Rabia Ali
11 November 2025•Update: 11 November 2025
ISTANBUL
Here is a rundown of all the news you need to start your Tuesday, including a historic meeting between Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and US President Donald Trump in Washington, the UN condemning the latest attacks by illegal Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, and Russia saying it wants a quick end to the Ukraine conflict but only after achieving its goals.
TOP STORIES
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa held a “constructive” meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington following months of intensive preparations, said Syria’s foreign minister on Monday.
On the US social media company X, Asaad al-Shaibani said the talks covered “the subject of Syria in all its aspects,” stressing support for Syria’s unity, reconstruction, and the removal of obstacles to its recovery.
Meanwhile, Trump said Monday after meeting behind closed doors with his Syrian counterpart that the US will take all possible steps to aid Syria as it emerges from decades of Assad family rule.
Sharaa departed the White House on Monday after nearly two hours of talks with US President Donald Trump and senior officials.
The visit was the first by a Syrian leader to the White House since the nation gained independence nearly 80 years ago.
The UN on Monday condemned attacks by illegal Israeli settlers on civilians and journalists in the occupied West Bank over the weekend.
Asked about violent attacks by the illegal Israeli settlers on Palestinians, including journalists, paramedics, and foreign activists, UN spokesperson Farhan Haq told a news conference: "We condemn the settler attacks. And of course, we're opposed to all attacks on journalists everywhere in the world."
The journalists included Reuters reporter Raneen Sawafta and two Al Jazeera journalists, according to local sources cited by Anadolu.
On Israel's continued blockade of international media entering the Gaza Strip, Haq said: "We have never thought that there is a justification for blocking journalists, not in Gaza, not anywhere."
Russia wants to end the conflict in Ukraine as quickly as possible but it is important to achieve the initial objectives, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday, state news agency TASS reported.
Speaking at a press briefing in Moscow, Peskov said Russia remains open to a political and diplomatic settlement, describing this path as “preferable.”
However, he stressed that the conditions for peace depend on fulfilling the goals announced by Moscow at the beginning of what it calls its “special military operation” in February 2022. Russia had called for "demilitarization" and "denazification" of Ukraine.
Peskov claimed that negotiations have stalled “through no fault of Russia,” blaming European countries for encouraging Kyiv to believe in the possibility of a military victory.
NEWS IN BRIEF
- Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Monday ruled out any direct talks to normalize ties with Israel for now as US President Donald Trump seeks to jumpstart his Abraham Accords.
- Voting began in Iraq on Tuesday to elect a new parliament in polls that will shape the country’s political scene for the next four years.
- Ankara presented its views on Syria during talks in Washington, DC, on Monday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said.
- The US has partially suspended imposition of Caesar Act sanctions on Syria for 180 days, the Treasury Department announced Monday.
- Syria’s Permanent Representative to the UN said the meeting on Monday at the White House between Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and US President Donald Trump reaffirmed the implementation of the March 10 Agreement and the integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into the Syrian state.
- US military strikes on two vessels in the Pacific Ocean killed six people suspected of narcotics smuggling, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Monday.
- Approving his lawyers’ request as his appeal goes forward, a French court ordered the release of former President Nicolas Sarkozy from prison on Monday, 20 days after he entered La Sante prison on Oct. 21.
- Thailand on Monday suspended its peace agreement with Cambodia after Thai soldiers were seriously injured in a fresh landmine explosion in a border province.
- Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Republic of Türkiye, was commemorated on Monday on the 87th anniversary of his passing with an official state ceremony at Anitkabir, his mausoleum in the capital Ankara.
- Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva used the official opening of the 30th UN climate change conference (COP30) in the Amazonian city of Belem on Monday to call on world leaders to decisively "defeat" those who reject climate science.
- The UN said Monday that Israeli restrictions continue to block the flow of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, a month after the ceasefire took effect.
- The Israeli Knesset on Monday approved in a preliminary reading a bill allowing the government to shut down foreign media outlets without prior judicial approval.
- Gaza’s Health Ministry said Monday that it had received the remains of 15 Palestinians from Israel through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) under a ceasefire agreement.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
- US Senate passes bill to end government shutdown
The US Senate passed legislation Monday to end the longest-ever government shutdown, which is now in its 41st day.
By a vote of 60-40, the Senate passed H.R.5371, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026 as amended.
Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto, Dick Durbin, John Fetterman, Maggie Hassan, Tim Kaine, Angus King, Jacky Rosen and Jeanne Shaheen joined Republicans in supporting the measure. The upper chamber is sending the bill to the House of Representatives for final approval.
- Ukraine launches corruption probe into energy sector
Ukraine said Monday that its anti-corruption agencies launched a "large-scale operation" into the country's energy sector to uncover graft involving a "high-level criminal organization."
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) said in a statement that, along with the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), it conducted a “large-scale operation” to expose the alleged corruption, adding the investigation involved 15 months of work and 1,000 hours of audio recordings.
“The activities of a high-level criminal organization have been documented,” the statement said, adding the scheme was organized to influence “strategic state-sector enterprises,” particularly national nuclear energy provider Energoatom.
