health issues.Though his father passed away, he had no plans to stop."I want to commemorate his legacy through this. I still believe in miracles," Ducusin said.Officials said about 10,000 people attended Good Friday events in Pampanga.More than 50 foreign tourists who had purchased special passes viewed the proceedings from under a tent.David, a 45-year-old from New York City, said he and his partner had planned their holiday to attend the crucifixions."To see something born at the community level that's still vibrant... most religious affiliation and sentiment in the West is pretty much fading away and here, it's still incredibly visceral," he said.cwl/dhw© Agence France-Presse

New rules part of effort to revive US shipbuilding, but penalties scaled back after warnings about impact on consumersThe Trump administration is forging ahead with plans to charge steep fees on Chinese-built ships for stopping at US ports in an effort to revive its shipbuilding industry, but scaled back the penalties after warnings about the impact on consumers.The Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) significantly watered down original plans from February, under which vessels built in China would be charged $3.5m (£2.6m) each time they docked at a US port. The US and China are locked in a trade war. Continue reading...

Chinese President Xi Jinping wrapped up a three-nation tour of Southeast Asia Friday, urging intra-Asian fraternity and promoting Beijing's far-flung trade, investment and security strategies in Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia as the region quakes under threatened U.S. tariffs.

The new U.S. ambassador to Japan arrived in Tokyo on Friday and said he is optimistic that his country and its key Asian ally will reach a deal in their ongoing tariff negotiations.

Nearly 200 anti-government protesters stood trial in Turkey Friday following mass protests in the country's largest cities over the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.